Teen Guardians

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wed, 11:30 a.m.

The group realized something as they ate pizza and talked. The heartbreaker wouldn't go after the police, unless it was someone attached to the school system. And Captains commanded precincts, they didn't patrol students.

 

It must be some other kind of captain.

 

Patty stared at the table, unnaturally subdued from her normal bubbly self. "What," she offered, her normal rapid-fire burst mode of conversation apparently in 'standby', "if it's the captain of the football team-or other sport?" She looked askance, knowing that her offering was going to be slapped down once again by Hardball.

 

A quick calculation told Patty there were 112 days in a season for most sports.

 

"Authority figures, a captain." Eric looked thoughtful as he tried to put the pieces together somehow. "Well, which sport is going to start in four days? She'd likely attack the captain of that sports group."

 

Titan was on the football team, and they had already started their season. The next major sport was Basketball next month.

 

The school's web page would have a schedule maybe.

 

Patty looked at Hardball and crossed her arms, slouching back and leaning only slightly towards Eric. "You're in charge, or so it seems you want to be you make the decisions she's the one that is hunting you or taunting you, you figure it out or give us instructions or directions."

 

The phone rang.

 

Hardball stood up suddenly and leaned over the table toward Patty "Look you ditzy cow, I didn't ask for this psycho bitch to start popping off people in some twisted attempt to please me. I don't want to be in charge and I certainly didn't ask to be condescended to by some little tramp who, despite claiming she was once an adult, seems to act like she's half her new chronological age. How the hell they gave you a license to practice medicine I'll never know. Now why don't you answer the phone, since it is your house, and let the grown ups talk for a while."

 

Her hands hadn't moved-yet there were four distinct slaps and his cheeks hurt. "TRAMP?" her eyes flashed, "You're the one insisting that we pussyfoot around without contribution--you're the hero with a backup group, that's sure the hell you make the situation out to be--you go out back, talk it over with yourself and then come the hell back in and tell us what the hell you want to do since you're obviously so much more smart than any of us GET OUT."

 

She wasn't standing there; she could be heard in the living room--and her voice was calm. "Hello?"

 

"Hello sweets," said Patty's father. "I'm glad you made it home. The police want to talk to you. You wouldn't happen to have seen your greasy 'boyfriend', and the reject from the fifties would you? They're both gone, and the police want to talk to them too."

 

Eric watched the drama unfold around him. This was getting them nowhere fast. "Listen, Hardball, ten deep breaths and let's call it a draw. We need answers, not volcanos blowing up around us." Eric stared at Hardball directly. "I'd rather not try and force people to calm down. It won't help people's attitudes at all."

 

He heard Patty talking on the phone in the living room.

 

"Now then, you gave us a great deal to go on. She definitely goes to the school. She definitely had access to the principal this morning. Those leads have been cut off from us. But it does let us know where she is and how much ability she has access to. Judging from the evidence I'd have to say where dealing with a wallflower type that became fixated on you." He inhaled, sitting back as if lost in thought.

 

"What captain will be back in four days? Do we have any of the team captains currently out of the school of family trips?"

 

Hardball didn't know jack about school sports but he did know the football team captain Dash Reynolds had been in school that day. The cheerleaders fawned over him.

 

"Tammy walked me home," Patty started, "she's just hanging around right now she was talking about going home herself in a bit is it okay if she hangs around and he's not a greasy boyfriend he's Eric and it doesn't matter because you don't know who he is or anything I'd like to have him over for dinner sometime so you can meet him sorry I never talked about him and who are you talking about the reject from the 50s that doesn't make any sense to me but I haven't seen them since I left school..." She gulped, fighting nausea--she was lying again. "I don't feel good, Daddy, if you want the cops to come here and talk to me you can, love you Daddy."

 

She hung the phone up and, a moment later, reappeared in the kitchen. "Cops are on their way, they want to talk to you," she said, nodding at Eric. "I told them I didn't know where you were and..." She looks queasy for a moment, then fights it back. "...that I hadn't seen you since school. Best maybe if you disappear--Tammy, I told my Dad you were here and hanging around a little--you're welcome to, but if the cops show up and find you to guys..."

 

She purses her lips, the previous spat with Hardball momentarily forgotten.

 

Eric watched her fight off her own queasy feeling. "It's okay Patty. I'll talk to you later."

 

Patty zipped to the door and stopped him on the back patio. Standing up to tiptoe, she brushed her lips against his cheek, her own cheeks read. "Be careful, okay?"

 

He smiled at her as he walked out "I'll try, but trouble is generally so much fun."

 

Eric stood up and walked out the back door and moved over a few fences before moving to the actual front of the area and started walking towards the base. He couldn't talk to the police, nor would he. As much as he liked Patty or the group in general he wasn't sure what had gotten into him back there, he was about to risk going back to 'him'. No, that wasn't right, He might have put on a good show earlier but the more he thought about it the more he was certain it was just a show. He wouldn't have had the courage to be near 'him' again and considering the police department were still full of monumental morons he wasn't likely going to go near any police officer.

 

He needed a plan, a trap for this Heartbreaker. One that could work. They had four days.

 

"Wonder if she reads the news paper?" he asked himself as he continued on his way.

 

Hardball was already heading for the door. He was silently clenching and unclenching his hands attempting to calm himself down. He couldn't believe he'd lost his cool again.

 

"Hardball." The word was neutrally spoken and from the door of the house. The next words were a surprise as Eric walked away from the patio and Patty. "Be careful, okay? Like me or not, or whether I like you or not--we're on the same team--and I *am* willing to help you any way I can, okay?"

 

Rabbit was right about one thing, this *was* his responsibility, people were dying because some psycho bint was trying to impress him. He needed to find her and fast, he just wished he was better at solving riddles.

 

He headed back toward the school. Might as well make an appearance, and possibly find out if the Football captain was having any heartburn.

 

The school had been emptied by the time Hardball got back to the school. Police had cut off the building from its surroundings. He could see the uniforms were guarding the doors to keep people out.

 

Eric put that idea out of his mind. It wasn't likely going to help. But maybe a friendly target. Some times villains and psychos didn't mind working or talking to each other. Maybe if he went around in costume swinging around he might learn something or at the very least burn off a bit of steam and annoyance at the world in general. Once he was back at the base he changed costumes he would do to that very task. He was going out on a 'heroic' patrol. First time for everything. He was debating if he should look up old contacts to see if they'd been affected. A few bars and clubs sounded good.

 

Eric found Pusher sitting in front of a new computer on a new desk, surfing the internet, making notes on a pad, trac phone on a charger. A radio was telling people to hurry on home early, hurry on home. Boom Boom Mancini was fighting Bobby Chacone.

 

The chalkboard with the first clue was off to the right.

 

Eric stopped off at the chalkboard spending long enough to write the newest clue. "Hey Pusher, good news I ended up right the first time. Bad news the principle still ended up dead. Maybe you can make some sense of this? I didn't keep up with captains in school." He then began changing into his costume. "I need a bit of thinking space for now, so I'm going to swing around the city. You can reach me by cell if you gain any insights."

 

He really wasn't waiting for replies but changing certainly took time. If anything Eric seemed more agitated than normal.

 

"Here you go, Eric," Pusher said. He showed Eric a news story he had found using google.

 

Sea Captain Andrew Johnson found after 31 days lost at sea to be at rededication of school named in his honor.

 

Eric paused as Pusher talked about Captain Andrew Johnson. "Any idea where he lives?"

 

He finished placing his costume on and walked over to him. "I'll need to contact the rest of the group on this one once we know."

 

"According to this, he's at sea," said Pusher. "The dedication is in a few days. They expect him to sail in and speak a couple words about surviving school and then he's back to the sailing life."

 

1:30 p.m.

It took ten minutes, but Nariko was able to spring the latch on the door enough so she could open the window and look through it.

 

A wooden floor was on the other side of the door, with a kitchen table with two chairs. A refrigerator sat on the other side of that. An oven was next to the fridge.

 

It looked like they were keeping her in the pantry.

 

Wasting no time, the gearhead girl tried to fit through the small opening while looking up to see how the pantry door itself was secured.

 

It was a tight squeeze but Nariko pushed herself through with an effort. She heard footsteps coming from another room in the house.

 

*Oh Sxxt!*, she thought as she quickly re-latched the little door and tiptoed her way away from the sound of the footsteps. As soon as she was out of the kitchen, she looked around almost frantically for a suitable reflective surface to use to escape through.

 

The only thing that looked close was the little window on the oven door, unless she wanted to try for the back door and escape out into the back yard.

 

*DOUBLE Sxxt!*, she thought and tried to dash through the back door and into the back yard.

 

Nariko found herself in a disused backyard covered with grass grown long over the past summer. A wooden fence surrounded the property, high enough to block other people's view, as well as slowing down climbers.

 

Nariko heard a growl from somewhere to her right.

 

She turned her head to look at the source, filled with even *more* fear than before.

 

A dog appeared at the corner of the house. She couldn't tell the breed, but it looked big and angry enough to foam at the mouth.

 

*Aaaah! What a frigging *nightmare*!* Biting back the urge to scream at the last possible moment, Nariko ran for and jumped onto the wood fence, hoping to get high enough on it fast enough so that the dog won't get her. She tried to scramble up and over it as quick as she could.

 

Nariko just barely got over the top of the fence without a bite. It was a close thing but she did it.

 

*All RIGHT!*. the gearhead girl thought exultingly as she cleared both the fence and the nasty dog's jaws.

 

"Now to *disappear*...", Nariko murmured to herself as she quickly looked for the nearest reflective surface to make her escape though.

 

Nariko heard movement from the other yard. No doubt Ebersole or his assistant had come out to see what the fuss was about. The dog jumping at the wooden fence couldn't be any help.

 

She saw a bird bath full of water close to the neighbor's house. Then she heard wood crack like a broken dish. That couldn't be good.

 

*Oh F*CK!*, Nariko's mind screams out as she makes a mad dash for the bird bath. All it would take would be a quick look at her own reflection...

 

More cracking wood told her that Fido the lovable watch dog had broken through the bottom of the fence. Barking told her he was on his way after her. She reached the bird bath, hearing the sound of plants being knocked over behind her.

 

*It's now or NEVER!* She looked down into the bowl, seeking her reflection and her escape.

 

A portal opened for the girl. She could see it. Then something grabbed hold of her leg in jagged lines of fire.

 

Trying her best not to panic, she touched the portal and started the process of porting through, hoping to slice the tormenting dog in half as she slipped in and severed the portal behind her.

 

The dog fell on top of her as she slid on the tile floor. He paused a second in his chewing at his strange surroundings. It wasn't a great opening, but it was something.

 

With a scream, Nariko squirmed out from under the dog and made for the bathroom mirror, hoping to slip through another portal before the dog recovered his wits!

 

The dog started barking, then scrabbled after her, sliding a little on the tiled floor. She made the bathroom, spotting the mirror. Her face looked wan as she looked into the glass. She spotted the dog coming right at her.

 

Summoning up what little energy she had left, she opened the portal and slipped out into somewhere else...somewhere that *hopefully* didn't have a half-crazed dog in it...

 

Nariko appeared next to the bird bath. She could see the hole in the fence to her right. Ebersole's assistant was looking through it. It looked like he had a pistol in his hand.

 

Hoping that she hadn't been seen, Nariko ducked down and quietly fled towards the other side of house, hoping to find another surface to gate through.

 

Nariko found several places she could use to gate. Her leg was sticky with blood, the pants leg ripped around the bite mark. She didn't hear the assistant but knew the logical thing he would do was check where the dog had gone.

 

Trying not to think about her throbbing and chewed up leg at that moment, the gearhead girl used the nearest place to gate and got the hell *out* of there.

 

The dog growled at Nariko as she stood in front of the gate. Blood marked its muzzle as it got ready to charge again.

 

It was conceivable that if it kept on her leg, it could chew it in two.

 

Nariko went for the farthest of the two convenience stores she had seen from the street.

 

Stepping back into the open gate dumped Nariko on the street in front of the Little General. The gate closed behind her, allowing her reflection to become visible behind the protective grate over the windows and doors.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

11:45 am

Patty and Tammy had a little time to clean up before a plain undercover car rolled up outside the speedster's house. They were made aware of it when Patty's father opened the front door with his key.

 

"Patty?," he said. "I'm home."

 

"Mmm...Hi, Daddy," Tammy said, her legs curled up under her in the kitchen, sipping slowly through the straw the soda that filled her glass. Despite the work that the two had done in the household, it had remained Very Darn Quiet since the boys had left. "Did they find out what happened are you okay you were right there when it all happened."

 

She glanced at Tammy--she still had samples that had to be examined...

 

"The police want to talk to you," said her father. "Then we need to talk about this boyfriend. Where did you hook up with such a shifty looking character?"

 

Patty's jaw dropped. "I haven't 'hooked up'," she objected, "I just like Eric, he's...got a core of decency, Daddy, he really does-and he's nice you just don't get to see from my point of view and...."

 

Her voice trailed off--and she tried not to blush or smile at herself: the hormones were definitely acting up and forcing her to act 'her age'. With a sigh, she let this part of the battle go--there would be other times to fight the good fight...

 

"I'll talk to the police," she said in a small voice, looking back at Tammy for reassurance...

 

"Do you need a lift home, Tammy," asked the dad. "I'm sure your parents will want to make sure you're all right."

 

Once she was off the phone, she quickly put it back on the charger and came back into the living room. "I...think I can talk to the police, Daddy," she said, and sat down demurely on the corner of the couch.

 

"All right," said Dad. "We'll talk about Shifty later when you're feeling better."

 

He went to the door, and opened it. Detective Allen and Agent Bye stood in the door. The detective was as nondescript as she remembered from the first murder. The agent, dressed in black, towered in the frame.

 

"Miss Chen," said the agent, nodding.

"Miss Chen?," said Detective Allen.

 

"It was my honor to meet her last night when I called on Dr. Chen after the first death," said the giant, head brushing against the ceiling. "It is surprising to see you again in such a way, Miss Chen."

 

"Why don't you two talk in there," said Allen, pointing to the kitchen. He waited for the two to clear out before starting his questioning.

 

"Miss Antres, can you please tell me what happened?," he said, pen over his notebook.

 

11:50 am

Hardball could see the school was wrapped up tight, cops everywhere. His motorcycle was in the parking lot, sitting forlornly by itself. He spotted it, looking the school over.

 

Hardball could see that walking into school in costume was going to be more trouble than it was worth, what with witnesses and everything so he ducked into an alley and changed back into Anthony then walked into the school grounds and over to his bike. He wondered where he should go now and decided to call Eric before leaving to see if he could co-ordinate the gang to watch the various sports captain's houses for signs of 'psycho stalkers'.

 

As his phone rang, Emp moved to a nearby roof top. It was risky and he wasn't sure if the girl coming out of the shower had seen him but he hid and answered his phone.

 

"Hello, wonderful world of Emp. How may I direct your call?" he forced himself to sound happy

and cheerful. He listened to Hardball's ideas about the captains and started telling him the news Pusher had found out.

 

"I was looking for a place to land to call while I was on my way. A new school is being dedicated to a sea captain. I figure if we can get there and go over the new place we might learn something."

 

"O.k." said Anthony "I'll meet you there" He wheeled his motorcycle until he was past the worst of the milling traffic, both human and vehicular, and then gunned his motor as he set off.

 

Andrew Johnson High School was in the rougher part of town, a three story building surrounding a central court. Four blocks over was Casket's bar. Hardball could see the plaque in the front wall where the school's name had been changed some years ago.

 

Unlike his school where everyone had gone home, Hardball spotted kids and teachers going about their business.

 

If he was the mayor, the rededication ceremony would take place right here in front of the school, in front of the plaque.

 

12:00 pm

Emp and Pusher had a possible lead to fit the clue. Andrew Johnson was a sea captain lost at sea for thirty one days in his youth, returning home in four to rededicate the school named after him. Now if they could only get to him first to make sure he was the right one.

 

Eric listened intently, this hurt his own plans but not by much. "Call the others let them know what you found out. I'm going to take a trip over the new school that's being built. See if I can find

anything."

 

"I don't have any phone numbers," reminded Pusher. "I just bought this today. It's not even charged yet."

 

Emp marched out in costume soon firing off the grapple gun so that he could swing off and away. The school pusher was talking about was a bit of a trip. Shame he couldn't travel and talk at the same time. Something he was going to have to fix real soon if they where going to continue being heroes.

 

After hanging up with Anthony, Emp dialed up Patty's number. He wasn't quite sure whom would answer the house phone so he waited.

 

It was at this point the phone rang...

 

"I got it," Patty announced, stepping into the kitchen and grabbing the cordless phone; she walked randomly towards the back patio door and said, "Hello?"

 

Eric sighed with some relief "Listen the new school that's dedicating to a sea captain..." he began filling her in as quickly as he could about the information that Pusher had given him to her.

 

Patty cut him off right after he said, 'Sea Captain'. "Uh, I have company right now--can I call you back in a bit?" she asked, wanting to know but not wanting to blow cover. "Be a little while-maybe we could get together later at the Mall or something, too, but I'd have to ask my Dad if its okay, y'know?"

 

"Alright, talk to you later." he took the interruption in stride and considering the lady had located him and somersaulted backward to avoid the broom "Sorry ma'am. As lovely as your body is, I must be going. Good evening." he grinned, diving off the edge of the building on continuing on his way towards the school via grapple gun.

 

Although if the woman gives a report there was no telling what would be waiting for him tonight.

 

Andrew Johnson High was in a poorer part of town, a three feet tall square circle around a central courtyard. Everything seemed normal with people going about their business as lunchtime periods were being rotated through.

 

On the street below, Emp could see Anthony, rolling into the neighborhood on his bike.

 

1:40 pm

Nariko's leg was bleeding, caused her pain when she moved, and everyone around the Little General was looking at her. Obviously some of these people had seen hurt people before. They started moving away at a fast clip.

 

The throbbing pain from her chewed-up leg making the decision for her, Nariko decided to try stepping into the convenience store and asking for help.

 

"Oh, look at you," said the large man behind the counter, dark dreadlocks stuffed up under a large knitted cap. "You be bleeding on my floor. Do that outside."

 

Finally approaching her breaking point, Nariko's light brown eyes started to well up with tears. "B-but I need someone's *help*! A nasty dog attacked me and some guys are *after* me! Can't I at least use your *phone*?"

 

"Go in the bathroom, and wash your leg off," said the clerk, pointing at a door in the back of the store with both a man and woman symbol on it. "You can put some paper towels on it to help stop the bleeding."

 

"Thank you...", Nariko said with genuine gratitude, accepting the man's somewhat meagre help. Heading quickly into the bathroom, she gingerly pulled up her blood-caked pants leg and tried her best to clean up and access the bite wound.

 

Cleaning the blood off showed a crescent of flesh hanging loose. A little more and she would have been crippled for a while. Her mother wouldn't have liked that.

 

A knock on the door came, then "I called the police, girl. They be coming to take you to the hospital."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

12:05 pm

Patty crossed her legs at the knee and took a deep breath. "Okay...see, I got sick in class and so I went to the nurse's station and then my Dad came to get me so we went to the Office and so my Dad could sign me out and he did and stuff and then we started walking out and we heard this little pop and splatter thingie and then there was blood all over the window inside the office and I really didn't see anything more than that I guess it was between first and second periods I was feeling really bad and wasn't really paying attention."

 

"Your father says that a bunch of your friends were there," said Detective Allen. "We haven't been able to locate them. Do you know where they are?"

 

On the other side of the house, Agent Bye regarded Tammy Chen with lambent eyes.

 

"I understand that you arrived on the scene of the murder after it happened?," said the tall man. "What brought you to the scene?"

 

Patty replied, "Well, Tammy's in the kitchen and I don't know where Eric or anybody else is Eric walked me to the nurse's office and then I don't know how he got to the Office I think he may have been between classes but if he hadn't been in the hallway I'd have lost it he was really great helping take charge and stuff but I don't know where anyone else is they all took off after everything was kinda over maybe people went to the mall or home or something I think Eric's dad is a cop or something I don't know."

 

"Let me have Eric's last name," said the detective. "I'll talk to him."

 

"It's Eric Drake and my dad thinks he's scum but he's actually really nice not a hoodlum." She glared at her father defiantly...and wondered where the hell that'd come from. Must be the hormones.

 

"He's a crook," said her dad right back. "He's a blinking and a twitching."

 

"I'm sure he's a good kid," said Allen. "I'll have someone go by his house. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

 

Patty thought about it. "I don't think so that pretty much is everything that happened and stuff if I think about something I'll tell my dad and he'll tell you or whatever."

 

"Sounds fair," said Allen. "Have we met before? you seem familiar somehow."

 

Patty shook her head, pony-tail bobbing in opposition to the movement of her head. "Nope, not unless you did a DARE program thingie but that'd be it I stay out of trouble-" she glared at her father "-and I really do follow all the rules and stuff."

 

"I'm sure you do," said Detective Allen. "Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Antres. Please don't leave the city without calling me. We might need you later."

 

Patty tried not to snort a bit of laughter, and succeeded, mostly, the sound coming out more like a tiny sneeze. Covering her mouth with her hand, she said, "'scuse me'," and waited for the cops to leave--she knew her dad would want to have words with her about Eric.

 

"So what is all this about Shifty being the son of a policeman?," said Mr. Antres. "He vibrates more than an Enron executive."

 

Patty sighed. "His name's Eric, Daddy, and his dad's a cop and he's not real nice and Eric doesn't want to be like him maybe just maybe I can help I do like him he's got a good soul and you just have to trust me that its hard to do but maybe..."

 

She shook her head. "I'm not going to keep wasting my time and your time trying to explain it because you don't want to hear it I see you look at me like I"m still five but I'm not sometimes you just have to trust Daddy."

 

"I do trust you, honey," said Mr. Antres. "I just want you to be careful."

 

"I am careful Daddy--the thing is that I'm not five anymore and sometimes..." She lowered her head, embarrassed. "I do like him--there's something with him that I really like--and...when I bring him home please...accept him for what he is okay Daddy?"

 

She looked up at him, her face honest-and a little conflicted. "I'm always careful and I'm going to go put on my pajamas and lay down I still don't feel good, okay?"

 

She moved for the stairs.

 

"All right dear," said Mr. Antres. "I'm heading back to work. If you need anything, call me."

 

12:10 pm.

Emp and Hardball could see the temporary stage being put in place by city workers in front of the square circle school from their different perspectives. Anthony was at ground level in the parking lot. Emp was on the roof. The question was how would she blow up the victim in front of a crowd in her signature move.

 

Emp swung down towards the stage. His grapple gun recoiling back into its frame so that it could be put away. Walking over the stage he began to look around carefully. Having ones heart explode was certainly difficult. He was looking for a refreshment area. He doubted they where set up but the best way to cause this type of problem was likely food or liquid based, considering it left physical evidence it likely was an actual solid food. So he needed to search any vendors that would be here. The only other option was to go to the man's house next to make sure he wasn't going to be given a mysterious gift of food for his hard work. But not likely. Once he started to feel anything he wouldn't be here for the explosion. So this location area was where Heartbreaker would need to strike for a perfect strike. Not that it meant he'd be able to catch her at all, but hopefully he could stop someone's heart from going boom.

 

The platform was a temporary wooden stage with a carpet cover draped over it. There was no concession stand set up, though Eric knew schools, some schools had trailers they could roll in place when they didn't have a permanent stand.

 

Anthony got off his bike and lit up a cigarette. While pretending to be simply 'hanging out' he kept a close eye out for anyone he knew from school, especially and girl who might be a psycho stalker in disguise. Given the neighborhood he doubted that any of his schoolmates would be coming down here simply on a whim. Even this Captain Andrew Johnston shouldn't be enough to drag any but his greatest fans along.

 

He again wondered why Heartbreaker was targeting the people she was. Sure Principal Franklin had been a pain, but unless Anthony was wrong he was an upstanding member of the community whose only crime was wanting to educate kids. And this Andrew Johnston fellow seemed like a real Hero. Why was she targeting heroes and not say scum who really deserved it like Eric's dad? Anthony's blood suddenly went cold. She wasn't targeting 'authority figures' in an attempt to impress 'Hardball' she was targeting powerless heroic types, probably working her way up to superheroes. So much for a change of heart (no pun intended), he silently wondered whether she was simply following the script she had in her former life before becoming a Hero killer.

 

The black and red costume of Emp glared like neon in the early afternoon sun. Several people seemed to be remarking on it in the windows from Anthony's viewpoint on the ground.

 

Emp looked around a bit more. Definitely going to happen here. Although it wouldn't hurt to check out the house as well. He looked over at Anthony, "You know kid, smoking's not very good for you, just like 'junk foods' they serve at these types of rallies. Later!" He pulled his grappler with practiced ease and fired up and began his departure. That'd likely get the police interested in the area with reports of a known costumed teen criminal. He might not be as bad as heartbreaker was but he was moderately sure he was still a known criminal, after all his equipment was here waiting for him at the site so he was looking at the early years of his 'criminal' career. Still while that might cause a tightening up of security he still needed to check out the captain's house. He sure as hell hoped Anthony got his hint about the explosives likely being in the food and catering groups.

 

Anthony looked at the message from EMP. So he and Rabbit were having some more 'alone time'? Good for them, Eric could do with a girl he didn't have to manipulate to make like him and Rabbit could definitely do with a man to help her avoid some of the faux pas she seemed to be prone to.

He looked around again at the area. Until he needed to leave or someone suspicious turned up he could think of nothing better than just hanging out here checking out the scenery.

 

Anthony's own phone rang. The musical tone told him that his own girl was checking in with him.

 

Crossing town took an hour with the available buildings thinning near the dock where Captain Johnston stored his boat when he was in town. Emp could see it was a wide open area for target practice if anybody wanted to kill him. A flat stretch of parking lot with piers sticking out on the city's river with light poles few and far between.

 

That left a killer with at least two escape routes as far as Emp could see. One was the river itself, the other a major parkway leading to the local highway system.

 

Patty nodded-then impulsively came back down and gave her father a hug-she didn't say it, but the words, "love you' were there anyway.

 

She then headed back up the stairs, went to her room and undressed-and held out her 'costume' and looked at it.

 

A deep sigh. To fulfill her words to him, she pulled on her long nightshirt and curled up under the blankets for thirty seconds--then got up and tossed her pajama top aside and pulled on her costume...and picked up her cellphone.

 

She texted Eric, "Where R U?"

 

She could hear the car door being closed outside as her dad left to go back to work. Hopefully the police were taking Tammy home with them.

 

Eric noted the vibrating cellphone and took it out looking over the text. Sending one back with the captain's address on it. He then moved towards the captain's slip, trying to remain unseen as he moved surprisingly to the front door and knocked. Most people never suspected a person to actually use the front door to do them harm, no matter what most police said or did it was a common

misconception. He would wait to see if anyone would answer before he picked the lock.

 

The slip was empty. Other boats on the dock were in evidence, but Eric didn't see any people who could stop him inspecting the dock.

 

Patty looked at the address and then looked at herself in the full-length mirror in the corner of her room, next to her little desk; this was her, her twenty years ago and now...she closed her eyes and questioned herself, her motivations, her feelings...

 

and headed for the door at speed.

 

She hit her brakes, ducking out of sight. "Eric..." she hissed from the side of the next boat down the pier.

 

Eric looked over at Patty in her costume, thankfully his own costume hid his cheeks as he moved towards her.

 

"What's up Tac?" he knew her secret identity name from earlier he figured he'd at least keep the

identities separated.

 

"Did you find out anything Patty?" he whispered as he got closer to her.

 

He knew he was happy to see her, but he had to put a damper on his own feelings, they couldn't possibly work out considering his past. He just had to keep that in mind while talking with her.

 

A sea gull swooped in overhead, landing on the wooden pier to look at the odd couple.

 

Patty shook her head, keeping her voice low. "No, but the cops are looking for you to ask questions--and I got hell from my dad," she admitted. She took a deep breath and continued, "I dunno--they took Tammy, Katido, away--I don't know what's going on there--and with her gone and the school closed, I can't get to a science lab to run tests." She eased close. "You find anything...you're not breaking in, are you?"

 

A boat sailed past the empty slip where Captain Johnson usually parked. The pilot glanced at the two as he drifted down river to the sea.

 

He looked at her taking everything she was asking.

 

"Not really, I was going to see if anyone was there. If the captain himself was there I was hoping to warn him that his life was in danger." He smiled at her.

 

Patty nodded at him in understanding.

 

"But I have a hunch to how she's killing people from the inside out. I believe she's giving them some sort of digestible that once it mixes with the acids of the digestive system cause a slow mounting explosion." He licked his lips a bit fighting down his nerves as she moved closer to him "But I'm not quite sure how to stop her or what the food substance would be. If it's a slow explosive effect she might deliver it here, if it's actually a fast explosive she might be serving it at the new school opening." He looked into her eyes as he spoke as much of an attraction he felt to her, he wished he didn't have to bother her with all this cloak and dagger business. She seemed so innocent, especially getting sick from telling white lies or even outright lies.

 

Her brow furrowed, brain kicking over in thought--this had been on her mind, but for some reason, it hadn't clicked together quite like this until Eric had mentioned it.

 

"What did the police want by the way?" he finally asked his voice quivered with a renewed fear as he finally remembered she'd told him that. If anything he didn't want Patty getting involved with anything dealing with his father, the man wasn't much of a physical threat but he could still make Patty's dad life a lot more hellish if his dad found out he was hanging around with Patty.

 

He still remembered his first girlfriend, she'd ended up having to leave because of a drug investigation

into her dad's life, he'd been cleared of anything but the man's family had been destroyed just because of the investigation.

 

The sea gull drifted to Eric's shoe, looking around before casually flapping off.

 

"They just want to ask you about what you saw," the blonde replied, casually aware of the pilot of the small boat that drifted down the river, "they didn't ask me anything big--I just told them I got sick, you'd walked me to the office--and that I thought you'd swung back in to make sure I was okay when everything went down..."

 

Her mind slowed down and she saw the look on his face. Reaching up with one hand, she asked him, "What's wrong? There's...something going on inside that head--you're worried..."

 

The girl took a deep breath. "We'll talk later--I think its wrong--but you're right--we have to warn the Captain--do what you have to do and let's get out of here okay?" Patty didn't look particularly happy with what Eric was about to do--but there was an acceptance in her eyes about it.

 

"Well I think we might as well get going now. The captain's boat isn't here right now." He sighed. "We might as well go some where more private.." he blinked "I mean some where we can be alone..er well you know some place we can talk and not be spied on by everyone."

 

She nodded, pursing her lips slightly. The girl sure as hell had not intended to interrupt him--she didn't approve of the lockpicking--but his points were valid and, so long as no harm or other mischief would've been done inside, the good outweighed the bad on the offense.

 

Absently, she followed as he walked her off towards some buildings he'd swung in on before and used his grapple gun to pull them both up to the top. The entire time fighting down his desires due to her closeness to himself as he held her on the way up.

 

She gasped momentarily as his arm wrapped around her bare midriff--it was surprise more than anything else, then relaxed against him as he lifted the two of them off the ground--she remembered the film 'Batman' and had to smile, remembering seeing it in the theater...before she was born, this time around.

 

On arrival, she left her arms wrapped around him and basked in his warmth...

 

"Dammit..." she said softly, still not releasing him.

 

He looked at her once they where on top of the building. He noticed she was still holding him, course

he wasn't letting go either for the most part. "Um.. you okay?" He asked slowly looking away a bit as he tried to restrain his own desires.

 

"I think we'll have to send Hardball a message that were going to stay here and keep an eye on the ship yard. Once his boat gets here we can make our move." He gently stroked her hair his eyes softening a bit.

 

"...that'd be a good idea he and I don't see eye to eye but he has some good points," Patty admitted, her head easing back slightly of its own accord, allowing him the ability to give more of a full stroke to her hair.

 

"So...like coffee? I think I might have some miniature army supply for instant coffee. Tastes worse than normal." he offered it with a small awkward laugh. He really didn't want to ruin the moment by bringing up his dad so he tried humor, something he was lacking these days.

 

She didn't really react--she more closed her eyes tight against what she felt right at this moment--and kept her ears open.

 

She shook her head and slowly let him go, mostly, her hands drifting down to take his. "No, coffee makes me hyper," she admitted letting go of his hands and sinking quickly until she was seated, cross-legged. "Emp, Eric--" she shook her head once again, then sank into momentary silence.

 

"I'm sorry I interrupted you," Patty said, "I didn't mean to--and I didn't mean to call you by name down there--I'm making stupid goofs that I wouldn't have made a few days ago..."

 

She looked at him in the eye. "That's the whole problem, isn't it? We're not the people we were a few days ago--we're kids now--god knows what my adult wants are right now but that's..." She gulped, blushing. "...but that's not important is it we're not adults and..."

 

Patty shook her head at herself and her flightiness. "I'm even acting like I did when I was fifteen hell I am fifteen I'm not a doctor any more just a stupid kid with holes in her memory and Hardball might just be right I"m nothing more than a hindrance dammit..."

 

She looked awful close to tears. "...I almost blew it for you. You had a job to do and I blew it for you there didn't I."

 

He looked at her sternly. "Listen Patty, we're all in the same boat. Your making the same mistakes any of us would do... besides I'm still partially to blame for what your feeling considering our first meeting." He sat down next to her "Besides, I'm scared to death that I'm going to screw up. Hell I half expect one wrong move and I'll end up causing massive changes to your past or even those in the group. I couldn't live myself if I hurt you somehow." He touched her cheek trying to ease her tears away. "After all, I was a villain before I was regressed. What kind of life could I offer you? If I'm returned to adulthood, I have a criminal record, people hunting me down and any number of problems. If I stay a child, I might try and hold you back, keeping you away from your own future with a career, maybe even a husband and kids..." he inhaled deeply letting himself just speak "..and again I couldn't do that to you. Out of the two of us, you have the most to look forward to in your future.

 

"While...I have things to change to make myself better. As much as I think I love you I can't just do anything except be a friend."

 

Patty leaned her cheek against his palm, eyes closed, trying her best not to cry, but a few tears got out anyway.

 

She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged herself close as Eric got up and took out his cell phone, texting Hardball with the information about where he was along with 'Rabbitgirl' as he had called her, all the while cursing his own stupidity for having told Patty everything like that and he still hadn't warned her of his dad.

 

It was then that it dawned on him, was he actually scared of a uncertain future, or was he more scared in the future was turning out like his father? Was that why he never married out of love?

 

From behind, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "I never got married," she admitted, "it just wasn't important--never met anyone that was more than just maybe sex or something--and you're not to blame for the way I feel right now--I forgive you for what happened the first time we met--and Hardball told me to stay away from you--but I don't think that the future is what is was anymore, Eric."

 

She took a deep breath. "I don't mind putting my future back off or maybe finding a different path--I've done the doctor thing, it was...all right, good money...but...not fulfilling."

 

He had shivered at the contact and what she was telling him. He could only listen as she continued.

 

She came around to his fore and folded his hand closed around the cellphone, her light blue eyes on his. "I'm willing to take that chance, Eric--would you be willing to take it as well? I know you have problems--but..." She gulped. "...maybe this is a second chance for all of us--maybe you and I to find something other than...things neither of us weren't happy in doing."

 

The speedster stood up on tiptoes and pressed her lips against his and held it.

 

Eric wrapped his arms around her holding her as she kissed him. It was a strange feeling being a teenager in love. Maybe being this way wasn't so bad after all When she had broken the kiss he just stared off into her eyes.

 

Finally, she whispered, her nose inches from his, "I'm willing to stand by you and be your friend--and more, if you let me in...I want to be trusted by you--and to trust you."

 

She stepped away, her hands holding his. "When this is over--lets go to the ocean, walk along the beach, talk--maybe more--but we'll see on that." She gave him a small smile and, releasing one hand, wiped her cheeks and eyes. "I have to go, Eric--I have to figure out a few things..."

 

"Patty, I'd like that. Although I get the impression your dad doesn't much care for me, not that he'd stop me from seeing you." he took her by the waist again before firing and swinging off with her.

 

She held on tight, pressed warmly against him, reveling in this...this unknown territory in which she found herself. "Don't worry about my dad--just be yourself--and be polite--and...well...he's my dad, y'know?"

 

"As for the beach, I think I can handle that."

 

"It's a date, then."

 

The girl frowned. "Can you get stuff from the police--your dad's a cop, maybe you can get forensic records--and..." She looked a little pale. "...maybe you can break me into the school and we can use the science lab or something--I really need to look at those samples--but that has to be tonight because I have to get home and make it look like I've been sick all afternoon..."

 

He looked at her and nodded, "Yeah I can get into the police station. I suppose I really should try and end the fight between me and my dad differently then last time. But you need to be prepared. Last time I had a girlfriend he'd ruined a perfectly good family's life by involving them in a drug investigation. While they had been innocent and found that way, it still ended up badly for them. Then again she was also helping to hide me from him whenever I ran away." he smiled at her "But I'll definitely put off telling him about you." He took out his grapple gun. "School's a bit of a trip from here, we better get going. I don't think I can get to the police station tonight without taking a car or a bus ride and still get here to keep an eye out."

 

The girl nodded. "I understand...and while I want to get this done...I understand." She gave him a little smile. "I can spell you tonight if you want--if it hasn't gone down yet..."

 

She looked down. "...you're welcome to stop in as yourself and see me if you want."

 

He nodded "I do trust you Patty and I really should tell you more. You defiantly have a right to know me more."

