So, yes, the second to last story of the Arrow Hawk series is started up now. This is gonna be the longest and most complex story of the series. And it's also gonna be the most intense. A LOT happens in this, so make sure you are seated in and make sure to breathe, cause this is the story where you learn just who Guzzler REALLY is....but not until the end.

Also, I'm warning you, there are a few deaths in this. 

So, get ready...here we go, Arrow Hawk: Russian War begins now!

****

February 14, 2016

In Moscow, Russia,

Some mysterious person...well group known as the "Братство Разбойник Хоккеисты (Brotherhood of the Rogue Hockey Players)" person is using the famous Moscow government building of the Mayor known as the "Mossovet Building," which sits on Tverskaya Street. It is a horizontally shaped, red-colored structure that looks like a classical palazzo housed three stories into the air by a rogue basement extension.

The new name of this building, however, thought up by the person in charge, the leader of this "rogue" group of hockey players, is "Зло Логово" or "Zlo Logovo" which translates roughly to "Evil Lair." I know what most of you are thinking, right now, why is the building called "Evil Lair," that's stupid. Well...the leader of the group is lazy.

Inside this building, a dark hooded figure sits in a black leather chair in a government-style room on the first floor facing a window. There is a single lamp illuminating the lavish style room.

Suddenly, the person, dressed in all black with a hood purposefully covering his head (even though we already know who this is), glances to the side as a group of people enter, including: Nicklas Backstrom, Dmitry Kulikov, Sergey Kalinin, Joel Edmundson and Braden Holtby. They come toward the man in the chair.

"Alex, what did you need us for?" Backstrom asks.

"There's an idea that I have been toying around with for a while..." the man says.

"What is it?" Kalinin inquires, rubbing his hands together. "Some action finally?"

"I think it's time we take it to the NHL and withdraw all the Russians!"

"What do you mean?" Kulikov questions.

"I mean that we need to go after you know who...and why not kill two birds with one stone. You know?" the person clasps his hands together before him.

"So wait, what are you saying?" Holtby asks.

"What I am saying is that Russians don't belong in America!" the person snarls.

"How so?" Kulikov presses.

"Find the following Russians and bring them to me alive!" the person says.

"Are you suggesting what I am thinking you are?" Kalinin questions, rubbing his hands together and looking at Edmundson.

"I think he is, Kal," Edmundson responds. "You want us to go and find all of the Russians...and kidnap them?" There is a sparking flash of an evil thrill in his eyes, a hunger and hope that it is true.

"Yes. The following players: Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nikita Zadorov AKA: Arrow Av, Artemi Panarin, the mortal Vladimir Tarasenko, Vladislav Namestnikov AKA: Chaos, Nikita Nesterov AKA: Russiosteel, Nikita Kucherov AKA: Aqua Kuch (the brat of the Triplets), and most importantly Valeri Nichushkin AKA: Arrow Hawk. And make sure they all are not capable of escaping." He winks at Holtby, who slowly nods his head.

Then the person in the chair makes an evil pyramid with his fingers and emits a guttural snicker.

"Where is Brooks?" Holtby folds his arms over his chest.

"Oh, he's taking care of a little something for me."

"What about the little Shark prospect?" Kulikov snarls.

"I've got him handled. He's my pet after all..." The person in the chair gestures to his side toward where there is a cage with a golden retriever inside it. It isn't Nikita, but the golden retriever cowers against the bars. In fact this golden retriever is actually part human! The body is of a human, with paws, nose, ears and a tail like a dog's and a collar is around his neck. It is some kind of anthro human...but not completely anthro. "Goldy!"

The dog turns its head and yips at the man.

"Goldy, up boy! Speak!"

The dog-like human, Goldy, sits back and slowly cocks his head. He sits in the cage, blinking and musters the courage and ability to speak. "W-when can I c-come out?"

