During one stormy night, the Blinding Light was rehearsing for an upcoming gig at the Door, a popular Christian club in the DFW area. During a break, Tyler Browder was popping pop-corn on an ancient Japanese microwave he'd found at the dump. The band was intrigued by the popping sounds and gathered 'round to watch. Suddenly, a clap of thunder and a blinding bolt of lightning knocked out the power.

  At the moment of the surge, the faulty microwave released a sudden burst of high-energy radiation. The entire band was sent sprawling, their bodies and minds sizzling with the sudden exposure. When the power came back, the members of the Blinding Light had undergone vast changes.

  Tyler Browder's strength had doubled. His bulk was mighty and would frighten small children. John Clower's massive feet had grown in size and had given him the power of flight. Stephen Clower, who still held his guitar at the time of the power outage, was now able to control the minds of others for brief periods of time. In addition, his guitar had now transformed into a deadly light saber guitar! Robbie Greer's limber physique instantly became a body as quick as the lightning that had transformed him into the speeding mutant that he had become. In addition, his drum sticks had now become light saber drumsticks! Paul LeMaire's dark eyes were now capable of piercing any matter with one glare. To accompany his new talent, Paul's beard had grown down to his chest and was now sentient. And lastly, but not leastly, RJ Regenold's boy-band voice had now mutated to an eight-octave capacity, able to break glass or start an earthquake with one wail. In addition, the mic stand that had moments ago been in his hand was now a light saber!

  Together, these six former band mates had become the Blinding Light Crusaders. Their purpose: to protect their world from evil and defend the nerd's way of life. With the Blinding Lightmobile and their new super powers, evil would surely break down and cry like a small child, begging for mercy. With the band's combined intellects, skills, and body odors, the Blinding Light Crusaders would be capable of thwarting any evil villain: no matter how diabolical, sinister, or menacing.

  Crystal McPancrius shuttered with the cold. She'd caught her boy friend dirty dancing with his old girl friend earlier that night and had refused a ride home from another friend. She felt so miserable, she decided a lonely walk home on a cold, dismal night was what she deserved. She thought the biting cold winds against her face would console her broken heart. But so far, all she felt was a pain in the pit of her stomach.

  Something caught her eye. She shuttered even more so. Shaking her head, she dismissed it as a figment of her imagination and continued walking, though a bit faster. Again something caught her eye a shadow moved silently across the narrow alley from her.

  Suddenly the shadow leapt at her. Unable even to scream, Crystal threw herself on the cold concrete. The menacing shadow knelt down and scooped her up like she was nothing. Struggling was useless. Her attacker's grip was as strong as the winds were cold.

  Vaguely she was aware of a few others gathering around her. Frantically she kicked at her captor, but his grip only tightened.
  "Just kill her, Jack." A gruff voice said harshly. "That dame's not worth the skin on an antelope's uvula."
  Immediately, Crystal felt an ice-cold pressure on the back of her head. She tried to scream once more, but all she could muster was a stifled cry. Closing her eyes, she sighed and prepared for the end.

  The gun went off. Then it went off again. Crystal realized suddenly that the pressure was gone the attackers were firing at someone else. Loud whoops and shouts were met with agonizing pleas for mercy and cries of pain.

  A pair of arms grabbed her around the waist and pulled her from her attacker. The next thing she knew, she was set down on the curb and told soothingly that she'd be ok. The shouting continued for a few more moments, but the gunfire had stopped shortly before she'd been rescued. As she gathered her senses, she tried to figure out who these people were.

  When the fighting had ceased, Crystal rose to her feet, expecting to see a dozen police cuffing and booking her attackers. She did see those who moments ago had tried to kill her. There were four of them, each one bruised and bloody and garbed in all black. Each was tied tightly to their comrade and unconscious. Glancing around, she saw no sign of her rescuers. Fearing that the men would regain consciousness, Crystal hurried on her way.

  From a distance, a silhouette smiled as the police arrived and loaded the four unconscious men into the backs of two police cars. In another few seconds, the alley was empty. The silhouette looked up at the dark sky and inhaled the bitter cold air slowly. Glancing behind him, he saw his comrades removing themselves from the pitch black backdrop of the night and come toward him.

  The tallest and skinniest sighed deeply.
  "That was a close one." He said softly.
  "But at least she's safe." Another spoke up.
  "Ah yes, but the alleys are but a haven for ravenous pillagers such as those we fought tonight. They will be back."
  The rest of the group nodded in agreement. And as silently as cats on a blanket of new-fallen snow, they vanished into the darkness.