Danny had spent his life confined to his 'wheels,' a wheelchair. All he had to look forward was wondering just when his body would finally give out for all that he was still a teen. However, his friend Griffin just might was going to change all of that. You see he had a plan!

The next morning, Saturday or not, he had his alarm set. It wasn't as it if was hard getting up. Even with the lazy months after moving here, he was still used to getting up early from his years with his Grandparents on the farm. It was more the late night than the early hours. There were things to do.

Still his Mom was surprised when he zipped though the kitchen to grab something to eat on his way to Danny's.

“Well you're certainly up early for the weekend.” She observed, fixing breakfast for Chris who was no doubt still upstairs. Griffin's step-father regarded his Saturday golf games as just as important to his construction business and political aspirations as going into work at the office.

To Chris that meant that Mom's job was to support him in these endeavors which, in this case, meant fixing him breakfast.

Popping a waffle in the toaster, Griffin explained. “Going over to Danny's. We're researching a class project.”

“And play some video games?” She asked, with a knowing smile.

“Could be.” He replied, smiling back. It so confused him sometimes. His Mom could be so cool about some things, and he knew she loved him her own way.

But she would never go against anything that Chris wanted. Maybe that was why he disliked her at times. She'd failed to be as strong as he needed and wanted her to be. The lesson that those he looked up to, growing-up, weren't perfect and had feet of clay weren't one he enjoyed learning. However, his Mom was all he had left. No matter how flaky things might get, he loved her.

“Just remember to try and do some of that school work.” She wagged a finger at him.

Hitching his book bag higher on his shoulder, Griffin snagged a soda pop from the fridge and ran by the toaster just in time to snag his waffle as it popped up.

“Sure Mom.” He assured her, heading for the door. Running into Chris would not be a good thing. While his Step-father might be meticulously politically correct in public, Chris had referred to Danny as that 'crippled-kid' more than once.

In Chris's world there were winners and then everyone else. If he couldn't make use of you then you weren't worth his notice. Sure Griffin was big, but besides having no interest in sports, he was also clumsy probably because his body felt so wrong to him. Once his step-father realized that that Griffin would not be a sports hero, that was it as far as he was concerned. Forget that Griffin had always had much better than just good grades. That wasn't anything Chris could use to impress his business clients.

Hearing his step-father come down the stairs, Griffin slipped out the back door not a moment too soon. The teen felt the same way about Chris. Anyone who would treat people that way deserved not one minute of his attention or time. Respect, Grandpa Joe had taught him, had to be earned. Chris had done none of that.

Soon he was biking across Urban Hell Acres. The early spring morning was already more like summer than spring, given this was the south. He enjoyed the effort of pushing himself, flying down the street.

Another advantage of living in an affluent area was the bike lanes which let him concentrate on riding and not on keeping from being run over. Besides, he needed to think and the feeling of gliding, flying, helped.

The things he'd seen the night before were impossible, while others made him want to wash his eyes out with bleach. 'The Perv' and Brian had transformed themselves into a number of different forms. Some of them very disturbing. At least Brian protested and was unwilling over some of them. Even normally the florist was one of those naturally young looking guys. Like Micheal J. Fox and Matthew Brodrick, he looked barely out of his teens instead of nearly 30. The forms last night looked a lot younger than even that. Griffin might never look at Batman and Robin, or Cap and Bucky the same way ever again.

However, that alien machine, wherever it came from, offered once in a lifetime opportunities for both him and Danny. One he could not and would not pass up.

He'd been up for awhile. His 'burden' wouldn't let him sleep long, but that was okay with him. Not knowing if, when you went to bed, if you would wake-up again made one very happy for every waking moment. It made him want to live life to it fullest with no regrets.

Danny did his best, but it wasn't easy at times. Watching others do the run, jump and play thing, while he was stuck in his 'wheels' was tough. Still he tried to stay as active as his condition would allow which wasn't very. Despite his problems, he'd managed to convince his parents and the school system to let him attend.

Truthfully, he knew he was borderline with his special needs, but Danny was also determined to be as independent as possible. Sometimes he wondered why he bothered, with some of the harassment he got from a few of his fellow students, but the support of the majority of others balanced it out and more.

“Danny, ” His Mom called on the intercom. “Griffin is here.”

“Send him up, Mom.” He replied, with a grin.

And just sometimes it was worth it in spades.

Danny had plenty of friends online, but although he had several friendly acquaintances at school, none were really friends. They all had more active lives and, for whatever reasons, didn't or couldn't make allowances for his special needs.

That is, except for Griff.

The farm boy was everything he wasn't. Big, redheaded and covered in freckles from spending most of his time outside, Griff always made time for him. They'd only known each other for the four months since the farm boy had transferred in after the death of his grandparents, but it seemed like so much longer.

It was so funny that many of their classmates thought of the redhead as slow as his his heavily accented drawl made him seem. They complained he would drag down their grade point average when the opposite was true. He was actually petty damn smart. If either of them cared they could've been accepted by Mensa.

His friend had a near perfect memory, and it'd been funny when one of their teachers, Mrs. Reynolds, had accused him of cheating. Griff had recited from memory the paragraph and page number, the relevant facts as well as what they meant.

Danny suspected that Griff could've tested out, bypassing graduation at any time he wanted from junior high on. Then again there was that problem with his step-father. It was clear that tuition for college would not be forthcoming from him. You would think the Bastard would be glad to pay to get Griff out of the house, but that wasn't the way his mind worked. Sure his friend could probably rake in some sweet scholarships, but he would still need additional funds to live on. Griff was still only sixteen which limited his options as far as work was concerned. In short, as his friend put it, he was between a rock and a hard place, so he went to high school.

However, by the typical modern high schooler definition, being a teen meant living and breathing on social networks. The farm boy couldn't care less about any of that stuff. Being out in the boondocks with no connectivity ruled out his being familiar with texting and everything else their classmates thought of as important.

Danny had been shocked to learn that Griff had used dial-up because they didn't even have cable out on the farm. With his 'burden' making him so immobile, the internet was his lifeline to the world. Danny couldn't imagine doing without it.

Using the hoist's remote, he swung himself into his wheels. Danny suspected that one day his 'burden' would get its own name once the so-called specialists gave up trying to pin his condition into one pigeon hole or another. It was enough to know it was one of the neurological family of troubles causing his body to fail.

“Hey, what's up!” Griff entered with his phone out, causing Danny to smile.

Most times the big redhead was somber, but when he was happy he kinda glowed, infectious. Danny thought that was why Griff kept to his self so much, because that really wasn't the way guys were supposed to be.

Danny couldn't care less what was accepted and what wasn't. He wasn't sure he even had a sexuality, given the way his 'burden' had stunted his body's development. A saving grace for Griff was that he was so big, not even the Senior class jocks dared push him.

The one time three of them had tried, one had ended up on the floor in an arm-lock so fast the others were left gaping with their mouths open. When Danny asked him about it, Griff simply shrugged and said, “Gramps hadn't always been a farmer. Because I was so big, he taught me to fight the right way so I wouldn't hurt anyone.”

“So what did you do to it this time that I need to fix?” Danny asked, taking the offered smart phone.

Griff's mother was all about keeping up with the Joneses. When he'd arrived, she'd immediately gotten him this smart phone with all the bells and whistles. The farm boy had one heck of a learning curve trying to figure it out. Danny of course had been more than happy to help, if only to get his grubby paws on the latest state of the art toy.

Despite the joke, it hadn't taken Griff long to work out the mysteries of the phone. If he had any problem, it was that he simply under-utilized the smart device. With his perfect memory, he simply didn't need most of them.

“Nothing this time.” Griff's eyes danced with mischief. “But you've got to look at these pictures.”

“You know you could've just sent them to me?” Danny laughed at his friend.

“Not these pictures, I couldn't.” Griff replied, enigmatically. “And no they're not 'that' kind of picture. Okay, mostly. That stuff was entirely coincidental.”

Looking at the pictures, he first shot a glance at Griff wondering why he was taking pics of naked guys, much less these guys, but then he saw the device.

“This can't be for real.” Danny declared, handing the phone back.

“Yes, it is.” Griff argued. “You know me, and you know Steven and Brian. There's no way we could ever work together to prank you like this, and you know I'm no good at that Photoshop stuff.”

“But that would mean there really is intelligent life out there somewhere.” Danny said, feeling really slow from the mental shock.

“Well, we always knew the odds favored that outcome.” Griff was reasonable. “It was far less certain that any intelligent life was anywhere nearby, much less able to travel between stars. However,” He tapped his phone. “This proves that, somehow, they do, and they have a very high level of technology.

“This box transformed them in seconds.” The redhead continued. “High level nanotech or perhaps even matter transmutation. Additionally, Steven and Brian altered the display by just touching that crystal. It either read their minds or something so close to it the difference doesn't matter.”

“All that means,” Griff took a deep breath.

“It could heal me.” Danny continued.

“It could heal both of us.” The Farm-boy said, so low it was a whisper.

“Heal you?” Danny asked, looking up at his healthy looking friend.

“I feel like such a hypocrite since you have real serious problems.” Griff answered, hanging his head low. “But you could say I have body and quality of life issues.”

“No problem is little when it's yours.” Danny replied, sincerely. “I've learned that from all my hospital visits. Sure I'm not in a good way, but there were kids younger than me who would never see another year, much less their sixteenth like me.

“So this thing can do the job,” He changed the subject. “But what are we going to do? Roll up to the door and ask to please use their alien machine? You know what Steven is like.”

“No, that wouldn't work any too well.” Griff agreed. “He would either slam the door in our faces, or call the cops saying we were trespassing. Brian might let us in, but he would catch serious hell if his boyfriend ever found out. Besides I wouldn't put it pass 'The Perv' to have cameras hidden in the house.”

“There are security cameras outside the house.” Danny pointed out. “It's not a big leap of logic to say they're inside too. So what did you have in mind?”

“Well if we tried telling anyone about it, we would either get laughed at, or the Box would be confiscated which means we still wouldn't get a chance to use it. That leaves us with two options.”

“Steal it.” Danny answered, uncomfortably.

“That's one option,” Griff nodded. “It would be up to me to get into the place and back out with the Box, that's if I could figure out some way of 'repacking' it back to briefcase size. However, you saw some of the things Steven had transformed himself into. Would you really want Batman, Captain America or Iron-Man coming after us?”

Danny shook his head no. Even just a Batman clone would be bad. Assuming he had any part of the Dark Knight's abilities, him and Griff would be dead meat. He didn't even want to think about Captain America. Bats, for all his prowess, was still an ordinary if extremely well-trained man, but Cap was a super-soldier and just as skilled. That wasn't even counting the Iron-Man armor.

“And the other possibility?” He asked. “You've obviously been thinking about this.”

“Well, I'll still need to sneak inside.” Griff said grinning, “But we won't steal it. Instead we'll use it and get out without him ever knowing we were there. I'm not sure if it would be more practical for me to let you in so you can use the Box yourself or have me make something with it and bring it out to you.”

“Make something? Like what?” Danny asked intrigued.

“I don't know.” The would be burglar answered. “Maybe one of Dr. McCoy's magic pills, or Captain America's super soldier serum, but that's why I'm here. We do what we do best; research the hell out this thing. Find out what is available about these boxes and then come up with the best plan for using it.”

“You really think you can bring back something that will help me?” For the first time in years Danny almost dared hope.

“Yes, I do.” Griff replied enthusiastically. “He made Iron-Man's armor! It wasn't just a prop either. It flew! You and I both know that is well beyond what technology can do today. Is it certain? No,” He answered himself. “but what do we have to lose?” Griff grinned. “Besides we haven't got that far yet in the planning. We might be able to figure out a way for you to use the Box in person.”

“I don't think so.” Danny shook his head. “There are cameras at all the entrances as well as on the neighboring houses, including yours. I would be seen and I can't really wear a disguise either. I think I'll have to play Oracle to your Black Canary.”

“Hey Oracle was cool!” Griff smiled, even if it seemed a little sad for some reason.

“Well, watch and learn.” Danny bragged, as he scooted to his computer desk. “The maestro is about to begin.”

“We'll see about that.” Griff challenged, pulling his own laptop from his bag.

“Morphic Adaptation Unit?” Danny muttered a few minutes later, confused over his search results.

“Where did you find that?” Griff asked. “All I've found is over 5 million pages of conspiracy theories about UFO's and Men in Black.”

“I used the new Collective search engine.” Danny said unsure of the results. “The description triggered a search suggestion, MAU Mk V, but when I clicked on it, I got this really weird error message that wasn't a 'No matches found.' It seemed to be telling me to email the Collective.”

“Well, lets try that on Google.” Griff said, typing in the search. “Hey, that cut it down to a mere 820,000.”

“You take the odd numbered pages, and I'll take the evens?” Danny suggested as he got to the search results page. “Alright Mr. MAU Mk V, just what are you?”

An hour later they didn't have any solid answers to that question.

“What we appear to have is something right out of a bad B-rated Sci-Fi movie.” Danny summarized. “I've run across pleas for help, presumably from people who'd been transformed and can't change back. There are also warnings that kinda look official about messing with it and a 1-800 number to call.”

“That kinda jibes with what I've found.” Griff added. “It seems that, once you open the thing up, it either stops working or is stolen within two to five days at the outside, to the more common three to four days, depending on who you listen to. Government guys, Men in Black, are also often mentioned as showing up and having a strong interest in the Boxes.”

“That makes sense.” Danny reasoned. “We know these things didn't come from around here and, given what they can do, the Feds would be all over these things.”

“It also means,” Griff pointed out, being practical. “That we have our window. We have to make our attempt by no later than Sunday night.”

“Do or do not,” Danny quoted, grinning.”There is no try.”

“No such thing as a sure bet.” Griff shot back with his own smile. “That's why you try and cover every possibility that you can.”

“Okay we have some idea of what it is and of how long we have.” Danny replied, “So what's next?”

“We work out the best ways to help you.” His redheaded friend answered. “I think we might need to be as specific as we can, which means we need to thoroughly research our ideas. We're only getting one shot at this after all. Let's pick three different methods and hopefully one will do the job.”

“I'm all for that.” Danny said with feeling. “We also have to keep in mind we can't transform ourselves too radically or we'll lose our legal status as ourselves.”

“That's a good point.” Griff grinned, “But besides that the sky is the limit. Although I think Superman or Thor is pretty much out or at least greatly powered down. This isn't magic. It's a very advanced machine. Wild ideas are fine, but they have to be grounded in Science!”

“Science!” Danny echoed dramatically, with a smile. He had some ideas to check out.

By lunch they had their outline completed. Idea one was a Venom-like symbiote, but without the evil sentient part. The whole thing with all the teeth and and that gross tongue was edited out too, but its abilities to heal and take care of its host was why he'd picked it. Of course having super-powers like the extra strength wouldn't be bad either.

He and Griff had spent time working out a half-way reasonable way it could work. Whether or not it would was another matter, which was why there were other arrows for their metaphorical bow.

The Farm-boy would carry some of Danny's hair follicles containing his DNA in a ziplock baggie to help formulate a Dr. McCoy pill. This one would slowly rewrite his body's bad 'code' with a healthy one. The mechanism behind this one was viral. It would also provide some low level regeneration as part of keeping him healthy, but wouldn't be able to survive outside of his body. They read over the latest theories and research to build in fail-safes and get an idea of how it would work.

Their third and last arrow was a computerized emergency medical kit that was really a miniaturized nanotechnology hospital in a box.

“Please state the nature of the medical emergency.” He and Griff joked.

Again, they didn't want a self-aware intelligence, like the Doctor in Star Trek's Voyager, but wanted something like Jarvis from Iron-Man. 'Just A Rather Very Intelligent System'; helpful, and able to volunteer information, but still just a very smart computer. No Sky-Net, or Ultron for either of them, thank you very much.

Griff met him downstairs, as Danny took his elevator for his wheels down to the kitchen. His Mom had fixed sandwiches for them.

“So that settles most of the what we're going to ask for,” Danny said, between bites.

“I'll still need to bone up on the details to make certain I understand everything, but that's just cramming before the big test.” Griff agreed. “but you're right. We have the what. Now we have to figure out how.”

“Sure.” Danny washed down the last bit of his lunch. “Just hop the fence, dodge the dog, don't be seen by the cameras, and then convince the Alien vending machine to cough up the goods. How could that be hard?'

“That may not be as easy as it seems?” His friend replied with a sigh.

Griffin and Danny learn that plans doesn't always work out the way you want.

“Ow” He laid still.

“Hey!” Danny asked, wheeling next to him. “Are you alright?”

“Define Alright.” Griffin groaned. “I don't think I broke anything, but my tail bone may never be the same. Who knew just jumping six feet could be so hard?”

“Well, we could always try some other way over that fence.” His friend in the chair suggested. “It is only seven feet high.”

“Only seven feet he says.” Griffin sat up. “We've been over this. I'm not the most athletic person in the world.” Wasn't that an understatement. While he did okay at the things he practiced and worked at, like Grandpa Joe's version of self-defense and bike riding, none of it came easy. It was all more of that his body not fitting right.

“I would need a ladder and something to throw over those spikes. Ornamental or not, those things would be a problem.” He went back over all the reasons why to go high. “Then we run right back into the trouble with the cameras. You would look a little suspicious dragging that stuff behind you on your wheels, and we can't do it from my yard since that would point straight back to us. That would be bad.”

“Like falling from three stories up isn't?” Danny asked, dryly serious. “Trust me. You don't want to fall and break your back. Living on a set of wheels isn't all it's cracked up to be.”

“I believe you.” The big redhead struggled to his feet. “Jumping is one thing, but trying to do a standing broad jump while perched on an edge is not that easy.” He was thankful that his friend Danny suggested they tried a dry run through part of the Plan. The edge of the picnic table was only three feet off the ground, but showed just how difficult jumping from roof to roof would be.

“And we haven't added in the mask and gloves you'll need tonight.” Danny added, thoughtfully. “You know, it might just be technique you're missing.”

“Probably,” Griffin agreed. “I'm really not built for running or jumping.”

“Then I might have a solution.” Danny grinned. “We can look up the proper method and form online. I hope you're up to more practicing.”

“Just wonderful.” He grunted, carefully stretching.

“You know we may have another problem too.” Danny held out his tablet so he could see.

“UFO spotted over residential community!” The Tweet read.

“Yeah, Iron-Man.” Griffin grimaced. “He didn't do that much flying around, but I guess he did enough.”

“That might bring the MIB's around pretty fast.” Danny said. “And others too. There are any number of people who could be interested. Anyone who got stuck in a form they don't like, as well as any number of corporations. That Box made Iron-Man armor. I'm surprised Lockheed, Sukhoi, and every other hi-tech company aren't beating his door down.”

“That's because they don't know … yet.” Griffin held his head as if in pain. “I think we're going to have to try for tonight. If they do their usual routine, Steven and Brian will go clubbing and won't get back till late. Assuming the MIBs find out about this today, they could be here tomorrow or even later today.”

“Griff, it is the weekend.” Danny argued against that timetable. “Most the news feeds are on reduced staff and only report major stuff. Do you really think a few UFO sightings are going to get anyone's attention?”

“We have to assume the worst. If we don’t want to lose our chance, we have to be ready.” Determination to do this overcame his aches. Griffin took a deep breath. “Show me how to jump.”

“Sure.” his friend grinned having found the right web link. “Let's do this, but cool out. It's only the government. It's not as if the Storm-Troopers or something were on their way to break down our door.”

Beth smiled at Sean as she came into his workshop. Looking up from the project he was working on, Sean knew he was in trouble. She always had this certain way of walking when she wanted something from him.

Smiling back, he knew that was because she usually got it. “What's up, Dear?”

“I got a request from Danni by way of Emmy.” She waved a memo sticky sheet. “Someone has been inquiring online about MAU's. Usually they send a member of the Collective out to take a look, but this one raised some flags. There were not one, but three inquiries in the same area.”

He and some of the other Troopers with actual combat experience were investigating how to downplay some of the more cinematic elements of Storm-Trooper armor. After all in the movies, the damn stuff never seem to provide very much protection, even from Ewoks for Gawd's sake. However, if the 501st was really going into harm's way it had to be better.

On the other hand, nobody wanted a Waco, Texas incident with their Legion Garrison as the stars on the evening news. But, more and more they'd taken a greater role of following the Collective's lead in keeping MAU incidents from becoming big problems, usually by just being helpful.

It was amazing how a Force sensitive and few Clones or Storm-Troopers could make problems go away. On more than one occasion they had aided the MIB's from the shadows. For the most part the guys in Black motives didn't appear sinister and they did help those altered by the alien devices get on with their lives.

However, it was also clear that they would do just about anything to get their hands on an active MAU. Sean's trust of the government went just so far. The Collective was pretty sure that all they had was a warehouse full of deactivated units like something out of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' but he was also aware that Danni hadn't told them everything either.

“Let me guess,” He answered, “We're close by?”

“You got it.” His wife smiled. “It's just on the other side of the bay.”

“Same area where those UFOs were seen last night?” Sean asked, standing. He was getting one of those feelings.

“I wouldn't be surprised.” Beth nodded.

“I must be becoming psychic.” He sighed, using the Force to trigger the hidden compartment where they kept the 'good' stuff. Most of their equipment was hidden in plain sight, mixed in with their 501st cos-play gear. However the power cells and removable critical components were kept separate, just like locking up your guns and ammo in different safes. It paid to be careful.

She reached in and removed a pair of ElG-3A blaster pistols, along with their light sabers.

Sean nodded, agreeing with her choices. The pistols were fairly concealable and, more importantly, didn't look like firearms. From 'The Phantom Menace' they looked like Sci-Fi fantasy movie props which was a good thing if they ran into trouble with the authorities. However, if there was something to those UFO reports, then having the stun capable weapons would be comforting.

As for the light sabers, what was a Jedi without one?

It was too bad there wasn't a Convention anywhere nearby this weekend, but they could always claim they going to a friend's house to practice for an event. Besides everyone knew about Star Wars.

It was too bad it was the merry month of May and far too warm for their long coats, but they'd learned how to make do. With any luck they would find it was just another false alarm and head home after taking a nice drive across the bay. However the UFO reports were ominous. Usually, people got themselves in trouble by letting their imaginations run wild with a machine that could make just about anything come true. That is until the damn thing stopped working. Unfortunately, sometimes the MAUs fell into the hands of those who saw … other possibilities.

Well, that was why the weaponry, just in case.

“Okay, good” He told Griff over his phone. “You got the last one installed. I've got clear views of the entire backyard and the house. It's a good thing cameras are so cheap now.”

“What are you talking about?” The Farm-boy snorted. “We didn't buy anything. They weren't being used and were gathering dust in your closet. Still you had a good idea about them being a lot better than that web cam I jury-rigged last night. It is too bad we had to wait till nightfall till I could get out on the roof to put them up.”

“Hey! At least I had them. My spy gear phase drove my parents and sister nuts while it lasted. They should be thankful that I didn't have one that could fly. ” Danny joked. “And look at it this way. It gave you time to get that jumping thing down. You now have a 70% chance of not falling off your neighbor’s roof. Besides, we can use the time to review that web cam footage you recorded while we wait.”

“That's not a bad idea.” Griffin agreed. “I can see that someone has been busy in their backyard. Probably Brian, since he does all the gardening stuff.”

“Besides, it'll make the time pass faster if it looks like we're doing our usual online gaming thing.” Danny added reasonably. “The more we make it seem we're not up to anything the less that you-know-who would even look twice at us.”

“You've got that part right.” Griff replied over the Blue-Tooth headset. “In and out just like a ghost.”

“And failing that.” Danny added, “Confuse the hell out of him as to who did the deed.”

“You got it right again.” Griff's voice said with feeling. “Even with the tweaks we've planned for ourselves I don't want to face whoever he's turned himself into at the time.”

“I just want to be able to do the things everyone else takes for granted.” Danny sighed into his headset. “Yeah, maybe I did overdo those 'tweaks' you were just talking about, but nothing like you showed me he did; Batman, Iron-Man and I think I remember seeing the Terminator too.”

“Yeah, I saw those too.” Griff replied. “Okay, I'm back inside now. You can really mess yourself up with that thing, but I can't say I wouldn't be tempted to try some crazy things with it if I had the chance.”

“Speak for yourself.” Danny said, forcefully. “I've seen those search results remember? If even half of that stuff was real, some of those people messed themselves up but good.”

“I'm not going to argue that.” Griff agreed. “Perhaps its a good thing that we only have one shot at this. Nothing wasted, we've done our best to make it all count.”

“Okay,” Danny announced. “I've got that footage loaded. Here it comes.” He said clicking his mouse.”

Separated, they still watched it together.

“And lets speed this up some.” Danny added after a moment of watching a very boring backyard. “Yell if you see something interesting.”

The static scene jumped as a person appeared with the jerky movements of being in fast forward.

“Hey!” Danny exclaimed. “Who's the girl?”

He stopped and put it on slow reverse.

The feminine figure walked backwards to the machine to where she got 'out,' but it revealed a man getting in.

“Whoa.” Danny stopped the recording again, staring. He'd known the MAU could make radical changes, but he never expected that.

“You know.” Griff said after a moment. “I think that's Brian, but I never thought he was Tee.”

“Tee?” Asked Danny placing the footage back on forward. “She looks a lot like Daisy Duke to me, Catherine Bach and not Jessica Simpson.”

“Yes she does.” Griff agreed. “Hmmm, Tee stands for transgender. I knew he was gay, but Daisy could be just him being curious.”

“Not to be ignorant,” Danny inquired politely, sensing this might a sensitive subject given how much his friend seemed to know about this. He opened up another search window as he spoke. “But isn't it pretty much the same thing?”

“Not really.” Griff replied. “Gay guys are guys who like other guys. Some might be a bit effeminate, but they are still happy with being male. Transgender is really sort of a misnomer. Some prefer the term gender variant, which means they have a mixture of the masculine and the feminine about them. It's like that Yin and Yang philosophy thing with everyone having a bit of each. Tee is sorta kinda like having too much of that of the opposite gender. For some, just wearing the clothes sometimes is enough, however for others they need more.

“And to confuse things.” The Farm-boy continued, “Sexual orientation, who they like, doesn't have to match their perceived gender. Think of Eddie Izzard and what he used to say. 'I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body.'”

“Sounds complicated.” Danny remarked, watching the woman in the Daisy Duke shorts set up an event tent over the alien machine. Maybe his body couldn't do much about his desire, but she sure did rock that outfit.

