Greg and the guys are your normal group of gaming geeks looking to escape from the pressures of reality for a few hours. The newest Superhero Role-playing game is promising adventures beyond their wildest dreams. What if it is right? Do you want to play the game?

Heroes of Justice

 

by Grover

Part I

Hello there! I’m glad that you are here. This story is based on twenty some-odd years of playing, and eventually game-mastering, role-playing-games such as “Dungeons and Dragons”, just to mention the most widely known.

The characters and players mentioned here have had their names changed to protect the guilty and above all, for privacy. The story was not written for profit, but for fun and as therapy for the afflicted. I, the author, reserve all rights for posting and publishing this work, and will accept the credits due, as well as the blame.

If any of the players and friends from whom I have shamelessly stolen dialogue and great ideas read this, know that you are thanked for the great times we had while playing, and if your character has been changed or misrepresented here, it is all my fault!
This is a mosaic work, the result of ideas that fermented in my Id.

“Heroes of Justice” is NOT a game being published by anyone to the best of my knowledge. It and this world is a imaginary title to prevent anyone and/or company from being offended or God forbid, deciding it is copy-right infringement. Remember this is fiction! Violence, sex and trans-gendered themes are represented in this story, so if you are not an adult or would be offended by such material, do NOT read any further.

Any resemblance to characters living, dead, in hibernation or otherwise is pure speculation. I want to offer a big thanks to all of those TG authors who write of heroes and fantasy, and keep the rest of us walking-wounded up and about with their great stories. I am talking about Maggie Finson, EE Nalley, Bob Arnold and many others from the “Whateley Academy”, “Belle of the Ball”, “Masked Marvels-Lady Lightning”, “Zapped!” and other stories, that keep me up nights waiting for them to post. One last thanks to John in that place that begins with the “W”, that I can’t pronounce, who unknown to him, read my first clumsy story. Warning: As it leaves my hands, the following story has bad grammar and misspelled words and other unspeakable horrors. My faithful group of editors have worked tirelessly, not to mention for free, to correct my mistakes. Any remaining errors are mine. I hope that this will satisfy those, we in the gaming hobby call Rules-Lawyers! Now as they say, “On with the Show!”

Super-Hero Gaming Terms:

Brick: Very tough, very strong, but slow characters. For example, think of the big green or rocky orange guy.

Fast-Brick: Not as strong but still tough characters. These guys are faster than pure bricks, usually with some other power such as flight or web-swinging. For example, that’s right, the guy in the bug-eyed red and blue costume. or the half-machine guy from that teen-T something show.

Mentalist: Telepathy, mind control, illusions, and brain blasts are what these guys do. For example, you got it! The bald guy in the wheelchair or the red haired babe from the same movie!

Slasher: Tough and fast, normally with something sharp and pointy as weapons. For example, the vampire slayer guy with the sword and that poor fellow with the three razors in each of his hands.

Blaster: No matter if they use thorns, water, fire or glowing green bolts of energy, they blast stuff. For example, Yeah, that star-chick from that Teen-T something show and that guy with the red glasses/visor from those Whatever-MEN movies. (Hey the first two movies were good, it’s too bad about the third one. (Sigh)

Martial Artist: Kung-fu, karate, or akido, they are the masters of hand to hand mayhem. For example, the bat-guy and all of Jet-Li’s excellent movies show what these guys can do!

Gadgeteers: Where do they get all those nifty toys? No matter if it's a gun or boomerang, gadgeteers have the right tool for every job. From utility belts to custom hotrods, they have it all. For example: Oh come on! Do you really need an example for this one?

Heroes of Justice
By Grover

Heroes of Justice: The exciting origin!

Prologue: The call-around
 
Wednesday November 1, 2006

I was in the middle of a video game of 'Demon Slaughter' when the phone rang. It was cool though, because I was back in the town of Ishtar selling the accumulated treasure of all the baddies I’d killed and looted. I hate being interrupted while in combat, but while it was a drag to have to keep “Porting” to town to empty out my “Backpack”, it was always a good time to break for snacks.

I picked up the phone and headed for the fridge, “Hello?”

“Hey! What’s going on man? This is Mike.”

Mike was one the guys I played role-playing games with on the weekends, but we hadn’t gamed in a while because of ‘Real-Life’. “Hey, Mike! Every thing’s cool here! I just hit the tombs in 'Demon Slaughter!' Speaking of which, when are you running the next game?”

“Yo dude, that is a tough level,” Mike said, then, paused a second, “As for my next game, have you heard of 'Heroes of Justice'?”

'Heroes of Justice' was a newer super-hero role playing game that I’d seen at the ‘Cosmic Forge’, the local game and comic-book store, but seeing how it cost nearly a hundred bucks plus change, I hadn’t picked it up yet. It was on the “to buy” wish list though. “Yeah Mike, it looks pretty good, but I haven’t had a chance to buy it.”

“You don’t have to have the book to play, because you can build your character for free, on-line,” he said. “They even have a graphics program, so you can make and print a picture of what your character looks like. Can you make it to ‘Cosmic Forge’ Saturday at one PM?”

I juggled a glass of milk and some double-chocolate chip cookies, while reaching the pen and paper kept on the fridge. Hey, sue me! I’m a traditionalist. I like cookies and milk!

I wrote down the web site for ‘Heroes of Justice’ and the time for the game. “What kind of characters are you looking for on this one?” I asked him.

“You remember those characters you and Danny had for Morgan’s game, Mystery and Esper-anza? I want you to convert Mystery over to 'Heroes' and use her. I’ve already talked to Danny and he’s in. Are you still interested?” Mike asked.

Wow, boy was I in! Mystery was a female fast brick character that I had that I played in a game with Danny, one of my gamer buds, who was running another female named Esper-anza. She was a mentalist and telekinesis artist. Our characters’ concepts changed after we started play, and they became sort of “Pretty Woman” like strippers with the hearts of gold. I think Danny’s Esper-anza was inspired by that show, “Stripperella” that was on MTV a few years ago, but with mental powers.

Our characters had hit it off together, and we had a great time playing off each other. Chuck, who works at ‘Cosmic Forge’, had been watching us play. ‘Cosmic Forge’ is great because it has an open gaming area. Well, anyway, while Chuck was watching us, he put Cindy Lauper’s “Girls just want to have fun” on the Muzak. That just broke everyone up! Poor Morgan’s game was forever known as the “Girls just want to have fun” game. I don’t think he minded, for he was having just as much fun as we were.

“Sure thing, Mike, I’m in with bells on! Who else do you have playing?”

“Weelll,” he drawled teasingly, “Morgan’s gonna play Lady Diamond.”

“Noo!!?” I exclaimed in disbelief, “Morgan GM’s so much he hardly ever gets to play, but isn’t Lady Diamond that cross-dresser Blaster character of his? I know that he’d been saying that SHE would be an interesting addition to the girls, but we are playing at ‘Cosmic Forge’. You know Pete and Chuck want the gaming to stay PG rated, because of the kids and ’rents coming in. Can’t chase away customers, you know!”

“Not a problem, my friend,” Mike smoothed over, “Nothing is going to happen at the Forge that’s going to chase customers away. I also have Mark playing Wolfen, and Tom is going to be using Streeter. Lastly, Will’s going to bring Renegade out of retirement for this one. So, what do you think?”

“What do I think?” I my voice was edged with suspicion, “I think we’re going to be the only ones playing this weekend, because you’ve hi-jacked all of the GMs. Just how did you go about accomplishing that not so minor miracle?”

Wolfen was a were-wolf/Slasher character that fellow GM, Mark, played, and Streeter was a Martial Artist, speedster with some Mentalist powers somewhat like the old Shadow.

Renegade, was an American Indian tough, tough Brick character of Will’s that had been around for a long time. Will played him with such panache that GM’s couldn’t turn him down when he asked to play Renegade. Will finally had to retired the character, though not without some regret. He'd just accumulated so much experience it had become unfair to the rest of the players. You know you are just pretending, when you play RPG’s, but sometimes the characters you play resonate within yourself. It can be hard sometimes to put that character up, but at the same time, the game lets you vent things safely and have fun at the same time.

 

Every single one of the players that Mike had showing up Saturday were also Game-Masters. Yes, even me. I hadn’t GM’ed in a while because of Real-Life, so I was between gigs. Morgan, Mark, and Mike were the “Three M’s” we called them. Between them and Tom, they ran most of the games around here.

If there is one truth in the gaming hobby, it is that there are never enough good Game-Masters. No one enjoys a good game like a Game-Master does. Often the GM ends up running games that he would like very much to play in himself, and ends up doing a HUGE amount of unpaid work.

When you add up the research, developing the cast of NPCs (Non-Player-Characters), call-arounds to set up a meeting time/place and set-up/reserving of a playing area, you’ve done a lot of work. Players can come and go, but without a GM willing to put forth the work to set-up a good story, there isn’t a game.

Like anyone who works hard at something, there is no greater praise than what you get from your fellow GM’s. It is a challenge GM’ing for them, for they are the toughest audience, but well worth it because they really want to be there, and want to make the most of their playing time. Saturday was shaping up to be one heck of a good game day!

Mike playing modest filled me in on why so many GMs were available. “Mark and Tom had to postpone their games because most of their players have mid-terms coming up. Will’s Fantasy game ended two weeks ago, and he is still working on a Sci-Fi Pirates campaign, and Morgan killed off most of his player’s characters when one of them set off a nuke he was trying to disarm. No miracles just the draw of the cards. Their loss is our gain!

“I’ve got to go, because I have to call Chuck and make sure we have a table. Just make sure you keep your disadvantages for DNPC’s (dependent non-player characters) and hunteds low. You guys are going to have enough trouble without borrowing it from someone else. See ya’,” and Mike disconnected.

I put my snacks down and clicked my mouse to save my 'Demon Slaughter' game. I opened up the web site for ‘Heroes of Justice’, and was dazzled by the cool art work and well laid out web-site. There was a user agreement, and I actually read it. You had to agree with the terms to use the character builder. No problem.

I thought that it was a cute touch to end it with “Do you agree to use your powers in the cause of justice and to help others in the multi-verse fight evil and right wrongs?” Chuckling aloud, I clicked “YES, I agree” and started copying Mystery’s character statistics from her previous system to this new one.

Like other systems, ‘Heroes of Justice’ used a point system to build characters. You got extra points for taking disadvantages that limited your character in some way. DNPCs were people that your character cared for and were always rescuing for one reason or another, and hunteds were bad guys who were actively looking to hurt YOU!

Mike had said he wanted us to avoid use of DNPCs and hunteds. That was fine with me. It’s a lot more fun interacting with the other players, rather than the GM’s NPCs (non-player characters).

I was impressed. For a new game, there I didn’t spot any problems, and it was easy to convert Mystery. The graphics program was so easy to use it was almost like it was reading my mind. I got exactly what I thought Mystery looked like. WOW! Was she hot! I guessed they must have really sharp graphics programmers for ‘Heroes of Justice’.

Chapter 1: The Gathering!

Man, did the rest of the week drag! I was so eager to play that I actually arrived at Cosmic Forge early, rather than my usual ten minutes late. I wanted to pick up some new dice anyway, and browse the new game books.

None of recent game releases impressed me, except for the 'Heroes of Justice' book, but it was still a hundred bucks and I just couldn’t afford it. I did pick up some new dice, for you can’t have enough dice, Ooo Sparklies!

While, Chuck cheerfully rang up my purchase, I noticed the shop’s owner was giving me the evil eye again. Pete was a bit homophobic, and seemed to think my predilection for playing female characters was a sure sign I was gay.

I wasn’t going to bother trying to correct him, because he wouldn’t understand anyway. Not many understand the difference between transgender and homosexual. Yep, I was transgendered. Not so much that I wanted SRS to become a woman, but enough, that I needed the release I got from role-playing one.

It was generally okay to play a character with a different gender from the one you were born with. Role-players love to stretch themselves and playing a different gender was the ultimate test of your skill. Since so few women play RPG’s, it was more or less acceptable for me to play mostly female characters. Except for a few like Pete, no one raised an eyebrow. As long as everyone had a good time playing, ‘whatever floats your boat’ was the rule of thumb.

I got a Mountain Dew from the soda machine and went over to the open table gaming area known as our multidimensional refuge from Real Life and settled back to wait for everyone else to arrive. I knew as long as I was a paying customer, Pete wouldn’t say anything. No matter what he believed, he wouldn’t let it interfere with the profit margin. It wasn’t a long wait, because everyone showed early. This was definitely was going to be a good game day! There were a lot grins and Chuck got a big laugh when he waved his Cindy Lauper CD at us.

Mike set-up his GM screen and laptop while everyone else was catching up on old times. He was a big dark haired man who looked like a huge, hairy, teddy bear. With the big paws he had you would never guess he worked as an electronics technician.

Tom, a slight, blond guy, was talking animatedly to Mark, a stocky bald black man. Hyper-active Tom was an auto mechanic, while the very easy going Mark was an aircraft sheet-metal tech. I saw Will over across the store looking at the “Heroes of Justice” game book, obviously considering buying it. He was a short blond fireplug who worked as a forklift operator at a warehouse. He bought in pretty good money, so he could afford it.

Morgan and Danny were at the soda machine stocking up on caffeine. Morgan was a skinny, sandy haired paramedic, while tall African-Asian Danny was a male nurse at Regional Memorial Hospital. Danny was another one of those Pete didn’t care for, because of his prejudice. Danny, like me, played almost exclusively female characters.

I wasn’t sure if Danny was transgendered or not, but I knew him well enough to know he wasn’t gay, bi perhaps. He always had a beautiful nurse as a date after the game. For some it might have been camouflage, but not I think, for Danny. He caught so much flak because he was a male nurse that being gay wouldn’t faze him. He’d just say, ‘So?’

What can I say about Morgan? He was one of those scary, smart dudes you run into sometimes. You know, the sort with an eidetic memory, perfect pitch, and a very high IQ. His one failing was that without his glasses, he was nearly blind. Sometimes Morgan liked messing with people’s minds. He just couldn’t abide fools, and it sometimes got him into trouble.

“Hi Greg,” he greeted when I came up to him. “Still looking for work? One of the medical supply houses is looking for help.”

“Always, it seems,” I told Morgan as we did our secret handshake. The handshake was another of those in jokes we used, because we were both ex-soldiers. He’d been a medic and I had spent my time as an intelligence specialist. I high-fived Danny, saying, “If it’s Bells, I placed an application there Monday.”

Yep, that’s me, Greg, an auburn haired male built from good, sturdy Scottish peasant stock. My knuckles don’t quite drag the ground, just almost. I am going to school for my associate of arts degree, but the GI Bill doesn’t cover everything, so I have to work my way through school.

Mike called everyone over to the game area after he'd had a chance to look over our character sheets so we could begin. Armed with our new purchases of dice, game-books and elixir of the gods, caffeine, we all sat down and pulled out our character sheets. There was a round of congratulations over the character graphics from “Heroes of Justice” as they all looked really good.

There were a lot of ‘ooos and aaahs’ as we passed them around so everyone could see. They weren’t photo-realistic, but were pretty dog-gone good. Mike took out the CDROM that came with the game and inserted it in his laptop with a flourish. That was the hook of “Hero’s of Justice”.

It came with not just a computer gaming aid, but almost a play-along program. Prior to the game, the GM would select where the action would take place, and in what order. Then the program would provide visuals and maps that made game preparation much easier. It was an attempt to bridge the gap between paper and pencil games with the video and on-line games.

“I hope this works,” Mike told everyone. At everyone’s puzzled looks, he continued, “I wanted to see what the visuals looked like, so I tried to start the program last night, and it sorta messed with my mind. It kept giving the message “When your players are assembled, press enter” and when I did, it flashed red and said “No really, when your players are assembled, press enter!”

The group gave a chuckle, which Mike joined. We all liked the tongue in cheek humor, the better games had. Mike reached up to scratch his balding head with a ham sized hand, and after a bit of thought, said, “I don’t know how it knew that it was just me being curious, but I hope this works.”

Mike deftly clicked his way to his saved campaign files and reached the screen he had told us about: “When your players are assembled press enter.”

Mike said, “Well, the players are assembled, so here goes nothing,” and pressed the ‘enter’ key. He turned the screen around so we could all see, while we waited anxiously.

I and the rest of the guys relaxed, when the logo for 'Heroes of Justice' appeared and it read, “Welcome, Brave Heroes, to the fight for justice!” Then some cool animated sequences appeared of some bad type heavies causing mayhem in a city called New Riverside. A mysterious master-mind was organizing the super-villains into a crime syndicate, and any villain who didn’t want to join had the choice of leaving town or going to the morgue.

The local super-team, the Riverside Warders, were being overwhelmed by the violent combat between the syndicate and the super-villain holdouts. A cryptic figure known only as Horus tasked us with identifying the syndicate leader and stopping this criminal origination before it became unstoppable.

Our characters have come from different cities and are unknown here in New Riverside, so we could easily go undercover. We had a few days to get to know each other because most of us had never worked together before, but the situation is too desperate to have time to train together properly as a team.

We were all ginning at each other, because this was really sharp looking. Chuck and Pete had come over to watch. Even, some of the comic book only people were coming over to see what was up. The sequence ended and Mike hit a key to pause, while he got us ready for play.

“Okay boys and girls,” Mike announced, “You’ve been recruited to help save New Riverside from this new syndicate. Horus is the tall dark cowled man who has brought you all here. He hands you each an envelope with your cover identities. When you open it you find a driver’s license, a social security card, a cell phone and an ATM card. There is also a page describing where you can find a place to live and work. You’ll work in pairs, and use the cell phones to stay in contact. These phones have a secure encrypted link and you have wireless earphones so you can use them tactically.

Mike briefed everyone, “Here are your assignments. Wolfen, you and Streeter are going in as a new security firm moving into the area taking advantage of the unrest in the city. Streeter is the rich security consultant and Wolfen, you are the bodyguard. Renegade, you and Lady Diamond are set up as Channel 7’s newest airborne reporting team. Your helicopter will have some special features, such as a remote pilot function, and an AI computer to make it easier for you to be in two places at the same time.”

Mike, then looked to Danny and me, as we struck the feminine pose of resting our chins on our grasped hands. He did his best to ignore the burst of laughter from our peanut gallery of on-lookers.

I did see Pete give a snort of disgust at our performance, but our playing was just funny, not lewd, so he couldn’t say anything. Danny gave me a subtle look that meant he had seen Pete as well, but we were having far too much fun to really give a hoot.

“Right ...” Mike drawled, “You two have an audition at a local strip club named Twin Peaks, which Horus thinks is involved in the syndicate. All of the performers have some type of minor power, and rumor has it that it is a super-villain hang-out. It’s up to you to decide how much you want to reveal about yourselves and your powers to the management. Now, because you two are working at the same place and at the most risk, you are also rooming together.”

Mike turned the screen back around so we could all see, and pushed the ‘enter’ key. Then it got a little weird, because when the animated stuff started back up, it showed our characters in their secret identities! Understand, none of this information had been entered into Mike's laptop, so how in the blue blazes had the program known to include our character’s graphics?

Wolfen was in his human form in a chauffeur’s uniform driving Streeter in his playboy guise. Renegade was piloting a helicopter with Lady Diamond in HIS normal identity.

I could see that our spectators were enjoying the graphics, but all the players and Mike were wondering how the hell did that program do that. All of us used the on-line character generation and had made the cool pictures as well, but not in their civilian identities. There was just no way the computer could know what they looked like out of costume or that they were for Mike’s game.

The animation continued, and moved on to Mystery and Esper-anza. Pete’s eyebrows rose as it showed Mystery and Esper-anza performing their audition for that strip club. Several of the peanut gallery started hooting, but then grew quiet, as it became clear that, we were going to see everything, and boy, do I mean everything!

Pete starting choking, because ‘Cosmic Forge’ was a comic book shop that had underage customers in it, and he didn’t want to be sued or go to jail. Mike blushed red and pushed several keys trying to interrupt our impromptu porn session. Nothing he did made any difference, and then the audition footage ended.

Some smart-ass in the back, said, “Was it good for you too, Baby? “

A banner read, “Heroes, your adventure begins,” appeared on the screen and then …

Heroes of Justice: The adventure begins!

I don’t know what happened next. Some might call it a flash of light, and others, of suddenly falling down a long tunnel. All I knew was, I was cold. My eyes were closed, which was strange, because I didn’t remember closing them. I was half-afraid of what I would see when I opened them, because I didn’t hear the sounds of our noisy peanut-gallery of fans. I did hear some music in the background but somehow I didn't think Pete would be playing what I was hearing in Cosmic Forge.

Gathering my courage I opened my eyes. There was this gorgeous African-Hispanic woman wearing nothing but a smile staring right at me. She looked at my chest, and strangely, that was comforting because that meant I wasn’t looking in a mirror. That lasted less than a second, as I looked down to see what she was looking at, and saw nothing but cleavage! Boy, do I mean nothing but! My breasts obscured everything! I reached up to cup my newly acquired bosom, and saw that my hands were now slender and sporting long, red nails. It was also plain why I felt cold, because I wasn’t wearing ANYTHING! Well, almost, I don’t think the 4” heels counted.

I nearly screamed, when suddenly, starting at my feet a latex cat-suit flowed up my body, stopping at my neck. Raising my hands, I saw that although it looked like latex, it felt soft and silky, and looked if I had gloves on. It took a moment, for my shocked brain to stop trying to short-out, but I was beginning to sort out what had happened.

I looked into the dressing table mirror where I was seated and saw that naughty, beautiful face with long strawberry blond hair and knew that somehow, I had become Missy T. Reed, my character! I had wanted to become clothed and the symbiont my character had named Cape had obeyed, clothing me from neck to toe. It didn’t seem to matter to it that the cat-suit didn’t hide a damn thing.

I had a sneaking suspicion who that gorgeous chick was next to me was. I twisted on my stool, feeling my breasts sway and jiggle, towards my companion. At the erotic sensation of my nipples rubbing against the cat-suit, along with being nude with a woman as beautiful as a goddess, I was beginning to feel a dampness from below that I very deliberately put in the far back of my mind. My raven haired fellow dressing-table mate was looking into her mirror, touching her face in disbelief. Softy, as to not alarm her, I whispered, “Danny are you there?”

At the smoky, contralto voice that issued from my mouth, I damn near wet my self! We both jumped, and she nodded as I grasped my throat in alarm. Danny mouthed my name, and I nodded back making me aware of my long hair and dangling earrings.

Then, damn it, she giggled, saying “You sound like Jessica Rabbit!” in a musical voice that would’ve done Tina Turner proud. I tried to resist, but finally burst out in a fit of giggles of my own! It was a demented, joyful, sad, and happy madness, as what had happened collapsed in on us. For the first time in my life I felt a satisfied balance between mind, body and soul. That changed absolutely nothing about finding ourselves naked, in a strip club known for being a mob and mass-murder hang-out, giggling like a pair of fools.

After an eternity passed, we found ourselves hugging each other. Sometime during all of this, I got the sniffles. I lied to myself that I wasn’t crying, and neither was Danny. The full sexual impact of what we were doing hit us and we found ourselves looking into each other eyes full of a lovely powerful tension.

What happened next was one of those things there just aren’t words for. For the second time in less than five minutes my life changed, when I saw, felt, tasted, scented, and heard all of what made Danny, Danny. I somehow knew Danny was feeling and doing the same to me. I liked what I was feeling/seeing from her and somehow felt the same from Danny. We were somehow reaching for each other …

“Hey you two! Get a room,” rang a voice that I would quickly learn to hate. Danny and I broke apart, confused, and I could tell that my face was burning as furiously as hers was.

A blond, easy to identify as bleached, floated in as if she was in zero gravity. Her hair drifted around her, as she reached a stool. She had flesh toned booties on, with Velcro on the bottoms that fastened to the stool legs. After she had attached herself, she took a sitting position, and lit up a cigarette with a flick of an expensive lighter. This easy to hate woman then flicked the lighter and let it orbit around her like a space station or something.

I didn’t have a clue who she was, but we were being insulted, and neither Danny nor I cared much for it. It also hadn’t escaped us that, well Danny anyway, was nude, and I might as well be, in a women’s dressing room.

The gravity-less woman gave me a catty look and smirked, “No need to do another costume change, honey. You certainly shook that booty enough to get any man to want to pay for it. Oh, that came out wrong didn‘t it? I mean, hire you, darling.” By the tone of her voice, she meant exactly what she’d said the first time.

Danny caught my eye, and to my surprise I heard her voice without her saying a thing. I mean, Danny and I knew each other well enough that I could read his, I mean, her, meanings pretty well. I was a little hard of hearing too, so was used to figuring out things I couldn’t hear well.

Without moving her lips, she said, “Don’t pay that whore any mind. You’ll just encourage her”

Startled, I looked at Danny. I tried thinking at her as clearly and as focused as I could. “Danny, I think we have our character’s powers. You may have Esper-anza’s powers, be careful. We have to get out of here fast, without any problems, before we get into some serious trouble.”

I saw a surprised look, but relaxed when she gave one of her patented winks saying she understood. I knew that as Mystery, I’d had Cape, my symbiont, change form and make it look like I had simply changed clothes in the past. I took a breath and concentrated, as I mimed removing the cat-suit. To my relief, it worked fairly well. I could see where the illusion failed, but it looked pretty good. Turning around, I saw Danny staring at my much differently shaped rear, and damn, if we didn’t both blush again.

Our clothes were hanging nearby, and I was dismayed when I saw them. I had a black leather skirt, complete with 4” heeled knee boots and a satiny green top with a short black leather waistcoat. Danny’s choices were just as scanty. Hers was just like mine, except her skirt was in white and the top was red watered silk, which left her midriff bare. The underwear made it clear that Missy and Esperanza spent more time in “Frederick’s” than in “Victoria’s.”

It was nerve-wracking to try and dress with a real woman in the room, trying not to look if we hadn’t dressed ourselves before, because we hadn’t! I had crossed-dressed before I gave it up as a lost cause, so I had a vague clue to go on. Danny was doing just fine, and it’s my bet that he’d done this before too. We were going to have deal with whatever had happened between us sometime soon, but not now, I told my roller-coaster emotions.

I looked across the dressing-room to the door, and the term “a bridge too far” came to mind. Trying to walk that far in 4”heels was going to be beyond me! Danny had a questioning look on her beautiful face. ‘Damn it, down hormones, down, I say!’ I then remembered something I had read on one of the on-line TG story sites about a sexy heroine using her powers to fake walking in heels. Thinking hard at Danny, “Don’t try to walk. We’re both supposed to be able to fly. Try to float, and move yourself with just your toes.”

I stood up a little unsteadily, and willed myself to float. It wouldn’t get me into the Rockette’s, but I didn’t fall on my face. The mantra of take small steps, float, one foot in front of another, repeated over and over in my abused, over-clocked brain. Thank you, EE! I had made it almost all the way out and was relieved neither Danny nor I had fallen.

Everything was going well until that bitch floated over and put her face in mine. “Hey girls, just because you work here now, remember you are just the new meat.” she said as she blew smoke in my face. She then hovered out the door, apparently determined to make her exit before us.

Danny touched me on my shoulder, and calmly said, “Easy Greg, hum, GIRL.” She glanced down at my carry bag where I’d ripped the fabric straps, tearing nearly all the way though the fabric. Flipping her hair and with a wink, she added, “Let’s get outa’ here, girlfriend.”

I was embarrassed at having almost lost control and put that SO AND SO, in her place, most likely with Mystery’s strength, through several walls. I teetered for a moment on my stilts when I lost concentration. Not because of being angry, but at how turned-on I’d gotten when Danny touched my shoulder. ‘I SAID, Heel! Hormones!’

We ventured into the smoky club desperate to avoid attention knowing the way we were dressed, there was no way on God’s Green Earth that was going happen. The club was about half-empty, and it struck me that I had no idea t what time it was or even what day. In our world it was around 1pm on Saturday afternoon, here I hadn’t a clue.

There was a dancer on stage, and I found out that at least part of my brain was still mine, because there is nothing like a naked female body to distract you from a life or death situation. I was almost overwhelmed by the loud music, because in my old body, I was hard of hearing, while Mystery’s hearing was just fine.

When you add in raging hormones, being dressed, or rather mostly undressed, in women’s clothing and knowing that at least some of those guys sitting at the tables around me were likely to be a card carrying mobsters, mass murders or even worse, super-villains, who could tear me apart with their bare hands, I was becoming an nervous wreck!

“Girls, Girls, There you are!” announced a caricature of an Italian organized crime figure. He was square built, just starting to put on weight, with the required patrician nose, and thinning hair. “I liked what I saw, girls. What say you come by Monday, when my accountant gets here, and he can set ya up with all the mumbo-jumbo paperwork, and you can start work.” He said all of that and never once looked at our eyes, because his gaze was a little lower, if you know what I mean. His manners screamed that he was a lady-killer, or at least, thought he was, and I was feeling far too much like the meat that bi….witch called us.

He acted as if he was waiting for us to do something, and I’d had just about enough to push me over into panic and run out. Danny stepped forward and kissed the guy on the cheek, “Thanks Tony, me and Missy really need the work.”

Taking Danny’s clue, I leaned forward, perversely arching my back to giving him a good view of my cleavage, and kissed his cheek as well. “Yeah, thanks Tony.” I can’t tell you why I did that, because my thoughts were racing so fast, but I knew that keeping him distracted was a good thing. ‘Please, let’s us get out here in one piece,’ I was praying.

However Tony wasn’t finished with us yet, because he leered, “Why don’t you girls hang out with me and the boys tonight?”

Danny saved the day again, by replying, “Now, Tony you know that Missy and I don’t mix business and pleasure. We’re gonna’ be working for ya’ so that’s makes it business.”

I was beginning to shake by that point, thinking that we were so dead, but Tony surprised me by taking Danny’s refusal with good grace.

“I heard that from Joey, who runs that “Hip Hugger” joint you two were working, in Jersey. You can’t blame a guy for trying,” he shrugged philosophically. When he swatted us on the butts as he walked past, if it hadn’t been for Danny, I would’ve gone though the roof. I literally mean that, because all along I’d been hovering with my heels just touching the floor and Danny had to pull me down, when Tony popped me! I hope no one noticed!

The bouncer seemed strangely cool and gave us the high sign on our way out. Maybe being surrounded by nude women most of the day gave him no reason to undress us with his eyes. Well heck, he’d already seen everything anyway, if I remember that damn animated bit that started all of this.

It was a little cool and breezy outside which was about the same as at the ‘Cosmic Forge’. I was shaking pretty badly by this time, and it took an effort to check the sky to get an idea of the time. I didn’t have Morgan’s IQ or even that some of the other players, but I was very perceptive of things going on around me, and everything that had happened had me in overload! It looked about mid-afternoon, so it appeared we hadn’t suffered jet-lag - world-lag - transformation-lag, or whatever it was!

Danny started going though her purse and seeing that it was a good idea, I did the same. Yuk, the first thing, I found was an open pack of those long, thin cigarette’s women smoke. It seems that this Mystery was a smoker. I don’t smoke, and think it’s rude to go around with a toxic cloud billowing around you. ‘Let’s hope that I’m not addicted,’ I told myself.

Next was the usual make-up, tampons/pads, (Let’s not go there yet!), and a wallet. I checked the wallet and found I had several hundred dollars as well as an ID giving an address for Missy Reed. Checking the expiration date, it looked new, and I hoped the address was current. As Greg, I never carried more than a hundred on me, mostly because I never had more than that at one time. Placing the wallet back in the purse I found a cell phone in a side pocket and yes, a set of keys! Looking for car keys, I found a VW ignition key, with a security key bob.

“Missy, are you all right?” asked Danny.

I was still shaky, but a bit better than I was in Twin Peak Hell. I held up the key trying to smile and she matched me, holding up one of her own. A little of my own playfulness returned, when I asked her, “On three?” When she nodded, I counted, “One, Three!” and pressed the pager that flashed the lights of our car, I hoped. Of course, she pushed hers as well as we both sang out and giggled, “What happened to two!”

Across the small lot, I saw lights flash and tried to do my inspired floating tippy paws walk, over to it. Danny beat me over there and I knew for sure she’d worn heels before, because she definitely wasn’t floating, and was shaking it very nicely, indeed!

I had a difficult time walking across the lot, because of the breeze blowing me around like a balloon! I had to add enough weight to keep from blowing away, but fly enough to keep from falling over! By the time, I got to the car, Danny had already struck a pose like a model introducing it, and I gave a cry of exasperation, “Oh, give me a break!”

The car our key fobs had unlocked was hot pink with pastel flowers, a new style convertible VW Bug. Danny started giggling again and I shook my finger at her not to start THAT again! Do we get a set of cool superhero wheels? Nooo … We get the ultimate chick car! Alright, I admit that it fit our characters, but my mind at least was still geared to more masculine standards.

Hey, give me some slack here! Even the transgendered who go all the way, with SRS, have doctors and psychologists to aid them. They have that real life test where they live as a woman; I think it’s for one year. I’ve had less than thirty minutes! Hell, the first time I dressed as a woman in public was TEN minutes ago! Okay, maybe it was ‘undressed’ as a woman.

It was a lost cause. Once she started giggling, I got hit by the contagion too. That led to jiggling, and it was just a short trip to blushing again! ‘I told you NO! Get back ye spawn of hormones, back I say!’

Danny and I were back to the, 'looking deeply into each other’s eyes thing,' brimming over with sexual tension and maybe something else as well. My brain knew that Danny, my male friend, was inside that bombshell who made playboy bunnies look like plain Jane’s, but my libido was telling me huba, huba! Yeah, but everything was connected up differently now. My hard nipples made that very clear. All of these new sensations were giving me the shakes again.

Danny must have seen this, because that so beautiful voice told me, “Poor thing, Get in our flower-power-mobile, and let’s see if we can find somewhere to sort this out.”

My emotions were flaring up again, so I could do was nod. I managed to slide into the car without flashing anyone, and for the first time since all of this began, found a little peace. One of my gifts is an awareness of self. I can, for instance, feel where the “tightness” is when I hiccup or am bothered by the tickle reflex, and relax it voluntarily. Neat trick huh?

I’d always known that something was out tune when I was growing up, but didn’t know what. It wasn’t till later that I figured out the transgender angle. Once I had a name for my pain, other things started making sense about the way I felt. Men did nothing for me. It was women that did it for me, and not just sexually, but the way they dressed, acted, and everything feminine about them.

That uncomfortable out of sync not-pain that I’d felt for so long was gone. It left only a wonderful, balanced sensation, but the problem now was everything else! As a male, my arousal was more of a physical thing. Sure, I’d felt love before, and preferred love and sex to just sex.

My short experience as a female had my emotions and sexual arousal tied intensely together. My natural perceptiveness made me supernaturally aware of all of this from the whisper of my hair on my cheeks to the urgent wetness of my new sex. It was pure sensory overload.

In desperation, I attempted the meditation trick of taking of what I was feeling and “breathing it all in.” You succeeded by not fighting it, but by accepting it. Get used to it? Not anytime soon, but it did help stop my mind from fighting what this body was telling it. To my relief, the stress and shaking eased.

When I opened my eyes, Danny was obviously worried about me, and I had to admit to myself, that although I didn’t have a clue how it happened, I had strong feelings for her. We were gaming buddies, but didn’t hang together except for role-playing together. Male conditioning was screaming red alert, that this was so wrong!

“I’m okay now, I think,” I tried to reassure her. “Too much has happened, too soon. How are you holding up?” I asked her as I softly touched her hand.

“This is wonderful,” she gushed out with her eyes shining. Danny gazed intently at me and questioned, “You haven’t done this before have you?”

I shook my head, “Not in public, anyway. You remember how I use to look. I couldn’t even vaguely pass, so I gave it up and stuck to role-playing. How about you?” I asked.

Danny smiled, “While, we’re revealing secrets, I’ll drive us away from this “wretched hive of scum and villainy.” She pulled out into traffic. “You remember that I always left with one of my girlfriends from work after the game? Well, I would change into ‘fem’, and we would go out! I’ve been preparing for my Real-Life test.

She giggled at my open mouth expression as I asked, “You were going to have SRS? Were you on HRT? You weren’t going to leave the gaming group, were you?”

“Whoa Girl! One thing at a time,” She giggled. “You know how much the whole process costs, and I was getting help from my hospital’s insurance plan” she said softy. As I nodded, she went on, “I haven’t started HRT yet, but was going though the screening. About gaming, you know Pete wouldn’t understand about this, but I hadn’t decided about it yet. I thought you were maybe TG, but you didn’t seem to want to talk about it so …” she gestured with one hand.

I did see, while we were talking, that our Flower-Power-Mobile had a GPS and Map Navigation system. I punched in the address on my Driver’s license and Danny started following the machine’s directions. “You weren’t interested in me there, were you?” I said, still feeling very confused at the strong feelings I had for her.

“More curious, than anything else,” Danny told me “I’ve had experiences with guys before, but it wasn’t anything I wanted to repeat until maybe after my surgery. Were you interest in me?”

“I’m afraid not, men don’t do anything for me,” I told her. Blushing again, I confessed, “I am feeling confused at just how I feel right now.”

“That’s good to know,” Danny teased, and tossed that wonderful mane of thick blue, black hair. Seeing me blush, she said, “Whoa, girl, stay with me, here. We’re going to need you. I was still figuring out that my Real-Life Test was starting right now, and you had already jumped ahead and sorted out we were in the game somehow. You even saw how we could fake walking in heels, not that I needed the help.”
She smiled. “You have a way of seeing things that most of us miss, and putting them together intuitively,” she reassured me.

“Don’t give me too much credit, Danny,” I snorted. “You’re the one that got us past Tony back there, and I’m the one shaking over here. You were the cool one.”

“Honey,” she said, “the first time I was dressed in public, I was frightened out of my mind. That was just at the mall, and not in a strip club with Tony the Tiger back there. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

Hey, I think I know something that might help you. When I first started going en-fem, I would pretend I was role-playing, and that helped me ‘til I could relax and just be myself. That’s how I dealt with Tony. I just role-played Anza, just like back home at Cosmic Forge. Why don’t you try role-playing Missy, at least when we’re 'on-stage”? She asked me.

I thought about what Danny had said, and nodded to her. “I’ll try,” I told her.

“Okay, Let’s do this right. You call me Anza and I'll call you Missy, ‘kay?” Anza suggested.

Nodding, I closed my eyes and tried to figure out what Mystery would do right now in the game. It soon came to me. “Cape,” I asked my symbiont, “are we being followed?”

Cape flowed up my legs and over my clothes, where it merged with them. I could feel the difference in the texture like I had with the latex cat-suit earlier. It was much softer and comfortable. It continued to flow up until it circled my neck and formed part of itself into a scarf.

You’d think that with everything that had happened to me in the, had it been only an hour, this would’ve finished freaking me out. No such thing. The whole experience was oddly comforting in a way I can’t explain. It was like 'that warm, everything is okay and right with world feeling' you get from a hug by someone who really cares.

That wonderful warm feeling was completely spoiled by the object that dropped into my lap from cape as it flowed upwards. Picking it I saw it was a Classic style cigarette lighter that I had last seen orbiting around Miss Zero Gravity B-Witch like a golden satellite as she was blowing smoke into my face.

“Did you steal this?” I asked silently of Cape and got back only a, sad, *I'm sorry* kind of feeling. ‘Great! I have a kleptomaniac symbiont,’ I thought to myself and slipped it into my purse pointedly ignoring Danny's raised eyebrows.

Cape the scarf, paying no attention to my distress was waving in the breeze although the windows were up! I looked at where the end was blowing, and the tip of Cape the scarf, gave a finger-pointing motion at the red Caddie a car back from us. ‘Whata’ Ham!’

Danny, oops! Anza, looking over at my antics said, “Missy, do you know how unsettling that looks to watch it cover you like that? It’s like T-1000 gross! Hey, what’s up?” she asked when she saw my face.

Damn it, but I shouldn’t be surprised, because let’s face it Dan … Argh! ANZA might’ve been able to walk away from Twin Peaks without arousing suspicion, but I’d been waaay, out of character! We had to lose these guys, but without causing more of a stir. Finding out if the other guys had come with us, and talking to them, if they had, was a major item on the 'To Do List' thing, and we couldn’t do that with Uncles Guido and Fester tailing us.

My brain started racing again in that weird way of mine, and it smacked me in the face. I knew what to do. I turned to Anza and calmly said, “Take it easy, but you know, we were acting too strange for Tony not to start wondering what was up. He’s got two goons tailing us. But hey, I’ve got a plan!”

Anza’s eyebrows rose, but thankfully there wasn’t any panic. I think she might be enjoying all of this! “So what is this plan of yours, girlfriend?” she asked me. “I don’t think we’ll be outrunning them in Flower-Power-Mobile.”

I giggled again, but I couldn‘t help it! I wish I would stop that! “Oh no, nothing like that. I want to give them an explanation for our behavior, so they will lose interest, not have a car chase!” I watched her face to gage her reaction when I asked her, “How confident do you feel about using your powers?”

“I’m not sure … It depends on what you’re got in mind. I think I could manage something simple. Using them seems to be just a case of willing them to happen,” she said, while licking her full lips.

‘Please, hormones. Behave yourselves and BACK OFF!’ “I want you to find a place to park, like we’re trying for a bit of privacy and make it look like you’re shooting me up with some drug. Maybe a little bit of esper illusions to make it more believable,” I blushed as she started giggling at the privacy part.

“Please Anza! Keep your mind out of the gutter,” I chided her, and lightly slapped her shoulder.

“Hey, Don‘t blame me! You‘re the one who blushed,” she retorted. “I just took advantage of a straight line.”

She thought for a moment, “Let’s try it.” She pulled into a strip-mall parking lot that had the usual Food Tiger and SVC pharmacy in it, and parked in the back of the lot. “Where are they now?” she asked.

Cape, still emulating a scarf, twisted like a weather vane in the wind, and pointed at the car parked beside a Dodge Neon. Wow, they picked the perfect place to hide, as both the front and back of that long red Caddy were sticking out from behind the compact car! I looked at Anza and saw we were both fighting the giggles. This sure wasn’t the first draft, Tony’d sent after us.

Anza took a tube of lip-stick from her purse and made a show of treating it like a syringe. I could see a sorta odd glow in her eyes and knew that she was doing something with her powers. I hoped this worked. Then she removed a hair band and made a show of using it as a tourniquet.

“Okay Missy,” Anza said. “Show’s on!” She pretended to inject me with the lip-stick. I bit my lip and arched my back while rolling my eyes to the back of my head.

Anza leaned forward, whispered, “Don’t overdo it, you prima donna! Now go boneless limp, and kinda smile,” she ordered as she released her fake tourniquet.

“Nurse’s orders?” I whispered back, following her instructions.

“No Honey, you’ll get those when we get home,” she purred.

That caused me to blush even redder. “That’s it,” she said approvingly. “Nice and flush after a injection,” and held my arm as if she had just given me a shot.

“I think it worked,” Anza told me. “They even got a shot of you blushing with their picture phone.”

I got a little alarmed, but Anza said, “Please calm down, They didn’t see anything but your acting. With that beautiful flushed look and the rest, they’ll think you’re a druggie, and it should get us off the hook. Nice plan baby,” she cooed to me.

Naughty me, enjoyed every moment of her attention. I was losing the fight with the evil female hormones and could see nothing, but DOOM approaching.

When she leaned over and kissed me, I jumped, startled, but I never had a chance. I don’t know how many years that kiss lasted, but the sweet taste of lip-stick and Anza’s breath lingered for … it seemed like a piece of forever. Now, I really did feel if I truly had been shot up with some narcotic.

A little voice that had been collecting gaming trivia for years, reminded me the most potent drugs affect the same chemical receptor sites as natural occurring peptides and endocrines in the brain for pleasure and other effects, like chocolate mildly does for a natural aphrodisiac that is produced when in love. ‘Shut up’, I told it, as I sat there, savoring the aftereffects from those heavenly lips.

Eventually, I turned my head to watch my beautiful companion’s glowing eyes fade back to their normal deep chocolate brown. Anza, I saw, also looked a little disheveled, with our mutually smeared lip-stick.

“This was easy,” Anza, said, “It wasn’t hard at all to use my powers. Using the props helped, but I was just reading their minds, and Tony, who was talking to them on the phone, told them to take off. Your plan worked, but you know, if we’re going to be here a while, this could cause us problems with them thinking you're a user.”

“Don’t you mean, cause ME problems?” I replied, still trying to still my beating heart’s tattoo of pleasure.

Anza reached out and grasped my long nailed hand with hers, saying tenderly, “No, I meant, cause US problems, love.”

I gently squeezed her hand back and told Anza, “We’re going to have to have a long talk”.

Anza nodded, and we left the mall, continuing to follow the little GPS box’s instructions down this peculiar yellow brick road. I found myself being quiet as we traveled toward where we hoped was home, or as close as we were going to one get in this world.

Heroes of Justice: The Council of War!

We pulled up to a little run down looking house in a neighborhood that appeared to cater mostly to college students at the local university, judging by the banners we saw on the porches and windows. Anza and I parked our pink car, and walked up to the door of our home, at least, we hoped it was our home! Anza tried her house key first, and we both breathed a sigh of relief when it worked. At least we had a place to sleep tonight.

It was obvious that we’d just moved in, because of all of the still packed boxes and that most of the furniture was still in plastic wrapping. It appeared that the furniture had come from one of those rental-rip-off places, that let you make small weekly payments, which end up costing you sometimes five times what the stuff was worth. In other words, just what you would expect in a house of someone in OUR profession.

It’s one thing to pretend you’re a stripper or erotic dancer in a game. It was a COMICBOOK style story, and not real life. In real life, these dancers are often victims in one way or another. I’m not saying they all are, but enough are that I know, I DIDN’T want to do it for a living.

I moved boxes off of the couch so I could sit and take off those boots. When I touched them to unzip them, they flowed all the way down, becoming a sinfully, comfortable pair of pink fuzzy bunny slippers. I’d forgotten, about Cape being able to instantly change my attire. Wiggling my toes, I found I could make the bunny ears waggle. I don’t have a clue how long I sat there, zoned out, wiggling my slipper's bunny ears, because the next thing I knew Anza was sitting down next to me.

Anza gently took my face in her hands and tilted it to make me look at her. I didn’t want to meet her eyes, but knew that she deserved that courtesy. When I did, I could see tears in them, and I couldn’t help myself as I grabbed her and hugged her for all I was worth.

The sobs that broke from both of us were heartbreaking, a cleansing storm of tears we both needed. Sometimes it was like we were laughing, or sobbing, or both at the same time. For some reason it reminded me of the quote, “It was the best of times, it was the worse of times.” That perfectly summed up our situation and our feelings at the time.

I felt Anza becoming more intimate, and I gently tried to escape from our hug. Anza spoke, “If you think I’m going to let you go, then you’re on drugs, because it’s not going to happen, girl!”

When we settled down, I pleaded, “Anza, we can’t do this. We don’t know what is going on here, or if we’re stuck here. What happens if we go back to our world where we are both guys? I feel conflicted enough right now.”

“Missy, … uh, Greg, I know what I am feeling right now, and if we go back to our world, well, I was going to get SRS anyway. When I saw you back in the dressing room, it was as if I had finally found the part of myself, that I was missing,” With her eyes shining and red from tears, Anza continued, “I was finally a whole woman whose inner turmoil was finally gone, and there you were.

“I could feel in some way, you were a part of me too. A part that would help chase away pain and bring only strength and love with you. I can feel what you are feeling right now, and I KNOW you‘re feeling the same kind of things.” Still holding me she told me tenderly, “I’ve fallen for you Missy, and I love you.”

“Anza, that’s what I’m afraid of,” I begged. “We’ve been transformed, transported, Lord only knows where, and thrown into the deep end. Are our feelings real, or is all of this just part of someone’s nasty idea of fun? Think about it! Let’s throw the two TG guys who like girls into the gender spin-master and see what happens. Did this place’s Missy and Anza love each other, and we’re just feeling what they felt, or did we get sucked into that computer program somehow, and all this is just Matrix style programming?”

Anza firmly put a finger to my lips to silence me, “Whoa, girl, I can see why you were a spook in the service, but why are you complicating this?”

“A battlefield intelligence specialist is NOT a spook,” I said primly. “Besides, you’re right, I am feeling the same things that you are. I’ve never felt this way before and it is terrifyingly wonderful, but I’ve got to be sure it’s really me that’s feeling it. Please, just slow down a little, Anza,” I asked her.

Her eyes were looking right into mine, and for a moment I was concerned that maybe she would try to use her powers on ME. I took myself in hand (not that I could do that anymore!) and told myself, ‘This woman loves you and you think you’re in love with her. If you can’t trust her, we both have nothing but ashes.’

Her voice became husky, “Do you know how much I want to ravage you right now, Love? How can you say wait, when I can see that you want me as much as I want you?”

“I’m afraid, Anza, uh, Danny. Too many lonely nights, and now here, with along everything else that has happened, I don’t want to admit some things even to myself. You’ve found your dream and are going after it, but for me, the only way I could survive was to lie to myself and everyone around me. The game kept me from going completely crazy, and now it’s all out in the open.”

Something pinged in my back mind, a thought that hadn’t crystallized yet.

Anza said, “I know this isn’t easy for you, and I know girl, how much it hurts to be wearing the wrong skin. You can’t lock yourself away without hurting yourself worse inside.” Looking at me, she stopped talking, and after a moment asked, “What’s wrong now?”

“Well, while we’ve been wrapped up trying to sort out what we’ve feeling, I wonder if Will knows how to fly a helicopter?” I was thinking back to that dammed computer program that had something to do with our being here, and of it showing Will’s and Morgan’s characters flying in an helicopter I was fairly sure neither one of them knew how to fly.

I saw the alarm on her face, as she exclaimed, “Shit, you sure know how to throw ice water on a girl’s libido, don’t you.” Anza and I looked at each other for second wondering what to do next when at the same time we remembered the cell phones. We both grabbed for our purses, searching for them. Anza found hers first, but I found the phones had been turned off, before she did.

I found the phone-book function and bizarrely, our friends PLAYER’S names were listed. 'Stranger and stranger,' a girl named Alice once said, and I was beginning to wonder if what she’d found on the other side of the looking glass was any stranger than where we were. Anza, in the meanwhile, had gone to messages, and found that indeed they had been trying to get in touch with us. We split up the calls and I got Will and Morgan.

Butterflies were doing bombing runs in my nervous stomach as I waited for someone to pickup the phone as it rang. “Hello?” answered an unfamiliar male voice on the other end.

“Hi,” I said, “I’m looking for two friends of mine, WILL and MORGAN are they at this number?”

The voice incredulously asked, “Greg, Danny? Is that you?”

Relieved, I told the voice, “You got it right the first time. This is who?”

“Morgan,” he answered. “Are you guys okay? You scared us when we couldn’t reach you. We were able to get a hold of Mark and Tom, and aside from being a little shaken up they‘re fine. Tom is having some problems adapting, because of that screwed up metabolism of Streeter‘s”

I gave Anza a thumb’s up sign, letting her know that Morgan and Will were all right “Well, we’re okay right now. You can say Danny and I have had a difficult time adapting as well, if for different reasons. Sorry about the phones, but we found ourselves in a dressing room and just now found out our phones were turned off.” Really hoping Mike meant what he was talking about “these” phones being secure, I said, “We may have been followed. I think we gave them reason to think we were harmless and they left, but you never know.”

Morgan replied, “Yeah, I know no guarantees. You know you sound a lot like Kathleen Turner?”

Remembering that Kathleen had done the voice for Jessica Rabbit, I sighed, “I’ve been told that, yes. Danny’s is a lot like Tina Turner’s.”

“We haven’t been thinking about trying to keep cover, but trying to figure out what happened. I was going to have everyone meet at the Black Bull steak house, so we can talk it out,” he told me.

I wasn’t too thrilled with that idea, because that would mean going back out into public immediately. Bluntly, I didn’t feel ready yet, but I knew that I would have to, and soon. Covering the phone, I told Anza what was up with a mixture of lip-reading, and mind-reading on her part. She relayed back to me, using her own special combination miming and hand waving, that she was talking to Mark and he’d told her about the same thing.

We both halted, and looked at each-other realizing, what we had just done. I mean, Anza has ESP and I’ve always been good at reading body-language, but this went beyond that. It was more like long term partners who knew each other minds so well they didn’t need superpowers to read each other’s thoughts.

“Greg, are you still there?” Morgan wanted to know.

“Yeah, Morgan, I’m still here. I was passing the information on to Danny. Hmmm, I don’t think we’re up to going back out right now. Danny’s handling it pretty well, but the CHANGE has thrown me for a loop. Can you guys get over here and not be seen, in case we’re still being watched?” I asked him.

“Mark, Will and I could, but Tom is having almost as much trouble as you two. To him, everyone is moving in slow motion, and he talks so fast no one can understand him, so Mark, medicated him with some Jim Beam. I was concerned about what it would do to his weird physiology, but it seemed to work. The problem is, he is not up to sneaking anywhere. Steak house, yes, sneaking around in the dark, no.”

Morgan paused, “I need to see you guys, hmmm girls, tonight. Let me and the other guys keep the steak-house meeting, and I’ll come over afterward in disguise, and catch you up on what happened.”

Anza and I did our mind-reading thing again and we agreed that was the best way before we turned back to our phone conversations.

“Morgan that’s a plan,” I told him. Then thinking about something about him seemed kinda off to me, I asked him, “Oh, Morgan are you really okay? Is there something about you that’s out of sync?”

I heard a sigh on the other end, and Morgan said, “I should’ve known you would pick-up on it, and the answer is yes. I don’t want to go into it here, but I really need to see you two without the other guys around.”

“Done and done, my friend.” I gave him the address, and he gave me the addresses where he and the others were.

“Anza, I think Morgan is having a problem like ours. He was just a cross-dresser character, right?” I asked her as we hung up our phones.

“I know his hero ID is a diamond hard crystal that can charge with light and shoot it like a laser. He is male in his secret identity and shape-changes to crystal form. Let me see, once in crystal form he can alter the shape into female, and other shapes, too,” she said.

“Anza, I’ve had a thought. He said he was a cross-dresser, but did he ever say which way? We just assumed that he was a male pretending to be female, but knowing how Morgan likes to screw with people’s heads, SHE might be pretending to be male, and the crystal form is her REAL one. For that matter we don’t have any proof to how close to our characters we are right now. Our characters didn’t have this relationship and this mind reading thing going on,” I lectured. “This could all be just a program overlaying our real personalities.”

Anza shook her head and took my hand, “I think we are here in bodies based on our Hero’s of Justice characters. I believe that when you and I materialized in that dressing room, we were both able for the first time to see parts of each other that we weren’t able to before. With my powers, I really saw YOU, and I think your bond with your Cape, lets you see ME.”

She was convincing, because she was at least partially right. I do have a mental link with my symbiont, and Cape does have an empathic sense that lets it know when someone is considering harm to me.

She went on, “In our other world, we liked each other, and got along well together. Here, we are so beautiful, super-models and movie-stars would kill to look like us, and we both like girls. I think with all of that, we saw each other, liked it and we are alike enough to mesh somehow because of our powers. Call it love at first sight or true love, but now that we know, I don’t think even if we went back home, that it would change anything.”

I wasn’t real happy with what Anza was saying, but it did make sense. I could feel her love for me and knew that love was returned. Not admitting it didn’t make it go away! I didn’t know what life would be like back home, knowing the love I felt for, it would be Danny there, gulp!

“Anza, I wish I could prove you wrong, but I can’t,” I told her sadly, “I do feel you are right about this part anyway. If we to back, I’m going to be a guy again, and you said that you preferred the ladies like I do. You were going to have SRS, but I wasn’t and I still don’t feel comfortable with that, for me, at least. This just can’t work.” I was working myself up into tears again.

She held me tightly, and said comfortingly, “If you can live with me after the SRS, I can live with you as a guy. I might prefer girls, but I’ve seen the good inside you, and you are the one I choose. Besides,” she said mischievously, “I can always dress you up en-femme sometimes.”

“Okay there, Luke. Take it easy with the force!” I giggled. “ ‘Seen the good inside you,’ indeed. You can steal all of the movie lines you want, but I’m still not ready for you to have your way with me yet.”

Anza stoked my hair, and I was content to let her. I was certain if I let myself, I would fall so hard for her that there wouldn’t be any redemption. A small voice was saying that it was already too late. I had admitted what I felt for her was love. All I was doing now was refusing to act on it.

That was all made harder by not knowing what was going on. Why were some of our new powers so easy to use, and other things so difficult? I still wasn’t sure about how much I could trust what I was feeling, and what I could do.

As I turned and gazed at her, I realized not only how beautiful I found her, but how much it felt right. That’s despite the running mascara and stage make-up we’d kept on because we weren’t sure if we could put it back on. Now, after the crying and emotional storms of the last two hours, I giggled, saying, “Do I look as raccoon-eyed as you do right now?”

Anza touched her face and looked at her mascara smeared fingers, and wiped it on my nose! We had a little wrestling match, and I was careful, because I knew how strong Mystery was. Yet that turned out to be the most peculiar thing. At first, I was concerned that I would be pulling doors from their hinges and breaking things left and right, and hurting Anza without meaning to, but it wasn’t like that.

For normal actions I just automatically used normal force. But when I wanted a lot of power, the upper limits of which I was capable were much, much higher. So when we wrestled I could tell I had the upper hand, but was aware of just how much strength I was using.

I had Anza pinned beneath me, then realized I fallen for the oldest feminine trap in the book. Next thing I knew, I was kissing her and both of her hands were on me. When I came up for air, the raw passion in Anza’s eyes, made me tingle madly in places I didn’t even have just a couple of hours before. Her hands came up and unbuttoned my blouse, freeing my breasts. I shuddered when she found places I didn’t know I had and the pleasure she gave me almost made me pass out.

Lovingly, I returned the favor. I discovered feeling your lovers emotions helps you know what you’re doing wrong and how to do it right. Anza’s cry of pleasure was proof it worked. Love is such a simple word for what I received and gave to her, my lover. It didn’t seem adequate enough.

Afterwards, cuddling on the still plastic covered couch, we just lay there in each others arms. ignoring the need to get ready for Morgan’s visit. I did my best to put my doubts behind me, but I feared the worst. The odds of a happy ending here were looking like a long shot.

When Anza propped herself up on one arm, to my delight, her breasts swung gently with the movement. There was no way Morgan wasn’t going to know what we’d done, because I could not only feel her contentment, I could see it. More, I was pretty sure I was glowing with the same contented pleasure as well.

After shamelessly displaying her charms, Anza asked, “Do you want to shower first, or do I?”

Seeing how she had seduced me, when she knew I wanted more time, I was more than willing to get a little revenge, so I purred back, “Why don’t you join me, and I can do your back?“ I raised an eyebrow and made what I hoped was a seductive pout.

My naughtiness was rewarded by her blush this time, and it was a good feeling. Following a good-hearted pillow fight, with the pillows still in the factory bags, we found the bathroom. Hygienic stuff was there, but it was clear that this room hadn’t been used yet.

Just another piece of the puzzle of this strange journey of ours. We unpacked and found shampoos, soap, conditioners and other supplies that our bodies now needed. I’m going to pass on describing my first experience using the potty. I’ll only say it was a little unnerving, regardless of my already finding the pleasant uses of my new plumbing.

Anza kept me from making mistakes like toweling off my hair and the fact that patting dry was more than just a good idea now, although I’ve read enough TG stories on-line to know some of it.

Cape, I found, was best thing since sliced bread. We couldn’t find towels but Cape could change into a nice fluffy thick one. I have no idea what Cape did with the water it absorbed, but it was dry when it clothed me in a comfortable robe. Anza had to streak though the house looking for clothes, and that almost led us to needing another shower.

We had come at our relationship backwards, and were still learning how to communicate and get along, AFTER we had fallen in love and lust with each other. I soon found when I was the instigator, she was the one who had to go on the defensive. Plus, it was fun, too! My male conditioning had been quiet, and I was content to bask in Anza’ attentions. Who wouldn’t? Ignorance is bliss after all.

We found our rooms by the contents. Anza’s had loads of clothes and shoes, while mine had only enough to act as a cover for having Cape. That’s right separate, bedrooms, which would argue against our relationship and closeness having been planned. There were other things that showed which was hers and mine, such as the different shades of make-up, for Anza was much darker than my pale skin, and shoe size.

The odd thing was, everything was new! Yep, still in the shopping bags. Even the clothes and shoes in the closets, although not in wrappings, had clearly never been worn. Additionally, there weren’t any personal effects, such as pictures or memento’s of times past. That made me wonder about Tony the Tiger's remark about talking with someone named Joey. Was that just a part of our cover, or had our characters really worked at this Hip Hugger place?

Anza was getting ready and putting her face on. Part of that was easy for me, I just told Cape to dress me! I was learning about Cape, because it would always dress me as sexily as it could if I didn’t specifically tell it differently. Morgan was still a guy, we think, and I was still uncomfortable in my role of a woman in the presence of guys. I told Cape I wanted jeans, and a t-shirt. Cape put me in a pair of skin-tight low rider designer blue jeans with a midriff showing pink t-shirt and 3” sandals. “Very funny,” I said aloud to Cape, and I swear it felt as if I hurt its feelings!

‘Here I am worrying about something controlling me, and here is Cape, tied right into my central nervous system.’ Sitting down in front of my vanity, I considered what I knew about Cape and my character’s origin. Cape had been inspired by the Shadow-Capes used by a member of the comic book superhero team “The Offenders”. Hellkitty could use her cloak to teleport, and could pull weapons from it, but what I liked best, was that the cape was able to act as if it was alive, by touching and grabbing things. You know the comic cliché of the cape blowing and flowing even when there wasn’t a wind blowing, and it should by the laws of physics hang limp.

I took that and the villain Zootoxin idea from Bug-Eye-Man and came up with, Cape. A symbiont that was alive and aided Mystery with some cool abilities like flight, and self-contained breathing apparatus among other things. Cape was intended to be loyal and with many of the abilities of a computer, though with only the emotional level of a smart dog. In many ways, Cape was meant to be both loyal guard dog and a friend that could shape itself into almost any form of clothing, as long as it was attached to her. So, Cape’s origin is fuzzy.

Gamers love to come up with original ideas for their characters, but with comic books having been around over 50 years, it’s a challenge. Some gamers just go with thinly disguised popular comic characters. If I had a dollar for every Wolfy claw-wielding knock-off I’ve seen, I could buy dinner for a large family. With Mystery, I’d tried to come up with parts from other origins, put together in a way which was unique, if not original.

Abandoned at an orphanage as a baby, with only a blanket, no one knew who her parents were or where they came from. When the priests found her, one said, “We have a little mystery here, and that is what the other priest wrote down,” Mercedes T. Reed.

The nuns noticed that baby Misty always had the same blanket, and no matter if they replaced it or took it away, the blanket always ended back up with the baby. One older nun saw the blanket stayed cleaned, and philosophically decided nothing was harmed, and it was God’s will. Misty, sometimes called Missy, had no trouble being adopted because it was obvious that she was going to be a beauty.

Missy’s new family had wanted her because of their problems in conceiving, and when science gave them the chance to have children of their own blood, Missy was more and more ignored. Missy knew Cape was the blanket she had been delivered to the orphanage in, and that she should keep Cape, her not so invisible friend, a secret.

It was no secret she had been adopted and with Cape’s help, she found the Misty T. Reed identity and decided she liked it. Growing up, she’d always had her powers, but Cape had helped her hide them. Several years later, after her beauty began making it tough on her in high school, she overdid the discouragement on a jock and put him in the hospital. Running away she took the name Misty T. Reed, Mystery!

She ran to the big city and took to life on the street. It was a comic book bit, because rather than be exploited and/or killed, she picked up good hearted, but down on their luck mentors, and became a streetwise heroine.

That’s where Mystery was when I started playing with Morgan, and Danny’s Esperanza. It was like a mixture of Super-Jock and the sexy streetwise version of Kitten-Woman. Unlike him, Mystery didn’t know if she was an alien or not, and didn’t turn to burglary to support herself like she did. I couldn’t say crime because, well, attacking drug dealers and other criminals and stealing from them is still a crime.

Since I never specified where Cape, or for that matter, Mystery came from, I didn’t know for sure if Cape was really friendly or not. Another part of the mystery, pardon the pun, was that Cape had seemed to accept me as Misty even though it was the guard dog protector.

Did that mean that we hadn’t stolen Missy’s and the others identities, and the real us had been transformed into our characters? Insufficient data, the pointy eared man would say. I did know having Cape with me felt, I don’t know, ‘nice’ is the only word that comes to mind. It didn’t feel as if Cape was mentally influencing me. I only felt the clear emotion Cape passed-on from others and Cape’s own feelings and affection, like the feeling of hurt when I reprimanded it for dressing me so sexily.

I tore open the things still in their packages, such as make-up, and found that having enough strength to defeat the mortal enemies of mankind paled besides being able to easily rip open sealed plastic coated merchandise. Self-satisfied I threw the normally impossible to open packaging away with a sense of a job well done.

I did my best to apply the cosmetics lightly in an as un-clown a manner as I could, but didn’t do so hot. Feeling Cape’s flicker of amusement, I cleaned my face with cold cream. Hey, I knew that much okay? *Right,* I told Cape, *you do it.* Remembering my still bare midriff, I amended, 'lightly, just for a friend coming over.'

I first felt surprise, as if it had never been asked this before, and then pleasure, as Cape was eager to show me what it could do. In the vanity mirror, I saw Cape the scarf, lengthen and form three separate ends of the same silk-like fabric. It then picked up the various cosmetics and went to work. It didn’t take long for Cape to complete its work, and it did look much better than my effort, professional even! There was a theme here, sexier than I wanted, but it did look good.

“Thank you Cape,” I said, “you did well.” I was a little unprepared for its mental purr of contentment at the compliment, and wondered if I needed to pet it?

I met Anza, who was searching for food, in the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, nothing had been put away, and besides a few canned goods there wasn’t anything to eat, although now that I had admitted my feelings for her, ‘she’ looked good enough to eat.

Wearing short shorts and a low-cut, cream colored top, she had on flat sandals, and with my heels, I was almost as tall as she. Making a mental note that figuring just how tall I was now was on the ‘to do’ list, I gave her a hug. We spared an admiring look at each other and repeated that telepathy thing when we both in sync said, “I’m hungry,” followed by the usual giggles!

Our mirth was interrupted by the door-bell, and we both hurried to the door. Anza peered through the spy hole, while I looked out the as-yet curtain-less window. Outside, I saw a taxi pulling away, and standing next to the door was a curvaceous auburn haired woman. I silently mouthed to Anza, “Morgan?”

Anza shrugged, an ‘I don’t know’, gesture. Hey, she really is supposed to be psychic.

I motioned her to open the door and saw that the rest of our guest’s appearance matched my brief glance. She was holding several bags marked with the Black Bull steak house logo. That made Anza’s and my stomach’s rumble at the enticing smell. The woman looked surprised when she saw us as we opened the door.

I reached forward with my slim hand as to shake hers and made the first gesture in Morgan’s and mine secret handshake. We both started smiling at each other as our hand’s moved in our old ritual, and I led her inside. Anza gave me that eyes rolling, 'boys will be boys' look as Morgan and I completed our handshake.

Morgan stood there for a moment looking at us, before saying, “Wow, the sight of both of you together is something else! I knew that like us, you had transformed into your characters, but seeing is believing!”

Morgan’s voice was a soft soprano, but even though I was curious as to what kind change she’d had, I was hungry. Using my southern accent to my advantage, I lisped, “Is that for little ole me?” pointing at the bags.

Morgan looked startled, then handed them to us, saying, “I thought maybe you would appreciate the grub.”

She didn’t have time to finish before we rushed off to the kitchen to unpack our goodies. Anza shouted over our shoulders, “Thank you!”

By the time, she had followed us in, we’d made a good start on putting it all on plates, and offered one to her.

Morgan waved her hand no, but watched us finish getting ready to eat.

I knew that some more of that peculiar telepathy, that Anza and I shared, was doing its stuff as we worked together, and I must say it was a pleasure, of a sorts, just to feel her presence there with me.

Morgan watched as we acted like a team getting the meal together and I felt he already suspected that something had happened between Anza and me. He said, “I didn’t know whether to get you guys salads or steaks, so I got both, considering what has happened.”

Anza and I cleared off a portion of our table so we could begin to eat. Morgan watched us with an amused look on her face and remarked, “I can see you two still have some guy left in you, the way you are devouring that poor cow.”

