Teen Guardians

[csyphrett]

Teen Guardians setting created by Micheal Saber. Hard Ball created by Andrew Cermak, Titan created by John Spencer, Lady Flame created by Mickey Douglas. Pusher created by Carl Syphrett.

 

Placeholder for the moment.

CES

[BNakagawa]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Gawd Damn....the Pusher.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

He pushes molecules in different directions.

CES

[Karma]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Hard Ball created by Andrew Cermak

What he means is "Hard-ball created by Andrew Rawlings". I know, 'cause that's me.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

What he means is "Hard-ball created by Andrew Rawlings". I know' date=' 'cause that's me.[/quote']

 

I'm sorry about that mixup, Andrew.

CES

[csyphrett]

The first 100

 

Mister Frank Richard stared hard at the students that had skipped school yesterday. Worse were the stupid stories some of them had made up, of course ALL children especially teenagers lie when they're in trouble.

 

"I hope all you enjoy this detention, you seemed to have earned it in spades apparently. I swear what would your parents think! skipping school. Probably going to see that new movie with all the pointless explosions," he sighed and walked out the door. "I'm going to be checking in here every few minutes, maybe then you children will be willing to tell me why you felt the need to absent from school yesterday."

 

Of course for all these students who just yesterday were champions saving the world on almost a daily basis, answers to this simple man's questions were not near as easy to answer as one might like.

 

After all the one who changed them was now gone.

 

Anthony leaned back, put his feet on the table, pulled out a smoke and lit it. He hoped that the pompous idiot would try to get in his face about it, then he'd have a reason to show him how to really get some respect.

 

Yesterday his life had sucked beyond the telling of it and now he was stuck in a remake of the fricking

'Breakfast Club'. Might as well make the best of it.

 

He looked at the assembled 'troubled teens' around him and did his best to convey a sense of menace.

 

Sandra watched Mister Richard walk out the door and then looked around at her fellow "inmates".

 

"Well, it seems like we're stuck here for the time being..." she said to no one in particular. "How about some introductions? I'm Sandra. What about you?"

 

Anthony returned his seat to the 'four legs on the floor' position, looked at her with amusement, exhaled a cloud of smoke from his cigarette and responded, "So Sandy, I take you'll be playing the ditzy cheerleader part in our little group. The name's Anthony, and I'll be playing the rebel and

troublemaker who you eventually fall for after seeing my softer side leading to a short but passionate

affair which'll end when we realize that we have nothing in common. But until then I'll know who to ask for a light" He tried to suppress a laugh.

 

He then looked around for the inevitable jock type who'll leap to her rescue.

 

"Hey now lets keep the wise cracks to a minium ok?," said the one kid by the window with black hair and emerald green eyes. More than likely if these where the same heroes he remembered attempting to stop his little jewelry robbery then he was already in enough trouble. It was bad enough being a Teenager once but to have to learn how to use his power all over again was going to be murder, which wasn't a bad idea to him for Mr. Detention.

 

"Names Eric Drake. I was called Emp." He inhaled hoping no one would recognize him as the

villain Dreamboat.

 

"And what are you going to do about it, Ricky?," asked Anthony looking threateningly in the kid's

direction although privately he was beginning to worry.

 

"Anyway," he said "What's with this Emp ****? Are you guys some kind of superheroes or something?"

 

Jason sat at his desk, ignoring everyone, continually banging his head against it. "I" WHACK! "can't" WHACK! "handle" WHACK! "this!" WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! He continued to mumble, to himself, something about "teenager", "college", "again" and "thought I'd escaped".

 

Eric looked at captain demented banging his head into the table. "Hey o demented one, you trying to hurt yourself or what?" He looked at Andrew, the one who called him Ricky earlier. "Look, bud I ain't no super-freak going around doing stupid ****, they call me Emp around here cause I .. do things for people. I figured Sandra over there was some kinda chick in a gang or something. Ya know like the triad." He was trying his best to sound ignorant but he wasn't too sure if he succeeded in that, leaning back in his chair onto two legs would have been very likely a cool thing at the moment if he didn't fall backwards banging his head into the desk behind him.

 

Anthony jumped up and ran over to Jason the minute he started slamming his head against the desk. As he did he heard Eric the "Emp" call Jason 'Demented' and gave a nasty look as if to say "And you were accusing me of snide comments, you little hypocrite". He grabbed Jason's head before he could slam it down again and holding his it cigarette in a threatening manner, looked him squarely in the eyes said in a voice full of menace, "Since any damage you do to yourself is most likely to be blamed on me, I would recommend you quitting your little temper tantrum, or at least make it a little less violent. If, that is, you would like to live long enough to make it to college." He then let go of Jason's head and turned to return to his seat.

 

Jason looked up at him, " I AM in college! That's the whole damn problem. I escaped this hell years ago. And you best not threaten me, I'd hate to have to punt you, punk!" With that Jason pulled out the high school playbook and started studying it.

 

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say." said Anthony, sarcastically, returning to his seat.

 

The altercation had drawn the attention of all the other 'chronologically regressed' supers. So as Anthony returned to his seat they all got a good look at him. He would have looked like a Greek hero if he'd taken care of his appearance. His long blond hair fell limply down his back, his steel grey eyes betrayed a hardness and anger at the world that they all remembered from their teenage days and his five-o-clock shadow made him ruggedly... well rugged, detracting from his appearance more than adding to it.

 

The 'street tough' look was only added to by the Army surplus clothing he wore, although the way it fitted made them wonder whether it was worn for image or out of necessity.

 

Eric snorted as he laughed at Jason. "Phh, yeah right, and lemme guess you where engaged to." Eric looked back and noticed the girl had fallen asleep. "Well well sleeping beauty seems to be in the room today to. So any of you guys want to order a pizza?" Eric asked as suddenly as most of his moments but he did take out a cell phone.

 

Sandra looked up at the sound of Eric's voice. "Sure, I could stand some," she told him. "Thought a good strong drink is more along the lines of what I'd like just now."

 

Sandra was good looking, of average size, and clad in a dark blue dress that looked like it belonged at a high-class party more than a high school. She also wore more jewelry than seemed safe if a mugger spotted her. On a second look, thought, mugging her might not look like such a good idea.

 

"Anyway, attractive as it is banging our heads on the tables won't really help us, will it?" she continued "And much as I hate school, at least having gone through it before is an advantage! This time I might even get good grades in math." She picked up a book and started leafing through it.

 

At the sound of both Eric and Sandra's ideas, Anthony leaned forward again.

 

"So Ricky, sounds like we order in Pizza and Hard Liquor all round. I mean anything that mellows 'Harvey Head-banger' over there's probably a good idea. So you'll get on that?"

 

He rose up and sidled up to Sandra, then leaned over the front of her desk. He eyes off her figure and her jewels with equal appreciation.

 

"So Sandra Dee, I didn't realize you were such a party girl."

 

"Yeah," Jason replied sarcastically "and I'll get into college on something other than a football scholarship." Looking over at Eric "Sure, pizza sounds good. Better than trying to study crap I've known for years. I think I understand why geniuses are so damn snobby." As Jason stood up to stretch, everyone noticed how tall he was. He seemed about 6 and a half feet tall, with short brown hair and bright blue eyes, well muscled and wearing the local teams apparel, he screamed jock. "So how long are we stuck here?' he said as he sat back down. "I've got better things to do than sit in detention."

 

Sandra did a very good job at looking down her nose at Anthony despite sitting down. "If you knew how to handle yourself in polite society I might look at your comment in a positive light," she told him. "But I doubt you and I have the same idea of what a 'party' should be like!"

 

Anthony laughed good naturedly at the comment, "You're probably right, Sandra Dee. But your kind of parties turn into my kind given enough time and alcohol, your kind of people are just my kind with more money and inhibitions. Once they loosen up and extract the rulers from their..."

 

Eric was just getting the order of two large pizzas and a couple of cokes when the detention director

came in.

 

"Hello kids, this is Chi Long, He'll be sharing your prison time with you here. You all have one extra hour because of his trying to skip his responsibility in being here with you."

 

"Hey...um yeah whatever. thanks a heap." Eric shook his head. "Gotta love the BS that creep keeps throwing at us here. school regs say that you can't be kept past a single hour, it's already been 20

minutes he can't keep us here past another 40 minutes."

 

Anthony turned at the sound of the director entering. He ignored the teacher and focused on the new kid.

 

"Welcome to the Big House Mr. Long. Take a seat. I'm Anthony, the quintessential bad seed for whom this situation is a regular occurance. The lovely young lady behind me is Sandra, your typical rich chick. The kid with the phone and the knowledge of school policy is Eric, who were this really prison would be the 'supplier'. You need it, he can get it, for the right price. And that moody dude yonder is Jason, the typical Jock, who if I understand it was bumped back to high school after getting in on a sports scholarship when he couldn't keep his marks up. And you Mr Long...?"

 

"No, we also have style and class..." Sandra replies "In fact, nowadays style and class is most of what we have!"

 

Eric just watched the group as he placed the order. "Hey guys ,anyone want some coke?"

 

"Yeah, me" Sandra answered. "Waiting around like this makes me thirsty!"

 

Eric nodded and put in the complete order. Just as he's putting his cell back. The Detention master once again graces their presence.

 

"Well kids seems something's come up and I'm sending you all on your way a bit early. Tomorrow however I have some walls in the school that can use cleaning."

 

Eric groaned to himself considering they where being released now but now he wouldn't get any of the pizza.

 

One by one they where allowed to outside to go see how much their lives had changed just last night.

 

Eric however looked as if he had seen a ghost as his father showed up, one could hear him muttering under his breath about no more beatings but the fear in his eyes said it all.

 

"Hey, no need to skip on the pizza" Sandra told Eric. "We can wait out here for the delivery, and I can arrange some shelter if we can't get inside to eat it." She looked around at the others. "Besides, I think we need to talk about what we can do now - I guess all of us has some kind of trouble that might come back to haunt us, and it would be nice to know about that beforehand!"

 

"Hey," said Anthony, "I'm all for waiting for the pizza with you guys, and if Sandra wants to offer us her place to eat it I'm all for that too, my folks have come to expect me in at all hours so no grief on my end. As for trouble" *he smiled sardonically* "let's just say its my middle name and keep it at that shall we?"

 

Eric nodded, "Waiting sound good to me." He trailed off as the guy that Eric looked so concerned about came out with two large pizzas and a couple of cokes.

 

"Thank God."

 

"Well, since it's here I might as well stay." Jason said as he saw the delivery guy. Looking over at Sandra, he smiled "So where we eatin'?"

 

"Weeell..." Sandra said. "I doubt my parents will be very happy if I bring home company like this. They have very little understanding for unusual circumstances!" She started walking toward the park near the school. "But if you'll just follow me, I'll arrange something."

 

In the park Sandra located a clearing out of view from most of the surroundings. Placing herself in the middle of the area she closed her eyes and concentrated, then she made a couple of sharp gestures and mumbled something in a language that doesn't sound like anything any of the others have ever heard before. Suddenly a small Asian-looking tent appears in the clearing, complete with oil lamps inside giving of a soft light.

 

"Shall we?" Sandra smiled at the others and gestured into the tent.

 

"Holy ...!" Anthony began, cutting himself off before he said anything that might offend Sandra (who was obviously someone to be reckoned with). "Sandra Dee's an honest to God witch. Why are you going to this school, Sandy? Shouldn't you be at Hogwart's or something?"

 

Following Eric into the tent, Sandra sat down lotus-style, facing him. Taking a slice of pizza herself she leaned forward.

 

"So, 'Eric'," she said. "Maybe we should have a little talk. Like, for instance, about what you were doing before we suddenly found ourselves back in school!"

 

Eric grimaced.

 

"Right...shoulda known. Least no one used telepathy." Eric took another look at the group. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire I guess." He sighed and looked at them. "My names Eric Drake for real 'Sandra' as for what I was doing before...," he gestured to himself. "I was in the middle of a corporate take over by seduction tactics when a bunch of heroes started battling some sort of witch-like lady in the middle of market street. I can assume you where those heroes?" He sat back a bit.

 

"Speaking from the other side it's interesting I can only assume her spell was suppose to affect everyone

that was gifted with some sort of 'gift' or power, trust me heroes I don't plan on giving you any trouble about anything here. Heck some of my best clients are heroes." He left out that most of his 'clients' came to him for less than noble reasons and all women. So far he was wondering why his aura of seduction wasn't making Sandra drool like a dog in heat but surmised that it was likely either his power was as diminished to the state that it was when he was a child or something was protecting Sandra's emotions. Or both.

 

"Also I would like to bring up that our powers are likely no where near as potent as when we where

adults."

 

Anthony followed Sandra into the tent and lit up a cigarette.

 

"Look I don't know what you guys are talking about, obviously your some kind of superhero team, and from the sound of it you've all been made high school kids, which must suck beyond the telling of it (then again aren't these the "best days of our lives"). All I know is that you guys, who I've never seen before joined me in detention this afternoon. So, like what kinds of powers do you all have? Sandra's obviously a witch, what about you Jock-boy, or you Eric?"

 

Jason walked in and started chowing down on pizza. "I can control my size, growing or shrinking. I also get quite tougher as I grow." As he started on his third piece of pizza looked at Eric, waiting to for him to continue.

 

Eric looked down his face turning a dark crimson as he silently groaned to himself having to tell these people his power. Barely above a whisper he did however say it.

 

"I make people fall in love with me..." Seems even as an adult he never got over the fact he couldn't blow up his abusive father with a lightning bolt or destroy the police with some sort of

cosmic power to get back at them for sending him back every time he ran away. Now he might have to live through that nightmare again. In a louder voice he added "I'm also somewhat of a gadgeteer, and know a bit of martial arts." he sighed putting back his slice of pizza, having lost his hunger.

 

"Huh. I bet that would make you popular with the female teachers..." Sandra said. "Just don't leave a trail of broken hearts. I'm going to keep an eye on you, and that would make me most unhappy. And you don't want me unhappy."

 

Eric nodded. "Right...Well when I was this age, my powers kinda stayed in the on position. I really couldn't turn them off, heck when I was adult my powers still where not a 100% under my control." He let out a breath and sat back and looked over at the athletic kid. "Well could be worse. Some of us could have been married or seeing someone. I was between girlfriends when I was changed. Guess I won't be picking that one girl up at eight though."

 

Anthony made a mental note that Jason was most likely Titan and Sandra is most any one of a number of magic using women (and might in fact actually be Doc Tempus if she got caught in her own spell (although he files that under 'most unlikely') but is most likely Lady Flame (since she was fighting alongside Titan when *it* happened). Eric, he wasn't sure about. Love powers were hard to detect, so, if Eric kept his head down as an adult, he might not have been 'famous' enough to rate a mention. He is pretty sure that he's never heard of Emp though so the guy might be trying

to make a 'new start' same as Anthony. He momentarily wondered whether he should bring Eric into his confidence (since he could do with a gadgeteer contact now that his own is 'unavailable')

 

"Well guys, since you all seem to be super-beings, I'm feeling way left out. I don't suppose your looking to have a friendly contact from the 'wrong side of the tracks' are you?"

 

Sandra nodded. "Yeah, apparently we are," she said. "Sorry about you being caught up in this - I guess the Doc wasn't very careful when targeting her spell!" Sandra's expression made her feelings on careless mages very clear. "I suppose the safest thing for you would be to forget you ever saw us and go recap your life, but that won't bring you back to your true age. Or for the matter keep you safe if the Doc or any other bad guy decides to clean up loose ends - that is, us..."

 

She finished a slice of pizza before continuing: "By the way, just how far across the tracks are you? I'd be very unhappy if me and Jason would have to bust you for doing something you shouldn't... But maybe you ought to get a gun if you plan to hang around with us."

 

Eric blinked "Hey that's right you're a mystic." Figuring choosing the term that was neither male nor female might help keep Sandra a bit happy. "Isn't there a way you could change us back or locate the Time Mage?" Course that would prove useless after all if you could walk or change time like she did a simple detection spell would be completely useless and a powerful one would only help if she was still in their time.

 

"Let's just say I've done time and leave it at that. So I know where to go to find the find the 'wrong' kinds of people. You know, the kinds that will snitch about a big job if given the right 'incentive'," Anthony said without clarifying what that incentive might be.

 

"As for the offer to return me to adulthood, like I said, I'm an ex-con back there so, if it's all the same, I'd rather stay a kid and try to make a better job of it this time around. As for the gun, the only way I could get one would be by doing something illegal, (being a minor and all) and I'm not really ready to repeat my stint inside, even if it is only juvie."

 

"I used to think guns were just for barbarians as well" Sandra said. "But, well, they can cause a lot of hurt..." she winced at some memory. "But I see your point, maybe the cops wouldn't be too amused if they caught you with a gun."

 

"Personally I find guns to be rather annoying no class or style to it. I've always preferred the use of the staff with the art of Aikido." Eric smiled at Anthony. "But hey, Anthony if things go too well and we all become adults again, I'll hire you. Could always use someone that knows or can find out if a shipment of military hardware is about to go missing. Of course in this nightmare I imagine my ex-wife will likely be in control of my company now." He shivered "Not a pretty picture." He sat back relaxing a bit "Well let's get some cards on the table guys. If we've been affected

we should try and figure out either how bad or good were going to get it. I personally have no desire to go back to abusive father that drinks too damn often. So how about the rest of you? what kind of kind of problems can we expect from your pasts?"

 

"Well. 'Past' is relative, but..."

 

The last sentance was just to perfectly timed with the explosion that echoed through the area a jet of fire heading up to the sky and Sandra got that familiar chill of a magic force she could only forget

in the most horrible of nightmares.

 

Yue Long, the Dark Dragon.

 

"I suppose that qualifies," Sandra calmly stated, putting down the can of coke she's holding.

 

"Seems like my old teacher got caught in this as well" she continued. "And I bet he's not amused! I don't know about you..." She nodded to Eric and Anthony. "But I suppose Jason and me's going to have to try stop him. Any help would be appreciated, though!" She stood up and with a gesture dismissed the tent.

 

Anthony sighed inwardly. "Don't know about you, Dr. Love," he said to Eric. "But I think that's my cue to leave. You could probably help, being a super-type and all, but I'd most likely get myself dead. See you round school or something."

 

He got up and walked off, quickly but 'nonchalantly' so as to keep the impression that he is actually afraid while trying to hide it.

 

Jason quickly scarfed his last piece of pizza, "This is not a good time to fight a dragon!" With that he attempted to grow to full height and looked for something to throw.

 

Sandra cast a quick spell to change into her "action clothing" (red dress and half mask). "Well, Yue Long wasn't a real dragon when I knew him," she told Jason. "He just wanted to have the powers of one. I have no idea what the doc's spell might have done with him, thought - he was *real* old when I knew him!"

 

From Old man to Teenager a really nerdy looking chinese one to be more specific. "YOU MONGRELS DARE TOUCH ME?" Another fiery ball leapt from his hands at the crowds around him. "I demand to be changed back!" His ancient robes had been replaced with a black shirt and pants. He stopped in mid fireball and turned in Sandra's direction only to appear even more shocked. "So Lady Flame had a childling perhaps? I wasn't aware that she had a hatchling."

 

"So maybe you should have read the papers a bit more, Darky," Sandra told him over the shouts of the crowd. "If you did maybe you wouldn't end up in situations like this all the time!," she taunted him.

 

Quickly, before Yue Long got over his surprise, Sandra said to Jason: "I'll draw his attention, shouldn't be to hard considering how much he likes me... You try to blindside him while I do that, all right?" Seeing that Yue Long is getting ready to attack, Sandra quickly shouted out the trigger words for another spell!

 

Once he was sure that Eric wasn't following him, Anthony ran to fetch his gym bag from where he had stashed it and then found somewhere private to change into his armor.

 

The Chinese teenager sneered at the heroes gathered around him. Gesturing slightly a wall of flames shot up near him. "I don't care to fight with young pups today. But I will return after I have learned what has happened." He gestured again blowing up a police cruiser hoping to give the heroes innocents to save so as not to stop his weaker than normal escape.

 

He needed time to grow his dragon wings on his human frame and to get that time heroes needed to be distracted.

 

It's a bit hard to remember everything, but Sandra did at least remember the incantations for the 'Wall of protection' spell. As quickly as possible she cast it over the burning police cruiser, cutting of the flames.

 

"Oh yeah!," Sandra shouted back at Yue Long. "Have you ever cared to fight? I've heard you were one of those sorry villains that ran as soon as the opposition showed up! Lots of noise and then run like a chicken!"

 

Titan cursed under his breath and quickly checked to see if there are any officers in the burning cruiser. "We gotta stop this maniac before he kills someone."

 

Yue turned in mid flight turning back towards the source of the arcane sorcery. At first he was about to perform a few more flare strikes but was further surprised when Titan's body finally caught the growth command and grew almost instantly to his maximum size. "You bring giants to a battle of sorcery, little one?"

 

"Whatever works, buddy!" Sandra shouted back.

 

Meanwhile Anthony continued to put on his armor.

 

Seeing no officers in the burning cruiser, Titan turned toward Yue. "No respect for authority." Titan ran up and punched/body blocked Yue.

 

Having finally put on his armor, Hard-ball entered the scene. "You say that like it's a bad thing, big guy. I'm more concerned with his disrespect for innocent lives."

 

Hard-ball looked around for something to throw and then piffs it with lethal accuracy.

 

Yue was shocked as Titan plowed right through him, knocking him easily into another cruiser. The young Chinese boy sat up slowly with a pain that was incredible it seemed for him but he kept chanting, a bit weaker than normal however.

 

Just as Yue is about to finish his spell the stop sign flung by Hard-ball hit him square in the head rendering him unconscious which sent the flames burning to burnt out mode. Police began to reorganize and moved towards the group.

 

"Good work kids. Thanks!"

 

"No problem officers, happy to help." Titan replied. He then turned to Lady Flame, "Any idea what he was doing here?"

 

"And while you're at it, Red," said Hard-Ball, using his usual moniker for Lady Flame. "Mind telling me what *I'm* doing here? One minute I'm rushing in to save your butts from that Doc Tempus the next minute I find myself in a ditch in a gangly body and with a case of acne I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Trust me when I say you do *not* want me to take this mask off." He give a theatrical shiver of fright.

 

Sandra nodded to the cop. "Glad to be of service. If you would excuse us, there are some other things we have to take care of." She walked away a short distance so that she won't be overheard then answered Titan and Hardball.

 

"That guy was my old teacher, Yue Long," she said. "Though 'old' doesn't really apply to him any longer, does it? As far as I can figure Doc Tempus decided we were to troublesome as we were, so she whipped up a spell to transform us into teenagers..." Sandra shrugged "I never was that good myself, but I think I managed to figure out the basics of the spell. It must have required some kind of balance, so when we got put back in school some of our enemies must have gone along for the ride. Which means we will probably see more of this kind of thing!" she nodded towards the unconscious Yue.

 

Hardball chuckled "Man I can hardly wait for some of my old 'friends' to turn up." He stopped laughing. "On second thoughts, no that's not funny. The last thing this town needs are youth gangs with the experience of life long criminals. We can only hope that they don't wield the influence they did as adults."

 

"Sounds bad" Sandra replied. "But lets talk it over somewhere else, shall we? I really don't want the police to start asking us all to many questions... And I bet you'd like it even less!"

 

Hardball: "Yeah, somehow they never appreciated me doing their job for them, and I doubt there going too feel *less* incompetent now that I'm a kid. Okay, unless I miss my guess the base doesn't exist anymore, so what we need is somewhere new, different, somewhere more in line with our new image, something we can dub the 'Club-House'." He looked around at the total lack of amusement from his team-mates and possible threatening looks. "Okay. That was in poor taste, how about we just find somewhere quiet for now?"

 

Sandra wasn't all that put off by Hardball's joke, she actually smiled marginally! "Good points, all of them" she replied. "So let's get going!" She led Jason and Hardball away from the battle site,

deftly maneuvering them past a police officer that was coming to talk to them.

 

Once they had gotten out of sight Sandra turned to the others. "Give me a sec and I'll but us some distance away from here." She grabbed their hands and chanted a new spell. A golden light surrounded the trio, and when it dissipates they're standing on a rooftop a hundred yards further away.

 

"Darn," Sandra mumbled "I used to be able to manage a mile or more with that spell."

 

"Don' sweat it, Red," said Hardball "I doubt any of us are feeling up to par compared to our former abilities. Whatever that time-witch's spell did to us seems to have robbed us of the training and knowledge we built up during those years as well as the actual physical aging. We might remember that we are supposed to be adults, but we have neither the skills nor the knowledge to back up our assertion. Anyway, here is fine. We're out of anyone's way and I'm still within walking distance of where I 'landed' so you don't need to 'pop us back' for me to find it. So you wanted to pow wow?"

 

"Huh? Yes, right" Sandra was apparently thinking of something else. "We're definitely short a bit in the power department now. Though that shouldn't be a problem as long as our opponents have

suffered the same... But we're going to have to keep our wits about us if Doc Tempus shows up again!"

 

"And that leads me to another point..." Sandra continued. "I know you want to keep your ID secret, but how am Jason or I going to find you if we need to?"

 

"Yeah, we might need help, or we might end up in elementary school next time." added Jason, now back at normal height.

 

"We keep in contact the same way that the rest of the kids do," said Hardball, pulling a small mobile phone out of his pocket "I present to you 'The Mobile Phone', a wonder of modern technology. The best part about it is that should you ever use it while I'm in my Secret ID people won't think anything of it since [switches to Grandpa Simpson voice]"kids these days have no respect" [normal voice] and will take a call anywhere, including during classes. I ask you what

kind of kids are we raising?... So unless someone can think of a better idea I'll just give you my number and be outta here..."

 

"Well, I'll just have to convince my parents to give me the money to buy a phone first," Sandra said and pulls out her purse. "I've got all of... 5 bucks and 50 cents here! But sure, hand over the number - I'll figure out a way to find a phone." While Hardball wrote down his number she thought to herself: *I sure hope he turns down the volume, or I don't think he'll keep his identity from us for long...*

 

"Cell phone, huh?" Jason rubbed his chin as he thought. "Guess I shouldn't have too much problem getting one. I think the next order of business should be finding Doc Tempus delivering copious amounts of beatdown. Maybe then Doc Tempus will return us to normal." Jason said, hammering his fist into his palm.

 

"And maybe, as I believe you said before, she might send us to grade school or kindergarten. Or she may turn us into Neanderthals" says Hardball (mentally adding *Or the rest of us anyway, your already there*). "I don't know about you but I'm not ready to play 'Superbabies' or Captain Caveman just yet. For now I think a little research by Red is in order, her being our 'magic girl' and this being a magic problem. Anyway if you need me you have my number, either that or make the kind of noise you guys usually do in a fight and I'm sure to hear it, along with everyone else."

 

Hardball walked toward the fire escape stairs.

 

Eric had watched the group vanish into the mystic smoke of Lady Flame's magic. When he turned to leave himself, he was 'ambushed' by two large kids. "Where do you think you're going...Crush?" A fat kid came up between the two larger ones "I thought you looked familiar, oh wait you where calling yourself Emp or something recently." Eric cringed a bit at the sight. He didn't recognize him physically but he knew who he was.

 

"What can I do for you..Martini."

 

The thugish kid on the right raised his hand with menace.

 

"No, no. That's all right. Me and Eric here goes away back. Now perhaps you'd like to help me out Eric. I want some information and I think you, my fine little psychic, can help me." Eric nodded Martini might not be the mob don he was before but who knew what he had now. Very

likely a father that was a don.

 

"What do you want?"

 

"OK, I'll see about that" Sandra replied as Hardball turned to leave "We'll be in touch."

 

She turned to Jason. "Lets go back and see where Eric went off to," she said. "I think we should keep an eye on him, as well as Anthony" *For several reasons...* she thought to herself. "Let's get out of costume and I'll put us down over there." She pointed towards their "picnic spot".

 

"Ok, but let's make it quick, I'm sure my dad'll be furious I got detention and missed practice," said Jason.

 

Once he had climbed down the fire escape and was sure that he was alone and unwatched Hardball changed out of his costume (which he wore over his 'street clothes') and shoved it into his sportsbag which it turn was shoved into a larger bag.

 

He then pulled a flyer out of his pocket. He had found it while changing and his heart had leapt into his throat. "The Warneshi Circus" it said "Now playing at Central Reserve." Anthony exited the alley. He was off to (re)join the circus.

 

"Antoni, where have you been? The school she ended an 2 hours ago and when I call they say you left after your detention. What for you get these detentions? Why you such a bad boy?" Anthony saw his mother first. He felt tears come to his eyes. The memories of his past, how he rejected his family to the point of changing his name for a chance at stardom, how he had broken their hearts.

 

"I'm sorry," he said, breaking down in his mother's arms. "I'm so sorry."

 

His mother stood in shocked silence for a moment, her face a mask of confusion and concern, before she put her arm around her son. "That's O.k. Antoni, you just be a good boy from now on. O.k?"

 

She doesn't remember, thought Anthony. As far as she's concerned I'm still her little boy. I've been given a second chance. And this time, THIS TIME, it's going to be different.

[MCMaenza]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Nothing wrong with someone called the Pusher. I created a hero back in the early 80's that I called 'the User'. He was an African-American male who could touch other objects and take on the physical properties of them. He 'used' their abilities in essence. Think of him as akin to Marvel's Absorbing Man or DC's Amazing Man (from the All-Star Squadron title).

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Post 200

"Sure, I just want to know if we can expect anything from his..." Sandra thought for a moment. "I was going to say 'past', but that's not really right now, is it?" Seeing the look on Jason's face, she quickly continued, "Former life, then. I have no idea who might show up, and that makes me nervous!"

 

After they have changed back to ordinary clothing, Sandra teleported herself and Jason back to the park where they left Eric, where they looked around for him.

 

When they arrived Eric was in the process of being physically pulled by an older man towards a van. "Come on boy I don't have time for this." The man finally just decked Eric knocking him into the van. Eric just grumbled something and fell down.

 

"Hey!" Jason yelled, as he saw Eric get decked. "Leave him alone!" With that Jason ran forward and tackled the guy.

 

The guy was surprised obviously to have some kid tackle him. "Get off me before I give you a taste of the same, you little ****" The guy managed to pull Jason off with a lot of effort on his part. "So you kids saw me give my boy a hard time huh? Kid's been nothing but trouble now why don't you kids go home and play or whatever. I gotta get Eric home, he took a nasty fall after all."

 

Eric was scared. Anyone looking at him could see that like a trauma patient that was witnessing that very trauma all over again.

 

"Eric, Is this butthole your father!?," Jason asked, fists curled ready for action.

 

Eric could only nod as his father swung at Jason. An easy miss considering who was training every day with battles with Major league hitters. This guy would likely be a piece of cake for anyone with decent training at any form of fighting.

 

"Little snot! Think your pretty tough don't cha?"

 

Sandra stepped up next to Jason. "Child abuse is a serious crime," she said to Eric's father. "I suggest you let your boy go, or we'll have to call the cops and let them sort it out. They're just a short distance away - I bet they can have a unit here in no time."

 

Not that I expect you to care, she thought, looking at the older man. But I haven't had a nice fistfight in ages anyway.

 

Eric's father just smirked and pulled out his wallet revealing that all too familiar golden badge of honor for most police officers. "Go ahead, and then let's see how you little snots like a stay in juvie." He leered at Sandra as if sizing up her body with his eyes. "So which will it be kids?"

 

Sandra was shocked to silence for several seconds. "It seems you have the advantage, sir," She finally said to Eric's father. Then she looked at Jason, pointedly ignoring the older man. "What do you think?"

 

Jared Lee stepped out of the darkness on the other side of the car. He had never went to school the first time around, and wasn't interested in it a second time. Now that he was young again, it took

more concentration to do the simplest things that he could do effortlessly before.

 

He gave the tire on his side of the car a kick, calling on his abilities as the Pusher.

 

The tire deflated almost instantly with a loud pop as the car tire went to that great tire heaven in the sky.

 

Eric's father turned around towards the car. "What the hell was that?!"

 

"Your tire burst," said Lee, arms crossed over his chest. "Do you need help changing it?"

 

"You seem to be a police officer," said Lee. "I was wondering if you knew where I could find someone named Dr. Tempus. I would like to talk to her about my current condition."

 

Lee kept his hands in sight, face bland, so he could look for things to use as weapons without seeming to be too threatening.

 

Eric's dad stared at Lee "I don't need no kids help to change a tire!" he practically spat that out walking

towards Lee. His back was to both Sandra and Andrew.

 

"I am sure you are right," said Lee, stepping back, keeping clear of the detective's hands. He didn't want to get into a conflict, but was prepared to use anything in reach for effect. "You seem to be having a bad day. Do you want to talk about it?"

 

"Keep him occupied for a while, will you, Jason?" Sandra whispered. "Unless this new guy and the broken tire doesn't do it. I'll just be over behind those trees." Then she slipped away.

 

Screened by the trees she carefully put together one of her 'old favorites'.

 

This might not be Haiti, but it might work anyway. I hope!

 

Snapped out of his indecision(and shaking off his punch), Jason walked towards Eric's father, "I don't care if you are a cop! That doesn't give you the right to hit him like that!"

 

Eric's dad blinked a bit and just seemed to ignore the two boys.

 

"Listen, Eric, it's going to take awhile to fix this flat. Why don't you go on home? I'll see you later."

 

Eric couldn't move away fast enough from him or that beat up car. The muttering began about the time he started working on the tire. Eric, after getting over to the group, breathed easier only when he was away.

 

"God. I forgot how much he scared me as a kid."

 

"Lets get going," Sandra said to the others. "Mister Happy might change his mind if we stay here!"

 

She started walking away, quickly.

 

"Now, what was that all about?" she asked Eric after they've gotten out of sight from the car. "I've seen child abuse, but he looked like he was kidnaping you!"

 

"Yeah, nothing worse than a parent like that," Jason shook his head, "And a cop to boot."

 

Eric nodded, "Kinda. I ran away from home a lot when I was a kid. He'd keep finding me though no matter where I ran off to." Eric sighed. "As for the beatings, most of my early memories are filled with them. I think had something to do with my mother dying when I was born."

 

"That's no good," Sandra said. "We've got to get you away from him! How much pull does your dad have at the department? If we got a camera and caught him on tape, do you think we could get the DA to take action?"

 

"Perhaps we can take him to therapy," Jared said, falling in with this group. "Give him a new outlook on life."

 

"I don't think any cops or a DA will believe a bunch of kids. On the other hand therapy sounds like a good idea, but he'd have to be willing."

 

"I also believe that Child Services could place you in a home if there was compelling evidence," said Jared. "Maybe ask the court to emancipate you if you are old enough to support yourself. If you want us to leave this alone, I will stand by your decision."

 

"No. The man died once maybe it'll happen again," Eric said it before he really thought about it and kept pace with the rest of them. "So where too? Any idea where you guys live now?"

 

"I don't know," said Jared. "I believe that I was living across the country at this age. Did we go back to our earlier lives, or into a parallel world?"

 

"Well, I know where I _used_ to live..." Sandra said. "Let's go check it out, it's not that far away. And if that's wrong we can check any other places we've lived." She thought for a while "Did anyone check today's date, by the way? Maybe we've only been age regressed and everyone else has been selectively mindwashed... 'Only' in an awed sort of way that is...!"

 

"I hadn't thought of that possibility," admitted Jared. "I hope this isn't something out of the Prisoner. I would prefer a physical effect even if it is life changing to some degree than to have it all be a shared dream."

 

"Hadn't thought of any of that. I"m not sure which would be worse?" Jason looked around to get his bearings and then headed for home. "Well, I've lived in the same place for my whole life, so I should be in good shape."

 

Jared followed quietly, knowing that sooner or later he would have to make a phone call to see if his parents were alive in San Francisco. He didn't know what he would tell them. They had been dead for a long time.

 

This was almost a demented second chance for him to tell them how he felt before they died again.

 

"Well, all I know is I don't plan on going to my house. Anyone think I could stay with them?" Eric looked at

the group with a pleading look.

 

"You can go with me," said Jared. "I don't have a place either, but I think I can find one for us for a while until we have to move on."

 

"Sounds good to me." He frowned a bit thinking back to his time at the school. "I think some old mob boss is at the school too. He kinda 'talked' with me after your battle with the Chinese kid."

 

"Naturally," said Jared. "I wonder how many others have been bodyjacked. Do we split up to do our research?"

 

"Seems rather unfriendly to have you sleep out if some of us have a place to stay," Sandra said. "If my home is where I hope it is you should be able to crash there for tonight at least. We'll see about doing research tomorrow!"

 

"If that is not too inconvenient," said Jared. "I am not looking forward to calling my old home number, and taking up my old life again. At least we have some pertinent facts to work with. Too bad we would have to force Eric's father to help us find Dr. Tempus. He should have some valuable contacts we could use to assist us."

 

"Maybe we can find out something about any contacts of his without his knowledge," Sandra said. "Heck, we've been up against would-be world conquerors, we should be able to keep an eye on a normal criminal!"

 

"Good point," Jason replied. "And speaking of fathers, I'd better get home. My dad's gonna be pissed I got detention and missed practice."

 

With that, Jason headed off towards his home.

 

"What do you want to do about this rejuvenated mob boss?," said Jared. "It's obvious he recognized our friend, even as he is now. I have no interest in him unless he gets in our way."

 

"Shall we?," Jared said, indicating for Sandra to lead the way. "Maybe we can stop and get a paper on the way."

 

As they arrived at Sandra's house, Eric shrugged. "I'm not really sure what we should do, but I don't think he'd be

much trouble."

 

"You might have a ton of problems if you start getting squeezed on both sides of your identity," said Jared. "You might want to think about how you are going to handle it."

 

He held the newspaper so he could read it comfortably. Hopefully some kind of clue to their predicament was in the paper.

 

After reading the majority of the paper on the way they'd find many things are different or odd. All of the heroes that they had met as children where back in action as if they hadn't aged a day since. The year on the paper was current with when they had left. 3): The mob boss that was suppose to be dying on the electric chair after being caught by a vigilante is no longer front page or any page news, so he might be after the vigilante that put him away. Pictures & stories of them as the 'junior' hero league is on the last page and going on about why heroes need to encourage young children to do such grown up activities.

 

"Well, we didn't move back in time," Jared said. "Maybe sideways. Hopefully there's a Tempus we can locate here, or we're going to have a very hard time getting home. My control of molecules just won't let us scramble our own and send it back where we belong."

 

"Tempus, or someone else with matching power," Sandra added. "I wish I had studied this kind of problem more! I've done a few planar gates before, but only between close dimensions and I doubt I could manage even that now anyway."

 

Sandra led everyone up to the door and opened it. "Let's see what Mom and Dad has to say about this," she said over her shoulder, then called loudly into the house, "Mom, dad! I'm home! I brought a couple of friends over. No problems, I hope?"

 

Jared folded the paper and put it away. Perhaps a Internet search would give them something to look for in the morning. His costume, such as it was, was black leathers like a racing suit with a molecule in glowing relief on the back. He usually wore a face mask to the shirt underneath when in action. It was simple enough push the mask away, and let the clothes become bright cotton.

 

No need to complicate things for Sandra if they didn't have to. There was also the matter of Eric. A new body and face and already he had two enemies who hated him. He would need somewhere to go to get away from the pains in his life at least for a little bit.

 

Jared put that on his list of things to take care of as he waited for the greet and meet to start.

 

Anthony was enjoying his second chance at childhood. Unlike most costumed vigilantes, his had been a happy one and it had been his actions, his greed and pride that had ruined it, not some horrible crime. This time he wouldn't take that route. His parents, he knew, thought there was something wrong with him. He seemed happy to do his chores, had nodded and agreed with his father's lecture even apologizing for his actions. He had even let his mother kiss his head. In other words he was not himself. They wondered whether he was on something illegal, or was perhaps in love.

 

Anthony's happy revelry however was stopped suddenly by a piece of today's paper. It showed the face of the mob boss he had helped put away with the headline 'CAPO ESCAPES EXECUTION'. He picked up the paper and began to read his brow furrowing, his hand flexing crushing the foam cup into a ball. As he finished he threw the paper into the air and scored the picture with a well aimed straw and a cry of frustration.

 

He should have know it couldn't last. Oh, well he'd sleep in class tomorrow. He headed for his family's caravan to pick up his gear and excuse himself from dinner (hopefully with a small snack to "keep up your strength". Tonight Hard-ball would hunt.

 

"Sandra! Welcome home hon," Sandra's mother blinked and looked at her 'friends'.

 

"Now dear what have I told you about playing with boys. You'll get hurt. Your father called he won't be

home tonight so send your friends home and wash up for dinner."

 

Eric walked forward and just..smiled. "Please can we all stay until after dinner, miss?"

 

Sandra's mother just blushed and smiled at Sandra, "My goodness, you did find someone with manners today didn't you?"

 

When Sandra's mom went back to the kitchen, Eric just gave a sheepish smile, "Hope I didn't overdo it."

 

Sandra looked at Eric with narrowed eyes for several long seconds. "I'll let it pass this time," she finally told him "But don't do that again without asking me first!"

 

Eric nodded, "Um right no problem." He smiled sheepishly as Sandra's mom came back. "Well it looks like there's

plenty more for you and your friends Sandra. Why don't you all take a seat around the dinning table."

 

Jason returned home to find his father waiting for him.

 

"Coach called and told me you got detention, and missed practice today." Jason's father said angrily. "You can't be doing that, boy. You got to work hard so you can make it to the pros."

 

Jason, not sure how to tell his father that he didn't really care about football right now, just took the berating with a impassive face. Jason walked upstairs to his room as soon as he could, hoping he could puzzle out it he and his friends were sent back in time, or to some alternate world, or what. Damn, Jason thought, I should have paid more attention when Sandra and the others were talking about it.

 

Jared examined the room, waiting for permission to stay. It was a pleasant enough place as places go. It just felt odd intruding like this.

 

"Just act well and mom won't mind" Sandra said to Jared "I'll cook up some story why you're here - as long as it doesn't sound completely nuts she's always fallen for it before."

 

Jared nodded, careful not to say anything. He wasn't a very good liar, and preferred not to say something truthful like, "We used to be adult superheroes, but now we are younger versions of ourselves."

 

"Thanks, mom!" Sandra replied "Let's eat, guys. We've got a lot of reading to do!" she follows her mother into the kitchen, wondering if everything was the same as it had been the last time she was in high school. That was just after they got back from Hong Kong, was it the same here?

 

It was indeed almost the same, however some things had modern versions. They had modern comforts for the current time period they where in.

 

At dinner Mai (Sandra's mom) was staring a lot in Eric's direction, sighing every once in awhile. Eric however

didn't seem to notice as he was too busy shoveling food into his mouth at the dinner table.

 

Jared ate quietly. Maybe he should call home. Who was he protecting really? His parents didn't know they had died on an airline trip, maybe they wouldn't in this side universe. The real problem would be how to explain how he was transferred across the country with no explanation. Maybe he should stay missing for a while.

 

Be a runaway like Eric until he could think of the right thing to do.

 

Sandra spent the dinner alternating being irritated at Erik, trying to figure out how to counter anything he tried (and failing rather badly as she doesn't really know what he can do!) and considering ways to get themselves back where they belong.

 

Plus, of course, worrying about how she's going to handle school and parents alongside everything else!

 

"Would you need help to clean up, ma'am?," Jared asked.

 

Eric sighed himself when he was full, and smiled lazily at the group. "So Sandra, going to show us the room we

can stay at." Mai looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it only blushing a bit at her stray thought. When Mai left the kids alone, Eric sighed again rubbing between his eyes. "Don't worry Sandra the effect is temporary... however looks like my powers is back to being mildly aggravating. Like a baby snake not controlling it's venom sacks. All or nothing."

 

"Perhaps we should take you to a hospital," Jared said. "There might be side effects that you don't know about."

 

"Not quite. My power unlike what I think of yours, mine didn't change much as I got older. I suppose the best way to say it was that I got use to my powers and exercised them like you would in weight lifting, bigger muscles made it easier to lift things. In this case...my powers back to being a strain on me, holding back any amount gives me a migraine at this age. However if we ever run into a telepath, then I will need medical attention."

 

Sandra's mother called from the kitchen. "No, that's alright I have everything under control here."

 

"Yes, Ma'am," Jared said.

 

"If you are sure," said Jared. "We should do some research on our current problem other than the paper. I am sure that there will be differences other than the twenty year gap if this is a parallel universe. That and an artificial dimension seems to be our simplest choices to explore at the moment. Tomorrow I will look around for a place we can use to keep danger away from our altered parents."

 

"All right," Sandra replied. "When you put it like that I suppose I have no right to be angry at you." She shook her head and gestured back into the house "We've got an unused guestroom back here - at least I hope it's unused! - that you can share. I'll see what I can hunt up in the way of bedclothes and other stuff."

 

She shows Erik and Jared to a small room in the back of the house, There's one bed and a couch.

 

"Darn, I thought we had two beds here..." she said. "Oh well, I suppose one of you will have to take the couch. I'll go get the stuff."

 

"My parents will be *real* unhappy if I'm not in school," Sandra said "But on the flip side maybe we can learn something useful there as well? And there's always the Great Altar of Passive Entertainment if you want some instant information."

