Masks XXI: The Musty Museum Murder Mystery

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

Energia was flying. There was no set pattern to her movements, and the only limitations were her physical ability to take the gee loads and wind speed, plus the occasional beep her earbud gave to notify Energia that she was nearing a boundary of the safe volume. Propelled and supported by graviton manipulation, she could pull turns which would have shredded an aerobatic plane. She performed a freeform dance in three dimensions, barely constrained by gravity or even inertia.

Finally, energy store running low and nearing the limits of her physical endurance, Energia hovered, catching her breath. She was covered in sweat, and feeling more alive than she had in weeks. That the only witnesses to her performance were the clouds, the birds and the trees below didn't matter. However, it wouldn't do to be late for her first teaching session at The FX.

Too bad I can't go just a bit longer, was her wistful thought. Have to get back to the bakery and cleaned up.

She didn't cut loose like this often enough, at least lately. Just too busy. There was also the problem of finding a safe place to fly. Which reminded her; before heading to the lair she checked for conflicting traffic. Energia grimaced at a notice of a tour helicopter along her path back to the lair. She dove a bit, checked again, and started her return trip.

* * *

The weather grew cloudy and rainy as Energia flew into the city. However, even through the gathering haze she was still able to tell where repairs had been made or new construction built. Of course, there were also still-empty lots where buildings too damaged to be saved had been removed but nothing had yet been put up in their place. Fortunately, the destruction was mostly confined to relatively small areas. The war with the Shilmek had been short and violent and oddly constrained.

Energia DF'ed on several commercial radio stations to find her way. Before making the final turn towards her destination, she pulled out the stealth jumpsuit from her fanny pack and pulled it on. With the simulated metamaterial effect activated, Energia changed course to head directly towards the old bakery. Once above it she dropped to the roof, unseen. She remembered the first few times when she had made this descent. Then she had counted on a quick drop and the fact that people rarely looked up. The current method was much more secure - actually making her as stealthy as their two apergy flyers - but a bit of a pain.

Energia had planned to clean up in her room at the old bakery, then ride with Vic to the headquarters of The FX. However, as she exited the stairwell Gadgetive intercepted her.

"Vic called. Said she'd meet you at The FX's headquarters. Something about the weather putting her behind."

"Okay. Thanks."

So, a quick shower, a quick dry with radiant heat (carefully; if she tried to go too fast the water could get hot enough to scald her without more detailed attention than she wanted to expend at the moment) then into her second-best costume; one of only two she had which included a cape. Over that went the hooded stealth jumpsuit. The capeless "duty" costume she had worn while flying went into the laundry. Energia was very glad the days of having to soak costumes in special cleaning solution were past. Though she still had to remember to remove all the equipment, including the hidden items. Partly to protect those items from the wash and dry. Partly because she only had two complete sets of that equipment and couldn't afford - literally - to damage any of it. Each set actually cost more than one of the costumes.

Back outside, she shot straight up from the roof of the old bakery, and once above the bottoms of the low-hanging clouds flew off horizontally. Disorientation was not a problem for someone with her powers. As she neared the headquarters of The FX she stripped off the jumpsuit and radioed them of her approach. They were a public team, rather than a covert one like Tricorne, and actually coordinated with the local air traffic control. Eventually they planned to have an AI in their base to handle - among other tasks - the airborne traffic, working in cooperation with the nearest airport. Currently, though, they needed an actual person on watch. He confirmed her contact and cleared her for a rooftop landing. While Energia thought they were putting too much trust into local government keeping their word - including through changes of administration - she had to admit that this openness made access more convenient.

However, Energia's earbud suddenly picked up an emergency call. Police had a suspect cornered in a convenience store not far from the headquarters - well, not far for a flyer - but he was well barricaded and they were specifically requesting super help. She let The FX contact know she was diverting, and headed that way.

Energia arrived quickly, and called down to the officers crouched behind their cars to let them know she was there. They waved her around a corner, where an older man was standing beside a black and white, talking on his radio. This turned out to be the senior man on the scene. He was a stocky, middle-aged man, grey and a bit balding from what she could see of his hair under the edges of his cap. He was also very professional. They introduced themselves, both making sure to keep under cover.

"What's the situation?"

"Suspect is a small time crook who decided to rob a convenience store at gunpoint. He got distracted trying to open the cash register and the clerk and all three customers got out. We have officers at all ground exits. He's in there alone and not communicating except to occasionally yell insults."

"At least it's not a hostage situation," said Energia, carefully peering around the corner to look the scene over. "You sure you don't want to wait this guy out?"

"Yeah. This is a busy area, and some of the stores have connected attics. Too much chance of a bystander getting hurt, or the guy getting away if he figures out how. With you here, bulletproof and all, you can go in and maybe just scare him out."

"Who's bulletproof?" said Energia, in a stage mutter. "Never mind. My plasma wall does stop bullets. I can also use my magnetic powers to jam his gun, so he can't shoot."

"I'll let the rest of the officers know. Then you can go in. Just try to keep it proportional."

With the other officers on scene informed, Energia stepped away from the car to spare its paint and the officer's clothes and skin, and put up her plasma wall. However, as soon as she flew around the corner the suspect came running out of the building, hands in the air.

"Don't shoot! I give up! Just don't let her get me!"

Officers quickly moved in from each side and tackled the guy. They got the gun away from him, cuffed him and read the charges as they hustled the scruffy young man into a police car.

"Well, that was easier than usual," said Energia, obviously startled, as she landed and let her plasma wall ground out.

"Just don't let her get me!" said the young man, sounding panicked, as they closed the rear door of the car.

"What the hey..." said Energia, as the frightened thief was taken away.

"Looks like you - we all - benefitted from that group of rogue heroes who are going around, killing criminals," said the older officer she had been speaking to.

"Say what?" was Energia's startled response.

"You hadn't heard about that? Yeah. They call themselves the New Breed. Crime is down, and not just super crime. Except that the people in this group are all wanted for various assaults and some significant property damage, and are suspected in several mysterious deaths."

"I had not heard of that," said Energia, frowning. "Been at college in another state. Thanks for the info. I'll talk to my teammates about this. Anyway, right now I have to leave for an appointment. If you need to talk to me about anything, I'll be at the headquarters of The FX."

"The which, now?" said the Sergeant.

"New - and licensed - hero team. They're in the old Fox building on McManus Avenue."

He nodded, actually seeming to know the location, if not its new use.

She lifted off again and flew towards the headquarters of The FX, fast enough to leave her cape snapping in the slipstream. She wondered as she hurried to her lecture if the activities of this rogue group would be the excuse politicians used to start a new anti-super movement. However, as she approached the team's headquarters - again calling for clearance - she put her mind back on her next scheduled task. As well as the general situation with The FX.

They were charging what Energia thought was a large fee for each lecture, which was split evenly between the person teaching and The FX. In a sense, for Tricorne, Vic and the few others they had arranged as lecturers this was a Summer job. Some people interested in the lectures had grumbled at the size of the fees but most of the classes were full or nearly so despite that.

Most of those attending the lectures were supers. Some wanted to be masks, some already were, some just wanted to know how to better apply their powers, or about the legal restrictions on using them. A few were normals who simply wanted to learn more about supers. All had been vetted by The FX. Nearly all of the attendees whom Energia had met before the classes started wore plain clothes.

Since this was the first time any of them - lecturers or attendees - had done this there was going to be a steep learning curve. Energia just hoped that both students and teachers would hang in there while they all learned.

* * *

Energia entered the headquarters of The FX tight for time. Fortunately, she knew where she was going, thanks to the new team showing the members of Tricorne and Vic around the place a few days before. She landed on the roof, cleared security and hurried down the stairs, flying instead of using the steps.

She waved and called out brief greetings to team members and staff for The FX she saw as she flew by, and even the contractors who were working on the place. The building was still in the finishing stages of an extreme renovation. It smelled strongly of fresh paint and sawdust, as well as things less readily identifiable. One side hallway Energia passed didn't even have the lights on yet. She finally landed when she reached the door to the assigned room. She paused, took a moment to straightened her outfit and calm her breathing, then walked in.

Energia found Vic already in the meeting room which had been set aside for this first lecture. The room held a small, portable stage currently equipped with a small podium and a couple of chairs, one of which was already occupied by the martial artist. The pair greeted each other briefly as Energia stepped onto the stage, then Vic motioned for her to start the class.

"Good morning," said Energia, feeling a bit awkward. She wasn't a professional teacher, like Blue Impact, though she did have some experience. "I'm Energia. Sorry for almost being late; there was a police call for super help. So. This is an open question session, in part to give us an idea of what you folks hope to learn, and in part so you get a good idea of what we have planned. Now, what's the first question?"

Several people raised their hands. Energia picked a man in his early twenties.

"Well, uhm, I'm curious about how your school disciplines students," said the young man, appearing a bit embarrassed at going first.

"You mean the Pine Island Academy?" said Energia, confused by the question. "Well, I graduated from there years ago but I still go back occasionally. Did you have something specific to ask about?"

"I mean, it seems like a paradise. There's almost no word of sexual assault or other violence, everybody toes the line, no bullying or discipline problems. How do they manage that?"

"Oh, there's definitely bullying and discipline problems," said Energia, wryly. "There's even been sexual harassment. Thing is, it's still pretty small for a high school and every student is empowered in some way. So are most of the teachers and other staff. It's hard to get away with lying about something when there are four telepaths on the staff."

"Yeah, but what about the bad kids waiting until they're off the island - maybe even after they graduate - and then taking revenge when the teachers aren't there to protect someone? I know they expelled some students. What was different about them and those they let stay?"

"Most of the kids who had attitude problems at Pine Island Academy got over it," said Energia, with a shrug. "We were all taught to get over it, and not obsess over what someone may have done to us in the past, unless they kept on doing it. Having classes with people - students and teachers - who can punch through armor steel or melt it with a dirty look tends to give one a sense of proportion. It was the few who couldn't get over it - or over themselves - who wound up expelled. Most of those were trouble from the start, and really needed psychiatric help or just firm discipline well before being sent to Pine Island, instead of being sent there to cause problems. In a few unfortunate cases they never got help at all, because they rejected all the attempts to help them. On the other hand, there were some who were no trouble at all until they suddenly lost it and went full mad-on at everyone. They usually were recoverable. Just needed to learn how to blow off steam in a safe way, instead of bottling it up. Of course, what everyone remembers is the ones who refused to let themselves be helped, and just kept doing wrong. The exceptions stand out. Nearly all of those were juvenile criminals sent to the Island in the hopes we could turn them around. The few we couldn't help went back into the prison system to complete their sentences. Helping with all this is that Pine Island has an excellent medical staff, which includes mental health experts."

"As for Ramsey Technical College, where Energia and I go now," said Vic, at a cue from Energia, "by the time students get to college age the real bad apples have mostly been weeded out. This is helped by the fact that not only have college age students generally learned good behavior, but their brains are getting close to full maturity, and they're less prone to acting out. Though, again, there are definitely the occasional bad apples."

Vic grimaced, and Energia remembered some of the problems she had experienced with other Ramsey students.

"Trust me on this. They either learn to behave like adults - which they legally are by college age - or they get expelled and maybe in trouble with the law. Usually."

She shrugged.

"Well, that's my experience. Your mileage may vary, with different institutions of learning at different times. There's always people who get away with bad behavior, for various reasons. Even at Pine Island, from what Energia has told me."

The "brains" comment evoked several confused questions, which Vic and Energia explained, then had to confirm. Most of those there, it turned out, were unaware that human brains didn't fully mature until the early to middle twenties. Even after the questions ceased, some appeared to still not believe this.

"So," said Energia, with a forced smile. "Next question?"

"What's the Guardsman really like?"

Energia sighed, smile slipping a bit.

Fortunately, most of the rest of the questions in that hour were more in line with what the two experienced supers were expecting to answer. The two of them outlined what the planned classes would cover and took suggestions about what the students would like to see covered.

"Sorry for cutting it so close," said Energia, to Vic, as the students filed out. She explained about the police call. As well as the news of the rogue supers.

"Huh," said Vic, startled. "I hadn't heard about that, either. Wonder if Blue Impact has."

"Well, you need to get ready for that Basic Self Defense class in the team gym and I have the Costume class in here in under an hour. I'll see you later."

Part Two

"Good afternoon," said Energia, to the group gathered in the meeting room. "I'm here to give you some practical information on super costumes."

This time she was more at ease. Perhaps because the subject was more focused, as well as more familiar. Energia noted that two of The FX team members were in attendance.

"First, let me explain that my own attitude towards costumes is quite different even from those of most masks." She indicated what she was wearing with posture and a sweeping gesture of her hands. "I started wearing a super costume at a pretty young age. I've worn them as much or more than regular clothing for most of my life. I've also been around supers and entire super teams for most of my life. I went to a high school where most of both students and teachers were masks, and most of them wore costumes at least during the day. To me, this is normal clothing. Modern costumes are very comfortable, easy to clean and very, very durable."

She moved to the female mannequin the team had provided. Energia had already fitted it with a generic super costume body stocking the day before.

"Costumes have multiple functions. They protect, both physically and legally. They identify. Costumes have to be comfortable and practical, and have places to store equipment. Different physical abilities - and simple differences in tastes - require different designs and even different materials."