Even distracted, he didn't miss how she efficiently set up that pop-up tent. He'd watched his Dad and Uncles struggle at putting up one of those things. However, she did it all by herself and made it appear easy. Then again, being a florist frequently working outdoor events, she'd probably counted as a professional.

Noticing that Griff had gone silent, Danny asked. “So how did you meet Brian anyways? Most the kids in the neighborhood give 'The Perv' a wide berth and only know Brian as his boyfriend.”

“Well.” The redhead laughed. “It was one of those 'conspiracies of circumstances' things. When I visited here during the holidays, we kinda ran into each other. I was wearing my Flash Tee-shirt with the lightning bolt in the red circle symbol, and he had on a DC comics Captain Marvel Big Red Cheese tee, also with a bolt. I think one of us said something about lightning striking twice for an ice breaker, and we discovered both of us were SF and comics fans.”

“So what happened?” Danny inquired. “You two seem to keep your distance now. Was it Steven?”

“No, but I guess maybe yes, in a way.” Griff said cryptically. “It was more of that comedy of errors thing. He thought I was older because of my appearance, and I thought he was younger. I guess we both thought we were about the same age instead of there being a considerable difference. With his being gay and the knee-jerk reaction people have, he thought it a bad idea to become too friendly with a high school student.”

“Yeah,” Danny replied. “I can see that, especially with 'The Perv' involved. I know Steven has never been caught doing anything, but the way he looks at some of the kids sometimes is really freaky.” Just as bad, none of the adults ever seemed to see it.

However, Steven never put himself in a situation in which he was around kids. Maybe just looking wasn't a crime, but Brian did look really young, even if he wasn't. Danny did get how the younger man didn't want to be guilty by association.

“It sucked at the time because I that was before I meet you.” His friend paused. “That was a bad time for me, just after moving here. I really needed friends, but I got the why of it like you said.”

“Yeah.” Danny said simply. Griff's mother was a looker, but compared to his own Mom, she didn't have much of a motherly instinct thing going on. His friend had been really broken up about losing his grandparents. If you needed someone to organize a bake sale for a charity, go to Griff's mom. However, if you needed motherly compassion, not so much.

If anything, Danny had the opposite problem with his Mom being too motherly, but knowing the state of his health he'd always taken pains not to leave how he felt unsaid. He loved his parents fiercely and wasn't shy about letting them know it. That's not to say he didn't have his bad days when he was a serious pain to anyone nearby, but he tried to have more good days than bad.

“Wow, look at her go.” Griff exclaimed, as they saw the transformed woman erase all signs that anything had landed in the perfectly maintained yard.

By the time/date stamp, before Danny and Griff had even had lunch, nobody could see anything unusual about Steven's backyard, much less that Iron-Man had flown from back there.

However, they both observed that, before the aforementioned Steven had returned from his golf game, Brian had returned to his usual male self, outwardly at least. Who knew if he had tweaked himself like they were planning.

The recording showed the two men played with the MAU some more, although Iron-man did not make another appearance. Nothing else, unfortunately, was off limits or sacred as the men 'explored' the limits of the MAU.

“Please tell me, we just didn't see that?” Danny begged Griff.

“I'll be right back.” The Farm-boy joked. “I've got to get the eye and brain bleach.”

“Save some for me!” The teen in the wheels said with all seriousness. “How could he let Steven talk him into looking that young? I mean the Terminator and John Conner from the second movie really? That's just wrong!”

“I'm hardly the expert on interpersonal relationships.” The redhead reminded his friend. “But when you care about someone else you give a part of yourself to them. I just hope that when it happens to me that they treat it with more respect than he did.”

“So this is what they did this afternoon?” Danny shook his head. He'd thought himself worldly because of all the diving he did in the darker parts of the internet. He was learning that he was a sheep in the woods full of big bad wolves, of which one lived right next door to his friend.

“Well, you have access to the live feed just like I do,” Griff replied, “But I understand why you don't want to look. Right now, it appears that they took a break for dinner. Please Lord, let them go out!”

“I'll second that.” Danny joined him. “Amen!”

That did not happen.

Instead the two went back to playing with the alien box, and perhaps because it was now night, Iron Man did make an appearance; worse, so did War-Machine. At least the cameras that Griff had placed had enough of an angle to see most of the action.

In this case, Steven was War-Machine, but they noticed that Brian had some trouble getting Iron-Man to work. Although it looked authentic, it was non-functional. A fact that Steven rubbed the younger man's face in. The two teens watched as Steven had to help Brian get the Iron-Man armor right.

“Now that was interesting.” Danny stated.

“Wasn't it though.” Griff agreed. “I think Steven, for all that he really is a Perv, also has a degree in robotic engineering. Perhaps he mostly does business stuff these days, but he has the knowledge.”

“And what is Brian's degree in again?” Danny already knew, but really he just wanted it confirmed.

“That would be in biology and genetics.” The farm boy replied. “It seems that you do need to know something about what you're requesting from that thing.”

“It's a good thing you did that cramming earlier.” Danny said. “I hope its enough.”

“Me too!” Griff said back. “I hope they don't...”

“No, there they go.” He said, as the two armored men took off into the night sky.

“So much for they going clubbing tonight.” Danny sighed. “This is going to bring those MIB's like rats to cheese.”

“And I don't dare try to do it now, because with them in those suits, their sensors could very well spot me even though we can't see them.” Griff said, aggravated at the delay

“We just have to wait.” Danny said, advising patience.

“I know. “ Griff replied. “But it's hard knowing we're so close. However, I do hope Brian doesn’t get shot down by the Air Force or anything.”

“I'm more worried about the Air Force.” Danny replied. “Steven isn't Tony Stark. If he gets shot at, he might shoot back.”

“Should've figured he would pick War-Machine because of the big gun.” The redhead said, disgusted.

“Well,” Danny said soothingly. “Maybe they won't be out long, and then they'll go out.”

“I wouldn't count on it.” Griff sighed heavily. “I mean if you could fly would you come down before you had to?”

“Not until the Air Force shows up and makes me.” Danny said, conceding his friend's point.

“When the stars shine bright through the engine's trail.” Griff sang softly.

“You can't take the sky from me.” Danny sang back skipping a few stanzas. He didn't have his friend's memory, but he did recall those words from the 'Firefly' theme song.

“Amen, my friend.” Griff replied. “Brown-Coats forever.”

“It always seems the best shows never stay on for long.” Danny observed. “But I guess Joss got his revenge with Avengers.”

“Yeah.” The Farm-boy agreed. “There's nothing like making great big pots of money to make your point, and he was able to make 'Serenity' after all.”

“You up for some gaming?” Danny asked, changing the subject. “That is what we're supposed to be doing, and it'll pass the time.” He clicked his gaming icon, pulling up his Tank character.

“Might as well.” The redhead accepted his suggestion. “I'll bring my Spell-caster. I feel like setting some fires and blowing up a few things.”

“Let's see if we can find something easy so that we won't need a Healer.” Danny said, getting into the spirit of things.

Although they kept an eye on the real prize, that tent covered alien machine, hours passed before War-Machine and Iron-Man made their return.

“There they are.” Griff said, alerted by the sounds of repulsors landing in the neighbor's backyard though his open window.

“I can hear them though your headphones.” Danny announced, tiredly. His endurance was never very good, even though he was accustomed to late night gaming on the weekends.

“But it's too late, now.” The Farm-boy sighed. “They won't go out.”

On the cameras the two watched just that. The armored guys went inside.

“We will have to try for tomorrow.” Danny said, logging off their game. “Maybe they will go out then.”

“I hope so.” Griff prayed. “You did see they went inside with their 'suits?' I don't think I can dare even try and sneak in later after they're asleep. Not with those suits in the house. They could have some sort of sentry function.”

“Like I said.” Danny replied, evenly. “Just be patient. Tomorrow, Okay?”

“Yeah,” Griff unwillingly agreed. “Tomorrow. Good night, Danny.”

“Goodnight Griff.” He replied setting his virus scanners going.

Looking out of the window, Danny looked up at the stars peeking through breaks in the fog and clouds. “Please.” He asked in prayer. Then, using the hoist remote, he got himself into bed. Sleep overtook him as, for the first time in so very long, he entered his dreams with hope.

“I think we're going to need bigger guns.” Sean said, watching the two armored suits descend for a landing within the upper class gated community.

The advanced, binocular-like imagers gave a clear picture of the Iron-man armor suits despite it being two o’clock in the early foggy morning.

“You know they could be peaceful comic book fans, right?” His wife asked, watching them with her own device.

“If half of what we overheard about War-Machine's playing chicken with those jets are true, there are some fly boys that are going to be busy washing out their flight suits.” Sean gave her his opinion, tapping the data pad that'd let them listen in on the Air Force's secure communications. “At least he didn't fire on them, but it's pretty damn clear that suit is fully operational. There's no way the MIB's will be able to deal with those.

“However,” He admitted. “I am willing to give the Iron-Man some slack. He turned and ran like any sensible person under the circumstances.”

“You're right about that.” Beth pointed out. “War-Machine did appear aggressive. I don't know if we can deal with him. We might have to bring in Danni and her friends in on this one.”

“I agree.” Sean was pulling out his com-link. “At the very least we'll need special support from the Garrison HQ. We will try it the easy way first and hope it's just a pair of fans that got carried away. If not...”

She nodded her understanding. Neither had to say it. Both of them had been running all over the bay looking for signs and clues. Something had pushed them to stay longer when common sense said it was time to go home.

Beth could see it in her husband's eyes even as she felt it herself. They were both getting used to this Jedi stuff, but some things were unmistakable. For a Jedi having a 'bad' feeling usually meant trouble. Disturbances in the Force were always problems that rarely turned out well.

“Yeah,” Agent G answered his phone, still half asleep.

“This is a Code Critical.” The dispassionate voice on the other end announced.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

“Yeah,” Agent G answered his phone, still half asleep.

“This is a Code Critical.” The dispassionate voice on the other end announced.

“Agent M will meet you at the plane which is being prepped.” Without another word the line was disconnected.

Those words ran ice water into his veins. Someone using a MAU had created a clear and present danger to the public and the United States.

Five minutes later, he was half-dressed and dragging his pre-packed bags out the door behind him. This was one of few times he was glad he lived alone. He had no wife, children, or a lover that needed explanations or amends. Thankfully with all the traveling the job required, he kept a set of everything he needed ready to go, a holdover from his military days.

Twenty minutes of driving like a madman had him through the checkpoint and at the plane. He had the pleasure of seeing M just as disheveled as himself. She was a far cry from her usual professional perfection. Her dark brunette hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was without makeup.

Unfortunately, she had also beat him to the plane. It wasn't that he hadn't expected it given the way she drove. It was that just once he wanted to get here first even if he wasn't surprised.

However, it was all of why their partnership worked so well. He had the military angle covered while she held the civilian point of view. G was comfortable with weapons, and she drove like everyday was the Indy 500. He was intimidating, but she was everyone's confidant. The reasons why they were so effective together just went on and on.

The plane started rolling even as the airman closed the hatch. Seating themselves, he saw M had a red ribbon sealed Top Secret folder under her arm.

G grunted. The courier from the office had probably met her as soon as she arrived. It was truly a pain in the keister that the Agency kept no computer records. It made for a perfect storm of too much information and not having enough eyes to look at it which was compounded by not being able to sort the data by computer.

For about the hundredth time, he cursed Wiki-leaks and all other hackers. In their drive to expose the government's dirty laundry, they were instead putting everyone at risk. If they truly knew, they would be hiding under their beds or worse, even more of a problem.

They barely got their safety belts fastened before the plane leaped into the night sky.

As far as he knew there had never been a Code Critical before. Lesser emergencies came and went, but not this one. At least no one had ever admitted it to him. The Agency was so security crazy the left hand had no idea there even was a right hand, much less what it was doing. They took paranoia to a new level.

However, despite the wacky rules they did do some good. Helping people with the bizarre changes they inflicted on themselves was a challenge and a half. G could see where people could get into trouble. Here they have the power of the gods dropped into their laps, but only for four days and nobody bothered giving them the owner's manual. It was the crash back to Earth that was hard.

The radical changes the Boxes could bestow were unbelievable. Most people simply played with the MAU's and didn't deliberately design a body that was as close to a superman as they could. That was why one of the special fears of the Agency was someone using it for power and personal gain. The Typhoid Mary case had been bad enough, which was why he was almost afraid to see what was in M's folder.

Pulling the privacy curtain, the Air Force sergeant knew the drill. Classified materials were treated seriously. However, he wondered what caused the muted strangled, “What!”

Shrugging, he got to his seat. Reaching into his flight bag he pulled out the latest issue of The Avengers. Sometimes it was better not to know. Besides it was going to be long flight and he'd been looking forward to this issue for a very long time.

Sleepily he answered the phone.

“Wake up!” Danny excitedly demanded. “They just left in Steven's Jag XK. It's still early enough most everyone is still asleep except for the Sunday schoolers who have already left. You have an hour before anyone else really starts moving around. Now move it!”

Adrenaline poured though him. It was time. Even as stiff and sore as he was from yesterdays jumping practice couldn't dampen his excitement. Using care, he stretched working out the muscle kinks.

“I'm up.” He said, putting on his Blue-Tooth headset and getting dressed. Instead of the black clothes he'd planned on wearing last night, Griffin decided on dark gray sweats. He knew from all the hunting with Grandpa Joe that should stand out less and blend in better than the black.

A long minute of listening at the door, assured him that Chris and his Mom was still abed. Putting on his ski styled hunting mask and his gloves, he crossed the room to the window. It soundlessly rose thanks to him using it so often to sneak onto the roof. Soon he was outside, keeping low to prevent the early risers from seeing him as he reached the edge.

Griffin looked at the six feet separating his step-father's house from their neighbor, 'The Perv.' From his practice yesterday he knew he could clear almost a foot more than that. Hell, he could almost step across it.

However, right now, it looked as wide as the Grand Canyon.

“Okay Oracle.” He breathed out heavily. “I'm at the edge.”

It was do or die time. All of his and his friend's dreams were on the other side of that divide.

“Good.” Danny's voice replied over the headset. “Just remember what you practiced yesterday and you'll be fine. However, be sure to give me an update after you jump, just in case.”

“I'm overwhelmed by your confidence and compassion.” Griffin muttered as he couched low, swinging his arms preparing to leap.

A second later he was flying across the void.

As soon as his feet touched, he leaned forward to compensate for the roof's slope. That was a little too much as he fell forward. His feet slipping out from under him, Griffin slid feet first towards the edge.

Panic had his hands grabbing wildly for purchase on the roofing tiles. Relief flooded him as the gripper pads on his biking gloves stopped his movement.

“Griff!” Danny insistently asked, “Are you alright? Speak to me!”

“I'm fine.” Griffin sighed. “It wasn't a good landing, but I'm on the roof.”

“Well,” His friend reported. “The coast is still clear, but the clock is ticking.”

“I hear you.” He replied, standing up. “I'm moving now.”

It took him a little longer than he liked, but he was still shaky from his near fall. Getting to the tree that was his way down, Griffin grinned under his mask. Maybe he wasn't much of a jumper, but he was a champion tree climber. He was down on the ground in nothing flat.

The barking of a dog signaled the next challenge.

“Hey Puddles!” The Dalmatian Brian had gotten from the rescue shelter was a little confused when she tried to lick his face, but ran into trouble from the mask. Slipping her a doggie treat, Griffin smiled as she happily ran off to enjoy her bribe.

“Nice trick with the dog.” Danny congratulated.

“Yeah.” Griffin said, “But it could come around to bite us. There's only a handful of people that Puddles reacts well to, and I'm one of them. However, there is just so far I'm willing to go in this deception. I won't abuse an animal much less poor Puddles. She was treated bad enough by her previous owner, a real ass.”

“Just remember that when the Terminator comes gunning for you and there's no Kyle Reese to bail you out.” Danny half-joked.

“Who needs a time-traveling soldier when I got the Oracle backing me up?” He rejoined.

Griffin breathed relieved. The MAU was still there and appeared to still be active. Reaching into his bag he placed the makeshift cut up garbage bag privacy screen up to prevent anyone from doing what he did and seeing the display screen and his real face while he used the Box. Next he got out his cheat sheet, listing in order everything he and Danny had thought of to request.

From the bones out he reminded himself. Placing his hand on the red crystal, his image appeared. The first change was a biggie. Himself into a metamorph. Griffin had read a story about a plausible biological basis for a human shape-shifter. Shapers were what the book called them. They had an organ that released a hormone mixture that signaled parts of the body to return to a primal, stem cell state. Usually, it was adaptive like rapid changes to the environment such as tanning to prevent sunburn or growing tougher skin to resist scratches, but the Shapers in the book learned how to use it for a lot of other things. He, however, needed more control of the talent and for it to be more natural because he just might not have time to deal with a learning curve.

It was still a good thing that they could also accelerate their ability to learn, as well as changing their appearance. Slow changes were better, particularly when bone was involved, because transforming that hurt, even when you took it nice and easy. Soft tissue was much easier, but rapid changes there could be painful too. Additionally, they could heal very quickly. Maybe not as fast as Wolverine from the comic books, but fast. To put the icing on the cake it was suggested they could be very long lived as well as healthy, given the Shaper organ reset the cell's telomere chain, which was thought to be a part of aging.

However, the best part was they were still human and only a MRI or perhaps a X-ray could tell they were different. The machine seemingly paused for a pair of breaths, as the image adjusted itself. If they were right about how this thing worked, that was a good thing.

His face mostly looked the same, but his body was much more slender and androgynous. Griffin actually looked sixteen, not twenty.

Next came his clothes. He stole parts of Danny's Symbiont idea and embellished it based on yet another story he'd read. Normally it appeared to be just underwear, however it could also alter itself into any kind of clothing and accessories, like wigs and such, since Shapers couldn’t spontaneously grow hair. Additionally, it provided protection like the very best bulletproof armor, as well as the environment and was even able to function as a spacesuit for a short time-period. But of course he also made certain it could enhance his physical characteristics such as strength and speed plus some nifty tricks like Spider Man's wall-crawling thing.

Griffin adjusted the clothes in the display to disguise his new slimness, as well as replacing the ski mask. Outwardly, he would still look exactly the same as before he entered the booth.

The image didn't even flicker this time. Next came the headset and glasses combo. These would change form too, going from normal looking glasses to a hi-tech visor that put Cat-Woman's from the movie to shame, letting him see across the spectrum as well as function like a Heads-Up-Display for tactical purposes. Functioning as the primary interface between the other gadgets he was designing, they were the visual display, camera, headset, and could even read his brainwaves and sub-vocalizations to help determine his desires. That, in theory, would let the user direct and make selections without having to talk or making any visible gestures.

Then came his phone which he greatly upgraded. In all practical aspects it would become a Next Generation Star Trek tricorder, but with even more extras, although it still looked like his old phone. He added a few hundred magnitudes of more number crunching power with a Quantum computer along with a JARVIS, 'Just A Rather Very Intelligent System,' as an assistant and helper. It also had some of the functions of the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver, like an universal translator and other nifty stuff. Carefully he made certain that it could interface with everything else, like his glasses and the other components to come.

Next was the other half of the Sonic Screwdriver, the tool component, but without the sonic stuff. He preferred his tools to be noiseless. Looking like a fountain, or slightly oversized, pen, he called it a Servo like out of many rip-offs of the Doctor's famous instrument. This one was an all purpose tool too, as it projected a small tractor beam that could work as any conceivable tool from a hammer, to a ratchet wench and everything in-between. It could even weld. Just to push the envelope, it could form the most basic of all man's useful implements, a knife or in this case a force-blade. The science-fiction device used that tractor beam of force, but turned it on its side, so to speak, making a cutting surface that put plasma cutters and the like to shame. To make it perfect, Griffin made certain the blade would be visible for safety purposes or change in spectrum where only he could see it with his visor.

Of course he couldn't forget to add a flashlight to it too!

Checking his list, Griffin visualized the next gadget, also from a SF story. The Universal Survival Kit. In reality it was a miniaturized nanotechnology factory. As part of an alien pilot's emergency supplies, it would let them live darn near anywhere. From a vacuum safe shelter, to a one or two man transportation, it was the last word in versatility. In a pinch, it could repair or recreate all his other gadgets, as well as serve as the power recharge unit for them all.

That part was like a Mr. Fusion from the 'Back to the Future' movie, needing only some form of liquid with hydrogen in it to produce a enough energy to power a small town or a Flux Capacitor. Additionally, since the whole unit was very dense and compact, it was able to expand to quickly form shapes, as well as make things from local materials, it was quite heavy. To solve that, inside was a pair of anti-gravity generators to make the unit easy to tote and provide the 'engines' for the vehicles it could form. Yes, you'll believe a teen can fly!

Also like everything else, it could change its appearance to blend in and fit into his daily life without anyone noticing.

The alien machine actually had to work at that one, the longest yet, taking about five seconds, but it seemed to work, showing a backpack appearing on his image.

Next came Danny's Dr. McCoy pill. Concentrating on the zip-lock baggie, and its DNA, he was happy to see a pill bottle with a tablet inside appear on the display. His friend’s symbiont came after that. Again with care he went over each and every feature, as well as how it should work.

The last item was sorta like the survival kit, but instead was a nanotech mini-hospital. Griffin couldn't keep himself, from adding some additional functions. Being organic oriented it could do everything from repairing any kind of injury, to providing food and breathable air. Of course it had the JARVIS-like Doctor for the interface with its patients. Just for the heck of it, the unit could plug into the survival kit which could make a set of powered exoskeleton which, in kind, connected to the symbionts and the other gadgets he'd envisioned.

“Hey!” Danny interrupted his train of thought. “How are you doing? It's getting close to 45 minutes. The going-to-church people are going to be out and about soon.”

“Coming along fine.” Griffin reassured his friend. “Just give me a few more moments to fine tune this, and run a double check. Don't worry we're doing just great.”

“Aren't we girl?” He rubbed Puddles' ears as she sat next to him, watching what he was doing.

Danny reminded him of something else he had to make dead certain of. None of the methods they had of healing his friend could conflict with each other.. Although any of the three could do the job alone, if any of them worked, they would seamlessly complement each other.

Then he smiled as his image gained another backpack while he created another set of his gadgets for his friend.

“Okay. It's crunch time.” Griffin announced as he pressed the purple crystal that opened the door.

“Fingers crossed at this end.” Danny nervously acknowledged.

“Me too.” Griffin stepped inside. “There are two more crystals inside. Another purple one is on the wall and a larger amber one, which is about a foot across, is on the ceiling. I'm guessing that the purple one shuts the door and starts everything. Probably going to lose the connection so don't freak alright?”

“Yeah.” Danny's voice wavered, “Lose contract, don't freak. It's still clear out, but some people are starting to move about. I've seen one car leave so far, so there will be more soon.”

“Engaging.” Griffin pressed the crystal.

The door vanished as the yellow crystal turned red bathing him in its intense light. Once again it didn't look right, as if he could only see part of the real colors.

Just as unexpectedly, the red color was gone and the door had returned.

Checking his back, he smiled seeing that both backpacks were there and attached together by their snaps and loops. His smile got broader as he saw they were dead matches for their existing packs.

“I'm finished.” Griffin let his joy show. “I think it worked, but now I'm headed out.”

“Good!” Danny rejoiced. “Still no sign of the Dynamic Duo, but people are moving. Your neighbor across from you, is walking to his mailbox for the morning paper.”

Griffin took down and packed his privacy screen away while carefully looking for signs that could reveal he'd been there. Then he walked to the back of the yard where Brian had the thickest of his roses and other bushes. Once mostly out of sight in the foliage, he used his visor.

“JARVIS, I need an reactive camouflage poncho.” He asked, not knowing what would happen.

“Yes sir.” His computerized assistant acknowledged, forming the distorting material.

Despite wanting to, he kept from jumping up and down in excitement as his smart clothes did as he asked. After giving Puddles a friendly good bye pat as she sniffed him to see what he was doing in the rose bushes, it was time to go. Placing a hand on the top of the seven foot fence, he vaulted it as lightly as if it was a third of that height.

Using that as his strategy, he hopped the other fences separating the tightly spaced houses, hoping to confuse anyone trying to track him as he went back and forth, working his way back to his house. Being able to boost himself as needed was a blast and a half. Before, he'd always felt like a lumbering elephant, but not now. Getting back to his room was a little more difficult, but he made it just in time.

A knocking at the door, had him hurriedly sliding the packs under his bed.

“JARVIS,” He sub-vocalized. “Activate jammie mode.” Quickly, he slipped his visor off as they changed into the likeness of a pair of sunglasses.

“Mommmm!” He complained jumping into bed just in time, as the door opened. “I'm up. I'm up”

“Up all night gaming?” She accused gently, but he could hear her humor. Dressed for church, she looked as high society as Chris could desire in his bid to appear perfect because of his political ambitions.

“It wasn't that late.” Griffin defended himself. “Danny and I had a life or death mission we had to complete. It had a time limit and we only got one chance at it.”

“Did you get any of that studying done?” She asked, crossing her arms skeptically.

“Yes,” He said honestly. It was the truth because in his cramming session he'd reviewed several subjects that he didn't know that much about. Danny should be a doctor with all the knowledge he'd absorbed, not only about his 'burden' as he called it, but the medical field in general.

“That was the reason I was up late.” He bent the truth more than a little. “We got a late start on the gaming because of the studying.”

She gave him an unfathomable expression. “You're not Little Griffin any more are you?”

“No Mom, I'm not.” Again he answered her truthfully. “But I'll always love you.” He hugged her.

“We'll come up with some way for you go to college.” She said, softly. “I know Chris is being unreasonable, but you're too smart not to have your chance to shine.”

“It's alright, Mom, really.” Griffin replied just as quietly. He understood that this was for just his and her ears. “Once I can work full time, that and the scholarships should take care of everything.”

“It's not alright.” She replied, with a sad sigh. “I should be stronger.”

“Things are what they are.” He held his Mom. “I'll survive and so will you.”

“Chris isn’t that bad.” She defended her husband.

“Like I said, Mom.” Griffin told her again. “It's alright. It's only two years and besides, I have a chance to take classes that I would've missed other wise.”

He had a very reliable feeling that Chris had wrapped up his Mom in the prenuptial agreement from hell. In all reality she really was trapped, but she had also chosen this life.

“Such as?” She asked, as if not believing him.

