The Revenant: Borei

Clancy Brown has worked at the Eagle City News, The Eagle, for almost five years now, and he had never seen such a strange headline.

Ice Man Kills Head Scientist

Clancy had noticed more and more metas had been popping up, but it was getting largely out of hand.

"Clancy! You're on the Ice Man story." Clancy's boss, and head Of the paper, Jordan Johnson yelled to him from the door of his office. Clancy nodded and grabbed his satchel that had all his equipment in it and began to head to the elevator.

"Oh, and come up with a better name for the freak." His boss yelled just as the elevator doors were closing.

-----

James McCloud was in the morgue looking over some files for the Borei case when two men wheeled a gurney into the room.

"Got another stiff for you, and this one is really stiff." One of the men said. James turned around in his chair as they were putting the body on the table.

"Who is it?" James asked.

"Some big scientists I guess." The other man said before they left the morgue.

James walked over and unzipped the body bag and was instantly shocked. The body was completely frozen. Not just frostbitten, the body was encased in ice. James made the mistake of touching the body with his b.a.r.e finger and his finger immediately turned black and seared in pain. His finger was frostbitten.

"What the hell?" Luckily for James, his healing Factor took care of the frostbite in seconds. As he was glancing at his healing fingertip, the intercom in his office beeped.

He walked over and pushed the button to accept the call.

"Jimmy, we got a reporter here from The Eagle. Come up here. Answer a question or two, I would keep this quiet but this ice guy already made headlines." Lieutenant Park said through the intercom.

"Uh, sure thing boss" James replied as he put his lab coat back on and headed to the lobby.

----

Clancy Brown wanted to talk to the detective in charge of the case, but he wasn't available so he was told to wait for the mortician to come speak to him. A tap on his shoulder from behind him startled him.

"Jesus!" Clancy said.

"Sorry, I have a knack for being quiet." James said with a chuckle.

"You're the mortician?"

"James McCloud." He said as he extended his hand. Clancy shook it and pulled out his notepad and pen.

"What can you tell me about this ice man?" Clancy asked.

"Well, it sure is interesting. I only just got the body of the scientist so I haven't learned much, but the one thing I did learn is that somehow this meta was able to freeze him to the point of Absolute Zero. The coldest anything can possibly get." James explained.

" Absolute Zero huh? Well, that's a better name than Ice Man or Ice Guy." Clancy said as he scribbled into his note pad.

" I'm sorry I don't have more for you, like I said I just got the body five minutes ago. "

Clancy nodded and put his stuff back in his bag.

" That's okay, I got something to write about now. Thank you. Have a good day." And just like that, Clancy was off.

-----

Borei didn't know how to find this ice meta, so he decided to wait outside the Science Divisions Lab in Eagle City. The Ice meta attacked a scientist once, he was hoping he would do it again. Borei didn't know what he wanted, but he knew if he wanted to reform his image, he was going to have to catch this killer.

As if on queue, he saw a man walk directly into the building. Borei went to the front entrance and saw that the keypad to get in was frozen solid.

"Hmm, seems like that's the guy" Borei said to himself as he followed the ice meta's trail.

He eventually found him in the laboratory of Nolan Dark, a world renowned scientist. Nolan Dark was cowering in his chair while the man was yelling.

"Just give me what I want! Then I'll leave. No one has to die!" The Ice Man said.

"I can't!" Nolan yelled in fear.

Borei decided he needed to intervene before the ice man attacked.

"Hey buddy, don't lose your cool now." Borei said from behind him. The ice man turned around to face him. The man was about 6'1" and was well built. He wore a sleeveless hoodie that was unzipped. What was more interesting was that his arms and c.h.e.s.t and all visible skin was a light blue. He was covered in a second skin of hardened ice. Of his face, only icy blue eyes and a platinum colored beard was visible.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" The ice man yelled.

"You know what's not funny? You killing that other scientist." Borei said. The ice man hung his head.

"I didn't mean to kill him. I dont know how to completely use these powers! That's why I want a cure!" The man yelled.

"There is no cure! Not that's been discovered yet." Nolan Dark said from the fetal position.

"Shut up! Yes there is! There has to be!" The ice man said, turning his attention back to Nolan.

"Hey, popsicle, back to me." Borei said. The ice man looked back at him, and was silent for a moment.

"Wait, I know you! You're that serial killer!" He said.

"I... Well yes. But I'm trying to change that stigma." Borei said.

"I'm not going to be your next victim." The ice man said, his hands turning whiter as icy drops began to fall off of them to the ground.

"Wait no I-" Borei began to explain when a shard of ice was thrown towards his face. He dodged it and it shattered against the door behind him. When he looked back the ice man was charging at him with what looked to be a sword made of pure ice. Borei dodged under his swing, just in time to catch an icy knee to his chin. Launching him back against a wall.

The ice man extended his hands and an icy white beam shot out, freezing both of Borei's legs to the floor. It was so cold that it actually felt like it was burning.

