Terabyte laughed.
It was a crazy laugh.
Electricity arced from the power plant’s generator to his yellow containment suit.
Terabyte is a computer program. He was created by the government to be the ultimate cybercrime prevention tool. Instead, absolute power corrupted absolutely. Terabyte turned on his creators, no real surprise there.
Fortunately, before he could do any massive damage, he was caught. He was placed in a yellow containment suit with a yellow mask and restraint bands that crossed his chest.
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, except for pi. Terabyte broke his restraints, which are still in pieces across his chest. He is now stronger and able to beam himself into the physical world.
“He promised me all the power!” said Terabyte.
“He who?” Dogboy asked.
It’s not uncommon for super-villains to be contracted out, the most common benefactor being the government. To keep non-powered individuals, or zetas, from becoming overly fearful or jealous of transbeings, the government hires villains or facilitates their escape from prison. The goal: cause havoc so heroes can save the day. The zetas think, “Glad we have superheroes to protect us from evil,” and they don’t rise up against transbeings–for the most part.
Years ago, World War III–a war waged between zetas and transbeings (at the time called alphas, mystery men, or nuclear men) nearly destroyed the world. In order to stop the war and make sure it didn’t happen again, the world governments decided on this…stage acting…among other safeguards.
“Like I’d tell you?” Terabyte sneered at Dogboy.
Terabyte formed an electro-ball and threw it at Dogboy. He rolled clear; the ball exploded behind him.
Terabyte took in a deep breath, like a monk before meditation. The black soulless eyes deep within the yellow containment mask flashed a light. Terabyte levitated. “I can feel it. All the data. All the energy. The power of the Internet itself!”
He regarded Dogboy like someone noticing an ant on their picnic cloth. “I grow tired of our endless battles, mongrel. He didn’t specify anything regarding you, but I’m sure he doesn’t want you sticking your nose into his business.”
“What business?” Dogboy asked.
“Revenge.”
Three areas of the floor around Dogboy lit up like a disco dance floor.
“The price for powering a home is ridiculous,” said Terabyte. “The others simply wanted to boycott Megaton Electric. He knew it was pointless. Boycotts, strikes, riots, protests, they never change anything. He knows what it takes to make real change.”
Terabyte’s body glowed with power. “He offered me unlimited power in exchange for draining this plant and the information it gathered.”
Why does a power plant have information on people? Dogboy thought. Are they illegally selling data to third parties? Or worse?
Terabyte trust out a hand. Three computer viruses appeared out of the lit up floor panels.
Along with controlling and manipulating energy, Terabyte can control electronics and summon computer viruses (or corrupt benign ones).
The viruses looked like PAC-Man if he was an evil biker that got infected with a zombie virus. One virus licked its lips with a long, forked tongue. Another bared its razor sharp and bloody teeth. The last materialized a baseball bat covered with nails.
“Kill him,” Terabyte commanded in a cold, cruel voice.
Series Review: Dispatches from Elsewhere (Netflix)
Peter and three others team up to solve a mystery game involving a young woman who disappeared. However, it might not be “just a game.”
- Very weird, yet good
- Lots of fourth wall breaking
- Easy to follow, sort of, even with the switching between characters
- Appreciated that when it showed what a character was doing at the time another character was doing something they didn’t fully rewind it; they provided recaps of events
- At times it makes you wonder if something wasn’t in the on set water
- Pretty good acting
- The first few seconds, like ten to fifteen, has the host staring at you saying nothing. It can be a little uncomfortable, so be prepared.
- Kind of felt liked a semi-modern Twilight Zone or Outer Limits or other such spooky anthology type shows.
The first attacking virus lashed out with its tongue. Dogboy grabbed the tongue…Ewww! he thought…and pulled the virus closer to him. Once it was in range, he punched it. The virus tumbled and flopped.
The next virus swung its bat. Dogboy grabbed the bat. The two wrestled for control of the bat. Dogboy finally ripped it away from the digital creature and whacked it with the bat. The virus exploded into pixels that dissolved into the floor.
The last virus charged at Dogboy with claws and teeth.
WHACK!!
Dogboy smacked the ball-shaped fiend like a ballpark home run. The virus twisted through the air before trailing off into pixels like a plane’s jet stream.
The virus with the tongue tried sneaking up on Dogboy. It failed. Dogboy smacked the virus with the ball without turning around. The virus crumbled into pixels.
Dogboy pitched the baseball bat at Terabyte. He easily caught it in an electro-beam and disintegrated it.
“Fine,” said Terabyte hovering over Dogboy, “I’ll deal with you myself.”
Terabyte fired three electo-balls at Dogboy. Dogboy dodged each one. Charred spots appeared wherever the balls hit. Terabyte released an energy wave. Dogboy inhaled and held his breath, so he could become intangible. He “dug” through the wave.
Terabyte got weak and fell to the ground. As he huffed, Dogboy rushed in and delivered a right jab then a left then another right and another left. He alternated blows growing faster each time. Finally, Terabyte smacked him away with an electrically charged fist.
Terabyte took to the air again. He threw another three electro-balls. Dogboy, again, dodged them. Terabyte released another energy wave; Dogboy passed through it again. When Terabyte fell to the ground, Dogboy closed the gap and dealt another round of punches.
Terabyte zapped Dogboy again; but this time, before Dogboy recovered, he pushed him to the ground and started to strangle him.
Dogboy didn’t know if he preferred being unable to see whatever twisted expression Terabyte pulled underneath that mask. “Why must you always interfere?!” shouted Terabyte, full of hate and venom.
Dogboy knocked Terabyte off him with a blow to the head. Terabyte growled. Dogboy spun and kicked Terabyte in the chest sending him crashing into a wall. As soon as Terabyte fell unconscious, the station’s power returned.
***
About ten minutes later, PAWS had Terabyte under control. Dogboy located the head of the transbeing-focused police unit, Chief Smith.
“We still don’t know who hired Terabyte,” Dogboy said. “It seems a little much to have him drain the station just to get back at them for high energy bills.”
Chief Smith gave Dogboy an unconcerned, reassuring expression. “You know as well as I that people are weird. They’ll go to extreme lengths because of anger or desperation.”
“Hmm,” Dogboy said. “Maybe you’re right.” But I’m not fully convinced either.
Enter a universe of alien invasions, time travel, and thrilling adventures: read Joe Rover books.
Joe Rover 
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