A dying man is given a second chance. This story is a fan fiction that takes place in the Whateley Universe.

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I let out an exasperated sigh as I walked through the toy store, nearly being dragged by my enthusiastic granddaughters. Just a few hours ago, Kaylie had firmly insisted that she was too old to play with toys, yet now that we were here at the mall, she was just as excited about looking over them as Kimberly was.

“And I want this,” Kimberly exclaimed, picking up a doll and cuddling it, only to drop it a moment later and dash over to the next display.

“In case you girls have forgotten,” I pointed out wryly, “Grandpa doesn’t have a job anymore so he...she won’t be able to spoil you for Christmas.”

“Its okay, Alyss,” Kimberly responded. “We’ll let you play with our toys.”

I nodded at that, smiling at her innocence and happiness to share. Now if only more adults could be that way. However, I’d just reminded myself that I did have some problems to deal with. Namely, that I didn’t have a job or any way of supporting myself anymore. My garage was gone, I couldn’t work for anyone else looking the way I did, and I couldn’t mooch off Melanie and Mark forever. I was going to have to figure out how to get back on my own two feet.

“I like this one,” Kaylie commented, pointing to a doll that looked like some kind of dark Barbie knockoff.

I snickered, muttering, “It’s S&M vampire Barbie…” Then I told her, “I don’t think your parents would approve of that one.” The grin on her face told me that was the entire appeal.

Then Kimberly blurted out, “This one looks like you, Alyss…”

I looked at the doll she was holding up, a cute stylized little pigmy thing with an overly large head. However, she was also wearing a goth style dress and had white hair, so I could definitely see the resemblance. Kaylie looked at the doll, then began to giggle.

“Doesn’t look anything like me,” I lied.

When we left the toy store a few minutes later, each of the girls had a new doll. Kaylie had bought the doll that resembled me while Kimberly had settled on a more traditional doll that came with a bunch of pink clothes. Admittedly, I bought a doll as well, more because the girls insisted that I need one than anything else. At least mine was a creepy looking porcelain doll that went with my new image.

Melanie and Rich had been standing just outside the toy store, waiting for us. They’d both wanted to give me a little time along in the store with the girls, or at least that was their excuse for staying back. Personally, I suspected it had more to do with them wanting to avoid the high pitched squeals of delight. I hadn’t tried any of that myself yet, but made a mental note to try it out sometime when I wanted to mess with my kids.

“Are you girls having fun?” Melanie asked, smirking faintly as she looked at me.

“Yeah,” Kimberly exclaimed excitedly. “We found a doll that looks like Alyss…”

Rich laughed at that, then said, “This I have got to see…” Kaylie pulled her new doll out for them to see and Rich grinned. “Yeah, I can see the resemblance.”

I just watched Rich, thinking about how odd it was for him to hang around while Melanie took the girls to the mall. Of course, I knew that the real reason he was hanging around was me. Lately, he’d been finding lots of excuses to be around so we could spend time together. Before my change, the two of us hadn’t been all that close, and I was pretty sure he was trying to take advantage of this second chance just as much as I was.

“Where to next?” Melanie asked.

The girls immediately began offering suggestions while I just looked around, thinking that we’d already hit nearly every place in the mall that interested me. We’d even spent some time at a kiosk where Kaylie and I had both bought some skull pins and hair clips. She seemed to think it was funny that we we’d bought very similar items, though Melanie had rolled her eyes the entire time.

“How about the bookstore?” I suggested a little eagerly.

“But you’ll be in there forever,” Kaylie protested.

Melanie smiled, as if that had been the very thing she needed to make up her own mind. “The bookstore it is,” she announced while Kaylie groaned in response.

“Sounds good to me,” Rich added, chuckling as Kaylie made exaggerated gagging sounds.

The bookstore was on the other side of the mall so we began making our way there, making a couple brief stops on the way. A couple minutes later, we were halfway there, right in the large open area in the very center of the mall.