 

When he landed and set her down, she gave him one last hug, stood again on tiptoe and gave him one last kiss...

 

"I'll see you soon..."

 

...and disappeared in a squeal of rubber from her shoes, leaving a wake of disturbed paper.

 

He watched her leave, all 3 seconds of blur, she was definitely going to take getting use to considering her speed. He fired off his grapple again heading back to the roof top. He kept himself there for another twenty minutes before calling the police headquarters. He figured if he was going to be stuck on top of the building watching the dock through a pair of lenses he might as well check in and make sure more ploce officers were not out looking for him.

 

"Hello, how can I help you?"

 

"Hello I'm checking in with the detective that's in charge of the homicide over at the school that killed Principal Frank Richards."

 

"One moment while I redirect your call."

 

He waited for the detective to pick up. His phone had a useful scramble system and would keep tracking systems guessing where he was hopefully for an hour, if he stayed on that long. But the lady cop didn't seem to know who he was so there was less likely going to be a trace on the call.

 

The sea gull looked at Eric like it was his fault for the bad smell and lack of food. It said something in its own bird way, then soared off down the dock.

 

"This is Detective Allen," said the detective. "What can I do for you?"

 

He changed his voice immediately once the detective picked up the phone. "Hello this is EMP, I'm sure you have no idea who I am detective, however me and my friends are helping your investigation and I figure it's time we bring you into the loop. The killer's next target is the Captain that will be at the new school opening." He was going to add more to the message something insulting to the detective but he hung up thinking about how Patty would react to him insulting a police officer. He had to chuckle at that one. This becoming a good guy was going to take some getting use to.

 

He waited another fifteen minutes before switching his phone to it's normal setting and calling in as Eric Drake and confirming everything Patty had told them about what he did at the school.

 

"We'll need to talk to you in person," said Allen. "Why don't you come down to the Hall of Justice today, or tomorrow?"

 

1:50 pm

Cleaning the blood off showed a crescent of flesh hanging loose. A little more and she would have been crippled for a while. Her mother wouldn't have liked that.

 

She shuddered a bit, as if from a sudden chill. It could have been *much* worse...but what the hell is she going to *do* with that nasty dog now?

 

A knock on the door came, then "I called the police, girl. They be coming to take you to the hospital."

 

Nariko's mind filled with grim images of sinister killers disguising as EMTs and potential murderers posing as doctors...and she *didn't* like what she saw in her mind's eye. "Um...okay. Thanks...", she answered weakly as she put some tissues around her wound and tried to stuff the whole mess underneath her pants leg and shoes. The gearhead girl then poked her head out of the bathroom and asked, "Um...could I please call my mom and dad *too*?" They'll be really *worried* about me by now..."

 

"As much blood as you have colored your pants with," said the store clerk. "I suppose a call be ordered. The police be here first in any case."

 

Nariko knew that was true, even if response times in bad neighborhoods were slower than what they were.

 

She tried her best not to look scared. "Um...okay..." She stepped out of the room, taking careful note of where the reflective surfaces in the store were. "Please let me know when I can call, okay?", Nariko added in a voice timid enough to make her feel guilty about it.

 

"You can call right now," said the clerk, gesturing with one hand. "The phone be up front."

 

"Thank you!" Barely suppressing the urge to *run* to the phone, Nariko first tried the "emergency" number that her father gave her if she had to reach him at work.

 

"This is Miyami," said the dry voice of her father after several rings. "Speak please."

 

She didn't *want* to start tearing up, but she did all the same. Her words came out in an almost frantic rush of verbiage. "Daddy it's Nariko I'm in *terrible* trouble! Some men came to my school and told me mom was in the hospital but instead of taking me to the hospital they knocked me out and *kidnapped* me! I got away but a big dog attacked me and it's inside my *workshop* now and my leg is still bleeding I don't know what to do and the men have *guns* and they *can't* be far away and now the guy in the convenience store down the street called the cops but how can I be sure that they're going to we *real* cops and not *fake* ones and OMIGOD I REALLY NEED HELP! "

 

"You must be calm," said Mr. Miyama. "I will send someone to escort you to the hospital. He will identify himself as Mr. Four. I will give him a picture of you. He will be there shortly."

 

Surprisingly, Nariko *does* calm down, yet her heart seems to almost *leap* inside of her. Daddy's going to *rescue* her! She *knew* that she could count on him! "Um...okay..." She tears up again and her voice cracks, more out of *relief* than fear this time. "...I love you, Daddy...thank you..."

 

"I will notify your mother," said Mr. Miyami. "Mr. Four will arrive shortly at your location. We will meet you at the hospital."

 

"Okay d-daddy...goodbye..."

 

She wipes her eyes awkwardly in her sleeve, obviously starting to calm down a little. "My father is sending someone to take me to the hospital...", she said to the convenience store guy.

 

"That be cool with me, little Chinese girl," said the clerk. "Try not to bleed more on my floor."

 

Nariko blinked, obviously a little put off by what she perceived as the man's *surprising* lack of perception. "I'm part *Japanese*, sir..." Although it was probably futile at that point, she almost compulsively checked her reflection in one of the store's convex surveillance mirrors and fussed a little with her hopelessly tousled hair for a few moments.

 

"Chinese, Japanese, Javanese," said the clerk. "It all be the same to me."

 

Sirens approached as Nariko waited, then almost before she knew it an ambulance rolled to a stop outside the little store. A moment or two after that, a thin man in a dark blue suit appeared, brown hair swept back, a little four pendant pinned to his jacket lapel.

 

"Nariko Mayami?," he said.

 

"Um...yes?", she asked a bit nervously. This was *probably* her father's man, but she couldn't be sure until he actually identified himself.

 

"I'm Mr. Four," said the man in the blue suit. "I will be riding with you to the hospital and staying with you for a while."

 

The gearhead girl let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding and smiled. "Oh good. Daddy told me to expect you..."

 

The paramedics had Nariko come out to the back of their van, and went to work on her leg. Stitches were definitely in her future.

 

She made it a point to mention that the dog was foaming up when he was really angry and that she could let them know where the dog was when they needed to examine it.

 

"We'll need to do that to check for rabies," said the paramedic. "let's get you loaded and taken care of."

 

They carefully placed her on the gurney for the long ride to the hospital.

 

Nariko nodded and let the paramedics do their work. For once, she just relaxed and didn't think about tinkering with her hair or make-up during the entire trip. Somewhere along the way, she cleared her through a bit self-consciously and said to the mysterious Mr. Four. "Well...I never actually met anyone from Daddy's work before. Are you his assistant?"

 

"A colleague," said Mr. Four. "What is this about a kidnaping?"

 

The van rolled toward the hospital, the attendant making sure that Nariko was okay as they went. The police car rolled behind them, lights blaring.

 

Nariko took a deep breath, obviously planning to tell Mr. Four the whole story. "Two men showed up at my school this morning. One of them, the older one, said that his name was 'Ebersole'. They told me that my mom had an accident at work and that they were going to drive me to the hospital. I got suspicious when I noticed that we weren't going the right way and tried to gate out, but it was too late! As I blacked out, I noticed some sort a gas canister underneath the seats...I guess the bastards used some sort of knockout gas or something..."

 

She paused for a moment, obviously trying to keep calm and keep her thoughts organized. "I woke up locked in closet with a little latched hatch in the door to feed me though. The locking mechanism on the hatch was a total *joke* - easy to defeat - so I managed to slip through it and I tried to get away. I ran into the back yard before anyone caught me, but there was a *nasty* dog back there that almost took me down before I even got *started*! I *barely* climbed the fence and got out before he got me and I ran into one of the neighbor's yards, looking for something to gate through."

 

Nariko shuddered a little at that point. "I found a birdbath just as the dog was catching up me and I tried to gate into my workshop, but the bastard grabbed hold of my leg and got dragged through with me! I tried to split him in half by shutting the gate, but I couldn't close it fast enough!" She let out a long sigh. "The dog let go of me after it gated and I got *away*, but it's still stuck in my workshop and probably shitting and peeing up the place as we *speak*..."

 

"You don't even want to know what they do to furniture," said Mr. Four. "It sounds like a case of extortion. That's something the police are better equipped to handle than we are."

 

"I *guess* so...", she said rather tentatively.

 

"We have to patch you up before we can worry about anything else," said Mr. Four. "They didn't get what they wanted. Maybe they will switch to someone else unless you remember the address of where you were held."

 

12:00 pm

Pusher wrote down all their speculations on the chalkboard, including the possible victim's background. He knew he was too direct in his thinking and lacked the hacking skills Eric had. It had been easy to buy a computer and electronics they needed, even a phone.

 

He circled the word home in the clue and the words announces the tidings of the day in the first one. Then a question mark to show he didn't know what he was thinking.

 

Everyone else was doing something. He should too. It was time to pay a visit to the school. He ascended through the streets.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

Tachyon 1:20 pm

Patty pulled on her robe and her comfy bunny slippers and padded down the stairs, touseling her hair as though she'd been sleeping. She went to the front door and peered through the peephole...

 

Carl from the morgue and the school stood on her front steps, straw hat in his hands, looking around with raised eyebrows. His light colored suit was out of place with the running shoes he wore. A tape recorder and small camera hung on straps on his shoulder.

 

This was the last person Patty really wanted to see...checking to make sure the door was chained, she opened it a crack and said, "Can I help you?"

 

"Carl Kolchak, INS," said Carl, flashing his press card. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about this morning."

 

"You have to talk to my parents," Patty decided, not wanting to give this guy any rope at all, "'cuz I'm not feeling so good and if you want you can sit out there and wait until my Dad comes home but he works downtown."

 

She pushed the door shut.

 

"Miss Antres?," said Kolchak, trying to peer through the tiny windows decorating the door. "I assure you that other reporters will be here to ask you the same questions soon. If you talk to me first, they will leave you alone."

 

Patty slumped down against the door, her butt finding purchase on the floor. "I won't I won't until my parents are here," she said, wondering why the image of one little piggy and a big bad wolf had flickered to mind.

 

"Are you okay in there?," said Carl.

 

Patty had a delay. "I'm sick, that's why I'm home early, you have to wait for my parents, okay?" She stepped away from the door at normal-person speeds, retrieved the phone and speed-dialed her dad.

 

"Daddy, there's a reporter here that wants to talk to me I told him no that I couldn't talk to anyone until after you got home," the blonde speedster said.

 

"Tell that misery," began Patty's dad. "No. Wait. Let me talk to him."

 

Patty reopened the door, ensuring that the portal was still on its heavy security chain. Placing the phone's handset on 'Speaker', she said, "My Dad wants to talk to you." She held the phone still inside the door but so that the bothersome reporter could still hear/talk without actually holding it in his hands.

 

"Look you misery monkey," said Patty's dad, sounding irate and fuzzy over the phone. "Get away from my daughter before I pound you. We're not doing any interviews with the likes of you. So clear out."

 

"Sir," said Carl. "I'm sure you know the faster a witness talks, the less trouble he or she's in if the malefactor happens to return."

 

"Shut up and get going," said Mr. Antres. "Is he going, Patty?"

 

"Yes, Daddy," Patty said, her eyes flashing, "He is. Thank you!"

 

After hanging up, she said, through the ajar space in the door, "You can talk to the nice detective up at Special Crimes--he knows more than I do, I was just there when the principal exploded." She pushed the door shut.

 

"Thank you," said the reporter, making a sour face.

 

She'd have to talk to him sooner or later, this she knew. The problem was, how to talk to him without giving away her identity--he seemed unfortunately smarter than the average bear, therefore...

 

How should she deal with him...

 

She thought about it for a while, waiting for him to leave-and texted Eric, "Rptr wuz here--gonna haf to tlk to him."

 

The reporter got into his battered mustang and pulled away, but not before taking pictures of the house.

 

Emp 1:50 pm

Eric knew the Hall of Justice was the home for central detective squads. There was a small chance he might run into his dad, but it wasn't likely. Allen apparently didn't care about what some narcotics cop thought about questioning his son.

 

That could be very good, or very bad, depending on how he looked at it.

 

Eric thought about his actions as he moved towards the hall of justice, his civies in his backpack so he could change once he was close enough. It was times like this he wished he had better powers than just empathy, at least that part was still mostly in control. He could read people and project a single emotion, although projection was still unable to hold back and still pretty random when it came to effectiveness.

 

Once he was about a block away he changed in a hidden area and swung down to street level before hiding the rest of his costume and moving towards the building to speak with the receptionist.

 

"Hello. My names Eric Drake I'm hear to speak with Detective Allen?"

 

"I'll call him for you," said the desk sergeant. A minute on the phone led to "He said for you to go right up."

 

The sergeant pointed to the elevators on one side of the circular room.

 

"7th floor. Major Cases."

 

Eric walked to the elevators casually His dad might have friends on the force but he at least had a reason to be here and they in turn wouldn't bother him. Besides he had an interesting twist now to his childhood, living it twice might just get his dad off his back without him ending up dead again.

Once at the seventh floor he walked out of the elevator looking for Detective Allen.

 

The Major Case Squad took up the whole floor. A small amount of looking enabled Eric to find a name plate. A nondescript sort of man sat at the desk, talking on the phone. He made notes as he went.

 

Eric inhaled deeply and took a seat in front of the officer as his phone vibrated against him. He didn't know who it was but right now he needed to tell this detective what he wanted to know about what he was doing and confirm Patty's story.

 

"Sorry Detective, took me awhile to wrap up a bit. So what is it you need to know really? All I did was go on auto pilot sailed into the principal's office when that weirdo popping sound took place and when I saw Patty scared and trembling I just held onto her thankful it wasn't her."

 

He watched the detective wondering what he was going to do about the call from Emp, granted over the phone or in conversation it sounded like Imp. Hopefully it still had some sort of heroic angle to help the detective to help the sea captain.

 

"Witnesses said another of your friends were present," said Detective Allen. "An Anthony something or another. The witness I talked to didn't know your friend's last name. Just that he rode a motor bike to school."

 

"Friend might be a bit strong of a term, we only just kinda met. I don't know his last name." Eric shrugged "Sorry I'm not more helpful than your other witness when it comes to Anthony."

 

Eric sat back watching the detective, Anthony out of all of them would likely never want to set foot in here so it was up to him to make sure Anthony didn't need too.

 

Detective Allen looked at his notes, flipping the pages slightly.

 

"It seems you and this Anthony, and Patty were in detention together Monday," said Allen. "Is that where you met?"

 

HardBall 1:00 pm

Anthony answered his phone.

 

"Hey beautiful, what's happening?"

 

"I just got back from a boat ride and I was wondering if you wanted to eat somewhere later," said his girl, smile coming through her voice. "Why don't you ask your friends along?"

 

Anthony flashed back to yesterday, his covert meeting with Eric. Titan, Lady Flame, and Pusher were in attendance in their secret faces. Titan was at the morgue with Mr. Richards. Lady Flame had not been in school as far as he knew. Pusher might be doing something, but Anthony didn't have a way to contact him without going to the secret hideout and asking if he wanted to horn in on a date with his beautiful rich girl.

 

Lee would say no in Anthony's estimation.

 

"Which friends would those be?"

 

"The ones at the diner," said Talia. "I recognized Eric Drake. He's a hottie. I'm kind of jealous of the Asian girl."

 

"Those guys? I'd hardly call them friends. Eric Drake's a business associate of mine and the other's? I wouldn't be caught dead associating with a jock and a jaded Chinese princess if Ricky wasn't with them. Anyway where do you get off saying he's a hottie after giving me grief last night about talking with said princess?" He joked.

 

"Women can do whatever they want," said Talia. "That's our prerogative."

 

"Whatever" said Anthony "Anyway if you want me to invite the hottie along you'll probably have to put up with his new girlfriend too. That o.k?"

 

"Sure," said Talia. "I know this place. It will be perfect."

 

"It'll have to be quick, I've got a business appointment at 3, but if your up for a quick lunch with me, Eric and his girl then fire away and I'll see what I can do."

 

"Let's make it dinner at five," said Talia. "What kind of business are you getting into?"

 

"Best you not know, dear, let's just say if it doesn't go well I might need to cancel dinner. Anyway

I'll see you at five ... whoops I almost forgot, where are we meeting?"

 

"Let's try the Barbecue place on Franklin, honey bunny," said Talia. "It's supposed to be good."

 

 

Nariko 2:00 pm

Nariko's brows furrowed as she tried to remember. but she couldn't recall the house number. " I know what the house looks like and where it is in relation to the convenience store, if that'll help..."

 

"Which way do you think it is from here?," said Mr. Four. He cleared a space so she could look out a side window.

 

Nariko saw that she was heading for the other convenience store she had seen. She recognized the rabbit on the side of the sign.

 

She gestured in the direction of the house. "Down the street a bit more...I'll point it out to you when I see it."

 

When Nariko finally spotted the house, she pointed it out and let Mr. Four know.

 

He nodded, pulling out a small cell phone and gave the address to someone on the other end of the line.

 

"I hope they *catch* them...", Nariko said softly after Four got off of the phone.

 

"If they were smart," said Mr. Four. "They are gone. I'm hoping the people that work with me and your father will be able to find a clue to point to who was really behind your kidnaping."

 

Nariko nodded and sighed, a bit disappointed given her typical teen impatience. "Um...how are we going to get the dog out of my workshop without it biting somebody else?", she asked, deciding to change the subject.

 

"Why don't you keep it?," said Four. "I always heard that girls like puppies for some reason."

 

"Not *this* puppy, Mr. Four!", said the teen with a touch of annoyance. "He still wants a *piece* of me!"

 

"Let's get you to the hospital," said the man in the blue suit. "We'll deal with it after you're fixed up."

 

The ambulance rolled across town to Chance City General, parking in the double lane driveway in the back. The attendants rolled the gurney into the emergency room, advising on what they had found while they worked. Mr. Four was right there by her side, until her parents showed up with relief on their faces.

 

Nariko suffered their treatment of her wound without complaint. When her parents finally arrived, she sat up and bowed politely to her rather traditionalist father, although her light brown eyes suddenly welled up with tears of absolute relief.

 

"We are pleased to see that you are in the best of possible care," said Mr. Miyami.

 

"We'll take you home as soon as the doctors are done, dear," said Mrs. Miyami.

 

"That's *very* good mom and dad..." she said and caught herself as her voice threatened to crack with emotion. Wiping her eyes awkwardly, she added in a soft, heartfelt voice, "I am *so* glad to see you...and Mr. Four's been very good to me..."

 

"We'll have to deal with a dog," said Mr. Four. "We can do that back at the building."

 

"Sonja is looking around at the house after you called," said Mr. Miyami. "She will call if she finds anything."

 

A doctor appeared with Nariko's chart, looking at the gathered adults with a raised eyebrow.

 

"I'm Dr. Foreman," said the medic. "Your daughter suffered a very bad bite, but we've treated her for tetanus and stitched it up. I have a prescription for pain killers, and if we have the dog, we can check it for rabies. Otherwise we'll have to give shots."

 

"Um...how *many* shots?", Nariko asked with a touch of worry.

 

"Fifteen," said Dr. Foreman. "They will be injected in your stomach."

 

She actually turned a little pale. "All at the same *time*?"

 

"Once a day," said Dr. Foreman. "If we had the dog, we could observe it for symptoms and then test it instead. You might not need shots at all if the dog was clean."

 

"I can get the dog for you *immediately* if you want," said the nervous girl quickly, "but I think it might be a good idea to have somebody from Animal Control here when I go get him. He was nasty as *hell* to me..."

 

Dr. Foreman lifted an eyebrow in disbelief.

 

"I'll make the call," he said before leaving the room.

 

"The dog is in her pocket dimension," said Mr. Four when he was sure the group was alone. "I can hold him for the animal guys."

 

"He's probably making a big *mess* of my workshop right now...", Nariko added with an annoyed frown.

 

"Let's go in the bathroom and secure it," said Nariko's father. "It should be simple and easy."

 

Mr. Four picked up Nariko in her hospital gown and carried her across the room to the annoyance of the staff. Her parents followed, fending off any nurse who came close before they all stepped inside the cramped public bathroom.

 

"I have the door," said Mom, holding the door shut.

 

"Let's get started," said Dad, gesturing to the wide mirror over the sink.

 

 

Pusher 1:30 pm

Pusher had to wait in the walls until the crime scene unit was done. When the police had left, leaving the school locked up, he started his own search of the office. He was looking for the attendance records for Monday.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

Tachyon 1:30 pm

Eric wasn't answering his phone. He might be in trouble, in transit, or not wanting to talk to anybody. Patty didn't know a lot about circumstances, but she did know that her adventuring might be in danger with the cops and a reporter zeroing in on her.

 

Then the phone rang again. Who could it be now? The last few hours had been like Grand Central.

 

Patty glanced at the caller ID and then flopped herself in the easy chair before the big TV set, curling her legs up beneath her and adjusting her robe. Keying on the TV, she answered the phone. "Antres residence, Patricia."

 

At this point, she felt like being in the ER at rush hour would've been a better deal.

 

"This is Jared," said the Pusher. "We need to talk. Is everyone else but Eric there? I know he went out swinging somewhere."

 

Patty relaxed and turned down the volume. "No, the cops were here--everybody had to go," she explained, "and now I'm stuck here for a while at least because there's a reporter that's hanging around if he even thinks I've gone..."

 

She shook her head and pushed her hair back up over her shoulders. "Eric was, last time I talked to him, watching out over that Captain's house, and I think he may have headed for the police station too--the detective that talked to me wanted to talk to everybody."

 

She frowned. "Do we have any halfway decent equipment in the team's lab?"

 

"No," said Pusher. "I just got a phone and computer today. I'm at the school looking at the Monday detention list. Do you mind if I stop by and go over it with you. I'm sure our culprit is on that list."

 

Patty nodded even though he couldn't see her. "That's fine, but you'll need to be gone by five-my parents are a bit touchy that way, and be careful--there's this reporter that's hanging around here, and I'm not sure if he knows who I am or not."

 

"He'll never see me," said Pusher.

 

Patty gave him the address and said, "I'll leave the back door open-also, there's a back door to the garage-just c'mon in."

 

If there's nothing more, Patty hangs up and, wrapping her robe around her, sat and waited, watching TV absently while thinking...

 

Pusher materialized out of the floor five minutes later, clad in his black costume and mask. He went to the door, and placed his hand in it, moving down the wall.

 

"It looks like your reporter is gone," he said, voice muffled by the full mask over his face. "What's his name?"

 

Patty stood and stretched while answering. "Carl Kolchak, INS." She shook her head. "He'll be back, I"m sure--I managed to get rid of him by calling my dad and threatening the cops--but that won't slow him down long."

 

Pusher wrote the name down on a pad with pen. He shoved the pad back in his coat.

 

She moved to the kitchen and got a pad of paper and a pen. "Okay," she said, "what have you got-and we need to figure out a way for me to get into a lab somewhere--I was going to do it at school...but all things considered, that's out the window now."

 

"The school's empty," said Pusher. "It's locked up though."

 

He didn't state the obvious that locks were child's play for him to get around.

 

"I have this list from the computer in the office," Pusher said.

 

He handed the print out over. Some familiar names leaped out at Patty as she perused it.

 

Emp 2:05 pm

"That would be correct detective." Eric nodded "We met there, it's also where I first met Patty. She's a pretty nice girl."

 

"I'm sure," said Allen. "I talked to your father. He says he hasn't seen you since Monday night. I'm surprised that you apparently ran away, but still made time to go to school."

 

"I might be a lot of things detective but a drop out isn't one of them. I have friends I can generally stay the night with or even homeless shelters. As for my dad, me and him never like each other much. Kinda like groundhogs." Eric had a bit of a colder attitude now it was a subject he'd gone over in his head more than a few times but it didn't make talking about the man any better. "I know the difference between street knowledge and actual knowledge along with skill and I prefer to be someone skilled and knowing what they are doing compared to the dozen or more runaways that do it because they think they are smart enough not to need that education. Now if that's all detective I'd like to leave. I promised Patty I'd come by and check up on her."

 

"Just one more question," said Allen, easing back in his chair. "Dean Martini said they called you Imp. I was wondering how you got the nickname."

 

"Imp? Well, that's an old one. Trouble seems to follow me, thought you said you talked to my dad. He's always following me and dragging me back home and then punishing me for running away and then I run away again. Thus I got the name Imp. Always in trouble. It was one the reasons I don't -HAVE- many friends. Although Patty thinks I should bury the axe with my dad and try to start over." Eric was cool under pressure he had a feeling some people had overheard the others in the detention room so he had to make sure he had a good cover, so he covered with the truth about his old nicknames, course he had more nicknames that he'd been called when he was this age, maybe Imp would stick.

 

"So you and Dean Martini have hung around?," said Allen. "His father is in waste management I have been told. How do you get along with his kid bodyguards?"

 

"About as well as any other teenager at that school. Ignore them, don't harass their meal ticket and everything is hunky dory."

 

"I imagine," said Allen. "If you think of anything else, feel free to call."

 

He handed over a card.

 

"I'm really interested in talking to this Anthony too if you see him," said the detective.

 

HardBall 1:05 pm

Anthony spotted a bald rent a cop crossing the parking lot. He could tell from the walkie talkie in the man's hand he was about to get the boot.

 

Nariko 2:15 pm

Nariko swallowed hard, obviously *not* looking forward to seeing that nasty dog again. "Okay...here we go..."

 

Gazing at her reflection, Nariko reached deep with herself and then quickly outward, calling upon her power to open the portal between Earth and that strange little no-when that she called her workshop. The mirror glowed a bright reddish-white for a few moments before revealing...

 

A very irritated Fido jumping through the portal, confused by the multiple targets to bite. He went for Nariko, hoping for more girl flesh, but Mr. Four caught him by the scruff of his neck and held him off the floor.

 

"Happy to see you," said the man in blue.

 

She let out a long, relieved sigh. "Will you be able to hold him until the animal control people come?", Nariko asked.

 

"Sure," said Mr. Four. "The hospital won't be too happy. He's a feisty one, isn't he?"

 

The dog was doing everything it could to break his grip, bark, bite the four strangers in the room with it, and drool. It looked like Hooch from Turner & Hooch, without being friendly cute.

 

"What's going on in there?," demanded a voice from beyond the bathroom.

 

"Tell Dr. Foreman we have his dog," said Mr. Miyami.

 

Pusher 1:30 pm

Pusher found the detention page on Mrs. Skinner's computer. He printed out a copy, before he reached for the phone and placed a call. It was time to try to round the team up.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Tachyon and Pusher 1:45 pm

"The school's empty," said Pusher. "It's locked up though."

 

He didn't state the obvious that locks were child's play for him to get around.

 

Patty nodded, the thought of bypassing locks just not occurring to her.

 

"I have this list from the computer in the office," Pusher said.

 

He handed the print out over. Some familiar names leaped out at Patty as she perused it.

 

The blonde frowned, trying to wrap her mind around it. "I don't get it," she said, looking up. "I mean, I do--but its not connecting through."

 

"Everyone on this list is a returnee like you." Pusher ran a gloved finger down the list of twenty five names. "Sandra, Anthony, Tammy, Eric, Dean Martini, your name here. All of these people are one of us. If Heartbreaker is a returnee like Hardball and Eric think, and if she goes to CCHS, then she's one of these females.

 

"Unless she's a female impersonator."

 

Patty nodded. "Well, here's another question," she said, "You've got a list for CCHS--but what about other schools in town? Why are we assuming we're the only ones?" She pursed her lips and sat back, tucking the robe tight. "All right, we can cross these names off the list as being accounted for during attacks, I think," she continued, "and focus on those we can't account for."

 

She took another pencil and pad of paper. "Let's see...we need addresses for them all...and a way to track in on everyone...

 

"Eric said you guys got the paper that matched the notes in the school store," said Pusher.

 

"Yeah," Patty said, digging through her bookbag for the pad that Tammy had left for her. "Here--I have yet to actually analyze it..."

 

Pusher put his hand through the paper, sliding a little along the floor.

 

"It's ordinary paper," he reported. "I can see molecules when I pass through things."

 

"It's the arrangements I'm looking for," she said softly. "Damn, I'm not a molecular biologist-you wouldn't happen to be one either, would you."

 

"I deal in molecules," said Pusher. "It's a knack."

 

"Can you take a look down at the root structure of various sheets of identical sheets?" she asked. "If we can get into the personal effects of one of the dead people--I'd give good money to see the differences in the paper--I know, just know, that they received notes on this stuff." she gestured at the pink pad of paper.

 

"How much are you willing to give?." Pusher didn't point out that he could get in anywhere he wanted.

 

"Hardball would be the one to ask on that, I'm afraid," Patty said, "And I don't think he'd comment either way, because it'd be sharing too much information with the rest of us." Her tone had a note of bitter anger to it. "And I doubt very much he'd listen to me were I to suggest it-I'm just a nosy piece of fluff anyway."

 

"I don't think he knows." Pusher pulled out his personal pad and pencil. "I don't think anyone has ever went after him before. I also think he's worried that his personal life is at risk. If I were in the same position, I would be scared too."

 

Of the names on the list, they could mark out eight out of the twenty five. The easiest were Patty, Tammy, Sandra, Anthony, Jason, Eric. Dean Martini had been a gang boss as an adult, and it was likely his father would have an accident soon. One of the boys had been arrested in the park Monday as the Dragon Boy. If they excluded all the rest of the boys based on gender, that left nine girls as suspects.

 

"It occurs to me--what other similarities do we have? What are the commonalities in all this?" Patty mused, sitting down and staring up at the ceiling; she tugged her robe closed at the throat. "I keep seeing that scene in the original Keaton 'Batman' film where it was a combination of products-and this pad of paper would be the trigger..."

 

She frowned. "Darn, but I wish that we knew for certain if the first victim had received a note written on this paper...and I wonder if Eric has managed to get in to talk to the Captain-and find out if he's gotten any notes on this paper as well..."

 

Claire Bennent, blonde, cheerleader. Dee Dee Dexter, blond, dance student at the Arts Center, volleyball player. Brenda Banks, blond, soccer, basketball, and softball player. Mary Bromfield, brunette, school reporter. Sandy Hawkins, blond, cross country. Joan Dale, brunette, no clubs, no special interests. Jeanine Melnitz, red head, no clubs, no special interests. Sarah Winchester, gray/blond, archery and horsemanship champion. Blanche Deveroux, red head, soccer, basketball, softball player, chess club, band, school paper, last year's prom queen.

 

The girl looked at Pusher. "The next thing is to figure out where those girls are and who they are...and determine the commonality beyond that." She looked at him. "Have any of these others been in detention this week...or when we first came 'to' here..."

 

"According to the log, they were only on detention on Monday like the rest of you," said Pusher. "I seem to be the odd man out at the moment. Eric can break into the school records and look up things for us. The problem is we can't prove if any of these girls have powers are the know how to make an artificial bomb."

 

Patty nodded. "We need to figure out what classes they're in--that could tell us something, so could attendance records...and a locker search." She sighed. "And a copy of the forensics records for the last few victims."

 

She buried her head in her hands for a moment, then looked up with a silly grin. "Too much to do, too little time."

 

"Not really," said Pusher, scribbling the names down for future reference. "We know that most of us returned Monday afternoon. Records before then won't matter. Classes might point us in a direction, who has the know-how to do things. A locker search might turn up something also. A copy of the autopsies should tell us how it was done if we can get in the morgue."

 

"That's why I want into the forensics records--don't need to visit the morgue-already got the samples; I need to really talk to Eric and see if he can figure out a way to get a copy--everything's kept on the computer systems, or it was--but I don't have the knack for raiding computer systems, never did." she looked a little green. "So...we need into the school, onto their system for attendance records and class assignments; we need into the computer records at the station and forensics labs; and I need a laboratory myself to finish sample analysis."

 

"We can do all that." Pusher made a few notes to himself. "Which one do you want to do first?"

 

Emp 2:10 pm

Eric nodded to the detective and stood to leave. "I'll see what I can do about getting Anthony to come by but I kinda doubt I'll have much effect. Later Allen." He forced himself to sound more friendly to the detective as he snuck his way out of the police station taking special care not to be around any officer for more than he needed to. Elevators only went so fast.

 

Once he was out he took out his cellphone noting the messages he opted for calling Patty instead of texting back. While he took out a few quarters for the bus. He did after need to appear to be an average teen while around here. Someone might have seen Crush coming in and their might be people looking for him.

 

Detective Allen was sharp and certainly knew his job better than some of morons in the station he'd seen and overheard, that or he put up a good front. Not likely though considering that one sucker question. So being careful was certainly helpful.

 

Patty's phone rang-and she glanced at the caller ID before flipping it open; her whole stance changed to something more relaxed. "Eric!" she said. "What's going on?"

 

"Nothing much, on a bus heading towards your location. Just got done chatting with detective Allen. Nice guy, Anyway I'll tell you more once I get there. Anything going on, on your end?"

 

Patty shook her head and glanced at Pusher. "No-just that reporter-that Carl Kolchak," she said. "Pusher's here as well--just be careful coming in--make sure he doesn't see you, okay?"

 

Eric had a chill go up his spine at the mention of a reporter. "Sure.. No problem I'll get by him in case he's still out there."

 

Her voice went a little softer. "Be careful, okay? I'll have the back door unlocked for you."

 

Patty held the phone to her ear listening to the dead-air that accompanied a hangup...and was glad that Eric has just cut her off like that. Cursing her teenage hormones-God only knew how any of them had managed to survive long enough to make it past puberty-she snapped the phone shut and paced the house, waiting on Eric, waiting on the dryer and her costume, waiting, waiting, waiting...

 

...she needed a science lab, she needed more information...

 

...and she ignored what her body said she needed. That...would be bad.

 

"Thanks Patty. I'll see you soon." Eric smiled as he hung up the phone and once his stop arrived he got off and began walking towards Patty's house. He kept an eye out for anyone watching her house as he made his way towards her house in case he had to hide or avoid the person in a hurry.

 

The street was filled with elementary and middle school kids coming home by 2:30. the time Eric reached Patty's street. Some kids from the high school were out throwing a football, stuck at home without a car, or a friend with a license.

 

Eric came through the door she had left unlocked for him. It was a shame the captain's house and the captain's boat seemed to be one and the same but he at least got the meeting with the detective Allen out of the way.

 

"Hey Patty?" he called he hadn't seen her dad's car so he figured he was safe for a little bit. Granted he needed to keep his wits about him. He and Patty definitely had chemistry and that chemistry tended to spark his powers. Last thing either of them needed was her father to come and catch them making out to the Nth degree.

 

Patty actually jumped-she was still seated at the kitchen table, making notes and scribbling on a sheet of paper-the blank pad picked up by Tammy earlier sat before her, unused; she spun quickly, quicker than the robe she was still wearing could keep up with, revealing more than a bit of flesh beneath.

 

She gathered the robe shut and, with theatrical grace, took a step forward towards him and pressed her hand against her chest. "You startled me," she laughed. "How'd it go, Eric?"

 

She looked up at him-the girl stood but an inch beneath five and a half feet, her eyes...blue...and wide...her thoughts...elsewhere.

 

"It went well." Jared Lee looked at a city map, pencil in hand. "His father wasn't there at the station waiting on him. I wonder how long it took to change that flat."

 

Patty jumped again-with Eric's arrival, she'd pushed Jared out of her thoughts...damn these teenage hormones.

 

It took Eric a moment to adjust his mind around the fact she'd spoken as his mind was still reeling from the sight of her body under the robe. "um..er.. right, um. Well it looks like the captain's house is his ship so I wasn't able to sneak on to get a look around as he's not in port yet. However I did send the police the information by my modified cellphone. The meeting with Detective Allen was interesting. First cop I met that I might actually like." He walked towards her "So how are you doing?"

 

"There is that too. Although it was nice not to recognized by any of my dad's friends on the force as well. Gotta love the age old effect of acting like a regular teen...granted I feel pretty regular these days too." Having just noticed Jared was there he figured from the statement Jared had somehow took care of another of his dad's tires.

 

Jared's voice and the sound of the buzzer on the dryer going off was enough to break her 'moment'; she stepped back and gestured to the table. "Have a seat? I was doing, well, some laundry and making it look like I was sick around the house this afternoon."

 

Tucking again the top of the robe about her throat, she said, "'Scuse me-I'll be right back."

 

She dodged downstairs family room and attached laundry room, then, basket in hand, zipped up the stairs to the second floor and her room; she paused when she pulled out her costume-then folded it carefully and sat it upon the edge of her dresser, tossing the robe aside and pulling on jeans and a button-shirt...as the robe flew aside and before she could dress at her accelerated pace, she stared at herself in the mirror and wondered what the hell Eric saw in her: small breasts, narrow hips...

 

...and got dressed, cursing herself...she'd had a good self-image a week ago and fifteen years older...

 

...and back down the stairs, her stocking feet slapping against the floor and slid into the seat next to Eric, sliding it a little closer to him. "Okay. We have a bunch of things that we need to do, Eric--did you say when the Captain is supposed to be coming back..."

 

She frowned. "I wonder if he's got any fan mail," Patty wondered allowed, her pencil tapping against the pad of pink paper.

 

"I gave them quite a bit to go on, so more than likely Detective Allen will get hold of either the coast guard or other police units in charge of the water ways. The boat will be covered and he'll likely make it to the school for the opening ceremony. If I was this heart breaker, the only and best option to kill the captain would be there as the police would have to remain somewhat out of sight as to keep the public feeling safe. It's too late to relocate the date of the speech and such so its there that she'll likely have her plan B. If where lucky she'll believe that Hardball had something to do with this snag and will be there anyway just so she can show her 'true love' how she feels."

