AAOOOSC! #10

Later that night, something dark is stirring up in Detroit. A dark, gray warehouse looms up high in the starry night; its windows are emitting a dim, neon blue colour. Low, ominous whispers from the warehouse can be heard from outside.

It is odd though since the warehouse seems abandoned. But do not be fooled: this warehouse is far from being abandoned.

Inside, there is a massive main room with the same gray colour. On the wall across from the entrance is a sizeable computer screen that takes up the whole, lengthy wall from floor to ceiling. The computer screen is the only lighting in the room since the rays of light emitting from it is enough to illuminate the dark room a bit with ghostly shadows.

There is a good-sized keyboard in front of the screen for one to type one. And the one typing on that keyboard is the one and only: Jimmy Howard.

Jimmy chuckles sinisterly to himself as he types excitedly on the keyboard. The blue light bounces off from his face as stares intently up at the screen. “Alright…!”

With a final press of a button, he swiftly turns around 180-degrees with the tail of his black cloak swishing behind him. He then kneels down and comes back up, this time with his sleeping basset hound, Nacnud, curled up in his arms.

Jimmy stares ahead of him. “Are you boys ready...to test out your powers?”

Facing Jimmy are his two newest recruits: Alex Galchenyuk and Nikita Zadorov. Alex has a determined expression on his face while Nikita has a lost look on his face.

“Yes, we are,” Alex replies in a Belarusian accent. He has a smirk etched on his face.

Jimmy turns to Nikita. “Nikita?”

Nikita nods his head with wide eyes; Jimmy gives him the motion for him to say something. “Yes,” he says quietly in a Russian accent.

“Good.” Jimmy faces both of them. “We’ll start off with your individual powers.” He reverts his attention at Alex. “Alex, I’ll start off with you.” He steps closer to him with his hands clasped behind his back.

Jimmy then begins to tell him what to do: “You want to fit in with the…let’s say, Dallas Stars. The only way to do that is by becoming a Star yourself.”

Alex’s facial features begin to fade away as new facial features grow in their place. His clothes begin to mold into a new, bulkier fashion to fit with who he is transforming to.

After a few seconds of the transformation, Tyler Seguin in his home game day equipment is standing in Alex’s place.

“Speak,” Jimmy commands with a small smirk.

“Where’s Jamie, where is he?” Tyler rushes over to Jimmy, grabbing onto his shoulders with his gloved hands. “I’ve got to know where he is, he doesn’t talk to me and I want to ask him why before I chicken out!”

“Perfect, perfect…!” Jimmy taps Tyler’s helmet with a full-on smirk. “You have mastered your powers very well!”

“Thank you,” Tyler replies, this time in Alex’s voice. He then turns around and saunters back to his place as he melts back to himself.

Alex turns around after halting next to Nikita, facing Jimmy.

Jimmy menacingly steps over to Nikita. “Alright, Nikita; it’s your turn: You are at a hockey game, Ducks versus Wild, to be specific, and you spot your enemy in the distance. Now, you don’t want to get caught…”

Nikita yelps and immediate disappears. A vertical zip of black and orange in the air is seen for a split second and soft tap from the ground is followed.

Jimmy and Alex gaze down to see a program from the latest game of the Anaheim Ducks against the Minnesota Wild in Nikita’s place.

“Good, good! A program, that is very clever!” Jimmy nods his head at the object and steps back.

Nikita jumps into view, dissolving the program. A proud, sweet smile is shown on his face.

“It seems like you boys are great with your own individual powers!” Jimmy announces, gazing at both of them with a proud, insidious smile. “But do you guys know what you’re going to use your powers for?”

“To have NHL!” Nikita exclaims, pumping his fist in the air.

“Yes, that is true…” Jimmy nods his head with uncertainty. “But how are we going to have the NHL?”

There is silence hovering over them now.

“Don’t you boys remember?” Jimmy starts again, walking backwards toward the keyboard. He presses a button on it. “By demolishing the GHP.”

Pictures of all the members’ headshots of the Good Hockey Players’ society pop up onto the screen.

“Ohhh…!” Nikita and Alex say in unison.

“Yes…!” Jimmy extends his right arm out from the side. “They are the only thing that is in our way from getting the NHL.” He points to the screen. “They have powers--” He reverts his pointer finger to the two Slavs. “--you guys have powers. Better, mightier powers than them…”
He cranes his head to take a glance at the headshots with an evil smile.

“They all have powers?” Alex has his eyes on the headshots with a frown.

Jimmy faces him. “Yes, yes, they all do. But not as great powers as you do-- You two not only have individual powers, but also have merged powers; they...don’t. So you guys have a huge advantage over them.”

Alex and Nikita exchange confident smirks.

“That’s why I am so confident that this time--this time--we will finally get to have the NHL...!” Jimmy lays his cheek on Nacnud’s furry side with dreamy eyes. “Oh, the sweet taste of victory is so close, I can taste it…”

“Who are the important people of the GHP?” Alex asks.

“Hah!” Jimmy perks up. “I’m glad you asked!” He strolls over to the keyboard and presses a button with his free hand.

Antti’s headshot moves over to the middle along with all of his statics.

“This is the Master of the GHP; he is in charge of the society and without him, everything will go downhill for them for a bit. I say “for a bit” because there is another member here who is next in line to be Master.” Jimmy presses another button.

Patrick’s headshot comes over to the middle with his statistics shown.

“This is the spy and next-in-line Master of the GHP. Without him, there will be no next Master and no spy. He is your number one target.” Jimmy swift turns around to face them.

“Who is our number two target?” Nikita asks curiously.

“Hmmm…” Jimmy narrows his eyes with his eyes casted to the side. His eyes then light up.
“Ah-ha!” He turns back around and presses a button on the keyboard.

Toews’ headshot comes around to the middle and Patrick’s statics switch to Toews’s statistics.
“He is not only a member of the GHP, but also the right hand ruler of the NHL. He has the most ultimate powers a human being can ever have. But don’t be discouraged now, because he has practically zero control over them, so he cannot use them to his full advantage.” Jimmy faces his sidekicks. “Meanwhile, you boys have great power and not only great power, but you are able to control that great power! That is why you boys have the upper hand in all this!”

“Yay!” Nikita raises his hand toward Alex, waiting for a high-five.

Alex high-fives him back.

Nikita smiles and turns back to Jimmy.

“So, what do we do first?” Alex asks Jimmy seriously.

“You guys are first going to get your number one target…” Jimmy switches the picture and statics back to Patrick. “Meanwhile, I will stay here and prepare a place for him to stay…” An evil chuckle begins to rise in his throat as he eyes Patrick villainously. “Hello, NHL...my league.”

Notes