I was curious if Anza was going to take exception to this, because she had been preparing for her real life test, but she just waved a hand in a 'so-so' gesture.

Between mouthfuls I said, “Why don’t you tell us what happened with you and the others while we finish here? Then we’ll catch you up on our doings.”

Morgan nodded, and started, “Well the good news is Will and I found ourselves on the helipad, and not flying. Some news director rushed up to me wanting the tape we’d shot and once he got that, we were left alone. I did get a copy of it before we left, and truthfully, I don’t even know when I’m supposed to be back at ’work’,” she said, making quotation marks with her fingers, as she reached in her purse and revealed a video camera.

“I know that you two have already found out we have “powers” here, but here is some proof that superheroes and villains are real here.” She rotated the small video screen to face us.

I passed the ranch dressing to Anza without her asking, just as she reached out for it. I wasn’t even aware of it until I noticed Morgan staring at us. She raised an eyebrow and I shrugged, which caused my breasts to jiggle. She turned red and Anza popped me on the shoulder in reproach.

I giggled, “It was an accident!” Rubbing my shoulder softly I watched the tiny screen of the camera.

Morgan said, “That’s Question, the local brick, and leader of the Riverside Warders,” pointing to a large red costume man with a large white question mark on his chest. He was hanging half out of what looked liked a V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor. The V-22 was about hundred feet up when he swung himself out like one of those cliff-divers, feet together, but there wasn’t any water nearby just concrete! The camera panned down at the ground to focus on a gray clad over muscled guy that had an armored car door in one hand that he’d just ripped off of the truck.

Now we’ve all marveled at the computer generated images (CGI) from the Super-jock to Bug-man movies, but seeing that this wasn’t enhanced, just raw footage, impressed me a LOT.

She froze the picture for a moment, then continued the narration, “That’s Man-Mountain, a loner bad guy.” The camera view pulled back just as a red and white blur played pile-driver, driving him into the pavement. I could see the shockwave of the collision ripple away into the distance.

The Question rolled, after he impacted, and was quickly back on his feet a couple of feet away from the large instant pot-hole. Incredibly, Man-Mountain was still moving, and staggered to his feet, climbing from the debris on the street. Somehow he was still holding onto that door, and threw at the Question. Rather than dodge the missile, he spiked it volleyball like into the street. Question then looked as if he was making a demand. Because we didn’t have any sound, we had to guess what was happening.

Man-Mountain didn’t look happy and looked even less so as the camera zoomed off to the distance to show another costumed figure on the way. From what we could see, Question had this guy totally out-matched and his opponent knew it. Man-Mountain then leaped into the Question created pot-hole from hell, and just melted into the ground! The footage ended with a close-up of Question shaking his head in disgust.

I met Anza’s and Morgan’s eyes, and moaned, “We are so screwed aren’t we?”

Morgan looked at a graceful, red painted nail and became thoughtful, “Well, that depends on Horus, doesn’t it?

Anza motioned him to go on, and she said, “According to Mike, our mission was to help the Warders stop this new syndicate, and it might be a necessary requirement for us to go home. Horus was the one who gave us this mission, and it occurs to me that most of our characters come from different game worlds. It might be a cross-over situation.

What Morgan meant by this was that sometimes a group of GM’s will agree that what happens in one GM’s game will happen in theirs as well. This is a shared 'World', but many times a player with a character from a closed world, that’s one where only one GM controls a world’s events, will want to play in another GM’s game. To manage this, the plot devise of a crossover is used. The crossover is much used among the major comic companies, by taking their popular characters and teaming them with those of another company.

What this meant for us, was it was possible that aside from our covers from this Horus, that our characters had literally had not been born here, but were from different worlds, brought here by Horus for his mission.

We just might have to try and complete Horus’s mission, because we’d have no choice. Digesting this and our meal, I had an unpleasant idea, as Anza was saying to Morgan, “So you don’t think we’re in some type of computer simulation?”

“No I don’t,” Morgan replied, “Do you remember when were we creating our character drawings, how well they turned out? It was as if it was reading my mind though my Internet connection. For that to happen, it would need more band-width than even a DSL cable could carry, just to physically pass the information back and forth. I could be wrong, but I think someone, or some ‘thing’ was recruiting, using that computer program as a front.

“In a truly infinite universe, all things are possible,” I misquoted. “You know that in a demented quantum physics sense, conceiving an idea makes it real. To something that can sense and move across alternate worlds, it might have problems telling what is fiction and what is not.”

Seeing Morgan and Anza’s blank faces, I went on, “I mean, whoever or whatever did this might not be able to tell the difference between us and our creations. Look how it got us by using a fictional game and asking our help and …” I trailed off and slapped myself on the forehead, when I remembered the end-user agreement.

Morgan had that look on her face that said deep thoughts were in progress.

Anza looked at both of us as if we’d just grown horns. She put both hands on her prominent hips, “That’s it! You two fess up right now. Don’t you dare keep me in the dark!”

Morgan began, “There’ve been several novels out about wizards summoning people from our world on purpose, or by accident, because the spells weren’t specific enough or just didn’t fit our paradigm. This could all just be a screw up with a spell, or some sort of not so smart servant, who bungled the job.” Morgan made as if to push up glasses that were no longer there, then looked a little annoyed that she had forgotten about her improved eyesight and gotten caught.

I understood the feeling, because I was still getting used to hearing the sounds of paper moving, utensils scrapping on the plates and so forth again. Right now, I was more concerned about something I’d read, not heard. “Did you guii... girls read the user agreement at the 'Hero’s of Justice' website?” I asked. Almost no one ever reads those things. I had, but then I was strange.

Anza shook her head, sending her long dark hair, not to mention her other assets, bouncing. That definitely distracted me, which, of course, set her to giggling and me to blushing.

Morgan, who had her eyes closed in concentration, opened one to see what was up, gave us a disgusted look, and complained, “I’m trying to think here. Can you keep it down please?”

All that did was cause Anza and I to almost explode, holding in our compulsive giggling. I admit it, I failed first, and ended up rolling off my chair onto the floor, I was laughing so hard. Anza at least kept her seat, and Morgan joined in with a chuckle.

Looking at Anza, Morgan asked her, “I take it, she’s ticklish?”

Anza, grinning, replied, “Yes”, and blushed when she realized what she’d implied.

That didn’t help me at all, but just made me laugh more, till I began having problems breathing! Red faced, I finally was able to get back to my chair, and I felt full of good feelings for these two.

Dryly, Morgan said, “If you’re finished?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and enjoying the warmth of their friendship.

She said, “I didn’t read it, but I did look at it and I have a good memory. I take it you’re referring to the agreement, that ended with 'Do you agree to use your powers in the cause of justice and to help others in the multi-verse, fight evil and right wrongs?”

“That’s the one,” I said, “Right next to the, “I attest to this being a legally binding agreement.”

Anza was gaping at us, “You’re kidding, Right?”

“Nope,” Morgan said, “That’s what all of us who created our characters on that website agreed to. Which brings up another question. Like what happened to Mike? I’m sure there was some sort of similar agreement for him, since he was the one who bought the actual software and game.”

“There’s a chance that Mike might have become this Horus character,” I said. “I don’t recall Horus saying anything about a way of reaching him on these phones, do you?” I looked at Anza and Morgan.

They shook their heads, but Anza said, “Esperanza does have a mind-sweep power that I could try, but if I do, everyone in the area who is PSI sensitive will know that someone with PSI powers is about.”

Seeing that neither Anza nor I liked that idea very much, Morgan said, “We might have the powers of our characters, but none of us have the right mind-set for this. From our reactions today, we are still us, just in the bodies of our characters. We seem to have access to their powers, and maybe some of their skills as well. But before we start revealing ourselves to others, we need a lot more information.”

I added, “Mike knew where our characters were going to be, and a lot of other details, we didn’t know. For now, I think we have to trust that if he is here, he’ll find us. If he is Horus, he might have a number to get in contact with us, and be unable to do so right now. We had the phones, but were so disoriented, it was well over an hour before we got our act together. I think we need to wait, for now.”

Anza said, “Well that’s one more thing to add to our list of things to do. We need to find out what we can and can’t do. In two days,” she said, pointing to herself and me, “we are supposed to 'dance' in a topless erotic club, and she can barely walk in those,” pointing at the heels I was wearing.

“Not to mention Will is supposed to be able to fly a ‘copter, with you in it,” I said to Morgan.

“Add that to Tom, running a company when the most he’s done is operate a one man repair shop,” Morgan replied.

Anza giggled, “Or the ace reporter who knows a lot about taking vital signs, but not so much about interviews. At least all Mark needs to do is drive the limo and look tough.”

“We need to buy some time to figure out what we can really do, and find out if Mike is Horus, in the short term,” stated Morgan

“Finding out if we are here for the long term, and whether or not we displaced anyone from these bodies is also a priority,” I added.

We need to know if we have a choice about being superheroes, or if we can walk away, and what the consequences of that might be,” Anza added.

Anza and I looked at Morgan, “Now that the plan of action is on the table, why did you need to see us without the guys?”

Morgan looked uncomfortable, and looked as if s/he didn’t know where to start. Anza reached over and softly held a hand. “This is us, the oddballs. We are here for you if you let us.”

I reached over and placed my hand on top of theirs, “We have all had secret desires and hopes revealed today. Take courage, and we will be with you.”

I took Anza’s other hand in mine, and told them, “I found my fondest dream, and I am scared silly that it will turn out just to be a dream.

Looking Anza in the eyes, “With Morgan as my witness, I don’t know how or why I feel the way I do, but I love you, Anza.”

Her eyes was shining bright with tears, she reached over and kissed me softly. She looked over at Morgan, “That’s our secret, and now you can tell us yours.”

Morgan looked a little shocked, “I thought that maybe you fooled around a little, because the two of you look so hot, but not this. This just started today?”

I nodded, “Yes, at first I thought it was just lust like you said, but both of us are empathic.”

Anza said, “We think that, helped along by how attractive we found each other, may have caused a “bonding” effect.”

“I am still resisting a bit, but it’s hard when you KNOW how the object of your affections feels. It’s somewhat like having all of the emotional depth of a long term intimate relationship, without the real-life lessons learned reaching there,” I said.

“I don’t know why you have to complicate things! It was just love at first sight!” Anza giggled as she pointedly looked at my breasts, causing me to blush again as I remembered.

Changing the subject I told Morgan, “See? What can you tell the guys that will cause a worse reaction than this? ‘So give, girlfriend!’ as Anza would say.”

Morgan’s green eyes and auburn hair danced as, she said, “Well, back home I had some medical problems growing up. Are you familiar with the term intersexed?”

Anza and I nodded. Like many of the transgender community, we had an interest in sexual differences from the norm. Intersexed meant having characteristics of both sexes.

Morgan continued, “I had a testicle and an ovary. The doctors decided that physically I had more male parts then female ones and removed the ovary. I haven’t had the problems some others have had, but I’ve always been curious about what would’ve happen if I’d been left alone.”

“When you two started playing your 'Girls Want to Have Fun' characters I felt that I had a chance to harmlessly explore that. I never wrote it on the character sheet, but it’s like that program read my mind for what I intended,” Morgan said.

Anza, still holding Morgan’s hand gestured at her to go on.

Morgan took a deep breath, “When you said girlfriend, you were only half right. It seems I’m a fully functioning hermaphrodite. I can shift my appearance from fully feminine to all male. I have both sexes in what you could call my third form or the ‘at rest‘ one. I never intended on doing this to myself, I was just curious. The problem is. I don’t know any more about being female, than Greg here does, aside from some theater work in college.

Anza asked, “Are you sure about the functioning part? You would have a strange body chemistry, if so.”

Morgan blushed, “I’m sure. It felt weird but I had to know how far the change went.”

“We’re not trying to embarrass you.” Anza comforted Morgan getting up and hugging her.

“Morgan, what’s your character’s origin? Maybe that will help us figure this out,” I asked

“Well, my character's Mom was a geologist who was exploring a deep cave network, when she got separated from the rest of her group. Trying to find them she ran across these really unusual crystal formations. These crystals were sentient, and were able to communicate with my mother. They wanted to see the outside world and worked a deal with her so she would carry a crystal with her and they would see though it.

“They also wanted to know what it was like being mobile, so they implanted a crystal into her unborn child so it would send back to them as well, but send all its sensations, not just sight. In my unofficial history, it was twins and they merged, creating a hermaphrodite. As I grew older, the crystals became able to turn me into crystal, as well as control my gender aspects,” Morgan explained.

“So it’s the crystal that lets you control your body change functions? It might also be able to keep you from getting pregnant. Do you have any communications from the crystal implant or from the ‘Mother’ crystals?” I asked.

Morgan shook her auburn curls. “I’d intended for the crystals to just be just ‘watchers,’ and for the implant to become a part of the whole when it integrated.”

I could see she need more support so I move closer to her too. It was strange seeing this unfamiliar face, but I could see Morgan’s mannerisms in her. The empathy from Cape helped too I think. The feelings of confusion and just plain being hit with too much at one time, was a feeling I understood all too well!

“Morgan, are you dealing with this alright?” asked Anza

She nodded, “The guys have been deferring to me as a de-facto leader for now. Of course I was male then. They haven’t seen me like this yet. So I’ve kept too busy to really think about it except for a little experimentation.”

“Morgan,” Anza warned, “I want to know how YOU are feeling with this. I can’t help but feel something of what you’re feeling because of my powers. It does act like another sense that I can’t turn off. I’ll not violate your privacy, but you are all but screaming in my face, in an empathic way. You are a friend, too. We…,” Anza gestured at me, “want to help. You’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”

“If you’re talking suicide, no. Wanting to get blind drunk to push some of these feeling away for a while, yes!”

“What about you, Anza? I’m not feeling anything alarming, but how are you coping with your powers? I didn’t know you were feeling them like that.” I turned to her.

“It’s kinda weird, but I can feel what’s going on with you two, and I know it’s not me feeling it. I think I could look deeper, but that would invade you guys’ privacy,” she said. “I’ve read some of the same things you guys have about telepaths going crazy with all the 'voices' in their heads, but all I really feel inside is satisfaction that I’m a real girl!”

“Speaking about going crazy,” I asked, “how is Tom doing?”

“I think he’s beginning to get a handle on that hyperactivity of Streeter’s,” Morgan said. “Mark and Will, being so buff, are enjoying themselves quite a bit, I think. They wanted to go clubbing, but I talked them into staying with Tom for tonight. You’ve got to see him to how big Will is now. He’s built like a tank, and Mark is almost as bad.”

Anza, looked at Morgan, “And us?” she asked.

“Well you two are coping pretty well, all things considered. Danny, you’re enjoying your change and Greg’s still bouncing around emotionally, but you two are helping each other. Me? This caught me unprepared, but it is nice to be able shift back and forth from male to female,” Morgan said introspectively.

Anza took a deep breath, which made me catch mine. Then she asked, “But do you want to go back home?”

Morgan blinked a couple of times as she dealt with the implications. “I take it that means you don’t?”

Shaking her head, “The best I could hope for there, would be for the finances to work out so I could have surgery. Here, I’m a real girl with all the options.” She took my hand, before she continued, “Missy has brought up some moral issues and there’s this whole superhero business.” Looking as emotional as I’d seen her so far, she went on, “My family has disowned me. So if I can stay here with Missy without hurting anyone? No, I don’t want to go back.”

Holding Anza’s hand, I nodded, too, “Subject to qualifiers, me too. I’m not close to my family, and they don’t understand me at all.” I squeezed her hand softly, “All of my wildest dreams are true here, but I need to know what’s expected of us.”

Morgan tried to push up hir non-existent glasses again, looking at Danny and me, “Anza and Missy?”

We both nodded as I felt my eyes mist up again. “We never had the chance to be the people we really were inside. Anza and Missy will work for us until we learn more about who we are,” I told her.

She held our hands, “I don’t know if I want to stay this way. It’s nice for a visit, but I don’t think I would like not seeing my folks again. I understand why you feel the way you do, though. Like I said before, we might have to fight this syndicate to get home, and we’re not fighters. We have a nurse, one paramedic, ex-military spook, an auto-mechanic, a fork-lift operator, and a sheet-metal worker.”

Sighing she went on, “I don’t know about the guys. Back in our world, Mark is seeing someone, and Tom’s engaged. Will works such crazy hours and stays out in his parent’s garage. He might want to stay, but I don’t know for sure.” Looking pensive, Morgan said, “You know, it might be an all or nothing deal? We all go or we all stay?” she said quietly.

Anza replied, “I won’t keep anyone from going home. I’ll go with everyone else, but I would like to stay.”

I said, “That’s we, and us, and goes for me as well. Besides, we’re jumping the gun here. There’s too much that we don’t know yet, about everything! We do need to meet up with everyone so we can see them and they can see us. That said, we need some more time to work through what’s going on.

“If we are going to have to … to dance … topless? … I’m going to need more girl-time before I can even think about doing something like that without wetting myself! Not to mention, we need to put some exercise togs on and see how close these bodies match the character sheets.”

Anza and Morgan were nodding in agreement as she switched to her male mode, pulled out his phone, and called the guys. I had seen morphing in movies before, but it happened so fast with Morgan you couldn't see any details. One eye blink there's this woman there and the next, this guy!

While she was doing that, Anza and I cleaned-up from our dinner, and started looking for curtains or drapes. With all that had happened, we needed some privacy, and that meant covering up those windows!

We learned that unpacking and putting up stuff is a lot easier with super-powers! Puttering around, and straightening up this and that, kept us busy. I learned a little more about walking in heels and carrying things at the same time, and Anza found out that she could levitate several objects at once.

Morgan asked, “Is it cool to meet with the whole gang at the mall tomorrow?”

In our own ways, we signaled yes, and carried on with the task of trying to find the floor of this place. It didn’t take long to get the front room clear enough to hang out in. Anza had connected up the TV and some other entertainment stuff. I looked for a computer or laptop, but didn’t find one. I was curious, since our real names were listed on our phones, to find out what would happen if I checked my old email. That was one more thing for tomorrow’s list.

I had Morgan make herself comfortable on the sofa while I went to grab some refreshments, but found Anza had beaten me to it by bringing in some wine glasses and a bottle of wine. We didn’t reach that blinding drunk Morgan had said she wanted, but we were all pleasantly floating, despite whatever super-enhancements govern such things.

Anza put Morgan in my room after she went to sleep, while I found blankets for us all. She could use her telekinesis to move Morgan more comfortably than I could. Then we went to her room and went to bed.

Morgan drowsily cocked open an eye, hearing her hosts enthusiastic cries, but couldn’t find it in herself to feel ill towards them. There was a bit of wistfulness, but her happiness for her friends was more important. Morgan snuggled deeper into the covers and returned to sleep.

 
Heroes of Justice: Discoveries

I found the morning full of discoveries. Anza was not a morning person, and wasn’t civilized until that second cup of coffee. Morgan, horrors, was a morning person and far worse, was cheerful. In our old world, I hadn’t been all that old, but had already picked up some of those lasting aches that waking up in the morning makes you all too aware of first thing. This morning I woke feeling wonderful! Get your mind out of the gutter! Waking up next to Anza was very nice, too.

Morgan had made some instant coffee and it had the magical effect of pulling Anza, half asleep, into the kitchen to get some. All three of us were hungry, but there wasn’t much left of Morgan’s gift from the night before, so it was decided we needed to go out to eat before meeting the guys.

We found some casual stuff in my closet to fit Morgan’s female form, and Cape dressed me, SEXILY casual, of course. Anza pouted when she saw how we were dressed, and went back to her room to change from the dress and heels to something more casual. Another discovery of the morning, it really does take women longer to get ready!

Thinking ahead, I got my keys and started the flower-power-car while Anza was still fussing over her make-up. Having Cape do mine for me was a delicious cheat! It was also good to know that I wasn’t an open book to her mind-reading thing! She was wondering how I got my make-up looking so good, but hadn’t connected it with Cape yet. Morgan, no surprise, managed the dressing and make-up quite well. Was there anything, she didn’t do well?

Not knowing New Riverside at all, we set the GPS/Map gadget for the mall and stopped at the first breakfast place we saw on the way, an International House of Waffles. It was embarrassingly funny, that Anza warned Morgan and I that we had to watch our figures now, and she’s the one that kept eying everyone else’s plate. I ordered the most chocolate filled breakfast I could get away with. Now I’ve always been a chocoholic, but I couldn’t get enough now. For three young women trying to watch their figures, we had far too many plates on our table! When Morgan gave an apoplectic look at us and ordered dessert, I couldn’t let her get away with that, so I got one too.

Besides, eating let me ignore all the looks we were getting, and they weren’t peeking at what we eating, either, unless they were looking to see if we had spilled food on ourselves, if you know what I mean. I’m not trying to be a prima-donna, but I was the best endowed of the three of us. Anza had the best posterior and legs, but Morgan, with her auburn hair and emerald green eyes, had the face that launched a thousand ships. At least some of the stories I’ve read on-line help me grasp what was going on, but it still made me uncomfortable.

We made sure to tip our server well, and headed towards the mall. Together we had a couple hundred dollars in cash, but didn’t have anything else. There were those ATM cards, but I wasn’t sure what the PINs would be. It looked like on our first full day as girls, that the shopping trip would have to wait. Besides, if I remember right, all I needed to do was find an outfit I liked, and Cape would memorize it. Isn’t having super-powers grand?

Turning on to Clairmont Dr., I could see the signs for the mall. Almost simultaneously I felt Cape’s alarm and Anza squeaked a warning, “Watch out!”

The entire pack of cars in front of us slammed on their brakes, some fishtailing madly. I guess I still have some guy inside still, because I was assuring my passengers that I had everything under control.

Anza squeaking still, “Not them, that!” pointing at a falling dot on the windshield.

A dot that was growing as it fell towards us. “Aw Crap!” I looked for some way to avoid the, yep, it was a Camry, and it was falling right at us. We were blocked in front and back, and couldn’t even turn.

Lights exploded in my face as instead, something rammed us from the side, and the airbags deployed! Deployed, what kind word is that for being slapped in the face by a bag of compressed air? I could feel though Cape that Anza and Morgan were okay, but I was feeling really weird.

It’s a cliché, but everything slowed downed and seem to take on a hard-edged pinkish tint. Looking to my right, I found that a large man in a red and white costume had slammed into us, pushing us out of the way of that pinwheeling flying Camry. In amazement I watched as, NO, it wasn’t Santa, did something like judo to redirect the impact of the car. Wrecked? Yes beyond any doubt. Crushed, with the people within dead? No.

When I saw the large white question mark on his chest, I realized that this was the Question. He still had parts of the Camry hanging off of him. He was checking the driver of the Camry, and he then looked over at us, I think. He was wearing some sort of solid face mask that was fashioned like a human face, but didn’t have openings I could see, so it was hard to tell.

He looked over the car, and then at me. I heard a deep male voice say, “Nice car” and he then tensed up and leaped 20 or 30 feet into air, heading in the direction from which the flying Camry had come.

Still in shock I crammed my head out the window to see what he’d been looking at. WOW! Despite being rammed in the side, Flower-power-car didn’t even have the paint chipped! Maybe there was more to it than I had first thought.

Back inside the car, Morgan was pointing out to a sheepish Anza that she could’ve used her Telekinesis to stop that Camry, instead of yelling at me to do something. She was climbing out and heading for the wreck, being paramedic trained. Anza grabbed the small first aid kit from Flower-Power and hurried over behind her.

Following Morgan’s directions I removed what was left of the door, so she and Anza could reach the driver. Professionally, the two of them checked the driver for injuries and eased him out of the wrecked Camry. They might have superhero powers, but their training and personalities were that of a paramedic and an ER nurse.

I looked around and saw that no one had noticed our good Samaritan-ship yet, but this was the age of camera phones. I tapped Anza on the shoulder and our telepathy tripped on again. It was a lot faster than talking, and she did some sort of TK thing that caused a mask to appear.

Morgan glanced up, and sighed. “I hate to admit it but you two are right, ‘hero time’ it is.” She shimmered and became that living crystal form s/he had told us about. If you thought that a diamond the size of a marble was dazzling, you have no idea what it is to see one the size and shape of a beautiful woman!

Cape changed me into our costume, and I kind of wish it had just provided me with a disguise. It could prove to be hazardous to my health to look like an obvious heroine.

Anza used her TK to lift the guy out of the Camry, and thankfully he was the only casualty so far. Morgan had discovered that diamond sharp fingernails were useful to cut away clothing from wounds. I unclipped the blue-tooth style headset that had an easy to find walkie-talkie selector switch. 911 was the first call I made and they told me that rescue vehicles were already on the way.

We could hear the battle taking place somewhere up ahead, and while my friends were busy aiding their patient, I let them know about the phones. “I’m going closer, to see if anyone else is trapped.

At Anza’s projected worried thought, I said, “Don’t worry! I’ll be careful and won’t get involved in the fight. You two are useful here, but I’m not. I can scout, and try to get some of these people out harm’s way.” I saw Morgan make the old 'keep your head down' hand signal. I shot her a 'thumbs up' and headed to the sound of the guns, as Kipling would say.

I saw some heads bobbing out of windows as drivers craned to see what was happening. Now my costume is stylistic medieval armor, red tinted mail, with pauldrons, gorget, and other solid parts a metallic blue. The boots and greaves are red with metallic blue metal inserts. My identity is kept safe by a combination of make-up and a domino mask. Top all of this off with a Royal Blue flowing Cape and I made an imposing figure. Did I mention the 3 inch heels on the boots?

It was all smoke and mirrors, courtesy of Cape. All of this had the appearance of armor but not the mass and weight. I don’t think Cape knew anything about the laws of conservation of mass and energy, because it sure did ignore it a lot!

Urging people to leave their cars for the hopeful safety of a nearby strip mall, I walked forward, keeping calm to prevent panic, at least I hoped I was. Cape was feeling a little impatient, but hey, I wasn’t wanting to get into a fight here! I radioed back to the girls that I was sending people to the strip mall out of harms way, but hadn’t seen anyone one else hurt.

Unfortunately, that didn’t last long. Up ahead I found a Ford mini-van that looked as if someone had hit with it an anti-tank gun. The entire front end, including the motor, was crushed. The driver was a young mother who was unconscious and had been wedged in tight when the front collapsed. There was a baby in the back crying, and thankfully, it looked all right.

Calling Morgan, she said, “Get the baby out, but remove the entire baby seat carefully, don’t rock it around. If there are injuries, the seat should help support it.”

I could hear the crashing of the battle going on and we felt that there was less chance of death if I got everyone out now! They were moving up now, having found someone to watch their first patient. Thank God, Morgan had battlefield medical training!

I had to force the non-sliding passenger door open, and with Cape’s help, I got the baby out. I was beginning to notice that there were times when I asked it to do things that apparently it hadn’t been asked to do before, because I could “feel” the surprise and delight. Cape was like an overeager child or dog wanting to help. This time I asked for a “sharp edge” to cut the seatbelt securing the child seat.

Sure enough, Cape was surprised, but produced a blade from one of my gauntlets that did the job just fine. Not too far away was one of those low brick walls used as a sign for a bank next to the strip mall, and after letting the girls know where it was, I put the baby-seat behind it. Stuff was beginning to fly my way again. I couldn’t even see what was causing it to come my way, but it must be one hell of a fight!

I was determined that this kid would still have a mother when this was finished and stayed next to the poor woman trapped within, praying for Morgan and Anza to hurry. Cape started deflecting some of the smaller flying debris and taking its cue, I started trying to do so myself. This was not a lark. These things were whizzing around like bullets!

A fragment or two spranged off of my armor (Cape?), but I was getting the hang of it! True to form, the pieces got bigger and head sized missiles were zooming all over! Cape was kind of acting like a ‘combat information center’ on a Navy ship. CIC would provide information on what was coming in from where and how dangerous it was, so the best decision on how to deal with it could be made.

This was the first time that I’d had a chance to experience just how different I was now. The speed and agility I had now was exhilarating! Part of the strangeness for all of this was that while I was now a woman, I was much stronger than before.

I got a glimpse of the author of all of this when I saw the over-muscled lump of Man Mountain careen into a tractor trailer so violently that it exploded! He passed all the way though it like a bullet though Jell-O â„¢ and vanished out of sight. A tall woman carrying a huge two handed mallet leaped over a row of cars after him.

Being busy keeping one of those tractor’s tires from smashing into my charge, I didn’t see what happened to them next. I was concerned about the baby, too, but it looked okay behind that sign. Cape started warning me about a threat coming my way, but wasn’t screaming red alert. I decided to keep on playing Missile Commander for Mom.

The flood of missiles had almost stopped when a foot slapped me in the face. I say slapped, because it didn’t really hurt just kinda stung a bit. The foot belonged to a Hispanic woman dressed all in black leather who landed rather arrogantly next to the mini-van.

“Hey chica! We came for Man O’muscles, but we’ll take two for the price of one,” She had more than a little accent. She was just begging for me to hit her, but I didn’t want to fight. It’d just been a few seconds since I’d talked to the girls, but I was wishing they would hurry!

“When I scented your power, I knew that this was going to be a good day. I want that bonus, so why don’t you come along with me and join up with the syndicate like a good little chica?” she threatened.

‘This just gets better and better. She is some sort of telepath able to sniff out superpowers or something, but might be much more, since she is trying to goad me into attacking first.’ The only hand to hand training I’d ever had was a bit in boot camp, and some Hapkido from being stationed in Korea some years back. Hell, I was still trying to walk comfortably in these 3 inch stilts.

“I’m not interested in your syndicate or in being a criminal, and I don’t want to fight anyone, so please, just go away,” I said to her.

“So you’re just Mary Poppin’s looking out for Snow White over there,” she answered scornfully. She turned and struck the van!

“Hey, don’t do that, she’s hurt!” I warned her.

“Or you’re going to do what, chica?” she smiled nastily.

Trying to think of some way to get rid of this Bi---witch without a fight, and failing, I fell back on an old Nuke Cnorris line, “I’ll hit you with so many lefts you’ll beg for right,” I boasted.

With an ugly little laugh the Bi--witch kicked the van again, harder, “Oh I’m so scared! Is Mary Poppins going to hit me now?”

Hoping that Anza was doing her telepathy thing with me, I sent, “I've got a witch threatening the mom over here, and I’m going to try and lure her away. Sorry about not keeping my promise not to fight.”

I threw a punch at her, expecting her to dodge or block, which she did with ease. Hitting her wasn’t what I wanted to do. I just wanted her to stop striking the van. She skipped backwards, throwing a kick at me.

We danced awhile and I was getting the feel of this, like with the missiles. My reflexes were much faster now. Add in Cape’s ability to predict her attacks, and it was easy. What made it hard was that I was still learning how to move with these “hips” and the longer legs. It was weird, being awkward and superior all at once.

The whole thing reminded me of an issue of ‘Bug-Eyed’-Man where he was facing some kung-fu guys, and although they had training, his speed was just so much faster he could fake everything they could do and was a lot stronger.

She was figuring that out, too. Apparently she expected me to be a compete neophyte at this, because of my attitude and clumsiness, but I had the abilities and powers of a very experienced roughhouser. To my faster senses it was if I had all the time in the world to figure what my next move would be.

Frankly, as long as we were moving away from the Mom, I was doing my job. The witch had decided to try something new, but Cape gave me warning as her hand sparkled red. When I dodged her blow, it smashed into a window shattering the safety glass.

Morgan radioed me that they had the baby and were moving the Mom. I acknowledged, when she said, “Since it’s no use pretending that we’re going to able to not fight, just take that bimbo out and stop playing with your food.”

The witch had decided that I was too much for her, and was making a break for it. What the hey, I used my flight to leap over her and engulf her in Cape to suffocate her. Caught by surprise, she did struggle, but was soon unconscious. I avoided doing any permanent damage by using Cape to sense when she was out.

A short distance away in the wreckage of the Mall’s parking lot I could see Question was battling a clawed snake-man with wings. It gave a whole new meaning to going at someone tooth and nail, because that was exactly what ‘Scaly’ was doing. The Question looked if he was having a tough time fighting him, as the snake was wrapped around him like a boa constrictor.

I didn’t think I could help, besides I wasn’t here to fight! Still carrying the witch wrapped in Cape, I went back to the trapped mom and her minivan. Morgan and Anza had gotten her free and were working on her. Trying to think of a way to restrain my Hispanic sparring partner, I looked down at my costume and got an idea.

*Cape, can you alter her clothes to bind her so she can’t move?* I asked.

What I got back was another feeling somewhat like, *Oboy, Oboy, yeah, yeah, I do good, (pant, pant)!”

A second or two passed, and this time I definitely felt a drain, so at least of some the energy Cape used, came from ME. Then it released the witch and immediately my face turned very red!

The sniffer was still dressed in black leather, but now it covered her from neck to toe, with the pants becoming a hobble skirt down to her ankles, with black boots locked together with small chains. Her top wasn’t much better, with a skin tight corset and her arms bound together with black straps and buckles. She gave the appearance of just coming from a bondage flick. No, I don’t want to know where Cape had learned about that “outfit”!

Morgan and Anza were looking at me in speculation, and all I could do was stand there in opened mouthed denial. I had not intended something as provocative as that. Meanwhile, they had gotten the mom free of the wreckage. Anza, using her TK moved her out of street. Morgan was carrying the baby and I had the witch.

I felt Cape’s warning a split second before Anza’s TK force screen sprang to life. “We have company coming,” I told Morgan. “It might be some of her friends,” I pointed at the witch.

Morgan a little exasperatedly, “Then drop her, we’ve got our hands full.”

I really didn’t want to, because I was afraid that she might be able to find us now that she had a ‘scent’ to follow. I sighed, for Morgan did have a point. It was a question of short term advantage versus long term problem. I didn’t drop her on the payment. I placed her there thank you very much. Please, no charges of brutality!

It was about then a big red boot caught me in the face. I had just enough time to throw up a hand before I went flying away to crash into a car. “The insurance companies sure aren’t going to like this’, the silly thought came to me as I crunched into a Honda.

Blinking away stars, I saw I wasn’t hurt, but I’d sure felt that! The owner of that boot was dressed in a red costume and moved in a way that told me we had trouble. He was a big fellow, somewhere near seven feet, and moved in that flowing way hard trained fighters have.

I had just enough training to know a few key secrets. When skill and reflexes are equal, size does matter. Yeah a little guy can sometimes take down a much larger man, but that’s when he has the skill and the bigger one doesn’t. The third leg of the secret of fighting is intent. If you are intent on hurting your opponent and don’t care how much you have to get hurt to do it, you have an advantage. That’s why suicide bombers are so damn dangerous. They are willing to die to hurt YOU!

Big Red looked to have two of the three on his side. Unfortunately, for him, it was my lover he was going after. Morgan had just turned, when he round-house kicked her, and the baby went flying! I threw myself forward, tying to reach it when the baby slowed and stopped as Anza’s TK dragged it behind her force screen.

I used my new speed and strength to try to make up the difference in skill, but he was a much better fighter than the witch had been. The yellow belt I’d earned wasn’t enough, as Big Red blocked my every strike. My only advantage was Cape being able to give me enough warning to at least partially block his return blows. Too much like that old Baffey Buck cartoon quote “Ha! Ho ha! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! (*sproinggggg!*!),” I missed a block, and flew spinning away, giving another insurance appraiser a job as I smacked into yet another car.

Big Red then spun around and threw a kick at Anza! She’d been steadily moving away, but damn didn't he move fast! The good news was her screen held, but the bad news was that she was carrying the baby and the mom, as well as keeping the screen up. He wound up to strike her again, and missed seeing the line of burning asphalt that was heading for him.

I turned and saw Morgan guiding a beam of light onto Big Red. He jerked around when it connected and that was when she cut loose! She was still in crystal form and was kinda glowing, sparkling-like. The light was coming from her hand. When she had it on target, all of that light concentrated itself into a single beam that left afterimages in my eyes.

Up to then he hadn’t said a thing. He sure screamed now, and I’m not even going to talk about the smell.

I ran over to Anza, yelling “I’m going to carry you, hang on!” Cape wrapped around her like a harness and I took off flying as fast as I could. She was still TK carrying mom and the baby so I couldn’t fly too high. My character sheet said that Mystery could fly about 45 mph. All I know is that by the time we got to where the EMS was, I heard one hell of a big crash from where I’d left Morgan. Crap!

Leaving Anza behind, I took off, heading back to my friend. She was laying unconscious, half in half out of a seriously totaled Chevy and Big Red was studying how to get the witch loose from her new clothes. I flipped in the air and changed my flight into a drop kick aimed for his damn head. I felt the impact from my feet clean to my teeth, and saw lights flashing in my eyes for a moment.

I had finally knocked him down, but he was still moving. I wasn’t about to give him the chance to recover and ran over just in time to eat that damn boot again. Does sucker mean anything to you?

Pulling myself to my feet, I could see he had a really nasty looking burnt looking wound from Morgan. What I didn’t like was the look in his eye, which told me that he was starting to get pissed. He didn’t walk toward me so much as he slid smoothly.

I glanced over in Morgan’s direction hoping that she had come to. That was a mistake. I never saw the boot that smashed me in the face.

Up till now I guess that Cape and my natural toughness had kept me from feeling any real pain from this fracas. I sure as hell felt it now. Cape was gently tapping my face, trying to get me moving when I was able to shake the daze away.

Lying in the wreckage of a Dodge, covered in broken safety glass, I moaned. Considering that Big Red had trashed a car with my flying body, a split lip and a bleeding nose wasn’t doing too badly.

Now try to understand that I’m not a violent person, but being able to fly, and the other superhuman stuff was fun! Power-tripping was a word I had never really understood until now! Unfortunately, it was also short lived.

Snaking out of the broken glass and twisted metal, I froze. Looking behind me I saw a broken body that had taken my crash a lot harder than I had. I think it was a guy, but with all of the blood, it was hard to tell. If it hadn’t been for Anza’s mental voice shouting at me though our bond, I don’t think I would have been able to do anything at all.

She had felt my shock and we merged for a moment. I felt her concern, because she had been terrified that something BAD had happened to me. Seeing a man so mangled he couldn’t be recognized was a new experience for me, and not a nice one. Seeing one that was that way because of me, was beyond shocking.

Anza got me moving, and with the still new and strange bond we shared, she 'told' me what to do. The weird thing was Cape, acting as if Anza was talking to it to as we stopped the bleeding and Cape merged and transformed the wounded man’s clothes into bandages and pressure-dressings.

The remainder of my shock was wiped away, when a large red gloved hand grabbed Cape and yanked us from the car! I could feel Cape’s shock and shame that it had let someone sneak up on us, but it was a measure of the depth of our merge with Anza.

“At first I thought you were just a piece of fluff, pretty, but beneath my notice. I see now that perhaps there is more to you in spite of your misplaced compassion for inferiors. Once I saw how you had redecorated my Hispanic companion, I could see that you have potential.” Big Red’s arrogant and cultured voice poured like syrup.

You might be laughing out there, but I could 'feel' the charisma coming from him like a furnace. Those were damn lousy pick-up lines, but I’d been a real girl for less than two days. Never having been the object of such before, I was a little confused. Oh yeah, covered in blood and still in a daze from Anza’s rapport might had something to do with it, too.

“Come with me. Stop your useless fighting and I’ll be merciful to your companions. You may call me Persuader,” the big man in red finished with a flourish.

The way the charm came off of him was overpowering, in a too much aftershave kinda way. As powerful as it was he had a few things working against him. I was bonded to a very powerful telepath who was still in rapport with me, and the blood of the person I had crashed into because of him was still wet on my hands. All in all, he didn’t have a chance in hell.

Kicking my legs up with Cape to support me, I kicked Persuader in the face as hard, and as fast as I could. It made me think of the 'Matrix' movie and the “I know Kung Fu” scene. My anger sort of used it as a template for my fury as I executed an impossible forward flip over Persuader, while continuing to kick him in the head.

The 'Matrix' had used wire work and CGI effects to fake all of those outrageous fighting moves. With Cape, and my new strength, I didn’t need any stinking wires. Spinning around using Cape to defy gravity, I pounded his kidneys as hard as I could.

I was letting my temper drive me, but was still a bit in control. Big Red reeled under my onslaught and I gave him all of the frustration and anger that had been bottled up for a long time. Don’t let this fool you about me being a great fighter, NOT! Surprise, and just opening the plain old proverbial can of “Whoop-Ass” had him back on his heels, but certainly not out of the game.

It didn’t take long to prove that point, as he struck me with what I think was a one-two combination. Hard to tell which, with the lights in my head blinking off and on. This time I knew that letting myself hit a car was a BAD thing, and Cape, following my wishes acted like a drag-chute on a top fuel dragster.

Ouch, my poor face! I could feel it hurting, but really didn’t care. He had such a dumb-founded look on his face as I regained my senses and landed lightly. Cape must be a part attack-dog, because I felt its “Let’s kick his Ass” response.

Getting set to make Cape happy, I heard a male growl on my headset that had somehow stayed with me, “Heads up!” Cape gave me a warning to duck, as three hundred pounds of snarling were-wolf went bulleting over my head! Shit, it was Wolfen! The guys are here.

If I’d thought the look on Persuader’s face was priceless when Cape stopped me from crashing, the look when Wolfen hit him was a work of art! Still being too angry to sit this out, I leaped at Big Red and got passed by the gold suited Streeter, rocketing by whirling his side handled police baton like tonfas.

With Wolfen drooling all over the top of Persuader, Streeter smacked his right knee with his clubs. Taking a clue from this, I had Cape alter my leap into a flying kick at the other kneecap!

It might have worked, too, but for one little problem. Mark was a sheet metal worker, and he was trying to intimidate this guy into, well, giving up. The guy, however, was a harden criminal at best, and perhaps even a murderer. Startled by the were-wolf in his face? Yes. Ready to give up? No!

Big Red grabbed a handful of fur and with a yip, Wolfen went flying away. He then protected his knee from Tom, using the meaty part of his thigh like a Thai Kick-boxer. What happened to me you ask? That damn red boot in the face again, of course!

This time was it was different, because with Cape’s predictive help, I got my hands on him! I was ready to do what Wham Wham used to do on the old Stoneflints cartoon, and use his foot to slam him into the pavement a few times. Until that is, Cape bought to my attention a rather large American Indian falling towards us, Will!

OK, just how strong am I now? Well, Mystery’s character sheet said she could lift about three and half tons. That’s oh, lets say, large cars, small trucks, and other things a woman isn’t supposed to be to even be able to move, much less pick up. Just remember that Persuader had been taking blows from me, and who it was who kept eating that damn red boot!

Judging where Renegade was going land, I threw him to the ground right, there still keeping control of his foot like a professional wrestler. If a second wrestler the size of a full grown Kodiak Bear could start from forty feet up instead of the top rope, you might have some idea of what happened when the madly grinning Will landed.

The impact bounced me high into the air as if the asphalt was a trampoline. Cape retarded my fall and I got a ring side seat of ten feet and one ton of muscled superhero smacking the living daylights out of Persuader. Morgan wasn't exaggerating when she said Will was huge. Looking around I saw that Question had put Scaly out for the count, but now was toe to toe with that woman with the mallet I had seen beating the snot out of Man-Mountain earlier.

That wonderful burst of anger induced energy had passed, and now I was panting hard. I let Cape drift us back down to the ground. It was then that my boot-abused face started to throb, along with my other battle injuries.

Tom, in his Streeter costume, bounded up to me, “Heyareyoualright” in rapid-fire Streeter-speak.

Trying not to talk because my face was hurting, I pointed over at the still unconscious Morgan.

Streeter gave a quick nod and flashed over to her, while I looked to see what had happened to Big Red. Renegade held him unconscious in one huge hand, and with some grunting, I got his attention.

Looking where I was pointing, he gave a nod and wind up and threw Big Red like a baseball at where Miss Mallet and Question were squared off.

Taken by surprise she was knocked flying when he struck her. Question gave us a nod and then leapt out of sight after her.

The only good news about this was at least no one was attacking us right now. I could see in the distance some others flying ,and the sounds of property damage in progress. Thankfully not near us. Anza had moved up and was helping the poor man I had landed on. I felt her dismay when she saw my face and her flash of temper that went with it.

Depending on what I was beginning to think was our soul bond, I sent to her, “I’m fine, please help that guy and Morgan.”

Her answer was little unwillingly, but her professionalism won. She gave her assent, but not before her expression made it clear to me I would be hearing about this later.

I could see Scaly had recovered enough to stand now, or was that, rearing up on its tail? He was counting the odds, and must not have liked them. He gave a hop over to Big Red and scooped him up, then keeping an eye on us, he slid backwards a couple feet and dove into the same hole he must have attacked Question from.

Soon the reason for his decision came clear as Wolfen and Renegade came up beside me. Damn but, Will was huge! I know that his Hero-form was bigger than human normal when he channeled that bear spirit of his, but he was larger than our flower-power car!

Streeter had joined the three of us and they were looking at me a bit uneasily. The last time they’d seen me, I had been a heavyset guy, and not a woman with a heels and a bleeding lip. Yeah, that's right, it was my other assets they were looking at, and not my split lip. I guess I couldn't blame them but being 'checked out' by a group of guys who were my friends was unsettling as all get out. For that matter being ogled by any group of guys just wasn't on my to do list. It wasn’t even lunch time yet, so I wondered what new surprises were waiting for me.

A bit self-consciously, I mumbled pass my split lip, “Maybe we need to get out of here before someone else shows up? If you guys can get transport, Anza and I can take these folks to the Medics.

Not knowing what to make of me, Mark asked in disbelief, “Greg is that really YOU?”

“Hey!” Anza interjected, “I have a person here who is in critical condition here. Morgan is coming to and seems just a bit rattled, so can we please finish introductions later?”

That’s when all three guys gave Anza a double take, realizing she had to be Danny.

Grimacing at the smile that came to my bruised mouth, I suggested, “Shall we, gentlemen?”

Nodding, the three guys helped Morgan, now in male mode, as they hurried off. I wrapped Anza like I had before in Cape to fly with her so she could concentrate on her patient. As I flew towards the sea of flashing emergency lights, I sighed wondering what would happen next. Feeling Anza's presence with me gave me hope it would all work out for the best.

Needless to say there was a little consternation among the emergency crews when we landed. We weren't recognized Superheroes and with all the mayhem in the Clairmont Mall parking lot, they had a real concern that the combat was spreading to them.

That didn't last long, for the second her feet hit the ground Anza was barking orders like the experienced Emergency Room Nurse she was. Everyone gave me a wide berth and I can't say I blame them. Maybe I was being hard on myself, but I had nearly crushed that poor guys to death. OK it was inadvertent, but still, you know.

Cape waving in the breeze tapped me on the shoulder yanking me back to reality and pointed out the all too official looking SWAT like team moving purposely towards us. They had blue futuristic armor and weapons and looked as if they meant business. Oh yeah, the pair of hovering heavily armed Attack Helicopter-like things with them didn't look any too peaceful, either.

I quick stepped to Anza and with a helpful flash from our growing bond made her aware of our impending trouble. She gave me a annoyed look I knew it wasn't for me, but for our incoming welcoming committee.

Shrugging, I let her make the decision to bug out or not. Although I wasn't happy with staying around and confronting the oncoming officials, I'm not about to give a professional orders in a life or death situation, especially when I'm the one who put the said sap there to start with. It was clear that they had seen me become aware of them and were hustling to reach us. Well at least those nasty flying Helicopter things with all the guns and rockets hanging off of them were holding off because of us being in the middle of the treatment area.

It was clear that Anza felt needed here, but I think she saw the danger we were bringing to these people just by being here. She sighed, “Misty you fly and I'll hide us?”

I gave a silent prayer of relief and smiled, for it was an old tactic we had used before in games. Both of us could fly, and she was even the much faster flier. The thing was, Cape was ignorant of all kinds of laws like the conservation of motion and momentum. This made me agile as all get out in the air. With me carrying her, leaving her free to use her considerable mental abilities to confuse things, we were a hard act to follow.

Scooping her up I flew upwards and started jinking like a starfighter with a DoomStar after at it. Looking down I could see our committee was very disappointed at our sudden departure. Tough luck boys! If they wanted to play there were still enough fireworks going on at the Mall to keep anyone busy. I think they were picking on us because like the old joke about the speeder and the Highway patrolman, we were the only ones they could catch!

Those Helicopter things did roar after us, but with Anza's mental illusions and my evasive maneuvers it wasn't hard to lose them. The only problem that came up was I was enjoying myself a little too much. Yep, I'm one of those people with their arms flying wild on the roller coasters, screaming their fool heads off!

“Missy! You're making me sick! Stop!” she yelled though our link and my ear!

Red faced I leveled out from the roll I’d just made, “I'm sorry about that.” I made sure it was safe and started flying a little more sensibly but oh my, I was flying! Whee! You would think after what happened in that fight I would have learned my lesson, but I was finding out power-tripping was more addictive than any drug I could think of.

Using her phone's headset, she found where the others were and with a few false starts we were on our way. Give us some slack here. It's hard reading street signs from the air. We found ourselves at what could only be called a mini-mansion with, I hope, Tom's and Mark's limo parked in front. Anza was getting tired from the effort keeping us invisible and so we set down in the privacy of the backyard.

I steadied her and she gave me a grateful smile that took my breath away. Hearing a door open we looked up and saw our fellow dimensional castaways coming to greet us. She reached down and took my hand. No matter what we were in this together, and damning the torpedoes and prejudice we went to meet the guys we hoped still were our friends.

 

End of Part One.
 

Taking it in stride, Will replied humorously in a John Wayne accent, “Shucks Ma'am it weren't nuthing. Well, I guess I can sell him to you cheap, but I'm warning you, he bites!”   Mark gave him an evil stare. “Gee thanks, buddy. It's a good thing it wasn’t a silver hammer.” He eyed his injured digit, that was regaining its normal shape after presumably being flattened by Will, using the same hammer Mark was regarding with ill intent.   Heroes of Justice Part 2 by Grover

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Part I
 

Mystery

Hello there! I am glad that you are here. This story is based on twenty some-odd years of playing, and eventually game-mastering, role-playing-games such as “Dungeons and Dragons”, just to mention the most widely known.

The characters and players mentioned here have had their names changed to protect the guilty and above all, for privacy. The story was not written for profit, but for fun and as therapy for the afflicted. I, the author, reserve all rights for posting and publishing this work, and will accept the credits due, as well as the blame.

If any of the players and friends from whom I have shamelessly stolen dialogue and great ideas read this, know that you are thanked for the great times we had while playing, and if your character has been changed or misrepresented here, it is all my fault!
This is a mosaic work, the result of ideas that has fermented in my Id for longer than I would like to admit.

“Heroes of Justice” is NOT a game being published by anyone to the best of my knowledge. It and this world is an imaginary title to prevent anyone and/or company from being offended or God forbid, deciding it is copyright infringement. Remember this is fiction! Violence, sex and trans-gendered themes are represented in this story, so if you are not an adult or would be offended by such material, do NOT read any further.

Any resemblance to characters living, dead, in hibernation or otherwise is pure speculation. I want to offer a big thanks to all of those TG authors who write of heroes and fantasy, and keep the rest of us walking-wounded up and about with their great stories. I am talking about Maggie Finson, EE Nalley, Bob Arnold and many others from the “Whateley Academy”, “Belle of the Ball”, “Masked Marvels-Lady Lightning”, “Zapped!” and other stories, that keep me up nights waiting for them to post. One last thanks to John in that place that begins with the “W”, that I cannot pronounce, who unknown to him, read my first clumsy story. Warning: As it leaves my hands, the following story has bad grammar and misspelled words and other unspeakable horrors. Thanks go out to Jamie Lou for her efforts to correct my mistakes. Any remaining errors are mine. A special thanks goes to Cathy T for her encouragement and pre-read. I hope that this will satisfy those, we in the gaming hobby call Rules-Lawyers! Now as they say, “On with the Show!”

Heroes of Justice

Part II
by
grover

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Prologue:
 
The small coffee house, Hallowed Grounds sat on a small rise above New Riverside City Park. The scenic view from its large windows let one see the joggers and others enjoying the park’s many activities. In an out the way corner, sitting before a chessboard, was an old man. Hidden behind students nursing cups of their chosen brew while busily typing away on their laptops making use of the Wi-Fi zone, he sat alone. Ignoring the chatter of the other patron's keys and talk, he was absorbed in the game before him.

Few eyes looked up as the 'suit' entered. The young, expensively dressed man might have been handsome, if not for the predatory glare in his gray eyes. The clacking of his Italian leather shoes echoed loudly in the small shop over the continuous rattle of keystrokes and coffee mugs as he swaggered over to the comfortably rumpled senior citizen.

“How pathetically cliché, Chess?” the uninvited business-suited man scornfully observed.

Looking up from his board, the chess player gave the younger man a hard stare across the top of his glasses. “What would you suggest, Russian Roulette” he asked?

With a raptorial thin-lipped smile, the other replied, “Why not, I have no problems with games of sudden death.”

“Isn't that a little hard on your participants?” the old man replied raising a bushy gray eyebrow.

“No more so than you sacrificing pawns, Old Man.” He said arrogantly crossing his arms.

“Indeed? I make the best decisions I can for the greater good. Relying on the fickle hand of fate to favor my endeavors, No.”

“Tsk, tsk” the younger said disdainfully, “You take all the fun out life Old Man.”

Going back to study his game the older replied, “It is not fun or enjoyable to put other’s existence at risk. I only do so when absolutely necessary for the survival of all.”

The younger man gave a derisive snort. “Speak for yourself. After all why not? They are inferior beings.”

Not looking up, the old man said, “They all have their place in the greater scheme of things. Each is vital to the whole.”

The younger with a smirk on his thin face, sarcastically retorted, “So now you fall back on philosophic cliché’s?”

“Humph, cliché though they may be makes them no less true,” the older replied taking a slip of his coffee.

Rocking back and forth on his pricey leather shoes the other snorted while inspecting his manicured nails. “Even the pathetic unfortunates your incompetent servants conned onto your board? You just can't find good help anymore can you?”

Adjusting his glasses, the old man replied, “Yes, especially them. As for my servants they serve me willingly and not from fear or blackmail.”

Scoffing, the younger man snorted, “Half of them are perverts who can’t decide which restroom to use and the other half are a bunch of losers certain to be disgusted at the others’ perversions. You actually expect them to work together?” Laughing unkindly the young man snarled. “I don't think so!”

Putting his cup down, the chess player countered, “You don't give them enough credit. I suppose there will be problems, but I believe their friendship for each other is strong enough to overcome the inevitable misunderstandings. When you expect the worse from people that is what you receive,” He lectured while placing a finger on a bishop considering his move.

“Expect the worse Old Man? I count on it!” the other said with a gleam in his icy gray eyes.

“Is that why your chosen Champion is a desiccated corpse? Even the grave refused to have him.” The senior citizen said looking over the board with deliberate consideration.

The younger slightly inclined his head. “I admit he isn't much to look at, but he does have his charms. There is nothing like a bit of stark raving terror to insure loyalty of one‘s underlings.”

“I must disagree with you. Honesty, leadership, and compassion are the keys to loyalty. Fear creates nothing but more fear,” he said as he made his decision and repositioned the Queen's Knight.

Outside a man fell screaming wildly with a loud splash into the middle of the river. Startled park goers looking upwards for what he could have fallen from saw nothing. It was if somehow he had just appeared from thin air above the river before his fall. A couple of brave souls rushed forward into the chilly autumn waters to help him as he foundered about in shock

Looking at the rescue in progress with angry pinched lips the younger man splat, “Don't think this changes anything. I will prevail in the end. They are weak and will fail you, and then so much for you and your precious strategies. Put aside this ridiculous charade and face me Old Man!”

Calmly meeting the younger man’s angry gaze “No, I will not. To match my strength against yours would destroy this place regardless of which one of us triumphs. They deserve a chance to fulfill their own destinies. This may not be their homes and loved ones who are threatened but at heart, they are good people. They and the souls that live here deserve an opportunity, however slim it may be to defend this place.”

Peering up at the angry expensively dressed man from over the top of his glasses he said, “Your move.”

Making a visible effort to suppress his fury, but still shaking in anger the other grated, “No matter, by my strength or by my proxies, I will take this world Old Man.” He turned to leave, spitting his last words like a curse.

After taking another sip of his coffee, the old man put down his cup sighing. Looking out the window at the drama outside where the rescuers had dragged the unfortunate onto the bank while he coughed up the all the water he had swallowed back into the river, the senior citizen sighed, “We will see.”

***

Heroes of Justice: The Band of Heroes!

I would rather face Big Red again than those coming towards us right now. Anza's hand held mine tight and I could feel her loving presence inside and beside me. No, approaching us was a group worse than any group of supervillians or evil doers. They were our friends.

The turbulent feelings I had bouncing around in my stomach was much too energetic to be anything as mundane as butterflies. As dense and nasty as that twisting knot in my center felt it was more like a lump of plutonium. Yeah, that's the ticket! That would make the things whizzing about in my unsettled middle neutrons. Anytime now, they would start impacting that knot of plutonium. They would strip off other neutrons and start a super critical reaction, then Ka Blooie!

Ok I am exaggerating a little, but how in the blue blazes do we tell our three male friends that Anza and I, who use to be Danny and Greg, are now lovers and life partners? It is one thing to be transformed into super bodacious babes. Hey, it's not my fault! I was just role-playing this Super-Chick and then boom out of nowhere, bosom!

Telling them, the two guys who gamed with them were not only happy about misplacing the family jewels, but on top of that were now lesbian lovers? Oh and let us not forget the part where we want to stay that way! Maybe I am overreacting. They are our friends, right? How bad could it be?

Tom used to be a thin blond hyperactive guy and honestly, he had changed the least of us all at least in general appearance. He was more muscular now but like a swimmer or gymnast rather than a bodybuilder. It might be my imagination but it seemed I could still see traces of Tom in his new form as Duane Moors, Streeter. As he studied us and saw our grasped hands, his face frowned in a decidedly unfriendly expression.

Will, back home was another blond, but that was the only thing he had shared with Tom. Short and heavy set he had clearly showed his German ancestry. Now he towered over everyone else. He was the size of a professional wrestler bugling with muscles, but the most striking change to his appearance was now his American Indian ancestry. Walking lightly for such a huge guy, he still seemed self-conscious about his new height and bulk. His character's name of Jay Strong Bear, AKA Renegade fit him better than “Will” did now. The look of pure amazement and shock on his face as he stood there opened mouth looking at us beckoned someone to close it for him.

The last of the dreadful trio was Mark who once was the tallest but now was about the same height as Tom. He had always been muscular and fit, but now he could challenge champion bodybuilders with that incredible, well-defined build of his. His milk chocolate complexion had changed to a much darker black that almost made him look like an obsidian sculpture. He still resembled Mark somewhat but his wolf eyes gave no doubt this was not a man to cross. Mack Sirius, known as Wolfen was giving Anza a look reserved for prey. Absentmindedly, he reached over and closed poor Will's open mouth all the while not moving his amber gaze from MY lover! His desire for her was plainly visible.

I was expecting many things from this encounter but, nope, jealousy was not one of them. Werewolf or no Werewolf, she's mine buddy! I was not sure if this came from residue male conditioning or runaway hormones but with an effort, I managed to calm myself.

Anza was as unsettled by Mark as I, judging from her emotions bleeding over to me. It was my turn to give her a reassuring hand squeeze. Maybe she had been preparing to transition but that does not help when being eyed like a side of beef. Hell! He was worse than Tony the Tiger and that is saying a mouthful sister!

Morgan was bringing up the rear and I could see him sigh as he felt the tension overflowing in the backyard. Our first time seeing him in his 'male-mode', Morgan reminded me of Tom Sell-something from that old detective show set in Hawaii 'Maximum PI.' His rugged good looks contrasted with his other ID as the superheroine Lady Diamond, who was the exact opposite, being ultra feminine. As Heath Hefner, he looked every inch the rugged reporter. Morgan knew about us already and had proven to be a true friend.

Releasing Anza's hand, I stepped in front of her and crossed my arms. “So you Guys did not have any problems getting home, Mark?

He was at least a foot taller than I am now and twice as broad. Looking up at him reminded me that while everyone else had stayed the about same height or gotten taller, I had shrunk. Not that I have had time to find how much given the chaos of the last day.

Mark gave me a startled expression as if he had not even noticed me until now. I relaxed just a little. He might only be adjusting to his new circumstances. Imagining how much testosterone a male werewolf might produce made a shiver run up my spine.

My body's current estrogen hormone might cause me to cry, lust after my friend, and any number of other problems that had yet to manifest themselves, but I would not trade them for the world. I never hated the male of my species, but I never had much use for them either. The thought of being a walking industrial testosterone factory like Mark the werewolf, made my flesh crawl.

What made my head hurt was Mark was the most laid back person I had ever known. To have him come on so strong was way out of character for him. Well it was for Mark anyways. There was a lot we did not know about the people we were now. Who is to say about Mack Sirius?

Looking pass Mark, I could not miss Morgan’s exasperated expression — no doubt at our silliness. He was moving a bit unsteadily, which helped divert my attention from Mark’s predatory stance. Big Red, otherwise known as Persuader, had knocked Lady Diamond, Morgan's alter ego out cold. It is no wonder he was still unsteadily.

I could feel Anza asserting control over her anxiety over Mark's rudeness and it reminded me that despite how much this transformation had caused her to blossom she was a new comer to 'being a natural woman' too.

Her Emergency Room Nurse persona reestablished itself when she asked, “Where are the first aid supplies? Morgan and Misty needs medical attention,” she said taking command of the situation.

Tom stood there with his arms folded clearly stating his opinion without saying a word. Will had the good graces to look apologetic and even Mark averted his lupine graze.

“Hello? I have patients here. Could at least one of you three get me whatever you have for medical supplies? There should be one in the Limo, kitchen or bathroom” Anza directed with her eyes flashing and waving the empty, basic first aid we had recovered from our flower-power-mobile.

My split lip helped me not to smile as she admonished our three friends. It did remind me we had to do something about getting our VW girl-power car from the mall battleground and cook up a good story to hide our IDs while doing it.

Will blinked his eyes a few times shaking off his daze. “I'll check the house.”

Morgan suggested while carefully probing his head. “Mark, why don't you toss Will the Limo keys and he can check both. I need to talk to you. Girls could you do us a favor and change out of the super-suits please? I don't think we need to risk further discovery although Tom does has a privacy fence here.”

Feeling a little sheepish, Anza and I shared a small revelation that it had not occurred to us to change because we had felt threatened. Trust is a two-way street and it was up to us to try to re-earn it. Cape was a little grudging about this because it seemed quiet fond of Anza. That was a bombshell! Well it was as if the family dog had decided the new pack member was okay in its book.

It did not escape me that the outfit Cape dressed me in, the leather pants, loose blouse, vest, fingerless gloves, and flat-heeled boots was making a statement. It was an outfit suitable for fighting as well as presenting an aggressive appearance. I thought that for once Cape put me into something that did not ooze sex. That is until I caught Anza’s appreciative thoughts. Oh great, I wondered which it was: a dominatrix or maybe Goth?

Anza dropped the harlequin-like mask she had on. Relaxing her telekinesis the bits and pieces of dust, paper and other stuff fell away revealed for what they really were. It may not seem like much of a disguise but she had also used her powers to press her full hair close to her scalp giving the impression it was shorter. Now almost magically it became fuller and seemed more alive.

I stood there spellbound frozen as I watched. No glamorous model could hope to complete with Anza, no matter how much they slung their manes about. Yeah she was cheating, if you wanted to call it that, by using her powers. But if you got it, you got it. Believe me, she could sell a supertanker full of hair stuff and did not have to do a cotton picking thing other than just stand there running her telekinesis though her long, dark tresses.

A low growl reminded me we had others as an audience. I looked over at Mark who was still trying to make like the Call of the Wild. How do you tell a good friend he is being a jerk? Not wanting to cause any more damage to my sore face much less sour relations with my friend, I tried to catch Morgan's eye.

Morgan was way ahead of me. He tapped Mark on the shoulder and addressed us. “Anza could you look at Mystery first please? Tom, Mark we need to talk. ” He led them a short distance away from the small gazebo Anza had appropriated for her outdoor clinic.

Anza sat me down and I felt a tingle across my face as Cape removed my makeup. I was growing suspicious that Cape had no need what so ever of actually applying my makeup. It simply seemed to enjoy doing so.

Anza's gentle touch as she softly probed the damage caused me to wince. “You look like you've gone a few rounds with Blocky Ralboa. Nothing is broken considering all the crushed cars I saw from your, 'don’t worry I'm not going to get into a fight' stunt. Do you have any idea of how you scared me half to death feeling you freak out after you took off flying back to Morgan?” She sighed. “I felt your panic so intensely; I thought something had happened to you.”

I gently touched her arm. “I'm sorry Anza. When I heard that crash from where we left Morgan, I had to get back to her. It was foolish I know, but what else could I have done? You had that mom and baby to take care of and I didn't know where the guys were.”

Anza snorted and poked at a spot that caused tears to well up in my eyes. “How else do you think our three daring Amigo's got there in time to ride to your rescue? I called them of course, but no, you had to go flying off to the rescue. Well, at least you are all right. You’re healing very quickly. These look they’re already several days old, not less than an hour. By the end of the day you won't need a bricklayer applying your makeup to hide your shiners.”

We both jumped as our headset sparked to life and it took us a moment to realize Morgan was broadcasting his talk to Mark and Tom. Leave it to Morgan to notice we still had our earphones in. Feeling a pang of conscious, I started to say something but Anza quieted me with a finger to my bruised lips. Sighing, I listened in guiltily while trying to understand Tom's rapid-fire blurts.

***

Morgan: “Mark what the hell were you doing? Aren’t they having enough problems without you acting like that? Tom what's your problem? We all knew they changed into their characters just like us.”

Tom: “What a pair of Homo's.”

Morgan: “For Gawd's sake Tom are you prejudiced or something? They’re our friends. Besides, haven’t I heard you talk about how much you like girl on girl stuff before? You don’t seem to have a problem with lesbians.

Tom: “It's Greg and Danny and not a pair Of Lesbians. They are Freaking Guys!”

Morgan: “I talked to them last night. They found themselves naked in a dressing room in a strip club as women. I know I would've had hysterics, but they calmly got dressed and walked out. On top of that, afterwards when they saw they were being followed, they came up with a very smart diversion. What were you doing at the time? Screaming in panic bouncing off the inside of that car until Mark poured a fifth Johnny Walker Black down your throat?”

Tom: “It's Not The Same Thing! They Were Guys damn it!”

Morgan: “I'll draw you a picture. Esperanza is a powerful telepath, right?”

Tom: “Yeah she's a mentalist, so?”

Morgan: “Mystery has empathic abilities because of her Cape and that helps her discover those who mean her harm or lie to her. You with me so far?”

Tom: “Yeah, they both have the Mentalist thing going. So what, so does Streeter. Both he and Mystery is much the same. I spent my points on reflexes and telekinesis while Greg used his for Mystery on extra strength and the ‘is-there-danger-about’ Empathy thing.”

Morgan: “Then too bad you weren't in that room with Esperanza when you got here. On the other hand, maybe it was a good thing you weren't. Seeing a beautiful attractive woman without meaning too, she reached out with her powers. Mystery, seeing the same thing must have done something similar. So here, they are experiencing what each other is feeling. I don't know if might have been something like self-reinforcing feedback but they got linked or mentally bound together somehow. Now do you understand?

Mark: “Oh Crap!”

Morgan: “Yes Mark, crap. I think the two of them are coping very well considering. I can't say the same of you two. We'd heard Tom's sorry excuse what's yours?

Mark: “Heh, heh, hmmm... I didn't mean too, it's just Esperanza is so fluking beautiful. That was one thing, but then I scented her. I mean I can smell things a lot better now, but when I caught hers, I couldn't help myself. Sorry”

Tom: “For Gawd’s sake Danny is a guy Mark!”

Mark: “Maybe back home wherever that is, but here and right now, I can assure that she is all woman. Besides, I don’t have any problems at all with a pair of smoking hot lesbians getting it on. I didn't have any problems with being Wolfen till this happened.”

Morgan: “Tom, as far as the two of them are concerned the other is female and their powers won't let them ignore each other. Both of them think that even if we get home they still will be bound together and neither one is happy with that.”

Mark: “What's the problem Tom? We might be struck here anyways. I'm just glad I wasn't playing one of my female characters.”

Tom: “You don’t understand. It's not right! What's wrong with you guys?”

Morgan: “If we have any chance at all of getting home we’re going to have to work together. Tom come back here. Damn!”

Mark: “We've screw this up, haven't' we?”