 

"I don't think she plans to do anything at the ceremony," said Jared. "I think the riddles are a double dare, and I think Hardball is on her list. Why else pick him?"

 

Patty nodded, thinking fast.

 

"Why not--seems to me he was sure he knew who she was, and was sure that this is a misguided attempt to attract his attention romantically, kinda like John Hinckley shooting Reagan in order to get Jodie Foster's love."

 

"I think he's wrong," said Pusher. "I think this is all a game. Part of the rules is to pick a hero and draw him out, then whammy. Could have been Titan, could have been me. She just picked Hardball cause he works the streets."

 

He kept a constant smile on his face the whole time while Patty was sitting next to him. It felt good to finally have someone he could be comfortable around. It also helped having Jared there to help keep his mind on business more than personal pleasure.

 

"I think I might be able to get us a lab so that Patty can take a look and analyze her sample. I more or less started Nu-tech when I was this age its very likely my old passcode can get us into a lab."

 

Patty raised an eyebrow. "You started Nu-tech?" she questioned. "That...somehow makes sense." She gave him a smile and patted his hand.

 

Nu-tech was fairly well known in most hero communities in there time some of there advanced weapons programs had certainly helped the military and on a rare occasion helped some criminals whom managed to get 'special weapons' that where still in the experimental area of testing. Considering Eric's 'past', the group had another look into what Eric use to do.

 

"Not sure what kind of lab they have in the city but it might work for figuring out that bomb of Heartbreaker."

 

"That is if Nu-Tech is still there." Pusher put his pad away. "Didn't you tell me your ex married someone else? Your company might not be there."

 

"We have to get in, first," Patty said. "Which takes us to a few other things: we need to get into the records for the forensic reports on the previous murders-the Principal's won't be available until tomorrow at the earliest--but we need the class schedules of these girls-they're our prime suspects..."

 

"Only one way to find out." Patty gave Eric's hand a small squeeze and headed for the phone; she grabbed up the phone book and went through the white pages under Business rather than Residental, looking for Nu-Tech... "What all might it be listed under besides NuTech?" she asked, sitting back down and actually sliding just a hair closer to Eric so that he could look at the phone book as well.

 

"The headline for the wedding was head of Nu-tech married multibillionaire Jackson Trull. Yeah I remember. Trull is a major jackass but he's no genius. Nu-tech was around before I got there but I put it on the map for military hardware. But when I was this age it was mostly helping come up with ideas. If my code works, don't expect to get into the top secret research areas. I wasn't allowed in there. But a few labs to test out ideas... that's generally okay. Although I doubt you'll find anything rare in there."

 

"I bought a computer," said Pusher. "Why didn't you just wrangle one from this lab?"

 

"I think it was under technology, the listing should read 'new universal technology' Nu-tech." he helped Patty look through the phone book.

 

The closest listing was Newsome Technologies. There was two numbers. One was a one eight hundred number, the other a local number.

 

"Part of a deal I made with the actual owners of Nu-Tech when I was a kid. I could use the equipment but I could never take it with me. After all accountants don't seem to like kids running off with high technology they just paid for."

 

"Did you ever get these guys on your dad in the original timeline?" Pusher went to the phone to call information. "It seems to me if you're supporting yourself, you can get a divorce. Their lawyers could help with that."

 

Eric looked stunned "Actually...that was unheard of in my time line. I might be able to do that here. I'll have to keep that in mind."

 

"Two words." Pusher's blank mask hid his inner thoughts. "Macaulay Caulkin."

 

Patty's fingers wrapped around his hand and she gave him a smile. "Your decision-you know what I think, but I'll support you in whatever you decide." It wasn't just an empty promise from a fifteen-year-old; there was more there-the understanding of what such a promise meant, yet tempered with the knowledge that her abilities were limited.

 

"Where do I bring the plates?." Pusher went to the door. "Let's get started. The school's empty. We can get attendance records and hit our next stop. Any clue how to get samples tested without Tammy? Her father has probably got her on lockdown now."

 

Hardball 1:10 pm

"Son." The security guard paused about three feet away from Anthony, hand on his walkie talkie. "I'm going to have to ask you to move on. The school has a no loitering policy."

 

He was a big guy, not in shape. Maybe he was a former athlete gone to seed. Maybe he liked too much of the beer on the weekends. He tried to be politely interested in Anthony, but the biker had an idea he was taking notes in case he needed to use it later.

 

"What's going on, honey bunnikins?" Talia's voice was a tin whisper in his phone.

 

Nariko 2:20 pm

"Please tell Dr. Foreman that we have the dog that bit me and he's *not* happy!" said the teleporter as she watched the nasty, drooling beast with fear in her light brown eyes from the farthest corner of the tiny room. "Did the animal control people say how long they'd be?"

 

"About twenty minutes." Dr. Foreman's voice drifted through the wood. "How the heck did you get an animal in here?"

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

Emp, Tachyon, Pusher 2:30 pm

"Did you ever get these guys on your dad in the original time line?" Pusher went to the phone to call information. "It seems to me if you're supporting yourself, you can get a divorce. Their lawyers could help with that."

 

Eric looked stunned "Actually... that was unheard of in my time line. I might be able to do that here. I'll have to keep that in mind."

 

"Two words." Pusher's blank mask hid his inner thoughts. "Macaulay Caulkin."

 

Patty's fingers wrapped around his hand and she gave him a smile. "Your decision. You know what I think, but I'll support you in whatever you decide." It wasn't just an empty promise from a fifteen-year- old; there was more there-the understanding of what such a promise meant, yet tempered with the knowledge that her abilities were limited.

 

"Where do I bring the plates?" Pusher went to the door. "Let's get started. The school's empty. We can get attendance records and hit our next stop. Any clue how to get samples tested without Tammy? Her father has probably got her on lockdown now."

 

"Not really, I was more of an inventor than anything else. I'd defiantly need Patty's help in the lab to figure the thing out." He looked at the two of them and smiled at Patty "So I guess we have everything we can do now, guess we should touch base with Hardball."

 

"We can use the school lab-there's enough equipment there, the thing would be that we need enough time without attracting attention to do the right tests--and since we don't really know what we're looking for yet..." Patty shook her head and gave one last hand-squeeze to Eric. "Go ahead-let's see where he's sitting-maybe he's got more information than earlier."

 

The teen agers arrived at the school in a few minutes of dodging people in the neighborhood. The doors were locked as Pusher had said. One touch of his hand busted the padlock.

 

"Let's go inside," he said, looking around.

 

Patty winced at the padlock. "Now they're going to look for vandals," she said, wiping her hands on her jeans, the samples tucked into the bag slung over her shoulder. "Well...let's do this, and please please please hope we don't get asked about this." She slid into the school, following the boys.

 

"I'll get them a new one." Pusher led the way down to the science hall. There wasn't a chromatograph in sight, but there were plenty of beakers, Bunsen burners, and chemicals.

 

Patty, in jeans and sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, made her way ahead into the lab, a pair of gloves covering her hands. "All right," she said, pushing back the hood to reveal a slightly pale face-B&E was not her desired way of doing things, but she was holding it together. "Let me get to work."

 

The girl started in on what she could do with the equipment present-starting with a quick chemical analysis of the pad of paper. If she had time, she'll go to the salvaged samples of the school council man.

 

The pad and ink were normal paper and ink. No chemicals, no residues, no built in explosives in case the victim ate it.

 

The samples from Tutterow show that his flesh burned under heat. Observations show that something was in his throat for maybe twenty four hours wearing at the tissue before it turned white hot. There was no chemicals, or any outside influence as far as she could tell.

 

Patty swore. "Dammit." She looked around at the two boys-and was surprised to find that they weren't there, probably still at the office doing whatever it was they were doing. "Eric?"

 

Eric looked up from his own task at hand and over towards where Patty had called from "Yeah Patty? What's wrong?"

 

Patty looked surprised at his response.

 

"Sorry," she smiled, "lost track of where you were-I haven't got anything of any import here-just a bit of tracery of heat-but its not an innate power, as near as I can tell--seems like a 24-hour, well, time bomb."

 

She gave a little sigh. "You? Find anything?" The girl put everything back in her bag that she could.

 

"Attendance records before the event are solid." Pusher looked at the readout. "Knowing that it's a natural weapon has to be a great clue."

 

"Yeah," Patty agreed, "but to know how she does it would be a big help--and which ones are the most likely?" she asked-never mind-we'll look at it when we get a minute."

 

She smiled over at Eric.

 

Pusher nodded.

 

"I'm going to check our suspects' lockers." He headed away, list in hand.

 

Eric smiled back at her. "Yeah, knowing that would certainly help us try and prevent her from killing someone else." he sighed putting a few things into his bag.

 

"So what next? Call hardball?"

 

"Umm...."

 

Patty broke eye contact with Eric. "Might not be a bad idea-you've got his number and he doesn't particularly like me--maybe he's got more information to help put this puzzle together."

 

She looked at Pusher as he stepped out the door. "Um..."

 

"You're welcome to come along." Pusher looked over his shoulder. "I might need a feminine eye."

 

Patty nodded. "Be right there, I guess." She jammed her hands in her pockets as Pusher left, her bag suddenly packed and ready to go. She looked at Eric. "Uh..."

 

"Don't worry Patty. I'll call Hardball and catch up to you guys in a bit." Eric walked over to her and smiled placing his hand on her shoulder. "Heck I still have beach day promise with you, right?" He smiled at her "You better hurry after Pusher. If he does find the mad bombing girl very likely she'll have rigged a trap in her locker."

 

Patty nodded, lifting her shoulder and lowering her cheek to press against his hand for a moment, a gentle, warm gesture that conveyed far too much information. "Damn hormones," she grumbled at him, lifting her head. "I hate puberty."

 

"Your not the only one, but so far, it doesn't hurt much except the ego." he smiled sheepishly at her.

 

Biting her lip, the girl turned and followed Pusher, her pack strapped to her back rather than on the table where it had rested a moment before.

 

Pusher searched for the first locker on his list.

 

Flipping his phone open Eric called Hardball.

 

Eric's message box told him Hardball had not found anything at the school worth listing.

 

His number rang for a few seconds before hooking into Hardball's mailbox.

 

Patty eased up behind him.

 

They found the first locker down in the science hall. Pusher turned the locker door to glass so they could look inside without disturbing anything.

 

"Might have found the girl." was the only message Eric left on Hardball's answering machine as Eric walked, clicking off the phone and looking over at the two.

 

"No answer but I left him a message. So have I already missed the search or can I help a bit?"

 

"No this is the first locker on the list," said Pusher, indicating a glass door they were standing at. "Is this good enough for a search, or do you want to open it?"

 

Patty looked at the stuff inside. "Darn it," she said, "I don't see anything suspicious-just books, makeup, notebooks..." She shook her head. "I wish people would who do bad things would just write it all down and put it in an envelope marked, "Clues" and put it where people can see it."

 

Patty disappeared for a second and then reappeared. With a snap of rubber gloves upon her hands, she said, "Open it up."

 

The search of the nine lockers indicated that the girls involved were ordinary, had hobbies, and seemed to be avoiding their future use of powers at the moment. The only thing that looked out of ordinary was that Blanche Devoureaux had hollowed out a space under her locker somehow. A hole had been blown through the metal flooring on her locker so she could pull it up with her finger to get to her secret stash, except the stash was empty.

 

Patty popped the gloves off and shoved her hands into her back pockets, palms out and regarded that last locker. "If I were a gambler, which I'm not, I learned that lesson once and I'm not going to learn it again, I'd say it were Ms Devoureaux-blowing a hole in something and not having people notice would tell me she plays with things like that...or has powers like that."

 

She moved back and nestled in under Eric's arm. "What next?" she asked both boys.

 

Eric smiled as Patty nestled against him.

 

"Well, next we should try and figure out where she is. Either she's playing good girl at home or shes already out and about. Other than that, anyone want to get a quick burger? We should be able to get her home address and head over in that direction to check to see if things are okay at the Blanche household." He looked over at Pusher. "Sound good?"

 

Patricia nodded and looked at Pusher as her stomach growled. "Let's check her out--right now, for lack of any better evidence, she is at the top of the list of suspects which means we should at least track her down and keep tabs on her that's not my style I'm not a spy or anything and I'm hungry sorry, Pusher."

 

"We can eat." The masked molecule master consulted his list. He wrote the Devoreaux address down for the couple. "If she's home, things should be real easy if she's the right girl."

 

"Well, then let's get something on the way before heading over." Eric smiled a bit and started walking towards the exit for them, taking up his bag. Once they where out of here they could figure on food and at least figuring out the blanche girl.

 

Patty flipped her hoodie back up, covering her hair. "Let's go."

 

The members of the Teen Guardians quickly sojourned to their hangout near HQ for take out.

 

Patty slid in first, making room for Eric and immediately began ordering... "Two double cheeseburgers and one of those big cheesy fries and chili on the side with that and a big chocolate shake and one of those salads too bleu cheese dressing and a big diet soda." She shrugged at Eric. "Sorry, I'm hungry."

 

That's okay." Eric was still fairly stunned at how much she was going to eat but he figured she had to burn off a great deal of the food she ate just with the speed she could pull together.

 

"I'll just go with one cheeseburger combo with a coke." he looked over the molecule teen while speaking to the burger barn clerk behind the register. "This orders to go, what would you like to order?"

 

"A milkshake and a burger is good." Pusher had concealed his costume but he still held on his charge for emergency use if he needed to.

 

As the order showed up, Patty grabbed up her bag and both drinks in their cardboard carrier and led the way back outside. "So where to next? she asked, slurping the dregs of the diet soda, the wrapper from one of the two cheeseburgers going into the trash can.

 

"Let's see if Miss Devoureax is home." Pusher slowly worked on his food as they walked.

 

Then they journeyed not more than a mile from the school to a pleasant looking place in beige and yellow. Trees in the yard were fiery as they waited for the full onslaught of winter, and the loss of their leaves. A small fountain threw water in the air from an endless circuit.

 

Hardball 1:11 pm

"Gotta go, see you at five" Anthony hung up the phone. "Okay, I'll move on. I was just interested in what was going on, what with all the stage and stuff and then that obvious super villan turned up. Have you called someone about that? I mean I pride myself on looking like trouble (and am obviously doing it well since your already on my case), but he was downright sinister. If I were you, I'd be more worried about what he left under the stage or something than in what some kid is doing standing outside..."

 

He got on his bike and started it up "... Or maybe you should just wait for the actual cops to turn up. Wouldn't want you to get a hernia bending over to look."

 

He laughed and roared off.

 

Now he had an hour and fifty to kill before he was due to meet Casket. He wondered whether Ricky and Rabbit had seen anything at the docks (or had they been too busy staring longingly into each other's eyes?). Also he had to invite them to the double date with Talia. Best case: Ricky could put some mojo on her and get her to drop Anthony before he was forced to do it.

 

Worst case: She'd turn out to be Heatbreaker knew his secret ID, was setting the team up for a trap, and he'd have to kill her.

 

Whatever the case he needed to end it with her, the girl was driving him nuts. Maybe he should get someone to look into how many girls there were among the 'throwbacks'. At least they might be mature enough (even if one of them was a psycho).

 

Andrew Johnson High School was directly southwest of the Grill. Anthony could get there in twenty minutes depending on whether he cut through surface streets or used the highway.

 

He still needed to know whether the others were having any luck identifying Heartbreaker. He stopped

and pulled out the 'Ball-phone' and called Eric. While having an ID in the underworld would be nice the Heartbreaker situation needed to take precedence.

 

There was no answer to his call. Voice mail told him to leave a message.

 

"School was non-educational. What about you? Should I meet you somewhere? Call me when you get this."

 

*Damn machines. Now what?* He thought. He put the phone in his jacket pocket hopped on the bike and roared off. Maybe the ride would clear his head.

 

Anthony heard sirens, and spotted police cars roaring up with lights blazing.

 

Anthony moved to let them past hoping they were on their way to the school and were not after him (since as far as he could tell the worst thing he had done was leave a crime scene, and this was a little excessive for that).

 

The police cars moved around the biker, heading for the freeway toward the rougher parts of town.

 

Nariko 3:00 pm

"I have certain...um...special abilities...", Nariko answered rather uncomfortably.

 

Nariko's ordeal was over. The dog was gone to the pound. She was patched up. Her mother had brought clean clothes so she could have something to wear. The police had come and filled out reports. She was free to go home.

 

First things first. During the drive home, Nariko retreated into her workshop and accessed the damage that the nasty dog had done.

 

Several drawers had been pulled out, some of the plastic tubes had holes in them. Scratch marks from the chain around the dog's neck covered the floor. There was at least one place where he had marked his territory.

 

Nariko growled out several angry curse words in both English and Japanese as she tries to deal with the worst of the mess. Even though part of her felt rather silly for feeling so, the gearhead girl felt somehow violated by the nasty beast disrupting the tidy order of her workshop. Then, shaking her head at the numerous scratch marks on the floor and making a mental note to deal with them later, she popped back through the portal and back into the car.

 

"Nariko." Mr. Miyama's voice drifted from the front of the vehicle. "We think you should have a bodyguard until we find these kidnapers."

 

The teen let out a resigned sigh. She knew that it was a very good idea, yet she wasn't especially enthused about having a potential "parental spy" following her around all of the time. "Um, okay Dad...", she said rather non-committally.

 

"A little more enthusiasm, please." Mr. Miyama barely glanced in his mirror. "We were planning to go on a trip but we can't do that if you're in trouble."

 

"A trip?", she asked, perking up just a bit. "Where are you planning to go?" Normally, she'd be *very* happy about the prospect of her parents leaving her with the house to herself for a while, but this time, she actually got just a little bit scared.

 

"We found a pocket in the astromembrane that sits near Canopolis, the city of dogs." Her father frowned. "We hoped to explore it and bring back some artifacts. I'm not sure it's safe to do that now."

 

"Well, why couldn't I just come *with* you? Wouldn't I be safer with you?" Nariko said naively, obviously having little concept of what she was actually asking. Just what the hell *was* the 'astromembrane' anyway...and where in the hell was 'Canopolis'?

 

"I don't see why not." Mr. Miyama was silent while he thought. "It will be dangerous. You'll have to cut your hair for the protective helmet. We'll also have to get armor for you in case of trouble."

 

Nariko's eyes grew wide. "Cut...my hair? Just how short would it need to be?" It seemed like a *dreadful* possibility to her since, after all, she'd gone nearly three years without a haircut and she was very *proud* of her long, curly and expertly coiffed hair! It would be a *terrible* sacrifice...was she really *up* to it?

 

"I don't know." Mr Miyama nodded in the front seat. "After all you don't want to have it catch fire, or get caught in a gear, or anything like that."

 

Nariko winced a little. "Well...what if I tied it up in a *bun* or something?" Inwardly, she was horrified at the very thought. She'd probably look like an old lady!

 

"If you think that is for the best." Her dad had issued his warning. She knew from past experience that if something happened, he would tell her to grin and bear it since she had been told that could happen.

 

She nodded slowly, immediately catching the ominous tone is her father's voice. She immediately pulled out her brush and compact and started fussing with her hair and makeup again. She shook her head at the sight of herself after the day's ordeal, although, to everyone *else*, she'd probably still look rather beautiful. Nariko experimentally plaited a few strands of her rather curly hair. Maybe she could straighten it and wear it *braided* or something?

 

The vehicle reached the familiar streets to their household. Nariko spotted her odd looking house from down the block. It looked like a giant bell, and stood out from the cookie cutter homes around it.

 

Nariko smiled when she spotted the odd-looking house that she had spent her entire life living in. It may have looked strange to most, but it looked like *home* to her.

 

"We'll pull in and park." Mr Miyama headed for the garage door. "If you want to go with us, we'll put together a protective suit for you in no time."

 

The front of the bell opened for the vehicle. Nariko's dad parked to one side of the round chamber. They got out, making sure the door alarm was on. Mr. Four helped Nariko out.

 

"When are you planning to leave?", asked his blonde-haired daughter.

 

"We had planned to leave tomorrow night." Mr. Miyama checked his watch. "We might have to postpone for the police to finish asking questions."

 

"Thanks...", said Nariko with a polite and respectful oriental-style bow.

 

"No problem." Mr. Four straightened his jacket. "If you don't need me any more, I'm taking off."

 

"Thank you for your help." Mr. Miyama led the way to a person door next to the garage door. "I will call tomorrow with changes in plan."

 

Mr. Four nodded before disappearing into the night.

 

Nariko nodded and it only took a few moments of thought for her to come to her final decision. "Okay. I *definitely* want to go, so could you please start working on my suit, Dad?"

 

"It will be dangerous, but you need to learn what we do sometime." Mr. Miyama rubbed his chin. "We'll get Mr. Four to guard you as much as possible."

 

"Yes, father...", Nariko said with a deferential nod while thinking about her father's apparent reliance on that assistant in particular when it came to her protection. Was he hoping that she'd *fall* for him or something? Were her parents trying to play "matchmaker" *again*? For not the first time, the gearhead girl considered just coming right out and *telling* her parents that she was only attracted to girls. Could they *handle* it though? She stifled a sigh when she decided that she really couldn't. Dad might be able to accept it, but being told that her daughter was a lesbian would probably *kill* her mom...

 

"I'll call the police and see if they have learned anything." Mrs. Miyama seemed calm now that they were home. "You might as well get started on the armor if you're really taking her with you."

 

"Um, dad?", Nariko asks with an uncharacteristic lack of self-confidence, "Is there anything that I need to bring with me that isn't already in my workshop?"

 

"The most important thing is the armor, Nariko." Mr. Miyama led the way to his workshop on the floor. "Some of the places we visit do not possess atmosphere, or the atmosphere is poisonous."

 

Kaitido 1:00 pm

Tammy Chen arrived home, dropped off by police car. Her father waved at the officers, thanking them for bringing his daughter home.

 

"I was at the morgue when I heard the news," Dr. Chen said. "I'm glad you're all right."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the third

Emp, Tachyon, Pusher 2:30 pm

"Did you ever get these guys on your dad in the original time line?" Pusher went to the phone to call information. "It seems to me if you're supporting yourself, you can get a divorce. Their lawyers could help with that."

 

Eric looked stunned "Actually... that was unheard of in my time line. I might be able to do that here. I'll have to keep that in mind."

 

"Two words." Pusher's blank mask hid his inner thoughts. "Macaulay Caulkin."

 

Patty's fingers wrapped around his hand and she gave him a smile. "Your decision. You know what I think, but I'll support you in whatever you decide." It wasn't just an empty promise from a fifteen-year- old; there was more there-the understanding of what such a promise meant, yet tempered with the knowledge that her abilities were limited.

 

"Where do I bring the plates?" Pusher went to the door. "Let's get started. The school's empty. We can get attendance records and hit our next stop. Any clue how to get samples tested without Tammy? Her father has probably got her on lockdown now."

 

"Not really, I was more of an inventor than anything else. I'd defiantly need Patty's help in the lab to figure the thing out." He looked at the two of them and smiled at Patty "So I guess we have everything we can do now, guess we should touch base with Hardball."

 

"We can use the school lab-there's enough equipment there, the thing would be that we need enough time without attracting attention to do the right tests--and since we don't really know what we're looking for yet..." Patty shook her head and gave one last hand-squeeze to Eric. "Go ahead-let's see where he's sitting-maybe he's got more information than earlier."

 

The teen agers arrived at the school in a few minutes of dodging people in the neighborhood. The doors were locked as Pusher had said. One touch of his hand busted the padlock.

 

"Let's go inside," he said, looking around.

 

Patty winced at the padlock. "Now they're going to look for vandals," she said, wiping her hands on her jeans, the samples tucked into the bag slung over her shoulder. "Well...let's do this, and please please please hope we don't get asked about this." She slid into the school, following the boys.

 

"I'll get them a new one." Pusher led the way down to the science hall. There wasn't a chromatograph in sight, but there were plenty of beakers, Bunsen burners, and chemicals.

 

Patty, in jeans and sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, made her way ahead into the lab, a pair of gloves covering her hands. "All right," she said, pushing back the hood to reveal a slightly pale face-B&E was not her desired way of doing things, but she was holding it together. "Let me get to work."

 

The girl started in on what she could do with the equipment present-starting with a quick chemical analysis of the pad of paper. If she had time, she'll go to the salvaged samples of the school council man.

 

The pad and ink were normal paper and ink. No chemicals, no residues, no built in explosives in case the victim ate it.

 

The samples from Tutterow show that his flesh burned under heat. Observations show that something was in his throat for maybe twenty four hours wearing at the tissue before it turned white hot. There was no chemicals, or any outside influence as far as she could tell.

 

Patty swore. "Dammit." She looked around at the two boys-and was surprised to find that they weren't there, probably still at the office doing whatever it was they were doing. "Eric?"

 

Eric looked up from his own task at hand and over towards where Patty had called from "Yeah Patty? What's wrong?"

 

Patty looked surprised at his response.

 

"Sorry," she smiled, "lost track of where you were-I haven't got anything of any import here-just a bit of tracery of heat-but its not an innate power, as near as I can tell--seems like a 24-hour, well, time bomb."

 

She gave a little sigh. "You? Find anything?" The girl put everything back in her bag that she could.

 

"Attendance records before the event are solid." Pusher looked at the readout. "Knowing that it's a natural weapon has to be a great clue."

 

"Yeah," Patty agreed, "but to know how she does it would be a big help--and which ones are the most likely?" she asked-never mind-we'll look at it when we get a minute."

 

She smiled over at Eric.

 

Pusher nodded.

 

"I'm going to check our suspects' lockers." He headed away, list in hand.

 

Eric smiled back at her. "Yeah, knowing that would certainly help us try and prevent her from killing someone else." he sighed putting a few things into his bag.

 

"So what next? Call hardball?"

 

"Umm...."

 

Patty broke eye contact with Eric. "Might not be a bad idea-you've got his number and he doesn't particularly like me--maybe he's got more information to help put this puzzle together."

 

She looked at Pusher as he stepped out the door. "Um..."

 

"You're welcome to come along." Pusher looked over his shoulder. "I might need a feminine eye."

 

Patty nodded. "Be right there, I guess." She jammed her hands in her pockets as Pusher left, her bag suddenly packed and ready to go. She looked at Eric. "Uh..."

 

"Don't worry Patty. I'll call Hardball and catch up to you guys in a bit." Eric walked over to her and smiled placing his hand on her shoulder. "Heck I still have beach day promise with you, right?" He smiled at her "You better hurry after Pusher. If he does find the mad bombing girl very likely she'll have rigged a trap in her locker."

 

Patty nodded, lifting her shoulder and lowering her cheek to press against his hand for a moment, a gentle, warm gesture that conveyed far too much information. "Damn hormones," she grumbled at him, lifting her head. "I hate puberty."

 

"Your not the only one, but so far, it doesn't hurt much except the ego." he smiled sheepishly at her.

 

Biting her lip, the girl turned and followed Pusher, her pack strapped to her back rather than on the table where it had rested a moment before.

 

Pusher searched for the first locker on his list.

 

Flipping his phone open Eric called Hardball.

 

Eric's message box told him Hardball had not found anything at the school worth listing.

 

His number rang for a few seconds before hooking into Hardball's mailbox.

 

Patty eased up behind him.

 

They found the first locker down in the science hall. Pusher turned the locker door to glass so they could look inside without disturbing anything.

 

"Might have found the girl." was the only message Eric left on Hardball's answering machine as Eric walked, clicking off the phone and looking over at the two.

 

"No answer but I left him a message. So have I already missed the search or can I help a bit?"

 

"No this is the first locker on the list," said Pusher, indicating a glass door they were standing at. "Is this good enough for a search, or do you want to open it?"

 

Patty looked at the stuff inside. "Darn it," she said, "I don't see anything suspicious-just books, makeup, notebooks..." She shook her head. "I wish people would who do bad things would just write it all down and put it in an envelope marked, "Clues" and put it where people can see it."

 

Patty disappeared for a second and then reappeared. With a snap of rubber gloves upon her hands, she said, "Open it up."

 

The search of the nine lockers indicated that the girls involved were ordinary, had hobbies, and seemed to be avoiding their future use of powers at the moment. The only thing that looked out of ordinary was that Blanche Devoureaux had hollowed out a space under her locker somehow. A hole had been blown through the metal flooring on her locker so she could pull it up with her finger to get to her secret stash, except the stash was empty.

 

Patty popped the gloves off and shoved her hands into her back pockets, palms out and regarded that last locker. "If I were a gambler, which I'm not, I learned that lesson once and I'm not going to learn it again, I'd say it were Ms Devoureaux-blowing a hole in something and not having people notice would tell me she plays with things like that...or has powers like that."

 

She moved back and nestled in under Eric's arm. "What next?" she asked both boys.

 

Eric smiled as Patty nestled against him.

 

"Well, next we should try and figure out where she is. Either she's playing good girl at home or shes already out and about. Other than that, anyone want to get a quick burger? We should be able to get her home address and head over in that direction to check to see if things are okay at the Blanche household." He looked over at Pusher. "Sound good?"

 

Patricia nodded and looked at Pusher as her stomach growled. "Let's check her out--right now, for lack of any better evidence, she is at the top of the list of suspects which means we should at least track her down and keep tabs on her that's not my style I'm not a spy or anything and I'm hungry sorry, Pusher."

 

"We can eat." The masked molecule master consulted his list. He wrote the Devoreaux address down for the couple. "If she's home, things should be real easy if she's the right girl."

 

"Well, then let's get something on the way before heading over." Eric smiled a bit and started walking towards the exit for them, taking up his bag. Once they where out of here they could figure on food and at least figuring out the blanche girl.

 

Patty flipped her hoodie back up, covering her hair. "Let's go."

 

The members of the Teen Guardians quickly sojourned to their hangout near HQ for take out.

 

Patty slid in first, making room for Eric and immediately began ordering... "Two double cheeseburgers and one of those big cheesy fries and chili on the side with that and a big chocolate shake and one of those salads too bleu cheese dressing and a big diet soda." She shrugged at Eric. "Sorry, I'm hungry."

 

That's okay." Eric was still fairly stunned at how much she was going to eat but he figured she had to burn off a great deal of the food she ate just with the speed she could pull together.

 

"I'll just go with one cheeseburger combo with a coke." he looked over the molecule teen while speaking to the burger barn clerk behind the register. "This orders to go, what would you like to order?"

 

"A milkshake and a burger is good." Pusher had concealed his costume but he still held on his charge for emergency use if he needed to.

 

As the order showed up, Patty grabbed up her bag and both drinks in their cardboard carrier and led the way back outside. "So where to next? she asked, slurping the dregs of the diet soda, the wrapper from one of the two cheeseburgers going into the trash can.

 

"Let's see if Miss Devoureax is home." Pusher slowly worked on his food as they walked.

 

Then they journeyed not more than a mile from the school to a pleasant looking place in beige and yellow. Trees in the yard were fiery as they waited for the full onslaught of winter, and the loss of their leaves. A small fountain threw water in the air from an endless circuit.

 

Hardball 1:11 pm

"Gotta go, see you at five" Anthony hung up the phone. "Okay, I'll move on. I was just interested in what was going on, what with all the stage and stuff and then that obvious super villan turned up. Have you called someone about that? I mean I pride myself on looking like trouble (and am obviously doing it well since your already on my case), but he was downright sinister. If I were you, I'd be more worried about what he left under the stage or something than in what some kid is doing standing outside..."

 

He got on his bike and started it up "... Or maybe you should just wait for the actual cops to turn up. Wouldn't want you to get a hernia bending over to look."

 

He laughed and roared off.

 

Now he had an hour and fifty to kill before he was due to meet Casket. He wondered whether Ricky and Rabbit had seen anything at the docks (or had they been too busy staring longingly into each other's eyes?). Also he had to invite them to the double date with Talia. Best case: Ricky could put some mojo on her and get her to drop Anthony before he was forced to do it.

 

Worst case: She'd turn out to be Heatbreaker knew his secret ID, was setting the team up for a trap, and he'd have to kill her.

 

Whatever the case he needed to end it with her, the girl was driving him nuts. Maybe he should get someone to look into how many girls there were among the 'throwbacks'. At least they might be mature enough (even if one of them was a psycho).

 

Andrew Johnson High School was directly southwest of the Grill. Anthony could get there in twenty minutes depending on whether he cut through surface streets or used the highway.

 

He still needed to know whether the others were having any luck identifying Heartbreaker. He stopped

and pulled out the 'Ball-phone' and called Eric. While having an ID in the underworld would be nice the Heartbreaker situation needed to take precedence.

 

There was no answer to his call. Voice mail told him to leave a message.

 

"School was non-educational. What about you? Should I meet you somewhere? Call me when you get this."

 

*Damn machines. Now what?* He thought. He put the phone in his jacket pocket hopped on the bike and roared off. Maybe the ride would clear his head.

 

Anthony heard sirens, and spotted police cars roaring up with lights blazing.

 

Anthony moved to let them past hoping they were on their way to the school and were not after him (since as far as he could tell the worst thing he had done was leave a crime scene, and this was a little excessive for that).

 

The police cars moved around the biker, heading for the freeway toward the rougher parts of town.

 

Nariko 3:00 pm

"I have certain...um...special abilities...", Nariko answered rather uncomfortably.

 

Nariko's ordeal was over. The dog was gone to the pound. She was patched up. Her mother had brought clean clothes so she could have something to wear. The police had come and filled out reports. She was free to go home.

 

First things first. During the drive home, Nariko retreated into her workshop and accessed the damage that the nasty dog had done.

 

Several drawers had been pulled out, some of the plastic tubes had holes in them. Scratch marks from the chain around the dog's neck covered the floor. There was at least one place where he had marked his territory.

 

Nariko growled out several angry curse words in both English and Japanese as she tries to deal with the worst of the mess. Even though part of her felt rather silly for feeling so, the gearhead girl felt somehow violated by the nasty beast disrupting the tidy order of her workshop. Then, shaking her head at the numerous scratch marks on the floor and making a mental note to deal with them later, she popped back through the portal and back into the car.

 

"Nariko." Mr. Miyama's voice drifted from the front of the vehicle. "We think you should have a bodyguard until we find these kidnapers."

 

The teen let out a resigned sigh. She knew that it was a very good idea, yet she wasn't especially enthused about having a potential "parental spy" following her around all of the time. "Um, okay Dad...", she said rather non-committally.

 

"A little more enthusiasm, please." Mr. Miyama barely glanced in his mirror. "We were planning to go on a trip but we can't do that if you're in trouble."

 

"A trip?", she asked, perking up just a bit. "Where are you planning to go?" Normally, she'd be *very* happy about the prospect of her parents leaving her with the house to herself for a while, but this time, she actually got just a little bit scared.

 

"We found a pocket in the astromembrane that sits near Canopolis, the city of dogs." Her father frowned. "We hoped to explore it and bring back some artifacts. I'm not sure it's safe to do that now."

 

"Well, why couldn't I just come *with* you? Wouldn't I be safer with you?" Nariko said naively, obviously having little concept of what she was actually asking. Just what the hell *was* the 'astromembrane' anyway...and where in the hell was 'Canopolis'?

 

"I don't see why not." Mr. Miyama was silent while he thought. "It will be dangerous. You'll have to cut your hair for the protective helmet. We'll also have to get armor for you in case of trouble."

 

Nariko's eyes grew wide. "Cut...my hair? Just how short would it need to be?" It seemed like a *dreadful* possibility to her since, after all, she'd gone nearly three years without a haircut and she was very *proud* of her long, curly and expertly coiffed hair! It would be a *terrible* sacrifice...was she really *up* to it?

 

"I don't know." Mr Miyama nodded in the front seat. "After all you don't want to have it catch fire, or get caught in a gear, or anything like that."

 

Nariko winced a little. "Well...what if I tied it up in a *bun* or something?" Inwardly, she was horrified at the very thought. She'd probably look like an old lady!

 

"If you think that is for the best." Her dad had issued his warning. She knew from past experience that if something happened, he would tell her to grin and bear it since she had been told that could happen.

 

She nodded slowly, immediately catching the ominous tone is her father's voice. She immediately pulled out her brush and compact and started fussing with her hair and makeup again. She shook her head at the sight of herself after the day's ordeal, although, to everyone *else*, she'd probably still look rather beautiful. Nariko experimentally plaited a few strands of her rather curly hair. Maybe she could straighten it and wear it *braided* or something?

 

The vehicle reached the familiar streets to their household. Nariko spotted her odd looking house from down the block. It looked like a giant bell, and stood out from the cookie cutter homes around it.

 

Nariko smiled when she spotted the odd-looking house that she had spent her entire life living in. It may have looked strange to most, but it looked like *home* to her.

 

"We'll pull in and park." Mr Miyama headed for the garage door. "If you want to go with us, we'll put together a protective suit for you in no time."

 

The front of the bell opened for the vehicle. Nariko's dad parked to one side of the round chamber. They got out, making sure the door alarm was on. Mr. Four helped Nariko out.

 

"When are you planning to leave?", asked his blonde-haired daughter.

 

"We had planned to leave tomorrow night." Mr. Miyama checked his watch. "We might have to postpone for the police to finish asking questions."

 

"Thanks...", said Nariko with a polite and respectful oriental-style bow.

 

"No problem." Mr. Four straightened his jacket. "If you don't need me any more, I'm taking off."

