Part Nine

"Gadgetive, I need to tell me everything you know about those drones," said Blue Impact, once they were underway.

"Why?" said the gadgeteer, puzzled. "They won't use them again; just like they had them here instead of another powerful super standing guard. Masterminds like to change things up. Well, some things..."

"Because this setup was different in other ways, too. Someone had a whole bunch of several series of devices made by the same company through a long span, instead of a few gadgets gathered from different sources."

"I noticed that, too," said Vic, nodding.

"Uhm, okay," said Gadgetive. "Starting back in the late fifties Dr. Michael Arnold began work on what he called 'emulates.' Each was part of a series of mechanical agents intended to go places and perform tasks the agoraphobic inventor couldn't. However, his chief of research - Hunter Franks - also worked on his own design in secret, intending to sell it for security and military uses. There was some bad blood, there, once Arnold found out. Franks quit, then founded his own company. He named the models he produced after regions of ancient Greece, a practice which continues today. Dr. Arnold later developed his line into a series of units intended to go places humans and even most supers couldn't, to gather information and even make repairs. A few years later he also began marketing a series of household assistants, mainly for people who were physically disabled. Meanwhile, Franks was arrested for using one of his preproduction units to murder people he had grudges against. Which almost included Dr. Arnold. The company he founded continued without him until it was eventually taken over by his son."

"I remember, now," said Energia. "Both father and son were accused of stealing their designs from Dr. Arnold's work."

"A few of Arnold's patented features were used in the first preproduction units. However, once the senior Franks was in prison the new owners replaced those. The commercial units - then and now - were either all completely original or licensed the tech they used. The stigma is still there, though. Even after he died a few years ago, the son was accused of stealing design elements from other inventors."

"That could be the revenge," said Vic, nodding. "Did the son have any children?"

"I don't know," said Gadgetive, unfolding the keyboard from the dash in front of her, "but I can find out."

She soon had an answer.

"Okay, four kids, boy, girl, boy, boy. The oldest died in an accident involving an early prototype for the Peloponnese model. His grief over that may be why the middle Franks died relatively young. The daughter got involved in crime and was pretty much ignored by the family and the business, which likely didn't help her father's health. She and the first son were the only ones to share the family interest in - and genius for - things technical. The two youngest were - are - playboys, with no interest in invention or running things. A board took over the company after Franks died."

"What was the daughter's name?" said Blue Impact, frowning.

"Uhm, Artemis Franks," said Gadgetive. "Huh. Her records are sealed. Lots of layers of protection. Wait, here's something in the clear: After she got out of prison a few years ago she took an active part in running the company. Eventually was named President. Took several lawsuits and lots of campaigning and political maneuvering by her, but she took control and she appears to be doing a good job. The company is thriving."

"I know that name," said Blue Impact, her frown deepening. "Something... from several years ago."

"It looks like her files were sealed by the federal government," said Gadgetive. "I'll need time to get through their security."

"Don't!" said Blue Impact, quickly. "So far everything you've found is in public records, right? Let's not break any laws, here."

As she sat at the controls of the travel pod, still frowning in thought, the flyer began its automated descent.

"We're right back in the same city where we started our investigation this morning," said Vic. "Only downtown, instead of in a suburb."

"Yeah," said Energia.

"Got it," said Blue Impact, her finger snap muffled by her gloves. "There was a minor-league super named Chameleon Gal - she was into hustling, swindling and blackmailing, not violent crime - who made a deal with federal prosecutors after getting caught participating in some big scheme. Turned state's evidence against her partners. Nobody knew her real name before she was caught, and as part of the deal her records were sealed. Her power was that she could make people think she looked like someone else. I heard, though, that she sometimes used the name Artemis Hunter. I thought it was a pure pseudonym, but what if this is the same person who is now in charge of the company and she was just using a family first name as a fictional last name?"

"Artemis Hunter?" said Vic, with raised eyebrows. "That's a bit redundant."

"Hang, on," said Gadgetive, typing frantically. "Yeah. Her full name is Artemis Hunter Franks."

"Black Badge said people couldn't agree on what the mastermind looked like," said Energia, in sudden revelation.

"She doesn't actually change shape," said Blue Impact with a vague wave of her right hand. "She... confuses the part of the brain which interprets what something looks like. So people remember a plausible but false image."

"Can she select what people see?" said Energia, frowning.

"To an extent. The more she's able to concentrate the larger the extent."

"I wonder if that's why she's wearing that striking eye makeup, now," said Vic, looking thoughtful. "Even though it makes her more noticeable, what people notice is the exploding eyes. She puts on a pair of sunglasses and activates her power and she's effectively invisible."