Morgan: “I hope he comes to his senses. This came out of nowhere. Has he always like this?”

Mark: “He doesn't talk about it much. I think it comes mostly from his dad. They don't get along so I don't have a clue why Tom is acting like so much like him.”

Morgan: “Are you going to storm off too, or are you going to apologize to our friends for being a rude jerk?”

Mark: “Ugh, in person? I mean they already know. My ears are almost as good as my nose even if not as quite as sharp as when I’m Wolfen‘s. I can hear the background hiss from their radios. May we have some privacy?”

***

A click ended our eavesdropping, giving both of us nervousness tittering giggles. We looked at each other. “That could've gone better” we chimed in stereo, which set off another round of giggles. Mark was still talking to Morgan, but we saw Tom storming off for the house in a rapid huff that would have been an outright sprint for anyone else. Alas, poor Will was trying to squeeze his bulk sideways out the patio doors as Tom came charging in.

It would have been comical if we had not been so stressed out about what was happening. Tom bounce off Will as if he had run into a stonewall. Rather than hit the lawn, Tom, with his jacked-up metabolism, twisted around like a cat on amphetamines. What made it so funny it was not at all graceful. Arms and legs were flying all over the place, but he still landed upright, even if he was fighting for balance on one foot.

Will, just noticing someone had collided with him looked around with an expression of pure innocence. Seeing Tom still trying to recover his balance, he went over to help forgetting he still had not cleared the doorway. With a crack, the French-style patio door snapped off from its hinges. There was Will holding the broken door with one ham-sized hand and a first aid kit palmed in the other. Tom giving Will a dark look hurried past, while the embarrassed Will tried to apologize on the fly as the other passed by.

After Tom's hostile comments and Mark's animalistic lust, Will's simple bewilderment at what was going on was a welcomed change. Shaking his head, he ambled over after finding a place to lean the patio door against. “What was that all about?” his deep voice rumbled as he handed over the kit.

Anza opened it and looked though it. “Tom is having a little trouble with Mystery’s and my new situation.” Looking up at Will who had to ducked his head to enter the gazebo she asked, “How about you Will? Are you going to freak on us too?”

Carefully easing himself onto the table, he shook his head. “No, why should I? You two are gorgeous. I admit that I was awed when I first got a good look at you, but haven’t you heard? Guys think two women making out are hot.” he teased. “Seriously, I have to keep reminding myself who you are, but I can see some of the old guys in both of you. Now if we were back home and you started hitting on me, then I would have a problem.” Grinning, he pointed out. “As you are now I have no problem with you two flirting with me, but I don't think that's going to happen.”

Surprised, I looked at him as Anza was putting some balm on my injuries. “What do you mean?”

Will smiled. “Maybe the way you look at each other and the way you give little touches to reassure each other. The way the two of you are almost glowing has nothing to do with it. We've known and played together for years, and I've never known you two to be so happy. That's good enough for me.”

His face blushed so red I thought he was having a coronary when we both hugged him! “That's okay we love you anyways, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, Nerf herder,” Anza whispered into his ear.

Still scarlet he stuttered. “Wo,Woo, Who's scruffy looking? Y, Yu, You keep doing that and I'll have to say something nice about you. ”

The happy relief that we had not alienated Will and Morgan made me want to start crying. Somehow, I got a handle on it because Will would not understand. I knew we were all social outcasts of one kind or another, but never really understood just how socially inept he was. Despite his comeback, the poor guy looked if he did not know whether to run, hide or faint from our attention. I tried to make a mental note to remember to ask Anza if Will had problems like ours or just needed a little help. Smugly, I knew just the two to play matchmaker for him.

Cape gently got my attention by tapping my cheek with the collar of my blouse: Mark was heading towards us. I pretended not to notice. My friend he might be but neither Anza nor I was meat on the hoof!

“Heh, Am I interrupting something?” he asked. His nose was flaring and was doing everything he could to not meet our eyes.

Will looked even more embarrassed. “No, no nothing going on here. I'll go and see about that door” and hurried off.

We both bit back our giggles, not wanting to hurt the one guy besides Morgan who was cool with us. Anza and I remembered all too well being on that side of the fence. Having two women laughing behind your back could easily be misunderstood. Mark however was another question altogether and if I was giving him a chilly reception, Anza's was Antarctic-ice cold.

“I guess you heard about why I overreacted when you first got here,” he said looking anywhere he could to avoid eye-contact.

Anza frostily replied, “We overheard your explanation to Morgan, but so far you haven't told us anything other than you won't look at us.”

Sighing Mark said slowly, “I'm trying not to because that makes it worse. You don't understand. My sense of smell is so sensitive that now even without being Wolfen I know you two are female because it's almost like I'm tasting you. Imagine having an intimate connection with someone else but who doesn't even know it's happening. It’s almost like that. I can't help myself from wanting more. Being upwind from you is helping. Please forgive me; I'm not doing this on purpose. Both of you are beautiful, but Esperanza is like my fantasy turned real.”

I crossed my arms. “I can forgive some of this because we've had our own troubles coping with all this. We know Morgan told you some of what happened to us so you know that we are a couple like it or not? ”

Privately using our link/bond, I sent to her. “I like it! I like it a lot!”

Mark huffed. “Yes I do know. Now I know what to look for I can tell you two are mates. It's on your scents. I didn't have any problems yesterday, but since I shifted to Wolfen today, it’s been hard for me to deal with. Everything is just so much more intense. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm smelling sometimes. About this thing that happened this morning, please forgive me. ”

Anza however had picked up on something else Mark had said. “What do you mean, TASTING? And like being intimate with ME and I not know it? You had better not have meant I think you mean,” she said angrily with her almond, Hispanic eyes afire.

Crap! It is going to get nasty here. Not wanting to end up in an argument, I was waiting for a chance to try to defuse things. He had come over to try to make up. Mark saved me the trouble when even as dark as he was blushed. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it and as much as I did not want to admit it, he did look cute.

“Yes that is what I mean.” Mark said in a small voice as he was inspecting the gazebo floor. The way he did so suggested he had included me in that statement as well. “I can't help it. Morgan thought I might be picking up on your pheromones.” A little desperately, he apologized, “I'm sorry.”

I knew she was still pissed, but it just too much! Before he was the worse sort of macho while now he had the same look of an apologetic puppy-caught-wetting the floor. A two-hundred-pound body-builder puppy that is, who could turn into a three-hundred-pound plus werewolf.

Anza sighed and I felt her anger subside. “I guess we're not in Kansas anymore Toto. Okay you're forgiven, but I'm warning you I'm keeping a rolled up newspaper around for next time! ”

With a sigh of relief, Mark gave a toothy grin. “You got that right Dorothy!”

Morgan walked up, I guess sure that Mark's apology had been accepted from our laughter. Not to let sleeping dogs lie, I greeted him with “Auntie Em, Auntie Em!”

We all lost it again to giggles and howls as he flawlessly raised a single eyebrow in the finest Star Tripping tradition. “I fail to see the significance of that statement in this context.”

Morgan took my place on Anza's makeshift examining table as we recovered from our mirth. Anza asked as she checked Morgan's head, “So what happened after Misty and I took off with the mother and baby that ended up with you unconscious?”

He looked guilty. “I did the same thing she did.” Morgan said and pointed at me. “I screwed up by the numbers. I didn't want to injure him too badly so I aimed at a painful but non-fatal area.” Morgan huffed. “When I shot him it only made him mad. I did manage to blind him for a few moments but his mask must have some sort of polarizers built into it. He proceeded to clean my clock. We keep messing with these people... They’re going to seriously hurt one of us sooner or later.”

Anza sniffed. “You should have X-rays to make sure there isn't a fracture but you don't look to have a concussion. Maybe your brains are made of rocks when you're Lady Diamond. Nothing to bang around and be damaged inside your skull. You may not be as lucky the next time you run into Mongo. ”

I watched Mark walking over to help Will fix the patio door. “Two out three isn't bad is it?”

Morgan sighed. “I still have a headache but as you say.” Turning to look at me he replied, “Nope, except when you're talking about friends. I don't know what happened. I’ve never seen Tom act like that before even when you guys were playing my ‘Girls Want To Have Fun Game’ the last time. He seemed to be okay then and seemed to have had a good time along with everyone else.”

Anza started to pack up the first aid kit. “I was half expecting Will to wig out. You know. With him still living at home and the church thing, he does every Sunday. Instead it was Mark of all people who scared me.”

I touched her hand. “Hey we know what happened with him now. I got my differences shoved in my face yesterday. Today was his turn. I'm still overloaded some but not as bad. Mark was having a grand time looking like a black Hercules but today was his turn smell how the roses are fertilized. You know he was giving me that look too? The first time I can remember being thankful I smelled bad.”

“He'll get used to his changes in time,” Morgan said. “Tom will come around too because, after all he‘s engaged. That gives him a good reason to want to get home and to accomplish that he has got to work with us even if he doesn't like us.”

I gave them a lop sided smile. “Yeah that will do for now, but... Drat if I don't miss his snide comments.”

Just then, a string of profanity floated across the garden as Will and Mark wrestled with the patio door. After the first round, it was clear the patio door had the home court advantage. Mark and Will as the contenders however were determined to succeed. The second round was a tie as the door was hung but then would not shut all the way.

We three sat there enjoying the match when Morgan spoke up. “You know we need to retrieve your car, right?”

Anza pointed out while touching our empty first aid kit, “Laying our hands on a decent medical aid kit would be nice to if we're going to continue to get beaten up like this. We were lucky this time. Next time love; don't lead with your face. Those lips are mine to do with as I please, and I don't care for anyone else redecorating them!”

Looking at the two of them I added, “I want to know who those SWAT team wannabees were. If we are on someone's 'Oh Crap List' I want to know why and what we can do about it.” I turned to Morgan who was looking at the two of us.

“Please don't tell me you've gotten us on someone's official Villain roster,” Morgan winced as Mark yipped when Will missed with the hammer.

Anza protested, “We didn't do anything. Misty and I landed with our patient where the EMT's were doing triage. The next thing we knew these guys in blue armor are charging at us.”

I nodded. “Don't forget those attack helicopter things with the missiles and guns. There were two of them there. I'm familiar with most of our world's military hardware, but these were new to me. They resembled V-22 Osprey Tilt-rotors, but were sleeker carrying a hell of a lot of weapons. Kind of more like those science fiction assault-ships from those Alien's movies than helicopters. Why they were after us and not at the mall where the fight was going on is beyond me.”

Morgan massaging his head said, “First things first guys. Let’s retrieve your car and hide it in the garage here. Then we can see about taking the Limo shopping.

Anza shook her finger at him. “Not you. If you’re still having headaches, you should take it easy. You know that Morgan. Misty should go because she’s good at sneaking when she's not causing traffic accidents. And I need to, in case I'm needed to do my old Jedi mind trick. How about Mark driving us over in the limo? Then the rest of you can meet up with us later. It can hold all of us and if Mark has to play chauffeur it’s only fair given how he acted today.”

I mused, “That’ll leave Will to watch you. If things go badly the three of you will be our backup. How about it?”

He thought it over. “Sounds good to me, I'll let Tom know since you two are verboten around him. Are you two going to be all right with Mark in a confined space with his uber-nose? ”

I looked over at Anza and could see she had her doubts. “We need to know if we can work our way pass this with him. In theory the more time we spend together the easier it should be. This should be easy. No damage done to the car and we didn't see anything worthy of making a statement. If things go south, well, having a werewolf could be handy. Does he have a collar and his shots?” I giggled.

“If he doesn't behave we could threaten to take him to one of those Doggie boutiques and give him a poodle cut,” Anza laughed.

Morgan took a deep breath. “You know, I would almost rather try to do that rather than talk to Tom right now. Not that I think you could manage it without Will's help, but certainly it would more pleasant. That reminds me. You remember last night when I said that some of the stuff that has happened to me wasn't included during character generation, but I had intended as part of Lady Diamond's origin anyways?”

Anza and I traded a smile knowing he was talking about being hermaphrodite and nodded.

“If that is the case for all of us Will's Renegade character had tons of accumulated experience from being been played for so long. He would be the most powerful of us all followed by you two from playing in my game for so long. Wolfen and Streeter would likely be next follow lastly by me since I've never been able to play Lady Diamond very much. Like you said we really do need to find out more about ourselves and our abilities,” he said.

I blinked, looking over at Will. He'd played Renegade for years. For rewards for completing missions or just playing well, Game Masters awarded experience points. These points usually either helped you level up and become more powerful or could spent increasing your abilities depending on the game system. Whoa! The rest of us were like 'B' list heroes, like BugMan. Powerful and able to do things no normal human could dream of but save the world? Not so much.

Will's Renegade could well be on the coveted 'A' list with SuperJock and other world savers types. I mean I have seen Will's write up of him and he had mounds of experience. A part of me was so glad that it was the rather socially inept but good-hearted Will and not Tom with his prejudices. On a personal note this could also mean there was more to Anza and I than we suspected.

Morgan cleared his throat. “Lets be about it shall we?” He slipped carefully off the table.

We got over to our pair of home fix-it guys just in time to see Will decide to forgo using the hammer and use his thumb to push the nails into the door jam. Despite what we've seen in the last two days, it still was eye opening. Even Mark who was still nursing a smacked finger was openly amazed. Nope Dorothy, we certainly were not in Kansas anymore.

Will nonchalantly brushed off his hands. “That will hold it for now and keep the weather out. You guys should really get a carpenter over here and replace the frame. I messed it up pretty good when I went though it. ”

Finally noticing we were staring at him he blushed. “What?” he asked looking around to see what we were looking at.

Not able to stop myself from smiling I joked, “Nothing Will. It's just your natural good looks overwhelming us lesser mortals. We need Mark to drive us over to get our car left at the mall. Are you finished with him?”

I was not prepared for his brilliant red blush, but Anza's mental elbow reminded to be careful. What used to be good-hearted teasing might be taken as flirting now and that was a horse of another color!

Taking it in stride, Will replied humorously in a John Wayne accent, “Shucks Ma'am it weren't nuthing. Well I guess I can sell him to you cheap, but I'm warning you he bites!”

Mark gave him an evil stare. “Gee thanks, buddy. It's a good thing it wasn’t a silver hammer.” He eyed his injured digit that was regaining it normal shape after presumably being flattened by Will using the same hammer Mark was regarding with ill intent.

Before our very eyes, Mark’s smashed finger healed and looked never to have suffered harm to start with. I knew today would be filled with discoveries but had not figured on ones like this. I felt a little guilty as well. We should have known Will hitting anything with a hammer was not a good thing. Instead, mistakenly we had treated as a more or less normal mishap.

Morgan as one of our two medical trained members said, “Important safety tip everybody: Don't let Will anywhere near any tools and be careful. If Mark didn’t have regeneration he would've lost that finger,” looking at Will and me as our two Bricks.

Curious I picked up a warped nail and tried to bend it. With my friends watching on I twisted like was soft wire as I contorted it into one shape and then another. Anza reached to touch it, but I stopped her. “Don't, it's hot luv'. The friction of the metal being worked back and forth is just like the heat you get when twisting a wire till it breaks.” Wondering how far I could take this, I tried to pinch it in two. That was not as easy, but Cape added these harden tips to my gloves that let me do it.

Seeing everyone was enjoying the show, Will took another nail and — I am not kidding here — wadded it up as if it was clay and pushed at it until it was roughly half-dollar sized. Gamers are repositories of odd bits of trivia, but even so, it took me a moment to recognize what our titanic-sized friend had done. Working the metal back and forth until it created enough heat from fiction until it could have started a fire, and then using force to reshape the nail is called cold-forging, reshaping metals using low temperature heat. He did it with just his bare hands! The wild part was, he was still in his normal identity during all of this. If he used his mystic shaman powers, he could become even larger and stronger, woof!

Morgan gave Will a considering look. “While you guys are out, I'll see if I can find a place for us to practice. We have to get a grip on our new selves,” he said, giving the glowing half dollar sized ex-nail a disapproving look.

Will smiled and dropped it into a glass of water one them must have gotten from the house. Quenched, it hissed as hot metal hit the water. Amazingly, the glass did not shatter but we all jumped just the same. Giving each other an eye-rolling, eyebrow-raising look of disbelief, we all knew it was to time to “Make it so!”

Heroes of Justice: But Not Alone!

Our little expedition headed for the car after Will gave Mark back the keys. The trip over to the mall was, for once, uneventful. I think Mark must have learned his lesson. The only near disaster was me remembering to dress as I had earlier just in case someone remembered us from last time. By the time, we got back to Clairmont Mall the fight had long ago ended. Rescue and clean up efforts were still busy working I was just happy not to see any more of those blue dropship/helicopter things buzzing around.

Mark got us as close as he could before parking. We only had a short walk to our car but had to pass this guy passing out fliers to the injured and others like us who had been inconvenienced by the unexpected battle.

He had shoved a pamphlet into our hands muttering about how dangerous Muties were and how they all needed to be dealt with. The brochure promised the ‘Humanity League’ would help with suing the parties responsible for our injuries and/or property damage. Inside, it spouted propaganda about the threats mutants and meta-humans were to the human race at large. More, it pointed out we could help by making our views known to our congressional representatives and by joining the League ourselves. All we needed to do was send in the low, yearly membership fee and we would do our part to save the world.

Without a word between us, Anza crumbled it up and gave it all the respect it deserved by dumping in the nearest trashcan. Another discovery I could have done without: hate and intolerance were alive and well in this world too.

The wreckage from the ill-fated flying Toyota Camry had been cleaned up. Wreckers were towing the ones unable to move under their own power and the fire department was taking care of spilled nasty stuff from leaking fuel tanks and acid from shattered batteries.

We explained to a police officer we were new to town and had run away when the fight started. The young officer bewitched by our charms very politely escorted us to our car where he asked for our phone numbers. I did not have a clue how to handle this, but sensing this did not have anything to do with his official duties Anza pointed back up the street where the impressively muscled Mark was waiting for us. “I don't think my boyfriend would like that,” she said and he hastily dropped the subject.

The puckering came later as we were driving away, when we opened the bright orange envelopes, like the ones used for mailing parking tickets, which we found stuffed under the wipers. One was a standard form giving us 30 days to send in a written statement of the incident. It also had a toll free phone number included for us to use if we saw anything 'important.' Well it was not a surprise that the authorities had our license plates numbers along our names and addresses.

No, most definitely it was the other envelope that caused us to freak. The envelope was just like the other one, but it was being used by someone else entirely different. All it said was “Call me” and had a toll free number. There was no name, only a large question mark. I would give you some guesses as to whom — but why waste them?

We gave each other a simultaneous “Oh Crap” look. “You don't think he knows do you?” We asked each other in stereo thinking of that red and white costumed guy with that same punctuation mark. A cold shiver went down my spine and Anza's dusky complexion paled. We had gotten away from whatever official agency those SWAT guys in blue had been with, but being chased by armed aircraft is not a pleasant experience no matter how I make light of it. However, it seemed we were not out of trouble yet.

“He can't know, but he might suspect something. I mean, he saw our car escape damage and got a good look at us fighting Big Red. He does seem to be friendly with the powers that be, and we know they have our vehicle information. If he is hunting us it’s over before it‘s begun. There no reason to panic because for all we know he just wants our phone numbers to ask for a date,” I reasoned.

She shook head causing her mane of hair to bounce. “I'll buy that we haven't been outed yet, but I think you're right, he is suspicious. This is not a comic book, where just wearing a pair of horn rim glasses is a disguise. We know he got a good look at you, and while I love your hair hon, it is distinctive. Then he sees a superheroine with hair just like yours and perhaps saw me too. I love being beautiful, but we do stand out in a crowd.”

I was trying to make my jittery brains work while driving and attempting not to get into more trouble. Thinking hard about what to do an idea came to me. “Cape is our car bugged?”

A moment later, I got back a confused “Huh?” feeling. All right, that did not work. Okay Cape picks up on people's feeling and would not have a clue about electronics. Fine let us try something else. “Cape are we being followed?”

With a delighted feeling, Cape's confusion disappeared and I got back an aura of alert contentment. I was not certain but it seemed nothing alive was trailing us. “Anza, Cape doesn't sense anyone after us.”

Glancing over at her, I saw that odd glow again in her eyes that meant she was using her powers. A part of me was scared, because of our foul up we might have gotten all of our friends in trouble.

Anza began speaking. “Don't worry love I'm not actively searching, so no one should be able to find us that way. I'm just passively esper listening. Give me a few more moments of quiet and I'll be finished.”

I am telling you those few moments seemed endless. Finally, blinking away the glow, she said, “I agree with your clothing accessories. No one in several blocks seemed interested in us other than lusting for our gorgeous bods.”

“I tried asking Cape about electronic surveillance, but it didn't have a clue,” I wondered if we dared call the guys.

“That's why I listened as far out as I could, hoping whoever might be using the old 'electronic listening post in a van trick.' Still nothing but, Ugh, there are some sick people out there luv',” she stuck out her tongue in distaste.

Ignoring the distraction my hormones gave me at the sight, I started grasping at straws. “Maybe there is some sort of security device in the car. After all, it is armored and even the airbags retracted by themselves somehow. I don't know who built this thing, but it has more than few post-factory mods.”

Anza gave a sexy shrug and giggled.

Questioningly I spared a glance from the road wondering what she was up to.

Mischievously, she ordered, “Computer On!” giggling as I rolled my eyes.

“Beetle-Informative-Mobile-Backup voice activation unit is on-line and awaiting input,” intoned an emotionless but feminine voice.

That scared the crap out of both of us. Stunned, I fought to keep us on the road while Anza jerked in surprise. Cursing, I weaved in our lane until we reached a red light and came to an abrupt stop.

“Don't ever do that again!” I almost shouted, riled at the still shocked Anza.

“Affirmative, disabling voice activation module,” the voice from our car monotoned.

Now it was my turn to gape as Anza hurriedly countered, “Cancel last command!” She gave me such an insufferable look a part of me started planning my revenge for tonight. Revenge is a dish best served with strawberries! I misquoted to myself.

“Last command is canceled. Beetle-informative-mobile-backup is awaiting input.” The voice assured me I had not screwed up.

“Computer please don't respond unless specifically addressed as Computer, Okay? First are you an Artificial Intelligence?” Anza asked

“Affirmative will comply. Negative, while this unit is equipped with an advanced personality emulator it does not pass the Turing standards for intelligence.”

“Computer do you know why my friends and I are here?” I asked really hoping for some answers.

“This unit is not programmed to respond to philosophic questions”

Anza decided to try a different tact. “Computer where were you designed and built?”

“Beetle-informative-mobile-backup was designed and built by the Cosmic Forge. A specific location and address were not provided.”

“Hey that was the name of our game store! Computer do you know Chuck and Pete who works at Cosmic Forge?

“Negative, No records are provided for specific employees at Cosmic Forge.”

This isn't helping us much,” I complained. “Okay first things first. Computer are we under electronic surveillance?”

“Affirmative, Visual and audio surveillance devices detected at intersections equipped with traffic signal units. Additional devices were detected at several locations this unit has passed.”

Anza squeaked, “You mean they can follow and hear us Computer?”

I turned paler than she did. Parts of England I had read about had systems like that, but the US? Crap, now that I think of it I am not sure what country I am in. Hey, wait minute! “Computer, but no passive or active tracking or listening devices of any kind is attached to this vehicle?”

“Affirmative, detected audio devices are primarily designed for determining direction and location for gunshots and other catastrophic events. This vehicle’s security precautions are sufficient to prevent any violations of privacy. High probability of successful tracking of this vehicle using passive tracking devices already described. Security systems report negative hostile tracking devices detected onboard”

“Relax Anza; it was just saying that using the cameras at banks and red lights they can probably follow us.” Seeing a chance to score against her for all the movie quotes she uses I misquoted, “I'll just drive relaxed. See no problem.”

My beloved gave me the evil eye. “Computer, when and where does your earliest recording take place?”

“Time-date stamp begins at Fourth November, 2006 1300 Eastern Standard Time.”

“That doesn't tell us much. That's when all of this started,” shaking my head and quickly stopped feeling my earrings and long hair moving. “Computer is there any messages or special instructions for us or the operators of this vehicle?”

“Sensors indicate vehicle is in motion and is not under emergency conditions. There are no messages that warrant violating safety protocols at this time.”

Anza asked, “Who are your messages addressed to and what is their nature?”

“The content is addressed to the operators and concerns vehicle operation and maintenance.”

Thinking about some of our other mysteries, I probed for more. “Is there any information about and/or contacting Horus or Mike Miller?”

“Negative contact information provided. Horus is listed as original purchaser.”

Anza noticing my line of thought asked about the rest of the guys. “How about any information about Greg Kinder, Danny Allison, Morgan Fairis, Mark Sanford, Tom Simms, or Will Bankenship Computer?”

“The first two are listed as alter-egos for present operators and the other four are in the on-board phone book as well as listed as alternate operators.”

Anza sighed. “That didn't help much. It would be nice to know more. ”

I echoed her feelings. “Sometimes You get what you need and not what you want. At least we know we aren't being bugged or followed within reasonable doubt. Beetle-informative-mobile-backu... ” and that is when it hit me.

My love gave me another of her patented looks I so adore. “Oh no, now what?” seeing the look on my face.

“Uh, Computer what were you called for short by your designers?” I asked dreading the answer.

“This unit was referred to as B.I.M.Bo by the creators.”

I winced knowing it was going to say that. Anza broke out laughing so hard only her safety belt kept her from sliding into the floorboard. No it was not enough that the Girl's wheels had to be pink with flowers and butterflies, but did they really have to call it a bimbo too I thought plaintively.

Morgan greeted us by opening up the garage and we wedged Flower-Power in with an SUV. Do not even start with me. I will live with calling our wheels Flower-Power but I am not, repeat NOT, addressing our car as BIMBO!

As we sidestepped out of the crowded garage, I could see that by the serious look on Morgan’s face we had other problems. Anza and I took a deep breath. Here we go again!

Inside the den, everyone was present, even Tom. He had his arms crossed and was definitely not happy. At least he was participating now. Morgan cleared his throat. “I have good news and bad news guys. “We have found Mike and know who those guys were that chased you two away from the mall,” looking at Anza and me.”

Tom spoke with his usual rapid fire blurt that took me a bit to catch to understand. Though it all he did not meet out eyes even once. “They are this world's organization for fighting supervillains. They’re called ULTIMATE “

“United Law-enforcement Tribunal for Metahuman Affairs, Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial,” Morgan interjected.

“They mostly have high tech equipment and Special Ops type troops like SWAT. Tom continued pausing for breath. “There are superheroes working with them, but from what I've read the team’s uses is more political than anything else.”

Morgan gave us more details in a more understandable speed. “ULTIMATE really prefers not to use its superhero teams since at some level they hate to admit they have to depend on the teams. From the little reading we've been able to do, they are really the last resort because the landscape is not really the same afterwards. We saw an example of that today at the mall. They also in theory regulate superheroes worldwide by requiring them to be registered. Apparently, we are all breaking a law because we are not registered here far as we can tell.”

Morgan took a deep breath and somehow I knew it was going to be bad; I was right. “Mike apparently fell out of thin air this morning at the park. Security cameras caught him as he splashed into the river. Some joggers helped drag him out, but ULTIMATE took him in for questioning given his unusual arrival. From what Tom and I could tell from the video, he looks the same as always and hasn’t been transformed as we have.

It is possible he hasn't a clue about what is going on and worse he knows all of our secret identities, our powers and weaknesses. I'm afraid he might give us away not knowing what the situation is here.” Looking at Anza, Morgan continued, “If they have an esper or mind reader like Anza that's a moot question. These people feel they are totally justified no matter what they do because of the greater good.”

The group erupted into hysterical chatter. The huge knot in my gut this time dwarfed the previous one. This one was a great big nasty one that when it went critical it would put the 100-megaton Tsar nuclear bomb to shame! We did not dare try to break him out. Even if our last debacle at the mall had not amply demonstrated, we were not anywhere near ready for prime time. Hell, we did not' even know where he was being held. Besides that would guarantee we would be placed on someone’s 'most wanted' list. Anza and I wanted to start new lives, not start living on the run! That is when I remembered the envelopes Anza was carrying and the color orange triggered an idea.

Depending on our mental link to catch her attention I asked “Anza could I have the envelopes if you please?”

I knew she would argue for just waiting to see what would happen as the least worse of our possible choices. Her wonderfully deep chocolate eyes were blinking; I could see her wondering why I wanted to bring those up now.

“When life hands you crap, make explosives!” I said winking at her referring to the nitrates that form on the foul smelling stuff. Do not look at me that way I have never claimed to be anything other than a nerdy gaming geek!

Waving the orange envelopes to catch everyone’s attention, I shouted, “Listen up!” When the guys finally quieted down enough for me to speak, I continued, “These were on our car when we picked it up. One is just a standard form, but it tells us the authorities know our car was at the scene. The other is a note from the Question.”

Mark and Will's eyes kinda of bulged out a bit, but Tom just gave me an accusing sneer that made me very glad I could not mind-read. The disgust coming off him was like something nasty left out in the sun too long. “We got involved at the mall to start with when someone started throwing cars. The Question showed up and shoved our car out of the way of one of them. He noticed at the time because it wasn't even dented. Then he jumped away to enter the brawl. He probably remembered the incident and put two and two together after he saw us. The note simply asks for us to call him on some toll free line.”

Holding up my hands, I kept on talking. “If he was going to set these ULTIMATE people on us we would already have them busting though the windows. I'm suggesting we meet and come at least partially clean with him. He might be able to intercede with them on Mike's behalf. If everything goes south, he only got a good look at me although Anza and Morgan were with me. Anza might be at risk but Morgan I think is safe because he was in disguise at the time.”

Morgan rubbed his chin as he considered my plan. “That's not a bad idea. We get to control the situation somewhat and, though I hate to agree, you two are our biggest liabilities right now. If this works, we get an ally and, hopefully, Mike with some solid information on what's going on. Sorry Will but I think Mystery's plan is better than your frontal assault. ”

The big Indian just smiled. “I wasn't happy with it either, but we just can't leave Mike in there–not just for what he could tell them. You don't leave your own with fanatics. I hope her plan works.” He was giving Tom a disapproving stare at his snubbing us.

Tom shifted uncomfortably. “You should use one of those disposable cell phones. Just make sure you pay for it with cash to erase any possible money trails.”

Mark added, “We can leave your car here and take the Limo with its dark windows.”

And so began the planning session. In the end, it was decided Morgan would purchase not one but several phones using her feminine mode as a disguise. Mark would drive us over, but I would be the point man, err, person. Anza and Morgan would be nearby to help if things fell apart. Will and Tom were not supposed to be part of this at all, but Will dug in his heels and insisted. Tom, after a glare from Will, went along with the slightly altered plan of the two of them in that oversize pickup of Will's.

As far as plans went it was not a bad one, but I could not help worrying what would go wrong this time. Plans never work the way they are suppose to, but are invaluable because of the research and preparation that go into them. That knowledge often give you the edge you need to succeed despite when the situation turns into a “Situation Normal All Fouled-Up” Snafu for short in military speak.

Looking around as we were getting set to head out to put Operation Peace Conference into action, I knew my friends were all good people; yes, even Tom. I might want to go over and wipe that disgusted look off his face, but he was still my friend. I was getting the feeling that his attitude had something to do with stuff in his past. Who am I to cast the first stone when some could consider so much in my own past questionable? What counts is how he deals with his problems now.

We all piled into our respective transports, and we were off. The three of us were sitting in the back just trying to get comfortable when Anza and I shared a mischievous thought. Giggling together, Morgan raised her eyebrows as she morphed to her Fem mode. She had on the same clothes she had on earlier before the Battle of the Mall. Not sure how that worked but hey, Once again, who am to cast stones? Cape frequently seems to violate natural laws so I try not to look a gift horse in the mouth, if you know what I mean.

"Mark," she warned. “Be ready for a surprise at our first stop.” I told him, giggling with my lover like a pair of schoolgirls.

Morgan dryly asked, “I don't suppose you're going to be forthcoming about what you two are up to, are you?”

Anza very maturely stuck out her tongue. “No! You can find out the same way we did. ”

I was trying to suppress a tremor that tingled from my nose to my toes at her sassy response. I could feel us start to slow and darn if we did not start giggling together again. I was under the influence of deadly hormones doctor. It was not my fault. I giggled myself to death!

From the front, Mark announced, “We’re coming up to a stop sign. Just please leave the car in one piece, OK?”

Together we sang out, “Computer on! Disregard all queries that do not begin with ‘Computer!’”

“Limousine-Information-Mobile-On-board-Utility-System-Independent-Navigation-Elite voice activation system on-line. Affirmative, Accepting only queries beginning with 'Computer.”

An incredulous Mark exclaimed, “We have a KITT?!!” He meant of course, Komputer Integrated Tactical Transport from that old campy TV show from the '80s.

Anza rolled her eyes. “Boys and their toys. We almost crashed when ours turned on and he thinks he has a new toy to play with! ”

Answering Morgan's unasked question I replied, “Yes we just found out about this on the way back from the Mall. We didn't have chance to tell anyone because of your good news/bad news announcement. If it is like the one in Flower-Power, it is just a computer with an advanced voice recognition system. We didn't get any useful information from ours, but who knows we might get lucky!”

“Computer,” Morgan asked, “Is Misty's statement correct?”

“Affirmative, this unit is a computer with advanced systems,” intoned the voice from the speakers.

I am not going to repeat all that happened during Morgan’s interrogation of LIMO but that it was mostly the same the one we gave Flower-Power. One of the things that did come up was that like the car in the Agent 000, movies it could alter its license plates and outer color. We used that feature when we stopped at a Fast Stop convenience store for the phones and after activating them, suddenly it was show time.

I have never been a fan of telephones because my bad hearing made it something of an ordeal. Now here I was about to play Mata Hari using one. She had been an exotic dancer too and I remembered all too well, what had been her fate.

Dialing the toll free number, I swallowed nervously as I got an answer. Anza and Morgan clustered in close to hear.

“You have reached the New Riverside Warders. If this is an emergency, please dial 911. If you have a touch tone phone please press one otherwise stay on the line for operator assistance.

Wonderful, even the Superhero headquarters has an automated phone system. Okay we want to speak to some one so let us stay on the line. A short muzak wait later, I was answered again.

NRW: “This is the New Riverside Warders operator how my I assist you?”

Me: “Hmm I got a note on my car to call this number. It looks like it was signed by the Question.”

NRW: “Can you hold please?”

Me: “Ah, yes.”

We waited while I was all-to-aware that I had not one, but two beautiful women nearly in my lap. One was the love of my life and the other a good friend. Part of me was still boggling at the changes that had taken place in my life in a mere 24 hours; what a difference just changing worlds make.

Question: “Yes, is this one of the young women that was in the pink VW earlier today at the Clairmont Mall?”

Me: “Yes you saved us from a falling Camry. Thank you.”

Question: “May I say you have an unusually interesting car? The reason I left the note was I was curious if from your rather unique location if you had seen anything that might give us a lead on those new masked Capes that appeared today. They helped save some bystanders today, but seeing how they are apparently unregistered they are wanted for questioning.”

Me: “First let me thank you for saving us earlier. We aren't from around here and had never been involved in anything like that before. You know the guys with guns running around and the helicopters flying all about. WE just didn't know the correct things to do with all that stuff being thrown about. We would be glad to speak to you about what happened. Could we meet you some place kinda relaxed? Going to your headquarters would be just too much for little ole me. Some place where no one's secret identity would be exposed?”

Question: “I see. May I suggest Masks? It is in the Downtown area and is known for its confidentiality? Say 6 pm tonight? Just tell the Majordomo the password Pineapple and that will get you inside.”

Stifling a laugh at his secret password, I looked to my two eavesdroppers to see what they thought. They nodded their accent while biting back their own giggles at the silly password.

Me: “That would be fine Mr. Question. We will see you there.”

I turned off the phone breathing a sigh of relief that it was over. Anza and Morgan were laughing and I asked, “What?”

“Are you sure you haven't done this before girlfriend?” Miming my southern accent, Anza asked, “It would be just too much for little ole me! Mr. Question!”

“What type of intelligence work did you do again Misty?” Morgan half giggled. “You sure you weren't having us on while all along you were some sort of super spy?”

Primly I responded, “I'll have you know I worked in a small cubical in an office, with no windows, with armed guards at the exits. I looked at maps and pictures all day long, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.”

For some reason that just made them laugh harder. Helpless I looked to Mark for help but the coward just gave me a straight face as he raised the privacy screen. Pouting I crossed my arms in disgust, but could not help myself from joining in as LIMO rolled down the road.

***

Several hours later found us downtown at the nightclub: MASKS, the neon sign advertised. Anza and Morgan was already inside after being dropped off earlier. Mark had then used the LIMO's newly discovered license plate switcher to confuse any watchers when he later delivered me to the front door too.

Anza told me, using mental communication, they had gotten inside club Masks and that Question was playing fair so far. It seemed Masks was a semi-private club where to enter you had to have the permission of a member to enter. All of us had been concerned we were being setup, but Anza, doing a bit of surreptitious mind reading, greatly relieved that worry. It had been child's play to convince the goon at the door to let them enter. Not that he had needed much convincing the way Anza had him wrapped around her finger. I almost hurt myself when she sent me an image of her arching her back, causing other parts of her anatomy to rise, saying to me, “The force can have a strong influence on the weak minded.”

Just being here would be enough to have as me nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof but Cape had gotten into the act as well. The outfit it had whipped up had started as the infamous Little Black Dress. Using its own special mojo Cape had given it a holographic effect that made it sparkle, but also a shine like latex, depending on the viewer’s angle. Top this with patent leather half boots with two-inch heels and a matching evening bag. All that was needed to complete the picture was a neon sign over my head flashing 'look at me!' Oh, you say the heels sound a little short for an outfit like this? Let me tell you sister, Cape and I had it out over those 4-inch ankle twisters it wanted me to wear. If I had to look like meat on the hoof for any male within eyesight, I damn well wanted to be able to run away!

I walked up to the goon, as Anza had called him; she was not far wrong. Jeez, he towered over me like some professional football player or wrestler. I gave him the password and he very politely let me inside. Once inside I found out why it was called Masks. The coat check girl there gave me a domino mask that apparently all the guests had to wear. Kinda thin on disguise but it was better than nothing I guess. The goon from outside must have been in contact with the majordomo. As soon as I entered, he led me to a table.

I twitched my eyebrows as Cape incorporated the borrowed mask into itself with a tingle. Self consciously pulling a mirror out that made my male reflexes rebel, I sighed seeing my mask now had the same shimmering qualities of the rest of my outfit. Sometimes I think Cape is fussier about fashion than any fashion designers on TV are.

Chocolate milk is my drink of choice for I don't care much for alcohol, but it didn't exactly fit my current surroundings so on Anza’s recommendation I ordered a virgin daiquiri. Sitting there on display, I had time to think about all my contradictory feelings. Part of me was thrilled to death about being beautiful and able to wear such things. My remaining male portions were self-conscious and horrified of being in public so attired. What was worse every man who stared at me reinforced that and Cape’s empathy made certain I knew. I was breaking out in Goosebumps, but I can assure you it was not because of the air conditioning.

Finally, Cape alerted me to our host approaching the table. I almost giggled because he looked so much like Mr. Marvel from that film the “Marvels” where Mr. Marvel comes in to dine with the Femme Fatale after defeating the giant robot. I mean with his build, wearing the tuxedo and mask he was a dead ringer, except maybe for being Black and not Caucasian. It also made me aware he was showing a lot of trust in us by revealing even that much.

My friends and I may be gaming geeks of the sort many admonish, 'to go get a life,' but we are not ignorant. Just because this guy has the urge to run around in tights, fighting crime does not mean he is a person we could trust. Comics are filled with flawed heroes and real life has more than its share examples of once admirable role-models who have fallen from grace. Thus far, since Question had shown willingness to give us the benefit of a doubt, so would we.

“Miss?” he asked in a deep baritone.

Trying to smile I replied, “Please call me Mystery, Mr....?”

Doing a much better job of smiling than I, he said, “’Q’ will do just nicely for now, Miss Mystery. Please, I am here attempting to keep any more misunderstandings from causing any additional unfortunate ‘incidents’.”

I felt Anza’s presence within from our bond as she listened with me. “Believe me 'Q’, we have no desire to further complicate our situation. I'm going to speak a little bluntly so please forgive me.”

He raised his eyebrows, but said, “My home has become a battleground. The time for half measures has long passed, but I am an honorable man. Please let us resolve our problems.”

I took a deep breath and felt Anza's support as she passed along Morgan's encouragement as well. “My friends and I are indeed not from here. As far as we can determine we are from a different world, and may well be from another dimension or even universe. We thought we were going to be involved in some sort of simulation, but instead found ourselves here. The simulation goal was to have us uncover the true purpose and leader of this new Syndicate.”

His eyes opened wider in hope, “So you were sent here to help us stop this madness?”

I sighed, “It's a little more complicated than that. In our own time and place, we were all normal people. Here some of us have not only radically changed form but have abilities we never had before. If that wasn't enough, we were expected to work undercover to ferret out leads to the Syndicate, something none of us have trained for or have the experience for.”

With a pained expression, 'Q' rubbed the bridge of his nose as began to see. “So what you're saying is your entire group has only just received their powers and abilities. Worse you've all been thrown into the deep end with little to no preparation.”

His intelligent eyes looked up into mine as he reasoned it out, “All of you are obviously in very precarious position so why are you telling me all of this? You might be new at all of this but none of you seem slow on the uptake.”

Slow on the uptake he says! If he only knew how over our heads we were! “We have a big problem. You see just after that mess at the mall happened, someone who just might have some answers dropped out of the clear blue sky today.”

'Q' winced in pain. “He wouldn't happen to be in custody with ULTIMATE right now would he after being pulled from the river?” One hand massaged a temple as he took a long swallow of his drink at my slow nod. “And this is how bad?”

“This is very, very, bad because he knows all of our secret identities, abilities and weaknesses. We were trying to meet and figure out what to do as well as recover from the shock of our transformations when we were caught up in that trouble at the mall. If ULTIMATE gets this information, they could force us into working for them. That would be bad because that could prevent us from trying to get home,” I said as dead serious as I could. “Some of us were ready to assault the place not because we wanted to but because we felt we had no choice at all.”

He almost spit his drink across the table. “Are You Insane?” Looking around he lowered his voice. “That place is a fortress not to mention the number of innocent people that would hurt doing something like that.”

Nodding my head, I agreed with him. “Yes we know. Moreover, even more to the point we know the chances of success is damn slim. He is our friend but if that wasn't enough of a reason would you hand over every bit of personal information to ULTIMATE? I know you have to be registered, but are there not a few things you've kept from them? In truth, my friends are closer to me than family and with each held hostage for the behavior of the other, we would be helpless. They would force us to do nothing because of their political considerations. Look what they’ve done here so far. There should at least one of their Supersuit Teams here but what have they done? Sent a few dozen troopers and helicopters that had the good sense not to get in the middle of ground zero today? Please help us and get our friend released!”

Anza hissed at me in my mind to take Q’s hand, while what was left of my male ego responded 'not a flacking chance in hell!' However, firmly pushing my reservations into the closet, I raised another crop of Goosebumps as I reached across the table and grasped his hand. “Please?”

The whole while he had been trying to take in all I was saying. When I took his hand, he blushed. “None of that girl! If my wife saw that she would make both of our lives hell!” jerking it a safe distance away.

“Can you hold your friends back for 24 hours while I try to get him free?” He asked.

I had no trouble sounding relived for Cape's empathy assured that he was sincere and would try. “Yes! None of us want a SWAT team swinging though our windows in the middle of the night!” We both relaxed a little. “There is another matter that perhaps you could offer some advice?”

Question with a cautious expression bargained, “That would depend on what you want to know and what you are offering. You want an awful lot from me, but haven't given much return except to say you won't cause any trouble for 24 hours.”

I could feel Anza filling in Morgan and Morgan's frustration at dealing with this third handed, as it were. Smiling sweetly to buy some time for Anza to relay Morgan's reply I pointed out, “By helping us you help yourself. You want the Syndicate brought down and we have the same goal if we ever want to get home again. Keeping ULTIMATE from interfering with us gives you an entire team of Masks to help you do that.”

Taking a sip of my drink to buy more time I watched him consider our proposal. He and the Warders had one hell of a crappy problem. They and the few independent Supersuits in New Riverside were dealing with nothing short of a Supervillain turf war — winner takes all.

“What we need is a place to practice and see just what we can do without the danger of hurting someone else. Preferably, with some privacy so we can really cut loose. We were very lucky today, but regardless, we couldn't stand by without helping those poor folks caught in the middle of that demolition derby today.” I finished and felt Anza's agreement with me.

Signaling for a waiter, Question downed his drink. “Ok, there’s an old rock quarry about a half hour outside of town that an old adversary of ours used to have as his headquarters. We sometimes use it to take care of business out of the limelight. That would keep you out of possible trouble for now and give you a place to practice.” Giving me a long measuring look, he asked, “And you haven't any experience or training either in combat or teamwork?”

I heard Anza's mental reply. “Only in simulation captain” and stifled a laugh. “That is correct for the most part. We have worked together in Sims but not in these forms or with these powers.” Waving my hands, I indicated myself.

The waiter returned with refills and Question snagged pen and paper from him. Give that one a tip! While writing down the directions and pass codes to the quarry he said, “There are facilities there but they are primitive. A trio of robots maintains and guards the base but these codes will get you pass them. Just make sure to bring your own food and stuff. With luck I'll be able to bring your friend there in a few days.” He handed it to me. “Good enough?”

I asked Cape if I could trust this man, but I already knew the answer. This might all go to hell in a hand basket but Question would do the best he could to keep his word. “Good enough.”

I got an itch between my shoulder blades and caught Question looking like a kid with his hand in the candy jar. I turned and saw a fashionable dressed woman giving me hostile looks. On a hunch I said, “I think your wife has had enough waiting on you to complete your ‘business’ tonight 'Q',” I said, giggling at his discomfort.

Cape somehow took a twenty from my purse and got it to my hand without being seen. That started me thinking just out much of the stuff I carried was a part of it. I knew it invisibly covered me, but didn't really know just how much. It had to have eaten the twenty or something and then reassembled it within my hand from what, part of my hand maybe? There are some things it is better not knowing. Besides the point, the look on Question's face when I plucked that twenty out of the air was priceless. He was used to seeing the impossible everyday so it was likely a rare event when something got by him.

Leaving the money on the table, I got up. “Thank you for your help.” A worried look showed on his face despite the mask. “Don't worry,” I said, “I may be many things but the 'other woman' is not one of them!”

I somehow kept from falling down laughing on the floor at Anza's mental remark as I left him to make explanations to his wife. “You damn well had better not be!”

It took a while to get everyone picked up and back to the mansion during which, due to popular vote an Emperor Burger’s drive-thru became our next stop. Will and Tom had stopped at one while I had been making do with sweet fruity drinks, but now the rest of us needed food.

Heroes of Justice: Not something you see everyday!

The scene on the kitchen table was a familiar one with its creeping mound of grease-stained fast-food bags, wrappers, and boxes. It almost was like back home after a game session with everyone comparing notes and thoughts while hungrily eating. Slurping nosily on my deluxe sized shake, chocolate of course, I saw that the lipstick prints on the straw spoiled that illusion immediately.

Oh, there were other clear signs we were not back home. Tom was clearly ignoring us, winkling his nose at all the scents while Mark talked to him. Morgan was back in male mode but projecting the map and instructions Question had given us in midair like a living holographic machine. Will munching down on a handful of Walloper burgers and fries while one handed fidgeted with a 20 lb weight. The warm wet feeling I was feeling below, under Anza's smoldering graze, was yet another sign that, yep, we certainly weren't back home, thank you Gawd!

We had a lot to discuss between my meeting with Question and the discoveries that our vehicles weren't exactly off the showroom floor. That brought up the item that Mike had said about Will's helicopter having a really honest-to-god A. I. aboard it. We had not gotten much information from our car’s computers, and we all felt an A.I. should be eons beyond what they demonstrated.

Even Tom agreed that we needed to know as much as we could, and that meant knowing more about our transports. He and Will had gone over Will's pickup but it seemed to be just a pickup. However, a Habu sports car in the garage did answer the 'computer on' wakeup call.

Strangely that left Morgan and either Anza or myself without some sort of enhanced wheels. That did not brother Anza or me any because we had grown so close enough sharing was natural. Heck, I think we liked it better that way. If it only had more of a muscle car look.

Morgan, I think, felt a little left out, but Mark pointed out that he had not even been home to his apartment yet, so who knew what might be there. Moreover, I was wondering just how much his transformation was contributing his moping. In female mode, she seemed very natural and happy. Was she in denial of how she really felt? I did not know, but knew I would try to be there for her. No matter if a she, a he or somewhere-in-between; Morgan was my friend.

With that in mind, we decided a camping trip was in order. There was this small matter of us all having jobs we did not have a clue how to perform so leaving town and hiding sounded like a good idea. Anza and I was kinda hot property after being on not only the official radar at the mall but Tony the Tiger's at Twin Peaks too. We would see just how much Flower-Power could disguise itself and head back to our place for hygienic materials and clothes.

Will would take Morgan home in that 4X4 truck of his to check it out and gather supplies as well as dropping by Will's place to get his stuff. They would then head to the heliport to see if they could get the AI to fly the helicopter to the quarry. Tom and Mark would head out shopping for camping supplies from the accumulated stack of bills all of us contributed from our ready cash.

Tom had also elected to try to use his ATM card. He had pointed out how our real names were used for personal stuff such as listings on the phones so he was guessing it was our birthdays. That was actually a darn good idea. Now if he would ditch that attitude of his, we would be getting somewhere!

I claimed the driver's seat and we were off. Anza got us off to a good start when she successfully convinced our computer to change our color scheme. It had this convenient function that would gradually change Flower-Power's outward color scheme so this black VW would leave point ‘A’ but a pink one would arrive at point ‘B‘. It was just the thing to confuse watchers from using those traffic cams to track us.

We got to the little place we called home and started packing for our trip. I am not going to go into about detail what happened when we finally had some time alone except to say we made up any lost time by telekinesis and Cape lending an extra 'hand'. Beside it ain't none of your beeswax anyhow, thank you very much!

You should have seen my face when Anza started tossing tampons and pads into a bag. I for one, wish she had not brought it up. She gave me a matter of fact look that made me think that she was even looking forward to her first pe, per, per, drat! I cannot even say it! Despite all of that, we were soon on our way.

Will gave us a call that everything was fine at their end. Morgan was riding a motorcycle and was going to meet us. He had all their gear on Screaming Mimi and was heading to Point Luck to give it a look over before the rest of us arrived.

Anza gave me a confused look. “I know he must be talking about the quarry but why Point Luck?”

I smiled. “Morgan knows I'm a history buff. Point Luck was the rendezvous point where the American Carrier Strike Force waited for the attacking Japanese Fleet. I'm surprise you didn't recognize it. Point Luck was used in the movie ’Midway’,” I teased her about being such a moviephile. “What is the 'Screaming Mimi' reference about? All I know about that was it the nickname of a German rocket during WWII, but I don't think he had that in mind.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “So I missed that one. You don't know about ‘Riptide’? It was a Detective buddy series from the ‘80’s. They had an old pink helicopter they called the Screaming Mimi. You know the Boz and Robo-Boz?”

I tried to say something snappy back but was blushing too furiously from thinking naughty thoughts from Anza's cheating by using her tongue for something other than talking! She started laughing and helplessly I joined in. Isn't love grand?

Anza and I made our next stop at a neighborhood Food Tiger grocery. Grabbing a pair of shopping buggies we loaded down them down with everything, a group of hungry campers needed. We did get some odd looks. After all, it was November, a warm November perhaps but still late Autumn. Maybe they were staring at the good-looking babes running amok in the store at closing time on a Sunday night. It was a challenge, but we did pack everything into Flower-Power although the Styrofoam coolers full of ice and perishables were an interesting load problem.

We met the rest of the crew at the local S-Mart department store parking lot having made a big dent in our available ready cash funds. Tom's experiment with his ATM card had been a success and while he did not say how much he had had found in his account; his smug look suggested it was 'fat.' We were still pariahs in his eyes, but at least his temper tandems had eased off. Now he was down to giving us the evil eye.

Then Morgan pulled up on this big Harley with a shit-eating grin on his face. Anza and I traded a thought and a look: “Boys and their toys!”

The guys clustered around the bike making oohs and ahs. Personally, I kinda liked Tom's bright red Habu sports car. Just sitting still, it looked if it was breaking the speed limit. I resisted the impulse of going over and really salivating over it. He would just find it an excuse to complain about us again. It would be best to give him more time now that we were sorta working together again as a team.

After the vehicle admiring session was over, we started our convoy over. I guess we were an oddball group a VW, Limo, Habu, and a Harley. We had a rather nice drive with the only excitement being a County Mountie getting some radar hits. Flower-Power, not ‘Bimbo’ thank you very much, alerted us to the radar beam and popped up a graphic identifying the location and the type of radar. That enabled the night vision system, and the radar jammer, which was cool.

We drove by the cop, waving and giggling! Anza was operating the radio and soon we were singing along with Nancy Nitro, whoever she was. It was too bad we had the top up but as tightly packed as we were, our poor wheels would have exploded into a geyser of food, panties and tampons!

As we got close to Question's quarry our night vision system picked up Will and his helicopter whirling about overhead. That was just before Flower-Power gave us another warning that another radar beam was hitting us. It seemed this was the place. Anza's peculiar sense of humor made her order Flower-Power to change its warning alarms. The tones and beeps were annoying but they were supposed to be to catch your attention. Anza had the computer respond with Warning, Warning ......insert name of driver. You guessed it for more dire alerts, Danger! Danger! .......with the name of who ever was driving. Well at least she left out the “Will Robinson,” so that is something.

Morgan beat us to the gate and entered the code. A heartbeat later, we were bumping down the dirt road. The road was well maintained and made a massive corkscrew around the perimeter of the quarry. In its day, it must have been a massive operation because there was even a rail spur: the abandoned equipment still here. Amazingly, a tunnel was cut though one side, for ore trains I guess. Street-type lights with some kind of motion sensors came on, lighting our path like out of some eerie sci-fi thriller.

When you think of such places, it's the huge angry gash cut into Mother Earth that grabs your attention. Here almost everything was covered in greenery. Ok, it was only kinda, sorta green. This being Autumn, it was more like brown. Trees grew by the roadside in corkscrewing terraces as Mother Earth reclaimed what was hers.

By the time we got to the bottom, I could see some of the smoke and mirrors at work disguising this place's true purpose. That abandoned equipment was actually huge workout gear. I was becoming curious if Question was consciously imitating 'The Marvels' movie because it reminded me very much of the work out scenes with Mr. Marvel working out with locomotives and freight cars.

I got another look at that railway tunnel and that is where the rest of the veneer on this illusion started wearing very thin. It was too darn smooth and straight. The tunnel would have to been dug after the quarry had gotten this deep. Most quarries would just have cut right into the side of the hill not just cored the center out of it. Nope, this looked like a quarry but it in reality was something else. This far from the city looking up out of this titanic hole in the hillside the night sky was as deep black as the rural area where I grew up.

The stars burned above, stretching into infinity. Turning in a slow spin, I drank in their beauty as I realized that we had indeed traveled far. I recognized the Big and Little Dipper although the rim of the quarry limited the view. In the background, I heard the guys joking and talking as they looked around. Tom's comment about me being a space case bothered me not at all. He was the one who was blind to the wonders about and above him.

Anza came up to me. “Are you all right luv'?”

Taking a deep breath, I knew it was time to re-enter reality where everyone else was. “Yes, I'm fine hon. it just hit me just how far from a familiar shore we’ve been cast. Here we are at a real honest-to-Gawd Supervillain base. Abandoned or not, this entire place was built to help someone to try to take over the world. We have nothing like this back home.”

She just smiled enjoying not only the view but also my reaction to all of this. “What about Macrosoft Headquarters?”

I returned her smile. “You have a telling point. So Gill Bates is a Master Mind trying to take over the world every night?” I laughed. “No don't answer that! Silly question of course he is, or maybe he already has!”

We turned to unload the supplies when Cape tapped me on the shoulder. That is when we saw the robots. There were three of them just as we just like Question said. One was forward talking with Morgan while the other two were obliviously covering it. They stood about five feet tall but squat and compact with a tank like treads with a vaguely humanoid torso on top. Each had two arms, with one arm having pincers and the other with a more human-like hand. On their backs was some kind of multi-purpose boom tool arm that stored a variety of different tools, including weapons. All which were armed and pointed at us.

“Your party is in a restricted area. Leave immediately or give the password. You have 60 seconds to comply.”

We froze. Morgan told it our password and the robots retracted their weapons, pivoting on their treads left us. A pale Morgan shakily demanded, “Next time one of YOU get to give those things the password!”

Mark passed him a brew that they must have gotten from the S-Mart. Morgan accepted with thanks. He offered us each one as well. I politely declined although Anza accepted. While they celebrated not being shot by robots, I started unloading our gear.

Opening the door to the building nestled next to the Quarry wall; I walked into the kitchen area. The lights were already on and a quick check revealed the fridge although empty was on and cooling down fast. It took just a moment to put up the groceries. Anza came in carrying all of our stuff at once with her telekinesis and with some maneuvering, got herself in the door and down the hallway. Curious I struck my head in the two large rooms nearest the kitchen and found one was a briefing room while the other was a recreation room with a pool table and a large screen TV. Further down were about a dozen small bedrooms. They reminded me of my Army days being basic two-man affairs with twin beds and dressers.

We picked a room, pushed the beds together and dumped our stuff onto it. I left her sorting through our belongings while I headed back into the fray after hearing the guys petitioning for aid. Making a command decision, I directed the flow to the conference room and its larger table seeing the small one in the kitchen was already swamped and going down fast. Once again, I had fun power-tripping and could see the guys were too.

Going though all the shopping bags and making piles of what went to whom took a while and by that time, we were all winding down. They had not known what facilities were here and so bought accordingly. The Lamps, camping stove and other stuff we did not need, were put aside to be returned. The sleeping bags were definitely going to be put to use, but Anza did give them a look when she saw the girlie ones meant for her and me. “My Little Kitten” and “Hello Pony” themes were a bit young for us. Hey, they were adult sized and if Tom were responsible, he would be appalled to know secretly Anza was tickled pink at his choices. Me, well if she is happy so am I, besides I had always had a soft spot for cats. That one is mine!

As I said, it had been one heck of a day and it was getting late. I think someone may have stayed up a while watching the tube, but Anza and I curled up, spooning, after zipping our bags together. The last thing I remember is her heartbeat lulling me into sleep.

***

A part of the back wall slid smoothly upwards revealing a passage deeper into the hill. Like the railway tunnel, it was extremely smooth with not a single visible tool mark. The figure within had waited to make sure these newcomers were asleep before daring to come out. Cautiously, it went to the kitchen looking for food. The base had enough food stored to last for years, but although it would keep you alive, tasty it was not.

Carefully it looked for food it could take and not be detected. It found a package of chips opened and left by the TV With a steady hand it measured out an amount that should not be missed. By the door, it found an ice chest full of soda pops and beer. Using a ragged corner of its coveralls to keep from leaving a trail of droplets it took one of the sodas.

Happy with its finds, the figure backtracked back to the wall where it re-entered the sanctuary. The entrance closed silently behind it leaving not a trace of its foray.

***

Coming awake to the unmistakable smell of bacon cooking I opened my eyes. Yeah, I know it was not healthy but so were most things I really enjoyed. Anza was still asleep and I could not help smiling. If it had been the smell of coffee wafting over us, she would have been up first.

Slipping free of her embrace, Cape dressed me in a pink sweat suit and I went to take care of all those other little chores the morning demanded. Taking care of my altered anatomy was still new enough to me that I was thankful for the privacy.

Feeling a bit more human, I headed towards that delicious odor, and I found Tom, of all people, cooking a huge breakfast. Okay maybe not surprising given his enhanced metabolism, which demanded he eat often.

“Good morning,” I said as politely as I could, “Mind if I grab a cup of coffee?”

He grunted and I took that for a yes. I poured a mug and went back to rouse Anza. I saw Mark on his way to the single bathroom and raised an eyebrow at the towel wrapped around his waist, making my point that for now we were co-ed. Embarrassed he took a moment from ‘checking me out’ to head back to his room for something else to cover up with. I guess I should be glad no one in our gang tried it au natural but being checked out by one of the guys gave me the shivers!

We all had a lot to get use to I thought, shaking my head. If we were ever going to get home, this was only the beginning. Speaking of which, that was another can of worms we had not opened yet. Who wanted to go home and who did not.

Sighing, I sat on the edge of our bed and brought the hot mug near my lover's nose. Like a magic potion, the brew near Anza's nose brought her to life.

With a smile on her face, she reached for the cup. “I could get use to waking up like this.”

Blushing, I gave her nitie-clad shape an appreciative gaze, as she put down her mug. If you want to know what took us so long to get to breakfast, ask someone else. I'm not telling.

We joined the others, who would make a school of piranha look like finicky eaters. I half-way expected Tom to leave nothing for us, but he was acting almost nice today. It was amazing to watch him at work. With his speed, he made one helluva short order cook. Maybe he was not as fast as some of the comicbook super-speedsters, able to break the sound barrier or even out-race light itself, but the blur of knives and spatulas made it worth losing a hand to try to steal a taste!

Morgan started the bull session by suggesting how we should organize the day. I was too busy eating to pay much attention. Seeing how much energy I used for my powers, not to mention Cape who used its share as well, I was not too concerned about gaining weight now and figured I would need the calories. I could see no way our abilities were powered by what we ate, but you would have a hard time proving it by me. My stomach was a black hole that was only momentary satisfied.

Tom must have cook ever bit of breakfast food we brought for three days and this wrecking crew was going to eat every bit of it, Eep! Me thinks we're going to have venture out for more groceries!

While dueling Will with forks for the last couple of flapjacks, I did pick up the gist of Morgan's plan. He was running a version of the old army physical training test. We would use our cars to measure off a course and record our abilities for things like running, push-ups, and then find a way to measure agility.

Later we would see about our specialties such as flight, super-strength and so forth. Morgan did grin and say we would take Anza's mental blasts as a given as since none of us wanted to wake up with a splitting headache.

Some of the preparations were easy when we found a running course already marked out. It turned out LIMO had a laser range finder that worked just as fine as a radar gun. To no one's surprise Tom easily outran the rest of us at blistering 100 mph. That is nearly 161 kph for you metric folks. Will was running an easy second until Mark wolfed-out and dropped to all fours. Even then, it was close, with Mark winning by a nose at nearly fifty mile per hour.

The rest of us still turned in times that would have put us on the track team of our choice back home, averaging around 20 mph. Not world records granted, but not bad for a bunch of gaming geeks. For those who want to know, the World record at least back home was somewhere around 11 to 12 meters per second, say, 23mph/37kph give or take.

The results from the push-ups were not a surprise either except maybe for Mark having some problems. He tried to stay in wolf form but his limbs just would not let him get into the right positions so he had to use his regular human form, poor baby! Everyone did very good of course, even Anza our most non-physical member. Back home I had seen worse cases of couch-potato gamers than we had been, but here all of us were nearly world-class athletes.

While we were doing that, the quarry’s three guardian-robots laid out an obstacle course like the ones seen in so many military films. That made all of us wonder just how smart these things were since this was done without our asking. After our introduction the previous evening, none of us really wanted to go over and chat with the darn things. Getting guns pointed at you tends to do that you know. In only a few minutes, they had the course assembled so we gave it a try.

Finally, something Will did not excel at! Tom ran though it like a ferret on a caffeine buzz, but I did very well too. Mark found his wolf was good for most things, but climbing a rope was not one of them! Anza had a little trouble with some of these, but it was because of technique rather than lack of strength or agility. Will also had some difficulties when he came up to the wall with the cargo net you were expected to climb. He just had so much bulk it was a little awkward for him. Giving up he just leaped over the damn 20 feet tall wall! We had a little argument about if he had fouled, but Morgan ruled in his favor, saying that in a superhero battle, it did not matter how you got over the wall. Come to think of it, he had a point.

We were in good spirits about then and after taking a break started testing our real powers. What can I say? Flying is a rush! As long as we stayed below the quarry edge, we were concealed. Besides Anza and I were the only ones who could fly. Everything was cool until I almost ran into Will, who was trying to see just how far he could leap and damn near cleared the quarry!

Morgan, Tom and Anza then tried their hand at some target practice. Morgan won easily with her lasers. Tom did give her some glances with Morgan being in Fem mode, but did not make a big deal about it. Tom used the bit of telekinesis he had to improve the accuracy of his throwing stars while Anza used whatever was handy to flick with her own TK power.

I did take my turn on those Gawd-awful weight machines. It looked liked an overhead gravel-loading gantry-type structure for ore train cars except it had chains and pulleys attached. On sidetracks there were a variety of cars, pickups, trucks, all adapted to run on rails. All you had to do was move the thing you wanted to lift underneath the gantry, hook up the chains to the lift shackles and start lifting. Except for how large the whole thing was, it was the same as lifting in the gym. For those who were into heavy metal you could try the tank cars, ore carrier or even a locomotive, for goodness sakes!

All I can say is I did manage lift one of those empty tanker cars. It sure was not easy and I had to work at it. Will, on the other hand, just sat there and knocked out some reps using the locomotive.

I should not feel too bad I suppose; no one else could even budge the things! Anza did mange to move a car with her TK, which was darn good! Mark could not lift it but he did tip it over onto its side — which is still impressive.

After a lunch break came what we were all waiting for: the interrogation of the AI in Will's Chopper. He had been silent about what he had learned if anything, on the way over here. When asked, he’d just shrugged. Well here was time to find out for ourselves.

As far as helicopters go it looked liked just another of the Bell Jet Ranger series. You know, holds about seven passengers? Well anyways, take my word they are very common. This one was done up in Channel 7's News Eye In The Sky colors, a burgundy and black two-tone with a large white number seven.

Will sighed as we reached the helicopter. “I'm warning you it's a little, ah, quirky.”

“Who you calling quirky there Tonto?” a voice said from the machine. “And while we're on the subject, who's idea was it to assign the biggest one of you to be my pilot? It's bad enough he doesn't have the slightest idea how to pilot, I also had to make a highly modified pilot's station as well.”

We all looked at Will who had a pained look on his Indian face. “Tonto?”

Looking down at the ground, the big guy said rather sadly, “You might as well introduce yourself.”

“I see you have some manners. Greetings, I am Reid. This machine which houses me is based on a Bell 2006L4 Long Ranger IV Helicopter. I have large number of functions that I am sure your group will find useful,” it said cheerfully.

Anza noticed the pun first of course. “Isn't that supposed to be Lone Ranger and not Long?”

“Perhaps lovely lady, but given how my assigned pilot is of Native American origin I simply couldn't resist the intentional error. Additionally there is the little fact I'm going to be doing most of the work flying since Tonto over there can't,” it said with what sounded like a smirk.

Will looked up. “Hey this isn't my fault! Besides, you said last night you would help teach me to fly. Are you taking that back?” he said with his hands on his hips.

“Seeing how I just witnessed you bench pressing a locomotive that wouldn't be wise of me would it? Please excuse any breach of manners. Like you, I'm trying to determine how I arrived here.”

Morgan who had changed back to his male mode asked, “You mean you don't know how or why you are here either?”

Reid answered, “That is correct in part. I do know that I am here to assist you in your activities. As for how I arrived, I haven't got anymore of an idea than you have. I have memories of being constructed at Cosmic Forge Inc. and know your other vehicles and I were purchased by someone named Horus. The instant of our activation coincided with your arrival.”

A mutter passed among us. I do not think anyone was happy with our lack of information about what was going on.

“Indeed, from what I can gather, you were here brought under what could be called false pretenses. I have complete information regarding this place but I have not found anything that might aid you returning home. There is data regarding the craft Mystery and Esperanza encountered yesterday. It is a variant of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor called the Shrike drop-ship. The forward cockpit area is similar to attack helicopters with a weapon turret and pylons for external weapon stores. The rear compartment carries ten Enforcer Powered Armored Exoskeleton Troopers with a rapid deployment system,” Reid informed us. “It is a formidable weapon system, although at this time I can’t calculate the degree of threat to you as a group. Singly, I suspect you would be overwhelmed.”