 

"Thank you for your help." Mr. Miyama led the way to a person door next to the garage door. "I will call tomorrow with changes in plan."

 

Mr. Four nodded before disappearing into the night.

 

Nariko nodded and it only took a few moments of thought for her to come to her final decision. "Okay. I *definitely* want to go, so could you please start working on my suit, Dad?"

 

"It will be dangerous, but you need to learn what we do sometime." Mr. Miyama rubbed his chin. "We'll get Mr. Four to guard you as much as possible."

 

"Yes, father...", Nariko said with a deferential nod while thinking about her father's apparent reliance on that assistant in particular when it came to her protection. Was he hoping that she'd *fall* for him or something? Were her parents trying to play "matchmaker" *again*? For not the first time, the gearhead girl considered just coming right out and *telling* her parents that she was only attracted to girls. Could they *handle* it though? She stifled a sigh when she decided that she really couldn't. Dad might be able to accept it, but being told that her daughter was a lesbian would probably *kill* her mom...

 

"I'll call the police and see if they have learned anything." Mrs. Miyama seemed calm now that they were home. "You might as well get started on the armor if you're really taking her with you."

 

"Um, dad?", Nariko asks with an uncharacteristic lack of self-confidence, "Is there anything that I need to bring with me that isn't already in my workshop?"

 

"The most important thing is the armor, Nariko." Mr. Miyama led the way to his workshop on the floor. "Some of the places we visit do not possess atmosphere, or the atmosphere is poisonous."

 

Kaitido 1:00 pm

Tammy Chen arrived home, dropped off by police car. Her father waved at the officers, thanking them for bringing his daughter home.

 

"I was at the morgue when I heard the news," Dr. Chen said. "I'm glad you're all right."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the Third

Hardball 1:12 pm

Anthony spotted a SWAT van rolling up the highway behind him with lights flashing. It seemed to be heading in the same direction as the rest of the polices cars he had spotted on the highway.

 

He continued on, the last thing he needed was the pigs turning up to the right place when he confronted Heartbreaker, although whether he'd be able to do that and make his appointment with Casket would be another question.

 

Anthony spotted the police surrounding a neighborhood below the highway as he sped along. A big green caddy pulled on the highway in front of him, driving the limit which slowed him down.

 

Anthony drove around for about an hour trying to think of anything he could tell Eric that would help him identify Heartbreaker. The problem was that he had never actually caught her before. He'd stopped her assassinating several people, and had confronted her once or twice, but she always had a foolproof escape plan. Maybe that was something he should mention. Suddenly the ball phone beeped to tell him he had a message.

 

"Think we have found the girl."

 

Hardball knew the mastermind would have tried to break in to the school to use the lab. It was the closest place with science equipment.

 

That left him with a quandary. He was supposed to go to his job interview in a little bit. He would have to cross Casket to not show.

 

Emp, Tachyon, Pusher 4:00 pm

Then they journeyed not more than a mile from the school to a pleasant looking place in beige and yellow. Trees in the yard were fiery as they waited for the full onslaught of winter, and the loss of their leaves. A small fountain threw water in the air from an endless circuit.

 

The three heroes could see that the driveway leading to a garage on the side of the house was empty. Maybe Blanche was home alone, waiting for her chance.

 

Patty, hoodie up, slowed her pace down almost to a shuffled; she tucked in tight against Eric. "So that's it," she said, glancing at the house...

 

"How do you guys want to handle this?" Pusher had charged up, full face mask on, black costume, with the white atom insignia glowing on the front.

 

Patty remained in her denim and hoodie, looking up at Eric. "Well?" she said. "I mean, we can storm the castle, boys, and have fun doing it but I'd rather wait until Hardball..."

 

Eric looked towards the sound of the motorcycle in the distance and then looked back the two of them. "I think we need to do a search of the house for our suspect first along with any evidence. This some how screams set up and trap to me."

 

Patty nodded her head up and down rapidly and in agreement.

 

She frowned and cocked her head. "Is that a bike I hear?" she asked.

 

"Yeah, hope it's Hardball. Otherwise this is going to be interesting," said Eric.

 

Hardball stopped around the corner so that the others wouldn't link him to Anthony's bike and made a mental note to ask EMP whether he could do something to help disguise it. He checked that the 'Aussie' outfit he had used to meet Casket's contact was safely stowed.

 

The meeting had gone well. The 'Thunder from Down under' was now in the underworld consciousness as a reliable, if slightly foolhardy, young punk with no local connections to worry about him. He foresaw a lot of suicidally dangerous crime in his future, starting with this first job (which thankfully the meeting was only an audition for, the fun to come later)

 

After giving Casket's man "Aussie's" contact details Anthony had caught up with the rest of the Guardians at the school and trailed them to a burger joint and then to a house which it seemed they were casing in uniform (some of them anyway, what was Rabbit wearing?)

 

Making sure to keep out of sight of the neighbors, he moved to intercept them.

 

"Sorry I'm late, boys and girls. Looks like you did o.k. without me though. I'm guessing this would be Chateau de 'artbreaker?"

 

"We don't know." Pusher's face was hidden by his mask so it was hard to tell what he thought. "We were going in to look around. You're welcome to come along."

 

"Up to you--she's yours...you want to go in first or all at once I could probably run through the house without getting caught just suggesting." The words came unbidden and in burst-format from Patty.

 

"Let me open the door." Pusher looked across the street. "I don't see any alarm company signs or stickers."

 

"Sounds good," said Hardball. "Pusher-man opens the door and Rabbit does recon. However if this is Heartbreaker we're dealing with, she *will* have the house booby-trapped so look out for them, also checking the perimeter for her escape routes (there will be at least one more than we've considered knowing her) would be a good idea. Also, everyone remember she was a psychotic killer for whom human life had no worth, and even then she was intelligent. Now she's decided to add mocking heroes to her repertoire so she may very well have added lethal puzzles to her hideout as a way of proving herself our intellectual superior.

 

"So are we agreed, Rabbit does a perimeter sweep, the Pusher opens the door for her to do recon, if she isn't back in, say 1 minute (which should give her time to do a pretty good sweep while watching for traps) we go gung-ho and storm the place in order to save her hopefully trapped (and not dead) ass?"

 

"Sounds like a plan." Eric looked around the house. "It might be helpful for someone to take the roof so they can keep a high view point of the possible exits that she might use."

 

"You have the line gun." Pusher pointed out. "Let's go do this before we start attracting attention."

 

He started across the road.

 

"Wait here," Patty said, taking the backpack from her shoulders and pushing it carefully beneath a bush.

 

Eric was about to point out that while he had a line gun it wasn't without sound which might alert the girl. So he went with the group towards the house it was times like these that he remembered how annoying his power was really. He did keep his eyes peeled though to make sure he didn't step into a trap.

 

Patty's clothes appeared neatly folded upon the backpack hidden by shrubbery; with a noticeable backwash of paper and dust, she accelerated to her maximum, ripping around the house several times, checking for traps...

 

The yard was clear of anything that looked like it might blow up.

 

She whipped past Eric and left these words hanging in his ears: "Going inside back out in a minute promise if I'm not back out come in after me watch for booms!"

 

Patty headed inside the house at high speed...

 

The bottom floor of the house was empty.

 

...and headed upstairs...

 

Three bedrooms and a closet waited with closed doors for the speedster's touch. One of them had to be the parents, one of them had to be Blanche's, the last being a guest room, or a sibling's.

 

Patty began her search, one room at a time...starting with the closet...then the bathroom...then the rooms...

 

The closet and the bathroom, a half bathroom, were empty. The room next to them was the master bedroom. She saw two people under the bed spread asleep.

 

The bed spread was up to their eyes.

 

Patty stopped-if she had been a cartoon character, there would have been a /twang!/ noise--but her own personal vibration, that minor ability that hid her identity from others, that unconsciously picked up to full swing...and she watched...

 

...they couldn't just be asleep...were they...adults...were they...the girl's parents...?

 

Patty didn't see any movement. They must have turned in early. It was only twenty after four.

 

Patty didn't think about it--even though a little part of her mind screamed, "TRAP TRAP TRAP TRAP"--she reached out and, at high speed tore the sheets off the two laying in bed--and backed away quickly even as she watched for reaction, any reaction...

 

The Devoreauxs lay in bed, mouths and eyes wide open. They were still clothed, even having on shoes. Patty smelled something like burning meat. A ball of white light rolled out from under the bed.

 

Patty hit top speed on her way down the stairs bursting directly out of the front door and heading for the nearest ally her voice a high-pitched blur that matched her physical speed "...eeepppp...."

 

The house blew up behind her, sending wooden shrapnel across the neighborhood in a deadly cloud. Luckily it looked like no one other than the Guardians were outside.

 

Pusher put up a wall as a shield but it was instantly knocked down by the flying wood.

 

Patty headed for Eric-and was knocked head over keister as the blast caught her off-balance and tossed her like a toy into the bushes. "...crapcrapcrapcrapcrap..."

 

She laid there fighting tears.

 

Eric rushed over to her as bracing himself against explosions wasn't something new but he was revolted by this one all the same.

 

He helped her up, holding her, "Don't worry.. you're all right. What happened up there?"

 

A skull dropped down beside him, pieces of burning hair stuck to it.

 

The words spewed out of her mouth as she grabbed hold and held him tight.

 

"Sheplantedabombputherparentsinbedandblewthemupandtookthehousewiththemthatsjustsickshesgottabestoppedcraptheyredeadcouldntdoanythingaboutittheywerealreadydeadprobablythismorningshejustblewthemup"

 

He listened to her rush everything out as she spoke he could make out bits and pieces from what she was saying. He had to agree with her, Heartbreaker was definitely someone they needed to deal with quickly. Course the strange thing was to him, if she knew they'd come here and set up a trap then that meant she was either watching or believed Hardball was killed in the explosion.

 

"It's okay...calm down." He was already paranoid they might have someone watching them that he didn't want to use his empathic transmission to try and calm her down right now as they both needed their wits about them.

 

Patty shuddered down a couple of times, her natural vibration setting his teeth rattling. "I...I...I'll try..."

 

Smoke headed straight up for the sky.

 

Patty lost it again.

 

The vibrations from Patty where already bad enough but she lost it again Eric had to let go. "PATTY!" He tried to get her attention before she completely went into shock. Not that he wasn't feeling sickened by the skull of someone that he been the parent of the little psycho. It was followed by a greater sickening feeling when he realized he'd killed his father the same way when he was older.

 

This entire moment just seemed to jog that memory and yet it was fleeting. There was some mixture of joy in it for that brief moment but.. now looking at Patty he could only feel the sickening desire to puke right there. Fighting down his nausea, he looked around the area it was twilight but there was plenty of light and very likely they'd have to contend with an angry mob

and very likely fire fighters and police officers that would suspect they set the fire and killed the people inside. "We need to get out of here people. Fast."

 

"We have to put out the fire." Pusher pointed at the flames starting to spread from ground zero. "Any ideas?"

 

She still vibrated hard--but the blonde stared at him.

 

"Fast. Away. Cops." Patty's head nodded up and down as she struggled with what she'd seen and the closeness of her own demise. "Yes, away, away."

 

"You guys go." Pusher started back towards the house. "Someone has to put out that fire. It's burning up our evidence."

 

"Come on Tachyon." Emp hated leaving the rest of the group to fight this blaze but once the police and fire fighters arrived he likely wasn't going to do the group much good. "Pusher! try altering the molecules of the smoke to direct H20, that should give you enough water to put out the flames quickly if you can do it. Tachyon and I will scout around the area. Heartbreaker would likely be near by to see if her trap was sprung."

 

Pusher went to work, doing what he could with his power to transform things. There wasn't much left of the walls so he couldn't be trapped by the fire. He decided the best thing to was freeze the air and turn that into water so that it would drop directly on the fire.

 

Patty grabbed onto his arm and shook--and she looked at him, seemingly drawing some sort of resolve. "Okay...what...what...crap...she would be..."

 

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm looking." The girl went to tiptoes and pressed her lips for a moment against Eric's. "I'm looking."

 

She disappeared in a blast of speed, scouring the neighborhood...

 

A number of the neighbors were out on the street, inspecting the damage to their houses. Some walked closer to get a better view of Pusher working. Cell phones were to people's mouths. Tachyon couldn't tell if they were calling for help, or informing friends.

 

A few of the group started over to talk to Hardball and Emp.

 

Nariko 5:00 pm

Nariko leaned a bit closer, obviously intrigued. "That actually sounds *really* interesting, father! What are those places actually *like*? Have you ever run into any *real* alien life forms?"

 

"Yes." Mr. Miyama produced a scanner shaped like a bullhorn, and beamed his daughter. "Some of them are inimical to humans."

 

Mr. Miyama went to a machine shaped like a press. He pressed some buttons and the top and bottom came together. Nariko spotted red and green fluid descending from tubes on the sides of the machine, leading to the bottom plate.

 

"'Inimical' as in they're out to *kill* us?", Nariko asked with just a tiny bit of trepidation as she watched the machine do its work.

 

"Let's say a level above ordinary predatoriness." Mr. Miyama worked the press open after the timer went off. Hard shells were revealed inside the raised section. "That's why we asked Mr. Four to look out for you."

 

"Ah...okay," his daughter said with a nod. Maybe her father wasn't trying to "matchmake" after all. She bent low to take a look at the press' handiwork, clearly interested. "Um...what are Mr. Four's abilities, if you don't mind my asking? Is he a top-shelf martial artist or something like that?"

 

"He controls energy to some extent." Mr. Miyama pulled the pieces out one by one to inspect them. "These look okay, but you will have to try them on to see if they fit."

 

"Okay, Father." She held out her hand a little, hinting that she'd like to give them a try.

 

The armor was in sections. Each section had a set of clasps like buckles on the sides. Nariko figured that the section should fit over a limb, with a sort of hinge on one side and the buckles on the other.

 

She started to don the armor as she was handed each piece. She asked as she dressed "Is there an environment suit that you wear over or under this, or does the armor itself seal up?"

 

"The armor should be airtight with a filter." Mr. Miyama made sure the pieces fit with a nod. "Of course sometimes bad things happen. Let's try the helmet."

 

He handed over a functional cylinder with a clear face. The bottom snapped into the neck and shoulders with a little effort.

 

"How does it feel?"

 

The gearhead girl smiled at her father. "Nice and light, Daddy! Like a bike helmet..."

 

"Good." Mr. Miyama nodded. "If anything happens, press the button under your chin. That will release the helmet instantly from the neck locks."

 

She nodded in turn. "Okay...but how do you get it off *normally*?"

 

"Twist and yank." Mr. Miyama grabbed the helmet, turned and pulled. It came off easily.

 

She nodded and smiled a little once she got the helmet off. "It's very well-designed, father. Is it yours?"

 

"Some." Mr. Miyama put the helmet down. "Some of it is what we discovered using our door. You'll see tomorrow when we take off. We'll have to make sure the police know we're going to be out of touch. It will save time later.

 

"Do you have any questions?"

 

Nariko nodded. "Yes. Is there anything I need to know about the actual transition through the portal? Any side effects? Also, is there anything I can do to help everyone get ready?"

 

"I suppose that you should see the gate." Mr Miyama led the way out of the room to a secret door behind a grandfather clock. Stairs were revealed leading down. He flipped on lights as he descended.

 

At the bottom of the steps, a huge chamber held a round hoop of glowing metal, and blinding colors, in the floor. Arcane writing ran around the circle.

 

"Wow..." Nariko stood transfixed for a few moments, fascinated and shocked. It was *nothing* like she thought it would be. Finally, she managed to ask, "Um...is it anything like one of my gates?"

 

"All gates open on a principle like a door to a room. Our personal powers allow us to open a door to a space that we carry around with us, our personal pocket dimension. This gate opens on the astromembrane which in turn opens on other dimensions. It is like rooms in a house so to speak."

 

His daughter clearly found it all to be quite fascinating. "What *is* the astromembrane? Is it some sort of artifact?

 

"It's an imaginary sea." Mr. Miyama went to the controls behind a shield. "When we enter, you'll have a recall device so don't lose it."

 

The hoop in the floor began to spin giving all sparks of color. The center opened. Nariko could see spheres in a sheet of gray like bubble wrap. Small burning pinpoints indicated distant stars that had never been seen from Earth. The hoop slowed, closing the floating cloud from her house in Chance City.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

The Guardians 4:25 pm

'Great,' Emp mentally intoned as the group walked towards him.

 

"Please everyone, those people are going to need your help. Get some water, hoses anything." He hated to try this right now as he needed to be focused on the area just in case she was still here. He'd be an easier target. He tried to project the emotion of concern towards the people hoping after his plea for help people might actually be concerned enough to help Pusher with the flames.

 

"What's going on?" was the general question. More and more of the neighbors joined the crowd around Hardball and Emp.

 

He looked at them, well at least for now they where going to maybe listen. "We're looking for a murderer that uses explosives on her victims. She calls herself Heartbreaker. Has anyone seen anything strange before tonight?"

 

"No." One of the men looked around. "Everything's been quiet. You seem kind of young to be looking for murderers."

 

Some of the local wives and daughters arrived, wondering what was going on.

 

"What happened to the Devoreauxs' house?"

 

"Look, that's a skull."

 

"I can't believe this."

 

Patty made a wider sweep, starting to include those places where someone might be overwatching the area--and looking for Hardball as well. If she had blown up the house--Heartbreaker would want Hardball to see it...

 

Patty didn't see anything out of the ordinary. That suggested she had triggered an automated ambush, or a means to destroy Blanche's identity.

 

No one can claim you're a villain if you're dead.

 

"I know this will be hard to explain, the murderer was in that house. We believe it was a shape shifter." That was a lie but to these people it was likely easier to believe than Blanche herself being the killer of her parents.

 

"Any information, any at all would be welcomed." At least with the shape shifter lie this might get someone to speak up about things that they might have actually noticed differently in house hold.

 

So far he was lucky these people didn't seem to recognize him. That or his costume had been changed again without him realizing it.

 

EMP's power activated, attracting all the women standing in the crowd. They began to press in on him, and Hardball, but mostly him. Some of them started to work out of their own clothes.

 

"Agnes, what are you doing?" An octogenarian looked befuddled by his wife's behavior.

 

"I'm getting me some fresh meat." Agnes responded, exposing her wrinkled body to the world. "Come here, big boy."

 

Tachyon rounded the corner--and almost tripped herself as her jaw hit the pavement at the impromptu strip show on the street before them--and despite her semi-immunity to his powers, felt...the pull as well...

 

...She laid on the speed and swept him into her arms, slowing from his weight and her speed, yet taking him out of the line of naked folks...

 

...And around the corner twice and into an alley...

 

...Where she deposited him on his feet. "Wow...was I like that?" she panted, her cheeks a bit flushed and her eyes dilated slightly.

 

"Y-yeah. First timers usually are." He smiled at her. He could still feel the power around him even as he silently cursed himself for not being strong enough to keep his power from triggering with so many people talking to him. At least now he remembered why he preferred to leave when the crowds showed up.

 

Her right hand traced the musculature of his chest and her left guided his to her buttock-then her eyes began to clear slowly-but she didn't move his hand from where she guided it.

 

"Where you able to find anything?" He kept his eyes on her, they where soft betraying the tone of voice he was using trying to work the effort to get his power back under control.

 

"No, nothing," she said, closing her eyes and breathing deep, taking charge of her body and emotions once again. "Wow...sorry." She moved her hands to his arms-and stood on tiptoe and kissed him firmly on the lips-then broke it. "That wasn't you, that was me, okay?" she smiled. "Anyway, no, nothing, she had to be watching, but I didn't find her anywhere--and inside the house..."

 

She shook again and folded into his arms. "It wasn't good--it was a pure trap--anyone else going in probably wouldn't have gotten out, but I can give a good description of the energy she uses for the explosive, not that that helps us figure out how she does it, but its something, anyway." She still hadn't move his hand away from her butt.

 

Eric could feel the texture of her body where she'd left his hand and even as she was coming back down from the empathic burst he couldn't help himself against his own hormones. He gave her butt a bit of a goose before letting go.

 

Tachyon gave an obligatory *eep* and smiled at him.

 

Eric returned the smile with an impish grin.

 

"Well I guess for now we better stay away from the group of people near the fire. Don't need a repeat of old people throwing themselves at me."

 

Patty nodded. "right--stay here--I don't know if Hardball will listen to me--I hope he does, but...we need someone to question those folks, maybe someone saw her leave-and maybe someone knows where she went."

 

She turned to go-then turned back and again stood on tiptoe and her lips brushed his cheek. "I'll be back--are you staying or moving on?"

 

"Well you asked me to stay here so.. I guess I'll wait here for you to get back. Still if she thinks we where killed in the fire with her parents we might have the element of surprise on her if she tries to attack the captain."

 

Tachyon smiled up at him, "Thank you," and then frowned. "I'll tell Hardball that, too, okay? I'd forgotten about the Captain what if he's coming in and she's waiting for him right now."

 

The women snapped out of it, the husbands had questions, and Hardball was stuck in the middle of the crowd with everyone looking at him.

 

"Right," said Hardball, "now that the horny housewife situation has been averted, might I suggest that the we all try to forget it ever happened and concentrate on containing the house fire before it travels to one of your properties. I know you have questions, but unless you want one of them to be 'Why did I stand around asking questions while my house was under threat' you should leave them all till later.

 

First thing the men need to do is clear the cars from the streets so the firefighters can bring the truck in, first thing the ladies need to do is recloth themselves so the police don't have even more questions. As for me, I'm going to see if there are any survivors inside, 'cause that's what heroes do." He turned and walked purposefully toward the raging inferno. If Heartbreaker was the kind of psycho he took her for her 'replacement' would still be alive in there somewhere so that HB could revel in her agony.

 

(Plus if HB was watching, and was as obsessed with him as she claimed she might slip up in an attempt to save him).

 

Hardball saw that the house had blown in from the multiple explosions. Half of the fire had been put out by Pusher. He didn't see or hear anybody moving in the blaze and smoke.

 

Pusher and the hasty bucket brigade Hardball asked for seem to be containing the fire. The pitching machine can see two blown apart beds lying in the shattered walls. Both have the remains of bodies on them, one just seems to have two adults, the other a teenage girl.

 

What's left of them are on the bed.

 

The girl vanished in a trail of dust and debris; a moment later, she, vibrating at speed, appeared next to Hardball. "Hardball," her voice had a vibrato to it that was caused by her hiding her identity, "Eric can't question these folks--I couldn't find Blanche, Heartbreaker anywhere--someone needs to questions them, find out if anyone saw anything, like her leaving--maybe someone saw her leave in a car or going a direction or something."

 

She frowned. "And Eric said maybe she's looking for the Captain and stuff and I don't know when he's due in is that today or tomorrow and didn't someone warn the cops about him and her and what she might do and isn't it presumptuous of her to think that we were all caught up in the big boom or just you I can get you out of here and there that'd be a big surprise if you want but you don't have to just offering a suggestion."

 

By way of answer Hardball turned from the sight of the burned corpses of what were most likely

Heartbreaker's parents and some innocent child who she had chosen to take her place. Tachyon couldn't tell, given his usual manner toward her and his full face mask, but he seemed even more harsh than usual. For one thing he'd stopped calling her Rabbit.

 

"Tachyon. How many people can you carry while you're at full speed? If it's only one take Pusher and get to Andrew Jackson High School as quickly as possible, since that's where the Captain is supposed to be making his dedication. I'll take Emp and go to the docks in case he's still there. The team who finds him calls the other. It may also be a good idea to have the Captain checked over by a doctor in case HB has already introduced the explosive to his system."

 

He then strode of toward the direction that Tachyon had come.

 

"On it." Tachyon zipped away, coming up behind Pusher. "Gotta go I'll splain on the way."

 

She lifted him--he was heavier than Eric--but still, she could carry him, barely--and accelerated to full speed--that was seriously cut back with the excess weight--and she 'flipped gears twice, building up to speed--and burning more energy, energy she was rapidly running low on. "Hardball said he and EMP would go to the pier for the Captain on the in-case he was coming in, but wanted us to intercept at the school--he's due for the ceremony there as well."

 

"I can swim through molecules." Pusher looked back, thinking he might have put most of the fire out. "It's not as fast as you, but it can get me through the city."

 

"Just lighten yourself and I'll do the transport--I don't know how much time we have do you know how much time we have I'm going to have to stop for food or something pretty quick anyway."

 

"Lighten myself?" Pusher looked down. "I guess I can do that."

 

He activated his power, slipping inside Tachyon, so he can hold on while she ran across the city.

 

Eric continued to wait, he wasn't sure how far Patty had taken him after her run but he was sure that at some point they'd be coming this way to let him know what was going on.

 

There where at least two turns and then this alley way.

 

Patty's speed increased, "Thanks!"...until they hit the school. "hungry," she almost whined. "Gotta get something to eat."

 

"Go ahead." Pusher slid to his feet, cutting off his power. "I'll look around."

 

"Back in Five."

 

Tachyon hit her speed, cranking it up--and raced through the drive-through of the local fast-food, ordering nearly twenty dollars of food off the dollar menu; paying for it, she found herself a quiet tree and--for her, quite daintily but to the outside observer, literally shoveled the food into her mouth, tossing away the wrappers thirty seconds later--and, sated for now, pressed on the gas and headed back for the school, actually arriving almost a minute earlier than she'd predicted.

 

"What's up? Find anything?"

 

"The school's closed and the ceremony doesn't start until the day after tomorrow." Pusher pointed at a sign with the date on it. "He's probably dead on his boat right now."

 

Eric's phone rang/vibrated. He saw it was Hardball calling.

 

"Meet me at the bike. We're going to check the captain's boat to see if he's still breathing and your girlfriend and Pusher are taking the school."

The phone went dead

 

It would have been nice if he'd told me where his bike was, thought Eric.

 

Eric knew that which direction Hardball had entered the area in to catch up with them. His bike must be along that line. Additionally he was only a block and a half, maybe two blocks away, and could still see the smoke above the trees to show him where to go.

 

"Well, this should be fun." Eric fumed at the phone before using the grapple gun to get a bit higher, sending off his own message to Hardball. "Meet you at the pier." It also included the address for the boat in case Hardball didn't already know it. He preferred his own mode of travel and it would prevent a long delay in meeting up. Part of him was also annoyed that Pusher was more of a help to Patty then he would be at the school. Stupid powers. He sighed before laughing himself in the swings at full speed, at least since he'd been there once before getting there again would be a bit faster.

 

The houses were for the most part one and two story. EMP spotted the destroyed Deveroux house and its crowd on his first swing to get altitude. A few minutes of traveling with his line gun allowed him to reach the vantage point of the dock he was at earlier.

 

Police were in evidence below.

 

At least his word had been taken seriously enough.

 

Eric watched from his vantage point for a while seeing what he could make out from a safe close distance. He didn't want to give the police a different target than Heartbreaker. However he did send a text message to Hardball warning him of the police around the docks. He didn't need his friend getting caught and arrested by the police either.

 

The police bundled an old man into the back of a police car in the parking lot. They tossed a gym bag in with him. Then the caravan took off.

 

Nariko 5:10 pm

"I think we should try and get some sleep, Nariko." Mr. Miyama closed down the gate room. "We have a big day tomorrow."

 

He led the way out of the massive chamber.

 

She nodded and followed, asking on the way out with a touch of wonder, "Just how *many* worlds can be reached via that gate, father?"

 

"I don't know." Mr. Miyama walked, hands behind his back. "We're always discovering more every time we cross over."

 

Nariko followed, feeling quite comfortable and safe in her father's presence. "How many have you found so far?"

 

"About twenty." Mr. Miyama put the alarm system on as he headed up to the living areas of the house. "We observe first before we go in so we go somewhere else as much as possible."

 

She nodded, obviously both curious and intrigued by the whole thing. "Are we going to go to a new world *this* time, father?"

 

"We hope to. I don't know how the police will react to us leaving town after your kidnaping. They might not like it."

 

She frowned, obviously a bit annoyed at the police. "Well, what do they *expect* us to do, father? Just sit around and be a sitting duck for whoever did this if they decide to try again?"

 

"I don't know." Mr. Miyama smiled. "The police don't always seem rational."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Nariko 5:20 pm

Nariko frowned. "I think they're just overly bound by rules and regulations." She crossed her arms, looking rather annoyed. "And becides...what could they actually *do* to us if we leave town for a while? Arrest us for being noncompliant *victims*? Aren't they supposed to serve *us* instead of the other way around?"

 

"In any case, get some rest." Mr. Miyama headed for the bedroom he shared with her mother. "Tomorrow is bound to be a long day."

 

She nodded and gave her dad a chaste little kiss on the cheek. "Okay. Good night, daddy. See you tomorrow..."

 

For once, Nariko actually went right to sleep instead of tinkering in her workshop until the wee hours of the morning. She wanted to be as mentally sharp as possible for what was to come.

 

Mrs. Miyama came for her early the next morning.

 

Nariko almost *sprang* out of her bed, so enthused was she about getting the adventure started. "Good morning mom!", she said with a grin, "Are we almost ready to leave?"

 

"The team is assembling downstairs." Mrs Miyama smiled. "You should get ready and join them. They are already powering up the devices."

 

Nariko nodded excitedly. "Okay!" Without even pausing to put up her hair (which is *very* unusual for her), she threw on some clothes and ran down to meet up with the team. She *did* make sure that she brought her rather large make-up bag with her, however...so that she could coif herself up *properly* as soon as she had time.

 

Inside the gate room Mr. Miyama and his associates had already donned thier armor and protective gear. Mr. Four nodded as he stood to one side. He seemed in nuetral gear as he watched the proceedings. There were two other women and another man in the form fitting armor, going through preparation motions.

 

"Should I put my suit on now too, father?", asked Nariko as soon as she joined the others.

 

"Yes." Mr. Miyama sat at the controls, typing in instructions. "As soon as everything is ready, we're going."

 

The door to the Astromembrane opened before the group. The universe within rotated as Nariko watched.

 

Tachyon and Pusher 5:00 pm

Tachyon shook her head, blonde ponytail bobbing from shoulder to opposing shoulder. "So what the heck are we doing here?" she asked rhetorically, "I mean...school's closed, no one's here, nothing's going on...what..." The accusation died on her tongue.

 

"So...what next?" she asked, sinking to a seated position next to Pusher.

 

"Let's catch up with the others." Pusher looked the area over. "We still have a few days if she is going to strike at the commencement ceremony. Maybe Emp messed her up by calling the police."

 

Tachyon shook her head. "Yeah," she said, "you want a ride or shall we just walk?" She seemed a little put out over this whole situation.

 

"I am working on a Pusher mobile." The kid in black took out his pad. "Let's see if we can catch up with the others. We have a couple of days. Maybe we can set a trap."

 

"Cool," she said, "we can put Hardball in a bikini and chain him to a rock, just like in the movies."

 

"I was thinking of Emp impersonating the good captain." Pusher put the pad away. "He can win her over to the light side with his charm and mind control."

 

Tachyon nodded and turned towards the street. "So--how you want to get there, or just call and have them meet us elsewhere?"

 

"I don't see why not." Pusher looked around. "There's nothing more we can do here."

 

Hardball and Emp 5:00 pm

Hardball arrived at the waterfront as the police cars drove away with an old man and his new bodyguards. He knew Emp was around, but didn't know that the mental giant could see him from his rooftop perch.

 

Hardball pulled out his phone and called Emp.

 

"Do you know which boat belongs to the captain?," he asked.

 

EMP looked at his phone as Hardball was calling him almost in sequence with his call to him. "Captain's

okay, he's being taken by the police. He's alive and well it looks from my vantage point. Let's go meet up with the others and see if they found any trace of Heartbreaker."

 

Eric swung towards the school. He noticed the other half of his group over towards the entrance to the underground base. Swinging down, he called out and waved "You two see anything at the school?" He smiled over at Patty. "Not to worry. The captain's okay. He's being put into police protection as we speak."

 

She jammed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans--during the interim, she'd pulled jeans and hoodie back on--no point in calling more attention to any of themselves as what was needed. "Good," she said. The blonde looked about. "Where's Hardball?"

 

"He's moving towards the school." Eric took out his phone and texted Hardball the message

 

'not @ school, base'

 

Eric leaned down, opening the manhole cover "Care to come down while I get changed. Maybe we can head out to grab something to eat at seven-elven before we head home to bed."

 

"I still have a lot to do." Pusher checked his timex. "It's still 5:30. We need to figure out if the girl in the explosion was Devoreaux or not. Any ideas?"

 

Eric stopped moving at the manhole cover and looked over at Pusher. "It wasn't Devorueax, That was planned. If anything that was done so that her name would remain secret, or as secret as a psycho could believe it would be. Not much DNA left on the bodies to test which gives her a rather window to work with."

 

Patty nodded. "I agree--I don't know what she looked like but I only saw two adults..."

 

She shuddered.

"Do you think she will assume the other identity?" Pusher thought about it a little more. "Do you think she's a master of changing identities? If she is, she could be any female."

 

"If she is, then we're going to run into more problems, but not many considering what her apparent age would be. Even a master of disguise needs to work with what she has. So we'll see teenaged girls dying and being replaced with someone that will try to act like them.

 

"I'd rather not be paranoid about every person in that school considering she is after Hardball."

 

"That doesn't feel," Patty thought aloud, "like her MO--she doesn't have respect for life, but I have a feeling that if that starts, we'll have pushed her into desperation."

 

Eric looked over at Patty. "If she is a master of disguise though, she wouldn't be limited to just girls either at this age. She could to some degree pretend to be a guy."

 

Another shudder. "So--we're back to square one with nothing to show but bodies."

 

"Not really. Think about it, we've all been regressed to our teen years and she killed her parents. Even if she was a mistress of disguise, she's going to be putting herself into larger problems. She has no 'safe' haven now. No parents to hide with and likely no friends to go to unless she wants to reveal she's alive again. Best bet is that she met up with someone who does have the resources to give her supplies and a place to hide. So what we need to do tomorrow night is find a bar with enough dirty folks to give us the information we need on who that moron is."

 

"Great. Two bad guys--or rather, one bad guy and one stupid twit that's in it only for the sex." She looked at the other two. "Let's face it--she's a female, and a lot of guys will do about anything for

a gal that puts out."

 

"That's about the way I figure it." Eric added with a nod before heading down into the base to change.

 

Eric returned a bit later wearing a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt. "With the captain with the police and being watched 24 hours, likely until Heartbreaker is caught. Heartbreaker couldn't disguise herself as the captain as the first place they'd take the captain is to a hospital to check for explosives on the inside of the human body." He looked over at Pusher "The only way she could get close to the captain now was to disguise herself as a nurse or a police officer. Neither of which would work very well on a high risk case. While I figure we haven't seen the last of her I don't think she's going to be acting much more tonight."

 

Hardball txted back

'Thanx, I cn c that. P.s. R U & Pty free 4 a dble dte with Tanya & Anthony 2nite? If so burger joint ASAP if not txt me'

 

"You're right." Pusher rubbed his face. "What more can she do tonight? No one even knows where the police took him."

 

"That's a good thing," Patty commented

 

"True enough." Eric looked over at Patty after checking his text message "Hey Patty, are you up for a double date? I forgot that I was invited to go to dinner with Anthony and his girlfriend Tanya." He smiled pleasantly to her. "So if you have a moment to spare for some hamburgers we should get going."

 

Patty blinked; that was something she hadn't expected--but nodded. "Okay" she said, "Just need to all and let my folks know, it shouldn't be a problem, as long as I'm in by 9, well, 10."

 

Eric kept his smile and nodded "No problem, I'm sure we'll be back before 10." He placed a hand gently on her cheek "can't have you getting into trouble on my account."

 

The touch caused her hand to shake a little and she looked at him somewhat surprised, but...

 

She called and nattered quickly, then hung up. "Mom said it fine--Dad wasn't home yet, so that's probably a good thing. The blonde frowned and said, "I can't help but think that it would be a good thing for us to know where the Captain's being held--if for no other reason to keep an eye out."

 

"They might be keeping him at the hospital in the uptown area. It has the staff and supplies to help with any medical problem not to mention its pretty close to a police station. Well, about three miles in closeness. So it should be fairly secure."

 

She tucked herself up under his arm, folding the phone back into her back pocket. "Well, that's something for us to research and find out how hard it'd be to find out--if we can do it, then she can, and that would put the Skipper back into danger you know?"

 

With a comfortable nestle against Eric--odd how comfortable that was and why was her damn heart thumping that fast?--Patty gave a general question, "So--when do we link back up, and where, and we still need to figure out a better form of communication than cellphones because sooner or later someone's parents probably mine are going to start asking about all these used minutes."

"I'll see what I can cook up. I should be able to get some parts to see about making something decent in the way of group communication. Walkie Talkies should have some of the parts I'll need." He smiled at her as she held herself against him "The Burger Barn isn't to far from here and that's where I believe where supposed to be meeting Anthony and Tanya."

 

"Then let's do this," Patty said. "You gonna be okay?" she addressed Pusher.

 

"I going to follow up on your idea." Pusher put his hands in his jacket pockets, mask hiding his face. "I'll check the hospital. If he is in there, then we should be close at hand in case of trouble."

 

Patty put her arm around Eric for a moment, giving him a little hug, then released him and stepped over to Pusher. "Thank you," she said, going to tiptoe for a moment to kiss his cheek. "If you need us--call, and we'll be there, faster than thought, okay?"