“You know,” I mused, looking towards a spot where a custom license plate frame kiosk was currently set up. “The last time I was here, Santa Clause was set up right over there.” I didn’t bother to mention that this was actually a few years ago.

Suddenly, a loud voice yelled out, “Nobody move!”

I turned to look at the source, only to see a green glow that drew my eyes up, to the glowing man who hovered in the air, right in the middle of the large open courtyard. He had a black and red costume that had a few gold mental armor pieces. A black mask covered his entire head so I couldn’t make out any of his features, not even his hair.

“Oh shit,” I exclaimed, feeling a cold knot of dread forming in my stomach as I recognized him from the news. “The Marquis.”

“Look,” Kimberly exclaimed excitedly. “That man is flying. He’s a super hero…”

“No he isn’t,” I corrected her, knowing that we had to get out of here NOW.

The Marquis held out his hands and a half dozen people suddenly began to glow green, right before they floated up off the ground. He deposited them in a spot right in front of him, then used his power to grab a few more hostages. The license plate kiosk began to glow green and lifted into the air, then it smashed into the ground a short distance away.

I recognized the glowing green effect on the people and things he was lifting up into the air, having seen the exact same thing on the news. But then, it had been Mystery Woman using those same powers. This just confirmed what I’d been told about him being some sort of power thief.

“Freeze,” a security guard yelled, running up and pulling out his gun. At the same time, one of the mall shoppers pulled a gun out of her purse as well, and the two of them both opened fire on the Marquis at the same time. Or at least they tried to. Neither gun actually went off.

“Now isn’t that a kick in the balls,” I spat out, glancing to Kaylie who was standing next to me and muttering, “Pardon my French.” From the way the guns didn’t work, I had a bad feeling that Ceasefire had joined his collection.

“We have to get out of here,” Rich said, his voice shaking with fear. He kept glancing towards the Marquis.

“Kimberly,” Melanie cried out, realizing that her youngest daughter was missing.

I saw Kimberly on the ground about ten yards away, having been separated from us in the sudden chaos. Melanie rushed towards her daughter, leaving me and Rich with Kaylie.

I looked up at the Marquis, wondering what he was up to. It didn’t make sense to come and bust into a crowded mall, not unless he wanted to take people hostages or rob a bunch of stores. Sure, he’d grabbed a few people and was keeping them close, but he was letting almost everyone else run away. And of course, he wasn’t making any moves towards the nearby jewelry stores. He was just floating there, as if waiting for something.

Then it suddenly hit me. The Marquis wasn’t here to rob stores or ransom hostages. He was here, creating a big scene, just so he could lure in more super heroes to catch.

“I’ve got her,” Melanie called out to us, holding Kimberly by the hand.

“Let’s go,” Rich announced, creating a swirl in the air so we could escape.

The moment Rich did this, the Marquis snapped around and stared right at us, announcing, “A mutant…”

“Go,” I ordered.

Before anyone could go through Rich’s portal, Rich was suddenly glowing green and flying through the air, right towards the Marquis. His portal vanished the moment he’d been yanked away from it. Rich stopped moving a few seconds later and just hovered in front of the villain.

“A teleporter,” the Marquis commented, sounding more than a little pleased by that. “Excellent… You’ll increase my range a great deal…”

“Let him go,” I screamed out, remembering all the bad things I’d heard about the Marquis.

“But you aren’t the only other mutant here,” the Marquis told Rich, holding out his scepter. Smoke poured out and into Rich’s face and my son went slack and unconscious. Only then did the Marquis look at me and announced, “There are two more…”

“Two…?” I started, only to find myself lifting up into the air. But to my surprise, Kaylie was lifted up into the air as well.

“Two young ones,” the Marquis mused as he pulled us closer. “Very young.” He stared at me and said, “Strength, regeneration and something else… That could be quite useful until I find someone even stronger…”

“Let us go or I’ll kick your balls up into your throat,” I demanded, growing angry at his threatening my family.

