By the time they got to their friends the girls had triumphed over the Ace and he was lying unconscious by the Ten. "Why didn't you tie him up like we did the Ten?" Rick asked.

"He can walk through walls, I doubt ropes would hinder him at all if he was awake," Maria replied.

"Did you boys defeat the other three?" Rhonda asked.

"Yes," Rick replied. "I'm just sorry we didn't get back in time to help."

"You did help Rick," Maria said. "You gave us a warning. Thank you," she smiled, "besides this way Rhonda and I learned what an awesome twosome we make!"

"We've always made a great team Maria!" Rhonda said giggling, "We just stepped it up from shopping and homework to defeating supervillains!"

"True," Maria said with a grin, "and the boys are keeping up very well at the hero stuff so maybe we should take them shopping with us when we finally get the chance to hit a mall?"

"As much fun as that would be," Rick said, looking as if he'd rather do almost anything else. "We have another small problem to solve first. All the crew are sleeping and we don't know if they or the villains will wake up first."

"For that matter," Bobby added, "we don't know if they called for help first or not and if the help they called will believe our story or not." He frowned, "They should but I've heard many stories about well meaning mutants getting arrested after helping or even worse. I'd hate to discover some of those rumors are true."

"So we have to vote on staying or going," Rick said. "Staying might be best after all since if we leave it will be 'leaving the scene of a crime'." He shrugged, "I think you girls are in less danger than we. We might or might not convince them we are probationary junior members of the Empire City Guard but you two have members of the ECG listed as your legal guardians. Anyone looking to make a few mutants disappear quietly won't want to bother you."

They went back to the girls' room to discuss it and then voted to stay and call the authorities. The Kansas state police were cooperative and helpful once they'd checked with the Guard. They had brought a specially reinforced vehicle and took custody of the royal flush gang. Paramedics checked over the sleeping crew and passengers and pronounced them to fine except fror a few bruises and bumps they got while falling. Eventually everyone woke up and the train continued on. It reached Grand Central Station around 8 A.M. the day after it should have arrived but without further incident.

However once they got off the train they spotted another problem, and worse it was looking for them!

Rhonda had a sudden bad feeling and looking to her left she saw the evil man that had taken over their chartered flight and started this nightmare. Fortunately he was looking away from her at the time. She gripped Rick's arm and hurried him along. He looked at her face and saw she was serious so he made for the steps at the fastest walk he could manage without causing a noticeable commotion in the crowd. The others followed them and soon enough they were outside and her feeling went away. She let out a shaky breath, "Let's keep walking away and I'll tell what happened."

They headed north on Park Avenue and she told them who she'd seen. They all gasped then Bobby wanted to head back and pound the guy's face in but Rick vetoed it. "We don't know all his powers and we do know he laughed at bullets fired at him from point blank range. They might have been hollow points instead of armor piercing but they still would have at least hurt most mutants. If you go back he'll just put the whammy on you again or you'll end up fighting in the midst of that huge crowd. We may be more experienced now than when he first took us but he is major league bad news and I doubt we are up to taking him down yet. We'll catch up to him someday but sorry, that day is not today."

Rick looked around at all of them, "Anybody know of a good place to hide around here? We need a place where we can hole up for the whole day if necessary and where we won't be visible to passers by or just anyone who wanders in off the street. When that guy realizes he's missed us he'll be looking all around. I don't know how much data they have on us so we should probably avoid any place any of us visits a lot and our homes as well as ECG HQ. At least until they are back from their current mission."

Maria suddenly smiled, "I think I know the perfect place! We can stay there all day, they don't let people past the front lobby unless they are clients and they have security because their clients include occasional celebrities and famous heroes. I know where it is because Rhonda and I always wanted to go and it's not too far." She shrugged, "It's also not cheap but it's definitely an emergency right? So hand over the credit card and I'll call to make a reservation as we walk there."

Rick handed over the card asking, "What is this place?"

"Don't worry, you'll see it soon. Now shush, I've got to call them before we arrive and set things up." She pulled out her phone and dialed a number from memory, "Hello is this the red door?" The others could only hear her side of the conversation but it made Rhonda grin like her favorite Birthday wish was coming true.

Rick tried to follow her comments and shortly he was wondering if he shouldn't have just suggested they just lose themselves in a huge store or something.

Meanwhile Maria's half of the conversation was going something like this, "Yes, I would. The VIP room. Two men and two women. No, that is fine. I assure it is not an issue, we have just com from a week at the Furnace Creek Inn. I'm glad you've heard of it, so you see... Very well my guardian's phone number is," and she then rattled off a phone number, "Why yes that is the phone number for Dr. Thunder. I guess she must be a good customer if you recognize it. I doubt she'll thank you for the interruption but if you insist on checking with her I can't stop you. Proof? Well the credit card I have is issued by them will that do? Ah, excellent. Here are the numbers, now can you accomodate us or not? Good, you'd have lost quite a lot of business otherwise. Oh, of course that was not a threat. We'll want the Ultimate Indulgence package for all all four of us. Yes, the whole day. Ending at seven p.m.? Just perfect. We're almost there. Shouldn't be more than five minutes or so. Thank you, I am sorry if I sounded harsh. I know you need to be careful, it's one reason we picked your establishment. It has a reputation for discretion and safety. Yes, we'll see you soon. I'm looking forward to it!" With that she hung up the phone and beamed a smile at them all.

