An island in the Pacific . . .
It looked like Dr. Doom had won. He was almost done with the final adjustments to the cross-shaped machine where Larry Trainer, the Negative Man, was strapped helplessly. Trainer was to be the power source that would be used to awaken the comatose Godzilla.
Cliff Steele, the Robotman, was being controlled by Doom. Rita Farr, the Elasti-Girl, was imprisoned in a field of accelerated molecules, along with FBI Special Agent Wanda Mason. Mallah, the Simian assassin, was guarding them.
"It looks like this is it!" Agent Mason said. "I don't see any way out of this."
"I wish I could disagree with you," Elasti-Girl said. "But I can't. You know, I don't mind dying for a cause. I've been prepared for that. What I hate is that I failed. Godzilla is going to rise anyway. I don't want to die knowing that my failure unleashed that monster on the world. Six months ago, Michael died stopping Godzilla. He succeeded. I failed."
"We don't really know that he's dead," Agent Mason said. "After all, Doom is still alive."
"I've had that thought many times myself since Doom returned. But if he's alive, why hasn't he come back to me?"
"Why didn't you try and retrieve him?" Agent Mason asked.
"I beg your pardon?"
"When he transported away, six months ago, in the fight with Dr. Doom," Agent Mason said, "the coordinates of where he transported to must have still been in the machine. Why didn't you try to retrieve him?"
"Don't you think I thought of that?" Elasti-Girl snapped back. "The ambient radiation from the bomb affected the machine. There was a power surge. The transporter automatically rebooted and the coordinates were cleared. We tried to retrieve them but they were irretrievably gone. There was no way for us to locate him. He could be anywhere on Earth, or off. The likelihood was that he materialized in space and died. When he didn't return, I was forced to face that probability. But since Doom came back . . . I just don't know!"
Agent Mason nodded. "Couldn't Doc Savage have figured out some way to . . . But no! You didn't tell him, did you?"
"We couldn't," Elasti-Girl said. "Doc Savage is a good man, an honest man. But he's not a good liar. He doesn't like to lie. He doesn't have much experience with it. I was afraid that if the President, the Congress and others pressured him about what had happened here, he might eventually decide that he can't keep lying to authority. Or, being a poor liar, he might just slip up. I couldn't take the chance. The less people who know about Godzilla's existence, the less chance that someone will give it away. The four of us vowed to never again speak of it, to anyone. That's why we were so evasive of your questions. The only other people who knew anything about it were the Lethal Legion. Four of them are in jail but the last, Mallah, gave us the slip. We never heard from him again . . . until now!" She pointed up to the tree, where Mallah was covering them with a gun.
"And so you disbanded the Doom Patrol?" Agent Mason asked.
"Yes," Elasti-Girl said. "After Michael died, I needed time away. Larry was feeling a bit guilty about the way he treated Michael and felt he should quit. Namorita left to do some Atlantean ritual of mourning, which consists of spending a period of time alone. There wasn't much of a team after that. The Doom Patrol was finished."
"It is indeed finished!" an authoritative Germanic voice said. The two women looked and saw that Dr. Doom had returned and was listening to them. "The Doom Patrol is now an obscure footnote in history!" the metal-clad tyrant said.
"Don't you have anything better to do than eavesdrop, Von Doom?!" Agent Mason snapped.
"I have a ten minute window in my schedule while I wait for the drug to wear off young Mr. Trainer. His power will increase as it wears off. The machine is monitoring him. It will inform me when he has built up a sufficient charge. In the meantime, I have some free time. Ahh, it's quite exciting! In ten minutes, years of planning will come to fruition and I shall finally get my due and rule the world!"
"Well, while you're at loose ends, maybe you can tell me something I've been wanting to know," Elasti-Girl said.
Doom nodded. "You want to know about your precious Mr. Terrific, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. Would you be so kind as to tell me what happened after you transported away?"
"I don't see why not," Doom said. "It's an interesting story and it demonstrates my incredible genius. Who else could have survived and made it back to Earth? Certainly not your beloved Michael Holt! I am here and he is not!"
"Where is he? What happened?"
Agent Mason also wanted to hear this. After all her investigations, she was dying to know the end of the story.
"I will tell you the story, my dear," Doom said. "The story you've both wanted so much to hear."
Six months ago . . .
Dr. Doom and Mr. Terrific vanished from Earth in a flash of light. They were both reduced to energy molecules and beamed out into space. They should have materialized in deep space and died, but something unexpected happened. Something grabbed them and redirected them.