“Well,” Griffin smiled, “French, to go along with the Spanish from my old school and the Latin Grandpa Joe taught me. I'm looking forward to reading the untranslated works of Andre' Dumas this summer.”

Okay he was fibbing a little. It was Grandma May who had taught him French. She'd been a translator and linguist with the State Department in Vietnam. That was where she'd met Grandpa Joe. He still found the French class useful, since it helped refine his skill.

She pulled away, returning his smile, “My son, the scholar. Your Father would've been so proud of you. “

“Grandpa Joe,” Griffin blushed slightly. “Used to say the same thing.”

“You look so much like him, but you're not him.” His Mom's eyes were far away lost in memories. “He never could sit still, your Father. In a lot of ways you're more like your Grandfather; always, so curious about any and every thing.”

“Grandpa Joe, “ Griffin said, trying to ignore the stinging in his eyes. “Always said he was a real Renaissance Man, but Grandma May would just smack him and say Old Fool.”

“That too,” She said, hugging him. “You miss them don't you?”

“Yeah,” he admitted a tear tickling down his cheek. “But it was their time to go. Grandpa Joe would've hated being bed ridden, and Grandma May just couldn't live without him. Like you, she told me she just wasn't strong enough for me, but I knew her heart was telling her to go.”

“That's how I felt when your Father died.” His Mom began her own tears. “I felt as if all my anchors were cut and I was adrift in a storm. I can see now that my marrying Chris wasn't the best thing for you.” She sadly explained, “But he gave me something I could hold onto. While we were dating, he never seemed to object to you, but after we were married everything changed. I should've known better.”

He simply held her. Going over old family dirty laundry never helped anyone or anything. Griffin had told her he didn't like her new boyfriend and had objected to the marriage, as had his Grandparents. They could tell there was something not right about the man.

She looked up at him as she wiped her tears away. “Let me go repair my face, but promise me you won't spend all day inside gaming.“

“Today will be the first day of the rest of my life.” Griffin felt as if the entire future was laid out before him running over with limitless possibilities.

Playfully she hit him on the shoulder as her eyes narrowed. “Just make sure you do, Mister smarty-pants.”

“I promise.” Griffin's smile was as bright as the morning sun.

The Air Force Captain took a lung full of smoke. “I saw it, but I don't know if I believe it. However, what the hell. No one else has believed either, but the question is do you believe in superheroes, because I swear to Gawd we intercepted Iron-Man and War-Machine out over Tampa Bay last night.”

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

Agent G blew out a long stream of smoke. In the warm, muggy air the tobacco smoke hung like one of the overcast clouds above them. He'd started smoking during his military days, and never quite managed to quit. If he was tired, the Florida Air Guard pilot had him beat hands down.

After all the BS surrounding the intercept the pilot and his wing-man had run last night, the man deserved a break. That was why they were both outside sharing a smoke despite the chance for rain from that tropical disturbance off shore.

“Look,” G said, frankly. “I know you saw the impossible. Your aircraft recorded the images, but even with that, none of the brass wants to accept what's in front of their eyes. You've been grilled and have been up all night. I'll level with you.” The MIB said, “I believe there are things that defy our explanations. Just tell me what happened.”

The Air Force Captain took a lung full of smoke. “I saw it, but I don't know if I believe it. However, what the hell. No one else has believed either, but the question is do you believe in superheroes, because I swear to Gawd we intercepted Iron-Man and War-Machine out over Tampa Bay last night.”

Wide-eyed, he watched a blur slip over the fence. His heart thudded in his chest like one of those big Caribbean steel oil drums turned into musical instruments. By force of will, he made himself calm down. It would not do for him to kill himself when he was so close to finally being able to live.

But Damn it, Griff had done it!

The proof was in that hard to see blur that had left Steven 'The Perv's' backyard. Not only had Griff used some kind of really rad camouflage that was near invisible, but he had vaulted a seven feet tall fence like it was nothing.

Sure Danny had seen police and military guys clear higher walls though the internet, but this was his friend Griff. Before, there was no way he could've done it, but even with that hard-to-see thing going, Griff had done the deed with ease.

A knocking at the door interrupted his introspection.

“Come in.” Danny invited, knowing it was his Mom.

He'd inherited her brown hair and eyes, but his Dad's darker complexion. She, while not fair skinned, still tanned, and of late she'd been working harder at getting some sun and staying healthier.

Danny had seen the difference after she'd meet Griff's mother who, although being a few years older, actually looked at least ten years younger. That'd motivated his Mom into making changes. She'd lost a good ten pounds and wasn't showing any signs of slowing down. He'd even seen the gray in her hair disappear courtesy of Miss Clairol.

Honestly, he was glad to see her pay attention to herself. After she'd spent his whole life caring and worrying about him, the experience had exacted a price. Before Griff had potentially changed everything, the thing Danny had wanted most in the world was for his family to be happy. He'd known sorrow was coming, and was determined that the good memories outlasted the grieving.

However, now, just maybe, there was a happy ending for his family after all.

“How are you this morning?” She asked, her sharp eyes looking for signs he was in distress.

“I'm fine, Mom.” Danny answered. “Perhaps I overdid it just a little yesterday, but I had a good time just hanging with Griff.”

“Do I dare ask what you two were up to in the backyard?” She smiled as she walked into the room straightening and picking up things he had trouble reaching due to being confined to his 'wheels.'

“Not really Mom.” He answered, not wanting to lie. “We were preparing for a secret mission.”

“Ah,” She misunderstood. “Something to do with you two's online gaming.”

“Shhh,” He replied, happily content she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion. “It's a secret.”

“I promise I won't tell a soul.” She made a buttoning her lips gesture.

As much as he tried to be as independent as possible, the truth was he still needed help to take care of things most other people took for granted. Your normal teenager would be blushing in embarrassment, but for Danny it was simply a continuing part of staying alive.

It helped that, for all that he was sixteen, he was just starting a hesitant puberty. Occasionally, a few stray hairs would decide to grow, but sometimes they would change their minds. The most he could claim was he did feel attraction at times, particularly like yesterday watching 'Daisy Duke,' even if he didn't have a physical reaction. A very two sided advantage, his burden kept any unfortunate involuntary reactions from occurring during awkward times like now.

They were both used to the routine, and it didn't take long. Then came time to head down to the kitchen for breakfast and his meds. Sometimes he felt it should be the other way around since it seemed he took more pills than he did food.

It was only then that he began to worry about how he would ever explain his cure, the recovery. Danny was sure that tests would be run, but didn't know if they would pick up whatever option that would, he hoped, work the remedy to his burden.

However, living close to the reality of just what his burden meant, death, had made him very practical. First make sure he would live till tomorrow, and then he could worry about what came afterward.

“Here you go.” His Dad placed breakfast in front of him.

“Thanks Dad.” Danny dug into his food.

If his Mom was his lifeline, then his Dad was the rock that anchored them all. No matter the stress or the drama, Dad was there, end of line, no questions. However, he too showed the signs of the years of stress of looking after his ill son. Just the fact they lived in Upton Heights stated their family were doing well financially, but his Father often put long hours at the law firm where he worked. The gray hair and slight paunch were visual clues that caring for a seriously ill son had taken it's toll.

“Hey Danny,” His Dad remarked casually, “Pam called while you and your Mom were upstairs. She's coming home for the summer. She's taking her finals next week and the week after that we're all going to Gainesville to help her move.”

“Cool.” He replied. His sister was a few years older than him and was in her freshman year. Before she'd left for the University, she'd spent a lot of time with him. It was between the time she'd started, and Griff had moved into the neighborhood, that had been the hardest on him. Online friends were great, but they didn't make up for having a real live person there with you.

Speaking of which ...

“What's up?” The big red head grinned from the door. “Do I smell breakfast?”

Danny returned his friend's grin. Things just got better.

The door slammed shut.

That was a clear statement that Brian was still angry.

Something crashed on the other side of the door, the sound of it shattering echoing in the hallway.

Correct that. His little florist was mad as hell.

Steven quirked an eyebrow. This was all extremely unusual, but nothing about this weekend had been at all normal. The booth that all research he could find labeled as an MAU had assured that.

His smile was confident. Brian would calm down in time. Make-up sex was always more than worth it. Who could've guessed that War-Machine having a little fun with those Air Force jets would've set off his little florist's temper so spectacularly?

It baffled him that a staunch liberal like Brian cared so much about those military jet jocks. Steven, however, knowing he was virtually immune to their attacks, enjoyed showing the power he had in the comic-book inspired armor. He had made certain that, unlike the ones in the movies, these suits were very difficult to detect on radar or infrared, which was the military's favorite means of targeting their enemies. To their sensors he and Brian had been invisible.

Something else crashed behind the doors and made him glad he'd insured any and everything that was remotely valuable. Even taking his boyfriend out to breakfast at his favorite restaurant this morning failed to have the desired effect.

Well he did err when he suggested they don the suits again this morning after they returned. That was a mistake. However, the feeling of freedom and power were addicting. He could see why the fictional character, Tony Stark, didn't want to leave his armor 'security' blanket.

It did seem that Brian wouldn't be up for playtime, nor willing to experiment with the MAU any time soon. Perhaps if he knew about the time-limitation, but Steven was keeping that information to himself. He had some permanent changes in mind for his lover. Honestly, he was still vacillating over some of the details.

Steven was well aware of his 'peculiarities' and he'd managed to work out his interests in ways that didn't cause too much trouble. His boyfriend's youthfulness was a prime example of that management. He considered his solution a win-win. Brian only looked like jail-bait, but was far older than that on paper.

However, the MAU had sharpened his sexual appetite for those just beginning their bloom. He'd very much enjoyed the role-playing he and his lover had enacted. However, as great as that play had been it'd also revealed that there were limits to what his lover was willing to do. That was unfortunate, because Steven wanted more.

Knowing he had to give Brian time to cool, he chuckled. He would just have to find some other way of amusing himself until then. He thought about playing with the amazing MAU some more, but he'd already decided on the changes he was going to keep for himself. Steven was well aware that these devices were highly sought after, and he had advertised that something unusual was going on here. If the device disappeared right now, it wouldn't hurt him, but it would interfere with his plan for Brian's coming makeover.

Walking briskly to his study, it was time to see what his Little Florist had been up to while Big Daddy was away. Turning on his computer, he accessed the surveillance program he'd installed. He'd thought it rather clever, since it used the same motion sensors that turned on security lights, but his system used cameras. That way he got to see the action without having to wade though hours of nothing.

Pouring himself a drink, the backyard of course was a special problem. With that firehouse mutt of Brian's, the bitch was always setting off the cameras. However with the MAU there at center stage, perhaps the constant coverage wasn't a bad idea. Besides this system was separate from the one used by the security service paid to monitor his property.

Steven was still suspicious that Brian hadn't known the dog was a bitch before it was too late and they were already on the way home. He did not care for females. Perhaps they were necessary for reproduction, but it was all so messy and unsanitary. Despite that, Brian had talked him into keeping the dog out back in the yard. It was good that the animal had learned early on to avoid him. The feeling was mutual.

Leaning back in his chair he smiled in anticipation as he watched the recording of Brian preparing to use the MAU Saturday morning. He was curious as to what his Little Florist would do without his being there to influence the decision.

He spit the expensive liquor out as the girl walked out of the booth! Coughing and his eyes watering from snorting the alcohol, Steven cursed, “That Bitch!”

Trying to mop up the mess before the liquor stripped the varnish off his pricey desk, he couldn't believe his eyes. His lover had turned himself into a bitch! Pouring himself another glass... this time he didn't bother with sipping.

It was crystal clear where the form had come from. Steven recognized the character's calling card, the 'Daisy Dukes.' Resolutely he watched the entire thing as 'She' removed all signs of the MAU from the property. Twisting his face up in a grimace he saw 'Her' step into the booth just before, he, Steven had returned from his morning golfing game.

He almost felt dirty, knowing he'd had sex with Brian right after that. It made him feel soiled and unclean. With a grim resolve, he watched all the rest, fast forwarding though watching Brian's mutt use his backyard as a toilet far too many times.

On the recording he recognized that Sunday morning had come and was going to turn it off when the dog began barking at a tree. Smirking, stupid bitch, he froze as a figure dressed all in black climbed down.

To make the bitch completely useless she just sat there and wagged her tail as the intruder fed her a bribe.

Panicked, he ran to the backyard, but breathed in relief as he saw the MAU was still where it was supposed to be. Returning to the recording he watched every second trying to get a clue who had violated his privacy.

A man with a mission, he accessed the regular security systems recordings. The MAU was his. It landed on his property and he was the one who deciphered how to use it. No one had the right to use it without his say so. This demanded a payment and it would be paid in full.

He could see Danny was so excited that he was about to fly out of his 'wheels' like a rocket. Taking the stairs up, while his friend rode his elevator up to his room, Griffin felt like Santa Claus. This was, he grinned broadly, Christmas in May.

Danny nearly pushed him inside, closing the door behind them.

“I know you got it!” The boy stuck sitting demanded holding out his hands.

“Whoa,” Griffin smiled backing away. “Slow down! First we have to get you connected.”

“Connected?” Danny repeated. “What are you talking about?”

“This.” From his usual battered backpack, he took out a near copy of Danny's own book bag.

Blinking, his friend glanced at the door where his bag normally hung and found it still there.

“This is as perfect a copy as I could come up with on the fly. It'll do until you've a chance to refine it.” Griffin explained, but he could see confusion on Danny's face.

Then he took a match to his own visor and phone/tri-corder from the counterfeit book bag. “Here, put these on and hold this.”

Taking off his glasses, Danny put on the ones Griffin offered, as well as taking the phone.

“Okay,” The boy demanded, obviously a bit peeved. “What's next?”

“Why,” Griffin beamed. “You tell it, 'Computer On' of course!”

The redhead couldn't keep from laughing at his friend's expression.

“You!” Danny accused. “Computer On.”

Griffin felt like jumping up and down like a cheerleader as the Alien Machine produced devices initialized. Although he couldn't see the images he could see his friend's eyes flickering back and forth as they read the data in the visors HUD, Heads-Up-Display. That was a weakness that needed to be addressed.

“Wowzers!” Danny exclaimed. “The glasses just adjusted to my optical prescription. I can see perfectly with these, even better than my old glasses.”

“Hold up your old phone next to it and tell it to synchronize.” Griffin directed. “It'll transfer all your SIM card information from it to your new tri-corder.”

“I have a tri-corder?” Danny questioned, as he commanded. “Synchronize the data.”

“You do now.” The redhead couldn't keep from grinning. “That phone is computer, tri-corder, part Sonic screwdriver, and the brains that connects all the rest of the stuff together. There's a JARVIS that will help you manage it all.

“This.” He took the fountain pen appearing servo from the bag. “Has the rest of the Sonic Screwdriver's functions as well as being the multi-tool from hell. It contains a sensor that lets you direct the tri-corder's analysis functions more intuitively and, like any tool, you can use it as a weapon.”

“A tri-corder and a Sonic Screwdriver?” Danny replied, dazed looking at the gadgets in his hands with wonder. “What's next?”

“Well,” Griff really did feel like Santa now. “How about a Bag of Holding?”

He took what looked to be an insulated lunch bag from the book bag. “Not this, but, this.” Griffin held up the look-alike book bag. “It's really a portable nanotech factory, a Universal Survival kit, able to produce or become just about anything you can design or scan.”

“This however,” He handed Danny the lunch bag. “Is the nanotech hospital we designed. If it works you should be getting some kind of icon up on your visor.”

“I got it now.” The ill boy announced. “I'm telling it to scan myself now.”

“Sorry for the drama.” Griffin wasn't the least bit apologetic. “But you needed to do this first before trying the other stuff. This can diagnose, as well as treat, if it functions the way we wanted.”

“It's working!” Danny excitedly reported. “It's asking for permission to search for information. I'm telling it to proceed, but to spread out its inquiries so it doesn't bring any undue attention to us.”

“So if I may ask?” The boy looked up at Griffin. “Why in the world a lunch bag?”

“Because it's so ordinary no one would give it a second glance.” The redhead replied. “Also, I know you keep some of your medications in yours. Just like the tri-corder, factory, and sonic screwdriver, it looks like ordinary things you'd expect to see in a school bag. Now that we have this stuff I don't mean for them to be taken away from us. If you chose not to use them then okay, but I did make sure that the survival kit could replace anything that is broken or stolen. A tracker lets you hunt down any of them that are lost. This stuff is yours, keyed to you and you alone.”

“Oh, the survival kit is the recharger for all the rest.” Griffin remembered to add. “You'll just have to remember to feed it water like a Mr. Fusion from 'Back to the Future' from time to time.”

“Is there anything you didn't think of?” Danny asked, his eyes still scanning the images produced by his visor.

“I'm sure there is.” Griffin answered, “But I did try to cover all the angles.”

“So what is it did you do to yourself?” His friend asked. “I saw you, despite that 'blur,' vault that wall like it was nothing.”

“Well,” He began, thinking that just some of the truth would work. “You remember when I said I had body issues?”

At Danny's nod, he continued, “The truth is I'm not comfortable in my own body. It's like a suit of clothes that just doesn't fit or feel right. However, I'm not all that certain what will work better for me, so rather than take a chance on something that might or might not work out, I chose the last option. All the above.”

His friend worked it out. “So you can stay yourself or change, so that third choice must be C, a shape-changer?”

“Yeah.” Griffin answered. “This one came from a story that had a half-way plausible, techno-babble explanation of how it would be done. I have a new organ that secretes a hormone that returns targeted cells back to their embryonic stem-cell state, where I can consciously direct them to change pretty much anyway I wish. That includes increasing my strength when I need to, which is how I got over the fence.”

“That's pretty cool,” Danny admitted. “Hey, The Nano-Doc is reporting! Get this, it seems to be the real deal. What it's saying falls into line about what is known about my burden. Now, its giving me treatment options.”

“You might want to have the Doc scan your pill and symbiont too, before deciding on treatment.” Griffin took the two final presents out of the book bag. “I specifically made certain that all of them would compliment the other if they were all viable.”

The Dr. McCoy pill was in a small medicine bottle, while the suit was wrapped plastic. Unable to help himself, Griffin had labeled the medicine bottle as a prescription from Dr. Leonard McCoy. 'Take One pill. Don't call me in the morning.'

The packaged suit he'd had printed a label on it as well:

'Symbiont-one-each, One size fits all, Not dishwasher safe, Do not dry-clean, Do not machine wash, Made far, far away, but we won't tell if you won't.'

“Very funny.” Danny said, dryly turning the writing around to show what he was referring to.

“You have no idea of how happy it makes me to be able to do this for you.” Griffin was bouncing on his heels. “It is important, but it should be fun too.”

“You were right.” His friend's eyes got distant again as they scanned the data on his visor. “All three can work and together they're the fastest and will overall have the best effects. That includes having the most positive benefits after the cure.”

“Go for it.” Griffin grinned.

“Alright. “Danny read the directions, “Put on the suit, and take pill with the drink located in the medical compartment.”

Taking the suit package, he found a tab on the back that simply read, “Pull.”

“That'll activate the suit.” Griffin informed him.

Taking as deep a breath as his frail body could stand, he pulled the tab.

The 'plastic' tab and wrapping melted into the air as the 'contents' flowed over his bare skin bypassing his clothes. Danny grasped at the weird sensation. It was vaguely like the sponge bath he had this morning, but he felt this all over himself. For the first time he really understood the meaning of 'sensual.'

The whole experience was also a little alarming, but his visor actually tracked the progress of what was going on. That made it somewhat easier knowing and being able to see what was happening.

Stage One was the initial symbiont deployment: That was it flowing all over him.

Stage Two was the symbiont's entry into his body though his skin pores. The feeling of a gentle heat was pleasant at first, but came to just this side of being too much to stand. Then it faded away.

Stage Three, the symbiont used his blood stream to travel thoughout his body, although it was still centered/based in his epidermis.

It seemed to Danny that he could feel his heart working harder with the increased load. However then came Stage Four. The symbiotic organism bonded with critical organs, like his heart, and took on part of the effort of keeping him alive, stabilizing his condition and preventing point failures like heart-attacks, strokes and other bad things.

A blinking reminder said now was time to take the Pill. Opening up the lunch bag, there was a small bottle of liquid. Twisting off the top, he popped the Pill in his mouth with long practice. Prepared for something vile, the liquid instead tasted rather nice, having a nice light fruity taste. Heck, even his mouth felt refreshed from it, like he'd just finished brushing his teeth or something.

Finally came Stage Five where it began repairing what was broken.

Oddly he didn't feel anything, which was actually a good thing. With his years of following his medical burden, he was actually able to follow the majority of what his 'Doc' was telling him that was happening. Most of it was strengthening parts of his body that his burden had weakened or hadn't allowed to develop as it should.

As to the burden itself, it appeared to be a few malfunctioning protein receptors in just the wrong places. He couldn't believe it when the 'Doc' reported the defective cells were 'repaired.'

“I'm cured.” The whisper escaped him.

There was still much to be done before he was healthy, but he no longer had to worry that each time he went to sleep that it would be the last.

Griff just sat by the window, grinning like a fool.

'Well, let's give him something to grin about' Danny thought. Activating the voice function, he ordered, “Exoskeleton on. I want to stand.”

The symbiont flowed out from his skin engulfing even his clothes. Another first in his life... Danny stood without assistance. Of course the suit was doing all the work, but that didn't matter. He was on his feet.

Griff stood with him and hugged him. “Congrats Danny! We did it. You made it.”

“Wouldn't have happened without you.” He told the Farm-boy.

“Nothing to it.” Griff pretended as if it wasn't a big deal. “I was going in there anyway. It was just as easy to do two as one.”

“It's a good thing you did get my help.” Danny lightly punched his friend in the arm. “You would've fallen off that roof for sure without my moral support.”

“Maybe,” Griff admitted with a shrug. “Besides, doing this together was better in a lot of ways, but I have a request.”

“Hey enough with the hugging!” Danny laughed, “What do you want?”

“Clothes,” The redhead pointed at the catsuit like symbiont that was the only thing the boy was wearing.

“Hey computer, put me back in what I was wearing, but sized to fit over the exoskeleton.” A little unsteady, but growing more confident with every step, he went to his bathroom that was filled with all the helpful do-dads such as handles and railings to aid him in staying as independent as his condition would allow. His ex-condition, Danny grinned into the mirror.

With the symbiont exoskeleton active, he didn't look like an extra from a film featuring the Holocaust. He looked normal even if his face did appear thin. The only thing that stood out was his skin from the chin down was the shiny black of the symbiont. That should be fixable.

“Jarvis,” He requested. “Please alter the non-clothing portions of the exoskeleton to match my facial complexion.

Watching as the black changed, Danny then looked at taller Farm-boy. “So what do we do next?”

“I thought you would never ask.” Griff smiled with a glint in his green eyes.

“Alright listen up!” Sean stared at the half-dozen volunteers who'd been able to make it, although that term was relative. Each and every one had some kind of military experience which wasn't uncommon for the Legion. They had more than their share of veterans.

Normally he wouldn't be so picky about a detachment, but one of their potential targets had shown aggressive tendencies. If it came down to shooting, which he hoped to Gawd it didn't, he wanted that target taken down hard and fast.

These are your objectives,” Beth was playing Mon Mothma and giving the briefing.

A hologram appeared of War-Machine Mk 1 and Iron-Man MK VI.

There was a lot of muttering. As part of the fan scene they knew this stuff backwards and forwards.

“War-Machine appears to be the model out of the 2nd movie. Observe the mini-gun and box grenade launcher.” She pointed out, the holo zooming in to each weapon. Also be aware that he also still has his repulsors and the beam in the chest.”

“This is the one who was the aggressor and played chicken with a pair of F-16's out of Homestead last night.” Sean went over his concerns. “Unfortunately War-Machine lives up to its name, being very heavily armed. Even more of a problem, we have no guarantees that our ion guns are going to be effective or not.”

“Ion guns are awfully short range to be taking on a heavy hitter like that!” A trooper voiced what they were all thinking.

“And that is why you'll have a pair of Jedi running interference, as well as having more powerful weapons available just in case. Hopefully none of that will be needed and diplomacy will suffice, but if it doesn't we will be prepared.”

“Your next objective is potentially easier.” Beth put up the holo of Iron-Man armor Mark VI. This is the one from the beginning of the second movie that flies into the Expo Center. To the best of our knowledge its just an upgrade of The Mark III from the first movie, with the shoulder mounted missiles and flare launchers.”

“Easy she says.” Sean heard the low whisper, but he agreed. Iron-Man's armor no matter the Mark was never easy.

“Yes, Easy.” Sean spoke up backing up his wife. “That's because the pilot, while enjoying flying, didn't want to have anything at all to do with a pair of fast-movers. It's possible that its a husband-wife pair, given their reactions. After all Pepper Pott's Rescue armor was not depicted in the movies, so they might have used the Mark VI as a substitute.”

“It is also possible we misread the situation.” Beth picked the point. “If it was a couple, the man might have been trying to buy time for his girl to run which would explain the dangerous game he played. However, that was not our first impression.”

A bit more muttering took place. They all knew you could damn near take a Jedi's gut instincts to the bank as a sure thing.

“Again, we don't want to start anything.” Sean emphasized that strongly. “As a matter of fact the Collective is sending someone to help us, but they won't be here till tomorrow, so until then it's just us. With that in mind this is scouting mission to pin point our objectives' location.

“We won't act unless there are lives in danger tonight.” Sean again made sure he made eye contact with each of the detachment. “Additionally there are MIB's on site, and we all know how much trouble they can get into at the drop of a hat.”

He got a few laughs from that. The Agency had tried infiltrating their Legion Garrison on numerous occasions, but the Jedi had sniffed them out with ridiculous ease. It had given rise to some very humorous snipe hunts and other initiation tasks created just for them.

“No really?” Beth added in false disbelief, which got a laugh from everyone.

“Alright people,” He intoned, in a centuries old rote. “Let's move it!”

The troopers and Jedi headed to their vehicles.

Under his breath Sean whispered, “May the Force be with us.”

Just as quietly Beth added, “Amen.”

They were going to need it.

“I can't believe I did all those things today!” Danny's eyes shined with happiness in spite of the heavy gray clouds that had hung overhead all day long.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

Despite the extremely adequate makeup sex, he was still peeved. No, not angry or frustrated, because that meant a loss of control, but not happy. Brian had come to him looking for a promise not to repeat the previous night's little game of tag with the US Air Force.