The guys started wandering away, but I had some more questions. “What do you do when not piloting? Using an AI just as a pilot seems like a waste. ”

“Ha! An intelligent question. Yes, I can pilot this machine, but I am also data-linked to the other vehicles as well. I am not configured to control those vehicles but I can receive and process data they possess. Our data-link is secure and encrypted so it can also be also be used for more than basic communications. As of this moment, I am monitoring the World Wide Web for helpful information, but have not attempted the penetration of any networks. That falls outside of my primary purpose of piloting and support.”

Morgan and I asked a few more questions, but we got the gist. Reid would be a helper, but we were still on our own here.

Bored, the guys had taken the cars in the meanwhile and were racing around the same track we used for running earlier. With a laugh, we joined them although Morgan decided he did not want to be on a motorcycle with crazies like us behind the wheel.

Flower-Power really had more power under the hood than anyone would expect, but we could not compete with the others. Tom seemed to get off on lapping us in his Habu. Hell, he could almost manage that on foot without the car!

Morgan asked us all to give him some private time on the track so we sat and watched him whirl around on his Harley. A mass rumbling of empty stomachs got a laugh from us all, even the sour Tom. Showing off, Tom took off running matching speeds with Morgan to let him know we were going to start supper. Morgan had the advantage in the straightaway, but Tom could corner better. Yep, Power tripping shore ‘nuff!

It was still nice out for November so we decided to grill outside. With everyone helping, in no time at all we had some nice, hot coals with the tantalizing scent of steaks sizzling on the grill. We were relaxing outside full from eating and enjoying ice cold drinks from the guy’s cooler. The robots were busy cleaning up after us and the sun was setting.

I knew we had to make a shopping trip, but really was feeling kinda mellow. Even with all the physical activity none of us seemed to be sore, just a bit tired. With that said, I asked, “Anyone want to go with me to restock from the attack of the killer appetites?”

Anza lazily opened an eye. “Did I ever tell you that you are evil and despicable for suggesting even moving right now?”

I laughed. “You're the one who told me we had to watch our waist lines now that we're girls. So let’s go and work some of it off girlfriend!”

Grudgingly she got changed and met me at Flower-Power which one the robots had washed and polished after our dirt track race. I still did not care too much for robots with guns, being more a fan of Isaac Asimov’s kinder, gentler three laws of robotics. Still, any chore I did not have to do was worth a gold star in my book.

At the last minute, Morgan ran out and flagged us down so he could come along claiming he had some stuff he needed to get. Almost as soon as we cleared the gate at the top of the quarry that I had started calling 'Checkpoint Charlie' Morgan shifted into girl mode. Alright maybe “shimmered” into girlfriend mode was a better term.

Anza and I exchanged a glance, both of us wondering if it was something more. Well if it was, Morgan would let us know. Each of our journeys was an intense personal experience. We would be there for her if needed.

We had a good time during the drive. It was wonderful riding down the road singing with the radio, oh the joys of a convertible! Since Anza was driving this time, I had asked the computer for directions to the nearest full-sized grocer.

It directed us to one of those strip malls built around a grocery store with a pharmacy and a slew of other smaller businesses. This one's Food Tiger had an ATM and I tried Tom's trick of using my birthday for my PIN. I left out the zeros and used the first four numbers: it worked. I checked the balance and it was a year’s pay at least. I withdrew the maximum amount and placed it in my purse for a rainy day.

We had not even gotten down to serious shopping before Cape started sending warning signals. Looking about a little alarmed, we were being eyed with ill intent by a group of young hoodlums. All right maybe they were not but they were dressed in the style popularized by prison inmates. You know the baggy jeans pulled low, cockeyed ball-caps, and barbed-wire tattoos.

What's more, I could 'feel' what they had on their minds with my empathy. Just trust me here that it was not nice at all.

It was about then when the three of us was beginning to realize that we had screwed up. Even Anza who was more knowledgeable about this kind of thing had missed it. None of us had paid any attention that this particular strip mall was on the edge of the city in a neighborhood no one would ever call affluent. As guys, Morgan and I never worried about such things. Anza had enough problems gay bashers in the past to be cautious, but she had been having such a good time she had gotten careless. It probably had not helped matters at all when I took a wad of cash out of that ATM.

Mentally I heard Anza's, "Oh Shit!"

It got quiet except for the store's muzak and the not so whispered rude comments from our would be predators. From their hunter or prey point of view, we were just asking for it. Three young beautiful women casually but expensively attired in the wrong part of town.

We were not talking aloud but using Anza as our switchboard operator we were burning up the aether. I do not think any of us hid our disquiet at being lusted over by those punks very well.

My love threatening to brain burn them into imbeciles declared, "If they so much as touch me, they're going to need help tying their shoes for the rest of their short lives."

Morgan, just as upset but trying not to make thing worse counseled, "Let's not panic ladies. Ignore them. They're not going to try anything here inside where there are cameras and witnesses. You know if you act scared you'll just encourage them."

A little anxiously I guess because I knew exactly what our stalkers wanted to do to us I said, "Besides if it comes to a fight we'll tear them apart though you're right about this being too public."

Anza grudgingly agreed with us, "Alright I guess you're right, but I didn't like it when Mark ogled me yesterday and I like it even less from them!"

"Remember yesterday at the mall when you could've used your TK to just catch that car throw at us?" Morgan reminded her. "Don't forget your other options. You can order them to leave us alone or suggest they have to use the restroom urgently using your powers."

Anza recovering a little of her humor replied, "Oh, I get it, just shop causal like. If they try anything I‘ll keep that in mind."

It seemed to last for minutes but our mental communications had really only taken a few seconds. I think it took us longer to shake off the intensity of the mental rapport then the entire conversation did.

As unnerving as it was we did our shopping with our unwanted spectators. I was quickly learning the downside of being Mystery. While Morgan was aware of the problem she was able to concentrate on ignoring our gangsters wanna'-be's I could not. My empathic power gave me a constant update every time they saw hmmm... something that visually simulated them.

It was nearly as bad as that nightmarish experience at Twin Peaks the strip club. Despite the fact I could break every bone in their bodies without breaking a sweat what I was feeling scared me. For the first time I thought about wanting go back to being Greg and male again just so they would not look at me that way. That did not last very long but did get me to thinking about other things that would make them leave us alone.

About then Anza laid her hand upon mine and I felt the love she held for me. Of course, she knew how I was feeling because of our bond/link. Her love steadied me and allowed my thoughts to consider how to make them leave us be. They would not be giving us a problem if there was a cop about but of course, there is never one around when you need one.

Then I had a thought. "Badges, we need some stinking badges!" my brains misquoted.

"Girls,” I asked telepathically. "I have an idea. Would you mind playing along? I promise I'm not going break anybody's bones, okay?"

Morgan thought back me via Anza, "I hate to ask, but what exactly is this plan?"

Thinking to Cape I asked it as I stepped behind my friends out of site of my audience, "I need some clothing accessories. A belt decoration that looks like this." I requested visualizing a policeman's shield complete with leather backing and belt clip. Since what I was wearing left no room for anything like a shoulder holster I tried simply for a pistol shaped lump under my blouse.

I leaned over and thinking of that old "Police Woman" show, whispered in Morgan's ear, "Just call me Angie Dickinson."

She gave me a long suffering sigh, "I don't suppose you can pull more of those from the air can you?"

Cape gave me an answer that I had to take a moment to decipher. Do not tell me you can not figure out what your dog or cat is saying you. It just takes a few false tries sometimes.

"Yes," I replied smiling palming a fake badge into her hand. "We can't do the dummy weapons, but how are these?"

Morgan just shrugged and clipped it to her belt arranging her top to just cover it while Cape did the same for me.

Anza was stifling a giggle as she tried to ignore our antics. I stepped next to her and passed another fake badge to her. Stealing Earl Holliman's tag line she whispered, "Freeze Turkey".

The hard part was waiting while the young delinquents took notice. It was longer than I would have liked because it wasn't our beltline they were staring at. Once they did to say they quickly lost interest was an understatement. After they wandered away all three of us breathed a little easier.

On another note, I didn’t noticed Morgan buying up anything that seemed critical to me so I was guessing she just wanted some girl time. That was fine with Anza and me for we had plenty to spare now!

Morgan and Anza did hit the pharmacy next door for what they regarded as needed medical supplies. Then it was time to head back to the hole. We did see our young trouble makers on the way to Flower-power, but evidently the fake badges had worked.

It was cooler out now and besides with all the food we needed to put the top back up. Still the ride back was nice. Luckily we breezed though Checkpoint Charlie without having to give Huey, Dewey and Louie the passwords again. Soon we pulled to where the guys were still sitting around the remains of the grill pit, talking about the usually guy stuff I guess. One thing though, Morgan did change back to male before we entered the gate.

I opened the door and there was someone pawing though our leftovers! With both arms full of bags that I couldn't drop there wasn't a thing I could do. Frightened the intruder looked up at me and lighting-fast, darted into the conference room before I could say a word.

Nearly throwing the bags down on the table, I flew into the room after them. Only there wasn't anyone there! I looked everywhere, but my intruder had seemed to disappeared into thin air.

Anza called from the kitchen, “Misty, what's going on?”

I could feel her curiosity but I was half wondering if I hadn’t imagined it all. “Nothing love, thought I saw something, but it was nothing.”

She shrugged. “Let's put up this stuff, then we can relax some, ” She said, suggestively raising her eyebrows.

Giving the room one last look, I decided that no real harm was about, but I would keep my eyes open. Later that night thinking back about it before sleep overcame me, hmmm... Mystery’s got a mystery!

***

Clutching the bits of grilled meat, the ragged figure shivered in fear, its heart beating in panic. Never should have dared while they were still awake. But the meat smelled so good! It carefully listened for sounds of pursuit but heard none.

Soon the temptation of the grilled meat overcame the fear. Half wild it gnawed at the feast and licked every finger clean afterwards. A small internal voice advised that Nurse would've been unhappy with the finger licking. But it really didn't matter it told itself sadly,: manners and being happy were for viables not for defectives.

***

Heroes of Justice: A Blast from the Past!

“Warning! Warning! Unknown airborne radar contact three miles out and closing!” Reid, the AI pilot, blared out!

We'd been up for some time and were still playing with the powers we had inherited with our transformations into our characters. As Tom had proved yesterday we did have their skills as well as their abilities. They were harder to access, however. Like his skill throwing shurikens — the favorite toy of choice of Ninjas everywhere.

Annoyingly, it was something that if you thought about it you couldn't do it. If you put it out of your head and just did it, everything just fell into place. Easier said than done. I dare you not to think of something when someone tells you not too! I suppose that’s what the old saying about “practice, practice, practice” is about.

Everything stopped as the News 7 chopper did its Robot impression. What also grabbed our attention was Huey, Dewey and Louie the three caretaker robots. They stopped what they were doing and what could only be missiles cycled onto their utility arms.

I know I was holding my breath, but then as one the three robot amigos lowered their weapons and went back to what they were doing. I heard some of the others sigh in relief too. Slowly descending was a Bell V-22 Osprey Tilt rotor. Looking like a airplane with an engine on each wing tip, it was just coming into service back home. What made it different was that the engines could rotate upwards changing the plane into a helicopter, a real life transformer. This meant it had the speed and range of a plane, but could hover and land vertically like a chopper. No wonder here they were calling them dropships after the feared assault vessels from the pages of science fiction.

This one was in the white and blue of the New Riverside Warders. How did I know that? Well the huge letters spelling it out on the underside certainly helped. The cheap cellphone whose number Question had never rang so the question (no pun intended!) was, is this a setup?

Looking around to gage everyone else's reaction, Morgan was tapping her cellphone and pointing to her ear. Alright, it was clear she wanted us to use our phones to go to tactical communications. The problem with that was, I didn't have my phone with me and from Mark's expression neither did he. What can I say? We are new at this, okay.

Anza, using our bond/link said, “Don't worry love I'll pass along everything to you and Mark.”

Feeling very silly because I should've known better, I sent back to her a very heart-felt sense of relief.

Morgan gave a long suffering sigh. “Everyone stay cool, but if it ’s a double cross make for the Long Ranger. Are you listening to this Reid?”

“Affirmative, I am tied into the base's radar and no other contacts are within range. The sentries stood down after the correct code from the Warder's transport was received. Analysis at this time suggest this just a unannounced visit. Still your caution is commendable.” The AI radioed.

Rather dryly Morgan responded, “Thank you. We do need to work at this some more. I don't think anything is going to happen but if it does be ready.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I watched the big aircraft set down in a hurricane of dust. The rear ramp lowered and, lo and behold, it was the Warders. Well, at least most of them; Question we had already met; Enigma, a white shrouded woman wearing twin shoulder holstered automatic pistols; Black Hawk named because of his black wings in a black and red costume; and Conductress a red-head woman dressed in blue tights decorated with lightning bolts.

Finally gawking all about him was this somewhat overweight guy who was about 6'4”. He had that dark-hair hirsute look about him that promised a five o'clock shadow before lunch. Lumbering down the ramp because of an old injury he had gotten years before, he paused at the bottom. It was MIKE!

His standing there amongst the Warders was a study of a normal-looking dude amongst the larger-than-life heroes. Flab with blue jeans and red t-shirt sporting a large yellow lightning bolt versus spandex and tights, rippling with muscle.

It was definitely a Kodak moment as he recognized us and we almost involuntarily took a step towards our friend. His eyes boggled as we dared the windy vortex from the Osprey's rotors to reach him.

“It's Mike!” Will yelled audible even over the roar of the turboprops. We finally got far enough away so we could talk. While the gang were all talking excitedly, I was watching the amused looks from the Warders. The only faces I could see were Black Hawk's and Conductress, but my empathic link with Cape let me know the other two, although masked, shared their comrades’ amusement.

“You guys alright?” Mike asked, his concern visible. At our nods he continued, “Thank Gawd, I'm so sorry fellas. I had no idea anything like this was going to happen.”

“Us? We were worried about you! You big lunk! ULTIMATE had you locked up and we didn't know if you would ever be released,” Will exclaimed.

“All of us were worried they were torturing you or something worse.” Mark spoke up over Will's boisterousness. “Are you okay?”

The gang quieted down. “It wasn't pleasant, but I'm okay. I'm telling you those guys are a real piece of work. ” Mike looked around at all of us. “Even though I'm looking at you all, it's hard to believe you've changed into your characters. These guys told me I have you to thank for them getting me released. Thanks Guys.” He blushed as he saw Anza and me. “Er, Greg, Danny I really sorry. I never meant to get you two turned into girls.”

An ugly look crossed Tom's face, but before he could say anything a still grinning Will gave him a not so gentle elbow. Mike raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. This reunion meant too much to us to spoil with nasty reminders of real life.

Mike got a baffled look as Anza told him, “We'll talk later okay?” glancing at me and him.

We were interrupted by what sounded like a Detroit Diesel truck engine down-shifting, but was only Question clearing his throat. “Not to be rude but I put a lot on the line getting your friend released. I had to ask my friends to blindly trust my judgment concerning you folks. If you don't mind we really want some answers.”

As one we all turned to Mike with puppy dog eyes wanting to know just what was going on here. “I hardly know where to start. Okay, I guess you all know we were just starting to play a game that, as far as I can figure, is based on events that are happening right here in this world. It was a pen and paper role-playing game, but had a computer component to ease game play and help out with in-game graphics.”

Heroes of Justice: Mike's story

One minute he was at Comic Forge and then, wham bam no thank you ma'am, he was at some set for an ancient-Egyptian movie. There were columns and pools and surrounding palm trees. Mike looked around wondering if he'd finally cracked. No way any of this was real.

The breeze blowing though the enclosed area was kept cool by the pools that must have been fed from some sort of underground system or springs based on the gurgle he heard. Bowls of what he thought might be dates and some other fruits were set next to them. Nearby pillows made of some shiny material were scattered about, but not a single modern convenience was in sight.

Outside, it looked pretty lush and green to him, but wherever he was it didn’t look like the good old USA. He took out his cell phone, but it dead. His Swiss army knife had among its other gadgets a compass, but all it did was spin in a circle. Even his trusty, retro, wind-up watch had stopped. This was too weird.

Picking a way between the columns, Mike headed towards what seemed the way out. After about five minutes he didn't seem to be making any progress. Wait, he thought, didn't that group of pillows look familiar? Looking around, he slapped himself on his broad forehead.

Mike was certain that he'd been walking straight and not in some sort of circle. The only other explanation he could think of was that he was on some sort of Má¶bius strip where space-time was curved in on itself. Limping over to one of the bowls he arranged some of the fruit in a pattern on the marble floor. Picking out a spot with his eyes he started moving, paying attention not to wander from his path.

He'd only been walking just a few minutes when right there in front of him was the empty bowl with the fruit in a large cross. Huffing in frustration, he demanded, “Hey! Is anyone here? How do I get out of here?”

“Oh this is just great!” he complained.

Sitting down heavily on the cushions, he massaged his aching ankle a memento of younger more foolish days. Oh yeah, he was wiser now. If so why the hell was he trapped in a bad episode of Strange Stories?

Mike checked out each pool but as far he could see they were all the same. He didn't know if he was going crazy or if he had cursed one time to often. Finally he tried the food and, although different from was he was accustomed to, it wasn’t too bad. He attempted his experiment with leaving again but was no more successful this time than the last.

Frustrated and worried he eventually went to sleep.

“Why! Mortal did they abandon the plan?”

Mike jerked awake with this huge black shape yelling at him! He rolled off the cushions scrambling awkwardly to his feet.

“Oh shit!” he whispered as he saw what had woken him. It stood nearly seven feet tall and was dressed just like those in the murals on the walls. Even a blind man couldn't miss the falcon's head on its shoulders. Just a like a bird it now had one eye cocked at him, demanding answers!

“Why have you not been using the pools to observe and aid your chosen champions’ progress? For what purpose did you change the agreed upon plans?” this impossible creature questioned him.

Mike had a bad feeling about this. As with most gamers, he had a fairly good knowledge of mythology and if he wasn't hallucinating, this was a Egyptian god. “Champions? I don't understand. How would I use pools of water to see anything? Excuse me, but where am I? Who are you? What is this all about?”

“I am Horus. You and your companions agreed to fight for justice and thus they became your Champions.” it said waving a hand over the nearest pool. With a shimmer, a movie like image appeared within its waters.

Mike blinking saw his gamer friends' characters fighting some villains at a shopping mall. It looked as if Mystery, Greg's character was taking a beating repeatedly getting kicked in the face, ouch!

“Yeah those are my guys’ characters alright. Is this part of the game we were supposed to play? Why am I here and where are they?” Mike asked half afraid he knew the answers.

Horus’s great eyes blinked, bird-like, and it pointed into the pool where the small figures were fighting.

Mike looked and winced in pain. “You mean they are their characters? And that pool shows they’re getting their asses handed to them? For real?”

The giant nodded.

Mike swallowed hard, his palm s sweating. “This all some kind of mistake. I don't remember any kind of agreement. We're just ordinary guys play a game, not heroes! We don't know anything about being heroes. Please,” he said, looking at the mirror feeling his gorge rise when he saw Mystery covered in blood, “Undo all of this. Let us go home.”

Horus was impassive. “The agreement was made.”

Still trying to swallow he begged, “You don't understand! They could die!”

“The agreement was made. Their avatars were chosen and placed.”

This just couldn't be happening. All his friends could die down there. Okay let’s calm down here, Mike told himself.

“What can I do to help them?” he asked.

“It is too late. The plan has not been followed and thus has failed.”

“Don't give me that crap. Plans fail all the time. You regroup and start another. What can I do to help my friends?” Mike said as forcefully as he could while wondering if this bird-thing would squash him flat.

It tilted its head upwards as if hearing something from on high. “Yes, plans fail.”

Mike jerked back as the thing leaned over and its cruel falcon's beak came to inches of his face, “Chose an avatar mortal.”

He took a step back after almost soiling himself. “You mean chose a character to become?”

Horus nodded and crossed its mammoth arms signaling finality.

Oh great no pressure here! Just fluking great. No details help him to make a informed choice. Well there's always SuperJock, but he has that damn weakness to Kryptonium. Maybe the Green Ring, but his ring has to be recharged plus it could be taken away. Damn it! The Hammer God is a tough guy, but shit he has his problems too!

Horus crossed its arms. “Choose Mortal”

“Hey, give a guy a chance here will ya?” but somehow Mike didn't think it was listening. Rubbing his temples trying to think, he looked down at his shirt. The yellow lightning bolt on red was of course from the Big Red Cheese, but he'd worn it because he couldn't find one in black with a silver bolt.

The silver on black was the symbol from "The Hero Found" series a urban tale using Arthurian Legends and other classical myths. There were several advantages with Kevin Matchbox “The Hero Found” character. One was: no huge glaring weaknesses or problems. But he was also limited in his powers being a brick strong guy. Too bad he couldn't be a mixture of Merlin, a magic using wizard from the same series. Okay how about Iron Guy? He has a powerful set of armor, and a master inventor too.

“Acceptable” Horus announced as he uncrossed his arms.

“Hey wait a minute! I haven't decided yet,!” Mike protested.

Then suddenly he was airborne! That bastard had thrown him into one the pools. His thought, “Hey why haven't I hit the water yet?” came out as a single scream while the fall seemed to last forever! Then, with a breath-stealing slam, he splashed into the cold waters!

***

“Next thing I knew, some joggers were pulling me out of the river. One of them drove me to a hospital because I seemed so out of it. I think it was more from dealing with Horus than swallowing any of that river. Then the Gestapo showed up wanting to know how I fell from midair into the river.

“Telling them the truth didn't seem like a good idea so I told them who I was and where I lived. The problem with that was I don't exist here. I explained that the last memory I had was going to buy some comic books, not mentioning the game or my stop-over in Egyptian-Never-Never-Land.”

Looking around at us, he continued, “They didn't like that answer and started playing harder. They brought in this weird woman to see me. I think maybe she was a telepath, but she didn't find whatever they were looking for. Next came the little tricks like messing with the lighting and food.

“I'll admit was getting worried about how far this was going, but then he came in,” Mike pointed at Question. “I him what I told the Gestapo, but he seemed to know you guys. It was great when he came and got me released this morning.”

Mike looked at the Warders. “Thanks for getting me out there. I'm afraid it’s the good news, and bad news thing. The good news are I think we can go home, but the bad is we are going have stop this Syndicate first.”

Question's expression was hidden beneath his mask. “Why tell us all of this when you kept this such a secret earlier? ” his glance including his team mates.

Mike got a pained look. “Well you already knew something about us already and trusted us enough to get me released. There is no way, as it stands, that we have a hope in hell of taking this Syndicate down. We're going to need help and at least you've proved the Warders have an open mind. ”

I cut in. “ULTIMATE has already proven it is more interested in politics then in resolving this. We were hoping for more information, but what Mike has told us has taken some of the doubts out the equation. This Syndicate is reason we're here and is going to have to be dealt with before we can go home.”

Morgan added, “What's more, there may be a lot more to this than anyone suspects, if this Horus is indeed a god. They have the reputation of not getting involved unless the stakes are world altering or worse.”

My empathic sense let me know Question was real unhappy to hear any of this, but he couldn't disagree. His other teammates looked if they’d just stepped in something very unpleasant.

For that matter, my friends didn't seem any too happy about it either. Yes, even Tom. He might be acting like an ass but I still consider the dummy a friend. The worse feelings were coming from Mike; he truly felt he was responsible for us being in this fix.

Question gestured to his compatriots. “Excuse us but we need to have a short conference.”

We watched them step away, and everyone relaxed... well mostly.

Mike turned to me. “Greg, when I realized that it was you I saw covered in blood I almost threw up. Please, I'm sorry about... ”

Both Anza and I smiled. “Mike, like we said, we'll talk about that later. We're fine. What you never said was which avatar you chose.”

Mike beamed. “Well you don't see any red and gold armor do you?”

That lead to us ribbing him about his possible choices which he took good naturally. It felt good to just joke and laugh together like old times. I think we all knew it couldn't last, but that made it all the more precious.

Morgan, smiling ruefully asked, “I suppose its to much to hope for that you've been released with no strings attached?”

Mike shook his head. “I wish! No, I'm in the Warder's custody for now. That means that I'll have stay at their base under a kind of house arrest. That telepath kinda saw a hint of something. She knows more is there, but I believe I hid it from her. Not sure how I did it, but I did it, I think. ”

Shaking his head, he added, “If you'd told me I would be worried about telepaths and the mutant police four days ago I would've think you were crazy or talking about a game. I used to wish that somehow I could become like the heroes I read about. Now that I have it's not as much fun as I thought it would be.”

Mark dragged his ever present cooler outside, and tossed a cold one to Mike. “Be careful what you wish for man. You might get it! ”

That was a sentiment we all earnestly saluted.

A few minutes later the Warders returned and, from what overheard, not all of them were happy with Question's proposal. They were perhaps, how to say it?... Enthusiastic in pointing out what they saw were flaws?

Black Hawk, with his large black wings still ruffled, spoke. “If I thought for a moment there was some other way of doing this I would turn you in to ULTIMATE myself. We’ve already lost one dear friend and have another companion recovering after being half-killed. This is our offer. Enigma? ”

Enigma surprised me when she spoke with a British accent. “Question has an old friend he is planning to ask help train you. Before we agree to this we must, for our own peace of mind witness that you have some ability to defend yourselves. If you can prove that to us, then you'll have your chance. Maybe gods have no qualms over dropping innocents into the deep, but the rest of us want to be able to sleep nights.

Question went off to make his call while the Warders put the rest of us through our paces, again. We spent the rest of the day being tested by the Warders and, trust me, it sucked. For the most part we got humiliated, but there was a few memorable bits of payback.

Enigma had this little 'find me' test. She could quiet literally disappear and even Wolfen couldn't track her scent. Anza had gotten a pissed over the Brit's arrogance. When she'd reappeared Enigma had a pair of bunny ears attached to her cowl. After the laughter had died down and she'd found them she grudgingly gave Anza a pass.

Conductress was even worse because she kept shocking everyone with these cattle prod like jolts. The idea were we was to dodge these, but the bloody things would arc right to you! Morgan, as Lady Diamond walked right up to her as the lightning writhed about her. Turning to stand beside Conductress, she said, “Electricity doesn't do much to me, but I can do this.”

Producing a visible red beam she guided it to a rock and melted it in a flash of light. “So, tell me dear, are you laser proof?”

Of course I got to play with Black Hawk and he flew rings around me. His idea of a test was a game of tag some what like flag football. We had strips of cloth attached to our shoes and took turns trying to snag the other's 'flag.'

What gave me fits was he as so darn fast and accurate he would snatch off my flag before I even knew it. After the third time Cape had enough, it became part of the flag. The next time Black Hawk grabbed the flag he found himself pulling a streamer made of Cape, that acted like a bungee cord and bounced me right at him. I'll admit it was lucky we didn't collide, but not my grabbing his flag on the way by.

I had the giggles for hours at the dumbfounded look on his face wondering what the heck happened! Those however were the exceptions and all of us had a tough time. However, at the end of the day, when all was said and done, they couldn't say we were helpless. They didn't seem to like it, but gave their assent.

No one held a grudge against them, I think. I understood why they needed to know if we had any idea what we were letting ourselves in for. They got an invitation to stay for the grill-out we had planned but they had to leave. Unfortunately that meant Mike had to go with them, so we didn't get that talk we wanted. Speaking for myself it sucked, having just found him, for him to leave so soon. Because of his unchanged appearance, he was a visible talisman of our old lives.

Just to confused things, he said he would speak to us soon. This after Question had seemed unsure of when they could return. Argh, cryptic Game-masters!

That night our mood was a little more upbeat. We'd found Mike and confirmed that yes we did get Shanghaied. Anza and I were both happy to know we hadn't dispossessed anyone from their bodies which meant the ones we had were all ours.

The guys were having a good time and so were us girls. I know I'm including Morgan with the girls even though after the Warder's left he went back to guy mode. His explanation was as far as they knew he was a woman. It was a good way to keep a hole card hidden. Me, I think he just enjoyed being a girl sometimes. As for Anza, she gloried in it while I was still adjusting. No matter how you look at it, this was a massive and unexpected change. Yes it was wonderful but as with a lot things, it took some getting use to.

Mark had managed to get a better handle on his uber-nose and wasn't sniffing up Anza's skirt anymore even if he did indicate he was still interested. Tom, well, was Tom. He obviously still disapproved of our relationship, but had stopped bad mouthing us about it. Good natured Will seemed to be enjoying himself and had become our resident peacemaker.

Which brings me to the other burning question Anza and I had. Could we stay like this even after whatever happened with this Syndicate mess? Was this an all or nothing deal about going home? For that matter, we weren't even sure who, if anyone wanted to stay besides us. Actually, asking if anyone wanted to stay implied we liked what had happened to us. While true, it could open up Tom's nasty box of comments again. With that in mind both of us decided to wait for a better time.

Remembering my mystery guest from the night before, I picked out few pieces of leftovers and made a plate, placing it in the conference room. I covered the plate with foil to protect it but also to see if anyone got into it. All of this I did on the sly, not wanting to answer unwanted questions. With that done, it was off to bed, if not sleep. There were a lot of things about being a girl I still didn’t know and Anza was determined I learn them all!

***

As the wall rose, the figure cautiously moved to the tantalizing plate with all those wonderful scents. Hesitating, thinking it could be a trap, it slowly investigated the plate of food. It took the plate and removing the foil, scooping up the food and putting it in a worn chipped bowl. It then took the paper plate and foil and dumped them in the trash in the kitchen. With luck they'll think one of the others took it.

Trembling a little it'd been a long time since it'd been so close to discovery. The ones with long hair reminded it of Nurse but it dared not take the chance. Dealing with others was dangerous. It was best to hide until they left. Scampering back to the other side of the wall, the secret door close whisper quiet behind it.

***

The next morning I got a surprise when I woke up!

“Good morning, I wondered how long you two were going sleep.”

Grabbing at the edge of the sleeping bag to cover myself and Anza I found we'd been covered with a sheet that hadn‘t been there the night before. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I found, Mike.

“What are you doing here?” I asked still groggy from sleep.

“You said you two wanted to talk, it sounded important, so here I am,” he said in a matter of fact way.

Anza muttered, “Who are you talking to?”

Not taking my eyes from him, I answered, “There is a man in our room and we're still dressed for play, baby.”

Now that woke her up better than a cup of coffee could! If you are wondering what ‘dressed for play’ meant... I am not going to tell you. Go fish!

Her eyes flew open and she was ready to give a migraine to their intruder, they would never forget. “Mike?” she asked confused, “What the hell are you doing in our bedroom?”

Mike smiled. “I'm guessing this is part of what you wanted to tell me? It's okay, you did surprise me, but when I saw your connection, I figured it out. If I can hazard a guess, you two don't want to change back? ”

Anza was not her best first thing in the morning. “What the hell are you talking about? And what’s it to you if we don't? And, while we're at, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN OUR ROOM?” she demanded screaming.

“Easy love, we wanted to talk to him. And since he's at least talked to what brought us here he might know more than he's told everyone else.” I tried to calm her.

He spread his large hands. “I'm sorry about this but right now I don't want anyone else to know I'm here. Ask me what you need to know and I'll tell you if I can.”

My ears was still ringing from my lover's angry retort when I asked, “Don't you think it's a little late for that? Maybe no one heard that in New Riverside, but I wouldn't place any bets.”

“Actually no one did. I've got a barrier up around us. If anyone looks in here all they will see is two young women asleep,” Mike said pleased with himself.

Anza still out of sorts shot back, “I thought you said you didn't get any superpowers?”

Mike smiled. “I said I didn't receive any red and gold powered armor. You could say I found the ‘Hero within’, so to speak. ”

Anza looked to me. “You're the comic fan. What is he talking about? ”

Meeting his eyes I explained, “The Hero Found” was a very artsy series about a modern day Champion using Arthurian legends. The Hero was always wearing this t-shirt with this lightning bolt on it,” gesturing at what he was wearing.

Mike, smiling, gave me nod-like bow.

“Anyways he was mostly a brick but had a baseball bat instead of a sword, in keeping with the urban fantasy theme. He also had an incarnation of Merlin as an advisor, as well as a group of oddballs that was kinda like the Knights of the Round Table,” I explained.

“Since, I as far as I know the Hero couldn't do magic… You're Merlin?” I asked as Anza was TKing her clothes to her. Duh! I had forgotten about Cape. Mentally, I asked, “Some clothes please.”

“Well there's a story here. I wanted something so I could help you guys but I also wanted to be loaded for bear if it came to that. The Hero was one tough strong guy but lacked any real support ability. Merlin had that ability, but had a glass jaw. That's why I was considering Iron Guy because he could do both.”

Mike sighed. “Horus took it out of my hands. I seem to be a mixture of the Hero and Merlin. Before you get jealous, what powers I do have don't seem to work all the time. Only when I need them like when that telepath tried to read my mind, or when they didn't work when I fell into the river. ”

A dressed calmer Anza said, “Okay, I'll bite. Can Misty and I stay even after this is all over assuming we don't die?”

“Honesty I don't know. Horus kept bringing up some contract and I don't have the slightest idea what he was talking about.” Mike confessed.

Anza and I traded a look, while I told him, “That part we figured out. We think it was the software use agreement. It had what I thought was this humorous bit tacked on about agreeing to be Heroes of Justice and aiding others in the fight for truth, justice, and etc. I don't recall anything about a time limit or a release clause. Morgan may remember more because of his eidetic memory.”

Mike, running his hands though his thinning hair said, “I got the feeling that Horus felt he had too much invested in this plan and avatar thing with you guys. It is possible, if we can get ourselves out of this mess we can renegotiate because we didn't understand the terms. Before anything else though, beating this syndicate is the first thing we need to do.

So you're not sore at me for all of this? You know getting you turned into girls and everything?”

I got a flash of what Anza intended and joined her when she leaned over and we gave him a peck on each cheek.

While he was busy blushing I said, “Defeating them isn't going to be easy. It took all of us to put Big Red down. Even if you figure in that we only half-knew what we were doing, it still means they are pretty tough and not at all afraid to use lethal force.”

“Question has been playing this trainer thing very close to his chest. It's like watching an old cold war movie with his “need-to-know” security. Even the rest of the team who didn't meet you, don't know the details. I don't know if he doesn't trust them or it is just more security measures.” Mike said.

“Some training is better than none,” I pointed out. “What we can't overlook are our character's skills and combat experiences are harder for us to access than our powers. It could be this mysterious trainer of Question will help us unlock them. If so, that could make all the difference in the world.”

He cocked his head, as if hearing something. “Okay guys I need to split.”

Looking down her nose, Anza corrected him, “Don't you mean girls?”

Her question he dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Nah, girls, guys, you’re still my friends. Ciao!” He stepped into a greenish disk that suddenly appeared and was gone.

Giggling, I remarked, “That's good news I think!”

Still disgruntled, Anza snorted, “The next time he barges into our room, I'm going give him a pain he's never going to forget!”

A beating at the door startled us, as a half dressed Will slammed open our door! “There's another plane coming in! Didn't you hear the warning?”

Mutely we shook our heads, but I was not even sure he saw as he rushed off. Our door swung open still locked but the entire door jam was splintered where he forced it. Anza just lowered her lovely head in hopeless resignation of getting any privacy. Well at least we were already dressed. Well, almost anyways. I had to explain to Cape that stilettos and a mini skirt were not proper attire for early morning outings in quarries.

With Mike and his magic barrier thing gone, our phones came alive with Reid's warning. “Small aircraft approaching. Call sign Mike Victor. Security codes received and robot-sentries have stood down.”

We met the others, who were already outside. Since they had all run out half-dressed, we gave them a little extra time to finish. All eyes were turned to the skies where a small saucer shape circled the quarry. I heard the distinctive sounds of turboprops so that ruled out any little green men.

Looking upwards Morgan asked me, “Misty don’t tell me that’s what I think it is.”

“Okay... I won’t tell you that it looks like a World War II era Vought XF-5 known as the Flying FlapJack. On our world, they never even made a test flight, but apparently here things happened differently. Back home they were supposed to use piston engines but I hear turboprops. Plus I think I see some kind of weapon blister on the underside of this one. That would more than likely be twenty- or maybe even thirty-millimeter cannons. It’ll be very bad news for anything flying that's not at least post 1950's military. It is also STOL. That’s Short Take Off and Landing,” I added for Anza’s sake.

Feeling uncomfortable, I looked around and saw everyone staring at me. “What? I'm an amateur military historian alright?”

You know it is bad when you out geek the geeks, geez!

Just as I expected, the pilot after making a few passes to eyeball our running track, raceway cum, runway brought the bright silver aluminum finished warbird floating in to land lightly with a very short roll. Being a history nut, I was fascinated with this impossible aircraft, but that was nothing compared to the pilot.

He slid off the rear of the aircraft, still wearing a Korean War era flight helmet. Like most helmets of the time, it was colorfully painted. His had a large red “V” on the front. His flight suit looked to be from the same time period.

Opening a storage panel, he pulled out a duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. Looking about he saw our group and started towards us.

As he got closer, I could see he was about the same height and build as Mark, which would make him 6'4”. The other thing was he was glowing! He was wearing a major's insignia and had a red “V” patch on his shoulder just like the one on his flight helmet.

Our mystery major dropped his duffel and took off his helmet. Geez! Sandy-haired and gray-eyed, he could pass for a recruiting poster for either side of the Atlantic during WWII.

While we were checking him out, he was inspecting us with a critical eye. He held out his hand to Will. “I'm known as Major Victory. We have mutual acquaintance who has asked me to help keep you alive. The Question called in a marker and so here we are.”

Will was surprised, because we all kinda looked to Morgan as our leader. The thing was Morgan was in her secret ID girl mode. Evidently, an old fashion kind of guy, he decided the largest male was the leader.

Anza rolled her eyes at what I am sure she thought as his ancient dinosaur like behavior.

Morgan did not think much of it either. “I'm Lady Diamond. What inquiring minds want to know is this glow of yours dangerous in any way? Most of us are pretty tough but not invulnerable.”

Major Victory gave us an actual bow. “Ladies, what you are calling my 'glow' isn't dangerous. It is the opposite actually. It is the visible manifestation of my bio-energy field and rather than harm, it heals and energizes.”

Putting his helmet down upon the table, he cleared his throat, “This is as good a time as any to tell you about myself.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I haven't decided whether or not to accept this position yet. Call this a mutual interview, if you will. My powers as some call them are those of extreme strength and durability. I am much older than I look and have outlived all my contemporaries.”

“I was born in 1894 and fought in the Great War. Afterwards I became what some would call an adventurer and I got involved with stopping the notorious Professor Sinistral's various schemes in the mid-1920's. To make a long story short as revenge he captured me and used me a guinea pig in one of his amoral experiments. Rather than stealing my life force to re-energize his own as he intended, he somehow made me a converter. By this, I mean I take ambient energy in the form of heat, light, and other forms of radiation and turn it into a kind of biological or life energy. ”

An old pain flickered across his face. “For three years I was imprisoned and used by him to lengthen his own life until in his greed he sought to leech even more bio-energy from me. You see whenever I'm exposed to too much energy and am injured some of my bio-energy goes to heal myself. That increases my overall capacity. Wanting more and more the old madman caused me grievous harm. It drove him insane that each time, I became what he desired. After each episode, I was stronger and healthier despite what his fiendish machines could steal from me.

“To this day, I don't know what tortures he inflicted on me that last day. Time was running out for him. My companions had been searching for me for all those long years and were closing in on him. I remember hearing the sounds of battle as they uncovered his hidden lair. The rest was lost in pain so great that I've lost the memory of what occurred next.”

“When I came to, I was lying in the wreckage of his lab with my friends fresh from battle around me. Professor's Sinistral was nowhere to be found and in all these years since, he has never reappeared. I went from adventurer to masked crime fighter. When World War II started, I fought for the Allies as Major Victory, the commander of an elite team of commandos in the European theater and later in the Pacific during the invasion of Japan. After the Korean conflict, I tendered my resignation in protest of Senator's McCarthy's Witch-hunts. ”

Meeting each of our eyes one by one, he said in a low voice. “I've seen dear friends die in some of the most horrible ways imaginable, but the direst of them all is time. To see their strength and vitality stolen from them while I remain hale is a worse torment than any the dear professor inflicted upon my flesh. More terrible is the theft of their wits and to see their envy and hate of me, who still has everything they have lost.”

“I retired from saving the world and the people in it. I live alone and tinker with my hobbies from my youth. The only reason I'm here is because of a promise to a dear friend. Now it is time you tell me your story,” He said resting on the edge of the picnic table.

We all looked at each other, but hyperactive Tom, tired of waiting began first. The Major asked each of us our own version for what happened and asked a few careful questions of us. It was obvious to me that he had a lot of experience as a de-briefer as well as an interrogator. The best ones are always the ones that could get what they want from you with a smile and hand shake.

It did take a while for everyone to have their turn and I noticed he seemed very interested in our second hand account of Mike's journey and his meeting with Horus.

He paused after we had finished. “A most unusual adventure you have shared and a challenge to cause even the bravest to falter. Do not take this Syndicate lightly. What little dealings I've had with those who style themselves gods have taught me they see reality very differently than we do. For them to gift their champions as you have been, would suggest a great and dire danger.”

“The gifts you've received are challenges in and of themselves. Not only do you have to defeat this enemy, but before you do you have to master yourselves as well. You've each been transformed into different people from whom you are all unaccustomed to interacting with. Some of you have changed radically and that is going to be a challenge for all of you.” He paused and looked at each of us in turn. I felt his gray eyes boring into me.

Just then as if planned Tom and Will's stomachs gave out a loud 'grumble.' Everyone laugh as the two of them looked suitably embarrassed.

Major Victory laughing along with the rest of us said with a big smile, “But it is still early and obviously you haven't eaten yet. Let me suggest we break to eat?”

With this bunch of chowhounds, everyone readily agreed. I suspected he had other motives; he never said if he was going to help us or not. However, I put those thoughts aside for the moment. It did not take long for us to fix up breakfast and soon we were all munching down. Major Victory finished before us and making excuses that he needed to see to servicing his aircraft left us alone.

Everyone started talking at once, even Tom who still had a mouthful of third helpings.

"This burnout is suppose help us? Give me a break!" Tom said almost understandably. "I've seen dear friends die," He mocked.

Will shook his in disagreement, "Are you kidding? This guy is like Captain Patriot, Indiana Smith, and Doc Ferocious all wind up together. He's got to know tons of stuff that's ass-kicking."

Anza looked as if she was eating lemons as she agreed with Tom. "I hate to agree with you, but he is so old fashioned he's an antique. Just look at the way he ignored us girls and assumed this big dope spoke for us."

Morgan shook her head and sighed, "I know how you feel Anza, but he's the only game in town. At least part of the reason Question dragged him out of retirement is because he's off the radar. Unless there is a really serious problem I think we're struck with him."

Keeping quite for once, I caught Mark's attention who had also been keeping silent. He just shrugged and forked over the last of the flapjacks onto his plate.

Even though I wanted to say something, I held my tongue because I had noticed that at no time had Major Victory said he was going to help us. When the rest of the gang started drifting off, I decided to hunt down him and put him to the question.

He was just where he said he was going to be, at his aircraft. When he saw me approaching, he met me halfway and sat down on the tailgate of a pick-up truck used as part of the over-sized weightlifting gear.

I asked him, “So have you talked yourself out of helping us or is that taking a little more time than expected?”

Meeting my eyes, his gray ones were as hard as stones. “Why would you say that? I could be just weighting the pros and cons and have yet to make a decision. ”

I shrugged. “You told us yourself, if not in so many words.”

Raising a brow, he gestured at me to sit and continue.

“Nearly all your life you've been put in harm's way,” I explained. “Two world-wars and you hinted at other conflicts you've been a part of. Though all of them, you've survived, but you've seen those you've known and cared about come to harm and worse. If that wasn't enough, now the ones that have survived are falling to the one foe we all yield to in the end. All but you, perhaps.”

I wondered at what point he was going to get mad and stalk away. “If you had decided not to help us, I think you would already be gone. I think you want to aid us, but you've been hurt too many times by the deaths of those you care about. Now you are wondering if we're going to hurt you too.”

“I can't claim we’re not going to. As you pointed out we have all changed and some of us are taking those changes better than others. What I do know is, with or without your help, we'll try. You know better than us if you could give us a better chance to succeed or not. Besides, it will give you a better chance to meet those gods you were so careful not to show too much interest in,” I tried to smile.

The veteran smiled back and I felt the warmth of his 'glow.' All I can say it's a damn good thing I was head over heels in love with Anza. This guy was dangerous and this was from me, who had no interest at all in males!

“You see a lot Miss and out of politeness, I won't say you're wrong. I must admit I would rather not be involved in this. While I have out-lived many of my enemies, there are still a few who would love to have a shot at me. At my island home, all have been content to leave me to my peace, but now if I reentered the world I fear that peace will end. I knew Question would never ask me for something like this if he had any choice.”

“This entire situation is atypical. Other criminal, so-called ‘masterminds’ have come and gone, but this one has been very secretive about his identity — if it is even a he. His enforcers are very powerful and well trained. Some have a past history while others seemingly appear out nowhere. To add to the chaos there are a growing number of mercenaries who keep showing up like the one whose, hmmm... wardrobe you altered. ”

I do not know how he’d found out that it had been me but I am sure my blushing gave me away.

After a pause and clearing his throat, he went on. “The Warders were a fairly large team with six full time members with two more on reserve status. That is enough in most cities to handle the majority of problems. Now one has been killed while another is hospitalized. Most criminals know killing a cop or hero is just a bad thing, but these don't care.”

“The original intent for ULTIMATE was for them to provide resources for problems local law enforcement resources were unable to solve or handle. Here the bureaucrats are unwilling to admit they have lost control and instead are holding back assistance and making the situation worse. Now here you are, proof that there is more to this whole thing than any of us suspect.”

“In the past I've fought desperate odds to save the world from one mad man or another, but all this is telling me something really bad is getting ready to happen.”

The old hero sighed. “I may have buried my head in the sand for the past couple of years, but now that I know this, I cannot sit back and do nothing. Yes, I will help you, Gawd help us all,” he prayed.

I closed my eyes, said a silent prayer of thanks as well and replied, “I won't say thank you. If it is going to be as bad it sounds, just surviving may be thanks enough. I do have a question for you about your past if you don't mind me asking? ”

He smiled and replied, “You may ask.”

Taking a deep breath I asked, “In my world, World War Two ended when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That didn't happen here?”

A slow shake of his head the veteran answered, "Yes and No. If Little Boy and Fat Man ended the War for your world, there are indeed big differences between our homes. If you will excuse me, I will not answer in detail but I will suggest a book for you to read, fair enough? “The Day the Seas Burned: The Story of Operation Downfall”

I nodded. “More than fair. Your plane was the first clue the past here was different. In my world it never made it beyond the prototype stage, here obviously it went into production. Can you tell me about it? ”

This time he ginned. “Hasn't anyone ever warned you of asking a Hobbyist about his passion? Given the chance I'll talk pass all safe reason. Fifi is a F8U-1 Dragonfly a development of the F5U Flapjack with turboprops and limited tilt-rotor ability. They were outstanding fighters, but really shined in close air support with their low stall speed and maneuverability. This one I restored myself. It’s my favorite aircraft of my collection.”

Being a gaming geek, I understood all too well about talking someone's ear off about a passion. “I will see about getting that book. Thank you. ”

He got up first and extended a hand to help me. Not used to being treated like a lady, I hesitated at first, but biting the bullet, did take his hand. If I'd thought seeing that 'glow' of his was an experience, physical contact set my libido at ‘ludicrous speed’, well on it's way to plaid — to quote a space movie spoof!

Smiling Major Victory pointed out, “You do better than you think, letting the world believe what it will, but there are still a few rough edges. When a man offers you assistance simply accept it. Although in this modern world many wouldn't think twice about it thinking you were just independent minded.”

Hoping not to reveal just what he was doing to me, I tried to keep my mind off of it. Cape, however was having none of it. I swear the damn thing was purring, the traitor! Of course, I should have known he would have noticed Anza and I being changelings. “How did you know?”

Helping me up he replied, “Let me just say that you and your companion aren't the first I've met who have changed their forms, voluntarily or not. Shape shifters, body jumpers, and even magical spells and curses are not new here in my world. Perhaps not common, but they do happen.”

Hoping this was not a deal breaker, I asked nervously “This doesn't bother you.”

Major Victory replied shaking his head no, “Some of the finest men and women I've ever known had... ‘peculiarities’, if you would, that weren't acceptable by society at large. You and your companion seem happy and are adjusting to your new lives. Who am I to condemn someone else's happiness when it harms no one?”

Walking back to my friends, I was very aware of his hand on my arm. If they only knew what it was doing to me! I could not miss how everyone was eying him walking with me, Crap! Closing my eyes, I could feel Anza's ... jealousy? Damn! I really do not need this. 'Please' I thought, 'Anza you have my love and you know what lies within my heart. Believe that and not what you think your eyes see.'

That is when I heard a beeping. Wondering if Anza had gotten mad enough at me to blow me up, I opened my eyes and looked around, only to find it was Major Victory's wristwatch.

“Excuse me Miss Mystery, I have a call I have to take,” he explained and walked off talking into his watch.

Watch, I wonder if it has a TV too. Calling Richard Tracey, Calling Richard Tracey! Please, a little humor here. I think we were thinking, hey, fight a few bad guys, put ‘em in jail and then it is time for a cold one, Right?

Nooo..., that would be too easy. Now we are mixed up with interfering gods and mysterious masterminds who do not think twice about a little murder on the side. And whom do we have on our side? A super-team that has already lost two members, and a burned out hero from WWII. Oh and let us not forget the government that was trying to spin this thing to the public for the upcoming election. This was just getting better and better!

Reaching our designated meeting area, the picnic table by the grill, I saw Tom smirking at Anza. I had a funny feeling that if I knew why, I would have to hurt him, Hard and Repeatedly. She looked, maybe not angry but “put out” would be high on the list. I decided humor would be my best bet to ease her worries, but before I could start, I got interrupted.

Tom drawled out nastily, “Hey Mistiii, You get tired of playing with the fagot and wanted to see what a real man was like?”

I stopped with a look of disbelief on my face not believing what I had just heard. Glancing at Anza I now had a good idea what he had been smirking at, the poisonous little weasel.

Cape had been keeping a low profile after bathing in Major Victory's 'glow', but in a flash, a sexy but practical leather outfit replaced my casual clothing. From fingerless sap gloves to the steel toe reinforced boots, Cape made its own suggestion on how to deal with him.

“Tom I should've known you had been saving this up. I wanted to ask Major Victory some questions concerning us. And in case you've forgotten, I'm a history geek. He mentioned an invasion of Japan. I wanted to know more about that and his plane,” I said taking nice slow deep breaths.

“Yeah I can see you finding out all about his 'plane', walking back arm in arm,” he snickered with a nasty glint in his eyes.

All right. That was it. I was going to kick his ass! He was damn fast, but I had already oxygenated myself the same way swimmers do before diving. Just one, all-out blow... All I had to do was keep from telegraphing my intent to him. One, two...

“If you want to know what the young lady and I were discussing, perhaps you should ask me?” a deep voice said tonelessly.

A little voice rang, Oh Shit. How did Major Victory get all the way over here so fast? I recognized his manner not as something calming but as a preamble to something bad.

“I was taught manners and to respect ladies,” he continued. “Part of that is to help one to her feet and, yes, walk with her. If you're going to imply Miss Mystery isn't a woman or a lady... I already know all of you have experienced major changes in appearance. I'm certain that any doctor, upon an examination would agree with me. However if that doesn't answer your concerns, I was also taught it was a gentlemanly duty to defend a lady's honor.”

The large veteran stood loose and easy. Despite my wanting to split Tom's fat lip, I felt a cold shiver go through me for my friend. This guy has had a century of learning mayhem. Like an old character from the heyday of comics, who was also a WWII veteran. Captain Patriot kicked butt and took names of a slew of more powerful characters with just pure skill and cunning.

Tom seemed to have forgotten that bit of comic book trivia. “Defend a pair of homos who look like lezzie bitches? The slut was flirting with you and then she came over here and went all dominatrix when told the truth! ”

That made Anza so angry, she forgot whatever jealousy she was feeling about Major V. and me I felt her reaction though our link. Cape started peppering my outfit with spikes and, mad though I was, damn it, I still thought of the shithead as a friend. Anza having TK and being a trained nurse could muck up his day in so many ways I could not even begin to count the ways! What be your pleasure, heart attack or maybe a stroke? Just squeeze an artery here, or pinch this muscle there and it's hello ICU.

Major Victory, aware of her anger, surprised Anza by taking her hand. “Miss I can assure I had no intentions towards your companion. I respect your relationship and if I gave you the wrong impression please forgive me. I am a student of an older school of behavior.” His manners... He did the Gary Crant better than even Gary did, and that is saying something sister!

Okay. Let us see how you like it, I thought as I felt Anza's quiver though our bond. If they could bottle that 'glow' of his, women across the world would be smiling.

Turning to Tom, Major Victory addressed him formally, “I accept your challenge. Name your terms.”

Hesitating Tom answered, “I don't know.”

“Might I suggest a boxing or wrestling like ring? Whoever is thrown from it first loses?” The old hero offered.

Tom rubbed his chin in thought. “That'll sounds like that would work, but where would we get a ring from?”

With a flourish, he waved at us. “If these ladies would ask one of the caretaker machines I sure they can come up with something suitable. However, I warn you if I am the victor, I will require an apology from you on their behalf. ”

“And if I win?” Tom asked.

“Oh, in that case feel free to insult them as much as you like. Personally, I think that would be an outstandingly bad idea because no matter what they started life off as, right now they are women and as such have long memories of wrongs done them. Also, remember this: you’ll have to count on both of them to help keep you alive in the coming months. But it is your choice after all.”

He clapped his hands briskly together and, in a complete change of mood, added cheerfully, “Say we begin in an hour? That should give our meals time to settle.”

Poor Tom nodded as he began to see that just maybe his mouth had gotten him into some deep doo-doo. “Yeah an hour.”

Anza and I walked off towards one of the robots who were still tending the Major's aircraft.

“Isn't that better than any hot tub you ever read about?” I asked her teasingly.

“Hot tub? Huh ..,” She asked still dazed.

“You know all the TG fiction stories and how they write of how good a hot tub can hit your G-spot? How do you feel now that HE gave you that whammy? Still jealous and angry at me?” I poked at her.

“Was that his bio-energy whatsit? Damn it girl, I don't even like the old fossil, but I thought about jumping him!” She said trying to keep her voice down.

I giggled, “I couldn't have removed his arm while we walked over if I tried!”

Anza giggled back. “You think he knows what's he doing?”

I nodded. “Poor Tom! He just doesn't know what he's getting himself into. ”

“Poor Tom, my ass!” Anza spat. “I used to think he was an okay kind of guy. A bit too much of a smart-ass maybe, but okay. Now I hope he gets pounded!”

“Tsk, tsk, Anza it's going to be much worse than that!” I told her. “Our old fossil, as you called him, has a bio-energy field remember? What do you bet that it has a similar effect on males, too? It might be more intense for us girls but I’d wager...”

She blinked her big dark eyes. “Oh My. You mean he'll... ”

I nodded again. “Yep, that’s exactly what I mean. So what’ll you wager? ”

Anza stopped doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down her face. “You mean Mr. Homophobe is going to ...”

Grinning I said, “Yep that’s exactly what I think is going to happen. So are you going to bet or not?”

Anza smiled. “The traditional one dollar works for me. He isn't worth anything more.”

I scolded her. “Now be kind. I was hoping he’d get over this, but now I don't know. Please let’s not escalate this okay? ”

Kissing me on the cheek she said, “You're a better friend than he deserves. All right. But if he tries undermining our relationship again, he gets everything that’s coming to him.”

After we told Robo-Don King to set up a ring for the bout, Anza whispered some suggestions on how to spend the next hour. It is true the best part about having a lover’s quarrel is the making up. No, I am not going to tell you, if you cannot figure it out for yourselves!

An hour later, okay, maybe it was over an hour, how time flies when you are having fun, sure enough Huey, Dewy, and Louie, the robotic helpers, had set up a boxing ring. Mark and Will had even found a bell from somewhere. As we walked up, they were flipping a coin to decide who would manage it.

They did not have any silk robes on, but still our fighters made their appearance. Tom had on his usual t-shirt and shorts.

Major Victory had found a pair of shorts, but had elected to do without his shirt. Not to belabor the fact, but he was built like a Greek god. Before, I did not think his supercharging my and Anza's libidos was deliberate, but this showing off his torso was making me wonder.

Morgan, as one of our fellow spectators, came dragging a chair with her.

Anza, being a friendly sort, caught it and two more in her telekinesis and brought them to us. Settling ourselves down as the boys sorted themselves, I asked Morgan, “Does this seem more stupid as girl than a boy?” waving my hand at the men folk deciding how long a 'round' was going to be.

Morgan who had the foresight to bring something cold to drink with her, swallowed. “That’s an interesting question. In this case, I would have to say, no. I can't imagine how this could seem anymore ridiculous.”

She sighed. “I really thought Tom had worked his way past the worst of it and then this... Tell me did he really call you two bitches and sluts? ”

Anza nodded, her dark complexion even darker with anger. “Yes he did. After we finished eating, Misty went to talk to the Major. When the two of them came walking back they were arm in arm and it was clear she was enjoying herself. ” Waving her hand at my breasts, she said to me, “Even a bra and t-shirt can't hide your ... hmmm indicators dear.”

Blushing, I blurted out, “I didn't know!”

Morgan raised one eyebrow, but did not say anything.

Anza continued, “Well Tom brought it to my attention and I must admit I felt a little jealous. Yes, I know we're linked and all I needed to do was just listen mentally. But damn it, you should have seen how it looked,” she said, still a little angry.

I shrugged helplessly. “Well, Major V. has this cell phone widget in his wristwatch that rang and he had to answer. After I got back to Tom and Anza, Tom started in with his nasty potty mouth. Both Anza and I were ready to kick his butt, but then out of nowhere the Major showed up.” I said.

“The next thing we knew, they were talking about duels, fights, and boxing rings.” Anza finished for me.

Morgan shook her auburn head. “All this was started by you and him walking arm in arm? What's up with that? I thought you didn't like men that way,” she accused me.

Anza and I traded looks as I warned, “Morgan, a very important safety tip, do not let him touch you.”

“I know I'm going to regret this, but why?” she asked.

Anza said, “I’ll take this one. What is one of life's most imperative demands after breathing and eating?”

“Reproduction comes to mind. Why?” Morgan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Grinning, Anza explained, “Because our dear Major Victory has some sort of energy field about him that stimulates biological activities such as healing, general wellness and at a guess...” She let it hang there.

Morgan was frozen, as her brain was busy working it's way though that thought.

A little evilly, I added, “So unless you want to know a whole lot more about being a woman it wouldn‘t be a good idea to get too touchy-feelie with him.”

We all giggled as we got a blush from Morgan, causing the boys to pause in their rules making to wonder what we were up to now.

As always, her brain was racing, seeing the possibilities. “But if that is so... and Tom... and he grapples won't he... ”

Together Anza and I chimed in together, “Yes!”

Shaking her head at us, she admonished, “Horus, or whoever did this to us, had no idea what it unleashed on the poor universe when it remade you two into women. Tom doesn't know any of this does he?”

Anza shook her head. “No we don't think so. Frankly at this point, neither of us cares. He went way too far this time. Misty and I are still new at this girl thing, to say nothing of being lovers. We are apt to have our little disagreements as we work things out. Tom was actively trying to make me think the worst of her tying to break us up. That pisses me off.”

Morgan disagreed. “Anza, Misty, I understand you being upset at Tom. Hell, he makes me mad too, but for someone who seems so homophobic being aroused at the touch of another man could be quite traumatic.”

Looking at Anza, I made up my mind. “You have my permission to end this if you can. However, both of us were wronged in this. What do you say Anza? ”

“Okay, but only because I don't think you'll be able to talk Blocky Ralboa or El Capitan Americana out of their testosterone induced bawl,” she said, not one bit contrite.

Morgan got up and went over to them just as they were climbing into the ring. I must admit I think she handled it well. She acted like the third-party in duels of old; asking if there were no way this affair could be settled in another fashion.

Of course, they both declined. She then asked the Major if she could impart information to his opponent that might influence his decision to stay and fight. Pleased at the old-fashion protocols, he magnanimously gave his permission with a nod.

Morgan went over to talk to Tom, but drat, we could not hear what they were saying. Whatever it was did not work for he was determined to stay. Disgusted, she left the ring and came back to rejoined us.

“Okay maybe this does seem to be even more idiotic when I’m female rather than male,” she snorted.

Okay, the long and short here is, I am not a fight commentator and could not describe half of what I saw anyways, but here is the short version.

Tom was smaller, lighter and fast so he made the first moves with a fury of punches and kicks. The Major took most of this in a traditional boxing stance, using his hands and arms to protect himself, while stepping aside from anything that could hit hard enough to hurt.

It soon became clear he was letting Tom tire himself out. To give Tom credit he must have had some sort of Taekwondo or similar training. Could be he was just further along than most of us towards unlocking the combat skills we had. Not that it did him a whole lot of good. Seeing how striking did not work, he tried use throws and leg sweeps, but the Major just turned them back on him.

What we did notice was that, just as we thought it would, any contact with Major, 'I've got a glow', Victory caused Tom to, pardon the pun, grow. His cotton shorts did not conceal it and it caused Tom to go almost berserk. He abandoned using any type of tactics and just whaled on the Major who skillfully avoided most of his insane onslaught.

It ended with Tom lying exhausted on the mat.

The Major knelt next to him and what went on between them; I would have given a lot to know. Finished, he stood up and addressed the rest of us. “You've seen some of what I can do. I'm sorry about any misunderstandings, but believe me when I say that you have to resolve any ill will between you. Each of your lives will depend on the actions of your comrades. I know this is hard for you, but you also have a potential I'm willing to help you discover, if you will let me. I prefer the easy way, but if this is what it takes, so be it. Please let me know your decision by the morning. Ladies, Gentlemen,” he bowed his head and left.

Morgan thoughtfully watched him leave. “That was a suckers bet. He had his shirt off to adsorb the sunlight for his bio-energy field. He must've had an idea Tom would behave like this.”

I half wanted to help Tom, but his stinging words still hurt too much. Mark and Will saved me from feeling guilty about it by climbing in and helping him.

“So what do you think? Should we accept his offer?” Anza asked.

“I don't see where we have any other choice. The Warders conditions included being trained by him, and if we don't agree we could end up on the run from the good and bad guys,” I said.

Morgan nodded in agreement. “No we don't have a choice, so yes, we accept his offer. I don't know what to do about Tom. Maybe the Major has some idea. I don't think it's your relationship, so much as the idea you both used to be guys, that is his problem.”

While we were discussing out future, Tom recovered enough to come over to us. “He won. Danny and Greg, I apologize for my comments. The two of you aren’t Misty and Esperanza, and I‘m not Streeter. We are who we have always been. What you two are doing is wrong, but I shouldn't have said what I did.”

He turned and walked away.

Anza gave his back a disapproving stare. “Apology accepted, I think.”

“Somehow I don't think this is over yet,” sighed Morgan.

Feeling dejected and hurt, I just wanted my old friend back. “You think? Tom just can't see pass the forms we had before. The problem was they weren't us! ” Waving my hands indicating Anza and myself I said, “This still isn't who we really are, but it is much, much closer.”

Anza purred, “Oh, I think I could learn to make do!”

We saw the guys clustering about the picnic table where Mark had dragged out his trusty drink cooler. He was passing out cold ones and damn didn't that seem like a good idea. I don't care for alcohol, but given the events of the past few days I was willing to make an exception.

“Well, girls now that we've decided what to do shall we go over there and let them know?” Morgan waved a hand over at the boys.”

Giggling in stereo, Anza and I chimed, “Lets!”

Laughing in mutual agreement, we went to claim our share of the refreshments and pass down our proclamation. It was not that easy, mind you. Tom and Mark did not much care for the military and it was certain the Major would use that style of teaching. For that matter Anza and Will weren't all that thrilled with the notion either.

Morgan and I having been there and done that knew how tough this could end up being. Necessary perhaps but still unpleasant like whenever you are pushed pass your limits to another plateau. We were being shoved out of our comfort zones like baby chicks out of their nest over a river full of crocodiles. It did not matter that we knew it had to happen and perhaps even wanted it. Accepting Major Victory’s offer was a commitment unlike anything most of us had ever faced before. Like with all such changes it was not easy but we faced it together as friends. We might have argued most of the afternoon and emptied out Mark’s cooler but that was all for forms sake. In our hearts, we had already agreed to accept the Major's offer of educating us in the way of the hero.

***

The small figure was torn between fear of even more strangers and the wonderful food. Never had it had such a feast even in the before-time, when Nurse had taken care of it. Being a Defective meant the perfect ones received the best food and attention. Looking at its small stomach now round from the recent banquets, a rumble from it sorely tempted it to continue. The one who had seen it had not sounded the alarm and with its long hair reminded it of Nurse. Remembering how everyone else treated it badly but her made it finally decide to take the risk. She would continue to venture out rather than hide in the down-below.

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End of Heroes of Justice: Part II
 
The End

Mark still acted more than willing to fully accept us as women, if you know what I mean. He was polite, but his actions let us know he was ready anytime we were. Shuddering, I informed him that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell, not that it did any good! Anza told me he was just being a normal guy, Yuk! I told her I had never been that way as a guy, but she just gave me a kiss and replied, “You were never a guy, luv.” Sigh.   Heroes of Justice Part 3 by Grover

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Part III
 

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author's note: What you again? Reading the first two parts hasn’t chased you away? Ok, I must be doing something right! First the stuff you all know. This is fiction boys and girls. No person, place or thing is meant to be represented by what I’ve written. If I have, it is completely unintentional. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. For those who might recognize bits and pieces of what I’ve written, you are thanked for the fun we have all had gaming throughout the years. The rest of you who have offered encouragement and support by your comments and PM’s are thanked profusely! Big thanks goes out to Holly Happy Hart, Sephrena Miller, and Catherine Linda Michel for all that and more. Now I guess you want read this thing, huh? It’s Show Time!
 

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Interlude

Slowly swinging around in the expensive executive style office with brandy snifter in hand, Persuader smiled at the man dressed in ULTIMATE blue entering the office atop the New Riverside Federal building.

Startled, the high ranking officer went for his side arm, but stopped upon seeing the big man in red’s sardonic smile.

“A little jumpy are we? So this is how our tax dollars are spent? I'm shocked I tell you, simply shocked!” Persuader’s droll tone indicated nothing of the kind.

“What are you doing in my office? How did you get past the safeguards and security?” the man in the battledress uniform demanded with clenched teeth.

“No greetings for an old friend? I'm hurt. No matter. I'm here with a message for you from our dear Imperious Leader.” He indicated a rather old fashioned wax sealed packet of papers on the large mahogany desk. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll self-destruct or something equally dramatic after you read them. No need to worry that anyone here will learn of your bargain.” Persuader stood.

Finding his voice, the owner of the office declared, “It was never part of any bargain for any of you just to appear here.”

Smiling Persuader answered, “Perhaps you can bring that up to our Beloved Tyrant for Life’s attention the next time you see him. As for me, I wouldn’t want to chance something like that, but that’s just me, you understand. On a personal note, I was also given a verbal message to pass along.”

After making a show of clearing his throat, and taking an exaggerated theatric pose, he pronounced, “And I quote, ’If you happen to more than entertain those ideas about turning double-agent, just remember we know where your family lives and can get to them just as easily as we got though the so-called protections of your office at ULTIMATE.’ End quote” the man in red finished.

Dismayed, the man who’d thought he had the last word in secure offices watched a glowing arch of rainbow colors appear. With a sardonic bow, Persuader stepped into it and disappeared. As the arch faded, the man in blue gave the packet of papers the same look he would a box of venomous snakes. Spotting the empty glass, he angrily threw the snifter into the wastebasket where it shattered. “Just how did I get mixed up in all of this?” agonized one of ULTIMATE’s top commanders in New Riverside. Outside, the city was beginning another day, unaware of one man’s lonely fall from grace.

Heroes of Justice: Back to School

Solemnly, the Major accepted our decision and told us we would begin Monday, so the rest of the week was ours to sort out our secret identities. His manservant was on his way with some necessities so we should expect some visitors. Question had arranged for a cover story that an eccentric had purchased the property, and if asked about the activity, we were to pass ourselves off as employees of a Mr. Roland.

