The New Romford Free Press

Tag: Speedster

  • Lightning Bug Argues Self-Defense

    Lightning Bug Argues Self-Defense

    lbmugshotwebBy Chase Chapley

    Confounding many legal experts, the Lightning Bug, a.k.a. Horace Wagner, and his attorney argued in court today that his actions at the Verzatt Estates were in self-defense.  The prosecution had presented evidence that Wagner had been setting himself up as a hired gun in the New Romford underworld, and in testing out his new equipment, he accidentally caused the explosion.  Wagner and his attorney argued that he had to wear the armor to defend himself from Speedster, who they say has been tracking him for several weeks, and that he was in New Romford to find help for his mutated bugs, which he claims were mistreated by an associate of his.

    It’s an unusual defense made by a known supervillain.  Peace Force-sanctioned superheroes have the authority to pursue known criminals if they have probable cause the criminal committed a crime or if they have escaped prison.  Wagner has been wanted by the FBI for several months prior to his arrest on suspicion of robbery charges in New York and Philadelphia.

    “It seems like they’re grasping at straws,” said legal expert, Burt Montana.  “Speedster was nowhere near the Verzatt Estates at the time of the explosion, and they didn’t establish any other threat besides her.  If another supervillain were threatening him in that apartment, then he has a compelling case, but he hasn’t put forth any evidence for that.”

    The prosecution didn’t seem fazed by the argument, pointing out many of the same flaws that Montana did.  The defense argued that since Speedster is so fast that it would be likely that she could enter the apartment mostly undetected.  They also asked for Speedster to be testify in court, but as she was in India fighting a giant elephant monster with a pair of Indian superheroes, she wasn’t available.

  • Speedster Helps with Recovery, Wrecks More Things than Repairs

    Speedster Helps with Recovery, Wrecks More Things than Repairs

    Speedster
    File photo

    By Buffy Bolivar

    While intending to be helpful as always, Speedster ended up making things worse today when she “helped” with the recovery after the Dino-Day Disaster.

    The majority of the Peace Force was working with the New Romford rescue crews to remove debris from fallen buildings and to find missing people, the typical superhero work.  Speedster was on hand as well today, and her super-speed began tearing up the Industrial and University Districts.  “I know she’s just trying to help,” said Sally Wynn, a resident of the University District, “but could she at least think through her actions first?  Just once, please.”

    Speedster saw a large pile of rubble blocking the intersection of Industry Road and 26th Street and used one of her patented “Speed Tornadoes” to move the rubble.  Unfortunately, she hasn’t perfected this patent yet.  She ran around the rubble at super speed, creating a vortex that carried the rubble into the air.  Then it shot out all over the neighborhood, crashing into buildings that had survived the dinosaurs on both sides of the Winston River.  Thankfully, no one was hurt, but she left the scene in a puff of dust.

    Someone at the Peace Force must’ve reprimanded her because she stopped using her “Speed Tornadoes”.  Instead, she helped out with the otherwise slow removal of debris from collapsed buildings, and for about an hour, Speedster was helping in a constructive way.  Then, she decided to speed things up, as she is wont to do, and wasn’t paying attention.  “We were working on buildings on Billings Street,” said Sal Hodgson, rescue worker, “and she piled up all that rubble at the end of the street.  She blocked us in.  We couldn’t get out.  We had about 20 people that needed to get to a hospital or safe zone, and we couldn’t get them out.  How dumb can you be?”

    After another half hour of making a path for the rescue workers, Speedster left to help somewhere else but caused a 14-vehicle pile-up on Romford Way before collapsing a parking garage on 4th Avenue and 59th Street.  She had removed the wrong piece of rubble that had been keeping the garage intact.  Luckily, she had removed everyone from the garage in the brief second before the collapse.

    By then, Titana and Adonis reportedly had a word with Speedster, and she ran off.  There were no more reports of speed-related destruction after then, much to everyone’s relief.

  • Lightning Bug Equipment Malfunction Caused Explosion

    Lightning Bug Equipment Malfunction Caused Explosion

    By Chase Chapley

    lbmugshotwebNew details have emerged from the Lightning Bug’s capture last week.  Horace Wagner, a.k.a. the Lightning Bug, had acquired some new equipment while staying at the Verzatt Estates.  This new equipment apparently malfunctioned and caused the explosion.

    Wagner had set up an alias in New Romford several months ago, presumably to make connections with new partners.  Sources within the NRPD are not commenting on exactly who he was meeting with, but given his apartment at Verzatt Estates under the alias John Smith, it is assumed he met or was attempting to meet with rich clients.

    At some point, Wagner was given new equipment to augment his Lightning Bug suit.  It malfunctioned and caused the explosion at his apartment.  Wagner then fled the scene in his suit, followed by a small swarm of insects, and was eventually captured by Speedster.  The NRPD would not confirm what the new equipment was exactly, but they did confirm that it wasn’t nuclear or otherwise contagious.  ATOM Labs scanned the room and confirmed the results.

    Wagner is currently in jail, awaiting trial for several counts of destruction of property, illegal possession of advanced weaponry, vandalism, battery, and unlawful possession of mutated organisms.

  • Speedster Zips Through Downtown, Leaves Wave of Destruction

    Speedster Zips Through Downtown, Leaves Wave of Destruction

    By Chase Chapley

    SpeedsterOn her way out of New Romford this morning, Speedster left her usual wave of destruction down 21st Street as cars slammed into each other trying to avoid her quick movements.

    On First Avenue, Jonathan Hu veered off the side of the road into a light post.  “She just came out of nowhere,” he said.  “She was running so fast that all I could do was swerve, but I hit the damn post because of her.”  Hu was at least thankful he didn’t hurt anyone.

