Flashback

The story continued, picking up where it had left off on the JumboTron, with Kaleta talking to Strum. It had advanced to later in the talk, with both smirking at one another and almost seeming like two good, evil friends.

“So, listen, Strum, I was thinking, instead of going after Malkin and uh, “whacking” him...maybe you can do a little something for me.”

“Like?”

“I got two better players in mind who could be whacked.”

“Who?”

Kaleta was grinning dastardly. “Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.”

“Kane and Toews?”

“Chicago Blackhawks.”

“And why are they of any importance?”

“Because, they--” Kaleta began.

“Wait, you said Kane and Toews? Kane...as in Patrick Kane?” Strum asked, waving his hands about the air as though fending off a large fly.

“Yeah, you know him.”

“Oh, not personally but the Mafia does. That drunken Kanerboo,” Strum spat. “When that American was in Sochi, Russia for the Olympics he dialed the Mafia and teased us, thinking it was okay. We tried to go after him, but by the time we got close, he was flying back to the safety of the states.”

“He got away from the Mafia?” Kaleta questioned, rather shocked that someone had actually escaped the grand Mafia, even the Russian Mafia.

“Yeah, but maybe, if you are trustworthy enough, you can join me and help us out…”

“Perhaps we could find Kane and capture him and torment him, right?”

“Right. The Mafia doesn’t fail to carry out their missions. We are not kidding around.” Strum hit his fist into his palm to simulate a pounding motion.

“Then I’m with you. We can team up and take him down together. And I think I have some friends who can help out too. John Scott, a big goon, who might come in handy and Thomas Vanek, a newer guy, but feisty and all villain (and plus he’s a hater of the Blackhawks).”

“I like it. I’d love to meet these people. And then I can bring it up to the main man in charge.” Strum grinned, as he slapped Kaleta on the back.

“And who’s that?”

“I cannot reveal that, Kaleta.”

“True.”

Kaleta snickered and led Strum off to meet with Vanek and John Scott. The meeting transpired and was successful. The four became close friends. Strum took the news to the boss of the Mafia and was shockingly turned down. Strum was furious, but he and the three hockey players all teamed up and became the Legend of Doom, or LOD. They remained in hiding for some time, formulating their plan.

They did research. Tons of it. Including searching about the Blackhawks’ Savior, Black Hawk or Evelyn O’Reilly. They knew they’d have to get around her in order to get to the blond. But out of that, they learned about Jonathan and soon the plan was more...more revenge based. John Scott wanted revenge against the “evil Blackhawk Captain” for a past “scuffle” and Vanek agreed, given that he had a run-in with the guy and didn’t like him...or the Blackhawks for that matter.

So it was settled that the LOD would target Kane and Toews and bring them in. And as they learned about the superheroine and what she did and how she operated, with help from an inside man named Dan Carcillo, the four slowly became villains. They built up powers of their own.

Kaleta became the leader with powerful ultimate telepathic powers and slight Precognition, which he could express through visual art. He also possessed Psychometry, which allowed him to have a look into the future and Resurrection. (He could also use telekinesis, at certain moments - mainly with his telepathy.)

Strum became a genetically altered human with superhuman physical and mental abilities. He had the ability of flight as well as telepathy, which he was able to use to manipulate the minds of others in various ways and was capable of energy projection through telekinesis. Strum could also exhibit the ability to teleport. And as he developed and strengthened his powers, learned that he could regenerate and be virtually immune to injuries, which helped him to remain quite immortal (he had a form of Injury Immunity).

John Scott became the Brawler, a brute with superhuman strength and very Penguin-like. He often carried a hockey stick umbrella with him, but preferred to use Lie Detection, an advanced form of telepathy and Psychometry to get his means across. He was smart, but of the four, he was the dumbest. He was often called upon for his strength and fighting ability, which was his go-to power.

Vanek became crafty and shifty and similar to the Riddler. He was not known for possessing any spectacular powers, however he was extremely smart with plans and creating strategies. Though he did manage to possess one power: the power of ice (Glaciokinesis/Cryokinesis). He could freeze people, but unfortunately his power did not work on heroes. He was regularly used for plans and schemes instead.

Vanek always longed to be more than just the guy with the “brains”, he wanted to be apart of the plan. He wanted more action, craved it, wanted to try out his ice powers and not just be the brains behind the operations.

But Vanek was called on to handle Black Hawk and look into her, while Strum helped out. He was promised that if he worked hard, he’s be rewarded the chance to be a part of his own plan. And that was enough for him. Meanwhile, Kaleta worked with Brawler.

And soon their plan was set into motion. Kaleta manipulated Ovechkin’s powers of “Power Cancellation” and used them to coat the United Center’s area. Then, in a stroke of luck, Patrick and Jonathan left the arena in smiles, completely unaware of the danger lurking. Kaleta sent Strum off to handle Patrick.

And success came. But Jonathan had gotten away, given that Strum couldn’t carry both Blackhawks to Russia with him. He would have to be dealt with, so Kaleta sent Brawler after him. And eventually, with the knowledge gained from Kaleta, Strum and Vanek’s research, he was able to sidestep and defeat Black Hawk, kidnapping Jonathan. It was the perfect quartet and plan.

****

Present Day

“You wicked fiend, Kaleta! Kaner would NEVER tick off the Mafia. He’s a sweet, innocent American,” Evelyn snapped, jumping to her feet and facing Kaleta.