It was also a test of the new changes he'd made to himself, but they had failed to work.

As a robotics engineer, he knew the human body was just another machine, only biological instead of mechanical. That went for the human brain as well. It was an amazing organ, but still, in the end, only a computer that like any other could be programmed.

Great strides had been made in understanding just how those biological systems worked which aided duplicating their functions in constructing robots and other machines. After all, evolution had done all the design work, so why reinvent the wheel?

Coming up with a way to control others with other means besides his usual charm and manipulation was an engineering problem Steven believed he could solve. However, every one of his approaches had failed thus far. Only the pheromone angle seemed to have worked at all, but while it had his Little Florist as hot as a live coal, it fell short of what he'd hoped to achieve.

Steven hadn't forgotten that Brian had turned himself into a bitch, which still made him shudder. That was just disgusting! Still he had added to his collection of Iron-Man suits. The suitcase model would be handy and unlike Tony Stark in the movie he didn't have to painfully inject himself with computer chips to control the remote control Mark 42 armor. Having a suit that would literally jump onto him at a second's notice was beyond cool. He reveled in the power.

His plan had originally been to simply withhold the MAU's time-limitation from Brian while pushing his lover into assuming a more 'pleasing' form. However, the secret his lover had kept from him, as well as that intruder, made him alter his plan. Both events revealed that Steven didn't have as much control and power as he'd believed.

Sighing, he'd had setbacks before. There was still all night and tomorrow to work out why his mind control alterations failed, and then to come up with a solution. Besides, he'd deduced who that intruder had to be.

Certainly the figure in gray had been clever, using the roof to gain access and avoiding the majority of the security cameras. However, whoever had broken-in, could only have done so from one of two houses. The Chenoweths were staid bankers with about as much imagination as rocks.

Ah, but the other neighbor, Christopher the construction magnate, had a step-son, Griffin who fit the description perfectly. Although young, the boy looked years older, which was a shame. Yet what really bothered Steven was the teen's immunity to his charisma.

Even shyly playing the gay card, calling the young man a bigot fell flat. Because of that, Steven had patiently waited to put the youngster in his place, preferably on his hands and knees.

Now, he had a real reason, but his plans depended on the mind control protocols he couldn't get to function.

Steven shrugged, He was no stranger to hard work. After his working class parents had turned their backs on him, he'd put his own self though college. Graduating at the head of his class he'd built his fledgling robotics company the old fashioned way, with dedication and long hours.

In time he'd forgiven his parents because he'd learned a very important lesson from them. They had promised to always love and care for him, but they had lied. No one kept promises unless it was convenient or breaking them had very unwanted consequences.

Using the increasingly unpleasant weather as an excuse, tonight he would appear to putter around with the machine, indulging in his engineering interests, while really building up his stash of armor suits and exploring why the mental domination thing wasn't working. That would keep Brian happy and unsuspecting until Steven was ready to move.

All that was left to do was the doing. Even if it took all night he would beat this. So, focused on his task, he missed seeing the purple script tracking across the screen.

Internal events log

Received customer order
Analyzing customer requests
Processing customer order
Scanning for quality control
FAILED fail-safe protocols

Customer service message delivered:

There has been a problem with completing your order due to possible violations of local moral imperatives. If you believe this message in error please contact your nearest Gamalfi Customer Service Center.

Thank you and have a zorful Febvul!

“I can't believe I did all those things today!” Danny's eyes shined with happiness in spite of the heavy gray clouds that had hung overhead all day long.

They had gotten back just in time for dinner and barely avoided being caught by Danny's always alert Mom.

“But you did.” Griffin hadn't been able to stop grinning the whole day. Sneaking out and helping his once wheelchair bound friend really live for the first time had been one of the best times of his life.

“I walked, ran, Hell, I even climbed a tree!” He sat on the bed tired despite the Suit having done most of the work today.

“It's the only way out of your room that we can avoid your parents.” Griffin made light of the accomplishment. “Of course you climbed a tree, twice, up and down.”

“Yes I did!” Danny said proudly. “However, I think that when 'Doc' advised me to take it easy, that it was a good idea. I'm tired, and hungry. I don't think I've ever been that hungry before. I was starving.”

Griffin took a recently created apple out of his insulated lunch bag/Nano-medical unit. “Have your Doc formulate a snack for your needs like this.” He took a bite of the nano-tech rendered fruit, which tasted just as good as the one he'd scanned into the memory this morning.

“Hey! Thanks a good idea.” Danny was soon munching on his own apple. “That's good!”

“We'll have to go by a grocery and scan everything we can to give us a nice assortment of choices.” Griffin said, taking another bite.

“So this can make food for us too?” The once ill boy asked.

“Yeah,” Griffin replied. “As well as medicines. It can even purify water or even produce it from water vapor. The unit can go further and make breathable air by recycling like a re-breather does, but even better. You can plug it into your suit and make it a spacesuit or add the survival unit to upgrade it to economy powered armor.

“You can't make a Gundam suit, but smaller, closer to man-sized should be doable.” He explained. “It's really just a heavier version of your exoskeleton function with extras.”

“Extras?” Danny asked disbelievingly. “You come up with powered armor and you just call it extras?”

“Yes.” The redhead replied. “Compared to the Iron-Man armor, yeah, just extras. My selections are much more versatile than Steven's, and you can hide our stuff while that armor of his is anything but easy to conceal.

“However,” Griff pointed out the other side of the coin. “His suits are purpose-built, deliberately specialized and therefore more effective in their given roles.”

“That does makes sense.” Danny grudgingly admitted. “Our stuff is good for lots of different things, but he has to change his suit each time to get the most from them.”

“Speaking of which.” Griffin asked, “Just how many has he made now?”

Danny sat back in his hated 'wheels' because it was the only chair that fit at his computer desk. Accessing the surveillance cameras his friend had put up yesterday, he whistled, “Wow. The total, including the ones he later dismissed in the MAU and the one he made for Brian?”

“Just the ones he has stacked in his house some wheres.” The redhead replied, laughing.

“I make it five or six if that briefcase had the portable number inside.” Danny counted. “Could be as many as seven, with Brian's suit.”

Maybe he is trying to become Tony Stark.” Griffin joined his friend whistling his amazement.

“Or maybe he knows about the time limit.” Danny pointed out. “Look how he's making them and storing them.

“Perhaps, he's trying a change and it's not working?” The boy at the keyboard made a guess. “But if he knows, why isn't Brian taking a turn? It's almost as if he doesn't know.”

“I wouldn't lay down money that Steven told him.” Griffin replied, angry at the 'The Perv.' “It would be just like him to talk Brian into something he really doesn't want and wait for the damn thing to stop working.”

“You think he's really that bad?” Danny asked, looking a little green. After all he'd been trapped in a dying body all his life. To deliberately trap someone else, even if the body wasn't about to self-destruct, made him sick. “I know we talk about how Steven is a Perv, but this?

“Yes,” Griffin stated. “This. I think he would. We have to tell Brian.”

“Okay,” Danny nodded. “I'll go along with that, but we need to be careful we don't reveal ourselves to Steven. Anyone who would do such a thing to someone is dangerous.”

“You got that right.” Griffin agreed. “I'll have to dive into my savings and buy a throwaway phone.”

“Can't we just use our tricorders, that look like phones, as phones?” Danny asked, humorously.

“We could, but the JARVIS's are still learning.” Griffin explained. “Give it a few days and I'm sure the quantum computer that it is will have the whole keeping our location thing all figured out, but until then I wouldn't want to chance it. Remember Steven has a JARVIS too built into his suits.

“I'll use my disguise power and pay cash.” He laid out his plan. “To make double sure I'll text him at the mall and 'lose' the phone there.” Griffin made ditto marks in the air.

“You don't have time tonight.” His friend incline his head at the time displayed at the bottom of the screen. “It'll have to be tomorrow after school. You'll be cutting it awfully close for him. He'll only have a few hours at the most to respond.”

Griffin sighed heavily. His friend was right, but they couldn't chance Steven finding out about them. The best information they had was the MAU stayed active from three to four days, but they didn't know just how much of that fourth day they had to work with. He was still a bit irritated at Brian keeping his distance, if not ending their friendship, but he did get why. Friends were hard to come by, and it hurt when even one was lost. However, he wouldn't, couldn't, allow Steven to trap his friend in some body that looked perpetually under-age.

“I have this really crazy suggestion.” Danny said, after a moment.

“Okay,” The redhead gestured. “Let have it.”

“You're not using your equipment to its potential again.” The boy at the keyboard held up his tricorder again. “All you want is the anonymity of the throw-away-phone's SIM card. However, with these 'replicators' of ours we should be able to modify that phone to act like it's on a timer and call when we both have an iron tight alibi.”

“Like sitting in class.” Griffin smiled broadly. “I like it! Plus we can get and modify the phone tonight. We just have to work a place to hide it so it can made it's single call tomorrow.”

“Wish I could sneak out and join you,” Danny sighed, “But Mom is due in to shoo you out any minute now for my evening checkup. Hopefully she won't see any changes yet and freak out.”

“Nah,” Griffin reassured him. “Just check your Doc if you have a problem. Besides, I'm guessing it's going to take time for your body to heal and grow the way it should be.”

“Yeah,” You're right.” Danny admitted after a moment of checking his JARVIS Doctor program. It says nothing should be noticeable yet. I should start to put on weight, but it's important I use the suit as much as I can to help build my muscles and tone. Seems like you had the right idea when you made certain all my cures would work together.”

“Of course I did!” Griffin grinned. “But I need to be going if I'm going to make it to the store in time. See 'ya!”

He watched Griff leave even as he wondered if he should've asked or not. Today had been one of the most awesome days of his life. It'd been possible only because of his friend risking breaking his neck and trespassing on property that was owned by someone unfriendly to them both.

'Body issues' Griff had gruffly put off going into detail why he would take such chances with his life. Then there was that whole thing about Brian and the Daisy Duke thing. That reminded him of the search string he'd saved regarding that 'Tee' Griff had mentioned.

While he'd been flying high on pure wonder, Danny couldn't keep from noticing that his friend was, well, moving differently. He'd become accustomed to his large, rather lumbering friend. Elephants, rhinoceros, and other very large powerful animals that you really don't want to upset came to mind.

However, today his friend was moving … gracefully? What came to mind wasn't the least ponderous, but on the other hand, Griff hadn't lost any of his over six foot height either, which meant there was still this feeling ... of what Danny didn’t quite know. Perhaps imposing was the best word.

Going back to the Collective web browser, he typed in the clues Griff had dropped about where his ideas for some of the gadgets he'd made had originated. The strange part was Danny was as much a fan of science-fiction as his friend, but he'd never heard of shape-changers quite like what Griff had described nor anything exactly like these Universal Survival Kits either.

Sure the Sonic Screwdriver, Tricorder, and Mr. Fusion stuff were well known fictional gadgets from science-fiction fandom, but although Griff had applied a practical spin to the devices, it wasn't a mystery where they came from.

Despite how the Collective browser had made him uneasy with that odd search return for the MAU, you still couldn't beat it for pie-in-the-sky searches like this one. Shapers it seemed were from the story Green Rain and the science fiction version of the USK was from one named 'A Bodysuit Story Sorta Kinda.'

What they had in common was, both were found on a transgender fiction site. Together, with that previous search string about the Tee in LGBT, Danny thought he had more of a clue to Griff's body issues.

The next question of how to handle this revelation was a hard one. It was the blogs at that TG fiction web site that gave him the answer. Unlike some fiction sites he'd visited in his relentless search for half-way decent reading material, these authors and readers poured their hearts and souls out. Another difference was that, while it was a 'fiction' site, all too many of the experiences of the characters were based on bad things that really happened, often to the author.

Technically he was a minor, but he'd never let that stop him before. Danny had long ago decided that he would be more than likely dead before any moral corruption could strain his immortal soul. Accessing one of his proxies, he signed up for an account so he could post a blog of his own.

I'm your average guy, but I have a friend who I'm about ninety percent certain has gender difficulties of some sort. I think he's preparing to make changes some time in the near future, but I don't know for certain. He could be dropping clues to prepare me, but I think it's really because he trusts me and is not as careful with his facade as with others.

My question is, what do I do? Should I just ignore my suspicions until he is ready to tell me, or should I let him know? Perhaps quietly supportive is best?

Please let me what you all think! I really don't get this gender thing, but he's my friend and I want to be there for him, just like he was always there for me during some very difficult times in my life.

Signed,
A friend wondering what to do.

He looked at few of the stories and was surprised when he got a reply to his blog almost at once.

Dear “Friend wondering what to do.”

I think your best bet here is to let your friend set the pace. You can't be certain what, exactly, he might be planning, and if you assume something... well, we all know what assume does, right?

In the meantime, do some research on your own. Find out what possibilities there are and what transition means. When and if your friend does “come out” to you, BE a friend. One of the worst things a transitioner can have happen is to lose those he or she trusts as a result of transitioning.

Be supportive and maintain an open mind. “There are,” said the Bard, “ more things under heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophy Horatio.”

From what you wrote, I feel like your friend is a male, transitioning to a female gender presentation. This can be a very positive and exciting experience for you if you allow it to be. Just accept that your friend will not be lost to you. It will still be the person you always knew and befriended, just decorated better. He may be very shy when he begins. Be his, now her, friend. Let him talk things out with you. Treat him just the same way you always have and help him make this change a positive thing for both of you.

I hope this helps.

Signed,
Been there, done that.

Hearing his Mom's knock at the door, Danny sighed, knowing he wouldn't have a chance to read any of the other replies tonight.

“Come in.” He answered, as he closed the browser. It just wouldn't do for her to start asking questions he couldn't and didn't know how to answer.

Danny couldn't keep himself from smiling. It'd been such a day like he'd never had before. He could go to sleep tonight and have faith he would wake up in the morning.

“My you're in a good mood tonight.” She said, gesturing him to wheel himself to his bed where they could begin his nightly hygiene routine.

“Yes, I am.” Danny beamed up at her, as he moved the hoist to help him up.

Beth scolded the two troopers as they tracked the attractive woman who just rode by them on a fast looking bike. “Keep your eyes open.”

“Oh,” The Sergeant chuckled, “They're open alright!”

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

It might be only early May, and overcast with dark gray clouds, but it was still very hot and muggy. It was more like drinking the air because the humidity was so high. Just breathing was heavy labor. That was the bad part about living in Florida, but there were good parts too. Being able to achieve that impossible dream instead of just making do with what normal medical science could manage was at the top of the list.

Bringing up JARVIS's menu on his visor, it was a good thing they could mimic nearly any kind of visor or glasses, even though everyone wore sunglasses in the sunshine state. With his visual display mimicking a nice pair of glasses nobody had a clue what he was up to.

Never mind the boy on the bicycle. Nothing to see here!

If he had to make a guess, very few would approve of his planned makeover. Honestly, he'd been thinking about this all day long. However, he had to take Danny his cures, and what kind of friend would he be to just leave afterward. Besides it'd been a lot fun sharing Danny's new experiences.

Now, however, it time to let the girl out.

“JARVIS,” He sub-vocalized. “Access images of Gina Carano and build a three dimensional model of her. Then scale up her height to the same as mine. For the face use hers and Gal Godot to create a morph with one exception. The hair is to the same shade as mine. Once the model is complete, prepare a program for the suit to assume those proportions. The fabric should be flexible, but firm so I can use it as guide to help me assume that form sorta like a mold. The face too, but make sure it doesn't impede breathing. Speaking of the mask, it should be like the suit, a guide for me to use my shape change ability. Inform me when that program is completed.”

He'd just biked though the community's gate when JARVIS reported, “Your program is ready, Sir.”

“Great.” Griffin was itching in anticipation. He'd begun riding ATV's years ago and had his own dirt bike since he was fourteen. Of course, that stuff had all been left at the farm, and he missed it. “Start another project. Begin with the basic, one person ground transport, the motorcycle. However add, or conceal the bicycle I'm currently riding within its structure. At the end of this trip, the bicycle must be quick and easy to recover.”

“Very good, Sir.” JARVIS answered, “Should I inform you of its completion?”

“Yes,” Griffin was pleased. JARVIS was a learning program after all. On the other hand, with both him and Danny having a JARVIS it could get confusing. Thinking of other superhero butlers, an alternative name was easy.

“JARVIS,” He asked. “Would you have any difficulties in responding or answering to Alfred?”

“None at all, Sir.” The machine replied.

“Then for the time being, please respond and answer to Alfred, just as you used to do for Jarvis. This is to prevent confusion with your brother unit in use by my friend Danny.”

“Very good, Sir.” The newly renamed Alfred acknowledged. “I understand and shall notify my brother unit, JARVIS, of the change of this unit's designation.

“Additionally.” The quantum computer added, “The modified motorcycle template is ready.”

“Perfect.” Griffin exclaimed, as he spotted the area he wanted to go. “Thanks Al!”

“The name is Alfred.” The machine responded. “And you're welcome.”

Laughing, Griffin rode into the overgrown glade that the developers had concealed with planted trees along the barely visible path. However while it was one of many sumps in the Tampa Bay area to deal with the heavy rains it received, this one had also been used as a dump by the previous residents. That was bad, but the developers were just as guilty because, rather than clean it up, they had tried to hide it. They seemed to be oblivious to the small fact that buried tires will always work their way out of the ground.

As a die hard country-boy, Griffin had explored all of these little wooded areas. He was glad he had, since this made the perfect place to find 'materials' no one would miss.

“Alright Al,” He dismounted, hoping this worked. Otherwise he would have to explain what happened to his bike. “Look up Ducati motorcycles and find a black, Street-fighter S. Use that for the bike's cosmetic appearance.”

“Yes Sir, it is completed.” Alfred answered. “Will there be anything else, Sir?”

“Yes,” Griffin was bouncing on his heels as he used his Servo as a sensor wand to find the best deposit of raw materials for his bike to be constructed. Finding the 'sweet' spot he wheeled his bicycle over to it. He set his backpack on the ground beside it after taking out his own nano-medkit.

“The Universal Survival Kit is authorized to use the discarded materials in this area for the fabrication. Run the program, Al.” Griffin took a step back, just in case.

“Yes Sir.” The quantum computer acknowledged. “The USK is running.”

The 'backpack' unfolded itself forming a large square, roughly a yard on a side. Looking like a big matte black blanket draped over the ground, he watched with his fingers crossed, as his bicycle 'melted' into it.

Then all the bumps of the metal, rubber and other stuff underneath it smoothed out until it was flat. A long moment passed, then slowly a Ducati began to rise up out of the black material. It was sorta, kinda like watching one of those 3D printers he'd seen operating on You-Tube, but without any visible machinery doing the printing. As the bike became closer to being completed, the black 'sheet' underneath became progressively smaller until it was used up.

Before him was the finished product, one Ducati Street-fighter, model S motorcycle.

Letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding, he asked Al. “Is it finished?”

“Yes Sir.” The machine confirmed. “The unit is operational.”

Getting on, he found it to much lighter than expected, but that made sense because the USK's gravity drivers were included, which was a good thing. Otherwise the thing wouldn't be able to move. Grinning recklessly, now this was a bike that could really fly!

Cautiously, he tested out the controls, relieved that it really could move under its own power and that everything worked as he'd expected. Now only one thing remained.

“Alright Al.” He put the medkit in the cargo compartment under the seat of his new improved bike. “Slowly activate the Nina Carano template for my suit and please provide a visual representation on the HUD both of it and me so I can monitor the progress.”

“Yes Sir.” Alfred replied. “In five, four, three, two, one...”

Griffin felt his suit shift around him, becoming tighter in some places, but looser in others. His head became covered in the motorcycle helmet with his glasses/visor expanding to become the face shield.

The mask to help him with the face pinched at his nose and especially he felt the tightness round his jaw and brow. He sighed, glad he'd altered himself so much, but he was very grateful he'd copied Danny's idea about the suit. It was extremely useful in helping keep himself disguised as his former big, lumbering self.

Able to simulate his former bulk, as well as hair and nails, he hardly needed the Shaper thing at all. Okay, not really because it would not pass an examination by a doctor, but it would help him reduce how much he needed to use his new transformation power.

His body grew warm and then hot as he willed his body to change. It was not comfortable and quickly grew into pain. Keeping his concentration, he relaxed his power, pausing to take a critical look at his progress.

With a trembling hand he touched his newly formed breasts. It was a far cry from the balloons and socks he'd stuck under his shirts in the past. Cradling them in his arms like a child, Griffin rocked back and forth, tears stinging his eyes.

A flash of insight hit him that this must have been how Danny had felt this morning, after being able to walk and do all the other things everyone else took for granted. It was as if a part of him, which should've always been there, was finally where it should be. He felt whole, in a way he'd never experienced before.

However, there was still a major thing that still needed attention.

The heat traveled to his groin. Griffin was limited with what changes he could make there, since they had to be temporary. However, he was familiar with ways to give the appearance of female genitalia from stories he'd read. He, however, could do better.

After he'd finished, only a doctor's examination could've told the difference. All the incriminating 'evidence' was tucked safely away where the 'boys' been before they had descended. What was left was utterly hidden by 'folds' that looked just like the real thing. Or so his best guess from the porn he managed to see suggested.

No, Griffin told himself, that was wrong. Not him or his at all, but she and her. The name 'Griffin' didn't fit all that well either, but she'd given other names a lot of thought. Bridget, she rolled the name around in her mind, then saying it aloud. “Bridget.”

She liked the sound of it. Fortunately, while she'd been born with a body fully gifted with all the hairy musculature from her knuckle dragging Scottish ancestors, her voice was a soft tenor that was often mistaken as a girl's on things with speakers like phones. Bridget knew she needed to work on her word choices and other details, but at least she wasn't cursed with a deep baritone.

Looking at her visor's display, she was mostly happy with what she saw. The big things, like her hips, couldn't be fixed without altering the bones of her pelvis which, if the soft tissue 'discomfort' was any guide, would really hurt. Honestly, she already had fuller hips than most boys, but not like a woman's. That could be solved by the suit.

“Al.” She directed. “Have the suit pad out the remaining empty spaces in the suit with realistic seeming material.”

“Yes Sir.” Alfred answered, proving he was just a smart program after all.

“Alfred.” She said formally. “Name this mode as 'Bridget,' and when active please refer to me by feminine pronouns.”

“Yes Ma'am.” The computer faithfully complied.

Sighing, she looked at 'his' head on her body. Remembering the pain, this wasn't going to easy, particularity with a sensitive area like the face.

“Al, zoom the display with a split screen of the facial morph, and a mirror display of my face.”

“Of course Ma'am.” Alfred answered, making the changes.

Bridget had specified that her changing power thing would be easy and intuitive to use. Certainty her body hadn't been difficult to change. She hadn't a problem with the related discomfort and pain. To her such a prize demanded a price, if for no other reason, so that the end result was valued.

Taking a deep breath, she focused on her face, Bridget's, even as she watched 'his' old one seeking what needed to be done. The nose was too broad, and the whole shape more of a square than an oval. The brow was like a cliff, and the lips were thin.

Like the mother of all blushes, the heat flowed into her face until it burned. A mad itching began, as the thick red beard that'd bedeviled her since that dreaded early male puberty, simply went away as the stubble fell away as the hair follicles disappeared.

On the rest of her body that thick pelt had been simply absorbed by the suit, but a natural redhead has the thickest hair follicles, and the beard was the toughest, most wiry hair of them all. Long had she needed to use a bladed razor instead of an electric, because nothing else could cut it effectively, but no more.

Spikes of intense pain hit her as the bones of her skull changed, but she had gone too far to stop now. She, Bridget, had to … be. 'He' had 'his' day, and now it was time for hers.

Her nose wasn't as painful as the brow or chin, but still hurt, sending tears running down her cheeks which were gaining definition with each moment. Compared to those things, her stinging lips as they blossomed didn't hurt at all.

The mask alerted her to places that still needed attention, but the painful, hard things were finished. Details, such as her eyes, were beyond simple, requiring only tightening the skin here and there.

Relaxing, Bridget smiled as she studied the two images. They were near identical. It did occur to her that she would have to do this all over again to change back, but perhaps she could cheat, using soft tissue and cartilage instead of altering bone again.

Damn, but did that hurt!

“Alright Al.” She began. “Let's do away with the helmet and mask so I can see the new me.”

“Yes Ma'am.” Alfred retracted the helmet, leaving only the reformed visor behind.

“And reset the display to mirror me, editing out the image of the visor.” She directed, touching her soft lips.

Critically she scrutinized her face. Both Gina Cararno and Gal Godgot had that Mediterranean dusky complexion as well as being brunettes. Her inherited hair color simply didn't match, or look right.

However, Grandpa Joe had a huge library of classic science-fiction, and one of the characters had red hair just like hers, but also had a dark tan instead of burning with freckles. Flinx and his mighty mini-dragon Pip had entertained her for many hours as she worked her way though the whole 14 book series.

However what was important that it gave her an idea.

What made dyed red hair so difficult to look natural was that it really wasn't just one color. It was a blending of reds, golds, blonds, and even browns. That gave her the clue to adjust her skin complexion under tone to more of a red-gold, while at the same time playing with the suit controls to mimic her hair. Like it or not her real hair didn't change and, although she was sure she could force-grow it, she would have to cut it in just a couple of hours.

The time would come when she could keep her hair long, but that time was not now. Besides, the suit would do a good job of faking it better than any wig.

“Al.” She said. “Hunt up an example of the motorcycle suit that Gal Gadot wore in Fast Five and load the design onto my suit. While you're about it, activate the environmental controls. It's getting a little warm out here.”

“The name.” Al already sounded like he was already long suffering. “Is Alfred. Yes ma'am, your suit has made the necessary modifications and environmentals are active.”

“Thanks Al.” Bridget said with a grin. She was already feeling cooler. “That hits the spot.”

“You're welcome, Ma'am.” Alfred answered, with a sigh.

Smiling, she took one last survey of herself, finally deciding on a short sassy hair style like Halle Berry often wore.

“Helmet, Al.” Bridget straddled the counterfeit Ducati. “You better put a dealer plate on the back while you're at it, so I look legal.”

“Done Ma'am.” He confirmed. “Might I suggest you alter your driver's license as well?”

“Good idea.” She agreed. “Make it for Bridget Griffin, age 21 since I might as well be legal with, of course, a motorcycle endorsement.”

“Completed, Ma'am” Alfred said not more than a second later.

“Great!” She maneuvered the bike to the path out. “Let's ride!”