For Anza and myself, we just gave Twin Peaks a call and left a message that we had found better paying jobs. Tom and Mark gave out a cover story that they were taking care of security for this Roland guy, so they too had it easy. Will and Morgan, well, someone had to have problems! I didn't get involved in it, but there was a thing about broken contracts and penalties from Channel 7 News. The helicopter was Will's, but he was acting as a subcontractor. The real world versus the comics, I guess. They did get it sorted in the end.

We moved what few belongings we had in our house into storage, or back to the Rent-for-a-Bundle store. That didn't take too long ,because we couldn't take too much back with us, bearing in mind we had limited space available. So of course we went shopping! Tom's trick with using our birthdays as PIN's for our debit cards worked for everyone else too, so armed with money, off we went!

We had a great time, and Cape and I helped out Anza and Morgan by resizing a few items for them. Of course I didn't need to purchase anything for me, but did buy some gifts and other such. Cape did try to shoplift a few things but I caught on and stopped it before it caused any trouble. I think it was only looking for attention and wanted me to catch it. Playing fetch with a dog would've been so much easier on the nerves.

Major Victory's manservant with a few necessities, turned into a convoy of fifteen RV's and trucks loaded down with everything from dishes to phased plasma rifles in the 40 watt range. A diminutive old Asian man got out of the first RV, and after talking to the Major, inspected our quarters, as well as the training areas.

While he was doing that the other 30 or 40 drivers and passengers started hooking up utilities for the RV's. I thought Huey, Dewey and Louie were going to lose their robotic minds with all the activity, but after someone thought to include them, they got right to work helping. I couldn't help but observe that nearly everyone had a family resemblance to the Major's manservant, whose name I learned was Chang. Keeping it in the family I suppose, but I was just glad he wasn't named Chung from a small village of assassins in North Korea.

Proclaiming the entire facility was insufficient, he grudgingly admitted it had potential. The last we saw of him, he was serenely delegating tasks to his extended family, while the Major was busy in one of the RV's, designing the training program.

That's when I noticed that local area building supply trucks were making deliveries to the far end of the railway tunnel we had seen on our way in. By this time it was the weekend and, while the guys were eager to go clubbing, I was happy to just catch a dinner and a movie with Anza. What can I say? I've always enjoyed such, so why should I change now?

I asked Anza how she felt about that, because I knew she loved the dancing and the night life, but she just muttered something about not letting me anywhere near booze and men. You think she was still jealous? Morgan had been taking it easy after her marathon shopping trip with us. I think she was evaluating just how she felt about being a girl and if she was going to come clean with the Major about the matter. It could be tough on her to stay a woman for the entire training period.

I did pick up the history book the Major recommended and splurged on a laptop. Almost as soon as I got it home, Reid, the AI, started berating me about what a piece of junk it was. I asked if it could do better. It of course replied it could and asked me what my needs were, Darn uppity machines! I broke down and told it I needed to be able access information on the web and other basic functions, such as a college student would need.

No that wasn't enough for it! It wanted to wager that, if it could do better, it wanted me to learn how to fly the helicopter. I told the cotton-picking thing that I didn't need better, just something basic was fine. Besides, I didn't need a helicopter to be able to fly. Eventually I gave in, as it kept cutting in while I was trying to web surf, just so it would leave me alone. Geez!

On Sunday we had a private ceremony celebrating our one full week as girls. I must admit I was a little sad that our quiet hole in the ground had turned as busy as a downtown street in Hong Kong. I did continue the ritual of leaving a plate of food in the conference room at night. When asked by Mr. Chang as to why, I simply said, ‘to appease the spirits.’ That was good enough for him, and he said no more about the subject. Someone had been eating that food but the only clue I could find about who it was one small fingerprint I found on the foil. ‘Curiouser and curiouser’ a girl named Alice once said.

I wanted to start reading my book but didn't have the time. Checking our old email addresses, I found them either unused or taken by someone else so no help there. Mostly we just kicked back, but from the grins on the guys faces, they must've been successful in their hunt for feminine companionship the night before. Even the somber Will, and the recently nasty Tom, had mellowed out and were upbeat.

All too soon it was Monday morning.

Not too surprising, and just as we had thought, Major Victory's idea of training was modeled on military basic training, with influences from more than one special warfare group. Anyone who has ever seen a movie about military life has a good idea what it was all about.

That is mostly because there were also classes on everything from first aid to how to defuse a bomb. It seemed Mr. Chang's extended family could provide an able instructor on just about any subject. One of the interesting variations from military training was the science classes. For us strong types it went into details about physical physics, while for Morgan it focused on how lasers worked and their limitations. In short, how our powers would interact with the world at large.

The classes were intermixed with exercises, Such things as sudden attacks by everything from black clad ninja’s, to hi-tech commandoes, among other ambushers. Afterwards we were grilled about numbers, weapons and descriptions. Morgan and I didn't have too much of a problem with the constant drilling and stress. It was much like our military days, except now we were in much better psychical condition to withstand the rigors. Anza, with her experience as an ER nurse, was also able to adapt quickly, but the boys weren't used to this kind of stuff. This isn't to say they had a hard time but rather since it something new to them, it took them longer to get into the groove.

Tom and Mark were very mechanical minded, and between the two them they did well at picking up using the weapons and other skills using devices. Will quickly became a master at causing mayhem with his hands and, as he became able to access his character's skills, was a expert outdoorsman. Heck, he was even able to fly the helicopter, despite Reid's dry comments to the contrary.

This all took time and a lot of practice. However, compared to learning all this for the first time, we picked it up much faster. Skills which our characters had possessed we excelled at very quickly. Others we became more proficient at along a more normal curve, but still quicker than average.

Getting up at Oh-dark-thirty became old real fast like. The routine and constant testing was relentless. For that first week in hell, at least we had a diversion of sorts. We found out what all those building supplies were for. The astonishing Mr. Chang revealed among his other talents, that of a home builder.

We've all seen that program on the TV where they build a house in just seven days. Mr. Chang did them one better by building a mansion. Did I mention the hanger, garage, and other support buildings he added to the existing facilities while he was at it? Somehow he got Huey, Dewey, and Louie, our robot sentries to help, along with more of their robotic cousins than I could count. I had kinda suspected that there was more to this place than what we could see, but hiding a small army of robots?

I asked Reid, our AI, about it, and he said he wasn't at liberty to speak about it. The darn thing was being snotty again, because it had won its bet with me over that darn laptop. What it presented me with was far beyond what I needed. It had more bells and whistles than I would ever use, but he also had included a learning function that would track what capabilities I used and would reconfigure itself to optimize those functions. So on top of everything else, I was taking flight training, but considering what I got in exchange, it was worth it. Besides, I’d always wanted to get my pilot's license, but my hearing had been so far below normal it wasn't possible.

The Major approved of my cross-training with Will and encouraged it. He even had the rest of us teaching classes, such as Anza and Morgan on first aid and me on what being a trained observer was all about. The new mansion gave us more space and we had what amounted to our own apartments. It was a reward for finishing what the Major called phase ‘A’, which was more or less testing and bringing out our previously unusable talents.

Going into phase B we still could expect to be jumped by armed men at any time, but we had classes on knowing our enemy, which entailed as much information as was available about known Syndicate enforcers and the mercenaries working with them. We moved into the advanced combat classes taught by more of Mr. Chang's family of experts, and became even more proficient in promoting mayhem with everything from bare hands to those phased plasma rifles I told you about earlier.

I remarked to Morgan one day after a training exercise in freeing hostages from a bank robbery, that this was very much like the training that Delta Force or SEALs go though. She replied that, as concentrated as the Major's course was, it would make their Hell Week, where they weed out undesirables and incompetents look like a cakewalk.

We had done everything wrong, of course, and were standing in the paintball splattered training area on our way to have the Major tell us just how badly and where we had screwed up. At the same time, Morgan was doing some cramming for a test, tuning her lasers into the infrared spectrum, making them invisible, lucky her!

I was scheduled for a hand to hand combat class with our dear Commandant, Major Victory. We girls had a chat with him about that 'aura' of his, and he had apologized to us. It was involuntary for him, but there were ways to reduce its effects. With him being the only instructor available for us to go all out with in combat, believe me, that made everyone happier, especially the boys!

Even more so because, to control that 'glow,' the Major had to be careful of how much energy he was exposed to. That also made him somewhat less powerful, but unfortunately for us, no less dangerous, because he regularly kicked us all around the Dojo. These sessions with him were more for forcing us to fully exert ourselves than any other reason.

The real combat classes like the simulated bank robbery, were team work exercises. Some were tests in helping each other get from point A to point B as fast as possible, while others involved sneaking into the quarry with full security activated. We learned that all of us were pretty good at sneaking about, but Will and his animal spirits had cornered the market. He'd learned how to call others besides that bear of his. I would tell what some of them were, but I think he would hurt me!

Anza and I had always made a good pair in combat, and now we added Morgan, with her laser powers. The two of them were kinda the main fire power and snipers when needed, with me playing safety, taking care of anyone that got too close. Mark and Will were our flankers, with the ever popular Tom playing cavalry and scout.

During our time of trial, the syndicate stayed active. Although the Warders managed to capture a rather deranged Elf-like parody named Sprite to add to the merc called Cazadora we’d caught in the mall parking lot, ULTIMATE still hadn't activated a Supersuit team to help with the problem. They had sent more of their dropship strike teams, however not to anyone's surprise, they did little good.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, the situation was still pretty grim in New Riverside. Being the only one with any intelligence analysis experience, I had picked out a pattern that concerned me. The few remaining diehard independents had banded together, and the Syndicate was hunting them down mercilessly. Violence was still happening with depressing regularity, but after checking records, I saw that the Syndicate’d had very few encounters with ULTIMATE’s strike teams.

The problem was that the few times they ran into each other, Syndicate enforcers deliberately avoided all out engagements with the strike teams. They just broke off and faded away. What's more, the strike teams had been most curiously unable to find any of those holdouts still in hiding. That suggested some nasty possibilities like corruption, within the ULTIMATE organization. I passed this on to the Major and the Warders, and with a sigh, closed up shop for Thanksgiving.

Just like with everything else we were learning, Major Victory just couldn't do anything halfway. The mansion was less than 3 weeks old, but it was decorated for the season. To call the spread that Mr. Chang and his army of cooks put on a feast, was an understatement. Several of the Warders showed, including Question and his wife. Joining them were eight others who we learned were old friends and war buddies. Later that day we were told they would be helping teach us in phase ‘C‘.

I wanted to know how many cotton-picking phases this ordeal had! Besides, Mike had been able to join us as well, and he was looking good. I mean that literally! He had lost a good 20 lbs and his limp was less pronounced. We’d been keeping in contact with emails about what was going on here with Major Victory, and he’d been making use of the Warder's state of the art virtual reality training sims, trying to learn anything that could help us.

When the Major caught us talking 'business' he put a quick end to that. Today was a day of thanks, and all work was to be shelved for today. Gathering the horde for the feast we all ate till we felt like we would pop. The Major made sure that Mr. Chang and his staff joined us, despite their protests. He said everyone could serve themselves, in that no nonsense way of his.

Afterwards almost everybody adjourned to watch the big game on the TV, but for some reason I was feeling a bit edgy. Mr. Chang's family made their escape and were busy with post dinner tasks, and I followed them to make a plate for my 'ghost'. Even Anza ribbed me a little about it, but I told her I just wanted some quiet time to read. I still hadn't gotten to that history book I’d bought, and this was the perfect time to kick back. She was just making sure all was cool with me, but I encouraged her to go and enjoy the rowdy activities. Lured by the yells of those whose team won the toss, she hurried away to witness the ritual carnage of American Football.

The old building where we'd stayed, when we first got to the Hole, had been refurbished into office space for the teachers and others, like my little Intelligence shop. The conference room was pretty much the same, and I opened up my book after placing the overflowing plate full of Thanksgiving fare on the end of the table.

One of the nice things about being a girl now, was being limber and small enough to curl myself into almost any chair. I still missed those 3 or 4 inches of height I'd lost, but there were some compensations. In the past I had always just left my offering, but I was still feeling unsettled for some reason. Back home I'd always found escaping into a good book a solace, and, after being run into the ground for the last 3 weeks or so, just zoning out was really seductive.

The book, “The Day the Seas Burned: the Story of Operation Downfall ” was written in a style much like the popular books about the D-Day landings and the far bridges of Operation Market Garden. It was very good, and I soon learned why the nuclear attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki had failed. In the days before the bombing, a Japanese mystic, who was a member of one of their warrior societies, much like the Allies superhero teams, had foretold a great ball of fire that would fall from the heavens and consume the city.

That morning the samurai Rising Sun arrived in Hiroshima to stop the coming disaster. One of the more powerful heroes of the war years, he had elemental fire at his command. Becoming aware of the American bomber, he was too late to stop the plane from dropping its lethal cargo, but he did keep the bomb from exploding.

Three days later he made another supreme effort that also stopped the Nagasaki attack. The Allies, disheartened by those failures, abandoned trying to use the hideously expensive weapons to force a surrender, and Operation Downfall, the Invasion of Japan was ordered.

Unknown to the Allies, Rising Sun had, in his efforts, suffered fatal radiation poisoning at Hiroshima and had sacrificed himself to save Nagasaki. The Russian invasion of Japanese occupied territories in China and Korea that began during this time, tempted the Japanese Government to surrender, but the circumstances of Rising Sun's death encouraged them to think that by sacrificing themselves, all was not lost.

Well, that answered why the A-bombs had failed. I looked to the index and was appalled at the casualty figures. Over a million Allied dead, and the number of Japanese dead was far more than that. The title of the book came from the thousands of Kamikazes that hit the Allied fleets in waves of hundreds at a time. Even worse, the US and Great Britain had fallen into conflict with Soviet Forces in Korea.

The US and the UK had landed troops at Inchon which, in our world, had resulted in a divided nation. Due to foolish mistakes on both sides and the refusal of the Kremlin to back down open conflict had broken out. That conflict had ended when their own invasion of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido had failed. It was an unfortunate omen of what was to come just a few years later when North Korea invaded the southern peninsula.

That's when Cape gently tapped me on my shoulder. Glancing up I saw the wall raise, silently revealing a secret passage deeper into the hill. I pretended to continue reading as a small figure tentatively peered though into the conference room.

My word, this was just a child! I really wasn't sure if it was a girl or boy at first, but it was painfully thin and had ragged, shoulder length hair that looked to have been hacked off by a cleaver. Half the child's face was obscured, and the poor thing looked and smelled as if its last bath was far too long ago. Barefoot, it was dressed in an overly large pair of coveralls, with the sleeves and cuffs rolled. The single eye I could see was watching me very intently, but moved slowly towards the overfull Thanksgiving plate with a purpose.

Picking up the plate it moved backwards, as if expecting to be jumped at anytime. Waiting till it was almost in the secret passage, I slowly lowered my book.

She, yes it was a she… I decided, stopped, frozen like some wild thing trapped in the lights.

I as softly as I could, “You're welcome. Happy Thanksgiving.”

She jumped at the sound, but didn't flee as I was afraid she might. So softly I wasn't even sure I heard it, she replied, “Thank you.” and the door closed, keeping her secrets.

“BUZZZZZ!” When my communicator went off I felt a surge of alarm from Anza that nearly made me wet myself!

“Mystery here,” I answered, already heading out, book in hand.

“Get up here! Something has happened!” Morgan ordered.

“On the way!” I half-ran, half-flew into the mansion and found the game preempted by a news flash. Damn! The end of the world must be nigh for them to do that! Question, the rest of the Warders and Will passed me running full out to Reid the Chopper, having left their team transport at its base. Will was the fastest way back to New Riverside for the Warders.

Sliding to a stop, everyone was clustered about the set. A frantic reporter was yelling into his mike over the explosions of taking place behind him. Panning up, the camera showed a typical ugly Federal office building, with flames coming from the building's upper floor windows.

“That's where they held me. ULTIMATE headquarters in New Riverside.” Mike whispered with his eyes locked on the TV.

With an ear splitting “WHOOSH!” the flames all died at once, leaving nothing but smoky wisps floating from the upper levels of the building. The reason why became clear as a flaming apparition like the Human Blowtorch flew up, allowing a pair of black painted helicopters to land on the roof. The camera showed flashes of gunfire from the now darkened windows, and debris rained down from the constant explosions. With a shock, I saw that some of that debris was bodies, as one wounded blue armored trooper fell the twenty some odd stories onto a car, causing it to explode in a shower of glass!

I grabbed Morgan's arm, but she looked at Major Victory and gave a sad shake of her head.

The other guests were watching the tragedy as well, most with sadness, some with anger.

Major Victory just stood there, expressionless. Finally, acknowledging us, he said softly, “You aren't ready and this will be over before they can get there.” Throwing his head at our helicopter, its red lined engine roaring as it sped off into the sky.

“What would you say, Geoff?” he asked a man with gray at his temples. “Extra pilots for the dropships onboard those two helos that just landed following the assault?”

Geoff responded, “If it’s a mass breakout, yes. A Blaster with fire to trigger the fire alarms and clear the upper floors, while their strikers take out the security stations and free the prisoners. He then secures the flight deck, and the extra pilots land, and fly out the escapees in ULTIMATE's own aircraft. Risky, but it simplifies the logistics.”

The TV made it look like a war zone, with the streams of tracer fire and explosions. A news helicopter, Will's and Morgan's replacements, showed glimpses of the armored troopers fighting for their lives. They proved no match for the villains who were smashing all in their path. I think I saw Big Red, our sparring partner from the mall, but I couldn't be sure.

True to the Major's prediction, we could see the pirated dropships lift from the roof a short time later. Playing rear guard, a somewhat familiar large goon leaped the 20 stories from the ravaged building to the ground, shattering the pavement on landing. We could see Will's Chopper and the Warders racing to the scene, but they were too late, as the figure churned into the earth and disappeared.

“Man Mountain,” someone snorted. “At least now we know what happened to him. Just another brick for the Syndicate.”

I hung my head as the TV revealed in the strobing lights of the emergency vehicles, just how bad this was. “Well, so much for my theory.”

The Major touched my shoulder, “Not at all, Mystery. In fact this validates something is seriously amiss with ULTIMATE here.”

He turned to Geoff, “She has some intelligence training and spotted a trend suggesting a mole within ULTIMATE.”

He pulled himself up straight. “Colonel Geoff Stone, late of Her Majesty's Special Air Service. Not knowing all the details, I tend to be in agreement. A holiday, the least capable personnel on duty, and at a time when they are the most distracted. Tailor-made for a mole to reasonably claim they were blameless. It would be an excellent way to throw an analyst like yourself off the scent,” he postulated.

He then continued, saying “You were right to call on my services, Major. That operation was as professional as any of our chaps could have managed. I've never liked the red tape ULTIMATE has tied themselves up in. Excuse me, Miss. Officially they are the only part of any government that is allowed to enlist extraordinarily endowed individuals like yourselves. Like the SALT treaties were intended to limit nuclear weapons during the Cold War, it was to do the same with those with meta, or super powers. Of course nearly everyone has developed ways of getting around that clause. What it really does, is limit the resources any super team has. I don't mean secret headquarters, and gadgets from bad spy movies, but like the Major has done here. Advanced training and tactics that usually only a government has the resources to provide.”

He gestured at the grim scene still playing, “Most criminal organizations lack the discipline to manage this, and keep their activities secret. Those with the knowledge are usually traceable and so events like this are rare. Even you Yanks, and how strange you get during your election years, can't explain why a Superpowered Reaction Team hasn't been sent here yet. No, something is amiss and I agree these lads and lasses seem to be our best bet for a response.”

My companions and I were nervous about the attention when we noticed everyone in the room had been listening to the SAS Colonel’s lecture. First, all the military style stuff, ninjas and now even SAS trainers? Whatever happened to danger rooms and the colorful life of the hero?

Okay, that's a stupid question, because I know exactly what happened to it. This was not a game or a good natured brawl, but something deadly serious. We were going though with all of this because we wanted every advantage we could get our hands on. No fair fights, and kissing and making up afterwards as if this was professional wrestling or something.

No, we were not being drilled into becoming cold-blooded killers, but realizing that, because of our powers, we had more options open to us than other people might. Our training was, like that of police officers, teaching us to use other means when we could, but if there was no other way to keep others from harm, then so be it.

The rest of the evening was a lost cause, but we did hang out with Mike until the Warders came back to claim him. They stayed, helping find the wounded, and doing what they could. Will even helped with a couple trips to the hospital, playing medivac.

Mike and Tom did have a long talk, and I for one, was praying hard that it helped. Tom still was having problems with us, but he'd put it away somehow. The part that sucked, was that I was an empath, and could feel the conflict within him. As far as I could tell he just couldn't help how he felt, even when he tried not to. It was just emotions I was sensing, but still had no clue as to why. Anza had turned apathetic as far as Tom was concerned. “Just another asshole in the world,” was how she thought of him. Me, I was struck with knowing he was hurting over this, and didn’t have the vaguest clue how to help. Sometimes life just plain sucks!

Mark still acted more than willing to fully accept us as women, if you know what I mean. He was polite, but his actions let us know he was ready anytime we were. Shuddering, I informed him that there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell, not that it did any good! Anza told me he was just being a normal guy, Yuk! I told her I had never been that way as a guy, but she just gave me a kiss and replied, “You were never a guy, luv.” Sigh.

Safe in each others arms we fell asleep, letting our care for each other chase away the terrible events of the day while reliving the pleasant ones.

***

She ate so much she could hardly breathe. The computer showed her something had upset the strangers, but she didn't know or understand exactly what had happened. The restrictive learning functions would only let her access just so much. Thinking back, it still made her shake when she thought about the chance she had taken tonight. She had even spoken to the long haired one so like Nurse. Well, she had talked with computer before, but that wasn't the same.

Not knowing why some part of her so missed the hugs and smiles Nurse used to give her, she curled up in a tight knot and gently cried herself to sleep.

Heroes of Justice: Tests

The Major had promised us the weekend after Thanksgiving off for a little R & R. That’s rest and relaxation, for you non-military types. Of course it being Black Friday, the best shopping day of the year, you just know what most of us had in mind. However, we were not going to New Riverside. Courtesy of Reid the Chopper, New York City was only a few hours away. New Riverside was just too unsettled right now, and he thought we had less chance of getting into trouble in the Big Apple.

He didn't know us very well, did he? Okay, nothing major did happen, and we all had a great time, even if Mike couldn't come along. I did ask one of the numerous Changs to leave food for my ghost before leaving. On the way to our adventure I hashed a few things out with Reid. Using my laptop I had a private chat with him about my 'ghost'.

Reid said honestly he didn't know there was a young girl hiding in the old base. He'd known someone was, but strangely, the computer treated her like one of its own peripherals. What it could tell me was that the base had belonged to a crazed meta-scientist who had no moral qualms about using human research subjects, willing or not. This Dr. Vole had been taken down by the Warders about four years ago. They had, with the help of a telepath, cleared the base. Rather than demolish it, they had decided to use it as an auxiliary base that the heavy handed ULTIMATE knew nothing about.

Even last night I had felt nothing, using my empathy from my 'ghost', so she either knew how to shield her mind, or had some sort of natural protection. That would explain why the Warder's telepath had found nothing. Reid added that Dr. Vole’s mutation had left his body deformed, and he was driven to try and correct that. Presently the dear doctor was serving several consecutive life terms in prison for murder, kidnapping and numerous other convictions.

Okay. Right then I made a promise to myself to try and do more for my ghost. Maybe I could pick up something for my 'ghost' to wear that was nicer than an oversized ragged jumpsuit. Having made that decision, I relaxed and enjoyed the flight.

I'm not going to go into details about our trip, except to say it was a blast! It was the first time most us had visited the Big Apple. We did get into trouble, but got out of it as well. Much money was spent, and many gifts were shipped back to our humble hole in the ground.

Wouldn’t you know it? We got our first visit from Aunt Flo! It wasn’t surprising that we were synchronized, even for our introduction to the icky part about being all woman because of our bond. I freaked out a little seeing blood coming from down there. Anza, on the other hand, rejoiced, seeing it as the final proof that she was finally as she always should have been. There were some emotional fireworks because of the moodiness, and some generally feeling crappy, but mostly our bond allowed us to comfort and support each other. It might've been a better experience if our periods hadn't decided to visit us, but as much as an ordeal that was, we were determined to live this trip to the hilt and we did! Thank Gawd for Midol!

To my shock, and to the alarm of my companions, Reid and Will had me fly us back home to the Hole. It served as my certification flight, or as close as we could come to one, while keeping our activities secret. Will didn't have a problem, because his secret ID already had a pilot's license, but we would have to find time for me to take the test in my civilian ID. I think though, I'll forget some of the combat maneuvers Reid taught me until after I pass my test.

Isn't that the way life works? Climbing out of the Long Ranger, I was feeling pretty good. The flight had gone well and I had put us down nice and easy. Reid said Will was a better instrument flier than I was, but I had a very nice 'seat of the pants' or instinctive feel for flying. Then there was him standing stone faced, waiting for us, and I just knew the Major came bearing bad news.

“What!!!” all of us exclaimed in shock. With a flick of his finger, Major Victory started the security camera footage of what the News services were calling, ‘The Thanksgiving Day Massacre.’ There, on the large screen TV, was me, busily kicking the butt out of some poor, blue uniformed schmuck guarding their prisoners. Just so I didn't feel alone, there was Lady Diamond, and Renegade to help me.

The problem was, we were innocent, innocent, I tell you! We didn't do it! We were being framed, I tell you!

Major Victory knew that, because of course we had spent Thanksgiving dinner with him, and were watching the game with him at the time. The problem was, as far as the rest of the world was concerned, we were now officially bad guys on the most wanted list!

Colonel Stone just smiled as if he'd gotten Christmas a month early. With his hands clasped him behind himself, “Masterful work, my dear! You've given us our first real lead in this case.”

A little stunned, I wondered just what he was talking about, “Excuse me, but didn't you see that? We're being framed, and now have arrest warrants out for us!”

Okay, maybe I was freaking out a little here, but so was the rest of our gang. Right, maybe gang was the wrong word to use here! All of us were in shock, and even the ever calm and rational Morgan was indignant.

The Colonel still smiling insufferably continued, “This confirms your theory. There wasn't a single eyewitness, so this tape is the sole evidence against you. It is almost certain that our mole planted this, and those with security access to do so makes for a quite small list. Question's draconian security measures have given us an advantage. It seems the Syndicate believes you are still hiding. Instead, you have some very reputable souls to support your claims of innocence ”

He addressed us all, “I know this is a new experience for you, but I can assure you that you are not alone in your task. A group of villains as well organized and trained as these chaps is something we take very seriously indeed.”

Giving me a wink, “It would be much same reaction as if a group of terrorists had nuclear devices. This is a threat any government would take seriously, for such could inflict unspeakable harm upon the world. I know my companions and I might seem over the hill to youngsters like yourselves, but when we speak, those who know, listen.”

On that happy note we went off to unpack from our trip and were considerably subdued. We couldn't bring many of our purchases back with us, but instead were having them shipped. For myself, I needed very little in the way of clothing, leaving that to Cape. I did find a few precious jumpers that I just had to have for my ghost. Cape had a great eye for sizes and, although it was tempting to get a few dresses, the child might never had worn them before. So I settled on a couple of jumpers and some cute but simple sandals.

Anza had been giving me the eye, watching me, and I think she was beginning to believe that my ghost was real. Feeding wandering spirits was one thing, but buying clothes for them? She was developing a blind spot that, feeling that if she couldn't sense someone with her powers, then there was nothing there. Hey, I admit my ghost could be a robot or something else that Anza or my powers couldn’t find, but one that ate like a starving kid? Besides, since I didn't buy much for myself, it was fun shopping for gifts for others.

That night I left one of the jumpers and a pair of sandals along with my usual offering of food. I was relived to find the next morning, that my offering had been accepted, except for the sandals which had been left behind. Oh well, two out of three isn’t bad!

Our schedule changed some the next day. Yes we still had advanced individual training and joint team problems, but we were also put to work actively investigating the Syndicate. I had already done some work of the work by mapping out their encounters, which had given us a clue to the mole. Now the rest of the crew was put to work, too.

Tom's talents had really blossomed under his tutors, and our maps grew with the information he provided. It only made sense, with him being a Batguy like character. He had plenty of detective oriented abilities and he was learning more about using them everyday.

Mark's Wolfen also had all kinds of useful things that started making themselves known during our investigation. His character's secret ID had been a security specialist. Along with Morgan, the two of them were like a walking forensics laboratory. What he couldn't scent, she could see. You’ve seen those TV shows using UV light to reveal blood stains and a host of other clues? Morgan, with her crystal peepers, could do the same without the use of a lab. Adding that to Tom's knowledge, we started narrowing down where our mysterious Syndicate chief had his throne.

Don't think I'm leaving out my lover. With her mental powers she was an interrogator bar none. That was just part of all she could do. She'd taking classes from one of the Chang's who was a doctor in Chinese medicine, and he was teaching her how to adapt her powers to the practice of medicine. While not a fully trained doctor, some of things she could accomplish were almost miraculous, since it was entirely non-invasive. If that wasn't enough, she had any number of lesser abilities, like object reading and finding. The problem was, she was very powerful, and if she used her powers fully, other telepaths would pick up on it, so she had to keep a low profile.

It was a bit like two submarines playing a game of cat and mouse. They each have powerful sonar that can detect the other, but if they use it, they reveal their location to anyone listening. So instead they sulk, listening and waiting for the other to make the first mistake.

Of course all this was with some risk as we began making sorties out of our humble hole in the ground. We carefully planned each trip and were limited to what the assigned investigators missed, except for Anza of course, who needed close contact to read minds.

Back at our humble hole, Colonel Stone was teaching us advanced tactics, and how to plan operations. More to the point, what to do when, predictably, a plan failed. When to abort and when to improvise. He was an unforgiving taskmaster, but he was big on the SAS motto, 'Those who dare, win.'

“Be creative! Thinking outside the box is the best way to outfox your opponents. The military is often accused of being uncreative and of being overly fond of brute force. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have grown to know you, and you have become very good in an extremely short time. Some of that is due to your unusual origin, but some is just pure intelligence and ability.

“Any operation is vulnerable to changes, and there is always the element of chance. What we've been doing is to try our very best to make you better at calculating the odds than your adversaries. This Syndicate is well financed and has access to resources that most countries lack. We are seeing signs that it is beginning to expand its influence to other large cities.

“Recent pressure over the unfortunate events has prompted ULTIMATE to dispatch their Meta Reaction Team One. What the Syndicate's reaction is going to be is unknown, but I can make some guesses. Their activities are going to become more public and then after some epic battle, the Syndicate is going to be defeated. This will be done in such a way that it will leave no bodies, or perhaps a unidentified one or two. Our mole will, perhaps, claim to be responsible, ensuring his rise in the bureaucracy, while in reality the disease will have spread to even more cities.

“So Ladies and Gentlemen, we do have a schedule. Before this happens we need to end this, and we are ready to support you when that happens. Dismissed!”

Despite the gloomy forecast of our instructors, we were cheerful. Anza and I were looking forward to our first Christmas together just a week away. The guys, particularity Tom, seemed happy and were getting into the spirit of the season.

The Major had provided a Christmas tree, that is if you could call that behemoth he chopped down, a Christmas tree. It barely fit though the double doors and was twenty feet tall if it was an inch! Everyone had a wonderful time decorating it, with even the Chang family’s horde of youngsters getting in on the act. I never did figure out if they were Christians, or Buddhists, but everyone was happy, so why worry about it?

Walking back with the rest of our crew, I saw Tom showing Mark a gift he'd gotten for a girl he'd been seeing on our weekends off. It was a very pricey looking necklace. Now I was curious, because I thought he had a fiancé back home, but this looked kinda serious.

Then Mark showed Tom his brooch for his girlfriend. This all surprised me because they'd been going to this local club most weekends for the last four or five weeks, but I hadn't known they'd been seeing the same women all that time.

Will had gone out with one of Chang's numerous granddaughters, but that had come to a sudden stop when the elder Chang had objected. Personally I would've stopped the first time she came at me with a sword, since she was one of the ninjas that helped train us, and was now working with us.

Mr. Chang had an old fashioned view of such things, and that was that. However I still caught the two of them giving each other the look, if you know what I mean. Anza and I had talked about this, but as much as we wanted to play matchmaker for Will, Mr. Chang was a formidable foe!

I still suspected that Will had gotten his ninja a gift, but was keeping it low key if you know what I mean. Having my own problems with gift giving was keeping me busy. How do you keep secrets from a telepath? One answer is, you don't. I had gotten her a lot of what I thought was cute stuff, that I thought she would like. I tried not to think about my real gift for her that was something special. If she had seen anything, it was just part of what I had planned, or so I hoped.

We had made it about halfway back to the mansion when Cape started warning me that something bad was on the way. Not breaking stride, I alerted Morgan and Will who were within touch, while letting Anza know with our link. They passed it on to Mark and Tom. If anyone had been looking, we just looked to have shared a joke.

We weren't in costume, but really didn't need to be, with our military style clothing we wore for training serving the same purpose. Most of us didn't need much in the way of gear, but the stuff we were wearing weighed the same. Tom, who was our gadgetmaster, had all his toys in the exact same locations on his fatigues as on his costume. The Major insisted upon us being prepared at all times.

Even though Cape had me in modern looking gear, it had the same characteristics as my medieval style costume. Cape, being fashion conscious as always, had objected but in the end had given in. Well sorta, because the underwear it had insisted on decking me out in, underneath this drab stuff, still made Anza pant every night.

The guys slipped their gifts into pockets and, like the rest of us started looking for the nature of the trouble. Whatever it was had caught us walking in the open, so ninjas were most likely out, but not so, snipers. Anza raised her TK shield which, at low power, was invisible, while the guys, still acting like they were joking, scanned the area for trouble.

I had only a split second of warning before a steel vice grabbed my arm and threw me into the guys! Well, tried to, because Cape wrapped around his hand, binding us together. Using that velocity, I swung around and piled-drove both legs into his face. He staggered back, but then tried to shake me off his arm like a bug!

I heard the sounds of the others in combat, but was so busy holding on to Mr. Shaky Hands, I couldn't say anything. Whee! What a ride!

Mark yelled out, “Shooter, lethal!”

Anza more calmly, “Sword, lethal.”

Tom reverted back to Streeter speak, “Shocker.”

Morgan simply, “Flier.” She had been picked up and thrown into the air!

Will grunted, “Invisible.”

Then there was me! “Briiickkk!!!!” I responded, while dopplering in and out during my mad swings.

This is where being drilled for weeks on end was going to help, as we all dropped to the ground. All but one, Lady Diamond, who was still falling. A few weeks ago all she could've done was pulse and try to blind our foes. Now, however, she flashed a laser into each of their eyes. Yeah the beams were broad, and so lacked power, because her accuracy shooting at six different target wasn't that good. It was powerful enough to leave afterimages even with protection or with them closed.

Will reached out and traded places with Mark, who had shifted to Wolfen. With a twitching nose, he went after the invisible man. Anza rolled onto her back and nabbed Morgan, and the winged flier, with her TK. Dependent on his wings for flight, he couldn't fight her and fell limp.

Morgan snapped off another beam at Tom's electrical foe. She was not trying to damage or blind Tom’s opponent, but to ionize the air between them. The blaster let fly with another bolt that, instead of arcing for Tom, followed the beam's ionizaition trail up and Morgan simply absorbed most it. The rest was unable to effect her crystalline body.

Tom stepped in front of Anza and, with his tonfa, sparred with the now blind swordswoman, not that it seemed slow her down much. The spinning dervish’s blades striking Streeter’s whirling tonfas sounded like a buzz saw hitting a nail! Even blind, she tried to get past him but with his reflexes and tools, that was not going to happen today!

Cape and I didn't bother getting to our feet. We flew between Will's legs as he grew to Renegade size just as the blinded shooter put a double-tap into him, right where Wolfen's heart would've been. For Renegade it might have tickled, but he backflipped, slamming a size 14 boot into the guy who had grabbed me.

I smashed into the shooter, who like all of these guys, was dressed in urban camouflage outfits, but before she could hit the ground, she disappeared! Having sparred with far too many bloody ninjas of late, I blocked the blow she threw at me after rematerializing behind me.

“Shooter, T-port,” I sang out, as she and I fought. She was using some kind of Gun-Fu technique, using her pistols as clubs while trying to get off a shot. Me, I was seeing stars because she had fired off a shot right beside my head. This bitch was playing for keeps, because the concussion from a shot that close can kill, even if just using blanks.

Cape had tried to engulf her a few times, but she did her ghost thing and slipped out. The next time she ghosted, I dropped flat and Cape made me disappear. Well kinda, by making my clothes match the ground almost exactly. It wasn't perfect, but if I didn't move, it came close.

While she looked around for me after she reappeared, I hit her with a sucker punch that ended this little bout. “Mystery, clear!”

Other shouts rang out, “Esperanza, clear”

“Diamond, clear!” said Morgan, kneeling near the unconscious blaster whose body was still sending off electrical arcs. “Streeter, break, break, break!”

Tom rapidly backstepped from the whirling dervish as Morgan's beam conducted the last of her adversary's energy arcing to the swordswoman's blade, shocking her into unconsciousness.

“Streeter, clear!” Tom yelled, pulling a canister from his belt. “Wolfen break, break, break!”

Wolfen leaped upwards, and Tom rolled his gift underneath him, releasing thousands of small globes of a slick lubricant. Wolfen, landing, spun around on all fours like a dog on a waxed floor. His dance partner had a lot worse problems, but with great skill kept her feet, although it revealed her position. With a not so graceful pounce, Wolfen landed on her chest, displaying his claws and teeth, and she chose the better part of valor and surrendered

“Wolfen, clear!”

Keeping at ground level, I zoomed up behind the brick, who was matching Renegade in a slug-fest that sounded like someone playing the 1812 Overture by dropping anvils. I used to hate this as a kid, but turnabout was fair play as I whispered, “Push” to Will, over our radio link. With me kneeling behind the brick, he fell, as Renegade gave him a shove.

To give him credit he tried to kick back up, but Cape and I had his feet tangled. Renegade jumped him and, after a few failed attempts to break free, he too surrendered.

“Renegade, clear” Will breathed out, winded from the fight.

I don't think any of us was surprised when Major Victory and Colonel Stone walked up with clipboards in hand. It hadn't been too hard to figure out who these masked mystery men were, but still, when Question and the rest of the Warders took off their disguises, it felt good to know we had more than held our own against an experienced group.

Medical help was there for Enigma, whom I had cold cocked, and for Alara the swordswoman, who was one of the Warder's auxiliaries. Conductress had a nasty bruise where a left cross from Lady Diamond had put her down for the count. Wraith, the invisible martial artist and Wolfen both needed help escaping and cleaning up from Streeter’s ultra-slick lubricant.

I did feel maybe a little guilty, at how hard we'd put them down, but the three silver blobs on Mark's bulletproof vest over where Wolfen's heart would have been, not to mention my still ringing ears, didn't make me lose any sleep over it. They wanted us to believe this was real and lethal? Well that's what they got.

The Major and Anza used their special skills to heal them, but I was beginning to understand what Colonel Stone was talking about now regarding ability and skills. Back home in the Whatever-Men 2 movie, a skilled mutant with teleportation powers had fought his way into the Whitehouse and could've killed the President.

Most comicbooks have the superheroes mostly just whaling on each other one of them drops. Even their teams, such as the Revengers or the Honor League, that did have training together were more like professional wrestling tag team than the very tight teamwork and trust of a special operations team.

From my military intelligence days, I knew Special Operation troops were seen as strategic resources. It is not easy or cheap to find someone capable, and train them. The trainers themselves need support and housing. The trainee has to have equipment and even more support. Everything from ranges and locations that can guarantee privacy, to mock-ups for aircraft, banks, embassies and other high threat targets

Colonel Stone had suggested that the nations that could, did have Meta-human military teams despite of agreements saying otherwise. Not only that, but here, they were regarded as the same as nuclear weapons. So, like I said, I was beginning to grok why!

Of course, in the debrief, as our teachers pointed out our mistakes and those of our sparring partners, the Warders asked why we made the choices we had. I got some criticism over hanging onto Question's arm, since he could've just used me as a club. This time he'd been surprised, but someone else in a similar position might not have been.

When asked what I thought our biggest mistake was, I said it was in deciding the nature of the threat. Thinking it was snipers, we had clustered behind Renegade as the only cover there in the open. Instead, their invisibles and teleporter had ambushed us in a nice tight group. Question had picked me as being the one most likely to do the most damage to everyone else, that he could pick up and throw. Fortunately this bowling ball had stuck to his fingers, but he’d had an opportunity to take out half our team all at once.

The Warders were interested in our communications method of calling our foes. Switching adversaries wasn't new to them, but using it the way we did, was. Morgan, giving our teachers a glance to make sure she wasn't breaking a taboo, explained that each Warder must have had a plan, deciding who they were going to attack. We had deliberately foiled that.

What Morgan didn't tell them was, we had a simple matrix deciding who was best against each threat, so we wouldn’t trip each other up. Bricks are one of my choices, but I changed, not because I couldn't deal with Question, but to bring ruin to their plans. Frankly I'm just as glad, because he is one tough mother!

Then those Sweet Old Bobs dropped their bomb! We were finished! Graduation YAY!!!

Major Victory solemnly awarded each of us, as we stood at attention, with a small silver pin with the Greek symbol of omega upon it. No diplomas, black gowns with funny shaped hats, just the symbol of his old commando unit and a handshake. He told us we still would be training, but now the mission would take precedence over the education.

We went off to shower and change for the party he'd promised us. Out of nowhere, the amazing Mr. Chang struck again. He had kept the preparations from us and, while we were fighting and receiving our omega pins, the wraps had come off. Under the cover of a Christmas ball, the Major, using his alias as Mr. Roland, had invited many of the shakers and movers of New Riverside to his Mansion.

Anza, of course, was thrilled from the top of her beautiful hair down to her lovely toenails! I swear that girl loves to dress to the nines! The problem, was that Cape was all too fond of dressing its favorite doll, me, in the same kinda ways! Admiring myself in the mirror is one thing, but walking around like that for hours is something else entirely.

Part of our cover was that we were the personal assistants to Mr. Roland. Very personal, if you know what I mean. So we were fixed up as a matched set, with our gowns to accent her dusky beauty, while Cape highlighted my paleness even more than usual. I swear, Cape enjoys this too much, as it covered up my few freckles and lightened my hair to more blond than strawberry. My winter, to her summer so to speak.

Going downstairs we got Mark real good! He was grumbling, “How is this a reward since I had to work?” His cover, along with Tom's, was providing security for Mr. Roland, so he had trouble seeing just how this party was a good thing.

Coming up behind him, Anza whispered in his ear, “The reward for a job well done is just another dirty job.”

When he turned around to make another complaint, he got his first look at our attire for the evening. To his credit, he didn't fall all the way down the stairs, but the expression on his face was almost worth all the ogling he'd done the last few weeks.

While he was hanging on the banister trying to stand, “See something you like?” Anza asked, passing him with his mouth open.

I stopped beside him, “You’d better get that repaired,” flicking a painted nail at his torn tux while arching a brow.

Cheating outrageously, we used our mental bond to sync our slinky walk down the stairs, leaving Mark speechless. As soon as we entered the next room we broke into giggles! Lin, one of Mr. Chang's many granddaughters and Will's forlorn romantic crush, had gotten the whole thing on her camera phone. I promised her and Anza I would get some of the footage framed. ‘I am woman, watch me get revenge!’

It hadn't go unnoticed by either one of us, that Mark and Tom had to work tonight. Okay, the real security was being done by one of Mr. Chang's many grandsons, no doubt by one of those Ninja types we‘d spared with so often. Okay, I bet someone is asking, ‘if Mr. Chang is Chinese why all the Ninjas, since they are a Japanese institution?’ I had asked him that very question one day after a spirited ambush by his black suited relatives, coming out from behind every bush and tree. His response was that if Ninjas wanted to be a secret clan of deadly assassins they needed to work harder. Looking me in the eye, Mr. Chang asked me, “What do you call secret deadly Chinese assassins?”

I answered, “I don't know.”

With a serene smile he replied, “Exactly so.” and walked away.

How could you argue with such logic?

Mr. Chang, as our instructor for all things involving high society and protocol, met all of us in the front room that had become a ballroom, festooned in Christmas decorations. All of us had been taken by surprise by this Winter Ball. There was a lesson here, of course, that our instructor Mr. Chang made sure we learned. He pointed out the things we’d missed and should've paid attention to, and why it was important.

If we were part of any organization, we would be depending upon our support people. Initiative on their part was a valued quality, but it was we who would be ultimately held responsible. There were many reasons why they would want to keep things from us, most of them bad. Not all, mind you, because more than one surprise party had been spoiled by suspicious bosses. Corruption, profiteering and infiltrators were all possible dangers.

Then he moved to brief us about our parts at the party tonight. He covered everything from security precautions, to what if the worst happened, as well as who to pay special attention to. The Warders would be attending, along with the cream of New Riverside’s society, including the Mayor. Also among our guests were the Colonel's suspects for framing us, a list he'd been able to narrow down to just five.

Then there was the ULTIMATE supersuit squad, who would be making an appearance, and just to keep things lively there was the Big Boss list that led the list of possible suspects as the Syndicate's leader.

We at least had a list, but didn't have a lot of confidence in it. There wasn't enough information to give enough parameters. For that matter, one of the reasons for this party, besides supposedly being a graduation party for us, was to help deflect ULTIMATE and the Syndicate’s suspicions of Mr. Roland’s activities. Inviting everyone who was anyone, to see just what he'd done in the old quarry would make him seem just another rich eccentric.

Mr. Chang expected folks to poke around. Heck, he was even going to encourage it. I wished them luck finding anything, since Mr. Chang had built this place from the ground up, using decades of knowledge about keeping things hidden. Even our own rooms had secret compartments to hide stuff that didn't fit our covers. Let me tell you, it is embarrassing to have to ask one the staff how to find that darn secret latch for the second or third time.

For our assignments, Anza and I were to be eye candy and hang on Mr. Roland's arm for the evening. Of course having a telepath and a empath whispering secrets into the bosses ear was a useful perk. Even though our days had been filled with studying a book in one hand while fighting off everything from sword wielding and assault rifle armed assassins with the other, we'd been introduced to the social arts as well.

I was worried that with that damning video of me, all this would not help throw off suspicions, but just the opposite. After all just how many 5'4” mutant, blond, bombshells are there running around? That wasn't as much an issue as I'd thought because, to my surprise, I did have a record with ULTIMATE as a registered meta after all.

According to the Siegel and Schuster Scale they used, I was an Alpha Class Meta which meant I was as physically fit, healthy and as intelligent as the top 1% of the population. Hah!, I’d always known the good looking, all too perfect, honor roll jocks and cheerleaders couldn’t really be human!

My strength and agility were rated at Beta, indicating I had slightly enhanced strength and agility, placing me at the top of human potential. On their rating scale, Gamma was for mental and physical abilities above normal humans, while Epsilon was for those significantly above those human maximums. The last category was Omega, whose indicated abilities were difficult to measure or impossible to determine with any confidence.

Of course my file was nowhere near my reality, not to mention the complete fiction of my being a high school dropout and drug user. Anza's record was also a fantasy, but Mr. Chang pointed out that a wealthy man like Mr. Roland would use someone like the two of us for body guards as well as status symbols. Even low category mutants tended to be very attractive, excepting those whose mutation warped them into such bizarre forms that they sometimes didn’t even survive the experience of changing.

Morgan, who had come clean about his dual nature, was back in male mode as a spokesman for Mr. Roland and would be mingling during the party. Mark and Tom you already know about, but Will would be spending time with our movers and shakers drivers and the rest of the hired help.

By the time our guests started arriving I had worked myself up pretty good. I'd always been a wallflower at best, and a nerdy geek with my nose buried in a book at the worst. Anza however, had always dreamed of the being the girl at the prom, and she wasn't going to let me ruin the closest thing she'd ever had to one. I promised her I would behave and try to have fun, but this was way outside my comfort zone!

After awhile I calmed down, being too busy to freak out much. My control of my empathy powers was much better and, looking over the crowd, it was interesting to see their emotions interact with each other. It was clear who liked whom and who didn't. Those who were here to snoop were easy to pick out, and I passed this to Mr. Chang so he could assign a 'handler' to the wanna be spies.

When the ULTIMATE Reaction Team One made their entrance we gave them a proper greeting. Number One was the leader and she was dressed in her usual gold and silver powered armor.

Number Two was a well muscled man attired in an ULTIMATE dress uniform modified to allow more flexibility and make allowances for his array of martial arts weapons.

The next member was an almost painfully slim young man similarly dressed. Number Three was bald by choice, which made him stand out even more. His listed powers were creating and directing high frequency sound waves. However there was a note in the records we had access to, that thought he could control all vibratory rates for a host of things, not just sound.

Number Four’s Asian features belied her pale complexion and metallic golden hair. She had total control of her own density and volume, giving her the ability to grow, shrink, become denser, or as vaporous as a cloud. She was the one member of this team it was known that had been a criminal who had switched sides. That was because her weird physiology required her to ingest gold to remain healthy. Yep, that golden hair really was gold. It was an open secret that she was ’sheared’ regularly by ULTIMATE to make up for the cost of her upkeep. You would think they would let her wear something other than that unbecoming uniform, considering the other indignities.

Their brick was Number Five. I’ll bet you he’s heard that old joke about Number Five is alive more times than he wants to! He was rated in the Epsilon scale for strength meaning he was damn strong. Having the almost expected body builder look, the only thing that made him stand out was the dreadlock-like hair that worked as radiator vanes. This dude put out a lot of heat and some thought he might even have a sort of living nuclear reactor. Being x-ray proof and next to impossible to take samples from, it was anyone’s guess if it was true. Oh yeah, he was also dressed in one of those blue uniforms.

Noticed the drab and unimaginative names and uniforms, did you? The bureaucrats managing ULTIMATE did everything they could to dehumanize their so called Reaction Teams, except for a few like Number One, whose powers were dependent upon something that couldn't be made to fit into their cookie cutter mold.

From our studies we'd learned that Number One had fought quite the battle to resist having her powered armor painted in ULTIMATE blue. In a fit of anger she had given them spray guns and told them to have at it. A product of her own genius, the armor ignored the hi-tech bonding process. The pigments had run off of it onto the floor, leaving the gleaming suit untouched. With more than a little grumbling they shut up, but they used her Team for the nasty little jobs they expected to backfire on her.

Hearing that, I bet you're wondering why anyone in their right mind would even want to be a part of such a red taped bound anally retentive organization, right? You would be right! Nearly every one of them had either been drafted by their governments or captured by ULTIMATE and given an offer they couldn't refuse. Join or be an inmate of Darkside Base, the nastiest prison since Alcatraz and Devil's Island, on you guessed it, the dark side of the Moon!

If that wasn't enough, rumors abound of cranium bombs and other implants to make sure their recruits toe the party line. Nope, I'm not sorry at all to have dodged the bullet with ULTIMATE, but I do feel a bit sorry for these folks, trapped as they are. Only a bit, mind you, for while most of them were railroaded into this, some of them were genuine criminals who’d made a calculated decision not to end up exiled in the most unforgiving place their jailers could find to put them.

With all that said, they were on their best behavior and politely mingled with the New Riverside Warders. They were carefully watched by their 'handlers,' but the ones I was watching were the ones that Colonel's Stone's research had singled out for being our suspected mole.

Major Victory, as Mr. Roland, had carefully reduced his 'glow' for tonight events. Otherwise, with being so close to him all night we really would have given everybody something to see. He decided to bring everything up a notch by having the band play something other than Christmas tunes. Dancing with both of us, he reinforced his eccentric reputation in the eyes of his guests. The alarming thing here, was that I didn't have the slightest clue how to dance whatever it was we were dancing!

Anza was the wild one who loved to dance, and she'd even talked me into going out a time or two. Besides, Mr. Chang required us to know one or two dances. So I can't claim I can't dance at all. I'm just really self-conscious about it. Anza came to my rescue by showing me the steps mentally, and relied on my reflexes to fake the rest. That did the trick, along with learning how to better access Mystery the character's skills, because while I can't dance, the character I had created most certainly could.

From the applause, I gathered we did very well. Be still my shaking knees! If they only knew. If that wasn't enough, my empathy showed a definite rise in the lust meter. Our dance broke the ice, giving us the opportunity to dance with some of the other guests, much to the dismay of their dates or significant others. I can't say it was unpleasant, but I would much rather been dancing with a certain raven haired lass! Alas duty called, and the room was abound in such interesting guests.

I was surprised to find that I was almost enjoying the experience. Anza, of course, had long ago pushed me onto the dance floor, and I had danced with the guys during our ballroom lessons. My first time on the floor with someone I didn’t know, wasn’t as bad as I had feared. Black Hawk of the Warders, and Number Five of ULTIMATE, insisted on sharing dances with me. They were gentlemen, and I began to see why Anza had fantasies about being the belle of the ball. This was not so for all my dance partners. One of them tried to get a little too familiar, but I was able to discourage him without breaking anything. I didn’t forget why we were there in the first place, and made an effort to entice those on any of our lists onto the floor.

Speaking of which, one of those almost tempted me to break cover. One of our 'guests of interest' was a Mr. Joseph Hyperion. He was a playboy who had arrived with pop singing star Nancy Nitro. Mr. Hyperion owned a Greek based merchant shipping company with a small fleet of ships specialized in rapid transport of luxury items. The vessels being faster, but smaller, could take advantage of New Riversides port facilities with its faster off load times than the bigger ports at NYC or others.

That put him in a good position to be a suspect, and the way he was grabbing my lover's posterior was putting him in a good position to be a murder victim! I was dancing with a Colonel Brown, another of our suspects when I spied that Greek being a little too friendly with my lover. While I was getting mad, I couldn't help but notice his date. Nancy Nitro's reaction seemed a little strange to me. For someone who had such a reputation as a party animal and a Prima-Donna, she was behaving rather sedately.

I was expecting her to be spoiled and temperamental with her date feeling up one of the hired help. Instead, she seemed almost oblivious to what was happening. That could be because of too much champagne and wine, but it did seem odd. At the time though, I was more concerned about the Jerk With The Roving Hands

Cape began giving me the old, “I've got a bad feeling about this,” vibe. I was really worried, wondering why Anza hadn't stopped Mr. Greek shipping tycoon from feeling her up. Sure, she is a lot more comfortable with the 'girl thing' than I, and we were supposed to be keeping our ears open for clues but this? She was strangely unresponsive over our bond, and I admit I was ready to try something perhaps a little foolish. Then suddenly out of nowhere, there was Mr. Roland.

You would think that after being in nearly constant contact with him I would be used to the way he moved so damn quietly and smoothly. It was if he had just materialized out of nowhere. Sometimes I didn't know what intimated me the most, him being acknowledged as one of the most powerful supersuits on the planet, or the close to 80 years of martial arts training he had under his belt. Maybe the length of time he'd been studying didn't matter, but part of me suspected that more than a few of his amazing abilities came more from what he'd learned than what any mad scientist had done to him.

With a smile, he cut in, interrupting Mr. Hyperion's far too damn dirty dancing. My blood ran cold for an instant, because I saw the glance the two bull elephants exchanged. Mr. Roland, as I'd said before, was about 6'4”, but Joshua Hyperion was just as impressively built and was even taller by an inch or two. He might not have superpowers but he was a man who was used to getting what he wanted. Anyone interfering did so at their own risk and not something to undertake lightly.

I held my breath when I saw the nasty little smile he gave Mr. Roland, but he raised an eyebrow and passed Anza to him. He rejoined his date Miss Nitro, but I didn't miss his icy glare following them as they danced. Then very deliberately, his eyes met mine. I can't exactly tell you what I felt, but came to understand the fight or flee reflex all too well in the instant when my power did read him. Yuck!

Trying not to look like the jealous lover, I waited till the music stopped and nudged Anza towards the bathrooms. Normally I would expect my saucy lover to have been ready to remove a certain Greek's hand along with any other appendage that she felt was offensive. What do I get?

Anza, in a daze just waited her turn for the facilities and calmly repaired her makeup as if nothing happened!

Speaking to her silently using our bond/link, “Hey Anza! Are you alright? Was he trying to do something?”

Dazed and spacey, she responded, “Oh yeah, I'm fine. Trying something? Who?”

Letting a bit of my anger leak out, “You know, that Greek jerk who was probing your ass searching for your panty line? The one you were just dancing with just before Mr. Roland cut in? Hello?”

She shook her head, and sent back a confused, “He did?”

Of course at that point I was ready to go out and break some fingers, but between not wanting to leave my lover, who acted if she'd been slipped a 'Rope'. (That’s a dose of Rohypnol the date rape drug that causes memory loss.) I had a real good idea who was responsible, so as much as I might want to, Anza's safety came first.

Using my phone, I let Mr. Chang know what was up and that Anza needed help. In this age of cell phones and the amazing Indigo Tooth, the other ladies ignored us. Not that I had needed them to, for our dear fossil had already passed on the word. Acting with his typical efficiency, Mr. Chang made sure help arrived and we got her back to our rooms with no one being the wiser. She went to sleep as soon as she hit the pillow. That done, I was ready to work out my anger on a certain Greek who came bearing unwanted gifts, and I'm not talking Odysseus and the horse he rode in on, either!

Mr. Chang, sensing a problem, arrived in person and, despite myself, talked me out of doing something rash. After all, he reasoned, we'd been dancing for sometime and had accepted drinks from more than one overly hopeful male. Yes, Miss Nitro's behavior was a little odd, as she did have a reputation as something of a party animal. Mr. Hyperion had taken liberties, but there was no proof he was responsible for her condition.

After being sure I had calmed down, he sent me back out into the battle. I think I covered up my double take of seeing the woman I had just left unconscious in bed, hanging back on the arm of our dear Mr. Roland! Then I saw her body language was subtly different, and most of all, her emotions were displaying a rather profound enjoyment of her current circumstances. Oh, that is not even counting on the link/bond between Anza and I telling me this wasn’t my beloved.

Morgan?. My mind swam as I identified her. Mr. Roland's emotions were almost always hard for me to read very well. Still, I think I was receiving a definite pleasurable feeling. Morgan and the Major romantic? They had been spending a lot of time together, what with her being our team leader. I remember her saying something that in her crystalline form, his bio-energy field wasn't as noticeable. That made me realize that they didn't know! He was just the type to be attracted to her, just because he could be reasonably certain she wasn't being unduly influenced. She ... okay, I didn't know for sure why she would fall for him. Her being new at being female might be a factor, but I couldn’t rule out it being just because he was a very intelligent man. Morgan had seldom run across someone who was more so than herself.

Trying not to gape, and keeping my mouth closed, I joined them. This wasn't the time to dwell on yet another complication in our lives. Joining them, I really had no clue she had managed to gain so much control of her shape changing, although upon closer inspection, I could see the flaws. Her shape changing thing was only partially an actual change of form. The rest was a holographic image she was projecting from within herself. She had obviously been practicing.

Taking his arm, we followed his lead as to whom to observe. I read them with my empathy, while Morgan used her eyes. She could see far farther into the visible spectrum and could see raises in blood pressure from the temperature changes. All in all, she made an excellent lie detector.

Of particular interest were those on Colonel's Stone's mole list. Damning the circumstances that had put our telepath out of commission, I did the best I could with my empathy to gain some clue about which one of these pompous fools was the cause of our faces being plastered on wanted posters in post-offices all over the world. Yeah, I meant the pompous thing! They were all the type of self-righteous asses I hated working for when I was in the Army. Ambitious, and more concerned about covering their own rears than in doing what needed to be done.

That's not to say they were incompetent, because they were far from it, being drawn from the world’s most elite armed services. The problem was, ULTIMATE’s mission was the policing of Meta-human issues and threats. Since nearly all the meta-humans they had contact with were criminals, most of them saw all Metas as being cut from the same cloth. That didn’t count the ones that were just out right Humans Rulz advocates. You know, the old, “The only good mutant is a dead mutant.” type.

As much I loved our transformation into beautiful superpowered babes, being part of a politically inferior minority is not good. The good news is, most people do not have a beef with Metas and, for that matter, the majority of criminals are just average humans.
But it was just like the old sayings. “One ‘Oh Crap’ erases a whole lot of ‘Atta Boys” and “It just takes one bad apple to spoil the barrel.” One supervillian can cause one heck of a lot of trouble and, of course, gets all the media attention.

Since we had first met, Mr. Roland had proved he’d learned a lot more than just fighting and flying aircraft in his hundred or so years of being alive. The man was able to charm diamonds from coal. Putting that talent to work, he talked to each of our suspects, while Morgan and I looked beautiful and bored. That is, scanning the crap out of them looking for a slip-up on their parts.

Someone else might have missed it, but the last of our five possible moles stood out for me. I couldn’t say why at first, but something about him just seemed off to me. Lt. Colonel Benjamin Hostler was the senior of the three Strike Group commanders assigned to New Riverside, and had a good record, even not counting his driving ambition.

Colonel Stone had somehow gotten the records for all five of our possible traitors. I’d asked him how, but he told me, “Don’t ask.” Be that as it may, we had studied them very carefully. Comparing everything from the record to the flesh and blood man standing in front of me, it slowly came to me. It was the way he was standing. He’d been in harm’s way far more often than any sane man would dare, because of his ambition. Part of the price for that bravery was the purple hearts he’d earned and the pain that was their legacy.

I knew there were, simply put, some tough SOB’s out there who’ll look the Devil in the eye and spit in his face before giving him the pleasure of admitting any weakness. And some people have incredible tolerance to pain. Our Light Colonel’s record would suggest he was that kind of man.

The problem was, I didn’t think he was in any discomfort at all and that is not the same as bearing with it, or medicating it with painkillers. The more I thought about it, the more certain I became, because of the way he moved. After spending so much time surrounded by Mr. Chang’s dangerously talented, extended family, I’d gotten to see how spending a life time in the martial arts can affect how one does even the most commonplace chores. We’re talking about balance, flexibility, and situational awareness. That made me very aware of how people move. The way this man moved didn’t jibe with what we knew of his records and injuries.

I signaled the man on my arm that I’d picked up on something. Mr. Roland turned on the charm and spent some quiet time talking with the ULTIMATE officer. I’d like to say we tripped him up and confirmed it was him. No such luck. What it did do was move him up to the top of our list.

Thankfully the time came when the clock struck midnight, and all the guests had to depart or risk turning into pumpkins. Colonel Stone came out of his listening post where he’d observed and recorded the whole affair. The inevitable debriefing followed for us and the Warders. I made sure to bring up my suspicions about Mr. Hyperion. Most seemed to regard them as overreaction and just jealousy on my part. His actions, even if it was him, were unfortunate but not unexpected for a wealthy man thinking himself above the law.

I came to realize that the Major, while he was not in vocal support of my speculation, kept his opinions to himself. Taking that as my clue, I let the subject drop. Afterwards I checked on my drugged lover, who was still sleeping it off. It occurred to me, she was going to be sooo angry when she came to. Her first fancy dress event as a woman, and she gets drugged into unconsciousness and doesn’t remember a thing about it all? Giving her a goodnight kiss, I headed to the kitchen to pick up my plate of food for my ghost.

Sitting down in what had become my favorite chair in the conference room, I opened my book. I’d reached the chapter about the feint Admiral Nimitz planned to use to draw out the Japanese kamikaze pilots, using ships loaded with as many anti-aircraft guns as they could pack onboard them, covered by a massive cap of fighters from aircraft carriers and land based airfields from recently captured Okinawa. I was just getting into it when a knock sounded on the door.

Looking over at the secret entrance, I realized my ghost still hadn’t made her appearance. Well it was pretty late. Wondering who it was I said, “Come in.”

To my surprise, it was Question, “To what do I owe the pleasure at this time of night? I would’ve thought you would be on your way home.”

He nodded, but I saw him looking over at my offering, plainly curious as to what it was all about. Ignoring it, he got right to business.

“I wanted to talk to you about what happened tonight,” he spread his hands trying to express openness. “I’m not criticizing your choices or life style.”

Knowing I was going to be hearing something unpleasant, I crossed my arms. “Did I just hear a ‘but’?”

The big man in red and white sighed, “It’s never good to have a romantic relationship within a team in any profession where life and death is on the line. It causes lapses of judgment and can put other’s lives in danger. Tonight you were willing to break cover because one of the guests was acting out of line with the one you love, all because of your relationship. That could have endangered all we were trying to accomplish tonight.”

Staring right into the polished lenses of the mask hiding his eyes, “Yes, I was going to interfere, but break cover? No. My reactions would‘ve been quite in character and, while it would’ve made a scene, our cover would still be intact. After all it is already known to anyone who bothers to look, that I and she are lesbians. ” That still sounded really bizarre coming from my lips!

“Anza was in trouble. The rest of you seem to think she was just a victim of some guy with bad judgment, but have any of you thought about how hard it is to slip a telepath a Mickey? And not with just any drug but one that is known for causing memory loss?” Snorting, I shook my head “None of you are sufficiently paranoid in my book. I’m not even mentioning the pure chutzpa of apparently drugging a pop superstar as well. Even if I’m wrong about him being involved in our troubles here, he is a very dangerous lunatic“ I pointed out.

“A rich, powerful, dangerous, lunatic who could bring us unwanted attention. I’m not here to argue with you, but to make you aware of how your relationship can affect us all, not just the two of you,” he said.

“If you’re warning me to be careful, consider me warned. If you’re trying to suggest anything else you can go take that proverbial flying leap into a lake, a deep, icy, cold one,” I told him as evenly as I could.

Without a sound my ghost made her entrance when the secret door revealed itself. She looked better now since she’d been eating proper meals. Dressed in one of the jumpers I’d gotten for her, she still refused the sandals and was barefoot. It was a measure of the trust I had built between us that she had abandoned some of her usual caution. Unfortunately for us, it was at exactly the wrong time.

Instantly I felt Question’s surprise, alarm and anger. ‘Just what else could go wrong tonight?’ I wondered not really wanting to know.

She was frozen in fear and I knew she was just a hairsbreadth from fleeing.

Question stormed forward, “It’s a Vole clone!”

Cape and my empathy gave me no doubts at all that the big guy intended harm to my young friend. We sprang over him and, using a technique from one of my many teachers, I redirected him back the way he had come. I half expected him to go though the wall, but he spun around, dropping into a combat ready stance.

“What are you doing? That is a Vole clone! You don’t know how dangerous those things are! They were genetically designed as replacement bodies and decoys for Doctor Vole. The Damn things are vicious!,” he cursed.

I knew she was still behind me and hadn’t fled, which surprised and pleased me all at once. Carefully I took a step backward towards her, keeping myself between him and her.

“She is a scared child who been hiding here, and the only questionable thing I’ve seen her do is steal some food. This is a child, not a thing. I don’t know much about this Doctor Vole or these Vole clones, but if you try to hurt her, we’ll see just how much I’ve learned in the last month!”

That stopped him! “She?,” he said sounding oh so intelligent. “That’s not possible. All of them were exact clones. none were females,” he argued.

“Honey,” I asked her softy, “will you take my hand?”

I didn’t dared to take my eyes from Question. Fortunately I had Cape and my empathy to help me gage how far I could go with her.

A touch as light as a breath gripped my hand. I was going to brush the hair that obscured half her face away, but when she flinched, I stopped. ‘Okay time to move to plan ‘B.’ Just as soon as I figure out what exactly plan ‘B’ is.’ Cape extended itself protectively around my ‘ghost’s’ silhouette. That gave me an idea.

At least Question was hesitating, not so sure anymore that my friend was a threat, or maybe he was just confused.

“Honey, can you turn in a circle for us?” I asked her, feeling her tremble.

Unsurely, she nodded and turned in a slow circle for me, while holding my hand.

She was 12 maybe 13, but since she’d been eating better she was starting to fill out. Not an obvious figure, but she was definitely on her way. After her slow spin she pulled close to me.

“What’s your name, dear?” I asked her.

My ghost looked up at me, “Nurse used to call me Dee.”

I raised an eyebrow at Question who’d had all the wind taken from his sails. Recognizing that she was female confused the big guy even more, and gave me the opportunity to get him to agree to something he might not have, normally.

“She’ll stay with me for now until we know more. I don’t think she is going to hurt anyone. Is that okay with you, Dee?” I hugged the trembling child.

“Huh, huh,” she whispered.

He half raised a hand to object, but he still hadn’t figured out he’d been outmaneuvered yet as we walked by him on our way to the mansion.

Dee shivered and grasped my hand tightly as we stepped outside.

“Are you alright sugar?” I asked her.