“That blondie is no innocent man! You’re living a lie, dearie.” Kaleta yanked her back into the seat. “I’ll show you.” He extended his arm out and made the “force” hand signal with his fingers.

“Who are you, Sylar?” Evelyn joked, grabbing at Kaleta’s hand, which was extended toward Patrick. “You’re not cutting open Kaner’s head!” She pulled at his arm, trying to stop him.

Kaleta snapped his head to the side to glare at her, his eyes especially dark and clouded over with fury. “I’m not Sylar, I’m Kaleta. This is how I can force the little blondie to show you he’s not innocent. And I’m not one for blood or gore, that’s Brawler.” He narrowed his eyes and focused on Patrick, as he made the blond squirm in the chair, with discomfort. His eyes glowed a beady black color that was creepy.

“Stop!! Stop hurting him!!” Evelyn screamed, ignoring the eerie glow of Kaleta’s eyes.

“Get off of me. It won’t hurt for long!” the villain snarled.

Patrick finally froze in place and then almost immediately, the JumboTron sprang to life once more, projecting the blond’s thoughts and memory onto the screen. The Cab Driver Incident, the Drunken Disturbances, the cocky attitude, the interview during the Olympics that called out Kessel as the best player...all of the negative moments came back and were shown on the screen.

“See, he’s no angel!” Kaleta snapped. “You want more proof?”

“Stop it!” Evelyn cried, putting her hands to her head and shaking it back and forth, as though it were hurting her or even weakening her. And the truth was, again Kaleta knew her deepest secrets. “Kaleta, please…stop!”

Kaleta lowered his hand and Patrick unfroze, being released him from the horror of his past. The ex-Sabre spun around to Evelyn and glowered. “You know, maybe we can see into Jonny’s moments as well?”

“No!” Evelyn attempted to punch Kaleta in the face, but the villain stopped her and instead pointed his arm out at Jonathan and made him squirm with agony, as the same thing happened to him. Now his memories and thoughts were projected onto the screen. All of his fights and “bad” moments.

“As you can see, your precious Blackhawks are coated with non-innocence. They are flawed.”

It took some serious control, but Evelyn managed to overcome the horror of the situation and she bravely raised her head up, facing the demon man. “They are flawed, but they are still human and they are good. They’ve overcome their flaws and immaturity. They’ve put the past behind them!”

Then Evelyn slammed into Kaleta and sent him sprawling to the side. She jammed her finger on the button and launched into the air. “Black Hawk loves (Kaner and) Tazer (and the Blackhawks)!” She gave a loud, echoing battle hawk screech and zoomed down to the ice, where Strum and Brawler had come forward, blocking her path to Jonathan and Patrick.

She landed on the ice and stood furiously. She began to head forward, ready for a rematch with Brawler and to fight Strum.

Unfortunately, Kaleta had recovered and joined them.

“You really wanna attempt to fight us, even though you know I can win. I can defeat you easily...you are no match for the mighty Kaleta!” the ex-Sabre snarled.

Evelyn stood up and spat to the side of her. She narrowed her eyes. She was so over Kaleta and his attempts. She charged toward him and rammed into him, not even daring to waste anytime, but he overpowered her. Strum and Brawler helped out and together they shoved her into the penalty box, which was completely enclosed and locked her inside of it.

She tried to break the glass and get out, but her attempts were futile. She didn’t have Brawler’s brute strength. She only had her Hawk vision and flight powers with her wings. Doubt crept into her and drove her panic skyward. She was no superhero...she was a hero and she was certainly no match against the LOD. She couldn’t do this alone...she would need help. She needed Spencer and the Techies and Kelly.

Evelyn watched the trio snicker and walked over to Jonathan and Patrick. She saw Kaleta tap Jonathan’s nose and then smirk. Then he grabbed the brunette’s chin in his fingers and tilted his head up. Evelyn was more worried and her efforts to escape the prison increased. She had to save Jonathan. The lead villain smacked him across the face and with her sensitive hawk hearing, she could hear Jonathan’s pathetic and heartbreaking muffled cry of distress.

“Jonny,” she whispered, putting a hand to the glass door of the box and dropping her head. “I’m sorry. I have failed you. Patrick too...”

A few seconds later, Vanek dragged Val and a chair into the rink. The chair was placed between Patrick and Jonathan’s chairs. And then Val was forced into the chair, where he was bound to it and then gagged with a cloth. The Russian fought back, but he ultimately lost. And once he was fixed in place, Kaleta nodded, smiling.

“Vanek, you’re on...freeze ‘em!”

Vanek stepped back and raised his arms up. Ice from the rink shot up and forward at the trio of hostages and froze them in place, like Medusa turning someone to stone. With them trapped in the ice like human ice sculptures and unable to move, Kaleta flicked his blood red cape behind him and rounded them, examining the job.

Pleased, the villain snapped his fingers and instantly, around the trio, the ice surface parts and opened up to...

Notes

So there we go...
Strum's with the Mafia, Kaner has an "oops" immature drunk moment and pisses off the Mafia, escapes, but Kaleta and Strum meet up and do research and viola!
Bad, naughty Kanerboo...you do this to yourself, buddy! :P


Next up: Rescue missions...maybe...