Beth scolded the two troopers as they tracked the attractive woman who just rode by them on a fast looking bike. “Keep your eyes open.”

“Oh,” The Sergeant chuckled, “They're open alright!”

The Corporal gave an appreciative nod, going along with the sentiment as they watched the woman zoom out of sight.

“Men!” She exclaimed. “I know I was picking up something unusual, but now it's gone.

“Thanks guys!” She said sarcastically.

The two troopers did a covert fist bump. To see that hot female biker had been worth getting their Jedi a little peeved at them. At least she wasn't a Sith!

However, with the windows up and the A/C blasting, all three missed that the sports bike had been virtually silent, without the throaty rumble it should've produced. The Jedi and Troopers continued to their objective, unaware that a part of their puzzle had passed them by as the first big drops of rain splashed on the windshield.

Her bad feeling just wouldn't go away as she flipped on the windshield wipers. There was a storm coming.

As she got her son Danny ready for his evening attitude adjustment session, as he called the physical therapy, she considered his friend. On one hand she was so very grateful that Danny had found someone who was so loyal and trustworthy. Trust didn't come easily as far as her son's safety was concerned, but Griffin seemed to know just how much to involve Danny in 'normal' teen activities without endangerment. More, he managed the impossible and made it appear as if he wasn't holding back or making allowances.

She understood that boys needed to challenge themselves, and if she interfered too much, she would be resented. That was why she and Randy let him go to school and encouraged him to be as independent as he could be.

However, the motherly portion of her worried about her son's friend. On one hand he was very mature and had good common sense. His mother, Angela, was beautiful and smart, but her motherly instincts were definitely underdeveloped. That wasn't that big a problem, until you added in the step-father.

Christoper Brown was one selfish, stuck-up bastard. Despite that, he honestly seemed to care for his wife, although some of that could be just a sham to fuel his political ambitions. The perfect husband as the perfect candidate for office. While he did encourage Angela to play the savvy socialite, that was also for the purpose of helping his business and future election plans.

Some of the stories her husband told of Brown's Construction practices showed just how much of a cheapskate, penny-pincher he really was. Perhaps he hadn't been found guilty of sub-standard work, but his 'projects' had a reputation for just barely being within code.

Working Danny's legs, she immediately noticed that something had changed. Even his doctor would've never seen it, but she'd been hypersensitive to her son's health for years. She was aware of even the slightest difference.

The muscles felt stronger and not like their usual lax noodles. His breathing also seemed stronger and more regular. She wondered if she dared hope that the doctors had been right after all. They'd suggested that perhaps puberty could give her son a chance to grow up to become a man.

Up to now, they had waited to see if his body would develop on its own, not wanting to induce puberty due to his very weak condition. The decision window to decide to risk it, or not, was approaching, but just maybe it wouldn't be needed.

As his Mom she was aware of a difference in his attitude too. No longer did he have this unspoken fatalism that influenced his every action. Oh, he did so good at faking being happy, but she was his mother. He knew he was going to die and tried his best to make lemonade from the lemons life had given him.

“That boy is coming up.” Randy said, jovially over the intercom. Her husband often joked that Griffin was one of theirs because of how much time he spent at their house.

She gave her son a look. “A little late for a school night, isn't it?”

Her son's grin lit up the room. “Griff had to run to the store for some stuff.”

“And he waited to the last minute?” She asked.

“We lost track of the time and neither of us thought we needed anything.” He replied with a smile

“Are you sure you want to see him?” Normally her son was worn out by the therapeutic session, but tonight he did appear to have fared better.

“Yeah,” Danny smiled, “We won't be long, and I had a good day too. I don't think just a few minutes will cause any problems.”

“Okay,” She returned his smile unable to say no. “But I'll hold you to that few minutes.”

“Hey, what's up, Mrs. Cee?” Griffin happily greeted her, even though he was more than a little wet from the rain.

The red headed teenager was dressed in his usual cargo pocketed shorts and wet tee shirt which proclaimed “Asteroids are nature's way of asking: How's that space program coming along?” As it clung to him.

Her son's friend, the science nerd who looked like a football lineman, even though he had as gentle a nature as she'd ever seen in a teen. It wasn't that he was meek, but rather he lacked that unconscious competitive aggression men tended to have. Not that women couldn't be aggressive, but usually only in things that interested them, instead of having that drive that they had to the best at everything. Even her Randy had more than a little touch of that with his competing in everything from the court cases he championed to the football pools he played.

“I'm fine Griffin.” She walked to the door. “Remember that this is a school night and don't be long.”

“Sure thing, Mrs. Cee.” He replied, obviously excited.

There was a difference to his usual somberness that she'd always assumed was because of his maturity and the coping with his missed grandparents.

However now, there was this feeling of exuberance about her son's friend. Yes, even with the way he moved now.

She didn't know whether to be troubled or happy for him over this new development. Hopefully this meant he was healing from his grief and not falling into some kind of trouble, as teens were wont to do. She decided to keep a watchful eye and hope for the best. It was spying of a kind, but as a parent she had responsibilities to fulfill to both Danny and Griffin.

“Goodnight boys,” She said, shutting the door behind her.

Bridget and Danny goes shopping and it's not for Clothes!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

Getting off the motorcycle, Danny didn't think he'd ever had a more exciting, confusing and conflicting experience in his whole life. He was so thankful that his maturing body hadn't reached that 'woody' stage. That would've made riding behind Griff feel even more contradictory, however much it'd been a wild rush as they rode though the storm.

Watching his friend, remove her motorcycle helmet and shake out her hair as she walked inside the strip-mall supermarket, didn't help him at all. Her curves were shining in the wet riding leathers. Okay, he knew she wasn't really wet anymore than he was. Their pseudo motorcycle suits only looked as if they came in from the rain. Considering that with the helmets on they were better than any spacesuit ever made on Earth, a little ride in even Tropical Storm Arthur, didn't tax their 'clothing's' abilities in the slightest.

It only took 'Bridget mode,' Griff's disguise, to turn Danny's world upside down.

Sure he'd suspected Griff's secret, but seeing it was something else, for all that his friend claimed it was just protective camouflage. Hell, he was wearing a realistic mask as well, not only to help himself look normal, but to hide his identity too. The difference was, he wasn't any too sure which one of Griff's 'modes' was really the real one.

It reminded him of getting up in the morning and, while still half asleep without his glasses, and everything was out of focus. Before Dr. Otto had fixed his eyes, he'd often been unsure of just who anyone was until they spoke. They were just all blurs. It was when he put his glasses on that, suddenly, they came into focus, and they weren't who he'd first thought they were sometimes.

Griff was like that in a way. First there was his losing that awkward clumsiness, and now, while in 'Bridget mode,' some of his occasional jarring gestures suddenly seemed to fit. It was as if his friend had come into focus as Bridget, motorcycle chick, instead of Griff, the farm-boy. The same person, but 'better packaged' he stole a phase from that online Transgender site.

He was beginning to get the impression that this entire thing might be Bridget's way of feeling him out about the subject. After all, they were both only in disguise right? Just like a Halloween costume, it really didn't mean anything.

However, in this case, maybe it did.

Well, the blogs suggested that simple acceptance was what she wanted, as did her own very casual donning of her own protective costume. From his own experimenting he knew a great deal of thought had been put into her 'look', although their 'Valets' made taking care of the details much easier. Regardless, 'Bridget' was not off the shelf, or for that matter, the cuff.

Perhaps Danny wasn't in puberty, drowning in hormones, but he knew that his friend's 'disguise' was both beautiful and erotic. Walking into the store people's eyes followed the tall curvy woman dressed in the biker leathers. That red hair should look faked with her dusky complexion, but it didn't. There was something about the tone of her skin that made it work.

Treating Bridget the same as he might Griff was becoming more difficult by the second. It wasn't going to be easy but this was his friend. Like the saying goes, 'Do or do not. There is no try.'

Yoda certainly had that right.

Besides, he'd been though the same thing himself. Oh look, it's the crippled kid in the wheelchair. Only a few seemed to get, that all he wanted was to be treated like everyone else. He didn't want or need their sympathies. Life was too short to worry about should-have-beens or would-have beens. Danny was about overcoming his problems, not wallowing in them.

Now he was on the road to recovery, he felt that way even more strongly.

Full steam ahead, Engine Room! Damn the Torpedoes, Doubters and Nay Sayers beware!

“Hey!” Danny cheerfully called to Bridget. “Hold up! I think you left my stomach at the last red-light.”

Speaking of stomachs, hers was in a minor knot. She had no idea of how Danny would take her 'disguise.' However, she was starting to relax. Really, the acid test had been his riding tandem behind her.

Being honest she rather enjoyed having his arms around her. It wasn't that she had those kind of feelings for him, but more she'd never had felt this way before. Her sexuality had always been uncertain, but now was most definitely not the time. Even more certain was, her friend wasn't ready for any kind of romance. She knew all too well how challenging puberty could be. For all of his intelligence and maturity at one level, Danny had more growing up to do.

Well, so did she, Bridget smiled as she turned to him.

“What?” She asked, “Did you not want to ride between the drops?”

“Was that what you were trying to do?” Danny took off his own helmet. “I thought we were going for low orbit.”

'In this weather?” She surprised herself by giggling. “Mission Control would've aborted the shot for sure.”

“You'll just have to be content with 'Changing the Laws of Physics.'” She misquoted Scotty from Star Trek, feeling the eyes of the employees and the other patrons upon her. Just like yesterday when she'd run to the corner store for that phone, she didn't feel self-conscious. She simply felt too right and centered within her own self. Sure, she had to be making 'mistakes' in her presentation. Only in fictional stories did a 'gurl' step flawlessly from male to female. There were simply too many things little girls learned that boys didn't, to make that possible.

“So that's what you call it?” He grinned back at her. “I think traffic control officers might have another description.”

“I did not break any laws.” She replied primly, “And as for too fast for conditions, they have to catch me first to prove it.”

Bridget didn't mention Al's radar detector, nor the stealth qualities of not just her Ducati, but their suits as well. Truthfully, she hadn't been reckless. With that 'bike' and its 'engine' she would've had to work a lot harder at pushing the boundaries, before there was a problem. Being on the outskirts of a tropical storm didn't come close to challenging her or her machine.

Of course it being his first time on a motorcycle considering those same conditions, he probably did find it rather … exciting.

Walking together, she led him to the fresh produce aisle. “Let's buy a few of these so it doesn't look too suspicious while we scan everything. Fresh fruit and veggies are the best.”

Right then, Danny's stomach growled like a wild animal.

“Okay, okay. I give.” She held up her hands in surrender. “We can hit the deli too.”

“Very funny.” He glared at her. “Just because I'm about to start stuffing my face right now, it doesn't mean a thing.”

“I had my own turn playing starving wolf right after I changed for the first time.” Bridget confided, leaning over to keep their conversation private. “What your Dr. Otto is doing for you and what my own talent does takes a lot of energy. It has to come from somewhere. I don't think either of us are destined to be fat or even pleasingly plump.”

The rumble from Danny's gut seemed to agree with her, making him blush as people turned to look at them.

She grinned as her friend was nearly salivating, wolfishly eying the wrapped sandwiches in the refrigerated display case. For her part, Bridget was looking for something to eat too before they headed back home. Going into Girl Mode had used quiet a bit of energy.

Still, she made certain that Al scanned the entire selection. She was a little jealous of his naming his 'doctor' Doc Otto. It was the perfect name. However, that didn't change the fact that she needed to have as many food templates loaded into her 'doctor' as Danny did. Like she told him, she needed a lot of food too to fuel her 'Shaper' power. If she had to eat that much, she wanted a wide variety!

Their hands full of their purchases, they headed to the checkout.

It was after they were outside that they had trouble. Sheltering from the rain and wind in the covered area of the strip-mall, they wolfed down their sandwiches and sodas.

Unexpected vulgar remarks in rude Spanish revealed, that she, they, had a problem. Robert and a pair of his Mexican Mafia Posse were also hiding from the weather as they smoked.

Bridget wasn't surprised at their under-aged tobacco addiction. Although she'd avoided that pitfall and still had a sense of smell, she knew a large number of her fellow students had fallen to the habit. Grandpa Joe called it, trying to grow up too fast without considering the consequences. In a way, Robert and those like him had little in the way of choices as she saw it.

Perhaps Urban Hell Acres school served a fairly well off area, but the Hispanic students tended to be from the poorer parts of the neighborhood. Not all of course, but they did seem to share the same, 'It's us against the world' attitude. The strange part about all of that, is that the first victims in their communities were them being preyed upon by their own people.

In that environment, being older and able to stand up for yourself were survival traits. She could sympathize, since she'd had to grow up fast too. Having to watch your every word and reaction, knowing that being the least bit careless meant being scolded, punished or worse ostracized made one much more circumspect.

That did not cut them any slack for the rude sexual remarks that were directed at her. It didn't particularly make her mad or upset, but it did highlight a glaring deficiency in her feminine arsenal. A girl more accustomed to this would know the things to say and do that would shut them down. Bridget, lacking all of that, was clueless. All she could do was to turn away and ignore them, which didn't appear to discourage them or their crude comments.

Unfortunately, they also had the effect of bringing Danny to the boiling point. Like her, this was a situation he didn't know how to defuse. Being the kid stuck with his 'wheels' didn't teach someone how to deal with teenaged punks trying to prove their debatable manhood.

While she understood that his anger was more about his friend being insulted than protecting a woman, Bridget was at a loss again. She just didn't know how to keep the train wreck she saw coming from happening.

While she and Danny wouldn't be in any danger in a fight, the same couldn't be said for Robert and his posse. With their suits, Bridget and her friend were as powerful warriors as any who'd ever walked the Earth. Strong and nearly completely protected from anything Robert and crew could do with just their fists, it wouldn't be any kind of a fair fight.

That meant it would be so easy for Danny or even for her to make a mistake and seriously hurt one of these kids with the big mouths, who were just guilty of trying to be adults with no idea of what that really meant. Or perhaps they had nothing, but bad role-models which, in the end, meant the same thing. They were teens, more than able to screw-up their own and others' lives without really knowing what the hell they were doing.

That's not to say she did either, but Bridget would like to think that just maybe she had more of a clue than they did. Every night when she looked up at the stars, she wondered what mysteries were out there to see and learn. For her, that was what it was all about.

Danny had finally had enough.

“Let's go over there and shut them up.” He growled, angrily wadding up his food wrappers.

“Sure,” She decided to agree with him. “However, may I give some advice first?”

He dumped the remains of his meal in the trashcan. “Sure.”

“I've been bigger and stronger than all of my peers and classmates for years and now out match most adults.” Bridget said, finishing her own food. “Generally speaking, unless you have a very specific aim in mind, it works against you more than it helps.”

She tried to let him see just how much being taller than everyone else made her stand out, giving their peanut gallery more of a show.

“Like you did with Kevin when he tried to push you around?” Danny calmed down as he thought out her statement.

“Exactly.” She smiled. “He learned that I would not put up with his BS, but understood that if I'd wanted to hurt him I could have. He had to ask himself if messing with me was worth being hurt. Lucky for both of us he decided that it wasn't.”

“This is different.” She gave the still annoying Posse a slight nod. “They're all about how things look and that stupid street-cred-respect crap. Going over there won't change a thing, but perhaps push them into making even more bad decisions.

“Besides this is on me,” Bridget explained hoping he could get it. “I should know how to deal with this with just a few well chosen words. However, I'm new at this, and I messed up.”

“No, you didn't.” Danny disagreed. “They started it.”

“But I did.” She replied. “They're acting just like they've been taught by bad TV and even worse role-models. As a girl, a woman, I have to know how to handle stuff like this. I have a lot to learn.”

There was a long pause as they both realized what she just said.

“Bridget.” Her friend said, softly. “You are my friend and I'll always be yours, come what may. Come on. Let's leave these losers. The future is that-a-way!”

Putting on her helmet, and stepping into the wind and rain, she mounted her bike.

“Let's ride!” She grinned, fiercely.

In a rooster tail of water they zoomed out the parking lot defying the laws of physics, while fully enjoying every moment. If the spray soaked a trio under the overhang, well, accidents happen.

He was rather glad JARVIS had inertial navigation. Otherwise it would've been problematic finding his way home in the overcast and that wasn't mentioning how different everything looked from the air even without the clouds obscuring the ground.

Cutting his thrust, he let himself fall until engaging his replusors at the last moment, killing his velocity safely hidden behind the privacy fence surrounding his home. Plus, who was he kidding. It was one hell of a rush.

That was balanced by the disappointment of finding the neighboring kid was not back from school yet. One good whiff of his pheromones and, no matter how big the smart-mouthed high schooler was, the kid should be putty in his hands. After all Steven had … plans.

Then he remembered that his target was friendly with that crippled boy. It made sense that given the unpredictability of that storm off shore that they might sit out it together until their parents came home.

Making one kid disappear wasn't that hard. Steven had made detailed plans to cover not only that, but how to keep his Iron-Man suit collection out of the public eye. Besides, it was well-known that the boy had issues with his mother and step-father. Suggesting the kid had ran away was plausible.

Doing the same to a cripple, who was confined to a wheelchair, screamed foul play and would demand a close search and investigation. It was very possible that discrepancies could be found that would lead back to him. That could uncover his and Brian's changes, which would be traced to the MAU. That would not do!

However, he remembered that masked figure had taken 'two' packs out of Steven's MAU. He'd assumed both were for Griffin's own use, but perhaps one had been for the cripple?

A surge of anger hit him again. He'd worked hard for everything he had after being kicked out by his parents with nothing to his name. If anyone wanted anything from him they had to pay for it, no exceptions.

A glance showed Brian was already up. Damn, he should've still been unconscious. However, that shouldn't be a problem. The MAU was well hidden, and, if anything, Brian probably went in to his florist shop. Perhaps he should check and be sure, but time was counting down.

Working parents and others would soon be on their way home. It was possible they already were, given the unexpectedness of the storm. If he wanted his 'payment' it would have to be collected right now. Making up his mind Steven walked outside.

“Scan for unusual energy sources and anomalies.” He commanded his computer as he lifted off. It was still raining hard enough that it should conceal him. Climbing into the low thick gray clouds, the weather conditions didn't hinder him at all.

“Anomaly detected.” His suit reported.

A target lock bracketed graphic of a motorcycle flashed up on his Heads-Up-Display. Underneath in red it read, “No Infrared signatures detected. Anomaly.”

He winged over to intercept.

And he thought the ride to the store had been exciting, he hung onto his friend as they swooped through a curve. Although Danny knew there was no danger of her 'dumping' them, given her 'motorcycle' could hover and fly at need, the illusion was very strong.

It felt as if their very lives were at stake and disaster was only a hair's breath away. It was exhilarating, and yet utterly insane all at once. For all of his sixteen years, he'd been on the very threshold of death, but now that he was healed, here he was risking it all. Perhaps what made it all so exciting was that he now had a life to chance.

He also had to wonder if his parents would be so approving of his friend if they knew what a thrill seeker she really was. Even as Griff, the Farm-boy, he regularly climbed out onto roofs just to stargaze. Bridget however seemed to like living her life even closer to the edge.

However, Danny also could tell, as they zoomed along, that she was carefully evaluating each risk. His helmet display was relaying what her Alfred was telling her about the road conditions and the 'bike's status, which went much further than the old speedometer, gas gauge and oil pressure instrument panel. Their angle of inclination, ground pressure, friction level each tire was experiencing, as well as environmental conditions, were all displayed.

In a way maybe too much information, which was probably why he noticed the problem first. The picture in picture, rear view camera showed a set of red and gold airborne armor above and behind them.

“Heavy on our six.” Danny warned Bridget who, to give her credit, didn't lose control because of their surprise visitor for one instant.

“Hang on!” She sent giving him scant moments to grab on tight as they went to ludicrous speed.

Steven was more confused than ever. Just who in the hell was the woman and the man on the bike?

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

Bridget had no idea how they had blown their cover, but somehow, they had. Perhaps the Iron-Man suit that he was wearing had sensors able to detect the technology they were using.

How, was a question for later. Now, they had to survive. Going home or to the authorities was out. If he turned aggressive like he did with the Air Force then she would only be putting more people in danger, for all it might force him to back off.

Even as she veered off towards her hiding place in the glade, Bridget knew she'd already made her decision. They would have about as much privacy as it was possible to get around here. She could only hope and pray that Steven would listen to reason.

Her face was still hidden by her helmet, so her Bridget identity was still safe. However, she didn't have time to shift it back to near 'his' normal appearance. At this moment she regretted the vanity that made her show off those female curves, even if they were mostly just padding.

“Al” She ordered. “Prepare a mask for me to show a feminine version of 'Griffin's' face. Can you do that?”

“Most assuredly, Ma’am.” Her computerized valet confidently replied. “I'll use one of the intermediate morph images I already have stored.”

“Danny.” She warned her rider. “I'm ducking into the woods here to hide us.”

“That's not going to stop him from following.” He breathlessly replied, while holding onto her for dear life.

“I'm not hiding from him.” She explained. “This is so we can talk this out like reasonable mature people without an audience.”

Bridget hit the lifters lessening their weight as they decelerated hard turning onto the barely visible path.

“This is Steven 'the Perv' we're talking about.” He objected. “You know the one, who twists everything you say so it benefits only himself?”

“What other choice do we have?” She asked, bringing them to a stop. “Hide out in a crowd and hope he doesn't do what he did with the Air Force and freak everyone out?”

“No,” Danny answered. “That would be bad. That really would bring those MIB's down on us.” He dismounted, watching the Iron-Man armor clear the top of the trees and begin to land.

“I don't trust him either.” She said evenly. “This is the best of bad choices.”

“Just keep close to your bike.” Danny advised. “You have my heavier armor design which will offer more protection than our suits. Be ready to use it, just in case.”

“I hear that.” Bridget replied. “Tango is military speak for the letter Tee like in trouble. If you see anything that looks like he's pulling a fast one, shout it out three times and armor up. I'll do the same. You got that Al?”

“Yes Ma'am.” Her computer replied.

As Danny nodded his agreement too, she let out a long slow breath. At least they were partially protected from the wind here in the glade, if not the rain.

He was more confused than ever. Just who in the hell was the woman and the man on the bike?

However, the computer was correct. It was anomalous. The motorcycle wasn't producing the heat signature a big bike like that should be emitting. As an engineer, he knew heat and friction were two of the biggest design considerations. They each led to other problems which could cause any machine to fail.

That motorcycle was breaking the rules. According to the thermal scans from his excellent sensor suite, even the wheel hubs were producing near zero heat. That was, of course, nearly impossible given that even the best wheel bearings heated up.

Steven blinked as the riders saw him, and the bike accelerated like a rocket despite the lousy weather. His pulse raced as the chase tempted him forward. His boot repulsors kicked hard. The hunt was on!

It was a disappointment when he saw the riders head into the woods. Swooping over the top on the trees, he spotted them stopping by a waste pond that was near to overflowing from the storm. A scum of trash covered the growing runoff waters.

Together the two dismounted and stood by the motorcycle, waiting for him.

It was unsatisfying that he couldn't just drop from the sky in the patented Iron-Man, shake the earth landing. With the ground this soft, he would only bury himself in the soft soil. So regretfully he had to do a conservative touch down. At least with repulsors he didn't have to worry about sucking debris into a turbine.

Turning up the volume on his microphone, he demanded. “I want to speak with Griffin Morgan.”

“Anything you have to say to him, you can tell me.” The tall woman in the biker leathers announced, raising her visor.

The engineer and designer in him was impressed as the face-shield lifted into position forming a visor protecting her face from the rain. The rest of him was disgusted. This, this … person was clearly the one he was looking for. She could've passed as the 'twin' sister with the strong masculine features smoothed not just into youth, but warped into the fat putty of femininity.

Steven's resolve strengthened. He could fix this. Opening his armor's vents, he concentrated on emitting his pheromones. Hopefully the glade would keep the wind from dispersing it too very badly. Last night his experiment with Brian proved it didn't take much exposure to make someone suggestible.

“Then tell 'him' this.” Steven said, coldly as he raised his own face plate meeting her eye to eye. “He broke in and trespassed on my property and used something that did not belong to him. 'He' will return whatever he made and make amends.”

Even as he spoke, Steven recognized the two in front of him had seen something he'd missed. His surveillance hadn't seen them wheeling a motorcycle out of the MAU, and he was certain they hadn't been back and created it today. He'd made certain his property was well hidden.

No, they had made devices that could make other very useful gadgets that were still far above what earthly technology could accomplish. Once again his focus had betrayed and blinded him to other possibilities. It was all the more reason to get these two back to his house and get the most out of the last few operational hours of his MAU.

“I'll pass along the message.” The woman replied, keeping up the fiction that the boy hadn't, for some unfathomable reason, turned himself into a bitch.

“That's not good enough.” Steven retorted. “If you're standing in for him then you're also taking responsibility for what the 'boy' did. I know you're using technology developed from what was taken from my property. You will come with me back to my house and return every last item.”

The girl shook her head, not so much as saying no she wouldn't, but as if trying to clear it. He grinned inwardly seeing that as a sign his 'mojo' was doing it's stuff.

“Yes,” He said pleased. “You and your friend.” The other boy hadn't said or done anything.

Right then, it all fell apart.

Danny had watched all of this with a lot of nervousness. That had changed to confusion when, he saw Bridget wasn't acting quite right. Was this one of her plans?

Distracted by Iron-Man over there making demands, he missed the first blinks of Dr. Otto trying to get his attention. His medical program was on 24/7, monitoring Danny's condition since even cocooned with the protective confines of the suit, his body was still relativity fragile.

After the fifth blink, the audible alarm sounded!

“Caution! Dangerous levels of airborne narcotics detected!” Doc Otto warned.

The list of chemicals, drugs, and steroids ran off his display as he cued it for more information.

“Short answer Doc Otto.” Danny demanded. “What is this stuff and what does it do? We're in a situation here!”

“It's a complicated cocktail of pheromones laced with hallucinogens,and hypnotics.” The medical program replied. “I summarize that it would cause suggestibility, impulsiveness, and possibly sexual arousal.”

“Crap, he's trying to slip us a roofie! Suit us up Jeeves!” Danny yelled out, “Tango, Tango, Tango!”

“Tango?” Bridget's fogged brain tried to process what she was hearing.

“Yes Ma'am.” Alfred responded. “Activating power armor and defensive programs.”

Her motorcycle snapped about her reinforcing her riding suit with much heavier hard plates and defenses.