 

Pusher nodded, sinking into the ground, and out of sight.

 

Anthony grabbed a quick shower at the camp to get rid of the day's grime and then set off to the Burger Barn. He could still smell the scent of burned human flesh in his nose, but he hoped that was just psychological. If not the pheromones, Eric put out while around Patty would probably cover it.

 

*O.k. Tony* he said to himself *That's not nice. Shouldn't make fun of the boy's power issues. Having girl's throw themselves at you might be O.k. when they're 18, but when they're 80? Not so much." He chuckled to himself as he entered the Barn to see Tanya already sitting there looking stroppy at him for turning up late.

 

Eric walked in with Patty turning from a bit of gloom to smiles and grins the moment they where inside with other people. Noticing Anthony he walked towards the table with the two of them. "Sorry I'm late. Hope I haven't kept this interesting little gathering waiting too long."

 

Her arm around Eric's waist, Patty gave a small smile at Anthony--and his female companion but said nothing.

 

"Hello." Tanya smiled at the other couple. "I have seen you around school but I don't think we've met. I'm Tanya."

 

"Hi Tanya, I'm Patty. This is Eric." The words bubbled out from Patty's mouth-then she flushed red. "Sorry."

 

"Nice to meet you Tanya, I think we might have met briefly. So I can imagine where all hungry here so what kind of burger would you like Patty?" Eric placed his hand on the base of her back as he spoke, looking over at both Anthony and Tanya.

 

Patty--didn't really jump, but pressed back slightly against his hand, basking in the warmth--then blinked. "um..."

 

"Thanks for inviting us for a double date." He was being polite and civil towards her. At the moment he wasn't sure Anthony really wanted this Tanya getting too emotionally attached to him or not. The whole meeting the friends bit was almost up there with meeting the parents in some circles.

 

"I'm hungry," she decided--then took a deep breath. She'd have to go light or attract more undue attention. "Just the Super Barn Burner, if that's okay," she told Eric.

 

Eric grinned and leaned forward and kissed behind her ear softly. "Okay hon, one super barn burger coming up." He walked away to place an order for two super barn burgers, 1 regular barn burger with cheese, 2 large fries and two drinks. On the way back towards the table he hid the extra super barn burger in his hoody pocket. Figuring Patty was very likely still going to be hungry even when they left.

 

He took a seat next to Patty placing the tray down. He placed her food and cola drink in front of her.

 

"So..now that we've all said our hello's mind if I ask what prompted being asked to attend a double date with the both of you Anthony? I always thought you preferred to keep your dates all to yourself." Eric was putting on a bit more of act of the tough guy simply for the sake of conversation, after all Anthony and him didn't quite work the same social circles in high school he could tell that simply by looking at how the two of them had been dressed and in detention when they arrived. So this was fairly outside the norm.

 

The foursome weren't the only ones from their school. Familiar faces were at some of the other tables around them, talking, going about their businesses. Strange adults, some with their families or significant others, filled the rest of the tables.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

The Guardians 6:15 pm

The double date was going well as the two couples talked about anything but personal things when Eric's phone buzzed. Since only three people had the number and two were sitting with him, it was safe to assume that the third person, Pusher, had decided to check in from the hospital.

 

Patty was relaxing--she'd never...well, it'd been years...since she'd relaxed and just...had fun like this; she did push her leg tight against Eric's as she talked with Hard...Anthony's girl friend.

 

"Sorry, business calls," he said picking up the cell phone "Hey what's going on?"

 

Patty nodded and continued to natter, building her reputation as something of a ditz.

 

"Trouble at the hospital." Pusher seemed calm. "She blew him up."

 

The blonde stopped talking as she sensed Eric's sudden tenseness--and she looked at him, a frown creasing her brow.

 

"I see...any idea how?" The hospital was too far from here for him to get too quickly so he was hoping Pusher had more to go with that just the captain was dead. Considering the level of impossibility that it was. She'd of had to been in contact with the captain the day he left or if it was a quick explosion then somehow she knew which hospital he'd go to, which floor. It was as if she was a clairvoyant. Which if that was the case their secret identities were screwed no matter what.

 

"The police are all over the place, blocking the exits." Pusher sounded calm. Of course only another superhuman could block him. "As soon as things die down, I'm going to look around. As far as I can tell, it happened in the MRI room. Any ideas?"

 

"None..Seems I'm tapped out of ideas, man. Keep me posted." Eric switched off the phone looking at the group. "Sorry about the interruption, Hon we might need to go soon." He looked over at Patty. "Don't need your dad getting a better reason to hate me."

 

She smiled wanly. "He doesn't hate you, he won't hate you..." His word of endearment towards her suddenly sank in and she blinked--then blushed. "...but why, oh, its okay, I'm sure you've got a good reason, Eric." She smiled at Anthony and friend.

 

As they moved the door, she looped her fingers through his and whispered, "what's going on?"

 

"Some how she got the captain." he looked at her carefully "She's acting more and more like a mad bomber with no real motive now so I'm having a hard time figuring this out. Authority figures are one thing, but once he was pulled by the police he shouldn't have been a target. Not to mention she either has a very long duration explosive which lasted three days or she really is a mistress of disguise like Pusher guessed."

 

He frowned as they got further away. "They have the hospital on lock down no way in no way out without being seen and checked over carefully."

 

Patty's shoulders slumped. "Darn it."

 

"In short, I get the sickening feeling we're not going to beat her. It's like she's clairvoyant with Precognition."

 

"I just don't know--or Invisible, whatever, we're not going to get into the Hospital--a few weeks ago and twenty years older and I could have--but not now." She jammed her hands into her pockets. "And I don't remember seeing or hearing about any more clues--is this the last one then?"

 

"Yeah, it was the last clue." he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the extra super barn burger handing it to her "I doubt that one burger in there is helping your metabolism but I think right now getting to the hospital should be objective one, even on lock down your speed should keep anyone from trying to sneak out." here he was feeling useless again "I'll get there as soon as possible ... if she's as big a fan as she says she is of Hardball, then maybe she might come out if there was a big target." He smiled a bit.

 

"Anyway get to the hospital I'll try setting up my little trap."

 

Patty took the burger and smiled at him.

 

"Thanks--you're right, I'm still hungry--I'm going to have to refigure this out--my metabolism, I mean." Her smile faded. "Maybe...we could talk Hardball into setting himself up, some big form of challenge against her or something, I don't know."

 

She unwrapped the hamburger, thinking to herself.

 

Eric had a flash of thought, a semi epiphany. The clues detailed who what where and she had struck almost exactly as described in both if she had been one of the detail on the boat guarding the sailor, taking him to the hospital. That was where she planted the bomb.

 

If the bomb was time delayed, she could have made an excuse and left her disguise behind and walked out as someone else.

 

Police radio would have told her about the blown up house which would force her on the street without a cover, so she would have to go to ground somewhere else, somewhere she could be sure no one would look for her.

 

The problem was none of them knew what Blanche looked like.

 

The hamburger evaporated as though it hadn't been there, the only remnants of its passing the sad and empty wrapper; Patty folded it neatly up...

 

Even with that thought it wasn't very helpful, her home was gone, none of them knew her or her 'friends' not that she'd likely go to them. The captain's boat even if she doubled back to use it as a shelter for the night would have police there. So in a sense she'd painted herself into a corner while at the same time they had no idea which corner to look at.

 

Still she had to be getting her supplies from somewhere, these where not exactly the type of explosives that where easily made or produced, maybe there was someone she was mooching off of, someone at the school with access to those supplies.

 

Which if they couldn't catch her meant he just proved himself right that he wasn't meant to be a hero.

 

...and looked at Eric. With a frown, she hesitated from bursting off towards the hospital and put her arm around his waist. "What's the matter?" she asked quietly. "Your mood just...crashed--I mean, I know we're not doing so good against this Heartbreaker--but..."

 

"Well right about now this heartbreaker just found out we blew up her house which means she has no identity to fall back on. If she is a mistress of disguise this won't last long and she'll need to find a place to stay. Problem is we still have no idea who we're looking for really. Only time I met anyone this thought out in planning was my own mentor." He sighed with exasperation "Her tactics make little to no sense. Supposedly she's in love with Hardball, and yet her very actions, deeds and choices don't even come close to the psychological stand point of a psychotic killer. It's more like she's pretending to be his big sister and wants to make his life miserable."

 

She blinked.

 

"We've ignored something," Patty replied, "and I just figured out what it is--ignore the hospital, because that's done and said, but let's go back to the school--you..." she gulped. "...you can get us in after hours, right?"

 

He nodded "Yeah I can get us back in but wha.." He almost smacked his own forehead "Okay, I feel dumb. They should have our records on file along with photo's. come on lets get going."

 

Patty tagged along--you want me to carry you again--get there quicker..."

 

She picked him up and hit full steam--and headed for the school.

 

The school was still empty and dark from their last visit. The lock on the back door should still be busted from where Pusher had transformed it earlier.

 

Patty put Eric down...

 

Eric noticed the busted lock and opened the door. "Seems I won't need to worry about picking the

lock. Come on lets get the office as quickly as we can."

 

...and patted quickly at the inner thighs of her pants legs. "Ow, hot hot hot, I can't run in jeans, they don't stand running that well, ow ow." She smiled at him. "Okay, let's go..." and interwove her fingers with his after taking a look around.

 

"Library might be good, too, catch the old yearbooks--that'll be a help, too."

 

"Alright then, year books it is." he walked with her to the library taking out his pocket flashlight/keychain. He illuminated the area of the year books. "Hope they have this year's yearbook."

 

"So do I--but even if they do, school records would be a good thing," Patty agreed

 

A shelf behind the counter held yearbooks for the last four years. Last year's were blue and white.

 

Taking the Blue and White Eric proceeded to start looking through the photos for Heart Breakers Alias. He wasn't sure what he was in for but with renewed desire to see this bomber go down he wasn't going to stop till he found it.

 

Patty stood next to him, hands in her back pockets, looking for the picture of Blanche Devereaux...

 

"Eric--once we know what she looks like--let's bounce it off the student ID in the school database--make sure we've got the same girl and she's not faking the name and face."

 

"Good idea Patty." he smiled finding the picture "Well here she is." He ripped the page out not really

careing about the book at this moment "Let's go check the ID system."

 

Always the neatnik, Patty slid the book back into its appropriate place on the shelf before following Eric towards the office.

 

The picture in the yearbook was the same as the one in the permanent files. A plain, mousey girl with curly hair looked up at them, smiling just a little. Brown eyes tried to look happy.

 

Thursday the Fourth

Nariko 7:30 am

Nariko, with a small amount of effort, was able to don her armor and helmet as the door to the other universe yawned open to walk through. The group tied themselves together, with the mechanic girl between Mr. Four, and one of the woman, Sonja.

 

So excited over the whole thing that she could barely *contain* herself, Nariko let herself be tied to the others and waited in almost painful anticipation to cross the dimensional threshold with them.

 

"The path is established, door opening every 24 hours from....now." Mr. Miyama stepped from behind the console and tied on at the head of the line. "Let's go."

 

He led the way into the door.

 

The young teleporter took a deep breath and, nearly shaking from excitement, stepped through the

dimensional threshold with the others.

 

The first thing was the sensation of falling. Then balls; multicolored with different features on each, floated by. Ribbons that resembled red lightning drifted by slowly like languid snakes. Her body hit membranes with crinklings of reality.

 

Then Nariko's rope snapped, separating her from the rest of the group, falling on her own.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Hardball 6:20 pm

Anthony spotted the Little Don step into the Burger Barn with his two adult bodyguards. They went up to the counter.

 

Anthony then spotted the Honda with the flames and whale tail next. They cruised slow by the doors, then u-turned. The passengers hung out the window, aiming submachine guns at the front of the fast food place.

 

Anthony grabbed Tanya and pulled her down while shouting "GET DOWN!!" to the rest of the patrons. As much as he hated possibly saving the little Don's life there were too many bodies on his hands today as it was.

 

The machine guns spit flames and steel at the windows of the restaurant. Glass shattered, formica splintered, steel caught slugs. Some of the patrons weren't as quick as Hardball and went down in a heap, wounded and screaming.

 

The car accelerated away from the drive-by.

 

Anthony grabbed Tanya's purse pulled out her cell phone and dialed 911.

 

"911, what is your emergency?" said the operator.

 

"Drive-by shooting at the Burger Barn, 1217 Pit Moss Street! About 5 injured, some critically! Vehicle was a pale blue Honda with flames and a whale-tail. Possible organized crime connections given the presence of Don Martini's son. Send ambulance and police. This is not my phone and I do not wish to be involved."

 

He hung up threw the phone back to Tanya.

 

"Sorry babe, the Burger Barn just got a little too hot for me. Stay here and wait for the ambos. Tell them what happened, but if you can avoid mentioning me by name I'd appreciate it, the last thing I need is more cops on my tail."

 

He ran out of the door and jumped on his bike just as the Little Don was bundled into his limo. Just out of petulance picked up 2 pieces of glass and surreptitiously flicked them into the two right side tires of the limo so they'd quickly go flat and then tore off into the night.

 

The car had turned out of sight while Hardball took care of things. He could still hear the engine roaring. He might be able to catch up if he hurried.

 

Anthony put on the mask and set off in pursuit of the drive-by shooter's car if he was lucky he could use the side streets to get in front of them. *Damn them* he thought *I couldn't care less if some 'gangsta' wants to 'pop a cap' (or several hundred) into some organized crime figure, but when they stoop to causing this kind of collateral damage to do so it really becomes a problem.*

 

Anthony heard the loud engine noise ahead. Then he heard two more, not exactly the same, but close. They were riding the streets on either side and behind him from the sound of it.

 

Emp and Tachyon 6:20 pm

Emp and Tachyon gazed at the picture of their enemy. They had missed her at detention, but here she was. All they had to do now was track down her lair with the with the list of options they had available, some of which was because of Eric's foresight in getting the codes to the city's computers.

 

Eric sighed a bit in relief there was an end to this nightmare in sight. "Alright Tachyon. Let's see about getting through the school's database."

 

"All right, Emp," Patty nodded, "just one thing--confirm that the house that blew up was her home address--I just..." she shook her head. "I just want to make sure of that, okay?"

 

A couple of finger clicks confirmed that easily enough.

 

Eric nodded "looks like the right girl. So lets get to the start of the list of additional hideaways."

 

"All right--can you make that a database and run everything together?" Patty cocked an eyebrow at his computer prowess. "I mean--I can make a spreadsheet, kinda--but you're...wow." She rested a hand on his shoulder and watched his fingers dance.

 

Eric nodded "Sure. No problem." He began typing away at the computer pulling up as much info as he could to feed the Database. He didn't want to leave a single place open for this girl to some how hide in and escape. Part of him wanted to even give her a taste of her own medicine with a few explosives but he repressed that desires as he kept up the Database building.

 

The Deveroux family paid the city and county taxes on two vehicles, a house, and a boat. The Deeds office recorded a cabin out of county, subject to some other jurisdiction's collection processes.

 

Blanche's name came up as part of a message list/forum about active heroes and villains. BD dissected heroic actions and how they could have been done better, as well as villainy's incompetence, even echoing general escape advice such as never go home, get rid of any vehicle, cut yourself off from family and friends. A new thread talked about the explosion of Richards in general terms.

 

BD's avatar was a heart with a lightning crack in the middle.

 

Deviant art posted several pictures under a BD. One was the school, one was a group of men on a platform, an extreme closeup of Hardball's helmet, and Pusher's molecule, and locales around town. The first picture was put up on Monday night.

 

Again the avatar was the broken heart.

 

"One cabin, heres the address. Lets contact the others and get up there as quickly as possible. I feel the desire to break some bones." Eric printed up the address saving all the information for later use if needed.

 

Patty nodded and looked at the addy--she opened another window and hit a mapquest for specific directions.

 

He then went to the boys room to change into his costume again. Taking out his cell, he IM'd the address of Heart breakers address to Hardball with the following question "care 2 break a heart?"

 

Patty semi-vanished and reappeared in her negligible running outfit/costume, vibrating enough that she was hard to identify for features. "Going my way, sailor?" she asked him, giving a wink--and ready to carry him up to the cabin.

 

"Ready as I'll ever be." He smiled at her, putting the extra copy of the info onto a small USB disc he was quite ready to go pounding the snot out of Heartbreaker.

 

Without preamble--but with a quick peck to his cheek, Patty/Tachyon swept him off his feet, out of the school and towards destiny at the Deveroux cabin...

 

The pair of heroes fled through the night, heading for the outer limits of Chance City and beyond. The night traffic was a blur of lights to Eric as the city fell behind in a streak of motion. Tachyon hit the county marker four seconds after she started.

 

They reached the foothills of the Appalachians, then started climbing along old roads to the cabin address. They found the dark shell of the cabin sitting among some trees, overgrown grass hiding any potential danger on the ground. No car was visible to their eyes.

 

Nariko 7:30 am

Nariko floated down through the cross sections of universes. Several of the orbs seemed bigger as she got nearer to them. Above the current in the dimension between dimensions swept her father and his friends away, except for one that seemed burlier than a man should be.

 

It looked like Mr. Four was trying to swim to her.

 

"Father!", she shouted fruitlessly inside of her helmet. She felt an irrational rush of panic rise within her. If she couldn't keep up with the others, how would she possibly ever get home?

 

Trying her best to orient herself in the strange yet beautiful extradimensional space, Nariko tried to swim in his direction.

 

The two of them met as one of the orbs grew bigger. It turned into baseball, then weather balloon, then filled the edges of Nariko's vision. She could see gold sand drift into place below as they sank to a landing.

 

Flat, featureless sand stretched from horizon to horizon.

 

Nariko almost *instantly* felt stupid as she asked the stereotypical question, "Um...where *are* we?" Then she added after scanning the disappointingly plain horizon, "Is the whole *planet* like this, Four-sama?"

 

"Got me." Mr. Four pulled off his helmet. "Air is breathable. Hot too."

 

In the distance, the two of them could see a spout of sand rising into the air and falling back down.

 

Nariko peered out at the odd little spout as she took off her helmet, trying to spot any details.

 

She realized that it was at least a mile away, and to be able to see it, the thing must be blowing into the air like a tornado before settling down.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the Third

Hardball 6:25 pm

Hardball noticed the new arrivals edging closer, and the machine pistols. It looked like they were going to try and catch him in a cross fire. The submachine guns roared their anger.

 

Hardball noticed the new arrivals edging closer, and the machine pistols. It looked like they were going to try and catch him in a cross fire. The submachine guns roared their anger.

 

Instinctively Hardball lashed out with the nails in his hand responding to their hail of metal with one of his own. Unlike the gangstas he was deadly accurate shattering the windshields of the vehicles, tearing open tires and piercing the wrists of the shooters.

 

The drivers of both cars lost control as their vision was filled with glass and their wheels became rims. The front car skidded to a halt the following cars were not so lucky. Attempting to avoid each other and the parked cars on the street they both lost control, flipped intro the air and shot over Hardball's head as he threw himself and his bike top the ground. Before the Gangstas could get themselves oriented (assuming they were all high enough on PCP to shake off that kind of a crash) Hardball picked up himself and his bike and roared off. While there was once a time he would have happily taken on a gang armed with machine guns his run in with Casket had taught him his skills were not what they used to be. Plus the cops would likely be drawn to the scene of the crash on their way to the scene of the orignal crime. Finally he now had more than himself to think of, if he died his mother would join him fairly quickly.

 

Tachyon and Emp 6:45 pm

The cabin looked dark and abandoned to the heroes as they approached. Emp noticed fresh tracks on the litter covered porch. The prints looked small to him.

 

The cabin looked dark and abandoned to the heroes as they approached. Emp noticed fresh tracks on the litter covered porch. The prints looked small to him.

 

Patty, still in the bushes, whispered, "Think its a trap--and did Hardball ever bother texting you back?"

 

Patty knew there was no way that Hardball could arrive in time on his motorcycle. He would be miles out of the way, but if the cabin was deserted, he could check out the boat in the harbor area.

 

Lights came up from down the road.

 

"Doubt it's a trap, but it might be booby trapped so that she knows someone is out here. No text back yet."

 

Patty grumbled at herself quietly--aloud, it came out, "You'd think he didn't give a darn."

 

Eric looked around a bit looking for any traps that he might notice around the area as well as a few good ones for him to set up with Patty's help.

 

"We might want to step up a few traps around the area just in case she tries to make a break for it."

 

"You got any ideas for traps..." Patty shut up--

 

They heard a car in the distance that seemed to be approaching them.

 

--and whispered, "Crud, she's here!"

 

She dropped to her hands and knees in the bushes, minimizing her chances of being seen...

 

Eric joined her on the ground peering out carefully from the bushes at the upcoming car.

 

A jeep appeared in the long driveway, pulled around to the rear of the cabin. It didn't pause as if the driver had seen the two hiding heroes.

 

The blonde watched the jeep pull around to the back; she went to a crouch and brushed off her bare knees. "Darn, we didn't have time--what do you want to do, rush her and take her down--or just sit and observe?"

 

Her frame was vibrating slightly--she was ready to go.

 

The car door slammed.

 

"This is going to sound a bit strange but.. grab her and throw her into a tree. That should hopefully take enough out of her lungs to leave her unconscious. Then we can make sure she herself isn't armed with any weapons. Hopefully she has rope inside we can use to tie her up."

 

Tachyon nodded. "She'll be coming your way pretty quick, I hope..."

 

She blushed--then pressed her lips against his. "For luck..."

 

...and there was a blur of motion as she erupted into the open, legs pumping, heart racing, a blur of motion--intent on taking this villainess down...hard.

 

Blanche Devoureaux started to turn at the motion coming toward her. She couldn't stop the grab as Tachyon latched on to her shoulders. She tried to bring her elbow up to bash in Tach's face as a countermove.

 

Even with her quick reaction speeds, some things could not be avoided--Patty ignored the swinging elbow....

 

The elbow smashed against the side of Tachyon's head.

 

...and accelerated, beginning a spin, leaving herself as the central point and Blanche...someone would lose their lunch, and it wouldn't be Tachyon...

 

She picked up on the spin...

 

Emp stood ready, considering how much of a royal pain Blanche had been he was practically hoping Tachyon would miscalculate and throw her with deadly speed into a near by tree but he still wanted to see her pay for what she had done.

 

Patty felt her stomach and its almost completely gone contents begin to rise...

 

Eric held a few of his low-yield explosives, she liked blowing people up. He was more than willing to see how she liked being on the receiving end of some explosives that while very painful weren't as deadly as some of things she had.

 

Blanche spit at Tachyon, missed, scared a squirrel into diving for trouble as his tree took a near fatal hit.

 

Patty felt dizzy--she felt sick--she felt her shoulders ache from the kinetic energy of the spin trying to pull them from their sockets she closed her eyes for a moment and tried to stabilize-- and then gave it up.

 

She let go of the explosion-wielding Blanche and let her fly--she spun down, her knees dragging into the ground and she lay, trying to regain her equilibrium--and threw up.

 

"...ihatespinningdizzydizzydizzy..."

 

Eric watched as a blur of motion went by him. Followed by Patty throwing up back where the spinning was going on. That was going to need to be suppressed if he wanted to kiss her before the night was over.

 

Eric realized that Blanche had collapsed in the wilderness away from the long driveway. He couldn't see her body from where he was standing, but had a general direction of travel. He could chase into the forest after her, or wait until Tachyon had recovered.

 

Eric moved quickly after Blanche. He wasn't going to give her too much time to recover. He moved with the practiced stealth that he had when he was this age along with some measure of speed. He still wasn't as good as he once was, but to quote a song, he was as good now as he ever was. This was why he preferred dark colored costumes. "You can give up now Heart-breaker, or I can blow you and everything within your place up with the press of a button. Your choice." He was after all known for being a villain and considering everything that just happened Blanche might believe anyone that was a villain, ex or not, just might carry out their threats.

 

Patty pushed herself to her bared knees--she still was dizzy as all hell, her inner ear arguing...

 

...and managed to make it to her feet, hands on knees and bent at the waist, her head still spinning, but the world was slowing, and that was always good--and her mouth tasted like crud.

 

Slowly, her stomach growling--too much energy expended, not enough reserves--she was hungry--she stumbled towards the direction Blanche, Heartbreaker, had been thrown.

 

An orb flipped through the air, landing at Eric's feet. It was the size of a softball and glowing.

 

Eric leapt back calculating where the orb had been thrown from and threw his own Low Yield Grenade, which mostly went off when it hit something instead of a timed explosion.

 

The orb exploded behind him, ripping up the foliage. His grenade blew a crater in the area where the orb had come from. He didn't hear cries of pain.

 

At the explosion, Patty ignored her own dizziness and picked up the pace--she knew roughly where she'd thrown Heartbreaker--and the explosion was a pretty good marker--she hit her top normal speed and roared into the woods...

 

Eric kept quiet in the tree's at this point looking around carefully for Heartbreaker. He didn't want to be out here longer than needed. Turning on his Empathy he tried to locate the general area where she was. Considering there was just her and Patty he figured this wouldn't be as overwhelming as it was at the school when he was trying to find her.

 

Eric spotted the two girls as Patty roared through the foliage, ripping brush up at high speed. He could tell Blanche was headed away from where he was standing by her calm demeanor.

 

Thursday the Fourth

Nariko 7:30 am

Nariko pointed at the dying vortex, puzzled. "Um...can you make out what that is? Some sort of dust tornado or something like that?"

 

"I don't know." Four looked around. "There are two more over there."

 

He pointed at two more of the outbursts in the middle of the desert sand. They rumbled up out of the ground, then dropped down in a shower.

 

Her feet shifted in the sand nervously and she immediately mentally chastised herself for being a scared little idiot. "Well um...for lack of anything *else* to look at on this planet, can we please go check them out?"

 

"I don't see why not." Mr. Four picked Nariko up in an arm and took to the sky. "We have 24 hours before we recalled. We might as well explore."

 

Nariko seemed pleased to be airborne, obviously enjoying the view. "So, you mean that we'll be able to get back even *without* being with the others?"

 

"Your dad has an automatic recall device." Four scanned the desert ahead. "As long as that is still functioning, we should be sent back to the membrane, back to the door. We can't leave it open for the obvious reasons."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the Third

Hardball 6:25 pm

Hardball noticed the new arrivals edging closer, and the machine pistols. It looked like they were going to try and catch him in a cross fire. The submachine guns roared their anger.

 

Hardball noticed the new arrivals edging closer, and the machine pistols. It looked like they were going to try and catch him in a cross fire. The submachine guns roared their anger.

 

Instinctively Hardball lashed out with the nails in his hand responding to their hail of metal with one of his own. Unlike the gangstas he was deadly accurate shattering the windshields of the vehicles, tearing open tires and piercing the wrists of the shooters.

 

The drivers of both cars lost control as their vision was filled with glass and their wheels became rims. The front car skidded to a halt the following cars were not so lucky. Attempting to avoid each other and the parked cars on the street they both lost control, flipped intro the air and shot over Hardball's head as he threw himself and his bike top the ground. Before the Gangstas could get themselves oriented (assuming they were all high enough on PCP to shake off that kind of a crash) Hardball picked up himself and his bike and roared off. While there was once a time he would have happily taken on a gang armed with machine guns his run in with Casket had taught him his skills were not what they used to be. Plus the cops would likely be drawn to the scene of the crash on their way to the scene of the orignal crime. Finally he now had more than himself to think of, if he died his mother would join him fairly quickly.

 

Tachyon and Emp 6:45 pm

The cabin looked dark and abandoned to the heroes as they approached. Emp noticed fresh tracks on the litter covered porch. The prints looked small to him.

 

The cabin looked dark and abandoned to the heroes as they approached. Emp noticed fresh tracks on the litter covered porch. The prints looked small to him.

 

Patty, still in the bushes, whispered, "Think its a trap--and did Hardball ever bother texting you back?"

 

Patty knew there was no way that Hardball could arrive in time on his motorcycle. He would be miles out of the way, but if the cabin was deserted, he could check out the boat in the harbor area.

 

Lights came up from down the road.

 

"Doubt it's a trap, but it might be booby trapped so that she knows someone is out here. No text back yet."

 

Patty grumbled at herself quietly--aloud, it came out, "You'd think he didn't give a darn."

 

Eric looked around a bit looking for any traps that he might notice around the area as well as a few good ones for him to set up with Patty's help.

 

"We might want to step up a few traps around the area just in case she tries to make a break for it."

 

"You got any ideas for traps..." Patty shut up--

 

They heard a car in the distance that seemed to be approaching them.

 

--and whispered, "Crud, she's here!"

 

She dropped to her hands and knees in the bushes, minimizing her chances of being seen...

 

Eric joined her on the ground peering out carefully from the bushes at the upcoming car.

 

A jeep appeared in the long driveway, pulled around to the rear of the cabin. It didn't pause as if the driver had seen the two hiding heroes.

 

The blonde watched the jeep pull around to the back; she went to a crouch and brushed off her bare knees. "Darn, we didn't have time--what do you want to do, rush her and take her down--or just sit and observe?"

 

Her frame was vibrating slightly--she was ready to go.

 

The car door slammed.

 

"This is going to sound a bit strange but.. grab her and throw her into a tree. That should hopefully take enough out of her lungs to leave her unconscious. Then we can make sure she herself isn't armed with any weapons. Hopefully she has rope inside we can use to tie her up."

 

Tachyon nodded. "She'll be coming your way pretty quick, I hope..."

 

She blushed--then pressed her lips against his. "For luck..."

 

...and there was a blur of motion as she erupted into the open, legs pumping, heart racing, a blur of motion--intent on taking this villainess down...hard.

 

Blanche Devoureaux started to turn at the motion coming toward her. She couldn't stop the grab as Tachyon latched on to her shoulders. She tried to bring her elbow up to bash in Tach's face as a countermove.

 

Even with her quick reaction speeds, some things could not be avoided--Patty ignored the swinging elbow....

 

The elbow smashed against the side of Tachyon's head.

 

...and accelerated, beginning a spin, leaving herself as the central point and Blanche...someone would lose their lunch, and it wouldn't be Tachyon...

 

She picked up on the spin...

 

Emp stood ready, considering how much of a royal pain Blanche had been he was practically hoping Tachyon would miscalculate and throw her with deadly speed into a near by tree but he still wanted to see her pay for what she had done.

 

Patty felt her stomach and its almost completely gone contents begin to rise...

 

Eric held a few of his low-yield explosives, she liked blowing people up. He was more than willing to see how she liked being on the receiving end of some explosives that while very painful weren't as deadly as some of things she had.

 

Blanche spit at Tachyon, missed, scared a squirrel into diving for trouble as his tree took a near fatal hit.

 

Patty felt dizzy--she felt sick--she felt her shoulders ache from the kinetic energy of the spin trying to pull them from their sockets she closed her eyes for a moment and tried to stabilize-- and then gave it up.

 

She let go of the explosion-wielding Blanche and let her fly--she spun down, her knees dragging into the ground and she lay, trying to regain her equilibrium--and threw up.

 

"...ihatespinningdizzydizzydizzy..."

 

Eric watched as a blur of motion went by him. Followed by Patty throwing up back where the spinning was going on. That was going to need to be suppressed if he wanted to kiss her before the night was over.

 

Eric realized that Blanche had collapsed in the wilderness away from the long driveway. He couldn't see her body from where he was standing, but had a general direction of travel. He could chase into the forest after her, or wait until Tachyon had recovered.

 

Eric moved quickly after Blanche. He wasn't going to give her too much time to recover. He moved with the practiced stealth that he had when he was this age along with some measure of speed. He still wasn't as good as he once was, but to quote a song, he was as good now as he ever was. This was why he preferred dark colored costumes. "You can give up now Heart-breaker, or I can blow you and everything within your place up with the press of a button. Your choice." He was after all known for being a villain and considering everything that just happened Blanche might believe anyone that was a villain, ex or not, just might carry out their threats.

 

Patty pushed herself to her bared knees--she still was dizzy as all hell, her inner ear arguing...

 

...and managed to make it to her feet, hands on knees and bent at the waist, her head still spinning, but the world was slowing, and that was always good--and her mouth tasted like crud.

 

Slowly, her stomach growling--too much energy expended, not enough reserves--she was hungry--she stumbled towards the direction Blanche, Heartbreaker, had been thrown.

 

An orb flipped through the air, landing at Eric's feet. It was the size of a softball and glowing.

 

Eric leapt back calculating where the orb had been thrown from and threw his own Low Yield Grenade, which mostly went off when it hit something instead of a timed explosion.

 

The orb exploded behind him, ripping up the foliage. His grenade blew a crater in the area where the orb had come from. He didn't hear cries of pain.

 

At the explosion, Patty ignored her own dizziness and picked up the pace--she knew roughly where she'd thrown Heartbreaker--and the explosion was a pretty good marker--she hit her top normal speed and roared into the woods...

 

Eric kept quiet in the tree's at this point looking around carefully for Heartbreaker. He didn't want to be out here longer than needed. Turning on his Empathy he tried to locate the general area where she was. Considering there was just her and Patty he figured this wouldn't be as overwhelming as it was at the school when he was trying to find her.

 

Eric spotted the two girls as Patty roared through the foliage, ripping brush up at high speed. He could tell Blanche was headed away from where he was standing by her calm demeanor.

 

Eric took out his grapple gun, this was going to be a rather big risk considering he was hoping to knock her out. But all things considered he didn't want Tachyon getting hit with an explosion. Taking aim at Blanche's backside, he fired. Using its retracting system, he was hoping to snag Blanche and not just her shirt.

 

Course it might help disarm her as well.

 

Still if things went well she'd be too hurt or unconscious to throw one of her own explosives.

 

The piton slammed into a tree as Blanche ran into the night.

 

Patty picked up her own pace--Blanche was a turtle compared to her own half-speed...she came up behind the girl and swung a clothes-lining arm at the back to the killer's head...

 

Blanche went down in the bushes, flipped over by the velocity of the impact. She landed on her back, trying to get to her feet. Still some fight left in her.

 

Patty doubled back and pounced, a continued blur of action--she accellerated again, burning precious energy, her fists pounding back and forth, chest and body blows against the other girl:

 

"Blowin'uppeople'n'makin'uslookbad'n'blowin'uptheCaptain'n'youtriedtoblowmeuptoyoudumb..."

 

Eric watched as a blur of action took Blanche down into the bushes. Activating his other grenade he threw it towards the bushes, yelling out a warning toward Tachyon "Grenade!"

 

her temper blew. "...BITCH!"

 

Eric's word made her eyes widen--and she blasted to full steam and tore from the woods, leaving Blanche behind...

 

The grenade blew Blanche into some trees. She looked beat.

 

"Tachyon, use the grapple guns rope to tie her to the tree.." Acrobatically leaping down safely to the ground he began walking towards Blanche.

 

Considering Tachyon's speed even if Blanche was faking unconsciousness she'd be too tied up to do anything more than argue with him. Hopefully.

 

Patty darted away, grabbing up the coils of cable and bound the other girl quickly--innocence or guilt didn't matter at this point...first things first though...

 

Her hands shaking--she was hungry, she'd burnt almost every bit of calorie that she'd taken in today in the run up here and in this combat sequence--she tore off Blanche's blouse and stuffed part of it into the girl's mouth, wrapping the sleeves about the girls head and tying them off in front, ensuring that she couldn't spit forth any more of that explosive saliva that' she'd used earlier...

 

Then wrapped Heartbreaker's hands and legs, binding them securely together in a hogtie, wrapping more cord around the girl's torso and binding her arms close...

 

...then sat down with a *flumpf*, her legs and arms trembling, weak from hunger. "Over here, Emp," she called, remembering for once to use 'code' names.

 

Once Emp was close enough to see Tachyon shaking he knew something was obviously wrong. She also looked fairly hungry.. He didn't carry much food on him but he hoped what he had might help even if only for a bit. Reaching into his belt he pulled out a few chunks of beef jerky.

 

"Always be prepared. Stake outs can get a bit annoying." there where three strips none very large or thick but they might help curb some hungry..course were talking about a snack attack, not practically dying of hunger.

 

He looked over at Blanche making sure she was still secured in the bindings. Last thing he needed was her escaping and causing more of a ruckus for the two of them.

 

Patty snagged the beef jerky greedily--she popped on in her mouth and chewed. "Thanks," she said, her voice a bit trembly, "that's the hazard of a metabolism as fast as mine--much more of this and I'm going to start burning body fat and muscle--and that's not a good thing."

 

She smiled at him thankfully--the jerky was helping a little, but was little more than a temporary stay of her hunger.

 

"What do we do with her now?" Tachyon asked, folding legs up under her and conserving energy. "Do we call the cops? She's got a vehicle--we can take that back to town, turn her over to the cops--hit a drive-through, but..."

 

Patty shook her head and then looked at Emp. "Do we know for sure if she's the guilty one? I mean, its all circumstantial..." her voice trailed off.

 

He nodded. "Yeah it is, but I'm sure either if they search this place they'll find her bomb making materials or be able to test her explosive powers. Not to mention Ms. Blanchie here is suppose to be dead. Not living by herself at the summer cabin." He looked back at Blanche and grinned. "Lets take her all wrapped up to the police station."

 

He sighed to himself, picking up Blanche he mustered his strength together to get her into the car. With her trussed up like a turkey he wasn't going to worry about her explosives unless she got loose. "Brace yourself Tachyon.." he let go of his Seductive presence. He was going to have a hell of time dampening it, but at least hopefully if Blanche woke up it wasn't going to get deadly...well hopefully not deadly.