 

"Current events might help us," said Jared. "If this is a parallel world, could you navigate us back to our real world?"

 

"I'll take the couch," said Jared, inspecting the room, making sure the windows were locked. "We might want to lock down the rest of the house in case of Eric's dad."

 

"Don't know," Sandra replied. "I hope so, but since I can't give you more than an educated guess of how Tempus did this in the first place... You get the idea."

 

"I see," said Jared. "Without Tempus, we don't have a chance. What about other mages?"

 

"Possible, I suppose" Sandra said. "We'll have to look for them, and then hope we can convince them to help. Mages are generally not the most social of people." She thought some more "But you know, Tempus most likely has somewhere to store any arcane books and stuff she's got. Like I put away those books you were not to read under any circumstances back before, in the vault in our base. If we can track her and find that I might be able to figure out our problem."

 

"Do you have a way to track her down?," Jared asked. Things would be so much easier if things were that simple.

 

"No, nothing right away" Sandra replied after thinking it over. "The only spells I can think of requires that I either have something of hers, or at least have time to study her for a while. Thought I might be able to come up with something that detects her if she uses magic. Give me some time to think that over. Oh, is the room okay?"

 

"It's fine enough for our needs," said Jared. "This would be so much easier if we actually knew who Tempus was, then we could track her down with her SSN. All we can do now is gather as much information as we can until we can use it."

 

"Well, I don't know much about this magic **** but, Sandra, if she can manipulate time, how can we catch her?" Eric asked a bit dumbly.

 

"You're right on that," said Jared. "I have been concentrating on just catching up with her enough to try to catch her, not how to do it. One of us is going to have to try and catch her by surprise while the rest provide a distraction. I think it will be up to Titan, me, and Hardball to do that while you two figure a way to take her out. Now we have to get our comrades together with us to do that."

 

"Some of the less savory characters I've known would just blow her head off before she know they were there," Sandra said. "Anyway finding her is the first problem. Once we do that we can try to find out what she can do - I imagine she'll hand us our heads if it comes to a fight, if she doesn't just laugh and disappear! But that will hopefully give us what we need to meet her again, or a chance to find out where she's staying."

 

"You have a point," said Jared. "Do you have an internet connection? A search should give us something to work with. Otherwise I will have to go down tot he local newspaper and search the morgue."

 

"Sorry, no" Sandra replied. "Computers never were my thing. Of course things might be different now... Maybe this time around my dad got a connection. Anyway, isn't there computers with net connections in school?"

 

"I think so," said Jared. "It would be easy for us to get in and use them."

 

"Right, we'll see about it tomorrow" Sandra turned towards the door. "Good night!" she said as she walked out.

 

"Good night," said Jared.

 

The next morning it was another day. Unfortunately yesterday was not a dream and even now it seemed more

real than the day before after arguing over the bathroom and eating. It was time for school, at least according to the students after yesterday's strange meta battle in front of the school opening was delayed two hours.

 

"Public schools..gotta love how they just barely care." Eric sounded off as they walked towards the dreaded building.

 

"I am going down to the hall of records to find us a place to live," said Jared. "You guys go ahead and do you what you can here."

 

"It wasn't fun the last time, and it's not likely to be much better this time around," Sandra sighed. "How about we go check computer access, Eric? I didn't notice if this school even have a computer lab yesterday."

 

"Not a problem. While I was stuck in coming into focus mode yesterday, turns out I have English class in the computer lab. Don't think they have them set for the net..but I'm sure I can work something out." Eric said with a grin.

 

Just as they were discussing computer crime Sandra and Eric came upon Anthony leaning up against a tree,

openly smoking in front of the school, and generally acting like a health hazard

 

"Hey Ricky. Hey Sandra Dee. Want one?" he said offering the pack to Eric.

 

"Where do you want to meet after school?," Jared asked.

 

Jason ran up to everyone, apparently out of breath. "Sorry, I overslept. Not used to waking up this early. What's the plan?"

 

Sandra waved away Anthony's cig; "No thanks, I get enough of that in other ways," she told him as Jason arrived. "Plans for the day...We planned to try and find out anything we can about Doc Tempus or any supers that might be of interest. Hopefully we can find someone who's willing to help with our situation! I'm going to try to come up with some way to track Tempus as well. That's about it for the moment. Let's just meet back here after school."

 

"Right," said Jared, walking away. His other persona came to the fore as he sank into the ground, using the molecules to pull him forward toward his destination. The hall of records should be a good place to do his own research.

 

He would just have to stay away from the clerks on duty.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Eric watched Jared vanish into the earth and rolled his eyes. "Yup, in hell again. It's been confirmed. Sent back to be the runt of the litter again." He sighed and put on a smile again. "So let’s go take over the school’s computers. That, or we could go to the library to use their

computer."

 

Jared meanwhile, when he arrived at the hall of records found it to be in fairly regular working order. He just had to keep from being seen by anyone that might care about a kid being out of school and call a truant officer. Luckily as the laws of universe work, truant officers and people who care never seem to actually have government jobs or patrol government buildings.

 

"Let me know how that works out," said Anthony "Me, I've got a Physics class to sleep through. I'll see you guys after school if'n I don't catch you at lunch."

 

Jared decided that he needed a place to stay away from his reborn family, but also hard to get to unless they had his particular ability. Skulking around the records, he decided that any abandoned subway, sewer lines, boarded up train stations, or comdemned houses would fit the bill.

 

He wouldn't mind buying a house at an auction, but the only way he had to get money now was to create gold out of lead. That wasn't a trick he could do too many times before someone got suspicious.

 

He put the idea aside for later consideration.

 

The first part of his search gave him places to examine.

 

The second part of his search went into unusual water bills, a lot of property going to one individual, anything that might be considered suspicious, or point to someone with new wealth spreading it around. Once he had a list of those places and people, he checked his watch, then headed back to the school.

 

He hoped to get there just in time to meet the others as they finished their day.

 

"I'm not good with computers," Sandra said. "But we can at least check it out."

 

Jared Lee made sure his clothes looked normal as he walked up to the school. He waited casually for his new found colleagues to exit from the school.

 

As Jared awaited the end of classes outside the school, he noticed a number of vans pull up in the parking lot. Out of them piled a group of Vietnamese youths wearing gang colors. One, obviously the leader, sported a new bruise on his left eye and a cast on his right arm. He shouted something at the others and they began to spread out around the school.

 

Leaving the classroom, Sandra looked out the window. Now this looks strange!, she thought as she saw the vans and the youths around them.

 

She quickly caught up to Eric as he walked out the door.

 

"Hey Eric," she said as they walked towards their lockers. "Do you think your dad would get a bunch of street toughs to bring you back? There's a few van loads of them outside."

 

"Dad?," said Eric. "No, he's more about the personal touch. Now if it were a group of him and his buddies on the force... but street toughs? Just out of interest, what kind of street toughs are we talking?"

 

Meanwhile Anthony saw the vans pull up as he was outside cutting last period for a smoke. The moment he saw them, he put out his cigarette and ducked inside to retrieve his 'Hard-ball' costume and equipment and find somewhere to change.

 

Jason was outside, on the field, trying to explain to the coach why he wasn't at practice yesterday, and how he was unsure he wanted to keep playing. He was looking everywhere but at coach, who was yelling at him at the top of his lungs, when he noticed the vans pull up. Great, just what I needed, Jason thought as he told the coach later and headed off to find the others.

 

While the rest of the youths had headed for the school building proper, a group of four broke off and headed for the field where the school teams were beginning afternoon training. One noticed Jason heading off toward the exit and headed toward him.

 

"You stay here," said the youth, pulling a knife from his pocket to underline his point. "And no heroics."

 

Meanwhile the other youths had covered all the exits.

 

Then one group, containing the injured 'leader', pushed through the main entrance doors. Most of the school kids were too caught up in their own world and the prospect of going home to notice. That is until one of the youths pulled out a shotgun and shot the roof.

 

Over the ensuing panic the leader shouted, "No-one leaves until the [Vietnamese expletive] who did this to me steps forward." He held up his broken arm. He then shouted to his 'men' in Vietnamese and they began rounding the kids up.

 

Jared gained the rooftop of the school without a problem, mask and costume back to normal. He knew that he was no good in a large scale situation without help. Sure he could pick these goons off one by one, but better to have someone else to take the other side of the building.

 

He spotted the goon, trying to stop Titan with a knife. He looked around to see if anyone else had noticed him yet, before he directed a stream of particles into the back of the man's head.

 

"That kind," Sandra said to Eric as the gangers rush into the school. She started backing down the corridor towards the restrooms as the shotgun blast went off. "Jesus!," she shouted and flattened herself to the wall "Eric, try to calm things down here. I figure your powers might help with that -

I've got to do something before those guys start shooting people instead of light fixtures!"

 

The restrooms were of course full of people with no wish to get out, but Sandra found a dark corner near it. Some frustrated spellcasting later she was in costume and invisible to the attackers. Darn, I've really got to start training again, she thought to herself as she began moving back towards the front entrance and the gangers. How did I manage to fail such a simple spell?

 

Jason shrank and made a run for Jared, trying to keep to any cover available.

 

The goon with the knife went down like a sack of potatoes. The sound and light of the particle beam however had caught the attention of the other three gangers and one of them pulled an SMG from his jacket and began spraying the roof with bullets in the general area that the beam had come

from while heading toward his friend’s body.

 

Too focused on the super sniper on the roof, nobody noticed Jason shrinking and running off toward the school.

 

The Coach however saw his chance and cold-cocked one of the two remaining gang members 'guarding' the other athletes. While the kids ran for cover the final gang member (with a knife) and the coach began circling each other like dueling scorpions.

 

Inside the school, Eric concentrated, trying to put out waves of calm.

 

"Remain calm," he said to himself (and sent out to the people around him) "Panic will only make things worse". He felt it was working when suddenly the staccato of a fully automatic sounded outside followed by the sound of a window exploding. Eric's calm suddenly changed to mind

numbing fear and with it the psychic waves of calm changed to a tsunami of terror.

 

People began screaming and running again, if anything he'd made it worse. Even the gangers were now reacting with fear turning to confront imaginary assailants, screaming in Vietnamese. Eric dove into a classroom and attempted to get his power back under control.

 

As Sandra reached the entrance to the toilet, her mental barriers instinctively went up. At the sound of gunfire from outside, the calming influence Eric had been creating had suddenly changed to fear. The girls behind her went from cowering to screaming and fighting each other for a chance to crawl out the toilet window.

 

Damn, Sandra thought. Fireballs just isn't the thing to calm a panic!

 

Hard-ball stepped from the locker room and was almost bowled over by a cheerleader running in the other direction. She looked at his hockey masked face, screamed again and tried to knee him in the gonads. He instinctively flinched and then thanked God that he had thought of armor for that

area.

 

"Hold up there, darling, I'm here to help."

 

Seeing that her attack had done little to stop him, and with a look that showed she believed him not even a little she turned and ran off.

 

"Note to self," he said to himself. "The Jason Voohrees look does not inspire trust. Then again I designed it to inspire fear."

 

He saw the coach about to be stuck like a pig by one of the gangers, pulled out a baseball and drew back for the pitch...

 

Jared pulled back from the edge of the roof. His power let him let projectiles pass through him without harm, but he couldn't use it and push molecules at the same time.

 

He moved to a spot away from the fusillade, to get another look at the ground.

 

When he had a clear shot, the goon with the SMG had to go.

 

As soon as Jason found cover, he changed into his costume(which luckily shrank and grew with him) and snuck back toward the gangers hoping to deliver a growth momentum punch to knock one out.

 

Hardball let fly, beaning the gangster with the knife facing the coach.

 

"Um... thanks kid" said the coach, unsure, upon seeing someone dressed in a mish mash of sports gear, of whether the situation had improved or not "Mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

 

"I think someone’s jonesing for some payback," said Hard-Ball "and he's brought along some of his friend as insurance"

 

"O.k. whatever that means" said the coach "all I'm worried about are the kids. Did everyone get away safely?"

 

"Last time I saw them they were 'going home early'. I suggest you join them and leave this to the professionals, or at least the superpowered amateurs."

 

Hard-ball looked over at the gangsta with the SMG just as Titan appeared from beneath him with one of his patented 'fast grow' uppercuts. That left the field cleared of Viet Gangstas. Unfortunately he was pretty sure this was not the final battle.

 

Jared also saw Titan appear and take out his assailant. He was about to drift down to thank him when a hole appeared in the roof just between his legs and shot passed through his desolidified form. He paused momentarily to consider his luck before realizing that the blast meant that more of the gangsters that had attacked the field were inside the school.

 

Sandra made her way toward the door where the obvious leader was shouting orders at his men in Vietnamese, orders that his men were ignoring thanks to the wave of panic gripping the school. Sanda felt the psychic impetus to panic subside as Eric obviously reined in his abilities but the

natural panic had already taken hold. From one of the classrooms, the sound of a shotgun roared out. Sandra only hoped it hadn't claimed any innocent victims as she continued toward the door.

 

Eric finally got his power under control. "Typical," he thought "I'm being more of a hindrance than a help." He didn't notice one of the gangsters who had come into the room looking for potential enemies stop in his tracks, drop his gun, and sit down to cry as he realized how useless he was.

 

Jared slid into the roof, swimming through the material, letting his vision pierce the individual substances as he went. He remained in the thickest part of the roof and walls as he tried to figure out what was going on.

 

Darn, Sandra thought as she finally got free of the crowd. _Now_ I really need a distraction, and of course the distraction's past! Oh well, if being a mage was easy everyone would be one.

 

Having reached the doors, and thus conveniently having placed herself behind most of the gangers, Sandra dropped her invisibility spell to cast her next. "Assaulting innocents?" she shouted to the gangers "Prepare to face the wrath of the winds of heaven!" With a final gesture she summoned

up a wind that wrapped around the leader, lifting him off the floor!

 

As Jared slid through the school roof, he saw a group of the same people who had attacked the sports field running around trying to shepherd the panicked school kids into groups using threats of violence and, in some cases actual violence. No-one was badly injured, although a few seemed to have been pistol whipped into silence. In one room he saw no-one but Eric and one of the attackers who was sitting banging his head on the table in seeming frustration. Eric didn't seem much happier.

 

The hall was suddenly silent as the collective school kids and attackers turned to see the show. Sandra could see that her plan had worked and most of the attackers were looking nervous. An enthusiastic girl in the corner began to cheer at what seemed to be a peaceful end to the situation only to begin screaming as a shotgun blast shattered her knee.

 

"Put the Boss down *****," said the boy who had shot the cheerleader. "Carefully. Or the other barrel goes through her pretty face."

 

Hard-Ball ran up to Titan.

 

"I've seen these guys before. There's got to be more than half a dozen of them. We have to find them before they really mess someone up."

 

Jared changed course to talk to Eric. He made sure to knock the gang banger out with a push of air molecules, when he entered the room. He took a moment to change the table to cuffs to hold the guy where he lay.

 

"We have a hostage situation, Eric," Jared said. "Are you capable of dealing with this."

 

Sandra was shocked by the ganger's actions. Oh hells, she thought. This is going downhill way faster than expected! Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the leader.

 

"It seems your friends do not realize the gravity of their actions," she told him. "I would suggest that you ask them leave this place with you, before anyone else gets hurt." And she let the force holding the ganger suspended start to twist his leg.

 

"Cool" said Hard-Ball while wondering why he's taking orders from the muscle-head. He headed

toward the other side of the school while simultaneously blessing and cursing his luck. The

Vietnamese gang from last night had managed to find the school he went to which meant that a)

He and the 'super-friends' were able to deal with it in a timely manner (since they were already at

it) but he mustn't have covered his tracks as well as usual, he was getting sloppy in his 'youth'

and that had lead to innocents being hurt (he was too realistic to think that the gang hadn't started

shooting the hostages).

 

Titan crawled inside through the shattered window of one of the science classrooms and onto one

of the lab benches. In front of him he saw a Vietnamese gang member running a knife down a

terrified girls shirt pulling her buttons off while 2 others half covered the other 4 kids in the class

with SMGs like the ones the boy on the oval had used and half egged their friend on in

Vietnamese.

 

"I tried" said Eric "But my powers aren't under control like they used to be. I just made things

worse. I'm worse than useless. I'm a hindrance."

 

Jared found himself fighting the same urge that had overcome the ganger. He felt like just giving

up the fight, leave it to more competent people, and not 'get in the way'. Unlike the ganger

however, he assumed that this was due to Eric's powers.

 

 

The 'boss' began to scream in Vietnamese as his knee was dislocated. Whatever he said did not

have the effect Sandra was hoping for. The ganger with the shot-gun said something angrily back

at him then said "I warned you, *****" and went to pull the trigger. Sandra changed tack

immediately and used the time honored 'Hit one opponent with another' maneuver that she had

seen Titan and other 'bricks' use. She hit 'shotgun' with his boss.

 

The gun went off but missed the girl, instead punching several holes in one of the lockers. The

girls friends knelt down to comfort her "We've got to do something" said one "She's turning white".

Around her the gangers were beginning to see the best way to deal with this new foe and began

pointing their weapons at the school-kids as if to say 'you can stop us all, can you?'

 

"Can you keep on feeling that way?," asked Jared. "I have a plan."

 

Jared led the despairing Eric down the hall to the hostage situation in progress. He stationed the

empath outside the door, looking in.

 

"Think of the worst thing that ever happened to you that you can think of," said Jared. "I'll be right

back."

 

Jared sank into the walls and vanished. He swam around to the other side of the room, keeping an

eye on things. He hoped that Eric will be the perfect distraction.

 

Oh bloody h*ll! Sandra was momentarily frozen with indecision. Stall or gamble? Damn! Stall

now, prepare to gamble looks like the best bet. I hope the others get here! Now what was that spell

Brad liked to use...? Darn, I hope I remember it correctly!

 

Titan snuck in between the two with guns, getting between them and the students, then grew to

about 10' tall and knocked their heads together. He glared at the third ganger. "I think you may

want to drop the knife, before you get hurt."

 

Eric looked at Sandra surrounded by gang members taking hostages and thought "This is getting

close to the worst thing, but not quite" He thought of his father, of how useless he felt when that

man laid into him, of how, with all his powers so called super powers he could never stop him,

how he froze unable to do anything. Slowly the waves of despair washed out from him.

 

Sandra detected an empathic attack coming. Thankfully she had kept her mental shields up and

the attack broke against them. The other people in the room were not so lucky. Both hostages and

hostage takers began to slump over as they realized the futility of whatever they were doing.

 

Sandra smiled, now was her big chance to end this.

 

Hard Ball finally made it into the school through a window and strode out into the hall, ready to

face the gang members and finish this hostage situation. Suddenly he felt a wave of despair hit

him. This is all my fault, he thought. If I hadn't been so careless these children would not have

been endangered. Now I'm just going to make things worse! Better to let the real superheroes

handle this. What am I just an ex-con baseball pitcher with delusions of grandeur. Heck, I'm not

even that anymore, I'm just a kid. What good can I do?

 

Then he shook his head, attempting to dislodge the negative thoughts.

 

What on earth am I thinking? Yes this is my mess, but that means I need to clean it up! As for not

being a real Superhero like Red or the Big Guy, well that just mean I have to work harder to show

them what a 'mere human' can do. What's wrong with me? Must be some kind of mental attack.

Although where these losers would get a mentalist, I don't know.

 

Having composed himself Hard-ball strode out into the hall to see Sandra locked in a hostage situation.

One girl was already going white from shock and blood loss, and her friends seemed to have given

up on helping her (possibly because of the waves of despair that were permeating the hall.)

 

"Hey guys," he shouted at the gang members. "Miss me?"

 

He tried to catch Sandra's eye and focus her attention on the injured girl.

 

Titan's foes’ heads made a reassuring cracking noise as they slammed together, but Titan was too

mad to care whether he had done them any permanent harm.

 

The third guy just looked up, dropped his knife and got kneed in a place that made Titan cringe

by his former victim, who then pulled the two halves of her, now buttonless, shirt together before

giving him another kick for good measure and breaking down as the adrenalin wore off.

 

The other kids gathered around him and began to ask him questions:

"What's going on?" "Is everyone all right?" "I heard gunshots and screaming and oh god someone's

dead aren't they?"

 

While everyone was feeling down and distracted by Eric's and Hardball's distractions, Jared

stepped out of the wall without anyone seeing him. He hated the feelings washing over him, but

it had been his idea. He began to separate the hostages lined against the walls from the gunmen

with transparent shields of solid air. He worked as silently as he could, hoping that the gang would

keep looking the other way until he was done.

 

He would need a new idea to help the man being held at gunpoint. Maybe Eric could get them to

guilt themselves to death.

 

Desperate measures, Sandra thought. Canceled. Phew! She nodded to Hardball, then addressed

the gangers. "So you finally realized what your situation is, did you? Then stay right where you

are and think of what you did wrong!" With a wide gesture she cast a new spell, bonds of

shimmering force suddenly appearing around the gangers in the room.

 

"That should keep you calm." she said, then quickly moved over to the injured girl. She spoke

quietly to Hard-ball and Pusher, "Start grabbing their weapons or something, those bonds aren't

strong - it won't take them long to get free if they get the idea."

 

Kneeling by the wounded girl, she quickly cast the basic healing spell she knew. Seeing the blood

flow stop, she started breathing a little easier.

 

Titan started taking weapons from all the gangers. "You punks won't be needing these any more!"

Looking around, "Anyone know how many of these guys there are?"

 

Jared came from behind his defensive wall. The hostages had some protection as long as they

stayed behind the shells he had erected.

 

"I'll do a search of the school and come back," said Jared. "My ability gives me the next thing to

invisibility as long as I stay in the walls. Is there anything else we need to do?"

 

Hard-ball went up to the gangers and cold-cocked each of them into unconsciousness.

 

"Can't be too careful," he said.

 

Jared returned from his search of the school to say that all of the gangers were dealt with and that

a staff member had called emergency services. As if on cue, the sounds of sirens began to

approach.

 

"That looks like my cue to leave" said Hard-ball. "Like I said, the authorities have a dim view of

me stepping on their toes. So I'll see you around sometime, and if you need me again you've got

my number."

 

Hardball walked off before anyone could say anything.

 

Eric stood up and followed him out. He gave Sandra a look that she interpreted as 'I'm leaving in

case my father's one of the cops'. Given yesterday's confrontation she didn't blame him.

 

"I think I should leave too," Jared said. "I skipped today to look things over. It wouldn't do well

to be caught on the grounds if I changed here. I'll set up a meet later so we can talk about what I

found."

 

As Eric left the palpable aura of despair lifted from the hall.

 

Outside Eric caught up to Hard-Ball.

 

"No autographs, please" said Hard-ball as Eric caught up to him.

 

"Very funny, Anthony," said Eric.

 

"Who-What-My names not...," began Hard-ball.

 

"You know what they say about con-artists don't you?," said Eric slyly "Let’s just say I'm pretty

good at detecting when someone’s trying to play me."

 

"So you know my secret I.D." said Anthony, threateningly "Don't even think of trying to blackmail

me with it, because I have far more painful ways to ensure your silence than paying you off."

 

Eric stepped back. "Nothing like that, I know your rep from your 'older' days. Which nicely segues

to the reason I wanted to talk to you. You see I seem to remember you had a better arsenal back

then. Word on the street said you could throw fireballs. Or was that just talk?"

 

"They were grenades. And while I haven't tried getting in contact with my supplier, I'm sure he

doesn't know me from Adam in this universe, and he's too moral to sell to a kid."

 

"You see this is where I can be helpful. Like I said I've got a little skill at creating gadgets. Give

me some specifications and I might be able to work something up. No promises mind..."

 

As the pair walked off down the street, avoiding being detected by the police cars they failed to

notice a shadowy figure watching them.

 

The figure looked at its watch, nodded and then disappeared.

 

"All right" Sandra replied "I'll stay and talk to the cops - someone has to take the glory for getting

an innocent shot... Titan, you'll hang around I hope - shared burden and all that." To Jared she

added, "You've got my number, right? Give me a call later then."

 

Lady Flame and Titan gave statements and were released. The gang had been tightlipped about

why they had attacked the school. The detective in charge, Eric Allen, suspected a paid hit on

someone at the school. The brief time between arrest and statements had allowed him to get copies

of criminal records of the gang members and share that with the teen heroes.

 

A few hours later the group had assembled at the local Burger King for whoppers, fries and info

sharing. Eric had brought some paper and pencil to work on something while they talked.

 

"I think I found a place we can use as a base for our supplies and heroic identities while I was

doing the research into the other things that we talked about," Jared said, sipping on a milkshake.

"I stumbled over it when I realized the 20 year difference could work in our advantage a little.

 

"One of the old timers had a base that was only just discovered before we regressed, shrank,

whatever. It's right below the city. I think we can take it over and make it ours. Then all we have

to do is prevent it being discovered by the Dee Oh Double U.

 

"What do you think?"

 

"Sounds like a plan," Sandra said. "Do you know how to get into that place? I'll rather not go

searching through the sewers for some hidden entrance."

 

"It was under the 10th street subway station somewhere," said Jared. "In the report from our time,

the department of works were doing a job down there when they knocked down a wall and found

it. The feds sealed the place off right after, so I don't know what they did with the equipment. I do

know that the DOW here is starting to do the same thing."

 

At this point Anthony walked in to the restaurant. Over the past few days since the siege, he had

found that this 'younger' version of him was seen as something of a 'lone wolf rebel' (or juvenile

delinquent depending on who you talked to) at the school. One unexpected 'benefit' of this

reputation was that he seemed to attract other rebellious types including a number of girls. One of

these was fawning all over him, while radiating pride at her position (as 'his girl') and throwing

warning looks at anyone who might constitute a 'threat' (like Sandra).

 

"Buenos Noches, me amigos" said Anthony as he saw the group. "Me and Talia here have just got

back from seeing Evelyn in the hospital. Talia, babe, could you give us a minute. Go get yourself

a soda or something. I've got to discuss some business with these folks."

 

Talia shot Sandra a venomous look before going off to the counter.

 

"Man, oh my" said Anthony, slumping into one of the seats "I'm not sure how I feel about this new

popularity. She's a kid, so her 'attention' is giving me the willies. But then so am I, so my reticence

is making her suspicious. You guys had problems like that yet?"

 

"No," said Jared.

 

"Could you guys excuse me for a minute," said Eric. "I'll be right back."

 

Eric took Anthony by the arm, designs in the other hand, and led him out of earshot.

 

"I have your grenades almost worked up," said Eric. "As soon as I get the right material, I'll build

a prototype to test."

 

"Cool!" said Anthony "Give me a bell when your ready to test and tell me where to meet you."

 

Anthony and Eric returned to the table.

 

"I had better get back to my date before she decides to make a scene."

 

Anthony walked over to Talia and dragged her to a table, and as the others continued their plans

they heard snippets of argument/conversation from the two of them.

 

"...Little Miss Snooty ..." "...had to talk to Drake..." "... only girl for me ..." "... Bloody jock

..." "... lets talk about Evelyn, she was looking better, although she'll be limping for the rest of

her life ..."

 

"What's going on with that?," asked Jared.

 

"Nothing," said Eric, sitting down. "Just some personal business. You were saying?"

 

Jason hadn't really noticed any of this, he'd been staring off for the whole time. He appeared deep

in thought and way more serious than he normally was.

 

"Do we go with this?," asked Jared. "I did find some abandoned houses we could buy and fix up.

I just felt that this would be a good deal if we could look at it."

 

"Let's go check that place out," Sandra said. "It sounds interesting. What's the worst thing that can

happen? Our parents aren't going to show up down there!"

 

"Maybe we should get some kind of transport after we look things up," said Jared. "Maybe a

Pushjet or something."

 

"There is the little problem of our age there..." Sandra replied, "It might be somewhat difficult

getting a license - 'But sir, I've been age regressed. I'm really 37!' probably won't fly!"

 

Putting away the last of her burger, she added, "Shall we go look at the place right away?"

 

"I don't see why not," said Jared, standing. "It's only a couple of blocks away. Easy walking

distance."

 

Eric stood up, giving a wave across the room to the chatty couple before starting for the door.

 

Anthony waved back at the group, inviting another round of accusations from the girl he was now

affectionatly refering to in his mind as 'Bunny Boiler' (he didn't remember teenage girls being this

obsessive last time he was a teenager, and then he'd been a sports-star, not just a delinquent. He

made a mental note to send an unsigned gift basket to his 'former' management team for protecting

him from women like this).

 

He looked at his watch, he'd secretly followed the gang before, in their 'former lives' (how else did

they think he 'mysteriously appeared at the perfect moment' so often) and so knew how much lag

to give them so as not to be spotted. Once he thought it was safe he interrupted 'Bunny Boilers'

diatribe.

 

"Sorry Babe, I've got to cut our date short, I've got a meeting to attend."

 

"Where?" she asked, still fuming.

 

“You wouldn't know the place, it's in the 'Heights',†said Anthony.

 

She balked at that. Hanging out with the school's 'dangerous rebel' was one thing, going to a part

of town where (she'd heard) kids like her were lucky if they came out in a body bag was quite

another.

 

"M-Maybe I should take the bus home" she said.

 

"Prob'ly best." said Anthony, inwardly smiling "I wouldn't want to keep my 'associates' waiting".

Anthony waited till she got on the bus and then went to his bike to pick up his gear.

 

"Looks like I'm headed for the subway."

 

Noticing everyone getting up to leave, Jason gave them a quizzical look "Where are we going. I

must've zoned out." With that, he got up and started following them.

 

"We're going to see a man about a secret den of iniquity, big guy," said Eric. "Are you feeling

okay?"

 

Anthony's dinner date stared forlornly out of the back window as the bus pulled away in a cloud

of smoke. She waved slowly as if never seeing him again.

 

The small group with Hardball in the distant rear trooped to a manhole cover at the corner of Tenth

and Baker. Anthony spotted the familiar glow of Pusher's power before he faded into the ground.

 

"Huh? No I just been thinking. This whole situation brings up a lot of questions. I mean, we're

trying to get back to normal, but what if we can't?"

 

"I don't have an answer to that," said Eric. "I'm just trying to make a life here. At least your parents

are glad to have you back, whatever those guys are. I feel like I'm back in the same hole I was in

before I got shuffled back. I didn't like it that much the first time around."

 

"Well, if we can't get back to the way we were there's not much to do except live with it," Sandra

said. "But we have to keep looking until we find out exactly what Doc T did to us. We have to find

out what happened to everyone else we knew!"

 

She looked at Eric "But you don't have to end up in the same hole again. Some heroes we'd be if

we couldn't keep one abusive father of his son!"

 

Pusher took on his masked identity at the manhole cover at tenth, and slid out of sight through the

metal.

 

"This will be a help if it works out," said Eric. "I could always use a place to go away from the

crowd. A workshop will be nice too."

 

Pusher returned from his brief search, pulling out a map he had copied from the city's records.

 

"I found where they are working," said the molecule master. "I also found the place. It looks like

they will miss it, but I'm not sure."

 

He indicated a line for the digging, and another at 45 degrees away from the work area. All it

would take is one wrong move to unseal the hidden crypt.

 

Hardball could see the group clustered around a manhole in the street from where he waited. A

quiet chill ran up his spine. It was almost as if he had been here before as an adult, and he had

forgotten something important about it.

 

The memory would come back when he needed it.

 

At least there was no one around to ask him why he was lurking in the night's darkness.

 

"I might be able to come up with something to keep them away from where we're going," Sandra

said when she looked at the map. "It's going to take a lot more improvisation than I'd like, but it

should be doable." Looking up at Pusher, she asked "Did you find any simple way to get in there,

or will we have to get tricky?"

 

"There's a concealed door," said Pusher. "It looks the same as the rest of the wall but I think it's

supposed to slide to the left. I couldn't find a way to open it."

 

"Machines aren't my thing..." Sandra said. "But I can 'port us through if we can't figure it out. I'll

try not to dump us in the rocks." She gave a lopsided grin. "So, shall we go down and look?"

 

"Right," said Pusher. "I'll take the lead."

 

He sank below the street again, leaving the group to remove the manhole cover. Eric grabbed the

edge of the metal disk and pulled on it with an effort.

 

Hardball saw that the group was starting to descend below the street. He heard a rustling of cloth

from somewhere above him.

 

"I can get small and look around first if you want." Jason replies. Then looking at everyone else sheepishly "What are we looking for again. Don't mean to be the dumb jock, but I've been busy thinking."

 

"Don't worry about it," said Eric. "Could you help me with this?"

 

Hardball looked up to see if he could catch sight of whatever was making the rustling sound. One thing he hated was being shadowed while he was shadowing someone else, it was just rude.

 

Hardball saw blackness of the building's walls and the stars above, but whatever was up there was not visible from the street.

 

Hardball decided it was better to follow the gang and deal with whoever was tailing them if and when they became a problem. Having made sure that no-one obvious was watching him he moved over to the manhole.

 

"Yeah, sure." Jason went over and helped Eric with the manhole cover. Looking in, Jason commented, "Ugh. Sewer. Never did like sewers. Oh well, lemme go down first and I'll help everyone down." With that Jason jumped down to make sure nothing’s hiding down there.

[animemun001]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Looks quite good and the reading was excellent. Good Job. I have time again so I should be able to help with the game again.

[csyphrett]

Post 500

 

Lady Flame and Eric saw Hardball approaching down the street. Eric waved a greeting at the masked crusader.

 

"About time you got here," the student gadgeteer said.

 

Hardball looked surprised to see the gang.

 

"What are you guys doing here I thought you were going to find us some kind of home base or something? Oh did you see some guys in black trenchcoats come this way? Damn! You probably scared them off. Oh well, I can pick up their trail later, they're unlikely to try anything tonight with you guys around."

 

Catching his breath, Hard-Ball looked around.

 

"Whoa, Deja Vu. There's something awfully familiar about this part of town (and I do mean awfully). Like something bad happened to me here before but I've forgotten about, or repressed, it. Why couldn't that ***** Tempus just make us teenagers, why'd she have to go and screw with our minds as well! Someone remind me to hit her extra hard for that once we catch up with her."

 

Jason splashed down in the dark, man-sized tunnel. He could see a lamp glowing in the darkness ahead. At least he could feel both sides of the space so he could feel his way along until he reached the dig area. Pusher's black silhouette blocked the light for a second as he went to the secret door to wait for the others.

 

"I left you a message to meet at the fast food place," said Eric. "Trenchcoats? No one has been on the street since we got here. Ten minutes maybe?"

 

The gadgeteer looked at Sandra to confirm his assessment of the passage of time.

 

"Noo... I didn't see anyone either," Sandra replied, "But let's see what we've got here, Pusher's found us a little hideout." A quick spell and she floated down the hole after Pusher and Titan. "Ick! Who builds a secret base in a place like this? Don't they have _any_class?!?," she asked as she landed behind Titan.

 

Jumping deftly down the hole, Hardball landed in a puddle just close enough to Sandra to narrowly avoid missing her with the spray.

 

"Lets see, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Nighthawk, Lex Luthor ... Actually, as places for

secret bases (as distinct from public ones), subways and sewers are very popular places. I've even been known to hide out below ground from time to time (and don't anyone say that that proves Red's point)," Hard-Ball said.

 

Eric climbed down the ladder after them, pulling the manhole cover back in place. He paused at the bottom before stepping down in the muck.

 

The small group could see Pusher standing in the glow of an electric light ahead. Construction equipment littered the tunnel ahead.

 

Sandra sent a meaningful glance Hardball's way, then looked ahead. "So, where's the entrance?" she asked. "Oh, by the way...," she looked back, "...Eric, you coming down?"

 

Hardball cocked his head and Sandra can imagine the wry grin on the face she pictured him having on those rare occasions when she wondered what lies beneath the mask.

 

 

"I'm right behind you," Eric said. "Let's move out of the darkness."

 

"It's right here," Pusher called, stepping around the corner. His shadow played on the wall as he moved away.

 

"Oh, sorry!," Sandra apologized, "I didn't notice you!"

 

Jason followed Pusher, taking a sort of protective lead in front of everyone else.

 

"So what do we have here?," Sandra asked. "Shall I try to take us through, or do you think we can open it?"

 

"I think it's voice activated," said Pusher. "I can see the bolt mechanism holding the thing shut, but I can't find any buttons or latches."

 

He pointed at a blank piece of concrete that looked like every other part of the tunnel they had walked pass from the manhole. Orange paint marked where the Department of Works had decided to do their thing on the group's left.

 

"Hmmm... Maybe I can do a scrying spell and find out what was used," Sandra said. "Did it look like this thing was active? A voice-activated lock has to be powered, right?"

 

A rustle of cloth drifted to them as they pondered the situation.

 

"Shh! What was that?," Sandra froze and looked towards the noise.

 

Everything was pitch black beyond the ring of light where they stood. It was almost like they were standing on a giant bull's-eye for anyone who could be hiding in the darkness.

 

The rustling in the dark stopped as soon as Lady Flame looked that way. Still the heroes knew something was down in the tunnel with them, something hiding in the darkness.

 

It was almost as if something was waiting for them to make a move, one way or the other.

 

Hardball remembered that the Shadow Monkey gang had gotten into a battle on the street above, and killed the hero that had opposed them. They had battered him to death.

 

Hardball shook his head as if trying to dislodge something. "It's finally come back to me where this sense of foreboding is coming from ... where I know this place from. The Shadow Monkeys beat some hero to death up on the street above, can't remember when but it's possible their still around here, either that or he is..."

 

"I'm more concerned that they are down here with us," said Pusher, picking up the lamp on its extension cord and pushing it away so that they aren't visible in the spotlight. The rolling light revealed nothing as it came to a stop down the tunnel.

 

"There's someone out there," said Eric. "I can feel his mind."

 

"Oookay... Pusher, Titan, cover the tunnel in that direction," Sandra whispered, pointing towards where the noise came from. "Hardball, watch the other direction so that no one tries to sneak up on us. Eric, keep an eye on things - I'll try a spell to locate whoever's down here." She knelt down and started chanting.

 

Pusher formed one of his air walls in front of him. The group was in the barrel of a gun for anyone who could fill it. At least a wall would stop some of that while they decided what to do.

 

Lady Flame detected one mind in the tunnel with them, and two more entering the walled area back at the ladder where they had entered earlier. One of those newcomers blinked slightly in her awareness, then faded to nothing.

 

Coming out of her trance, Sandra looked up. "One guy near us, over there...," she whispered and nodded slightly in the direction she sensed the nearest person. "Two more just came down from the street where we entered - and one of them shielded himself from me right away. Looks like hostilities may be in the offering..."

 

Time to come out and play..., she bowed her head again. A soft glow enveloped her as she changed. In a moment, there's a six foot dragon standing in her place.

 

"Who goes there?" she called down the tunnel.

 

"Ah Lady Flame," said a smooth voice from the blackness. "I had wondered if I would meet you again after this damnable reversion. I see that you have assembled some friends on which I may practice my trade."

 

A cloud of light glittered to existence revealing the trio standing beyond the wall. The smooth faced Oriental in his black suit and cape could have been 40, but Lady Flame knew the Black Mist had been far older than that before they had returned to their youth.

 

One of his comrades crouched on his knuckles, dressed and armed like a movie ninja. Beady brown eyes glared at the adventurers. It looked like he had attached a fake tail to the back of his costume.

 

The other man was dressed in a brown coverall with darker brown gadgets built in, even a visor of some kind over his eyes. He held a big rifle pointed in the general direction of the group. His general stance said attentive regard.

 

"You're trade shouldn't be practiced anywhere, anytime," Sandra replied, hissing in anger. "You know what the court of heaven would do if they caught you! Now what are you doing here, and will you leave peacefully or will we have to do it the hard way?"

 

"I have come for what's beyond that wall," said the Black Mist, smiling slightly. "Since I don't believe there is anything you can do to stop me, perhaps you should leave. I will allow that."

 

"That is not possible," Sandra replied. "Good doesn't back down from Evil. And you already know what you are!" She moved up to stand just behind Titan and Pusher. Keeping her voice as low as possible, she said, "On my word, Titan, you and me rush them. Pusher, flank them." Glancing back at Eric, she added, "You and Hardball back us up, okay?"

 

"I don't think that's possible while I have that wall up," said Pusher. "One side or the other will have to break it down first. I vote for letting them do it so we can attack while they are trying."

 

Hardball gently swung his bat in his right hand with the careful ease of one preparing for a fight, all the time keeping an eye on the tailed 'ninja'. As he does so he reached into his bag for a baseball to use on the gunman should it come to that. He attempted to remember what the hero who died here looked like and whether any of these characters bear any resemblance to him. He can't shake the feeling that there is some reason why he's remembering this place so vividly just now.

 

Anthony remembered that the hero had a sports motif, was street level, remembered that he had thought of the man as a clone or copy cat at the time. He did remember that the guy had looked like someone from a football team.

 

Heisman, the All American, Quarterback? Something like that.

 

His fancy football helmet hadn't protected him from the beating he had taken.

 

As quietly as possible, Titan said, "I'm not too good in enclosed spaces. Can't really grow. I'm gonna have to get small and sneaky."

 

Titan got ready to shrink and sneak near the enemy. Great, I have to shrink in a sewer. I'm gonna be swimming in this crap, Titan thought to himself.

 

"We seem to be at an impasse," Pusher said, talking loud enough to be heard through the wall separating his group from the three villains. "Why don't you back down and go away?"

 

"Why should I?," said the Black Mist. "My associates are well suited for dealing with regressed heroes, even a baby dragon. Shall we dance?"

 

Darkness came to life around the heroes, forming silhouetted clones of the Shadow Monkey on their side of the wall.

 

"Crap!," shouted Eric.

 

Not at all convinced that the new arrivals were real, Hardball moved into a position where he can see all the 'shadow monkeys' and readied an action to swing at any that get in range. He is also ready to switch to missile deflection/reflection if a 'shadow monkey' threw anything at him.

 

At this point, he's relying on Pusher's wall to protect him from any threats from outside and concentrating on the illusions/summoned creatures inside.

 

Titan shrank and sneaked to a point where he could do a growth momentum punch.

 

"RAWR!," Sandra roared as she launched herself at the wall separating her from the villains!

 

Since Eric's powers only made women fall in love with him, he began running down the tunnel to get away from the twelve inky monkeys.

 

Lady Flame found herself looking into the large bore of the man in brown's weapon just before it went off. An invisible wave struck her in the upper body driving her back the way she had came.

 

She slid through Pusher as she went, and missed the tiny Titan due to his small size.

 

Hard Ball saw the dragon shape coming down the tunnel at him like a cannon ball.

 

Titan found a victim to grow into after the flying dragon had passed, and one punch knocked the living shadow into the wall.

 

Three of the remaining eleven monkeys hammered Titan with punches that would kill a lesser man.

 

Titan shrank again to avoid these monkeys. Then he used stealth to get over near the guy with the gun.

 

Wondering how a mage of Lady Flame's experience hadn't yet learned patience (and whether her newly rediscovered hormones had anything to do with her outburst), Hardball decided that dragons, even small ones, were to big for him to attempt to catch and dodged, hoping the length of the tunnel will give 'Red' enough space to regain control of her flight.

 

Sandra flared her wings and did a backflip to land a little behind Hardball. "Gods!," she swore. "I haven't lost it like that for years!" Looking at Hardball, she added, "We have to take out the ninja

thing ASAP, come on!"

 

Small shadow staffs swung for Titan as he shrank, but luckily after the small beating he had taken already, they missed him.

 

The eight monkeys not swinging at Titan, mobbed the other two teen guardians, swinging their staffs with full power behind the blows.

 

The heavy thumping took Lady Flame to her knees. Hard Ball was slammed against the hidden door.

 

Pusher fired a cloud of water particles at the trio at the end of the tunnel hoping to keep them out of the fight. A silver blast struck him and sent him flying. He passed backwards through a wall and was gone.

 

Titan swam in the muck at his small size. Splashing around told him that the monkeys were still looking for him as he tried to get closer to the guy with the gun.

 

"Agh! Never mind!," Sandra groaned. Mob a dragon, will you?, she thought as the tightly packed shadow creatures drew back for their next blows. Her lips curled back in a smile before she unleashed a wide blast of flame!

 

Hard-Ball saw Lady Flame drawing back to breathe and readied himself to attack, with his bat, any shadow monkeys that dive-for-cover in his general direction. Having now realized how real they were, he was ready to open a can of whoop *** on them.

 

The three monkeys between Lady Flame and the second group were flung into the air by the display of firepower. The three on the end away from the sports hero can't scatter out of the way fast enough before they are set aflame.

 

Lady Dragon felt a sharp impact between her shoulder blades sending her flying towards the hidden door and Hardball. Of course the last one behind her would have to use a flying drop kick on her. She didn't move far from the blow.

 

Hard Ball's monkey threw a dark egg into the water at the hero's feet. Smoke covered his position, blinding him for a moment.

 

Titan continued to sneak toward the gunman, readying his growth momentum punch.

 

"Yeargh!" Sandra staggered and almost fell. "Backstabbing bastards!," she growled and glanced backwards, lashing out with her tail when the Monkey set up for another blow. "Take this!"

 

The monkey dodged out of the way, all shadowy cloth with little substance.