"That's what I'm betting," said Blue Impact, seriously. "Okay, I'll land us a couple of blocks from the building. We'll meet with the FBI agents on scene, find out what they know and let them know what we've deduced. Then we'll go from there, figuring out what to do."

* * *

Even on the approach to the FBI agents' position, Blue Impact was careful to keep other structures between them and their goal. She put the pod down in a regular parking space, and made sure to feed the meter when they exited. Though it was a Sunday there were plenty of people around, and the quartet and their vehicle elicited many startled looks. They proceeded on foot - even Energia, to her irritation - and were met by Fuyumi Tanaka - the FBI woman in charge of the small team keeping an eye on the building - before they came in view of the target.

"They should just have a skeleton staff on site, it being Sunday and all," she said, as they made their covert way to the FBI van, "but we're seeing a lot of activity on the two uppermost floors and in the lobby."

"So, we probably need to go in," said Vic. Looking around she saw the agents nod, some reluctantly. "Politely or rudely?"

"I... don't..." said Tanaka.

"Do we walk boldly in," said Vic, "have those with badges flash them and try to bluff them into granting us entry, under the assumption that there's something wrong and we'll see it if they let us past, or do we think there's enough evidence of wrongdoing - probable cause - that we can just force our way in without permission?"

"There's also a third option," said Blue Impact. "We four walk openly towards the building and see if that provokes a response."

"The problem with that," said Energia, "is that if a response is provoked it could endanger bystanders and cause a lot of property damage, and if one isn't provoked we wind up standing outside the building looking silly."

"There aren't a lot of people around right now to endanger, though," said Vic, thinking it through. "However, if they just play it cool..."

"Masterminds can play the game, as well as most of their middle-managers," said Blue Impact, the voice of experience. "Underlings usually can't. Even if there's no response, the FBI - presumably - will be coming along right behind us. We just act like we're a bit early and waiting for them."

"The slow, confident, intimidating, walk," said Vic, nodding. "They actually teach us that at the Bureau."

"At the Pine Island Academy, too," said Energia, also nodding. She smiled at Tanaka, in a very unhumorous way. "I was allowed in Advanced Intimidation classes ahead of most students."

"It's settled, then," said Blue Impact, now also nodding.

"It is?" said agent Tanaka.

"It is?" said Gadgetive.

The quartet began filtering out the door of the communications van. The agent in charge looked around at the other three FBI agents.

"When did I lose control of this operation?"

"Fuyumi, I don't think any of us ever had a chance of being in control of this operation," said one of the other agents. He rose.

"We better get after them," said Tanaka, thus prompted, with an aggravated sigh. "Fred, bring the neutralizer. I don't know who we'll have to use it on, but I'd bet a week's pay we'll have to use it on someone."

There were no takers.

After the four costumed supers exited the van, however, Energia moved in close to the team leader.

"You're not just doing this 'cause we're running out of Spring Break, are you?" she said, quietly, as they reached the end of the alley where the FBI van was parked.

"You know," said Blue Impact, also quietly and looking surprised, "I completely forgot about that! No, I just want a break in this case, and think this is a good way to get one."

"Just note that it could break a lot more than the case," said Energia, in a mutter.

Blue Impact laughed, straightened, put on her "I mean business" face and walked out into the street. The others quickly followed, in posture, expression and course. They were across from their target and a short distance down the block. Traffic was light; striding confidently they jaywalked diagonally across to the sidewalk which ran in front of the business. That left them close to the main entrance of the building.

"Franks Security Robotics," said Energia, reading the sign on the front of the building.

"International in scope and involving far more than either security or robots," said Gadgetive, nodding. "They're one of the biggest names in modern cybernetics."

Their progress was interrupted by the front of the building exploding outwards. Only there was no blast; something very large had burst through the glass at the front of the high lobby from the inside. Something alive and human in shape. Something much larger than a human, and still growing.

"Thought you could just walk up here and come right inside, did ya'?" said a booming voice. "You can't do that to us!"

Energia's first impression was that this was somehow her Aunt Colossa, but she quickly corrected that.

"Is that... Great Big Joe*?" said Energia, sounding worried. "I thought he retired from crime and went into advertising!"

"I think that's Joe Grow's son," said Blue Impact, frowning. "Calls himself Major Grow. All right, you! Stand down!"