She spoke of durable fabrics, layering and the costume discretion, as she put additional items on the mannequin for demonstration. She followed that with half an hour of passing around swatches of different costume materials, as well as giving a slideshow of example completed costumes. Then she started on the accessories. She made brief mention of medical gear, communications equipment and several other types of item.

Finally, she moved into the stylistic aspects of costumes.

"Don't get so caught up in trying to look fierce or sexy that you loose sight of what the costume is for. It's fine to want to show off your assets or intimidate the bad guys, but there have been several instances of someone - men as well as women - designing for appearance who wound up showing more than they meant to when they got into a fight."

That brought some smiles and even a few chuckles.

"Is it true that you can't go to the bathroom without taking a suit like yours off?" asked Tone, one the the members of The FX. Who was actually attending in costume, though hers was composed of a two-piece core with additions.

"It used to be. Not any more. Believe me, folks who wear bodystockings are very grateful for that."

Energia moved back to the mannequin and showed how the crotch could be opened.

"The folks I get my costumes from have offered this as an option for about the past five years," said Energia. She frowned a bit, teasing the details out the memories of her hectic life of the past half decade. "I think what took so long is the secure part. There have been openable costume bottoms - mainly variations on the zipper fly - for a long time, but some saw them as too risky. Others thought they ruined the lines. There actually have been situations - usually involving a captured hero - where just having a costume which was hard to get off saved someone from rape."

Though she provided no details, Energia specifically recalled Colossa telling her about the time Template fought Energex in New Orleans during her work there after Katrina.

"This new seal operates a bit like a cop's secure holster. You have to use exactly the right angle," said Energia. She suddenly realized that the end of class was approaching and she hadn't mentioned one piece of equipment. "Besides the usual utility equipment, I also strongly recommend getting an emergency button. This can be concealed somewhere in your costume. There are a lot of different designs. If you're badly injured, or simply don't have time to make a proper com call and really need help, push off the safety cover and push the button once. It then sends a digital signal encoded with your ID info and last detected GPS location. The device is like an aircraft crash beacon. If activated it broadcasts an emergency locator signal until the battery runs down - in about five days - or someone who knows how switches it off. You will be taught how to switch it off, of course, but should still expect people to at least try to contact you by radio."

"I looked at some prices," said Coordinator, who usually went by Ma. She was not only another FX team member but their base commander. As well as the oldest member. She was, as usual, in civvies, and Energia thought that most of those present didn't even know she was on the team. "Proper super costumes are very expensive."

"Yes, but they're worth it. An established team would usually have at least some pieces around to put together, but folks who are just starting out have to pay the price. You might check with other public teams to see if they have any remnants they can give you folks.

"That, by the way, is something to remember in general. Heroes support each other. Hero teams support other hero teams. Even when there are rivalries and disagreements."

"What about security?" asked another man, who appeared to be in his thirties. "I mean, maintaining your secret identity when purchasing a costume. How do you do that without letting the tailor know who you are?"

"It's not hard for people in an incorporated team to get costumes. Most businesses willing to deal with supers will have methods to maintain confidentiality. For example, by using just the mask name of the specific team member. That way only the team knows the personal details. Well, except for the measurements you have to send. Otherwise, just rent a box at a UPS or whatever under a fictional name."

The next speaker seemed a bit embarrassed, but also determined to ask his question.

"How do you deal with, well, the practicality of changing clothes back and forth? Where do you keep the costume when in civilian ID, and vice versa? Can you really wear a costume under your civvies? The costumes you've shown us are too bulky for that."

"Fanny packs," said Energia, flatly. She turned side-on to the audience and lifted her cape to show hers. "Seriously. That's one reason some folks wear capes; to hide the fanny packs. You don't need to stuff the entire costume or regular outfit in there, either. Just the parts which might show or get in the way. Of course, for an official, full time team those on duty should be in costume anyway, at least partially. Lone heroes learn to locate several safe places around the city to stash things if they need to leave their civilian clothes or shopping or whatever someplace safe while they go into action."

"It still seems... kind of uncomfortable," said one woman, shifting uneasily in her seat. "Wearing those multiple layers for hours at a time."

"A huge amount of work has been done on making costumes - even the bulkier ones - comfortable for long-term wear," said Energia. She grinned. "It helps to have gadgeteers and masterminds around who are motivated by wanting their own outfits to be comfortable."

* * *

"There's a saying in some circles that speed is life," said Vic, nodding to her group, as she began her first class. "Well, when it's part of general maneuverability it can save your life. If they can't hit you - with a beam, a fist, a blade or whatever - they can't hurt you."

This class was not meant to teach anyone either individual self defense or team tactics. It was to emphasize that such training was needed, and that it went far beyond the short series of courses being taught by Tricorne over the Summer. Afterwards, though, Vic heard some of those in the class talking as they left, and realized that she might not have made her point.

"It figures a girl would say we need to dodge," said one guy, quietly, and snidely, to one of the other male students. "They should'a let someone who has actually been in fights teach this class. A man. Get rid of all that pansy nonsense."

"Yeah," said another. "They couldn't even get a girl with a good figure."

Vic sighed, and resolved to work on her class notes. As much as she hated to brag, mentioning her experiences would likely get her more respect. As well as emphasizing that she was several years older than she appeared to be. Perhaps wearing her badge or even medal would help.

* * *

Despite some disappointments - and surprises - the first day of classes went very well. That evening, back in the large common room at Tricorne's lair, Energia and Vic gave their reports to the other two members of the team. They noticed that Blue Impact seemed upset about something, however. Once they were finished, they found out what.

"Artemis Franks got the charges against her dismissed," said Blue Impact, with a tired sigh. "She was able to convince the District Attorney's office that she was a victim of circumstance. I think it was actually a matter of too little direct evidence implicating her, aided by having plausible deniability. The fact that she arranged proper medical care for Emil Logsdon - at considerable expense - helped with that."

"That's... just so..." said Gadgetive, outraged.

"Yeah, well, there's no hard evidence that she actually did anything wrong except lie to us and the FBI about not knowing where Emil Logsdon was," said Blue Impact, with a sigh. "She still says she thought he was someone else. Everything else she can blame on her henchmen. Who are getting the finest legal aid money can buy, thus ensuring their loyalty. She's evil, but she's smart evil."

"I just had a disturbing thought," said Energia, looking worried.

"If it's in connection to this case, I'm surprised you've only had one disturbing thought," said Vic, dryly.

"What if the theft of the Tuesday Ruby was a distraction?"

"I have wondered the same thing," said Blue Impact, nodding. "How better to get away with stealing something than to have someone blatantly take something else, while you covertly take what you really want and replace it with a duplicate."

"Exactly. We need to get in touch with the folks at the museum and ask if they have inventoried the other items in the minerals building since the theft."

The older super nodded and sighed. Obviously, there was more bothering her than just Artemis Franks escaping justice.

"On a more personal note, the owner of the Jaguar I hit Major Grow with is suing me for destroying his car."

"Wasn't that already damaged before you grabbed it?" said Vic, puzzled. "I mean badly damaged."

She grimaced.

"I've become a bit of an unwilling expert on cars getting mangled."

"Yes, but despite those sworn statements all of you and the FBI folks made, the owner is still suing me. If I could get the security videos from the area I could show that it was already beyond reasonable repair before I grabbed it, but Franks has convinced even the banks owning the ATMs in the area not to cooperate. That won't last, but until I can get around that blockage things could get bad. As in there being an injunction against me acting as a hero bad."

"They can't do that!" said Gadgetive.

"Sure they can. You can sue over anything."

* * *

The next day dawned as gloomy as the end of the previous one had been. The mood in the old bakery was similarly downbeat. As usual, Blue Impact was the first member of Tricorne awake and on the job. Even Vic only beat her by about twenty minutes. When the quartet assembled for breakfast, Blue Impact explained what was bothering her.

"Turns out our suspicions were too late," said Blue Impact, sourly. "There's been a murder and theft at the mineralogy museum downtown."

"Wait. Was it the Idol's Eye diamond?"

"No. However, it now appears that the ruby theft really was for someone else besides Artemis Franks, though it was timed to coincide with the attacks on the exhibit we were guarding. Whoever arranged that is probably also the same person who sent warning of the attacks to the museum. The investigators of the murder and second theft believe that the disturbance caused by the first robbery and the attack on the amusement exhibit was used to distract people while someone entered a different section of the museum to steal something there. So I'm thinking that Franks' activities may have been arranged by the same party - without her knowing about the gem theft ahead of time - or simply coincidence. Though I'm not betting on coincidence."

"That would explain why Franks keeps stalling about revealing where the ruby is," said Energia, scowling. "She doesn't know! Of course, the fact that someone guided her actions without her becoming suspicious ahead of time means there must be a serious mastermind behind all of this."

"The situation is actually worse than that. I agree she still doesn't know. So do the police, which is one reason they aren't currently pursuing charges against her. They may be hoping her actions will reveal who is behind all this. Of course, she could so afraid of whoever had it done she won't pursue revenge; or she perhaps may not even know who it was. If the latter case is true, she won't admit it, or that she's afraid of them, but may try to manipulate others into acting against that party. However, this new crime at the museum is much more serious. The victim was one of the assistant curators; the man in charge of the meteor exhibit."

"You do know it's a myth that meteors have mystical powers, right?" said Gadgetive, her tone scathing.

"This one had what appeared to be part of a technological device embedded in it," said Blue Impact. "Believe me, getting that bit of information was neither easy nor simple. The museum staff were supposed to be collaborating with NASA to map the meteor with CAT scans. Those would have been used to figure out how to extract the device."

"Wait, what?!" said Gadgetive, suddenly excited. "What... Why doesn't anyone know about this?! Also, how did anyone notice the device?!"

"Part of it stuck out past the meteor's surface," said Blue Impact, answering the last question first. "The broken lump of space iron was caught in a coring bit they were using to drill down into that big crater in Greenland. From what I understand the researchers were very annoyed, since they were trying for a combination ice core and sediment core, and had to start over once they removed the meteorite chunk. However, they immediately recognized it as likely being part of the asteroid which made the crater.

"The folks in Greenland decided that the American team could keep that chunk, since there should be plenty more down there. For a long time most people who saw the thing thought the angular shape projecting out of the rock was just an unusual mineral formation. Those who thought it might be an artifact had a hard time convincing anyone else, but once they did and had their suspicion confirmed, NASA offered their help. That agency is officially responsible for all alien artifacts in the US, remember. After a few weeks of dithering, the people in charge of the drilling project - who were being funded by the museum - officially asked NASA to take on the investigation. They quickly verified there was likely something technological in the rock. However, the day before they and the museum staff were supposed to start working on how to extract it, the man who physically had custody of the meteor turned up dead of unnatural causes. Namely, a substantial skull fracture. A check showed that the meteor was missing; in fact, it may have been gone for weeks; he hadn't looked at it for a while, waiting for NASA and his bosses to reach an agreement. Additionally, his computer and all his notes on the meteor were stolen."

"So the Tuesday Ruby theft actually was a diversion to delay the discovery of the meteor theft," said Energia, scowling.

"That's the working hypothesis," said Blue Impact. "On the chance that this actually is alien tech, the Office of Scientific Investigation has taken charge of the search for it. Over the objections of NASA."

"I wonder how whoever murdered that poor guy and took the rock knew about it," said Gadgetive, frowning in intense thought. "If we can figure that out, it might lead us to the guilty party."

"I better contact the Bureau of Special Resources," said Vic, also frowning. "OSI has some good investigators, but they're more used to finding people who are poisoning food or water than in dealing with alien tech. NASA, on the other hand, is more qualified to examine alien tech, but not to solve crimes."

"I wonder if this is part of whatever the alien ship on the Moon was after," said Energia, joining in the contemplative frowning. "The one that created the Moon Scouts. It found something which satisfied its programming in very old rock on Earth, remember."

"We'll likely never know," said Blue Impact.

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

I will post Part Four on January 2nd.

Part Three

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Excellent!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"It was just laying there!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Okay, so it could be significant."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The New Breed," said Vic, nodding.

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

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

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

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

Artemis leaned forward, as if speaking in confidence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Will do."

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part Four

One of the least well attended of the courses Tricorne had arranged for The FX had the entire afternoon of the next day reserved. Perhaps because the talk was given by a member of the local police department. Energia had only met Lieutenant Sandra McCorsky twice before, both times through Blue Impact. However, thanks to the police woman's unusual job Energia clearly remembered both times. While the class she gave was underattended, Energia made sure to be in the audience for the lecture. She also urged the members of The FX to attend, though only Ma, Sircada and Salamander did.

"The supernatural is out there," said the Lieutenant, flatly. Though she normally worked in plain clothes for this she had worn her dress uniform. She looked rather impressive. "My squad gets a dozen minor cases a month, and maybe one or two big ones a year. I try to think of the situation as providing job security with an overall low workload. Don't be fooled by the low number of active cases, though. My work is very dangerous, and my section has a very high turnover rate.

"Most of the time the situation involves someone having a problem with something they inherited or bought from a mysterious shop which no-one can find again. There's also lots of stuff which actually isn't supernatural but follows Clarke's Third Law and appears to be. We usually get those cases, too.

"Regardless of the source, the situations are sometimes embarrassing, sometimes even funny, but always dangerous."