Suddenly a window shattered and Knight flew through it, launching his full weight against the ice man, sending him crashing into tables and chairs. Knight stood in front of Borei.

"Looks like you could use some help." He said as he began to use his own hand beams to melt the ice off of Borei's legs. Just as he finished, a ball of ice the size of a bowling ball smashed against the side of Knights head, sending him sliding across the floor. He didn't move.

Borei looked back to the ice man and he started walking over to see who he hit.

"Oh shit, is that Knight?" He asked himself. Borei took advantage of the distraction and he jumped up and jammed a needle into the ice man's neck. Except it didn't pierce the ice, the needle snapped. The ice man turned around to face Borei, and grabbed him with both hands by the neck and lifted him up off of his feet.

Borei could feel the icy touch freezing him, so he grabbed the syringe the needle was attached to and shattered it in the ice man's face. The green liquid went into his mouth and down his throat. He dropped Borei and began coughing.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you."

The ice man's vision began to blur and the last thing he saw was Borei standing there watching him. Then he fell, and everything went black.

-----

Connor McCready woke up in a strange place. He was on a lousy cot surrounded by metal walls. He stood up, thinking he was a prisoner, but saw that the door was wide open. He walked out and down the hall, into a large opening. There was a large computer, and a bunch of other tables and shelves that had various weapons and things covering them. In front of the computer he saw a man in Borei's suit, but without the helmet.

The man turned around in his chair and stood up. The man was easily 6'3" with steel blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair.

"How are you feeling?" The man asked. Connor just stared at him.

"Who are you?" He finally asked. The man tossed him a newspaper. The headline said "Absolute Zero has Showdown with The Revenant"

"Absolute Zero? The Revenant?" Connor asked out loud.

"Yeah, I guess those are our code names now." The man said. "I'm James McCloud, and you are Connor McCready, right?"

Connor looked back up at James, still confused.

"Yes. How did-"

"I'm a mortician during the day. Took a sample of your blood while you were out. Nice to know your skin doesn't stay blue and frozen at all times." James said as he walked closer to Connor.

"What is this place?" Connor asked, looking around the large room.

"Well, it was an old bat cave. I realized I needed to have a place for my... Extracurricular activities that wasn't in my apartment." James explained, casually like it wasn't anything special.

"So, you call this the bat cave?" Connor asked.

"What? No. That's a stupid name. What am I? Bat boy? No. I haven't decided on a name for it yet." James explained. "But what I'm more interested in is you. Why are you here, and why did you kill that man?"

"I'm sure as you can tell by the accent, I'm from Ireland, but I came here to find a cure for this disease I have. I didn't mean to kill the scientist, when I was holding him I got mad and he just.... Froze." Connor explained. Obviously upset that he killed someone.

" Well, take this from a man who has spent most of his life killing. The nightmares go away." James said, returning to the computer.

" I don't want to be a killer. Oh God, I hit Knight. I'm so screwed." Connor said, clutching his head.

"No you're not. I'll let that one slide."

Connor turned around and saw Quinton Trench standing behind him.

"You're-"

"Trench, yes, also Knight. Glad we're all caught up. Jimmy? This... Is your bat cave?" Trench asked, walking past Connor.

"It's not a bat cave!" James yelled back.

"Should call it Deaths Door." Trench suggested before looking back at Connor.

James raised his eyebrows, he kind of liked the name.

"So, how old are you kid?" Trench asked Connor.

"Uh, 23. Sir." Connor stammered.

"Call me Quinton, or Trench. Sir was my mother. So, Ice Powers huh? What'd you need Dr. Dark for?"

"He was trying to find a cure, but as far I know, there isn't one." James explained while typing at the computer. "By the way, how did you know we were there?"

"Nolan Dark is an old friend of mine. Helped me with the Knight Suit. When I saw he triggered the silent alarm, I rushed over. That's a pretty vicious hit you got me with."

"Uh, thanks?" Connor said, visibly confused about everything that's going on.

"So, Jimmy. You gonna help the kid? You got more free time than I do, and besides, maybe having a side kick will mellow you out a little. Keep you from murdering everyone you see." Trench said. James just turned around in his chair and glared at him.

"O.. Kay. Then it's settled." Trench looked back to Connor. "You'll stay with Jimmy, and he'll teach you how to control and master your powers. I would suggest accepting the help, because if you don't, and end up killing someone else, either myself or Jimmy are going to have to either put you down or send you to the FRAG Icebox. Which seems like a fitting place for you by name." Trench said.

Connor just stared at him. Trench nodded and began to walk out.

" Oh and Jimmy, glad to see your doing less killing and more hero-ing. "Trench said as he exited the room.

Connor walked over to James.

" Is he always like this? " He asked.

" Yeah. Still don't know how he found Deaths Door though." James said. Connor just looked at him.

" Just...trying it out. "