“Emergency medical protocols engaged.” Her own medical unit announced.

Her veins felt like ice were being poured down them, but the floaty, half-drowsy feeling was abruptly wiped away.

Focusing her attention on her HUD that had reappeared along with her helmet with her armor activation, she cursed.

'The Perv' had lived up to his reputation by trying to drug her and Danny!

Speaking of which, Steven had taken a step back, probably startled by their armor doing its thing.

His face plate lowered, his armor sealing.

“So that's the way you want to do it.” Steven bought up his repulsors. “I can do that.”

A ripple of fear shocked her even as she half-turned, bringing her arm shields to bear.

“Wait!” She tried one last time to reason with him. “It doesn't have to be like this!”

“Then shut down your armor.” He demanded.

There was only one answer she could give and she knew Danny agreed with her.

“No.”

The HUD flashed with warning lights as a sledgehammer-like blue beam sent her flying.

Beth stood on the brakes as a black form hurtled across the rain slick road in a crash of splintering trees. Only her Jedi reflexes and reliance on the Force kept them from growing a new unwanted hood ornament.

She didn't fight the wheel as the van slipped and skidded. Guided by the Force, she danced the van in a un-choreographed production of physics and conservation of momentum. Their dizzying spin lost the last of its energy leaving them upright and parked by the side of the road as if Beth had planned that all along.

“Oh shit!” The Stormtrooper Sergeant spoke for them all. “I think someone started the show without us.”

Looking down the path of broken and smashed trees from which the flying projectile they fortunately didn't see any wrecked structures. Like out of some comedy routine they turned to look in the other direction where amazingly the crashed figure stood.

It was all black and between seven and eight feet tall. A pair of folding wings at the shoulders doubled as arm shields while a large vector thrust unit on the back promised agility along with flight capabilities.

The corporal identified it with a little awe. “SAMAS armor from the Rifts role-playing game.”

Twisting their heads, everyone followed it as it leaped back over the van heading back the way it came. No one missed it unshipping the large tri-barrel gun nor the thunderous roar that drowned out even the storm.

“Everyone out!” The Sergeant shook off his shock. “Kolawaski get a lock on that target!”

“We have a contact!” Beth told Sean over their com-link. “SAMAS powered armor from some Rifts game. It's in combat with an unknown opponent. Here's my location.” She hit the button to squirt him their coordinates.”We're going in.”

“Best to follow the debris path.” The Sergeant said, putting on his helmet, “It's the straightest path to the action, although following the road around might be faster.”

“But that would expose us to being seen by the civilians.” She finished for him, snapping on her utility belt.

“You ready for this?” She asked Danni, who hadn't said a thing the whole time.

“I've communicated with our Klingon warriors.” The Borg woman replied calmly.

“We're fully prepared.” She pulled up the hood of her Vulcan style cloak as her two drones did the same.

“Good,” Beth held her light saber by her side, staring at the broken rough trail. It would not be easy going. “Sergeant move us out!”

She used the hydrogen originally processed for use as reactor fuel to rocket her high enough to get a line of sight lock on that ass, Steven.

She was furious at not just him, but herself. She just walked right into the situation that let him gas her. That put her friend Danny in terrible danger.

Danny might've been cured of his fatal disease and had a bio-symboit suit to protect him. However, inside there he was the same fragile boy whose bones and body had yet to recover from years of debilitating illness.

“Al,” She commanded. “Bring up that gun Danny designed.”

“Your weapon has been fabricated and is at its primary standby position.” Al reported not a second later.

She reached up, flipping the tri-barrel into place as the gun's targeting software came online. Adjusting her laser aiming point so all three circles became one she squeezed the trigger.

“We're going to rock!” Thunder roared as hundreds of projectiles broke the sound barrier as they screamed down range.

“Ma'am.” Al interrupted her 'Dakka' moment. “Our ammunition situation is critical. We'll need access to more raw material to continue.”

She watched Iron-Man spin away after her hurricane of death of a thousand cuts smacked him a good one. He sure as hell wasn't out yet. The red and gold armor landed on his feet, bringing up his repulsors again.

“Grab materials between jumps.” Bridget used her vector thrust rockets to viff hard to the right and dropped to the ground. “On the bounce!” She quoted Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers.

Above her, a repulsor shattered a treetop, sending out a spray of needle sharp splinters that only bounced off her armor. Make no mistake, she was in the fight for her life. Just how the hell to get out of it alive was the big question.

“Danny” She radioed. “Break-off and get out of here! I'll try and lead him away.”

Hearing Bridget's voice was like the weight of the world lifting from his shoulders. He'd imagined the worst after Steven blasted his friend and she went crashing through the trees.

He'd also discovered that Bridget's invisibility gimmick didn't work very well when moving. It was like the blurry effect in that old Predator movie. Staying still made you damn hard to see, but moving spoiled things.

On the other hand, that had only been after he'd frozen in fright. Confined to his 'wheels' his entire life, this was a humbling experience. Now that he could really live, the fear was like being hit with 220 volts that traveled from his toes all the way up his spine to his brains. He couldn't even breathe.

“You Bitch!” Iron Perv barked.

The crack of splintering trees followed as repulsors spat blue beams at his friend.

Danny turned and ran 90 degrees from them as they traded blows. His fear made his feet light. He had no idea of how far he'd traveled before thought was able to out shout his fright. His own 'backpack' hadn't the materials of the bike to work with. Slowly, it'd been fabricating his own armor on the run.

Thunder roared behind him as Bridget cut loose with another burst from the gun he'd designed.

His heart raced like never before, but he forced himself to stop. He'd faced death before, but that was while staring at the banks of soulless medical equipment that foretold a grim truth. Death was only a few heartbeats away. Today, tomorrow, or maybe the day after, the Grim Reaper was patient, and he was there, patiently waiting to claim Danny.

This was different, but also the same. The fear had to be overcome so he could do what had to be done. Whether it was to live his last days to the fullest and give what comfort to those he loved or, like now, stand by those who had stood by him.

His options however were few. Jeeves and Doc's warnings scrolled down his helmet’s HUD. Despite all of the healing he'd been given, his body was still frail. That fight and his panicked run had stressed his health past the point of safety.

Perhaps Danny had been confined to a bed and chair most of his life, but that didn't mean he was clueless in a situation like this. Books and computer games had been his salvation to his inquisitive problem solving nature. He couldn't fight, but that didn't mean he couldn't help.

“Jeeves!” He commanded. “We need to identify the frequency Target Alpha is using to communicate with the other Iron-Man suits, as well as any active or passive sensors.”

“Frequency acquired.” The AI reported, showing a list of communications and radar data.

“Shut them down, jam him.” Danny ordered. “Targeting sensors are the priority. He's going to frequency jump around so you'll have to be agile to keep up.”

“I'm clear, Bridget.” He transmitted. Boy or girl, his friend had never given up on him. There was no way he would leave his best friend alone and hanging.

Wood exploded as Iron-Man's beams severed a tree in two. She rolled to avoid the falling top half. Bringing up her tri-barrel again, Bridget fired another storm of bullets, but he jetted up out of the way.

She wished Danny had gotten further away, but if he hadn't been screwing with 'The Perv's' sensors, she would be in even worse shape. Running for it wasn't going to be easy. He was just so damn fast!

Unable to lock directly onto her, His repulsors blasted the fallen tree, causing it to smash into her. Knocked sprawling, she used the gravity drivers and her jets to get to her feet.

She was just in time to catch his armored boot in the chest, smashing her to the soggy ground again. Tumbling, his follow up repulsors showered her with mud.

This time she hit her jets hard, blasting muddy dirt right at him and throwing herself far enough away to get some room to maneuver. With his weapons in his gauntlets, he could point and shoot a lot faster than she.

The tri-barrel roared again, but he whirled away, caught on only the fringe of the burst. Besides, it was clear that, despite the high rate of fire, it just didn't have the penetration power to hurt him.

Crack! Bridget felt something break as she was knocked to the ground again by a repulsor double whammy. Unfortunately that was not true of his weapons' ability to hurt her. Maybe it wasn't slicing holes into her powered armor, but it was beating the crap out of her inside of it.

The only thing that was saving her was Danny and Jeeves playing his sensors like a cheap video game. If he wasn't having his systems continuing to crap out on him, Steven would've finished this already.

His kick carried her high into the air to crash into an already crushed stump.

“Stand down and unseal your armor!” He ordered, doing a jet assisted hop to stand there in the rain and mud above her.

“Go to hell!” Bridget retorted, struggling against the pain. Pushing herself up, she bought up her tri-barrel.

“I don't think so.” He replied, blasting her weapon, the repulsor ripping it free of its mount.

“I say again!” Steven sneered. “Unseal your armor!

“We got not one, but three hits off of Google searches.” M replied, tossing him the hard copy folder. “And all three are in the same area as the initial sightings on Friday night. Do you still want to bet that an MAU wasn't involved?”

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

“I don't know if they came from an MAU or not, M.” Agent G briefed his fellow investigator on the interview. “However, from the data and the debrief, someone has created two sets of Iron-Man's armor straight from the movies.

“After the UFO reports from Friday night, the Air Force guys pre-positioned a pair of F-16s from Homestead. Receiving word that the UFOs had returned, they scrambled an intercept. Since their target hadn't appeared on radar the night before, they had jerry-rigged a pair of targeting acquisition sensor pods to increase their chances of seeing something.”

“I take it that it worked.” Agent M said, closing the folder in front of her.

“The pilots reported intermittent, weak radar signatures,” Agent G nodded, “But not nearly enough to get a radar lock. Even the infrared failed to achieve a lock. Fortunately, this unit was just back from Afghanistan and had upgraded to the latest equipment. The visual system did get a good look at them.”

“Let me guess.”The agent smiled, “Because they were shiny?”

“You got it.” He confirmed. “In theory, the Air Force does have weapons that can target them, but they would not be ones designed for air-to-air and likely not very effective, given the high mobility of our 'UFOs.'

“They out-flew those two F-16's from Homestead which broke off the engagement when they drifted over the city. No shots were exchanged, but Captain Baker reported that War-Machine's shoulder mounted gun did track on his aircraft. I think we have to assume the suits are armed and dangerous.” Agent G finished his report.

“We got not one, but three hits off of Google searches.” M replied, tossing him the hard copy folder. “And all three are in the same area as the initial sightings on Friday night. Do you still want to bet that an MAU wasn't involved?”

“That's not odds I'll take.” He shook his head. “The home office must be burning the midnight oil to get these to us so quickly.”

His partner nodded, knowing that with the moratorium on using data processing systems, someone had to physically look at each and every piece of information to pick out useful data.

“They're taking this Code Critical very seriously.” Agent M replied. “As the military POV for this, how do you suggest we handle this part of the investigation?”

“It's Sunday evening and most everyone will be home.” Agent G pointed out. “If our two comic-book fans have any of that Iron-Man armor that can fly across the room to put itself on them, we might have big problem.”

“I would rather avoid turning this into that kind of confrontation.” She agreed. “Although, with what looks like three separate locations in one neighborhood, we'll be noticed.”

“I know,” He sighed, “How much the home office wants an active unit, but I think in this case, pushing things at this time is taking an unwarranted risk. The smart thing to do is wait till tomorrow when the greater majority of the residents are at work and school.”

“So your recommendation is to do nothing tonight?” She asked, knowing this was very atypical for her military, man of action partner.

“I didn't say that.” He grinned. “We can still check out the area, and I happen to know two Air Force pilots that have aircraft equipped with some very modern sensors that a little rain isn't going to stop.”

“And since we know the addresses we can at least check out the area for impact craters.” She continued.

“Exactly.” He stood. “With luck perhaps we'll be able to narrow down our search.”

“Looks like tonight’s a bust.” Sean told Beth over their com-links. “But we did fulfill our mission objects and got a good look at the lay of the land.”

“We didn't see anything either.” She replied. “I got a couple of twinges from the Force so I know we're in the right area, but like you said, nothing is happening tonight.”

“We did a little scouting on foot.” He reported. “This is a gated community, and it does have an honest to goodness wall. However, it is more for appearances than security. We can be up and over it in less than a minute. Additionally, one side is open to an inlet, which will let a boat come right in. There is a camera there, but it is much easier to get to than the one at the gate.

“Sounds like that might be the best way to get Dani's representative close enough to do their thing.” His wife and fellow Jedi suggested.

“That is, if that disturbance out in the Gulf doesn't change into a tropical storm.” He pointed out. “Although, if our promised 'assistance' is a couple of Klingons, they might actually prefer the 'invigorating' weather and being up to their armpits fighting the skeeters. It's always good to be of assistance to our allies.”

That was a polite lie as they remembered the tension of that first Con where the Trekkers and 501st had met. It had nearly broken out into violence, but with a little help from the Force, common sense had prevailed.

“They might at that.” She laughed, “But it's probably better to hope for good weather and plan for worst. Neither Dani nor Darla would appreciate tramping though a Florida marsh. We'll leave that to you and the Knob-Heads.”

One of his troopers muttered something about 'good' training, which almost made him snort. That was a term you only used for the most miserable and unpleasant of experiences. However, that was what training was for, to prepare you for the worst case scenario so you could be at your best when things went belly up.

Hearing the unmistakable sounds of military 'fast-movers,' a fighter jet, up above the rainy clouds, Sean suspected they weren't the only ones out looking for Iron-Man. It was a not so subtle reminder that, for all of the Collective and Legion's 'neat' toys, the Federal Government always had the larger toy box, even if the contents weren't as 'spiffy.'

For all of their sakes, he hoped the two that had found that MAU were only having some fun, but then got in over their heads. More importantly, if the damn thing stopped working already, it would be best if they hadn't gone crazy with the changes they could make to themselves. Although, at least for the worst cases, Emmy and Dani were willing to help out and 'fix' things.

However, he was increasingly getting that bad feeling which didn't bode well one damn bit. Behind that wall something bad was growing. Perhaps it wasn't the Dark Side, but just ordinary people had always proved more than capable of doing evil.

Steven grinned as his boyfriend entered the MAU. Perhaps he hadn't gotten the mind-control to work, but he had figured out how to return it to the original compact form and then back to the operational booth. On the plus side, after he'd tweaked the pheromone thing, that power worked almost as well as the mind-control. He could incite anything from attraction to out right lust. Regarding Brian, a drunken-like fugue in which he was suggestible worked best.

There were obvious problems. One was, it was the shotgun approach, which didn't let him target just one person in a crowd. He had to get them alone first, although perhaps just emitting a little 'attraction' might help things along.

So the project, while not a great success, did have its achievements.

He was still thinking of Griffin.

Tonight was proof of concept. Brian had willingly accepted all of his proposals for a new body. A few were things his Little Florist had balked at before, so he could tell that his new modifications were working.

As a safety precaution he added a device that emitted the pheromones inside Brian's armor, since it being an environmental sealed unit, it would prevent him from controlling his boyfriend if suited up.

Steven wasn't that foolish!

Maybe Brian's suit was less powerful, being an earlier Mark, but any Iron-Man suit was a force to be reckoned with.

The MAU's door opened, making him smile. There would be time tomorrow for getting even with that annoying teen. After all, there would be a window of opportunity between when school let out that he would be at home all alone. However, right now the delightful creature inside who looked up at him demanded all his attention.

Shrinking the MAU to its compact form and taking his transformed boyfriend by the hand, he took both of his prizes into his house.

“Hey Griff!” Danny greeted his friend the next morning, as the drizzling rain threatened to turn heavy.

Never had he had such a restful night's sleep, or had awakened so energized. A quick consultation with his Auto-Doctor, Dr. Otto, get it?, assured him all was well. Repairs to his body's infrastructure, stunted due to his 'burden,' were continuing apace. However that process also meant he needed building materials and fuel.

Danny was hungry. No, he was starving!

Maybe his Mom could miss seeing changes last night, but he knew she would notice this. However, it seemed she was happy enough to see her son rested and happy, instead of worn-out from a fitful sleep, that she didn't ask if there was a cause.

Even his appetite was a matter to celebrate as far as his parents were concerned. Honestly, he had questions about all the medications he usually took, but Dr. Otto simply replied they'd been disassembled for their useable components and the rest discarded with the rest of the 'patient’s' waste byproducts.

So for once he was full of energy and ready for the challenges of school. He'd just enough time to read just one more of those replies to his query from last night.

“The world really needs more people like you! It is very hard for those with gender 'difficulties' to talk about it to others. It is even harder to take those first steps to do something about it. I think you confronting your friend would send the wrong message. That's why I'm recommending you take option C, 'quietly supportive. When she, assuming the friend has been presenting as a male, starts to feel you out about how you feel about the subject, do your best not to make a big deal about it. Simple acceptance is what we all desire.

“Hey!” Griffin grinned as he sauntered up to him while they waited for Danny's Mom to take them to school.

Danny sighed, clearing the display and seeing his friend was still moving, 'differently.'

“Did you get the phone stashed away like we planned?” He asked. Last night, after he'd come back with the phone he'd purchased, they'd reprogrammed and prepared it to call Brian while they had alibis with being in class.

“Yeah I did!” Griff answered making sure they couldn't be overheard. “With my memory, I picked out a trashcan that won't be picked up until mid-morning, making it look like someone made the call and then dumped it.”

“I hope this works.” Danny whispered. They did not need Iron-Man coming after them.

“Me too.” Griff replied, “But we had to do something. I saw what he talked Brian into changing into last night. He could've passed for a junior high student.”

He definitely had the feeling the Farm-boy wasn't telling the whole story. Knowing what little he'd seen of past changes, Danny really didn't want to know. It was enough that they were trying to do the right thing and warn Brian about the expiration date on the MAU.

“There's something else you need to know too.” Danny hoped he was being diplomatic.

“What's that? Another emergency?” The red head inquired as the van's ramp descended.

“Don't know.” The boy in the wheels replied. “Might be.”

“Well, give.” Griff whispered so Danny's Mom wouldn't hear.

“You're moving, walking, differently now.” He returned the whisper, but stopped from saying anything else as he was lifted inside and seated.

“When did it start?” Griff asked as they began their drive and had a little privacy.

“I saw it yesterday,” Danny answered, “But it really became noticeable last night after you came back from your shopping as well as this morning.”

“I guess I'm not much good at this acting stuff.” His redhead friend sighed.

“You kinda used to move like a truck.” Danny tried to explain. “No one in their right mind wanted to get in your way, but now you're moving a lot smoother.”

“That was me alright.” Griff snorted softly, “Bull in the china shop.”

“I was trying to be tactful.” Danny smiled at the image.

“I'm just being truthful.” The Farm-boy said, ruefully. “It's those 'issues' I talked about yesterday.“

“You boys okay back there?” Danny's Mom interrupted them.

“We're fine, Mom!” He rolled his eyes. “Just talking guy stuff.”

“Just as long as you two aren't cooking up some kind of mischief.” She replied over her shoulder as they stopped at the gate.

“Who, us?” Griff made a his best angelical and innocent face.

“You two can't fool me.” His Mom laughed. “Just because you don't get in trouble, doesn't mean you're not up to anything.”

“It just means we haven't been caught.” Danny finished his Father's favorite line that been used when his sister Pam was still living at home. What the hey, it'd been true!

After they'd all stopped laughing Danny's Mom added, “Griffin, all humor aside, I want you to know if you ever have problems at home, our door is open, Okay?”

“Sure, no problem.” The Farm-boy replied a little embarrassed.

“And speaking of problems, “She continued. “This storm has strengthened into Tropical Storm Arthur. Now it's supposed to pass us by and just relieve the drought we've had, but it wasn't supposed to be a tropical storm either. So be prepared to leave school early if the worst happens.”

Both boys nodded. With Danny's transportation difficulties, getting him loaded up while in the middle of a rush of other parents trying to get their kids too, could be a real mess. That was not adding the probable torrential rains and wind from Arthur if it came ashore near them.

They didn't have a chance to say anything else as they stopped at their school. Between the strengthening rain and wind as Griff tried to shield his friend as they waited for the ramp to lower, they were too busy staying dry.

“Have a great day, you two.” Danny's Mom waved as she ducked back inside her van, also trying to keep from being soaked.

“Sure thing, Mrs. Cee” Griff waved back as they began their day of classes.

Exactly as programmed, the pre-paid phone came to life. Normally it lacked the memory to perform the task designated by its owner, but other functions had been ruthlessly compromised to allow it to do just this one thing.

Ringing the number, it sent the text that had been loaded the night before. The entire process took less than a minute. It's task finished, the battery overloaded, cooking the insides, but not hot enough to cause a fire.

A half hour later the waste disposal company's trash man winkled his nose at the strong acidic smell that came up as he opened the can.

“Woo!” He exclaimed, glad for the rain and wind which took the stench away. “And I thought I didn't have a sense of smell anymore.”

Without a second thought, he upended the can into the garbage truck, sending the phone on its last journey.

“This one is our best bet.” Agent G tapped the images Captain Baker and his wing-man had taken the night before.

“This one of the three is several blocks away, but the other is right next door.” He counted off the reasons why. “Neither one of those shows any signs of disturbed ground.”

“This one doesn't either.” Agent M tapped the image he'd singled out.

“Ah,” He smiled like a hunter going in for the kill. “No, it doesn't have obvious indicators like a crater, but according to my intelligence analyst friends here on base, the ground of this place has been turned. The technique was developed to help find where enemy bunkers were being dug.” Agent G explained.

“As much as I want to play my normal role of Devil’s Advocate, I have to agree.” She admitted unwillingly. “A Face-book search reveals that the owner Steven Dewitt, is the CEO of a robotics consultation firm, who also has several engineering degrees. Additionally, the other occupant, Brian Tucian, has master's degrees in botany, biology, and genetics.”

That was one of the reasons why he would fight to keep her as his partner. She knew when to break the rules. The Agency's moratorium on computers was a major ham-stringer, but M was smart using their other Alphabet Agency's ID's to get the important stuff like this.

“Additionally,” She continued, “The other two properties are owned by a lawyer and a construction magnate with political ambitions. Neither one shows the kind of interests behind those armored suits. Curiously, both of those households have teenage boys, who go to the same school and are both honor roll students.”

“Really?” He raised his brows not impressed.

“I don't mean two nerds who are members of the chess club.” She smiled at her partner. “We're talking about one kid who has an incurable disease, but has an IQ that's plain off the charts, and the other, who is larger than you. And I don't mean fat either.” She smirked at him.

“Football player?” He inquired, wondering if the kid should be recruited.

“No,” She said, still smiling, “He was raised by his grandfather, a Vietnam era Special Forces veteran. His scholastic records suggest he'd been taught a few things by his grandparent. No real trouble, but he did immobilize two of those football players of yours without injury to them or himself.”

“Vice-principle's private notes.” She answered his unasked question. “I too have friends in the area.”

“So the two kids saw the MAU come down or witnessed it being used, and did a computer search.” Agent G summarized.

“And since the ill boy hasn't announced he's been healed by a miracle, we can make the guess that they haven't used the MAU themselves.” M added. “They both showed up at school this morning without any obvious modifications.”

“Maybe.” He temporized. “You know as well as I that some of the changes aren't always noticeable. However, I provisionally agree with you. If that kid is as ill as you say, then I think he would've had that miracle you were talking about.”

“It is possible they're playing a deeper game.” Agent M said. “Griffin Morgan has discovered and named several asteroids using only very basic instruments. Daniel Cole is the author of several popular mobile applications and other computer programs. They're both child prodigies who've never gotten the chance to shine because of their situations.

“However, with that said,” She shook her head, “I can't see the Cole boy not changing himself if he had a chance. Imagine, Steven Hawking as a teen already confined to a wheelchair. As for Griffin Morgan I don't know. You know as well as I do the ways people change themselves with these things have entire clinics of psychologists baffled.”

“I know.” Agent G replied. “Some of it I can understand, but most of it puzzles the hell out of me. However, now that we have narrowed it down to a single address what do you say we go and give them a visit?

“I thought you would never ask.” She stood, securing their files. “I always wanted to meet Iron-Man.”

Brian had long come to terms that he liked for his partner to take the lead, but that did not mean they or anyone had the right to walk all over him. Someone was about to learn a very hard lesson about underestimating and messing with this 'florist.'

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

He rolled over, still suffering the effects of the previous night. Never had he ever had an experience like that before. His entire body had hummed like a high tension line, actually making him pass out because of the pleasure.

Even now he felt nearly overwhelmed by it all. It took all the self-control that years of martial arts had given him to move at all. At least he'd had enough sense to call Marge at his shop and let her know the boss wasn't coming in today. Dragging himself out of the bed, he stood before the mirror, a bit shocked.

Just how in the hell had he let Steven convince him to change into this? Forget getting carded like he'd been his whole life. The damn Truant Officers would want to know why he wasn't in grade school!

Showering was a hell of an experience too, given how sensual this body designed by Steven was. One thing was for damn sure. He was changing this as soon as he could.

Brian had long accepted the truth he liked his 'partner' to take the lead and perhaps he was even a submissive. However, he saw that as a gift he could bestow or take back. It was all about trust. That was precious commodity he gave willingly, but it was still his to give.

Steven was charming and if not perfect, he fulfilled a lot of Brian's needs. However, since that damn alien box had come into their lives, his lover had not only crossed the line, but kept stepping all over boundaries he should not.

He wouldn't pretend that he didn’t have his own issues or that the alien device didn't have its temptations. Even his bit of experimentation while very freeing, didn't convince him to throw away all he and Steven had invested in their relationship. That was too important to him to just discard, no matter his own carefully hidden desires.

No, instead Steven had thrown it all away all by himself.

Another surge of anger hit him when he saw his phone had been turned off. His not so significant other after all, had to have done that after Brian had used it last. Perhaps it was 'only' a florist shop, as his boyfriend dismissively called it, but it was still his business.

Checking the messages, his anger only grew as he read one particular text message. A quick search of Steven's computer showed the engineer had neglected to wipe his privacy information and so it was easy for him to find the exact search string that was used, as well as the results.

“A week, my ass.” He muttered under his breath reading that the device worked only for three to four days.

Knowing now the device was called a MAU, he vaguely recalled Steven had figured out how to shrink it back down into a small box. Normally he gave his boyfriend a bit of slack, but since he was already considering changing that relationship he went immediately to the engineer's study. He knew about the surveillance system Steven had in the house.

As much as he might only be a life sciences major, that did not mean he was stupid nor unable to make a computer dance to his tune. It took him only a few minutes to find the footage where Steven had hidden the alien device.