She looked around the room, forearms on the podium and leaning forward for emphasis.

"If you encounter something supernatural and you don't have an expert on your team or on call, you contact my office. Period. Don't put it aside. Don't try to handle it yourselves. Don't try to bring whatever it is to me. Supernatural problems are different, from non-supernatural problems and usually from each other. Almost always, each requires a different approach. Leave them to the experts."

She spent the rest of the hour providing examples - with images and short videos projected on the screen behind her - as well as guidelines for how to recognize when something supernatural was happening. By the time she finished no-one in the room - including Arlen, who for some reason was in this sparsely attended class while he had missed several more popular ones - wanted anything to do with anything remotely connected to the supernatural.

* * *

"I just heard some good news," said Gadgetive, smiling, as the four current occupants of the old bakery got together for supper. "Emil Logsdon woke up. They say the first thing he did was to ask about his family. The second was to ask about the house."

"Well, he seems to have his priorities in order," said Blue Impact, smiling as she raised a large spoonful of beef barley soup to her mouth. "Say, this is pretty good. Who made it?"

"I did," said Vic. "Got the recipe from my Mother. It's one of my favorites, but I don't make it often, because it takes over three hours. Since I didn't have any afternoon lectures today..."

"Say, can I get invited to your house for Thanksgiving?" said Gadgetive, grinning as she also enjoyed the soup.

"That might be difficult," said Vic, grinning but with an edge of sadness. "It took me two years to get them to let Michelle join us. They expect family holidays to be for family only. Fortunately, they include inlaws."

"Isn't she - Michelle, not your mother - coming here later this Summer?" said Energia.

"We're getting together a few days, yeah," said Vic. She grinned. "Or, rather, nights."

"Eeww," said Gadgetive, mildly.

"When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?" said Blue Impact, pointedly. She knew her question would cause some upset for Gadgetive and maybe even Energia, but felt that bringing up the subject might encourage both of them to socialize more.

"That's still up in the air," said Vic, with a sigh. "As sure as anything, if we did get married, the Bureau would tell me to go to work full time. In Alaska."

There were some polite chuckles at that.

* * *

Gadgetive was really looking forward to giving this lecture. While she was a general gadgeteer, she especially liked to work on vehicles. She had even persuaded Vic to let her look at Monstro, though so far all her suggestions had been vetoed.

"Welcome to The Care and Feeding of Team Vehicles," she said, actually rubbing her hands together in eagerness.

She proceeded to give a high-speed accounting of the merits and flaws of various types of ground vehicle. So high-speed that even those with experience in the topic were having trouble keeping up.

"I wish you'd slow down," one of the young men whined.

"If you can't rebuild an engine while it's running," said Gadgetive, smirking, "you haven't had enough coffee."

Later, Energia and Gadgetive were asked to meet with The FX to discuss team vehicles. Knowing Gadgetive, Energia expected this to be a complaint session. However, she instead found that Ma and Sircada and the team's chief technical expert primarily wanted to get the younger super's opinion on those vehicles the team already had.

"It's too bad none of you can fly," said Energia, obviously thinking that was a serious deficit for a hero team. "Even with a license. I understand you already have a good assortment of team ground vehicles, though."

"We're only licensed to operate in the city and this county," said Ma, with just a trace of sternness. "The rides we have are quite suitable for that."

"We have an electrobike for each team member, plus two spares," said Sircada. "They have a hundred-fifty mile range, and can be charged from any standard electric vehicle charging station. We have two hydrogen fuel cell vans, which have five hundred mile ranges and can refilled from any standard hydrogen pump or can make their own from water and an electrical source. They can also recharge the electrobikes. Finally, on the off chance we do have to be somewhere more distant in a hurry, we have a refurbished hopper, donated by the Pioneers, and we have a list of local pilots checked out in that type of aircraft and available for hire. It's an older model, pretty noisy, but can be anywhere on Earth in under an hour and a half from liftoff. Unfortunately, it only seats four plus the pilot. We also have to keep it at an airport out in the county."

"No Kenniman Kinematics Catalytic Fusion units?" said Energia, puzzled.

"Do you have any idea how expensive those are?!" said Ma, scandalized.

"I'm a little concerned about the increasing gap between ground-level teams like us and the more established, wealthier teams," said Sircada. "Not just because of their better transportation, either. I hear there are plans for a joint orbital super headquarters. The first since the Orbital Guild Hall was destroyed, in 2001."

"That plan is still tentative," said Energia, "Though with the incorporation of Shilmek technology and with Lunie help - neither of which the Guild had - it should be safer and more practical."

She grinned.

"Anyway, as you found out with that hopper from the Pioneers, with established teams helping new ones, the whole super hero business is sort'a like getting hand-me-downs. Things may not be an exact fit, but they'll serve reasonably well."

"I can tell you're an only child," said Sircada, in a wry tone.

"Having team vehicles suitable for long distance travel is far more convenient than trying to fly a commercial airline," said Gadgetive, fervently. "Even in costume, they just won't allow some stuff, and if you do wear your costume they're more likely to grill you until you miss your flight, then smile apologetically and send you on your way, expecting you to explain everything to the airline."

"I do believe I hear the voice of experience speaking," said Ma, grinning.

"One time, I missed my flight because I have a public ID and they paid 'special attention' to me, meaning they knew who I was even in regular clothes. Then, while I was at the airline's counter trying to arrange another flight - I was already in the secure area after finally being released - they grabbed me again 'cause I missed the previous flight! I kept telling them I missed that flight because of them, but they didn't seem to understand direct cause and effect. Maybe because they refuse to take any blame for their actions."

"This was the same set of TSA employees?" said Ma, suspiciously. "There are bad apples in every large group, as well as simply incompetent ones. I suspect that in this case you encountered a group of people who just didn't like supers and they were deliberately harassing you. They knew full well why you missed your flight and were just using that as an excuse. If you had asked to see..."

"Those bastards!"

"Have you folks had much interference from city officials who aren't following the lead of the new administration?" said Energia quickly, perhaps to cut off a rant. At least Gadgetive took the hint and sat quietly, if still fuming.

"Not a lot," said Sircada. "Though even after we got approval from the federal, state and city agencies, some offices in all three gave us a hard time."

"You should have been here when the building inspector came through!" said Ma, laughing. "He didn't understand any of the changes we made to bring this old building to super headquarters standards!"

"Well, they are... pretty unusual," said Energia, smirking. "Avoiding inspectors ignorant of our special needs is another reason we in Tricorne keep our lair secret. Like I said, before, teams and associated supers help each other, so we had no shortage of help. Though we still have to supervise pretty closely - there are situations where you just can't let gadgeteers run free..."

"Hey!" said Gadgetive, though she was grinning. Energia gave a silent thanks for her mercurial mood changes.

"...but you get the work done with far less officious hassle."

* * *

One of the most well-attended lectures was another two-hour session. However, this one was entirely on the plate of Blue Impact. Nearly all the attendees were in costume, many of them already being active in the hero business. Several had traveled there from outside the city, a few even from outside the state. Unfortunately, many of them obviously did not like what they were hearing.

"If first responders are already on scene, do not get involved without their specific permission, unless there is an immediate and obvious risk of serious injury," said Blue Impact, firmly. "Such as a building falling towards someone, or someone has jumped from a roof or window.

"Unless you have specific training, do not get involved in a domestic dispute. Back off and make sure the police - whoever the proper authority for that area is - know about the situation. Brief them when they get there, but don't intervene in the dispute unless there is, again, an obvious, immediate threat to someone's safety or you get a specific request from the cops, paramedics or whatever.

"Domestic disputes, especially, require specialized training, but many other situations also are best handled by those whose profession is dealing with them."

"Pffft!" said Arlen, sneering, one of the few of those in the audience in normal clothes. Blue Impact wondered why he was even here if all he was going to do was dismiss her advice as useless. "Training! That's just elitist hype. We don't need training. We're supers! Just do what comes naturally!"

"In which case you'll probably wind up in jail," said Blue Impact, flatly. "Now, concerning civilian arrest..."

"Dunning–Kruger effect," said Ma, later, with a sage nod. "Someone of low ability believes they would be very good at a difficult task. Simply because they have no real idea of how difficult the task actually is."

"I just don't understand him," said Blue Impact, still angry and now not bothering to hide it. "Why is he even attending these lectures if he refuses to learn?"

"That's... not my secret to tell," said Ma, looking uneasy.

"So there is a reason?" said Blue Impact, actually eager to hear it.

"I'm sorry. I can't say any more."

* * *

One of the few other lectures being given by someone who was not Vic or a member of Tricorne was by one of the few supers working openly in the field of medicine. Specifically, one Dr. Jonathan Martel, whose primary superhuman ability was a highly developed and very detailed sense of perception. He was a world renowned geneticist, giving this lecture as a special favor to Blue Impact. Again, many of those in attendance did not like what they were being told.

"The genes associated with powers are found in every population on Earth," said Dr. Martel, "in roughly similar percentages."

"That's not right!" came an outraged cry from the back of the room. "All power genes come from Europe! There was a mutant roaming around the continent about fifty thousand years ago, who spread the power genes there before anyone else ever had them! All the other races got them from that guy and his descendants!"

"No," said Dr. Martel, looking Arlen in the eyes. "That is not true. This mysterious 'superman' was hypothesized back in the late Nineteenth Century to explain superhumans and was later embraced by the Nazis, but no evidence has ever been found that he existed. Furthermore, modern genetic studies have thoroughly debunked the idea. Also, race is a social construct and this is a genetics class, so we'll focus on genetics. There is little variation in the incidence of super genes in any human population, no matter how isolated. The mix of specific genes may and does differ considerably, but the rate of incidence only varies by a few percent. Moreover, some super genes have been found in human remains more than a hundred thousand years old. Interestingly, this is not true for Neanderthals or Denisovans. Only hybrids among those populations who had sapiens ancestors had super genes."

"But... but... How could they get spread so evenly?" said the young man, outraged.

"Humans like to travel and they like to have sex," said Dr. Martel, to the accompaniment of some snickering.

Arlen stared at him for a moment, then jumped up and stormed out of the class.

"Now that we have that out of the way," said Dr. Martel, dryly, "let's try to learn something, shall we?"

* * *

Energia came down to Tricorne's gym the next morning to find a sweaty Vic just... sitting on one of the exercise benches, looking a bit depressed.

"You all right?" said Energia, catching the other woman by surprise.

"Oh, uh, yeah," said Vic, appearing embarrassed. "I was... Well, sometimes it still... catches me by surprise."

She glanced reflexively down at her crotch, blushed and looked back up. Energia realized the martial artist was straddling the bench.

"As someone who had male anatomy for a few hours, I wouldn't want it back," she said, hoping a bit of humor might help. "Those things are always in the way."

"Hey, it's not like girls aren't sensitive down there," said Vic, actually smiling a bit.

"That I well know," said Energia, wincing as she remembered a time on Pine Island during sparring when she moved in at the wrong moment and got kicked between the legs harder than her partner intended. Even through padding that had been a very unpleasant experience. "I like being able to sit the way you are or do proper splits. Something I used to kid Maldren about."

"You still miss him," said Vic, as she saw Energia's expression briefly cloud then go neutral.

"Yeah. Well, I'm going to exercise."

As they both got to work, Vic felt a bit guilty over inadvertently bringing Energia down. She also wondered - in speculation which was definitely not academic - whether a similar moment in their culture between two men would have gone the same way.

Part Five

Gadgetive actually taught very few classes by herself. The most significant of those was how supers with costumed IDs - or who just wished to maintain anonymity - needed to be careful about their appliances. This lecture was heavily attended.

"There are so many gadgets a hero can't have," said Gadgetive, her tone an odd mix of annoyed and wistful. "Mainly due to software security. Or lack of it. Many people today don't realize just how much memory, processing power and connectivity even something as apparently innocuous as a steam iron has. Some devices are okay in lairs, as long as you're careful with shielding, or - for public teams like The FX - you're in a publicly known location anyway. Even then, Bluetooth and WiFi are pretty much right out. You also still have to be careful about not putting any secure information on commercial devices. There's a list - a pretty short one - of specific models which are safe. You can't generalize by brand. Even new versions of safe models might allow a casual hacker access. Beware of software updates, too."

Later there were complaints from some that her class was too technical. However, the list of safe devices she provided was very straightforward, and those attendees in the class who already had some technical knowledge had little trouble following her.

"In the end," she said, summing up, "your best bet is to have a gadgeteer on the team or as an employee."

* * *

The lecture which had the most attendance was again scheduled to last two hours. This was planned to address the general life of a super, whether a mask or not. Because of the nature and length, all four of those currently rooming at the old bakery were taking half-hour turns.

"People are often surprised that most of those with powers do not actually put on a costume and fight crime," said Blue Impact, her tone a bit wry. "Though as the recent war revealed, they may feel obligated to act during times of crisis. The tradition is that those without powers who want to help put on a uniform - military, police, paramedic, whatever - and those with powers who want to help put on a costume. Usually one with a mask."

She stopped for a moment and smiled at her audience. Since roughly half those in attendance were actually wearing costumes some might have been wondering at her statements. Perhaps thinking them redundant, or at least obvious.