 

Momentarily irritated that Eric was still 'working on' his ability to throw smoke grenades, Hard-ball

decided to make a blind charge through the smoke in the hope of catching the monkey by surprise and then baseball bat slamming the little beast toward it's master with enough force to at least distract him.

 

The creature stepped out of the way, silently laughing at the pitcher.

 

The tiny Titan, treading water in the debris and muck at the bottom of the tunnel saw the man in brown take aim and fire. The invisible wave missed him, throwing water and offal up in the air.

 

The three heroes noticed that the tunnel seemed to be getting colder, much too cold for natural causes.

 

Hard-ball realized that these monkeys were just buying time for their master to complete an even more potent spell. Hoping to distract the Black Mist from his task, he grabbed the nearest solid object of reasonable size, caring little whether it was sharp or blunt, and threw it at Black Mist hoping that doing so would ruin his concentration and therefore his spell.

 

As he did, he shouted at Lady Flame: "It's getting a little brisk in here, Red, how about you heat it up some?"

 

Hard Ball knew he was on the right track when his nearby opponent stepped in front of the piece of concrete in the sewer and batted it back at him.

 

"Tryin' my best!," Sandra dove past the interfering monkey and breathed another blast of flame, aimed at Black Mist.

 

This is not good, she thought to herself. I must have lost more control than I thought! I can't pull myself together for even a simple spell, damn it!

 

Lady Flame's mouth opened, releasing the flamethower like blast. The three free duplicate monkeys stepped in front of it to block the flames with their bodies. They absorbed the damage as they went up in smoke.

 

Titan was still sneaking toward the gunman to perform a Growth Momentum punch.

 

The shapechanging hero had been missed by the first blast from the rifle. The second one smashed him into the floor. The lights went out for the prowling Titan.

 

Titan returned to his normal height in the middle of the tunnel. It was clear to Lady Flame and Hard Ball, he had been knocked out by the big gun.

 

Rolling white mist erupted from the Chinese magician's hands. Snow streaked with it as it poured over Titan, and tried to fill the tunnel. It washed over Lady Flame and Hardball like an avalanche. When the snow storm vanished away, Titan's complete body, the dragon's body from her neck down, and Hard Ball's arm was ice.

 

Hard Ball could see that if Sandra fell over she would break into a million pieces, and she had been caught in an off balance pose.

 

Grabbing Lady Flame with his good arm to keep her upright Hard-ball called out to Pusher (who seemed to be the only one left who could act) "Take out the mage". He then placed himself between himself and the enemies ready to use himself as a human shield to block any attempt take advantage of Lady Flame's vulnerability.

 

Hard-Ball aimed Sandra's face at Black Mist and said quietly so only Sandra could hear, "You'd think this guy would be smart enough to freeze a dragon's mouth shut, wouldn't you?"

 

"Smarts isn't one of Misty's strengths," Sandra whispered back without moving her lips, trying to appear completely frozen to the bad guys. "Put put me down somewhere so you're free at least. I'll try to give you assistance."

 

Hard ball and Lady Flame saw that the villains had Titan and Pusher piled together and were approaching in a cloud of mist. He knew that he was on the verge of being over powered, and Eric was long gone. There was no telling if he would try to rescue them if the fighter was captured with the rest.

 

Hard ball placed Sandra against a wall with her face toward the approaching cloud and then picked up a handful of small sharp objects. Caring little about how many hit each assailant, he flung them at the cloud with all the force and accuracy he could manage, at human torso height, hoping that the prospect of being injured with sharp, sewage covered objects would at least slow them down.

 

Hard Ball saw that the monkey used a flail to block the spread rocks, while something sparkling caught the ones on the other side of the mist.

 

Then the snow came again.

 

Hard Ball saw the freezing snow spreading out toward him and decided that in order to be of any use what-so-ever he would need to make sure he wasn't caught in it.

 

Mentally apologizing to Sandra, he dodged out of range and tried to determine how he was going to take on alone a group of villains who had managed to incapacitate the rest of his group so handily.

 

Lady Flame sent a wide blast of fire down the tunnel thinking, Let's see if we can heat the action up a little!

 

Her flame hit the avalanche of snow and ice, slicing through it with a hiss of water and smoky mist. It wasn't enough to stop the cloud completely, melting ice formed on the wall around her head testified to that. Still she had helped prevent her own head turning into ice, and protected Hard Ball a little as he backed out of range.

 

Water ran along Titan's face, shocking him slightly. He couldn't move anything but his eyes. Everything else was covered in ice.

 

The villains were standing over him and the motionless Pusher.

 

Titan went with the shrinking to try and escape.

 

He easily fell inside his makeshift bonds with a crinkle of ice. A shadow loomed over the icy shell.

 

Suddenly the ice turned into a stream of projectiles hurling the Shadow Monkey away.

 

Lady Flame and Hard Ball saw the statues come apart and spray the simian as he looked at the bonds that held Titan in place. The duplicating ninja hit the wall hard, falling to the ground.

 

The man in brown moved to place himself in front of Pusher and the place where Titan had been laying when they were enclosed in ice.

 

Seeing the tide turning back his side's way, Hard Ball decided to push the advantage. Having decided that his usual long-range tactics were less than useless against these particular enemies, he pulled out his bat and threw himself at the Man in Brown with the intent of disarming him, or at the very least beating him into unconsciousness.

 

Seeing that her ploy actually worked, Sandra quickly got to work trying to defrost herself. "Save some for me!," she said to Hardball as he rushed the bad guys.

 

The ice quickly rolled from her legs, unable to stand the intensity of her breath.

 

The man in brown found that he had a wealth of targets with his rifle. The one that looked the most helpless was Pusher. He fired at the molecule master. The hero rolled out of the way.

 

Titan could feel the blast rush by his shrunken head, but he was hidden for the moment in the remains of his ice coffin. He was about three feet away from the man in brown.

 

The Black Mist made hand gestures, obviously preparing some spell to be loosed in the tunnel to take care of the heroes once and for all.

 

Titan leaped and grew through his ice coffin to body-check the man in brown.

 

The size changing hero rammed the villain before he could try to get out of the way, or even cut on his force wall. They slammed into the tunnel wall, with the man in brown hitting the concrete first. He slid down to sit at the base of the wall.

 

Seeing that the man in brown was going down, Hardball switched his attention to the mage. While he was unsure of his ability to take him down, he, at least, wanted to act as a distraction to allow Lady Flame's attack an improved chance of landing.

 

Finally free to move again, Sandra leapt forward, determined not to give her old enemy another chance at them! "Feel the heat of vengeance, villain!," she cried, unleashing her flame again.

 

Finally, thought Hard Ball as he attempted to use Lady Flame's declaration and attack to get in a cheap shot on Black Mist, Some hot, mage on mage action. Then instantly he hoped Lady Flame wasn't using any kind of mind link to communicate with her teammates, otherwise she might 'accidently' include him in her flame blast (as she had often threatened, but never carried through).

 

"I know Kung Fu," said Black Mist, smiling, gesturing with his hands. The flaming fireball bounced off some sort of wind stream right at Hard Ball's face.

 

The man in brown stirred slightly against the wall.

 

Titan, not being one to get in the way of two dueling mages(especially when they know kung fu), will make sure the guy with the gun is out, and then confiscated the gun.

 

"And I know Dung-Fu" said Hardball dodging out of the way of the deflected fireball "ancient art of sewer fighting". He mentally made a note to see if Eric could work up some kind of gloves that would allow him to do that kind of trick.

 

Pusher used the Shadow Monkey's costume to make manacles for the martial artist. At least one of them was not getting away unless he had some kind of teleport power.

 

"You should have stayed in the Himalayan temples, then," Sandra growled and rushed the mage. Obviously Black Mist hadn't been hit as hard by Doc Tempus spell as they had, or maybe his youth was so far behind him that the spell just couldn't drain him of everything. Frightening thought.

 

The dark haired magician stepped forward to block her attack. She could feel the aura of wind around him as his arms moved. Very little effort marred his handsome visage.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"You may know kung fu, but we fight together!," said Titan.

 

Titan's tiny body passed under the wind barrier protecting his enemy from attack. His growth turned his grab into a throw that flung the magician down.

 

The Black Mist looked up in consternation at three of his four foes.

 

The fourth hero, Pusher, moved over and turned the Rat's brown costume into a prison with his powers. The man's equipment was out of reach from Titan's disarmament.

 

Hard-ball walked over to the mage and aimed a solid kick to his gut. "That's for siccing creepy monkeys on me.

 

The first kick hit home, but the others were turned aside by the magician, his airy protector still in place.

 

Sandra's still surprised that Black Mist is still around. His usual tactic is to bug out as soon as the going gets tough!

 

Sandra looked down at the wizard, "Surrender now and you won't be harmed," she said to him. "Continue fighting, and the result will be on your head."

 

The Black Mist looked at the three guardians, four once Pusher has finished trapping the man in brown with his molecule powers.

 

"You are so right," said the Mist, experienced eyes at odds with his young twenty something face.

 

A black choking cloud enveloped the area. The heroes could feel their lungs fill up with poison. They knew they were going to die.

 

Titan shrank (big surprise) and ducked under the water. He planned to swim over there, threaten him into stopping, or squish him by growing. He wasn't sure which.

 

Sandra threw herself backwards away from the cloud, and flapped her wings to try and dispel the cloud -- coughing all the time!

 

Hard-ball again wished he was properly equipped (with the built in gas mask he usually had in his ice-hockey mask) and threw himself away from the cloud while trying to avoid breathing any more of it in.

 

The cloud quickly dispersed under pressure from Lady Flame's dragon wings. In its wake were four puzzled heroes and three missing villains, two of which were glued tight in their costumes.

 

Titan swam up to where the villains had been, growing back to full size, and emerged from the water. Grasping for the villain that was no longer there, Titan gasped, "Where did they go? Man, I hate it when this happens."

 

 

Hard-ball looked over to where Black Mist was missing from. "Hey Red," he said "Can't you look up some kind of anti-teleport spell in your Big Book o'Magic. Your archenemy's habit of disappearing in a puff of smoke is getting really frustrating." He then checked that The Rat's equipment that he (Hard-ball) had been stuffing into his bag hadn't disappeared with him (The Rat).

 

The equipment still laid where it dropped. He still had a prize to add to his arsenal.

 

"Now that that is over with," said Pusher. "How do we get into Symbiote Sam's base?"

 

"Uh, yeah." Lady Flame shook her head. "The base. I got a little distracted there for a moment." She relaxed against the wall and the familiar golden glow enveloped her as she changed back to human. "It was harder than usual to concentrate after I changed," she explained to the others. "And as you know, spellcasting in dragon form was never my best thing." She looked at Hardball "I might be able to cook something up to keep Black Mist from bolting, but I'd have to guess right in the method he'd use for his escape - and even then I have to admit that he's stronger than I am. He might well break any wards I place."

 

"We can take him," said Pusher, once again examining the vault door. "I am a little worried that he knew that Symbiote Sam's base was here and decided to act on it. I would have thought he would have enough resources on his own."

 

"Maybe his things weren't here for him after he got changed either" Sandra replied. "He might have heard about this place before, or learned about it from one of his associates. But maybe there's something inside he wants -- if so I hope we can find it first!"

 

"I'm going to break the door," said Pusher. "I wanted to leave things intact so we would have a place, but this qualifies as an emergency. Anyway we can't be sure that he's not already inside." Pusher put his hand on the heavy door, and concentrated. The disguised steel fell apart as he rifled the molecules close to his touch. A hole appeared that went all the way through to the other side of the thick door. It was about the size of a rabbit.

 

Dripping with sewer water, Titan looked in the hole. "I guess that's my cue." Shrinking, he leapt up to the hole and started to crawl through it. "I'll find a way to open this from the other side." Titan called back to his teammates as he proceeded through the hole. I really hope it's bigger in there, then I'll be able to just rip the door open.

 

At the end of the small tunnel, Titan could see a fantastic room filled with what looked like machinery made of muscle and bone. Artificial wombs filled the ceiling space. He could see that Sam had sank the floor another ten feet so his work area was taller than the sewer.

 

The Teen Guardian saw the trio across the lab. The Rat was working on a control panel, triggering things with his hands.

 

Titan grew and opened the door so they could face the trio as a team.

 

Titan saw a control switch next to the door. It was a simple green switch/red switch. Any alarm system should be already turned off by the bad guys.

 

Sandra whispered through the hole in the door; "Titan, you all right in there?"

 

The sorceress could hear the sound of pumps starting through the hole in the door. Something bad was about to happen.

 

Titan pressed the green switch and hoped that opened the door.

 

The door opened silently, allowing the heroes outside to see the vast network of artificial wombs in place in the hidden chamber. Things moved in those plastic, liquid filled vats.

 

The terrible trio stood next to a control console on the other side of the room.

 

The guardians remembered that death and carnage had been released from these creatures breaking free in their own timeline.

 

"Okay, things just keeps getting better..." Sandra whispered at the sight. "Seems like we've got the return match sooner than expected! You ready to go in when I light up the action?" she glanced at Hardball and Pusher.

 

Sandra saw the chamber was at least 30 feet long from the door. The man in brown and the Mist was standing at the controls about fifteen feet in.

 

"Yes," said Pusher. "We can't let them open those cases. There's no telling what will happen."

 

Hard Ball prepared things to throw when they charged back into battle.

 

Titan shrank and headed to the shadows to get ready for his normal sneak attack.

 

After Titan disappeared, Sandra waited a few seconds with raised hands, then brought her hands down to cast her spell at the trio in the middle of the room! "GO!," she shouted as the chamber was briefly lit up like high noon!

 

Hardball threw the largest missile he could find at Black Mist attempting to keep the mage off balance and unable to erect his wall of wind again.

 

The magician went down under the combined assault, blinded and struck in the head by the makeshift bullet. The man in brown had covered his eyes at the last moment before the flare reacting to the danger before he could take him. His other hand hit the switches on the console. One of the chambers started to lift away from the thing it housed inside it. Pusher solidified the air around the thing to keep it in place. The rising arm struggled against the barrier, trying to break open and release its cargo.

 

Well, I'm no good in a straight fight right now, Titan thought to himself. I can try to disable that control panel, though.

 

Titan stayed in the shadows, trying to get behind the control console so he could disable it.

 

Titan saw a horde of pugs hooked to an outlet ahead of him.

 

Hardball pulled out his Louisville Slugger and moved across the room toward the Man in Brown intent on taking him on in hand-to-hand combat and hoping that Pusher could keep whatever was being freed from the chamber from escaping until one of them could lower the chamber back into place.

 

A line of shadow monkeys formed in front of the hard hitting vigilante as he rushed across the room. Their tails twitched in anticipation at the coming fight.

 

Damn. I thought he wouldn't be up to that so soon!, Sandra thought as the monkeys appeared. Quickly, she threw another blast of light to give Hardball some aid against the enemy!

 

The bright flash not eclipsed by Hard Ball erased the shadow monkeys in an instant. A line of six was suddenly two fighters ready to take on the king of fighters.

 

"Hmm much better, thanks Red. O.K. Monkey boys. Looks like it's mixed doubles. You and You against Me and Louis here!" Hardball picked a monkey at random and laid into him while positioning himself in such a way that the other one could not get behind him. He will alternate his blows between the two monkey's as much as possible.

 

Hmmm...this should disable that console...I hope, Titan thought to himself as he grabbed all the plugs and yanked.

 

The two surviving shadows block and cut at Hard Ball as he went to work with his bat.

 

The lights went out, all the machinery stopped. The only sound that could be heard is a curse from someone in the darkness.

 

A small flashlight snapped on, pointing into the lab of monsters. All the tubes looked closed under the beam, as Pusher swung the beam around. Hard Ball's friends had vanished in the confusion.

 

Not good, Sandra thought. The bad guys might be able to see in the dark!

 

Raising her hands she chanted a new spell, and the darkness slowly lifted from the chamber.

 

The room was empty, except for the heroes and the storage chambers with their awakening progeny flapping against the glass tubes. Shadow Monkey must have snuck his fallen chief and comrade out of the room somehow in his pseudo ninja style.

 

Great, thought Hardball. We only had one to deal with before, now we have a host of the horrible beasties. Realizing that he can't allow these things to escape into the world again (even though it hasn't happened yet in this timeline) he ran over to the door control and closed the door while calling down the passage, "Emp, if you can hear me get your *** back here! We need your techspertese."

 

His voice echoed down the sewer as the fresh hole in the center of the door glinted at him under Lady Dragon's spell. This could be messy.

 

"I'll try a sleep spell on them!," Sandra called to Hardball. "I don't know how well it will work, but I think I can keep them under for a little while longer. Go and try to find Emp, or anyone else who can help, meanwhile!" To Titan and Pusher, she added, "Come stand next to me, I don't want you yawning if I fail!"

 

Pusher moved over quickly, mask hiding his expression as the things beat on the plastic shells. Cracks were starting to form.

 

Titan quickly scampered from behind the control panel to stand near Lady Flame. "You want me to go plug it back in?," Titan said, while thinking I hope I didn't cause that.

 

"Yes," said Pusher. "It couldn't hurt."

 

"Stuff finding Emp," said Hardball. "To do that, I'd have to open the door again, which means someone else would have to close it to keep those things in which means I wouldn't be able to get back in to help you if those things get loose. So stuff Emp, either he comes back himself or we do without him." He turned to the small hole in the door and once again shouted Emp's name through it, even though he's becoming less convinced that Emp is anywhere within hearing range.

 

"I'm here," said Emp. "I'm coming."

 

Hardball waited till Emp reached the door then he opened it, dragged the empath inside, shut it again and then shoved the handle of his Louisville Slugger into the hole to block it off (if that's possible).

 

"You do that," Sandra said. "I'll be backup if it doesn't work."

 

"Can I leave?," Eric asked when he saw the setup, and the berserking monsters.

 

"Once we get the monsters back into their pods, yes you can" said Hardball "Until then we need you to fix whatever's wrong with the pods so we can put those monsters back to sleep. One of the drawbacks of heroism is you have to be willing to risk yourself to save others (like everyone outside that door) I'm afraid."

 

"I believe that I am a reformed criminal," said Emp. "Emphasis on the criminal."

 

The empath went to the control panel that the man in brown had been operating.

 

"I'll need some power," he said.

 

Hearing that, Titan jumped back behind the control panel and plug everything back in. "You want power, you got power."

 

The machinery rebooted quietly. The pods lit up one by one. Their inhabitants settled down underneath the soothing blue lighting as the heroes watched ready to do battle.

 

Eric grinned as the pods turned back online. "Thank God," he finally exhaled and went back to the computer making sure he hadn't missed anything. Last thing they needed now was a glitch in the system waking those things back up, nodding to himself after he had confirmed that wasn't going to happen anytime soon he turned to the group. "So... What's next? Disney land anyone?"

 

"We need to get rid of these things somehow," said Pusher. "I should have realized others would know something was here and come looking."

 

"So how do we get rid of them?," Sandra asked. "If they were magical I might have been able to come up with something, but mad science is not my area of expertise."

 

"Absolutely no idea. I don't even remember how we dealt with this last time," said Titan.

 

"I don't know," Pusher said. "The government came in the middle of the night and stopped anyone from knowing what was down here. It's obvious why now."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Patricia Antres, also known as Tachyon, was caught in a wave of temporal energy that downloaded her mind into the body of a younger self. She woke up in detention at high school with a host of others. Patty stayed quiet, thrown completely off her game. It wasn't normal for her to be quiet, but silent she was.

 

After taking a couple of days to adjust to having to live with her family in the same house and undergoing puberty again, she decided it was time to go on patrol. After all others were doing the same thing. Or so it seemed. She loved her folks, but by god, they were overprotective: she felt absolutely smothered, quite a change for a woman out of med school...she fought the urge, easing out the back door virtually unnoticed for once, to look at her hands...she could see them working in surgery, but...that was gone from her mind, those skills, that... It was aggravating and depressing.

 

The paper and TV screamed out headlines that Hardball, and others were in action just as they had been back home. The last few days had to be the longest period ever she'd gone without talking...much. The usually vivacious, pretty blonde chatterbox had sunk into a morass of gloom and doom until she'd had the time to sit and listen to the news... She slid in behind the dumpsters behind the garage and eased out of her blouse and jeans, reveling in the tight halter top and shorts, feeling the breeze against her bare legs...and patted her clothes into the little nook behind the loose brick, the erupted into a full run.

 

"WHOOOOO-hoooooo!!!!" Tachyon pushed her power to the limit-she *knew* when enough was enough, and forewent the urge, the temptation to kick over her 'Second Gear', knowing she would have to swing through at least one drive-through window before too long... She patted the small fold of cash tucked inside the thin belt of the waistband of the shorts, just to make sure it was there-no point in going through Micky Dee's drive through and getting enough food to tide herself over to dinner without having at least a twenty with her. Tachyon leaned hard into the curve, feet pounding, a little swirl of trash, paper and dust in her wake, then scrambled fast, dodging the car that appeared before her, riding up and onto the sidewalk directly in her path...

 

It crashed into a fire hydrant, sending water up in a geyser. The driver had been engulfed by an air bag deploying from his wheel. Glass and shattered parts littered the scene.

 

"Oh crap crap crap that wasn't good," she said aloud, talking to herself as she backpedaled frantically, braking and whipping herself around, tripping over her own feet in a controlled wipeout.

 

"CrapcrapcrapIusedtobeabletostoponadamndimeandturnaround," she growled, pulling herself back to feet, and moving off at-for her-a trot.

 

Unbelievably, the driver worked his door and stumbled from the automobile. He started staggering away. He clutched a note in his right hand. Tachyon took a deep breath and forced herself to slow down as she zipped in next to him; her feet dancing and keeping her speed up, she said, "Slow down Mister you hit your head and the car doesn't look good and neither do you I can get an ambulance they can be here in a hurry but I could probably carry you to the hospital faster than they can you don't mind a lift I mean I know a lot about medicine and you don't look so good and I won't run up your insurance like an ambulance."

 

She looked him up and down, examining him without touching. "Can I take you to the hospital Mister? You don't look so good I mean you look good enough to keep moving around on your own but anyone who wrecks a car really needs to go to the hospital or at least have an ambulance crew look them over because EMTs are almost as good as a doctor in a pinch and they know what they're about really they do."

 

The blonde girl almost bounced circles around him, looking at him carefully for any reason he might have crashed; of secondary interest-and everything interests her-is the note in his hand. "Whatcha got there, Mister? Is it important do you need to have it delivered I hear sirens I bet someone's already called the police and they're on the way and that could be a really good thing but you should go to the hospital they have all kinds of really cool gadgets that'll help you get all better I promise!"

 

The Teen Guardians had suffered being changed to kids, relearned how to deal with their parents, fought a dragon, a Vietnamese gang, and Lady Flame's oldest enemy. They had discovered a room full of monsters trapped in plastic tubes, waiting to be awakened.

 

They knew that the Black Mist might return to take this terrifying find off their hands at any moment despite the heavy blow he had suffered at the hands of Hardball.

 

Eric Drake did have a list of control options from the keyboard that tied in to the stasis pods. And Lady Flame might have a spell that could render these creatures obsolete if she could think which one it was.

 

"No talking," said the accident victim. "Just listen. Hardball. Clue. Too late for me. Didn't know. Poisoned."

 

Tachyon slowed down and reached to touch him: at the words poison, she gasped and took that step back. Before her thoughts could quite organize themselves in the swimming chaos that seemed to be her head in this particular situation.

 

He handed the note over, the outside covered in blood and dirt. Hardball was written across the paper in bold cursive.

 

"Baker's dozen. Understand? Baker's dozen."

 

"Baker's dozen, gotcha, baker's dozen but why thirteen I don't get it, it just doesn't make any kind of sense to..." Her eyes widened and her mouth closed even as her hand clutched that note hard.

 

Tachyon noticed that his chest seemed to be expanding under his shirt and jacket. Smoke rolled from the inside of his mouth.

 

Patty backed up slow, unable to tear her eyes away from this scene, this horrifying sight of a man burning from the inside out: she remembered, at the corners of her mind, seeing horrors in the ER, seeing terrifying deaths in the course of an adult hero career...it didn't help. She turned and kicked herself into full speed, escaping the horrifying sight behind her, there was nothing she could do but find Hardball wherever the hell he was she didn't have the faintest idea where to look... She kicked it up a notch and it helped her spirits as she whipped past a radar speed trap-the lights flashed across the board, exceeding the 100 mph limit as she tucked the envelope inside the tight halter top for safekeeping. That image of smoke and flame pouring from every orifice of the man's body just...it wouldn't go away; as she ran, she wiped the tears away from her eyes: damn this puberty, she couldn't get a handle on herself, she felt like hell...

 

OPEN MANHOLE COVER!

 

She tried to stop...

 

Tachyon fell through the hole into the sewer. Water splashed around her legs. The sudden change of lighting threw off her vision for a moment as her eyes tried to adjust.

 

"What the heck just..."

 

Suddenly a cloud of icy light covered, and when it had moved on, ice wrapped around the super runner's form, trapping her in place.

 

"...happened..." She cut off and fought in futility against the ice, the frozen substance aching against her bared legs, belly and arms. Against her will, her teeth started to chatter.

 

"How fortunate," said a middle aged Oriental, dressed in a dark suit and cape. Blood decorated his collar. "Now we have something to bargain with."

 

A man in a brown coverall stood at his side, visor protecting his eyes. He seemed to be fiddling with some cast off wires and a black box.

 

"Wha...what are you doing you..." "...lousy villain person do...." "...I even know...you..."

 

An image appeared in front of the gathered heroes in the uncovered lab. Black Mist stared at them without seeing them.

 

"I have a hostage that I will trade for the symbioants in Symbioant Sam Sloane's lab," said the dark magician. He moved his arm. A lovely blond girl wrapped in ice appeared beside him. "I can and will do unspeakable things to my prisoner unless you comply, and then I will sell her. I trust I made myself clear."

 

"I don't think you're going to get away wit..."

 

He gestured and the blond screamed in pain.

 

"Ow. Ow. Owowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowow."

 

"Five minutes, heroes."

 

The image vanished.

 

"Well, this definitely is a reminder why I hated some of my old associates." Eric answered as the image vanished. "So...Flame any ideas how to deal with the mage and hostage?"

 

"We can't let him have these whatever they are," said Pusher. "Can't you make them self destruct with that console? Maybe we can arrange some kind of fake deal."

 

"The symbiotes," Eric looked at the console. "Wait...they are living creatures but.." he looked at Lady Flame, smiling like the cat that just ate Granny's favorite bird. "You can cast mind altering spells. What if you cast a spell similar to a teaching spell? I don't know, say, to teach the symbiotes right from wrong, basic laws and why they should obey them." He looked at Pusher. "If this works we might just be able to give him the symbiotes, ones that want to obey the law. After all since they are life forms they must have minds, and if they have a mind they can be taught."

 

"That sounds crazy enough to work." Titan, still shrunk and sitting on the console, said. "We better be ready afterwards, 'cause they aren't gonna be happy. And you know they'll try to double cross us. They are villains."

 

"Not necessarily," said Hardball. "It's possible they react purely in instinct. No mind, just impulses, and unless Sammy Boy was looking to produce an outfit that controlled it's user instead of the other way around their probably conditioned to obey their host. So there concept of 'right and wrong' is purely dependent on whose wearing them. Anyway, I've heard about symbiotes who want to protect 'law and order' or 'innocent civilians' (true it was in comics, but still), they have a habit of taking the whole thing too far and becoming lethal vigilantes. I say we kill 'em all and find another way to free the hostage."

 

"We can't risk these things out on the populace," said Pusher. "We don't know what they can do, will do, or how to use them. If something goes wrong, we could be unleashing something that can destroy the city. Plus whatever Lady Flame can do to program them, I have no doubt Black Mist can undo with his magic.

 

"Magic and these things could potentially be the most dangerous combination we have faced since our rebirths."

 

"Whoa, I'm not playing with that!" Sandra replied to Eric's suggestion. "If I still had my library and hadn't lost any skill I might be prepared to try a spell that could change those things. But as things stand minor spells like the charm I cast on your father is about the limit on the mind-affecting magic I can do... Unfortunately." She thought for moment in silence. "But maybe I can come up with something else," she continued. "I think I can put a spell on those things so that they will die in a very short while, sort of like a poison. The problem is that Black Mist can detect and counter the spell if he looks close enough! We'd have to distract him or have some backup plan ready."

 

"I can free this girl," said Pusher. "We can fake giving him the monsters, then we bust the girl free and get out of here. Maybe we can put on a spell that causes them to blow up or something while he's worried about our counter move."

 

"No...Lady Flame is right about this guy expecting an arcane attack." Eric looked over at Pusher "But both science and magic he would not. I could create a bomb that would hold the symbiotes. By combining a few chemicals that are likely here at the lab. But to make it with a steady deadline I would need a container already capable of holding them for easy transport. Think he would fall for that Flame? He if finds your spell would he continue looking?"

 

The oriental leader of the group holding Tachyon checked his watch, as he paced in the tunnel. He seemed in control, but the speedster knew the threat of selling her to a brothel across the sea was a real one.

 

Tachyon shivered inside her frozen prison: she'd have goosebumps forever unless she-or someone-got her out soon. And it wasn't just from the cold; the thought of confined servitude...she shook again.

 

"Four minutes, my dear," said the Black Mist. "I am surprised at Lady Flame. Usually she would give up in a moment at the mention of hurting an innocent. Perhaps I should set your head on fire to speed things up. Her friends must be giving her a spine.

 

"Still if they miss the deadline, I will enjoy training you."

 

"Not...your...dear," Tachyon responded, her teeth punctuating her words with a staccato chatter.

 

"You...couldn't...train a...dog...you...puppy...fu...fu..." Her teeth cut the profanity off. Patty cursed to herself. Once upon a time, just a few days ago and nearly two decades older, she'd had the ability to vibrate herself out of this damn block of icygoo or whatever the hell it was, now, the most vibration she could manage was a heavy-duty continuous shiver. But she tried firing over that old ability anyway.

 

Tachyon's defiance drew another whiplash of pain from the inside of her skull.

 

She didn't quite choke off the scream that the multiple agonies caused.

 

"I haven't had a blond slave girl in many years," said the Black Mist. "I would regret not being able to work on you at my leisure. Am I understood?"

 

She could barely nod through the pain, the only movement that didn't seem to cause excessive additional agony, though in that little unhurt portion of her forebrain, the girl swore vengeance.

 

"We need to get into the lab, not in some teenager's pants," said the man in brown, still working on the contraption he was building. "Without my rifle and harness, I'll need a booster. We're outnumbered and don't have any type of winning combination. I say we give it up and ransom the girl back later."

 

Tachyon's teeth chattered at high speed, her own native powers accelerating the chatter to a sharp staccato.

 

The Shadow Monkey said "Ooo, ooo, aah."

 

She so wanted tell that little ape to shut up.

 

Hardball was pacing. He preferred straightforward solutions and all this talk was getting on his nerves. He knew that they had to find a way to free the hostage *and* make sure that this Black Mist character didn't get to use the Symbiotic armor. But the plan was beginning to get convoluted with back-up plans for the back-up plans. Personally he couldn't see why Pusher couldn't just phase in, grab the girl and phase out again leaving the villains with no-one to threaten while he and the rest of the team pummeled them. Why even consider letting them get their hands on the armor, booby trapped or not, it was just too risky. A reasonable facsimile, that exploded in their faces. Now that would be the way to go.

 

"Hey guys" he said "instead of using the real armor, could we make something that looks like the armor, that way, even if Black Mist discovers all the hidden traps her still won't have the actual suit. Oh and once we beat him down again we should tell him we've destroyed the original so he, or someone else, doesn't come looking for it."

 

Eric didn't even look up from his work on one of the containers. "Works for me. Hand me a fix a flat would you? I want this to explode with hot a sticky mess not just a standard explosion." The glow being tools and splicing of wires. He had little time and he was in a rush but he knew this like the back of his hand. Almost reminded him of the time he put together a cherry bomb and put it in the muffler of a police car.

 

Titan, still shrunk, looked on as Eric worked. "Anything I can help with, MacGuyver?" he quipped while waiting. He hated waiting, he felt so useless.

 

"This guy will want to trade," said Pusher. "He obviously had some means to get all this stuff out of here. If we hadn't stopped him, he might have decided to wear the things. Still blowing this place up will slow him down a little."

 

"Whoa," said Hardball. "I'm not advocating blowing 'this' place up. Surely Eric can determine a way of killing the symbiotes in their pods without trashing our spiffy new hideout. I was more thinking of rigging up something to the fake symbiote suits to blow 'them' up."

 

"Can you do that, Eric?," said Pusher. "Maybe time delayed self destruction on the creatures themselves?"

 

"Hey, that's an idea!" Sandra says "If you can fix up some fake suits real quick I can put two spells on them. An obvious one to blow them up - Misty will most likely find that one and dispel it - and another to make them appear like the real suits! With a little luck he won't figure out the second part, and then Eric's little presents should give us all the distraction we'll want." She looked at the others. "What do you think?"

 

"Sounds good to me" said Hardball "Just as long as we do it soon, villains are not known for being patient, especially when they have a hostage."

 

"Sounds like my kind of plan." he said with a grin "I"m almost done here so the suits should hopefully come along quickly with some help."

 

"Three minutes, Guardians," said the image of the Black Mist, reappearing in the lab. "What's your decision?"

 

Tachyon's teeth chattered as she tried to nod her agreement with the Mist's statement: she was beginning to well-and-truly freeze...

 

Working feverishly with supplies found in the lab, the Guardians rigged up their trap. They would have to leave the lab/incubator room and the hostage would be given to them. Lady Flame knew that her enemy, The Black Mist, would probably place a ward to keep them out this time.

 

If he discovered both parts of the trap, they lost Sam Sloane's weapons to a madman.

 

There was a tense moment as the Mist and the Rat entered the room. Shadow Monkey had Tachyon at sword's point, and her duplicated shadows pushed the partial iceberg over before stepping inside.

 

The door closed.

 

Lady Flame felt magic working, then Emp's surprise forced a jet of flame through the hole in the vault-like door.

 

Hardball walked over to the former hostage to see if she was O.k. and determine whether he could do anything for her. As he had been before the 'youth-treatment' he felt out of his depth when it came to science and magic (and this situation had both). He didn't want to charge recklessly back into the base in case Black Mist had left a counter surprise or Emp's trap hadn't finished working. Feeling pretty useless he turned to Lady Flame. "Maybe we should defrost the blonde, Red, before we worry about whether the bad-guys are toast"

 

Tachyon blinked, the cold definitely seeping through her short-short and half-shirt costume. Her shock and stun from the unexpected attack was fading fast, as usual.

 

Eric smirked at the explosions of fire, then looked at the rest of the group "I hope she's ok."

 

Tachyon's eyes widened and she involuntarily attempted to duck as the fireball, that flame, roared into the chamber; this was the wrong action as she couldn't move, frozen as she was in the block of ice... "Ah...sh...sh...sh...sh..." she chattered, her teeth hammering a rumba of cold.

 

Teeth chattering within her icy prison, she responded, "So...so...so d-d-d-do I..."

 

It was a simple matter for Pusher to rend the ice with his molecule powers.

 

Tachyon collapsed to the floor as her icy prison shattered; she lay immobile for a moment, trying to get the feeling back in her legs and arms, then stood up on shaky limbs. "Th..th...thanks," she managed to stammer, holding herself tight.

 

"We'll have to check to see if they lived, Hardball," he said. "Maybe we should wait until the flames die down before we try though."

 

"Hard...ball..." She frowned and, with a *zip-pop* of movement that would've been absolutely amazing had she been on top of it all but what with the cold and her temporarily slowed metabolism turned into nothing more than a very quick sprint, came to the hero's side. Judging by the thinness of her sports-bra style top, the girl was either cold or enthusiastic, and she said, "Thanks for caring, Hardball." She gave him a smile that turned into a slight glare as she looked towards Eric. "Sorry I'm late but...things got in the way," the cute blonde tried to explain, then shook her head. "WhuddaImissouton?"

 

 

Ignoring the glare from the girl Eric picked up on what she was saying clearly enough. "Nothing much."

 

"Maybe you should go home and change clothes," said Pusher, full mask hiding his expression. "We have some work to do."

 

"We?" Tachyon replied. "As in not me because I'm obviously a little piece of fluff that obviously has no powers because the piece of fluff let herself be captured by the big bad meanies on account of the fact that she had a message for Hardball and the rest from some guy that just exploded on the street for no reason while I was on patrol and you really don't care about that either do you because obviously I'm just a piece of fluff that doesn't amount to anything if that's your attitude than I guess I'll just keep the message to myself and not turn it over to you."

 

She accelerated back up to her current speed, not so much for any reason but her own pleasure, not-quite disappearing from in front of Pusher and not-quite reappearing beside Hardball...and stuck her tongue-pert, pretty, pink-out at Pusher.

 

"That's fine with me," said Pusher.

 

"No more likely we as in, you and the rest of us. Right now we don't know with Mr. Wizard is dead or not. I suggest leaving back towards the safety zone of the HQ. You are welcome to join us. Considering your speed and our lack there of you'd be a valuable part of this group." Eric said it all matter of fact even though he certainly didn't believe he was supposed to be there, or with this group for that matter. He was already sure the speedster would be a welcomed part of the team.

 

"Whoa" Titan say "Someone wanna translate that last bit for me? I'm not sure I caught anything except the pouting. You guys want me to go in a see what kind of carnage this caused?"

 

"It looks like everything has almost burned itself out," said Pusher, hand inside the door. "I don't see the three musketeers. I'll go in and open the door again."

 

He passed through the heavy vault door to the other side. Moments later, the steel barrier swung open.

 

As Pusher disappeared into the door, Hardball walked over to the former hostage. "It might be okay with him if you keep the message to yourself, firecracker, but it since you said it was for me anyhow, he don't get a say in it. So what was this about an exploding man?"

 

Tachyon pulled out the envelope, the outside of which was covered with blood and dirt; the note itself was addressed in a firm, bold cursive, 'Hardball'. See, she said, "it started with me just out and running back and forth, being on patrol and that kind off stuff since I'm just getting my powers back and they're nowhere near what they were a few days ago when I was an adult, really, it looks and sounds so weird but its true, anyway I'm moving along and I cut a corner at maybe two hundred miles an hour and here's this car heading straight at me which was double-weird because I was on the sidewalk and not in the street but this guy was driving so I took a dive and took out a small tree and scrapped my knee see?" She pointed at her knee and continued the narrative. "Anyway, so I got up and ran back without pegging triple digits or nothing and this guy was getting out of his car he didn't look so hot, like he'd hit the steering wheel with his head just before the airbag went off and that didn't do him much good either there was blood everywhere which really didn't gross me out or anything can't be working in the ER or Surgery and have a phobia about blood and stuff but he told me to be quiet and just spat out a few words and the most important was that he had a clue for you and I know that he had a clue for you because he said and I quote 'Hardball, clue' and then he said he didn't know but that someone had poisoned him and then he said 'Baker's Dozen' which is thirteen but I don't quite get the reference because it just doesn't make any kind of sense and then came the really sick part because he stood there and smoke began to pour out of his mouth and nose but he didn't have a cigarette or a cigar and then the smoke just rolled out of his ears and that's when I hit the juice and started running at almost full tilt and then I fell in the hole and ended up in the damn stupid block of ice and no appreciation from the peanut gallery like Pusher there." She took a deep breath of air, winding down.

 

"You want the good news or the bad news?," said Pusher stepping through the open door.

 

"Ooh!" Titan exclaimed, "Let me guess...the bad guys are gone and the crazy symbiotes are destroyed."

 

"You're working on some kind of psychic thing, aren't you," said Pusher. "The place is a mess but I did find this."

 

He held up a melted black box.

 

"It was inside a cleared space on the floor."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

The Teen Guardians inspected the battlefield. It was obvious that something more than Eric's home made explosives had been at work. A cleared space near one of the smashed tubes was out of place among the debris and ashes that decorated the rest of the chamber.

 

Still the place was clean, and the crisped bodies of various shapes denoted that the artificial clothes had been destroyed in the blast.

 

Flipping open the letter, Hardball's eyes fell on the typed text as the rest of the heroes discussed how they could salvage their new headquarters.

 

"Hello Hardball,

"Here's an easy one for the city's mystery man.

 

"Man of principal, both frank and rich, announces the tidings of the day.

 

"Have fun trying to stop me lover boy, HB"

 

Hardball knew of a serial killer that killed with blown open chests. He didn't know if she had left messages in her old life, but clearly she was calling him out to a duel, a battle of wits.

 

Hardball dropped the perfumed pink page as if it were a live viper and turned to the rest of the team.

 

"Yo, guys, if you've got a minute. I've just got this letter from a secret admirer who has a bad habit of making people's hearts blow up (How I'm not exactly sure). Without actually knowing whether or not she's impregnated her letter with more than just cheap perfume is there any way, without destroying it, we can check? You know just so we know whether our fast new friend will be needing some kind of antidote, mystical or otherwise, since she seems to have been carrying it with her bare hands?"

 

 

Tachyon reappeared at his elbow and bent over at the waist, looking at the note. "I probably could if I had a laboratory and some time with the chemistry kit and stuff because I still remember quite a bit because biology and chemistry and stuff is what I did a few days ago even if I don't remember how to do surgery and stuff like that this really sucks having to be a kid again at least we're teenagers can you imagine if we got zorched all the way to like grade school that would really suck because no powers and we'd be stuck in school for like forever again and this is bad enough as it is but there really should be that much of a problem tell you what you get me time in a lab and we'll see what we can find out okay Hardball is that okay with everybody else too?"

 

"I can give her a check up." Eric spoke up "Least when I was a teenager I was partially a bookworm. I still remember my studies in biology, Chemistry and genetics plus I know how explosives work. If she has one in her I can find it...granted if it's not biological in nature I'll need someone else to disarm it most likely." Eric walked around a bit. "This room here could be a medical room. It should have what I need for a few tests."

 

Sam Sloane's secret lab had been ruined by whatever had mixed with Eric's explosive surprise. Equipment had been wrecked, or scattered, by the fire wall that had filled the space.

 

But he did see what looked like a miniature spectromagromer. He could test the paper from the note in that if it worked.

 

"Glad you two can" Titan said, "I have no idea about any sort of sciences. Too much time spent on sports."

 

"As long as we are sure our new friend is safe I'll try to work out this damn riddle." said Hardball "I've never been all that good at it, so if someone wants to give me some help it'd be much appreciated, from the sound of it Hearbreaker is on her 13th victim so far"

 

"Maybe the first," said Pusher, creating light for Eric to see by. The overheads had been smashed apart. "No fun to give you the last victim. That would be cheating. Didn't rabbit girl say there was a dead guy already? We could call the police and find out who he is."

 

"Ewww...." Tachyon grumbled, "Give a boy a toy and he'll blow it up or wreck it or just take it apart to see what happens and can they ever put it back together again no that's just it and now look at this mess there's hardly one thing that can be used in here at all."

 

"Whuddja find?" the speedster asked, up to Eric's shoulder. "Spectromagromer? Cool! I'll find something to pick up the paper with but if Hardball hasn't blown up yet I'd think it would be safe enough for momentary contact but give me a minute..."

 

In a rooster tail of dust and paper raised by her zipping about the chamber, Tachyon's brakes screech as she to a stop by the discarded piece of paper, a set of tweezers in her hand.

With care, she bends straight over at the waist and gently picks up the paper, walking back to where Eric toyed with the spectromagonmeter. "Its Tachyon not 'Rabbitgirl' and yes I said someone already blew up and I'm amazed anyone even listened to me and why do you think that the police would give us any information doesn't anyone here know anyone on the police force because that might be a way to get it is everyone like me because its like everyone has more knowledge and stuff than they should and what the hell did happen to us anyway?"

 

"I like Rabbit Girl," said Pusher. "It fits you better than Tachyon. We were reincarnated as younger versions of ourselves."

 

"Reincarnated or cloned because those *SURE* are my parents I've been living with the last few days and I look like I remember me looking twenty years ago or were we popped into an alternate universe or is someone just mucking with our minds?," said Tachyon.

 

Eric finally got the device going. "Sure I know someone on the police force. Last I remember my dad was the head detective. You can go ask him if you don't mind being harassed with him asking where I am. If you do go see him, don't tell him where I am. I don't want to be beaten."

 

"You don't think he'll remember the tire, do you?," said Pusher. "Maybe we can get him a new one as a favor. Lady Dragon might be able to work her magic on him like she did before."

 

Tachyon carefully placed the piece of paper on the tray. "You look first and see what you come up with and then I'll take a look and between us we should about be able to catch almost everything I think I'd love to use the lab at the University Medical Center for this but like that'll really happen." There's a tone of disgust in the half-clad chatterbox's voice.

 

"Actually it could happen if you don't mind breaking and entering charges," said Eric.

 

The two scientists quickly discovered that the paper was ordinary paper with ordinary purple ink on it. Every discount store in the city carried it. It was a dead end as far as material.

 

Tachyon slowed way down and put a gentle hand on Eric's arm. "I'm sorry," she said softly, looking up at him, her eyes are large and warm. "I...won't bring that up again-I...just thought...I'd help." Without warning, she gave him a hug: she was very warm and very feminine.

