New Crusaders Deaths Shock and Sadden

As The Crusaders stamp their authority on the enemies of Britain the protectors of old suffered loss after loss internationally as a series of possibly unconnected battles and accidents left over seven members of the New Crusaders dead or dying.
It started with a shooting in San Fransisco which saw The Yob critically injured and possibly powerless after being shot with whats believed to have been a Power Nullifier gun and then several armour piercing rounds. He was rushed to Utopia for emergency surgery and still is considered to be in a critical condition.
With the media already reeling it was then announced from Asgard that both Bound and Thunaer were sucked through a mystical portal accidentally and were believed 'Lost' in the universe. An insider claimed that the portal was not of any real danger until some form of magical feedback ripped it wide open and then slammed it shut as soon as the Two New Crusaders were sucked through it. Apparently Asgard is concerned that they may not be able to find their two companions as the bridges destination was unknown and the bridge slammed shut before their wizard could find its origin.
In Honk Kong a super powered battle went horribly wrong when an explosive device planted in the foyer of a building they were lured into detonated incinerating Rebel, Yellow Canary and Clive the Cavalier as well as Chinese legend Shang Chi. Massive damage was done to the C.B.D of Honk Kong as a result of the blast but very few casualties were incurred compared to the size of the explosion. In all Twenty deaths and sixteen of those are thought to have been Triad gangbangers on 'Jet.'
On the same day a fire tore its way brutally through the 'Lestrange Maximum Security Mental Health Institute' killing all thirty four inmates and forty guards, doctors and nurses that were in the building at the time. With the death total reaching over seventy the further tragedy is that former New Crusader Mass Driver was a patient at the facility and had been for the last two years. He was almost certainly killed in the fire along with all the other poor souls that perished in the fire.
All of these members of the team that have perished along with Ambassador Jimmy Warren over the past weeks were terrible losses that were compounded by the reported shooting of a man on the MI13 base. A man some are claiming was so much more than what he seemed to be.
Malcom Westbury was confirmed to have been the victim of a serious shooting incident on the base and though he is not yet dead its been reported from sources on the base that he was shot at close range in the chest and head and is not thought to be able to make a recovery. As the machines keep this man breathing details emerged from the base that have many believing the worst.
Westbury was a technical and tactical support officer for inbound operations personnel working for MI13 but when cursory efforts were made to check into Westburys background it showed no sign of any Military, Intelligence or extra ordinary skills at all.  Faced with two choices; one being that MI13 simply don't bother with background checks (which is impossible) the other seems far more likely; that being that Westbury gained his knowledge in costume.
As we look around and at the personal background and pictures of Westbury we can conclude only one thing, Malcom Westbury was Valiant. If this is true then an assassination has felled one of the most respected super heroes this country has ever produced. 
Only time will tell, but with Ten New Crusaders now likely killed or dying we look to the others that are left; Ultraviolet, Union Black, The Plant, Shatterproof, The Green Man,  Stoke, Caber, Fury, Captain Britain, Apperture,  Mr Scratch and Atmoic Kong.
Earth Two has The Plant, Shatterproof, and Apperture. MI13 absorbed Captain Britain and Fury while Atomic Kong is in a maximum facility prison as is Union Black. The Green man is believed to be an entity beyond reach at present and Ultraviolet reportedly lost her powers in an incident known as M-Day leaving Caber and Stoke, both now heavily involved in Industry and Government.
How long do they have before the reaper comes for them? Time doesn't appear to be on their side anymore.
Gary Franks.