"However, the percentage of those with powers who don the mask is much higher than the percentage of the general population who put on a uniform. There is also a large contingent in both groups who help while wearing clothing which is neither uniform nor mask. There is something in human nature which generates an urge to help, and many follow that urge if they see a desperate need."

She gave examples of non-costumed supers who had helped and/or were helping with the world's problems. This included people like Ike Kenniman. After a false start as a hero in powered armor, he had switched to finding ways to economically mass produce super inventions. In less than twenty years his energy generating inventions had greatly reduced both dependence on petroleum and the generation of greenhouse and ozone-destroying gasses.

"Of course, there's also the problem that people with powers may be blamed by bigots for causing problems they had nothing to do with. Or were even victims of. There was that famous case from a few years ago of a Swiss commuter plane which crashed at an Austrian airport. There was one survivor, a man who was a low-level super. Though badly injured, his superhuman resilience allowed him to survive, and he had fast healing so he was out of the hospital in only a few days. Many in both nations - including some in the Swiss government - blamed him for the crash, even though there was no evidence he had even used his powers during the emergency. Some of the accusers just hinted. Some overtly claimed he caused crash - with various vague reasons given - knowing he'd probably survive. Despite the official verdict that the cause was a combination of radio communication problems - the result of contractors hitting an underground cable not on their plans - and the pilot being unaware a new runway was under construction. The poor man spent years fighting charges against him and bringing libel and slander charges against those making the baseless accusations.

"There have also been several incidents where someone with powers but no costumed ID was first on the scene of an emergency, and even though obviously helping was fired at, or actually shot, by law enforcement.

"Remember that just being a super is illegal in some places. So anyone planning to use their powers in public in any way - even if it's for entertainment - should seriously consider using a mask identity. That won't prevent all associated problems but will greatly reduce them."

Gadgetive was next.

"My powers activated unusually early, when I was just ten years old," she told them. "Because of that I wasn't able to keep them secret. My parents had no powers and weren't involved with the super community, so they had no idea they needed to keep my abilities secret. I'm not even sure they realized my talent for technology was a power. The result of this was them being murdered and me kidnapped by a super child slavery ring."

She glared at them.

"Just to make sure everyone understands, the victims were supers and the kidnappers not. I've had problems with bigots who refused to believe that. I was eventually rescued, along with most of the other victims. However, we all had the existence of our powers publicly revealed. Since none of us had mask IDs Coltman vs. Dachshund didn't apply. Even though I legally changed my name to Gadgetive to try and spare my remaining relatives, that exposure still caused all of us trouble. So keep your powers secret or otherwise distance them from who you really are."

Energia spoke briefly on the general harassment of supers through history. Then came Vic.

"Yeah. Like Gadgetive, the fact that I have powers came out in public right away. My family, thank God, was not murdered, but they are still experiencing occasional attention from undesirables. Not just random bigots, either."

She spoke briefly of her problems with Mr. Truth and Rokuro and the latter's minions.

"So, yeah. Let as few people as possible know you - the private you - have powers. Regardless of whether you choose to put a costume on and help in a public ID."

Overall, the multi-speaker presentation went well. However, some of those in the audience either - again - didn't like what the lecture taught, or missed the point entirely. The most problematic was Arlen, who, as most of the others were leaving, made a point of moving to where the four speakers were standing, to confront Energia.

"Yeah, look at you," said Arlen, smirking as he gestured at Energia. "Dressing up like that hero. That doesn't make you one! What makes you think anyone will listen to anything you say when you're trying to cash in on the reputation of a real hero!"

"What are you talking about?" said Energia, rapidly growing irritated. "My costume is registered. No-one else is allowed to wear one like it."

"Yeah? Then what does she have to say about that?"

"Who are you talking about?!"

"That woman who destroyed all those alien ships!"

"That was me," said Energia, grimly.

"Shhhyeah. Good luck convincing people of that."

Still smirking, he turned and swaggered away, having put that poser in her place.

"I could understand it if he thought I was too old to be the one who fought the Shilmek," said Energia, a little later, in the building's meeting room, still feeling both outraged and confused, "since it's been a few years and nearly every image of me in the news is from that period, but he thought I was too young!"

"He's an idiot," said Isarda, sourly. "Don't give much weight to anything he says."

"Tone told me he's her younger brother," said Blue Impact. She glanced at Energia. "She said he has had a chip on his shoulder since his powers manifested, and he hates that his father chose her to train and give his hero name to. Even though her powers are closer to their father's, as implied by the name."

"So why is he here?" said Energia.

"I guess I can explain, since Tone already told you that much," said Isarda. She gave an aggravated sigh, shook her head, and plunged in. "His father and sister made a deal with him that if he attended these lectures he could start a career as a mask. He's already missed too many for that. I don't know why he's still coming to some of them."

Fortunately, the topic soon changed, to how those present got into costumed crime fighting. More than a discussion about the lecture series, this was a real conversation between people with similar interests. Isarda's start as a costumed hero was almost as boring as Energia's and Blue Impact's; she just wanted to help fight crime. From what she said, Ma and Tone were both legacies who also felt the urge to help.

"When I first started out," said Isarda, sounding exasperated, "I thought everything would be simple. Find bad guys and stop them, and help with emergencies."

She sighed again, then stretched. Isarda was remarkably fit, and not just because of her super genes. Vic managed not to stare. Isarda smiled at the others present.

"I long for the time when I could just jump a purse snatcher and have the immediate reward of returning someone's belongings to them right then and there. In the process taking any frustrations out on someone who desperately needed a beating. Then leave. Maybe making an anonymous call to 911 if the perp seemed seriously injured."

"Yes, but today you're a publicly known hero, in a publicly accessible hero team," said Blue Impact, who sympathized. She leaned back in her chair - carefully - and shrugged. "You need to leave those kinds of activities to the rebels, like Mano Dura."

"I hate that guy," said Isarda, scowling. She began unconsciously drumming the fingers of her right hand on the central display table of the team's conference room. "He makes us other Hispanic heroes look like gangsters."

"Now, he's not that bad," said Blue Impact, with a slight smile. "He does have an attitude, but he also does a lot of good. I've worked with him a few times."

Posey's origin wasn't quite as prosaic.

"I started out patrolling a park notorious for petty crime," she said, grinning. "I mean, I found out I had powers a couple of years before that but didn't think much of it; they seemed pretty mediocre. I used them to entertain myself and some friends, and even in school plays. Nobody made much of a fuss about them, everybody figured they were just too minor for anyone to care about. Then I read in the paper and heard on the local TV and radio news about these guys who had basically taken over a local park. The police couldn't catch them; they'd just run. Descriptions were wildly different, so the law didn't have much to go on. People were whispering that they must be supers, but they never used any actual powers. They just knew who to rob and when to run.

"Anyway, I figured that I could scare them off, since they ran from the police. I wore my dancercize outfit, staked out the park from a hidey-hole I had found playing there as a kid and waited. Took me three nights before I heard something suspicious, checked, and found three rough looking guys robbing a nurse late for her shift at the local hospital who had decided to take the chance and use the park as a shortcut. I jumped out, turned my sparkles on and yelled something really stupid, like 'Beware, evildoers!' The muggers saved me from further embarrassment by shooting at me. That's when I learned I also had a forcefield. I was as surprised as they were when the bullets just bounced off, but they ran and never came back, while I was praised as a hero. I just moved up from there. Later learned I also have what they call 'environmental adaptation.'"

"Huh," said Energia, not sure what else to say.

"What was really weird was that once the police actually started making progress on the case, they found out that the robberies were by a lot of different groups of guys. Most from nearby towns. They heard, somehow, that there were easy pickings in that park and would rob one or two people, then leave. Which was why figuring out who was robbing people was so hard."

"Weird, indeed," said Energia.

They had a good, informative discussion of the various types of masks - hero or otherwise - in the process learning a great deal about each other. Finally, though, they had to break.

* * *

The series of lectures, overall, was a success, and halfway through the Summer had already earned both The FX collectively and the lecturers individually a nice amount of money. Most of the troublemakers had weeded themselves out after just a few lectures, their money gladly refunded.

Vic emerged from the women's showers, headed for the breakroom. Lately she'd been giving Isarda, Sircada and Posey actual hands-on lessons, something they had asked her to do in addition to her hands-off lectures on how to learn self-defense. She was currently wearing a sports bra, t-shirt, riding jeans and athletic shoes, and feeling rather upbeat. All three of her students had shown a willingness to learn, and Posey had demonstrated a surprising proficiency.

Unfortunately, her mood was spoiled as Arlen smoothly pulled into formation with her.

"Hey, I keep seeing you with those others from Tricorne," said Arlen, his manner surprisingly charming. "You're not a member, though, are you?"

"No, since Tricorne can only have three members," said Vic, tone carefully neutral.

"Well, I'd love to have you on my team. Why don't we go somewhere and talk about it."

Vic needed a moment to understand just what sort of "team up" he meant. When she did, she smirked.

"No, thanks. Even if I weren't already in a monogamous relationship I wouldn't be interested in you."

Instead of getting angry, he decided to pour on the charm. He was actually quite good at that. Vic remembered Tone and Posey both saying that he could be friendly and and even entertaining when he wasn't being moody over (as he saw it) being "cheated out of his inheritance."

"Sorry," said Vic, barely avoiding rolling her eyes as he finally reached a pause in his spiel. "I really am not interested. I also need to be somewhere."

She turned down the side hall leading to the break room. He moved quickly and smoothly ahead of her and stopped, taking advantage of the narrower hall to block her path. That demonstration of inhuman grace reminded Vic that he was a physical super. Exactly how super she wasn't certain, but she decided that if he did get physical with her she would not hold back.

"Look, I'm just saying that I'm interested in you. Be reasonable. Don't just write me off. Get to know me. You might like what you find. Especially once we both get our clothes off."

Up until that last sentence Vic had been more interested in simply getting away from someone annoying that actually doing anything to Arlen. However...

"You realize that counts as sexual harassment, right?"

"What?" said Arlen, genuinely confused.

"You're being sexually aggressive with someone not interested. I suggest you back off before I file a complaint."

Vic stepped to one side to squeeze past him. He responded by taking advantage of his larger size to trap her against the wall, one of his arms on either side of Vic. She deftly ducked under Arlen's left arm and took several steps backwards away, surprising him.

"Keep your hands to yourself."

He scowled. Vic thought he'd finally gotten the message, and turned to walk away. However, Arlen lunged forwards, grabbing for her shoulder, obviously intending to spin her around. Vic dodged, but just barely; he again was exhibiting superhuman reflexes.

"Last warning," said Vic, her tone as neutral as she could manage.

"Hey, it's a free country," said Arlen, smirking. "I can say anything I want and touch anything I want."

To prove his point he smacked Vic on the rump.

"See?"

"Right," said Vic, pulling out her badge and holding it in his face. "You're under arrest for assaulting a federal agent."

"Hey, there's no reason to make a federal case out of it," said Arlen, offended.

"I'm a fed. You just sexually assaulted me. It's already a federal case."

"Bitch," Arlen, muttered. He smacked the badge aside, then turned and started to walk away.

He got slammed face-first into a wall.

"Did you miss the part where you're under arrest?" said Vic, angrily.

"You can't arrest me!" he screamed, easily pushing away from the wall. Only to get shoved right back into it. "I didn't do anything!"

"I'm sure the city district attorney's office will say otherwise, once they hear my testimony and see the security video!"

"I mean you can't hold me! I'm superhuman!"

He shoved off the wall, harder this time. Instead of fighting his superior strength, Vic went with the motion and threw him into the opposite wall. However, before she could close the distance he pushed off, screaming in rage, and charged her.

The fight was brutal but short. Fortunately, the only serious damage was to the new plaster and paint on the walls. Vic hardly even needed to use the Purple Art, though it did help her make the fight mercifully short. With most of the mercy being for Arlen. Vic felt grateful that he either didn't have any real skill or was too angry to use it. His physical abilities were sufficient that he could have put up a serious fight. As several staff members and Sircada came running to the scene, she secured him with super-rated zip-cuffs and called the Bureau. She pointed to her badge as she spoke, and one of the security women returned it to her.

"Yeah, I think this is definitely something you should handle through the local police," said the Bureau attorney on the other end. "Call as soon as I hang up."

"Roger," said Vic. She explained briefly to Sircada and the security personnel what had happened and what she intended to do about it. They agreed with no hesitation.

After making the second call, she hauled the barely-conscious Arlen downstairs and laid him on the floor in the lobby. The security guard there half rose from his seat, not sure what was happening. Vic raised her badge for him to see.

"I'm arresting this idiot. I've already called my bureau and the local police."

He nodded and sat back down.

"Good riddance."

Part Six

The next day was a Saturday, and supposedly a day off for Tricorne, at least as far as giving lectures was concerned. However, they were still cleaning their breakfast dishes when they got an emergency call from Ma. Blue Impact took the call, then quickly put it on speaker, while Ma did the same. The bakery quartet gathered around the kitchen phone.

"Go ahead," said Blue Impact.

"The Black Badge just showed up at our back door, badly injured and requesting sanctuary. He says he was attacked by the New Breed, and asked us to notify you folks." They could almost see Ma's grim smile. "This is the first time we've used our infirmary for anything more than first aid. Anyway, besides his request to speak with you, I wanted Blue Impact's professional opinion about the legality of this situation."