"See? He'll be fine. But the problem is, he can't transform as you can see...completely...I was thinking that we try again. Backs, here, has been fortunate enough to help me see a werewolf, beaver, and unicorn. So all we gotta do is find those three subjects...plus we need to create that killer moose! And Goldy, little Nikolay Goldobin, he isn't the one."

"Please let me out of here!" Nikolay begs, grasping the bars to the door of the large dog cage.

"Holtby, the syringe!" the man exclaims, snapping his fingers in an orderly fashion.

Nikolay whimpers and backs away from the bars, scooting away from arm-reach as Holtby comes forward holding a syringe in his hand. Holtby is able to jam the needle into Nikolay's neck and he looks up at him with big brown puppy eyes and then yips once more as he attempts to speak.

"Now, see to getting my Russians, I'll send Orps out to get me two others when he gets back. Right Backs?" The man looks at Nicklas Backstrom.

"The Lightning player and the Shark, right?" Backstrom confirms.

Nikolay whines and paws at the cage before Holtby stomps his foot and the poor dog-man cowers away into a corner.

"Jonathan Drouin, Nathan's best friend from Halifax and Tomas Hertl, my next test subject. As you told me you saw in your vision. Let's see if we can't get him to transform completely with the next test. If anything we can always use one of the Russians..." the man scoffs.

"Like who? Not Nichushkin...won't you need him unharmed?" Holtby inquires.

The person leans toward him smirking. "At first."

"And the Nathan MacKinnon kid...?" Backstrom questions.

"Wait, what's Nathan got to do with this?" Kalinin asks.

The person winks at him. "Nathan's the key to my plan after all. He's the perfect one for the killer moose. And Drouin's going to help him out...if need be, which is why we need him. And with all those Russians out of the way, it takes care of most of those pesky Hockey Avengers!" He smirks darkly.

"So is it Holts, Kal, Eds, Backs and I?" Kulikov questions.

The man nods at him. "Yes. Holts has my PC powers in him, which you may need. According to sources, that Namestnikov kid can 'wreak chaos' so it might be best to have him come along."

They all dip their heads and walk back out of the room.

The man then turns to the cage and looks at Goldy. "So you want out huh?"

Nikolay paws at the door and the bars and whines as the man gets up from his chair and snatches up a leash and walks over to the cage. He unclips the door and throws it open. Then he quickly grabs Nikolay by the collar and clips the leash to it like a dog. The dog-human pads along with Ovechkin back to his chair. The villain sits down and Nikolay sits at his legs and pats him on the head.

"You're a good dog, Nikolay. Too bad you'll never get the chance to play in the NHL and be as great as me!"

Nikolay folds his paws and looks at the ground. Ovechkin scratches him behind the ear and causes Nikolay's tail to wag and thump against the ground.

"See...you can't fight me and you can't win...you're just my pet, Nikolay. Why must you fight me still?"

Nikolay cocks his head and then nuzzles against Ovechkin's leg.

"Soon...you might have a kitty friend too. Soon Ulianna Nichushkina will meet her destiny...death to a moose!" He begins to cackle wickedly, while Nikolay drops his head and whimpers.

In Tampa, FL,

It is a late night, after a huge Tampa Bay Lightning win against the rival Montreal Canadiens. 7-1, a controversial goal awarded to Alex Galchenyuk. Vladislav Namestnikov "Vladdy", Nikita Kucherov and Nikita Nesterov, the Lightning's Russian players all exit the arena, heading into the player lot.

"Ha! Did you see me drop Gallagher? Again! What a pathetic Landeskog suck up type! Dumbass!" Vladdy boasts, energized. He begins to laugh in a mocking fashion. "I laugh in the face of danger! Ha-ha-ha!"

"I like score goals...and I did!" Kuch says.

"And I helped! I like to help!" Nesty

Kuch and Nesty high-five to the annoyed Vladdy.

"Don't make me cross-check you both during the next practice!" Vladdy growls, balling his hand into a fist.

"Like you could...you no drop him, he drop you!" Kuch laughs.

"Yeah!" Nesty tacks on with a hearty chuckle.