 

"Like she did before?" Tachyon asked, arms still around Eric.

 

Pusher nodded at the question, tapping the side of his head with a finger.

 

"I know and that's the sucky part because I had access to a real hospital lab even though I didn't do research and stuff but maybe one of us could start taking like college courses in the spare time because we're all pretty smart and that would get a real college ID card and into places like that and the library and the lab and student discounts for the football and basketball and they've got a really good woman's b-ball team they went all the way to NIC last year did you see that I thought it was really great."

 

The two scientists quickly discovered that the paper was ordinary paper with ordinary purple ink on it. Every discount store in the city carried it. It was a dead end as far as material.

 

The girl shook her head. "Damn. Maybe...we could use a cheap detective kit, something for finger prints?" she suggested, then shook her head. "Dumb, sorry. I'll try not to be so blonde in private."

 

"That's O.k. Rabbit," said Hardball (and though he was wearing a full face ice-hockey mask Tachyon was sure he was grinning). "None of us do. However I think our best chance of stopping Heartbreaker may be to work out her riddle. Trust her to have been a smart-*** in her youth. I'm not sure whether it's good thing or not that she grew out of it. At least now her 'love tokens' will, hopefully, be a lot less messy."

 

"Why don't you guys check out the body, maybe find out who she killed," said Pusher. "We'll clean up here, maybe try to fix what we can, get rid of what we can't. Eric can work on the riddle. Maybe Lady Flame can make it talk if she wants to go with you."

 

Eric's body was lost in the affectionate embrace did something it hadn't done since he was this age. He could feel his aura turning on. While he was a bit flustered he hopped he wasn't going to get into much trouble for this power burst. "I-it's ok..b-but you might want to let go of me..." he spoke softly hoping not to affect everyone. Even after speaking he was looking down and feeling more ashamed of himself that of all of them once again his power proved to him how annoyingly useless it was going to be.

 

Tachyon and Lady Flame both felt a wave of love for this boy. Even his blushing made them want to do things to him that would be most enjoyable. They didn't want to leave his presence.

 

Pusher shook his head.

 

"Maybe you should take both of the ladies after all, Hardball," he said.

 

Eric was about to agree with Pusher when he heard Tachyon answer before he could muster enough of his own will fighting at his power to speak.

 

"No," Tachyon purred, moving to tiptoes so her lips were just brushing his chin. "I'm just fine here," and then she pressed her lips against his chin.

 

Great...I'm doomed he thought as he squirmed a bit from her attention even as she got under his shirt. "W-well...um..that might not be..a bad..idea, Someone with your speed..could hurry this along. Besides I won't be leaving here at all." he was hoping the suggestion that he'd be here when she got back would help Hardball and give him a chance to 'cool' down his aura and body with an equally cold shower.

 

"Hurry...along..." Tachyon's eyes crossed slightly. "I could stay here with you and help out." Her hand found the flesh beneath his shirt, and she was panting a bit. "You...be here when...we come back..."

 

She took a step back, panting heavily, her face flushed. "I..."

 

He nodded as she spoke trying to untangle his own desires conflicting right now. "y-yes I'll be here when...you get back. I promise." he smiled at her warmly hoping to dispel any doubts she might have of him trying to leave or anything else that might be going on. He stroked her cheek remembering a few things from when he was an adult to help the emotional charge to give her an incentive.

 

The girl veritably purred, pressing herself up against his hand, her eyes closed, her form stretching in catlike pleasure at the contact.

 

"After all the faster they get done...the more time..we'd have to ourselves." Gods he hoped she wasn't going to kill him when she got back or over his aura. But right now he was just praying that this tactic might work.

 

She backed away, just slightly, her deep blue eyes slightly glazed over, her face flushed, her hand pressed lightly at the waistband of her own tight shorts-she wasn't particularly well-endowed, but the nipples attached to the breasts beneath the fabric were straining for release.

 

"More...time," she panted, her breath coming quickly, and she took another step back. "Hardball...lets...get this done," she said, her eyes never leaving Eric. "I...have to get back here quickly so we can have more time together."

 

Oh, for crying out loud...Titan thought, "All right, calm your hormones. We don't have time for this. This psycho-***** is killing people," Titan yelled, louder than he means to, "We have to find her and stop her." Everyone realized he's a bit more intense than his normal jock self.

 

He stared at Eric and Tachyon, almost daring them to continue.

 

Tachyon was so wound up in Eric that she didn't even notice Titan.

 

Eric looked over at the yelling Titan, he almost found it amusing but then he remembered he was in fact supposed to be reforming into a respectable hero and death was not something to joke about.

 

"I..um understand Titan no need to get angry." he acted a bit afraid of the group brick as he looked at the poem again.

 

'Man of principal, both frank and rich, announces the tidings of the day'

 

He stopped a moment as he read it over again a few times. "I think you should get as much info on that body you found. Hardball you said she tends to go within themes?" He looked again at the paper. "This might be a shot in the dark right now. Either it's a radio DJ or we're talking about killing the school principal and vice principal of the school. I'll still need you Lady Flame and Tachyon to confirm the identity of the body to be sure but I definitely think keeping an eye on those two plus the PA system in the office would be a big help."

 

God, he needed a cold shower. Every time he looked at Tachyon he could feel his collar growing tighter and he was sure he was blushing still after there close contact.

 

Tachyon's eyes were still glazed, but the most telling sign of his powers being operation on her were slowly disappearing back beneath the fabric of her top; her head was canted just a wee bit, as though listening intently to every word he said.

 

After finishing his semi-intimidating glare, Titan responded, "Yeah, I'll go keep an eye on them...I'm the sneaky one."

 

"Crazy psycho *****, kills an innocent man, We need to catch her now!" Titan mumbled as he heads toward the exit.

 

The girl in the two-piece running outfit opened her mouth then closed it again, blinking once: "Back...soon," she said, falling in behind without actually taking her eyes off of Eric.

 

He smiled and nodded "I'll be here." he watched them leave then finally sighed as he went to see if he could find something simple that could work for a shower failing that a sink with cold water.

 

"I see why you were such a good gigolo," Pusher said, shaking his head. "You do remember what Lady Flame said at the dinner table, don't you."

 

The image of charred, half eaten Emp snapped through Eric's mind. His seductive aura shut down with a stutter.

 

"You keep remembering that," the masked man said. "For your own good. When she recovers her wits, she might want to have a few words with you. Let's get this place cleaned up while we wait."

 

Hardball led the way toward the ladder to the surface. He was trying to think of a way to get Tachyon to wear something a little less revealing so she wouldn't set off Eric who would in turn set her off again.

 

Her eyes continued to clear as they made their way streetside.

 

For a moment an amusing thought entered his head. That the Big Man was actually riled about a nerd like Eric getting all that attention from a jockette like Tachyon (attention which should have been his as 'alpha-male-jock') and was hiding it behind his concern for innocent people. Of course Hardball had worked with Titan long enough to know that wasn't the case, but it made an amusing thought. Anyway he was right, Heartbreaker was threatening innocent lives (as she always had) and had already killed one man (how innocent he was remained to be determined, but he was obviously concerned for others so he was better than the scum Hardball was used to dealing with).

 

"So how about we find our informer's corpse, see what we can determine from it and then we'll take Rabbit home and get her something a little warmer to wear," said Hardball "I'm not sure about you but I'm getting cold just looking at her," Hardball lied.

 

Patty shook her head. "Whoa..." Something clicked through her beleaguered skull and she said, "What the hell just happened I just wanted to give him a hug and then I find myself..." her eyes widened.

 

"Whoa..." For once, she seemed speechless and...a bit shocked, a bit stunned, a bit...amused? "I haven't...wow..." she said softly.

 

She swallowed and, very quietly and, without nattering in her usual chatterbox style, almost whispered, "And I'm not cold. Its warm-lets find this body and get some food, I'm hungry." As a counterpoint and emphasis to her statement, the girl's stomach actually, audibly rumbled.

 

As he reached the surface, Titan caught a whiff of himself. "Damn, I smell like a sewer! Guess that's what happens when you shrink down there. I can't sneak around like this." Titan decided to go home for a quick shower before starting his surveillance.

 

"I'll take Titan home and join you at the scene of the victim," Lady Flame said. "It's almost seven now, but I know I can go home and sneak back out if I have to."

 

Once at the surface, Tachyon looked at both boys and took a deep breath. "What...what was that that happened to me because I just started to really fall for him I'd have done anything for him-" There was an emphasis on the word 'Anything' that left little room for doubt as to its specific meaning. "-and that was just weird I could make decisions and think for myself but he was everything in the world so if you gotta go get a shower Titan you go get one Hardball I'm hungry wanna go get something to eat real quick but then I have to go home and get dinner and believe me I'm hungry I'll even buy something for you at McDonald's if you want something please come with me because I think I like Eric but he scares me right now and I could really use to talk to someone right now and don't feel like being alone we can even meet there in real clothes not costume what do you say please?" She brushed a cute lock of blonde hair away from her cheek and looked expectantly at him.

 

"I'll take Titan home and join you at the scene of the victim," Lady Flame said. "It's almost seven now, but I know I can go home and sneak back out if I have to."

 

Tachyon nodded. "The...body happened just south of the intersection of Hawthorne and Eighteenth," she said, "we can start there and look for clues-we've got maybe TWENTY MINUTES before true sunset..." She gulped. "And mine is done, but does anyone else have homework to do tonight?"

 

"I can do mine easily enough," said Lady Flame. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I have to make a dummy to hide my secret life."

 

"Homework!? I have a cheerleader doing mine." Titan deadpanned "Luckily they don't make jocks take real classes" he continued with more venom in his voice than intended "I can do mine easily enough. Now lets get going, we don't have a lot of time."

 

Turning to Lady Flame "Where do you want to meet? My shower won't take long," Titan asked her.

 

"I'll come by and pick you up," said Lady Flame. "We'll meet at the scene, right?"

 

Tachyon looked at Lady Flame and lowered her voice, easing in close. "I...need to call my folks can I tell them I'm with you at the mall and will be home soon because we're window-shopping and stuff and that we'd be late and they don't need to worry and we'll be eating at the food court...I hate to ask this but my name is Patricia but you can call me Patty what's your name?"

 

"Go ahead," said Lady Flame. "Tell them my name is Sandra."

 

"Okay," Patty said, "we'll be at there in a bit."

 

"Yeah, sounds good." Titan said as he headed toward his home.

 

Lady Flame switched to her dragon form and carried the size changing hero into the night.

 

Eric looked at Pusher for a moment and shrugged, "That might be best for me. What I did to her Mom was completely within my control..this...was something I didn't want to deal with again." Something from his own past clicked in his head again he looked at pusher. "I just..remembered something Push, I'll be back later. Shouldn't take me very long." Without a word of why or where he was going, he headed out and down the opposite of the tunnel from where Tachyon and the others went.

 

Up another ladder and two bus rides later he was back where he remembered his old equipment was hidden when he worked for the super villain Incubus. The villain had such high hopes for Eric at one point and wanted him to take over the 'mantle' considering his powers where almost as good as the mans own skills. But if this was an alternate past then there shouldn't be anything here and he was just dealing with a father and a second past...if not he was going to be dealing with a whole can of worms just trying to get out from past of destruction.

 

Inhaling deeply he closed his eyes and prayed silently as he opened the secret compartment in the graveyard. That was one mark against him the other was the costume, equipment and supplies for maintenance. "Crap.." he muttered as he gathered up his costume and supplies into the available bag. Closing up the compartment he took two buses back and went down the latter slowly before heading into the HQ hoping to be alone after 2 hours.

 

He found Pusher still there but the lab had underwent a change since he had been gone. Everything broken and warped from the blast was gone. The walls, floor, and ceiling were clean. The door had been repaired. A blackboard with the clue written on it had been painted on one wall. The usable equipment had been pushed to one side.

 

Pusher had secured a TV from somewhere and had it plugged in to the outlet that had powered the equipment to search the note. A sandwich wrapper from a sub place was in a trashcan he had grabbed from somewhere.

 

"Great..." Eric muttered to himself as he walked in carrying his bag. With Pusher having cleaned everything out broken and destroyed, that made things easier on everything except emotionally. He stripped himself and began to don his old costume. He could feel the old confidence he use to get while wearing it coming back to him like a warm shower. He flexed a few times before putting on his utility belt. Next he'd need a computer to see how far back he'd come. If the costume was here that could mean he was already a Teenage lil hellion and that could only provide trouble to the group he was with now. Taking a breath he walked back out towards pusher in his old costume. "Well..seems I'm going to need a computer have we got many spares about?"

 

"Not really," said Pusher. "I went out and bought this television so we can at least find out something from afar. Why the costume? I thought you preferred not to get involved in heroics."

 

"Turns out I might need it for walking around. Besides everyone else has one." he shrugged "I don't suppose you heard from the group yet have you?"

 

"Not yet," said Pusher. "Your costumed identity wouldn't be in as much trouble as your real one, would it? If there is a problem, we can work it out."

 

"Everyone around here has some. Each of us got regressed along with villains that we faced. I'll likely end up doing battle when I stick my head by a hero I faced when I ran around by the name of Crush." He looked over at the destroyed gear "Where going to need walls and doors around here too. A few computers could help. I should make a list and see about getting supplies."

 

"I'll need raw material if you want walls built inside this small area," said Pusher. "I noticed there isn't any bathrooms."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

To 700 and beyond

"O.k. Rabbit" said Hardball. "Lets pick up something to eat on the way to the scene. As for homework, there are some advantages to being off the school radar."

 

"Its force of habit," Patty said, forcing herself to slow down. "I mean..." She closed her mouth hard, biting back the words, then carefully controlled herself as she spoke. "I...have to...do it...its...the way...I am." She sighed, proud of herself for keeping the words from spewing out.

 

As they walked on, Hardball turned to Tachyon, "About EMP, rabbit, you got to understand something. As near as I can figure it he's got some type of power over women, used to use it to play the super-gigolo, bilk rich broads out of their money and such. Problem is like the rest of us he's having trouble controlling his powers and in his case they go off when he's stressed. I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but if you want to avoid a repeat of that little scene before I'd maybe be a little less enthusiastic with him, and maybe wear something less, um, revealing around him than what you've got on at the moment. Not that I'm complaining about the eye-candy, and feel free to continue it around me, but just be aware that it could set EMP off again."

 

She nodded. "I like being eye candy. It's part of who I am but I'll be careful about EMP and try not to set him off I've got a better costume but its too warm for it its an insulated full body suit but it doesn't leave anything to the imagination either I'll talk with Emp and maybe we can work something out between us he seems even with what you told me to be an okay guy down deep I'll help him in whatever way I can you know that I hope I really do feel sorry for him and do you really like the way I look-" she spun around a little, her hair raising up from centrifugal force "-thank you for the compliment."

 

"Anytime, Rabbit. Anytime," said Hardball. "'Cause you realize it may just be my hormones talkin' too doncha? Any girl wearing lycra is going to get one of two responses from guys our age, either a wolf whistle or a fat joke. You just happen to be in the former category. Must be your metabolism."

 

They passed a Burger King.

 

"This looks like a good place to stop for dinner. You'd better order, something about my outfit sends fast food jerks diving for the panic button. I'll have a whopper, large fries and a large Diet coke. Got to watch my figure," said Hardball.

 

"I got your order Hardball what's your real name you know my name's Patricia but you can call me Patty and you're not so scary and we can work on that and maybe a little bit of positive publicity and nobody'll be scared of you either." She grinned up at him and trotted-for her-through the drive-through and placed her order.

 

"A number one with a diet coke, a number nine, King-sized, with a diet coke, four single cheeseburgers, three small fries, three hershey pies." She grinned. "That's it," came her response to the reply back from the server.

 

A few moments later, a large bag in one hand and a drink-holder in the other, she screeched to a halt, surrounded by the scent of burnt rubber, next to Hardball. Pulling up a bit of grass, she flopped herself to the ground crosslegged and opened the food bag. "Okay, here's your Diet Coke and a straw and your Whopper and your fries and here's my food."

 

"Thanks Rabbit" Said Hardball, taking his order "But about my name. I'd prefer too keep my anonymity, if it's all the same to you. The less people know my real identity the less chance that people I've crossed will find it out and go after people I love. I realise that makes me abnormal in this group, but I've heard the other guys use each others secret IDs in the middle of combat, and such to trust them not to let it slip. So for the mean time, you can call me Hardball, or Studly, or anytime you want for that matter and I'll keep calling you Rabbit."

 

The girl not-quite starts stuffing food into her mouth: it's a piggishly dainty motion, fries and bite of burger and sip of soda...and she shows absolutely no sign of slowing down as she consumes every bite of the large order.

 

"Definitely the metabolism" said Hardball to himself.

 

The sun had faded in its glory, but the dim purple twilight remained as the two enjoyed their picnic. In a few minutes, they would be meeting their fellows at a murder scene.

 

"Of course it is," Tachyon said around a mouthful of burger and fries. "My body burns a lot of calories because of my powers and you can trust me I promise..." "...that I won't ever use your real name in public but if we run into each other in school and stuff you really want me to walk up to you and call you Hardball because if your in real clothes instead of costume would be just as bad..."

 

 

"...because you don't want people to know your Hardball..." Mouth clear, she looked up at him, eyes wide, playfully begging. "Please tell me your real name?"

 

Hardball's hockey mask drew some attention, Tachyon could only see the color of his eyes in the shadows it created as the stars started to come out.

 

"The idea is that you won't recognize me if we meet at school, even if we go to the same school, and so won't come up to me and call me anything. That's the point of a secret ID, you know. It's the reason some of us wear masks like this one," he said pointing at his hockey mask, and the lycra one he wore underneath it which he was taking care not to lift high enough to give her a good view of his face while he ate, "You have no problem with people knowing who you are, obviously, given your obvious exhibitionism, I do."

 

His voice began to take on an angry edge "Now could we just drop it and finish our dinner! We need to get to the crime scene soon to meet the others."

 

God, he thought What is it with teenage girls and their need to 'share' everything? Tell me how your feeling, What's your favorite color, mine's pink, What's your Secret Identity? Don't worry it'll be our secret. Like they could keep a secret from their friends for five seconds! What happened to feminine mystique? He caught himself. No. That's not fair, Jesse could keep a secret. 'cause she didn't have any friends, which kind of helped, but still she was a someone you could trust. God I miss her. Her and Flash. Eric's got talent but not like Flash.

 

 

Patty stood up and swallowed the last of her food, carefully disposing of the rubbish into the proper receptacle. "I'm leaving," she said aloud, walking off in the direction of the crime scene.

 

The group arrived at the scene to find it in the hands of the police and fire departments. Lookie Lous clogged the streets as the officials tried to do their job.

 

Lady Flame and Titan saw Detective Eric Allen talking to a tech. He had taken their statement after the ruckus at the school so he knew them and vice versa.

 

As Patty approached, she kicked up her slight vibration that denied anyone from getting a good picture of her-she knew it worked-even the best of the digital cameras only got a generalized blur of her face, making her relatively unidentifiable.

 

Tachyon up next to Lady Flame and Titan. "Hi guys got some food so I'm good again what's going on have you seen the site and everything its not good he just went *pop* and that's all it was to it." She looks slightly sick over the situation, but her voice stays low-pitched.

 

"Well, we were just trying to find out," Titan walked up to Detective Allen. "Hello Detective, got any leads?"

 

"Teen Guardians?," said Allen, adjusting his toothpick in his mouth. "With a lovely new member it seems. Where do you kids come from? Lawrence Tutterow, school councilman. Hole in his chest. So what brings you out for this?"

 

There seems, to Patty, a moment of sheer grayness, a veil dropped upon the world that pauses the action and muffles sound; she overcomes something within her, a hesitation of talking about what

she doesn't know, and advances gingerly up to the cop.

 

"I kinda saw what happened his chest blew open he really didn't say anything he just veered off to the curb and almost hit me when I was out for a run it was the weirdest thing you've ever seen he had this note for Hardball but I didn't read it but he did say it was from somebody called Heartbreaker I don't know what was in it or anything."

 

"Do you have the note?," said Detective Allen. "It could be our only clue to go on. Did the victim say, or do, anything else?"

 

"No, I don't have the note and after he looked at me and said all that he did do and say something else he went 'Erk' and then his chest blew up." Tachyon actually looked sick over that.

 

"I'm going to need you to sign a statement," said Detective Allen. "Then I am going to need you Teen Guardians to go home and stay out of this. I don't want you kids getting hurt."

 

Tachyon nodded and said, "...all right....but can I borrow a pen because I dont' carry one on me I don't have pockets in this outfit or nothing..."

 

Titan looked at the officer and deadpanned, "Your right. You don't want the superhumans getting hurt."

 

"The government is involved," said Allen. "The Special Crimes Office has already sent over two agents to look at the body, and hook in with our investigation. Cooperation with the police or kid heroes is not their priority if you know what I mean."

 

Tachyon got a pen, handed it back a moment later; her statement was finished. It was written in neatly drawn block letters-but unsigned-it would appear the pen ran out of ink and there is a slight smell of burnt...something...in the air. "Your pen ran out of ink I think or I was writing too fast and dried the ink up pens don't like me but its okay because pencils catch fire when I use them."

 

She handed the statement over. "Just write in 'Tachyon' at the bottom, and put a smiley-face in the 'o'."

 

"Spell it please," said Allen, pulling out another pen. He looked less than amused that his pen had burnt out in her hands.

 

"Okay its T -- A -- C -- H -- Y -- Smiley Face -- N." The blonde girl nods happily. "Good, that's right-talk to you later detective!"

 

 

There is a cloud of dust and the scent of burning rubber and the girl reappears back about twenty feet away, alongside but behind the other heroes.

 

Detective Allen winced. He looked at Lady Flame and Titan, the only heroes who were close, and he had dealt with earlier.

 

"Do you two have anything to add to this statement?," he asked.

 

"No, nothing to add. So what are you planning to do?" Titan responded.

 

"The body has been shipped to the morgue," said Allen. "The Office took a sample, and will have their own consultant. We have uniforms and detectives trying to track down the last movements of the victim before he ran into Tachyon.

 

"The chief of detectives will probably ask for a task force to be set up to track leads. Probably a reward will be posted if this gets nasty.

 

"The department's EServices will be called in to evaluate take down procedures.

 

"I have a feeling you guys aren't telling me everything. When you want to talk, let me know. Try to stay out of trouble."

 

"There's going to be a lot of things we're going to need in here," Eric said, sighing and looking around. "There's likely some useful components within all that trash that I can kitbash a few things together but I'm going to need some serious supplies for anything really good." Taking a seat, he looked at the t.v playing the news and stopped a moment as they announced the marriage of Industrialist Wayne Powers to Samatha Highcastle of NuTech. "Damn...she could have done better than him." he sighed "Well that proves not everyone was regressed just us. My wife's getting married to the biggest ******* in the history of electronics and I'm stuck as a teenager that she obviously doesn't remember." He smiled a bit. "Hope he treats her okay," he whispered to himself as he felt just another large boulder of emotion dropped onto his back. "So...let's order pizza and while we can't have any beers guess we'll have to make do with sodas or something."

 

"Wait a minute," said Pusher. "We're regressed. Our parents are regressed. Your ex-wife gets a free pass. She should have been regressed like the rest of us. You're telling me that only our personal lives were affected, and no one else's. That destroys the theory we have been working under. We all thought we were moved back in time."

 

"Yeah, looks that way. That might also explain why Tempus would need to balance regressing us with villains we faced as well. A power balance. Yet everything along our temporal pasts personally has been regressed. Grandmothers, ancestors and parents to finally us. But I guess like me when dealing with those that have been married and such. There lives have become un-'infected' by our presence." Eric looked at Pusher. "So the question is what happens if we become adults again?"

 

"I have a better question," said Pusher. "How much damage has been done to the temporal stream by this. How much are we changing being switched back like this? How many other Heart Breakers are out there waiting to kill early because they have their powers sooner and know how to use them?"

 

"That my fellow is the 65 dollar question," he sighed, "but apparently we have a few advantages and disadvantages over our enemies. We all seem to be suffering from the emotional hormones of our current age. This should hopefully mean we can find them easier if we can keep our wits about us."

 

"Unless they find us first," said Pusher. "Anyways I have a plan to find the next victim if your guess is right."

 

Tuesday night found Tamshin Chen doing homework for the first time in years. Something had happened to her and she found herself waking up in detention on Monday afternoon in a high school she had never attended before then.

 

She hid her bewilderness enough to get through the day, and found the house she had lived in as a girl. Her aged father was young again, even regaining his hair.

 

She had spent the night settling in, then going to school the next day. Now she had a paper to write before the morning.

 

A day later, and her initial feeling of panic had subsided. If this was all some sort of bizarre mental attack, all she could do was play along until she found a flaw; but if it was, then her attacker was remarkably adept. It really felt like she was a teenager again.

 

The doorbell rang with a programmed bird song.

 

A teenager with a paper to write, who'd welcome any distraction.

 

She answered the door.

 

A very tall, hatchet faced man in a black suit stared down at Tamsin. Gray eyes matched the gray of his swept back hair.

 

"Is this the Chen residence?," he said, voice seeming to disapprove of everything without emotion. "I would like to speak to Dr. Chen if I could."

 

The newcomer looked like he'd asked for seconds when height was being handed out.

 

"Er, yeah. Come in, please."

 

"Dad! Visitor for you!"

 

She led him to her father... then hung around near the door so she could overhear what he wanted.

 

"Dr. Chen?," said the newcomer. "My name is Bye. I would like to hire you as a consultant in something unusual that has come up."

 

"Really?," said Dr. Chen. "Come into my office. We can talk there. Tamsin, bring us tea."

 

Tamsin hid the frustration she felt, and dutifully went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Once it was on, though, she hurried back quietly to see what she could hear - Bye and her father might assume she was in the kitchen making tea.

 

"We secured this from a murder scene," said Bye. "What do you think of it?"

 

"Looks like scorched meat," said Dr. Chen. "This came from the corpse?"

 

A moment of silence long enough to be a nod.

 

"I'll need to look at it under some instruments," said Chen. "Do you mind?"

 

Steps came toward the door.

 

Tamsin retreated back to the kitchen to make the tea, thinking about what she'd heard.

 

Someone had been murdered, possibly by being burnt?

 

"Tamsin, bring the tea to my lab," her father commanded after he left the office.

 

Once the tea was ready, she brought it in.

 

Dr. Chen's lab was of a necessity small, but it held everything he needed to conduct his experiments. Tamsin knew that he had at least one experiment underway in one of the DNA duplicators he used.

 

Dr. Chen and Mr. Bye examined something on a slide with a hand magnifier. He nodded as he turned the specimen around in his fingers.

 

"High heat," he said absently. "Very high."

 

Tamsin surreptitiously paid attention to what they were doing and saying as she served the tea. Her father didn't often take visitors into his private lab; Mr. Bye must be someone he trusted.

 

"The pattern appears to be uniform," said Dr. Chen. "I would have to say this was done with a natural energy weapon. I will have to do some tests to make sure."

 

"The police will hold the corpse at the morgue," said Bye. "The coroner will do his autopsy tomorrow."

 

"I'll have to be there," said the doctor. "I'm sure that a superhuman did this."

 

Tamsin's ears pricked up. A superhuman?

 

Her father might say something if Mr. Bye wasn't around, but he probably wouldn't answer any questions while he was present. Tamsin stayed quiet and in the background, hoping to learn more.

 

"I'll pick you up in the morning," said Bye. "The local police will need a report from you after the autopsy. They'll need to know how dangerous this superhuman is."

 

"I understand," said the doctor. "May I keep this sample to work on?"

 

Bye paused to consider the request.

 

"I don't see why not," he said. "If you will excuse me, I have some other things to attend to before the morning. I'll let myself out."

 

The tall man nodded at the doctor and daughter before heading to the front door.

 

Once Mr Bye had left, Tamsin turned to her father.

 

"So there's a superhuman with fire powers running around?"

 

He might talk, or he might clam up. She could never tell, even back in the original timestream.

 

"I don't think so," said Dr. Chen, staring at the specimen in his hand. "The charring is not right for it. Don't you have homework? Let's see what you have done."

 

"It's not finished yet. If it's not fire, what could it be?"

 

She still had time to finish her paper, and this was much more interesting, even if she didn't know what she could do with the information.

 

"It appears to be a pressure wave like an explosion," said Dr. Chen. "I'll know more when I inspect the body. A tiny scrap like this only gives you enough to speculate. Speculation is no good without data to build into facts. That's elementary."

 

"That's true", agreed Tamsin, "How did it happen?"

 

She hoped he'd stay talking as long as possible. This was interesting!

 

"Murder," said Dr. Chen. "I hope to help find out who did this and place them behind bars. Don't try and sidetrack me. Homework, young lady, while I do a little research."

 

Tamsin pulled a face, but knew better than to argue with her father when he spoke like that.

 

"I hope you catch him."

 

Homework would seem so dull after that.

 

"I will," said Dr. Chen. "I'll be in to check on you in twenty minutes. At least try to have something done."

 

"Can't you even trust me to do my homework, Dad?" Tamsin grumbled, but she reluctantly settled down to work on it. It ought to have been easier second time round, but it had been a few years since she did this sort of studying.

 

In exactly twenty minutes, Dr. Chen arrived to inspect the homework. He filed through it absently, except for the math. Math was his life.

 

"Very well," said Dr. Chen. "I'm going to cook dinner now. Do you have any preferences?"

 

"How about your chili chicken?"

 

Dad's chili chicken was always good. One of the better parts of the time-switch was the chance to enjoy it more often.

 

"It will be my pleasure," said Dr. Chen. "Do you have any after school activities tomorrow? I might be busy all day looking into this project."

 

"I've got some swimming practice, but that's about it. Don't worry, Dad, I'll let myself in."

 

"I'll always worry," said Dr. Chen. "That is what fathers do. No visitors please. I can't have people traipsing through while I work."

 

"OK, Dad."

 

She could always go to the mall with some of her friends. Maybe she could find out more about what's happened.

 

Dr. Chen returned to his lab. Tamsin knew that she had an hour and a half of free time before he checked on her again.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

To 700 and beyond

"O.k. Rabbit" said Hardball. "Lets pick up something to eat on the way to the scene. As for homework, there are some advantages to being off the school radar."

 

"Its force of habit," Patty said, forcing herself to slow down. "I mean..." She closed her mouth hard, biting back the words, then carefully controlled herself as she spoke. "I...have to...do it...its...the way...I am." She sighed, proud of herself for keeping the words from spewing out.

 

As they walked on, Hardball turned to Tachyon, "About EMP, rabbit, you got to understand something. As near as I can figure it he's got some type of power over women, used to use it to play the super-gigolo, bilk rich broads out of their money and such. Problem is like the rest of us he's having trouble controlling his powers and in his case they go off when he's stressed. I'm not saying it's a sure thing, but if you want to avoid a repeat of that little scene before I'd maybe be a little less enthusiastic with him, and maybe wear something less, um, revealing around him than what you've got on at the moment. Not that I'm complaining about the eye-candy, and feel free to continue it around me, but just be aware that it could set EMP off again."

 

She nodded. "I like being eye candy. It's part of who I am but I'll be careful about EMP and try not to set him off I've got a better costume but its too warm for it its an insulated full body suit but it doesn't leave anything to the imagination either I'll talk with Emp and maybe we can work something out between us he seems even with what you told me to be an okay guy down deep I'll help him in whatever way I can you know that I hope I really do feel sorry for him and do you really like the way I look-" she spun around a little, her hair raising up from centrifugal force "-thank you for the compliment."

 

"Anytime, Rabbit. Anytime," said Hardball. "'Cause you realize it may just be my hormones talkin' too doncha? Any girl wearing lycra is going to get one of two responses from guys our age, either a wolf whistle or a fat joke. You just happen to be in the former category. Must be your metabolism."

 

They passed a Burger King.

 

"This looks like a good place to stop for dinner. You'd better order, something about my outfit sends fast food jerks diving for the panic button. I'll have a whopper, large fries and a large Diet coke. Got to watch my figure," said Hardball.

 

"I got your order Hardball what's your real name you know my name's Patricia but you can call me Patty and you're not so scary and we can work on that and maybe a little bit of positive publicity and nobody'll be scared of you either." She grinned up at him and trotted-for her-through the drive-through and placed her order.

 

"A number one with a diet coke, a number nine, King-sized, with a diet coke, four single cheeseburgers, three small fries, three hershey pies." She grinned. "That's it," came her response to the reply back from the server.

 

A few moments later, a large bag in one hand and a drink-holder in the other, she screeched to a halt, surrounded by the scent of burnt rubber, next to Hardball. Pulling up a bit of grass, she flopped herself to the ground crosslegged and opened the food bag. "Okay, here's your Diet Coke and a straw and your Whopper and your fries and here's my food."

 

"Thanks Rabbit" Said Hardball, taking his order "But about my name. I'd prefer too keep my anonymity, if it's all the same to you. The less people know my real identity the less chance that people I've crossed will find it out and go after people I love. I realise that makes me abnormal in this group, but I've heard the other guys use each others secret IDs in the middle of combat, and such to trust them not to let it slip. So for the mean time, you can call me Hardball, or Studly, or anytime you want for that matter and I'll keep calling you Rabbit."

 

The girl not-quite starts stuffing food into her mouth: it's a piggishly dainty motion, fries and bite of burger and sip of soda...and she shows absolutely no sign of slowing down as she consumes every bite of the large order.

 

"Definitely the metabolism" said Hardball to himself.

 

The sun had faded in its glory, but the dim purple twilight remained as the two enjoyed their picnic. In a few minutes, they would be meeting their fellows at a murder scene.

 

"Of course it is," Tachyon said around a mouthful of burger and fries. "My body burns a lot of calories because of my powers and you can trust me I promise..." "...that I won't ever use your real name in public but if we run into each other in school and stuff you really want me to walk up to you and call you Hardball because if your in real clothes instead of costume would be just as bad..."

 

 

"...because you don't want people to know your Hardball..." Mouth clear, she looked up at him, eyes wide, playfully begging. "Please tell me your real name?"

 

Hardball's hockey mask drew some attention, Tachyon could only see the color of his eyes in the shadows it created as the stars started to come out.

 

"The idea is that you won't recognize me if we meet at school, even if we go to the same school, and so won't come up to me and call me anything. That's the point of a secret ID, you know. It's the reason some of us wear masks like this one," he said pointing at his hockey mask, and the lycra one he wore underneath it which he was taking care not to lift high enough to give her a good view of his face while he ate, "You have no problem with people knowing who you are, obviously, given your obvious exhibitionism, I do."

 

His voice began to take on an angry edge "Now could we just drop it and finish our dinner! We need to get to the crime scene soon to meet the others."

 

God, he thought What is it with teenage girls and their need to 'share' everything? Tell me how your feeling, What's your favorite color, mine's pink, What's your Secret Identity? Don't worry it'll be our secret. Like they could keep a secret from their friends for five seconds! What happened to feminine mystique? He caught himself. No. That's not fair, Jesse could keep a secret. 'cause she didn't have any friends, which kind of helped, but still she was a someone you could trust. God I miss her. Her and Flash. Eric's got talent but not like Flash.

 

 

Patty stood up and swallowed the last of her food, carefully disposing of the rubbish into the proper receptacle. "I'm leaving," she said aloud, walking off in the direction of the crime scene.

 

The group arrived at the scene to find it in the hands of the police and fire departments. Lookie Lous clogged the streets as the officials tried to do their job.

 

Lady Flame and Titan saw Detective Eric Allen talking to a tech. He had taken their statement after the ruckus at the school so he knew them and vice versa.

 

As Patty approached, she kicked up her slight vibration that denied anyone from getting a good picture of her-she knew it worked-even the best of the digital cameras only got a generalized blur of her face, making her relatively unidentifiable.

 

Tachyon up next to Lady Flame and Titan. "Hi guys got some food so I'm good again what's going on have you seen the site and everything its not good he just went *pop* and that's all it was to it." She looks slightly sick over the situation, but her voice stays low-pitched.

 

"Well, we were just trying to find out," Titan walked up to Detective Allen. "Hello Detective, got any leads?"

 

"Teen Guardians?," said Allen, adjusting his toothpick in his mouth. "With a lovely new member it seems. Where do you kids come from? Lawrence Tutterow, school councilman. Hole in his chest. So what brings you out for this?"

 

There seems, to Patty, a moment of sheer grayness, a veil dropped upon the world that pauses the action and muffles sound; she overcomes something within her, a hesitation of talking about what

she doesn't know, and advances gingerly up to the cop.

 

"I kinda saw what happened his chest blew open he really didn't say anything he just veered off to the curb and almost hit me when I was out for a run it was the weirdest thing you've ever seen he had this note for Hardball but I didn't read it but he did say it was from somebody called Heartbreaker I don't know what was in it or anything."

 

"Do you have the note?," said Detective Allen. "It could be our only clue to go on. Did the victim say, or do, anything else?"

 

"No, I don't have the note and after he looked at me and said all that he did do and say something else he went 'Erk' and then his chest blew up." Tachyon actually looked sick over that.

 

"I'm going to need you to sign a statement," said Detective Allen. "Then I am going to need you Teen Guardians to go home and stay out of this. I don't want you kids getting hurt."

 

Tachyon nodded and said, "...all right....but can I borrow a pen because I dont' carry one on me I don't have pockets in this outfit or nothing..."

 

Titan looked at the officer and deadpanned, "Your right. You don't want the superhumans getting hurt."

 

"The government is involved," said Allen. "The Special Crimes Office has already sent over two agents to look at the body, and hook in with our investigation. Cooperation with the police or kid heroes is not their priority if you know what I mean."

 

Tachyon got a pen, handed it back a moment later; her statement was finished. It was written in neatly drawn block letters-but unsigned-it would appear the pen ran out of ink and there is a slight smell of burnt...something...in the air. "Your pen ran out of ink I think or I was writing too fast and dried the ink up pens don't like me but its okay because pencils catch fire when I use them."

 

She handed the statement over. "Just write in 'Tachyon' at the bottom, and put a smiley-face in the 'o'."

 

"Spell it please," said Allen, pulling out another pen. He looked less than amused that his pen had burnt out in her hands.

 

"Okay its T -- A -- C -- H -- Y -- Smiley Face -- N." The blonde girl nods happily. "Good, that's right-talk to you later detective!"

 

 

There is a cloud of dust and the scent of burning rubber and the girl reappears back about twenty feet away, alongside but behind the other heroes.

 

Detective Allen winced. He looked at Lady Flame and Titan, the only heroes who were close, and he had dealt with earlier.

 

"Do you two have anything to add to this statement?," he asked.

 

"No, nothing to add. So what are you planning to do?" Titan responded.

 

"The body has been shipped to the morgue," said Allen. "The Office took a sample, and will have their own consultant. We have uniforms and detectives trying to track down the last movements of the victim before he ran into Tachyon.

 

"The chief of detectives will probably ask for a task force to be set up to track leads. Probably a reward will be posted if this gets nasty.

 

"The department's EServices will be called in to evaluate take down procedures.

 

"I have a feeling you guys aren't telling me everything. When you want to talk, let me know. Try to stay out of trouble."

 

"There's going to be a lot of things we're going to need in here," Eric said, sighing and looking around. "There's likely some useful components within all that trash that I can kitbash a few things together but I'm going to need some serious supplies for anything really good." Taking a seat, he looked at the t.v playing the news and stopped a moment as they announced the marriage of Industrialist Wayne Powers to Samatha Highcastle of NuTech. "Damn...she could have done better than him." he sighed "Well that proves not everyone was regressed just us. My wife's getting married to the biggest ******* in the history of electronics and I'm stuck as a teenager that she obviously doesn't remember." He smiled a bit. "Hope he treats her okay," he whispered to himself as he felt just another large boulder of emotion dropped onto his back. "So...let's order pizza and while we can't have any beers guess we'll have to make do with sodas or something."

 

"Wait a minute," said Pusher. "We're regressed. Our parents are regressed. Your ex-wife gets a free pass. She should have been regressed like the rest of us. You're telling me that only our personal lives were affected, and no one else's. That destroys the theory we have been working under. We all thought we were moved back in time."

 

"Yeah, looks that way. That might also explain why Tempus would need to balance regressing us with villains we faced as well. A power balance. Yet everything along our temporal pasts personally has been regressed. Grandmothers, ancestors and parents to finally us. But I guess like me when dealing with those that have been married and such. There lives have become un-'infected' by our presence." Eric looked at Pusher. "So the question is what happens if we become adults again?"

 

"I have a better question," said Pusher. "How much damage has been done to the temporal stream by this. How much are we changing being switched back like this? How many other Heart Breakers are out there waiting to kill early because they have their powers sooner and know how to use them?"

 

"That my fellow is the 65 dollar question," he sighed, "but apparently we have a few advantages and disadvantages over our enemies. We all seem to be suffering from the emotional hormones of our current age. This should hopefully mean we can find them easier if we can keep our wits about us."

 

"Unless they find us first," said Pusher. "Anyways I have a plan to find the next victim if your guess is right."

 

Tuesday night found Tamshin Chen doing homework for the first time in years. Something had happened to her and she found herself waking up in detention on Monday afternoon in a high school she had never attended before then.

 

She hid her bewilderness enough to get through the day, and found the house she had lived in as a girl. Her aged father was young again, even regaining his hair.

 

She had spent the night settling in, then going to school the next day. Now she had a paper to write before the morning.

 

A day later, and her initial feeling of panic had subsided. If this was all some sort of bizarre mental attack, all she could do was play along until she found a flaw; but if it was, then her attacker was remarkably adept. It really felt like she was a teenager again.

 

The doorbell rang with a programmed bird song.

 

A teenager with a paper to write, who'd welcome any distraction.

 

She answered the door.

 

A very tall, hatchet faced man in a black suit stared down at Tamsin. Gray eyes matched the gray of his swept back hair.

 

"Is this the Chen residence?," he said, voice seeming to disapprove of everything without emotion. "I would like to speak to Dr. Chen if I could."

 

The newcomer looked like he'd asked for seconds when height was being handed out.

 

"Er, yeah. Come in, please."

 

"Dad! Visitor for you!"

 

She led him to her father... then hung around near the door so she could overhear what he wanted.

 

"Dr. Chen?," said the newcomer. "My name is Bye. I would like to hire you as a consultant in something unusual that has come up."

 

"Really?," said Dr. Chen. "Come into my office. We can talk there. Tamsin, bring us tea."

 

Tamsin hid the frustration she felt, and dutifully went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Once it was on, though, she hurried back quietly to see what she could hear - Bye and her father might assume she was in the kitchen making tea.

 

"We secured this from a murder scene," said Bye. "What do you think of it?"

 

"Looks like scorched meat," said Dr. Chen. "This came from the corpse?"

 

A moment of silence long enough to be a nod.

 

"I'll need to look at it under some instruments," said Chen. "Do you mind?"

 

Steps came toward the door.

 

Tamsin retreated back to the kitchen to make the tea, thinking about what she'd heard.

 

Someone had been murdered, possibly by being burnt?

 

"Tamsin, bring the tea to my lab," her father commanded after he left the office.

 

Once the tea was ready, she brought it in.

 

Dr. Chen's lab was of a necessity small, but it held everything he needed to conduct his experiments. Tamsin knew that he had at least one experiment underway in one of the DNA duplicators he used.

 

Dr. Chen and Mr. Bye examined something on a slide with a hand magnifier. He nodded as he turned the specimen around in his fingers.

 

"High heat," he said absently. "Very high."

 

Tamsin surreptitiously paid attention to what they were doing and saying as she served the tea. Her father didn't often take visitors into his private lab; Mr. Bye must be someone he trusted.

 

"The pattern appears to be uniform," said Dr. Chen. "I would have to say this was done with a natural energy weapon. I will have to do some tests to make sure."

 

"The police will hold the corpse at the morgue," said Bye. "The coroner will do his autopsy tomorrow."

 

"I'll have to be there," said the doctor. "I'm sure that a superhuman did this."

 

Tamsin's ears pricked up. A superhuman?

 

Her father might say something if Mr. Bye wasn't around, but he probably wouldn't answer any questions while he was present. Tamsin stayed quiet and in the background, hoping to learn more.

 

"I'll pick you up in the morning," said Bye. "The local police will need a report from you after the autopsy. They'll need to know how dangerous this superhuman is."

 

"I understand," said the doctor. "May I keep this sample to work on?"

 

Bye paused to consider the request.

 

"I don't see why not," he said. "If you will excuse me, I have some other things to attend to before the morning. I'll let myself out."

 

The tall man nodded at the doctor and daughter before heading to the front door.

 

Once Mr Bye had left, Tamsin turned to her father.

 

"So there's a superhuman with fire powers running around?"

 

He might talk, or he might clam up. She could never tell, even back in the original timestream.

 

"I don't think so," said Dr. Chen, staring at the specimen in his hand. "The charring is not right for it. Don't you have homework? Let's see what you have done."

 

"It's not finished yet. If it's not fire, what could it be?"

 

She still had time to finish her paper, and this was much more interesting, even if she didn't know what she could do with the information.