A soft, barely heard voice, “I’ve never been outside before with so many other people around.”

“It’s alright dear. I’m here and I’ll make sure no one bothers you, OK?” I squeezed her hand.

My ghost just gave me a shallow nod and held on to me all the tighter.

As we walked, Cape made sure I was aware of the Warders, who had somehow been warned by Question, coming out to see us. They didn’t do or say anything, but they made their presence known.

All I know is, they made me as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof, and I was thinking I really should’ve called Mr. Chang or the guys for help. That was before I saw Will casually step out into the light from the shadows, along with Lin and a double handful of her family.

Thinking bad thoughts about Mexican standoffs, I walked into the mansion with my ghost. Seeing Mr. Chang and his grandson, the Doctor, as we entered, I breathed a sigh of relief. I should’ve known that very little happened around here that he didn’t know about.

“Miss Reed. I see your friendly spirit has decided to come into the light. Do you require the services of my nephew?” he asked, formal as always.

My bad, a nephew, not a grandson. There were a small town’s worth of his relatives living here with us now. I think at times they did their best to confuse us westerners. Okay I admit it. It was after midnight, my lover had been drugged by a power crazed Greek, I was rescuing an abused child from a group of Supersuits, and I was tired. Ok, I give, you got me!

“Dee, this is a doctor. Is it alright if he looks at you to make sure you’re all right?” I asked her, thinking that treating her as a person seems to be working so far.

I felt a spike of pure fear from her as I mentioned doctor, and immediately decided that, if Doctor Vole ever, ever gets out on parole and I’m around, he’ll be receiving a unhappy visit from me.

I thought she was going to start screaming, and Cape and I sent soothing feelings at her, trying to ease the poor darling’s panic.

“Shhh, dear, I asked if we could. Since you don’t want to, it’s alright. Dee it’s alright.” I told her, scared to hug her for fear she’d take even that as a threat.

“Anza is a nurse. Maybe she can check and see if you’re healthy tomorrow, alright? No doctors.”

Finally it seemed, I’d said something right.

“Nurse is going to see me tomorrow?” Dee said looking up at me with hope in her eye.

“My best friend in the whole world is A Nurse and she’ll won’t do anything you don’t want her to.” I looked into her single visible eye.

She burst into tears, hugging me in a death grip. Not knowing what to do, I held her, as whatever hurt worked it’s way out. Sniffling, and almost hiccupping from her crying, she buried her head in Cape’s folds, which gently wiped her face.

I suppose I should have seen it coming, but Cape, it seemed, had accepted another into the small group it regarded as family. Closing my eyes, I knew it was my own fault for not thinking ahead. Vaguely, I’d intended to coax my ghost out of her hiding place and find out where she belonged. If it was true that she was a clone of some sort, that meant she might not have a place to go to. More alarming was Mr. Goody, Goody Two Shoes, willing to wipe the floor with her because he thought she was a clone, whether she was a child or not. Opening my eyes, interesting times were still following us, yes siree.

Mr. Chang had already sent his nephew on his way, and Lin had taken his place. Seeing how the child seemed frightened of men, he’d taken a few steps back.

“Miss Reed and miss, I’ve had a roll-away bed taken to your rooms,” Mr. Chang said to us.

Still red faced from her cry, Dee was surprised she was being addressed, but remembering her manners, nodded, “Thank you.”

Lin helped me get her up the stairs to my rooms, although I noticed that the guys, despite being curious, kept their distance. I was wondering if I should call on Morgan, but it was late and she and the Major had departed together. The mind boggles as to why, but it wasn’t an emergency. All of us needed some sleep, and Dee most of all.

She was plainly curious about my rooms, but when Will thoughtfully brought up her forgotten plate of goodies from the party, she dug in with gusto. With her stomach full, she didn’t take long to fall to sleep, and I sat with her for a while.

I did have ulterior motives, for I suspected something was wrong with her. That was why I wanted her seen by a doctor. Brushing aside her hair, I flinched seeing much to my dismay I’d been correct. The right side of her face had looked a little distorted. That was because the left side was so scarred it had pulled the skin taut. It was an old wound, but obviously hadn’t received proper care. Maybe Anza’s doctor friend or Morgan could tell what had happened, but about all I could tell was it didn’t have that melted look you see with burns. Her left eye was missing, and the shrinking socket had contributed to the distortion of the, mostly untouched, right side.

Even Lin winced when she saw how bad it was. She usually carried herself as a battle tested veteran, and took things that would make most folks puke in stride. I’ve heard that Chinese culture, as a whole, is not kind to those to whom life had given deformities. Lin gave the lie to that stereotype with the compassion in her eyes. Right then I decided Will had found someone very special, and Mr. Chang had better get ready for the fight of his life. Will and Lin would get their chance, even if I had to give heaven and earth a little nudge here and there.

Softly, so as to not wake Dee, Lin spoke, “My cousin Doctor Lee might be able to help her, but she is afraid of him.”

Shaking my head, I replied, “I think it is because she was experimented on by this Doctor Vole. Anyone calling themselves a doctor is going frighten her half to death.”

Lin nodded sadly, “She has good reason, if he did this to her.”

Taking a deep breath before the plunge, I asked, “Lin just how are clones treated here? Question is about as big a Boy Scout as they come, but he wasn’t going to hesitate to attack her. Why? On my world we don’t have the technology yet, but even trying to clone humans is forbidden in most places.”

The attractive Chinese woman agreed with me, “Yes, we do have the ability, but most nations here forbid it as well. My grandfather suspected your ghost might be a survivor of Vole’s organization, but since you were handling the situation, he left it your hands. Vole was a handsome appearing child, but when his mutation was triggered, it warped his body. Even though it gifted him with greatly increased intelligence and the power to walk though the earth, he became obsessed with restoring himself to a normal appearance.

“To further this cause he conducted illegal experiments on others, as well as upon his own genetic material. The difference was, he used genes from any source that would fit his designs, including those from animals, and even plants. ULTIMATE has ruled in the past, because of dealing with these demented scientists, that their Chimera creations are not truly human at all, but golem-like creatures bred to be nothing more than attack dogs. Like with attack dogs, they were to be put down out of concern for the good of the public welfare.

“These Vole clones, as Question called them, were used to provide spare parts for injuries he suffered in his battles with agencies trying hunt him down, and since they were force grown with his own memories as decoys to protect his life, it was as the Warder said, for they were raised knowing the weak among them would be used for parts. They fought for all they were worth to overcome their fellows and for the chance to escape. Some fell to the original mutation and were used as decoys. Others died from whatever modifications Vole made to them while looking for the cure to his mutation’s body warping effects.

“It would seem that the simplest answer was the right one,” She said.

Picking up on what she meant, “You mean the disfigurement is sex linked with the “Y” chromosome?”

“Yes. I think Dee might be older than she looks. Likely, fourteen or older. That is past the time the original Vole changes manifested themselves, so it is a reasonable leap of logic to say he did find the cure he was looking for,” she said sadly.

Angrily I said, “Looks like he tried to kill the messenger. She doesn’t act like you say the other clones did, so she must’ve been more an experiment than the others. Poor little one. No wonder she was clinging to me. She must be half staved for attention.”

A little hesitant Lin looked at me, “You understand that a simple DNA test would reveal what she is and, with her scars, it will be very hard to find a home for her?”

“Yes, Lin I was already coming to the same conclusion.” I sighed again. If I kept this up I would start to sound like a steam engine. Huff, huff, huff, shhh.

“This is not a good time for this, but if I have to, I’ll look after her for as long as I can. We are about to step into the deep end with this Syndicate business, and if we are successful I don’t even know what world I’ll end up on. That’s not even taking into account that my better half may have plans other then being the 2nd mom to an abused, teenaged, gene engineered, mutant. ‘But Mom she followed me home.’” I joked, rubbing my tired eyes.

“Do you really think you’ll leave when this is over?,” she asked, obviously concerned about her possible future together with Will.

“I really don’t, know Lin. There are a lot of reasons for us to want to stay, but we never had any choice about coming here in the first place. All of us, even the ones I never expected to, are forging ties here. Staying will mean never seeing our families again. For some that is not a big problem, but for others it is. I just don’t know Lin, except it’s late and I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.” I said as I walked her out, giving her a hug of thanks for her help, “Don’t worry about Will. I’m sure you two will work this out somehow.”

With a wan smile, she said, “Goodnight,” leaving me alone with my lover and a new responsibility. Snuggling into the covers I decided to let my worries wait until the morning and let my dreams carry me away.

***

On a neighboring hill, the soil churned and a serpent scaled head broke the surface. All night he’d been keeping tabs on Pretty Boy. He gets to go to a big party and what does ole Ripper gets to do? Dig around and keep a eye on the boss’s favorite.

He might complain but he wasn’t insane enough to flout the Boss’s orders, no matter what those shrinks might have said about him back at that prison masquerading as a hospital. He might be a schizophrenic mass murderer, but even he wasn’t crazy enough to double-cross the Boss, so he’d done what he’d been told to do.

What he’d discovered was that base under the quarry was still fully operational. Closed down and destroyed, his ass! Just tunneling close to it had almost set off some kind of defense system. Still having a fine sense of self-preservation, he’d veered off, giving it a wide berth.

That’d been a royal pain in the posterior but nothing he couldn’t handle. No, the worst part had been running across those campers. He’d wanted to rend and tear the little pretties so badly, however the Boss had told him quite firmly that tonight, he was to not touch so much as a hair on anyone’s head, or else. It’d been so very hard to slither away and leave them be. Ever since his accident and since he’d been twisted into his present, hideous form, the only real pleasure he’d had was ripping the pretty ones.

With a flick of his snake-like tongue, he scented the air one last time before burrowing back into the earth. Who would’ve guessed that Clint James, Doctor of herpetology would be spending his nights living as a reptile, rather than studying them?

***

Heroes of Justice: The story of Dee

Johnny shifted fitfully, only half asleep. He was ten, and tomorrow he had a big baseball game. His dad was always there for his Little League games, and no one needed to tell Johnny that his Dad was proud of him for following in his athletic footsteps. He was the star pitcher, and the team was depending on him to win the city championship.

Again Johnny shivered in his sleep. It just seemed wrong somehow. Half awake, he remembered always being happy of making his dad proud and how easy sports were for him. It all seemed wrong somehow. Part of him struggled to come awake, but he just couldn’t seem to. Just as bad, he couldn’t sink back into deeper sleep. He was just stuck here, somewhere in-between.

Then with a surge of blinding lights he was thrown forward. With terror in his chest he fought to breathe. He felt hands on him and they turned him over onto his stomach. With a sickening spasm he coughed up what seemed like endless streams of water from his lungs.

Was he downing? How had he fallen into the water, because the last he remembered was being safe in bed at home? Exhausted, finally the last of the water was gone, and with a great effort he took a lung full of wonderful air. Strangely it seemed to burn a little, but the pure relief of being able to breath again overcame everything else.

Opening his eyes, everything seemed out of focus, but he thought he was in a hospital or something. He felt the hands again moving him, poking and prodding like doctors always seem to do. Johnny had never been to one except for checkups, and they always said how healthy his Dad’s golden boy was.

He’d tried to talk but couldn’t. Did they have to be so rough, grunting as they almost threw him onto some kind of gurney, he guessed, because he felt himself moving a little while later.

What had happened? Where were his parents? Fear filled him again as his ordeal began to overwhelm him. He tried not to cry because his Dad always told him that was for girls, not for boys who were tough.

Johnny felt himself stop moving and heard a door shut. Weakly, he tried to sit up by using the handrails to help him, but it was just too much. Lying back down, the fear and exhaustion drove him into sleep.

Slowly coming awake he heard a voice, “Here, sit up.”

Struggling to open his eyes, he realized someone had grabbed his arm, pulling him upright.

“Hey, let go of me! What are you doing?,” Johnny demanded, half asleep.

“Here is clothing. Get dressed. Food will be coming soon. If you’re not dressed you won’t get fed. You understand that?” the voice demanded of him. Forcing himself to see, Johnny saw the owner was a woman who looked liked a nurse or something. She had brownish colored hair with red highlights, but must be kind of old, because she had some gray, too. Instead of white or the pastel colors he was accustomed to seeing on doctors and such, she was wearing a dark red smock.

“Where am I? Where are my Mom and Dad?” Johnny asked.

Ignoring his questions she pointed to a screen set into the wall, “That will answer your questions. Now get dressed or go hungry.”

“If you’re a nurse, how come you’re dressed in red?” he asked, pulling himself to the edge of the bed.

This time she turned to face him, and the look on her face scared him, “So all the blood stains won’t show.”

Not sorry to see her go, he shakily got up off the bed. Keeping one hand on it to keep from falling he wondered what had happened to him. Looking around he saw the walls were transparent, as if they were made of glass or plastic. He could see many other rooms with people moving around getting dressed, too. Not really paying attention to them, he picked up the underwear.

Hey, this was a pair of girl’s panties! He looked at the screen, thinking to complain, but he could see a robot or something delivering food just a few rooms down from his. Not wanting to miss eating, he picked up the plain looking exercise style shorts and pulled them on. Reaching down to ‘situate’ himself, he froze.

There wasn’t anything down there! In panic, he felt only flatness. Shocked, his knees failed him and he slid to the cold floor. Johnny was only half aware when her food was shoved into her room from the slot at the bottom of the door. Hours later, she was still clenched into a fetal ball when the scary woman returned.

***

“Oh for …” Barbara Kirsch swore as she stepped into the cubical for Subject 141. A quick look at the charts told the story. Damn, this one was a special. Every other batch or so, Doctor Vole tried something radically different. This one was a cross sexed clone, but the standard acclimation memory recording had still been used. From the clone’s point of view, it had gone to bed as a boy and woke up as a girl.

As much as she felt like hitting … well … her, with the shock prod, Barbara guessed the clone did have reason to freak out. It took a few tries but she got the subject dressed the rest of the way. She did struggle a little when Barbara added the underwear, but stopped after a while, making a rather sad hiccupping sound trying to keep from crying.

Barbara told herself over and over again that they were just lab specimens. She was being very well paid for her trouble. Barbara had been lucky to be able to find a job at all given her past history. She’d made a mistake, getting involved in an industrial espionage scam. That had ended up not only getting her fired, but blacklisted as well. The mistake had also cost her one of her closest friendships, as well as her marriage.

She not only needed this job, but she didn’t have any other choice now. Doctor Vole had only needed to make one example of someone who had betrayed him, for her to promise herself that no matter what, she would never, ever put herself in that situation.

Barbara ended up almost feeding the child. No, she told herself. Subject 141 is a specimen. Leaving the cubical she had a bad feeling that this one was going to be hard.

***

Johnny wasn’t sure how much time had passed. The only reliable method was counting how often the robots brought food. She had slowly gotten used to the idea of being a girl, but it wasn’t easy. All of her memories were of a boy. The woman she had taken to calling Nurse was teaching her some of what being a girl was like.

Nurse was still scary sometimes but not like she'd been at first. She was even nice sometimes.

Johnny was kept from the rest of the boys who were just like her, except they had stayed boys. Looking into the common room she was frightened at the violence they did to each other, fighting for the right to eat. At least she didn’t have to worry about getting fed, but it was like watching animals.

Johnny had seen Doctor Vole once and found it hard to believe that she or rather he would have grown up to look like that. The oversized head and eyes perched on that stunted, hunchbacked body were hideous. The worst part was those eyes that shone like nothing sane ever did. Somehow, she knew nothing but madness lay behind them.

Nurse had told her that she would get used being girl, because although her memories were Dr. Vole’s before his mutation had happened, her body, including her brains, were female. She still missed her parents, even if they were all just a dream. What truly scared her was that she might change into something misshapen with those awful eyes.

Looking into the common area, she’d seen some of the others as they began to change. Sometimes they hurt the other boys when they changed, and other times they simply died. Of course the robots removed them when the changes started, but the scariest part was that they were never seen again.

Johnny had gotten a mirror from Nurse and, saw that besides not having anything hanging, for a long time, she looked just like he had before. Now, since more time had passed, she could see differences. Her hips were wider and her chest was really sensitive. Nurse said this was because she was growing up, and told her more about being a woman.

Sometimes that thought made her cry. The memories of her Dad being so proud of Johnny being the star of the Little League Team were special to her. Despite being told all she remembered was a lie, knowing she wouldn’t be able to fulfill those dreams for her Dad’s approval, hurt. Other times it seemed like what was happening to her body just felt right.

An icy shiver passed though her, and fearfully she looked up and saw him staring at her from the other side of the door, Dr. Vole! Swallowing hard, and trying not to flinch, she tried to keep her face expressionless and not let her fear show. Feigning disinterest, she returned to what she had been doing before, but the terror she felt from those mad eyes looking at her wouldn’t go away. She knew this meant something bad, hugging herself alone in her cell.

***

Barbara had never felt such a combination of outright fury and fear in all her of her life. She did the best she could to comfort the girl with half her face bandaged. Even with the medication, it couldn’t give the child she held peace.

What in the hell had he been thinking, moving Subject 141 into the common room? There was a reason why she and the other attendants called it the Hell Hole. The specimens there were encouraged to fight for their very survival. Adequate food was sometimes withheld, forcing them to fight just to live.

Shuddering, Barbara knew just how fast a happy smiling child could become an animal, for she’d seen it happen too many times. The girl was younger than the other specimens and had immediately fallen into trouble. One of the older inmates had begun his metamorphoses and had unleashed his powers. Those powers let those with the Vole mutation, tunnel though rock and stone as fast as they could walk. Or, grimly she thought, remove half the face of a sweet natured child.

She couldn’t deny any longer that the true monsters here were herself and the others who had taken that lunatic’s money. At what point this girl had stolen her heart, even while Barbara had tried her best to harden it, she didn’t know. What she did know was unless something was done, Dee would die here.

Almost laughing hysterically, Barbara hated what those children had done, because of monsters like herself. Because the girl had been different from themselves, they’d named her Defective. They’d beaten her until she would answer to no other name.

Barbara knew she had ruined her own life with her arrogance and greed, but she had never hated herself more. Breaking the rules, she’d dragged the girl from that violent cesspit. When the girl would answer to no other name, Barbara called her Dee and that seemed to satisfy the child. She’d done her best to treat the wounds that had removed Dee’s eye, but what she needed was a fully equipped surgical team, and not a lab tech with a first aid kit.

So here they were, one poor abused girl, and a failed mercenary who’d found she had a heart after all. Barbara feared for both of them, but hoped to buy them some time by changing Dee’s status on the computer from specimen to trustee, a status reserved for those who had mutated into the same form as Doctor Vole. He called them trustees, but what they really were, was expendable decoys. There was a transition period for them and, using an override code she wasn’t supposed to have, Barbara had extended it into infinity.

This would, she hoped, hide her breaking of procedures since the computer ran almost everything down here. It would also keep Dee busy and out of sight, since her change of status would open the teaching and other programs for her. Hopefully, this would give Barbara some time to try and plan how to get them both out of here.

Leaning down to kiss the fitfully sleeping child’s forehead, she uttered a silent prayer for them both.

***

Dee huddled, scared by the sounds of fighting. Nurse had roused her from sleep and hidden her in a nook she’d dug when her powers had come. That hadn’t been nice either, but they’d both breathed easier when the only change they could see was that her remaining eye had become larger and more light sensitive. She been relieved that it wasn’t filled with that insane light she still saw in her nightmares.

After warning her to keep quiet and stay until Nurse came to get her, Dee quieted her mind, something she’d learned in the bad place. Some of the others could feel what you were thinking, and it was the only way to hide from them.

Explosions, gunfire, and screams sometimes got closer, and other times drifted farther away. What didn’t change, was that they seemed to last forever. She stayed as long as she could after they stopped but hunger and having to pee forced her out. Putting on a brave face even though she no longer believed it was a bad thing to cry, but right now wasn’t the time. Dee was horribly concerned about her only friend, Nurse, but if she went looking for her, Nurse wouldn’t know where to find her.

Dee didn’t know how much time had passed but others had come and taken away the bodies of the dead that had begun to smell. A little after that she’d felt the touch of someone looking for thoughts. Frightened, she’d hidden back in her nook and quieted her thoughts. Breathing a sigh of relief when that ordeal had ended, she carefully looked about. Everyone was gone!

Doctor Vole, the boys in the bad place, the attendants, and heartbreakingly, Nurse too. They were all gone! She’d cried for hours it seemed and didn’t know what to do. The robots were still here, even if not as many as there used to be. They still brought food, even if it didn’t taste very good. The computer was still teaching her how to speak other languages, as well as other subjects like Math and Science. Steeling herself, she settled into a routine of learning and looking around the huge place where she was.

Some of the places held bad memories, like the tube like things where she was born from, while others, like finding the door to the building outside, were exciting. It’d been so long since she been outside! Dee didn’t spend much time out in the daylight because it seemed so bright to her single eye. She started going out more at night, when she felt safer, and more comfortable.

Time passed and strangers came and went, but none were her friend, Nurse. The best part was, sometimes they left food! The robots still fed her but it was so bland no one could say it tasted good. Finding these bits was a treasure she looked forward to even as she feared discovery.

Then things changed when the others came. The computer would show her some of what went on outside. This time there was a helicopter, a couple of cars and even a motorcycle too. What made her mouth water was all the stuff they were unloading. The camping stuff she remembered from Johnny’s Club Scout days, so that meant they were planning on staying a while. That wasn’t good, but all that food!

She’d waited till she was sure they were all asleep and then opened the door to the outside. Carefully she searched for food that wouldn't be missed. ’There by the TV!’ She thought triumphantly, ’Potato chips!’

Taking only just enough that none would be missed, she carefully measured out her treats. By the door was a cooler full of ice cold drinks, and she used her ragged sleeve to wipe the icy drink free of water as to not leave a trail of droplets back to her sanctuary. Happily she watched the secret door whisper shut before indulging in her feast, not knowing this was only the beginning of a new life.

***

Heroes of Justice: ‘Tis the season!

Waking up the next morning, I was all set for the fight of my life. Figuring on the same kind of trouble revealing Anza’s and my relationship had caused, I began trying to prepare myself for the coming storm.

In some ways what really did happen freaked me out even worse. It can be summed up by the Major’s reaction. “I understand your ghost from Doctor Vole’s old headquarters came out into the open last night after the party?” he asked me.

“Yes, she did. I’d notice small bits of food going missing, so I started making up plates of stuff, figuring it was better to make friends than build problems by setting a trap,” I replied.

“Am I correct that she is young and rather shy?” he continued while reading a report.

“She appears to be between 12 and 14 at a guess and, yes, she is very shy. She has disfiguring facial scars and other signs of abuse.” I replied, wondering just how much trouble I was in.

“Do you think any of us, or our investigation into the Syndicate’s operations, are in danger from her?” he inquired, as he filled out some paperwork.

“No, I don’t think so. She does seem to have some meta powers because she did avoid the Warders telepath and Anza’s attention. I can read her emotions only upon touch and, right now, she needs attention and love. No possible threats that I can see.” I was thinking, ‘well here it comes.’

“Good. I’ve revised our schedule so you can spend some time getting her settled and seeing to her care. Besides, Christmas is just a few days away and it won’t cause that much trouble. The rest of the team will be shadowing the Warders, since your analysis and Colonel Stone’s both agree they might be in more risk for the time being. I understand he has another project he wants you to assist him with, so this should work out nicely. ” He picked another folder and began reading.

“That’s it, no second degree, or demands I get rid of her?” I asked, astonished.

Looking me in the eye the Major told me, “Mystery you are a very able empath. I trust your abilities and judgment. You wouldn’t be the person you are if you could forget about someone who needs you so badly. Yes, it is inconvenient, but that is all a part of life. Being true to yourself gives you strength despite whatever short term problems this may cause. Anything else?” he asked me.

“No,” I mumbled in shock, as I passed another of Mr. Chang’s relatives. This one was taking all of the Major’s paperwork and transferring it all back into the computer. He might be able to whip a herd of tyrannosaurs into steaks before breakfast, but a computer? Not so much!

Anza was more pissed about being drugged, than at my springing Dee on her. I really felt sorry for whoever was responsible. My lover cried a few tears and then got this glint in her eye that promised, she would find out who had stolen her special night from her, and when she did, there would be some serious payback coming to them.

After calming her down, for I didn’t want her scaring Dee, I introduced the two of them. I think she was even madder about the way the child been treated than I was, and that is saying something. Because of Dee's fears, we had to arrange a camera so Doctor Lee could examine her remotely, with Anza acting as his hands.

She was still hypersensitive about us examining her disfigurement, but she was willing to give Anza privileges the rest of us lacked. That came about after Anza assured Dee “Honest Injun” that she was a real life, honest to goodness, Nurse. Anza just smiled and told her she wished all her patients were as good as her. That coaxed a smile from Dee and, despite how badly she’d been handled in the past, it lit up the room.

The good news was, besides her long healed injury and some mild malnutrition, she was very healthy. The bad news was, the scarring was as severe as it looked. Doctor Lee thought he might be able to relieve some of the worst effects with assistance from Anza’ telekinesis and the Major’s healing ability. For the time being, he prescribed a salve to help soften the scar tissue.

The other news was just as Lin had suspected. Dee’s mutation had already done whatever it was going to do, so she was free of the threat of more disfigurement. Her one good eye was a dark brown and was very large and light sensitive.

Dr. Lee tentatively put Dee on the Siegel and Schuster Scale as an Alpha class mutant with Meta abilities. No one had really tried to apply that rating scheme to us, although it was used on our fake records. The Major looked at things from a more practical viewpoint, which pretty much ignored the rating scale. After being run half to death by the dear Major, we all knew pretty much exactly what each of us was capable of anyway.

While I was helping Dee settle, I missed all the excitement when the Syndicate hit Claremont Mall on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t as huge a haul they could’ve made if they’d robbed it on the biggest shopping day of the year, the day after Thanksgiving. What it did do was make for a very sensational story. Oh sure, the money they did get wasn’t any chump change, but what they were really after was another chance at taking out the Warders.

The rest of our gang confused things for them by showing up supersuited as the Warders! Afterwards, the Warders claimed confusion, too, as to who would be impersonating them, to ULTIMATE.

You really have to give it to Colonel Stone. He’s one sneaky SOB. He lives by the motto “Confusion to your enemies.” Both he and I thought the Syndicate wanted to fade after they had taken control of New Riverside Meta-criminal elements. The best way to do that was to bring even more attention to themselves, and then stage a gory, dramatic, falsified death for each of them. Of course, to make sure, anyone who’d become familiar with their operating methods would need to go away. That meant the Warders and the New Riverside law enforcement agencies. No, we didn't think the Syndicate was going after the entire departments, just the detectives who were most familiar with the cases. So we were covering those we thought were in the most danger.

That is where Colonel Stone's special project came in. You see, he'd read about my transformation of Cazadora's clothing to the bondage-like wear Cape had bound her with. He wanted to know if Cape and I could make other types of clothing or things, such as disguises. The Changs had several talented experts knowledgeable about changing one's appearance, but more for the purposes of sneaking in and out of places they weren't supposed to be, if you know what I mean. He needed something different.

I explained about Cape, my symbiont, and how it worked. It was a lot of work for both us, with Cape doing the actual labor, but with me providing the design and the energy. Changing Cazadora's clothes had been like a workout all in itself, compressed into just a minute or two.

Colonel Stone explained he needed something like out of “Operation: Impossible.” You know, that show with the peel off masks, and things that were never what you thought they were. He wanted disguises good enough to confuse things in combat and he didn't expect them to pass a close inspection. That gave me pause, so I told him I would have to do some experimenting and get back to him about it. I had done some thinking about creating supersuits, but that was a secret, shhh, don't tell anyone! However that was still different than trying to disguise someone.

I talked to Anza and Morgan, but then I realized that the person who knew the most about fashion and clothing wasn't a person at all, Cape! It didn't take long to figure out this was another thing it hadn't done before and didn't know anything about. As always, Cape was eager to please, I just had to show it how.

I decided the best way to educate Cape was to pick everyone's brains on the subject. Anza had a good fashion sense and knew how to make a male appear more feminine, using appliances and other such. Morgan, with her back stage college theater background, knew something about rough and ready costume changes. Of course I also consulted with the Changs, who were a wealth of practical experience and ideas.

Morgan also had another suggestion that I admit I didn't care for, Tom. You see, he being a Batguy-like character, he was also a master of disguise. He had been much less abusive of late and, at times, even nice, but friend or not, I wasn't anxious to open up that can of worms.

To my surprise he accepted the challenge, and together we laid out some parameters. We had to match the person with the best skills to imitate a specific Warder. For example: Will, the big strongman, was a natural to pose as The Question, just as Anza could use her mental powers to simulate Wraith's invisibility. The costumes had to be flexible, but also had to offer protection, because they were being used in combat. That ruled out most body shaping garments because of the way they constrained the wearer.

We looked into stuff like Holographic projectors and other high tech alternatives, but strangely enough, we got our answer from paint. While searching for ideas, I caught Tom being naughty and looking at some of photos of nude models. The thing was, these models were wearing cleverly applied paint to give themselves the illusion of wearing clothes.

That reminded me of something I'd seen on the beach some years back, of a girl wearing a t-shirt that had a bikini attired torso printed upon it. Cape, running with the idea, flashed up an image of something similar, but in a kind of bas-relief, or more like a high relief, giving a more 3D effect.

With Tom's help we came up with a bodysuit design that worked fairly well. Then he surprised me so much so I had to sit down. Tom volunteered to be costumed as Alara the Swordswoman!

He pointed out how he was the only one of us who could even come close to convincingly using a scimitar. If we could get it to work on him, the others would be easy. Thinking of the TG bodysuit stories from back home, Cape and I made a body-stocking-like garment made of Kevlar like-fibers, which were even stronger, given Cape's special manufacturing process. It had light weight projections giving the illusion of breasts, and a generally more feminine form. Of course, a goodly portion of Tom's masculine form extended beyond Alara's slimmer outline, like with that printed Bikini cover-up t-shirt.

Thanking Gawd Alara's supersuit had a short cape, we used flat, non-reflecting materials the same color as her cape and some other tweaking of colors and materials so Tom‘s excess bulk blended into the background of the cape. If I do say so myself, it didn't come out badly at all. Cape had done a wonderful job on the mask and headpiece. It had even contrived to give the breasts a little bounce. All in all it was almost a work of art, but you had to remember that the entire suit was custom made for Tom, starting at the nano-level. It was so good, I had to make sure Cape hadn't made a real symbiotic bodysuit as some kind of revenge for past transgressions. Cape hadn't, but I got the feeling it'd been tempted!

Like with all illusions, if you start looking for flaws you will find them, but it was good enough to fool and confuse quite a number of the gang and staff. Not bad, not bad at all!

The seriousness of all this didn’t keep Anza from the giggles, seeing Tom disguised as Alara the swordswoman for the first time! With her mental powers she immediately saw who he really was. I’m glad I had a camera ready. The look on her face will make a nice addition to my photo album!

Colonel Stone was pleased and gave us the go ahead for us to work up the other's suits. Will ended up as Question and Morgan as Conductress. Anza was dressed as Wraith, while we had a special treat for Mark.

With his character's security background he had proven to be skillful with firearms and martial arts. His face was a study when we revealed his white cloaked Enigma costume, explaining he was the closest we had to someone able to fake her firearms based martial arts, Juu Kun Do, the Way of the Gun.

No matter what Tom had said about his Alara costume being the hardest to make, Mark's was more of a challenge. He was almost a foot taller, and twice as wide as she! What we did do with the help of her cloak was make look like her big sister. Cape did a cute trick with the cloak, using a holographic effect to help confuse the eye as to distance. It worked so well, the real Enigma wanted one!

The real test was how well they worked when put into action, even though we understood that this would only be effective once. The rather confused Enforcers, seeing twice as many heroes show up as expected, faded away, which suited everyone just fine, given the number of shoppers at the Mall. Tom even managed to nail a tracer to one of them, but lost the signal after a few miles. Slow on the uptake, these baddies weren’t.

Everyone ribbed Tom and Mark about their cross-dressing supersuits, although for some reason it didn’t seem to bug them. As a matter of fact they kidded and teased each other nearly the entire time. I was kinda worried about Mark because, in this guise, he couldn’t wolf out without giving the show away, and so was a bit vulnerable. Well, as much as anyone who just completed the Major’s superduper school of mayhem. In fact, they had all done well without me.

No one had to say that, although not a single bad guy had been caught and they had gotten away with the loot, all counted it a victory. Besides one security guard who had gotten smacked around by Big Red, my old sparing partner, no one else had been hurt. It'd been a lot of work getting those costumes ready, but seeing how it had kept a major disaster from erupting on Christmas Eve, that was more than good enough, Salute!

During this time, of course, Dee followed me around like a puppy, but expecting that, I joined in the Chang’s family’s holiday preparations when I could. Ok, I will answer that question I can hear you asking. Are they primarily Buddhist or Christian? Christian, but still respectful of the traditions of their ancestors to include the Buddhists. So we baked, decorated sugar cookies and had to, of course, sample the works of our labors to insure quality. Dee was shy about joining in, but the gleam of happiness in her single eye seemed to make up for her having only one.

The rest of the gang had quickly came to think of her as our mascot, and even Tom didn’t seem to have problems with her. Us yes, her no. He’d gotten very close to this girl he was seeing, and that had helped immensely with mellowing him out. What I had a problem with was, when he opened his big mouth and jokingly called Dee our sidekick! The second he said it I saw her eye light up, and I knew we had trouble. I could’ve kicked his butt all over our humble hole for that one! Sure enough, she asked for her own costume and mask.

“Santa, do you take last minute requests?”

As part of their fade-away from the mall, the gang had pretended to be shoppers. On the way home they’d picked up a few things for Dee, since we’d done most of our shopping for each other weeks before in NYC. Ha, a few things! When you’ve got five neophyte heroes riding high on a win, just a few items added up to a lot. Just like any group of guys shopping for a teenager, they didn’t have a clue on what to get her. There were everything from dolls to portable TV’s.

I would like to say the girls, Morgan and Anza, behaved better, but no such luck. They went clothes crazy, and what outfit would be complete without the accessories? Shoes, jewelry, purses, belts, and even hats made it onto their shopping lists. Of course neither group could forget the family Chang, so when they did get back to our Halfling hole, everyone’s vehicles were overloaded with gifts.

Oh Halfling Hole? Well that’s my fault, I have to admit. Halfling is a name used for small fantasy creatures that had furry feet and lived in rustic villages, made popular by that English writer. You can’t use the same word he did because of that pesky copyright thingie. So, since I kept referring to our base and home as the Hole, it became known as Halflington. I know I should be drawn and quartered, but I am truly contrite because I swear I’m not responsible for the rest of it.

There’s more? Yep, I’m afraid so, because you see, we’d been in regular contact with Mike, and he asked what was the name of our Supersuit team. I don’t know who, but I think it was Will, who told him about us living in Halfling Holes and how comfortable it was, of course making fun of us living in a great big huge mansion at the bottom of an enormous pit. So, with typical gamer humor, or lack thereof, we became the Halfling or ‘Orbbit Chevaliers. Please, no Hong Kong or Buckie Bonsai jokes! Just as well for my piece of mind almost no one got it.

Now of course, all that stuff that hadn’t gotten wrapped in the stores had to be taken care of, Wrapping Party! Taking all of our booty to the conference room, amid the Christmas cookies, eggnog and other holiday treats, we got down to the business of enjoying the holiday.

The Warders had dropped by to be debriefed by the Colonel, so had thoughtfully brought Mike with them. While they and my fellow more or less recently christened, Chevaliers were giving their reports, Mike, frustrated at not being able to find a copy of the Christmas movie “It’s a Fantastic Life” with Stewart James, somehow magicked up his own. When he put it up on the big screen in the conference room it was almost like back home with the holiday atmosphere.

No one noticed when the Major came in and started watching. It was noisy with the laughing and good cheer. Dee had somehow convinced a couple of the hidden base’s robots to come out and help with the wrapping. After some four years of having them for her only companions, she was real good with computers.

Of course it was me, or rather Cape I should say, who noticed not everyone was happy. Peeking around I was surprised to find the Major spellbound watching the movie and he was crying! Okay, it wasn’t an all out wailing and teeth gashing cry, but the tears leaking down his face, and what I felt within him, was just as sorrowful.

My first thought was to kick Mike’s butt because he must’ve done something else magical to the movie, right?

Nope, going up to the Major, I put a hand on his shoulder to drag his attention from the movie. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Where did you get this? I thought I’d seen all of Stewart’s movies.” he said steadily, his eyes still glistening.

A little confused and slow on the uptake, I answered, “This is “It’s a Fantastic Life,” the first movie he made after returning from War World Two. Mike couldn‘t find a copy here and I don’t know how, but somehow he came up with one.”

He looked away from the old black and white film, “Could I watch it from the beginning please?”

Seeing how most of everyone else was busy, I thought, ‘Why not?’ “Sure just let me restart it.”

After restarting the DVD player, while the copy warnings and such were having their say, I asked him, “You’ve never seen this before? Did this film never get made here in this world?”

The Major shook his head and softly spoke, “No Misty, it never got made here. I knew Colonel James and called him friend. He was leading a B-29 Superfortress mission over one of the underground Japanese home island mountain strongholds in 1946, when his bomber got shot down by one of their aces in a Kikka jet. He never made it home.”

As the titles rolled he didn’t seem to even notice I was there. Quietly I stepped away, letting him watch his friend in what many in my world call, one of the best holiday films ever made.

Rejoining the pandemonium and diving back into the sea of gifts and wrapping paper, I helped do my share. Everyone was so caught up in trying to outdo each other, that in the chaos, I think Dee even wrapped some of her own presents without realizing it. Somehow Mr. Chang became the arbiter of whether or not a package was properly wrapped. If it wasn’t to spec, it got sent back and the wrapper had to wrap it again. Say that three times fast!

Somewhere along the way the guys turned part of it into a drinking contest with the loser having to take a drink of eggnog if they fell behind. Strange how they kept falling further and further behind, isn’t? For the rest of us there was hot cocoa amongst other beverages that the ever efficient Mr. Chang’s staff had delivered to our impromptu event.

Several of the younger Changs poked their noses in to see what was going on and, despite their elder’s slight disapproval, we pulled them inside to join in. With her robotic elf helpers, Dee was out-wrapping everyone, but a glance from me to our bright-eyed guests had her slipping some of hers into their stacks.

We got everything wrapped at last, and the winner for wrapping the most gifts was one of the smaller kids who spent the whole time grinning so wide I thought he was going to hurt himself. Dee got the most innocent look in her single eye when she pushed the huge stack over to the young boy. Receiving the prize cookie, he jumped up and down like he’d just won a gold medal. Of course the prize cookie was just like all the others we’d been busy snacking on, but no one cared about that, seeing the glow on the little one’s face.

Soon it was dinner time, and bedtime after that. It is amazing just how much eggnog those three guys went though, but after the Warders stopped in, they had help in making it all go away. The Major went over and shook Mike’s hand while exchanging some words. It’d been a very full exciting day, and I was more than ready for bed.

After chasing Dee to bed and doing our part as Santa’s elf helpers, Anza had some other plans. We had our own little Christmas Eve celebration. No, don’t brother asking because you just know I’m not telling!

Just like in households all over the world which honor the holiday, we were all awakened too early by cries of “Santa came!” It was very strange to sorta kinda have a teenage daughter after only being female for only about two months. Dee’d had a fairly good night and I say that because, in her first week staying with us she’d had a few bad ones with nightmares. We were all trying to figure out how this would all work, as Mom’s or sisters, but being a empath let me know how and when Dee needed extra attention. Christmas morning, she was just another child making up for all too many missed ones.

We rolled our eyes at the growing pile of gifts Dee had unwrapped, wondering just where we were going to put it all. The Major took care of that by giving her a small box. Ripping it open Dee found a key inside. A bit mystified she was led upstairs to a room next to ours, and into her own room! There was even an adjoining door to our room that had both Anza and I scratching our heads.

We both knew that door hadn’t been there when we left to go downstairs. I was wondering if, instead of some old Kung Fu master of the martial arts, we’d had Mr. Chang pegged wrong the whole time. Maybe he was one of those ancient Chinese Sorcerers! No matter how they’d done it, Dee loved her new room that was done in a Pink Princess theme. I love being me, that is a girl, but the “Itsy bitsy” remaining parts of me that had pretended to be Greg for so long, found all that PINK just too overpowering for words.

She ran around inside like a hamster in its cage, jumping on her new bed to peeking in the closets. Proving Dee was still a kid at heart, it didn’t take her long to remember there were more gifts for her downstairs. Charging down, ignoring cries of “Don’t run!” she beat us, as we took a more leisurely pace.

While Dee finished opening her last gift and started examining and categorizing them with as a critical eye as any freebooter inspecting their treasure. Anza and I exchanged our gifts to each other. There were a slew of things I gotten her that I thought she would like, but the gift from my heart to hers was something that had taken me a while to get right.

Opening the large box used for dresses and such, Anza pulled out the nude colored body stocking, I could see and feel the question within, wondering if there wasn‘t more to this. Reaching over and feeling the sleeve I encouraged her to feel the unusual texture and how it flexed and seemly changed texture depending on the direction you rubbed it.

Smiling at my love I directed, “Here love, now use your TK to gently stoke it like brushing your hair.”

Feeling my excitement and knowing I was up to something, “What are you up to you minx!?”

She jumped as the foot of the stocking thickened into a low heeled golden colored boot!

Grinning like a mad woman I said, “Now 90 degrees to either side.”

With her eyes wide Anza watched the boot change colors to black. Then, without any urging on my part, she changed it back to gold and then to a neutral gray.

“Where did you get this?” she asked finding the hands and using the same method to form the gloves.

“Why, little ole me made it, honey!” I hammed batting my eyes.

“No really! I mean, this isn’t like those disguises you made, and certainly not a project you buy at the sewing and crafts store.” she pointed out, still playing with the morphic material.

“Really, I did make it, with a little help from Cape. You don’t have a costume, relying on your telekinesis to kinda Velcro a disguise onto yourself. With your force screen you don’t really need the protection, but I’ve seen how you’re a little jealous of how Cape can just whip me up an outfit.

“Even if I could provide you with a Cape of your own, I don’t know if that would be a good idea. Cape is alive in some sense, and not knowing the possible, not so good things about it being a part of me, I won’t risk your health. That said, as you know when I was really trying hard to be a guy, I spent some time with those guys running around in medieval armor, whacking on each other with padded, wooden swords. I learned how to make chain mail, but found out that mail, while great against edged weapons, when it’s struck by a bullet, fragments, making it not protection, but actually makes the wound worse.

“Several years ago I saw a program about a European country having problems with rock falls, had used a net constructed like mail, but designed to deform and thus absorb the impact of falling rocks.

“With my obsessive Science-Fiction reading fetish for ideas, I used Cape to fashion this for you, using materials designed like a kind of Nano-scale chain mail or mesh. Using myself as the dress dummy, and with the help of the Major and the Changs in providing materials, we fashioned this supersuit for you.

“It took a couple of tries until Cape got the idea it had to be adjustable to fit you. We got the idea of forming the transforming parts from the way pop-up books work. The volume is packed away on a nano-scale, like a book, until your TK ‘opens’ it. The color is easy since we were working at such a small scale, to add reflectors that change the color value depending how you turn them, again using TK.

“We had time to test it, and it is very strong, as well as tough. It is at least as good as any bulletproof armor around today, but much lighter. You can wear it under your regular clothes with the hood and gloves rolled up, and no one would know. I don’t think anyone else with TK can muck with it because of your screen, but that could be a weakness. I just hope everyone doesn’t want one. After transforming that Hispanic Merc into her bondage wear, I thought this would be easy.

“Anything but, I’m afraid, with Cape making not just one layer of mail, but many of them sandwiched together like they do layers of Kevlar. It was hard work, but worth it. When Colonel Stone requested I help with his disguises, I was concerned that my secret project for you had been blown, but thankfully it wasn't. I want to be certain the one I love is as protected as I can get her. Merry Christmas, sweetheart!” and I gave her a chaste kiss, seeing how we were public.

She threw down the suit and cried. Sniffling she passed me a jewelry box. Swallowing a lump from pure anticipation, I opened the velvet box. Inside were two sets of matching rings that, while not obvious wedding bands, were clearly meant to symbolize them.

Fighting tears, I met Anza’s eyes. Since she was not over her first cry, they were as red as mine.

“Misty will you be my companion, mate and partner?” she asked me, not only with her voice, but with heart and soul.

Not able to do more than just nod, she took my hand and slipped on the ring.

Trying to make myself understood past my tears, I got out, “Anza will you be my companion, mate and partner?”

“Yes” she answered, in a quivering voice that was better than I had managed.

With trembling hands, I placed the ring on her hand. Then we both burst into happy tears at our engagement. We’d made a little spectacle of ourselves, but the one person I was most worried about going off the deep end was missing.

Glancing around the mounds of wrapping paper and gifts Major Victory caught my eye and just nodded. I knew it. It was a conspiracy! Seeing Morgan in girl mode near him, and the open boxes between them, I saw right then it was past time we had a little ‘girl’ talk. That could wait because of the gift the Major had given us. Right now I had some happy bawling I needed to take care of!

I found out during breakfast, that Tom had been gifted with permission to spend the morning with his mysterious lady, whom we still hadn’t met. This was not only a gift for him and us, but I think also for the Major and Morgan, who were exploring how they felt about each other. Oh, they were very discreet, but hide something like that from an empath? Not hardly!

After a scandalized Mr. Chang recovered from a mass clean up of the common area by getting everyone to pitch in, we were able to spend some time together. Gifts needed to be put away and preparations for more guests arriving for Christmas Dinner had to be made. Dee seemed a little confused at our engagement and the sharing of rings, but after putting her gifts away and a bit of play, she went to sleep, exhausted but happy.

I opened my gift from the Major, which was just an envelope. Expecting just a card, I’d held off opening it, still shaking from Anza’s surprise. There was a card, but along with it was a promise for more training. This time in that F8U Dragonfly warbird of his! For a WWII history and aviation fan geek, trust me this was something special. Sixty years old it might be, but it was still a high performance aircraft that could push the sound barrier and satisfy just about any need for speed.

Anza got something similarly close to her heart, a promise of assistance for attending medical school. Inside were certificates for her GED and correspondence courses that Dr. Lee had arranged for her to take to ease the qualifications. Of course that was only good if we ended up staying, but as a gift, it was something she appreciated.

The Question and his wife showed up for dinner. Mike, still being under the Warders supervision, was able to come with them. There followed another exchange of gifts. I had made a kind of supersuit for him too. It was much simpler than Anza’s costume, without the color changing bit and the unfolding hidden uniform, but just as bulletproof. His was cut just like a black t-shirt with a silver lightning bolt. It was made the same way as Anza’s and the Colonel’s disguises had been, which meant I’d had to feed Cape the right materials as well as the energy. I might be the only person in the room who had lost weight during the Holidays, rather than gain it!

Stealing a page from Batguy, I had made the bolt stand out in bas-relief, so Cape could add even more layers of Nano-mail to it, making that area as tough as we could. That was just in case someone decided the pretty, shiny, silver lightning bolt was a good target and aim point.

He smiled at my veiled disclosure of the avatar he’d chosen. Right back at us, he gave us his gifts. Opening the box we found a pair of slick looking sunglasses and new phones. Picking up the phone, it was like the old ones, being meant to be used for tactical communication while in combat. Unlike the old ones, when I flipped it open the thing unfolded into something like a Star Tripper Quadcorder!

After almost dropping the damn thing in astonishment, I accused him, “You’ve been talking with Reid out in the chopper again, haven’t you?”

He held out his hand for my phone and pretended innocence, “Who me? I wouldn’t do anything like that. Just look what happened to you with your little bet over a laptop. Now these beauties have GPS, and wireless functions built in. A certain AI may have helped with the voice recognition software, so you can access web functions by voice. A sub-vocal microphone can enable you to communicate without making a sound. The learning software is able to translate that into something that sounds much like your normal voices, so it is more intuitive.

“These glasses are actually a wireless display and linked to your new phones. They can display information relayed to your phones, and even tactical situation stuff. You guys are the experts now, so I’ll leave that to you to configure. Additionally, these babies offer ballistic protection and automatically tint themselves for protection against flash/bang blinding type attacks, as well as for sunny days. Made from memory retaining materials, they’ll change when tactical from this stylish look, into a visor to help keep your identities secret.

Turning the phone over to show a cartoon furry footed knight jousting on pony back, “This is the panic button. Hit it three times and it pages all the other phones with your current GPS location. It is keyed to your biometrics so as to prevent accidents,” he handed it back to me.

I winced, studying the cartoon Halfling Chevalier. Never, never should I’ve started referring to our base as the Hole! It was all vivid in my mind’s eye! There we are confronting the villains as we boldly announce “We’re the ‘Orrbbit Chevalier’s! Surrender or face your doom!” The ones that doesn’t have a clue are ready to kick our butts, while the ones that do are laughing theirs off!

Sighing, I found that Mike had set the things to ‘unfold’ themselves automatically, only the first time we opened them. Sourly I thought, ‘just like the snake leaping out of a can.’ The problem I had was, after playing with it, I couldn’t see how he’d done it. I had used Cape to make Anza’s new costume and Mike’s shirt. How had he done it?”

“Mike how did you do this?” I asked. Getting suspicious, and knowing his avatar used magic, “Did you cheat?”

Grinning and enjoying himself, he raised his thumb and forefinger in the age old symbol of something small, “Just a little bit.”

We jumped, as a small green spark arced between his fingers!

Other gifts exchanged between us, but the only other one that sticks with me was the one Mike gave Major Victory.

Opening the box, it was full of DVD movies. The Major just smiled, “Thank you Mike. An old dinosaur like me never collected these new fangled DVD things. These movies will make a nice start to a collection.”

Thinking back, did I see a tear in the big guy eyes?

I gave Mike another accusing scowl, because I had an idea that those flicks might be a little hard to find around here, but he just smiled back at me.

The rest of the evening, while not as exciting, was still enjoyable. Tom had returned for dinner and, from the huge smile on his face, his paramour must’ve had a very special Christmas present for him. He was so jovial that it was hard not to believe that something carnal had been involved. She had been invited, but hadn’t accepted. I was willing to offer this mysterious woman thanks for helping make the holiday more pleasant for everyone. Something else for the list, along with having a long talk with Morgan. Meet Tom’s lady and find out what she’s done with the real Tom!

When things started winding down, giving Anza the high sign, we kidnapped Morgan. Using the old ‘the girls have to go to the potty’ line we hustled her inside the female sanctum.

Anza wasting no time went for the jugular, “Okay, give, girlfriend! Don’t hold out on us. We want details!

Her mouth fell open in shock! Oh lord, I think the world is going to end. We caught Morgan flatfooted!

With her eyes wide, trying to dodge the question, she half stuttered, “Hmmm, What are you talking about?”

Anza crossed her arms, making it plain she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Playing my part as Jeff to her Mutt, “Morgan, do you really think the Telepath and Empath wouldn’t notice how you and the Major have been making goo-goo eyes at each other?”

With her thoughts racing behind her green eyes, “It’s not like that! I mean we just like each other. Charles and I like spending time together.”

Anza shook herself like a bullterrier who’d found a juicy bone, “Charles! First names no less! You can’t stop there!”

Giving her a hug, I told her “Morgan, I hate to tell you this, but while both of you may be saying one thing, you two sure seem to be feeling something else.”

She glowed! “Really? He feels it too?” Her words were followed by a deep blush as she realized just what she’d let out of the bag.

Anza, relenting, hugged her too, “Honey, we are all new at this. I never would have thought it of the dinosaur after he found out about your switch-eroo power. What we both know, is he does have feelings for you. I don’t trust guys that much and thought that maybe he swung both ways, but inside, he only glows when you’re fem. Will that be a problem for you?

Morgan still blushing, “No lie about this being new! I do enjoy girl-time, but I also like being a guy. The respect and not dealing with being ogled is good. But the dressing up and not having to be afraid of showing my feelings, is wonderful too. You know, being treated nice, and like I’m special?”

Thinking about it for moment I suggested, “You like being a guy because it doesn’t have the disadvantages of being a woman. You’re treated more as an equal and, unless I’m completely off in left field here, it is comforting because it is familiar.

The both of them thought about it and then Anza, “We got thrown into the deep end, but you got a chance to test the waters. When it got a little too much you could always just change back. Does that sounds right?” she asked.

With her head cocked in thought, “Kind of … yes. I don’t think I ever felt the way you two seemed to have. Back home it was ripping you both up. Danny did what he could to make things rights, by the only means he had.” Morgan paused, “But Greg, I think, was heading for a meltdown. He had trouble finding and keeping a job, and although he was going to college I don‘t think that would have been the end of his problems.

“I just never felt like that, but now that I’ve had the chance to experience girl-time, I don’t know if I want to give it up. Charles has made this worse because I do like the way he treats me as Fem, and the way it makes me feel. This is so confusing, because I want to be Fem when I’m with him. In guy-mode, I don’t even want to think the other angle, if know what I mean. I think that, as a girl I like guys, and as a guy I like girls, no offense to you two.

We both smiled back at her while holding hands, “None taken.”

Closing her eyes, “I think this all started when, during training we found that as Lady Diamond, I was less susceptible to that ‘Screw me now’ glow of his. We spent a lot of time together anyway, because of my being the team leader, and after finding common interests, started spending even more together.

“It amazed me that I was beginning to feel all warm and tingly when we were together, but I thought it was just me. I hadn’t been a girl all that long, really.

She wagged a finger at us, “Then you two just had to go and tell me he feels the same way! Do you have any idea of how this could end?”

Anza and I turned and looked at each other. Smiling, we turned back to our friend, holding up the rings we’d given each other just that morning.

Giving a small cry, she covered her head with her arms on the vanity, “You two are so not helping!”

“It’s okay,” I told her. “We’re the bearers of the news, but what you feel for each other is true.”

Anza knelt next to her. “Honey, we are here for you. Didn’t you just tell us Greg was tearing himself apart because of his denial? That goes for you, too, girlfriend. You’re going to have talk with him about this.”

I added, “She’s right. We going into harm’s way and you know better than I how important it is to have a clear head when everything starts falling apart. One thing you have to make clear to him is his Bio-field thingie is not responsible. He’s going to jump to that conclusion anyway, so you’ll have to stop that reaction cold in its tracks.”

“That’s right girlfriend,” Anza counseled, “That old fossil is so old school, if he thought for a second he was taking advantage of you, he’d go all noble and try and ‘dump’ you for your own good. You have to lie and tell him all the other things you love about him. His generosity, the way he treats the Chang’s, who worship the ground he walks on, not like servants, but like family, that kind of stuff.”

Morgan bristled, “Who’s a fossil? And what do you mean by lie? He’s got a lot of traits that have nothing to do with his physical …” and trailed, off seeing our wide eyed interest.

Breaking up in laughter, Anza giggled, “You’ve got it bad, girl!”

Smiling at us despite herself, Morgan scolded, “You two are incorrigible!”

“Did we ever claim to be tractable?” On that note, we went back to our guests, arm in arm, while some no doubt wondered what we were up to now.

Unfortunately, like every year, the holiday came to an end. The whole gang was in good spirits, so I would give this year’s Christmas two thumbs up! You don’t get engaged every year, you know. That would take all the fun out of it!

A week later we were waiting prepared and ready for trouble. The Colonel and I had been concerned that the Syndicate would try something on New Years. We were on alert, but to everyone’s relief the ball drop in New Riverside was uneventful. The city was able to ring in the new year with the usual merrymaking.

As a cover for Halflington being on full alert and ready to respond, a story was put out about a private party. A considerable supply of party supplies was ordered and delivered. Late that night, or rather early the next morning, when we were sure trouble had passed New Riverside by, we had plenty of bubbly stuff to toast to our own futures and dreams for the coming year.

***

Her preternaturally sharp eyes, aided by the high tech image intensifiers, searched the quarry, turned eccentric millionaire’s playground. Hidden in the winter wooded area on a neighboring hill, her normally colorful costume was now muted browns and yellows, which made her the next best thing to invisible among the fallen leaves. Her bright silver Omni-staff was concealed in its sheath. Scattered behind her were more than 20 of what the media called, ‘Syndicate Enforcers’. Beyond them were another two full platoons of the mercenary manned Black Guards.

The entire mission rode on her shoulders, and her choices tonight were anything but easy. Intelligence sources were told that a party was planned for tonight, making it the perfect time to eradicate this thorn in the side of the Master’s plans. Two full squads consisting of the Meta’s and Mutants of her Invincibles, and the two platoons of the highly trained soldiers and/or lesser powered mutants of the Black Guards, were a formidable army many counties would fall before.

The problem was, not only was there not a party going on, but instead it was an alerted, prepared stronghold. The previous occupant, Dr. Vole, had designed it as a fortress and, contrary to appearances, this Mr. Roland had done nothing to compromise that. In fact, she suspected it was more of one than ever before. The sensors, robots, and weapon emplacements had been upgraded, and the few spies she’d been able to get inside had promptly been ejected.

Then she had to consider Cazadora’s report of the half to full dozen Meta’s that included those that captured her at the Mall battle. If they were trained much like her own Invincibles, they could give them considerable problems. No, she sadly decided, it was just too risky. There was no doubt in her mind she could roll over them, if for no other reason, with just numbers. The risk was that she would end up spending her forces to do it.

No one knew for sure who Mr. Roland was, but they did have some guesses. If true, he wouldn’t go down without one hell of a fight. The plan of taking the women and children of the facility as hostages had been shot down when all of them had gone to ground, rather than busy with guests.

She was confident that no matter how tough Roland was, or how many supersuits they had, her people could take them out. But attack an alert fortress and still have enough people standing afterwards to carry out the rest of the Master’s plans?

Unhappily she tapped out the code for abort on her tactical commo pad. The Master wasn’t going to be pleased, but if she suggested this had been a trap he might be more lenient than usual. She was a favorite, after all. If worst came to worst, she knew her mutant physiology made her as near to invulnerable as any mythic figure from any work of literature.

Patience eased herself back off her spotter’s post. Her desire for revenge for being expelled from the Naval Academy because of the manifesting of her mutation had put her here. She had ceased to wonder if it was worth it, but the small part that was still her Marine father’s daughter, was frightened she was starting to enjoy giving and receiving the pain she carried out at the Master’s request.

Shivering at the thought, she saw the glint of pleasure from her Invincibles at the mission abort. Some were unwilling recruits forced into service, while others competed with her for the approval of the one they’d all sold their souls to. They knew the likely punishment she was going to receive. Tall and unbowed, Patience walked to her transport, wondering what her Annapolis classmates would think of her now.

Heroes of Justice Part III
The End

“Their plan failed, but any chance of us surprising them is gone. We finish this and we do it now. I know you have to live with the consequences of what happened here tonight while, win or lose, we don’t know what will happen to us. Like the woman said, do what you feel you need to, and so will we.” She finished, and walked over to me.

“Do you know which way?” my friend softly asked me.

I nodded, and Cape lifted us up in flight, as we soared towards where a scared young girl waited for rescue.

Welcome, true believers or not, to the last and final installment of my epic, first, full length novel Heroes of Justice. It has been one heck of an experience. I owe so much to all of you who offered encouragement and help in the 18 months it took me to complete this thing. The list of those whom have helped at one time or another is a long one; Janet Nolan, Hope, Jamie, Sephrena Miller, Catherine Linda Michel, and of course the wonderful Holly Happy Hart. My spouse the ever understanding Paula was always accepting of my strange rants about plot, fights, powers and the arcane world of gaming. My the good Lord always bless gamer chicks!!!! Now dear friends, wherever you are, pull out your character sheets, the holy dice of the deities of your choice and lets get started. Game On!

Heroes of Justice: Part 4

Prologue:

Blight bowed before his Master, acknowledging the commands he had just received. Sparing a glance at the woman beside him still writhing in torment on the floor, he took sadistic pleasure in seeing the arrogant woman, who sought to supplant him as the Master’s favorite, brought low.

As if mere sexual favors could replace the bone deep loyalty Blight had given to the Master who had lifted him from the slums of Lifkosia on the island Cyprus. Living in abject poverty and treated with scorn because of his disfiguring birth defects, he gave the man who took him from that hellish existence a slavish devotion, a fidelity that had been repaid many times over with gifts that would tax even the generosity of the gods. All it took was a complete lack of morals and compassion for any living creature but that for his Master.

His long years of service had been amply rewarded. He now had everything he had once lacked. The body he now wore was the very example of physical perfection as well as having great wealth and influence. It was sad that the previous owner hadn’t shown the Master the proper respect. He’d paid the price for his mistake. It would be interesting to see if the fool was the self-made success he’d claimed to be. Blight had heard that life was hard for teenage girls on the Ivory Coast, and doubted she would make good on her boast.

Now the potential payoffs for the Master’s most recent endeavors may well exceed anything the once poor deformed Greek ever could have imagined, but as fate would have it, an old enemy had returned and threatened ruin on the eve of the Master’s greatest conquest. No matter how much blood might stain his hands, Blight was determined that his Master would at long last achieve the success that was only his just due.

Dismissed, Blight rose, calling Blip, the teleporter to him. The empty headed mutant was lost in her own private world as usual, but her talents made her useful enough to put up with her eccentricities. Leaving his rival struggling to recover, he strolled into Blip’s rainbow hued arch. For a breath he was in that strange fantasy world that existed only behind the rainbow swirls of Blip’s eyes, but then stepped back into the real world in far Japan.

Taking a deep breath of Nagasaki’s night air, he oriented himself where he stood in the Memorial Park. With a purpose driven stride, he headed towards the centerpiece of the park, the Shrine.

***

Heroes of Justice: Old friends!

As always after the holidays it was a pain to get back into the swing of things. We had a full schedule again, with my flight lessons; Anza’s studying to prepare for medical school; not to mention our marriage to plan.

That part was simple. During our prolonged engagement, we would keep a journal, going over the things we liked and wanted, as well as those we could leave out. The reason for that was we weren’t even sure what world we would end up on, assuming we both survived. The journal was for when we did know more and could make better plans.

The other stuff was just extra straws piled high on the camel’s back, along with our continuingly learning more about staying alive in our new profession. Yep, we were genuine card carrying superheroes. Wanna see the cards, or the secret handshake? No? Okay, the cards were a gag Reid printed out, but we really were working towards finding and locating a criminal organization.

Although we did have a leg up after discovering how to use the knowledge and the skills of the characters whom became our avatars, we also had a staff of teachers ranging from an unnamed secret society of Chinese assassins to SAS instructors, not to mention this world’s version of Capt. Americana teaching us the finer points of the path of the hero.

The recovery time after the holidays gave Dee a chance become more accustomed to us and let us find out more about her. We all got a little teary when trying to explain about our engagement to her, and we found out her memories of the outside world were limited to those of a 10 year old boy! That rat bastard had used recordings of his own memories on his accelerated grown clones, and had used the same ones for her!

Dee assured us that she was happy being a girl, but having the memories of a boy was a little weird for her sometimes. Tell us about it! After explaining what had happened to us she didn’t have any problems understanding. We all shared a cry and I think that helped bond us together as a family, if an unusual one by anyone’s standards.

It took a few weeks, but with Doctor Lee’s advice, Anza was able to use her TK to help with Dee’s scarring. Even Cape and I were able to help some, using its ability to transmute stuff. Under Dr. Lee’s exacting supervision pushing her to expand her limits, Anza was able to actually heal some the damage. Don’t get me wrong. Dee will be bearing her scars for the rest of her life, but while she will get a double take now and then, it wasn’t anything like that Frankie Cruger, horror movie-like visage she once had. That, almost by itself, turned Dee into another girl, nothing like the shy thing always hiding behind me.

We even caught her happily running with the pack of the Chang’s great grandkids, out of breath and dodging trouble like all children do. She did still have her black times, and Anza and I had her as an uninvited guest in the middle of the night more than once. That’s okay, because we knew she was healing, and it took time.

The Major humored her and let her train some, but plainly told her if she tried anything before he thought she was ready he would ground her until he was old and gray. With his bio-energy what-zit, that could be a very long time. Anza and I also made that clear to her, since we more or less acted as her parents. I even promised that if the Major agreed she was ready, I would help with her supersuit.

Not to give the wrong impression, the bad guys, like always, were still causing problems. Every large city has more than its fair share of normal folks willing to do harm to one another for a few bucks, or out of passion. After all you can’t save the world every day, don’t you know.

The Syndicate was still making themselves known too, but more like with training exercises than missions trying anything specific. The Colonel and I came up with that explanation after looking over their patterns. It made perfect sense. Why bother building and maintaining training areas when you can use the real thing? Of course, that is, if you don’t mind the ordinary Joe and Mary getting underfoot, and ending up injured or worse.

The only real action we saw happening was the ULTIMATE supersuits getting in a few scuffles with those so-called larceny training missions. It was obvious that Reaction Team One outclassed their foes considerably. On the other hand, their opponents were easily identified as primarily ex-free agents who’d been forcibly recruited into the Syndicate ranks.

We rarely saw the faces of those we thought of as the Syndicate High Command. Big Red, Ripper, and Patience, who was at least their tactical commander and maybe more. It was scary to see just how many were now a part of the Syndicate. Although many weren’t in our weight class, being out numbered three or four to one is never a good thing.

You would think that with Team One on the job they would be filling up their temporary confinement facilities right? Wrong. They would arrive at the crime scene and smash a few of the newbie baddies. Then the rest would grab their fallen buddies and hightail it as fast as they could. Then Team One, all ready to finish the job, would be ordered to stand down.

I’m not kidding! They were operating under strict, what are called, Rules of Engagement, which state what you can and can’t do. Hell, even when you’re allowed to shoot back! So while Team One was gnashing their teeth, ULTIMATE Strike units in their dropships flew off to intercept the bad guys.

The bad guys, seeing they were being followed from the air, would run inside and lose their pursuers before the troopers riding inside could deploy and get to them. It would have been funny if it hadn’t happened so many times.

The stated reason for forbidding Team One to give chase was concerns about collateral damage. You want to see collateral damage? I had an office chair that was a little too close to the Major, the 3rd or 4th time this happened. He wadded it up like a wet paper towel in pure frustration. It wasn’t a total waste I suppose, because I did get a much nicer chair in exchange, and I did learned just how colorful a stream of metaphors an SAS Colonel (retired) can produce.

Anza has been giving me a little grief about some of the Britishisms that have been creeping into my speech. Maybe I’ve been spending too much time around our SAS Colonel, but after such an educational experience I couldn’t help but take notes!

For me, the political situation was entirely too much like some of the stupid stuff that went on in the Military during the Cold War years, during Vietnam and beyond. The politicians tried to take direct control of military actions, instead of leaving it to the military people who knew what they were doing. They couldn’t understand they had two choices and not three. Settle your problems with politics or use the military to do it. Trying to mix the two just gets more people killed, and more than likely doesn’t solve your problem either.

No, I was way too young to have seen it, but when I was in the service, many who had been there were retiring. Just like any group of old soldiers, they made sure the greenhorns, like me, knew enough to tell a bad policy from a good one. An important lesson, just in case we needed to protect ourselves from our duly appointed leaders. A very sad lesson for those who had pledged to defend their country.

A lesson, I’m sure, that wasn’t lost on Team One right now. I plotted the location and circumstances of their last skirmish, while as always, looking for patterns. Wheels within wheels, effendi! We’d narrowed down our suspected locations but the trouble was the bloody thing kept moving around. Did I just say Bloody? Maybe Anza is right and I have been spending a mite too much time around our dear English Colonel.

Be that as it may, before we moved, we had to be positive. We were wanted by ULTIMATE after all, and a simple costume change would only go just so far. Before blowing our cover we needed to be as sure as we could. Once revealed, it was certain ULTIMATE would try and prosecute our group to the full extent of the law. Sure as hell none of us wanted to end up in their bureaucratic retentive grasp.

Pushing myself back away from my sticky note festooned, framed monitor, I stretched. All work and no play makes Misty a dull girl! I checked on Dee who was studying in her own cubical. We’d found her IQ was up there in the hard to measure area and, after four years of having almost nothing to do but use the base’s teaching programs, she was well into college graduate territory. Except, that is, for anything resembling current events and culture. The sciences, classical literature, and particularly computer sciences, she excelled in.

The computers had been programmed by Doctor Vole, and so reflected his prejudices. He had omitted much of popular culture and contemporary history. It was hit or miss if she knew anything past 1982, where her second hand taped memories stopped.