The two high-five again and Vladdy sighs and gives another roll of his eyes. "Whatever. I won. You both are just jealous!"

"Jealous?" Kuch questions, cocking his head.

"What is 'jealous'?" Nesty fakes his bewilderment.

"You know! Don't you even Kuch and Nesty!" Vladdy snaps playfully.

"Remind?" Kuch says, willing Vladdy to explain.

Vladdy sighs. "It's what the Canadiens are feeling towards our team."

"Oh!" Nesty nods his head.

"Yeah, um--"

Suddenly there is a screech of tires and Vladdy spins around and spots a van zoom into the parking lot. He begins to back up. "Uh, this isn't good."

The van skids to a halt, blocking the exit of the lot. And unfortunately tonight is one of the nights where a rare no fans at all showed up for autographs and pictures. It is truly just them. A creepy coinidence.

A man dressed in black (Holtby) gets out of the van's driver side and motions Kucherov to come over. Kucherov cocks his head and then shrugs and walks over. When he is no more than three feet away, the guy whacks him hard over the head with a shiny metal tire iron.

Kucherov slumps onto the ground at his feet.

Nesterov and Vladdy slowly step back.

However another man dressed in black (Kalinin) grabs Nesterov, before he can power up to "Russiosteel." A black bag is thrown over his head and his wrists are taped behind his back.

Holtby steps over Kucherov, who is eventually bound at the wrists and ankles with the tape and dragged into the back of the van.

Vladdy watches in horror as Nesterov is shoved into the van with Kucherov. "Uh, hey, what do you want?" He hovers his hand over his activation watch.

Holtby doesn't speak as he continues toward Vladdy, who steps backward in fright.

From the interior of the van, a disguised Kulikov shouts out, "There's no reason to be arrogant now, Vladdy!"

Vladdy backs into his own car and finally musters the courage to activate his hero look with his watch. He attempts to power up, ready to 'wreak chaos,' but finds that he cannot. "What the hell? What did you do to me?" Panic rises inside of him, until Holtby roughly pins him to the car.

"Not so tough now are ya Lightning Bolt?" Holtby sneers.

Vladdy gasps as he is grabbed by two people (Kulikov and Kalinin) and dragged toward the car. They pull him inside and tape his wrists, arms, ankles and knees together and then they tape his mouth shut.

"Just so you're not tempted, Chaos." Kulikov snickers.

Vladdy screams and wriggles in the tape as the door shuts and locks. The van then peels out with the three helpless Lightning players inside.

In St. Louis, Missouri,

Vladimir Tarasenko makes his way out of the underground parking area for his team and heads toward exterior plaza area beside the St. Louis Blues' arena. It is night out and there are a bunch of stars twinkling in the sky overhead. As he gets closer, he spots Artemi Panarin standing in the middle. He smiles warmly as he spots Vladimir coming toward him.

"Hey Artemi, how's it going?" Vladimir asks, warmly.

"It good...uh Chicago nice." Artemi combs a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, nice goal and win there."

"Well St. Louis is big rival of Chicago."

"I know. I respect you all though."

"I respect you, Vladimir." Artemi looks to the side and he suddenly grows tense and worried.

"What is it?"

"Мы не одни, Владимир. (We are not alone, Vladimir.)"

Vladimir cocks his head and then slowly turns to look around the plaza area. He sees nothing and turns back to Artemi. Just as he is about to tell him there is nothing, they are both ambushed by four men. Oh man, not again! Kelly's gonna kill me! Vladimir spins around and attempts to fight back as Artemi throws punches at his attackers.

In a thick Russian accent, Artemi manages to mutter, "What the fuck?"

Two men grab Artemi and two grab Vladimir.

"Hey come on, what did I do now? Let me go!" Vladimir attempts to plead.

But Artemi and Vladimir are dragged from the plaza toward the road, where there is a van parked, waiting for them.

"Kelly, pomogi mne!!!! Psychica, help!!" Vladimir screams out.