 

"It appears to be a pressure wave like an explosion," said Dr. Chen. "I'll know more when I inspect the body. A tiny scrap like this only gives you enough to speculate. Speculation is no good without data to build into facts. That's elementary."

 

"That's true", agreed Tamsin, "How did it happen?"

 

She hoped he'd stay talking as long as possible. This was interesting!

 

"Murder," said Dr. Chen. "I hope to help find out who did this and place them behind bars. Don't try and sidetrack me. Homework, young lady, while I do a little research."

 

Tamsin pulled a face, but knew better than to argue with her father when he spoke like that.

 

"I hope you catch him."

 

Homework would seem so dull after that.

 

"I will," said Dr. Chen. "I'll be in to check on you in twenty minutes. At least try to have something done."

 

"Can't you even trust me to do my homework, Dad?" Tamsin grumbled, but she reluctantly settled down to work on it. It ought to have been easier second time round, but it had been a few years since she did this sort of studying.

 

In exactly twenty minutes, Dr. Chen arrived to inspect the homework. He filed through it absently, except for the math. Math was his life.

 

"Very well," said Dr. Chen. "I'm going to cook dinner now. Do you have any preferences?"

 

"How about your chili chicken?"

 

Dad's chili chicken was always good. One of the better parts of the time-switch was the chance to enjoy it more often.

 

"It will be my pleasure," said Dr. Chen. "Do you have any after school activities tomorrow? I might be busy all day looking into this project."

 

"I've got some swimming practice, but that's about it. Don't worry, Dad, I'll let myself in."

 

"I'll always worry," said Dr. Chen. "That is what fathers do. No visitors please. I can't have people traipsing through while I work."

 

"OK, Dad."

 

She could always go to the mall with some of her friends. Maybe she could find out more about what's happened.

 

Dr. Chen returned to his lab. Tamsin knew that she had an hour and a half of free time before he checked on her again.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

711-822

7:45 pm/Tuesday/09/02/20xx

Hardball, Tachyon, Titan, and Lady Flame had learned that Larry Tutterow, school councilman had been blown up by Heart Breaker. The note for Hardball indicated twelve more victims in the following days.

 

If the villainess worked on themes, they could count on the next victim being related to either Tutterow, or the school system in some way. The note indicated a wealthy and honest principal of a school.

 

The problem was a looming curfew for the regressed heroes. Detention caused by the regression had placed most of them on the parent watch list.

 

8:30 pm

Tamsin Chen had an hour and a half before she would be required to get some kind of sleep. Her father was rigid as far as scheduling went. Still a murder had dropped in her lap, and the body would be at the morgue any moment.

 

She could probably break in and look at it for herself if she hurried.

 

Tamsin hastily changed into her makeshift Katido costume. Dark tights, a black leotard, and a pair of high-tops dyed black. She tucked her hair under her mask, a black swimming cap with an old halloween mask glued on. Fastening her belt, she quietly opened her window and prepared to

climb down the old tree that grew just outside.

 

The neighborhood was quiet. Mr. Clarke would be walking Tiger soon but the street in front of her

house was dark and empty from her vantage point.

 

Tachyon scuffed her toe against the sidewalk, bored. "We going back to the hideout?" she

whispered, "'cuz if not I've got something else I can go do I really need to go see and talk to a

friend of mine and I can meet you back there later."

 

With a nod, she disappeared with the smell of scorched rubber...

 

By the time the others had finished talking to the police, Hardball had left. He returned to his

motorcycle and changed back into his 'civvies'. Anthony rode home to the central park, put on his

boots and began to shovel elephant poo. As he did he thought about the note. He hoped that the

others were having some luck finding the next victim. Of course the list wouldn't be that long.

Wealthy principals were a dime a dozen, but honest ones were an endangered species (becoming

more endangered if psycho-girl got her way.) Just his luck that he attracted girls who had

something to prove.

 

Once Anthony had finished his chores and eaten a little dinner (at least by the standard of his

family) he took a little kip and then snuck out to chase up some leads on Heartbreaker. Hoping that

a girl like her would not have remained below the streets radar he headed for the area where the

worst element in the city hung out. It was time to visit The Heights.

 

Hardball remembered a couple of places where he could ask around for some kind of information.

His impacted timeline shouldn't have affected those areas that existed before he started operating

as the punishing pitcher.

 

One such was Wiley's, a saloon for people who liked to drink any time they wanted to despite blue

laws trying to shut the place down after 2 a.m. Low ranking thugs and hoodlums and pros worked

the place for their next job.

 

Anthony sauntered into the saloon. Had he been 'in costume' he was sure he would have been met

by a hail of gunfire (these type of people not being members of Hardball's fan-club), but as

Anthony he barely raised an eyebrow, just another 'street tough' on the lookout for a cheap score.

He allowed his 'prison face' to come to the fore, adding to the image of a kid who was more

dangerous than his youth might usually allow (or at least thought he was).

 

He walked up to the bar.

 

"G'day mate." he said with his best Aussie accent "Got any beer worth drinking in this place?"

 

"The kiddie bar is down the street," said the bartender. "Beat it."

 

Anthony picked up a beer nut, put it on the bar, and then flicked it, breaking an empty beer glass

behind the bar. "Thanks for the information, mate, now here's some for you. Call me a kid again

and I'll break more than a beer glass. Now have you got some real Aussie beer or only that 'Sex

on the Beach' you Yanks call beer?"

 

He look around to see if any of the other patrons would leap to the barman's defense. Just because

he wasn't in costume didn't mean he couldn't break a few heads.

 

"You see this sign?," the bartender said, indicating a yellow piece of paper on the wall as the

patrons started paying attention to the exchange. MUST BE 21 TO BE SERVED was written in

block letters on the paper. "Any id?"

 

"Bloody America! The only place in the world where you can drive and die in a war 3 years before

you can drink. Fine!" he raised his voice "If a sheila comes in looking for me, don't worry you'll

know her, with your 'tude she'll probably blow your chest open, anyway, if she comes lookin' for

me tell her to find a decent bar next time. One that ain't so hung up on the bloody rules."

 

He turned and headed for the door.

 

"Go home to your momma," said the bartender.

 

Anthony had had about enough of this man. He turned, grabbed an empty bottle from a nearby

table and lobbed it at the man's head. He made sure to be only as accurate as a boy of his age

should be (ie. not his usual super accurate self) but still accurate enough to clock the guy stupid.

He then turned to face the crowd with a look of terminal rage on his face.

 

"I came in here for a civil bloody drink and this tosser not only refuses me service but has to go

and bring me ma into it. Fine, that's the way he wants to play it, I'm 'down with that' as you Yanks

say. How about the rest of you? You up to takin' on a wild colonial boy? 'cause if ya think Steve

Irwin's mad you ain't met me."

 

A collective growl rolled as the crowd to a man surged to their feet. in the words of Ron White,

Anthony didn't know how many it would take to kick his butt, but he could see how many they

were going to use. There was going to be at least 15, and they looked like they were arming

themselves with anything close at hand.

 

At least no one had pulled a gun yet.

 

Barfights, where the weapon of choice was 'objects of opportunity' were, unsurprisingly, Anthony

'Hardball' Warneshi's favorite type of combat. The look of confidence of 'Aussie's face was real

enough as he picked up a 'decorative' brass vase that had been put in once in the past in a vain

attempt to give the bar some class and had thereafter been used as a spitoon. He poured the

accumulated gunk on the floor and set himself against the rush. He wondered whether these were

the kind of mooks who attacked (and were knocked out) one at a time or the type who attacked as

a pack (and invariably got in each others way). He really hoped none were a well trained team,

then again this version of Wiley's would have to be very different from the one he knew for that

to be the case.

 

He, of course kept the door in sight, ready to 'scarper' at the first sign of a pistol. Confident he was,

not stupid.

 

"You gonna come into our bar and start trouble," said self appointed spokesman, wrapping a

bicycle chain around his hand. "Which arm and leg do you want to keep?"

 

"One a' each a' yours should do just fine, mate. I aint greedy. 'Course I willing to take donations

from anyone else fool 'nough t' put them near me."

 

Anthony could see the men, in one case woman, were edging closer like lionesses hunting. He

would have to fight through to get to the back of the place, or the sides. The front door and the

windows had a closed steel lattice over them to prevent robberies so he couldn't jump through

them if he needed to. Additionally some of the men were moving to cut him off from the door.

 

Anthony kept his eyes on the 'doormen', they would be acting as human shields should anyone pull

a gun. However he could feel the blood boiling up in his ears. The way these 'barflies' were acting

in concert was giving him the distinct impression that they were, in fact, more familiar with each

other than he'd first thought. They were acting, in many ways, like a gang.

 

That was a sort of behavior that he had to put a stop to. Even if it meant revealing the full extent

of his powers to these mooks, they *were* going down. Before it had just been possible exercise,

*now* it was 'personal'.

 

"Kid," said the man with the bicycle chain around his hand. "You're crazy brave, or crazy stupid.

Either way, you're going to the ER in the next few seconds."

 

His cell phone started playing "Born to Run".

 

"Hold that thought," he said, flipping the phone open. "Casket. Talk."

 

His eyes never left Anthony's as he held the phone to his ear.

 

Anthony smiled at Casket's ringtone. At least it wasn't 'Born to be Wild' or 'Mission Impossible'

which would have forced Anthony to remove him from the gene pool for lack of taste. He wracked

his brains to see if he could place the name Casket.

 

The only Casket he knew about had been a professional street fighter. Rumors of underworld

matches had always floated through the Chance City grapevine. Some off the more vigilante

crimefighters had tried to break it up without success.

 

He also watched the others to see if they, also, were taking their cues from Casket (singling him

out as the leader of this motley crew) or whether they were happy to get started while Casket

conducted business. Either way was fine with Anthony who was, at this point, just looking to put

the smackdown on someone. But if Casket turned out to be a leader he would make a good person

to talk to after the fight was over.

 

"That's usually 10 k," Casket said into the phone. "Call me tomorrow with a place to meet. I have

to kill someone at the moment. Yeah, the Lip is here. I'll tell him."

 

He covered the phone's mouthpiece with a big hand.

 

"Your boss wants you to clear out, Lip," said Casket. "Go home and sober up."

 

One of the men, possessing a scarred upper lip that twisted his mouth grotesquely, nodded. He

made for the door, glaring at Anthony, daring him to do something, anything to get things started

before he left.

 

"He's leaving," Casket said. "Right. Tomorrow."

 

Casket hung up the phone.

 

"Where were we?," the big man said.

 

"You were about to be introduced to your namesake, Casket. Or actually, given the state I'm going

to leave you in, a number of your namesakes."

 

He turned to Lip.

 

"Where do you think your going ugly? After I've dealt with this Casket guy I'll probably still need

some exercise. Stay, I'll put you out nice and quick so you can sleep off your hangover, 'course you

might not make any meeting you have tomorrow, but then again neither will anyone else. 'cept me

of course."

 

"If it has to be this way," said Casket, closing his phone. He waved everyone out of the way.

People cleared tables and chairs away. "Let's go."

 

A callused hand swung at Anthony's hand.

 

Tachyon reappeared a few minutes later behind her house; she threw her clothes on quickly over

her costume and sauntered inside. Grabbing food from the refrigerator, she said, "Going up to do

my homework me and this guy he took me to McDonald’s sorry I didn't call love you!"

 

Carefully-she kept her speed down-she shoveled food into her mouth with one hand while scritch-

scratching answers, none of them particularly difficult, to various questions, then slammed her

books closed. Eight-twenty. IF, and only if...she sighed. She really needed to talk to Tammy.

 

She headed downstairs. "Going out for a walk back by nine-thirty, promise, then I'll go to bed,

promise!"

 

In the dark, she took off, running as much as she could through the shadows, towards Tammy's

house...

 

Tachyon-Patty-slid to a quiet halt in the Chen's back yard; quickly, she snuck beneath the big old

tree and snagged up some pebbles. She tossed one up at Tammy's window.

 

 

 

 

Patty frowned. "Tammy?" she half-whispered at the open window. "You up there?"

 

"Shh. I'm just on my way out."

 

A dark figure climbed nimbly out of the window and down the tree. Katido stood beside her,

grinning and rubbing her cheek.

 

"Be careful where you throw those pebbles!"

 

Patty stuck her hands in the pockets of her jeans and shook her head. "I was careful where I threw

the pebble you were climbing out and I can't see you when you wear black and I'm so glad to see

you again we have problems this guy blew up in my face kinda a while back it was really sick and

we're not going to talk about Eric yet but he's kinda cute but I'd suggest you stay back away from

him because I was ready to just lay on my back and wrap my legs around his waist and ride him

'till the cows came home and that was the weirdest feeling of all because I don't think I've had sex

yet this time around have you but it was all my choice and I wanted to do it you think he's like a

mind control guy or something and we just interviewed with the cops and stuff wanna see where?"

Oddly enough, her voice was quiet all the way through this spiel.

 

"You're not in costume?"

 

Patty shook her head, blonde hair flying this way then that. "Yeah I am but I just came from the

house so I got my jeans and stuff over top so that I'm incognito and stuff." Without much

hesitation, she opened her blouse, showing the gold-and-green half-shirt that made up the upper

half of the Tachyon costume

 

It took her a moment to adjust to Patty's 'squirt-transmission' style of talking, and then she actually

blushed.

 

"Um, too much information? Do you think you were mind-controlled?â€

 

"Sorry," Patty continued, stripping off the top and pants at high-speed and standing before Tamsin

in costume, "just we always used to tell everything to each other I remember when you talked

about that guy you met that long weekend when you disappeared from the dorm room our first

year of college before you transfered out you went way past that and..." The girl slowed down and

turned her head. "maybe we should start again because I didn't mean to embarass you just that I

thought that..." She took a deep breath. "No I don't know about the mind control I probably was

but now I'm kinda mad but not too much for some reason it felt kinda right while being way wrong

at the same time I think I really need to talk to him and to you because you're like my best friend

that...I had at this age." She gave a small smile.

 

"My Dad had a visit from a Mr. Bye, with a tissue sample from someone caught in an explosion,

I think. I was going to see if I could sneak into the morgue and- Wait a moment, you said someone

blew up in your face? Do you think it might be the same person?"

 

"I don't know who Mr. Bye is but I bet that you're right that the guy whose chest exploded and

almost coated me with blood and gunk and stuff and almost ran me over is the same one they

brought pieces of to your dad I think so anyway you wanna sneak into the morgue count me in we

probably need darn it I'm supposed to be home by nine-thirty so we'll have to move fast do you

want to meet the rest of the crew tonight or wait until morning Tammy?"

 

Tachyon's feet are already starting the little hyper-shuffle, her street clothes neatly folded over her

arm.

 

The girls knew that the morgue was part of the main station for the police department. Everything

was crammed into one little space at the back of the building.

 

"I ought to be back by 9:30 or thereabouts too. OK, let's go. I don't see how we're going to get into

the morgue, but maybe we'll strike lucky."

 

"I don't either but..." Tachyon stopped in mid sentence as...

 

Mr. Clarke's dog barked in the distance. He would be coming around the corner down the street

in a second and see them together.

 

Her feet tappity-tapping a little faster, Tachyon continued, quietly, "We gotta move you don't have

speed if I remember right we gotta get there but its like more than an hours walk away and I have

to be home in an hour or my butt is gonna be fried you don't mind riding on my back it seems to

me like we did that before when we were like adults but..." She gulped. "I can carry you hop aboard."

 

Katido grinned.

 

Tachyon gave her a hesitant grin in return.

 

"I suppose it's the only way to get there and back in time. OK."

 

She nimbly climbed on Tachyon's back.

 

"But you've got to be extra-careful that nobody sees us!"

 

"No promises but I'll try who'd believe two girls running through town at nearly two hundred miles

an hour anyway its too early for the drunks to be out those are the one's I'd be worried about," she

said as she hooked her arms around Katido's knees, hoisting her up a bit so she rode just a bit

higher around the speedster's waist. "Ready here we go..."

 

There was a scent of slightly scorched grass and the girls were gone, Tachyon's civilian clothes

tucked neatly behind a bush by the fence that surrounded her friend's home...

 

The trip from Riverdale to Downtown was over in a matter of seconds. The scenery was a blur for

the cat girl, but Tachyon found the morgue without any problem. It was the only part of the central

police station where ambulances had a place to park. Beside the two white and blue morgue

wagons, a white and blue CSU van and a mobile command center for Eservices also sat.

 

A uniform smoked a cigarette on the loading dock.

 

That was quite a ride; it gave a whole new meaning to 'psychedelic trip'.

 

There was a bit of unsteadiness to the whole ride as though Tachyon remembered how to do this

but her body wasn't quite cooperating...the two screeched to a halt amidst the slight scent of seared

rubber.

 

Katido got off her friend's back.

 

As soon as Katido slid off, Tachyon placed her hands on her hips and popped her back, then bent

at the waist and strethced, placing her palms flat against the ground. "I need to stretch better before

I do things or I'm going to hurt myself and then where would be we are you okay from that run I'd

forgotten how much that takes out of me." Her stomach rumbled quietly.

 

"Do you think we can get past him?"

 

"I think so but you'd be a whole lot better at it than I would because I'd have to stop and open the

door we could wait five minutes and let him finish that cigarette and then ease in but you've always

been good if I remember right at getting past people all sneaky-like I can distract him maybe if you

need you got any real good ideas?"

 

Another man came out. The two talked for a second. They got into the CSU van, and drove off.

 

"You're good," Tachyon nodded at Katido.

 

"That helps. OK, here goes nothing."

 

"Luck." Tachyon seems very understated at this point as she watches her friend

 

Katido adjusted her eyes to the darkness - they became eerily cat-like and reflective - and sneaked

stealthily up to the door, ready to dive for cover if someone came out or she spotted a security

camera watching it.

 

Tachyon held her breath...

 

If Katido got there safely, she was going to try the handle.

 

Katido did spot a camera in one corner of the loading dock. It was in a fixed position covering the

vehicles as far as she could tell.

 

A more important object of concern was a key pad lock to keep the unauthorized out of the

building.

 

Not having any skill with electronics, Katido began looking around for an alternative way in,

perhaps an upstairs window.

 

The cat girl could see windows above the dock, but knew they would be sealed from people trying

to jump out through them. The building itself was ten floors tall. Depending on where a person

jumped it could be a good escape attempt or a messy death.

 

A freight elevator presented itself as the means that were bodies were taken to the police morgue.

It was a platform sticking out of the ground with handles around it. A box with two buttons on it

was wired to the handles on one side.

 

This could be considered a violation of policy since the elevator should have been left down under

the dock.

 

Tachyon kept low and out of sight, watching her friend move silently around the backside of the

station, waiting for the signal for her to move forward.

 

Katido waved Tachyon over, pointing out the camera so she could avoid it.

 

Tachyon started to accelerate-then weaved and bobbed a little, staying away from the camera

pickup--somehow, she knew that she'd had issues with cameras before, but couldn't remember

what it was, quite, that had given her problems.

 

She screeched to a halt beside Katido, almost: her re-generated powers a little slow on this

particular stop: she bounced, sort of, against the wall. "Ow." She held her nose for a moment and

looked embarrassed.

 

"Looks like the freight elevator is the only way in", she said quietly.

 

Tachyon took her hand away from her nose-it wasn't bleeding, and nodded at Katido. "Ow. Sorry-

and let's go in," she whispered back.

 

"You OK?"

 

Tachyon answered quietly, "I'm fine are you fine that hurt but not much it just shocked me more

than anything else did I bruise my nose or something?"

 

Stepping onto the freight elevator, Katido listened for a moment; since she could hear no voices

below, she hit the button to take it down.

 

Tachyon pressed against the far end of the freight elevator, ready to burst into full speed if needed

as soon as the door opened; she picked up her vibration speed a little out of sheer nervousness...she

tried to stop her feet from tapping.

 

"Arewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewether

eyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyetarewethereyet?"

 

The door opened...

 

The girls found an empty corridor. Signs on the wall pointed out which way led to the morgue, the

labs, the detention areas, and the administrative offices. If they were caught, they were looking at

a minor criminal record.

 

 

Not to mention the embarrassment of having their parents show up to bail them out.

 

That could be bad.

 

"Which way your dad's the doctor type I've never been down here yes I have and so have you..."

Tachyon's voice trailed off. "I...dammit...want to remember and can't." There's a bit of frustration

to her voice as her words slow and trail off.

 

Or the embarrassment of getting caught wearing a costume...

 

There was nothing worse than getting caught and having the parents show up. If nothing else,

Tachyon reckoned she could strip down to her skivvies and say it was a practical joke on a dare

for money...

 

"The morgue can't be far", Katido whispered to Tachyon, "They wouldn't want to have to wheel

bodies very far. Let's not get caught, though."

 

"That's a good idea what direction should we go I think its down there to the left and this is just

spooky." Tachyon pressed up a bit against Katido. She didn't like this, not one bit...it was too tight,

there were bodies down here-and if there weren't, there had been...

 

Katido stealthily walked in the direction the signs indicated, eyes and ears alert for anyone up

ahead, or any cameras. Remembering potential bolt-holes as she passed them wasn't a bad idea

either.

 

Tachyon followed, one hand lightly on Katido's hip, more comfortable and drawing strength and

courage from her friend-Tammy had always been the one for quiet daring into the shadows-Patty

like the bright skies and fresh air...together, they did make a good all around team...she eased a

little closer, her eyes wide, her breathing as quiet as she could make it...

 

The girls heard voices ahead. One seemed pleading and whining, while the other was firm. Closing

distance let them know that the attendant on duty was talking to someone named Carl who wanted

information on their victim.

 

Turning to Tachyon, Katido put a finger to her lips and indicated the two up ahead.

 

Heart pounding from nerves, she moved a little closer to size up the situation. She wanted to see

if there was any chance of getting into the morgue, especially if the attendant was distracted, or

whether the position of the attendant would make any attempt impossible.

 

Katido could see the attendent holding off a man in a light blue suit and straw hat. A camera hung

around the man's neck. They were standing in front of the refrigerator door where the bodies were

kept in their protective bags.

 

"They're in the way", Katido whispered quietly to Tachyon, "Do we wait, or try to distract them?"

 

"Lets," Tachyon whispered back, "let them argue for a moment we might learn something

important and at worst I can carry us both out of here really fast as long as nobody sees your face

I'm not worried about mine I'm shaking too fast for someone to get a good look..."

 

"And I'm wearing a mask", Katido whispered, "OK, we wait and listen."

 

"Look, Carl," said the attendant. "The coronor wants us to stop talking to you reporters. You guys

publish stuff that is important to the case. I'm sure you understand. It prevents copycats."

 

"Morty, Morty, Morty," said Carl. "I just want to see for myself what's up. Anything I write will

not be traced back to you. I promise."

 

"I tell you what," said Morty, adjusting his glasses. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. If you publish

any picture implicating me, I'll tell the DA you must have been trepassing. Got it?"

 

"Got it," said Carl.

 

The attendant strode off down the hall to the employee lounge. Carl waited for him to get out of

sight before stepping the refrigerator room.

 

Tachyon's personal vibration picked up a bit as nervousness mounted.

 

"Now's our chance", Katido whispered to Tachyon, "If I can distract him and lure him out, you can

get in to look at the body."

 

She nodded. "Gotitwhattyagonnadonevermindjustdoityougogirl," Tachyon replied, her voice just

as soft but moving fast enough to blend the words into a worse run-on sentence than normal. She

patted Katido on the fanny: "Godowhatyoudodontmakemedothisthing."

 

The speedster focused on moving in as fast as she could once Katido distracted the bottom-feeder

with the camera...

 

Katido could still hear the retreating footsteps of the attendant leaving the hall.

 

Nodding, Katido crept towards the refrigerator room.

 

Katido paused until she couldn't hear the attendant before going forward to the refrigerator door.

 

"Well, hello Carl", she purred from the doorway.

 

To draw him off, she planned to back away in the direction Morty had gone, leaving Tachyon with

a clear run behind him. It was risky, since it put Carl between her and the freight elevator, but she

was confident she could dive past the reporter when the time came.

 

Tachyon held herself ready, not quite wanting to go into the room with the cadaver by herself, but

knowing it had to be done...it felt wrong, just wrong...but she'd do it anyway.

 

The blonde wished she had a camera to take stills of this...for a moment, taking the reporter's

camera came to mind but she dismissed it-that would be stealing...

 

...and she waited as patiently as she could...

 

...and Tachyon continued to wait and vibrate in place...

 

The reporter had the body of Tutterow pulled out of the drawer, camera in hand to take a picture.

He turned at the sound of a voice when he thought he was alone, hand pressing down on the

camera button.

 

"Aren't you a little young to be running around in a mask?," he asked. "Wait a minute. What are

you doing down here anyway?"

 

Tachyon picked up the vibration and chanted a silent mantra to herself and Katido:

"Gititdonegetitdonegetitdone..."

 

She moved at the sight of his camera, to make it harder for him to get a clear shot. She might be

masked, but no sense in taking extra risks.

 

"Following you, at the moment. You've been very naughty, haven't you?"

 

It was a shot in the dark, but she guessed a reporter might have a few guilty secrets.

 

Katido backed away from the door, hoping to draw Carl out.

 

"Not really," said the reporter. "Mr. Tutterow and I were just having a quiet conversation before

you arrived. Why are you here at the morgue if I may enquire?"

 

Tachyon's frustration level mounted a bit as she waited against her will, knowing full well,

remembering full well, that she had been able to run *through* walls rather than *into* them...

 

And was unwilling to try. She kept her mouth shut and waited...

 

The reporter raised his camera again to take a shot as he stepped away from the body. He paused

at the door, unsure which was the better story. Dead body, or live cat girl.

 

Katido danced further away, again to make taking a picture harder.

 

"Can't catch me that easily, Carl. Is that silly straw hat your own?"

 

"I'll have you know it's the height of fashion," the reporter said, standing just inside the door. He

paused to listen for footsteps. "I have a job to do, young lady, if you don't mind. Run along now.

I'm sure it's after your bedtime."

 

9:00 pm

Eric Drake, wearing his old costume, knew that he was an essential cog in Pusher's plan to break

into the system and narrow down the target list. He could see it in the other boy's eyes that he

expected help doing that.

 

You know if you keep looking at me that way I'm seriousily gonna have to rethink what I need to

do." He joked "so what area of information do you want to try for first mon-capitan?"

 

"The city keeps their employment records at city hall," said Pusher. "All we have to do is get in

and you can work your magic on the computers for every city school employee on the job. That

will give us a list of however many principals are on the job. Tomorrow I can get us a computer

for home use maybe."

 

"Not a problem." Eric smiled a bit and stood up "So we go to city hall. A few guards about now.

Shouldn't be to hard I think." he patted his belt a bit as walked towards the exit. "So let’s go. If we

get in quickly all I'll need are a few modem numbers to hack into the city’s databases from any

remote computer system with a net based connection." He walked out, having the costume really

did bring back all the old courage and thrill it seemed. More like old times than he knew but even

still. He was about to go back to the way he use to be strangely enough doing heroic activities this

time around.

 

Still he hoped he hadn't scared Tachyon to much when he had lost control, at least this time around

he could at least keep his wits about him. Wouldn't do to have a pregnant speedster running around

the city.

 

“We’ll have to take the bus," said Pusher, leading the way to a small door in the back of the new

headquarters. "Then I can get us in the building with no problem"

 

Titan left to go home, figuring to sneak back out if necessary. Luckily when he got home his father

was still at work, he just ate a quiet dinner with his mother and went to his room to study. He was

so used to living in a dorm, living at home was a shock. Titan set up his patent-pending sleeping

in bed disguise(a football helmet, his pads and some pillows) and left through the window. He then

headed for 'base'.

 

By the time Titan got across town, he saw Pusher and a costumed boy waiting at a bus stop. They

seemed to be waiting for transportation to somewhere. The size changing hero knew that Pusher

could fly through things. The other kid must be ground bound.

 

“Buses might prove a problem. This costume doesn't exactly blend into society very well." Eric

checked one of the belt pockets pulling out a grappler gun. "We’re going to need a vehicle that we

can ride around in to boot."

 

"Unfortunately I don't have a license yet," said Pusher. "Maybe you could ask your dad for some

kind of special disposition. After all the Teen Titans don't have to ask to fly the T-jet through a

busy air space. I'll think of something. I only had enough money for that TV."

 

"City Scrap yards have cars, they also have impound lots with cars for sale. Perhaps we should try

there." Eric was silently annoyed at being asked even in a joking fashion to go to his father.

 

"Call me Crush, nice to meet you. Either you’re Hardball, or I presume you’re Titan." Eric spoke

holding out a hand.

 

"A pleasure. We’re on our way to City Hall," he added in a bit more of a hushed tone.

 

"Crush?," said Pusher, scratching the back of his head. "Crush. Why Crush? Why not use your old

name? Where's everybody else, Titan?"

 

"Mostly because I made it up on the spur of the moment. This is an old costume might as

well..aww heck lets just keep it easy. Just call me Emp." He looked at Titan wondering if he knew

and had been just playing along with the two of them.

 

"Damn, you had be fooled with that new costume." Titan said. "Scrap yard could work, if we can

fix one up. And I don't have my license yet."

 

"Oh, and I have no idea where Motormouth went. She bolted quickly when the cops put the kibosh

on givin' us information. I assume Lady Flame went home to check in...we have 'curfew',

remember?"

 

"Speak for yourself," said Pusher. "I'll see about getting us a team car. How hard could that be?"

 

"Depends on the route you take.." Eric noticed the bus coming he used the cape to conceal the rest

of the costume in darkness and stepped back to conceal himself from the driver. "Guess this is a

good a time as any to test my gear." he whispered as the bus stopped.

 

 

Looking over at Pusher, Titan says "Well, that works." Titan shrinks down and leaps for the bus

to climb to the top. "You coming?'

 

"Sure," said Jared Lee, wearing normal clothes without his mask. He paid the driver and moved

to the back of the bus. He looked out the window as the bus started forward.

 

Emp waited for them to board before using his using his Grapple gun and his skill at acrobatics

to land on top of the bus quickly using the grapple to hold onto the roof before sliding off the

currently slow moving bus.

 

The driver and passengers looked up at the noise from the roof but didn't think enough of it to stop

and investigate.

 

Eric watched the vehicles moving by the bus, some passer by's certainly gestured towards the

group on top as they moved by. "Head’s up. Here comes our stop."

 

Releasing the clamp on his Grapple gun he fired silently towards city hall as the bus moved past

towards it's stop a block away. Luckily while there where few guards outside of city hall he could

get away with this stunt. Getting in was going to be the big miracle with the group with him.

 

Sailing over the side walk most of the way and moving swiftly up in a climb he was on the roof

and waiting for the others now.

 

At least this wasn't a batman comic, they'd have a big light up here with some sort of police

comiss... He blinked wondering where -THAT- Memory had come from it'd been years since...oh

yeah, he was a Teen again he likely was remembering something he read as a 'teen' all over again.

"Hope they can get up here without any problems."

 

Jared got off the bus at the closest stop. He switched clothes as he walked toward City Hall. He

waited for Titan before sticking his hand in the wall and carrying the both of them to the roof.

 

The roof had massive air vents for air conditioners, and an emergency door designed to lock to

keep people out but sound an alarm when opened.

 

Titan just grabbed hold of him and took a free ride.

 

Titan responds "Yeah, I hope HE can get up here. There are advantages to being small. You want

to wait for him, or see if we can get in first?'

 

"It shouldn't be a problem," said Jared.

 

"Getting in shouldn't be much of a problem with Jared here at all. I figure he can shake the lock

undone on the door up here. However once we’re in, we'll need to move quickly and not get

noticed. All I'll need is a modem number but three would work better so find a computer and write

the numbers down quickly. Then get the heck out of here." He held out two pens he'd brought with

him. "Shall we?"

 

Titan stared at the pen that was about his size. "Umm...I' don't think that's gonna work. I'll just

memorize some." Then turning to Pusher, "Can you disable the alarm? Or do you need me to go

in through the AC vent?"

 

"It shouldn't be much of a problem unless they have one of those special locks on the door," said

Pusher, face mask a black blur in the dark. "Hold on."

 

He stepped through the door. A moment later, he pushed the heavy metal open. Titan and Emp

could see where he pulled the connections at the top of the door apart with his powers.

 

"All we have to do is worry about security," he said.

 

"Alright, that works. Let me go first. I can check for live security and it's unlikely anyone would

notice me." Titan responded as he head through the door.

 

"Lead the way," said Pusher. "I don't know if we can use any computer in the building but I

noticed the payroll division was on the fifth."

 

"That'll be perfect." Eric mentioned as he walked in with the group.

 

"Costume from your former life?," Pusher said. "Won't your trainer recognize it?"

 

Titan noticed the halls were clear. The city must rely on its human guards to protect things for the

most part. It would be easy for a meta human to play havoc with the system by doing what they

were doing.

 

 

"Very likely." he added as he moved silently down the halls following Titan.

 

"Well looks like we have the run of the place," he added quietly to the group.

 

Seeing it was clear Titan waved them on "This way is clear. Lets get to the stairs. Remember to

be quiet, stairs echo." With that Titan led them to the stairwell, looking for an alarm on them.

(Never could be too paranoid).

 

The stairs were clear as far as the tiny hero could tell.

 

"If you want to change your colors, that should be easy to do," said Pusher. "That's why I asked

about the costume."

 

"Gear & Equipment, besides. Maybe since we came back I can change a few things too." It was

too quite luckily this was city hall nobody really expected someone to break in but still the lack

of security guards was somewhat annoying. He kept his eyes open for security cameras as well.

No need getting this group in trouble if he was already known. Time Jumping was just plain

annoying when he didn't know what hand you dealt.

 

"Colors are a lot easier for me to deal with right now," said Pusher. His black costume took on a

green and gray look for a few seconds before reverting back. "Machinery I can tinker with, but

prefer to examine before trying to change it."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"OK, I'll just summon the attendant to tuck me in."

 

Hopefully, this would lure the reporter out as he tried to stop Katido, giving Tachyon the chance she needed.

 

The Speedster held herself still and quiet, just waiting, hoping that Katido knew what she was doing, ready to go in...

 

"Now hold on, young lady," Carl said, holding up a hand, as he stepped in the hall. "We don't want to get Bert in trouble for leaving the vault unguarded, do we? Let's be reasonable. What do you want?"

 

He stood about three feet away from the door, following Katido's retreating form.

 

"To talk with you", she said, continuing to retreat to draw him away from the door, "I mean, what's a reporter like you doing in a morgue?"

 

"I'm looking into this mystery for the INS," said Carl. "Why is a kid vigilante hanging out in the morgue without her mentor?"

 

Silently, as silently as she could, vibration masking her features, Tachyon began easing forward and past the reporter...

 

The speedster was able to slip by as the reporter adjusted his camera to take another picture of Katido.

 

Mr. Tutterow stared up at the ceiling from out of the open body bag.

 

"Mentor? You *have* been living in the past."

 

A pretty ironic comment, really!

 

"I'm also looking into this mystery. Like, why are the INS so interested?"

 

"It's five hundred words of news print that can be printed in papers across the country," said Carl, taking aim with the camera again. "Smile please."

 

The teenaged part, most of Tachyon, felt her stomach churn and she really had to vomit-but she held it back...then the rest of herself, that adult portion of her, eased forward and, with trembling fingers, she began an examination, those memories within her of the cadavers at medical school rising to the surface, allowing her to deal with the scent of recent, violent death...

 

She picked up the pace, her body accelerating as she did the full examination of the form, herself taking the mental notes and analysis and she finished as quickly as she could, her mental notes organizing and her stomach continuing to rise...

 

Obviously cause of death was a fatal discharge of some unknown weapon inside the deceased. Evidence suggested the path of travel was through the sternum from the inside. Scorching along the esophagus indicated that some of the blowback had traveled up to the mouth and sinuses, but that was a secondary wound.

 

There was a darker area in the ruptured tube that reminded Tachyon of a candle flame being held to wood for too long. It looked like a band of burned flesh that was different from the rest of the wound.

 

Toxin tests, and trace evidence, would take days to analyze due to the processes involved.

 

Otherwise Mr. Tutterow could have been any normal man of his age, weight, and general habits.

 

Tachyon picked up the pace even more, zipping across the room for the correct tools: a scalpel, several swabs, sterile containers. Quickly, her hands blurring, she took quick samples of all the materials, knowing full well she didn't have a proper lab but there was a lab at the high school, she'd have to break in after hours or talk her parents into the purchase of what she needed...

 

...her hands blurred faster as her subconscious told her what to do-she wasn't sure why to sample this or ignore that...

 

Katido laced her fingers across her eyes, forming a second mask, and peeked through them, grinning -- just enough to distract him from Tachyon's approach.

 

...Then it was done and she tucked the samples into a Wal-Mart sack handy on the counter and she burnt back out the door- -placing a slight, balance-knocking foot to the back of the reporter's knee.

 

The reporter went down on one knee, putting his one hand up to catch himself with the wall, the other protecting his camera. He started to turn at the person pushing him.

 

Tachyon doglegged around the reporter, thrusting the bag into Katido's arms and *attempted* to sweep the other girl off her feet, vibration up and running at a point where her features are completely distorted-what the reporter should get is a pretty much definite feeling of a feminine form dressed in a green-and-gold blur...

 

Katido doesn't know if this move catches the reporter by surprise; it definitely catches _her_ by surprise, though, and there's a distinctly unheroic "Yelp!" as she's grabbed and carried off.

 

Tachyon, her eyes on the elevator, said, "Sorry he was taking photos didn't think you wanted it and this way we're both out of here at the same time..."

 

"Hey!," called Carl from way behind them. Several flashes marked an attempt to take pictures of the fleeing super girls.

 

The platform stood empty in the floor.

 

Tachyon hit her brakes and sat Katido back down on the platform, still babbling. "I got samples but I need a lab to check it out we gotta go."

 

Katido hit the 'up' button as she was carried on board.

 

"Better watch he doesn't get a photo of us before this thing gets moving."

 

The girls could hear running steps as the elevator platform started to lift out of the floor. The metal square was moving ever so slowly as a light blue suit appeared at the other end of the hall.

 

The metal plates blocking the street were already sliding back as the thing carried them upwards.

 

"Hey!," the reporter called. The girls could see the camera come up to take their pictures.

 

Tachyon backed away from the edge and crouched down, shifting her Point-Of-View so that the reporter would be unable to see her. Forcing herself to slow down, she tried to catch her breath and hugged the bag close. "I...got...samples," she said softly, keeping herself calm and slow.

 

"Do you think you can make anything of them?," Katido said.

 

She too crouched low, making herself a difficult photographic target.

 

Tachyon nodded, not trusting her tongue to keep itself restrained to but a few words-then, as the elevator continued its trip up, "Yes....if...I..." It looked like the girl is struggling hard. "...get...to...the...school...or...hospital...lab."

 

She took a deep, deep breath, trying to keep the words from just pouring from her.

 

A flash of light showed the reporter hadn't given up, but the platform was only two feet from the top position on the street. An easy hop for the two athletes.

 

"Let's go!" said Katido, jumping up to the street. As she landed, she looked round, to see if anyone was watching or waiting for them.

 

Tachyon followed her, hopping up quickly, her bag of treasures clenched tight to her chest. "And I have to get this in a refrigerator or it'll spoil and this whole trip will e for nothing we'll have wasted an entire night did he get any pictures of you I think he missed me as long as he didn't get any pictures I think we're good that was horrible I was so scared but it was really weird we need to go Tammy want another ride?"

 

The street was silent, and empty. People tended to stay away from police headquarters, especially at night. Lights from the City Hall and the rest of Chance City's skyline were jack o'lantern teeth in the night. The City Clock said 8:50 with its stylized hands.

 

Katido felt elated.

 

"We did it! And I don't think he got any pictures of me -- not any clear ones, at least. OK, if we've got to dash, let's get those samples to a fridge."

 

"Hop...up...and...we'll...go." Tachyon turned around so that Katido could climb up on her back, then handed her the bag. "Hold onto these otherwise I'll lose 'em you want to hold them at your house or you want me to keep 'em at my house either way we'll have to make sure our parents don't find them we only have the refrigerator in the kitchen but I think I could hide it under the vegetable crisper that might work we don't have really anywhere else unless I put it in a box marked school project you think that might work?"

 

She dug her heels in and carried her friend off into the night towards their homes.

 

The run across town was uneventful, and it seemed like Katido's father had not visited her room to check on her.

 

"What now?" asked Katido as she climbed down from her friend's back, "I'd better get back before my dad notices I'm gone. Probably better if you take the samples; my dad might recognize them if he found them in the fridge, 'school project' or not."

 

Tachyon shook her head. "I dunno what now you're right Ill take them home and hide them with a label of school project but then we have to get into the school or a lab can you talk your dad into letting us do some experiments up at the lab I mean he's a good doctor and maybe he'll believe you if you said that we had something from school or something otherwise we have to break in somewhere and I don't think I can get into the hospital labs now i could a few days ago but that was twenty years I hate this."

 

Her face fell even as, at an incredible speed, she got her street clothes back on over her costume. "I hate this. This sucks. I'll see you tomorrow Tammy you wanna walk to school together since I can't drive any more?"

 

Eric looked at Pusher a moment when the colors changed and seemed to sigh with some relief when they changed back. "Let's not do that again, shall we? If I want the costume altered, I'll let you know, however right now it's fine by me." He moved further down the stairs now, moving out into the hall way for the accounting department, not to mention most of the other computer using groups.

 

The payroll office was empty and dark as the trio approached the door. A test on the door said it was locked. It was a simple matter to unlock it and let themselves in.

 

Six desks with computers waited. Personal items tried to lend the space a feeling of home and comfort.

 

Titan looked at Emp and said, "Get all the numbers. I'll make sure no one's coming this way." With that, he wandered out the door to make sure no one interrupted Emp and Pusher.

 

Man this feels weird. Not used to having to sneak around to get information, Titan thought to himself.

 

Eric wrote several sets of numbers down in his small note pad. His experiences with this type of equipment at least made him useful here to this group. Once he was done taking the six codes he found he pocketed the notepad and gestured to Pusher for them to get going.

 

He walked towards the door hoping the silence they had wasn't about to be interrupted.

 

"Can you get in the payroll software with that?," said Pusher. "We don't have a computer system yet."

 

"I can get into most of the computers here now with these numbers. If need be, I can get into the payroll systems. As for our lack of computer, Once we get back to base we can head into the closed libraries with computer access. You'd be surprised how few people try to keep anything beyond basic door alarms on those places." Eric spoke quickly indicating he really didn't want to be here longer than needed.

 

"Right," said Pusher. "Let's go."

 

He waved at Titan when he stepped into the hall. A humming sound reached the burglar heroes as he walked out of the office. It sounded like the elevator was running.

 

"Quick, stairs now!" Emp hissed as he ran toward the stairwell. This was certainly one of those times

super-speed would have been nice. Shame he didn't have anything useful like that in his genetic structure.

 

Pusher slid along the floor, passing through the door.

 

Emp and Titan could see the elevator numbers working as someone rode up to the upper floors. Obviously the guard was making his rounds to check on things.

 

Titan ran to the stairs, but instead of going up, he waited beside the door (where it would swing toward him if opened) in case the guard followed so he could knock him out easily.

 

The elevator went to the top floor where it stopped. The three Guardians were in the stairwell with the guard making his rounds where they needed to go to get out of the building.

 

Eric looked up the stairwell and took out his grapple gun. "Well, it was easy," he whispered then looked at Pusher. "Say...could you change the colors of the walls to Pink?" he smirked as he looked back at the guard waiting for the right moment to increase the Doubt in the guard's mind. If Pusher could make the walls Pink and he increased the doubt it was likely the guard would let them all by thinking he was hallucinating...hopefully.

 

"I don't see why not," said Pusher. "But let's let him do his job. He hasn't seen us yet."

 

The guard checked the offices on the tenth floor then got in the elevator to go to the ninth and check the offices there. He didn't check the stairwell where the heroes waited, or the disabled roof access door.

 

The way was clear for the three to move on.

 

Eric sighed with relief and proceeded up the stairs. "Let's get the heck out of here before we come across a guard that does check stairwells."

 

"Right behind you," said Pusher. "I'll have to fix the alarm on the way out."

 

Anthony blocked with the brass vase. The heavy spittoon flew across the room with its side crumpled in.

 

Anthony realized instantly he was dealing with a much faster martial artist capable of ripping a man apart without breaking a sweat. The big galoot was actually smiling.

 

Anthony realized he'd underestimated this man by quite a ways. What he'd thought would be a short workout was looking like a final stand. He dove past Casket looking for something else to use as a weapon, something that he couldn't be so easily disarmed of. He found a bar chair that someone had left, possibly for Casket to use on him, and grabbed it. He knew his opponent would easily splinter it with his next blow, but the remaining pieces would do as makeshift clubs.

 

Casket leaped across the small space and kicked the chair apart with ease. He kicked again on the way down, and Anthony flew into the crowd, ribs hurting from the blow. He waited for the helpful patrons to push the undercover hero back into the makeshift arena.

 

Anthony held fast to the clubs in each of his hands and moved toward Casket. The big man was far better than one of the patrons of this bar should be and Anthony would need all his training just to walk away from this.