Bobby groaned, "Do we have to get facials and all that frufru stuff?"

Maria said, "You'll love it if you try it. You can't possibly not love a spa day and besides the bastards will never find us there. By the time we leave we'll be rested and refreshed and we can call to see if the Guard are back yet. If they are we can wait inside for them and if not well then we'll be able to decide what to do next with clear heads. Right Rick?" She fixed him with a look that said clear as day that he'd better agree enthusiastically if he ever wanted to get back on her good side.

He couldn't quite manage enthusiasm but he did agree, "She's got a point Bobby. It is the last place anyone would think to look for us and it does meet all the criteria I outlined. I just hope they feed us." He looked at Maria.

"Oh yes," she replied. "Spa cuisine is included in the price and they already know we are mutants so they won't be shocked if I eat more than a normal teenage girl and they even have Exemplar masseuses so they can get at knotted muscles of Bricks like you and Bobby but I better not catch you ogling them mister! You are still on thin ice with me."

"I promise to ogle no one but you," Rick said with a smile.

Shortly they reached their destination and walked through the eponymous red door. "Hello and welcome to Elizabeth Arden's Red Door salon! Did you have an appointment?"

"Yes, I made one over the phone. We are booked for the vip room for the Ultimate?" Maria responded as they all waled up to the desk. There was soothing music being played and the walls were done in soothing pastels. Off to one side were a small cluster of chairs for people to wait in but they were currently empty.

"Ah yes, I see that here," the woman beamed a professional smile. "Please follow Jane here," she pointed to a younger woman in a pink smock, "She will show you to the room and get your food orders. Please tell her if you need anything or have any allergies or special requirements. I hope you enjoy your day with us!"

The pink smocked Jane led them through a door that cut off all sound from the street and looby. Inside it was hushed and the lighting was dimmer, the floor had deep and plush carpeting that absorbed the footfalls without a sound. Rhonda sighed and relaxed, "Ah, this is so nice. Soothing on many levels."

"Well if you're relaxed then I'm happy," Rick said. It was a reference to her premonitions of danger but their guide smiled back at him, "Aren't you just the sweetest boy? Always thinking of your friends."

Rhonda giggled a bit, "Yes, that's him in a nutshell! Too bad he's taken huh?"

The woman shook her head, "He's a bit young for me in any event but I am not surprised he's been claimed early."

Bobby chuckled at the look on his friend's face, "Yeah, all's that left is for them to get matching tattoos."

Rick rolled his eyes, to show what he thought of that idea but said nothing and soon they arrived at a set of double doors.

"Here we are," Jane said entering. "Over here are the lockers for your streetclothes and inside each is plush robe to wear when you are not on the massage beds. You can tell me what you would like to eat and we will have someone bring it in and set it up on a table here," pointing to a section of bare carpet, "and then take it away when you are done. We will consult with your Aestheticians to make sure we bring it between one treatment and another so you'll all be free to enjoy it." She stopped and faced them, "So do you all know what you'd like to order or would you like our healthy breakfast special?"

"I'd prefer ham and eggs with toasted bagel and waffles. Bring jam for the bagel and syrup for the waffles and I'll be a happy boy," Bobby said and Rick agreed that would be a great breakfast.

Maria looked a bit embarassed, "Do you have an Energizer special?"

The woman smiled, "Yes we do. Don't worry, it's covered under the price of the day. I'll have them send it up." She looked at Rhonda, "And you young lady?"

"I think I'll try to the healthy breakfast special. I need to watch my wait more than these other three," Rhonda replied.

"I see we are in the same boat then," the woman replied. "We have exemplars on staff and they can eat anything it seems and still look beautiful." She looked wistful for a moment then continued briskly, "I'll go put in your orders. When you are undressed please get under the top sheets of the massage table and your aestheticians shall begin. Have a very pleasant stay." Then she gave a little bow and left.

They had no longer had any qualms about undressing in front of each other although Rick made sure he was not looking at Rhonda and so missed her humorous attempt to get his attention. He sighed though as he took the robe out of his locker and, after clicking the locker shut, laid it on a nearby chair.

"It'll be fun Rick," Maria said. "Please just go with the flow and try to enjoy it okay?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, "For me?"

He had to smile, "Okay, for you I'll do my best to enjoy all the silly frufru things we'll be doing today."

"Thank you," she climbed up on the first massage table and he took the second. Bobby meanwhile turned to Rhonda, "Do I get a kiss if I promise to be good too?"

"Do you want one?" Rhonda replied, "I'm pretty sure you'll be good anyway so I wasn't going to bother, but if you ask nicely I might consider it."

He grabbed her waist and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned it then quickly broke off and stepped back, "We'd better go get under the sheets unless you want them to find you like that," she pointed down to where an erection was rising then giggled merrily and slipped off to slide under the sheets of the third massage table just as there was a discreet knock on the door.

He managed to ask for a minute in a normal sounding voice and was lying face down on the last bed when they came in.