Artemi's wrists are bound swiftly with tape and then he's shoved into the van. Vladimir's wrists are taped together and he is forced into the back of the van, while he continues to scream but eventually tape is placed over his mouth. Artemi and Vladimir find that there are three other people in the van with them. Three Lightning players.

In Washington D.C.,

Evgeny Kuznetsov hums to himself as he walks from the Verizon Center toward his car in the underground parking lot for the Capitals.

As soon as he reaches his car, he spots the reflection of an ominous looking person. He quickly gasps and spins around, tapping his phone in his hand and transforming into his hero form: a black and gray suit with a black cape. The phone and keys are knocked from his hands, but Evgeny drops the remainder of his things on the ground and initiates in a hand-to-hand combat with the person (Kulikov).

Kulikov smirks at him. "So, you're gonna make this hard on me, huh? Guess it's time to show off my skills."

"What do you want? What are you doing here?" Evgeny demands.

"Oh, you wanna dance, do ya? Alright mortal, let me show you, just how I dance!" Kulikov morphs into a Florida Panther and snarls at Evgeny, who doesn't seem to be phased by the villain's sudden change in appearance. In fact, he smiles.

"You have superpowers too?" Evgeny shockingly asks in Russian.

Kulikov snaps his jaws at Evgeny, who steps back. The villainous cat then leaps at the young Capital, who falls back and vanishes through the floor with the killer cat. They reappear and Kulikov backhands Evgeny away from him. The Washington Capital gasps and stumbles back, going through the wall of the parking lot. The villain roars loudly and leaps at the wall. He slams into it and is thrown backward, skidding on his paws and digging his claws in to help himself.

Suddenly Evgeny flies back through the wall and lands at Kulikov's paws. Kulikov smacks him hard across the face, drawing blood from him. Evgeny screams in pain, but he gets to his feet and whips around to the cat.

Just then there is a loud screech of tires as the familiar van skids into view and halts before the scene.

Instantly, Kulikov morphs back into a human, his hand drenched in blood.

Evgeny steps back. "Who are you?"

"It won't matter soon."

Evgeny spins around and races for the wall. He leaps at it, hoping to go through it with his Intangibility. Instead he slams into it hard and falls backward with a gasp, knocking himself out.

Kulikov walks over and grabs him. "Sorry, your powers don't work anymore." He drags Evgeny toward the van, where he is bound with the tape and placed with the unconscious Kucherov. Nesterov looks at him and shakes his head.

"Why do you want us?" Nesty demands to know. His answer is met by the slam of the van's door.

In Dallas, Texas,

Valeri Nichushkin "Val" and Nikita Zadorov "Zady" meet up between the two buildings out front of the Dallas Stars' arena, the American Airlines Center. They both have their bows and arrows in hand.

"Zady, what do you want do?" Val asks his friend, in Russian.

"I don't know honestly," Zady responds in Russian.

Val grabs an arrow from his quiver and notches it in place as Zady follows him. "You know, it's a shame I'm going to have to wipe the ice with you tomorrow..."

"Careful, Val, you're starting to sound an awful lot like Vladdy."

Val nudges him in the arm. "Come on. Let's go shoot off some arrows. Hockey isn't the only thing we gotta stay sharp with and practice! Right Zady?"

"Right!"

"And there hasn't been any action in like forever."

"I know. I'm beginning to worry...it's been almost three months since the Earth had last been threatened."

"And the NHL..." Val nods.

They enter a private side lot, where a few archery targets are set up. Zady takes aim first and hits the bullseye with little to no problem. Val takes aim now and splits Zady's arrow.

Zady turns to him and gives him a playful frown. "Come on now, Val."

"What?" Val questions and then says in Russian, "It's just an example of what we'll do to you tomorrow, Zady."

"Alright Vladislav Namestnikov, get it all out."

Val opens his mouth to respond, when another voice cuts in, "Now, now, surely you know he's not the arrogant little asshole from Tampa?"