The Marquis ignored me and looked at Kaylie, continuing, “Only on the verge of manifesting…just enough for me to sense you. But you aren’t there yet.”

I stared at Kaylie with a cold knot in my stomach, understanding exactly what the Marquis was saying. He seemed to have the power to sense mutants and what their powers were, and he’d just announced that Kaylie was one.

Kaylie didn’t react to being called a mutant, though she was obviously terrified and was crying. I clenched my fists, getting more pissed off with every second. How DARE he threaten her? How DARE he threaten my family?

“Fortunately for you,” the Marquis continued in an almost bored tone. “You’re below the limit so I’m throwing you back.”

With that, the Marquis let Kaylie drop, all the way to the ground where she hit and cried out. I snarled and wanted to punch him, but I was well out of reach. Of course, my fists weren’t the only thing I had to hit him with, but I was so distracted that I hadn’t remembered that fact until just then.

A moment later, I formed a ribbon around each of my arms and sent the other ends lashing out at the Marquis. I caught him by surprise because he lost his concentration, causing him to drop his powers…and all of us. I fell down and hit the ground, barely managing to catch Rich at the same time.

“Are you all right?” I demanded of Kaylie, who nodded tearfully.

“Then run,” I told her, yelling out to Melanie and Kimberly, “RUN.”

I was about to run with Rich in my arms, being much larger than me but feeling no heavier than as if he was made of Styrofoam…light Styrofoam. However, before I’d taken a single step, the Marquis fired a blast of energy at me, catching me in the side and sending me flying back. I dropped Rich in the process.

“God damn mother fucking bastard,” I exclaimed, more annoyed than anything else. I’d felt pain for a moment, but it went away in mere seconds. And when I glanced down at my dress, it looked a little charred but still good.

“Such a foul mouthed child,” the Marquis commented. “You’re far too young for my tastes, but that may make you easier to train…”

I lashed out with my ribbons, trying to entangle him, but there was a green glow around my ribbons and they were pushed back away from him. He fired another blast of energy at me, hitting me in the chest and sending me flying back. It stung like hell for a few seconds, but didn’t seem to do much real damage.

I glanced back towards Melanie and the girls, relieved to see that Melanie had done the smart thing and took them away from here. I knew it couldn’t be easy for her to leave me and Rich behind, but the girls had to take priority.

With a snarl, I charged right at the Marquis, deciding that if I couldn’t get fancy with my ribbons, I’d just bust his chops in the old fashioned way. Before I could even get close enough to punch him, I found myself surrounded by a green glow again and lifted in the air. I was really starting to hate Mystery Woman’s powers.

“You are a persistent child,” the Marquis said, sounding vaguely annoyed.

The Marquis raised his scepter and a burst of smoke came out and covered me. I immediately began to feel dazed and confused, and when he released his power over me, I slumped to the ground.

Just then, a voice yelled out, “Cease and desist.” It sounded vaguely familiar, though even with my improved memory, my dazed state made difficult to recall immediately.

“The Occultist,” the Marquis commented, naming the voice before I could.

I slowly looked over and saw the Occultist standing there, holding a staff in one hand. His other hand was glowing with a golden light. He looked imposing, but he was also alone and he’d previously seemed doubtful of his ability to defeat the Marquis on his own.

“You aren’t a mutant,” the Marquis stated, sounding disappointed. “A pity. I’d hoped to lure in someone I could use.”

“I’m so sorry your plans didn’t work,” the Occultist responded with a sarcastic chuckle. “Now to make sure none of your other plans do either.”

The Occultist held out his hand and a blast of golden light shot out at the Marquis. One of the hostages suddenly flew up into the air, surrounded by a green glow, and blocked the attack. There was a look of horror on the Occultist’s face as the hostage dropped to the ground.