There’s story there too. The Warders, after they’d captured the base and faked destroying it, had brought in a computer wiz from another team to reprogram it and its robots. What he missed was, there were a lot of computers down there, and a lot of stuff was hardwired into them, and couldn’t be changed.

He did reprogram most of them, but the whole effect made the blasted network a bit eccentric. Maybe not an AI, but it sure had it’s own way of doing things. Don’t worry, it’d never done anything life threatening, but it certainly caused some interesting situations from time to time. After tracking down the sub-unit that handled the education stuff and fixing a few things, it was now catching her up on the holes in her education.

Touching her shoulder, I smiled as she looked up at me with two eyes. Replacing an eye was something beyond all of us. That is except for Morgan. Somehow she grew a crystal resembling Dee’s eye. That freaked me out, since it was like those pictures of Doc’s growing ears on the backs of mice sort of thing.

The thing was almost an exact match to Dee’s normal eye, but since the socket had shrunk they had to work a little to fix it. Afterwards, that made her face look a lot more normal. What we didn’t figure on was that Morgan’s gift was a living crystal.

Somehow it had connected itself to her muscles and acted like just a living eye. I mean you could see the darn thing focus, for goodness sakes! Anza said it was just a case of Dee’s mutant genes helping her recover.

She was a natural athlete and had a passion for baseball. With two eyes again Dee needed to relearn how to use depth perception. To help her, I started playing catch with her. That started yet another line of training for me. Seeing me playing catch with Dee one day, the Major stepped in and demonstrated the correct way to throw. What can I say? It’s not my fault I throw like a girl now. We were all having a good time when he pushed us over to the firing range.

It was a tunnel dug into the hillside that was covered in baffles and absorbent safety materials. He walked over to a large basket of shots used for shot putting. He picked up one of the heavy metal spheres, and, holding the thing like a baseball, threw the thing down range as if it had been shot from a cannon!

Both Dee and I grabbed for the hearing protection headsets, just as a ringing BOOM! rattled our teeth. No, he hadn’t broken the sound barrier, but he could throw the damn thing just as fast as any professional baseball pitcher for the big leagues could. Look at it this way. Would you want to be hit by a 16 lb. shot traveling at 90 mph/145 kph? Just for your information, that is about the same as an old fashioned, black powder cannon from the Napoleonic era.

Grinning, he handed me a shot, but it was way too big for my hands. I gave him a look and handed it back to him. Not disturbed, he took that one back and handed me another smaller one.

“This one is a woman’s standard at 8 lbs. The one I threw was male standard at 16 .lbs. Go ahead and pitch it as fast as you can.” he encouraged me.

I’d never been very athletic, but that had all changed, along with everything else. There was a satisfying crash and I grinned back at him.

He just handed me a basket full of the things! Great! I should’ve known I wouldn’t be let off the hook so easily.

“Mystery, you are an able hand to hand fighter, but you don’t have anything capable of shooting back when someone is shooting at you. I thought about weapons, but that doesn’t play to your abilities. Thinking about how you can shape stuff with your Cape, I’m thinking it should be easy for it to scoop up and shape balls for you,” he explained while pitching to Dee.

Keeping my face straight, I was thinking, “No sir, Now that I’ve gotten rid of those I don’t want’em back!”

“They are an easy, simple shape and not as hard as other things to learn how to throw such as stars, knives or others. I want you to continue to play catch with Dee to build control, but also here at the range to increase your power. With practice you’ll be able to disable without serious damage or,” glancing back at the range, “have the firepower of a small cannon if you need it.”

He also gently talked Dee into using her powers while we were here. She was afraid of them since one of her fellow clones had nearly killed her with them. The Major pointed out we had plenty of protection for shooters and observers here at the range. The most telling point he made was, if Dee wanted to be sure she never hurt someone with her powers, it was best to learn how not to, rather than deny them.

It was a strange thing to watch, almost like watching someone walk into a laser light tunnel. Then, BLAM! it met the rock wall of the hill! A torrent of rock chips flowed around her as she walked about 6’ into the rock face.

Looking at that person sized tunnel, I glanced back at the huge railway tunnel we used mostly for storage and realized that Doctor Vole himself had to have made it. The damn thing was big enough for a train or truck to pass though, and nearly a mile long!

That was a turning point for her, I think. We did practice, with her making tunnels and Cape making baseballs from the chips. Pitching and catching was a lot more fun when it was play, rather than simply another thing to train at! But that wasn’t on the agenda for today!

Working together, Dee and Reid had convinced the base computer to fabricate a flight simulator of the Major’s baby, Fifi, his F8U Dragonfly. So before I ever got into the plane, I practiced taking off, flying and, of course, getting it back down on the ground in one piece.

Then had followed actual flights, sitting in the back seat, which had a full set of controls, learning what to do in all different kind of emergencies. A thorough instrument flying class had followed, with more flight time. I’d already had exposure to this with the classes taught by Reid and Will, but the Major was a big believer in being thorough.

Now after all of that, today was solo day! He watched me as I walked down the preflight list and registered my flight plans with the local control tower. I had learned a secret during my training. The Major was not the technically illiterate old fart he pretended to be. His old warbird might have been restored to near original condition, but the avionics, aviation electronics, were just as modern as Reid the Chopper’s, if tastefully hidden.

I don’t know if I can tell you what it was like. The Dragonfly was designed to almost hover, as well as being able to race away at a top speed exceeding 500 Mph. The only reason it couldn’t break the sound barrier was compression problems, because of being propeller driven. The structure was so compact it was seriously tough, and could take punishment that was nothing short of astounding. Maybe other planes had to worry about the wings ripping off, but not this one.

It was like the best experience you ever had on a roller coaster, magnified by, I don’t know, a lot! I could well understand why the Major was so fond of this plane, even though I understand he owns several other types. You could pull G-forces in this one that only modern military fighters could rival. I didn’t dare really push things on this flight, but I had a blast anyways.

All too soon it was time to put this horse back in the stable. Taking off wasn’t tricky, because it really just floated right off the ground. Landing back inside the quarry was a little harder, but mostly it was a head game. The landing field just looked small. Pull up the angle of attack of the two turbo-prop engines and you almost had a helicopter. They wouldn’t go completely vertical, but the 15 degrees they did rotate, let me land as gently as a feather.

In my world they had never made it into production, but I think, because they had here, it pushed along acceptance of the tilt-rotor concept. They are fairly common here and even had variants like those dropships. Back home they were just starting to be produced, but still were viewed suspiciously by the conservative flight community.

My own little flight crew was waiting for me with congratulations and hugs. Anza and Dee just giggled when the Major revealed he was a certified flight instructor, and handed me my license! I know my jaw hit the ground! Will and I were still trying to figure out how to sneak me out to take the tests so it would be valid in my secret ID. WOW, I hadn’t even seen this coming!

Then if that wasn’t enough Anza handed me a gold envelope. Raising an eyebrow, I opened it to find an invitation within. Pulling out the expensive card, it was an invitation to witness the official engagement of Duane Moors and Rebecca Newton. It was to take place Friday at the Moors estate.

There I was with my mouth open again. I had to take a second to remember that Duane Moors was Tom’s alter-ego here. Tom was getting married? Twitch, twitch. Tom actually sent us invitations? The Moors estate?

Everyone got a good laugh at my expense. Of course, since I more or less was our intelligence officer, I would have to be the last one to know. I did have the excuse along with everyone else, that we’d been pushing a huge work load for months that would’ve exhausted a normal human within days. Training, studying, investigating, flying, preparing for a marriage, oh my! No wonder a few things had slipped by!

The Major wanted to know all about this woman, but since that was one of the things I’d had let slide, no one could tell him very much. I think he’d come to regard all of us as his kids, so to speak. Well, with the exception of Morgan, that is. Oh gosh, they weren’t going to surprise me next, were they?

He went off to find the Colonel and Mr. Chang, who were our counter-intelligence folks responsible for making sure that spies only found out what we wanted them to. Meanwhile my family filled me on what I’d missed while flying about. It seems that Tom had continued running his security business on the side. With so much unrest in the city, private firms like his were doing land-office like boom business. He’d parleyed his original funds into a nice nest egg in a very short time.

The Moors estate was the mansion he and Mark had been given, back when we first arrived. He had kept it up and used it as a bachelor pad. As for this Rebecca Newton, Anza had pumped Mark for information. You better get rid of that dirty thought before I have to hurt you!

She and Tom had met soon after we had started our training here at Halflington. At first, only on the Saturday afternoons we had off, but soon they were seeing each other regularly. Tom had proposed to her on Christmas, which accounted for his good spirits back then. Only recently had she accepted. As for his being engaged back home in our world, it seems he’d decided that life here was an improvement. There, he was just an owner of a one man car repair shop. Here he was a successful businessman, well on his way to that first million. All that is according to Mark. As for Miss Newton, we found a whole lot about how good looking she was, but damn little about what she was like. Argh! Men!

One of my best friends is getting hitched to some woman who, for all I know, is a gold digging bimbo? I don’t think so! Firing up the ole computer, I did a records check. That came up with her driver’s license picture. Ok, she was attractive, and had no violations, except for some parking tickets. Her high school records showed her as an unremarkable “B” student hadn’t been involved in any school activities.

Her parents were professionals who had saved their nickels and dimes, and had become well off due to hard work. She had gone to college and majored in business. Now, working as an junior executive, she’d gotten a mention in the local papers.

Heck, I even checked the ULTIMATE database, and was surprised to find her there. She was listed in the least powerful category, an Alpha, putting her in the better, stronger, faster category, but not enough to go leaping over tall buildings. Nothing special as far as mutants go. On paper, a good match for Tom.

I was a little frustrated that I couldn’t find out much, but I guess we would all learn more when we met the future Mrs. Moors on Friday.

Friday, March 21st, a date that will live in infamy! Just another day, right? First of all, the Major had suggested that Tom move the party here to Halflington. The security was better here and, if something did go wrong, help was nearby.

Tom responded, very reasonably, that the invitations had already been sent out, as well the services, such as of the caterers, arranged for. As for security, he had a number of his own employees who, while not up to the Chang’s standards, were good for anything short of a full assault.

Finally, Tom told him this would make their relationship look more like the cover said it was, of client and contractor. Although he appreciated all the hard work the Major had put in to get us ready, he wanted to make it on his own, so to speak. That was why he, Mr. Roland, hadn’t been invited.

The Major, being a big hearted guy, just stuck out his hand and said he’d no problem with that. He did, however, want plenty of pictures, and to meet with this young lady at some point in the future.

Tom returned the handshake, and that was that.

Don’t you believe it! Morgan was four kinds of mad! It took us half the day to convince her not to burn Tom in half, quarters, and than sauté what was left. She considered the slight an insult to the Major, and wanted blood.

Anza and I passed each other a knowing look. “Yep she’s got it real bad alright.!”

The two of them had that talk we urged them to, and of course, that hadn’t decided a single thing. They were still mooning over each other and doing that ‘suffering in silence’ thing. Speaking as the empath, and mate of the telepath, their silence wasn’t anywhere near quiet enough!

After convincing Morgan that boycotting the party at the last minute wouldn’t help the Major any, we started our own preparations. Of course Cape had a ball dressing me up. We had kept my true ‘blond’ look, to help foil anyone still looking to collect on that damned most wanted reward poster.

We both went with dressy suits, suitable for work, or after work activities. The reason for that was because we were out in the public eye, and Tom, being in the security business, was a possible target. With that outfit Anza could wear her supersuit underneath. Me, well, because people had come to expect us to be a matched set so, why not?

The other problem we had, was Dee. She wanted to come along, don’t you know? Tom and she got along well together for some reason. He was the big brother she never had, and he spoiled her rotten. I wondered just how much she’d had to do with Tom softening his stance against Anza and I. With all that said, she wanted to go in the worst possible way.

We really did try to explain it to her. One, she didn’t have an invitation. Not because she wasn’t wanted, but because this was an adult event. Two, it was too dangerous, since it was out of Halflington. Three, she still didn’t have a valid identity, although we were working on it. Any cop could shoot her and, under the current laws, he would probably get a medal! We had to reassure her that it wasn’t because of her appearance, about which she was still shy. When we got her identity problems settled we would treat her on the town, but not tonight.

We watched her as she stomped off to her room to pout, still angry. Don’t you just love teenagers? It’s either that or strangle them!

Normally, of late, when we went to something like this, Mark would be driving us in LIMO, but tonight he was already out and about. Just like old times, we were back to the incredible Flower-Power mobile. We had the top up, because it was a chilly March night, and let’s not forget our freshly done hair, courtesy of Lin, who was a stylist as well as a deadly commando.

Morgan was riding with us, in girlfriend mode, while Will was driving his un-enhanced pickup, with Morgan’s Harley strapped to the bed, just in case, mind you. Maybe that should be a ‘comparatively’ normal truck. He, and the guys, had been tinkering with it for a while now, and I had the funny feeling that, in no shape or form, was it remotely street legal anymore, but all of that was hidden under the hood. Considering the same went for our other rides, I won’t tell if you won’t!

It wasn’t a huge gala, but big enough to strain the parking facilities. The last time we’d been here was when we ran to the quarry to hide from everyone who was chasing us. It was kind of strange to be coming back.

We pulled up and demurely handed the keys to the valet. I was starting to feel uneasy and not sure why. It was a strange feeling, sorta like having a head full of cotton. Cape didn’t seem to be picking up on anything specific, but was keyed up as well. Back to the old dog analogy, its hackles weren’t up but it knew something was wrong.

Even mentally conversing with Anza took effort, “Love, there is something around here making Cape and me restless. I don’t know what, but keep cool.”

“A stirring in the Force is it?” She sent back with a mental giggle. “Sorry love, I couldn’t help myself. I feel it too. I’ll let everyone else know by mental-radio, but Tom, you know, can keep me out.”

Mentally, I replied “I’ll find him and sneak a phone call to Halflington to update our status. This could be just something minor. We don’t want to overreact and blow our cover.”

I was walking into the main hall when I saw someone that made me do a double take. With a swift move I moved up the stairs before she could hide. Dee!

“What are you doing here, young lady?” I demanded, in a no-nonsense tone.

I was adding up the things that could go wrong tonight, and it was coming closer and closer to something I didn‘t want to think about too much!

“You don’t understand, Misty! I just had to come! I hid in the trunk of the beetle. I sweet talked the anti-intrusion software into not saying anything,” she pleaded.

Giving her a good look, she was wearing one the dresses she’d gotten for Christmas. From the looks of it, she’d had it in a bag and just changed upstairs. I really didn’t want to know how she got up there so fast to change.

I sighed, “Dee, there is something not quite right here, OK? It could mean trouble, bad trouble”

Her expressive eyes got larger, “Really?”

“Really! Now, I’m looking for Duane, and I want you to stay close, understand? This is serious, so no more games.” I tried to impress upon her.

Making myself use his cover identity of Duane, instead of Tom to keep in role, I headed towards where I thought I’d seen him, with Dee in tow.

We just cleared the crowd when I saw him and, for the first time, Rebecca Newton. She was smoking a cigarette, and for me, that was one strike against her. I’d had smoke blown into my face a time too often as a child, and had to kick an addiction I never began when I first got here.

Misty had been a smoker, but I wasn’t. Either because of not having developed the habit to go with the addiction, or maybe because of my physiology, withdrawal, while unpleasant, hadn’t been too hard. None of that had made me fond of people who pretend to be smokestacks.

Walking up to them, there was something else about her that bugged me, almost as if she was familiar somehow.

Tom/Duane smiled as he saw us, but raised his eyebrows at Dee.

“Hi, Duane, we have a party crasher. You remember my niece Deirdre? Oh, Hello, you must be Rebecca. Duane has told us so much about you.” I gushed, laying it on a little thick.

Duane introduced us, “Becky this is Misty. She works for Mr. Roland as a special assistant. Of course I remember Dee. She spent the winter holiday up at Mr. Roland’s Mansion.”

“I’m so glad to finally meet you. Duane has told me what good friends you’ve all been to him.” Rebecca replied. “Duane it’s alright. I remember when I was young and wanting to sneak into parties too. Just remember no alcohol! Excuse me, I need to visit the powder room.

I froze. I knew that voice. The question was, from where?

Stepping close to Tom/Duane, I told him quietly, “There is something up. I don’t know what but I don’t like it.”

He gave me a stern look, replying “Don’t overreact. There are a lot of people here tonight, and some of them are business rivals. It’s natural to be picking up some animosity.”

“Duane, I swear that I want this to go well for you. All I’m doing is warning you that something doesn’t feel right, OK?” I told him. “I’m going to let everyone else know about Dee’s party crashing.”

Smiling again, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.” Calling out to someone else he knew, he left us.

Dee touched my arm, “Everything is going to be okay, isn’t it?”

“Of course it is! We won’t give it a choice. Behave or else,” leading her towards the backdoors outside where so long ago Will had wrenched it right off its hinges.

We’d just made the doors when I saw Anza hurrying towards me.

“Misty we’ve got trouble I can’t mind-touch any of the gang without pushing. It’s like something is giving me resistance, like jamming or something. I didn’t try to touch you because I don’t want to give away any clues to whoever is doing this,” Anza gave Dee a cold look. “Young lady, I don’t know why you’re here, but we will talk about this later.”

“I found Morgan and she’s looking for Will and Mark right now. Did you find Tom?” Anza said with her dark eyes looking for trouble.

“I found him, but he is convinced we’re overreacting, to use his words.” Just then my eyes found Rebecca as she lit up another cigarette. ‘Urk, she must be a chain smoker.’ As I watched the smoke wreath up around her, my brain put two and two together and got, Oh Shit!

Clearing my throat, “Anza, look over at the restroom. Do you see that blond smoking over there? That’s Rebecca Newton. Now, does she remind you of anyone we might have met when our bare bottoms first got here? Think hard dear.” I directed, with no doubts at who she was.

Anza followed my direction and I heard her mutter, “No freaking way! Tom’s fiancée is that anti-gravity stripper bitch?”

She grabbed my hand, “She looks different, but thank Gawd for eidetic memories. Her mannerisms are exactly the same.”

Right. Anza and I were sure, but convince the rest of the gang on just our say so? We needed more proof, and I knew just how to get it.

“Luv, you look after our stowaway, but make sure you keep me on Punked Camera with your phone so you don’t miss the show.” I started walking towards little Miss Trouble.

I heard Anza give a muttered curse as Dee giggled. However I was busy with something else.

“Okay,” I thought at Cape. “Hand it over.”

Cape gave me the most innocent feelings back. I swear it was pretending it had an angelic halo. Not that I believed that for one second. Cape may be one of my best buddies ever, in that same way a beloved dog or cat can be sometimes, but I had learned a few things about it since that fateful day I had appeared stark naked, in a strip club dressing room.

The symbiote attached to my central nervous system is loyal and playful, as well as being a fashion guru and protector. Cape is also a kleptomaniac. Unlike a dog, who can play catch, it will try and take things that don’t belong to me, or it. Cape lets me catch it mostly, but sometimes it doesn’t.

You see, like that dog, Cape holds grudges, but unlike that dog, it can’t bite or bark. So Cape counts coup by taking something valuable from them and, although I might take the item from it from time to time, it always takes it back.

Thinking hard at it, “You heard me, now. It’s important.”

A small rectangular shape fell into my hand.

I gave soothing thoughts at my miffed Cape as I neared my quarry. She was still smoking and, stopping beside her, I directed Cape to drop the object at our feet.

Looking down, I said, “Excuse me Rebecca, but did you drop that?”

A little disdainful, she glanced down. Her eyes widened as she bent down to pick up what I’d pointed out.

Rebecca Newton’s head jerked up, and she gave me a stare of pure hatred, for there, in her hand, was a classic Ronco Lighter. In fact, it was the very one that Cape had snatched from a certain obnoxious witch from Twin Peaks, all those months ago.

She grated out at me, “You’re the bitch that stole it from me.”

I smiled at the angry woman who‘d broken her cover, “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re ranting about dear. Thank you, you’ve told me everything I needed to know.” Turning on my heels, I left as fast as was diplomatically possible.

Polar ice ran down my back as I started to put together all the pieces; the weird PSI interference, a disguised mutant with underworld ties who had a close relationship with my friend, and most of all, us, out in the open without our usual support. I flipped out my phone and felt an icy shiver as I saw the red flashing warning “No signal. Possible jamming”.

Anza and I exchanged a look. ‘That’s it, we are so out of here!’ Not bothering with going back inside, we headed for the backyard gate at a near run.

Anza was furious cursing, “That rat bastard set us up!”

Hurrying to the outside back gate, worried about Dee in all of this, I knew she was talking about Tom.

Dee wanted to argue, but my gut was telling me we were running out of time real fast!

A blurred green image of Mike materialized in front of us, “It’s a trap! Get out of there!”

No shit Sherlock! Cape twitched violently in warning and I threw both of my companions to the ground as a roar thundered overhead! Mike’s image popped like a soap bubble, as the mansion’s windows exploded inward!

Even as we were hitting the ground, Cape had me armored. Its voluminous folds covered my friends as Cape transformed the glass, shaping it into baseball size projectiles.

Anza’s clothes melted away as she changed into her new red and gold uniform. I gained my feet and, looking up, I saw the dropships, stolen from ULTIMATE, dropping a horde of black suited mercenaries upon us, even as their onboard weapons raked the windows of Tom’s mansion with gunfire and rockets.

There were at least a dozen figures hitting the ground in the backyard, dropping from the ships above. They were a little surprised that anyone at all was back here, much less a pair of supersuits. Using Cape’s tailoring skills, we had changed my outfit to look like a kind of powered armor with, of course, a large cape. Hoping to give Anza some time to get Dee the hell out of here, I held out my hand, “I wondered when you all were going to get here, shall we dance?” as I slipped on my visor.

Back at our first fight months ago at the Mall, Cape had acted like a CIC, and had picked out my targets for me. Today, all of the hard work we had both put in started to pay off. We weren’t two working together, but one being.

I fired off the first two glass cannon balls that Cape had slipped into my hands. Glass is dense, and I am very strong and fast, so I’ll pass on the damage report as the first two goons fell. What I will tell you, is Cape and I went though the rest of these guys like a chainsaw though a bowl of Jello! Cape snapped out streamers, pulling pins of grenades still attached to the troopers, while others were triggering magazine releases, disarming their weapons. I used my flight to dart among them, using every striking point I had. Fist, elbow, knee, head butt, all taking out their targets, if not in one blow, then another was on the way before they’d even hit the ground.

With Cape to coordinate the two of us, I twisted some of them around so they shot their own comrades, while using others as shields as their grenades started cooking off. I caught a few stray fragments, but the armor stopped it cold.

A few of the guys in the backyard were still moving a few seconds later, but I didn’t think they wanted to play any more. World War Three was going strong inside, and above the mansion, but outside, I was of more use. Already, any support they were expecting from the backyard wasn’t going to happen. A few of Duane’s guests had already found the backyard was an escape route, and were beating feet to get as far away as they could get.

Glancing up, I saw their dropship support was busy at the front of the mansion. The reason why became clear, as a Lexus sedan flew up like a rocket, smashing into one of them, sending it pin wheeling out control. I couldn’t help but wince as it tumbled into a neighboring house, its rotors cutting though the roof like a giant electric knife.

Well, I knew where Will was! Running to where I had last seen Anza and Dee, I passed a half dozen black clad figures with dazed looks, who had their hands up, walking down the street. Yep, she’d come this way!

Rounding the corner, I skidded to a stop. It took me a moment to take in the scene. There were burning cars and bodies all over the place. Some were in the black assault gear of the bad guys, while others were in business suits, I guess from Duane’s security agency. Angry pock marks from the guns and rockets of the dropships scored the entire front.

A ten foot tall Will, in his Renegade hero regalia, had the remains of a car with which he’d been intending to bring down another dropship in his hands. A group of bad guys covering behind another car, had blown it to bits, using all kinds of beams, arcs, and stuff. The two remaining dropships were firing rockets and pouring in gunfire on him!

Esperanza, seeing our friend in trouble, was TK screening him, while she and Dee hid behind a car that was beginning to look like Swiss cheese, from being too close to him. I charged into the five blasters. They didn’t even know I was there until I grabbed the arm of one guy who was blasting away, using some kind of glowing green shit from his hand, and shoved it into his neighbor’s gut.

His scream of agony seized the attention of the rest of them. I’d learned a few things about dealing with people shooting at me point blank, from my fight with the Warder Enigma, and that Gun-Fu of hers. With Cape’s ribbons tangling them up, I managed to put one more down, and got glowing green energy boy to blast another of his buddies. Mr. Electricity figured out that fighting me hand to hand was a really bad idea, and backed away.

Raising his hands, he shouted, “Burn Baby, burn!” as they crackled with power.

Levitating, I grabbed the car frame, hoping it would help conduct most of the charge away. A brilliant flash nearly blinded me, despite my visor!

“Hey, nothing happened!” I gasped as he fell to the ground!

The reason why was soon plain, as Conductress landed lightly. her red hair flying wild from the static as she digested her most recent electrical meal, “Yum!”

Warders! I looked up as Black Hawk smashed the pilot’s canopy of one of the dropships. The swordswoman, Alara, rappelling from the Warder’s V-22, was dicing up another group of Mercs, while Wraith was having her way with yet another group of those damn black-suited goons with the guns. I began to wonder just how many of these bloody guys there were.

Renegade staggered from the barrage, bleeding from attacks Anza couldn’t stop. He scooped up a burning wreck, and clipped the last dropship as it fired on the Warders. Question and Enigma raced for the front door of the mansion.

I checked to see if Esperanza had Dee somewhere safe before starting for the front door myself. Dee was with running away with a group of other refugees. Esperanza was simultaneously protecting them, while implanting commands in the pursuing bad guys to surrender. Good enough for me!

Turning around, I barely had time to slam myself onto the floor, as the entire front of the mansion blew outward into the street! Question pin-wheeled out of control as he flew out, like a victim of a major league batter!

Looking up, I saw a tall brown haired woman in red and silver, with a huge silver mallet in her fist, who, in her follow though, looked like a pro-golfer, having just rung Question’s clock. Patience! Oh my! They did bring out their big guns! She’d been the one to bring down Man Mountain, on that long ago day, at the Battle of the Mall.

The fight was coming to us!

I yelled, “Renegade! I need an assist here!”

I tried a sliding tackle, but she nimbly leaped over me. Cape’s warning let me roll out, as I almost got creamed by her mallet’s return stroke. I closed in, using my training to strike at every vulnerable point within reach.

It was like punching the granite walls back at the Hole, and did about as much good. With my speed, and Cape’s warnings, she couldn’t hit me, but damn she was tough! I just couldn’t hurt this bitch! Then Renegade smashed into her!

I almost gasped as her shiny mallet transformed, quicksilver fast, into a shield that stopped his blow that could have bought down entire buildings. She shield smashed him in the face, but my grabbing the damn thing, as it flowed retransforming back into a mallet, upset her balance.

Patience yelled to her troops, “Recall, Plan Delta! We are leaving!”

I got a backhand in response from her that, despite my blocking, stung like mad! Bloody hell, this bitch was strong!

Renegade, giving a grim smile, cut loose with his full strength, causing even her to fly backwards a couple of paces, shield or no shield.

I reached up to slam her into the ground to set her up for him, when Cape started screaming Red Alert! Hey, I almost made it, but a pair of large hands coming right up out of the street grabbed just one foot I was slow in moving.

The next thing I knew was darkness, as it yanked me underground! Panicked and blind, I fought, but it did no good, as it released me buried alive! Cape covered my mouth, keeping the unwanted stuff out and helping me breathe. I’d done this before, underwater, but never thought to try it underground. It was hard to move, but thrashing and flying I moved in what I hoped was in the right direction to get free.

Suddenly! A light appeared and I could move!

I fell in a filthy awkward heap inside a newly made tunnel, spitting and gasping to breathe, as a dirty girl in a torn skirt hugged me, Dee!

It had to have been Man Mountain. The bastard had spun me around upside down to disorient me. I’d been digging the wrong way to get out.

Hugging her back I knew we needed to get back to the surface, fast.

“Hold on Dee. We’re flying out!”

We zoomed up her rescue tunnel, which was almost 30’ deep. A little voice was telling me she was real lucky not to have hit any underground cables or gas mains, but at long last we flew out onto the street.

Looking up I saw a mob of bad guys charging right at us, like a stampede of buffalo!

I felt Dee holding on for dear life, and leaped upwards as Caped turned black to try to hide us.

“NO Capes!” I heard just as something yanked us down, hard!

Trying to protect Dee, I rolled as I was smashed into the ground.

Cape, trying to do the same, flipped her away from us, as a hand latched onto us, jerking me to my feet.

Patience! I recognized how much trouble I was in. I’d used everything I could think of to stop her, and none of it had worked. No more Ms. nice masked heroine, I did a double strike, meant to break both collar bones, a deadly punch into her throat, and lastly at her nose, with the classic death blow .

Just like with the mythical Mongo, all I did was make her mad! With a dribble of blood from her nose, she gave me a red eyed glare of hate, as that silvery mallet morphed into an enormous, nasty looking, serrated edged, sword. “Get the girl. She’s coming with us!

Lithely, I kicked with both legs into her midsection, but it did me no good, as she struck me with her oversized cleaver.

Pain clawed at my entire body as I rocketed backwards. I half remember some blurred images of startled looks on peoples faces, as I flew though a couple walls. The pain after I crashed, now that I remember all too clearly.

Dee! I rolled onto my back, groaning from the pain. Touching the burning area that reaching from my right shoulder down to my left hip, I clenched my teeth. Expecting to see blood, I was amazed to find only a tickle. Cape twitched weakly underneath me, and I knew I wasn’t the only one hurt.

I heard my phone ringing, so the jamming must have ended, but I was hurting too damn much to move.

“Misty where are you? Are you alright” Anza’s worried voice carried over our bond/link. I guess the mental interference thingie was over too.

Moaning I told her, “Just follow the line of holes though the walls. No, I’m not, to question number two.”

“Anza! They got Dee!” I projected back at her, as I pushed some debris aside.

“Hang on, I’m on my way.” her concern flowed over our link/bond.

I shoved myself up to examine our wound, Yeah that’s right, our wound. Cape’s welfare and health was as precious to me as my own, or Anza’s. Maybe a bit like the family dog that is a much part of the family as any human in it. Okay, more so, since this one shared my central nervous system, and who knew what else, but certainly no less.

The stroke that was meant to cleave me in two had left a ragged gouge that had some thin rivulets of blood running down my torso. Cape was slowly healing itself, for, as I watched, the armor started to once more become whole.

Using the damaged, hazardously leaning wall to help me stand, I was aware of a lesson here. I had tried to kill Patience. Driven by my desire to try and protect Dee, I had thrown everything I had at the Bitch. I staggered a few steps to where I could see fires burning. Patience had returned the intention, and came a lot closer to succeeding than I had.

‘She had made two mistakes though’, an icy thought burned though me. One, the bitch hadn’t made sure of the job. Yeah I know she’d been in a hurry, but there are no excuses for sloppy work. Two, she’d taken someone to whom I had given my word that I would love and protect them.

Anza landed lightly beside me, and I relaxed, wincing as I felt her TK cradle me.

“Oh, Misty love, you’re a mess,” she said, as she kissed my forehead gently.

With my link/bond to her I sensed her powers reaching into me, searching for damage, and the tingles where they eased the hurt.

Glazing up into her dark eyes, her face was just dirty and worried as mine.

“Hello Nurse,” I greeted her weakly trying vainly to sound flippant. “What’s going on now? Where are they now?”

Her eyebrows knitted together, “First of all you’re going to be fine. I don’t know how you stood with a busted shoulder, not to mention not one, but two, broken ribs with another badly bruised. Your own healing has taken care of the cuts and the other contusions.”

Shaking my head at her, I answered, “I didn’t ask that, and you are not telling me, is all I need to know.”

“I love her too, you damn idiot! You want to know what’s happening? Fine! ULTIMATE is on the way, and they ordered Question to stand down and not pursue. Tom, the Bastard, stormed off and left when Morgan confronted him with what we found out about his fiancée. The Syndicate Enforcers took off to the east, stealing whatever vehicles they could find, since we smashed up their rides.”

“With Dee,” I added.

“Yes with Dee, and a handful of other hostages, Damn you,” she cursed angrily at me.

Meanwhile she’d flown us back to the battle zone that had once been a prosperous upper class neighborhood. Shell shocked people stumbled from their wrecked homes, watching with wide eyes and seeing the bodies of mercenaries and innocents lying in the cratered street, as the fires illuminated the entire grim scene.

A few emergency vehicles were already on the scene, while others were starting to arrive. The guys, minus Tom, had retrieved our vehicles from the valets. It wouldn’t do for them to be to carefully examined after all.

Question was waiting for us as we landed.

“I’m sorry about the girl being taken, but we’ve been requested to not pursue,” Question told me, and even with his mask on, I could feel his sour feelings about the matter.

I closed my eyes, readying myself for what was to come, “You do what you feel you need to do.”

Anza, with her voice full of worry, said, “Please don’t, love.”

Sighing and shaking my head, “I have to. Too many others have already let Dee down. I won‘t be the next.”

I almost cringed at the hurt in her dark eyes, as she released her powers, letting me stand wobbly on my own.

Question looked from one of us to the other, “You’re going after her?”

I ignored him, seeking within myself the warm emotion I got when watching Dee smile, or when her face glowed with happiness. When we’d first met, I could only read her with my empathy upon touch, but we’d grown as close as sisters, or maybe as mother and daughter, could be. I could feel Dee’s heart and soul through my empathy with her, and my heart showed me the way I had to go.

Cape had been silent since our injury, but now I could feel its own agreement and support.

Behind me, I heard the ringing chimes of Lady Diamond’s crystalline foot steps coming toward us.

“Aren’t you going to try to talk some sense into her?” Question asked her.

“Why waste breath trying to give an order I know won’t be obeyed? Besides, I more than half agree with her. You and the Warders have done much for us, and we appreciate that more than you all will ever know. However, this entire mission objective was for us to find, and take out, the Syndicate headquarters with one sledgehammer blow, while operating in secret.

“I don’t know how our cover was blown, but it definitely was,” Lady Diamond pointed out, as she waved a hand at the carnage around us. “If Streeter was responsible for this I‘ll kill him myself. No matter how they knew, this was an all out attack to take us out. No way they would’ve brought this many for just an attack on a party. They knew. If not for your people, they might have succeeded.

“Their plan failed, but any chance of us surprising them is gone. We finish this and we do it now. I know you have to live with the consequences of what happened here tonight while, win or lose, we don’t know what will happen to us. Like the woman said, do what you feel you need to, and so will we.” She finished, and walked over to me.

“Do you know which way?” my friend softly asked me.

I nodded, and Cape lifted us up in flight, as we soared towards where a scared young girl waited for rescue.

***

Enigma walked to where Question was watching the self-named Chevaliers leave.

“So, what do we do now?” she asked indicating the five departing heroes with a toss of her head.

The tall masked man in red and white looked about himself at the catastrophe that had wrecked this neighborhood. This was the very kind of disaster he’d spent his life trying to prevent.

Looking down at his feet, he spotted one of the weapons the attackers had carried, an AK-47. One of the most common assault rifles in the world. Why mess with a classic, considering it did what it was designed to do very well? The problem was that this one was here in his town. Very deliberately he bought his foot down and, using his power, multiplied his mass till the stamped metal crunched like a empty beer can.

“Flack it,” he cursed. Hitting his mike, “George, this is Question. Relay this message to ULTIMATE for me, will you? ‘Request denied!’ You got that?”

“No problem, Mon! T’will be my pleasure!” replied the unseen, grinning Caribbean pilot.

“Attention all Warders, rally on me! We’re dusting off! You got that George?”

Raising an aristocratic brow, Enigma asked, “We hunt?”

Acknowledging their pilot’s reply, he turned to her, “Damn Straight!”

Her own shout of, “About bloody time!” was lost in the thunder, as their team’s V-22 dropped lower for them to board.

***

Colonel Geoff Stone grabbed his old mentor’s arm, “They’re too far away. Before you could get there it’ll be over.

Major Victory gave his former student a determined look, “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“Reid, have the robots prep Fifi for an emergency combat launch, Code Omega.”

“Geoff, I have to try. This mission is coming apart, and I have to be there, not just for Morgan, but for the rest of them too,” the old hero said, grabbing the flight bag that Mr. Chang had materialized at the door with, and had held out for him.

The SAS colonel watched the door slam shut. With a muttered curse he snatched up his own Kit bag, that far too many years at being on the sharp end, had made him make sure it was always kept ready.

Mr. Chang, always the professional, asked, “And you sir?”

On the run as he hit the door, the Colonel yelled, “To the sound of the Guns! Reid, start turning rotors!”

Stepping outside, watching the two old warhorses run towards battle, he nodded his head, and a hand of black clad ninja-commandos joined the Colonel in his race to the Chevalier’s helicopter, which was already powering up.

He knew he was too old to go rushing off into combat, even as his heart tightened, concerned for those he’d grown to love like his own family, and the dangers they faced. Pushing the emotion aside, he opened his phone. There was still much he could do to aid them.

Heroes of Justice: With your Shield, or On it!

Cape had recovered enough to harden parts of itself to create a cast-like effect that made it a little easier and less painful to breathe, but not much. I heal very fast, but unfortunately not as fast as that Wolfie guy in the comic books, who heals nearly as fast as he can be harmed.

Concentrating on which way to go, I completely missed Mike riding beside me, sitting cross-legged on a green, glowing, flying carpet. I did the classic double-take, but somehow kept my mouth closed.

I yelled, “What do you want?”

“Are you crazy? You’re hurt, and Streeter has taken off!” Mike shouted back, over the wind.

Not turning my head, “I don’t care! They’ve got Dee, and anyone who gets in my way had better finish the job this time!”

Mike ducked around a wreck, “How about letting them catch up?”

Glancing behind me I saw Lady Diamond’s bike, Esperanza in Flower-Power and the boys in their pickup weaving in and out of the wrecks trying to catch up.

“Let’em try harder.” I said, looking forward.

Mike grinned, “I just knew you were going to say something like that. Here. This is for you.” he said, shoving a green box he’d pulled from nothingness, into my hands.

“This will get you back on your feet, but only for three hours. Then you’ll crash, big time. You got me?” He yanked his carpet around a light pole just in time.

“I got it!” yelling back at him over the roar.

“I’ll be around. Ciao!” Mike yelled back and then, in a green flash, he was gone.

I admit I felt warm and comforted, knowing my friends were with me, but it was Dee who was foremost in my mind.

With a banshee wail, a siren cut loose behind me from Renegade’s truck, and the roll-bar mounted lights started flashing red, blue and amber. When they’d had added that toy I didn’t know if it was a good idea, but despite my misgivings, the sirens were having a positive effect. People were getting out of the way, thinking we were some kind of emergency vehicles.

Looking down the street, part of me was wondering why I even bothered to try and track Dee with my empathy, when it was so easy to see the path the bad guys had left behind them. With a complete disregard for trying to fit in, they had driven their stolen vehicles like something from a demolition derby. You could see the path of wrecked cars and trucks that marked a trail even the blind could follow.

Anza had Flower-Power’s pedal floored, and I heard the whine of the turbo as she went airborne over dips in the street. I had only a vague idea of how fast we were going as she edged next to me. My top flight speed now was around 125 mph/200 kph, but Cape and I were pushing this as hard as we could.

They had at least a couple minutes on us, but unlike them, we had a mostly clear road in front of us. We had a lot of ground to make up, and we needed to do it fast. I saw one or two wrecks that looked if they’d been the ones we’d been chasing, but it appeared the bad guys had just hijacked another car, and continued escaping.

I was half afraid to look over at her. I knew how much I’d hurt her with my refusal to wait, because of my injuries.

Yelling over the wind at me, I heard, “Get in, you beautiful idiot!”

Okay, the idiot part meant she was still mad at me, but the ‘beautiful’ was pure love to my ears. Mindful of my injuries, I timed the bumps just so, to manage as smooth a dock as any NASA space shuttle pilot.

“What did Mr. Wizard want,?” Anza asked, as I turned back on my communicator.

“He was making a delivery,” I told her, as I unwrapped the box.

Inside, cushioned by green paper, was a old fashioned bottle that was, surprise, green. It had an cork instead of a cap and had a tag attached with a piece of string. Letting the wind rip the empty box and paper from my hands, I looked at the tag.

I had an hard time reading it in the flickering lights as we raced along, but it read, “Drink me!”

“What is it?” she asked, as we saw what must be our bad guys, since they were running without lights.

“Stimulant, I think. He said it’ll put me back on my feet, but I’ll know it in about three hours,” I explained.

We passed the first of the Syndicate henchmen, and it was funny seeing the looks on their faces as the two chicks in the pink VW roared by their stolen SUV. That didn’t last long, as they struck the barrels of weapons out and began blasting away at us.

With a sigh, I pulled out the cork and tipped up the bottle. Mike was a traditionalist it seemed. His potion tasted just as bad as it was supposed to be good for you. It was just plain nasty tasting, feeling, and, gagging, I fought to keep it down.

Anza was weaving dangerously, as bullets were bouncing all about us. “Are you okay?”

A warm glow swam over me, and I realized I didn’t hurt any more, “Yeah! Hold on! I’ll be right back.”

I hovered out and, let a revitalized Cape drag chute me right into their windshield, boots first. Passing though it, Cape and I let loose with a flurry of blows and crashed out of the rear hatch window.

Anza must have used her TK power to keep it from wrecking, because it just glided to a stop. I pulled up and accelerated to catch back up, as Lady Diamond and the guys were neck and neck with us, now.

Rather dryly, Lady Diamond yelled over the wind's roar, “Are you back with us now, or are you still trying to be the Lonesome Ranger?”

“I’m back,” I answered, biting back an explanation. There’ll be time for that later, but now was a time for speed. I pulled myself back into Flower-Power, knowing that Anza could push the car faster than I could fly. That is if it didn’t fly apart! She canna’ take it, Captain!

“Can you do that again Mystery? That seems the best way to take out these Tail End Charlies, with Esperanza playing short stop.” Lady Diamond asked.

“Yeah. Mike gave me some kind of potion and I’m feeling no pain. According to him the down side is, I got three hours before I auger in hard,.” That reminded to do something.

Reaching down for my phone, I set the timer for a vibration alarm in two hours and fifty minutes. I hoped that five minutes would leave enough time for me to reach something soft.

Unlike the last group that was surprised anyone was chasing them, the ones we were closing on had formed two columns that let them shoot back at us. The bad news was, I just wasn’t fast enough to overtake without taking some hits. Yeah, bullets mostly bounce off, but damn it, they still hurt!

We were still working out a plan, when a bolt of electricity arced from one of the SUVs to somewhere over our heads. With its power dead, the big vehicle rammed into a parked car. Looking over our heads we saw the Warders! Conductress was hanging out the open door, calling the vehicle’s electrical power to her.

This time Anza was ready, and used her TK to brake the drained vehicle before it could crash. Another truck load of Mercs soon followed. Ahead were the ones we wanted a limo, a sports car and a couple more SUVs as escorts.

Lady Diamond had gotten Reid to add the Warders to our communications network, something that, in hindsight should’ve already happened. We were still working out a plan when the unexpected occurred.

A pair of ULTIMATE dropships dropped beside the Warder’s V-22, while two more took up position behind us. Just for icing on the cake, another was in front with its rear ramp lowered, with Reaction Team One standing upon it.

“This is Lt. Colonel Benjamin Hostler! Since you ignored my request, you are ordered to stand down and land immediately! Do I make myself understood?” we overheard on our joined comm-net.

A pair of loudspeakers on the dropship ahead of us blared out, “Stop your vehicles at once! You are under arrest! If you don’t immediately comply, deadly force will be used!”

A vicious hard piece of anger started smoldering in me as I watched Dee’s kidnappers race away. There was no way in hell this was anything but a deliberate act to let them get away!

I was about to make some really pointed remarks, when Question beat me to it.

“Colonel Hostler you are interfering with a lawful pursuit of dangerous felons. WE have no choice but to assume you are being coerced, either by mental domination, or other means, since you are allowing them to escape. As to our allies, you don’t have the clearance or the need to know. So get out of our way or be moved! Question out!”

We got our answer, as a burst of gatling gunfire from a dropship tore the guy’s pickup into confetti! From the resulting fireball, a huge eagle like-bird flew upwards with a very pissed off, smoldering werewolf in its claws. Lady Diamond had her own problems, as a tornado of bullets from another dropship’s gatling gun was tearing up the street behind her bike. She was madly trying to avoid its deadly teeth as yet another fired at her.

Suddenly the fire stopped, as that dropship’s port engine exploded as a rain of hammer blows from four 20mm cannons shredded it. With a lurch, it slammed into the buildings lining the street, while its rotors lashed the street before crumpling into ruin themselves.

With a roar, a vintage F8U Dragonfly flashed though the remaining five dropships at over 500 mph. Major Victory! Damn if I didn’t feel like cheering or something. One of the two dropships dealing with the Warders went after him, while George, their pilot, banked violently, spraying decoy flares to avoid a missile fired from the other.

Team One leaped into fray as their brick, Number Five, landed with such force Lady Diamond lost control of her bike in the resulting mini-earthquake. Laying down her Harley in a shower of sparks, she blasted off a few beams at the big guy with seemingly little effect. Renegade dropped Wolfen on the dreadlock coiffeured brick from above, before transforming himself back his human form, 30‘ up.

Lucky us had escaped the gunfire, but now had three of Team One on top of us. Number Three, their blaster, cut loose with a sonic blast that Anza stopped with her TK screen. Number One, their leader and gadget master, fired something at us that hit Flower-Power and, in a arcing web of sparks, killed our power. Hey, I know I’ve complained about having a chick car, but that was our car!

Anza shared my feelings, as her eyes lit up with her anger. A psychic bolt struck Number One, who screamed as her nervous system was overloaded, right before she flew straight into a brick building with a resounding crash!

Meanwhile I was dancing again with Number Four, the former criminal with the golden hair this time. Half flying and half hanging onto our coasting, power-fried, Flower-Power car, I had a fight on my hands. Like me, she was a fast brick, and was just as tough to fight as Enigma, because she could change herself from a mist-like form, to one as hard as steel. She could also alter her size, and was making good use of it to give me a hard time.

I heard, “Mystery! Drop!”

Rolling to the ground, I saw a bolt of lightning fly over my head. Number Four spasmed and fell into Flower-Power‘s backseat in a boneless heap.

Conductress landed next to me, “Someone should have warned her, gold is very conductive.”

“Step lively,” I yelled, as I swung her out of the way of a blast of ultrasonics that pulverized the pavement where she’d been standing.

She fired another electrical bolt back at Number Three, but it went right though him. Damn another one of those ghosts!

I did my best to keep him busy, but with him ghosting out, I couldn’t lay a glove on him. The good news was, he couldn’t seem to generate one of his sound blasts unless he was solid, so it was a standoff.

From a corner of my eye I saw a squad of those power armor guys rolling on the ground, squirming like crazy as soon as they crawled out of their wrecked transport. I was wondering what was up with them until I heard Anza command them, “Ever have an itch you can’t scratch? Itch!”

I knew my lover had an evil sense of humor, but that? Shudder. No matter her methods, she’d kept the troopers off of us. Renegade, falling from above had pile driven Number Five so far into the pavement I think he ended up in the sewers. Wolfen was sparing with Number Two, Team One’s Martial Artist. The nunchaku armed ULTIMATE officer was doing a very effective job of keeping my snarling teammate at bay.

“Wolfen switch,!” I shouted.

He leaped towards me and I ran at him. Cape did our color shifting, chameleon thing again and Number Two, with his eyes fixed on Wolfen as he chased him, never saw what hit him as I came in from underneath.

A second later I made sure he stayed down for the count. Number Three, startled by the drooling snarling Wolfen in his face, never noticed the woman in white behind him who stepped into phase with him and pistol whipped him into unconsciousness. It takes a ghost to take another one out I guess.

The street erupted, sending both Warders flying as Number Five, covered in nasty and unmentionable stuff, came up out of the street! The cloud of steaming gases and the falling bits of asphalt, masonry, and piping gave the impression of an erupting volcano. Oh, and the smell! Man was he mad! Reaching down, he peeled up a sedan sized section of the street and sent it spinning at us like a huge Frisbee!

While I was leaping over that, Cape grabbed my attention, pointing at the dropship that had gotten into firing position. “Oh Crap! Incoming!” I yelled, as it sent a horde of rockets at us. It seemed as if the entire street burst into a hurricane of flying razors and fire! I threw myself upon the ground, seeking sanctuary.

Peering up into that hell, I saw Esperanza’s force screen covering Enigma and Conductress. Question, with his face shielded by an arm, just leaned into the maelstrom as if it was nothing more than a extremely unpleasant, driving rain. As Renegade tried to find something he could throw at the gunships, he got slammed backwards by another huge piece of asphalt and rock that came flying our way. Damn it, Number Five!

Another dropship joined the first, and damn, if it didn’t look like they were going to join the turkey shoot, Crap! We were getting hammered!

Lady Diamond’s voice crackled over our tactical radios, “Chevaliers! Cover-up and lay low! Wolfen draw those damn things towards me, down Cockrum Drive.”

Cape did its camouflage thing and I saw Esperanza showing her stuff by TKing debris about the little group sheltering with her, making them look like a lifeless lump. I couldn’t see anyone else with all the smoke and dust being kicked up. Must be too much crap in the air for Diamond’s Lasers. It was a tough call, having Wolfen play fox to the ULTIMATE’s hounds, but he was the best choice, given his nigh invulnerability to everything but silver that is. Here’s hoping none of those things have any onboard!

With a howl that cut though even the chaos of the explosions, Wolfen charged Number Five! Madly dodging the rockets and cannon fire, while leaping over the smoking craters in the street, he covered the distance in the span of only a breath or two.

Team One’s brick braced himself to grapple with the lycanthrope, but staggered back surprised when a manhole cover, sailed by the snarling Were, hitting him in the chest. With a ringing sledgehammer loud, the heavy steel plate pounded into Number Five, half-spinning him around. Question, after his near perfect discus throw, rolled away as the smoky trail of a missile flew at him from a covering dropship.

Wolfen pounced upon him and vaulted upwards at the strafing dropships, using Number Five’s face as a springboard! Both Dropships broke off as the slavering, angry Wolfen suddenly flew at them.

He didn’t come all that close to them, but Wolfen definitely got their attention. Caught in their rotor’s downdrafts, he spun out of control, landing in an awkward heap. Shaking himself as he healed from his fall, the huge canine’s ears perked up. Twisting around in the air to see where the werewolf had gone, the dropships found their prey.

Dodging the hurricane of cannon fire, Wolfen raced down the street with his tail tucked in tight, as yet another dropship joined in. Yipping in dismay, as the gunfire peppered him with hot shrapnel, he skidded, trying to evade them. I heard Lady Diamond order him to turn the corner, as bright beams shot out from same ragged masonry hole Number One had made in her uncontrolled crash. The intense rays severed the first ship’s rear fuselage. Half out of control, it hit the ground in a shower of sparks and skidded, as its deadly rotors whipped about.

I lost sight of the other two, but looked in the direction the long gone kidnappers had gone with Dee. However, I knew Number Five had to go down. He was trying to rally these guys, and we didn’t need that.

“Go!” Question yelled, as he passed me rushing Number Five. “We can take care of this. Don’t lose the trail. Look for Wraith!”

He swung around the big Team One brick, and rocked him backwards with a right. Renegade, charging, slammed him back into Question. Like a pair of cats, they played a game of bat the mousie with him.

Renegade added in his two cents, “Misty, we’ve got this. Do what the man says, Go!”

Anza was busy keeping yet another group of ULTIMATE troopers busy, trying to get at an itch that was all in their minds. Lady Diamond was busy trying to down the dropship still chasing the werewolf, and Major Victory was dog fighting more above us.

Closing my eyes and breathing in deep, I tried to reach out to Dee. Instead of that brightness that I knew was her, I felt a heavy cloudy feeling. This time I knew it was that damnable mental interference, or PSI jamming, as Anza called it.

Helplessly wondering what the hell to do now, standing in the middle of World War Three, I caught the sight of salvation. Above the twisting, turning, aerial battle of dropships, and heroes there was one solitary V-22 Osprey staying out of the action.

Hostler! That had to be his command ship. If there was ever any doubt that he was our traitor, they were all gone now, with the way he had let them escape. If anyone knew just where Dee was being taken, it was him. With a great leap, Cape and I rocketed upwards. We had a few questions for Lt. Colonel Benjamin Hostler.

His command V-22 broke off, going evasive as the pilots saw us. Given time, they could just out run me. I wasn’t going to give them the chance. The ramp’s gunner sent a stream of tracers and lead at me. I ducked under the ship’s fuselage, out of the gunner’s field of fire. Acting with perfect coordination, Cape whipped a ribbon up to the ramp. Lightning fast, I slingshotted upward, somersaulting into the VTOL. Seeing the gunner had remembered his safety gear, I simply tossed him off the side, letting him dangle by his harness.

I couldn’t help smiling as I saw dear Colonel Hostler. He, his staff, and the short squad of Power-Armor troopers, were being bounced around like a tennis-ball inside a dryer, as the command ship pilots yanked, and banked, trying to avoid the threat, me, not knowing it was just a little too late.

Cape had me anchored down nice and tight, using the same streamers it had pulled me in with. With all the extra communications gear, they only had room for five of those suits, but in theory they were the cream of the crop, there only to provide added security for their commander. They proved it by not even trying to use that formidable array of weapons they packed, because they were just as likely to fill their own ride full of holes as hit me, the way it was juking and jiving.

In a single mass they charged me. If they could get me off the ship, then it could bring its own weapons to bear. Five months ago that might had worked, but, sorry boys and girls, not today. I couldn’t help thinking of an one liner I’d read long ago. “Goons! And they’re all mine!”

The first reached me, and I stiffed armed him to arrest his movement, while more of Cape’s ribbons flowed to the bungee rope-like quick deployment system. These Power-Armor suits had cold-gas jump-jets that would help one survive a fall, but had a limited fuel supply, which was why they had the quick deployment system. Right now they were more than willing to take the fall to get rid of me. Hooking the static line to the suit, Cape prepared another, as I used a Aikido move to sling the hapless leading trooper off into the void.

While I’ll never be in Streeter’s class for speed and reaction times, I was more than a match for even a power-armor enhanced normal. With a twisting judo move, the next two followed the first. The fourth slid some kind of sword blade from his armor’s gauntlets. Cape wrapped around it, and I Aikido threw him out, with a twist. The last one, I just picked up and tossed out, like a bouncer at a nightclub. I glanced over the edge of the ramp at the dangling suits and gunner. Just as I expected, the pilots had finally noticed all of that aerodynamic drag, and that they had a visitor. Sooner or later the troopers would cut themselves loose, but that did give me a few seconds to do what I’d come to do.

Speaking of which Colonel Hostler had pulled his sidearm, and I saw two more crewmen who, I guess, were part of his support staff.

In a flash, I moved to them, “Colonel Hostler, tell your men to drop their weapons. YOU are the one I want to talk to, and you know why. I won’t harm them unless I’m forced. Which is it going to be?” I told him, looking into his eyes.

He flinched, but told them, “Put down your weapons. We don’t have anything that would hurt IT anyway. What do you want mutant?”

Raising an eyebrow, “Mutant I may or may not be, but the question for today is, is that worse than being a traitor?” Cape changed my supersuit back to my original, stylistic, medieval armor look. With a quirk of my lips I asked, “Isn’t it? Too bad for you, you stumbled into someone else’s official operation. Sting. You‘re it.”

I heard his staff gasp as I made my accusations.

One of his men sneered back, “The Mu-taint bitch’s lips is moving, she’s lying!“

He growled back, “At ease, Chief! We’re professionals. Act like it.”

I however, saw the truth in his eyes. What’s more, I could tell, from what I was ‘feeling,’ that he wasn’t going to tell me what I wanted to know anytime soon. That was bad, because Dee was being taken further away every minute.

Pushing though the foggy resistance of that mental interference, I used my bond/link to call my beloved. She had used my hands and eyes before, to aid a badly injured man and now I asked if she could read this traitor’s mind, using me as a conduit.

Quicksilver fast, we shared thoughts. It would reveal exactly where she was, to any who were sensitive. Right now, even her mental domination commands, such as that which incapacitated those Power-Armor suits, weren’t working any too well.

I replied that anyone with ears and eyes could see, and hear, the explosions. If whomever out there could overcome her, we were all screwed anyway, seeing how our careful plans had already come apart. She agreed, and for the first time, Esperanza unleashed her full powers.

Colonel Hostler jerked backward in fear. I wasn’t sure what he saw, but I heard my lips say. “Little man, its time for truth and consequences.”

Then the world came undone. The dam of reality broke loose, and I was dragged along, as my beloved ruthlessly drove into his mind. It only took an instant, but lasted an eternity. Just how long is a single instant of eternity? He did have some sort of protection for his mind, but Anza shattered it like a pane of fragile glass. If his protections had been weak, what laid in waiting within wasn’t. A dark, malevolent power awoke.

It was yet another of those things that defy the power of words to describe. I truly don’t know how to. IF I was forced to, the best way was to say what it wasn’t. It wasn’t another telepath using Hostler as a puppet. Maybe it was more a splinter of something black, and full of evil that had taken up residence in his mind, like a virus of the psyche. Whatever it was reacted like a pit of rattlesnakes when we dropped in. My lover and IT threw themselves at each other in wild abandon, like instinctive enemies.

Esperanza, and that twisty black nastiness fought a battle that, once again, was something I could never describe. Mystery, my role-playing character, had never been telepathic, only empathic. However, that fictional character had never fallen in love with a powerful telepath, or lived as I had the last few months. As they fought, I found I had free-will in this strange place in this man’s head. I knew what I wanted, and somehow I flew towards it. There it was! I had visualized it as a file folder, and there it was. I reached out for it.

No more had I touched it, when a tentacled, spiraling mass split off from whatever Esperanza was wrestling with. Like some primordial creature, it latched onto that file and fought to take it from me. It’s impossible for me to tell anyone how I did it, but I somehow I snatched what I wanted to know about more than anything else in the world, from within that file. Anza somehow knew I had what we sought, and pulled us free, even as that thing snapped at our heels.

Oh Gawd, my head hurt, but who was that screaming? Blinking away the pounding headache, the answers I had grabbed came to me. Pictures of a woman and child, and a sick worried feeling for them, along with an image of ship at dock, and a chained dog. Not sure what that meant, but it could mean his family was being threatened. The ship and dog were the clues I wanted.

Anza’s sweet voice said within my mind, “Are you alright? Did you get what we needed?”

Even thinking seemed to hurt, but I replied, “I got something love, and yes, I’m fine. The next time I ask for you to do that, you have my permission to slap me, hard!”

The VTOL shuddered, and I forced my eyes open past the stabbing pain. Hostler’s eyes were rolled back into his head, but his staff and the pilots were convulsing and screaming! Oh bloody hell! I had thought that thing in Colonel Hostler’s head had just attacked us, but the be-damned thing had hit the entire ship!

I leaped for the cockpit. Razor sharp claws, courtesy of Cape, cut his harness, and I pulled the epileptic ULTIMATE pilot free. Vaulting into his seat, my boots barely touched the rudder pedals. Argh, sometimes it sucks to be small! Scooting forward to reach the controls, Cape kept me from sliding by wrapping itself about me and the seat.

Scanning the huge bank of instruments in front of me, I was dumbfounded. The helicopter, and the old war bird I flew, didn’t help me at all at finding the information I really needed right now. Okay, back to basics, stick and rudder. I fought the controls to regain stable flight.

“Reid, I need assistance! Please respond!” I pleaded. Looking out of the cockpit windows, I could see the rotors were in mid transition. That is, neither in hover, or level flight. Okay. I need to get this thing into hover and land it.

“This is Reid. What is the nature of your emergency?” the AI responded statically though the interference.

‘That’s it. I’m not letting Reid talk Star Tripping with Anza anymore, dang it’. “Reid, I’m sitting behind the controls of an out of control V-22. How do I put this thing into hover?”

Reid was all business. “Affirmative, Center console. Just above engine throttles is the auto-pilot. Hit the engage.”

My faster than human responses were a life saver. “Affirmative. Auto-pilot engaged.”

The pitching V-22 eased into a hover, as I breathed a relieved sigh.

“Mystery. The system is designed to keep the aircraft in a stable hover while the troops are deployed. To land from this point … ,” Reid was saying, but Cape was urgently tapping on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw that Colonel Hostler had somehow regained consciousness and, as I looked, he snapped on the static line and leaped out, Damn it!

I only half paid attention the rest of Reid’s instructions, but it was enough to get the thing on the ground. The tricky part was making sure none those I had left dangling out the ramp, got caught underneath as I landed. But, of course, Hostler was long gone. At least this V-22’s crew would live to fight another day, maybe even against the right enemy this time.

In the distance, I could see the power-armor monkeys I had given the boot to were closing in fast. They could worry about the crew. I had wasted too much time with this as it was, but I knew where to start looking now. Yeah, chained up dogs and a ship at the port.

With a leap Cape and I soared toward where I hoped, with all my heart, I would find Dee alive and well.

***

With an audible rustle, his parchment dry skin crinkled as he smiled. His attendants, chained about him, turned their heads away in fear, at the sight of it. Normally he would take pleasure from their reactions, but right now he was very displeased. Dispelling the defensive energies that prevented those with second sight or their technical equivalents from tracking his minions, the chilling necromantic energies slithered and flowed back inside their pyramidal prison.

This was twice that Patience had failed him in this matter. Before the next step of the great plan could begin, this city’s heroes needed to be either crushed or turned. These newcomers had interfered with both aims. If that wasn’t enough, it seemed an ‘Old Friend’ had become involved. That, in itself, was enough reason to give them his full attention.

In this case however, the Dark Lord had also warned that these others would seek to stop the grand design. There were not many things left in the universe that he truly feared. The Dark Lord, and the power he had to send him back to the endless void where he’d been exiled to, was one of them.

He raised his skull like visage, hearing the sounds of his combat commander returning. The scent of fresh young souls was on the air, and he knew it was a gambit on her part, to take the edge off his anger. This time she would be quite mistaken.

The pleasures he’d taken in her humiliation and her ability to withstand injuries that would kill or maim any lesser being, had made her one of his favorites, but when her incompetence threatened to bring the Dark Lord’s wrath upon him, enough was enough.

Dear, loyal Blight, was standing at his side, just as he had all those many years ago, when both of them had worn different flesh. For his loyal service, he’d been rewarded with the body of a young god that hadn’t been appreciated nearly enough by its former owner.

That made him consider, not for the first time, maybe it was time for him to change shells as well. No matter where his essence was housed, his nature soon drained and used it up. It was true, Patience had an extraordinary resilient body and a truly amazing array of powers, but to be a weak woman? Not of the body perhaps, but weak just the same. Just witness her recent failures. He thought about taking Blight’s, but although it was young and strong, it was still only a normal human. It wouldn’t be sturdy enough to support him for long.

Still it was annoying to be encased in a dried out husk. Yes, the more he thought about it the more enthralled with it he became. Yes, he would be wearing female flesh, but he would still be himself. To be young again was a powerful lure.

It was true that events appeared to be coming to a crisis, and he knew only too well how his “Old Friend’s” mere presence could cause even the most foolproof plans to unravel. However, this time he did have the guest dear Blight had found and invited, to call on, if things truly fell apart.

Was it worth it to be young once more he mused? As always, there would be a short time of weakness, but the fresh souls that were coming would quickly re-energize him. To have a strong young vital body to participate in the coming battle, and to guarantee the victory over his ‘Old Friend,’ would indeed be a sweet drink of revenge for past transgressions.

***

As Patience climbed the steps, her heart nearly froze in her chest, seeing the Master’s ‘attendants’ cringing in fear. That was a very bad sign. Upon seeing the rictus-like smile on his face, her blood drained from her face, and she grew faint as he beckoned her to him.

Trying to keep her composure, her hand stealthy dropped to her Omni-staff. She was determined not go out without a fight, even one as hopeless as this would be. Praying it wouldn’t be needed, Patience slipped her weapon into her hand.

Looking up at her Master, her courage failed her as his terrible laughter began.

***

Heroes of Justice: Abandon Hope All Ye…

This time I tried to exercise a little more subtlety, and had Cape keep us in chameleon mode as I zoomed down the street. The sounds of battle were fading behind me, but I had to gain a little altitude, because I was starting to see normal traffic.

Nearing the docks and port area, I knew I had to be close. We had narrowed this area down as one of the likely areas for the Syndicate headquarters. I know its being near the docks is almost cliché, but it wasn’t an open and shut kind of thing. Based on our maps, where we’d plotted out every crime and sighting, the damn thing seemed to move around.

Like emerging from a bank of fog, I came out of that mental interference. With no obvious signs to follow, I was back to following my instincts, and my clues from Hostler. Closing my eyes, I used my powers to reach for Dee once more. With a sigh, I found her aura. Silly me remembered a quote I’d heard from somewhere “If you follow your heart you can’t go wrong.” Praying that was so, I followed where it was pulling me.

We had covertly checked out trucks and RV’s in the suspected area’s, but still hadn’t come up with a with even a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) to explain what was going on. This time I had a little more to go on, thanks to Colonel Hostler.

I seemed to be heading towards one of those large container ships. Not one of the huge seafaring monsters of the type, but still damn big. The area around it was fenced off, and it sure seemed to have a lot of activity. Problem was, I didn’t see any chained up dogs.

Considering this was the last stop before hitting the bay, I decided to circle around and triangulate. This had to be it, that is unless they’d taken Dee on a submarine! Nope. I told myself, this is it, as I slowly circled, keeping as stealthy as I could. Drifting closer, I finally was able to make out the vessel’s name, The Cerberus. Bingo!

Pulling away towards a local bar because it had the nearest crowd I could find, I flipped out my phone to let everyone else know. Not wanting to trigger that weird mental interference and radio jamming thing, I wanted to keep this short and sweet. Instead of reaching Reid, I got his voicemail. Not surprising. The systems were busy, I guess, with all the chaos happening tonight. Cursing under my breath, I left a message.

“I’ve located Pluto’s dog as an object of interest. I’m going to go to the wharf and take a look. Please hurry, if you don’t want to miss the beginning of the show.”

There! I’d sent out the news and was really hoping I was being overly paranoid. So far the bad guys’ only mistakes had been underestimating us. That was why I didn’t use the radio function, and didn’t use the ship’s actual name. Hoping I wasn’t screwing up by the numbers, I knew the next part was going to be anything but easy.

Being as careful as I could, I sneaked in closer, and soon saw that I’d hit the jackpot. Some of the dock vehicles were actually disguised, armored vehicles, and the guards were carrying military grade weapons and equipment. A casual observer might have been fooled, but not a trained one.

Sub-vocalizing, “Timer Check” I saw 2:00 pop up on my visor. Damn! I’ve used up an hour already. I still hadn’t heard from the guys, and couldn’t afford to charge in. Moving as slow I could to maintain our near invisibility, Cape and I boarded the Cerberus. There were huge stacks of those big sea/land containers on the deck, and I was completely lost as to where to go, until I saw some crewmen enter one, which was under guard.

I could have slapped myself. They were using the blasted containers as their base! Trucks were moving the bloody things around, and then reassembling them, back into their base. It seemed a little cumbersome, but it had sure confused us. I mean, it was all a juggling act, using paperwork, but it meant this was a huge operation. And here I was, all on my lonesome, with my team in now open defiance of the law, and even the Warders were in the doghouse.

Now the question was, how get in. I got my answer as Cape, yanking on a sleeve, pointed another form moving ghost-like, edging next to an ventilation system, Wraith? Soundlessly gliding over to where I had seen the Warder’s sneaky specialist. At least I hoped it was her.

“Wraith? It‘s Mystery” I whispered very, very softly.

Just as low, she answered, “Yes.”

Motioning me to the grill, she silently urged me to open it. I carefully used my strength to remove it as soundlessly as I could. Once inside and out of sight, we held a quick conference. The Warder team transport had dropped her off on top of the fleeing vehicles, before they had come to help us. The bad guys had simply evaded pursuit and disappeared, too damn many times. This time, Question had loaded the dice. After hitching a ride here with the bad guys, she’d hidden and then sent out a signal, showing our friends where she was.

Playing cagey, like me, she was keeping ‘radio silence,’ but was concerned, since she hadn’t heard anything from her team, either. I told her I had sent out a call too, but neither one of us was content to wait for the cavalry. Besides, I wanted to get Dee out of here before all hell cut loose again. Wraith agreed. Cape changed my costume into something more suitable for crawling around inside ventilation ducts, and we were off.