Then, with a smirk, he erased that footage and turned off the system. Someone was about to learn one very hard lesson about underestimating and messing with this 'florist.'

Agent G's death grip on the armrest didn't make him feel one ounce safer as M weaved in and out of the heavy traffic, while their wipers failed to keep the downpour from obscuring their vision. Yet another peal of thunder rang out as more lightning flashed, which didn't help things either.

It didn't matter that Tropical Storm Arthur had formed weeks before the official hurricane season was supposed to start. What was important was that it was here now and was keeping him and his partner from their investigation.

The only good thing was that the bad weather was starting to interfere with the power grid. That was a good thing for a pair of agents who might want to bend the rules on searching for an item vital to national security.

He was thrown violently against the passenger door as M whipped into an opening, advancing them another car length towards their goal.

That is if they made it there at all, he amended. He'd had airborne insertions into hostile territory under fire that were less nerve racking than this.

Abruptly, the racing traffic came to a standstill. Expertly braking in spite of the lousy road conditions, M brought them to a stop. That could not be said of the speeding driver behind them.

Already braced, the airbag wasn't quite as bad as running into a wall, but it still wasn't good. Forcing his brains to function, a quick check showed they were both uninjured, but a further evaluation made him realize they were well and truly out of the game.

Their car had been shoved forward by the Buick that had rear-ended them, hitting yet another vehicle which in turn had rammed another. Sandwiched thoroughly in the traffic they weren't going anywhere.

Just to put the finishing touch on everything, M grabbed his arm, pointing at the waterspout that had dropped out of the stormy clouds over the bay.

“Well crap!” He cursed.

The day had gotten exciting, and not in a good way. Just before lunch time a tornado watch for their area turned into a full fledged warning. It'd halted things at school for a while, as the administration debated what to do.

He was rather amazed that common sense overcame their natural butt-covering when they decided not to close the school early. All that would do would be to send more people out into hazardous conditions. Heck, in most cases schools were the best constructed buildings in the area, often doubling as hurricane shelters.

Besides, after discreetly checking with Al, the reported tornadoes and one waterspout weren't very close and were headed away from them. The whole thing made him kick himself for not making a contact lens version of the visor's display. It was fine for Danny, who normally wore glasses, but he never did. Starting now would cause problems, although he had fixed that bit with outside observers seeing the operator's eyes reading the display.

A simple program made it look as the reader was only looking straight ahead. Danny, of course, had immediately modified it to change the innocent image into joke like over large eyes and some other humorous stuff.

It'd also given him a chance to further modify his disguise program by having his suit stiffen itself, making it harder for him to walk and therefore, hopefully, make himself walk more like he had before his MAU change. He based it off the NASA exercise suit for orbiting astronauts which provided resistance to movement and helped fight the debilitating effects of Zero-G.

By lunch time the excitement over the tornadoes had ebbed and his new revised 'fat' suit got its first work out in the most brutal of all scholastic settings, the lunchroom. At his old school it wasn't so bad. The various groups pretty much kept to themselves. Here, each clique was much more aggressive about the pecking order. It also meant open season on any of the loners.

Griffin supposed that, technically, he was one of the nerds. He'd even gamed a little old fashioned Dungeons and Dragons with them, although his playing a female barbarian put some of them off. They had some really strange ideas about women, but he'd gotten his role-model from Grandma May.

Perhaps it was because of his mother's poor example, but his Grandmother made certain he understood that a woman could be strong in ways a man never could be. Such as how to bend with events like the willow in a storm instead of breaking, as well as standing up straight afterward without compromising your beliefs. It was that strength that let her compliment Grandpa Joe and, to his mind, that was what made their love so long lasting.

However, he doubted they intended on him using that ideal as a role-model for himself. Of course his different point of view made him the outcast again. Perhaps that was why he usually kept his gaming to the more anonymous online variety now.

Maybe because Griffin was so lost in thought was why he stumbled over the foot put out to trip him. Robert, one of the school's Mexican Mafia, had a very unpleasant grin at the surprise on the big redhead's face.

However, Griffin didn't fall. Perhaps he didn’t have the reflexes of a trained mixed martial arts fighter like Gina Carano, who he partly based his feminine alter-ego' appearance on, but he did come close. Performing a mad dance he kept his footing. He didn't even spill his food, which was a minor miracle despite that alien machine's improvements.

Everyone laughed of course, but he didn't think it worth pursuing the matter. Robert and his hombres made some unkind remarks in their dialect of Americanized Mexican Spanish that would've had Grandma May, with her strict rules on grammar and pronunciation, whacking all of their knuckles.

Griffin had not fallen, and he'd seen the estimation in his audience's eyes evaluating that fact. Big and agile wasn't a combination most bullies were fond of courting in their victims. He would even hedge a bit that he was still 'moving' oddly which was probably what singled him out as a target. He would have to work on that some more.

But while he was willing to let it go, Danny was more upset.

“They're just going to get away with it.” His friend whispered furiously, as they made their way to the nerd table.

“They usually do.” Griffin replied. “That's the nature of the beast. Not too smart, but you have to respect their animal cunning.”

“That doesn't make it right.” His friend glared at the lunchroom monitor who was content not to address the issue.

“No, it doesn't.” The redhead agreed. “But unless anyone else tries something else, I'm content to forget about it. Okay?”

Danny nodded grudgingly, but Griffin could see this wasn't over yet.

Sighing, he eyed the food that had been deemed healthy by a committee that didn't have to eat it. Just to make things perfect all everyone else wanted to talk about was the UFOs, which was a subject he wanted to avoid. This was turning out to be such an 'interesting' day.

Beth wasn't sure who she expected, but it certainly wasn't Dani herself and a pair of Collective Drones, as well as a bevy of Klingons.

“Sorry for the size of my party, but we had to be certain we had everything on hand to take care of this situation.” She apologized.

“Away Team,” Sean coughed dramatically even as the Klingons glared at him.

“Klingons are not Red Shirts,” The leader of the warriors retorted. “We had to come in answer to your … dubious marksmanship.”

Sean grinned at the reference to the stormtroopers in the movies being infamously bad shots. It was even a Trope on the internet about the Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy. However, honestly, in real combat it was almost that bad. He'd heard that in WWII it was reported that the average solider fired two shots for every enemy that was hit. Personally, he believed that was way too optimistic a figure, but that was historians for you.

“I hope you'll find that our accuracy has improved,” He said and added diplomatically, “No one is expendable from either of our groups.”

The Klingons nodded, acknowledging his statement.

Dani smiled in agreement with his wife as she gave him her unmistakable 'Men and testosterone poisoning' expression.

The Klingon laughed, clapping him on the shoulders. “Come! We have weapons!”

“We picked up your equipment request from Emmy.” The woman who was the splitting image of Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine character explained.

Sean's grin told it all. “Great! Lets get them inside so we can synchronize them with our helmet’s targeting computers. Ion gun characteristics are vastly different from our usual blasters.”

“Really?” The Klingon leader asked, as the others also appeared interested.

“I'll show you once we get them inside.” He gestured to the door while the 'girls' gave them all that look again.

“Boys and their toys!”

After lunch, the rest of the day passed more or less uneventfully. That did not take away from his anger at Robert and his hoodlums. The way they'd harassed Griff made him burn.

Although the redhead had laughed it off, it was still a big deal to him. As surely as someone jumping in front of a bus or onto the tracks facing down a train, Griff had saved his life. The physical risk had been very real as much as his friend made light of it. Jumping six feet off a picnic table was not the same as hurling yourself from one rooftop to another.

Okay the guard dog had been anticlimactic, but the risk of being caught most certainly was not. Thankfully, it appeared that they had gotten away with their temporary borrowing of the MAU. After thinking about it, Danny had to wonder how much of their adventures the previous day was just Griff getting them both away from their usual haunts just in case Steven came looking for them.

Sighing, he realized it could've been just what it seemed as well. Only a friend sharing his time on a very special occasion. The first day that Danny could really start living.

Trying to distract himself, he unlike Griff, could use his glasses and tricorder without anyone being the wiser. Remembering how his friend the night before related how he changed his bicycle into a motorcycle, Danny decided his own wheels were due for an upgrade.

It was currently your more or less standard electric wheelchair. His hands had lacked the strength to use a normal wheelchair, although he'd kept most of his dexterity. That had been slowly changing, that is until Griff showed up with his bag of goodies.

Having some fun, he wanted to outdo his friend by a few magnitudes. First he took Griff's motorcycle and worked out a program so as many as the components as possible were reused in that power armor that had been hinted at. Danny figured that wasting as little time as possible changing from one form to another would be at the very least faster and more efficient.

The idea was to provide additional protection and, to his reasoning, that usually meant you needed it fast. With that in mind, he set the transformation to cover the most vulnerable body areas first. Next, remembering about the flying part, he added a sub-mode so that the suit would be very maneuverable in flight. That lead into a dedicated flight form that resembled a flying wing.

Again he sought to make the process where the nanotechnology mini-factory had to change as little as possible. Danny also tried to prioritize the 'transformations,' concentrating on the health and welfare of the 'pilot.'

Then he duplicated the same process, but using his 'wheels' to substitute for Griff's bicycle. Almost as an after thought, he decided if you had mecha, you had to have a weapon. Remembering the Metal-Storm concept where you had one round stacked behind another, he combined that with a gas propellant. Danny reasoned that since the Universal Survival Kit had a Mr. Fusion, producing hydrogen would be easy, and the bullets could be almost anything you could feed into it. With a tri-barrel, design by the time you fired one dry, the next should be refilled and ready to go.

'More Dakka!' Danny chortled to himself referencing a trope where problem solving involved firing as many rounds at the trouble as is possible. Mini-guns, Gatling-guns and all other multi-barrelled machine-guns designed to throw a storm of bullets at your problems were the weapons of choice.

However, he reminded himself to provide some non-lethal options for his creation. He never intended on using it, but with Iron-Man running around he would rather have the design handy just in case.

By the time he finished all of that class was about over, so he set Jeeves to running simulations to find the faults and design problems and fix them. Just saying his computerized assistant's name made him smother his laughter so nobody in class thought he was crazy talking to himself.

Once he'd learned Griff had named his, Alfred, Danny just had to rename his too. Jeeves was a natural, even if not as tongue in cheek as AL, which looked a lot like the initials for Artificial Intelligence. Sure, Lara Croft's butler was named Jeeves, but PC Wodehouse's long suffering valet was named that too. That was where the whole 'Ask Jeeves' search engine had come from, although newer ones like Google and the Collective had pretty much taken over the market.

Just while he and Griff waited for his Mom to pick them up after school, Jeeves had finished the simulations and had even refined the initial idea though trial and error. The pure number of simulations that took was staggering, which reminded him again that Jeeves was an out of this world supercomputer.

The bottom line was, his designs worked great ... in simulation. The real world was another story yet to be told.

The ride home was a little tense with the heavy weather. Danny followed Griff's lead in keeping quiet so his Mom could concentrate on her driving. It wasn't real bad, but adding in the drivers who didn't make allowances for the slick partially flooded roads, didn't help the conditions.

“I hate to ask, Griffin, but would you mind staying here with Danny?” His Mom asked his friend. “With this storm we're short handed at the hospital.”

“No problem, Mrs. Cee.” The Farm-boy answered. “I was planning on staying over anyways. My Mom won't be back from her Charity club meeting until later, and Chris is working late as usual.”

“Good,” She declared, opening the garage door to give them some cover as they unloaded Danny's wheels, using the van's lift.

“Feel free to help yourself to the fridge.” His Mom told them. “Just remember to leave something for the rest of us.”

“Mom!” Danny tried not to whine. “I didn't eat that much this morning!”

“You should've seen him this morning.” Her eyes twinkled in merriment. “I'm surprised he left anything for us.

“Really, it'd only been a regular size meal.” He protested, although he knew her point was that he never ate that much. Of course she didn't know how he'd been eating like crazy today, taking every opportunity to snack. Dr. Otto advised him to continue. It was the old 'you are what you eat' thing. His body needed plenty of building materials to put things right.

“I'll try and hold my own.” Griff grinned.

“Here is his father's and my cells.” She handed the redhead the numbers. “And of course you both know to call if there are any problems.”

“Mom!” Danny complained, as his friend wisely kept silent. “We're not kids anymore.”

“I know that, dear.” She replied, diplomatically not mentioning his disabilities. “However, the unexpected does happen, and TS Arthur is coming closer to us than fore-casted for all, it's to make landfall north of us.”

“No problemo!” Griff never stopped grinning. “It's better to be prepared, even if nothing happens.”

“Exactly,” Danny's Mom agreed, as she got back inside the van to go back to her part-time job.

As soon as the garage door closed, Danny activated his 'suit.' The exhilarating feeling of just being able to stand made him want to dance and do all the other things he'd never been able to do. However, right now he wanted to take a shot at emptying the kitchen. His Mom might've only been joking, but on the ride home, he'd been unable to indulge in the snacking he'd been doing at every opportunity.

He just couldn't get enough to eat, and Griff had only a small variety of food 'templates' to share with Doc Otto. For his whole life, his diet had been carefully watched which meant many foods that most people took for granted were denied him. With his nifty nanotechnology hospital replicator thingie, it could make exact copies of those foods, but make certain they were healthy and nourishing.

However, he also understood what it meant to take care of yourself. That was why he scanned the food he took out of the fridge and then put it inside the 'thingie' to be transformed. After all, the lunch bag looking device used nanotechnology to 'rebuild' one thing into another. It didn't come from nothing. That was why the several bottles of water he'd put in his bag this morning were now gone used as building materials and as fuel to power all the machines Griff had made for them on Sunday.

“You know your Mom was just joking, right?” Griff asked, watching him take out the food to eat. “You don't really have to try and eat everything in the house.”

“She might've been.” Danny bit into a muffin, mumbling with his mouth full. “But I'm starving!”

“I guess you are.” Griff reasoned. “With your body repairing itself as rapidly as it is, it's got to take a lot of fuel.”

“You got that right.” The boy stuffing his face agreed. “Doc Otto is having to slow things to how fast I can eat.”

“You know, it might not be a bad thing to go slow.” Griff replied, diplomatically. “Too fast and you could make the wrong people suspicious.”

“I get that.” Danny said, between bites. “Most of what is going on right now is rebuilding serious stuff like my heart muscles and other really vital stuff. The only possibly visible things are my posture, which is improving, and some muscle tone.

“Doc Otto is still advising me to use the suit to be as active as I can.” Danny repeated his doctor's instructions. “My doing ordinary things is good physical therapy, helping all the medical stuff work better.”

“Well then!” Griff bounced on his heels. “You know what this calls for, don't you?”

“More food?” Danny asked, finishing his plate.

“Grocery shopping!” The redhead's eyes shined.

“Shopping?” The still hungry boy asked. “You mean go out? Haven't you noticed it's raining and storming like crazy.”

“Exactly!” Griff explained. “No one will notice a pair of bikes leaving your house in this weather. Everyone is inside.”

“That's because they want to still stay nice, safe and dry!” Danny replied, “Besides, I don't know how to ride a bike. Remember the only wheels I've ever had? They're side by side.”

“No problem.” The farm-boy grinned. “I've got it covered.”

“That Air National Guard commander was just trying to find opportunities for his people to fly with the current budget cuts in place. From all accounts he didn't expect for his pilots to find anything. When they did, the incident was too visible and too many didn't take it seriously at first for it to be easily covered up.” Danni explained to her Jedi hosts, as their group prepared to foray into the storm.

“No fewer than a half dozen alphabet agencies have reacted to this. The Agency-with-no-name.” Danni smiled, “Has classified everything up into the stratosphere, but that has only slowed the others, not stopped them.”

“And if I don't entirely trust 'our' MIBs,” She continued, making ditto marks in the air. “We're not even going to talk about the others.”

“So that is why you came yourself.” Beth reasoned it out, as she watched the troopers conceal their armor under rain gear. “We need to resolve this quickly and quietly.”

“Even in the comics, Tony Stark didn't want the government to have that technology.” Danni agreed. “I think it would be wise to follow that same policy.”

“I just hope talking to them works.” Beth said. “It could get nasty if they react as badly they did with the Air Force jets.”

“We will do our best to insure a peaceful outcome.” The Jerry Ryan look-alike replied serenely. “Our aim is to offer assistance if their MAU has stopped working and left them in an awkward situation, as well as warning them of the Men In Black. It's almost a certainty that they will try and confiscate those Iron-Man suits.”

“People are freaking out about guns.” Beth rolled her eyes. “Can you imagine the reaction about anyone owning a set of Iron-Man Armor?”

She recalled the first movie where just the Mark III had taken out a small army, including a tank. What could War-Machine, which was much more heavily armed, accomplish?

Danni only nodded. The Borg Drones and the Klingons clearly demonstrated that she was prepared for the worst, however much she was hoping for the best.

Beth didn't miss the Federation 'dust-buster' phasers the warriors were wearing. At least they weren't disruptors, which lacked a stun setting. That is if the stunning effect would work against the hi-tech comic-book armor.

It'd long been a SF fan's fantasy of matching one fictional universe versus another. Which would win: Imperial Star Destroyer or the Federation USS Enterprise? The list went on and on. Who was stronger, faster or the best fighter; Superman or the Hulk? The Flash or Quick-Silver? Batman or Captain America?

Or this one: Just how effective Star Wars or Star Trek weapons would be against Iron-Man? In the first movie, they saw it take a shot from a tank's main gun! Some might argue that it was a glancing blow or that it'd been loaded with an anti-personnel round instead of armor piercing, but it was still a tank's main gun, a very powerful cannon.

As good as a blaster might be, it wasn't that good. Beth found herself touching her 'elegant weapon from a more civilized age,' her light saber. She was having one of her feelings that she was going to need it.

Looking up she saw Danni nodding again as she held up her hand, extending her 'nano-probe.' If there was a problem, they would solve it, one way or the other.

The pure joy of flying was nearly enough to make up for his utter stupidity. He'd left Brian passed out on their bed when he went to work this morning. It was only after he'd arrived at his office and began to work on his current projects, that he realized what he'd done.

Steven had been so intent on fulfilling his fantasies that he completely overlooked the practical considerations of what the technology behind an MAU could mean. It was the old proverb about the difference of giving a man a fish and teaching him to fish. Instead of making Iron-Man suits, he should've had the MAU teaching him how to build them.

Just the insight he'd gotten from examining and using one greatly helped the project in progress at his company. He found himself missing the JARVIS interface, which was his first clue on how badly he'd erred.

In the movies, the 'Just A Rather Very Intelligent System,' was a main frame which was data linked to all the Iron-man suits. He, in his tinkering, had instead, given the impossibility of building Tony Stark's laboratory, settled for a distributed network with each suit being a node.

However, that meant he was without JARVIS's services when he wasn't in a 'suit' and he, being the bigger fool hadn't set up any alternative communications. Steven, however much he'd let himself get fixated on the Iron-Man suits and the mind-control thing, wasn't actually an idiot.

While at work he developed a list of things to 'build' with the MAU, hoping that whatever problems that made the machine balk at the mind-control, wouldn't come up again. Time was getting short and very near the time it would stop functioning.

If even a small part of his list worked, he would revolutionize the robotics field overnight. Once he had the tools to make the tools, Hell, he would change the world!

That was why he'd told his executive assistant he was taking a late lunch, and used his Iron-Man armor to fly home. With Tropical Storm Arthur’s heavy rains and winds, as well as the tornado watch, it was perfect weather, allowing him to fly without having to worry about more Air Force jets or being seen.

His Iron-Man MK 42's JARVIS was tapped into the local air traffic control system, which gave him plenty of warning to avoid other aircraft. He at first had considered taking the MK V 'briefcase' armor to work with him, but it was honestly too limited in capabilities. It couldn't even fly. Fortunately, the remotely operated MK 42 could be carried in pieces and stored in his Jag. All he had to do was operate his car's remote to pop the trunk and then fly the armor out in peices, easy.

Down below, he could see the interstate and the huge pile-up that'd been caused by rubbernecking drivers when a waterspout had appeared earlier. It would've been only poetic if the spout had struck the gridlocked highway, but no, it had disappeared back into the clouds after touching down only briefly in the bay.

Besides, his next door neighbor should be getting home about now. Steven's smile was not nice. He kicked it up a notch. There were places to be and people to do.

Agent G was beyond irritated. Their ride was 'crunched' fore and aft. That rental care wasn't going anywhere even if the massive pileup hadn't bought everything to a standstill. The only good news was that waterspout had stayed offshore before it'd disappeared.

By the time the local traffic enforcement officials, the rental company's representatives who were actually based on another continent, the wrecker company, and finally the rental company's customer service had been contacted and dealt with, he had lost any inclination he had for being diplomatic.

Once again their partnership worked, as Agent M smoothly talked their way into a replacement vehicle. She even managed an upgrade by pointing out the 'accident' had been judged not their fault.

Still, he thought, she'd shown her own temper as she 'smoked' the tires leaving the lot. They were hours behind schedule which meant they had missed their window of opportunity to snoop around. The kids would be coming home from school and the working part-time mothers would be with, or right behind them.

This mess had likely cost them their chance at procuring a still active unit. There was a private betting pool among the agents just who would be the first to bring in an active unit. Agent P had so far been the closest, but it was an open secret he'd been at least temporarily compromised in some fashion.

Personally Agent G thought they were all cursed to come just so close and then have success snatched from their fingers. He'd almost come to expect to see Murphy hovering over their shoulders, waiting for a chance to strike.

It was always 'something' that caused them to be too late to get a still working MAU. Again and again, all they could do was try and then help the victims who were casualties of their own … curiosity and inventiveness. Mischievousness though a few were, most weren't.

Knowing human nature he was honestly surprised that someone with less than sterling character hadn't used one of the damn things to turned themselves into some variant of a super-villain. He could think of any number of changes that could give someone a definite advantage in profiting at others expense and make it very difficult for anyone to stop them.

Even with that in mind, that paled beside a Code Critical. It wasn't enough that Mr. DeWitt had recreated Iron-Man's armored suit, but he had to make it stealth as well. It was a one man army and air force all in one package. It was no wonder that both he and M had received strongly worded orders that, if there were 'suits,' the devices had to be recovered.

Unusually, they had been 'called' while in the 'field' which was something which never happened, given the Agency's paranoia. He knew it was because this was one of the few times that they had a chance to recover something that didn't just stop working like a broken toy.

“The Iron-Man devices were powered by a tokamak, a type of fusion reactor, but it takes more energy to maintain the reaction than it actually produces.” Agent M had explained the possibilities to him. “The Tony Stark character had solved that problem, as well as making it portable and safe enough to wear.”

“Well almost.” Agent G had added thinking of the health problems the character had in the second movie.

“But,” She smiled, “He corrected that error, and improved it even more. “The important piece of information is that it was made by a human using more or less our technology. There is a reasonable chance that experts examining it could get that crucial clue they need for us to build them. It goes without saying that the rest of the technology is also of interest.”

Agent G thought that was the understatement of the century. However, he had his doubts about it being reproducible. The fictional Tony Stark was a maverick genius on the order of an Archimedes or a Nikola Tesla. Even in the film, other scientists who were familiar with the larger reactor couldn't duplicate it.

That however, thankfully wasn't his job. Let someone else worry about finding out these things' secrets. They want an Iron-Man suit, so that's what they're going to get. That is if they could ever get anywhere in this rush hour traffic.

His thoughts turned back to Murphy again. “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”

And now the conclusion!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy who spent the time to make this story readable. Another round of thanks goes out to all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

He was not happy, but this was now over. The Bitch was disarmed, and if he had to, he would peel her out of that damn shell. Steven would make things right. He reached for her helmet.

“Get your hands off of her you Son-of-a-Bitch!” A girl commanded.

Now what! He turned to see a lithe form walking along the top of development's privacy wall as lightly as any cat despite the wind and rain. The decorative spikes along it did not bother her in the slightest as she lightly stepped around them. Dressed in a long brown coat and leather knee high boots, she looked to be about 17 and seemed familiar, although he couldn't place her.

“Who the hell are you?” Steven demanded. He was losing patience.

“What's wrong, Big Daddy?” She sarcastically smirked, “You don't recognize me?”

“What the hell?” He choked in surprise, raising his face-shield, not believing his sensors. “Brian?”

“How do you like my makeover?” She hopped off the seven foot wall as if it was nothing. She did a little runner's dance showing off her body. “Nice huh?”

That was not the word he would use. What the hell did his lover do to himself?

“What the hell is wrong with you people?” Steven complained, waving his armored arms. “Why is everyone changing themselves into bitches?” Are you all insane?”

“Insane?” The teenaged girl primly stalked though the muddy battlefield, ignoring the 'B' word. “No.”

“Then why!” He demanded almost pleadingly.

“Try pissed off.” Her eyes blazed with anger. “You drugged, lied, and then plotted to transform me into some pedophile boy toy. I trusted you, and you betrayed me.

“Maybe our relationship didn't mean very much to you, but it did to me.” The woman never once faltered as she weaved a path towards him on the soft soggy ground. Her every step was sure and certain. “You treated me like dirt, and threw all we had together away, no more.”

“Please Brian.” He pleaded. “Let me fix this. Let me change you back.”

“Not happening, Steven.” She glared at him. “I know what your parents did to you after you came out, messed you up, but this? What you did to me, and tried to do to these kids didn't just cross lines, it broke them into little tiny bits. What the hell were 'you' thinking? Kidnapping? Sex slaves? Rape? What's next? A little murder on the side?”

He stood straight. Steven wasn't going to apologize. That was only a weakness. Like everything else in this world, it was only wrong if you got caught, and this didn't count. Griffin was down, and the other one in the woods had the same kind of armor, so he knew he could take it out too. All that stood in his way, was Brian.

“So, what now, Brian?” He locked his face-shield down, but left the vents open to hit her with his pheromones. Not that he expected them to work. He might've underestimated his 'Little Florist' once, but never twice. Precautions would've been taken.

“That really depends on you, Steven.” She stopped, standing a short distance away, loose and relaxed. “Just walk, fly away if you want. This is over.”

“It's not over till I say it's over, Brian.” He locked his targeting sensors on her.

“I don't go by that name anymore, Steven.” She cocked one hip, and smiled “You can call me River Guevara.”

The girl in the Brown Coat skipped cat-like to the side, Iron-Man's repulsor missing by fractions of an inch.