 

However he also held fast to the fact that he'd been in a similar situation at a similar age, when he'd first been put into prison and had to take down the resident psycho. That fight had also been tough but he'd walked away from that one.

 

He saw that Casket was still failing to protect his head as much as the rest of him. This was worrying given that the head was usually a vulnerable area, could Casket really be so boneheaded that he felt no need to protect it? Anthony decided to check his theory out.

 

One of Casket's hands grabbed Anthony's swinging hand, trapping it. Sudden pain ran up that arm as the bigger man applied pressure, applying a lock on that arm.

 

The bystanders were shouting things like Kill him, Bust his skull in, and Rip his arm off.

 

"You owe me for a broken glass, chair, new spittoon, disruption of business, and aggravation," Casket said. "That's about a hundred dollars so far. Do you want to keep pushing, or do I really have to hurt you?"

 

Anthony slumped, resigned "O.K. mate, I give, you win. I'll have to owe you the hundred bucks though, I ain't got that kinda cash."

 

"Let's call your dad," said Casket. "I'm sure he will be glad to bail you out."

 

"Not bloody likely," said Anthony "For one thing it'd cost you more'n a hundred bucks to call him, for another he'd be more likely to join in the chorus your patrons have going. You think I'd bugger off here if I had a dad who'd shell out that kind of dough? Look, mate, there must be some way I can pay you back for your trouble. Businessman like you gotta have things that need doing, things that'll be worth a hundred bucks. Hell I could probably work here if you wanted me to, I'm sure I know a damn sight more about beer than that guy" he gestures with his head toward the bar. "Or I could maybe do somethin' else."

 

"It's illegal for you to be in my place," said Casket, releasing the lock as he considered the options. He looked at his patrons, some of whom seemed less than enthused about this change of events. "All right, I have a job for you. Meet me at Kelly's Grill tomorrow at 3. Don't be late."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

890-952

Anthony walked from the bar and set off toward home. He needed to put some ice on his bruised ribs.

 

As he made sure to check he wasn't followed he thought about the night. Somehow he'd managed work the whole situation to his advantage. He'd wiggled out of what could have been a fatal error (he mentally put 'Casket' down as the owner of Wiley's (how he'd not known that before he wasn't sure) and had even got a job that could lead to him working his way into Casket's confidences. The fact that the man, who he'd always heard was a sadistic psycho, had let him go with only some bruised ribs told him that either the man's PR machine was very good or he'd somehow developed a soft spot for the Aussie.

 

Anthony decided that he liked Casket, or at least respected him, even if he was a criminal. He wished

there had been more honorable business men like him in prison. Most of the people he'd known would have taken $100 out of a kids hide, *then* told the bleeding pile of broken flesh on the floor he owed them money before having him deposited into a dumpster. The fact that Casket wasn't like that and still kept the respect of his patrons showed that it was respect and not fear that he engendered.

 

Were he forced back into his original timeline, Hardball decided he'd give Casket the same mercy he'd been shown, should they ever cross paths.

 

The carnival was silent and black by the time Anthony got back. All he had to do was sneak into his parents' trailer, and get ready for tomorrow. Hopefully the others had some type of information for him by then.

 

Tachyon shook her head. "I dunno what now you're right I'll take them home and hide them with a label of school project but then we have to get into the school or a lab can you talk your dad into letting us do some experiments up at the lab I mean he's a good doctor and maybe he'll believe you if you said that we had something from school or something otherwise we have to break in somewhere and I don't think I can get into the hospital labs now I could a few days ago but that was twenty years I hate this."

 

"Dad's got some stuff in the house; we could look at it after school tomorrow, while he's out."

 

"That'd work you think he'd mind or would we have to clean it up and leave it exactly as it was or could we plead a school project?"

 

"We'd have to leave it as we found it; he gets a bit annoyed if he thinks other people have been using his stuff. Still, he's not *that* observant, especially when he's busy," said Tammy.

 

Her face fell even as, at an incredible speed, she got her street clothes back on over her costume. "I hate this this sucks I'll see you tomorrow Tammy you wanna walk to school together since I can't drive any more?"

 

"OK."

 

Katido smiled.

 

"Must admit, I rather like being a teenager again. A chance to undo some bad decisions, explore some new things. And to prevent some bad things from happening."

 

Patty returned the smile with a bittersweet twist. "I don't mind it I guess but I was happy because all those mistakes I made added up to me and while I can correct some of them maybe and do things a little different its going to add up to an adult me that never was or would have been I mean I liked no loved being a doctor but are those same opportunities gonna pop up again it doesn't matter because we're all here now and there's no changing it."

 

She sighed and adjusted the hoodie on her light, sleeveless sweatshirt. Jamming her hands in her jeans pockets, she gave one last little smile. "I gotta get home or the parents are gonna weird they're cool but I..." the blonde gave another sigh. "...I don't need to be grounded this time around."

 

With a little wave, she turned and started off, walking for home.

 

"OK. See you tomorrow."

 

With that, Katido climbed back up the tree that led to her bedroom.

 

"Yeah, I agree. Let's just get to school early. I need to crash" Titan replied.

 

"Sounds like a plan," Eric said, using the grappler he fired off to swing away, offering a ride to the group shrinker if he wanted one. Mostly this was the clear his head a bit on his way back the sewer base. He needed a few plans to be made.

 

7:00 am Wednesday/09/03/20--The Teen Guardians, with the exception of Pusher, arrived at school before the first bell. Other students also waited for the first bells at 7:30, eating breakfast in the cafeteria, smoking off the school grounds but within sight of the building, trying to do their homework at the last minute. The buses would start arriving in ten-fifteen minutes and the day would really start.

 

Patty had stopped at Tammy's house and picked up the other girl; she had nattered unstoppably the entire way to school-a fine morning, a bit of cloudy hint on the horizon but it would be a warm day...

 

As they stepped onto the school lot, Patty continued, "...and of course I brought it with me I packed it in with those picnic cold thingies I kept in the freezer overnight of course I didn't put the samples there those went in the fridge but its in the blue insulated bag in my backpack I brought my lunch in the gray one I can't stand school lunch I'd forgotten how much I hate them not that I'm not going to eat with my metabolism I have to keep eating and eating sometimes its almost sick but I burn the energy so I guess it balances out I tried going with only three meals a day once and ended up looking like Nicole Richie and no offense to her but I like having a bit more than a hollow where my stomach should be and meat on my bones know what I mean?"

 

Eric had walked to school. Knowing his father's work times tended to help with his showering and being sure he was ready for the day. His black hair was combed back and a pair of mirror shades hid his eyes as he glanced around. He knew what his part was just as well as Hardball knew his.

 

School outsider, just the way he liked it.

 

Patty caught his appearance out of the corner of her eye-and thought hard about it...

 

"Yes", Tammy replied, glancing down at her own skinny frame only slightly hidden by her T-shirt and bike shorts, "But you'd better not let any of the dieters hear you say that!"

 

Patty grinned--at their age, it was hard to keep the weight on--a situation that would change quickly in five to ten years.

 

"We need to find time to analyze the samples", continued Tammy more seriously, "If my dad goes out tonight, or has to work late, I'll give you a call and we can use his lab."

 

"So, what've you brought for lunch?"

 

Tammy herself ate in the cafeteria.

 

"Well, I brought four sandwiches and a half-dozen candy bars for quick energy and some of those red bull drink thingies they taste okay but they sure fill the gap on my energy levels I've got some hostess cupcakes and you want one?" She smiled at her friend, rummaging around in her tote bag...and then slowed her pace.

 

"That's Eric," she said pointing, her voice and thoughts slowing down a little. "He's...the one I told you about last night feel like crossing the social lines and saying 'hi' to him because even though it was him that I think was taking over and charming me in I actually think I like him some but he's one of us too and I think he deserves the chance does he remind you of someone we knew when we were older?"

 

While talking, she absently smoothed her low-riding hip-hugger jeans.

 

Eric noted Patty's presence, although she appeared to be with a friend. Still her friend seemed familiar which likely either meant someone from the gang shooting incident or another heroine had joined the group.

 

Still after what happened at the base he wasn't about to go near her as he considered her attractiveness. Last thing he needed was to lose control here at the school of all places. He sighed heavily adjusted his backpack and walked ahead into the building hoping to get the chance to "Volunteer" for office duty. Least then he would be in the school office for the morning announcements

 

"Dammit," Patty said, then blushed for no real reason--except that she hadn't started really swearing until she was older the first time around...

 

"Tammy, I gotta talk to him..." She picked up the pace and moved directly at him. "Eric..."

 

Eric stopped when he heard his named called and inhaled a bit to help steady his nerves as she approached. However as much as he would have preferred to be act the part of mean, it just wasn't in him to do that after yesterday. "Hey Patty." He smiled a bit and adjusted his shades "How are you doing?"

 

Her eyes went to the ground and she cursed herself-in non-profane terms-for her sudden shyness, then looked up. "Uh...hi...I'm fine...how are you today..." She swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared there, then tugged on Tammy's arm. "Uh. This is my friend Tammy we talked about you do you promise to behave have a red bull?" She offered him a can of the energy drink--he hadn't seen her hands move.

 

"Hi", said Tammy, smiling, "You're Eric, aren't you?"

 

Eric looked at the two of them. "Not bad, I guess."

 

He was about to ask what she might have found out from the crime scene before she drilled out about her and Tammy. Obviously a super hero as well. Noting the people around them he couldn't just be 'himself' or as open as Patty. Although judging from her sudden shyness he could guess she was having enough problems without making them worse.

 

"He nodded to Tammy. Yes I'm Eric. Nice to meet you." He looked back to Patty and forced and exaggerated sigh.

 

"No worries if it happens again it seems I'll have three guys knocking the stuffing out of me."

 

Patty blushed--she knew he wasn't talking about her, was he?

 

The way he made it sound was as if he had been hitting on her or even heavily flirting and now he was being 'asked' not to do so again. Course no one would likely tell the other students around them differently.

 

"Guess it's true what they say about the cute girls though. There already taken."

 

Eric added that as he noticed a few people, likely the school gossip group, looking in their direction.

 

Another blush-my god was she really blushing? She glanced over at Tammy and said, "I'm not taken I don't know about Tammy but you really think I'm cute oh my god I don't believe I'm talking like this I sound like fourteen or fifteen but I guess we are oh god this is unreal..."

 

Tammy giggled at Patty's reaction.

 

"Hey, I'm not taken either", Tammy said, then blushed. Presumably Eric was in the same boat as themselves, trying to get used to being a teenager again. It was fun, but embarrassing too.

 

"So care to join me at the office? I was planning on signing up for office duty," said Eric.

 

Patty looked at Tammy and opened her mouth and...oddly enough, for once, nothing came out.

 

"Sure", Tammy said, digging an elbow into Patty to remind her to breathe.

 

Patty turned a little redder and shifted her book bag off her shoulder and across her chest, instinctively protective and trying to hide her embarrassment. She looked at Tammy, then looked at Eric and tried to hide her smile by pursing her lips.

 

Eric smiled at her as she seemed to go through her own little problem. "Well shall we go? We can talk more privately on the way there." He opened the school door for the pair and gestured inward with a bow. "After you."

 

"Thanks", she said. A bit more privacy meant they could talk about what they'd found.

 

"Thank you Eric that's nice of you," bubbled out of the blonde as she entered the office quickly, her eyes everywhere but at the young man that held the door. She found a seat and sat the bag she held on her lap, folding her arms across it.

 

The three being the only ones in the office at the moment, Patty looked around and said, "What happened to you last night you stayed at the base and then you said this morning that three were going to beat you up it wasn't because of me you didn't mean to do that what did you do anyway and who were you before this happened to us I don't mind I guess I do mind but I really didn't kinda just please don't do that again and we found a bunch of stuff that really needs to be looked at."

 

Eric raised a brow as he processed what she said. "Okay... Well first I am sorry about last night, at this age one of my big powers wasn't quite always in control. In fact it tended to turn on whenever...I was turned on.." he let out a sheepish cough and massaged the back of his neck.

 

Patty had the good graces to look down at her own lap and blush... <<...so he likes me...>> flickered through her roaring waves of blush-she almost missed what he said next:

 

"Luckily I'm pretty ok when it comes to just conversation."

 

Patty gave him a blushing smile.

 

He took a moment trying to figure out the best way to tell her about who he was before the change. "As for who I was... I doubt you'd really want to know me, I went by two different aliases One before I retired it was Incubus a super villian for hire that created death traps for heroes. the other was Dream Boat, I kinda used my powers to create a the Technological empire that is Nu-tech."

 

Patty glanced at Tammy at this revelation, her teeth almost gnawing at her lower lip--the look that she shared was 'Can we trust him?'

 

Eric knew that look. Doubt. Good, she was a good girl and deserved to know what she was getting into at least. Least if it happened again that knowledge might somehow help her resist his charms.

 

"Which apparently my ex-wife is in charge of now in this incarnation. So..you and your friends have plenty of reason not to trust me, in fact you two are the first ones I told the truth to in the group. They know I was a villain and I am now trying to reform. I just hope....never mind. So what was it you needed to show me?"

 

Patty stared at Tammy, her eyes wide and questioning...

 

She briefly glanced at Eric and asked very quietly, "...Are you really promising that your trying to change and to be good for real and not just pretend I guess you kinda are because I'd have done anything for you last night and you didn't push and that's why I guess I trust you Tammy shall we tell him what we found I don't know what do you think?"

 

She briefly glanced at Eric and asked very quietly, "...Are you really promising that your trying to change and to be good for real and not just pretend I guess you kinda are because I'd have done anything for you last night and you didn't push and that's why I guess I trust you Tammy shall we tell him what we found I don't know what do you think?"

 

"Yes, I really am. Looking back over my life villainy wasn't exactly what I wanted in life, I just took it because it seemed to be the easiest path to the revenge I wanted against 'him' turns out I spent a life time regretting those choices." He sighed again.

 

Eric leaned back, "Maybe this time around I might even get 'him' to be nice to me." He knew they likely didn't know who he was talking about that suited him just fine for now. He might not be able to save his father this time around, but maybe he might be able to redeem himself or even learn more abut his mother. Granted it was about as likely as it snowing in July considering the group he was with.

 

He smiled now and looked at them "Besides, I've already tried the path of villainy if I have a second chance I really should try the path of the hero. If for anything. For Patty after last night. Right?" He meant it half jokingly to help lighten the mood, but as anyone would say. Half joking also meant being half serious.

 

The Bell had already gone when Anthony arrived. All the heroes were already in classes. The hall monitor gave him a look which told Anthony that lateness was expected of him and that he had already convinced the narcs that it was not in their best interest to question it or sight him for it.

 

Of course there were some people who he couldn't convince.

 

"Morning Warner" said a voice that Anthony could tell came from an 'Authority Figure'.

 

"Morning sir." he said turning to see the Principal.

 

"Hard night?" said the Principal.

 

You have no idea, thought Anthony.

 

"Yes," he said "Got kicked by a horse."

 

"I assume you have a note."

 

"Sure do, sir," Anthony said pulling out the note his parents had written in halting English. He had produced the horse story after someone at the carnival had seen his bruises from the fight last night.

 

"Well O.k. then, get to class, and do be more careful in future."

 

"You don't need to tell me twice," said Anthony.

 

"No, I believe we're up to thirteen times this year," said the Principal. "Hopefully that will be enough."

 

Anthony stalked off toward his next class. As he did he looked to see if anyone more suspicious than him (especially girls) was hanging round the halls. He only wished he'd ever seen Heartbreaker's face it would be so much easier to identify her younger self that way.

 

It was unsettling, knowing that at least one of their number had been a villain. On the other hand, they were definitely in this together; there had to be some trust. And he could have simply kept quiet.

 

"Thanks for telling us. I went by the name Katido," said Tammy.

 

Tammy smiled; part of her was curious whether she could trigger Eric's power, whatever it was.

 

"I'm looking for second chances too, in a way. One of the kids at school is someone I knew, but he seems to have come back with his memory damaged, maybe because he was insane to begin with. He was particularly nasty; maybe this time round I can stop him going down that path."

 

Patty was lightening up a little and, her eyes on Eric's, placed her hand momentarily, reassuringly, upon his knee. "Right I guess thank you Eric I went by Tachyon still do and probably will forever what do you want us to call you when we're not in this that way we don't goof up and call you Eric and I'll help you, Tammy, I promise we're in this together like we were more or less last time around and I haven't seen anyone I know from before I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing but at least I think I can relax a little bit more than you and thank you again Eric." she smiled at him and bit her lip-too cute.

 

Principal Franklin Richards strode into his busy control center, smiling at the secretaries, and the three students waiting at the desk. He had some calls to make and some things to do before home room and morning announcements.

 

"Mr. Richards," said Mrs. Skinner. "These students would like to work in the office today."

 

"It's a little early in the year for pages," Richards said. "You kids go ahead to your first class. You should just be able to make it if you hurry."

 

Patty looked up and nodded, her usually buoyant, bouncy face a little on the neutral side. "Yes, sir," she said, managing to cut her words to just the essentials. She stood up and slung her bag back across her shoulder.

 

Between the two of them Eric had a hard time focusing. After all who wouldn't be distracted by two cute girls talking. the hand on knee didn't help much,

 

Thankfully the principal had interrupted before he could talk again. "Um..sorry for wasting your time then Mister Franklin. I was hoping you still needed help for the morning announcements." Eric stood up quickly. "Guess we better get to class." He smiled at the two as made his way out the office door.

 

Jason ran in just before his first class began, looking quite upset. He didn't even look for the others before he went to class and sat down.

 

"Yes, we'd better hurry. Thanks, Mr Franklin." With a glance at Patty, Tammy hurried to her first class.

 

With a nervous wave back-Patty had her first class with Eric-the blonde headed off after the former villain.

 

Eric smiled at Patty once they where in the room leading them to the back mostly to keep from being over heard hopefully. "To answer your earlier question.. imp will do." he was pronouncing his name in his alter ego. "So..Patty. Care to get something to eat when this is all over? I know a few nice Italian places," he asked a bit nervously as he sat down.

 

The day started moving, teachers trying their best to cram something inside the heads of their students. Anthony and Eric noticed a preponderance of pink paper in the hands of the girl students as they moved through classes.

 

Homeroom was fast approaching.

 

The girl was already unwrapping a protein bar. "That would...<> be nice--do they have free breadsticks...<>?" She licked her fingers and shook her head with a little blush to her cheeks: "My metabolism is really high-I have to always be eating or I get faint my parents only take me to, like, All-You-Can-Eat buffets and stuff--one day my Dad said..."

 

Her fast-paced monologue sheared itself off and the girl got a sad look on her face. "That happened fifteen years ago and last night at dinner." She sighed. "This is crap, Eric."

 

He was only half listening to Patty when he noticed the paper. "She defiantly goes to school here." He looked at Patty "Free bread sticks and all, The Italian place has all you can eat pasta dinners as well. Could be quite fun." he hushed his tones a bit. "I think you better get ill from that bar..we have a little more work to do."

 

She popped the top-quietly-on a can of Red Bull and swigged from it. "Why do I need to get sick and I must be slow or something but why are all the other girls but like me and Tammy carrying around those pink slips they get fired or something you don't think that everybody's already heard about last night if you want us out of here I can fake it but I wish Tammy were here as well because she's like the better actress than me and stuff."

 

Patty raised her hand. "Can I go..." She crossed her eyes. "I don't feel so good-can Eric take me to the nurses office before I hurl I don't feel so good my stomach's all up in a knot and its not the Red Bull because I always drink that must be a candy bar or something."

 

"Mr. Drake, if you please," said Mrs. Goddard. "Please return as soon as possible, Mr. Drake."

 

Patty stood up, trying to wobble a little, pushing her bag into Eric's hands and looping her hand through his arm for support. "Thank you..." She made tracks for the door, one hand over her mouth and one over her stomach.

 

Eric helped her out the door "no problem..." he smiled as he helped her outside of the classroom. "Seems we have a run on Pink paper around here this morning." He whispered to her ear.

 

"I saw that just a moment let me find out if its just us or if everybody has it too." Patty tried not to lean against Eric but did anyway as she pulled out her cellphone and scrolled through the numbers, looking for Tammy's...there. She punched in fast a quick text message as the two walked slowly down the hall towards the nurse's office: :::...Tammy do all the girls in your class have like pink paper ours did going to nurses office...:::

 

When her cellphone vibrated, Tammy took it out and surreptitiously read the message.

 

It wasn't something she'd particularly noticed; then again, she hadn't been looking. Now, she looked around the other girls in the class, to see if they had any pink paper.

 

Of course, it might only be the ones going to the nurse's office who were carrying the pink paper - Tammy misinterpreted the end of Patty's message.

 

Some of the girls did have pink notebook pad paper to take notes on their desks.

 

Tammy noticed Mrs. Malloy looking at her. She knew that phones were routinely confiscated by the school if a student was caught with one.

 

Tammy made sure her phone was out of sight, and waited until Mrs. Malloy's attention was elsewhere, before texting back to Patty:

 

:::no gg cul8r:::

 

:::k tc l8r @office:::

 

Patty snapped the phone shut fast and flipped it to vibrate, then slide it back in her bag. "I'm not sure," she said softly to Eric, "I think she's got people with pink paper in her class too--you think that's something that we need to look at and what do we need to do right now you said you had a plan I thought you said you had a plan we'd better figure it out before we get to the nurse's office because I don't know what to do next and I gotta get to the lab sometime quick today otherwise this stuff I have in here will spoil and then they won't be worth anything know what I mean?"

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

-1091

7:30 am Wednesday/09/03/20--

Patty and Eric made their way down the hall toward the nurse's station.

 

Anthony had to endure Drama, the elective for heck.

 

Before entering Drama late Anthony texted Eric: Htbrkr note=pnk ppr. may be clue. Tll others if u cn. CU@lnch.

 

He'd never really got the hang of txt speak, even when his sidekick had tried to teach him. He hoped

Eric would understand.

 

"Hello Anthony" said Ms. Knightley cheerfully. "Gladyou could join us. We are beginning the class by being trees."

 

Anthony looked around the room at his classmates, half seemed to actually have joined out of a desire to be actors, the other half were obviously with him in joining in order to avoid 'real work'. Unfortunately they had realized early on that as an elective for upperclassmen Drama actually required a fair amount of work. Still some of it was set work, which Anthony was used to (having grown up in a circus) so he was less annoyed than some of the other slackers.

 

He went over to take up his position as a tree and looked at his female classmates. Where he had once found himself (much to his chagrin) wondering whether any would 'practice a love scene' with him, he now wondered if any were 'trying out for a part in "Fatal Attraction".

 

The clock on the wall said seven thirty. By the time it said eight, Anthony had been a lot of inanimate objects and had to sing a little. Discussion for the school project ate the last bit of the class, reports on great playwrights being assigned as the bell rang.

 

Anthony had been stuck with Autylicus, Greek tragedian.

 

Jason had a period where he could work in the gym weights room, or run laps outside.

 

Tammy had English under the malevolent Mrs. Malloy, who should have been a hard case nun at a parochial school.

 

Patty eased slightly away from Eric-not much, just enough now that she wasn't having to shield her cellphone from prying eyes-and kept moving, albeit slowly. "What's your idea?" she asked. "I mean you said you had a thought so I got us out with your suggestion but if I go to the nurse you go back to class and then I'm stuck trying to figure out and explain why I'm not as sick as I claimed and stuff and I don't need to go home today because then I'd be stuck there so what do we do now?"

 

Eric was about to reply when his own cell vibrated slightly with the text from Anthony.

 

"Hmm.. Right Hardball seems to be believe as much as I do about the pink paper. Generally teacher hand out white paper to students as it's much cheaper. I suggest you move to the storage supply room of the school. If this is her way of sending an obvious clue to Hardball then we'll likely find the other there." He sighed. "I really hope we can end this quickly. Too many targets here at the school."

 

"SILENCE!"

 

Tammy jumped, even though she wasn't saying anything. Mrs Malloy liked to set the tone for the lesson right away.

 

"Today, we will continue our read-through of 'The Merchant of Venice'. Brad, you will be the Duke..."

 

She started to zone out. A whole lesson listening to others badly act the play. Then she heard her own name, and jumped again.

 

"Tammy, wake up! You will read the part of Nerissa. Now, we were up to Act 4, Scene 1. Brad, you start - and I don't want to hear any talking except by the characters."

 

Tammy winced. It was going to be a long lesson.

 

Under Mrs. Malloy's tyrannical demands, the play reading pushed the clock toward the end of the class with hardly any effort on the part of the readers. Every section came with a question on intent and what was going on in the play.

 

The warning of 25% of the first quarter's grades depended on how well they knew this play was underlined on the chalkboard.

 

Jason spent the period alone, running laps. Trying to think of anything to help solve this case. I feel so useless sometimes, He thought as he ran, I'm just the dumb jock. I can't work on computers, don't know any helpful science. Never really noticed before.

 

He spent the whole period in thought as he ran.

 

A whistle was blown to let the runners know they had to come in and get ready to go back to the more mental side of things for the rest of the day.

 

"Be at practice today, Jason," said the coach as he walked through the locker room. "Three misses and you're off the team."

 

"Yeah, like that's important right now." Jason mumbled under his breath.

 

"What was that!" Coach responded.

 

"I said, sure thing coach." Jason replied

 

"That's what I thought." Coach said as he walked away.

 

Next class was chemistry at 8:30 am.

 

It could have been worse: at least this time, she was doing the play for the second time! And now she understood some of the subtleties in the play. If only Shakespeare had written in proper English...

 

But it still felt as though a watched clock went backwards.

 

Finally it was time for her next class.

 

"Okay I just don't want to get in trouble you be careful stay alert don't get caught by the teachers or hall monitor or anything I'll see what I can find good luck."

 

Almost as an afterthought, an embarrassed, red-faced afterthought, Patty stood on tiptoes and gave Eric a small, quick, kiss on the cheek. "Um okay, see ya. I'll check it out and then go to the nurses office. Good luck."

 

Without another word, she accelerated to top speed and vanished in the proverbial flash leaving only behind a scent of perfume and a bit of embarrassed heat...

 

Patty found the school store near the office. She knew it was closed at least until lunch time. The metal blind was down over the counter.

 

Eric blinked in surprise at the kiss on his cheek he didn't have enough time to react to her though as he saw her zoom off down the hall. Well now, he needed to man the cannons as they say. He walked into the bathroom to remain ready and watch his cell for a message not to mention keep an ear open for any unwanted trouble.

 

Whistling approached the bathroom where Eric waited.

 

Eric cursed himself and entered a stall and took a seat with a locked door. The dumb thing would be to act like he wasn't here at least in this position whomever it was wouldn't be suspicious enough to question him to much. Unless someone used a marker in another bathroom.

 

Wheels rolled into the bathroom, then the whistling right behind it. Heavy steps came across the room. Liquid hit the floor.

 

Patty screeched-softly-to a halt and cursed at herself, of course it would be closed, but where did they all get that paper? Teachers? She forced herself to slow down for a moment-then accelerated and zipped into the girl's room, closing the door to a stall and taking a seat.

 

Head in her hands, she forced herself to think it through: the paper would have had to have been handed out yesterday, or purchased yesterday, for it to be here now. What would be the point--she'd have to check her own bag, but she didn't remember buying any, which really didn't matter--and how did this tie in...

 

She shook her head and zipped back up to speed and headed, as promised, for the nurse's office: she slowed down just before she rounded the corner, back down to a normal walk and eased up tot he door, hand on her stomach. "Hello?" she said, tapping lightly upon the door.

 

"Yes," said Mrs. Conahag. "What can I do for you?"

 

Mrs. Condahag was the girl's PE teacher, but did double duty as the school nurse. A real nurse only came around once a week to check out the sick room, and make sure the teachers were up on their first aid certificates.

 

Tammy went along to her algebra class, still on the look-out for pink paper. Maybe she'd get a chance to talk properly with Patty, find out what this was all about.

 

Only one girl, Marcia 'the Moose' Mosely, had some of the loose leaf paper. She sat in the back of the room; 6 feet tall, 300 pound body squeezed into a typical student desk.

 

Before the class started, Tammy went over to see Marcia.

 

"Pink paper? That's cool - where did you get it?"

 

"School store," said the Moose. Her craggy long face smiled. They didn't call her the Moose just because of her size. "They were selling it like ten cent a pack this morning."

 

Making sure to keep her story straight, Patty put one hand on her stomach and said, "I wasn't feeling good in class but I'm feeling better now kinda I felt like throwing up but all I had for breakfast was four pancakes two eggs an omelet five glasses of juice three bowls of cereal me and Tammy stopped at McDonald's and I had two number threes I really didn't have that much but it started hurting bad after I had a Red bull you don't think there's a recall out on them do you Eric walked me here but he headed back to class I really am feeling kinda better what's with the pink paper nobody told me nothing about it and it looks like a whole school thing and now I'm all left out of it."

 

"Someone donated a few cases to the school store," said Mrs. Condahag. "Just lie down on the cot. I'll call your parents to pick you up."

 

Anthony wondered whether Autylicus (wasn't the name of Hercules' best friend in "Hercules, the Legendary Journeys" with Kevin Sorbo?) had written anything to rival the tragedy of his own life. "Humble boy leaves behind loving family for fame and glory only to be framed by evil and corrupt officials for defending himself. Becomes bitter and twisted avenger who takes bloody revenge on all involved.". Yeah that sounded like a Greek tragedy.

 

So caught up in thought was he that he almost knocked down a girl; a junior with mousey brown hair, thick rimmed glasses and enough textbooks to sink a small armada.

 

She squeaked. "S-s-sorry. M-my fault. N-n-not looking where I was g-going." she stuttered.

 

"Not at all" said Anthony attempting put on a reassuring face (and failing miserably) while bending down to help her pick up her books.

 

"What's the matter, geek?" said a voice laden with ridicule. "Books to heavy for you?"

 

If the bully had thought to get some support from Anthony he was sorely mistaken. Last night's defeat combined with Anthony's embarrassment at having caused this girl trouble combined to set something off in him. He rounded on the bully and threw him up against the lockers.

 

"W-What the ..." said the bully.

 

"Apologize to her," said Anthony.

 

"Th-That's not n-n-necessary" said the girl.

 

The bully didn't know what to do, on the one hand he was facing someone who seemed willing and able to pummel him bloody, on the other he didn't want to appear weak in front of his friends.

 

"What is she your girlfriend or something?" he said choosing foolhardiness over the appearance of weakness.

 

"Apologize" said Anthony.

 

By this time the girl had collected her books and was looking like she was even less happy to be in the situation than the bully. She was looking behind her as if wondering whether running away would insult this obvious psycho enough that he'd turn his attention on her, while also wondering whether the bully would take out his frustrations on her later.

 

"No" said the bully

 

Anthony's blow missed the bully's head by less than an inch slamming into the lockers. Putting a dent about the same size as the boy's head in them. The boy squealed like a pig and wet himself. Anthony dropped him.

 

"I hear any of you so much as looked unkindly on her or anyone else" Anthony said turning on the bully-boys, "and the next time that'll be your head."

 

The bully turned and ran with his posse behind him. Anthony stalked away toward his next class. He knew he had just made the situation worse for himself and the poor junior. He couldn't understand why he kept losing his temper so easily.

 

"That's my hero," said Talia, grabbing Anthony's butt from behind, then hugging him. "Ditching me last night, now fighting in the halls. You are just too bad."

 

She went for a long kiss on the mouth.

 

Patty obediently settled back but her mouth kept going and going. "They're both at work can Eric drive me home he's got a car he'll come right back I promise I don't want my folks to get really worried or nothing I can give them a call really I'll do it right here promise right in front of you."

 

This wasn't quite working out--she needed to get into the science lab. Barring that, she needed to hook up with Tammy and go to her house and use her dad's home lab--on the bright side, the samples wouldn't spoil if she went home now...

 

"Please?"

 

 

"Go ahead and call them," said Mrs. Condahag. "We can have you stay at school if you're sick. You'll need a doctor's note."

 

"Can I have the phone and I'll call them dunno you'll have to talk to my Dad first I'm sure he won't have a problem picking me up..."

 

She held out her hand for the phone, then changed her mind. "His work number is this."

 

Patty gave the phone number.

 

Mrs. Condahag called the number, and spoke with whomever was on the other end of the line. She said some words that didn't mean much.

 

"Your father is coming down to pick you up," she reported. "Just lie down and I'll call you when he's here."

 

"Thanks, I think I'll get some."

 

Tammy felt Patty's text arrive. Going back to her desk, she surreptitiously read it.

 

Sent home? Well, Patty's bag wasn't near her. She keyed a quick reply.

 

'pnk ppr skl str ill gt sm'

 

A minute later, a reply returned: 'k ty cul8r'

 

Patty laid back on the cot and stared at the ceiling, actually feeling sick now. Patty didn't like to lie to anyone, especially to her parents, especially to her dad. Her stomach twisted. What to do, what to do...still...

 

"Eric has my bag can he bring me my bag please I can't live without some stuff in my bag really and can I ask him and Tammy to take notes for me today and get my homework so that I don't miss anything please?"

 

She keyed the cell in her pocket open and by laborious hand, sight unseen, tapped in Tammy and Eric's numbers and the message, 'sent hme need bag'.

 

"What class is he in?," said Mrs. Condahag. "I'll have the office call him up."

 

Eric remained where he was, if this was anything like his old life then if he tried explaining things to the cleaning guy about an abusive father and wanting to hide for the day out of fear of screwing up he'd likely have his dad down here in a few heart beats. After all it was in his permanent record on how he lied to get attention. Eric closed his eyes instead reaching out to the persons emotions, he was going to attempt to broadcast boredom into him. Maybe get him to leave the bathroom early.

 

That is, before the bell suddenly rung and gave him a bit of a shock, he had to concentrate doubly hard not to broadcast that emotion. Last thing he needed was an extra shocked janitor. Walking out of the stall he rubbed his belly a bit feigning a bit of illness and walked past and out into the halls. He looked around the halls and walked towards the student supply room. He needed information and he certainly was going to get it. He just needed to stay calm, that was the key to success as his mentor use to say. But then again he also said Hero was just another word for stupid too, and here he was playing hero with a group that'd sooner see him smashed about if he lost control again."I gotta stop thinking that way.." he muttered to himself trying to regain his resolve as he neared the Student Supply.

 

Wait.. He looked around, maybe they were doing this all wrong. Heart Breaker is a girl, Hardball was sure of that. Maybe what she needed was a different target, Someone more vulnerable, at least then he could maybe be useful to the group and hopefully even more protect himself long enough for them to stop her...no that wouldn't work he would need a place where they could all 'hear' him.

 

"Am I over thinking this.." he asked himself now as he looked at them he could sense emotions from people he could see the desires of others as clearly as a telepath could read thoughts...wait that's it. If she's in love and this is a psychotic show of love to hardball then either the person would have Raw Hatred or Love Dripping off them like a volcano gives off heat. He could follow the emotions and figure out who she was. Closing his eyes he concentrated on activating his Empathy feeling everyone's emotions in the area was going to be annoying but if he could find the center of the vast storm of Hated-love he should be able to find Heart Breaker.

 

Hopefully. When he opened his eyes he could feel the mish-mosh of emotions. Jimmy loves Debra, Mister West Hates his students, Morgana loves Milo. It was like a sea of emotions but he needed to find her this school could very well depend on him finding her, and even if he drowned in these emotions he was going to find her.

 

No one emotion was stronger than any other. Since the school store was near the office, Eric felt the boredom of paperwork, small concern and depression from the Guidance office. The rest was just hurly burly what do I need, what do I want for the next class.

 

Patty glanced up-and appeared to be looking much sicker than he remembered her being, though she did perk up at his appearance. "Hi," she said softly, "can you get me my bag they're sending me home."

 

Anthony flinched as the hug brought back his awareness to his bruised ribs. Before she could connect with the kiss he shoved her away.

 

"Later" he grunted.

 

"Is something wrong?," said Talia. "You're not hurt from that little scuffle, are you?"

 

Eric sighed to himself as his cellphone alerted him to the text message from Patty. He walked back towards the nurse's office after picking up her backpack.

 

He knocked on the door before entering "Hello? I'm here to check up on Patty." He did a brief scan on the two, mostly to see if Patty was nervous about the nurse but also to see if the nurse was convinced Patty was okay or if she was concerned.

 

Patty was a little pale and looked actually ill now, though she gave him a wan smile.

 

The PE teacher was concerned, but not worried. Everyone caught a bug sometime in the fall and winter.

 

The girl said, "Can you get my backpack?" Being that almost curt with her words--she definitely was off her game.

 

Eric nodded to Patty. "I'd be happy to get your backpack, although I think you'd have to come get it with me from the class." He was hoping to speak with her privately to see if she had found out anything. Last thing he needed was a gym teacher finding out they were suppose to be super heroes.

 

She looked up at the PE teacher. "May I?" she asked, already knowing the answer-then she glanced at Eric, obviously wanting to talk.

 

"You just relax," said Mrs. Condahag. "Come on, Eric. We should leave her alone to rest up."

 

"I'll get it, Eric," said Mrs. Condhag. "You go back to your class. The bell should be ringing for second period any second now."

 

"Nah..." Anthony said as she followed in his wake toward Language Arts "That business last night ... Didn't go as well as expected... professional disagreement. Look, I'll see you later. Not after school though, got something needs doing." He turned into the classroom leaving her staring after him with a 'deer in the headlights' look on her face. Suddenly realizing she should get to class too she hurried off.

 

"I have a salve that could help," said Talia, as she hurried away. "Come by the gym at five."

 

Tammy nodded and slipped her phone away. Her plan was to get to the school store after this class and pick up some of the paper.

 

She settled down to a lesson of algebra.

 

Math flew through the air for fifty five minutes, then the bell rang for home room.

 

After finishing up on the track, Jason hurried to Chemistry determined to pay attention. 'This could help later on' he thought to himself during class, 'I may be able to add something besides muscle if I learn enough of this stuff'.

 

After class he rushed out, hoping to find the others and find out what they've discovered.

 

Jason realized that the others had to meet him on their way to homeroom since the classes were all on the same hall.

 

When the class was dismissed, Tammy hurried to the school store to see if she could buy some of the pink paper, before heading back to homeroom.

 

The store's door was opened but the front was closed. Mrs. Skinner was inside with a clipboard.

 

Patty deflated, collapsing emotionally in on herself and looking just flat pitiful. She looked up at Eric with large blue eyes and pursed her lips. "I just need my bag, please," she half-whispered, looking like a puppy someone had just kicked.

 

He smiled at her softly and nodded "No problem Patty. You just relax." He turned and walked out feeling guilty for trying to push. Although now it was mostly just up to him and the others. He could tell Patty was not the type to try and lie, like someone he vaguely remembered his past, or was it future? It didn't seem to matter much.

 

The girl laid back on the cotlike bed, her arms folded across her chest and, through closed lids, stared up at the ceiling. She'd lied.

 

She'd lied and she shouldn't have, she knew how hard it was for her to lie. now she was paying the price...she couldn't blame Eric, he'd only asked and she could've said no. It was her fault.

 

Her stomach twisted uncomfortably from that realization.

 

The contents of her stomach swirled uncomfortably and, hand covering her mouth, she made a beeline for the unisex bathroom in the corner, dumping the abbreviated contents of her stomach into the toilet. Liar, liar liar, the refrain beat its tempo through her head and she felt miserable.

 

She shuddered once or twice, then leaned over the sink, the water running into the cup and she rinsed her mouth out. At least she felt better as she made her way back to the cot, laying back and closing her eyes again--this time at least the room may have spun, but it moved slow.

 

"Excuse me." he said as he entered the room "I need to pick up Patty's bag for her. The nurse is sending her home." He announced it to her but walked over to both there bags and picked them up. Second period was coming and he was going to be heading from the nurse to there anyway.

 

Walking back to the nurses office he sighed, the emotional reading this morning having caught up with him, he felt fatigued and a bit spaced out as he tried to shuffle through the new emotional information he had now.

 

"I'm back" he smiled gently again as he walked in

 

Patty opened her eyes and tried to smile at him, her face pale and her eyes slightly sunken. "Hi," she whispered hoarsely, taking the bag from him and holding it protectively across her chest.

 

"Just take it easy until your father arrives, Patty," said Mrs. Condahag. "If you need anything, I'll be in my office. Say goodbye, young man, so we can leave her to rest."

 

Tammy knocked on the door.

 

"Mrs Skinner? I was just wondering if I could buy some of that pink paper before my next class."

 

"It's a dollar a package," said the secretary. "I'll just need to take that off my inventory."

 

Patty reached out and took Eric's hand for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered, giving his hand a little squeeze. "Call." She let his hand go with another little squeeze.

 

He kept smiling as she held his hand and leaned forward as the gym teacher left them alone so he could say goodbye. He didn't say anything at first, he just kissed her forehead gently.

 

"I don't plan on losing your number any time soon. Don't worry we'll catch her. You go home and get some rest okay, and I'm sorry." He stroked her cheek but stiffened up once he felt his power rising again.

 

Her eyes opened a momentary glance of startlement and...appreciation.

 

She swallowed. "...okay...I'll...be at home..."

 

Quickly he broke off contact and in a complete fluster bowed and then ducked out of the Nurses Office almost at a full tilt.

 

Second period for Eric was PE. He spent an hour running around before being let go to take a shower and head for home room.

 

He spotted Jason in the halls, waiting for the crowd.

 

Anthony's home room should be on the other side of the building from their's since he was an upperclassman.

 

Patty had to sit through second period but her father walked in the nurse's station as the homeroom bell rang.

 

"I came as soon as I could, Patts," her father said as he saw her resting on the cot. The old nickname came easily as he crossed the room.

 

"Thanks", Tammy said, handing over her dollar.

 

Once she had the paper, she headed back to class, giving the paper a close look - and smell.

 

The paper smelled fresh right out the plastic pack, crisp as a new dollar, and pink as a flower.

 

Home room was a minute away, and Tammy spotted Eric and Jason outside in the hall as she arrived to her class.

 

 

Eric walked up towards Jason "So how goes the day? Find out anything new about the girl?" Least the way he asked didn't draw much attention after all teen romances where a part of growing up.

 

Her eyes flickered open-had she dozed off? Patty gave her dad, tall and dark haired-she took after his side of the family in the face; her mother's genes had given her the hair and eys...no telling where that mix of genetics that gave her the super-speed had come from. "Hi, Daddy," she said, feeling only marginally better than she had earlier-if anything, she felt worse now...

 

...She'd pulled him out of work for no real reason. "I don't feel so good," she admitted, clutching her bag tight to her chest. "Can we go home now?" She looked up at him--she knew the 'looks' that would wrap him around her little finger, but this was not the time to use any of them--she just wanted out, now...a hot bath, her comfy jammy shirt, a bowl of noodles and broth...that would help.

 

She eased her legs off the cot modestly and stood up-she was more wobbly than she thought she was, and tucked herself under his arm. "Please?"

 

"No problem, hon," said Dad. "Here let me carry your bag. I told you about all that food you suck up. It was bound to mess up your insides."

 

"You'll have to check out at the Office," said Mrs. Condahag.

 

"Thank you very much," said Dad.

 

"Hi guys", said Tammy as she trotted up, "What's up?"

 

Patty lowered her head guilty. "Sorry daddy," she said softly.

 

"This way," she said softly, leading the way, sort of, towards the office. "It wasn't that," the girl said, basking for a moment in that warm glow that her father always gave her-she was, always had been, a daddy's girl.

 

"I dunno what it was but I don't feel good." That many words made her feel queasy once again. She pointed and turned the corner. "That's the office," she said gently, her stomach doing flipflops. "I wanna go."

 

"Let's go sign you out," said Dad. "Hopefully it's just a flu bug."

 

"I hope so too," Patty half-whispered, stepping back and, while waiting for her father to sign her out, watched out the plate glass windows at the students passing two and fro in front of the office, heading from class to class between first and second hours--she thought she saw Eric and Tammy and Jason and half-raised her hand in greeting to them as they passed by, on the way to their next class...and felt even worse.

 

She was abandoning them. Her stomach churned with the guilt of that...

 

Mrs. Skinner came in, clipboard in hand. The other lady gave Patty's dad the signout sheet so they could leave.

 

"Shouldn't had that chili last night," Mr. Richards said as he went to the PA System. He checked his watch. The morning announcements went on the air at ten ten.

 

"Hey. I've got nothing, but it's not exactly my strength. Let me know if I can help in any way." Jason replied to both Eric and Tammy. "What's up with the pink paper?"

 

"Patty asked me to get some. I think she was curious about it."

 

"Me and Patty both think its the same paper used by our killer. If she is trying to call attention to herself in the form of Hardball it'd make sense to flood the school she's going to attack as a 'clue' for Hardball. I've done a psychic scan of current emotions of the school looking for Intense Hatred or Love... By the way Jason, there's some girl named Samantha that's been eyeballing you while running." He meant it as a joke to help add a bit of levity to what he was saying. He didn't after all want them fearing him going into there heads and shifting emotions. "But on a serious note, I couldn't locate the crazy girl that way. Either she's a psychic with some defenses or she's a real honest to god sociopath with no emotional attachments."

 

The first bell for homeroom rang. They only had a minute more to talk before the next bell told them they were tardy.