"He's wanted for questioning in several states and cities," said Blue Impact, frowning in thought. "However, not in this state or city. Since you're a volunteer emergency response team and not a law enforcement agency you're not obligated to report his presence to anyone. It could cause problems for you later if some agency which does want to speak with him learns about this, but if you keep his presence secret there should be no repercussions."

"He's not wanted on federal charges, either," said Vic. "Not even for questioning. However, I'd really like to talk to him."

She grinned.

"Strictly as a private citizen of course."

"We definitely need to have someone there when you do," said Tone. "Ma?"

"I'm available," said the oldest member of The FX. "Maybe we should have Theoretical Stranger there, too. Though I suggest we moderate the inquiry while mostly observing. Both Blue Impact and Vic have a lot more experience at this sort of thing than any of us. We need to treat it as a learning experience."

Vic wasn't sure how her own skill at questioning people compared to Blue Impact's, but she hadn't done too badly with Artemis. An arrangement was quickly reached.

* * *

Tricorne's large apergy flyer landed gently on the roof of the Fox building. The quartet cleared security and they were soon part of a group standing around the bed of The Black Badge. The team's medic stood nearby, scowling in disapproval at this disturbance of his patient's recovery. The Black Badge was still wearing his mask and gloves, since most of his injuries were to his legs and lower back.

"You wanted to see us?" said Blue Impact.

"Yeah. Watch out for the New Breed. They're killers, planning to eliminate rival masks, including heroes."

"We already knew they included DareKill, Helen Frye and Blackjack among their number," said Blue Impact.

"I can confirm those three, and you can add Lemuel Crue and Harass to that," said The Black Badge, apparently not surprised they already knew that much. "Being suspicious of them, I decided to check them out. Two days ago they ambushed me as I went to meet an informant."

Energia noted, as before, that the fabric of his costume was actually hard to focus on, appearing blurry, Moreover, in the better light of the clinic she could see that there were polarized lenses in the eyepieces of his mask.

"Two things saved me," said The Black Badge. "I knew the area, and they got a message saying to hurry up and finish with me because something else had come up. I went to ground in a location they didn't want to enter, so they wrecked the place from outside then responded that I was taken care of and left."

"Some heroes," said Energia, sourly.

"Were you able to tell who was giving them orders?" said Blue Impact.

"No. The voice was electronically distorted. However, during the fight I realized they were all known costumed criminals who usually work as muscle for masterminds," said The Black Badge. "I recognized Helen Frye immediately, saw the pattern of behavior they all had in common, and pieced together who the others were while I was patching myself up later. I rested as long as I dared, then made my way here. Both to warn you and to get better medical care."

"We already suspected they're all actually criminals," said Blue Impact.

"I can definitely confirm that. They've committed multiple crimes since forming the New Breed. They've just been smart enough to stay away from cops and keep on the move."

* * *

"Now we need to figure out what to do with this information," said Blue Impact, as they entered the meeting room in the headquarters of The FX.

"Well, tell the local police!" said Posey.

"How do you know what we're talking about?" said Vic.

"We were monitoring from here room over the intercom," Posey replied.

"We all were," said Sircada. "I thought we told about that."

"The New Breed has not been seen in this city," said Ma, getting back to the point.

"So... The State Police?" said Posey.

"Yes. They have committed a few criminal acts in the state. I'm certain all law enforcement in this region knows about those and what else the New Breed have done. Unfortunately, the only thing we could tell them is that we have unconfirmed IDs for that team's members."

"There are people in various law enforcement agencies who will be able to make use of that information," said Blue Impact. "We also need to - quietly - spread the word among super teams and every singleton super in the area who gets along with other supers."

They quickly made a list of who to notify. Blue Impact volunteered to handle some individual supers and teams she had contacts with. Vic would call the Bureau of Special Resources. The FX would handle other supers and teams and law enforcement agencies.

"With that decided, what do we do about The Black Badge?"

"Count what he told us as payment for his medical treatment," said Blue Impact. "Then we all need to get to work on finding and corralling the New Breed."

"I'm not sure we're ready to take them on," said Isarda, looking and sounding doubtful. "We're all experienced, but new at working as a team. They've been operational for months, taking down individual supers and even some entire criminal gangs of supers."

"Don't worry; we are definitely going to help," said Blue Impact. "So will any other team and most individual supers in the area. These people are bad news, and giving supers in general a bad image."

* * *

Vic made a point of stopping by the infirmary while the others were finalizing the plans.

"Just thought you'd like to know that we're getting the word out," she told The Black Badge.

"Good."

"I will be the one calling the Bureau of Special Resources. Do you care if I mention that the information came from you?

"No. I should be on my way well before they or anyone else can officially react."

"The Hell you will," said the infirmary medic, mildly.

The three of them actually laughed a bit at that, all of them well aware that as soon as he felt up to it, The Black Badge would sneak out without anyone spotting him. At least, that was the standard procedure.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Vic, hesitantly, "what led you to taking up the mask?"

"I... made a mistake and got someone killed," the prone man said, quietly. "I vowed I would do whatever I could to help people from then on."

Vic nodded, realizing that was all she'd get out of him on the matter.

"I know the feeling," said Vic, also quietly. "In my case, the guy didn't die, but I made his injuries worse. From pure ego, thinking I could help when I couldn't."

"To paraphrase the great philosopher, 'a person's got to know their limitations.'"

"Well, you rest and heal. I'm going to find a quiet room and make that call."

* * *

The various law enforcement agencies and supers were still trying in their various ways to get a handle on the new information about the New Breed when an alert went up on the city police department's Web page about an odd theft.

Lieutenant Sandra McCorsky notified all and sundry of the theft of an item from the collection of the great-grandson of a man who had been in the Yukon for the Klondike Gold Rush. The images she posted of the missing item bore a strong resemblance to the item from the astroid chunk. There was a warning that this was suspected to be a magical or mad science item, and not to touch it, but report it if found.

"Ho. Lee. Uh..." said Gadgetive, when Blue Impact called the team together in the lounge area and showed them the post.

"She got the case because the item had been tentatively identified as advanced tech of a mysterious origin," said Blue Impact. "Since it had been in the collection of a wealthy family for over a century and not officially identified as alien, it was grandfathered in instead of being seized by the government."

"So, we need to talk to Lieutenant McCorsky and confirm the connection," said Vic, nodding.

"I don't think we need to bring the whole team into her office," said Blue Impact, smiling at that mental image.

"I'll go," said Energia, before Vic could volunteer. "I haven't done much flying, lately. Now that the weather is finally clearing this will give me a chance to get out and get some fresh air."

"I'll call and let them know to expect you."

* * *

Energia was already attracting a considerable amount of attention even before she landed. She made a graceful touchdown in a no-parking area and began walking towards the doors. She was well aware of the image she presented. Red hair, colorful costume with a medium-length cape, her already above average height accentuated by the heels on her boots. Not to mention other natural assets being accentuated by padding. Standing straight, shoulders back and head up, her level of fitness noticeable even through the layers and airbrushing of her costume, she was attracting enough attention that people in the parking lot were moving towards the rear of the building just to get a look at her as she walked the last bit of distance to the police building.

Even though she used the rear entrance, Energia still had to confront security. She stopped at the station beside the metal detector.

"Would you tell Lieutenant Sandra McCorsky that Energia is here to see her?"

"One moment, please," said the security guard, as he lifted the phone handset.

People outside began crowding around the door. So far, no-one was approaching from inside the building, but that was certain to change soon. Energia wished these people would get lives. Fortunately, the guard finished his inquiry quickly.

"She says you can come ahead."

"What about going through the metal detector?" said Energia, smiling slightly. "I'm carrying lots of metal on my person, though with my powers I could keep it silent despite that."

"Yeah, which is why we use personal vetting, instead of the metal detector, for supers," said the guard. He gestured at the ceiling-mounted video camera pointing at the security station. "She took a look and said she was expecting you and recognized you."

"Oh. Thank you. I know the way."

Energia walked a short distance down the hall, pushed through the door marked STAIRS and headed up. Even if she hadn't already known which was the right landing, it was obvious; there was an odd sort of dimness in the lighting there, as if it couldn't quite dispel the shadows on the door. A feeling which only grew more pronounced as she passed through into the corridor beyond. The whole floor gave an impression of dinginess and neglect, even though a closer look showed no dirt or dust. Soon she was entering the office of the supernatural squad. They were the only office on this floor; the rest was used for long-term storage.

"Welcome!" said the Lieutenant, grinning and extending her hand she met Energia in the outer room of the squad. "Enter freely, and of your own will!"

Energia knew the origin of that quote, and did not find it funny in the least. Still, she shook hands and followed the Lieutenant into her office. She took the indicated chair, then waited for her host to take her own seat.

"I understand Tricorne is interested in the Grantman Artifact theft," the Lieutenant said. "We don't know exactly when the item was stolen, but the owner distinctly remembers seeing it eight days ago. No alarms sounded, and we can't find any sign of forced entry, but it's definitely gone. Grantman told us he just happened to check something else in the collection yesterday and noticed the case which normally holds the Artifact was empty."

"When we at Tricorne saw your image of that stolen item, we recognized it as looking like something else we recently learned about."

"Oh, really?" said McCorsky, leaning forward expectantly.

"A different item, but similar. It was embedded in the meteorite which was recently stolen from the mineralogy museum."

That startled her. Energia handed over a copy of the best image the investigators had been able to make of the mystery object. The Lieutenant examined this, and nodded.

"I can actually see the connection," said McCorsky. "The stolen item I posted about was found at the foot of a glacier, embedded in what was described as 'a chunk of iron.' It was likely meteoric, and the finder just didn't realize that. He did note in his diary that he spent many hours when the weather was too bad to prospect worrying at that 'chunk' until he freed the object."

"Do you have any idea what the object was?" said Energia.

"Best guess was an alien computational device," the Lieutenant replied. "Like those discrete data handling components used in the first Myrmidons, which were integrated memory and processing units. Though these are very different stylistically."

She gave the super a wry grin and shook her head.

"Sometimes I wonder just how many aliens visited Earth in the distant past."

"Whoah..." said Energia, now more worried than ever about the thefts. "So... Someone stole that, and likely the same party took the one from the museum. Are they after stored knowledge left in the memories? Or do they need the processing power? What?!"

"There your guess is as good as mine," said McCorsky, spreading her hands.

She opened a desk drawer and pulled out several large photo prints.

"Here, keep these. They're archival images of the object found in the Yukon. They should give you a better idea of what both devices look like."

"Thank you," said Energia, leafing through the prints. "Yes, these are nice and sharp and detailed. I'll see what Gadgetive and maybe some others can make of these."

"Just remember, if you find either object, call here."

"You'll have to fight with at least three federal organizations over them, if they're ever recovered," said Energia, smirking. "Though they may be so busy fighting each other you might be able to sneak in, grab both objects and run before they notice."

The Lieutenant actually laughed at that.

Part Seven

"While you were gone we gathered a lot more data on the New Breed," said Blue Impact, once Energia had returned to the old bakery and briefed the others. The team leader was looking very serious. "Turns out they are responsible for at least twenty deaths. The various law enforcement agencies are accused of not hunting them as diligently as they should. That they are holding back because the New Breed has gotten rid of so many costumed villains. However, that lack of attention is now changing.

"Seems the New Breed is much more active - and dangerous - than any one law enforcement group thought," said Blue Impact. "Once we started compiling data from several agencies that became obvious. They're suspected of criminal activities - including being implicated in as many as twenty deaths, most of them criminal masks - in twelve states. It was the fact that they were acting in such a broad area - never staying long in one place - which kept any one organization from realizing just how much they had done. However, pretty much everyone in the northeast is now looking for them. Including at least two federal agencies."

"Wow. Any idea who is behind this? 'Cause from what I know of the members who have been identified, it's not any of them."

"Which is a good point," said Vic. "So far, we have nothing firm about a leader of or sponsor for the group. Our idea of a single mastermind being behind them and the museum meteor theft still holds, since so far nothing disproves it."

"So for now we just have to wait, while keeping ready," said Blue Impact.

* * *

Waiting around for something to happen was not good for a finely honed team. Fortunately, Tricorne and Vic were all veterans, and knew how to take the waiting in stride. Though sometimes the particular method of dealing took the form of pranks and joking around. Later that afternoon Energia walked into the lounge area at the bakery and into the middle of a friendly argument.

"Okay, I'm confused," said Vic. "You kept pestering me to let you work on my car, but now that I've agreed to let you do something, you won't install that new subframe brace."

"It's against my religion."

"Welding is against your religion?!" The martial artist was now very confused.

"Pig iron is non-kosher," said Gadgetive, straightfaced.

"This from someone who likes to occasionally sneak some of my breakfast bacon," said Blue Impact, dryly.

"I can't help it," said Gadgetive, striking a dramatic pose. "It's... bacon!"

"How long have you been waiting to use that joke about pig iron, anyway?" said Energia, smirking.

There was a buzzing from the com center. Blue Impact excused herself and hurried over while Gadgetive and Vic amiably argued. Suddenly, the situation turned much more serious.

"Red alert!" came the call from Blue Impact. "Suit up and get ready to travel. We have been specifically requested to help with an emergency!"

* * *

The team was in the large apergy flyer and on the way in well under ten minutes. It wasn't until the team was flying high and fast that their leader was able to provide details.

