Continuing the story of inventor and adventurer Doc Strong and his wife Rulah as they decide to explore the abandoned silver mines of 1904 Tombstone.
( Story copyright Eric N. Boyd)
Chapter II:
Irving Talon,owner and proprietor of Talon Mining, decided a new direction would be implemented in the minds of his humanoid servants, the Lava Men. Called the Black Bat in their telepathic language, Talon held a tight grip on their simple minds with his psychic prowess, ensuring they'd devote their lives to his goals. A mutant by birth, Talon had fought his way through the remnants of the Civil War, growing up during the aftermath of the USA's bloodiest chapter, escaping the slowly rebuilding of the South, where the economic aftermath was still being felt. He had no desire to remain there, opting instead to move to Arizona where he'd heard that silver was being mined and men were getting rich. It didn't take for long for Talon to realize he was different, as men and women would respond to his mental desires and commands. Initially he thought it was some type of divine providence, this gift he had but he soon realized his lack of belief in a God surely could not mean he'd been blessed with such a gift. Instead he learned he'd been bestowed with this simply due to his birth right, and slowly began learning more about science and human biology, and of course, the business end of things.
He was able to convince several people in his life through his mutant psychic dealings to give him wealth, to bestow him with what he needed. However, Talon also learned there was a drawback to his psychic mind control. People would only be controlled briefly before they would manage to shake the hold he had on them. They would never learn exactly how Talon had controlled them, but several people chalked it up to either drug inducement or some type of witchcraft and he soon outwore his welcome wherever he had lived. Too often had Talon narrowly escaped with his life despite his mental powers.
Now, however, in his silver mine, having discovered this subterranean humanoid race, he had virtual complete control over the creatures, their simple ways and small brains perfect for his plans. He would never allow anyone to come near the mines, saying he had some Indian workers who preferred to be away from most white men and were loyal to only Talon due to his understanding and generosity. It was a bit of a con he employed, but one he managed given his mind control powers and no one bothered Talon as well due to the wealth he'd acquired and spent in Tombstone.
No one in Tombstone knew the true Irving Talon, they saw him as a successful silver miner, a well respected man of wealth, and little, if anything bad, had been said about him. Little did the townspeople of Tombstone know they had one of the most potentially deadliest men in their midst.
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Rulah Strong and her husband, Tobias, also known as "Doc", set about packing their horses and a pack mule as they decided to venture out to one of the abandoned silver mines whose claim had been lost due to the water table seepage. Doc decided he should investigate this mine he'd discovered last year with his new invention, the Deep Exploration Exoskeleton Pressurized (D.E.E.P.) suit. Operated on steam pressure provided by the slow burn of coal, or even wood if needed, the suit seemed to function well. However, mucking about in his barn wearing the suit and scaring his livestock as they eyed this lumbering bronze colored steaming, hissing mechanical man was no substitute for true exploration of an actual mine. Also, he wouldn't scare anymore animals, except perhaps for some unseen cave dwelling bats and spiders.
Little did Doc and Rulah know as they rode their horses with the equipment bouncing about, the suit's arms dangling off the pack mule on their way to the silver mines beneath the rising sun of the Arizona sky that indeed they'd meet some dark creatures.
To be continued.
Chapter I:
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