Mr. Terrific and Dr. Doom suddenly found themselves lying on the metallic floor of a large structure. The two men looked around. The place was large. It appeared to be a cross between a palace and a military HQ. Mr. Terrific looked at the bomb he held. It had counted down to zero. Why hadn't it exploded?
Doom was the first one to stand up. "Where am I?" he shouted.
"You are on my world!" a voice stated.
A light came on, illuminating a throne. On it sat a strange looking being. He was a tiny man, no more than three feet tall. His head was larger than a human's. He had no hair on top of his head but lots of facial hair. His skin was gray and his eyes purple. He had only four fingers on each hand. Next to the throne stood a huge robot. In the darkness, the two humans had mistaken it for a piece of inanimate machinery. But, the twelve-foot silver robot had arms and legs.
"I am Kurrgo, master of this planet!" the little man said.
Mr. Terrific wondered why the strange creature of an alien world spoke English. "You have some sort of universal translator," he suggested.
"Quite correct," Kurrgo said. "There are thousands of languages spoken on my world. As a leader, it behooves me to know them all. With the translator, I can speak to everyone on my planet."
"Which planet is this?" Mr. Terrific asked.
"There is no Earth translation of our alphabet," Kurrgo said. "The original name for this planet has been disregarded. When I started the new era, I eliminated all references to the past. I named the planet after the last letter of the alphabet."
"That would be Planet X in our alphabet," Mr. Terrific said.
"Very well then," Kurrgo said. "I am the ruler of Planet X."
"Why have you brought us here!" Doom demanded to know.
"To aid me," Kurrgo said.
"I will not aid you!" Doom shouted. "I am Doom! I am the foremost genius of my world! I use my knowledge for my own ends! I am not your servant! Send me home or face my wrath!"
"I warn you not to try my patience!" Kurrgo said.
Doom checked his gauntlet blaster. He was happy to see that the self-repair nano-technology had repaired the damage Mr. Terrific had done to it. He had weapons again. He smiled under his metal mask. "Enough of this!" Doom said, pointing his gauntlet blaster at the alien. With surprising speed, the robot stepped in-between the two. "Very well, mechanoid, I shall make an example of you first!" Doom said.
Doom blasted the robot. It didn't even shutter. Doom fired again, full power. Not even a scratch. The robot fired a ray at Doom, which deactivated the blasters. He was weaponless again.
Mr. Terrific grabbed Doom by the arm. "Calm down, Doom! Let's be smart about this. We're not in a good position! Play it by ear!"
Doom yanked his arm away. "I need no advise from the pawn of Clark Savage!"
Kurrgo stood up. "Silence! I rule here! You were brought here to assist me! You will do as I ask and then you will be released! Not before!"
Doom strained to keep his temper under control. He managed to remain silent. He hated to admit it, but Terrific was correct. The best thing to do now was to make a show of complacency and wait for the best opportunity to strike.
"What can we do for you, Kurrgo?" Mr. Terrific asked.
"Finally, we get down to it," Kurrgo said. "Very well. Behold!"
Kurrgo activated a holographic display. It showed a large moon heading toward a planet. "The planet you see on the display is Planet X. The moon is a rogue celestial body called the Gypsy Moon. It is on a collision course. When it strikes, Planet X will be destroyed. The moon's gravity is wrecking havoc as we speak. Already, in the coastal regions, tides grow uncontrollably high. Throughout my planet, the land is in a state of upheaval, as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes threaten the entire population. The people are panicking, turning against each other. Rioting is everywhere. Chaos reigns. People can think of nothing except the doom which is hurtling toward us."
"Why don't your people evacuate the planet?" Terrific asked.
"I have never liked my people venturing off of my world," Kurrgo said. "It risks contamination of inferior cultures! The space program was canceled and all ships were destroyed. When I learned of the Gypsy Moon's arrival, I re-instituted the space program. But it is too late. Only a small handful of ships have been created. It will take many months for us to build enough ships to evacuate the whole populace. There are five billion souls on this world and we have only twenty-four of your hours until the collision. Most of the people of Planet X will die!"
"What do you expect of us?" Doom asked. "Not even I, with all my genius, can stop the movement of a planet!"
"I recognize your genius," Kurrgo said. "That is why you are here. I had my robot servant manning my sensor arrays, scanning the heavens for technology that could possibly aid me. When your transporter beam was detected, my computers concluded that you were suitable to my needs. I hijacked you here!"
"So that's why we ended up here, instead of in deep space, where I set the controls for," Terrific said.
"I deactivated your crude bomb en route," Kurrgo said. "It would have caused much damage here, despite its primitive nature. But enough talk! You two have only twenty-four hours to think of a way to save my world or you will die along with us!"