"There is a problem at the Adirondack Anomaly," said Blue Impact, finally. "This is a facility built to examine the Phlogiston Well, which is the actual Anomaly. They had 'an excursion' which caused an explosion. Extent of damage unknown. The fire department is already there, and they have asked for supers to both help get stranded employees off the top of the facility and inspect the damage. They specifically asked for a gadgeteer with a solid foundation in theoretical physics. They also wanted a team which could get there right now. Which is why we got the call.

"The Principal Investigator on the scene is a fire captain named Edmund Forest. I suspect they may also be worried that the Anomaly itself might react somehow to the disturbance."

"That's not likely," said Gadgetive, dryly. "People have tried without success for over a century to get some sort of reaction out of that thing."

Thanks to their flyer, the quartet arrived not long after receiving the call. Blue Impact circled the facility, the main building of which turned out to be a tall, slim tower. This had smoke pouring out of a hole in the side about two-thirds of the way up. They landed in the parking lot, out of the way of the emergency vehicles. As the team walked towards the command table which had been set up near the facility's administration building, they were directed towards Captain Forest.

"Thank you for coming. We have already cleared the lower levels. The fire seems to be confined to the two levels where you can see the smoke coming out. Some of the facility personnel had to go up to the roof. We have a helicopter on the way, but it is still nearly half an hour out and we would definitely like to get them down sooner."

"Captain, Energia can fly up and check the damage," said Blue Impact. "She can send back images so we can see if the tower is still solid enough for our pod to make a pickup from the roof. If it is, I can take the stranded personnel off right away."

"That sounds like a plan."

As she turned to Energia, however, she noticed that the younger mask was frowning, and appeared distracted as she looked up at the smoke.

"What?" said Blue Impact.

"It's... weird. I've heard about the Anomaly, but I've never been close to it before. It feels... like a hole."

"A hole?" said Gadgetive, perking up.

Energia nodded.

"It's a bit like the one holding der Schmale... only it's not..."

"There have been a lot of things claimed about the Phlogiston Well," said Gadgetive, now also frowning. "Most are just unverified speculation. Best guess is that the Anomaly is some sort of spatial distortion coupled physically to this location."

Energia nodded, absently, but continued to look around.

"Analyze later," said Blue Impact, firmly. "Get up there and check the situation now."

"Oh. Right."

Soon, the only person present who could fly was equipped with a lightweight video camera and filter mask, both courtesy of Gadgetive.

"Wow, this thing is tall," said Energia, voice muffled by the mask, as she flew a slow, upwards spiral around the tower, pointing the camera as directed.

"It's under a hundred stories," said Gadgetive, from where she had set up a display so she and the fire department structural expert on scene could get a good view. "You've flown to the Moon and back. Several times."

"Yeah, but it's still tall. Okay, I'm coming up to the hole. It's pretty big, actually. I don't see how this thing is still standing. The hole is completely through to the inside and nearly half the way around."

A gusty wind frequently blew the smoke away from the hole well enough for both Energia and the camera to see inside. Unfortunately, it also occasionally blew the smoke directly at her. She was very appreciative of the mask. She was also disappointed she couldn't actually see anything which corresponded to what her super senses were telling her.

"They had to build it tough," said Gadgetive. "Okay, from what we're seeing in the video feed the damage definitely came from the inside. The way the rebar is bent outwards is pretty telling. They were just lucky it all went in one direction, instead of radially."

"Do I need to do anything?"

"Just finish the survey then get to the top," said the structural expert. "So far it looks like it's holding, so we'll leave repairs - or demolition - for later."

"No bodies, fortunately," said Energia, as she hovered at the hole. "Okay, I'm heading to the top."

Also fortunately, there were only five members of the investigative team to rescue. They waved, standing as far away from the hole as they could, with shirts and handkerchiefs over the mouths and noses.

"Hang on!" she shouted. "We'll have a vehicle up here to get all of you down in just a few minutes!"

The structural guy on site quickly okayed a pickup. Blue Impact flew the team's transport to the scene and hovered at the edge of the tower's top - carefully, with Energia on her port side, augmenting the view from the exterior cameras with radioed advice - while the five crowded in through the rear door. Given the smoke pouring up the side of the tower they were very eager to get off their perch, despite the flyer having no perceptible means of support. Blue Impact then closed the rear door and flew the craft to where the paramedics were waiting.

"All accounted for," said Captain Forest, after speaking briefly with the head of the facility. "They were the only ones above the location of the blast, and everyone else got out by the stairs."

"Good news," said Blue Impact.

"Your gadgeteer gave us a copy of the video of the damage and her evaluation. Thank you. You saved us - and those five - at least twenty minutes of smoke exposure. Possibly even some injuries."

"Our pleasure," said Energia, smiling.

They were asked to stand by, and then to help with putting the fire out. This was largely a matter of routine, and again the help of the supers meant the fire fighters could do their jobs more quickly and safely.

"Not bad," said Energia, as they were cleaning up before boarding the pod to return. "Nobody dead or even seriously injured. One of our less unpleasant rescue missions."

"Yeah," said Gadgetive. "The facilities head and their chief engineer are already talking to a contractor about repairs. They could be back in operation before the end of the month!"

However, as Tricorne and Vic prepared to leave, a very serious Blue Impact gathered them together in the rear part of the flyer. She also called The FX and put Ma on speaker.

"I just heard that - and this isn't official, so keep it quiet - this wasn't an accident," said Blue Impact.

That sobered the others quickly.

"Some of the workers say they spotted some people in colorful costumes running from the tower, right after the explosion. Descriptions are sketchy, but could fit members of the New Breed."

"Why would they be there?!" said Ma.

"There's a lot of very expensive equipment inside," said Gadgetive. "Could have been cover for a robbery."

"The same thing occurred to Captain Forest," said Blue Impact. "He's already notified the county sheriff's office. They're going to have people out here in shifts keeping watch until the company which sponsors the project can arrange for private security. We'll have to wait for an inventory before anybody knows for sure if there's anything missing."

* * *

"Something important," said Gadgetive, several days later at the bakery, shortly after breakfast. She called up an image on the large wall display in the main room. "See these pilings, in the master plans? They put those in due to caves and sinkholes in the area. They go deep. Really deep."

"That's... a lot of building to put on ground like that," said Blue Impact, surprised.

"Well, this was where it had to be, since that's where the Anomaly - the Phlogiston Well - is," said Gadgetive. "The structure is actually quite stable, even after the accident. They had to rush to make some serious inspections, underground as well as above ground. That included a complete survey before they could even let anyone inside. That in turn meant lots of spelunking and lots of drones. They confirmed that it's safe to start repairs. However, one of the things they discovered was that the actual explosion was a result of sabotage, and not explosives."

"What sort of sabotage could cause an explosion like that?" said Energia, puzzled.

"The report put the cause as 'gross existential negligence.'"

"What does that even mean?!" said Blue Impact, scowling.

"That they let the quantum foam get so stimulated only a single quantum tunneling event was needed to trigger a cascade."

"I repeat my question."

"Everything was stable and safe, unless something disturbed their containment and let what they were containing loose. Then something did."

"For those of us who don't speak advanced physics," said Vic, wryly, "what were they doing there?"

"Uhm, exploring how to tap the quantum foam to generate free energy," said Gadgetive. "They were mainly doing basic research, but hoped to have a commercial project on the market soon to help fund the work. They planned to use what they learned to build electrical generators of various sizes to help further replace polluting energy sources."

"Why bother?" said Energia, confused. "I mean, we're only just now getting fusion power plants added to the electrical supply network, and those are already replacing just about everything that's non-renewable."

"Fusion is clean," said Gadgetive, "but it's not completely clean. There's still some pollution, and not just from radioactive contamination of the parts. The manufacturing process for some of the components and fuels are far from clean. Same problem with solar power. Manufacturing anything out of silicon is messy. Quantum foam power would be very close to zero emissions. Though some equations show it might destabilize the structure of space."

The lair alert sounded, making them all jump, in part due to that announcement. Blue Impact hurried to the com center.

"I don't believe this," she said, astounded. "Remember how they expedited repairs on that tower? Well, as soon as the structural workers left and the regular crew moved back in to start equipment repairs, the facility was attacked again. All the investigators are dead. No alarms or signs of forced entry; nobody noticed anything was wrong until the people working there didn't come home. Since they were expected to be working late that took a while."

The others hurried to join her and read over her shoulder.

"Damn," said Vic, astounded. "Seems like the attack started as soon as the repair crew was out of sight."

"We need to get out there now!" said Energia.

"Yeah," said Blue Impact, nodding as she rose. "Even if the attackers - whether the New Breed or someone else - are long gone, we need to check the scene of the crime while the evidence is fresh."

"Especially since this is the second attack on the facility," said Energia. "Someone doesn't want them in operation!"

* * *

The team's apergy pod - in full stealth mode - halted well above the cluster of buildings and let Energia out the rear. She was wearing her own stealth jumpsuit and nearly as hard to notice as the flyer. With Energia and the pod both flying slowly and silently, the team plus Vic carefully scanned the area with eyes, ears, super senses and instruments.

"Looks clear," said Energia, finally. "Nobody here, though I see signs of recent activity."

The pod landed - stealth features still fully active - in the parking lot and the trio disembarked. They rendezvoused with Energia - already at the front door to the administration building - as she turned off her jumpsuit.

"Wow," said Vic, as they entered the reception area through the unlocked door. "This place is still a wreck from the original explosion."

"Looks like they focused on getting the tower back into operation," said Gadgetive, idly poking around. "This place has hardly been touched."

"Gadgetive, you and Vic to check the tower," said Blue Impact. "Energia, fly around the area and see if you can spot anything. I'll check the offices here."

"Roger," said the last of those, with a mock salute.

Less than an hour later Blue Impact finished and called for reports.

"Nothing here was taken that I can see," she said, over their coms. "From what I can see, the New Breed - or whoever it was - just walked in and killed everyone here. Including the two security guards. Fortunately, they were running with a skeleton crew.

"The offices have seen a lot of activity, though. First they were cleaned a bit and used some. It looks like all the computers are still here; some are still on. The workers were doing their jobs when they were killed. Pretty cleanly and quickly, from the lack of blood and disturbances. The emergency workers checked them, saw they were beyond help, and called the CSI folks. They took photos and samples for evidence, then the coroner's office picked up the bodies. There's evidence tape blocking each doorway. I didn't go in."

"Nothing to see from the air," said Energia. "I spiraled out pretty widely, too. Coming back to the admin building."

"Looks like the reports we got were behind the reality of the situation," said Gadgetive, calling from the tower. "Contractors put in structural reinforcement and then patched the hole with shotcrete. They left and the investigators replaced all the damaged equipment with spares. This thing is ready to go!"

"Would the attackers have known that?" said Blue Impact, startled.

"No way to tell from the evidence," said Gadgetive, "but I'd bet that way, since they didn't damage any equipment."

"So. It's not that whoever is behind the attacks wanted this to not work, but that they wanted it to work for them," said Energia. "Without interference from the staff. Why?!"

"I don't know," said Blue Impact. "I have a strong suspicion we better find out.

"Meanwhile, Gadgetive, figure out a way to keep this thing from functioning which doesn't do any actual damage but would be hard to repair quickly."

"Roger. From what I saw earlier, they used all their spares and still had to order some stuff to finish. That's what all those crates in the dumpster out back of the admin building were for. So, just remove a couple of small but important components and take them with us..."

"That could be called theft," said Blue Impact. "Better to hide them somewhere here. Then we need to arrange for a watch on this place."

"Hey," said Energia, over their coms. "I found something. A piece of paper with an address. Just laying here on the receptionist's desk, in the lobby."

While Gadgetive set to work the others joined Energia. She held the small sheet of notepaper up in her gloved hand for them to see.

"I'm getting a bit of deja vu here," said Vic, as she looked at the paper. "From what I can see, it was placed in plain sight, on top of the dust and debris from the original explosion. It's also not the same as any of the other note paper on the desk."

"Yeah," said Blue Impact. "Like that was meant for us to find. We still need to check it out."

Part Eight

"You just know they're gonna ambush us," said Energia, as the four of them entered the flyer. "That note with the address was left there for us to find. These are all professionals; they're not likely to make such a mistake."

"Then let's turn it around and ambush them," said Blue Impact. "I think we'll also bring help."

* * *

Carefully, the colorfully costumed champions approached the officially obsolete warehouse, using all available cover. They scouted from a hopefully safe distance. The front was heavily guarded, though those on watch were carefully keeping out of sight. The heroes by their various means quickly spotted them, anyway. The sides had no entrances. That left the rear, which appeared to be thoroughly secured but not guarded.

The heroes crept into position. Their fastest member then launched himself at the door and quickly disarmed the alarm. The other members hurried up. Only a moment was needed to force the door, and then...

The entire building and quite a bit of property around it went up in a devastating explosion.

"Holy shit!" screamed Salamander, peeking over the low wall behind which the heroes - the actual ones - had ducked for cover. They had been watching their doubles from the top level of a nearby parking garage when the warehouse went up. Some of it was actually still falling...

"That... Was not what I was expecting," said Blue Impact, stunned.

"I have to admit," said Energia, also very surprised, "that was more... energetic than I expected, too."