    On Second Avenue, Michael Watt hit the rear bumper of the truck in front of him as Speedster zipped right past him.  “I was drinking my coffee,” he said, “when she just flew by.  Must’ve been going 200 miles an hour.  I spilled my coffee in my lap when she flew by, and I got distracted and just hit the truck in front of me.”

    On Third Avenue, Ida Noh had a similar story.  She was riding her bicycle when Speedster ran by.  “She was just so fast,” she said.  “I was crossing the street, and there was a car starting to turn, waiting for me, and then there she was.  She ran by and one car rear-ended another and bumped the car into me.  Then, I look down the street and everyone’s getting into accidents.”  Noh says she only experienced minor scraps, but she just can’t understand why Speedster won’t slow down.  “I mean, we got speed limits on the roads for a reason.  Why can’t she follow them?

    “I thought she was a hero.”

    Speedster turned onto Seventh Avenue at the YMCA, causing several more minor car accidents, before merging onto Eighth Avenue, causing Bea Caws to slam into a fire hydrant.  “I hate superheroes!” she said.  “Just get out of the damn city already and leave us alone.  This is the fifth accident I’ve had this month all thanks to so-called superheroes!”

    Tom Morrow and Todd Hay were sitting at the Shortstop Café to get a front row seat at the spectacle.  “We came down here for a light lunch like we always do,” Morrow said, “because there’s usually something exciting happening downtown.  And Speedster is just so much fun to watch, too!  I know people get into accidents, and that’s not fun for them, but as a spectator, we just love it!”

    Their waiter, who didn’t provide his name, was asked about the accidents and said, “I don’t care.”

  • PF-Atlantis Meeting Wrap-up

    PF-Atlantis Meeting Wrap-up

    By Stan Hopewell

    MornAs the Peace Force-Atlantis Meeting wrapped up tonight, a few more details have started to emerge.

    First, Speedster eventually made it to the meetings, but no one saw her enter.  From all accounts, she was fidgeting when she did sit down, which distracted everyone, human and Atlantean alike.  She was asked to leave by a Peace Force member, and she did.  Again, no one saw her exit.

    Second, the levels of pollution the Atlanteans wanted were, naturally, very low compared to the U.S. numbers.  The Atlanteans felt that the U.S. was going back on their word to reduce water pollution levels to 3% by 2020, and they were also still upset about last year’s oil spills that destroyed their kelp farms and marlin hunting waters.  The U.S. officials maintained that was an aberration and that they will continue to lower their pollution levels.

    Third, most intriguingly, an alternative was being proposed to the Atlantis Underway.  The plan to build a 1,500 mile underwater highway and/or high-speed rail line didn’t garner much attraction from the U.S. due to its high cost.  The Atlanteans were, by and large, not too fond of the idea either.  Instead, another project, the Atlantis Elevator, garnered more interest as it would cost considerably less money to build.  Essentially, it would be a giant freight elevator built from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to sea level about halfway in between Atlantis and the eastern seaboard.  Freight ships would sail to the elevator which would essentially be a port for the exchange of cargo.  Whether or not the White House goes for the idea is unknown.

    No matter what happens in Washington, attendees came away feeling productive.  Next year’s meeting is already being planned as a two-day event.

  • Lightning Bug Arrested; Meetings Back to Business

    Lightning Bug Arrested; Meetings Back to Business

    By Stan Hopewell

    Reports are coming in that Speedster has apprehended the Lightning Bug and turned him over to the NRPD.  While no Peace Force members or Atlanteans seemed worried about it, attendees couldn’t help but think of last year’s incident with the Mind Master.

    Regardless, the attendees took a break from the meetings during the incident just to be sure.  “Well, we got to a certain point in the talks when the news broke about Speedster,” said Senator Holloway.  “I was here last year for the meetings, and everyone, American and Atlantean, started looking at each other a little strangely.  But taking a break certainly helped ease any worries.”

    As for progress made, no one was willing to say much.  “We made progress, sure,” said Senator Saluzzi.  “Things got stalled by the news, but I think we’re going to make progress on trade routes.”  Saluzzi couldn’t confirm if talks on the proposed Atlantis Underway had started.

    With Lightning Bug in police custody, the break ended, and attendees returned to their meetings.  Not much was said, but rumors are popping up about an alternative to the Underway.  More information when it becomes available.

  • Speedster Captures Lightning Bug

    Speedster Captures Lightning Bug

    lbarrest

    By Chase Chapley

    Speedster tore through East Town today in pursuit of Lightning Bug, who is one of Speedster’s supervillains from New York.  He is suspected of causing the explosion at the Verzatt Apartments yesterday.

    The chase went up Main Street and veered off into the winding streets of East Town before culminating on the Milton Street exit on I-188.  It was a mixture of lightning, mutated insects, and super speed which ended in a small tornado generated by Speedster.  The high wind speeds disrupted Lightning Bug’s mechanical wings, and he fell to the ground, knocking him unconscious.

    The NRPD apprehended Lightning Bug and thanked Speedster for her help.  She began to say “You’re Welcome” when she ran off down 188.  The chase left a few people injured and many more cars and buildings damaged.

    The NRPD has released very few details as to what Lightning Bug was doing in New Romford.  He had been on the loose for several months and had usually been a hired hand in bank heists.  No bank robberies have occurred in New Romford in over a year.  Lightning Bug is not believed to have any associates in New Romford, but he may have been looking to make connections.

    Residents are advised to find an alternate route while the NRPD and ATOM Labs scrub the insect guts off the highway.