Bridget could only stare as the lithe teen danced though the barely missing beams to land a perfect, powerful martial arts punch square on his chest plate.

“River Guevara?” She muttered, putting two and two together; River Tam, the very agile psychic assassin from 'Firefly' and Max Guevara, the transgenetic feline super-solider from 'Dark Angel.'

Iron-Man went flying, but River didn't let up. She leaped in the air, bouncing off a tree to kick old Shell-Head right in the face.

The combination of feline genes and clairvoyance made Bridget's head spin just thinking of the possibilities. Unlike poor R. Tam or M. Guevara, who had dire problems because of their unique origins, Brian was a very knowledge geneticist. His shop made much of its profit from breeding flower's genetics. If anyone could avoid the problems those two fictional characters had and combine their advantages, it was him, or maybe 'she' was now the best pronoun.

River tumbled behind Iron-Man and swept his feet out from underneath him.

The teen recalled that jaguars, which weighed about the same as an adult human, had been known to drag 800 pound carcasses away. Felines were strong. And fast she added, watching River sidestep another repulsor.

“Here.” Danny offered her a active camouflaged blurred hand. “Let's get out of Dodge. Then she can break off and meet us somewhere safe.”

It was Bridget's time for more surprises when River turned and winked at her. That damn clairvoyance!

“Sure.” She said to her friend. “River can make a run for it after she knows we're safe.”

With a snap, Danny locked her damaged tri-barrel in place as he helped her up. It would not do to have that laying around to be found. With his help she stumbled forward, using her anti-grav to make it easier to move. Her auto-doc was saying she had some busted ribs. She doubted that, without her shaper-fu keeping those bones more or less where they were supposed to be, that she would be able to move at all.

They had almost made it to the wall, when a brighter than ordinary repulsor blast sent River flying, to bounce to a stop in the muddy rain.

“Crap!” Danny cursed. “He used his chest-beam like a shotgun.”

Bridget saw River moving weakly, but still alive. She'd must've mostly dodged out of the way, but getting clipped by any part of that beam was a bad thing.

They didn't have to say a thing as Danny took Bridget's damaged tri-barrel and handed her his weapon.

“You're better with guns than I.” He said. “This one has been upgraded to a larger caliber with armor-piercing shells. It still won't likely stop him, but it will get his attention.”

“Please, you can put your weapons down.” A hand landed on each of their shoulders causing them both to look up and stare in disbelief. “We have this.”

Beth nodded as Danni and her drones moved to the assistance of the two camouflaged armored figures. They appeared to have been trying to leave before their female companion had been hurt.

With so many players it was hard to know who was in the wrong or right. However, the person in the Iron-Man armor, unsurprisingly did seem to be the aggressor. That was why her sergeant had his troopers closing in to give them their best chance with the relativity short ranged ion guns. It fell to her to be diplomatic and buy time.

Well, that was the traditional Jedi role, she strolled between Iron-Man and the fallen girl in the Brown Coat.

“What again!!” He growled, clearly annoyed. “Now, who are you?”

It was Iron-Man from right out of the movies. This was the one that was more gold than red and looked as if he had seen a war with all the gouges, scorch marks and dents.

“Be careful.” The girl on the ground warned as she slowly pulled herself up. “He has pheromones that can induce trances and suggestibility.”

“I'm a concerned citizen.” Beth smiled, as she inserted the breathing filters. “Who is well aware of what a MAU is and what it can do. My friend and I are here to offer advice and assistance.” She nodded to Danni whose face was still concealed by her cloak's hood.

“And if I tell you, I don't want your help and for you go mind your own business?” He snarled.

“Then I'll ask the other involved parties if they feel the same.” She could feel the Force flowing through her as her hand dropped to the light-saber at her side.

“Unacceptable.” He bristled, “This is none of your business. Clear out while you still can.”

“No.” Beth knew what was coming even as he bought up his gantlets to fire.

The trio of repulsor shots were neatly deflected into the swampy ground by her light-saber.

“Now!” Ordered her sergeant.

The squad lunged out from behind their cover, cutting loose with their ion guns. Unlike the stormtroopers from the movies, these shots were dead on target.

“Argh!” The Iron-Man wanna-be dropped to one knee as the storm of lightning washed over him.

“Those two are fine.' Danni stood with her watching the drawn out fight as the armor resisted the attack. “Besides being shaken up some. Both have greatly increased healing talents. They're utilizing a rather unsophisticated, but no less effective nanotechnology.”

With a large 'Crack!' the electrical show ended as the charge grounded out. Now, burned, streaked with marks from the battle, Iron-Man slowly stood, his armor hissing and popping from the heat in the falling rain.

“Was that your best shot, you Bitches?” He demanded, his voice hoarse with effort.

“He's sending for the rest of his suits!” The male teenager warned.

“I do not appreciate that term.” Danni replied, coldly extending her nano-probe knife-like into his armor.

He stumbled backwards trying to bring up his repulsors, but then slowed and froze, the blue lights of his armored helm fading to black although his chest 'on' light stayed lit.

“His access has been cut off.” She explained to Beth relieving her concerns that he'd been assimilated. “I'm flying the other Iron-Man suits to our van.”

“Thanks.” The woman in the Brown Coat smiled.”Let me introduce Danny and ...” She looked at the girl who'd been revealed when her armor had transformed.

“Bridget.” The teenager smiled.

“And I'm going by River now.” The Brown Coat nodded. “I think he went crazy with the power of that alien box.”

“It's not all bad.” Bridget pointed out. “It healed Danny and me.”

“There is much about it, that mankind as a whole is not ready for.” Danni nodded in agreement with the Brown Coat.

“I take it you're not really Jeri Ryan, Seven of Nine?” Danny asked her.

“Like many who've encountered MAU's, I was foolish and made errors.” She shook her head, no.

A roar passed over them as the assembled Iron-Man suits flew over.

“There's one suit that appears inoperable.” Danni frowned, her eyes distant as she assimilated the Iron-Man networked computers.

“That's probably because of me.” River spoke, reaching into her jacket pocket. “I couldn't reach all the suits, but that one was made for the old me. I took this.”

She tossed the glowing, miniature blue arc reactor to the startled Borg.

“It likely won't matter too much if the government guys get it or not, without this.” She smiled. “Besides, I can't fit in the damn thing any more despite how much fun it was to fly. It's too damn flashy!”

“You probably don't have to worry about the MAU we have either.” River continued. “According to the web, its warranty is due to expire any time now. At the most it only has a few hours left. I think that was why he was pushing things so hard because of the time limit coming up.”

“Beth!” Warned her husband over their com-link. “MIBs are incoming. They just passed your team's van, but are taking the long way along the road.”

“We need to go.” Beth signaled her sergeant.

“Please don't mention our part in this.” Danni told the three. “If you need to get in contact with us ...”

“We can use the Collective's web site.” Danny grinned at her.

“Yes.” The Borg replied, making Beth smile. These kids were smart, otherwise they never would've been able to get the MAU to produce working nanotech.

“I think we can come up with a good story.” River added, “With just enough truth to make it sound convincing.”

“We're ready to move out, Ma'am.” The Sergeant reported. “There's not much time.”

“Perhaps we can help each other.” The younger teen girl's eyes sparkled. “I have a plan!”

Agent G felt like rubbing the bridge of his nose. From the moment, he and M found the three muddy teens fleeing down the road, hiding from a flight of Iron-Men, he'd a feeling. He'd done his share of BS'ing the Brass back in his military days, and this felt much the same. There was just enough of the truth to make things hang together, but it wasn't all of what happened.

The three sat on the sofa while the two boy's mothers watched silently. It was a compromise to avoid getting lawyers involved, since the agents had assured everyone that this wasn't a criminal investigation. They were only interested in the MAU's and how to help those who had greatly complicated their lives by using the alien machines.

“So when Mr. Steven DeWitt found you had used his machine without his permission he came after you?” Agent M asked, with professional politeness.

He could tell she was picking up on it too. However, it was much harder to nail them in a lie when it was mostly the truth.

“Yes,” The young boy answered. “We were out, trying out our symbionts in that glade where we wouldn't be seen. That's when he tried using that mind-control stuff on us, but I guess our symbionts mostly protected us.

“These 'symbionts' or yours are the only things you got from the alien machine?” Agent G questioned.

“Yes sir.” The boy answered. “Danny couldn't go over the fence with his wheelchair. So we needed something that would cure him and help him grow stronger. We figured they were our best choice. Once I got over the wall, I didn't have much time, having to mess around with the dog and all. I couldn't be sure how long that dog-treat bribe I'd thrown her would last.”

“At what point did you enter this?” M asked the teenage girl who'd formerly been a man in his late twenties.

“When these two sent me an anonymous message making sure I was aware of when the warranty really ran out on that thing.” She replied. “At that point, I realized that not only had Steven deliberately given me the wrong information, but the other things he'd done became clear too, such as drugging me.

“I was fixing what he did me, when I heard him come in and then go tearing back out.” The ex-man explained.

“Why not use the suit?” Agent G inquired. “It would seem the logical choice.”

He kept his own reservations about the sex changing thing to himself. One of the qualities the Agency looked for was tolerance and the ability to deal with all sorts of people.

“For one, it wouldn't fit any more.” She smiled. “And I've always had issues with my sexual and gender orientation. It helped that I've been so androgynous, but I'd honestly been using Steven's and my relationship as a crutch to help me cope.

“Once I accepted that it was truly over, I had no reason not to follow my heart.” The teen continued. “When he stormed out of the house, I feared he was off doing just what he did. I needed to be a very tough woman to deal with him. I'd learned that the more you know about a subject of the transformation, the more likely you are to get what you want. Steven had to make my suit for me since I know squat about electronics and robotics. However, genetics are a different matter. I spend my time now with botany, but I have Masters degrees in both biology and genetics.

“My choice of Jessica's Alba's Dark Angel character was perfect. She's fast, agile and strong.” The teen aged looking woman explained. “Since I was looking for something to complement my martial arts background, Dark Angel played to my strengths.”

“I see.” Agent M, dug a little harder. “So you fought off Mr. DeWitt, who was in the Iron-Man armor?”

“Fight is an exaggeration.” The girl ruefully replied. “He kicked my butt all over that glade. I kept trying to buy time for Griff and Danny to get away by dodging around the trees. He just blew them to splinters with his beams or shot them with his gun.

“He kept going on about changing me back.” The girl shrugged. “I guess he couldn't accept I'm not the way he thought I should be.”

“You mentioned he was firing a gun.” Agent G pushed some more. “Was he in the Iron-Man or the War-Machine armor?”

“Oh, is there a difference?” She gave them both a wide-eyed expression of innocence.

“War-Machine is the silver one with the big gun on its shoulder that played tag with the Air Force over the weekend.” He dryly explained, certain she knew exactly the difference between those armored suits.

“Oh, that one!” The teenage girl nodded. “Steven was in the gold one with red highlights. Then the silver one with the gun showed up. That's when I ran for it and and the boys found me. The other suits then showed up looking for us. I think he was running them all by remote control like out of the movie.”

“Why do you think he broke off his search?” M asked, obviously getting the same vibes he was. “It appears out of character for him to just give up.”

“I don't know.” The girl shrugged again. “It could be he saw you and recognized you were government or he realized that alien box thing's timer had run out. Since he wanted to use it on us, that would've ruined any plans he had.”

“There is that.” Agent G had to give her the point. It'd been hard keeping the sour look off his face as they found yet another 'dead' box. That'd been partially balanced by the Iron-Man suit, even if it was missing the power pack. At least he and Agent M had something to drag back to the office, which was more than most agents had.

“You've picked the rather unusual 'River' as your new first name.” M asked. “Is there any significance to that choice?”

“I like watching 'Doctor Who' on BBC America.” She smiled. “It's from the character River Song from that series.”

“Thank you.” M used her people skills to make their exit. “We'll be in contact to conclude the rest of your legal issues. You're very fortunate that you can still pass as yourself.”

“It still won't be a lot of fun.” The new girl replied. “Guys who look like teens can have it tough, but they're not treated like they're helpless. However, all the years of martial arts that I've taken should help keep trouble away.”

“As for Danny and his miracle cure.” Agent M told the boy's mother. “We'll arrange for a change in doctors who won't ask too many questions.”

Agent G noticed that she didn't mention that being a feline hybrid super-solider would make that a painful lesson for any 'trouble' who tried. Even with that, neither he nor M thought the girl provided a threat. If anything, he thought the office should seriously consider recruiting her. Then again, the reason why she wasn't a threat would work against her in that role. For all of her abilities, she simply didn't give him the right vibes for the work. She was just what she presented herself as, a very intelligent introvert, happier working with her plants and flowers than people.

On the other hand, she, and the boys as well, were still keeping secrets.

Back in their replacement rent-a-car, he carefully watched the Air Force Security cops through the thumping windshield wipers as they moved the disguised suit of armor into a truck for transport back to MacDill and then headquarters.

“So how much of what they told us was nothing, but BS?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the operation for a second. The Agency wasn't going to be happy Iron-Pants was out running loose with a half dozen suits.

“Not so much in outright lies, but certainly not all the truth.” Agent M answered. “I think someone else was involved, if only because of that van we saw on the way in.”

“We made a mistake not getting ID'ing the plates.” He admitted. “But we needed to get to the scene fast.”

“We very well might've saved them.” M pointed out, gesturing to their conservative suits that was the government's unofficial uniform. “Those suits were out looking, and despite our rental, we have 'government' written all over us.”

“True.” He agreed. “However, the area is so drenched and battered from the rain and winds of this storm, just forget about getting any forensic data. I've passed on though official channels that all the damage was caused by a twister setting down.”

“It does help that the storm will wash away any evidence that it wasn't a natural phenomenon.” M nodded, agreeing with the cover story.

“That's very convenient for them.” He grunted, unhappy. “I think those symbionts weren't the only things the boys created with the MAU, but our scanner and search didn't turn up anything.”

“I didn't notice anything that seemed out of place when we were shown where those suits had been kept.” She admitted. “However, it should be noted that all three are extremely intelligent. It is very possible they planned and designed whatever they made to be undetectable. However, I'm still inclined to think they're not any kind of threat.”

“They have the potential.” He sighed. “But like you, I don't think they are. As smart as they are and with whatever advantages they got from that machine, I hate to think of the trouble they could cause, but I don't think they will. They just don't have that mindset. Of course it might happen anyway, but I don't believe they will go looking for it.”

She flicked the car's lights, acknowledging the Air Force Security policeman's wave that the cargo was loaded and the truck was ready to move out.

“They don't think he'll come looking for them since the MAU is inactive now.” M pulled away from the curb, following the truck full of guards. “However he might come after this last suit if he is as much a control freak as he appears.”

“That's why I think they know more than they're telling.” He checked their blind spots, keeping situational awareness. “They seemed strangely unconcerned about him reappearing and if he really was a threat, I think they would've been more concerned about his possible future actions. Instead they seemed to discount him being any kind of a problem.”

“So you think they know something that guarantees he won't be trouble?” She focused on possible driving hazards. The worst of the storm may be over, but the conditions were still bad because of the downed trees, power-lines, and the flooding.

“It fits what my gut is telling me.” G grunted, scanning for trouble. “However, I don't think they killed him, but I do believe that something happened that makes them think he won't be a difficulty in the future. Not that I'm going to take that for granted.”

There was no need for them to say anything else. They were a team.

There was a very unpleasant tension in the air as the Mothers stared at the teens.

“Hey, don't look at me that way!” River defended herself. “If I'd known they'd wanted to use the thing, I would've found a way for them to use the front door.”

“Only after trying to talk them out of it. I never wanted to use it myself.” After some more hard stares at her, she clarified the statement. “When I did, it was only to heal things that there is no other way on Earth to fix. “

“I thought you were the responsible one.” Griff's Mother had her arms folded as she gave her son the 'look.'

“How could you risk using something like that?” Danny's Mom demanded of her own child

“Mom,” Danny interrupted Griff before he could answer. “It's was easy. I was dying. It was all over but the funeral.

“We know you would've let us in,” Danny said, turning to River. “We talked about doing it that way, but we knew that would put you in a difficult situation. We did the cat-burglar thing as the best of bad choices.”

“I see you standing and walking around?” His Mom asked, on the verge of tears. “Are you really healed?”

“Yes.” He nodded, hugging her tight. “And no. I am healed, but I guess you can say I'm in physical therapy. My symbiont is doing most of the work, but its making me work hard just the same. I have a long way to go before I'm all better, but it's a start.”

“Truthfully,” Her tears couldn't be held back. “If I'd known, I would've been on that roof breaking in too.”

“You know.” River smiled at the mother and son. “The front door really does work.”

“And what's your explanation?” Griff's Mother still had her arms folded.

“You mean why did I take such risks when I wasn't dying of a deadly disease?” He asked, with a sad smile. “Maybe it was because I've been slowly dying for years. It all began when everyone called me 'Little' Griff because of my father. As much as I loved him, I am not him! It doesn't matter how much I try, but I'm still judged on my appearance and not on who I really am.

“I can change the way I dress and behave, but I can't change the genes that make me look like a clone of my father. Showing my family heritage is one thing, but having expectations of being someone I'm not isn't possible. That is, until I saw that MAU land in their backyard.”

There was a moment of silence.

“May I see what you really look like?” She asked softly.

River held her breath wondering how much her friend was going to reveal. Even the government guys didn't ask exactly what Griff was doing with the suit he had. They assumed he simply made two symbionts for convenience's sake.

With a nod he began to, the best word, was deflate. Griff kept his height, but lost that unmistakable muscular masculine build. If anything, he looked like a sixteen year old boy instead of being able to pass for years older.

She was a little disappointed that Griff didn't reveal Bridget, but she did understand why. It was a little easier to come out as gay than it was as Tee. However, she also knew that all of it was a very personal decision.

Watching the mother unfold her arms and instead wrap them around her child, River smiled, acknowledging that sometimes there had to be baby steps before you could run free under the sun.

It was a start. A time for new beginnings not just for them, but for herself too. She'd truly loved Steven, despite how pissed she still was at him, it hurt … a lot. The Collective had assured her no harm would come to him, but had appreciated her suggestion of what to do with him.

“An elegant solution.” Danni had remarked.

“It's more than he deserves, and keeps him out of everyone's hair, as well as a relatively guiltless way of keeping him out of trouble until the time comes that he can be dealt with as needed. He really does need help, even if that doesn't make what he did and tried to do any less wrong.”

The woman who looked so much like Seven-of-Nine agreed.

River got shocked from her introspection when she got pulled into a group hug by the two mothers.

“You saved our boys from that lunatic!” Danny's Mom smiled. “We won't ever forget that!”

“You can count on it!” Griff's Mom agreed. “Besides, unless I miss my guess you'll need help and time to 'settle' in. I think know the perfect ladies to help you into 'our' world.”

“I think you do.” She hugged them back. “New beginnings.”

Agent G wasn't certain when it first began. Neither he nor Agent M had gotten very much rest on this mission. The flight would seem the perfect opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest and sleep.

Instead he found himself unable to look away from his partner. He'd long admitted she was easy on the eyes, but he wasn't about to jeopardize their partnership with any insinuations of an intimate relationship. Perhaps if someday in the future when their careers placed them in positions where they weren't partners and yet close enough to see each other, well, maybe.

They were too good working together to ruin a good thing.

However, he just couldn't look away. G hadn't felt this way since high school when he'd first discovered girls and had a crush on Libby Gunn.

Then M looked up at him, their eyes meeting.

They both blushed red, but neither could look away.

The next thing he knew they were kissing and the clothes were flying.

Neither one knew that the seals on Brian's Iron-Man suit had never been closed and that the residual pheromones were still in concentrations high enough to effect the main cabin. Rather fortunately, while the crew were 'discomforted,' it was not sufficient to affect their job performance.

It was enough that, when they observed how 'enthusiastic' their normally very self-controlled passengers were indulging in intimate activities, certain protocols went into effect. The crew immediately went to non-circulated air and the Agency was notified.

The rather exhausted couple were surprised by the haz-mat team that greeted them upon landing. Even less welcome was the very invasive examination and quarantine that followed.

Weeks later, the administrator reluctantly signed the order for item 74656 to be sealed away. It was obvious that it was still contaminated even after cautious attempts to decon it without damaging the interior. That contamination had proved to be powerful, and made studying the recovered piece of technology hazardous.

However, she had to admit that G and M made a lovely couple at their wedding, for all that she loathed losing such an effective partnership of Agents. The medical reports suggested they had imprinted on each other since they already had enjoyed a friendship and mutual respect.

The decision to keep them as agents or move them to desk jobs was still pending. No matter... they would no longer be partners. Since they were like a pair of love-sick teenagers, that would be awkward given the professional impersonal image the Agency tried to portray.

However, while G and M were off on their honeymoon to magical Tahiti, there was still the matter of Mr. DeWitt. In spite of the problems the contaminated suit had caused, the Administrator recognized they had also been lucky. Both parties liked and respected each other beforehand, which meant, despite their intense sexual reaction to each other, they still saw their relationship as a partnership.

It was a sign of how dangerous this Iron-Man wanna-be could be. Someone who didn't respect the others who'd been exposed to that pheromone, could twist the other so very easily. She rather hoped that her agents were correct and he wasn't a threat. However, that didn't keep her from signing the orders that mandated him to be treated as armed and dangerous regardless of the circumstances.

River and Bridget giggled like crazy as Danny couldn't decide if to strut with them on his arms or blush madly.

“You were the one who wanted to come as 'Captain Tighty Pants.” River teased strutting beside him. She was dressed in a similar fashion as Zoe Washburn if not as that character. “If you're going to talk the talk you have to walk the walk.”

The months following their new beginnings had seen Danny fill out dramatically as his body healed and put on much needed weight. She and River too, had become more comfortable in their new selves.

Bridget smiled, content to just do the walk. The Con was full of other costumed Cosplayers including one of the most amazing Autobots she'd ever seen. The 501st Legion was out in force, showing off their costumes and marching skills. A couple of Klingons stood nearby, clearly unimpressed with the stormtroopers' martial skills. Giggling, a clutch of gaily dressed Magical Girls were staring at Captain Tighty Pants, err, breeches.

She gave them a wink which caused them to break out into outright laughter. Oblivious, Danny glanced around wondering what had caused the sudden laughter, which only made them laugh harder.

Joining the laughter, she and River pulled their befuddled friend along. Weaving about and gawking at the happy Con-goers, they reached the 501st's bivouac area.

“So that's him?” Danny asked, looking at the large silvery slab.

“Yeah.” Bridget nodded. “If you look you can tell its not Harrison Ford at all.”

“Well,” River gave a sad smile. “He always did enjoy showing the world his perfection. This does keep him from harming anyone and allows for times to change until he can be dealt with appropriately.”

They all nodded remembering the arguments. 'The Perv' would need to be stripped of his 'changes' at the very least. Apparently the Collective had crossed over a line once when dealing with an outsider, and there were things they would not do again. However, Steven had done his best to do one of those same kind of 'things' to Danny, Bridget and River. That, they could not ignore. On the other hand, he had days of memories which would have to be potentially wiped which was problematic. A few minutes were one thing, but that long was another. The memories would've already moved into long term, making them all the more difficult to alter.

Added to that was Brian's change into River and her flat refusal to put up with him anymore. Maybe he would forget, but she most certainly could not put aside how the power went to his head as well as the abuse.

He couldn't be trusted to stay silent if they chose to just take away his enhancements. It was a no brainer that the government would freak if they knew that the Collective and the Legion had unlocked MAU's.

“Now, his body is displayed for all us lesser mortals to worship.” River finished with perhaps just a little of the hurt of their failed love in her voice.

“In perfect Carbon-Freeze hibernation.” Bridget remarked, with no little animosity. She'd never cared for him, and his attack on her and Danny had done nothing to change her opinion.

Danny kept silent, although Bridget knew he didn't have a high opinion of their would be enslaver either.

“Steven.” River sighed. “I'd like to say I miss you, but honestly I don't. The part of me that needed you has been fulfilled by being what you've always despised, a girl. I'm not really a woman yet, but I'm growing and learning all the things I missed out on while pretending to be a gay boy.

“My florist business has expanded into the space program, with me breeding air plants which really live up to the name.” She smiled. “Several large investors have been interested, given how much such living air scrubbers could cut costs, but also actually help prevent the mildew and other problems the International Space Station is experiencing. Not bad for a florist, huh?” She smirked.

“These two knocked the socks off the judges of the Science Fair and that's only the start.” She took a deep breath. “When I think of what you had in mind for them, I still get mad. With you and your ego, there was room for nobody else's ideas. It was all about you. I don't think you could ever accept that they could and have surpassed anything you could've developed.

“Perhaps the best punishment of all will be when you are at last awakened and find out just how all of us have moved on.” She sighed. “The best revenge is living well, and not a cold dish at all. I cared for you and want you to get the help you need, but you'll get no more from me.

“Bye Steven,” She turned and walked away with her friends arm in arm.

He walked up to the quite realistic looking Han Solo encased in Carbonite display. As a major Science-Fiction and Fandom fan, he gave the sculpture a professional appraisal. The design was very well done, but he could see that the face really didn't look much like Han Solo's.

Officially he was one of the Agency's Lab rats, and not a field agent, but he'd argued he would have attended anyway. What was the harm of him keeping an eye on a few subjects of interest since he was here?

He was very carefully briefed to observe only and take no actions. Cheerfully, he agreed. Who was he to complain when the Agency was picking up his expenses!

Besides it'd been easy to follow the three Brown-Coats which identified them as fans of Joss Whedon's FireFly series. One had been in drag, but that wasn't too uncommon for a Con. He was more curious why they had spent so much time in front of the Han Solo sculpture, but nothing really stood out. For just a second he wondered if it could be the real thing. Certainly stranger things had happened when MAU's were involved.

However, checking the readout display revealed a concealed, but standard plastic cover used to hide good old fashioned D-cell batteries.

“These are not the power-cells you're looking for.” Q chuckled and quoted. “No trouble here. Everything is fine. Move along.”

He turned to see who was singing. It was, of course, the three Brown-Coats.

They were actually pretty good, if not quite ready for American Idol yet. Other Con-goers were stopping to listen.

A few had their phones out to record the impromptu rendition of the Firefly theme song. Q made a point of reminding himself to try and get a copy. What they lacked in polish, was made up by their passion.

A few others from the crowd joined in with more enthusiasm than talent, but that just added to the raw emotion of the occasion. This was one of the reasons why he loved the Fandom so much.