Electro was excited to begin his mission. Recruiting, and occasionally killing, other Epics sounded like fun. Especially with Starscream at his side. He decided to start in the northeast part of their new territory. The Deathbringers, as he had decided to call his group of Epics, would soon be expanding their rule and power. The name came from one of his favorite punk bands back in Pre-Calamity days. He had tried to think up names for his alliance. So far Deathbringers had been his favorite. He wasn't sure how good it sounded though. It fit, albeit a bit dramatic. Killers had been one option, Land of Death another. As he walked, Electro mulled over some other names. Arriving in the area he wanted to be, he had Starscream pick him up and place him on his shoulder. Telling the robot what to say, Starscream's deep robotic voice bellowed out, "Citizens and Epics. I am Electro. Corpsemaker has claimed this land as his own. Other Epics have an option: join our cause or be killed." Flashpoint had his robot put him back on the ground. People were coming into the street now. When they saw him, backed by ten soldiers and a huge robot, their eyes widened in fear. "You," Flashpoint said, pointing to a young boy just entering his teens. "Come here." The boy looked around and then, resigned to his fate, approached Electro with his head down. Electro used his electricity to cut through the door on the nearest house as he asked the boy, putting one arm around him, "Who is the most powerful Epic around here?" The electricity cut closer and closer to the woman the boy had been standing by. His mother, most likely. The boy began to stutter and tremble as he saw his mother inches from death. "F-F-Freeze. Freeze can shoot ice. She lives around the corner," the boy said. "Please don't kill my mom." Tears began washing down his face, his voice quivering. Electro smiled. "Thank you, kid. I don't think I'll kill your mother," Electro replied. His finger with electricity coming from it jerked to the side, severing the woman's head from her neck. "Oops, I guess I slipped," said Electro with a sly grin. He shoved the weeping kid to the ground and walked towards the corner the boy had pointed out. Muttering to one of his soldiers, he ordered it to shoot the boy. Weakness wouldn't be allowed. The soldier turned and sent twin bullets towards the teen's head and chest. A sharp cry rang out and one last sob came from the boy's mouth before the tears stopped flowing and his heart stopped beating. Electro rounded the corner, the other humans too afraid to do anything. Just to make sure, he told a few of his guards to watch out for anyone attempting to attack him. The others were assigned to shoot randomly every once in a while. One old man had the guts to stand up and look Electro in the eye. As he began to speak, a soldier aimed at him. Electro held his hand up, signaling the soldier to wait. The man bored his steely eyes into Electro's own. "I fought against tyrants in Asia as a youth. I won't let you do as they did. I fought for freedom there and I'll fight for freedom here. He pulled out his pistol and shot at Electro. Electro set his electric field to repulsing mode. The bullet strayed to the left of his body. Electro nodded at the man with a bit of respect. "As you can see, you don't have a choice but to let me." He told his men to shoot. All ten soldiers let bullets fly into the man. He stumbled backwards from the force of the bullets. His body thumped to the ground and Electro continued walking. Max was angry. The day before, in the store, the blond man had killed Mel. Max had managed to hide behind a shelf and the Epic didn't see him. He didn't realize Mel was dead until too late. There had been no cries, no pleas for help. There had been no shot. Max hadn't been able to figure out why the man left her. He had grabbed some food and left. Max had come back around the shelf and found Mel's torso leaning against a shelf and the rest of her body, from the waist down, on the floor. The edges of the body were singed. Max gagged involuntarily at the sight. Blood pooled everywhere. He couldn't stand to look at the gore. He stared into Mel's face and wept. He had worked with her for many years, helping fight the Epics and helping civilians. He had loved this woman. He had loved her and some Epic had just cut her in half. Max held Mel's face in his hands and tears poured down his face as her eyes stared lifelessly past him. He cradled her head and wept into her hair. Her long brown hair that had been so soft. He had never told her of his love. He had thought it would make it harder to work together. Now he regretted his silence. He had never been able to hold Mel in his arms. He had never been able to stroke her hair. He had never been able to kiss her lips. Now, Max wept in anguish at his lost love. After his lament, Max's sorrow had begun to morph into fury. He hated that Epic. He would find that Epic and he would fight him until one or the other died. He would not back down until Mel's death was avenged. The black fist strangling his heart would pain him for the rest of his life, but when that Epic was dead, when the black fist strangled him, Max knew his heart's pain would abate. Max couldn't cry any more. His tears were spent and his anguish transformed. He kissed Mel's forehead and left the store. His blood-drenched clothes kept others away. When he made it back to his hideout, he burned them in honor of Mel and swore over the ashes to never give up. As Max saw the blond Epic, Electro, as he called himself ride into the neighborhood on a robot, Max held himself back from charging the man right there. The robot and lifeless soldiers would make his revenge vain. He waited in the back of the crowd and gritted his teeth as Electro killed a mother and her son. When the old man died in honor, Max was hardly able to rein in the fire of fury that burned deeply in his bosom and threatened to engulf him. He had to make his vengeance worth something. Dying without a worthy attempt would make Mel's death in vain. After the Epic turned the corner, Max knew he needed help. Electro had gained assets in the past day. Max would need a rebel force to combat his love's murderer. He began to mace throughout the crowd, whispering of fighting and injustice. He knew he needed to convince people, he'd need to get them riled up. Epics thrived on fear. Fear kept their enemies docile. Muttering of rebellion, Max began to strengthen hearts and resolve. They weren't ready to fight, but they were closer. Death's Domain? Realm of Ruin? Electro pondered alternate names as he strolled towards Freeze's home. Electro knew which house it was immediately. The temperature dropped and ice decorated the house. Electro cut down the door and yelled, "Freeze! Come out and pledge to Corpsemaker or die." A woman with platinum blond hair, tied in a braid over her shoulder came out. "Calamity! Do you always break down doors before knocking?" she asked. "Why should I work for this Corpsemaker? I'm doing just fine." Electro replied, "See these fine toys of mine? You can have these and more if you serve the Dark Dominion." No, that's not quite right either. Electro thought. "Corpsemaker rules this land and offers wealth and privilege if you serve him. Death is your only other option." A jet of ice shot towards him. One of his army men jumped in front of him, obeying his command to protect. He was encased in ice immediately. Chuckling, Electro cut out the soldier. He walked back towards the rest and stood at attention. "Is that what you do?" Electro asked, Scrambling the woman. He loved confusing people; it made them more accepting of suggestions. "What? What am I doing?" Freeze asked. "You were coming with me to serve our new ruler, Corpsemaker, and get some soldiers of your own." "Okay. I'd like that," Freeze answered. Electro smiled. He told Starscream to pick up Freeze and himself and they rode back to the armory on his shoulders.
