Men of Mystery

Bound for San Monte

Once Cerulean was gone, Gear wasted no time. He got to a telephone and called Sly Norton, his boss.

"Hello, Norton?" the lobbyist spat into the receiver.

"Yeah, that you, Gear?"

"It is. I can't explain now, but you are about to have a visit from the most dangerous man in the world."

"Is that so?" Norton chuckled. "Don't worry, Gear. I'll make sure he doesn't stay alive very long."

Gear heard a click and the line went dead.

Minutes later the mysterious Cerulean reached Norton's home. It was a modest house with a small yard. Cherry trees grew in the front yard and a long walk of paving stones snaked up from the street to the front door. The costumed Cerulean, ignored the walk and climbed into Norton's house through an open window. The munitions magnate was in the room waiting for him.

Norton was an older man with jowls around his mouth, a brushy mustache and a receding hairline. Dressed in a velvet house coat, the explosive manufacturer didn't look very dangerous, but Cerulean didn't drop his guard for even a moment.

"You're coming with me, Norton," declared azure-clad man.

"Sorry," countered the other man. "I have other plans." Shouting towards the hall, he cried, "All right, boys, open fire." The door to the room flew open and several men with machine guns stepped inside, their guns blazing and trained on the interloper. Soon bullets were bouncing off Cerulean leaving holes in his costume.

The gunfire ceased and Norton gaped. Norton's henchmen gawked in surprise too.

"Good Lord! He won't die," spat one man.

"But you can," Cerulean quipped back as he grabbed Norton by his shirt.

"What -- What do you want?"

"Be on the steamer ship La Fuerte tomorrow or I'll hunt you down and rip out your heart with my bare hands."

Cerulean let go of Norton and the munition magnate sat there terrified watching this stranger leave the way he had come in. Once outside the blue-costumed man jumped into the air and disappeared into the night.

The next day, as passengers began to board the La Fuerte, Craig Crent climbed the gangway only to find Dolores was already aboard ship.

"Dolores why are you here?"

"Taylor sent me to accompany you and send back story from my distinctive point of view."

Craig said nothing in return. He knew Dolores wouldn't want to travel with him in San Monte so he didn't even suggest doing so. He just smiled weakly at her and went to find his cabin. Moments later Sly Norton hurried up the gangplank afraid Cerulean was somehow watching him.

At 9AM the steamer left the harbor and headed out into the open ocean bound for San Monte. In Sly Norton's cabin, the magnate rested for a short time until he heard a knock on the door. Opening the portal, Norton's mouth dropped open to see Cerulean standing in the entryway.

"Glad to see you had the sense to heed my warning," said the cyan-clad man.

"What do you want now?" stammered Norton.

"I want you to join the San Monte army when we arrive at our destination."

"Why?"

"So you can see the horrors of war firsthand."

"But I'm too old to enlist. They'll never take me."

Cerulean smiled grimly. "They'll take you. Hell, they'd take a rabid dog. So you better enlist or else." And without another word, the costumed figure was gone again.

Norton wasn't sure what he would do. He was in no shape to fight and yet resisting this inhuman creature was suicide. Then he hit on an idea. He would enlist in the army and go AWOL the first chance he got. If he could make it back to the United States it wouldn't matter if he had deserted and Cerulean would never know.

He smiled to himself and went to lie down and rest.