The Marquis fired several blasts of energy at the Occultist and a golden disk of light appeared in front of him, blocking the attack. Seconds later, the Occultist held out an amulet, and an eagle made of fire burst out of it and flew into the air, only to be smashed by part of a kiosk that was sent flying right at it.

“Unfortunately,” the Marquis said, “you’ve caught me while I’m still weak. Once I regain my full power, your efforts will be nothing more than the buzzing of an insect.”

“Then it’s a good thing you aren’t at your full strength,” the Occultist responded with a false cheerfulness.

I grimaced and got back to my feet, finding that the dizziness was fading rapidly. Rich was still out cold, so obviously my powers were taking care of whatever drug he’d used on me, and doing so pretty quickly.

I didn’t say a word as I sent a ribbon to grab the Marquis’ arm so I could yank him off balance. He hit the ground and I continued pulling on the ribbon, dragging him right to me.

“Of course,” the Marquis responded, suddenly sending a hostage flying right at me. I had to let go of the ribbon to catch the hostage. “I’d nearly forgotten about your constitution.”

The Marquis got back to his feet, then held his hands out. Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow through the area, knocking the Occultist back though I was able to remain standing.

“Aerial,” the Occultist exclaimed in surprise. “You got her…”

Instead of responding to that verbally, the Marquis merely sent a small tornado swirling through the air towards the Occultist. Since the Occultist was still on the ground, pinned down by the wind, he couldn’t jump out of the way. Because of that, I sent out a ribbon to try pulling him away, but my ribbon couldn’t push past the wind either.

The Occultist didn’t need my help though as he called out something in a strange language and his staff flashed with a blue light. The tornado dispersed and vanished while the Occultist got back to his feet.

I charged at the Marquis again but he snapped around and blasted me with an energy blast, knocking me back. And before I could fully recover, he lifted me off the ground again.

“This is most inconvenient,” the Marquis finally said, sounding annoyed.

The wind picked up again and drove the Occultist back. Then the wind stopped and the Marquis began firing blasts of energy, one of which hit the Occultist in the side. The hero yelled in pain and dropped to the ground, clutching his side.

“I fear I’ve spent too much time here,” the Marquis said grimly. “Fortunately, I’ll still profit from this excursion.” With that, he bent down and touched Rich.

“Get your hands off him,” I demanded, charging at him again, this time sending my ribbons out at the same time I did so.

The Marquis snapped around and hit me in the chest with another blast of energy, commenting, “Unfortunately, I don’t have time to subdue you at the moment. The teleporter will have to do.”

A moment later, the Marquis gestured and the air in front of him began to swirl and formed into one of the portals that Rich created. The Marquis grabbed Rich and picked him up, then jumped through the portal. Both of them vanished…along with the portal itself.

“RICH,” I cried out in horror.

I stared at the empty space where my son had vanished, then snarled in anger and backhanded a nearby support column. The stone shattered at my hit but I didn’t care. I REALLY wanted to lash out, screaming and hitting everything around me, but I couldn’t afford to do that.

“Damn it,” I exclaimed bitterly, turning and going to check on the Occultist.

“I’ll live,” he told me with a wince of pain. “But I doubt I’ll be field worthy for some time.”

I nodded at that, feeling angry, not just at the Marquis but at the Freelancers themselves. They outnumbered the Marquis, but they refused to actually work together. That was why the Marquis was taking them down one at a time, becoming more powerful with each one he defeated. In fact, that was probably the very reason he’d come here to build his strength.

“How do we find that bastard?” I demanded of the Occultist, clenching my fists and doing everything I could just to keep from lashing out in anger. At that moment, I understood Rachael and her rampages far too well.

“I don’t have any idea,” the Occultist admitted with a grimace. “None of us do.”

I nodded at that, disappointed but not surprised. If they’d been able to find him, then they would have taken the fight to him, or at least I assumed they would.

“Useless,” I spat out bitterly, thinking of all these so called heroes. Then I scowled and mused, “If the heroes can’t help me…maybe a villain can.”