Between Gadgetive, Energia and Tone they had faked the members of Tricorne entering the place. Expecting that once the New Breed attacked the illusory heroes the larger group of real heroes would easily take them out. This, though...

"Okay," said Ma, over their coms, "were they even actually in there?"

"We'll have to check," said Energia, with a shudder.

"I'd swear those guards were real," said Tone, scowling. "Though I'm now thinking they were real robots, or whatever."

"Filter masks on, those who don't already have them," said Sircada, following his own advice. "Also, be quick. First responders should be here pretty quickly."

Carefully, checking both for the expected hazards after such an explosion and for additional traps, the combined team made their way through the debris. They were just about finished when they heard the first sirens in the distance.

"Yeah, I think we better go," said Salamander.

"Why?" said Sircada. He grinned. "We didn't do anything wrong. We were just responding to a large and mysterious explosion."

"He's right," said Blue Impact, nodding. "We stay and help the first responders look the place over."

As it turned out, while they did find fragments of a few incongruous tech items - some from what the team had sent in and some other things - there were no signs that any people had been inside. Though they did find several pieces of now very ex-rats.

* * *

"Well, that was a dead end," said Sircada, sourly, once they were back at the headquarters of The FX.

"Almost literally," said Ma. She sighed. "For now, the Adirondack Anomaly facility is boarded up and off limits to everyone. The trap was sprung, but in the process destroyed all evidence it might have contained. We can't even prove it was a trap, since the explosive was natural gas. We need to find a new lead."

"I hate to say it," said Blue Impact, "but we may have to wait until the New Breed make another move. So far we've been playing catchup and that may have to continue for a while."

"For now, keep our eyes and ears open and our guard up," said Ma, nodding.

* * *

Meanwhile, another team was discussing a seemingly unrelated matter.

"Abraham Stone is back," said the Bowman, as the members of the Intrepids settled themselves around the table in the briefing room of their rebuilt base. "He had some henchmen kidnap apparently random people. ICE raided a building looking for illegal aliens, and found instead several victims - some of them still alive - and signs that a bizarre experiment had been performed on them. As well as that the equipment used on the victims had been removed hastily."

"Who is this?" said Solange, concerned.

"He claims to be the last Neanderthal," said the Black Mask. "According to DNA testing, he's actually a Neanderthal/Cro-Magnon hybrid. I guess he was just using what seemed like the appropriate term when he was asked to label himself in the late Nineteenth Century. It's not like they had any of those words in his original language."

"Whatever he did altered the DNA of the victims," said Bowman, looking angry. "Nearly a third died immediately, with about another third dying later. The remaining third seem healthy, at least short term. The details are still being teased out. Though for some reason, several of the men are now women. The survivors say that he experimented on them one at a time, and even at the end was definitely not satisfied. That there was something missing."

"Whatever he's attempting," said the Black Mask, "it won't be good. Get the alert out."

* * *

"Where's Vic?" said Blue Impact. "I just got some important information and need to tell everyone."

"Vic's girlfriend came for a weekend visit," said Gadgetive, sourly. "I bet they're in her room right now, fornicating."

"Wait... that's this weekend?!"

"Vic didn't bring Michelle to the lair, Gadge," said Energia, tiredly. "We all - including you - agreed that wouldn't be prudent. They rented a motel room on the outskirts of town in her name. They're going clubbing tonight."

"Uh..." said the gadgeteer. "I thought Vic would just go ahead, anyway..."

"She respects our rules," said Blue Impact, firmly. "In some ways better than you do."

"Might as well go ahead and tell us, then," said Energia, smirking. "I doubt Vic will have much on her mind except Michelle for the next couple of days."

"Right. My contacts in the police department tell me that apparently the people at the office for the Adirondack Anomaly facility were killed one by one, with no alarm on the part of those not yet killed. That included the security guards. Who were likely killed last, as whoever did the deed exited the facility."

"That does not sound like the New Breed," said Energia, startled.

"No. It sounds more like the mastermind we have suspected to be behind this and several other things hired a super assassin. To get rid of the researchers with as little fuss as possible."

"God..." said Energia, tiredly.

"It gets worse. The Intrepids relayed a report to us that Abraham Stone has been active in this region. Not in this area specifically, but I'm starting to get the feeling that he's the mastermind behind the museum and Anomaly facility troubles, and maybe that artifact theft. He's also quite capable - psychologically and physically - of calmly and competently killing several members of what he considers an inferior species."

* * *

The FX agreed to meet with Tricorne within the hour, despite the lateness. As the trio walked into the meeting room the entire super membership of the team was there, along with three of their security team.

"Where's Vic?" said Sircada, frowning.

"She had some personal business to take care of," said Blue Impact. "She left before we got the information I need to share with you."

Blue Impact related what others had discovered about Abraham Stone. Then told them her own speculations.

"I'm not familiar with him," said Tone, frowning.

"I am," said Ma, scowling. "He claims he's the last Neanderthal, and looks - and behaves - the part."

"According to the surviving Subterrans - who are descended from the Neanderthals - and their records, the image of Neanderthals as brutes is generally incorrect," said Blue Impact. "They were strong and intelligent and lived in harsh environmental conditions. Only a few survived, moving underground and adapting to that new environment to become the Subterrans."

"He's still dangerous and ruthless," said Ma, flatly.

"No argument there."

* * *

The meeting at the Assembly's headquarters at roughly the same time was routine, but the opening salvo was not. Neither did it have anything to do - at first - with Abraham Stone.

"Well, looks like it's happening," said Thunderer, tiredly. "Some pundits and politicians are already using the activities of the New Breed to justify cracking down on all supers."

"That's like Great Britain's reaction to the demon invasion," said Sharma, sourly, such an extreme display of emotion unusual for her. "They placed additional restrictions on the activities of supers. Specifically and by name including those who fought the demons. Yet they did nothing to restrict the political enforcers who also fought them. Despite the blatantly illegal activities of the enforcers."

"We can't blame everything on politicians," said Champion, trying to steer them into talking about the main topic of the gathering. "The New Breed and a few others like them are causing a backlash which is affecting all supers."

"Of course not," said Dr. Gorgeous. "However, given the current social situation in much of the world, influencing someone in authority to speak or act against supers - as well as supporting many other things which are very much not in the general best interest of humanity - is relatively easy. Mostly because anti-super politicians have been frustrated so often in previous attempts to crack down on us. After being repeatedly proven wrong, they're redoubling their efforts to spite reality."

"Remember, no matter who wins the election," said Sharma, sagely, "you get a politician in the office."

"Is there any new information on Stone?" said Rebound, deciding to change the topic.

"Noting from any of my contacts," said Jade Eagle.

The others gave similarly negative results.

"All right," said Champion, sighing. "Either he's keeping the same low profile he usually does or he's up to something but is being extra careful. With Stone it's hard to tell."

"On a personal note," said Rebound, looking tired but satisfied, "my family troubles seem to finally be over. So, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll be available for the next few weeks."

There were a number of congratulatory comments on this. As the meeting broke up the team members who knew Rebound best took time to do this on a more personal level. There were even a few congratulatory shoulder slaps. Which, of course, affected the slapper rather than Rebound.

* * *

"Can I help you?" said the woman.

Vic held out her ID. The bartender looked a bit skeptical, and made a point of running the card under a scanner. She seemed mildly surprised when it was verified. Vic took her card back and placed her order, voice raised a bit to be heard over the music and crowd noise but tone still conversational

"My God," said the frazzled woman, who looked astounded. "You are the first person tonight to just politely hand over their ID and then clearly say what they wanted and end with 'please'!"

"Rough shift?" said Vic, with a sympathetic smile. A quick look around showed that the other people behind the bar also appeared rather harried.

"Let me just say that you're my best customer of the night. Here, have a candy bar as my thanks."

"Want a candy bar?" said Vic, with a grin, as she returned to their table.

Michelle took the packaged sweet and examined it.

"I'll save it for later, if that's all right. I want to dance as soon as we get done with our drinks and don't want to be weighed down."

"After our 'reunion' at the motel I'm a bit surprised you can walk, much less dance," said Vic, with a satisfied smile. Michelle rolled her eyes.

However, they had barely started on the beverages when the voice of someone who was definitely not the DJ came over the PA. The speaker sounded both matter-of-fact and a bit tired.

"May I have your attention, please. Someone has called in another bomb threat. This is almost certainly a hoax call from some hater, but regulations require that we evacuate the building while the bomb squad checks. Please move to the nearest exit in a calm an orderly fashion."

"'Another' bomb threat?" said Michelle, alarmed.

"I've heard about this," said Vic, as they picked up their drinks and joined the flow towards the fire door. "Because this place is queer friendly they keep getting threats. Look at how relaxed everyone is, though."

In truth, the crowd was far more annoyed than panicked. Some were even joking. Still, most people were taking the situation seriously enough that only a few needed to be urged by the staff to leave.

Outside, Michelle and Vic moved to the parking lot, on the far side, well away from the building, ushered there by nightclub staff. Emergency vehicles soon arrived.

"I'll be right back," said Vic, tossing her empty plastic cup into the trash. "I'm just going to go check whether they need any help."

"You really can't help yourself, can you?" said Michelle, smiling fondly at her. "Go. I'll wait right here."

The wait turned out to be a long one. Then turned worrying when Vic didn't answer her phone. It turned very worrying when Michelle checked with the police and learned that Vic had been sprayed in the face with something by "a large man" and carried off.

* * *

"We have an emergency," said Blue Impact, over the bakery's PA, waking the others. "Come down to the common area as soon as you can."

"Do you ever sleep?" asked Energia, groggily, as she flew downstairs in pajamas and mask.

"I have a phone extension in my room," said Blue Impact. Instead of waiting for Gadgetive as she usually would, she plunged ahead. "Michelle just called here to report that Vic has been kidnapped."

"What?!" said Energia, suddenly more alert.

"She was obviously targeted, too."

Blue Impact told her what she had been told over the phone.

"She has keys to Vic's car, but is unsure about where to go. Energia, you know her pretty well. I want you to dress and fly there. You talk with her and the police and figure out what to do. If you think she needs to come here, bring her here."

"I don't have a license, but I know Michelle does," said Energia, nodding. She flew up the stairs, passing Gadgetive who was finally on her way down. She was also quickly briefed.

"Gadgetive, you work with me to notify teams and single masks in the area. Alert them to this and find out if anyone else has been kidnapped. I'll start with The FX."

Part Nine

Vic woke slowly, which was odd. With her level of regeneration, even a powerful narcotic should have worn off quickly once her body began eliminating it. To her alarm, she discovered that she had been stripped and dressed in a paper examination gown. Even her ear bud was gone. She wasn't certain, but from the condition of her hair suspected she'd actually been washed.

"Someone was being thorough," she muttered, her voice hoarse.

Her brain shied away from contemplating what else might have been done to her while she was out. There was no way to tell just now. She snarled, then forced herself to relax, and focus on her immediate situation. First thing, she was laying some sort of thin pad on a hard floor. Looking around she could tell - using a combination of her eyes and sense of perception in the dimly lit chamber - that she was in an altered natural cavern or hewn volume in solid rock. Sensing no motion, she lifted herself up with her arms. Vic was in a small cage, and there were other cages, some of them also occupied. The other people she could see were all still, also laying on floor pads, also dressed in paper gowns. At least they were breathing. She leaned to reach out to the door to her cage, but her sense of perception warned her to pull back. There was something dangerous about it, perhaps simply an electrical charge.

Looking more carefully, she saw that the cages were each four walls of bars attached to frames at top and bottom. The frames were in turn attached with brackets to the rocky ceiling and floor outside the cages. The bars weren't going to move easily, even if they were safe to touch. There was a door with a strong-looking lock in one of the cage walls.

Vic sat up and went into lotus position. She appeared to be meditating, but she was actually reaching out with her senses, especially her hearing. However, after several minutes she learned little more. There was a distant drip of water, and an even more distant hum of equipment. Nothing more.

She would just have to wait.

* * *

Energia found the nightclub with little trouble, and soon after saw Vic's Corolla station wagon. She whistled, and waved when Michelle looked up. She landed, and the two women briefly hugged.

"Listen, we're working on what happened," said Energia, trying to be reassuring. "We'll find her!"

The two knew each other well. Michelle and Vic had even double-dated with Energia (in civvies as Jenny) and Maldren several times. Something she hadn't told Blue Impact or Gadgetive.

"The police said they normally don't deal with missing people for forty-eight hours," said Michelle. She was distressed but controlling it. Though Energia could see signs of wiped-away tears. "However, they said that since people saw Vic being gassed and taken they would put a priority on her case. I have no idea what they meant by that, though."

"I spoke with several people on the flight over here," said Energia. "We reached an agreement that the best course of action would be for me to take you to the headquarters of The FX. They have guest rooms, and will let us both spend the night. If you agree, I'll tell the police to phone any information to there."

"I think that's probably a good idea," said Michelle, the mask of control slipping a bit. "I really don't want to be alone tonight."

"The only downside is that you'll have to drive Monstro, since I can't carry you that far and I don't have a license."

"You still don't have a driver's license," said Michelle, smiling a bit.

"Yeah, yeah, let's not worry about that just now," said Energia, rolling her eyes. "So, you up for driving through a strange city?"