The giant laughed like an amused whale and reached for a delivery truck parked in front of the building. Energia hit him with a high-frequency, high-voltage electrical attack, which danced impressively across his skin but barely affected him. Gadgetive shot him in the face with webbing, which was a little more effective. Blue Impact charged in and side-kicked his left ankle, the only part she could quickly reach. Vic caught him with a leaping kick to the side of the left knee.

He looked confused. Then annoyed.

"You think you can just waltz in here," he roared, like some great engine of destruction, as he wiped the webbing from his face, "and do what you want?"

"He's nuts!" said Energia, flying higher and trying a different frequency. Unfortunately, this had even less effect than her first attempt.

"No more!"

He straightened and spread his arms wide, hands open, palms forward. All four of his opponents knew what was coming next.

When he slammed his hands together the shockwave rattled windows for blocks, breaking more than a few. Energia and Blue Impact covered their ears while Vic and Gadgetive depended on the protection built into their helmets. They were still all stunned to varying degrees; the effect was more of a massive impact than a sound. However, Blue Impact and Energia recovered before he could take advantage of the situation. The former due to being further away than the others and the latter due to her denser tissues.

Energia switched to plain electricity, which at least had a strong detrimental effect on Major Grow. Unfortunately, his response to the lightning was to crouch in preparation for leaping at her. However, a manhole cover hurled like a Frisbee caught him in the left temple, courtesy of Blue Impact. Before he could recover, Vic jumped from the ground to the top of a van and caught him with a leaping side kick to the same temple.

That almost ended the fight. However, he grabbed his head with one hand and swung the other around blindly as he lurched upright.

Gadgetive webbed his right foot to the pavement. Blue Impact grabbed someone's Jaguar and used it as a battering ram against Major Grow's left ankle. He dropped, crushing several cars and blocking the street. Vic immediately took advantage of this more convenient access to land several paralyzing nerve strikes, some delivered from atop the giant's back. Major Grow screamed, then passed out.

"Well, I guess that's probable cause!" said Vic, hopping down to the pavement. "I'm also really glad those nerve strikes worked on him!"

However, the quartet's troubles weren't over.

"Guardbots!" yelled Gadgetive, pointing.

Two Thessalians came running out of the opening Major Grow had made.

Energia, glad to finally have a target she didn't need to worry about accidentally killing, hit both with pure heat, pouring it on, dumping most of her store into them. The robots seized, humming. After several minor explosions they both slumped to the sidewalk, glowing a dull red and flaming. The panting heroes took a moment to catch their collective breath. This fight, less than an hour after the previous one, was taxing even their martial artist.

"Here come the FBI, with a neutralizer," said Energia, who had the advantage of a better view, due to altitude. "I hope that will cover all of him!"

"Stay with us!" said Blue Impact to the team's sole flyer, as she hurried into the hole in the front of the building. "We need to stick together!"

Energia sighed, but flew down to the hole. Though she stayed above head level. There was plenty of room, both going through the hole and inside the main lobby.

The well dressed man at the reception desk was on the phone, screaming for security. Watching in growing panic as the quartet approached.

"You can't come in here!" he shouted, dropping the phone and backing away. "It's all on security video! The police are on the way!"

"I'm federal law enforcement," said Vic, pointing to her badge. "We've got FBI backup. Now, what are you doing in here on a Sunday?"

"What?" he said, confused. He looked up as two of the FBI agents entered, badges and guns out. He frantically jabbed a finger at the costumed heroes. "Them! I work here! They attacked Miss Franks' fiance!"

"Wait," said one of the agents. "Artemis Franks is engaged to Thomas Grow?!"

"Yes! He was defending her interests against attack by these radicals! Arrest them!"

"These people are helping the FBI investigate a series of thefts of valuable technological antiques, as well as assaults on law enforcement agents and the possible kidnapping of Emil Logsdon."

"I don't know anything about that! I do know that all of you are trespassing! Security!"

Facility security finally arrived, and promptly got in a yelling match with the two FBI agents. The tired masks just watched quietly for a few moments.

"C'mon," said Blue Impact, after a bit, in a low voice to the other three costumed supers. "Let's take advantage of the diversion they're causing."

They moved carefully towards the doorway to the fire stairs, with everyone else in the lobby being too distracted by the yelling match to notice.

Once inside, Blue Impact began heading down.

"Down?!" said Energia.

"Works for me," said Vic. "Masterminds like to escape into tunnels."

"The FBI will go up," said Blue Impact, nodding. "Eventually. That's where they saw the activity they mentioned earlier. So we go down. If I'm wrong and they need help quickly, Energia can fly up the stairwell."

"Sounds like a plan," said Energia, remembering that their team leader had been at this nearly as long as the rest of them together.