Wraith was even smaller than I was, topping out maybe 5’2”, and as lithe as a snake, but I had the advantage of my flight, so I could kinda drift in the center of the ducts. This was one of the first times I almost regretted being top heavy. As slim as I am, my breasts look bigger than they really are. Sure, every now and then they do get in the way, but regrets?

We’ve all seen those movies with guys crawling around in these ducts, right? Bull!, I’m a lot smaller than I used to be, and I’m telling you it was tight as hell! Guys may make dirty jokes about women’s ‘bumpers,’ but it isn’t any damn fun at all when they actually play the role.

We had to navigate a couple of sheer drops and climbs, but with me flying, and Cape acting as rope for Wraith, we did pretty well. It didn’t take long for us to get the idea that somehow, it was bigger inside this damn place than it was outside. This place was huge and had everything any mastermind bent on world domination could desire. Barracks, kitchens, weapon ranges, and, I’m not kidding, a sauna.

We knew we were heading in the right direction when the screams began. Both of us winced from the soul deep torment that echoed from within them. For me it was even worse being an empath. It hurt! I was forced to block almost every thing except for my ‘string’ leading to Dee.

Finding a vent, both of us peered out, half afraid what we would see when we did. The room looked if, somehow, they had put 3 of those containers together. The room looked just like a scene from that game I played back home, Demon Slaughter. You know, the throne of bones and skulls with ornate pools filled with blood? This one was set on a wide platform on top of a small twenty feet tall pyramid. The pyramid of skulls and bones was three tiered, with prisoners shackled to each tier, and it had these channels where their blood would run into the pools. A elevated walkway went from the doorway and circled around the pyramid. In front of the stairs ascending to the top was even a sarcophagus. The ugly, gray, metallic coffin just screamed that it was designed to keep something locked within. The thick bands that had bound it had obviously had been broken, oh joy.

What the game never had, was the stench of death, and that horrible metallic smell from the blood that kinda struck to your tongue. I’ve no idea why I didn’t start throwing up on the spot. Maybe it was Mike’s potion, but I’m telling you, both Wraith and I got very green.

Atop the throne was a corpse. I mean, there was no other way to describe it. The Thing had pale desiccated skin, with a thatch of bristle like hair. Like I said, a corpse dressed in a black costume with red highlights. The kicker was, of course, this one was still moving.

The screamer was the woman who’d nearly killed me, Patience. Her entire body arched backwards from the torment inflicted upon her, but some force wouldn’t let her fall. Next to her, the corpse had its hands upon her head and chest. Ill, nauseous colored reddish auras ran down its arms and flickered, as if in time with the beat of an heart.

Then, scanning down the walkway past that ghastly scene, I saw Dee! What shocked me was that Tom was down there as well. Not as a participant, as Anza believed, but handcuffed like Dee and the other hostages. The whole thing was such an apocalyptic picture, I almost forgot to use my phone to record what we were seeing! I never anticipated anything like this. Maybe a heavyset Barlon Mrando like figure reigning over a conference of Richard Tracey villains, but never anything like this!

Standing over the hostages, at the foot of the pyramid stairs, were the cream of the Syndicate enforcers, Big Red, Ripper, Man Mountain, and even Tom’s fiancé, among about 10 others. But damn it, I knew it, standing beside Mr. Undead up there, was that Greek bastard, Hyperion.

Even with my empathic shielding, Patience’s agony made me ache. With Dee in sight, I shut off even that link, for what was happening down there was just too damn awful and painful. We hardly knew each other, but Wraith and I found ourselves holding hands, and each other, as Patience’s screams of agony echoed in that terrible place.

I think I caught on, because I was so afraid that with whatever was happening to Patience, that Tom and Dee would be next. Even as her torture was building to a crescendo, damn if I didn’t see Tom slip free of his bonds. No one else saw a thing, for their eyes were involuntarily locked upon the grim scene being played out in front of them.

With a flourish, the corpse-thing ripped something from her chest that shone bright, even in that grim place. Patience’s body slumped to the floor, and I had no doubt she was dead, because I was sure that, that thing held what was left of her essence in its skeleton claws.

All watched as the bright shape writhed and fought helplessly, before it vanished into the black maw of that corpse-thing’s mouth. With a satisfied, skull toothed grin, it reached down and dragged Patience’s lifeless body into a horrible parody of an lover’s embrace. With a lurch, it vomited a ugly red worm of energy into Patience’s body and I couldn’t help but shiver as I saw her corpse begin to breathe.

Tom had other things in mind. He waited until even the Enforcers looked away, or closed their eyes in revulsion, and made his move. There was a table where all of the hostage’s belongings had been placed, and fast as a striking viper he nabbed his phone. Before they even knew he’d moved, he spun back around to the other prisoners.

My phone shook and rattled as he hit the panic button of his phone, “Mike! Get them the hell out of here!” He shoved his phone into Dee’s hands just as their guards were becoming aware that anything was wrong.

A bright green light flashed as a disk of green formed on top of Dee, and she vanished! Standing on its edge, like a circular door suspended in midair, another shell shocked young woman, handcuffed and numb from her abuse, was pushed into the disk by Tom, while a pair of arms reached for her from within it. The other hostages, after witnessing tonight’s dreadful events, decided whatever was on the other side of the green had to be better than where they were. They stumbled into it, fleeing the horrible events they’d just witnessed.

Ripper snarled and leaped at them, but Tom neatly judo tossed him across the walk into one of those obscene pools of red.

Crap! This was going down right now and I still didn’t have a clue where the cavalry was! Wraith had made herself visible, I think maybe to give me a friendly face to look at. I could tell she was thinking the same thing I was. Charging down there wasn’t going to change a damn thing. Right, time for a compromise!

Whispering desperately to her, “They’re fixated on Streeter. We can play guardian angel for him, unseen,” I pleaded.

When she nodded, a wave of relief went though me. I surged forward and forced the vent open. Wraith disappeared as she dropped to the floor, and I gave the metal a quick bend to keep the vent from falling as I replaced it.

The bad guys were trying to haystack Streeter, but catching a speedster is not the easiest thing in the world. What he had done was distract them long enough for Mike, using his magic disk, to steal all the hostages away, including Dee. With a wink the disk shrank and was gone before the baddies could follow.

I saw a pair of bumbling villains trip and fall, knocking over a third, and knew Wraith was busy. Seeing my old friend, Big Red swinging away madly at the dodging Tom, I couldn’t help sending one of Cape’s ribbons to give him a bump, which sent him stumbling and almost into Ripper, who was pulling himself up out of that grim red pool.

Me? I was hovering stationary near the wall where my camouflage was the most effective, and using streamers from Cape to disrupt things. Not that it needed any encouragement! Talk about a situation tailor made for an inveterate prankster!

But all good things must end. Our fun free-for-all ended as that nasty soul eating, cadaver thing stirred.

Hyperion knelt beside it, receiving orders I guess, then stood up. “Stop! Lord Corruption commands that the sacrifices must be returned! Blip, open a portal to the Warder’s headquarters, where the Master has informed me they’ve been taken. Ripper will lead. Persuader, Aerial, and I will deal with the speedster.

“Ripper, take all the Invincibles, and an entire company of the Black Guards. Destroy everything, but I caution you, the Lord’s sacrifices must be undamaged, lest you take their place.” the tall Greek commanded.

As far as I could see, that corpse wasn’t moving any too lively, pardon the pun, so I’m guessing Tom had done better than he’d guessed in disrupting whatever that thing needed to steal bodies.

The bad news was, a multi-hued, costumed woman had opened a rainbow colored arch, and bad guys were lining up to go into it. Tom was trying to get around Big Red and his Ex, but he couldn’t quite make it. Damn it Tom! Just punch the bitch out! For some reason though, he seemed unable to move.

Crap! They were sending a whole damn army after Mike and Dee!

Hitting my phone’s panic button, I broke my radio silence, “Heads up! There is a major strike force teleporting in to hit the Warder’s headquarters. At least a dozen supers and a hundred mercs, with orders to recapture the hostages, acknowledge?”

Mike’s voice sounded so damn good!, “A Dozen supers and a hundred mercs, I confirm. Chevalier’s are en route to your area. Keep tight and stay safe.”

While I had the chance, I squirted my report and pictures that I’d taken to his phone . As I watched Hyperion carry Patience’s corpse to that throne of bone I replied, “Wishful thinking, big guy. Mystery out.”

***

Mike yelled into the simulation camber’s intercom, “Company coming, and they’re loaded for bear!” He’d been using this room because it was one of the toughest constructed rooms in the Warder’s HQ, just in case something followed his enchantments back, following his off the cuff hostage rescue.

Talk about a total Fluster Cluck! For the past hour, ULTIMATE’d had the Chevaliers and the Warders pinned up here in the HQ after that little misunderstanding downtown. That bastard Hostler knew just how to play on his bureaucratic bosses fears, to get what he wanted. He had most of ULTIMATE’s resources sitting outside of their door right now.

Then a thought occurred to him, ‘What if?’

Reaching out with his magical senses, he felt the Syndicate teleporter’s door in space and time opening. Of course it was on the other side of the building from the mass of ULTIMATE’s armed forces, but with a little green earth magic to just alter the space time coordinates just a decimal point, Ta-da, it’s soup! Oh sure, he wasn’t supposed to muck with time, but it’d been really just an itty-bitty bit.

The explosion of gunfire and chaos he heard erupt outside gave him a warm feeling. Maybe he should feel bad about the ULTIMATE guys getting the short end of the stick, but he was sick and tired of them shooting at the wrong guys. That old saying was so true, 'Friendly fire isn’t!'

Welcome to the fight for justice, boys!

His own wards started singing, trouble was a coming, and Mike gave a look over his shoulder to make sure the hostages he and Streeter had rescued were out of the line of fire. The HQ’s support staff had hustled most of them away, but wouldn’t you know it, Dee had managed to avoid them.

“Dee follow the others! Trouble is coming.” Mike ordered.

Stubbornly, she shook her head, “I can feel them. It’s those two tunnel guys. You might need me to dig you out, like I did Misty.”

Damn if she didn’t have a point. Well, time to cash in on a favor.

“Right, stay well behind me. If anything happens to you, Mystery and Anza will kick my butt.” he motioned her behind him.

With a crash, both Ripper and Man Mountain tore though the heavily reinforced concrete floor, amid the hooting and howling klaxons and flashing alarm lights. Both of them being the low-brow sort, they had decided to throw away surprise, in favor of the fear factor.

Mike took a deep breath and prayed this worked. Pouring a prepared bottle of spring water onto the floor where it pooled, he knelt.

Unimpressed the two goons advanced on him. Ripper demanded, “Give us the hostages and we’ll make it nice n’ quick, pretty boy.”

Ignoring them Mike addressed the pool of water, as the flashing alarm lights reflected off it. “Lady of the Waters. I ask thee to grant me a boon of a weapon to defend the innocent, and stop those who seek to profit by injustice.”

The two halted in surprise as the image of an lady, beautiful beyond compare, seemed to rise from within the depths of a lake, despite it being just a spill less than a centimeter deep upon the floor. In amazement, they watched, as impossibly, the hilt of some sort of weapon followed. They looked at each other in befuddlement, recognizing it as a baseball bat?

Mike grasped the wooden grip and pulled it from the water. A rain of brilliant droplets followed its release from the Lady’s hand. Turning it to check the trademark, Yep, it was a genuine Louisville Slugger, except that no product of that illustrious plant had ever hummed with power like this one did. He didn’t need to see the additional runes branded on it, proclaiming its name, for it was legend, even if this was its first incarnation as a white ash baseball bat.

Bouncing it gently in a business like manner in the palm of his hand, he looked up, “My Lady, I thank thee for thy gift, and pray I may have the wisdom to use it wisely and well.” Standing, he stood ready.

Ripper, regaining his bluster, guffawed, “Little man, you’re going to stop us with a baseball bat?

Man Mountain joined in his companion‘s rude laughter. “How about we shove that bat up your …” but stopped when Mike joined in their laughter.

“Anytime you’re ready gents. Come get some!” Mike motioned to them, giving a grim smile.

With a roar that rivaled any monster of old, they charged the champion who defended a child. Old powers stirred, as ancient pacts long forgotten, but no less powerful, were honored.

Outside, a vicious battle was being waged. With no warning, their enemies had appeared right in the middle of their forces. ULTIMATE troopers battled Black Guard mercenaries, while the trained teams of the Invincibles fought their dropships and war machines. The Warders, once the ones under siege, now became ULTIMATE’s ally, as they sallied forth into such a battle as few had ever seen.

A war previously unseen had come into the open, lit by the fires of exploding aircraft and the bolts of death that slew friend or foe. One could, perhaps, forgive a participant or two for wanting to be elsewhere. Let’s say, that cozy castle that had been doing so well at keeping trouble at bay.

But even in the center of this whirlwind of destruction, the thunderous booms that shook the earth from the heart of the Warder’s citadel gave all pause to wonder what was causing it, and even wonder if just maybe they were better off out here after all.

Heroes of Justice: Cry Havoc!

I was half-expecting Wraith to sneak out though the arch before it vanished, but instead, I felt her beside me. It was her home under attack, after all, but she had stayed. With all of those enforcers about, we hadn’t had a chance to break Tom out, anyway. Maybe now, with just Big Red and the Greek, we could run for it.

Little Miss Witch the Ex?, Well, honestly, I didn’t think she would prove a problem. Well, you know what they say about assumptions making an ass of you and me. We found out all about that, as it got really hard to move!

I think we both thought the gig was up and that we’d been discovered. The truth came out when Tom’s Ex swaggeringly walked to where he’d been slowly forced down to his knees.

“What? Not trying to crawl away are you? That’s a change from when you were trying so hard to get into my pants. No snappy comebacks snookums? You see, I lied about being only a minor mutant, and not having any powers. I used to only be able to control gravity about myself. I worked as an Exotic entertainer with the stage name of Aerial, because I danced in zero-gravity. But then, all that changed, after making a teensy weensy little deal. I now have full control of my gravity powers.” she sounded every bit as unpleasant as I remembered her to be.

Red faced and fighting to breathe as she was crushing him, he tried to reason with her, “You don’t have to do this, Becky. I never would’ve asked you to marry me if I thought you were the type of person they think you are. Let me go. Together we can try and make things right. … Becky?”

Kneeling by him, as he fought to keep from being pressed flat onto the floor, she caressed his face, “Sorry, Duane. Maybe if we’d met before all of this happened, but once you sell yourself to the Master, you’re his, now and forever.”

Walking down the steps of the throne, Hyperion took off his jacket and loosened his tie. The Greek shrugged as he hit the edges of her G-field, but a crackling crimson field sprang to life about him, protecting the tall shipping tycoon.

Poor Wraith was trapped just like Tom, pressed nearly flat to the floor. Me? It’d taken every last bit of strength Cape and I had to just keep myself from stomping as I neared them. That was good, because it made me move slow enough I was virtually invisible, but bad, because I got the idea that once Mr. Greek reached Tom, something unpleasant was on the agenda.

I beat him there, but not by much. Not having the time or the power to do anything fancy, I fought to raise my arm above her and, aiming carefully, let it drop like the cast iron ingot it felt like.

Her eyes widened right before I struck. She must’ve she seen me because I was so close. There was a splash of blood, and simultaneously, she and the G-field dropped. I thought I might’ve killed her, but I didn’t have a choice at the time.

Tom collapsed along with the field but, that lasted only a split second, as he jumped up and checked to see if she was alive. From his expression, I gathered she was, but at the time I had bigger problems.

Patience corpse’s voice rang out, “Blight, it appears we have some uninvited guests. Please don’t be rude. Introduce them, won’t you?”

That damn Greek answered to the name like a well heeled dog. His nauseous reddish energy field pulsed, throwing St. Elmo’s fire about all in that grim place. The damn glowing stuff clung to everything. Yes, even those of us trying to remain unseen. Wraith and I were revealed by our glowing outlines.

Cape, reading my mind, re-armored us in our original medieval style costume again, as I reached down to help up my friend. Both of us were keeping a close eye on Big Red and Hyperion.

Tom whispered to me, “What took you so long?”

Together, we edged back to where Wraith, still trailing St. Elmo’s fire, waited warily. I didn’t have a clue as to what the Greek’s powers were, but they seemed to involve neutralizing others abilities. His energy field let him ignore Aerial’s gravity increasing thing, and had let him find Wraith and me. That put her at a serious disadvantage without her invisibility gig.

I whispered back to him, “I took a wrong turn in Albuquerque. Mike says the Cavalry is on the way, but why don’t we beat feet away from these dudes in the meanwhile?”

Hyperion’s voice rang loud, “My lord, it is one of the interlopers, and Wraith of the Warders.”

“Going somewhere dears?” spoke the cadaver thing up on the throne.

If I’d still had balls they would’ve looked for somewhere to hide. Cape’s alert center had passed red alert and was headed to plaid! It told me, in no uncertain terms, that the animated cadaver was a really, truly BAD thing. We had about much as a chance of taking that thing out as a moth taking out a bug zapper. It ate living things.

The corpse thing directed the Greek, “Blight, please dispense with them. I need amusement until my servants return with my sacrifices.”

Wraith, trying to shake off the distracting red flickering glow clinging to her, joined the two of us, apparently approving our plan, “That sounds like a very good idea.”

Hyperion bowed his head in acknowledgment, “As thou wish, my lord.”

All three of us were still backing away as the two of them came closer.

“How does a three count and a rush for the doors sound to you two?” Tom asked in a whisper.

I think we both nodded, for no way in hell were we going to take our eyes off Big Red and Mr. Greek advancing towards us.

“Three!” Tom and I breathed, and turned, sprinting for the exit. Wraith cursed something in Chinese behind us, and was close on our heels.

We hadn’t gone half a dozen steps before Cape started pulling in warning. In that weird way that time seems to slow, I saw the only way out, begin to fill with a sea of assault suited guards, armed to the proverbial teeth.

I didn’t need to turn around to just know Big Red was smiling. The three of us slowed to a stop, and I couldn’t help but remember a line from a movie about a small group of soldiers about to be rushed by untold thousands of blood thirsty natives. “May the good Lord make us truly grateful for what we are about to receive.”

“Misty, I’ve been an Ass. I’m sorry,” Tom said softly, as we slowed to a stop, staring at the really, truly between a rock and a hard place we found ourselves in.

Wraith and I both turned to face him with disbelief on our faces. I hadn’t known the Warders were aware of Streeter’s failings, but it was plain the two of us were thinking the same thing. He was apologizing? We were just so doomed!

“Tom your timing sucks, but apology accepted. What say you two take out the storm-troopers, and I’ll have tea and crumpets with these two?” I asked. Geez, Anza was right. I’ve been spending way too much time around the Colonel!

My plan was simple. Streeter was still stripped to his waist, and without his toys. Wraith, if she stayed away from Hyperion, might have a chance against the hired muscle, even without her invisibility. With luck, they could fight through, while I played rear guard. We knew where the real threat was, and I was the only one who might be able to do anything to stop them. Well, a girl and her Cape anyways, that is.

They rushed the line of guards, and battle was joined in a roar of gunfire, shouts and screams. Turning around, I suddenly had my hands full, because while Big Red might be a little slow, he wasn’t stupid, if you know what I mean. His all too familiar big red boot to the face somersaulted me though the air. Twisting about, I landed, cat-like, on my feet.

Wiping the stinging sensation from my mouth, I jeered, “Hello, sugar. Miss me?”

Both of them started after me, but Big Red held up a hand. Hyperion, seeing his companion’s desire, graciously nodded and folded his arms in repose, while keeping an eye on the mayhem developing behind me.

“You really should have accepted my offer. Finding and penetrating this room truly proves we could have accomplished extraordinary things together. It is a shame that it had to end this way, alas.” The big guy in red shook his head sadly.

That’s when I figured out he had to be using some kind of power field, or maybe even pheromones. Persuader, known to me as Big Red, was one of the bad guys we didn’t have a lot of information about. Whatever it was, it was distracting, and, I suspected, particularly so to women. He was about to get one hell of an surprise, because it wasn‘t going to work this time. My mental protection was much stronger than before, and Cape could help by screening what I was breathing.

We took each other’s measure and, as soon as I saw a glimpse of doubt in his eyes, I moved. Can’t say for sure what made the difference this time; Months of hard training, being better integrated with Cape, or just me being stronger and faster now. This time it was him eating my red boot for a change.

Giving me a wary look, he pulled himself to his feet.

Not wanting him to get smart and invite the Greek to our little shindig, Cape and I gave him just the cutest curtsy.

While I was taking care of old business, I still noticed what was going on at the top of that obscene pyramid. That cadaver thing up on the throne had started feeding in some way, on those poor unfortunates manacled to its sides. The more that died, the more animated it got. I didn’t need Cape to tell me that this was not a good thing.

Big Red, his masculine pride in a bind, came at me with a combination of kicks and punches.

Cape floated me above his fury, and precisely I put him back on his butt, while Cape tangled his feet. We landed with a thump on his midsection, and started whaling on him. With his head flat on deck, and taking the full force of my strikes, I was seriously ringing his clock!

Big Red kicked himself free with a huge effort, and vaulted to his feet. Anyone else would have been thrown away from him, but not me.

My personal combat style looks very much like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster. That’s simply because I can fly. I can use all four limbs for striking and blocking. My months of training had let me refine this under the tutelage of Mr. Chang’s mysterious, un-named, secret Chinese clan of martial arts masters. I might look like some Hollywood starlet using wirework to perform impossible acrobatic maneuvers, but in reality, it gives me the most priceless advantage in any fight, surprise.

Instead of being thrown away from him, I curled myself into a ball, and just spun in the air like a top. Big Red stood there, shaking his head, trying to clear it, not expecting me to still be right there in front of him. Straightening my leg, and twisting on the axis of my spin, I hit him with the great grandmother of all roundhouse kicks.

His head snapped around, and even I felt the shock of the impact all the way to my teeth. Big Red half spun about before he slammed back into the deck. I risked a quick look at the mayhem Streeter and Wraith were inflicting on Mr. Corpse Thing’s goons. That was an almost fatal move, as Big Red might’ve been down, but the big guy was not out.

Persuader grabbed a handful of Cape and yelled! “NO CAPES!” With a flick of his wrist, the big man in red whipped it around, aiming for the bulkhead. The look on his face was priceless when I didn’t go anywhere! it was just like pulling on a toilet paper roll, and it failed to tear, as Cape had given and stretched, robbing Big Red’s blow of its power.

Unfortunately for him, he was the second to use that derogatory line, and try that tonight. Big Red had barely enough time for a double take, as Cape wrapped itself around his arm. With arm wrenching crack, Cape snapped back into its normal length, playing crack the whip just like the big guy had intended, but with him, rather than us, crashing into the bulkhead! This time, Persuader just oozed, unconscious onto the deck. Goodnight, Gracie! I felt like crowing, as my own personal boogieman went down. However the sounds of the furious fight going on at the doors killed that idea real fast like.

Giving a glance at that battle, Tom had appropriated a katana from some unlucky guard, and together, he and Wraith were carving their way out. They both had cuts and bruises, but like the old saying goes, ‘you should see the other guys.’ There were more than a dozen fallen bodies about them, and only some of them were in need of immediate medical attention, if you know what I mean. The good news was, the way out was almost clear.

Not surprisingly at all, the Corpse-thing was having none of that. With a crash, the doors shut! The baddies in black leaped out of the way, and looked as unhappy as we were about being on the wrong side of them. Looking back behind us, the thing moving Patience’s cadaver waved a hand, and a loud clanking from the doors let all know they were dogged shut, Shit!

“No, no, no! You must not leave so soon. You are so entertaining! I simply must insist you stay for dinner. Blight,” it said, addressing the Greek. “Why don’t you seat our guests? Your men can assist, unless they would rather take their place,” it said, waving at the tiers around the throne that now held only the bodies of the dead.

The remaining dozen and a half or so goons took a good look at their fallen comrades, and then at that horrible figure atop that pyramid of bones and blood. As one, they screamed and charged. Oh man, this just gets better and better. I’d been eyeing the Greek, but up to now he’d been content to let Big Red and his men do the fighting.

Just than a huge explosion rocked the ship! ‘Knock, knock. I think my friends are calling!’ As everyone else fought to remain standing, I took the opportunity to slide tackle Hyperion, and damn near took myself out doing it. The pain that ripped though me when I hit that vicious ruby luminosity of his was enough to cause me to see spots, even though I did take him down. Okay, important safety tip. Don’t touch the Greek!

“Mystery, this is Diamond. We’re on the way!” Morgan’s beautiful voice promised, as I rolled away from Mr. Hyperion with every nerve in my body burning.

“You'd better save that for me,” Anza’s presence told me, overhearing my thoughts.

Thinking back to her, “You don’t know how good it is to feel you with me again! Yes, you’re beautiful, and so much more, but right now, we have a big problem, so please don‘t take too long.”

Sub-vocalizing, so everyone on our tactical radio network could hear, “We have the demi-lich of doom and a Greek level boss down here. Bring help, a lot of help! We’re in full retreat, so hurry!”

The aforementioned was already on his feet, so Cape and I levitated off the deck. Cape scooped up some of the fallen guards’ equipment and made me some baseball sized missiles. I decked an overly ambitious guard goon, but I didn’t let my eyes leave the Greek as he began slowly walking our way.

“Now that isn’t very friendly, turning down the Master’s kind invitation,” he said, stepping into thin air as if it was solid.

‘Oh great! He can fly too, but ha, too late sucker.’ I let fly with a fastball at him that was dead on target.

Hitting that nasty, reddish energy field of his, my projectile exploded into a haze of rusty dust!

He smiled saying, “Come now. Nothing lasts forever. Whether just losing the will to live, or just worn out, everyone dies. The Master has gifted me with the power to hasten that fate. Why fight entropy, little one? It is meant to be.”

I had been using my body to shield Streeter and Wraith as they struggled with the dwindling number of guards, as that way I kept Hyperion’s attention, but he was getting too close. I was a lot more maneuverable than he, and flittered away, out of his reach. I sent him a couple more fastballs, hoping maybe one with little or no metal in it might get though, but no such luck. Some of the shots disintegrated, while others just slowed and melted. They did keep his attention away from my team mates, but that was about all.

The cadaver up upon old bony top was starting to grow a little impatient, but the sounds of battle outside let me know that help was on the way. Streeter was limping, and Wraith wasn’t looking any too good either. If that wasn’t enough, that damn Greek was getting too bloody close!

Just when I didn’t need anymore bad news, “Mystery, this is Mike. I’ve been busy but Dee and I are fine. Just looked at those pictures you took. The key to this whole thing is to destroy that pile of skulls and bones. It’s a kind of magical storage battery that’s keyed to a really nasty ritual. Be careful when you bust it. We’re talking about undead battery acid, and the worst possible toxic waste you can think of mixed together here. The direst kind of bad Juju!”

Dodging the Greek bootlicker at the last possible moment, “Boy you’re just full of good news, aren’t you?”

Mike’s tired voice replied, “I’m all out of good news. The Warders and ULTIMATE are up to their necks in troubles with those party crashers you sent our way. Hell, I’m told the Air Force and the Army are on the way, and for all I know, the Navy and Marines are too. I’m still helping the Warders clear up a little rodent infestation. When I settle that unfinished business, I’ll be on my way, but until then, you and the rest of the Chevaliers are on your own.”

When it rains it pours. Out of the corner of my eye I saw old gruesome weakly lift itself out of its throne and start chanting, I think in Japanese. Who says all those hours of watching Anime was wasted?

Meanwhile, my teammates had finished off the last of the guards, and were trying to open the doors. The sounds of battle inside the room died away, but the ones outside were not only still roaring strong, they were getting closer, thank you very much!

Cape started hitting the panic button about the same time Streeter just had to say it, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

No one could miss the grating sound that gray, metal coffin lid made when it began sliding off that wonderful center piece, in front of that cheery rustic pyramid. Streeter and Wraith gave each other a look, and frantically went to high speed, trying to figure out a way to open those damn doors. The falling lid made a tremendous loud bang as it slid off, hitting the already busted bands that had kept it shut. At the same time, a radiation warning started flashing in the upper corner of my visor, just as an emaciated hand reached up and began pulling its owner out of the coffin, Oh Crap!

“Mystery to all Chevaliers. New undead bad guy on the field! Heads up! It’s radioactive, whatever it is!”

That’s when I got the exceedingly horrible, bad idea. Hyperion and I had been steadily gaining altitude, and were nearing the ceiling. All the while I’d been looking for something that I could whale on him with, that didn‘t just fall apart. When Mike called, I’d glanced down at the pyramid stack of bones in question. There, next the remains of the husk the corpse-thing had shed, was this bright silvery wand, Patience’s shiny weapon thingie! ‘Hey, didn’t I see it morph into a shield tough enough to stop one of Renegade’s haymakers?’

“Enough of this!” Patience’s cadaver demanded. “My dear honored guest, I have freed you from your decades long imprisonment. Please honor our agreement and eliminate this student of your old enemy. Do you not see the his symbol upon her breast?”

I didn’t have a clue what it was talking about, so of course I glanced down at myself. Cape had added a small, golden, Greek Omega symbol to our supersuit, that was just like the pin the Major had given us at our informal graduation. I can’t blame it, for Cape was just as proud of completing the Major’s school of hard knocks as I was.

Being a little busy avoiding Hyperion’s spirited attempts to seat me for dinner, I hadn’t given whatever was crawling from that coffin a whole lot of attention. What I did know was that it was radioactive, and hotter than hell. Now, however, seemed a good time to find out what was going to be trying to kill me next. Damn, but my dance card was getting full!

It was a very well preserved mummy that just looked kinda dried out, and didn’t look to have decayed much at all. Japanese style robes covered a uniform of some kind underneath, but I couldn’t tell much else. Besides, it was moving, and had a pair of miniature blazing, sun like orbs for eyes. Cape didn’t like it, and I can’t say I did either!

The Mummy raised its hands, and streams of fire shot from them like a flamethrower! I dodged, and the flames splattered, hissing against the wall. Cape hugged itself to me as the flames just missed us, while the little blinking radiation warning on my visor went nuts!

I made a dash for escape before Hyperion and the Flaming Mummy of Doom pinned me in a corner, but a hail of fiery bolts made that moot. The stench of burnt paint and metal didn’t help the aroma in here at all, but Cape helped by providing thicker breathing aid, in the form of a scarf across my face, so I could even breathe at all in here. I knew I needed protection, and the memory of how Patience used that silver rod of hers to protect herself was still fresh. Desperately twisting in the air, I dove for the top of that obscene throne as fast as I could, dodging the mummy’s flaming ack-ack coming up at me. Cape protected me from most of that hail of deadly radioactive fire, but despite both of our efforts, we got burned. Just glancing hits, but bloody hell, they still hurt!

In a diving roll, I snatched up that rod of quicksilver, thinking, begging, ‘Please help me and Cape. We need a shield.’ To my amazement, it worked it! A large, shiny, round shield flowed out from the silvery wand just in time for a fistful of scorching hot blasts to bounced off of it, splattering small globes of fire everywhere.

Peering over the shield’s quicksilver edge I saw that the Asian Mummy from hell didn’t care for that at all. I ducked behind the shield as a literal river of incandescence thundered up at me. Even though I was fighting for all I was worth, it still forced me back, my feet skidding on stuff I didn’t actually want too think too much about, but more importantly, it was pushing me back towards where Patience’s possessed corpse waited with hungry eyes.

Still, most of that superheated, ravaging, stream of destruction reflected off and almost nailed Greek boy. No such luck, but caught in the edges, he fell smoking, while the rest of that fiery torrent blew a big hole enough for a truck, clean though the ceiling!

Suddenly the firestorm was stopped by a roar of gunfire. Streeter had stripped a armored vest full of ammo and an assault rifle from one of the unconscious thugs. He was pouring bullets into Ole Flaming Doom, while Wraith was slinging shurikens in a steady stream, like she was dealing cards. The problem was, they weren’t doing much good. Everything they sent his way was bursting into flaming, molten gobs that never seemed to hit him. About the only thing it did do was start to slowly burn those Samurai robes away, as he heated up. Oh yeah, and get his attention.

Both of my team mates dove for cover, as more fire shot at them, hissing and splattering like hot grease as it missed. Streeter never stopped firing. He’d moved just enough not to get hit, and slammed another magazine home, even as the spent one was still falling to the metal grate flooring. Wraith, using acrobatics, nimbly kept from becoming a crispy critter while stopping to search the still moaning guards for more things to throw.

Looking back at the corpse thing holding onto its throne for balance while reaching for me, I remembered all too well how it had sucked Patience’s life dry. Talk about being between the Devil and the deep blue sea! ‘Let me see. Death by radiation poisoning, or having my soul devoured?’

I took a running start and, using my flight, guided a good old fashioned shield smash right into Ole Flaming’s noggin! Yay for foolish youthful wastes of time, running around in padded mail armor, and bashing fellow nutcases and friends in the Society for Innovative Anachronisms!

You want to know how hot he was? Hot, Damn hot! Just like a blast furnace. Thank Gawd Patience’s silvery thingie didn’t melt, and Cape was fireproof! Even so, I was adding to my un-nice collection of burns. At least I had some kind of protection. Streeter and Wraith didn’t have any at all. It was debatable if I had any either, since Cape was, thank goodness, likely partially biological. I was really, really hoping, like the advertisement for those shade’s, Cape did provide thermo-nuclear protection!

My bash had knocked him sprawling onto the metal walk. The area where he fell began to glow and soften in the extreme heat coming off of him. I had to use the shield just to get close. He was so hot, the wavering heat made it hard to see. A loud clang rang off the grating as I swung, and missed striking him.

I was so close now, I could see his robes hadn’t so much burned, as just crisped into charcoal. His uniform, that had been hidden underneath, was made of a fibrous, glassy stuff, that my geekdom bank of trivia told me, almost had to be asbestos. The red and white colors told me something else I didn’t really want to know.

He came to his feet and blasted off another rain of fire at me. Flinging up my borrowed shield I blocked it, but almost lost my legs when he sprayed more fire down low. Thank Gawd for Cape’s warning!

The only liquids nearby were those stinking pools of blood, but I had to come up with some way of cooling this dude off. I tried to knock him off the walkway, but he sidestepped me rather neatly. His abilities, the uniform, and the radioactivity were starting to add up. I was afraid I knew who this was, or maybe better, who he had been. If I was right, we were in big trouble. How do you stop someone who stopped not one, but two nuclear bombs?

A ringing boom shook the doors!

Streeter and Wraith barely had time to roll out of the way before the doors blew in, hanging half-off their hinges. There stood Renegade! Hallelujah! The cavalry was here!

***

General Marvin “Buck” Lee, U.S. Air Force, shook his head. Why did he have to be in the hot seat, tonight of all nights? All hell was breaking loose in New Riverside. He was getting reports of open combat between superheroes and ULTIMATE enforcement units. Contradictory information had ULTIMATE deliberately letting criminals escape, and attacking the heroes instead. Hell, one report even had ULTIMATE laying siege to the Warder’s headquarters.

Early on, ULTIMATE had all but demanded he send jet fighters to shoot down someone in an ancient aircraft from the Korean War for Gawd’s sake, who was ‘harassing’ their operations. According to his intelligence section, they had lost at least five state of the art Dropships so far, to this fifty year old flying antique. What’s more, whoever he was, he was one hell of a pilot. Each dropship had been crippled by careful bursts of cannon fire. There was no doubt in the General’s mind that the mystery plane could’ve caused a whole hell of a lot more of damage, but the pilot was doing the best he could to limit the destruction. Now this …

He stared at the message his communications tech had just finished decoding. It had taken them longer than expected because they had to do some digging to find the protocols, because it was so old. No matter how old it was, the executive order was still active and on the books, signed by the President of the United States. The order was simple. The bearer was to be rendered all possible assistance, period.

If he waited for the clarification from the National Command Authority, more lives could be placed into jeopardy. It was clear the situation was in a dangerous state of flux. He remembered an adage from his War College days, “When in Command, command.”

General ‘Buck’ Lee picked up the phone to order his pilots to assist a man, on orders that had originated from Harry “Give’em Hell” Truman.

***

Major Victory pulled up from his strafing run, leaving a trail of destruction behind him. Fires were burning all about the Cerberus. They’d known the Syndicate had been well financed and organized, but no one had expected an army, complete with armored vehicles and heavy weapons.

He took a second to review his messages. The ever efficient Mr. Chang had liaisoned with the military, and Colonel Stone, with reinforcements, was inbound. A quick reply to the Air Force directed them to help the Warders and ULTIMATE at their citadel, while another one directed Colonel Stone to the Cerberus.

Mike had relayed Mystery’s report, and the Major opened it while looking for more targets of opportunity. He’d been multi-tasking since before it’d been a word, but what he saw caused him to lose concentration. It couldn’t be! His eyes locked onto that gray, lead coffin. He himself had laid Rising Sun’s body within it. Years later, when the Japanese government had requested their hero’s body be returned, he’d been present at the ceremony at the Nagasaki Memorial Shrine.

That someone would desecrate the Shrine angered him, but if something down there was raising the dead, then the Chevaliers would need all the help they could get. If something had Rising Sun’s powers, it put a whole new spin on the situation. The problem was, the congested dock offered no place to land, but he had faith in the old girl. She’d get him down in one piece.

Mystery’s voice reporting, “Mystery to all Chevaliers. New undead bad guy on the field! Heads up! It’s radioactive, whatever it is!” made it urgent he get down there now.

Making a banking turn, he lined up ‘Fifi’ on the Greek freighter. “This could get just a little tricky” he thought, as he began his descent.

***

Heroes of Justice: Dead Heroes

Ripping one of the doors the rest of the way off its hinges, Renegade slung it at the Mummy of Flaming Doom. The door turned white hot and literally splashed off of him, leaving him unharmed, with blobs of molten metal glowing all about him and me.

Esperanza, carrying Diamond, flew in through the gaping hole in the roof which was still dripping molten metal around its edges. On her way in, lasered the still smoldering Greek, who was just getting to his feet, while Anza’s eyes flashed as she mind blasted him as well.

Panting from the heat of standing too damn close to a nuclear furnace, I warned the girls, “Don’t let him touch you! That red glow is some kind of disruption field.

Lady Diamond’s lasers deflected into a harmless rainbow of lights, and while the Greek staggered, he didn’t fall from Anza’s painful brainstorm attack.

Wolfen, in half-wolf form, ran in and skidded to a halt just as Renegade tore off the other door. Hearing my warning about what was going on, Wolfen had picked up a machinegun from topside and, guiding the belt of ammunition, fed a steady stream of tracers into Hyperion.

I shield smashed the Flaming Mummy-thing again, but had no more luck than the first time. A tower of flames from it sent me flying away, but Cape flared out like a drag chute, stopping us. Not letting up, we flew right back at it. I had to keep its attention on me, because at least this quicksilver stuff offered some protection.

At least I was keeping it busy until the others finished with the Greek. The problem was, as I stole a glance, they were having one hell of time trying to do that! Wolfen’s hail of machine gun fire didn’t do a bloody thing, as some sort of weird shit happened to the bullets. Melting, rusting, falling apart, or some of them just dropped to the deck, covered in frost, not being able to touch him because that damn, bloody, radiant stuff shielding him was proving a problem.

Anza’s brainstorming attacks were doing something to him, but not enough to put him down. Even her telekinesis wasn’t able to reach him. Everyone else was busy keeping out of his reach, while he was trying to get near enough to the one person who was able to harm him.

Most of my attention was taken up by trying to stay alive. Thank Gawd we’d caught this thing right after it switched bodies, because that seemed to have weakened it. For the most part it was content to let its underlings do the fighting.

“Mystery! Head’s up! We’re getting nowhere down here. Everyone else, attack the pyramid while I keep Hyperion busy, and you do the same with the Mummy,” Morgan sent.

Will skipped forward like a prizefighter and sent a massive fist into the mass of bones. The crashing boom made the entire ship shiver!

Pay dirt!, Mike was right about this thing being important, because both Greek boy and Cadaver thing went berserk! Up on top of the still shivering pyramid, the cadaver threw its hands into the air. Power was arcing off of them like a lightning from a overcharged, exploding Tesla coil. With a sickening moan, all the bodies that lay dead all about the tiers stood up, shaking off their manacles! A rattle of gear behind me made me aware that the guards Streeter and Wraith had cut their way though were also rising from the dead. Bloody Hell!

While I was busy watching everyone else, Ole Flaming Death spat a wad of fire at my feet. Cape gave me the extra second I needed to leap up free of the inferno, but although the blast slagged a huge hole in the grate, it was only a feint.

The blast furnace hot, jet struck me hard enough that, even with the marvelous silvery thingie protecting me, the vibrations struck me so hard it made my teeth hurt! Bouncing off my shield, it burned another huge gaping hole in the roof. The explosive concussion sent me flying backwards, while Cape and I fought for control.

Lady Diamond actually managed to grapple with Greek boy and was slowing him down, even though hand to hand wasn’t her forte. I don’t know how she stood the pain, unless it had something to do with her being crystalline.

Wolfen, Streeter, and Wraith tried to fight off the zombies from the door, while Renegade was fighting to keep from being buried by the ones coming down from the pyramid.

Anza was sending enough mental lightning between Hyperion’s ears that, by all rights, his brains should be leaking out by now. He was slowing down, but even with Diamond doing everything she could, he still forced Renegade to break off his attack and dance back.

Oh, this was so not good! I tried to help Renegade, but half a dozen zombies brought me down. It took a second, but Cape and I threw most the things from us. Ripping one in two to get it off me, I could see the others were having the same problem. There were two or three dozen of the disgusting things. The zombies were strong, and the only way to stop them was to tear them to pieces.

Renegade threw one against Hyperion, where his nasty red field just blew it to zombie dust. Knowing a good thing when they saw it, everyone began trying their hand at zombie pitching! But no sooner were we winning against the zombies, than here came more hot stuff from our favorite Mummy!

Throwing the last zombie from me, I barely got to Renegade in time to block a stream of sizzling fire aimed at his back.

He grunted, “Thanks” as he threw a pair of undead into the blazing cornea of Ole Flaming Death, where they flared and burned like they had hit a giant bug zapper.

Panting hard, I sneaked a fast look around and saw that Streeter and Wraith were on their last legs. The electronics in my visor had packed it in because of the radiation and heat, so I had no way of knowing just how much time Mike’s patented magic potion had left. Our rescue party wasn’t looking a whole lot better. Then, even more black clad guards charged in to defend their boss with gunfire and whatever else was to hand. Oh this was so not looking good!

Slinging a broken zombie from me, I charged back at the Undead Flaming Thing from Hell. Smashing it with the shield wasn’t working out too well, so trying something new, I asked the quicksilver thingie for a quarter staff by picturing it in my mind.

My bumbling around in my youth, whacking others with foam padded rattan swords and other sorts of weapons, had made it clear that it takes a lot of practice to become decent with them. A staff however, is much easier to learn, but harder to master. The part I was interested right now was the reach six feet of quicksilver could give me.

With a shimmer, it flowed, even as I used every bit of leverage and strength I had to bring it down on its mummified head. Strange energies arced and played over my borrowed weapon, as a massive wave of fire stole my breath and blew me backwards.

Its head snapped around and it nearly fell from the fire blast riddled catwalk. Half hanging off the edge, it clawed back itself back onto the grate. The important part about this was, the zombies trying to dog-pile Renegade were blown right off of him. Score one for the good guys, even if he was missing his eyebrows now!

I was still smoldering myself, and trying hard to breathe as Cape air-braked us in midair, just before crashing into a bulkhead. I was covered in sweat and burns, and Cape wasn’t much better, with a decided ‘wilted’ look.

Everyone fought to keep their footing as another crashing shudder passed though the wounded Cerberus. Damn it! Ole Flaming Death had kept his footing and was raising a hand to blast more fire our way, this time at Wolfen, as he and the others fought the newest wave of black clad goons.

Flipping in the air, I kicked off the wall like a swimmer doing laps. I threw up the staff, thinking, “Shield please!” as I rocketed back across the room.

The deflected, ravaging jet of fire arced over my friends heads, making good and bad guy alike dodge the falling, white-hot blobs, as I rammed the Mummy of Flaming Doom. He fell forward, rolling almost off the walkway, but aggravatingly enough, once more caught himself in the nick of time. I bounced on the sagging metal grate twice before landing in a heap, as the intense heat boiled my life away.

I could no longer deny who Ole Flaming Death over there really was. His carbonized robes were completely gone, and the red rays of the sun of his asbestos uniform was revealed on a field of white, Rising Sun, fallen hero of the Japanese Empire.

Watching him come to his feet, I felt my heart raise up within my chest. Coughing in the hideous heat, blood specks flew onto my gauntlets. I knew I was going to die here. Cape and I could barely stand, and even if we did defeat him, it was likely I’d already taken a lethal exposure of Rads. Game over, folks.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself to my feet. My faster reflexes always made combat seem to slow to where it seemed I had all the time in the world. Now it was different somehow, as if every breath was precious, and each remaining moment was meant to be treasured. In that strange state, looking beyond Rising Sun, I could see Wraith had fallen. Streeter stood over her, half-staggering while he and Wolfen fought the mass of guards and zombies tying to kill them.

Turning my head, I saw Lady Diamond was fighting Hyperion tooth and nail, despite the pain his protective glowing red energies inflicted upon her. But he was bleeding from cuts from her razor sharp nails even as he pounded her right back. Meanwhile, Esperanza was feeding Diamond’s pain and agony right back into his brain, but still, the big Greek stubbornly refused to fall.

Renegade had called on his Grizzly Spirit, and had grown to his full twelve feet height. Standing beside those enormous vats of blood, he’d reached down and was trying rip the Pyramid right out the deck, but the zombies that’d been blown off of him had charged right back. He was covered in the undead things, ripping and tearing at him even as he shook himself trying to get rid of them. No matter the pain, my friend was refusing to relinquish his grip, knowing that this thing he grappled with must fall, or all would be lost.

After what seemed an eon between each heartbeat in that hyperawareness, Rising Sun was still just turning in slow motion to face me. I took the opportunity to look up to where that Thing sat wearing Patience’s Corpse. It was laughing. It was laughing at us. The death that Thing had surrounded itself in was so thick in here you couldn’t ignore it. The lives it had destroyed. The destruction and fear it had caused for whatever purpose, just to fuel that pyramid necromantic battery thing. And it was laughing?

A tiny spark burned within me, but it wasn’t not anger. If I had to die, then this cause was a worthy sacrifice. All of my life I’d been fighting myself. Unable to deny I was never going to fit into the cookie cutter life that society mandated, I’d found relief from reality in the realms of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Maybe, just maybe, rather than dreaming my life away, I’d been preparing for this moment all along. I determined that my death not be in vain. The longer I kept Rising Sun’s attention, the better the odds my friends could bring down this monstrosity. I settled my borrowed shield back into guard.

Cape gently guided my gaze upwards to the opening blasted in the ceiling of this abattoir throne room. Falling into this Hell was the glowing figure of an angel. Corny as it sounds, yes, I really thought it was an angel.

With a ringing clang, Major Victory landed, slamming onto the badly damaged walkway. He wore the same flight suit we’d first seen him in all those months ago. Rising Sun had only begun to raise his arms, preparing to throw more flames at me, when the disintegrating catwalk, near final collapse from the Major’s landing, caused him to fight to remain standing instead.

Major Victory met my eyes and looked at Lady Diamond and Esperanza struggling with that Greek bastard, and back again. A clear message that I was to help them. He would take care of this.

I was still blinking away the image of angels floating down from heaven, when he spoke. His voice sounded clear and understandable, even in the midst of that incredible din and roar of battle.

“Kagututi, the War is over, my friend. Please don’t make me do this!”

The Major added something else in Japanese, but Rising Sun shook his head. Not so much as if in denial, but as if he were confused.

Then that old Corpse thing had to ruin things by yelling something angrily in Japanese!

Whatever it was, set Rising Sun’s eyes blazing like novas, and he charged forward!

Major Victory met the others charge calmly, as the two them collided! A strange, bluish-green, concussion wave like effect, rushed outward from them. The Major’s bio-energy field! Normally it had just been a kind of visible aura. Now it shone in a blinding glory that shielded the two old war heroes from the sight of mere mortals.

Still in that weird hyperawareness state, I could see that Cadaver had focused all of its attention upon the Major. Strangely, Hyperion too had taken a double take at the Major dropping in. Interesting, but I had no time to wonder what it all meant.

Repressing a chest deep cough, I centered myself, concentrating on my foe. Croaking at my teammate, “Diamond, break, break, break!” I threw myself though the air. The bright silver shield flowed back into the quarterstaff on our journey, and I swung the shiny staff for all I was worth, at Hyperion.

Lady Diamond, for all that she was living crystal, was not superhumanly strong, was a lot stronger than a woman her size had any right being. Less effected by that defensive pain thing screening him, she‘d been buying Esperanza the time she needed to pound him with her mental abilities. It was only the entropy-whatever-it-was that protected him, because he wasn’t superhumanly strong either. He was a big, strong, healthy human male, but that had been enough to fight her off.

Lady Diamond twisted away from him as my staff bent with the force of my flying charge. Finally able to touch him with something that didn’t just rust or melt away, it still wasn’t the finishing blow I’d hoped for.

Passing though that pulsing crimson screening power of his, the silver staff resisted its best efforts to destroy it. A strange wave after wave of different destructive forces attacked the quicksilver rod. Frost, heat, dust formed upon it, as it passed though the pulsing reddish glow. None of it stopped my overhead strike, but it did rob it of much of its power.

I hit the ground and folded like the proverbial deck of cards, my hands and arms stinging from the impact. Mr. Hyperion the Greek, rather than have his brains splattered across the bulkheads, had instead just fallen to his knees. I had managed what no one else had.

Then, as he knelt, stunned and shaking his head in confusion, that red glowing stuff that had been protecting him disappeared.

From my ground eye view I saw Esperanza use her TK to throw the Greek Bastard against the bulkhead now that he was vulnerable. I’m not sure what she did, but whatever it was, he didn’t stay conscious long. I really don’t think he was going to be abusing anyone again. Like I’ve said before, don’t piss off the telepath.

My lover turned to the ravaging horde of zombies swarming a bleeding Renegade, and began tossing them off, as Lady Diamond’s lasers cut them apart in midair, like shooting skeet.

On cue, just like out of a James Fleming movie, ropes fell from the melted holes above, and familiar looking ninjas slid face first downwards, raining welcomed supporting fire upon our foes. As soon as they hit the decks, others took their places. Colonel Stone and the rest of his crew, using short controlled bursts from their MP7’s, came to the beleaguered Streeter and Wolfen’s aid. Professionally, they started pushing the goons out.

Renegade, free of his undead infestation, heaved upon that grim construction of blood and bones. With a whiplash crack, a pin securing it snapped, and the entire structure moved.

I could make out the cadaver pulling itself up in alarm, when the unstoppable force of Renegade heaved the pyramid upwards. It raised its stolen body’s arms, just it had before when it had called the zombies to life.

Lady Diamond’s lasers found it, and left charred slashes, but failed to stop it. I didn’t need to look, to know Esperanza was attacking it as well. Pulling myself up, using the life saving staff, Cape half-flew, half dragged me beside my shaman bear friend. Together, we pushed for all we were worth. Another pin sheared off, but that was good enough for Lady Diamond to spot the others. With a hiss she cut though the other pins like butter. As the pyramid jerked under its feet, we gave it another heave and the cadaver flew off the throne and, with a splash, fell into a blood red pool

A gore soaked hand flipped Patience’s possessed body from the pool. Dripping red spatters upon the deck, its eyes spotted Greek boy motionless upon the deck.

“Blight!” The Cadaver thing roared “You shall all pay for this!” With a shudder, one of the huge pools shifted, as it lifted one of the tanks above its head!

Grunting, Renegade threw his shoulder into that grim construction of bones, and staining, began to push it over. I don’t have a clue what it was made of, but it was a hell of a lot heavier than it should’ve been. With the last of my strength, I helped my friend accomplish the impossible.

Lost in its tantrum, the cadaver never saw it begin to topple towards it. At the last moment it must have seen what was happening because it tried to drop its burden so it could call that deadly power again. Renegade was faster, kicking with his feet to send the pyramid over past the point of no return. With a flash of lights the construction of bones fell upon its architect, hopefully crushing whatever un-life it had.

True to Mike’s prediction, flashes of energy that my over active imagination made into escaping souls, started exploding outward. Dodging the wild energetic bursts that were indiscriminatingly punching holes in the ship, everyone ran for their lives!

I made a half-hearted attempt to move, but had fallen to the deck when the toppling pyramid had passed the point of no return. All I could do was sigh when nothing seemed to work.

Someone grabbed me, and suddenly we were flying. From my strange perspective I saw everyone jumping for the ropes that our dear Colonel had provided for us. Reid, hovering above and being covered by more of our ninja friends, lifted us out, as more powerful explosions struck!

Grateful to have survived, the survivors tumbled off of ropes or the skids of the chopper, watching the colored lights explode forth from the slowly settling wreck.

I was so tired that it took me longer than it should have to figure out what that someone was trying to say to me. I was distracted, watching the beautiful lights explode forth from the still settling shipwreck. It was like watching a whirlwind of fireworks, as the spirits ascended, spiraling upward into the night sky.

“Anza,” I tried to touch her, but it was so hard. I wondered if she too, was seeing the ghost-like forms flying heavenward towards the stars.

“Beautiful,” I breathed. I felt someone pick me up, and I wondered how the ground had gotten so far away. Soft lights and warmth enveloped me, and gently I floated away into darkness.

Heroes of Justice: The only thing worse than a battle won …

I tried to open my eyes. Confused, I tried to sort out the vivid dream I’d had, from reality. A spirit of warmth and love had comforted me while I was foundering in a cold merciless sea. No matter how high the storm tossed waves had become, that spirit refused to abandon me.

“Shhh, wait,” a gentle voice told me, as a warm cloth cleaned the sleep that had prevented me from opening my eyes from them.

Anza’s face, still beautiful despite the tired rings about her dark eyes, smiled wearily at me. Feeling her joy though our bond/link, I knew she’d been that spirit in my dream. We spent a moment, lost in each others love, until real world concerns became pressing.

“We almost lost you back there. If not for the Major, and how strong that battle with Rising Sun had supercharged his glow, we ...” she couldn’t continue, choking.

I weakly took her hand. “None of that, love. You won’t get rid of me that easy.”

I had an IV stuck in one arm and a bank of medical equipment nearby, beeping. It took me a second to realize I must be in the old underground base medical facilities. Looking around I saw Wraith a few beds down from me with a bandaged Tom leaning on a cane keeping her company, as well as some of her other Warder teammates.

Dee was curled up asleep in a chair not far from my bed, and I couldn’t help smiling at our young daughter of the heart.

Anza sadly caressed my forehead softly, “I’m sorry, but you lost most of your hair. It’ll grow back. Your own rapid healing has taken care of most of the burns and contusions. Mike said his magic potion also kind of helped you, due to the nature of the spell. Something about the artificial nature of the vitality it lent you, meant that at least part of the damage you took wasn’t really to you. Don’t ask me to explain it. It’s magic! You still would’ve died if not for our dear Major dinosaur. His ‘glow’ was so amped from his battle, I’m afraid miracles are going to be reported around the docks for years.”

“Cape?” I asked, for it was as much a part of me as the rest was.

“Your symbiotic friend is fine, Luv. If you don’t feel anything right now, it’s okay. You were both in a healing, sleep-like state. You two took more than enough damage, as well as enough radiation to fry just about anything.”

I thought about that for a moment and asked, “So we won? I mean we did what we were sent here to do, right?”

Anza nodded, “Mike thinks so, yes. Before you ask, he told me he thought we were being given time to ‘Take care of Unfinished Business,’ before whatever is going to happen next, happens.”

Trying to grin despite the pain I said in my best English accent, “But I’m not dead yet!”

A fire of passion shot though my lover’s eyes as she retorted, “Don’t even joke about that, you minx! I came so close to losing you!”

I apologized to her. “I’m sorry Anza. None of this happened like we expected. Now all I want to know is, what is going to happen next.”

A tapping sound interrupted us, and I saw Anza stiffen. Tom, looking much the worse for wear, like the rest of us, stopped before us. His face was full of pain and, even as tired as I was, I could sense his turmoil.

Nervously he cleared his throat, “I know you two have good reason to hate me, but for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to run a sad story on you both, but you do deserve an explanation.” He said, pausing.

I nodded, and a rather unwilling and skeptical Anza did so as well, a moment later.

“My mom died before I had any real memories of her, so growing up it was just my older brother and my dad. He was an old fashioned type, complete with the ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ thing. More redneck than redneck, that was my Dad. Seems like he hated everyone not like himself. He was always working, or drinking, so it was my brother John who took care of me.”

Tom looked at us with tears in his eyes, “I loved my brother, but I found out the hard way, that he was ‘different,’ one day when I came home from school early. I hardly knew what gay was, only that it was bad. Somehow, Dad found out about it from me, and there was a fight. I never saw John again, but Dad beat me as if it was my fault somehow. After I graduated, I left home and have never been back.”

He closed his eyes, the tears running down his cheeks. “I could see the two of you were happier, and somehow a great weight had been removed from you. That was something I just couldn’t admit even to myself, because that would mean what had happened to my brother was also wrong. If that had been wrong, then it was I who had somehow given him away, who’d been at fault.”

Fighting the emotion within himself, my friend fell silent.

“Tom” I said softy in the silence. “I’m not a ‘shrink,’ but it sounds like you need to forgive yourself. There’ve been times I’ve wanted to kick you in the nether regions, but I’ll always been your friend. I forgive you.”

Anza’s voice joined mine, “Tom, I never asked or sought to become who and what I am. It’s simply the way I am, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I made the choices I did to preserve my sanity and my life. My family wouldn’t, couldn’t, accept that it was something that I had to do because I had no other choices.

“They disowned me, Tom. It’s one thing being treated with disgust by strangers, but another for it to be done by those you love. I made up my mind that if someone didn’t care for who and what I was, tough. I wasn’t going to roll over and die for no damn one, live with it“.

She paused, “I forgive you, but only on one condition Tom.”

He’d quietly wiped his tears away and asked, “And that is?”

I heard the pain in her voice, “Find him and tell him what you told us. We don’t know what is going to happen to us, but if you have the chance, please find what happened to your brother. Go to him and ask his forgiveness.”

I hugged her as the tears fell. Tom just nodded and walked away. My empathy knew he was feeling as broken up as my lover, but his damn male pride wouldn’t let him show it, MEN, Argh! Somehow, being stabbed in the back by his ex-fiancé had broached a barrier for him. Watching him leave, I hoped he would remember we were here for him when he needed us. Right now, I was fighting sleep again.

The Major, who was still glowing bright, and others, came to see me, as well as Dee, who was awakened by all that was going on. Soon enough though, being punched, sliced, cooked, and radiated caught up with me, and sleep won.

Heroes of Justice: Second Star to the Right … !

Location: Earth, March 19, 2007

I stood in the cool March afternoon, looking at the empty, yellow construction taped lot. Even after it been cleared, there were still signs of the burned building that had once stood here. A sign, leaning at a haphazard angle, proclaimed the new location of the Cosmic Forge, while another promised that a new office complex would soon begin construction. I forced my eyes past the one, lonely, sun bleached, plastic reef and flowers listing at an angle in the churned dirt.

It had all begun here. This was where we had departed the only world we’d ever known, and had stepped into a larger universe. Kicking and screaming all the way, perhaps, and don’t forget, confused, as well as baffled about what was going on.

We’d made discoveries. Danny and I had found love. There was no need for me to look for him because I could feel his presence as he snoozed in the car behind me. Well, we had left our hotel room much earlier than needed, and so it was our own fault for having so long to wait.

We’d awakened in Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, full of tubes and IV’s. Astounded, the doctors and nurses didn’t know what to make of all of us recovering from our comas at nearly the same instant. Of course, some of the guys had already been moved to private, or long term treatment centers.

At first I had wondered if it’d all been a dream, but almost immediately I felt the warmth and love from Anza, or Danny, the name matters not. It wasn’t as easy to talk to each other as it was before, but beyond a doubt, our bond/link was still there.

‘You’re lucky to have survived that freak electrical accident,’ we were told. Impossibly, Mike’s computer had overloaded and exploded, shocking all of us who were nearby. The fire that started, burned down the Cosmic Forge game shop, but Pete, Chuck and other brave souls, had managed to save everyone but one.

The shop was covered by insurance, and utility company records actually let investigators track the power surge right to the shop. An out of court settlement had provided medical care for us, and if used wisely, would mean we would never have to work again, unless we wanted.

My parents were shocked by the relationship between Danny and I. We never flaunted it, but we didn’t need to. When confronted, I just smiled and told them that you never know where you might find love. Fact is, we were both more than a little uncomfortable, as well as depressed for obvious reasons. For those among others, the last few weeks had been really unpleasant, but bearable just the same.

***

You see, we have a secret. Some might call it a dream, but not the six of us. Like the way it happens in dreams, none of us recalled just how we got there, but there we all were. We were still our characters, or avatars. Me, Anza, Morgan, Will, Mark, Tom and of course Mike as himself. It wasn’t just us, but Major Victory was there too. All smiled as he and Morgan quietly sought each others hands.

It was a friendly kind of neighborhood bar and grill. You know, the kind with pictures of past patrons, and memorabilia, covering the walls. We looked around at the pictures and trophies of past heroes and heroics, while the smells of appetizers cooking were rich upon the air, along with other scents…pleasant scents.

Sitting in a corner booth was a grandfatherly like, rumpled senior citizen. Before him was a chessboard, with a game upon it that had just ended. The black king had been toppled, signaling checkmate.

“Come my friends! Please, seat yourselves,” his old, but still rich voice greeted us.

We all gave each other a wondering look but, did as he asked.

I was a bit wide eyed, for I’d spotted what I swore was the Egyptian God Horus minding the bar, complete with apron. Anza and I were both a bit out of it, but I think we recognized that, now, finally, we would find out what our futures would be.

A waitress dressed in traditional Greek robes brought us drinks and, once again, dream-like was just what we desired, without asking for it.

“Although I must apologize for my servant’s misunderstanding your world, and your apparent Shanghaiing you, I must congratulate you on a job well done. However, all of you did signify that you agreed to the terms that were clearly spelled out.”

He held up a hand, “Please. I know you have questions, but first let me say my piece. You saved that world from the grasp of a being that would have used it as nothing more than a fruit, to be squeezed dry of everything that could prove of use to it, and then discarded. Thanks to you, that world now has a chance to find its own destiny."

***

A truck, pulling up next to where Danny and I were parked, pulled me from my wool gathering.

Will, grinning as he stepped out, drawled, “Should have known you two would be here first!”

We shook hands, and then I, throwing convention to the wind, hugged my friend.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to see you here today,” I told him.

Shaking his shaggy blond head, he disagreed, “Before what happened, most people would’ve called me a loser. I lived in my parent’s garage and, although I made decent money, there really wasn’t a future in it. Then, in a roll of the dice, with the odds quadrillions to one, I got a chance to live out my dreams. They say be careful what you wish for, but I got everything I ever wanted.”

With a little smile he continued, “Mr. Chang is going to have to get used to a new grandson-in-law. I love Lin, and this time away from her has only made me certain of it.”

I glanced down at my phone and saw it was about ten till one, and went to wake Danny. He gave Will a wide smile, seeing him, but we all turned, hearing more cars behind us.

Morgan was smiling as widely as the rest of us as we greeted him with handshakes and more hugs. His eyes were bright with tears, and I didn’t need a superpower to know they were tears of happiness and anticipation.

Mark had lagged a little behind him, but was no less enthusiastic in joining our reunion.

“You too, Mark?” I asked him. “I didn’t think you had a reason to want to return, since you’re so well off here. What’s the story?”

He blushed darkly at being the center of attention, but replied, giving a self-deprecating little laugh, “Heh, heh, Okay, maybe I don’t have anyone waiting on me to return, but all of you are my friends. If you go, what reason do I have to stay here?”

We got another good blush from him as we hugged him again, among more laughs from our gang of friends.

Involuntarily, all our eyes glanced down to check the time, while others looked, wondering if he would make it. No one had to say who it was our eyes kept looking for, even as we wondered if he was coming.

As it got closer and closer to the appointed time, we all stepped across the yellow caution tape and made our way to the center of the lot. I could feel my and Danny’s butterflies. Praying with every fiber in our bodies that what we had dreamed was true, we all remembered what else our abductor and benefactor had told us.

***

He’d said, “It is known to me that some of you wish to remain with the friends that you’ve made here, while others might want to return home. You were also taken from your world abruptly, perhaps leaving your goodbyes unsaid, as well as other unfinished business. I will return all of you to your home world, but one month later at the same time and place you departed the first time, a portal will open. Those of you wishing to continue in the service of Justice, and return to your adopted world, can then return.

“It is a troubled place, and the recent meddling of the Dark One and his minions hasn’t improved matters. I’ve been wondering how to best address those issues, and if you agree to return, it will be part of your duties to help as best you can. Call it a branch office if you would. You might be called away from time to time, but it will be your new home. Consider it a reward for services rendered, above and beyond the call of duty.”

His eyes turned to Major Victory, “Now, I understand you wanted to meet me, for there was something you wanted to ask of me. You need say nothing more. I know the loss of your family and friends has been difficult for you. What I would like to know is, do you feel the same now?”

For the first time since we had known him, our friend and teacher seemed at a loss for words. Major Victory’s eyes found Morgan’s and he then found his voice as he softy said, “No, as long as we’re together, I’d like to stay.”

The grandfatherly old man smiled, saying, “I thought that you might.”

He lifted his tankard, “Now, a toast.”

Self-consciously we all followed suit with our glasses, watching each others faces, remembering the trials we’d faced and overcome.

Our host’s voice rang out, strong and true. “To those of brave hearts, and selfless courage. To Justice!”

***

So here we stand. The five of us, waiting for lightning to strike again, and the impossible to happen once more. Our goodbyes had been said, and affairs settled. Each digit of the clock seem to take forever to change.

Intent upon the time pieces, we almost missed the sounds of one last car pulling up. Startled, we all looked at each other, and then at the late arrival, Tom. He was hesitating, as if unsure of his welcome. The driver, a man, with a family resemblance, was giving our friend encouragement.

Then the world turned green! A light appeared behind us, as a brightly lit disk opened like a window or door to another world.

I’m not sure who started shouting, but soon we all were all yelling for him to hurry! “Run, Tom! Hurry!” while all of us looked anxiously back at it for any signs of closing.

They embraced, and Tom opening the door leaped from the car running for us, then inexplicably stopped! He turned back to the driver and we all heard him yell, “Come with us. Come with me! You told me you didn’t have anyone here and about the mistakes you’ve made. Where we are going is a chance for an new start like no other! Come with me John.

Now was the driver’s turn to hesitate. Somehow our calls for Tom to run changed to both of them to hurry. Suddenly the brothers were dashing towards us!

Catching them, our eyes were bright, and all of us were grinning like idiots!

Our newest recruit tried to ask, “Is this alright ….“ but as one we cut him off.

“YES! The more the merrier!” Turning, we all grabbed hands, and breathlessly, together, we leaped into the green!

***

Officer Hill cautiously got out of his cruiser. The report had come in about a hour ago, of bright green lights, of all things. There were four cars and a truck parked in a recently cleared lot, and even stranger one of them still had its engine running with the doors wide open. If memory served, this was where that man had died when that store had burned down, just a few months ago.

He’d taken a look around and it had even gotten stranger. Officer Hill had done his share of hunting, so the still recently cleared lot made it simple to follow their tracks. It looked to him to be seven sets of prints, of running feet, but then, they all ended at the same point, in the middle of the lot.

Pushing up his hat he wondered just what had happened. All that came to mind was, maybe a helicopter could have lifted them out, but the question was, why bother? He was getting a strange feeling about all of this. Stay a cop long enough, and sooner or later you run into the unexplained. He had a feeling that this was going to be one of them.

On his way back to call in his findings, he stumbled over something, mostly buried. Looking down, it surprised him to find a book in one of those plastic baggie things collectors put comic books in. Amazingly, it looked to have survived the fire, water damage, and the bulldozers. He seemed to remember it had been a comic book shop, or something like that, here.

‘Maybe one of the guys back at the station will want it,’ he thought, tossing it into the passenger seat. Picking up his mike, to make his report, he was curious about what kind of a game would be named, “Heroes of Justice!”

The End!