"Well, if anyone can do it, we can. Right, Doom?" Terrific said.
"If such a thing is possible, Doom will do it!" the metal-clad Latverian said.
Suddenly, a shockwave rocked the building. Everyone except the robot was thrown of their feet. "It's getting close!" Kurrgo said. "The tremors are increasing!"
Mr. Terrific went to the window. He looked up. "We have less time then you anticipated, Kurrgo! That looks like your Gypsy Moon."
Kurrgo looked shocked. It was close enough to see now. "You must do something!" Kurrgo demanded. "I care nothing for your worthless lives. Nor do I care for my lowly subjects. But my people must survive if I am to remain a king! I cannot rule without a world or subjects! You must act, so that I can remain the Master of Planet X."
"Quickly!" Terrific said. "Where is your most modern lab?!"
"This way!" Kurrgo said.
Kurrgo led Dr. Doom and Mr. Terrific to a large laboratory. "This is it!"
"All right!" Terrific said. "Both of you listen closely! I have an idea."
Over the next eighteen hours, as supplies were hastily brought in by Kurrgo's robots, Mr. Terrific worked feverishly, aided by his brilliant rival Dr. Doom. The two geniuses frantically constructed one of the most astonishing devices ever conceived by any Earthman.
Doom was reluctant to admit that Terrific's idea was a good one. Doom wished he'd thought of it first. The two men talked as little as possible. They didn't need to. Minds like theirs could function in a cohesive way without words.
Kurrgo arrived. "Only a few hours remain, Earthlings!"
"You're just in time," Mr. Terrific said. "We've finished!"
Doom held up a vial. "This is the thing that will save your world. This vial is filled with reducing gas!"
"Reducing gas?" Kurrgo repeated. "What nonsense is this?"
"Give me a volunteer and I'll show you," Terrific said.
Kurrgo ordered two of his subjects to come to the lab and submit to the demonstration.
"Behold Kurrgo!" Doom said. "And you shall see that Dr. Doom is never a party to 'nonsense'!"
Doom threw a pea-size pellet at the two aliens. Within seconds, the two creatures were enveloped in a thick swirling mist. When the mist cleared, they weren't there.
"They're gone!" Kurrgo shouted. "What . . . "
"Not gone," Terrific said. "They've merely been reduced in size. Reduced by 1000 times."
Terrific handed Kurrgo a magnifying glass. They kneeled down. Kurrgo was just able to make out the two tiny figures on the ground. "It . . . It is incredible!" Kurrgo said. "But how will this elaborate parlor trick save my world?"
"Don't you see?" Terrific asked. "You will use the canisters of reducing gas to miniaturize the inhabitants of your world by a thousandfold. This will allow all of your people to fit into the few ships you have built. Only the pilots need remain at full size. Everyone on Planet X will find safety as the ships fly to another world. Once you land on a New World, you can use the antidote we have created - the enlarging gas - to return them to their natural size."
Kurrgo smiled broadly. "Excellent humans. This is better than I hoped!"
"In return, I want one of your ships," Doom said. "A small one will do. A shuttle. I need to return to Latveria. My people need me!"
Kurrgo nodded. "Very well. I will keep my word. You can use the private escape launch my robot prepared for me should you have failed. It has sufficient oxygen and provisions. It will reach the Earth."
"Let's hurry, Doom," Terrific said, pointing to the Gypsy Moon which was filling the sky. "We don't have much time."
"Indeed," Doom said. "The gravity of the Gypsy Moon will make escaping Planet X difficult."
As one of Kurrgo's robots led the two humans to their spaceship, Planet X writhed in its final death throes. The planet began to break up. A large piece of rubble fell and hit Dr. Doom, pinning him underneath it. His armor was sturdy enough to keep him from being injured, but it was too heavy for him to lift off alone.
"No!" Doom shouted. "I will not die here! Not like this!"
To Doom's amazement, Mr. Terrific doubled back to help him. He used a piece of metal as a lever to pry the heavy rubble off of the monarch. He helped Doom to his feet. Doom pulled away. "Do not touch me! My royal person will not be dirtied by the likes of you!"
"As you like it, Doom." Terrific said. "Let's just hurry!"
They ran onward, finally reaching their ship.
"Let's get aboard," Terrific said.
But Doom had other ideas. During the last eighteen hours, he had reactivated his gauntlet blasters. He pointed at Mr. Terrific. "This will be a solo trip," Doom said. "A monarch does not share his dwelling with a peasant, nor will I spend months with an enemy!"