 

"So we're just going to have to keep our eyes open? Or maybe I could try and find out why the school is suddenly giving out pink paper cheaply."

 

Patty's dad began to sign, and, as he did, got into an inevitable conversation with the secretary on the Parent/Teacher Organization and other, in Patty's continued estimation, nonsensical subjects; with a sigh, she settled into one of the seats that lined the wall opposite the office counter; the one she chose was opposite Mr Richards.

 

She closed her eyes, laid her hands across her still twisting stomach, and leaned her head back across the raised back of the seat, and then opened her eyes slightly, paying attention as Mr Richards cleared his throat and keyed the PA system to speak...

 

As Patty waited for her dad to finish his chat with the secretary, the group in the hall knew the paper was being sold at the school, that Eric had not detected any strong emotions.

 

Then the bell started ringing for home room forcing them to separate.

 

Patty toyed with the cellphone in her pocket, then pulled it out, flipped it open and carefully text'd a message to Tammy. 'g2g-home, dad here 4 me. c u l8r.'

 

She debated on adding more and maybe cc'ing it to Eric...

 

"Let's get you home, Patts," said Patty's dad. "You don't look good."

 

She hit 'Send' and snapped the phone shut, standing up and clutching her bag to her chest--and wobbled, an unintentional moment of weakness; as she wobbled, she let her bag go and sat it back down on the seat she had just evacuated.

 

He picked up her bag, and held the door for her. The clock on the wall said 10:10. Mr. Richards was reading something over the air. Then a bang could be heard over the PA, then silence.

 

Patty spun--stared at the slight blood smear on the window and fought her initial impulse to race to the scene--that would just raise more questions from others than it would answer-and, without realizing her eyes were wide and shocky, decided that the best course of action was to...

 

A feminine scream echoed up and down the corridors.

 

"Wait here," Patty's dad said as he went into the office, hand over his mouth, leaving her in the hall just outside the disaster area. At least the blast had been small and not likely to hurt anyone else.

 

Man of principal, both frank and rich, announces the tidings of the day

 

Patty slumped and looked at the slight spray of blood that left blackening trickles down the glass of the office, knowing full well what had happened--and felt like throwing up.

 

Curious animal that she was, she had to know--and she knew what she'd find--but better a first hand witness account for analysis than second, third and fourth-hand stories.

 

She opened the door and stepped in, going into ditz mode: "Daddy what happened I..."

 

She covered her mouth and let her eyes widen even as she examined the scene with the professionalism of a doctor that she was...had been...would be...whatever...

 

Principal Richards had been blown open much the same as Councilman Tutterow. The edges of the wound were cauterized, but the ribs were sticking out through his coat. The eyes were blackened slightly.

 

The two secretaries were crying hysterically as far away from the body as possible.

 

Her phone came up and out and snapped two fast pictures of the body and back into her pocket--and then she allowed herself to react like a Normal: "ddddAAAADDDDYYYYY!!!" she wailed...

 

That was two victims that she had been around, almost right atop, when they...it was enough to make...

 

She felt her stomach rise again, this time from guilt of being unable to do anything to stop it--and she dropped to her knees and vomited.

 

"Oh Patts," said her father. "Go back outside. I'm calling the police right now."

 

A moment of conversation on the phone started the official apparatus moving. The PA system was dead so no one could call the office to find out what had happened.

 

Eric hadn't even gotten into class he'd been waiting so long but when the announcement rang out with an explosion he was turning and running despite the teacher yelling about warnings and suspensions. Almost immediately he rushed into the office after two hall monitors and another teacher later. He'd forgotten his mask and costume but he was acting like his much older self. However he wasn't heading towards the principal's office, he was heading directly for the vice-principal's office. He'd been right the first time and he'd still blown it. He just hoped he could at

least save the second victim.

 

Patty stumbled out of the office and directly into his path, white-faced and shaking...

 

Eric blinked as she came out, she looked pretty bad. A near collision was almost inevitable. He took her into his arms and held her close. "Hey..it's okay...your alright Patty." he looked at her closely "Did they get both of them?" he asked softly "There both in danger.." he added, he stroked her hair softly trying to help calm her down as best he could.

 

Patty wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest; he could hear her whisper into his chest, "That bitch that's twice I was right there and couldn't do anything..."

 

She's shaking--it doesn't feel like tears, though there most certainly could be, but the more likely reason would be that the girl is incredibly angry. "Just the one just Mr Richards he's dead I couldn't do anything I didn't see it coming my dad's in there..."

 

And then it hit and she squeezed tight, not that tight, but tight enough-and she cried.

 

Eric continued to hold her as she cried "It's okay...you couldn't have known it was going to happen

right then....but we have to check on the vice principal." he leaned down kissing her head gently "I know it's a lot to ask and you shouldn't have to deal with it, but we are the ones that can and will stop her," he kept whispering to her.

 

Patty's shoulders shook lightly as she clung to him.

 

It had taken Tammy a few seconds to realize the noise on the PA system wasn't just some fault; it was the distant, faint scream that settled things. She'd escaped from class by claiming she needed the bathroom.

 

She skidded to a halt outside the Principal's office, when she saw Eric and Patty.

 

"What happened?"

 

Patty lifted her head away from Eric's chest and looked at Tammy with teary eyes, her face pale and wan. "Mr Richards ble up-we'd just walked out, me and my dad and just went poompf and that was it but dad and me were out in the hall he was taking me home god that's two."

 

Jason had been busy trying to get caught up on what everyone had found out when everyone bolted. He quickly bolted after them, flattening anyone in the way. As he arrived he tried not to scowl at Eric and Patty while he took a look in the office. We quickly turned away. Looking at everyone else, he whispered "What are we going to do? We should act quickly, she has to be close by."

 

"Patts," said Patty's dad. "I think you and your friends should wait in the guidance office across the hall. The police will be here any second."

 

He gave Eric the eye. It didn't take an empath to read that expression.

 

Eric looked back at him impassively almost defensively in his own style of dislike. He was never one to like fathers. His own being at the top of that list.

 

Patty disengaged from ERic's embrace. Head down, she replied dully, "Yes, Daddy," and, picking her bookbag up off the floor, walked into the guidance office.

 

Once out in the hallway, Eric looked at the group. "We need to check out the principal's office and see if the vice principal is alright. After all the poem did say there was going to be two targets." he sighed a bit "Patty I need you to check on the vice principal. With your...dad there it'd be easier for you to see what's going on than me. We have at least five minutes before my dad or more police show up so we also have to hurry. Cause that's five minutes for her to finish her threat."

 

Patty nodded and offered the phone over to Tammy. "I got pictures"

 

Patty slumped-and then straightened up. "All right," she said, "I'm running out of excuses to go in there--I don't remember the rest of the poem-do you?" She shook her head, blonde hair flowing in counterpoint. "We need to figure that out, fast."

 

She glanced outside the door and saw Anthony approaching--but didn't recognize him outside his costume.

 

"Yes, Seems I was right the first time. Principal, vice principal and then school council members."Eric looked at them seriously again "I'm however going to go play decoy. Very likely I can draw her out. Patty office is yours. Tammy and Jason, once I get started I'll need you to add a bit of realism to the fray. Nothing pisses a psycho more than not getting credit." he smirked as he walked out towards his locker for his bag. A quick change later and he'd be swinging around outside as Crush and hopefully drawing the accusations from this heart breaker to himself for the explosives. That would hopefully draw her out for a confrontation at least, course he also hoped it wasn't his Teenage hormones talking too.

 

"Hold on young man," said Patty's dad. "Who are you? I don't think Patty has mentioned a boyfriend."

 

Patty interposed herself between Eric and her father. "Daddy," she said quickly, "this is Eric and he's like a boy and a friend and I guess he's a boyfriend but we're not seeing each other not really honest but..."

 

Her voice cut off as she realized she was digging herself a very, very deep hole. She opted to simply say-and cut herself off with a simple, "He's really nice, Daddy."

 

Eric stopped, not now... he needed to draw out a deranged villian. Granted this was infinitely more simple to deal with, maybe. Inhaling a bit Eric put on a smile all the while thinking about how he hated 'secret identities' and held out his hand

 

"Eric Drake, detective in training. You must of course be Patty's father. Very nice to meet you." he projected the role of boyfriend or lover like a seasoned actor, of course he'd been trained by one fellow that was just as good as himself and at least he found those skills hadn't left him. "I hope you don't mind me rushing down to your daughter. I knew she wasn't feeling well and took her to the nurse earlier and when I heard the explosion I just had to rush down to help." he paused for emphasis and then looked a bit concerned and worried "I wasn't really thinking I guess though. After all if it was a bomb there isn't much I could have done to save her... but I was wondering." he looked at him as innocently as he could muster but his dislike of father and authority figures was not likely helping much "But I was wondering what happened to mister richards and did anyone check to see if anyone else might have been given a bomb? Like checking his office for chemicals in his coffee or food that when combined and started towards digestion cause such an explosion?" He remembered a movie where this was such theory and he hoped it sounded childish enough to get him past the defenses of Patty's father.

 

Patty gulped. "See daddy he's really nice."

 

Anthony saw 'Tachyon' Patty, 'EMP' Eric, and Jason 'Titan' standing outside the office along with a man who was, he hoped, Patty's father (given the over-protective vibes he was giving off) and a girl his 'edited' memory told him was a bully magnet. It was possible that she was Heartbreaker (not that he had ever given her any thought, but with stalkers that didn't matter), however she and Patty seemed to be friends and she seemed even less interested in him than he did in her (signs that she wasn't his psycho stalker, or was a consummate actress).

 

"Yo, Ricky. What's happening? I heard an explosion. If those gangers who put Evelyn in the hospital are back I'm going to put some of them in the morgue."

 

"Another friend, Patts?," said Patty's dad. He said it like why is my daughter meeting a bunch of weirdos in public school. "Why don't all of you wait in the guidance office until the police get here?"

 

Patty took a breath to try to argue-then:

 

"On second thought, Eric, let's see if we can get these secretaries calmed down and out of the office. They'll need some looking after until an ambulance gets here."

 

The breath to speak became a sigh of relief. One minor battle down--but when did Eric become 'her boyfriend'? Crap. Maybe. She wasn't sure.

 

He went back in the office, making some calm down noises which weren't really words.

 

She sat down next to Tammy and pulled out her phone. "Got pictures, right after he blew up--take a look."

 

"Really? Let me see."

 

The Tammy pulled a face.

 

"I'm going to regret saying that, aren't I? By the way, I got some of that pink paper. The school supply office was selling it cheap."

 

"Good," Patty commented quietly. "We'll need to test it later-there's got to be a reason for it."

 

The office is in the front of the building on the right when you enter the main doors. The guidance office on the left. Patty and Tammy are in the GO, Tammy sitting down, Patty at the door to protect her boyfriend. Eric and Jason are in the hall between the two rooms. Several teachers and students have appeared but most are staying in the classrooms.

 

The body is slumped over the PA system. Mrs Skinner and Bupkiss are behind the counter, at the furthest they can get from the body. Hysterical reaction from them.

 

Nobody looks out of place to Anthony.

 

As Patty pulled up the first picture, she glanced up to make sure nobody else was looking. "Small explosion, based on..." she clicked to the next shot, that of the window. "...the fact that there appears to be coronary material...on the glass..."

 

She gulped. "How'd I make it through med school when I get sick at some of this?"

 

Tammy went slightly pale at the sight too.

 

"You're not as old as you once were," she said wryly, "Let's see the rest. There may be a clue in them."

 

Patty 'snerked'. "Neither are you--and that's just flat weird." She flipped from picture to picture slowly, letting the other girl take a look.

 

The cause of death essentially the same as Mr. Tutterow.

 

Eric sighed internally as he walked in. At least now he could get a good look around at the mess. However he needed to help calm the secretaries while he did so he began looking around as well with the trained eye of a detective. It was begining to dawn on him how much of his young life was just him learning these skills. Maybe this aging backwards wasn't completely horrible if he could get the chance to have a bit more fun.

 

Patty's dad took Mrs. Skinner by the arm. He was making the calming sound that you used on a crying child or distressed animal. He insisted quietly for her to come with him.

 

The crime scene looked clean except for the area right in front of the PA system that was blown apart. Richards had fallen on his back, announcements on a clipboard. A sheaf of mail lay beside the clipboard.

 

Eric could see one of the envelopes in the middle of the small pile had an LL written in block letters at the end of a line.

 

Eric kept up trying to calm the people in the office. LL didn't really mean anything to him but the envelope did look out of place.

 

Once he had it in his hand, Eric saw that the whole word was Hardball. The envelope was addressed to the grim hero care of the principal at Chance City High School.

 

Although it was going to be a bit tricky, that is up until he put his hand in his pocket to pull out a hanky and purposely pulled the pens and pencils he kept there scattering them near the clip board "oops.. sorry" picking them up along with the letter and shoved it into his pocket.

 

The other woman, Mrs. Bupkus, clung to Eric as he went through his act crying on his shoulder.

 

"Sorry about the delay.." he smiled at her as he handed her the hanky softly petting her on the back

"Don't worry...they'll get the creep that did this. After all we, have to right."

 

As much as he wanted to be here waiting for the police (not) he needed to get out of there before he either grew too angry or before the police got there to see him and get on his case for not going home. Mister Run Away, that's what he was called then, that or Punk, Mr.Rebel, or quite a few less than savory terms that certainly wouldn't endear him to Patty's father. "M-maybe it might be a good idea to go to the teachers lounge everyone?" he slightly smiled as best he could using his worry to his own advantage. "You know...we didn't see anything so it might be best for us to take Patty to Drama room, It's quite around this period and would be safe too."

 

"One of us will have to make sure no one goes in the office to disturb things now that these two women are out," said Patty's dad. He considered the tasks ahead with a thoughtful frown. You kids should be able to go down there, but nowhere else. Take the ladies with you. I'll wait for the police until they arrive."

 

Eric was a bit annoyed but it didn't show "Alright everyone lets get to the drama room." he sighed a bit once on there way looking for Hardball in his Secret ID was his best option now. Playing postal carrier was not something he relished but he obviously needed him to get the letter now.

 

The drama class was situated near the auditorium so the class could practice walking the boards.

 

Several of the teachers moved with them to go back to their own classes to tell them everything was all right, the danger passed.

 

Anthony saw Talia in the hall coming forward.

 

"Is everything all right, snookums," she asked.

 

Anthony was feeling edgy again. *Snookums? Doesn't this girls hang with me 'cause I'm 'dangerous'? If I was, that'd be a good way to get herself slapped, at the very least. Babe I could take, but snookums. Most 'bad-boys' of my age would slap her down for undermining their street cred.* Still as much as he wanted to keep his reputation intact he couldn't beat-down a defenseless girl.

 

"Apart from the fact that Franklin's dead? Peachy. Looks like someone shot him point blank with a freaking shotgun. Look, you better get back to class, as soon as the cops get here I'm probably going to be dragged in on suspicion and I don't want you to be caught up in my sh**."

 

He got close enough to her so that he could speak to her without being overheard "Oh, and the next time you call me 'snookums' in public I'm going to have to mess your pretty face up, or else people'll think I've gone soft. I really don't want to have to do that, but if you make me I will. You understand, don't you?"

 

"Oh sure," said Talia, smiling. "You don't want people to think you're the marshmallow I know and love."

 

Anthony heard at least one voice somewhere say snookums but he couldn't tell which class clown said it.

 

Patty stood up, keeping her phone close. "What's bad," she whispered to Tammy, "is that that's twice I've been right there when someone's burst like that-its not...its like..."

 

She shook her head. "I dunno."

 

The assembled heroes were trapped in the music room with Mrs Skinner and Mrs Bupkiss. The women were at least trying to get their hysterical crying under control.

 

Patty moved to Eric and went to tiptoe, whispering in his ear, her breath hot against his flesh, "We have to get out of here-and find that bitch."

 

She gave him a little smile and stepped back to sit next to Tammy. With another whisper, she said, "Any ideas on getting us out of here?"

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

10:30 am Wednesday/09/03/20--

Eric looked thoughtful at the words whispered into his ear and then at the office ladies "Well...as

much as I'd like to just stay here ladies, Patty needs the bathroom and it's best to travel two by two.

I'll go with her anyone else need to go?"

 

Patty raised an eyebrow and almost thought to speak...

 

He asked looking at the other heroes in the room.

 

...and didn't. She looked at Tammy and gave a little jerk of the head, a 'lets get out of here...now'

look.

 

Tammy nodded. It was a good excuse, especially after everything that had happened.

 

"I think I'd better go too."

 

With all the confusion, they should have ample opportunity to 'get lost'.

 

The hall outside was clear for the moment. The sounds of sirens let them know that the police were

finally arriving on the school grounds. They didn't have much time left.

 

Patty made her decision. "Eric," she said, placing her hand lightly against his chest, "You and

Tammy go--meet me at my house, I'm going to go tell my Dad that you two are taking me home

because the cops are gonna want to talk to him and I'll tell him that I want a bath and I don't feel

good because I don't don't make me lie to him again okay because that just makes me really sick

okay?" Her voice was low pitched. "And then you need to find Hardball or whatever his name is

and I think that’s it did I miss anybody and then we gotta get to the headquarters or whatever."

 

Patty glanced into the hallway, ready to make her move.

 

It was clear for the moment. Her dad must have gone out to meet the police on the curb.

 

Jason waited for everyone else to be gone for a bit and then..."I wonder what's holding them up,

I'll go find them." Then he left the Music room and ran to the Gym to shrink (in case it goes wild).

 

Titan had a clear run to the gym at the other end of the building. The locker room was empty when

he got there, which made it easier to switch identities.

 

Eric nodded to her as he went to change into his own costume. He gave Anthony the psycho’s

letter. At least then he could make sense of it and maybe just maybe catch the damn girl.

 

"Call us," Patty said, then, "C'mon Tammy we gotta get we'll move past my Dad we'll tell him

you're helping me get home because I don't feel so good and he's gotta talk to the cops because we

didn't see anything, sound good?"

 

“Sounds good,” said Tammy.

 

She made her way out of the music room, heading for the doors, bag with its still-cooled evidence

from the previous evening slung over her shoulder.

 

Patty gave her a smile and led the way.

 

Tammy followed Patty out of the Music room, feeling edgy, as if something else was about to

happen. And would the cops just let them walk out?

 

Patty could see the flashing silver and blue lights Chance City's finest used on the top of the their

cars as she walked toward the front door.

 

Patty looked around and decided to head right down the middle. "C'mon you're helping me home

because I'm not feeling good and that's the truth I need a bath before we go to the headquarters you

know we had one of them I didn't froze my butt off among other bits because of the bad guys that

took over it but that's what’s up sound good to you?"

 

Patty spotted her dad waving his arms at the approaching policemen in front of the main door.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Patty grabbed Tammy's arm. "C'mon let's go because this is just going to get worse and worse and we'll never catch anybody expecially Heartbreaker lets hope that Eric gets with everybody else because Hardball especially needs to know about this and we'll just meet them at the Headquarters have you ever been there DADDY" she said, changing topic and target of her continuous spiel, "Tammy's going to walk home with me I don't feel good I just want to lay down for a while okay?"

 

That done, she changed direction and headed, instead of towards the cops, half-dragging, half guiding the other girl in the direction of the sidewalk and then off towards home--and hoping that the others managed to make good their escape from the school as well...

 

The police rolled to a stop, the officer talking to Patty's dad before he could stop them. Thirty feet and they were halfway across the parking lot heading for the street.

 

"Lets go lets go lets go before anybody stops us..." Patty grabbed Tammy's elbow and not-quite hauled the other girl off after her...

 

The girls could see the policemen start inside the building. There were only two so far. Both knew that more would follow. A battered blue mustang pulled into the parking lot as they reached the street.

 

Both recognized nosy reporter Carl coming to the story.

 

Anthony took the letter and stuffed it into his pocket. He walked out of the room with conviction, not stopping for anyone and headed toward the changing rooms where his stuff was waiting for him.

 

The teen hurler saw police on the door, but no Patty or Tammy. They must have got away. Patty's dad was talking to the first responders. The way his hands moved told the story.

 

Anthony knew that Eric and Jason would have changed to their alter egos. He also knew that the police would start a search of the building for clues. He didn't have long to change before they started going through lockers.

 

"I don't wanna talk to him do you want to talk to him I think he might be behind half the crime waves in the city kind of an evil Peter Parker type dude because every time something goes wrong he's right there," Patty hissed. "What do you think?," she asked Tammy.

 

The reporter pulled up in a space across from the front of the school. He got out and started taking pictures of the building, the cops, Patty's dad. He pulled out a tape recorder and started talking to the witness.

 

Jason quickly ran(shrunken) to the office to search for clues, before the police got started.

 

Titan saw the body laying where it had fallen. The chest was open to the world with the internal organs burned away. The PA system had a hole in it from the blast. Titan heard the front doors open in the quiet hall, and the sound of approaching voices.

 

Titan took a quick look around for a good hiding place. Someplace the police wouldn't look.

 

The best place looked like the secretary's desk. That was well away from the central violence of the thing.

 

Anthony grabbed his stuff and headed for the janitor's closet which opened with a good whack on the lock. He went inside and began to change.

 

"We are having a fire drill," said Mrs. Skinner. "At the bell, everyone please file out the back of the building and wait with your classes. Thank you."

 

A second later the class bell rang.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"Woah! Slow down a bit!"

 

Obediently, Patty slowed her pace-for her, it was a slow walk even though she wanted to move faster; for Tammy or any of the more normally movement-enabled, it was pushing towards a run.

 

It was always a little exhausting to listen to Patty talking on automatic!

 

"I haven't had a chance to get their numbers yet. Something to do when we meet up. Eric may know them; guys tend to hang out together."

 

"I hope so because otherwise we'll be back up the same creek we started without anyone in the same place at the same time and we really need to put our heads together to talk this through so that we have a good plan of going into battle and stuff because I don't think this Heartbreaker is playing or anything didn't Hardball or someone say something about him knowing her or something I don't remember you might not have been there that's when they blasted me out of the ice I froze my tucchiss off that was just flat rough until teamwork won the day." There she went again--she slowed her pace down once again. No sense in leaving Tammy behind and hitting the gas until air-friction ignited her clothing.

 

Again.

 

If not, it was going to be difficult to contact the others.

 

"Are you going to look at those samples before we meet the others?"

 

Tammy still wasn't sure what the plan was.

 

"Yeah," Patty said, her mind racing as fast as her monologue, "but I can't use the school lab now and I don't know what I'm looking for other than abnormalities and who knows what's there your dad has that little lab in the basement right he used to because I remember the first time around that we both caught hell for making a mess even though we later on went and cleaned it up but i really need to use the centerfuge and that little microscope of his I have one but his is a hell of a lot better than mine and besides I want to take this shirt and take a look at the residue of the vice principal because that's where the blood came from if we can get that..."

 

"Maybe we could send up a flare," she joked, jogging beside Patty. They were going to have to get their comms sorted out.

 

"We can get the home phones of some of the others from the phone book. Those we know the identities of, at least. It would have to be a pretty guarded conversation, though."

 

She looked at Tammy. "We need a plan and maybe science can help us get there and I'll show you where the headquarters is because I kinda stumbled onto it last night."

 

The blonde girl bit her tongue, trying to not speak too much. "My house first, your house next, then the HQ."

 

"OK. My dad's probably out at the moment, if you want to try his lab, otherwise we can go straight on to the headquarters. I'm glad you know where it is!"

 

Eric cursed at the text message as he made a u-turn from his changing station towards the exit Hardball had already made his move to get going but he was certainly not the type to get caught. Besides with the sound of sirens, it was a sure bet this incident was planned to get them caught. A possible frame up. Not good. Rushing out the exit Eric made his way off school grounds.

 

Behind him, Eric heard the announcement that the school was having a fire drill. All of the students would be coming out the back of the school toward him. Ahead was a fence and the street leading into the neighborhood beyond.

 

"Well at least this is a good sign." He announced to himself as he got outside with other students. Generally teachers were not really looking for specific students so should be able to slip away and perhaps meet up with the others over at Patty's house. He moved over the fence and began working his way towards her house. After all they had the sample and they needed information pronto. Fighting a nut in the dark with her holding all the cards was not his idea of fun.

 

Eric was over the fence and out on the street as the first students rolled out of the flat school in a multicolored cloud. Now all he had to do was make his way to a bus stop and cross town without being seen unless he wanted to use his grapple gun in the residential neighborhood.

 

Hardball heard the announcement of the fire-drill as he slipped on his mask. *Good* he thought *The halls will be deserted, no-one to overreact to my appearance, last think I need is someone thinking I had anything to do with the (O.k. technically the psycho-bint is sending me bloody valentines so it is mostly my fault, still..) As he opened the door he heard the sirens. *Less

good, have to avoid them and get ... where? The new HQ? Somebody's house? Thank goodness I have a 'man on the inside'. He pulled out and turned on the 'Ballphone' (the mobile he used as Hardball (Complete with 'nifty' baseball themed casing and screensaver and 'Take me out to the ballgame' as it's ringtone) as distinct from Anthony's (which was far cooler) and txted Eric (or EMP, or whatever he was calling himself these at the moment):

 

Where 2?

 

He set the phone to silent and began his escape.

 

Hardball heard the talking of students and teachers as they headed for the back of the building. The cops were obviously herding them away from the crime scene. A glance showed him the lines on the move to his left. A exit should be to his right then left that would take him out to the bus parking lot.

 

Eric stopped as his phone vibrated against him. He nodded to himself, and typed 'Bunnies house' as that was the nick name he'd used for Patty.

 

The phone rings...and rings...and rings...and then the answering machine picks up. "Hello, you've reached the Antres residence; we're not currently available to come to the telephone right now: if you would leave your name, number and a brief message, we'll get back to you as soon as possible." A moment later, there is a 'Beep' on the phone.

 

Obviously, Patricia isn't home yet--and neither is anyone else.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"I only know where it is because I accidentally stumbled on it last night by accident they left the manhole cover off and then I just kinda dropped in taht was kinda nasty but I think we're all good now," Patty replied, picking up the pace--only two blocks away now.

 

She led the way up onto the back door and fished in her pocket for a moment, then ug the key out. "Here we go," and walked in. "Make yourself at home food and soda in the fridge let me get a quick shower and bag this blouse and we'll be good I think."

 

*beep*

 

Patty frowned even as she began to accelerate--and then slowed once again.

 

*beep*

 

She looked at the telephone and pushed 'Play' on the answering machine.

 

"Eric tried to call," she decided, blouse half-unbuttoned, displaying her costume top. "Tammy there's baggies in the lower left hand drawer from the sink the big gallon ones can you get me one?" She shed her top and pulled out her cellphone and hit 'redial' for Eric...and waited for him to answer...

 

Eric answered his cell phone after sending a message to hardball to meet at Patty's House. "Hello Patty, how's it going?," he asked as he walked his way towards her house. He'd debated hotwiring a car to get there sooner but considering he was suppose to be turning a new leaf it likely wouldn't have gone over to well with the group.

 

"Hi Eric we're at my house me and Tammy did everybody get out okay without getting picked up by the cops did anyone see anything out of the ordinary besides people exploding and stuff and how well is the lab in the headquarters outfitted because I have samples from last nights victims and today's victim as well and I really think we need to check it out Tammy's dad has a good lab in the basement of their house if I need to and I live not to far from the school about six blocks or so at this address," Patty gave the address while stuffing her soiled top into a baggy. "So are you guys on your way here or the headquarters or where?"

 

"Where on our way to you guys, at your house. The base isn't very good in way of labs right now. We still need to improve it a lot. So sounds like Tammy's dad is our best chance." He answered taking a turn towards her house. Considering before he only a vague idea before where she lived he found this route to be much better considering she told him where it was. "Be there soon."

 

Patty nodded and looked at Tammy, eyes wide. "Okay Eric who as is we did you find Hardball and Titan and everybody else you didn't get the psycho chick that's blowing people up with you because that might be bad my folks might have a problem with that we'll order pizza or something how soon are you going to be here good grief I need a shower first I'll talk to you later."

 

She hung up and looked at Tammy. "They're on their way they'll be here in a minute go ahead and order pizzas and soda's in the fridge I need to get a shower and change clothes I'm not going to go around half-topless I don't mind doing it in action but not in my own house you know?"

 

"I know," said Tammy.

 

Patty tossed the phone to Tammy and, with a swirl of wind in her wake, raced up the stairs; a moment later, there could be heard water running...

 

Hardball moved quickly across the bus parking lot, keeping cover between him and the police. Once he made it outside of the school grounds he ran down an alley leapt a fence into an empty backyard and hunkered down to look at the message which had been sent to the 'Ball-phone'.

 

Beneath his mask his eyebrows quirked in surprise and frustration.

 

"WTF IS BUNNIE'S HOUSE?," he sent back.

 

Hardball could see police and other personnel showing at the scene, responding to the first call. It would be a matter of time before they started canvassing the neighborhoods around the school.

 

He saw a familiar costume crossing the street ahead and knew it was Emp heading for the Rabbit's house.

 

Inside the house, Patty brushed her hair and vibrated herself dry by hitting her internal 'jitterbug' that hid her identity from the casual observer even a 1000-speed shutter wouldn't pick her up or at least that's the wa it used to work for her and then pulled her costume back on a fresh pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt over her top and those great running shoes of hers back on over a pair of footies and reappeared in the kitchen just as Tammy picked up the phone. She gave the other girl a grin as she appeared with the screech of rubber. "That's the problem with doing everything so fast I have to run around in the shower to get hit by individual drops or I don't get anything done wonder where the boys are?"

 

Tammy jumped.

 

"I never could get used to just how fast you were," she said ruefully, smiling.

 

Patty shrugged. "Sorry," she smiled.

 

From Patty's phone, Tammy rang the pizza company and ordered pizzas: one vegetarian, one pepperoni. And some garlic bread, since it was part of a special offer.

 

"I don't wear my costume under my clothes," she said when Patty returned, "I'd better go change."

 

"Bathroom's upstairs so's my room take your pick," Patty called, "boys should be here shortly and pizzas in thirty so I think we're all good and I'll get the sodas."

 

Eric forwarded the directions to Patty's house to Hardball and the others as he arrived.

 

Patty opened the door: "Uh...hi Eric," she said, "Uh...come on in...um...Tammy's upstairs..." She looked oddly vulnerable and strangely out of words there for a moment and actually looked down at the floor. "Uh...did you call everybody else?"

 

Eric nodded a bit "Uh..yeah, I forwarded your directions to your place to the others." He put his cell phone away as he walked into her house. "So..um..Tammy's here too.. That's good." he was a bit flustered himself considering they were alone downstairs and after the incident with his powers awkward didn't seem to come close to describing how he felt with her standing there. "um...so...uh, wow you have a large house."

 

Patty blushed. "Uh, yeah, Dad does okay, better I guess than last time, maybe."

 

Eric grimaced at his choice of topics. yeah the guy that use to seduce multimillion dollar corporate daughters, the master of love and lust, and here he was getting tongue tied like a school boy...which he was again so this was certainly more than just awkward. "I..um..wanted to apologize again for...the um.." his heart was beating like a jackhammer and it was taking every bit of concentration not to erupt again. He didn't want to take any chances with this group any more than he had already..."um..can I have a glass of water?" he asked suddenly trying to change the subject that he had really wanted to start but it was the only thing he could think of at the moment before the others arrived.

 

Patty stepped away and took a deep breath. "Um, yeah, c'mon in, uh..."

 

She gestured at the living room, at the sectional in the corner, the TV in the opposing corner, the overstuffed pair of seats by the bay window. "Um, take a seat and I'll get...yeah..."

 

She almost literally disappeared and reappeared, two tall glasses of water in her hand, then took herself a seat on the sectional couch. "Um..." Patty looked up and met his eyes for the first time. "You don't have to say sorry--it...kinda felt familiar, and...uncomfortable...but..." She gulped. "Uh..."

 

However as his mind drifted he relaxed his control over his presence as he talked with her. "In what way am I familiar?" he asked innocently hoping to narrow it down his aura reaching out to her like fire seeking burnable materials to set ablaze.

 

Her breath caught for a moment as his powers slowly massaged their way across her soul and she half-coughed, half-purred at the luxuriant feel of the caress.

 

She smiled down at him, the banked fires within slowly beginning to yield to his powers.

 

He gulped as he looked her in the eyes and drank a healthy dose of the water in the cup trying to calm his nerves a bit. "..as uncomfortable as it is right now?," he asked trying to force a bit of a laugh and to add a bit of humor to the moment. "Familiar?.." he sat back trying to relax and failing badly really. "Guess you must have run into an empath before..when you where an adult that is." he looked at her carefully trying to see if he knew her. It certainly felt like he should have paid more attention to those heroines he'd seduce with his powers to help other criminals, especially now.

 

He stared at her for awhile letting his mind drift during the conversation as he tried to remember her when he was known as DreamBoat. He was sure she was familiar herself now. However as his mind drifted he relaxed his control over his presence as he talked with her. "In what way am I familiar?" he asked innocently hoping to narrow it down his aura reaching out to her like fire seeking burnable materials to set ablaze.

 

Tammy came back down, having put her costume on under her clothes. Which made it look like she was wearing dark tights with her T-shirt and bike shorts.

 

Tammy felt ready to do things to Eric that she had never considered before, right there, right then. Her costume was feeling way too hot.

 

"That's what I was thinking." he smiled up at her. He was feeling a bit more comfortable as he talked with her hand gently touching hers.

 

"Hi, Eric."

 

That was when he heard Tammy. He hadn't noticed her come in and that was when he realized he was projecting again. This didn't help any as now he was panicking as he tried to get his mind back into focus he was losing that much more control over his power.

 

Patty blinked at him. "Whoa...Eric...please..." She tilted her head slightly. "Please...don't...I like you..." She felt herself warm up as his powers rumbled back towards control.

 

Patty was attractive and her friend was certainly not a plain jane and that mixed with his attraction to Patty was making this very hard.

 

She focused, not-quite glaring at him, but her eyes still warm.

 

'God I hate being a teenager' he screamed internally as he just tried to calm down. Maybe his power wasn't affecting them as badly as it had the first time. He just needed to wait till the other guys...awww crap. He mentally reminded himself that the other guys as it were likely to accuse him of doing this on purpose.

 

"umm..which way to the bathroom?" he asked meekly.

 

She touched his hand, then removed it, standing up and away, intentionally backing so that she was between him and Tammy. "Up the stairs, first door on the right before you double back along the hall," she instructed him, her tongue darting out for a moment, wetting her lips, then she breathed in deep. "Eric..."

 

Tammy stopped, and stared. Her breathing became faster, as she caught a full-on dose of Love Potion Number Eric. Her mind was filled with carnal day-dreams.

 

Her face flushed. The room was suddenly much too warm. What was she doing, wearing two layers of clothing anyway? Tammy yanked off her T-shirt and began to slide her bike shorts down her legs.

 

As Eric fled past her up the stairs, she threw herself at him, but her bike shorts caught round her ankles and tripped her.

 

As he took up the stairs, she turned around and embraced Tammy in a hug, her head upon the oriental girl's shoulder and eyes closed in frustration, unaware of what his powers had done to her. "Oh God Tammy I like him but I wish his powers didn't do that to me I feel all tingly inside its irritating because he can be really nice what am I going to do?"

 

Tammy sat up dazedly, her heart still pounding, her costume now damp with sweat. She held Patty.

 

"What just happened?"

 

"Eric got you that's his power he makes people fall in love with him they just do whatever it is but me I really do like him please don't hate him we'll work with him on it it hit you a lot harder than me I think he was just practicing and it got out of control I'm so sorry."

 

Outside Patty's house Hardball had followed Eric from a discreet distance and having seen him enter a house had stolen around to the side window to see what was going on, not sure if this was a) Where they were supposed to meet Eric's place where he was going to get changed into EMP or c) something else entirely.

 

He watched the whole psychodrama of Eric, his new (old?) girlfriend, and her friend play out not wanting to make his presence known while Eric's telempathic abilities had a hold on him as well (hard to put across a stony exterior while suffering from an overwhelming 'adolescent' desires). Finally when the whole situation seemed to calm down and Eric seemed to have a hold on his powers Hardball took a few long breaths, thought about something really unarousing and went to the back door. He typed a txt message to Eric:

 

"When your finished with your menage a trois, I'm @ the back door of the house you are in."

 

Hardball didn't know what it was but Eric didn't have any effect on him but make him impatient.

 

Once in the bathroom, Eric turned on the cold water and began splashing his face with more than a generous amount. It helped calm him down a little. He looked in the mirror. His own emerald eyes staring back at him from underneath his black hair that hung moistly to his face.

 

"What's wrong with me? I was sure I had some level of control over this power when I was this

age.." he could finally feel his aura going to rest as he kept staring at himself. This entire thing just

felt so damn familiar. At least now with a calm mind he might be able to start putting some figures together. Her name might not mean anything but he had worked for a few crime families when they had a female super hero problem and wanted her distracted while they pulled a big job. If

so... His shoulders slumped as he looked at himself in the mirror "Mister congeniality I'm not.." maybe joining this group was not his brightest of ideas.

 

Here he was trying to be a hero and his own power was mucking things up. They needed to find the psycho girl before she could strike again and here he was in the house of a super heroine that moved as fast as a bolt of lightning it seemed and who knew what her friend could do.

 

He turned off the water his depression doing a good job of leveling off the last of his power. Opening the door he began walking back towards the stairs. He was in love, he knew it, he also knew, that no matter what he couldn't be near her. After all she'd grown up likely got married to someone that actually had a future. He couldn't do that to her, after all if they did return things to normal what did he have to offer her? A life of inventing weapons and crime? God he couldn't wait till this group caught up with Doctor Tempus so he could give her a good swift kick for the hell she was putting him through.

He began walking down the stairs slowly forcing a smile at the two. "Okay...hello's part two I guess.

Everyone okay?"

 

"I guess," said Tammy, smiling weakly, her breathing returning to normal. She blushed as she realized her bike shorts were still around her ankles, and hastily pulled them up over her costume, then looked around for her T-shirt.

 

Patty let her go and handed her the T-shirt.

 

"That's some power you've got there."

 

"More like annoyance." he smiled at the two still stooping at the steps to pick up Tammy's shirt. Once on the landing he held it out to her as he averted his eyes, not that he hadn't gotten a good look at her when he moved up the stairs but it was common sense right now. "Tends to get me more in trouble..." the knock at the door interrupted him thankfully and the sound of pizza delivery was very audible. "Right I'll get that." He moved towards the door pulling out some money to pay for the food at least he knew he had money even in this time shift. Probably earned it the same way as before too. Another nail in the coffin he added mentally as he turned around to the pair again these time bringing in the pizza. "Hope Hardball gets here soon. Starting to get worried."

 

"It was weird. I wasn't in control," said Tammy.

 

Tammy pulled her T-shirt on.

 

"Unsettled, yes. Mad, no. I mean, you made sure we were safe."

 

She shivered.

 

Patty hugged her friend tighter, nervous for herself as well as for Tammy.

 

"But he bolted. There are lots of things he could have done - bad things - but he chose to remove himself. I think there's hope for him yet."

 

"I think so to he's good underneath that exterior he has the possibilities and potential and I want to help him get there and I know about the control you just dived for him and I did about the same last night I was ready to..." Her voice trailed off and then...

 

Patty all of a sudden got very quiet again and stared at the floor. After a half-second-which to the speedster must have been hours: "I'm sorry Eric I told her about your power don't run away or anything please I really do like you and we'll work on your control I promise and Tammy please don't be mad at him please?"

 

The word 'like' gave him a mixed feeling. He knew he was attracted to her but he also didn't want to cause her any problems and as much as he was considering this he smiled at her. "It's okay Patty I figure if where all working together we should know as much about each other as possible or within reason." he added hastily.

 

Patty gave him a hesitant smile as her eyes flicked from his, then to the floor, then back to his, blue meeting green with a more permanent smile.

 

"As for your offer to help me learn control.. I'd like that but I can't even remember how I got it under

control when I was growing up." 'besides', he added mentally 'I don't think I could stand the idea of the long term effects on you two.' He hated he couldn't voice that statement but he did need there trust while they where teenagers, at least that way they could work together with some level of security..granted not much.

 

"Thank you for that Eric you didn't do anything unseemly even though you could have I think you're really good for that thank you," said Tammy.

 

"Yeah I could have. But...were teammates after all." he gestured to the pizzas and sodas by lifting them "While discussing my powers is fascinating I think this pizza will get cold if we wait to long to eat it." He smiled at the two of them.

 

"Soo I guess we eat and wait for the rest of the group."

 

With a sigh of relief-mixed, perhaps, with a bit of regret-Patty led the two back to the kitchen; as the first pizza was opened, there came a tapping at the back door...

 

Still feeling a little twitchy - Tammy didn't like the feeling of not being in control of herself - she helped herself to a hot slice of pizza and a large glass of cola.

 

"C'mon in."

 

Eric gulped down a large dose of the soda and walked towards the backdoor that Tammy had yelled at. Opening the door he gestured inside, "Come in as the lady said." he forced a smile again "So the letter contain any new clues?" he asked walking back over to the table glad to have the spot light off him again.

 

Hardball shrugged "Haven't looked at it yet, to busy finding this place. You could have perhaps

given directions, or maybe an address? Anyway, I'm not much for riddles so I thought we should all look at it together."

 

He turned to Patty "Just a safety tip *Rabbit*..."he said emphasizing the nickname so Eric would pick it up, "... leaving your backdoor unlocked and inviting people in before you know who they are, ain't. Safe that is"

 

Patty was about to open her mouth-she was still a little red-faced, then Eric shrugged, "What can I say, I figured the other term for Rabbit would let you know who I was talking about and a lack of tracing could certainly help Thought you'd been to her house when you guys went out yesterday to check up on clues."

 

Finally he turned to Tammy "Since EMP and Rabbit seem O.K. with talking 'business' in front of you I'll guess your in the same line of 'work'. Hardball."

 

He extended a gloved hand.

 

Beneath his mask he looked up at the kitchen clock to make sure he had plenty of time before his meeting with Casket.

 

Patty sighed. "yeah, just a piece of fluff sorry I don't make it to your exacting specifications for being a hero or being suspicious or anything."

 

She sat back and let him talk and just nibbled on a piece of pizza.

 

Eric looked over at Patty "I really doubt you're a piece of fluff, Patty. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have any of the information we have now. You also planned ahead for pizza for this little meeting...I'm rambling now..great.." his voice got a bit lower as he started eating "So let's have the letter I guess Hardball.."

 

The clock ticked toward 11. He had four hours and some change before he had to meet at the restaurant.

 

The piece of pizza Patty held vanished in an accompanying 'bip' of noise; perhaps it it were recorded and played back very slowly, it would have been intelligible. With a deep sigh, Patty said, enunciating slowly and carefully, "So what does your note say you're the link here you know your bad guy."

 

Hardball turned to Patty, "Never said you weren't hero material, Rabbit. Like EMP says you went out of your way to find me and almost got yourself froze to deliver the letter... but yeah I don't think your suspicious enough. I could have been the exact same guys who 'cold cocked' you last night and while they may have just blasted the door open, at least they wouldn't have been able to

sneak up on you by simply opening the door and walking in. You ain't as spry as good as a teenager as you were as an adult and what you would have considered minor threats then are major threats now, and you shouldn't simply assume your powers will be able to save you, I would have thought last night would have at least taught you that... Anyway, the letter"

 

Hardball opened the letter and read out what it contained.

 

The block letters said:

Captain where

have you gone these three and one

days to return home?

 

Try a little harder, lover boy. I'm not breaking a sweat yet.

 

"Rabbit?" Tammy asked Patty, grinning. "Katido. I'd shake, but..."

 

She waved the glass of coke and slice of pizza in her hands.

 

"Rabbit," Patty confirmed with a shrug of her shoulders.

 

"Oh, OK." Tammy imagined her friend bouncing around like a jackrabbit and kept smiling.

 

"Better than Bunny, at least."

 

"So, what are we going to do?," asked Tammy.

 

Patty looked at Hardball.

 

"Katido. That's what, Spanish, for kitten?"

 

"Esperanto, but yeah, kitten."

 

Her smile faded slightly. If Tachyon was 'Rabbit', no doubt she'd be 'Kitten'.

 

She listened as Hardball read the note.

 

"Odd phrasing, 'Three and one days to return home'. Do you think it means anything?"

 

Hardball looked at the note. "Given she's targeting authority figures, I'd say her next target is probably a police captain. I'm not that well versed in the names of individual police. Do any of you know of a police captain whose name might have something to do with the rest of the note?"

 

Eric's first response was not going to be very pleasing to the group but holding back his own anger

he smiled. "My father is a member of the police force. Head Detective, He might be able to help." Granted that might was pretty small but if he went into the police station the worst his father could do was yell at him considering the interrogation rooms where still too public for him to go into a beating.

 

"If I go there I can be semi-safe while I gather information. Though helping me get away would be rather nice as well."

 

He wasn't sure how well this was going to go over with the group but it was an option that worked.

 

If this followed the order of the first note, Hardball knew they were looking for a police captain who had been gone somewhere for four days.