 

It washed over Patty with the force of the ocean--she felt her eyes cross and her breath caught. She felt her whole body react--her skin prickled as though exposed to a sunlamp--and she shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. "Woah," she said, her breath husky, "and I was ready for this..."

 

She shifted again and adjusted her top, pushing against the far door of the vehicle. "Lets go, please?"

 

She rolled down the window and stuck her head out into the cool air, panting. "Please?"

 

"Right." Eric took a moment hotwiring the car. He didn't quite feel up to trusting Blanche's pockets or contaminating any evidence she might have on herself. Starting the car, he started his way towards Police HQ. Every once and while he'd look over at Patty as he drove. "Sorry to do this to you Tachyon, but it's the only thing I can think of that'll keep her to distracted to try an escape from the bonds you have her in." He smiled at her "I'll make it up to you as soon as possible I promise."

 

Her eyes were dilated and she was panting--her hair blew in the wind as she went for fresh air, her head out the window.

 

"You'd...better..." she said, fighting the urge to unbuckle the seatbelt and climb into his lap. "Darn it, I don't even want to think of what you're doing to her..."

 

Her head flicked towards him. "I have a question--you keep this up for..."

 

Head back out the window, more deep breaths...

 

"...so long, does this...imprint onto someone's...psyche?"

 

"Depends on how long I have it on for.. which is why I'm trying to hurry this car along. For some reason..I um..can't remember how long it takes before imprinting could be irreversible...Could be days, hours or hell even minutes... but I think it's closer to hours or days." At least he hoped so mentally. He felt pretty guilty already for Patty's current problem, but that didn't stop him from taking glances at her while her head was out the window.

 

He started speeding up as best he could on the dirt and gravel road. He didn't want them sliding everywhere but at the same time he wanted to get this person to the police as quickly as possible. "Try and keep an eye on Blanche, we don't want her to pull a fast one while where traveling."

 

There was definitely an air of arousal about her, though her head was currently out the window in the cool evening air. Her head came back in. "Hours. Days. Oh...boy..." Her eyes closed and she fought her own urges.

 

"Anyone...ever..." Her eyes crossed again and her hand strayed for the seatbelt buckle, then inched away. "...never stop...like you...wanting you...??"

 

"I'l...try..." She turned around--unfortunately towards the center, watching...the young woman in the back seat...and her breath came a little more ragged.

 

"There was a person once who never did stop liking me... Lusting for me.." he closed his own eyes a moment and opened them quickly focusing on the road "I can't remember who though. Every time I try and remember it just kinda... shadows through. Although .. I'm pretty sure even in the future I had felt sorry for her." he finally pulled the car onto the highway towards the city.

 

"Still maybe this time around she'll get something better. Something she was meant to have." He was slightly depressed again but that didn't stop his aura from twisting every word into an orgasmically

seductive word and phrase. Words that could echo into a persons mind and soul, but words whose meaning would do little more than excite the soul and bring the body a desire all it's own.

 

The bump and thump of the vehicle slightly brought Patty back to reality--she was trembling--she was too close to him--his power was eroding her will fast...she wanted...she wanted...she...

 

Her breath came hot and heavy and she reached to him as his words ran feathers of ice down her spine, blowing everything within her to full heat. "Stop..." she hissed, her eyes dilated, her lips touching his ear. "I...have to get out...please...I can't...I have to...let me run...please..."

 

Her breath was panting, hot, heavy, her skin flushed, his aura pushing her desire past her own emotional red-line.

 

Eric's phone buzzed again. Then the both of them heard a sound from the back. It sounded like the hiss of a spitting cobra. A gob of glowing spit hit the steering wheel.

 

"Aww frag.." Eric peeled off to the side of the road. Stopping he looked back into the backseat. Tachyon had gagged the girl, so that meant she'd either eaten through it or she has acid saliva. "Get out Tachyon..."

 

The steering wheel blew up. The jeep kept going with a piece of plastic sticking out of Eric's armored vest. He could see the side of the mountain dropping off into a valley, a deep dark valley full of trees.

 

His phone buzzed but since he was going over the side of a cliff, it looked like he wouldn't be able to answer it at the moment.

 

Patty bounced forward--she'd undone her seatbelt--and the back into the seat as Eric brought the car to a complete stop--she almost yowled from the released hormones that flowed uncontrollably through her body as Eric pushed her out...she tumbled to the ground and shuddered--every touch against her skin just attenuated rather than diminished the sensations that coursed through her...

 

Patty had a moment to see a spear sticking out Eric's chest as she bailed out. Then the car started over the side of the mountain road.

 

Patty rolled to a halt, her flesh on fire from arousal--she stumbled to her feet and staggered after the car in disbelief, her heart and stomach in her throat...

 

It should have been a scream, but came out as a disbelieving whisper as her eyes tracked the final flight of the car...

 

"...Eric?..."

 

Patty saw the car catch on the edge of the cliff side, hanging on the curve.

 

Eric watched the ground in the distance getting closer, panic seemed to soak him through his seat belt was off in a blur it seemed as he fired his grapple gun out and through the window. It latched onto a part of the edge of the mountain side. The rush of adrenaline dulled the pain as he was yanked from the seat and through the window. His arm wanted to let go but it held on out of sheer force of will, he could barely feel it, the arm, his mind was in far to much shock to release he just saved his sorry butt. Heck he could barely think in a normal manner. Some part of his brain however still registered that his phone was ringing still. his hand moved picking it up and in a horsed whispered that sounded far better than his body was actually feeling he answered "Hello?"

 

"I found the third clue and uniform." Pusher sounded happy. "Where are you?"

 

Eric saw the jeep hit some trees on the hill side and stop.

 

Eric waited for what felt like an eternity as his adrenaline rush was soon ending. The grapple gun

pulling him upwards towards where ever it have caught. Which thankfully seemed strong enough to support him for now.

 

Eric was on a ledge now his right arm hurt like nobody's business. His vision was a bit blurred from the pain. He looked at his hand with the cell phone he really couldn't hear the person right now it seemed so he took a bit of a risk. "Sorry, I need to get myself out of trouble. Could you call back in ten minutes? Thanks."

 

Taking some aim he fired off the grapple gun with his left arm and started back up the rest of the way. He managed to get back up the ledge where Patty was. Torn, bruised and appearantly still a plastic stake in his chest. Granted it hadn't full penetrated his costumes protection but it was still painful. He forced a smile as he saw patty near by .. took two steps and collapsed sideways losing all consciousness.

 

She punched her own speed ticket to grab him up in her arms before he fell--she eased him to the ground...

 

...and the doctor within her took over, moving into Triage...airway, breathing good, bleeding...ohgod...first that stake in his heart...no, it wasn't, didn't penetrate; without worrying about it, she discarded it and tore his shirt and costume open...

 

...and breathed a sigh of relief, all he had were bruises and scrapes.

 

Patty stood up and gauged the time--she needed to get him home...but she realized she honestly didn't know where he lived...

 

...without hesitation, she picked him up carefully in her arms and ran for home...not at her top speed, but fast enough.

 

Tachyon slow ran the hundred fifty miles back to the city passed through highway exits with restaurants and hotels.

 

Eric's phone rang again as she ran. Her stomach growled to let her know it didn't like her.

 

Patty knelt at the top of the cliff, the events of the past hour...pounding in her heart, her whole frame going from empthically-induced arousal to natural-borne sorrow.

 

Tears unnoticed leaking from the corners of her eyes, she whispered again, "...eric..."

 

Patty spotted the tail lights gleaming up at her from a stand of trees.

 

Food could wait...she had to get him home...her vision was beginning to tunnel out a bit.

 

She changed the way she held him and slowed her own pace a little; she dug into his pocket awkwardly, then flipped his phone open. "Hello..." she said, the words dragged from her. "Eric isn't available right now..."

 

"Pusher." Pusher's voice sounded out of the telephone. "Found the clue and the uniform. Turned the clothes over to the cops. Just called to check in. Any sign of Heartbreaker?"

 

"Over the cliff, in a car, probably not dead but...we're sucking," Patty gasped, putting one foot in front of the other mechanically. "We're on the outskirts of town, coming in on 221, and I don't have anything left."

 

She paused, trying to get rid of the tunnel vision. "Eric's pretty battered...I haven't got anything left--I'm hungry--bring food, corner of 21st and Euclid."

 

Patty slowed and eased over to the bench by the bus-stop. "We're stopped, bring a car or something, and food, I...can't go any further."

 

"It's okay." Pusher sounded calm. "I got a pusher mobile I have been thinking about picking up."

 

Eric was slowly coming around. His arm was hurting pretty badly, not to mention most of the rest of him. He wasn't laying down on his chest, that was at least good. Looking around he saw the tired and drained Patty. "So...you holding up okay?"

 

Patty shook her head and handed his phone over, still on. "Its Pusher, and no, I feel like crud."

 

She took his hand and pushed it against her flank. "You can feel my ribs--I'm starting to burn on myself, rather than reserves."

 

"Damn.. I'm sorry hon." he forced a smile "Your still cute to me though." he looked at the phone "Hope Pusher gets out here quickly. Don't think I dislocated my arm but I think I pulled or strained some muscles with the get out car move." He looked down the road a bit "Maybe order us a dozen pizzas when we get back."

 

"He's still on the line, I didn't hang up," she said, easing back and slumping on the bench. "A dozen pizzas sound good, and I checked you out...not like that..." she gave him a very tired smile. "...you've got bruises and bumps and I think you hyperextended your right side--give it a day or two and you'll be fine."

 

"Tell him to hurry," she said--and then her stomach growled angrily. "And pizzas, and I have to get home...before my folks ground me."

 

Tachyon had covered a great distance from the mountains half the state away. Traffic passed by where they sat until a black Volkswagen beetle rolled up the street slowly. A giant silver atom was painted on the hood of the car.

 

Patty's jaw fell open. "Oh." She shook her head. "My." her eyes widened. "God."

 

She pushed herself to wobbly feet and helped up Eric. "I thought he was kidding with 'the pusher mobile'."

 

Pusher got out from behind the wheel, mask hiding his face. He went around to the other side and opened the door. He produced a big bag of Taco Bell takeout.

 

"Kinda glad I missed that line.." Eric stated as Pusher got out from behind the wheel, mask hiding

his face.

 

"Dig in." Pusher handed over the bags. "This was the fastest thing I could think of to handle your stomach."

 

There was a crinkle of wrapping paper as the speedster opened the bag...

 

"Taco Bell, best of both worlds. Something with some taste and fast." Eric took a seat in the back letting Patty have the front seat with all the food.

 

...three empty burritto wrapers hit the floor of the car in rapid succession and Patty looked up. "MM??" she said, a sour-cream mustache across her upper lip. "Yeah, hungry, god, this is good, thank you."

 

She leaned over and gave a quick peck on the cheek to Pusher, leaving behind a slight smear of sour cream.

 

Two more soft taco wrappers hit the floor.

 

"Do we check on Blanche, call the cops, or go home?" Pusher used a napkin on the smear across his face mask. "You guys said you left her tied up in a car?"

 

"Mmph," Patty said, her mouth full--she swallowed and turned beet-red. "Uh...yeah...she, uh, got kinda loose and I was distracted and uh...the car kinda went over a cliff."

 

"We'll need to check for the body." Pusher grabbed his pad and made a note. "I turned the stolen uniform in as evidence. You guys can eat while I drive."

 

Thursday the Fourth

Nariko 7:30 am

Nariko pointed at the dying vortex, puzzled. "Um...can you make out what that is? Some sort of dust tornado or something like that?"

 

"I don't know." Four looked around. "There are two more over there."

 

He pointed at two more of the outbursts in the middle of the desert sand. They rumbled up out of the ground, then dropped down in a shower.

 

Her feet shifted in the sand nervously and she immediately mentally chastised herself for being a scared little idiot. "Well um...for lack of anything *else* to look at on this planet, can we please go check them out?"

 

"I don't see why not." Mr. Four picked Nariko up in an arm and took to the sky. "We have 24 hours before we recalled. We might as well explore."

 

Nariko seemed pleased to be airborne, obviously enjoying the view. "So, you mean that we'll be able to get back even *without* being with the others?"

 

"Your dad has an automatic recall device." Four scanned the desert ahead. "As long as that is still functioning, we should be sent back to the membrane, back to the door. We can't leave it open for the obvious reasons."

 

Nariko nodded and smiled just a little. "Well okay...you're the one

that's doing the flying. Lead on..."

 

Nariko spotted the reemergence of the columns. Their sources seemed to be under the sand. She could see what looked like moving hills heading away from her and her bodyguard.

 

Nariko peered down, *terribly* curious. "Can we get a little closer please?", she asked her flying chaperone.

 

"Sure." Mr. Four descended, staying to the left of the moving hills. A cloud of sand burst in the air. Nariko spotted what looked like a fluke slapping the air.

 

She pointed it out to Four-sama excitedly. "Hey, look at *that*! There's some sort of living thing making that!"

 

"It's as big as a whale." Four looked around. "What do they call it when there's more than one? A herd? Flock?"

 

"How about a pod, like whales?", the teen suggested.

 

"That's what I was thinking of." Four pointed. "It looks like they have boats too."

 

A four master cut across the sand, sails unfurled on the cross masts. A crew of almost humans stood on the deck. Some pointed at the flying man and girl.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Wednesday the Third

8:00 pm

The three guardians rode back up to the battlefield. The car was still there, trapped by the trees from falling into the valley. The roof was gone. A series of holes punched through the metal seemed to be the reason due to the scalloped edges.

 

Blanche Devoreaux was also gone, leaving behind severed ropes and a note saying congratulations.

 

Thursday the Fourth

8:00 am

Mr. Four started down toward the boat, keeping an eye for the land whales the sailors seemed to be chasing. Nariko spotted the harpoons in the front of the craft. They seemed to be made of glass, fitted into an old style thrower.

 

"They're actually sort of pretty...", Nariko said, gesturing towards the deadly, shard-like harpoons. "Maybe they don't have enough metal on this planet to make weapons with..."

 

--

"Maybe the glass is made of the most common thing they do have." Four started gently down. "The recall devices are in the armor. Try not to get separated from them. Whaling expeditions are full of sailors who like young ladies."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Mike has taken over the campaign, running an adventure set on Saturday called the Incubus Files.

CES

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Thursday the fourth

Mr. Four landed on the deck, making sure that Nariko was behind him. The sailors looked aghast. Maybe flying men weren't a common sight around the desert.

 

"Who goes there?" One of the sailors drew a glass cutlass, the blade glowing with internal fire.

 

Nariko backs up a step and smiles nervously, her hands moving in a universal "waitaminute" gesture. "Hey, hey...we don't want any trouble here! We're explorers..."

 

"Explorers, eh?" The sailor brandished his cutlass. His friends brought up glass flintlocks, long of barrel, some kind of mineral under the hammer. "What kind of explorers can fly? I say we fill them full of holes."

 

The growl emitted by the other sailors seemed to echo the speech.

 

Saturday the Sixth

The past three days had gone without incident with no news about Heartbreaker except a calm in the storm. School was recovering a bit from the death of the Principal. Some students have taken the chance to grieve or to actually ditch school.

 

Patty wasn't one of those--she went, even though she probably could've gotten away with it...

 

The day was Saturday 6 in the morning and Eric was bringing in a few things he'd purchased from an electronic store. But he was being followed by the most interesting of creatures. Not a Human or Monster, unless you where allergic, he was being followed by a tabby.

 

Eric had sent a text message out earlier to meet at the base whenever they could today. If they where really serious about being teen heroes and dealing with their youthfulness at the same time. They were going to need to actually sit down and plan out what they needed. Thus he brought electronic components to see about building a few communicators. After all it was just a matter of time before someone noticed the cell phone use.

 

Patty rolled over at the sound of her cellphone vibrating on the table by her bed--she flipped it open with sure hands and read the words with bleary eyes--and smiled. She stumbled out of bed and down the hall in her comfy Packers nightshirt to the bathroom--a few minutes later, her hair pulled back into a pony-tail, she tip-toed past her parents bedroom with a hushed, "Going running, back later!" and pulled on her sweatpants and sweatshirt over her familiar and comfortable costume.

 

Entering the base he smiled "Anyone else here yet?" He called out. The cat behind him meowed as it walked in after him as if trying to imitate him.

 

From behind him, he heard light footfalls and the words, "Just got here," as mumbled from around a bite of donut; Patty padded up with an already open box of sugar-coated donuts. "Where'd the kitty come from?"

 

She made herself comfortable, hopping up to a seated position on a dusty counter top. "There's a new girl down the block from my house."

 

Eric looked over at the cat "Well.. to be honest the cat's been following me since I found a 24 hour electronic shop. It was kinda impressive. The cat doesn't seem to have a collar or anything though."

 

Patty knelt down: "Nice kitty?" she said, reaching to pet it.

 

The cat hissed at Patty as it moved closer and around Eric almost as if it was being scared and possessive at the same time.

 

She pulled her hand back quickly. "You've got a friend who's jealous." She flashed him a smile.

 

"Maybe she's a girl cat then..Weird never had problems with female animals before."

 

"Really?" Eric looked at her with a smile "Think she's one of our kind or just a normal teenage girl?"

 

"Dunno, she seemed nice, walked home with her yesterday--she and I are going to the mall this

afternoon."

 

Looking towards the door Eric raised an eyebrow "Hope everyone is able to make it in alright. It is a Saturday. No telling how parents are reacting to their kids running off instead of watching cartoons. Speaking of which, how'd you get away from your folks.

 

"I would have thought after this week your dad would tie you to the bed to keep you home and safe."

 

Eric of course meant what happened at the school. He didn't really know if Patty's parents knew about her powers or her desire to be a hero.

 

Patty made two more donuts disappear at lightning speed. Licking her fingers, she said, "I left before they got up, told them--and left a note--that I was going running, they know I wanted track, or at least, that's what I"m telling them, not that I can actually do it, wouldn't be fair, and the only

person...tied up?" She looked at him and smiled. "Uh...no."

 

Eric smiled "well that works I suppose. Well I was asking people to come by so we could discuss maybe creating some sort of organization with our group. Such as maybe a communicators so that we don't have to depend on cell phones."

 

The cat leapt up onto the counter and batted it's head against Eric's hand as he spoke, yet creepily enough the cat seemed to stare at Patty during the conversation.

 

Pusher stepped through the wall marked GARAGE in big letters. He went over to the screen marking off his living quarters from the rest of the area, and dropped his keys on the end table.

 

"What's going on?" He looked at the cat. "No pets."

 

Patty looked at the cat and nodded. "That's right, kitty, no pets, that means your pet human has to leave," she giggled. "Sorry, it's a good day." She folded her legs up beneath her on the countertop and proffered the box of donuts in the direction of Pusher. "Donut?"

 

"I don't see why not." Pusher kept one eye on the cat as he took a donut.

 

The cat looked at Pusher a moment before starting to groom itself.

 

"Well, I was thinking if where going to be the big team of teen heroes we might start with making

communication a bit easier. It's only a matter of time before someone starts to notice the cell phone use in the school and start to work towards tracking us down that way. I found a place where I could buy some cheap electronic supplies so I was going to get people's ideas on what they wanted the communicators to look like. Something that doesn't call attention to our normal identities." Eric added.

 

"I don't have a normal identity." Pusher looked around at his new home. "Anything is fine as long as it's untraceable."

 

"How about we talk about that later, when we're alone. I'm aware you guys probably want matching decoder rings but maybe it would be better if we all had something different looking, something that goes with our secret IDs and has no features that would identify us as part of the same team. Say a bracelet/earring combination for the girls (all different of course, let the girls choose the style) and possibly a watch or something for the guys. Of course I'll probably have neither since while I trust you guys about as much as anyone, I don't trust your ability to block out telepathy." said Hardball walking in.

 

"Oh and speaking of things I don't trust, who brought the cat in and has *anyone* checked it for, say, bugs? I hear they all have chips these days which allow them to be identified and, possibly, tracked which would lead whoever owns it to our 'secret hideout.'

 

Patty felt his accusing stare on her.

 

Eric nodded "That was an idea I was thinking about. Something to match each of us. But no one will force one on you Hardball. As for the cat, it's been following me since I left the electronic store. It's a stray as far as I can tell. It doesn't have a collar and no obvious bugs, except maybe the organic kind. Although it doesn't seem that fond of Patty for some reason." Eric looked down at the cat as it walked towards Hardball and took a seat on the floor as if pondering if it should jump up at him.

 

Patty ignored him--she'd already made her feelings known about him, and as far as she was concerned, his opinion on any subject didn't matter in the slightest.

 

"Tall order," Patty considered, "who gets this, and who calls us into action, I don't see you giving one to the police commissioner."

 

"We can give one to Detective Allen." Pusher picked up the cat and put it through the ceiling and out on the street. He sealed the hole up behind him. "He is still running down everything we gave him on Blanche. He knows he can depend on us."

 

Hardball almost chokes on his donut at the thought.

 

"They should probably be two way so any one of us can call the others at any time. If we see crime going down in our secret IDs, or even something during our patrols that we think the group needs in on we can call them and fill them in. For instance on the night you guys caught Heartbreaker, thanks for that By The Way,... (he seems to be aiming that as Patty, now that his suspicions of her and the cat have turned out to be unfounded)... there was an attack on the Burger Barn and when I took off after the people responsible I found myself up against and entire gang. Time was I

could have handled them alone, but at the moment it would have been good if I could have called in back-up. Far as I can see that's what we would use the communicators for."

 

"Some depend, I let her get away," Patty said, "but that's a start--anyone else?"

 

"There are other members of the police force, perhaps Emp's company might need one for later." Pusher knew it was Eric's employer but why deal in specifics.

 

Eric coughed a bit "I'll think about it. But if everyone likes the idea of watches for the guys and

ear rings for the girls I can start drawing up plans. I think with Pusher's powers we can mold the

communicators into existance with the supplies I got."

 

He smiled as he looked up where the cat had been removed "Well that was certainly one way to get rid of a pet. So that's all I wanted to discuss this morning with you all. After losing Heartbreaker, I feel the need to try and do something fun. Any ideas?"

 

"I'm building a vault for our trophies downstairs." Pusher indicated the small box by the chalkboard he had constructed. "What are you thinking?"

 

"As a group?" Patty asked aloud. "Um, not sure if that's a real good idea--my idea of fun is almost certainly not the same as Pusher's, and I kinda thought about just...well, hanging out at the mall today and maybe something later on." She shrugged. "I'm planning on enjoying my teen years this time around instead of graduating in three from High School."

 

"At least you can graduate." Pusher frowned. "What do you have in mind, Eric? Obviously you want to go out somewhere. Why don't you lay on us?"

 

"Rabbit's right." said Hardball "My idea of fun and everyone else's is probably radically different. If that's all we're here for I'll be going. Next time you call, please make sure it's 'work related', some of us need our beauty sleep."

 

He turned and headed for the door.

 

"No it's okay Pusher." Eric felt a bit bad about suggesting they just go and 'hang out together' they were heroes after all.

 

"Well I had the plans drawn up for the basic idea of the comm systems along with a panic tracking system. Although Hardball likely wouldn't enjoy that feature. That way if one of us is in trouble we can home in on where they're at."

 

"Pretty awesome." Pusher nodded. "When do you want to make these? I can build a set maybe but I don't know a lot about electronics."

 

As Hardball left the to head back to the exit outside away from the HQ he found the exit litered with cats, several breeds but at least sixteen cats seemed to be there waiting. Strangely enough they also didn't look happy to see him as he moved forward, the same one that Eric had earlier. It began shifting becoming human shaped, well almost human she still had cat ears and a tail and her clothes formed around her. Sort of like a maid's outfit. The cats meowed around him as they too began changing. Similar in appearance to the first except for hair color. "We are here for the one

you call Eric. Mister Hardball."

 

"Well I made one so far, been kinda tinkering with it here and there. Although mine is basically my cell phone. I thought your power might make producing them easier." Eric looked over at Patty. "Although getting them smaller would be a problem for even my skills. Maybe we should just go hang out while I think this over. The mall is starting to sound pretty good about now."

 

"I think I can get them smaller at least." Pusher looked at the spare parts. "I don't see a problem with that."

 

Hardball calmly turned on his heels and walked back to the HQ.

 

"Eric, there's a ... well I don't know the proper term for a group of catgirls ... a pack? ... works for cats but I'm not sure it does for catgirls ... an Otaku? ... anyway discussion for another time ... whatever a large group of catgirls in french maid outfits is called there's one looking for you. You see this is why we shouldn't take in strays, you let one shapeshifting anthropomorph into the HQ and the next thing you know you've got 16. Not that I'm complaining about catgirls in maids outfits, big fan of Manga and Anime actually, but even I can't cope with 16 of them..."

 

Hardball tended to ramble in only one situation. When the inherent wrongness of a situation endangered his reality framework. This was one of those times ..

 

"Tachyon, get Eric out of here." Pusher jumped up and grabbed hold of the wall. "I don't think we should let him near any more cat women after what happened the last time."

 

Patty nodded, the look on her best friend's face firm in her memory. "Yeah, I think you're right," she said.

 

Once that was yelled by the one they called Pusher the catgirls rushed forward. they'd been ordered not to carry weapons.. not that they really could when shifting. They where lucky the master created the special uniforms. Their claws were bared and they were ready for action. "Surrender him now and we shall not hurt you!" They seemed to all hiss in unison, almost like they where linked.

 

"I don't think so," Patty said, stretching to her full height, standing on her toes and arms over her head. "Um, I mean, that's a pretty big threat..."

 

There was a zip-bang as the girl accelerated, leaving behind an empty box of donuts--there had been eight a half-second earlier and Eric found himself in Patty's arms again. "So--you were saying...?"

 

"We'll be glad to hand him over." Pusher gestured for Eric to come forward.

 

Patty's mouth dropped open--and she eased Eric back to the floor, her very fiber vibrating from tension and the need for speed. "Huh?"

 

The catgirls seemed to smile with some measure of relief at Pushers words "My goodness such a polite human, Very sensible. At least Miss Moo won't have to hurt the bus people. Yes that would be horrible." They put there claws away and stood ready as if to receive Eric they had eyes on each member sixteen was a large number of people.

 

Patty touched Eric's arm as he stepped away...and balled within herself the energy she'd need shortly--she'd have to move quick, she suspected.

 

Eric was more than a little baffled by Pusher at this point but walked towards the girls away from Patty. He'd rather make a break for it but he was hoping Pusher had a plan. Still Eric was wondering what they had meant by Miss Moo and the bus people.

 

The speedster stood stock still, waiting...

 

Pusher gave Eric a push on his back, changing his jacket, (or shirt, whichever can be touched) into a mix of mildly radioactive elements and catnip. The small traces of radium would mark wherever Eric went in case they lost him, the catnip would make the cat ladies drunk and lethargic if he was right about their DNA from what they had shown already.

 

Maybe they might even decide that Eric was their new play toy.

 

Eric felt the smack to his back and didn't really notice anything different however the catgirls as they pulled him forward suddenly went from many to only one, which now looked to be hair styled like a calico. "Well time to go." she grabbed Eric.

 

"Just cause I'm going with you doesn't mean you get you manhandle me!" Eric spat trying to get her to let go, While she had a firm grip on her target she tapped her cufflink and with a sudden burst of light both where gone. A panic teleportation system, generally meant for long range

but was also generally a one way trip.

 

Patty launched herself, drawing into ever last reserve for one blinding burst of speed--it would be a bit painful later, but for now--if she were lucky...she'd go with him...with a sudden burst of light both where gone. A panic teleportation system, generally meant for long range but was also generally a one way trip.

 

Patty felt the vibration from the transport for a moment it looked like she was in two places at once.

There was a man at some sort of computer dressed in some sort of dark armor. She could also see the wall she was heading towards as her vision shifted back to normal as the vibration ended with her missing both Eric and the catgirl by what seemed like inches. It had also felt like the area had slowed during the transport likely a safety feature to insure if a target was traveling at a high speed (or falling) they'd arrive safely where ever it was that Patty had just seen.

 

"Let's go, Tachyon." Pusher headed back to his work space. "We only have a few seconds before they realize Eric's jacket is radioactive. Before that happens, I'll need you to search the city."

 

"NO NO NO NO NO!!!" Patty cried out, hitting her brakes and almost smashing face-first into the wall "I missed him almost got him he's in some place that's got computer stuff and he's in armor and I almost got him!"

 

Patty stopped dead in her tracks, still vibrating hard. "Okay okay but how am I searching I don't have a radmeter or anything what have you got?" She seemed about to panic.

 

"The ability to push molecules around, and the physics to make something that will read radium." Pusher looked at the components from Eric's phones. "The problem is I just turned Eric's jacket into two pounds of Radium. Everything he touches will glow in the dark unless we can find him first."

 

Pusher took two pieces of gear from the box and worked his magic.

 

"This should take you to every source of radioactivity in the city." He handed the chemical strips over. "Mark them and I will check them when I know where they are. The only problem I can think of is if the base isn't in the city, I might have killed Eric and the kidnappers and we might never find them."

 

Her jaw dropped. "Do you realize how much radium that *IS*?" the devices disappeared from her hand and reappeared in hers. "there's less than a trillionth part of radium in each gram of soil--radium dissipates into radon--and that's more than enough to build a *BOMB* to level part of the East Coast if someone knows how to use it..."

 

"Anyone near it will be dead before they can make it into a bomb." Pusher looked thoughtful for a second. "Unless they have a handy lead receptacle."

 

She vanished in a pop and then reappeared. "That could kill the entire city oh my god..."

 

*pop*

 

As Patty began her search she came across one bus that seemed to have people going at it like it was 1960's free love on a bus. As she moved past it she felt like she was under a watered downed version of Eric's aura. Police where already there trying to figure out how to get close enough to the bus. The rad detector was beeping steadily as she moved past, the largest spike was in two locations. One was at Nu-tech building and the other was at an all girls private school.

 

Which place did she want to search more carefully first?

 

Pusher made another detector and got out the Pusher Mobile in the hopes of crisscrossing Tachyon's path. He couldn't drive as fast as she could run, but he could still do a search to help out.

 

After driving and avoiding a few police officers that did want to slow down speeding drivers. Pusher noticed the same locations however there seemed to be some sort of problem with main roads as they where being blocked off by police officers and it was a route that Patty could have taken.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Thurs the fourth

The growl emitted by the other sailors seemed to echo the speech.

 

"CHOTTO MATTE!", Nariko shouts while quickly going pale. "You don't even *know* us and what did we ever to *you*?" ::: Great...I'm probably *dead* now! :::, she thinks morosely to herself while *trying* not to look completely terrified.

 

"Hold on a minute," Mr. Four raised his hands. "We are just looking for a town to look around until we have to go home."

 

Nariko could sense that he had an energy building around his hands, unseen but humming slightly. She nodded quickly, trying to buy time for him. "He's right! We weren't even planning to come her in the *first* place!"

 

"We're here to hunt the great sails." The surly spokesman lowered his sword slightly. 'We won't be going back to port for some time."

 

"Great sails?", she asked, puzzled.

 

"The beasts that bore through the sand." The sailor let his sword point at the deck. The other sailors lowered their weapons slightly. "Their innards are valuable for ships, food, armor. One of those will let us live the life of gentlemen."

 

"They must be difficult to hunt because of their size...", Nariko commented, feeling a bit more at ease.

 

"More difficult because they can sink into the sand beyond our harpoons." The sailor put his sword away, but did not offer a hand. "What know you of Sailing?"

 

She felt even more at ease when called on to talk about herself. "Well, nothing per se, but I know how to navigate and I'm handy at fixing things. I *also* know a lot about metalworking, but I guess you really don't have much metal on this planet, do you?

 

"I can also fire one of your harpoons, probably."

 

"What's metal?" The sailor seemed puzzled.

 

"I'll show you." Very slowly, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a 10-yen coin, holding it so that the crew can see it. "This is a metal that we call brass..."

 

"We don't have anything like that here." The sailor put his sword, away holding out his hand for the coin.

 

She handed it to him carefully while continuing to explain. "Metal is dug up from deep within the earth, purified and cast into shapes. It would make better weapons than glass since it's less brittle and also heavier. It can be sharpened to a keen edge too."

 

"We don't have anything like that here." The sailor looked the coin over before handing it back. "The sand covers anything like a solid earth except where the ports have settled. Even there, dig into the ground and you won't find anything like this."

 

She nodded. "Most metals don't come out of the ground looking like this. For example, one common metal called aluminum comes from a white, powdery stone called alumina. Copper comes from a pretty blue stone called azurite. I don't know much about the subject, but I'm sure that you have things here that contain metal."

 

"We don't have anything like that." The sailor turned, spreading his arms. "Sand is mostly what we have here. Sand and what little sticks out of it. Most everything we make is made of this base material, and what we can get from hunting."

 

She nodded, looking at Four-san for a moment to see if he wanted to add anything.

 

"Stay or go?" was all he said. He watched the crew going about their job of sailing on the high sand.

 

"I don't know...they seem rather busy...", she answered tentatively.

 

"I'm only your bodyguard." Four looked around. "You're safe until they actually stab one of those monsters. Then the real work will start."

 

"I'm not sure if there's much else out here, but I'm also not sure if they'd *want* us to stay...", she said to him quietly.

 

"They said there was a port." Four watched one of the spouts throw sand in the air. "Let's see if we can go there and get some of the local cuisine if it isn't too poisonous."

 

She nodded. "Um...excuse me, but in what direction is the nearest port from here?", Nariko asked the man that she'd given the coin to.

 

"It's hundreds of sails that way." He pointed across the sand to the left.

 

She bowed politely to him. "Thank you very much for your assistance."

 

"Be careful of the Port's guards." The sailor waved harpooners into place on the bow. "They will want to examine whatever you carry to assess their taxes."

 

"Thank you for the warning, sir."

 

"You're welcome." The sailor waved them off. "If you're going, this is the time for you to go. We're about to work now."

 

"Good luck...", she said and then turned to her bodyguard to leave with him.

 

Mr. Four gathered her up in a round bubble and headed into the sky. He didn't look back as he headed in the indicated direction.

 

"What do you think that they actually use for currency here?", Nariko asked.

 

"I dont know." Four kept the bubble steady as they cruised along. "Certainly not gold, or anything else we consider precious. Maybe something that has to do with those animals. That's why the whalers on our Earth went to sea."

 

She sighed. "It makes me wonder how we're going to actually pay this tax that he was talking about..."

 

"I'm not worried about that." Four frowned. "We don't have anything we can use. We'll have to look at it and see what will happen."

 

Nodding, Nariko settled in for the trip.

 

Hours passed until a tall spire of rock appeared in the distance. As they closed on it, they could see windows carved in the face of the mountain. Rock reach out like fingers to form weird piers on the sand.

 

It was an island in a strange sea.

 

Nariko peered at it, fascinated. "How do you think that formed originally?"

 

"Volcano?" Four dipped toward the sand. "I'm going to bring us in low if I can. That way we won't attract attention."

 

She nodded again, taking in the exotic scenery.

 

Four dipped down until the bubble skimmed the sand, then he sank it under the loose yellowness. He kept going until they both saw a rock face extending down to block them. He headed up to drop on the pier, surrounded by sailors leaving and landing.

 

Sat the Sixth

Patty ignored the bus, that wasn't her problem, not right now; as she roared through the city, two boxes of donuts at a convenience store disappeared and were replaced by three dollar bills in payment; a moment later, the empty boxes were disposed of properly in a dumpster as Patty frantically attempted to replace the energy she was burning in this city-wide search.

 

The rad detector beeped steadily as she moved past, the largest spikes were in two locations. One was at the Nu-tech building and the other was at an all girls private school.

 

Which place did she want to search more carefully first?

 

Pusher made another detector and got out the Pusher Mobile in the hopes of crisscrossing Tachyon's path. He couldn't drive as fast as she could run, but he could still do a search to help out.

 

After driving and avoiding a few police officers that did want to slow down speeding drivers. Pusher noticed the same locations however there seemed to be some sort of problem with main roads as they where being blocked off by police officers and it was a route that Patty could have taken.

 

She hit her brakes and pulled the cell phone from her top; she hit speed dial for Pusher and in rapidfire speech, she said, "Ifoundtwoplaces..."

 

The speedster forced herself to slow down. "I found two places," she said again, "where his signature is strong, there's a girl's school on Eischer, St Maries, that the rads are strong and then at NuTech, and I'm going to go race through NuTech and see what I can find, you tackle StMariesifyouwould..."

 

"Nu Tech was where he worked." Pusher thought about it. "I wonder if the St Marie's is missing a bunch of girls, or cats."

 

Pusher sank through the floor board of his car and headed for the school, using his ability to fly through molecules to look around and avoid security. He had a feeling Tachyon was getting into trouble without him.

 

The Nu-Tech building glittered with a clean corporate air. Meaning very likely, clean on the outside dirty on the inside with military hardware being created day by day along side several little things for the common folks.

 

The girl tucked the cell back into her tight top, there was a little holster there for it, and accelerated into the building, picking up speed and still not only watching where she was going--she hadn't a clue to be honest--but watching that rad meter.

 

As she sped down the halls the rad meter perked up once or twice but nothing in deadly scale. One large metallic door had opened and the meter went up much higher. Inside was some woman that was talking in slow motion as far as Patty was concerned. Although she looked a lot like the woman that was suppose to own the company. Eric's 'wife' as it were. The signs in the room hinted at her being in a restricted area as the doors started to shut.

