wouldn't be too tempted to sneak an attack through! Well! Saves me some time with my work! Wait 'til the Doc hears about this!"
He made sure there was no real active missiles in that MLC, then went on to the next, where he did find some. As Mike prepared to unhook the final connection there was a movement nearby that disturbed his concentration. In the next second three things happened so rapidly nothing could have stopped them, not even Spirit Lad. A small meteorite fell toward him from behind, passed directly through the precious shield on its left side, almost to its rim, leaving a hole directly through the top of it, then it bounced off the MLC, ricocheting through Mike's body. Thankfully it passed through him without causing any physical harm, however it caused the worst to happen....Mike was jarred by the meteorite's contact with the object, and missed disconnecting the last two wires he'd had in his hands! He looked in horror at the MLC's digital timer, for it was microseconds until launch, and then it read zero! The last two operative missiles were launched, racing toward Earth!
"Oh, my God!" Mike gasped aloud, "I've got to do something to stop them!" and he was zooming off to try and catch them.
Coming up beside the first missile he grabbed it, turned, and paused, flinging it with all his might off course into deep space. It disappeared from view. Not even stopping to think, Mike fled after the second. It seemed time was running in slow motion to Mike, as he pursued his deadly quarry. He finally was flying side by side with it, and grabbing it, he gave it a mighty heave after its predecessor. With the missile on its way to nowhere, Mike turned to continue his mission, but as he did, there was a terrible explosion, and a blinding light lit the entire area, also penetrating the hole in his shield.
A numbing, searing pain raged through Mike's entire body. He felt the shield slipping from his hand, but for some reason could not move his arm to grasp it. It fell away, being pushed by the force of the explosion, and burned up as it reentered the atmosphere. He panicked for the first time in ages, as he discovered he could not move any part of his body. It was totally paralyzed by the light and radiation from the missile!
As Mike began to fall toward Earth's atmosphere, his only thought was, "But there's two MLCs left! I can't fail now! I've got to stop them!" He blacked out, not being able to fight unconsciousness any longer. He thought he saw a small, silver disc approaching him.
At least Mike's vision hadn't been impaired by his accident. The disc that happened to be a little space vessel, followed Mike into the atmosphere. When he was about a thousand feet from the ground then a yellow beam appeared from the front of the disc, engulfing him in its glow. He was held steady by it, and drawn closely up underneath the disc for protection from the sun, then carefully, slowly it lowered him to Earth, where it gently released Mike to land, face down,