In response to comments about Part Two I made some minor changes on the matter of Blue Impact trying to obtain video evidence. I also added a bit to this part to reflect that change.

I will post Part Four on January 2nd.

Part Three

On contacting the Bureau of Special Resources, Vic was informed that not only were they already involved with the meteor theft and murder, but wanted Vic on in the case as well. Given her proven ability to resist the illusions of Artemis Hunter, they had arranged for Vic to participate in a questioning of the woman in just a couple of hours.

"Nice of them to tell me ahead of time," Vic muttered, as she hurried to get ready.

"If you talk to her," said Blue Impact, as Vic headed for the stairs, "don't mention anything about me trying to get video of the fight for the civil suit. Since that is evidence I intend to use in my own defense for a legally separate case, even asking her about it when you're supposed to be officially interviewing her about the criminal case could be considered using undue influence."

Vic nodded. As she entered her room, though, she wondered if the Bureau had originally even planned to have her participate, given how little time she now had to get to the interview. Fortunately, Vic's next lecture at The FX was not until the middle of the afternoon.

The FBI was conducting the questioning at their local office. Vic arrived with a bit of time to spare - not even needing to use Monstro's lights and siren - and was sent to meet one Agent Connor Gordon. Actually, to intersect with him, since he had already left his office.

"I'm what they call a leadhead," said the agent, with a slight smile and roll of his eyes, after they introduced themselves on the way to the interview room. He preferred to be called Con. "Strongly resistant to both influence and being read. Not due to strong willpower - though I have had training to improve that - but to something in my ancestry."

"That's good news," said Vic, nodding. "Just be aware that Miss Franks' power doesn't work quite like regular telepathy."

"Oh, I have already been present when she tried affecting people's perceptions. I could tell something was going on but could still see reality clearly."

"Excellent!"

At the interview area they were told that Miss Franks had just been escorted inside. They entered the small room with the table, chairs and one-way mirror and introduced themselves. Artemis had already met Vic, of course, though they had not been formally introduced before. If she was at all upset by the super being part of the interview she hid that well.

"Is that short for Victoria?" she asked, feigning interest they way people do to try and make a favorable social impression.

"Victor," said Vic, surprising both Artemis and Con.

The interview proved to be mostly tedious and boring, with the interesting parts were few and far between. Vic had repeated trouble concentrating. However, she definitely noticed when Con suddenly came alert, though he showed nothing obvious.

"Piece of paper?" Con said, interrupting Artemis' near-monotonic, droning account of checking the damage the heroes had done to her properties (as she put it).

"Uh, yes?" she said, looking surprised. "It was just lying there."

"At the scene of the battle between Vic and the Godsfather."

"Yes. At the time I thought it was just a bit of litter and absent-mindedly picked it up and put it in my purse. I didn't realize until I looked it over more carefully a few days ago that it might be evidence."

She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her purse and casually tossed it on the table. Vic had a sudden suspicion that Artemis' "accidental" mention of the paper was actually very deliberate. Why else would she have it handy? In which case, the fact that she had given it to them now meant there was something she wanted in return, now.

Agent Gordon unfolded the paper and smoothed it out on the tabletop. Vic leaned in to get a good look. There were names, dates, places and a diagram, all placed by hand with pencil.

"That looks familiar..." said Vic. She started as she realized that the diagram resembled the item shown embedded in the meteorite in the images Blue Impact had found of the recently stolen lump of iron.

"Does that mean something to you?" said Artemis, trying to sound casual and mostly succeeding.

"You stole something from a crime scene!" said Vic, using outrage to cover her recognition.

"It was just laying there!"

"So that makes it all right to corrupt a crime scene?!"

"I didn't corrupt - or contaminate - a crime scene!" said Artemis, outraged. "I found that little piece of paper just lying there for the taking after the cops had finished! I figured it must not be important and picked it up just to be neat. If I hadn't, someone else would have! Or it would have just blown away! I actually saved it!"

"No-one else would have taken it!" said Vic, now genuinely outraged. "If your goal was to save it from being lost to the wind, the obvious next step was to give it to the cops right then and there! Stop trying to justify something unjustifiable! All you're doing is making yourself look increasingly guilty."

"Let's take a twenty minute break," said the FBI agent, obviously concerned.

In the building's breakroom agent Gordon paid for Vic's snack and drink. They sat in silence for a bit, before he shifted in his seat and sighed.

"Did you recognize something about that paper?" he asked.

"It looks like something connected to the murder and meteorite theft at the mineralogy museum," said Vic.

"Okay, so it could be significant."

"She knows that. She knows we know that. She'll want something in return."

"Okay, yes, she didn't bring the paper to the attention of law enforcement when she should have. She still gave it to us eventually. Even if it was to curry favor from us, it's still potentially important evidence in this case, and now we have it."

"She picked it up from a crime scene and kept it for weeks," said Vic. She sighed herself, now, and visibly made herself relax. "Sorry. She just rubs me the wrong way in general, and today especially."