 

She was being foolish, she knew it--but she couldn't let him go, not without a fight--she gritted her teeth together and accelerated through the closing doors and into the chamber...

 

The chamber had several scientists moving about in slow motion and also seemed to be screaming about some outside source using there gear. One of the cleaning ladies is sweeping the floor but

it appears that she seems to be smirking when the others in the room aren't looking at her.

 

She wears a heavy hat that hides most of her hair and the really baggy clothes seem slightly off on her.

 

As he looked around he could see what appeared to be a camera mounted onto a tree. He could also hear sirens in the distance that seemed to be getting closer. They sounded similar to police sirens.

 

Pusher checked for wiring on the camera to follow back to its source. Otherwise he would slag the lens and take the insides out for further study.

 

Patty's attention span slipped past her phone--one thing she'd forgotten was that a side-effect of this during her teen years that manifested in a slight case of ADD--and she focused instead on the Carol Burnett Wannabe; she charged and crooked an arm, intent on taking this out-of-place with her as she MOVED BY and towards some place out of site and mind for the immediate future...

 

Patty hit easily dragging the wannabe through the door that had appeared to have reopened and outside. Once removed from Patty's arm the girl was growling and rubbing her neck. The hat having fallen away let her see the two dog like ears on top of her head. "What's the big idea you coulda killed me!" She barked out to no one in general.

 

The wiring was easy to follow however as Pusher was doing so the gates of the school opened to allow a police car to enter. The wiring itself as he was following lead to a security room for the all girl school. Two officers got out of the car and looked at the teenager. "Excuse us..We heard there where some super kids or something in town but you mind telling us why your trespassing on private property?"

 

"Something I would like to know myself." Came the casual voice of a man as he walked out from the security room. His silver cane rapping between steps as he walked towards the police officers and Pusher. "I know the trouble most young men have with girls being unavailable to them. But even with super powers you still must listen to the laws that govern society. But seeing as your suppose to be a self-appointed defender, care to tell me why you felt the need to trespass onto privately owned property?"

 

Pusher sank into the ground, out of sight. He started exploring the building. If they wanted him bad enough, they could chase him through the ductwork. Locating Eric was his top priority.

 

Away from the police pusher was able to look around far more easily. Moving deeper didn't seem to cause many problems. Until the strange vibrations starting upsetting his molecular ghosting. Almost like a force field system. Who ever had Eric here was a planner and also seemed to have no intention of letting him go.

 

Moving further might force Pusher into a tangible form while within the solid earth. Would he travel upward or go downward further to find out how far the barrier extended?

 

Pusher decided to find the edges of the force field on the same plane, then find a face he could follow down until he hit bottom edge.

 

Patty was cocked back n a boxer's stance; on guard and ready. "But I didn't, and you're as trespassing as I am, and you're a dog-girl and my boyfriend was taken by catgirls and I wanna know why." Her voice was pitched low, her tone was urgent, her body still vibrating fast and hard, masking her identity. "Better talk quick 'n' mebbe we can help each other."

 

"Right you're his girlfriend.." She growled a bit and took off running her speed increasing as she went much like Tachyon herself it seemed the dog girl's ability was speed. Although she seemed far less trained with it as she was actually dodging and avoiding objects near by that she could have otherwise have gone over considering the speed.

 

Patty rolled her eyes, picked up the vibration and moved into pursuit of the dog-girl--keeping pace rather than overtaking, keeping the closeness rather than an actual intercept. "Boyfriend my butt," she muttered to herself.

 

As Patty was following the dog girl she found she was being lead back towards the all girl school that she was at earlier, although she ran from the front entrance and suddenly dived through a wall on the side. Yet there was no actual damage to the wall. She could feel the vibrations of the wall. It seemed to part from her as she went through with similar if not more speed than what was originally produced by the dog girl.

 

"GreatjustgreatIhatesecrets" Patty grumbled at herself, but followed anyway.

 

The dog girl had stopped running now and was looking up with some sort of happy smirk. Apparently she couldn't see in the high speed spectrum when she wasn't running and Patty's current speed was certainly above hers.

 

The doorway to the left opened and the man in the suit of armor walked out, the same one she'd seen for only a fraction of second during that strange transport system.

 

She spun herself up to a higher speed of vibration; there wasn't much choice as she saw it--but she needed to be just slightly out of synch so as to maintain cover--it wasn't invisibility, and it burnt so much of her individual power, but...

 

The dog girl--the armored man, she'd have to get somewhere and call Pusher and Hardball and everyone else...

 

Instead, she opted to follow the armored man...

 

Upon exiting the wall Pusher found himself inside a large complex. Force field while not large did cover a significant part of the lower complex. He could see girls in some sort of school uniform walking around casually yet something about them seemed, off.

 

Pusher made sure to stay inside the wall. This was his specialty, stealth and invisibility. Something was up with the girls. He had an idea psionics was involved somehow.

 

He used the walls to maneuver around looking for Eric.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

The armored man seemed to be easy enough to follow, along with the dog girl it seemed they where walking in the same direction. The doors slid open and closed by something you would see on Star trek, but keeping up and moving with them was easy enough.

 

"Master Incubus, I ran into the young masters girlfriend. I didn't get the chance to remove all the

tampering with Nu-Tech's transport system."

 

*Ah,* Patty thought to herself, *that explains a few things...*

 

There seemed little in his voice as he spoke, likely altered by something in the armor.

 

"I see, it's a shame he fell in league with such 'heroes' I do wonder what he was thinking but I do think he'll be re-thinking his place considering the damage they did to him."

 

*sonuva...* That thought went unbidden and uncompleted.

 

As they entered what looked to be a medical room there were two large tanks. Floating in them appeared to be Eric, and in the other, the catgirl.

 

"The transport didn't go right at all. Something threw off the systems with quite a shock against its velocity control systems and then the radioactive vest. we are lucky the transport didn't kill them

both. Once we have them back at full health we should be able to start things where I had planned originally without too many changes."

 

*oh crap* Patty's heart fell--between herself and Pusher, they'd almost killed Eric, and she felt her stomach just fall as well, a gut wrenching experience. Now...she was lost...and she needed to find a way out to call Pusher...

 

She doubled back and raced for the way out, the same way she'd come in--with luck, she'd not get caught, she'd make it, and would be able to call...

 

...Reinforcements were needed.

 

Getting out proved fairly easy it seemed, as she sped down the hallways it was as if the the doors where opening on their own. At least the first three did, after that she could easily hear an alarm going off as the fourth door remained shut.

 

She hit her brakes--she used to be able to move through doors--but could she still...

 

Staying out of sync and moving rapidly where taking a toll and she could feel her body losing energy quickly.

 

She reversed her course--she moved back in sync, she couldn't support it much longer, she'd have to eat, and quick...she headed back for where Eric was...it was her fault...

 

 

As Pusher followed some of the girls he was able to locate a few weapons lockers and one door that lead to the force field system room. It was being guarded by a rather large woman that had horns on her head and floppy cow like ears.

 

Pusher marked that room before continuing to search for Eric. He had a feeling all these females were going to be a problem sooner or later.

 

There seemed to be no way down by normal means (being intangible) yet many of the doors didn't seem to stop tangible people. Humorously enough once he was past the forcefield system he was able to merge with the walls again. As he continued to explore looking for Eric the alarms suddenly went off with an intruder alert. Armed guards where running past and down the hall yelling about a trapped speedster.

 

Pusher moved in the direction of the guards travels, looking for anyone who might be stuck in place down there.

 

The way back was easy enough the doors where still open a few guards, which looked like school girls with guns, where coming out of the woodwork as the man in the armor came walking out behind them.

 

Although behind her came Pusher there where guards on the other side of the door which he'd been following.

 

The armored figured spoke now, obviously with a sound system in the armor considering the partial static.

 

"Greetings, you must be Tachyon."

 

Patty stopped--he knew who she was, but maintained just enough vibration to actually mask her identity--and said softly, "Might be..."

 

"So where is the last of your group? I am curious to meet this..hardball I believe you call him."

 

"Don't know, and who are you?" she questioned.

 

Pusher couldn't hear what was going on, but he could see through the floor. He moved underneath Tachyon to rescue her. He wondered what energy bars were made out of. That was something he would have to look up for later use.

 

Unaware that Pusher was as close as he was, Patty took a step back. "That's nice, and I don't think that...Eric...needs help from people like you, Inky." Another step back. "And I'm not sure I like your use of the word 'use'."

 

She wanted to run and couldn't--there was just too many guards, she could run past them, but she was running low on personal energy--what she had, she needed to conserve...and opted to parlay. "What...kind of help?"

 

"Easy, my dear girl no need to feel agitated. I merely plan on using some of genetic code to help speed the healing chambers. Your speed does allow for faster recovery doesn't it?" It seemed like he was trying to act 'honest' but considering how calm he was acting, either he had something up his sleeve or he was more crazy than he was letting on. He continued to walk towards her carefully.

 

"Don't think so, nice thought, but is not happening Eric or not, DNA's personal and I'm keeping mine. *darn it, let him get to close.* She weighed her options...

 

Pusher moved to an open area where he could still see the action in the main area, but where he could not be seen. He didn't like the fact that Eric's mentor was named Incubus. That could mean emotional problems.

 

Tachyon noticed the guards had moved while Incubus had been chatting with her.

 

Chatting would be an understatement; she'd allowed herself to make a newbie's error--he was too damn close, and she began to, low on energy or not, vibrate in preparation to run when...

 

They'd moved themselves to try and keep her locked down.

 

...she jumped...

 

Just when it was looking bad with incubus moving towards her, a wall seemed to form out of no where blocking Incubus from her (not to mention his guards)

 

"Crap!" her eyes were wide--she was well and truly cornered. Not good...

 

A heavy bang struck the wall a dent starting to form. It came roughly where Incubus had been standing so it was likely his doing.

 

"Crud!" She spun around, looking for a way out...

 

A Crawl space also seemed to be near by almost becking Tachyon for its use.

 

Any old port in a storm--and it was a whole lot better than having hands laid upon her--and Patty hit the gas, diving for the crawl-space.

 

Pusher decided he needed to get Eric. He waited for Patty to get in the crawlspace before transforming the grill into a solid sheet of steel with his powers.

 

*!!PANG!!* Patty's head met with the top of the metal crawl-way at the sudden ringing of Pusher's voice--it was *NOT* what she'd expected; she collapsed onto elbows, both hands on top of her head. "OW!"

 

"Head up to the surface as fast as you can." Pusher started through the walls. "I'm getting Eric and blowing this popsicle stand."

 

"be careful..." Her voice rang and rang through the incredibly dark and tight crawlway--she could feel the walls closing in on her--and she pushed herself as best she could forward, trying to ignore the impending feeling of claustrophobia.

 

Pusher hoped they couldn't blow the grate he had transformed before he did what he had to do. He used the walls to get to a clear space where Eric rested in his tube.

 

Eric's tube was in front of Pusher as he came out of the wall. The medical equipment inside the room was pristine and almost like new with how much it glittered about them.

 

The tube that was Eric was in had several buttons, dials and glowing lights that flashed several times.

 

The buttons waited along with a monitor that showed some high level genetic readings on the screen.

 

Pusher used his power on the tube to get Eric free.

 

The blonde girl stopped her forward crawl, and took a deep breath. She wasn't particularly claustrophobic--but the darkness was not helping, and neither was the fact that this passageway was only a little bit bigger than she.

 

It could've gone anywhere--and now she was wondering if she'd managed to set herself up into a trap.

 

"Darn it."

 

Carefully, she began inching her way backwards--maybe she could get back out the way she got in.

 

Maybe.

 

It seemed fairly easy to go back the same direction. In fact the further back she went the wider the tunnel got until she could stand up again. The tunnel also went back towards the lab that Eric had been inside of. The door way was being banged on by a very likely very irrate Incubus.

 

Pusher seemed like he was ready to disintegrate the tube that Eric was inside.

 

"Pusher no..." Patty began moving towards the other youthful hero...

 

Pusher can feel the metals and plastics of the machine resisting the drain, but slowly the casing began to fall apart, releasing Eric. The catgirl's pod was still intact.

 

The computer began beeping loudly with Eric's release. Loudspeakers spark to life with a computerized voice echoing, "Warning, warning, warning."

 

Thankfully there appeared to be no laser security devices. Although there are plenty of cameras sending off microwaved information.

 

Pusher used transform to heal Eric back up to snuff before trying to figure a way out of the complex.

 

Pusher brought his concentration towards healing Eric only to find his own body healing small cuts and bruises, which were very few.

 

Patty's movement towards Pusher and her warning went unheeded. The Computer beeped once again. The tube holding the catgirl draining and opening to release the occupant.

 

Patty disappeared in a squeak of hard rubber soled shoes and reappeared, catching the injured catgirl in a slorp of goo and gunk. "Eww..."

 

Eric's eyes slowly started to open as if groggy which was likely if there was a sedative within the liquid chemical bath he'd been taking.

 

She laid the girl down on the floor gently, quickly assessing her injuries.

 

"Well I'm guessing the rescue party is here. Any chance I can join in?" He asked taking note of where they were.

 

Pusher placed a barrier around the cat girl before she could wake up.

 

"We need an escape route and we need to blow things up." Pusher looked around for another airvent. "So what do you have?"

 

"ItsmyfaultEricI'msorry," came the one-word response from Patty, who was still kneeling in a pool of goo next to the catgirl, making sure she lived still.

 

Eric was trying to shake the cobwebs from his head. "Okay..someone still has cobwebs in his head. Can you slow that down." Standing up shakily he looked around not noticing his nudity. The catgirl however had something that looked like a thin suit over her skin.

 

Patty laid the catgirl's head gently on the floor and stepped over to Eric, taking him in her arms and holding him tight. "I'm sorry," she said, slowly, "It was my fault you were hurt I'm so sorry."

 

"On second thought, lets hold off on explanations until we get out of here." Eric looked about half dead, it was a certainty he wasn't going to be doing much running in his current condition.

 

"If I remember correctly, the reason I was hurt was because someone wanted to teleport me somewhere. That's risky enough technology. Don't blame yourself for something someone else did Pa- Tachyon." he added as the catgirl began to wake.

 

The banging at the walled door persisted as it started to give way to the onslaught behind it.

 

"It looks like I am going to have to carry us out of here." Pusher looked around for things to transform. "You'll need clothes."

 

Patty swept him off his feet--not the first time she'd carried him, and she tried her best to keep her eyes off his personal bits. "Pusher can you getusoutofhere?"

 

"I think so." Pusher looked around for breathing equipment for his friends.

 

As if noticing his nudity for the first he covered up with his hands. "Yeah.. getting out of here is a good idea." his face flushed crimson. "Looks like I'm going to need my clothes.

 

"Mmmm...yeah," Patty agreed, trying to keep her eyes off of his groin as she turned to follow Pusher. "And I think the catgirlthingieiswakingup!"

 

Pusher looked for replacement clothes for Eric with the breathing equipment.

 

Pusher easily found Eric's clothes in a locker, along with a replacement costume, apparently Incubus

planned on Eric joining him again.

 

Pusher checked the costume for traps by running his hand through it and x-raying it with his vision power before handing it over. Since he didn't find any air or gas masks, he might have to improvise something.

 

The catgirl looked around at them kind of groggily, noticing the red alert sounding. One would

think she would have attacked the heroes around her.

 

"Young master is here? You all join then. Who is attacking compound? We need escape or are we need weapons?" she asked standing up to move to a clothing locker quickly "Is police attacking already? I didn't think the bomb would have gone off yet."

 

Patty's mouth fell open--bomb?

 

Eric dressed in his costume and looked over at the catgirl a impish grin coming to his face before he took on a panicked tone. "Yes, we're under attack! But its not the police, its some strange illusionist or shape changer. Made himself look like Incubus! We need an exit and fast!" If there was a bomb, they needed out and in a hurry.

 

The catgirl nodded as if everything Eric was saying couldn't have been a lie. Sometimes one had to wonder what kind of intelligence she had to fall for such a lie. But moving over to the computer she opened up what appeared to be a secret doorway.

 

"This leads to the sewer ways, we should go now."

 

Pusher turned his mask into a filter and costume air tight before turning on his flight and x-ray power to scan for traps in the walls as he headed down the tunnel first.

 

Patty would have to help Eric.

 

Tachyon swept Eric back off his feet. "I have you," she assured him, carrying him as gently as she could, and following behind Pusher. "Promise."

 

Eric was carried by Patty. Thankfully the passage way was completely clear, leading them out towards another hidden doorway into the sewer ways again. The catgirl looked around nervously "What are we to do now?" she asked the group.

 

Patty put Eric down and dusted her hands needlessly, an automatic reaction, then placed her hands on her hips, looking about.

 

Eric looked around a bit "I think the best thing would be for you to go and see about getting help for Incubus. We..er better go check on that bomb. Where did you say it was?"

 

The catgirl chuckled and poked Eric's forehead. "Silly humans always forget things. Not like we anipeople. We put bomb at police station. Make explosions big enough to knock down whole building."

 

Patty looked at Eric, glancing momentarily at Pusher. "He's your dad," she said to Eric, giving her full opinion in volumes of tone without actually saying anything more.

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Saturday the Sixth

Eric looked at them as the catgirl left them alone "He might be my dad, he might even deserve some sort of justice for what I went through and..I guess going through again... But if there's one thing I learned the first way around is not all cops are bad. There might be a few of them that deserve a bomb in the face but I seriously doubt all of them do." Eric smiled. "Besides what fun would it be to let my dad die before he gets to meet my girlfriend? One less thing for him to tease me about."

 

"He won't tease," Patty promised.

 

"Let's go, lover boy." Pusher grabbed the wall, preparing to move through the ground to the police station. "I'll see what I can do while you guys catch up."

 

"Right," Patty said, sweeping Eric back up off his feet. "I'll get him there, you just tell where you want to meet--and we'll be there with bells on."

 

Boyfriend in arms, catgirl in her wake, she took off down the corridor.

 

"Let's try the front door." Pusher headed into the ground. "You might want to call ahead."

 

There seemed to be no interception as the group moved to the police station. The police were coming and going as they usually did. The question was in this small three story building and two sub-levels plus one holding area, where was the bomb?

 

Patty sat Eric carefully down on the concrete behind the dumpster and glanced at the building. "Darn it," she said, one hand on his shoulder, "Well..."

 

A sudden flash of brilliance hit her and she looked at the catgirl. "Where's the bomb?"

 

Pusher started at the bottom of the building, looking at the main supports first. His molecule vision should pick out something fairly quickly as long as he was passing through the walls and floors.

 

The catgirl looked at her and laughed. "Silly girl, The bomb is where it would be most effective. It's over Eric's dad's head." She seemed to grin. "See it's at a perfect place. Wouldn't you say?"

 

Patty's eyes closed in a wince.

 

Starting at the bottom and working upward did help as the stuff of the area seemed to shift and move. Finally The bomb came into view above an officers desk in the narcotics area.

 

"Naturally." Pusher examined the bomb for timers or radio mechanisms.

 

Patty looked at Eric. "Darn it," she said. "Can you get us in there without really being noticed, I mean, I've can get a change of clothes quick and we can go see your dad, better now than never I mean that gets us in anyway on the pretext of you and me going to see him because..." she frowned and her eyes brightened. "...I'm your girlfriend!"

 

"Yeah." He looked at the catgirl "Wait here, we're .. going to go say goodbye to my dad. okay?"

 

The catgirl just smiled at him. "Phf, I might be more fluffheaded than the average human but even I know you plan on stopping bomb. Master might not like it, Eric, but I remembers you not always happy. You go try and make things way you want. if it work. Happy ending for you maybe but dad will still be there. So will Master Incubus."

 

The catgirl stood next to a wall "My duplicate already speaking with Master so I know that you have ten minutes. He has activated timer. He say your test starts now. Hero or Villain."

 

"Patty, go get that change of clothes. I hope Pusher found that bomb already cause this won't be pretty. Meet me by the front door." Eric yelled while running towards the front of the police building.

 

There was something strange about the bomb as Pusher began examining it. It was slightly off from more conventional explosives but there was a sudden soft beep barely heard as he approached which caused the Timer to light up for ten minutes.

 

Pusher tried to turn everything to oxygen, not wanting to take a chance on moving it, or taking it apart.

 

Patty was already gone and moving, accelerating to her full power and moved towards point A which was where she'd left her pants and blouse and got to the hiding place and grabbed them and tossed them over her arm her stomach rumbled again she didn't have the energy to really expend she was going to do herself harm if she wasn't careful but she hit the gas and kept moving slowing only when she got back towards the police station that was too easy she pulled her blouse ran her fingers through her hair then slowed more as she was sure no one was watching and quickly shed her shoes and pulled on her trousers and then slid her feet back into the high-tech running shoes and ran her fingers through her hair again...

 

...and looped her hand over his forearm. Her hair was out of the eternal ponytail and fluffed lightly about her shoulders. "Ready," she said, to the tune of her stomach rumbling. "Let's do this!"

 

Pusher could feel the molecules around the bomb giving way bit by bit. The device seemed protected but not enough that it couldn't be changed. It was just going to take a long time to get through it. Question was did he have enough time to get through it before the bomb went off?

 

Pusher decided that he couldn't move the bomb, and transforming it was going too slow. He could use it as fuel for a molecule blast, or create a solid barrier around it to try to contain the blast.

 

Either way would be a mass of destruction for the station, unless he wanted to chance moving it himself after all.

 

Better let someone know.

 

"Hey!" Pusher stuck his head out of the ceiling. "There's a bomb in the ceiling. You might want to clear the building."

 

Once Patty and Eric started to go through the door no one really paid them much attention there or inside. Yet Eric was on edge simply because of where he was. He felt like a long tailed cat in the room full of rocking chairs.

 

Downstairs where Pusher came through the officer looked up at him "What the hell!? Why did you put a bomb up there?" He took out his gun to open fire. Dirty consciences bred dirty thoughts in this case with Eric's father that the teen supers were actually criminals.

 

"I'm trying to save the building, idiot." Pusher shook his head. "Pull the fire alarm and get everyone out of here."

 

Pusher went back into the ceiling and decided the best thing he could do was transform the surrounding material into lead and steel to seal the bomb in a box. He kept doing this until he knew the countdown was in its last stages before trying to make his escape. He hoped Patty and Eric had taken the hint and gotten clear.

 

He really hoped the idiot he had talked to had pulled the fire alarm like he said.

 

Patty wrapped her hand around his elbow, bouncing and flouncing along, ever the chipper cheerleader her eyes left and right quickly, taking in the sights--she'd been here before, as an adult, but even though there was purpose, she was nothing if not curious.

 

She squeezed his arm. "It'll be okay," she assured him. "In, out, introduce me to your dad and worst comes to worst, I disappear in a cloud of dust with a bomb in my hands."

 

They had been nearing the elevator when the police started shouting out alarms and pulling people out of the police building. Pusher's ability focused on the bomb helped keep the explosive from destroying who knows how much more than it would have normally done. But the remaining destructive force was enough to cave in the ceiling, at least superficially. Nothing major fell in. They'd need to replace titles and supports for the tiles. Eric's father was too busy for his own good giving descriptions of what had happened and how he'd know there was a bomb present. Busy enough in fact that he and most of his friends on the force didn't even notice Eric and Patty standing among the crowd.

 

Patty wrapped her hand around Eric's waist. "Well, that was almost bad," she decided, "at least nobody's hurt, we didn't blow cover, and Pusher managed to clear out most of the cops and minimize the bomb damage."

 

She looked around. "Was that my imagination or did I hear gunshots earlier?"

 

Eric looked at her a bit "Not sure.. I thought I'd heard something too.. but your right at least it looks like no one got hurt."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

John has taken over. The time has been jumped ahead to November.

CES

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

November the 15

Situated along the California coast north of San Francisco yet well south of the desolate, tree-encrusted wilderness of Oregon, Jack Pine, the Park Ranger at the San Pablo National Park-which consisted primarily of the old Spanish Mission, the most northern bit of rubble from the old Spanish Empire's Colonial Era, leaned on the cliff-side railing and puffed on his cigarette, a cup of steaming hot coffee of his own brew and watched the ocean, a hundred feet down and west, go from dark to red to gold to foggy blue and back again as the mist and rain faded in and out, the fog drifting thickly, lurking amongst the heavy rocks that lined the coastline, rocks that had been the ruin of many a ship and the root cause of the settlement of the city below and just to the south.

 

It was a cold, wet and miserable day, the mists bringing with it a steady drizzle of cold rain that just accented the post-Halloween depression caused most typically by the sudden depletion of chocolate collected on the celebration of Samhain and slumped into that low period before the spirits would rise with the smell of roasting turkey and potatoes and yams and gravy and college football and the beginning of the Christmas shopping season...

 

Jack tossed the stub aside and turned inside, holding his still steaming mug tight in his hands--there would be no tours today, and this muscular if not overly bright Ranger's total tasks for the day would be walking the parking lot and picking up used and discarded condoms from the teens that made the parking lot that overlooked the Pacific their local headquarters for the bump-and-grind.

 

Sooner or later, he'd actually petition for a night watchman and another Ranger, but it was nice and quiet, and that, in Jack's book, was a win. As the Ranger went into the Visitor's Center, Pete the Racoon followed him as always, only to be on the wrong side of the closing door and, as always, chittering angrily at Jack for being left outside, then proceeded, as always, to dig through the garbage cans outside the door for his own breakfast.

 

There was at the periphery of audibility the creak of wood in the salt-laden wind that blew off the cold Pacific on this day, nothing unusual given the heavily forests that tended to fill the unpopulated areas of this part of the country...

 

The City actually had two downtowns; the first and newest was a brightly lit series of newly constructed glass-and-steel buildings that exceeded the California recommendations and guidelines for earthquakes, and that was just off the Outer-71 Loop, in fact, the entire Loop surrounded the new downtown, glittering as it did this late afternoon as a diamond surrounded by the coal of the fog and mist that just wouldn't seem to stop.

 

This heavy November fog was affecting everything from Seattle down to Los Angeles--out on the 52S, the Old Coast Highway, a semi, the driver half-blinded by fog was now tying up the local traffic by being inconsiderately jack-knifed across three lanes, and while traffic on the Interstate was moving, it was more a slow rush of headlights and horns flowing north and south, hampered by the fog and tempers on this Friday afternoon. The interstate wasn't the only thing piling up--at Richard M Nixon International, overflow from LAX and San Francisco was piling up as well, a dozen jetliners from all over the world on tight holding patterns as harried ATCs did their best to keep the world straight and safe.

 

Beneath the bluffs upon which sat not only the Old Mission but the Lighthouse, though, and central to the original linear design of the town that spanned the coastline north and south, was the Old Downtown, glass and brick and wood that dated back to the nineteen thirties when the Old Coast Highway went through, connecting up San Francisco with a high-speed avenue to points north along the Oregon and Washington Coasts.

 

While the New Downtown boasted coffee shops and all kinds of entertainment, Old Downtown was actually much more comfortable; particularly with the Town Square, lovingly refurbished and actually on the list of Protected Sites within the State's catalogue, the cause and point behind that the central fountain, which had been imported at great expense from Denmark prior to the turn of the century and was in fact an almost exact replica of Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid, the original of which resided quietly within the harbor of Copenhagen.

 

The entire square, though, was relaxing, the fountains, the grassy knolls, the big park gazebo under which the High School band would get together during the summers to practice--this had, since the 1950s, turned into a regular Saturday Night event for the townies. Surrounding the park, though, were the mom-and-pop stores that refused to die, despite the growth of Downtown...

 

There was Reynolds Family Grocery World over on the North-East corner, right next door to which was of all things a brand-new Starbucks; catty-corner and across the square was the delicious aroma that emanated from the Three Lucky Penny Dragon Chinese Family Restaurant...and which brought not only customers, but great amusement to almost everybody when one of the members of the Immigrant family, trying to do the right thing and deal with the constantly growing feline population in the back alley had placed a carefully hand-lettered sign in the window: 'Free Kittens. Enquire Within.'

 

There was even a hobby store called the, Anim-Ocean A Sea of Cards, Comics and Manga D&D Every Night (A New Dungeon Every Evening Or Twice Your Character's Levels Back!) that sat with dingy windows--it wasn't unlike a pornography shop, where people ducked in and ducked out quickly, hoping to not be recognized by their respectable friends and neighbors...but it'd managed to hang on for the past almost thirty years, against all odds.

 

It was at the Cleary Restaurant, a throw-back in both design and atmosphere to the 1940s soda fountain that Patty sat next to Eric on one of the red plastic seats, their proximity giving lie to their relationship--too close to be just friends, not close enough to be lovers but with the potential to become such, and with Jared "Pusher" Lee sitting across from them, the warm smells of 'comfort food' in the form of deep-fried home fries and fresh from the grill burgers frying up on the grill behind the counter-top.

 

Kara had only recently joined the group of students--her memories, long buried as a result of Tempus' spells had began returning just after All Hallows Eve...and it was a relief to know that she wasn't alone, that there were others out there with similar talents and abilities...well...perhaps not similar...but close enough.

 

"Kara!" Patty called, "Over here!"

 

There wasn't much that could distract from where the three teens sat--after all, the Cleary place was longer than wide, and besides the counter-top that ran the length on the south-side of the interior and the bench-tables that lined the north, there was just a handful, almost two handfuls, of wooden tables and chairs covered with checker-board table-cloths, and, with it being less than an hour after school, the supper rush hadn't started yet, and the football players and the cheerleaders wouldn't be in until later, since they were either at home or at school--but preparing for tonight's clincher with the Urbanville Panthers.

 

Kara joined the others dropping her school bag on the seat before falling in beside it with a loud sigh.

 

"I could kill for a hamburger! So, who is planning on going to the game tonight?"

 

"We are! Right Eric?" Patty bubbled.

 

Then continuing in a hushed voice "I'm was planning to but I'd feel guilty. Shouldn't we do something to help the commuters who are trapped in the fog?"

 

Patty leaned forward and whispered, "We talked about that--that's the police's job...and we really can't do that much...except carry every single car home and by the time we do one or two..."

 

There would be forever unquiet spirits in the deepest of waters, sometimes they would stir, other times, not.

 

More fog rolled in, warm water rolling in from the South Pacific and mixing with a chill wind from the bitter northlands of Alaska and Russia.

 

For those who might listen careful, attentive to such things...

 

...they might, at the edge of hearing, hear the creak of timber and the cry of the lookout.

 

"Land ho!"

 

"I wish I could help. but its not like I can do anything like you two on that scale." Eric looked a bit sheepish. "besides maybe it'll help me figure something out for my turn at this Demons and Darklords game." He smiled "Always hung out with the popular people when I was in school last time... Figure I'd try hanging out with you guys and a few of the teens that tend to go to that fantasy game shop. Tends to be fun acting normal." He was pretty sure that they'd left out his criminal past from Kara, but one never knew after all.

 

With a slight frown followed by another sigh. "Yeah. O guess you're right. I don't know if the police would like us 'interfering' anyway. We could offer our help at least. As long as we remember that anything freely offered can be freely declined. If they have it handled we will respect that." He smiled.

 

"It can wait until after a double burger with extra ketchup and pickles!"

 

"I've never tried Demons and Darklords." "It is fun?"

 

"Well, it certainly lets me keep with local school gossip while being inactive with the kids that never open up and get bullied." He smiled "And it is fun creating dungeons for people to explore and hopefully escape the traps within. I think I've been called a Killer GM a few times already."

 

Kara smiled a mischievous grin. "BTW don't think I didn't notice that you are 'settling' for hanging out with us!"

 

"He'd better," Patty said, "I hang out with him, and he owes all of us!" She gave Jared, across the table, a grin. "You're being quiet!"

 

Her expression becomes slightly more serious.

 

"I don't remember the 'last' time. I was thinking about becoming a cheerleader, but at 5'4" I don't think I would 'measure up'." She turned to Patty "Do you play 'Demons and Darklords'? I imagine that being on the track team wouldn't give you time to try out for the squad, would it?"

 

The creak of wood, the smell of salt-saturated timber heralded the arrival, though none were present to actually witness it, save for the single non-speaking participant, the racoon known only as Pete.

 

He chittered angrily and waved a tiny gray-black-and white fist in the air as the curved wooden form sailed with but the sound of canvas flapping tautly in the wind, only to disappear slowly into the distance, descending towards the City.

 

His brave task accomplished and the villains that would threaten his meal appropriately vanquished, Pete turned back to the discarded, half-eaten tray of nachos and cheese and finished his dinner...

 

...and after a time, when he felt sure that nobody who mattered would see, struck a match and touched it to the butt of a cigarette scavenged from the ash-can and relaxed, seated on his furry little butt, tail spayed out between his legs.

 

Myrna--rumor had it that she'd been there since the place originally opened as a bar-and-grill in the forties, but she couldn't be much older than their parents, which would put her well past a hundred--nodded and withdrew a pencil from the mass of orange hair and presumably from behind her ear. "All right, hon," she called from the other side of the counter, and relayed the order to Jeremy at the grill, a high-school dropout that had found his niche in the world.

 

Kara smiled broadly. "Thanks! Could you ask Jeremy to hold the onions please?"

 

Patty did her absolute best not to roll her eyes at this comment.

 

"Isn't a it a good thing to be a 'killer GM'?"

 

"I never got into those games, I just go, sit with Eric while he has his fun and read," she acknowledged, then Patty looked down at the plate that held not one but two double cheeseburgers, one half eaten, and said softly, "Had to quit the team, it wasn't fair to the others."

 

Kara nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I understand that. Probably not a good thing to try out as a cheerleader. Sometimes it sucks being 'talented' like us."

 

She gave a little grimace. "Mom and Dad weren't happy with that, said Eric was a bad influence, but I'm branching into both the Science Club and Theater, and that seems to have taken the heat off." A shrug. "I hope."

 

Kara smiled (she smiled a lot). "Theater?! That sounds like fun! My dad would love it f I got more involved in science. I don't know what I want to do. I would like to help people, but being a doctor doesn't sound right for me. Maybe I could become a police officer. I think I could pass the physical!" *wink*

 

The blonde looked across the table, and with her free hand--her left was holding Eric's right--patted 'Pusher' on the hand. "Hey, Jared, what's going on, you're being too quiet today."

 

Jokingly, "Maybe he is just a little lost in the fog!"

 

"He's always lost," Patty teased.

 

"My parents have been able to bring some more of the cousins over from the old country." Jared tapped the table as he looked out the window. "I have been able to help behind the scenes."

 

"Old country? Where are they? Is there anything we can do to help?"

 

"They live in San Francisco, and they should be dead." Jared shrugged. "I have been making sure to keep an eye on things in case there are problems."

 

Patty raised her eyebrows at this...

 

Patty perked up. "I didn't know your family just planted down roots here! Where are you originally from!"

 

"I'm from San Francisco." Jared sipped his soda. "I moved here to Chance City after my parents died the first time around. It looks like going missing has changed history again."

 

The fog settled quietly along the coastline, skimming almost unnoticed in the muffling and camouflaging fog, a hundred feet of salt-saturated iron and timber that trailed a hint of seaweed and bilgewater trickling from silent pumps; as it passed, the ship's name, painted in gold upon black on the aft of the craft announced it as the 'Ill Wind'.

 

Though it was quiet as a crypt, there still came, were any to truly be aware of it, the sensation of unbridled activity...

 

...and on one railing that overlooked the main deck of the vessel from a past nightmare rested a leather-encased foot; smaller, perhaps than one would expect, the ebon leather wrapped around a foot smaller than one might suspect to belong to someone in command of such a vessel; it led its way up a supple calf before turning down below the knee...

 

...the possessor and wearer of this footwear turned about as a form appeared from the mists. "Cap'n," said a masculine voice, "we be on time 'n' on course, ye orders?"

 

Dark curls cascaded across shoulders covered only by a vest that strained its laces taut across the front and the chin dipped slightly and a voice that would melt the ice upon the soul replied, "Put the 'wind down, we be takin' on more crew." There was the 'schwing' of steel on scabbard as the Captain pulled a cutlass and pointed at an empty, grass-covered field that appeared almost miraculously appeared from the fog. "There, and we go ashore."

 

Even as the response came, "Aye, aye, Captain," the ship's sails furled and the vessel began its descent...

 

Jessie stood out in the mist and in the comfort that was the threat of drizzled early evening rain, the moisture helping cool her seemingly overheated skin. She felt like she was definitely running a fever, her skin just felt like it was burning up, and the miniskirt and long-sleeved blouse and sweater did nothing but aggravate the singularly irritating itch that every bit of skin had become.

The other Cheerleaders had retreated into the locker-room area to have pizza and relax from practice before the game--that was an hour off--and leaving their Number Two outside by herself, the title of 'Assistant Head Cheerleader' given her solely from talent and not from reputation.

 

Her skin itched even more--her finger had felt like this when she discovered her ability to light her grandfather's...

 

...cigarettes...

...but that really didn't matter, because as bad as she itched, all over, her attention was suddenly grabbed by a dark shape that looked strangely like a boat hull descending from the mists through which not even the light-poles could be seen...

 

...but what attracted her attention even more was the cry of, "LAND HO!" and a rope, apparently thrown from above, glancing off her shoulder.

 

Jessie looked up, surprised and confused. By instinct, she grabbed hold of the rope. She smiled and gave into a chaotic impulse, kicking off her shoes she decides to climb the rope to see where it led.