 

"I can go with you if you're worried about it," Patty interjected. "Wait-me and Tammy need to look at these samples when do you want to go it could take a while for everything we'd need to do I was going to do it at school but your girlfriend," she nodded at Hardball, "decided to take care of that so our choices are kinda limited which is okay because Tammy's Dad has better stuff than the school or at least he did does he still?" she addressed her friend.

 

"It has to she's psychotic in a Frank Gorshin kinda way he could be on temporary duty too is there any Captains that might be in charge of like undercover operations and stuff?"

 

"You and Tammy will have to figure out what she's usingfor a bomb. Since my dad's part of the police force I can go in and start getting 'interested' in police stuff and let you guys know where the captain has gotten off too. But my guess would be she's going to strike at his house. So the sooner we find out who he is, the sooner we can catch her. Besides there are a number of captains in a station house that just calling would be giving us the run around without his name."

 

No where in his plan did he really include the rest of the group going with him and it was pretty risky. "Only downside is that if he's out on assignment I'm likely going to be treated like any runaway and detained."

 

Andrew Johnson High was a three story conglomeration of brick, glass, and wood, that formed a square around an open courtyard with hedges and concrete benches. A gym had been added to one side just on the other side of the stairwells.

 

This was where Nariko Miyama spent her days trying to sharpen her knack in mechanical things and ignoring others she wasn't interested in. At 10:10, her name was announced over the intercom. Apparently the principal wanted to talk to her in person before third period.

 

"Goddammit...", Nariko muttered. *What could that *boring-@$$* admin-idiot possibly want *now*?*, she thought to herself en-route to the principal's office. *It's not like I haven't managed to jump through all of the boring and pointless academic hoops that that have been forced on me since I've been in this stupid school!*

 

Her mind quickly returned to mechanical and "techie" things as she walked down the school's wide halls and she nearly bumped into a row of lockers as she fully immersed herself in her thoughts. Finally, she found herself in front of the principal's office door. *I hope this isn't a waste of time...*, she mentally to herself with a sigh as she checked her elegant-looking hairdo for a moment, turned the doorknob and then stepped inside.

 

Mr. Clemmer, tall and middle aged, broken nose from something in his younger days, looked over at his student as she came into the open area. The secretaries sat at desks arranged across from each other. Small personal offices fed off this central area. Windows looked out on the concrete courtyard beyond the filing cabinet jungle.

 

"This is Nariko," Mr. Clemmer said, gesturing at the student. "Nariko, these gentlemen say they are from your mother's company. There seems to be an accident."

 

The two men were dressed in cheap suits, one had some kind of stain on his shirt. The older man tried to look reassuring behind his thick glasses, thinning hair, and freckled fair skin.

 

"My name is Ebersole," said the older man. "We're here to take you to the hospital."

 

Nariko's pretty, almond-shaped eyes grew wide with shock and sudden dread. "An...accident?"

 

She stared at the man for a moment. Even her excellent mind couldn't absorb such news immediately. "W-what *happened*?", she finally managed to stammer out.

 

"Your mother was working on a project for our company, and something happened to her lab," said Ebersole. "Mr. Keyes, the division head, asked us to fetch you for her. We're to take you right over from here."

 

Nariko swallowed hard, feeling *literally* sick from the awful news. It seemed as if she was suddenly living a *nightmare*! A part of her wanted to crawl into her extradimensional hidey-hole and *never* come out, but she realized that it wouldn't really solve anything. Like it or not, she'd have to *face* this and, *somehow*, get through it. After looking towards the principal and then back at Ebersole, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to *somehow* keep her emotions under control. "Okay," she finally said quietly, "let's go..."

 

"We're parked right out front," said Ebersole. He held the door for her, then followed with a slap of rubber soles on the tiled floor. "It's a green Mercury."

 

Still stunned, the young gearhead walked out to the car and got in.

 

Ebersole and his assistant got in the front. The tinted window between the front and back cast them in shadow. They started the car and pulled away from the curb.

 

As the now-shadowy figures supposedly drove her to the hospital, Nariko fished her compact out of her purse and regarded the familiar face reflected within. She'd always found the presence of mirrors to be very comforting, secure in the knowledge that any one of them could serve as gateway to her private little world. Even as she took the opportunity to check her hair and make-up yet again, she could sense her power in the back of her mind, waiting to be released.

 

Looking up from her refection. Nariko peered out of one of the side windows of the car, looking for any identifiable landmarks.. Were they *really* heading for the hospital?

 

They seem to be heading west, towards CCMC. She noticed they were sticking to the sideroads, instead of rolling on a major artery. She noticed her compact slip to the floor but she couldn't feel her hands.

 

*Not* good! Were they *dosing* her with something? Suddenly deciding that staying in the car would *not* be a good idea, Nariko tried with all her might to catch her reflection on something so that she could get the hell *out* of there!

 

She fell over, dropping down in the floorboards. All she could see was a green floor mat.

 

Dammit, it was already too *late*! Even so, Nariko *still* tried to turn her head or do anything she *could* to try and catch her reflection in something...

 

She was able to give her face a little twist. Gravity finished the job, letting her look at the bottom of the back seats. Little grills revealed themselves. Obviously the tank for the knockout gas was under the back seat. Tire noise revealed smooth sailing like they got on the highway while she was struggling to move.

 

Even though it was probably hopeless, Nariko kept trying to squirm and move herself around, hoping that *something* reflective would manage to catch her eye. At the same time, she inwardly chastised herself for being a *total* idiot. Why didn't she immediately think of gating out and making her way to the hospital *herself* instead of taking the extra time to look out of the *window* first? "You f*cking *dummy*..." she tried to murmur as she continued to struggle.

 

Nariko found that only her eyes moved. Worse she was drooling out of the corner of her mouth since it didn't work right. She could hear humming above. The car shook, then moved down. Darkness covered the windows above.

 

The door opened.

 

"I think you gave her too much," said Ebersole.

 

Hands wrapped around her unpleasantly. Up she went. She landed upright in a chair.

 

"Standard dose," said the assistant. "She just took it better than I thought."

 

"Newspaper," Ebersole said.

 

She looked at each of the people involved as intently as her drug-addled state could manage and tried her best to commit their names and faces to her excellent memory. Oh yes, she *definitely* wanted to remember these people so that she could get *back* at them later!

 

The assistant held a newspaper under Nariko's chin. The sound of a camera clicked hummed.

 

Her eyes turned angry as she thought to herself, *Oh great! If I'm a *bad* dog, will they hit me in the *snout* with it?*

 

"Don't give us any trouble and nothing will happen," Ebersole said. "Start anything and I can't tell you how much it will hurt. Turn out her pockets."

 

She looked towards the floor as if she had been successfully cowed, although inwardly she was seething.

The assistant professionally turned out Nariko's pockets, confiscating everything and placing it in an envelope.

 

"The drug will wear off in a couple of hours," said Ebersole. "We'll get you something to eat then."

 

*Oh *joy*,* she thought sarcastically, *A tasty meal *filled* with sedatives, tranquilizers and/or psychoactive drugs, I'd imagine...*

 

They locked her in her cell, allowing her some privacy.

 

Staggering up to a sitting position as soon as she was able, the gearhead girl quietly sat and analytically evaluated her current situation. Were there any usefully reflective surfaces in sight? How was she under surveillance, as far as she could tell? What about the cell itself? Was there any sign of it being wired up/hooked up to anything nasty, such as something electrical and/or gas jets? Were there any noticeable flaws in its construction that could be exploited? If she *was* under surveillance (and she automatically assumed that she was), were there any areas in the cell that appeared to be out of the field of view? Were there any power conduits that could conceivably be accessed from inside the cell? What sort of locking mechanism secured the door?

 

As she continued her quiet analysis, she thought to herself, *Bide your time, Nariko. Be compliant as possible for now. If they believe that you won't attempt to escape, they'll get sloppy and make a mistake eventually. Then it'll be time to get *out* of this shxxhole!*

 

Nariko could only see in front of her at first. That was filled by a door. The wall on either side of that door appeared to be cracked drywall. A roach ran across as she looked at it.

 

She tried to frown. *Oh, *great*! What a *classy* place!*, she thought darkly. Then she peered closely at the cracks. Did they appear to go all the way through?

 

Eventually her neck loosened so she could turn her head. The space on either side of the chair, the only furniture, was only three feet wide. House vents were in two places near the floor.

 

Essentially a closet with a chair and a light bulb.

 

Maybe they wouldn't hold her for long.

 

The gearhead girl sighed and experimentally tried to move her hands and feet. Inwardly, she was rather puzzled at first. *They went through the trouble of dosing me with gas and then just *dumped* me in here like a sack of potatoes? It doesn't make *sense*!* Then, her mind replayed all of the events during her arrival and it all started to fall in to place. *Wait a minute. He asked for a newspaper and then took my picture...that newspaper might not have been just holding up my *head*, but maybe it was there to establish the date that the picture was *taken*! This might not be about me or my powers at *all*! Maybe I'm just a *hostage*!*

 

The more she thought about it, the more her hypothesis made sense. After all, nobody, not even her *mom*, really knew what her dad did for a living. Perhaps they took her to get to *him*? Although she really *didn't* want to mentally go there, her mind started to think up various scary scenarios concerning fingers and *other* body parts being cut off of her to provide more "proof". "I've *got* to get out of here...", she murmured to herself as she tried to get her still-numbed body moving.

 

Her extremities came alive first, then the rest of her. Empty pockets flapped as she tried to move around.

 

No money, no identification, no tools. All they had to do was shoot her, hack off her head and hands, and dump them in places no one would find them. Good luck even finding out who she was, much less who killed her unless they got caught dumping her parts.

 

These two didn't seem that incompetent.

 

"Great...just *great*...", she murmured morosely as she waited for her body to start working again. As soon as she was able, Nariko flipped the chair over and, as quietly as possible, tried to break off one of its legs. Then, even if she *couldn't* break it off, she gave the doorknob a quiet turn and tried to open the door (just in case it was actually unlocked, which, given the efficiency of her captors, wasn't likely).

 

Once she confirmed the fact that the door was indeed locked, the half-Japanese girl started to work on one of the cracked pieces of drywall with the chair leg (or with the whole *chair* if it was still intact), hoping to at *least* create an opening large enough to see through.

 

The drywall came off in giant flakes, falling to the floor in a whispery shuffle. Behind that was a set of wood strips. A crack between the wood revealed what looked like concrete.

 

Nariko heard a noise at the door.

 

Suddenly frightened, the teen couldn't help but respond to the noise with a sharp intake of breath. Even so, she quickly retreated to the far corner of the room and crouched low, hoping to make a mad dash for freedom as soon as the door was opened. The tip of her crude improvised weapon quaking as she held it in front of her almost like a blunt and puny lance, Nariko waited in fear for her one chance to escape. At the same time she thought, *This is *going* to work...I'll drive this thing into his balls and run *right* past him! This is *going* to work...This is *going* to work...This is *going* to work, gxxxxxxit!*

 

A window opened at the bottom of the door. A bag of McQuick's fast food slid in through the panel. The window shut, latched close.

 

The smell of cooked potatoes and grilled meat filled the closet with the promise of tasty goodness.

 

Deciding that poisoning would be a very inefficient way to kill her as opposed to just using a bullet, Nariko ate the tasty-smelling food, hoping to gain as much strength as she possibly could from it. Even so, she inspected the packaging and food closely before she actually ate at it.

 

It was typical McQuick's in foil wrappers for the burgers, and paper for the greasy fries. A milk shake had been added instead of a coke.

 

Finally, shrugging, the imprisoned teen eats all of the food and polishes off the shake. It doesn't take long.

 

The window in the door opened again.

 

"Trash please," said the voice of Ebersole's assistant.

 

Nariko could see the window was almost big enough for her shoulders.

 

Frowning darkly, Nariko crumpled everything up and tossed it through the hole. Biting back a nasty comment, she instead asked as politely as she could under the circumstances, "Could I please have my make-up compact back, please? I dropped it in the car and I probably look like total *sxxt* by now..." Without conscious volition, the young woman found herself fruitlessly fiddling with her hair again. *It's worth a *try*, I guess...*, she thought to herself, *...and it might *also* let me know if they know about my powers.*

 

"You won't be here long enough to worry about your looks," said the assistant. She heard something about vanity before the window closed.

 

Before the door closed, the gearhead girl took note of the door and its basic design, hoping to find an obvious weakness in it that she could exploit.

 

The window was an add on to the original door, possibly for just this purpose. She heard a latch click in place which meant some kind of bar to hold it close. If she could knock it loose, she might be able to squeeze through.

 

Nariko let out a long sigh and it wasn't *completely* feigned. It would have been so damn *easy* to escape with her little mirror!

 

Pressing her ear to the door to listen, the gearhead girl waited several minutes after everything was silent outside before attempting to make her next move. With genuine regret, the somewhat vain blonde removed her ponytail clip and the two bobby pins securing it in place. After carefully arranging her pretty, curly, mid-back-length hair into as symmetrical of an arrangement as possible, Nariko bent one of the golden clips as flat as possible and started to work carefully at trying to pull up the food door's restraining bar from the inside.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"I only know where it is because I accidentally stumbled on it last night by accident they left the manhole cover off and then I just kinda dropped in taht was kinda nasty but I think we're all good now," Patty replied, picking up the pace--only two blocks away now.

 

She led the way up onto the back door and fished in her pocket for a moment, then ug the key out. "Here we go," and walked in. "Make yourself at home food and soda in the fridge let me get a quick shower and bag this blouse and we'll be good I think."

 

*beep*

 

Patty frowned even as she began to accelerate--and then slowed once again.

 

*beep*

 

She looked at the telephone and pushed 'Play' on the answering machine.

 

"Eric tried to call," she decided, blouse half-unbuttoned, displaying her costume top. "Tammy there's baggies in the lower left hand drawer from the sink the big gallon ones can you get me one?" She shed her top and pulled out her cellphone and hit 'redial' for Eric...and waited for him to answer...

 

Eric answered his cell phone after sending a message to hardball to meet at Patty's House. "Hello Patty, how's it going?," he asked as he walked his way towards her house. He'd debated hotwiring a car to get there sooner but considering he was suppose to be turning a new leaf it likely wouldn't have gone over to well with the group.

 

"Hi Eric we're at my house me and Tammy did everybody get out okay without getting picked up by the cops did anyone see anything out of the ordinary besides people exploding and stuff and how well is the lab in the headquarters outfitted because I have samples from last nights victims and today's victim as well and I really think we need to check it out Tammy's dad has a good lab in the basement of their house if I need to and I live not to far from the school about six blocks or so at this address," Patty gave the address while stuffing her soiled top into a baggy. "So are you guys on your way here or the headquarters or where?"

 

"Where on our way to you guys, at your house. The base isn't very good in way of labs right now. We still need to improve it a lot. So sounds like Tammy's dad is our best chance." He answered taking a turn towards her house. Considering before he only a vague idea before where she lived he found this route to be much better considering she told him where it was. "Be there soon."

 

Patty nodded and looked at Tammy, eyes wide. "Okay Eric who as is we did you find Hardball and Titan and everybody else you didn't get the psycho chick that's blowing people up with you because that might be bad my folks might have a problem with that we'll order pizza or something how soon are you going to be here good grief I need a shower first I'll talk to you later."

 

She hung up and looked at Tammy. "They're on their way they'll be here in a minute go ahead and order pizzas and soda's in the fridge I need to get a shower and change clothes I'm not going to go around half-topless I don't mind doing it in action but not in my own house you know?"

 

"I know," said Tammy.

 

Patty tossed the phone to Tammy and, with a swirl of wind in her wake, raced up the stairs; a moment later, there could be heard water running...

 

Hardball moved quickly across the bus parking lot, keeping cover between him and the police. Once he made it outside of the school grounds he ran down an alley leapt a fence into an empty backyard and hunkered down to look at the message which had been sent to the 'Ball-phone'.

 

Beneath his mask his eyebrows quirked in surprise and frustration.

 

"WTF IS BUNNIE'S HOUSE?," he sent back.

 

Hardball could see police and other personnel showing at the scene, responding to the first call. It would be a matter of time before they started canvassing the neighborhoods around the school.

 

He saw a familiar costume crossing the street ahead and knew it was Emp heading for the Rabbit's house.

 

Inside the house, Patty brushed her hair and vibrated herself dry by hitting her internal 'jitterbug' that hid her identity from the casual observer even a 1000-speed shutter wouldn't pick her up or at least that's the wa it used to work for her and then pulled her costume back on a fresh pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt over her top and those great running shoes of hers back on over a pair of footies and reappeared in the kitchen just as Tammy picked up the phone. She gave the other girl a grin as she appeared with the screech of rubber. "That's the problem with doing everything so fast I have to run around in the shower to get hit by individual drops or I don't get anything done wonder where the boys are?"

 

Tammy jumped.

 

"I never could get used to just how fast you were," she said ruefully, smiling.

 

Patty shrugged. "Sorry," she smiled.

 

From Patty's phone, Tammy rang the pizza company and ordered pizzas: one vegetarian, one pepperoni. And some garlic bread, since it was part of a special offer.

 

"I don't wear my costume under my clothes," she said when Patty returned, "I'd better go change."

 

"Bathroom's upstairs so's my room take your pick," Patty called, "boys should be here shortly and pizzas in thirty so I think we're all good and I'll get the sodas."

 

Eric forwarded the directions to Patty's house to Hardball and the others as he arrived.

 

Patty opened the door: "Uh...hi Eric," she said, "Uh...come on in...um...Tammy's upstairs..." She looked oddly vulnerable and strangely out of words there for a moment and actually looked down at the floor. "Uh...did you call everybody else?"

 

Eric nodded a bit "Uh..yeah, I forwarded your directions to your place to the others." He put his cell phone away as he walked into her house. "So..um..Tammy's here too.. That's good." he was a bit flustered himself considering they were alone downstairs and after the incident with his powers awkward didn't seem to come close to describing how he felt with her standing there. "um...so...uh, wow you have a large house."

 

Patty blushed. "Uh, yeah, Dad does okay, better I guess than last time, maybe."

 

Eric grimaced at his choice of topics. yeah the guy that use to seduce multimillion dollar corporate daughters, the master of love and lust, and here he was getting tongue tied like a school boy...which he was again so this was certainly more than just awkward. "I..um..wanted to apologize again for...the um.." his heart was beating like a jackhammer and it was taking every bit of concentration not to erupt again. He didn't want to take any chances with this group any more than he had already..."um..can I have a glass of water?" he asked suddenly trying to change the subject that he had really wanted to start but it was the only thing he could think of at the moment before the others arrived.

 

Patty stepped away and took a deep breath. "Um, yeah, c'mon in, uh..."

 

She gestured at the living room, at the sectional in the corner, the TV in the opposing corner, the overstuffed pair of seats by the bay window. "Um, take a seat and I'll get...yeah..."

 

She almost literally disappeared and reappeared, two tall glasses of water in her hand, then took herself a seat on the sectional couch. "Um..." Patty looked up and met his eyes for the first time. "You don't have to say sorry--it...kinda felt familiar, and...uncomfortable...but..." She gulped. "Uh..."

 

However as his mind drifted he relaxed his control over his presence as he talked with her. "In what way am I familiar?" he asked innocently hoping to narrow it down his aura reaching out to her like fire seeking burnable materials to set ablaze.

 

Her breath caught for a moment as his powers slowly massaged their way across her soul and she half-coughed, half-purred at the luxuriant feel of the caress.

 

She smiled down at him, the banked fires within slowly beginning to yield to his powers.

 

He gulped as he looked her in the eyes and drank a healthy dose of the water in the cup trying to calm his nerves a bit. "..as uncomfortable as it is right now?," he asked trying to force a bit of a laugh and to add a bit of humor to the moment. "Familiar?.." he sat back trying to relax and failing badly really. "Guess you must have run into an empath before..when you where an adult that is." he looked at her carefully trying to see if he knew her. It certainly felt like he should have paid more attention to those heroines he'd seduce with his powers to help other criminals, especially now.

 

He stared at her for awhile letting his mind drift during the conversation as he tried to remember her when he was known as DreamBoat. He was sure she was familiar herself now. However as his mind drifted he relaxed his control over his presence as he talked with her. "In what way am I familiar?" he asked innocently hoping to narrow it down his aura reaching out to her like fire seeking burnable materials to set ablaze.

 

Tammy came back down, having put her costume on under her clothes. Which made it look like she was wearing dark tights with her T-shirt and bike shorts.

 

Tammy felt ready to do things to Eric that she had never considered before, right there, right then. Her costume was feeling way too hot.

 

"That's what I was thinking." he smiled up at her. He was feeling a bit more comfortable as he talked with her hand gently touching hers.

 

"Hi, Eric."

 

That was when he heard Tammy. He hadn't noticed her come in and that was when he realized he was projecting again. This didn't help any as now he was panicking as he tried to get his mind back into focus he was losing that much more control over his power.

 

Patty blinked at him. "Whoa...Eric...please..." She tilted her head slightly. "Please...don't...I like you..." She felt herself warm up as his powers rumbled back towards control.

 

Patty was attractive and her friend was certainly not a plain jane and that mixed with his attraction to Patty was making this very hard.

 

She focused, not-quite glaring at him, but her eyes still warm.

 

'God I hate being a teenager' he screamed internally as he just tried to calm down. Maybe his power wasn't affecting them as badly as it had the first time. He just needed to wait till the other guys...awww crap. He mentally reminded himself that the other guys as it were likely to accuse him of doing this on purpose.

 

"umm..which way to the bathroom?" he asked meekly.

 

She touched his hand, then removed it, standing up and away, intentionally backing so that she was between him and Tammy. "Up the stairs, first door on the right before you double back along the hall," she instructed him, her tongue darting out for a moment, wetting her lips, then she breathed in deep. "Eric..."

 

Tammy stopped, and stared. Her breathing became faster, as she caught a full-on dose of Love Potion Number Eric. Her mind was filled with carnal day-dreams.

 

Her face flushed. The room was suddenly much too warm. What was she doing, wearing two layers of clothing anyway? Tammy yanked off her T-shirt and began to slide her bike shorts down her legs.

 

As Eric fled past her up the stairs, she threw herself at him, but her bike shorts caught round her ankles and tripped her.

 

As he took up the stairs, she turned around and embraced Tammy in a hug, her head upon the oriental girl's shoulder and eyes closed in frustration, unaware of what his powers had done to her. "Oh God Tammy I like him but I wish his powers didn't do that to me I feel all tingly inside its irritating because he can be really nice what am I going to do?"

 

Tammy sat up dazedly, her heart still pounding, her costume now damp with sweat. She held Patty.

 

"What just happened?"

 

"Eric got you that's his power he makes people fall in love with him they just do whatever it is but me I really do like him please don't hate him we'll work with him on it it hit you a lot harder than me I think he was just practicing and it got out of control I'm so sorry."

 

Outside Patty's house Hardball had followed Eric from a discreet distance and having seen him enter a house had stolen around to the side window to see what was going on, not sure if this was a) Where they were supposed to meet Eric's place where he was going to get changed into EMP or c) something else entirely.

 

He watched the whole psychodrama of Eric, his new (old?) girlfriend, and her friend play out not wanting to make his presence known while Eric's telempathic abilities had a hold on him as well (hard to put across a stony exterior while suffering from an overwhelming 'adolescent' desires). Finally when the whole situation seemed to calm down and Eric seemed to have a hold on his powers Hardball took a few long breaths, thought about something really unarousing and went to the back door. He typed a txt message to Eric:

 

"When your finished with your menage a trois, I'm @ the back door of the house you are in."

 

Hardball didn't know what it was but Eric didn't have any effect on him but make him impatient.

 

Once in the bathroom, Eric turned on the cold water and began splashing his face with more than a generous amount. It helped calm him down a little. He looked in the mirror. His own emerald eyes staring back at him from underneath his black hair that hung moistly to his face.

 

"What's wrong with me? I was sure I had some level of control over this power when I was this

age.." he could finally feel his aura going to rest as he kept staring at himself. This entire thing just

felt so damn familiar. At least now with a calm mind he might be able to start putting some figures together. Her name might not mean anything but he had worked for a few crime families when they had a female super hero problem and wanted her distracted while they pulled a big job. If

so... His shoulders slumped as he looked at himself in the mirror "Mister congeniality I'm not.." maybe joining this group was not his brightest of ideas.

 

Here he was trying to be a hero and his own power was mucking things up. They needed to find the psycho girl before she could strike again and here he was in the house of a super heroine that moved as fast as a bolt of lightning it seemed and who knew what her friend could do.

 

He turned off the water his depression doing a good job of leveling off the last of his power. Opening the door he began walking back towards the stairs. He was in love, he knew it, he also knew, that no matter what he couldn't be near her. After all she'd grown up likely got married to someone that actually had a future. He couldn't do that to her, after all if they did return things to normal what did he have to offer her? A life of inventing weapons and crime? God he couldn't wait till this group caught up with Doctor Tempus so he could give her a good swift kick for the hell she was putting him through.

He began walking down the stairs slowly forcing a smile at the two. "Okay...hello's part two I guess.

Everyone okay?"

 

"I guess," said Tammy, smiling weakly, her breathing returning to normal. She blushed as she realized her bike shorts were still around her ankles, and hastily pulled them up over her costume, then looked around for her T-shirt.

 

Patty let her go and handed her the T-shirt.

 

"That's some power you've got there."

 

"More like annoyance." he smiled at the two still stooping at the steps to pick up Tammy's shirt. Once on the landing he held it out to her as he averted his eyes, not that he hadn't gotten a good look at her when he moved up the stairs but it was common sense right now. "Tends to get me more in trouble..." the knock at the door interrupted him thankfully and the sound of pizza delivery was very audible. "Right I'll get that." He moved towards the door pulling out some money to pay for the food at least he knew he had money even in this time shift. Probably earned it the same way as before too. Another nail in the coffin he added mentally as he turned around to the pair again these time bringing in the pizza. "Hope Hardball gets here soon. Starting to get worried."

 

"It was weird. I wasn't in control," said Tammy.

 

Tammy pulled her T-shirt on.

 

"Unsettled, yes. Mad, no. I mean, you made sure we were safe."

 

She shivered.

 

Patty hugged her friend tighter, nervous for herself as well as for Tammy.

 

"But he bolted. There are lots of things he could have done - bad things - but he chose to remove himself. I think there's hope for him yet."

 

"I think so to he's good underneath that exterior he has the possibilities and potential and I want to help him get there and I know about the control you just dived for him and I did about the same last night I was ready to..." Her voice trailed off and then...

 

Patty all of a sudden got very quiet again and stared at the floor. After a half-second-which to the speedster must have been hours: "I'm sorry Eric I told her about your power don't run away or anything please I really do like you and we'll work on your control I promise and Tammy please don't be mad at him please?"

 

The word 'like' gave him a mixed feeling. He knew he was attracted to her but he also didn't want to cause her any problems and as much as he was considering this he smiled at her. "It's okay Patty I figure if where all working together we should know as much about each other as possible or within reason." he added hastily.

 

Patty gave him a hesitant smile as her eyes flicked from his, then to the floor, then back to his, blue meeting green with a more permanent smile.

 

"As for your offer to help me learn control.. I'd like that but I can't even remember how I got it under

control when I was growing up." 'besides', he added mentally 'I don't think I could stand the idea of the long term effects on you two.' He hated he couldn't voice that statement but he did need there trust while they where teenagers, at least that way they could work together with some level of security..granted not much.

 

"Thank you for that Eric you didn't do anything unseemly even though you could have I think you're really good for that thank you," said Tammy.

 

"Yeah I could have. But...were teammates after all." he gestured to the pizzas and sodas by lifting them "While discussing my powers is fascinating I think this pizza will get cold if we wait to long to eat it." He smiled at the two of them.

 

"Soo I guess we eat and wait for the rest of the group."

 

With a sigh of relief-mixed, perhaps, with a bit of regret-Patty led the two back to the kitchen; as the first pizza was opened, there came a tapping at the back door...

 

Still feeling a little twitchy - Tammy didn't like the feeling of not being in control of herself - she helped herself to a hot slice of pizza and a large glass of cola.

 

"C'mon in."

 

Eric gulped down a large dose of the soda and walked towards the backdoor that Tammy had yelled at. Opening the door he gestured inside, "Come in as the lady said." he forced a smile again "So the letter contain any new clues?" he asked walking back over to the table glad to have the spot light off him again.

 

Hardball shrugged "Haven't looked at it yet, to busy finding this place. You could have perhaps

given directions, or maybe an address? Anyway, I'm not much for riddles so I thought we should all look at it together."

 

He turned to Patty "Just a safety tip *Rabbit*..."he said emphasizing the nickname so Eric would pick it up, "... leaving your backdoor unlocked and inviting people in before you know who they are, ain't. Safe that is"

 

Patty was about to open her mouth-she was still a little red-faced, then Eric shrugged, "What can I say, I figured the other term for Rabbit would let you know who I was talking about and a lack of tracing could certainly help Thought you'd been to her house when you guys went out yesterday to check up on clues."

 

Finally he turned to Tammy "Since EMP and Rabbit seem O.K. with talking 'business' in front of you I'll guess your in the same line of 'work'. Hardball."

 

He extended a gloved hand.

 

Beneath his mask he looked up at the kitchen clock to make sure he had plenty of time before his meeting with Casket.

 

Patty sighed. "yeah, just a piece of fluff sorry I don't make it to your exacting specifications for being a hero or being suspicious or anything."

 

She sat back and let him talk and just nibbled on a piece of pizza.

 

Eric looked over at Patty "I really doubt you're a piece of fluff, Patty. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have any of the information we have now. You also planned ahead for pizza for this little meeting...I'm rambling now..great.." his voice got a bit lower as he started eating "So let's have the letter I guess Hardball.."

 

The clock ticked toward 11. He had four hours and some change before he had to meet at the restaurant.

 

The piece of pizza Patty held vanished in an accompanying 'bip' of noise; perhaps it it were recorded and played back very slowly, it would have been intelligible. With a deep sigh, Patty said, enunciating slowly and carefully, "So what does your note say you're the link here you know your bad guy."

 

Hardball turned to Patty, "Never said you weren't hero material, Rabbit. Like EMP says you went out of your way to find me and almost got yourself froze to deliver the letter... but yeah I don't think your suspicious enough. I could have been the exact same guys who 'cold cocked' you last night and while they may have just blasted the door open, at least they wouldn't have been able to

sneak up on you by simply opening the door and walking in. You ain't as spry as good as a teenager as you were as an adult and what you would have considered minor threats then are major threats now, and you shouldn't simply assume your powers will be able to save you, I would have thought last night would have at least taught you that... Anyway, the letter"

 

Hardball opened the letter and read out what it contained.

 

The block letters said:

Captain where

have you gone these three and one

days to return home?

 

Try a little harder, lover boy. I'm not breaking a sweat yet.

 

"Rabbit?" Tammy asked Patty, grinning. "Katido. I'd shake, but..."

 

She waved the glass of coke and slice of pizza in her hands.

 

"Rabbit," Patty confirmed with a shrug of her shoulders.

 

"Oh, OK." Tammy imagined her friend bouncing around like a jackrabbit and kept smiling.

 

"Better than Bunny, at least."

 

"So, what are we going to do?," asked Tammy.

 

Patty looked at Hardball.

 

"Katido. That's what, Spanish, for kitten?"

 

"Esperanto, but yeah, kitten."

 

Her smile faded slightly. If Tachyon was 'Rabbit', no doubt she'd be 'Kitten'.

 

She listened as Hardball read the note.

 

"Odd phrasing, 'Three and one days to return home'. Do you think it means anything?"

 

Hardball looked at the note. "Given she's targeting authority figures, I'd say her next target is probably a police captain. I'm not that well versed in the names of individual police. Do any of you know of a police captain whose name might have something to do with the rest of the note?"

 

Eric's first response was not going to be very pleasing to the group but holding back his own anger

he smiled. "My father is a member of the police force. Head Detective, He might be able to help." Granted that might was pretty small but if he went into the police station the worst his father could do was yell at him considering the interrogation rooms where still too public for him to go into a beating.

 

"If I go there I can be semi-safe while I gather information. Though helping me get away would be rather nice as well."

 

He wasn't sure how well this was going to go over with the group but it was an option that worked.

 

If this followed the order of the first note, Hardball knew they were looking for a police captain who had been gone somewhere for four days.

 

"I can go with you if you're worried about it," Patty interjected. "Wait-me and Tammy need to look at these samples when do you want to go it could take a while for everything we'd need to do I was going to do it at school but your girlfriend," she nodded at Hardball, "decided to take care of that so our choices are kinda limited which is okay because Tammy's Dad has better stuff than the school or at least he did does he still?" she addressed her friend.

 

"It has to she's psychotic in a Frank Gorshin kinda way he could be on temporary duty too is there any Captains that might be in charge of like undercover operations and stuff?"

 

"You and Tammy will have to figure out what she's usingfor a bomb. Since my dad's part of the police force I can go in and start getting 'interested' in police stuff and let you guys know where the captain has gotten off too. But my guess would be she's going to strike at his house. So the sooner we find out who he is, the sooner we can catch her. Besides there are a number of captains in a station house that just calling would be giving us the run around without his name."

 

No where in his plan did he really include the rest of the group going with him and it was pretty risky. "Only downside is that if he's out on assignment I'm likely going to be treated like any runaway and detained."

 

Andrew Johnson High was a three story conglomeration of brick, glass, and wood, that formed a square around an open courtyard with hedges and concrete benches. A gym had been added to one side just on the other side of the stairwells.

 

This was where Nariko Miyama spent her days trying to sharpen her knack in mechanical things and ignoring others she wasn't interested in. At 10:10, her name was announced over the intercom. Apparently the principal wanted to talk to her in person before third period.

 

"Goddammit...", Nariko muttered. *What could that *boring-@$$* admin-idiot possibly want *now*?*, she thought to herself en-route to the principal's office. *It's not like I haven't managed to jump through all of the boring and pointless academic hoops that that have been forced on me since I've been in this stupid school!*

 

Her mind quickly returned to mechanical and "techie" things as she walked down the school's wide halls and she nearly bumped into a row of lockers as she fully immersed herself in her thoughts. Finally, she found herself in front of the principal's office door. *I hope this isn't a waste of time...*, she mentally to herself with a sigh as she checked her elegant-looking hairdo for a moment, turned the doorknob and then stepped inside.

 

Mr. Clemmer, tall and middle aged, broken nose from something in his younger days, looked over at his student as she came into the open area. The secretaries sat at desks arranged across from each other. Small personal offices fed off this central area. Windows looked out on the concrete courtyard beyond the filing cabinet jungle.

 

"This is Nariko," Mr. Clemmer said, gesturing at the student. "Nariko, these gentlemen say they are from your mother's company. There seems to be an accident."

 

The two men were dressed in cheap suits, one had some kind of stain on his shirt. The older man tried to look reassuring behind his thick glasses, thinning hair, and freckled fair skin.

 

"My name is Ebersole," said the older man. "We're here to take you to the hospital."

 

Nariko's pretty, almond-shaped eyes grew wide with shock and sudden dread. "An...accident?"

 

She stared at the man for a moment. Even her excellent mind couldn't absorb such news immediately. "W-what *happened*?", she finally managed to stammer out.

 

"Your mother was working on a project for our company, and something happened to her lab," said Ebersole. "Mr. Keyes, the division head, asked us to fetch you for her. We're to take you right over from here."

 

Nariko swallowed hard, feeling *literally* sick from the awful news. It seemed as if she was suddenly living a *nightmare*! A part of her wanted to crawl into her extradimensional hidey-hole and *never* come out, but she realized that it wouldn't really solve anything. Like it or not, she'd have to *face* this and, *somehow*, get through it. After looking towards the principal and then back at Ebersole, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to *somehow* keep her emotions under control. "Okay," she finally said quietly, "let's go..."

 

"We're parked right out front," said Ebersole. He held the door for her, then followed with a slap of rubber soles on the tiled floor. "It's a green Mercury."

 

Still stunned, the young gearhead walked out to the car and got in.

 

Ebersole and his assistant got in the front. The tinted window between the front and back cast them in shadow. They started the car and pulled away from the curb.

 

As the now-shadowy figures supposedly drove her to the hospital, Nariko fished her compact out of her purse and regarded the familiar face reflected within. She'd always found the presence of mirrors to be very comforting, secure in the knowledge that any one of them could serve as gateway to her private little world. Even as she took the opportunity to check her hair and make-up yet again, she could sense her power in the back of her mind, waiting to be released.

 

Looking up from her refection. Nariko peered out of one of the side windows of the car, looking for any identifiable landmarks.. Were they *really* heading for the hospital?

 

They seem to be heading west, towards CCMC. She noticed they were sticking to the sideroads, instead of rolling on a major artery. She noticed her compact slip to the floor but she couldn't feel her hands.

 

*Not* good! Were they *dosing* her with something? Suddenly deciding that staying in the car would *not* be a good idea, Nariko tried with all her might to catch her reflection on something so that she could get the hell *out* of there!

 

She fell over, dropping down in the floorboards. All she could see was a green floor mat.

 

Dammit, it was already too *late*! Even so, Nariko *still* tried to turn her head or do anything she *could* to try and catch her reflection in something...

 

She was able to give her face a little twist. Gravity finished the job, letting her look at the bottom of the back seats. Little grills revealed themselves. Obviously the tank for the knockout gas was under the back seat. Tire noise revealed smooth sailing like they got on the highway while she was struggling to move.

 

Even though it was probably hopeless, Nariko kept trying to squirm and move herself around, hoping that *something* reflective would manage to catch her eye. At the same time, she inwardly chastised herself for being a *total* idiot. Why didn't she immediately think of gating out and making her way to the hospital *herself* instead of taking the extra time to look out of the *window* first? "You f*cking *dummy*..." she tried to murmur as she continued to struggle.

 

Nariko found that only her eyes moved. Worse she was drooling out of the corner of her mouth since it didn't work right. She could hear humming above. The car shook, then moved down. Darkness covered the windows above.

 

The door opened.

 

"I think you gave her too much," said Ebersole.

 

Hands wrapped around her unpleasantly. Up she went. She landed upright in a chair.

 

"Standard dose," said the assistant. "She just took it better than I thought."

 

"Newspaper," Ebersole said.

 

She looked at each of the people involved as intently as her drug-addled state could manage and tried her best to commit their names and faces to her excellent memory. Oh yes, she *definitely* wanted to remember these people so that she could get *back* at them later!

 

The assistant held a newspaper under Nariko's chin. The sound of a camera clicked hummed.

 

Her eyes turned angry as she thought to herself, *Oh great! If I'm a *bad* dog, will they hit me in the *snout* with it?*

 

"Don't give us any trouble and nothing will happen," Ebersole said. "Start anything and I can't tell you how much it will hurt. Turn out her pockets."

 

She looked towards the floor as if she had been successfully cowed, although inwardly she was seething.

The assistant professionally turned out Nariko's pockets, confiscating everything and placing it in an envelope.

 

"The drug will wear off in a couple of hours," said Ebersole. "We'll get you something to eat then."

 

*Oh *joy*,* she thought sarcastically, *A tasty meal *filled* with sedatives, tranquilizers and/or psychoactive drugs, I'd imagine...*

 

They locked her in her cell, allowing her some privacy.

 

Staggering up to a sitting position as soon as she was able, the gearhead girl quietly sat and analytically evaluated her current situation. Were there any usefully reflective surfaces in sight? How was she under surveillance, as far as she could tell? What about the cell itself? Was there any sign of it being wired up/hooked up to anything nasty, such as something electrical and/or gas jets? Were there any noticeable flaws in its construction that could be exploited? If she *was* under surveillance (and she automatically assumed that she was), were there any areas in the cell that appeared to be out of the field of view? Were there any power conduits that could conceivably be accessed from inside the cell? What sort of locking mechanism secured the door?

 

As she continued her quiet analysis, she thought to herself, *Bide your time, Nariko. Be compliant as possible for now. If they believe that you won't attempt to escape, they'll get sloppy and make a mistake eventually. Then it'll be time to get *out* of this shxxhole!*

 

Nariko could only see in front of her at first. That was filled by a door. The wall on either side of that door appeared to be cracked drywall. A roach ran across as she looked at it.

 

She tried to frown. *Oh, *great*! What a *classy* place!*, she thought darkly. Then she peered closely at the cracks. Did they appear to go all the way through?

 

Eventually her neck loosened so she could turn her head. The space on either side of the chair, the only furniture, was only three feet wide. House vents were in two places near the floor.

 

Essentially a closet with a chair and a light bulb.

 

Maybe they wouldn't hold her for long.

 

The gearhead girl sighed and experimentally tried to move her hands and feet. Inwardly, she was rather puzzled at first. *They went through the trouble of dosing me with gas and then just *dumped* me in here like a sack of potatoes? It doesn't make *sense*!* Then, her mind replayed all of the events during her arrival and it all started to fall in to place. *Wait a minute. He asked for a newspaper and then took my picture...that newspaper might not have been just holding up my *head*, but maybe it was there to establish the date that the picture was *taken*! This might not be about me or my powers at *all*! Maybe I'm just a *hostage*!*

 

The more she thought about it, the more her hypothesis made sense. After all, nobody, not even her *mom*, really knew what her dad did for a living. Perhaps they took her to get to *him*? Although she really *didn't* want to mentally go there, her mind started to think up various scary scenarios concerning fingers and *other* body parts being cut off of her to provide more "proof". "I've *got* to get out of here...", she murmured to herself as she tried to get her still-numbed body moving.

 

Her extremities came alive first, then the rest of her. Empty pockets flapped as she tried to move around.

 

No money, no identification, no tools. All they had to do was shoot her, hack off her head and hands, and dump them in places no one would find them. Good luck even finding out who she was, much less who killed her unless they got caught dumping her parts.

 

These two didn't seem that incompetent.

 

"Great...just *great*...", she murmured morosely as she waited for her body to start working again. As soon as she was able, Nariko flipped the chair over and, as quietly as possible, tried to break off one of its legs. Then, even if she *couldn't* break it off, she gave the doorknob a quiet turn and tried to open the door (just in case it was actually unlocked, which, given the efficiency of her captors, wasn't likely).

 

Once she confirmed the fact that the door was indeed locked, the half-Japanese girl started to work on one of the cracked pieces of drywall with the chair leg (or with the whole *chair* if it was still intact), hoping to at *least* create an opening large enough to see through.

 

The drywall came off in giant flakes, falling to the floor in a whispery shuffle. Behind that was a set of wood strips. A crack between the wood revealed what looked like concrete.

 

Nariko heard a noise at the door.

 

Suddenly frightened, the teen couldn't help but respond to the noise with a sharp intake of breath. Even so, she quickly retreated to the far corner of the room and crouched low, hoping to make a mad dash for freedom as soon as the door was opened. The tip of her crude improvised weapon quaking as she held it in front of her almost like a blunt and puny lance, Nariko waited in fear for her one chance to escape. At the same time she thought, *This is *going* to work...I'll drive this thing into his balls and run *right* past him! This is *going* to work...This is *going* to work...This is *going* to work, gxxxxxxit!*

 

A window opened at the bottom of the door. A bag of McQuick's fast food slid in through the panel. The window shut, latched close.

 

The smell of cooked potatoes and grilled meat filled the closet with the promise of tasty goodness.

 

Deciding that poisoning would be a very inefficient way to kill her as opposed to just using a bullet, Nariko ate the tasty-smelling food, hoping to gain as much strength as she possibly could from it. Even so, she inspected the packaging and food closely before she actually ate at it.

 

It was typical McQuick's in foil wrappers for the burgers, and paper for the greasy fries. A milk shake had been added instead of a coke.

 

Finally, shrugging, the imprisoned teen eats all of the food and polishes off the shake. It doesn't take long.

 

The window in the door opened again.

 

"Trash please," said the voice of Ebersole's assistant.

 

Nariko could see the window was almost big enough for her shoulders.

 

Frowning darkly, Nariko crumpled everything up and tossed it through the hole. Biting back a nasty comment, she instead asked as politely as she could under the circumstances, "Could I please have my make-up compact back, please? I dropped it in the car and I probably look like total *sxxt* by now..." Without conscious volition, the young woman found herself fruitlessly fiddling with her hair again. *It's worth a *try*, I guess...*, she thought to herself, *...and it might *also* let me know if they know about my powers.*

 

"You won't be here long enough to worry about your looks," said the assistant. She heard something about vanity before the window closed.

 

Before the door closed, the gearhead girl took note of the door and its basic design, hoping to find an obvious weakness in it that she could exploit.

 

The window was an add on to the original door, possibly for just this purpose. She heard a latch click in place which meant some kind of bar to hold it close. If she could knock it loose, she might be able to squeeze through.

 

Nariko let out a long sigh and it wasn't *completely* feigned. It would have been so damn *easy* to escape with her little mirror!

 

Pressing her ear to the door to listen, the gearhead girl waited several minutes after everything was silent outside before attempting to make her next move. With genuine regret, the somewhat vain blonde removed her ponytail clip and the two bobby pins securing it in place. After carefully arranging her pretty, curly, mid-back-length hair into as symmetrical of an arrangement as possible, Nariko bent one of the golden clips as flat as possible and started to work carefully at trying to pull up the food door's restraining bar from the inside.