That was all true, but she was also covering her recognition of the diagram. She didn't know whether she was supposed to keep quiet about the fact that there was a potential bit of alien tech in the stolen meteorite, but she had made the connection to the theft without revealing that. Vic definitely didn't want Artemis Franks having that particular bit of information.

"You're not alone in feeling like that," said Gordon, staying professional. "We need to be diplomatic with her, though. Getting tough just makes her less cooperative."

"Right," said Vic, reluctantly. She gave him a tired grin. "You be diplomatic. I'll just sit there and scowl."

"That actually works a surprising amount of the time."

They returned to the interrogation room just as Artemis rounded a corner, headed the same way. Vic had half expected her to leave during the break. Agent Gordon opened the door, smiled, and gestured for her to enter first. With all inside they got back to business.

As it turned out, Artemis didn't think she had much more to tell them. However, Gordon asked background questions which revealed useful information that surprised even her. For instance, the Godsfather was recommended by one of her contacts. In fact, he had strongly recommended hiring that ancient super, something only suspicious in retrospect. A few other facts were also uncovered by his skilled questioning. Eventually, though, it was obvious to all three that this well had run dry.

"Well, Miss Franks, thank you," said agent Gordon, standing.

However, she was obviously hesitating. Vic, seeing this, remained seated, as Artemis had.

"What is it that you want?" said Vic, earning a look of disapproval from Gordon and a glare from Artemis.

"Well... I've heard about this group of supers which is going around, getting really tough with lawbreakers."

"The New Breed," said Vic, nodding.

"It's just... I haven't done anything wrong, but someone could easily think I had," said Artemis, calmly, though both Vic and Gordon could tell she was actually quite worried.

"Just try not to attract their attention and you should be fine," said Gordon, remaining standing.

"I'm not so sure of that," she said, her confidence fading a bit.

"Do you have something which could help us catch them?" said Vic.

Artemis leaned forward, as if speaking in confidence.

"Look... You folks treated me fairly. You and Tricorne and the FBI. Firm but fair. Even the local cops were okay. These people, though... I know for a fact that at least some of them are actually criminals in new costumes with new names. They might just be trying to turn over a new leaf and doing it badly, but I think it's more likely that someone is using them to put public pressure on legitimate heroes. Probably to remove competition, too. As well as to divert attention away from some scheme by one of them or whoever is behind them."

"A master mastermind," said Vic, nodding. "We've had our suspicions that was the case, but no real evidence."

Vic could tell Con was surprised to hear this, but he covered it well.

"Do you have names - mask or civilian - for those members of the New Breed you know about?" said Gordon, finally retaking his seat.

Artemis hesitated, sighed and gave both mask and civilian names for three of the group.

"You didn't hear that from me!" said Artemis, flatly, after the FBI agent had written those down

"Of course," said Gordon, as he notated the information.

"Listen, whoever is behind all this is bad for business. I don't like them. I don't like what they're doing. Yeah, I push further from the straight and narrow than most businessfolk, but I do it to stay competitive, not to get revenge or rule the world. Those people are nuts. So if I can help you get them or the person behind them, I will."

"You think whoever is behind the New Breed is also behind the illegal activities at the museum," said Vic, surprising Gordon. "Including the gem theft."

"It... Yeah. It's more than a hunch. Call it an understanding of how masterminds think."

"So you're not doing this for revenge over whoever is behind them using you - however indirectly and unknowingly - to further their schemes?" said Vic, with a bit of a smirk.

"That's just the gravy. Not the main reason. Which is self preservation."

The FBI agent was more than a little annoyed that Artemis now spoke primarily to Vic - to the extent of ignoring most of his questions - but he was professional about it. He stayed quiet. As long as they got answers to their questions, he seemed content, if not happy. Eventually, though, that line of questioning also ran out.

"Miss Franks, thank you for this information," said Gordon, standing again. This time Artemis and Vic also stood.

"Well, I'm glad you're satisfied," she replied, smiling but sounding impatient. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get ready for a meeting with representatives from Tani Cybernetics. We're working on a joint project which should revolutionize robotics! Keep an eye out for announcements!"

One that note, the inventor smiled charmingly at them and exited. None of the three offered to shake hands.

"Nothing like a scared criminal for providing information on criminal activities," said Gordon, as he tidied his notes.

"Just make sure you send copies of all this to NASA, OSI and the BSR," said Vic. "The names she gave us for the members of the New Breed, especially. I don't need copies, thank you; I have a very good memory."

"All right." The two of them shook hands. "We'll keep you apprised. I expect you to reciprocate."

"Will do."

* * *

"I've heard of DareKill," said Blue Impact, after Vic returned to the old bakery and reported what she had learned. "We three have fought Helen Frye and Blackjack. That was not fun."

"What I find worrying is that someone already knew about the device in that asteroid chunk that far ahead," said Gadgetive. "Not only that they knew about it, but may even know what it was!"