 

Kara shrugged. "My parents fled the USSR. They were forbidden from being together so they escaped to where they could be. So I know what it is like. If I can help just tell me how?"

 

"Right now, I'm keeping an eye on things remotely." Jared had lost his parents once so he already knew what it felt like. "They don't even know where I am."

 

She cocked her head to one side. "If it isn't a good thing, why do it? Maybe I will play and you can teach me. If it turns out not to be fun for me I can always find something else to get into mischief with!"

 

"So Patty I was planning on going dress shopping this weekend for the dance. I'm sure someone will ask me soon. Would you like to hit the mall tomorrow?

 

Eric looked at her for a bit "Well that doesn't sound very good. At least your here now right?" He smirked a bit "by the way, no its not a good thing to be a killer GM. Few players tend to like it. But I'm still surprised how many show up to play anyway."

 

"There's always someone who thinks luck will help them out." Jared thought at least Eric was a little happier than in the original timeline. What happened to him if they ever found a way to switch it back. "Don't tell me you're cheating."

 

The rough hemp rope did nothing to diminish the itch of Jessie's skin on her hands, her legs, her feet as she started to shimmy up the thick and dangling cord; less than ten feet up she found herself spinning slightly, and with a glance up, the cause became apparent...

 

...someone was descending the rope she was climbing.

 

Not only that, to her left, to her right, on the other side of this improbably hovering wooden vessel from two centuries past were more ropes dangling and...

 

It was like being in a bad Disney movie--there were people dressed in tri-cornered hats, breeches and hose, vests and long coats, brandishing pistols and swords as they descended groundward quickly...

 

...and the one that dropped upon the rope to which she clung smashed headlong into her, knocking her towards the ground...

 

Patty just shook her head and finished one of the two burgers before her.

 

"I'd love to," Patty bubbled happily, then her heel seemed to idly grind into Eric's foot. "But I don't know if I'm going to the dance..." the grinding of her heel against Eric's toes seemed to gain in power "...but nobody's asked me yet."

 

She grinned at Kara. "Who are you going with?" She looked pointedly at Jared.

 

Seeing the guys coming down the rope, Jessie swore under her breath. "You have to be kidding me! We're being attacked by 'Pirates of the Caribbean'!"

 

"Oy! Donovan!" came the call from another one of the...pirates. "Ye done knocked a li'l bit o'girl off'n yer rope!"

 

Trying to climb in such as way that she can scratch her itchy skin at the same time, climbing the rope was hard, now it seemed like avoiding being kicked in the head was impossible!

 

A boot to the head was inevitable. It caught her and knocked her completely free, giving a momentary sensation of falling...

 

The itching that had just been an increasing annoyance all day redoubled.

 

She smelled smoke, the roar in her ears overwhelming the catcalls of the...

 

...all right, they were pirates.

 

Being less than 10 feet up she uses her acrobatic training to prepare for her landing. It just wouldn't do for her to show up at the victory party with a big bruise on her butt!

 

Eric grimaced as the heel found his toe "Really? What a surprise to hear..." he waited a moment and then kept his grin "So if it wouldn't be to much of a inconvenience Patty. How about going to the dance with me? I'll try and make it as pleasant as possible." he said acting as if going with him might be the worst thing since the movie 'attack of the slime monster'

 

"You..." Patty giggled and elbowed him gently in the ribs.

 

She grinned at Kara. "Who are you going with?" She looked pointedly at Jared.

 

Kara will blush at that. "Yeah, I kinda know the type. Sometimes I am guilty of that. I have a lot of abilities and I remember being so...powerful before."

 

She frowned deeply. "I know, sooner or later, that I am going to run off half cocked and over confident and get myself or someone else killed. I hope you guys will help me remember none of us are invincible, and that as a group we are stronger than as individuals."

 

"Oh, I'm sure someone will," Patty giggled, "even if we have to make them ask."

 

Sadly, "No one has asked me. I am going anyway. Maybe someone will at least ask me to dance."

 

Kara smiled sweetly at Patty. "No, that's okay. I would rather go alone than make someone ask me. I would have to be pretty pathetic to be someone's pity date!"

 

"A lot? Our histories, the history--the more I look at it," Patty said quietly, "I don't know, and I wasn't a physicist, but I think Tempus screwed everybody--look at the Patriot, I remember seeing articles about him being in World War Two, but he appeared in this...Reality about ten years back; then there's others..."

 

She shrugged. "I'm trying not to worry about it, but I think...this might be home permanently."

 

Kara looked downcast. "I don't remember much from my previous life. I remember I was unhappy. No, unhappy would have been like Disneyland compared to the pain I lived with every day. I don't want to go back to that, I couldn't survive it. I am happy now. I don't know about you guys, maybe this is hell for you. I don't know what you lost by coming back, or being brought here."

 

"Well, if someone won't take a hint, I'm sure I can let Eric dance with you a bit," Patty said.

 

"Why thank you Patty! Every guys dream, taking two girls to the same dance!"

 

Kara shook her head, "I don't think that is such a good idea. Eric is so cute, and if he turns out to be a good dancer I might be tempted to try to steal him away from you!"

 

"I don't want to lose your friendship so I politely decline the loan of your boy-toy."

 

Then more brightly "I want to be there in case there is trouble. Someone might spike the punch bowel and need to be driven home for their own, and other people's safety. "

 

"Eric's already promised me he wasn't going to do that." Again with the heel. "Right?"

 

No bruises, Jessie simply failed to hit the ground; she was hovering off the ground, surrounded by a halo of fine, flaked ash that dissipated quickly in the light, misty breeze...

 

...and these...pirates...were staring at her. "Great Holy Hell," came the words from one...

 

"And again and again and again," Patty said. "Have you noticed that there are different...adult...heroes than there were before everything happened?"

 

"I think some were our predecessors." Jared tapped the table slightly. "I think we have screwed up our own personal history a lot."

 

Patty reached across and patted Kara's hand, not unlike she'd done with Jared, then pulled it back quickly as Kara's order appeared as though by magic. "Here y'are, hon!" Myrna almost sang--the burger was a real quarter pound of beef and topped with two slabs of chedder cheese; on the tray balanced in the waitress' thick hand were drink refills for all.

 

And then she was gone again. "We won't let you forget, Kara," Patty promised quietly, giving Jared a look and a grin, "right?"

 

"I'm sure she has a fine memory." Jared hoped she had a fine memory.

 

That much was certainly true--Jessie was about six feet off the ground and stationary, with the invading buccaneers either on the ground or in a few cases, still hanging from their ropes and staring at her. From above, a commanding voice, feminine in nature started a slow movement and cluster towards a spot directly beneath the floating craft, "Move your asses you lazy dogs!"

 

"WOW! I'm flying!!! Look, what was your name, Donovan? I don't know what you are doing but you can't land your boat here. You see we are going to have a football game in less than an hour. You got to go!" She pauses for a moment. "It is just my imagination or is it there a draft?"

 

Eric nodded "Yup. I had thought about adding some lemon juice and maybe some cherry extract. But I was out voted by Patty and a dozen missed kisses and no phone calls for a week if I didn't at least try and spend the night as Eric Drake, instead of Eric The Anti-Authority Teenager. Seemed like a good idea so I agree'd to it." He moved his foot a bit covertly "But really, I'd expect the football players to spike the punch really. I think that's how half of them get girls to notice them. Well, that and brawn...and before Patty brings it up I promised also not to start any fights with the team and ends with them smacking there heads into the wall, table or floor. I'll assume she also meant anything else I can find there as well. But in return I get to at least act jealous and beat up one that flirts with her if I over hear it." He grinned looking at Patty. "right?"

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

Jared raised his eyebrows. Who would have thought the petty criminal and the track star would get together? At least they seemed to be getting along fine.

 

Patty seemed to miss the look Jared tossed at her and Eric. "Right," she said, "but flirt is good, means that I get to feel all good about myself and then blow them off and make you feel special by being on your arm." She leaned her head against his shoulder, obviously comfortable with him, with the others, and with their relationship.

 

That much was true as well--across the stadium and in their hidey-hole that lead to the school, the individual sounds of brass instruments and drums could be heard to be warming up in discordant fashion.

 

The pirates continued to stare as Jessie realized that she was naked--not naked, but clothed in fire, a slight steam obscuring her form as the heavy fog and mist that had lurked about Chance City all day thickened and came in contact with her incendiary form. Moving her leg slightly, it left a dissipating contrail of flame behind it...her hair was golden flames that drifted lazily on unseen currents of heat...

 

She felt exhilarated and more powerful than she could have possibly imagined.

 

The pirates gathered and formed, all eyes upon her--and the voice came from above once again, "Damn ye, she's not important, kill her!"

 

Muskets, large-barrel and reminiscent of the movies she'd seen on TV and in the theaters, slowly came up.

 

"I SAID KILL HER!"

 

There was a volley of smoke and flames that emanated from the pirate's position...

 

It felt like someone -- many someones -- were pelting her with beanbags -- not really painful but distinctly annoying; she counted at least five hits that resulted in flares of fire from her already flaming flesh.

 

"What? Kill me? You gotta be kidding!" Jessie fought off the panic that she felt and decided she had to act! Her first thought was to run, but her friends were just a little way off and they will be coming to see what all the noise is about. For a moment she thought about burning the ropes so they can't get off the ship, but that wasn't good enough. Then a great idea hit her! "You guys are awfully tough shooting at a naked girl!"

 

She flew in the direction of the commanding voice.

 

Cresting the rounded curve that was the aerial ship's hull--she passed a number of narrow and square doors that...if the movies were any indication, were portholes for cannon...yeah, right.

 

"If any one of you so much as twitches the wrong way your Captain is toast!"

 

Kara rolled her eyes. "Be nice Eric! Enjoy going to a dance with a pretty girl and don't wreck it with machismo, it doesn't impress anyone anyway!"

 

Patty just couldn't resist. "But," she interjected, "Eric's not macho, he's a very sweet and sensitive guy!" She did her best not to giggle.

 

Kara looked downcast. "I don't remember much from my previous life. I remember I was unhappy. No, unhappy would have been like Disneyland compared to the pain I lived with every day. I don't want to go back to that, I couldn't survive it. I am happy now. I don't know about you guys, maybe this is hell for you. I don't know what you lost by coming back, or being brought here."

 

"Yeah... I didn't lose much. Granted when I was this age I was constantly running away from home and an abusive father that generally drank to much when he was on a case. But, This time around I seemed to have made some better friends." He smiled at Kara "Your not the only one in 'I'm not sure if I want to leave' mentality. Because I'm half worried that if we did go back I'd not remember what I've done here and now." He took a sip of his mountain dew. "Still I wish I had a tighter control on my powers again. That incident at the last game me and Patty attended was not great. at least it was the opposing team. Go team spirit."

 

Patty smiled. "Yeah, I think I can go with that--I wasn't really happy before--now...maybe its the hormones talking, maybe its the lack of commitments...but I feel relaxed...and I think for the first time in a long, long time, I can say I've got real friends."

 

Kara arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What did you do? Did it involve cheerleaders?" She grinned playfully evil.

 

"Yeah..mostly them diving in to chase after me. Thankfully Patty got me out of there in a hurry. Still like to know what set it off. Maybe I got to involved in the game." He shrugged. "Still our team won against the confused... Did they call themselves the Blue falcons or something?"

 

Patty looked up from her burger and tried not to grin. "Oh, I kinda think that the teen pregnancy rates are gonna be up here in a few months, y'know?" She elbowed Eric. "That means tonight you behave. No leering at the cheerleaders."

 

Eric laughed and saluted "Aye, aye mon capitan"

 

Kara will had a semi-shocked expression!

 

"You're not serious, are you? You're pulling my leg, right? And I thought _I_ had to be careful if my control of my powers slipped...but that is...whoa."

 

Eric nodded "Yup, I might not be able to knock over buildings with a single punch, but the power I do have is pretty annoying. I thought the group told you I'm Empathic, having an out of control mental power is like having an out of control nuke I suppose. Thankfully no one dies." He frowned and leaned back letting Patty have full access to his french fries as he finished off his burger.

 

What fries? The fries are gone and Patty covered her mouth to mask a slight belch. "Sorry, fast metabolism, carbs seem to help the best."

 

"Well...maybe not that bad," she said, "but it wasn't pretty," she acknowledged.

 

"Well, you know me." He smiled at her "Half empty glass and all that, Still I'm not sure what I did to get a second chance or a great girlfriend. but whatever it was I'd do it again in a heart beat to keep it that way."

 

Patty gave Kara a look--there were depths in that look that defied description, but it was tinged with an almost sad bit of humor in her almost-smile. "Yeah, Something like that," she said. That hadn't been a fun night--she'd gotten him out, but she'd been swept under...again...his powers--it didn't happen very often, and that night, both of them had almost gotten...swept away.

 

"So, what exactly happened? If you don't mind my asking?"

 

"We threatened to do things to him." Jared calmly ate his ham sandwich. "And things worked out from there."

 

"If we want good seats maybe we should get going, not all of us are as fast as you!" (Looking at Patty.) "Can I catch a ride with anyone?"

 

"Don't look at me," Patty said, "I'm riding with Eric--I can't get a driver's license..." she grimaced "...for another four months." She sighed. "That sucks, you know?"

 

"I just turned 15, so it will be awhile before I have a car. Maybe I should just fly and be done with it." *sigh*

 

"Flying is good. So is super speed." Jared tapped the table again. "Luckily I have the Pusher Mobile for when I don't want to fly."

 

"True enough, but then again you'd not want to use the Pusher mobile to go the school dance would you. Might get the attention of the wrong people." Eric chimed in quickly as another plate with a burger and fries made it to his place. "Ah food."

 

"I don't go to school." Jared took his own meal before Patty could eat it. "Besides it's right outside and it's not attracting attention."

 

Patty snagged one of his french fries, her fingers past blur as two more simply vanished from his plate before it went out of range. "I hadn't noticed it," she admitted

 

"I'm a wizard with the paint." Jared frowned at the fry snatching.

 

"You don't go to school? What do you do then?" Kara looked puzzled.

 

"I look through the old police files and help solve cold cases." Jared tapped his head. "The computer database Eric and I installed lets me look at things that I can use."

 

Another volley of fire resulted in more peltings--a half-dozen of the pirates disappeared into the tunnel that lead from the football field to the locker rooms.

 

The Captain was female, the brown trousers she wore hugging each and every curve, covering while leaving little to the actual imagination; a dark red vest was the sole garment that was worn above the waist, equally tight and even more taut across the chest this was; a hat, tricornered and of faded blue crowned the tight dark curls that cascaded across shoulders, blending perfectly with the skin of coffee and rich cream. A patch covered one eye while the other glittered, deep black and dangerous as this woman regarded the girl that threatened her.

 

She pulled a musket of similar manufacture from her belt and pointed it at Jessie. With a sneer to her voice, she said, "Oh, please," and pulled the trigger.

 

Jessie's world exploded, a racking pain shuttling from skin to soul and back again...

 

Kara bit her lower lip.

 

"No, I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel anyway. Flying would be bad, too much attention. Threes company on a date, so I won't do that. I could ride my bike, but not in a dress."

 

She snaps her fingers!

 

"Duh, I can ride the bus! Nice and normal! I'll be the social outcast of the year and an object of ridicule for life, but that is okay. No, it isn't okay. Right. I wonder what will be on TV?"

 

Eric looked at her sternly as the waitress left them alone again "You know, if you were not invulnerable I'd flick you in the forehead for being so dense." Eric leaned over "Listen, you'll come with me and Patty. Your going to have fun even if I have to find a crowbar and threaten to tickle you with it." He grinned and leaned back picking up a hamburger. "I finally get to hang out with...well better friends than I ever had growing up the first time. I'm not about to let one of them stay at home sulking with a tub of ice cream and watching a rerun of who knows what. So to end discussion, your going. Get over it. I'll pick you up after I pick up Patty. last thing I need is another reason for her dad to dislike me." He smiled sheepishly Up till that point he did seem to radiate the confidence that he'd had as an adult, then it just kinda petered out as he went to eating his hamburger. He knew how Jared seemed to dislike romance, he could sense it hovering around him but like any other empath he had no idea as to the why, that was a job for a telepath after all.

 

So like any good friend he kept his mouth shut and just didn't bring it up. Figuring at some point Jared might share this issue or he might not. It was his choice. Turning his attention back to Kara "So, keep your plans for a dress, go out and have some fun. We get second chances so I'll be damned if I'll let any of my friends miss out on some fun."

 

Kara smiled broadly, and gave her head a slight bow.

 

"Thank you sir. It is nice to know that there are a few gentlemen left in the world!"

 

"Lady, all I wanted was for you to land your boat somewhere else and what do you do? You threaten to kill me! So, just remember, if you play with fire, expect to get burned!"

 

The monocular woman just gave Jessie a caustic eye and almost casually withdrew a small metal rod mounted beneath the barrel of the weapon, slid it back into its receptacle within the wood frame...and lifted it to aim at the girl once again.

 

Jessie then tried her cigarette lighting trick, pushing it for all she can (since she doesn't know if it is any stronger than it was).

 

She targeted the ship's sails, ropes, and rigging. They should burn nicely! (After all she really doesn't want to hurt anyone.)

 

"Has anyone seen Tempus since we were regressed? I find myself afraid that this is all part of some Machiavellian plot. We might get demands that we help with some crime or things will return things to the way there were. It is like living waiting for the other shoe to fall. I hate it," Kara said.

 

"No." Jared munched along. "I've been looking for her too. So far, nada."

 

"A lot? Our histories, the history--the more I look at it," Patty said quietly, "I don't know, and I wasn't a physicist, but I think Tempus screwed everybody--look at the Patriot, I remember seeing articles about him being in World War Two, but he appeared in this...Reality about ten years back; then there's others..."

 

She shrugged. "I'm trying not to worry about it, but I think...this might be home permanently."

 

"True, kinda glad about that in a strange twisted sort of way. Still it beats seducing women to get there money and designing weapons for villains or anyone else with enough money." Eric replied.

 

"Nope, and I for one would rather not find her again. The theory I worked out with all the regression is along our own personal life paths. Those people that had anything to do with our choices in becoming what we where have come back with us in 'time' while keeping us actually in the present time. But in order to 'balance' whatever cosmic nature she holds even further, she had to bring our greatest nemesis back as well. I had two, my dad, at least I think of him as one. But there was ... someone for each of us. Example one, hardball and heartbreaker. which would mean each of us has a villain or in my case, a hero that came back on the good times express to teenhood. Biggest annoyance I have is I can barely remember my adult side, at least in terms of people I knew and met. While my skills are intact for the most part, seems I need to work on control all over again." He took the last bite of his hamburger.

 

Patty nodded agreement--he did need to learn to control his powers.

 

"For all I know me and Patty where fighting each other all the time as adults, villain versus hero style. As things are now I can't really picture it and I certainly have no desire to go back to that life I can barely even remember."

 

"...and I"m not sure I really want to remember," Patty said. "We all know we had pasts, I know I was a Doctor in 'real' life...but I'll be darned if I remember how I got there--I remember snippets of Hopkins, and Residency, and fighting as..." She frowned. "I don't even remember my ID then--it wasn't Tachyon..."

 

She shook her head and held onto Eric's hand. "That was then. This is now, and..."

 

Patty shook her head. "No, nobody, no reports anywhere--nothing on the Internet, nothing that gives her signature on anything--either she didn't come along for the ride, or she locked us away..."

 

She sighed and more of Pusher's fries disappeared without warning, then gave Eric's hand a squeeze and utterly failed to let go, intertwining her fingers with his, giving the remaining fries on Jared's plate a respite. "But...we're enjoying it while it lasts."

 

"Do you mind?" Jared frowned. "I'm eating here."

 

Patty had the decency to at least blush. "Fries are my weakness," she admitted, "sorry--but I'm still hungry and the next order isn't up yet."

 

"Here." Jared counted out half his fries and handed them over. "That should hold you."

 

Flame jetted out--slowly at first, then with a growing stream--it actually, despite the pangs her stomach gave from the previous hit from whatever weapon it was the female on the deck had initially fired at her--and these flame-streams played out and towards the ropes and the sails...

 

"FIRE!" came the call as some of the more inflammable materials began to catch; the Captain simply lowered the weapon so that it was aimed at Jessie's midsection, then pulled the trigger again.

 

She felt as though she'd had the wind knocked out of her and tumbled--then came an earth-shattering, at least for Jessie, roar and she momentarily lost consciousness...

 

Whatever it was, it caught her in the chest, she heard ribs crunch and then Jessie tumbled head over heels, completely disoriented and only half-conscious; with a head-shuddering *SPANG!*, she glanced off of the top of something flexibly solid and bounced back skyward...

 

She knew she was still trailing a bit of flame behind her, yet she couldn't focus enough to bring her newfound abilities back up to power--she wasn't even sure how she'd done it the first time, and simply allowed herself to bounce back skyward for a moment...

 

Then there was a comforting and cushioning *SPLASH* and she was now cold and wet and her hair sizzled in a cloud of steam back to blonde...

 

She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking at, but it sure looked to be a stone sculpture of Ariel from another Disney film...what, the little...the little...yeah, the Little Mermaid.

 

It must be a Disney day.

 

Slowly she sat up and look around.

 

"Great. First pirates, now mermaids. What's next, Peter Pan? *Ooooooh, that HURT! "

 

Her ribs hurt. From behind her, or more accurately, from her left side, she hears, "That's a heck of a prank they pulled."

 

She looks for who said 'prank'.

 

"Prank? There is a flying pirate ship at the stadium with a psycho-b**ch with guns giving orders. I gotta get back! Who knows what's going on!"

 

She tried to get out of the fountain. Maybe when she is out of the water she can...

 

"FLAME ON!" Well...it works in the comic books!

 

Patty frowned and cocked her head. "What's that sound?"

 

Sure enough, there was this...Boom noise, not dissimilar to a sudden short burst of thunder, followed by whistling noise, building in tempo and sound, dopplering in from...elsewhere...

 

There was a *SPANG!* and whatever it was glanced off the top and denting badly the skyward side of the panel-truck of a 'Mother's Milk Diary' truck that was parked across the street, the driver inside and staring over the top of his own double-beef and cheese burger..."HEY!"

 

Whatever it was appeared to be trailing a bit of flame yet it was flesh covered--a moment later, the whatever it was disappearing once more on the bounce...

 

...and there was a *splash* noise from the far side...

 

Whatever had fallen unexpectedly from the heavens had landed across the street and in the park, and, judging by the sound of impact, in the pool that surrounded the Little Mermaid fountain.

 

"Looks like trouble." Jared picked up his sandwich, dropped a twenty on the table, and headed for the door, still eating.

 

Whatever had fallen unexpectedly from the heavens had landed across the street and in the park, and, judging by the sound of impact, in the pool that surrounded the Little Mermaid fountain.

 

"Patty call 911, Jared and kara come with me." Without really thinking Eric put a twenty on the table and ran out the front door towards the park. He figured Patty being the fast one she could catch up after a phone call. It had sounded like it had hit some water, so either there was a lake he didn't remember or the sound had hit the fountain. So it was towards the fountain he was running too.

 

Jared calmly walked behind Eric, chewing on his sandwich until it was gone. He woke up his inner self, bleaching his hair as he looked the scene over.

 

For the moment Kara ran out with Eric and Jared, but she used her super senses [x-ray and telescopic] to take a look at the fountain on the way. [Assuming she sees a naked girl in the water] She will open her gym bag [the one she always keeps with her that has a change of clothes and her 'costume' in it] and pull out her spare outfit for the girl.

 

Patty was already standing, her cellphone out, fingers dancing on the keys. "Okay," she said, forcing herself to remain at normal speed instead of accelerating herself.

 

Kara draped her spare outfit over the wet teenager. "Are you okay?" Turning to Patty "Do you remember enough medical training to see if anything is broken?"

 

 

Patty nodded. "I've retaken first-aid and CPR, and that brought back a bit, so let me look."

 

"Thanks for the clothes...it looks like I may need them after all."

 

"Not a prob." Kara blushed slightly. "I can sympathize."

 

To the young woman, "Its...Jessie, right?" Patty smiled--there was a maturity to her words and tone. "I need you to lay back for a moment, all right? Just want to check you out..." she frowned, calling on something from somewhen else. "Are you having problems breathing?"

 

She will then turn her super peepers towards the stadium to see if she can confirm what Jessie claimed was there. She will try to get a quick count of the number of bad guys (if present) and an idea of what the heck is going on.

 

It took a moment to really focus in and layer the X-Ray over her telescopic vision--she can vaguely see what looked like the outline of a...ship?...settling almost to the ground inside the stadium grounds...more, at this distance (about a mile, through multiple objects) she cannot detect.

 

"Look, I need to get back the stadium ASAP. I don't know what their game plan is, but I am pretty sure that it isn't to cheer our team to victory. Right now my friends and a half dozen of my boyfriends, are in trouble and I have to go and help!"

 

"Down, young lady," snapped Patty, on one knee checking the cheerleader over. "Does this hurt...how about this..."

 

"Just a little.*ouch!* Look, thanks and all, but the nurse is at the game and she can look me over later! *Ouch! Meanwhile I have to get back there. There is a whacko that needs some serious smack-a-bout!"

 

"What are you going to do on your own?" Pusher pulled his keys out of his pocket. "Tachyon and Supergirl will go with you. They're a lot faster and can keep things under control until Emp and I get there."

 

Patty nodded. "I've retaken first-aid and CPR, and that brought back a bit, so let me look."

 

Quietly to Eric and Pusher, since Patty is working on Jessie, Kara said, "She isn't nuts, not completely anyway. There is a ship almost on the ground at the stadium. I can't make out what's going on though."

 

"If you think you can keep the pirates busy without getting hurt, go ahead." Pusher pressed the button on his keys. "We'll be right behind you."

 

*OUCH!*" Okay Doctor Kevorkian if I be good will you stop poking me?! Just help me get dressed! " Grumbling under her breath about one minute being flying around and the next playing Doctor with a complete stranger! "Next time I better get to be the doctor.....grrrrrrr....."

[csyphrett]

Re: Teen Guardians

 

"I can work on the ribs, Tach." Pusher stood in the middle of a cloud of particles twisting around him.

 

"Just sit back, it'll hold!" Patty grumbled. "We're here to help--but if you're hurt, all you're going to do is hurt yourself more!"

 

"Only if you know first aid." Eric stated with a frown. He nodded to Kara "Right, can you fly me out there close enough so that I can get a look?" and he added silently hoping her keen hearing would pick it up "and let me get into my work clothes."

 

"Eric's right, you've got cracked ribs," Patty said, "we need to wrap your ribs--you'll be okay, but you're not going back into a fight..." She looked Jessie in the eye and put her right hand on Jessie's. "I'm there with you, but you've got to take a minute."

 

Patty looked at the other three. "Go. We'll catch up." That was directed more to Eric than either of the other two.

 

With compassion in her eyes. "Don't take too long. We don't know what the situation is and I have the feeling we will need all the help we can get. We might have a hostage situation developing."

 

"Consider it done, Skipper!" Kara walked behind Eric, hooked him under each arm and..."Up...up...and away!"

 

Quietly to Eric, she said "If Naked-Girl can quote comic books, why can't I?" She winked.

 

Jessie bit her lower lip. Not itching is good, but it was sure cool to be able to fly and all. Maybe it was a one time thing? Damn! Why did that girl have to be so short? Wearing her clothes was going to cut off her circulation!

 

Pusher watched them fly off as his own transportation assembled together.

 

"Do we need to take her to the hospital?" Pusher let the particles die down before there was a familiar beep click from his keys.

 

"No reason not too.." Eric said against the wind flying past them as she flew, he clutched his own backpack tightly on himself. Flying was something pretty impressive... would have been nice to have gotten that power. Granted it was kinda scary with someone else doing the flying.

 

"Don't worry Skipper...", smiling to herself Kara enjoyed the nickname she has given him, "...I won't drop you. We still have to find a place to change. Do you see anyplace...private?"

 

Eric pointed "That building house over there, no one as far I can tell really lives there and I've been using it as a rest stop for school. Changed locks and all. We can change there and it'll let you keep an eye on the ship as well."

 

"Hospital? No way! I'll be okay, I'll hitch a ride home and Gram can take care of all that ills me. You guys go and take care of C'ptain Bra-less and the Pirates of the Coliseum."

 

"No, you won't, just sit here for a second," one hand on the girls' hand, Patty turned to Pusher...

 

Jessie held out her hand like she is pointing skyward. She tries to generate a little fire...just a little....

 

It flared and Patty drew back her hand. "OW!"

 

Jessie, startled, jumped back.

 

"I'm so sorry! I didn't think it would work, I mean it stopped working, and I didn't think it would start again! Are you okay?!"

 

"I could try and fix you myself I guess." It didn't take x-ray vision to see Pusher was frowning. "What do you think, Tach?"

 

"Awesome! I am sure the Patty wouldn't like you peeking on another girl while she is in her undies. It'll only take a moment."

 

After changing...

"How do you want to proceed? Fly to the ship and ask politely what they are doing? Sneak up and grab one of the 'henchmen' and question him at 50,000 ft? Do we have a way of letting Pusher and Tachyon know what the situation is before they come charging in like gang busters?"

 

"Why do I feel like the announcer guy at the end of the old Bat-man TV show?"

 

The once-doctor and now speedster shook her hand. "That hurt!" In a lower voice, she said, "Pusher, can you give her something to wrap around her chest, something maybe at least fireproof for a while to hold the ribs in place--they're just bruised, nothing time won't heal, she doesn't need the hospital but she does need something to protect them and since she just burnt me without burning herself its at least obvious to me she casts flame and it doesn't need to burn I know that Kara's clothes are tight on her can you use those right now?"

 

All one breath, no less.

 

"It's a snap." Pusher concentrated on the clothes. "That should work for you."

 

"Not sure." Eric looked towards where the ship was "I think it might be best for you to drop me off on the boat and then you see if you can give the boat a lift. Perhaps the ship is tied to the pirates themselves and they'll panic if we do something to the ship itself."

 

Kara nodded. "Okay, we are going in hot. If you are going to get dropped on the deck of the ship I'm okay with that. If I can't move it shall I start ramming it? I have heat vision I can set it on fire..."

 

"Yeah, ramming it would be better than heat vision. They might have who knows what for weapons." He got himself ready for the lift over.

 

As soon as they were airborne, the extent of the event became apparent--or at least, the opening stages of whatever was happening.

 

The girl, Jessie, that had fallen from the sky certainly hadn't exaggerated -- there was a ship, an old-style wooden sailing ship, anchored about a dozen feet above the football field, and, along its nearly two-hundred foot length there were...

 

...men in brightly-colored garb climbing ropes, trimming sails, doing other things that were at least right now, unintelligible to the eye.

 

Extending down from the ship to the ground were several gang-planks on the portside - its direction of sail ran north-west to south-east, following the lay of the football stadium, and there appeared to be much activity on the ground and moving to and fro of the craft.

 

"Alright, I will kick it into overdrive and drop you on the deck near the wheel-thingy. In the movies the captain is always close to it. After that I will duck under the ship and see if I can lift it. If I can, where should I put the silly thing?"

 

"Try to put it at the actual docks, at least that'll give the pirates a place to go and work too." Eric said as they approached.

 

Assuming assent Kara will drop him off by the helm and get under the ship and lift!

 

The moledcular structure flickered and flared, adjusting itself in a microcosm of pure energy, and Jessie found her ribs--and upper torso--supported in a mid-riff baring blouse almost pure white yet taut across the ribs...the pain was there, but the ribs were definitely supported.

 

"All right," Patty grinned as the sound of sirens approached rapidly. "Let's get this and go." She raised an eyebrow. "You want a ride," she asked Pusher, "or..."

 

Several of the locals stepped up. "Hey are you all right?" asked Micha el Want, a young, well-built young man of Asian descent, the youngest son of the Wang Family that owned the Three Lucky Penny Dragon Chinese Family Restaurant. He went to a knee by Jessie.

 

There was a growing babble as more people from the surrounding business, employees and shoppers alike, began to cluster into the square. Someone shouted, "Hey! That one's one of those Supers!" A quick glance around showed at least one person pointing at Pusher.

 

"...or shall we just vanish?" Patty jerked her head. "Go--we'll catch up!"

 

"Just get in the car." Pusher picked the cheerleader up in his arms. "Going my way?"

 

He dumped her in the back seat before getting behind the wheel. He waved at the crowd before turning the engine over.

 

The blonde girl let Eric go, dropping him on the after-deck and zipping off on her own mission; there were only two of the pirates up here--both male and both turned to him in surprise--and one drew a pistol, the other grasped the hilt of a...sword? Cutlass? Both words flickered through his mind as a result of his recent experimentation with fantasy role-play...

 

EMP moved quickly after being put down keeping his eyes peeled for the female captain of this boat. his hands already holding a few low yield explosives. He didn't want to hurt or kill anyone and the explosives would hopefully just give them some minor damage (well as minor as a low yield grenade can get)

 

SG swooped down and get under the ship. She will lift for all she's worth.

 

"How can I refuse? Thanks for the wrap. I think it is the first time a guy actually wanted to help me put something on!"

 

"I can't imagine why." Pusher got behind the wheel, activating the car with his powers. He gave Tachyon a wave before taking off across the grass.

 

"Huh? You can't imagine why this is the first time a guy wanted me to cover up?! I think I'm offended. Most guys like seeing me naked." Let's go kick some pirate 'booty'! Pirate -> Booty, get it? Sigh. Rough room."

 

"Try not to get killed." Pusher pushed a button. The car started shifting around them. "Let's talk to the head man in charge."

 

The vehicle lifted off, roaring along in a cloud of charged particles.

 

"Maybe he can explain the fog."

 

The crowd didn't seem to want to wave back, nor were they moving.

 

The vehicle lifted amidst a rising hue and cry--and the sound of sirens approaching. "Hey!" came the call, "she needs to be looked at by a doctor!"

 

Nonetheless, its an easy left-turn and come-about towards the stadium...

 

"What makes you think I'm not?" Pusher called back.

 

Spinning under the ship and putting her back into it, it took Kara a moment to actually register the activity. She gathered her inner strength and put it into everything she had--this aerial vessel began to shift, slightly...

 

...but her peripheral attention was grasped by activity...

 

...it seemed..there were more pirates; colored band uniforms and cheerleaders and flickering flares of momentary energy...and the shout of, "She's back, shoot her!"

 

The reply gets a response, though perhaps not the one he'd desired, as an angry retort, mostly unheard yet somewhat profane follows the car simultaneous with the *ting* of something off the back end of the vehicle.

 

Jessie said to Pusher, "Did they throw rocks at us? Are you taking me to the doctor? I'd be more useful at the boat." Holding her ribs, "I owe them some payback."

 

"Yeah, we're heading to the boat." Pusher looked around, as his car rolled along through the sky like a comet. "Something has to be done."

 

Kara paused lifting the ship.

 

"Shoot her?" She will try to see who they are shooting at. Moving the ship is important, but if some kid is being shot at, saving that life will be the priority!

 

Emp ducked towards the side flinging the two explosives towards the pirates feet hoping to put a lot more distance between him and them as he kept moving to hopefully see the one that was supposed to be in charge of the boat.

 

"Shiver me timbers and all that jazz, I think I've come across the dread pirate rip offs."

 

Kara looked down--and realized that she was the target of that the command to fire upon had been given; a series of grayish cloud and there was a constant sting against her hardened flesh...

 

Sure enough, she was being shot at. And hit.

 

A momentary flicker of surprise--with each hit, she could feel her own energies slowly beginning to drain, there was much more to these almost invisible shots than met the eye.

 

However...there were only about a dozen or so pirates, in colorful and almost motley design of garb shooting at her, another group almost double herding cheerleaders, band-members and a few football players at gunpoint--and these youths were in chains--towards the ship and a gangplank that had been dropped into the stands from the upper decks.

 

A flicker and flare caught her eye from another small group of pirates and hostages...

 

Both pirates definitely reacted as he wanted, the first going over the railing, one hand flailing with his cutlass as he dropped towards the quarterdeck; the other one not quite as much--he advanced, trying his best to kick the single grenade over the edge of the poopdeck towards where his compatriot was headed; his wild swing with the cutlass missed Emp by a league.

 

Then the two explosives detonated, the advancing pirate, though not actually injured was tossed past Eric by the blast and a cry of pain from below could be heard--apparently, his grenade had managed to cross paths with the fleeing pirate.

 

This allowed him a brief respite to quickly take in the scene provided by surveying the decks below; on the Quarterdeck, immediately below and before him were more pirates, surprised by the sudden unexpected attack and on the main deck forward to the forecastle, attention and alert was already being called; there were some pirates though who were in the process of taking aboard...

 

...prisoners. Cheerleaders, band-members...and one or two football players.

 

Below and before him, though, a woman turned, she was buxom to the point of being hardly reined in by her vest and blue long-coat; she wore a pistol at the waist, white trousers and her ebon hair cascaded across shoulders and she tossed it, glaring at him with one eye. She pointed her own sword at him and waved it, casting orders...

 

...and the crew obeyed, easily a half-dozen pirates moving aft to take him.

 

Just under her breath. "Damn!"

 

The first thing Kara did was abandon trying to move the ship and take evasive maneuvers.

 

Then she took a look at the 'flicker and flare' and see what's that all about. If it is something that requires her immediate attention she will head over there...otherwise she will use her X-ray vision she will try to find a group of pirates/hostages that are isolated from the main attack force.