Doom fired at Mr. Terrific. The ground shook, which was the only reason that Doom missed Mr. Terrific. Terrific was herded away from the ship, finally seeking cover behind some debris. "Good enough," Doom said.
Doom quickly boarded the ship and locked the hatch behind him. "Goodbye, Michael Holt. I'll give your regards to Doc Savage!"
Doom laughed as he launched. Escaping the gravity of the Gypsy Moon and Planet X combined was hard. But the ship was up to the task and Doom was an excellent pilot. He made it safely away. He activated the light-speed star-drive and fled the solar system. He looked back at Planet X. He saw the Gypsy Moon crash into the plant. Both worlds were destroyed.
Doom laughed. "And that ends the short career of Mr. Terrific."
Doom used the star charts to set a course for Earth. He went into suspended animation for the next few months. Finally he got to his native solar system. The computer woke him up. He stretched and went to the window. He saw Earth growing closer and closer.
"Home at last!" he said.
The Present . . .
Back on the island . . .
Dr. Doom was finishing his story to Rita and Wanda Mason. Naturally, Doom's version was altered, diminishing Mr. Terrific's contribution, but Rita saw through the lies. Doom continued to speak.
"And so I had one day left in space as I made my final approach to Earth. I used that time to modify my armor using the advanced technology of the alien ship. My weapons systems were more powerful than ever before. I reached Earth and decided to land here, on this island I created. I wanted to check on Godzilla. I found him still comatose but alive. Then I discovered that Robotman and Princess Namorita were here on the island. I injured the Princess and took control of Cliff Steele with a computer chip from the spaceship. I returned to Latveria, where my regent had been awaiting my return. My people were ecstatic to see me. I went on with my plan. I made the televised announcement that so alarmed the United Nations, causing the FBI to send Agent Mason to investigate."
"So you just abandoned Michael on Planet X?" Rita snapped.
"Of course," Doom said. "He was my enemy. And as I do with all my enemies, I destroyed him. The fact that his death was not by my hand personally is a small disappointment. Regardless, it was by my manipulations that he met his death. He expired along with Planet X."
"You bastard!" Rita yelled at Doom. "I'll make you pay for that!"
Doom laughed. "Will you indeed? HA! I will be interested to see how you accomplish that."
Suddenly, an alarm sounded.
Mallah jumped down from the tree. "It's the proximity motion detector!"
"Quite so," Doom said. "We seem to have a visitor."
On the beach, Namorita had risen from the surf. She was still weak from her injuries but she made it to the island. She was determined to make Dr. Doom pay. He would pay for the death of John Savage. He would pay for the death of Michael Holt. He would pay for almost killing her!
Two figures came out of the woods to block her. One was the simian assassin Mallah. The other was the controlled Robotman.
"Cliff!" Namorita yelled happily, but then she remembered something she had seen in a half conscious state. It was something she thought she'd dreamed. She remembered Robotman attacking Rita Farr at Doom's command.
The last thing she clearly remembered was weeks ago. It was Doom taking her and Cliff by surprise on this island as they commemorated the sixth month anniversary of Mr. Terrific's sacrifice. She was injured and escaped. She made it to the shore of the USA. She collapsed. And someone - she couldn't remember whom - took her in and cared for her. It was all a blur. Someone helped her. She vaguely recalled leaving - someone - before she was sufficiently healed. She made it to Doc Savage but collapsed before she could warn him. She later woke up in Savage's healing water chamber. She saw the surreal scene of Robotman and Dr. Doom attacking Rita and another woman. Robotman had sabotaged her water chamber and tried to chock her. Fortunately, she woke up fully and broke out of her chamber before she was killed. She made her way here.
What was wrong with Cliff? Was he being controlled or had he turned traitor? Either way, the fact that he was with Mallah - the creature who had killed John Savage - was not a good sign.
"Good to see you again, Namorita!" Mallah said. "It's time we ended our little feud. I'll end it with your death!"
Namorita backed up. In her weakened condition, she knew that she could not stand against the combined power of Mallah and Robotman. They would kill her!
Doom watched the controls on the mechanical cross where Larry Trainer was bound. Trainer seemed to have recovered from the drug. "Doom! You damn son of a . . . "
"Silence!" Doom ordered. "You are merely here as a tool. Your power is at its peak. I can now use it to awaken the sleeping giant. Godzilla can now rise! All is finally ready. Finally . . . it is time to rule!"
In Doom Patrol #9: Dr. Doom is about to raise Godzilla. Namorita is battling for her life. And two new arrivals on the island make their presence known. But are they friend or foe?