"I don't see how that follows," said Energia, looking puzzled.

The team had gathered in the lounge area of Blue Impact's lair to catch each other up and have lunch. They were not at all surprised to learn that members of the New Breed were actually disguised criminals.

"Well, I need to get lunch, then get over to The FX building," said Vic, rising nimbly from the couch in the entertainment center of the lair.

"Me, too," said Energia, lifting straight up from the recliner at Blue Impact's end of the reinforced couch. She grinned. "This time, maybe I will get to ride in that car of yours. I kept hearing about it from your friends at college but I've never even been inside."

"I'll be glad to give you a ride," said Vic, smiling.

* * *

The lectures went fine that day, with nothing standing out. At least in part because that one young man - Arlen was his name - wasn't there. This might have been due to the lectures being about different aspects of working with various levels of law enforcement. Energia spoke mostly about working with local and state police. Vic primarily about interacting with the different federal law enforcement agencies.

Afterwards, the pair met with the super members of The FX in their just-completed conference room. Energia figured they wanted to show it off, but soon realized they actually did have some important things to talk about. As Energia, Vic and the members of the nascent team settled around the new and very impressive table - with its built-in holographic display - Energia realized this was the first time she had seen all of the new team's members together.

Posey was constantly surrounded by harmless sparkles. Energia could feel how they were produced, but that didn't tell her if they were an involuntary product of the young woman's powers or something she deliberately did. They looked cute, and definitely contributed to the atmosphere she projected. She was a moderately powerful energy projector who also was able to generate a force field. She wore an all-white costume composed of a body stocking without gloves or mask. Or shoes, since she preferred to go barefoot. Even her nails were white. Her pale skin and light hair blended into the costume, making details of her features a bit difficult to discern, though from what Energia knew this was purely coincidental.

Isarda was a striking young Hispanic woman, a general physical super roughly on par with Blue Impact. She usually wore workout clothing in shades of dark grey as a costume, with a large I in white on both the front and back of whatever top she was wearing. She also went without a mask.

Sircada was just as strikingly male Nordic. He was another general physical super, though one whose abilities emphasized speed and agility over raw strength and resilience. He was the field leader. His insect-themed green outfit was the most typical super costume on the team.

Popcorn Dash was their speedster. Tall, lean and nearly as pale as Sircada, he was unusually quiet and restrained for a speedster. He was the team's second-oldest member, though still nearly two decades younger than Ma. His costume was blue jeans and long-sleeve t-shirt (or hoodie in cold weather) and a blue cowl with white side wings. No mask, though he had goggles hanging from an elastic strap around his neck. Energia noted that what little of his hair could be seen around his cowl was almost as red as hers.

Tone was a female sound manipulator. She wore a mostly blue costume with an emblem on the chest and back which showed a circle with several sine waves.

Theoretical Stranger was... vague. He usually presented as male.

Salamander was definitely male, and a fire telekinetic. He wore a monochrome bright red costume with gloves but no mask. Vic really wished he'd wear a cup protector or modesty pouch.

The Coordinator, aka "Ma", was a handsome older black woman, whose hair was just starting to get some grey. She wore normal clothing, including what Energia mentally labeled "smart girl glasses." She was a mastermind, very good at taking data in, properly analyzing and filing it, then coming out with important information.

They all had some hero experience. Most had been on at least one team and all of them had worked as singletons to some extent. However, nearly all of them had taken time off from that work for several months after the Shilmek war. Now they wanted to get back into it, together, and do it as close to perfect as they could. Hence the lectures. As well as a lot of other training and study. They were determined to be the best full-time superhero team in the area.

Energia and Vic spoke for a while with the members of The FX about how the lectures were going and what those involved would like to see added. As well as whether they might be able to add some sort of certified classes which would expand on the topics. Vic and Energia also mentioned the New Breed. The FX had already heard about them, also already suspected they were criminals in disguise and appreciated having that confirmed. Finally, Isarda brought up the subject of an apparently neutral mask who called herself Glide.

"She apparently just enjoys using her powers," said Isarda, trying to keep tone and voice neutral and mostly succeeding. "She has never deliberately hurt anyone, but she keeps scaring and startling people. There have been several injuries from pedestrians walking into things and drivers not watching where they were going."

"Y'now," said Posey, speaking more calmly than her older teammate, "some people just like having fun."

"Posey thinks she's funny," said Isarda, scowling at the younger woman. "The rest of us think she's a menace."

"Speak for yourself," said Ma. "I think she's charming. If a bit too unconcerned about distracting drivers."

"She doesn't actually seem to fly," said Posey, frowning and cupping her chin in that cute way she had. "More like she's working the balance between kinetic and potential energies."

"She jumps off buildings for fun," said Isarda, still scowling. "So there's trespassing, violating safety rules..."

"We'll keep an eye out for her," said Vic, quickly.

"She may just need a word of advice," said Energia. "Or warning."