The two spin around, rapidly notching arrows and taking aim at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

Kalinin steps forward, holding the bound and gagged Vladdy. "This is Vladislav Namestnikov!" Vladdy tries to elbow Kalinin. "If he wasn't so...arrogant..."

Vladdy screams into the tape over his mouth and tries to say, "I'm not arrogant!"

Val and Zady share a look and take a step back.

"Why do you have him?" Zady demands.

Kalinin smirks at him. "Well someone had to shut him up? And we have orders from someone."

"Who?" Val asks.

"Maybe the name Alex Ovechkin rings a bell?" Kalinin sneers.

Val lowers his bow. "But I thought we--in Russia... Evelyn..."

Kalinin shakes his head and snaps his fingers. Zady spins and lets an arrow fly as another person (Kulikov) lunges for him, morphing into the Panther cat mid-air. The Panther swipes and is able to tear the bow free.

Zady kicks out and manages to get the cat away from him. He steals a quick glance to see Val in shock. "Val?! Val, come on, help me out here!" Kulikov tackles him and pins him on the ground. "VAL!!"

Val doesn't move.

Kulikov morphs back to a human and he tapes Zady's wrists together behind his back and then tapes his ankles together.

"VALERI!! PLEASE HELP ME!!"

Val finally musters enough to turn his head to look at his friend. "It is useless to fight. Ovechkin is way too powerful. We will not win. It is up to the others to find us, before it is too late."

"NO!" Zady shouts, shaking his head. "I refuse--"

Kulikov puts tape over Zady's mouth to silence him. And then he is yanked to his feet and dragged off.

"Get Holts!"

Kulikov nods as he passes by, dragging the struggling Zady. Val glances to the ground, where Zady's bow lays on the ground. The arrow that had been inserted is sliced in half. He looks back at Kalinin, who still has a firm grip on Vladdy. Vladdy looks at Val in stunned shock. How is he giving up like this?

Holtby walks forward and easily knocks the bow and arrow from Val's hands and then binds his wrists together with the tape.

Kalinin shakes his head. "You make things too easy, Nichushkin. I'd think you'd have more of a fight in you."

Val looks at him with a hard glare. "You underestimate me...it is not my place to fight against Ovechkin, knowing full well what he is capable of and that he can win for sure."

"Well in that case..." Kalinin trails off with a shrug.

Val looks him hard in the eyes. "Go ahead and kidnap me...and Zady... and Vladdy...but you will not win the war."

Holtby tapes his mouth and leads him off toward the van, followed by Kalinin with Vladdy.

"Time to return to Russia!" Kalinin announces.

Vladdy muffles his displeasure as he is dragged back to the van and shoved in.

Nicklas Backstrom peers around his seat in the front. "Is that everyone?"

Holtby looks around the van and reports, "The Tampa trio: Aqua Kuch, Russiosteel and Chaos, Washington's closet hero, Evgeny Kuznetsov-"

"It's Nessie! My name is Nessie! That is what my friends Willy and Latts call me! I am the Loch Ness Monster!" Evgeny corrects.

Kalinin slaps a piece of tape over Evgeny's mouth. "No speaking Nessie!"

Holtby continues with, "The mortal, everyone's favorite Blue, Vladimir Tarasenko, the other mortal and new Blackhawks rookie, Artemi Panarin, Arrow Av, and most importantly Arrow Hawk, brother of the famous Agent Snow Leopard!"

Val glares at him. Kuch and Nesty share a look with one another, keeping their mouths shut. Artemi looks around scared. Vladimir notices him...he is used to the kidnapping, Artemi is not. And he knows the poor Blackhawk rookie is shaken up.

"Excellent. Let's get back to Ovi then. God I love my Precognitive powers!" Backstrom remarks. 

****

Meet Evgeny Kuznetsov, the newest superhero...he'll be important coming up! NESSIE THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!! (I like to call him Kuzya and Vladdy will call him Kuzya as well)

So...next up: Beaver, UniBolt and The Bread Werewolf!