"I'm pretty sure Vic already has the navigation system programmed with the location of their headquarters," said Michelle. "Let's go."

* * *

"We have so far been unable to find any other instances of supers being kidnapped," said Isarda. "There are multiple reports of unusual kidnappings, but Vic is the only super."

"She wasn't an accident, either," said Ma. "Whoever did this used a specific plan to isolate her which depended on her known patterns of behavior and specific activities tonight, and an anesthetic gas which is known to be effective and persistent for regenerators."

"I don't get it," said Salamander, scowling. "If this is about revenge - by Rokuro or someone else she's angered - why not just kill her?"

Energia was helping Michelle get settled into the guest room for the night. The FX members - along with several other super teams, individual supers and law enforcement agencies - were trying to get a handle on the situation.

"That's not how masterminds think," said Ma, glancing around the meeting room table. "They are driven to humiliate their opponent, to prove their mental superiority. That gives us time."

"Let's just hope enough time," said Popcorn Dash.

* * *

Vic actually managed to doze through the night. However, she still came fully awake the moment someone entered the chamber. Someone very stocky and a bit above average height.

The man stood well back from the cage, examining Vic. He was dressed as if for a high-level board meeting, and carrying a set of shackles. The sort used for dangerous prisoners. She thought about using her ki projection to produce a ranged punch, but had a feeling that would just annoy him. She would wait for a better opportunity.

The strange, bearded man smiled. He tossed the shackles through the bars, without touching them. Vic could have caught them but stepped aside and let them clatter to the stone floor.

"Put those on," said the man, in a surprisingly high, reedy voice.

Vic just stared at him. He smiled.

"By now you realize that there are humans in some of the other cages. Put those on or I will start killing them until you do."

Vic snarled silently, but she - gingerly - picked up the shackles. They appeared to be simple belt, steel cuffs and chains. With a sigh, Vic put them on, around waist, wrists and ankles.

"A bit tighter, all around," said the man. "Good. Now, I am confident that I could handle you even without those, but hopefully the restraints will reduce your willingness to engage in posturing."

He clicked a remote at the cage, opened the door and stepped aside.

"I am certain that by now you have deduced that I am Abraham Stone."

"Who?" said Vic, as she warily stepped out.

He actually laughed.

"If you go that way - yes, ahead of me - I will answer your questions. Well, some of them."

As she stepped ahead of him Vic blushed to the knees with the realization of what the open-backed gown gave her captor a clear view of. She was determined not to show any of this, though. They walked along a short tunnel into a larger chamber. There Vic saw the source of the hum. Not only was this room better lit, it was full of equipment. Stone motioned for her to move to an upright tube of glass and wire mesh. Vic crossed her arms and stared at him. He sighed, then smiled tolerantly.

"It was the Godsfather who brought you to my attention," said Stone. "Like me, he is the only one of his kind. Though we can each reproduce with modern humans, our offspring will not be like us. In his case, some have become literal gods. His praise of your potential for producing more of such piqued my interest. Now, I am finally ready to use the resource you represent."

"Remind me to thank him," said Vic, sourly.

Stone smiled in a very predatory way.

"The closer I looked at you, the more I saw," he said, his expression and tone making Vic feel very uncomfortable. "Your genes are, by some definitions, perfect."

"I've heard that before."

"Yes. I'm certain you have. However, I doubt that even those who examined your DNA previously realized just what that means. There have been those before who - through powers or science - have had their DNA optimized. To the best of my knowledge you are superior to all of them."

"You didn't lure me here just to flatter me."

"Of course not. I plan to use you as a template for remaking all of humanity into something more compatible with my own genetics. A truly superior species, through which I will be able to recreate intelligent life on this planet in my own image!"

"That's a lot of permission slips to get," said Vic, dryly.

He actually laughed at that.

"How many humans actually know what is good for them?"

"Not a bad point. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near good enough to justify violating people's rights the way you plan. Oh, and what's the success rate?"

"Better than 90% should make the conversion with few or no side effects. Not counting a change from male to female for most males as a side effect."

"So you have a world of fuckable babes remade to your standards, while killing maybe ten percent of the population. I know the world is a bit overcrowded in spots, but there's still plenty of room overall and I'm pretty sure most people who survive your plan would object to losing kin and friends, as well as to being transformed against their will. I think most men would object to losing their manhood, as well. You can take that as gospel from me."

"They will agree with me after the change."

"There it is," said Vic, nodding, staring him in the eyes. "Something in the change makes them subservient to you. So you can do what you want to them without resistance."

"Free will is vastly overrated," was his calmly smiling reply.

"Except for yours."

"I believe time will prove me right. It always has."

"It hasn't yet," said Vic, angrily. She still had no idea who this guy was, but had managed to figure out he must be very old. As well as a few other things. "How long has it been, and you're still alone? No. I will not cooperate with you."

He was, strangely, not the least upset by her defiance.

"Your cooperation is not required for the process. That assemblage is a decoy." He gestured at a mass of equipment set against a different wall. "While we spoke I had the device scan your entire being. It is already computing the transformation matrix, thanks to those ancient alien circuit assemblies I acquired. Not all the heroes on Earth can stop it now."

Vic leapt... but not at Stone. Instead, she put herself on course for the device. Despite the manacles, she flipped nimbly over to deliver a devastating flying double kick to it. Only, she hit something else, first. Something which gave her an intense jolt. Vic dropped to the floor, unconscious.

* * *

Vic awoke this time to pain, a sort of general, dull ache in her entire lower body. Until she tried to move; then she received jolts of agony which quickly made her change her mind about sitting up.

Looking around, she saw that she was again lying on a pad in a cage of bars. Most likely the same one. Her lower body showed signs of severe injury, her legs twisted in unhealthy ways. She was contemplating manually aligning the broken bones - which would speed the healing process if she could stand the pain for long enough - when she became aware of Stone approaching.

"I felt that leaving your injuries entirely for your regeneration to handle was the best way to keep you out of my hair for a while," he said, sounding amused. "I might need another scan once the data analysis is completed, so you stay alive for now. These bars are far more resilient than your ability to quickly do damage, are protected with fields similar to the one which protected my equipment from your rash attack, and are alarmed to let me know if you try despite all that. You might as well rest and leave me in piece to finish my work."

With that, he nodded and turned away.

Vic forced herself to do her relaxation breathing. She then meditated for a bit, to build her resolve, before beginning the slow, careful - and very painful - process of realigning her healing bones.

* * *

During a pause in that agonizing process something occurred to Vic. Did he expect the change to also affect her? Something told her that was unlikely, and he likely knew that. So, he probably meant to kill her after he made certain the change was successful. Or maybe...

More likely he just wants to have someone to brag to, since everyone else will be mindlessly obedient.

Something all masterminds had in common was the desire to demonstrate their superiority. Most did this by imprisoning enemies and bragging about their plans. Not all, but enough that it was actually warned against in the Villain's Handbook, right there on page eighty-eight.

Vic decided she'd done all she could for her legs. Besides, she was being distracted by hunger. Since there was little hope of getting fed any time soon, she distracted herself from the hunger by making a more detailed examination of her surroundings.

This provided no new information. However, she did realize something she hadn't before. The floor. It was part of the bedrock. Vic - carefully - knelt on the cold, slick stone. From what she had seen, she knew she was in a natural cave which had been modified. Maybe by Stone, but some of the work reminded her of the views Gadgetive had shown of the caverns under the Anomaly.

Several things fell into place. Vic wasn't as experienced or savvy at this super stuff as Blue Impact or even Energia, but she knew how masterminds worked. Stone had used the New Breed to sabotage the Adirondack Anomaly facility, maybe because they were moving a bit too fast for his plan. Once he was ready - Could he have replaced some of the parts the management of the facility had ordered with his own look-alikes built to perform differently? - he had killed all of the staff to keep them from noticing the tower was activating without their control.

That was all speculation, of course. What wasn't speculation was the physical environment around her. Vic also remembered what Gadgetive had said about the cavities under this section of the mountains. She placed her hands flat on the stone, closed her eyes and began pulsing her ki downwards, as hard as she could with as much focus projection as she could. Deep into the rock went the pulses. At the very least she should attract attention.

Vic thought about pulsing SOS, but realized the feedback she was getting revealed a resonating effect. If she could pulse to that...

She could. In return, she could feel the rock responding. As it responded the frequency changed, so she had to be alert and keep changing her pulses to match, but something was definitely working loose.

Just how tough were the tower and its foundations after the repairs? Stone most likely didn't care if the structure survived long term; for his purposes the rig only had to hold together for at most a few more uses. However, it did need to hold together that long. Had he even noticed, yet, that some vital components had been removed and hidden by Gadgetive? No matter; whether the tower was currently ready to go or not, Vic had to do this. It was, realistically, the only thing she could do. She was doing this. Vic could feel rocks falling in underground cavities, feel the tower beginning to sway, and lean a little farther to the southeast with each divergence.

The increments were tiny, and slow in coming. If Stone didn't notice, however, in a few hours she could probably wreck the tower. If he didn't notice.

Part Ten

Blue Impact was actually dozing at her private work carrel in the main room of the old bakery when she was woken by fulminous swearing. From Gadgetive.

"What's going on?" she said, shaking her head to try and clear it more quickly as she hurried to the lounge area.

"There's a seismic disturbance at the Adirondack Anomaly!" she yelled.

"What?!"

"I kept ignoring the USGS alerts, 'cause I was so worried about Vic," the gadgeteer explained, quickly, as she pointed to the main display. "Finally I opened the app, just so I could shut it up. Only then I noticed where it was!"

"It's empty. No-one should be hurt if it collapses."

"No, no! Look!"

Gadgetive did something and the display on the big screen changed from a map centered on the Anomaly facility to what looked like an oscilloscope with two traces of different colors and amplitudes and a slight offset, but of the same frequency.

"See how the phase of the small one is leading the large one, pumping it? The shocks are shallow, and not only continuing steadily - completely different from natural earth tremors - they're at the resonant frequency of the tower! Something - or someone - is deliberately causing geologic disturbances to make it sway."

That woke her up!

"Another assault on the facility?" said Blue Impact, confused. "Argh! Well, maybe we can catch whoever it is in the act this time. Get ready to fly. I'll contact... Well, everyone!"

* * *

As it turned out, many supers were willing to help. The FX - even though the tower was outside the county - included. Ma assured Blue Impact that some of their team members would be ready for pickup when they came for Energia. The rest would stay behind, to guard Michelle and respond to local emergencies. Even with stopping at the Fox building for the pickup, the large apergy flyer could get them and Tricorne to the scene before anyone else.

Energia planned to get ready quietly and leave Michelle sleeping, but when she came out of the bathroom the woman was sitting up in bed.

"What's going on?"

"Sorry. Super hero emergency. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She didn't like that, but after being assured the some team members and the security staff would still be on duty Michelle was mollified.

Energia was surprised when she was joined on the roof by Posey, Sircada, Isarda and Salamander.

"I thought you couldn't operate outside the county."

"We don't get paid for operations outside the county," said Sircada, "but we can volunteer to help anywhere."

The flyer arrived shortly after. Energia took her usual seat up front, but the four members of The FX had to crowd into the back.

"I should have flown there on my own," said Energia, as the heavily loaded travel pod sluggishly climbed.

"No," said Blue Impact. "You would have gone ahead on your own and not only gotten yourself in trouble, but let them know we were coming."

"I guess I can't argue with that," said Energia, with a sigh. She looked through the open doorway into the rear of the vehicle. "You folks all right back there?"

"Who do I have to fuck to get a seat in this thing?" yelled someone.

"Was that Posey?!" said Gadgetive, startled.

"I'm afraid so," said Sircada, almost laughing.

"There's a knee in my crotch!"

"You're not alone in that," said Salamander.

"It is rather crowded with four of us back here," said Isarda, in a strained understatement. "Blue Impact's motorcycle is putting a dent in one of my kidneys with its handlebar."

"Not for long," said Blue Impact. "We're having to max out the drives, but we're making good time. Just a few more minutes."

* * *

Abraham Stone couldn't understand what was wrong. He kept slipping further and further behind schedule! The tower had failed to respond at first, and diagnostics had not quickly revealed why. Initially he suspected the control lines he had run into the tower through the hollow center of one of the pilings might have a flaw. However, communication through the cables showed full integrity. He finally went to the tower to check manually, and discovered that some of the parts were missing. They had been found after several minutes of frantic searching. Installing them required several more frantic minutes. Then he had hurried back to his underground control room to find the equipment responding, but incorrectly!

The tower kept reporting that it was out of alignment! Not only was that impossible, but every time he realigned it, it went out again! As if the tower was moving, but it was far too solidly built to sway that far, no matter how strong the wind! There was no way it could move that much!

Stone quickly checked for seismic activity. He was stunned by what he found.

"What... how..."

There was some sort of activity! Not much, but enough to throw the alignment of the tower off. How... He wasn't doing this! Was the Anomaly somehow acting to his intended use?! How, since he hadn't started, yet!? No test had shown it to be chronologically disparate.

An alarm sounded, announcing the arrival of a vehicle on the facility's helipad. This was from one of several induction loops the facility had installed due to problems with visitors arriving while everyone was working at the tower and being caught by surprise. Stone had included a relay from that to his own control center, just as a backup. Now it was the only thing giving an alarm. Checking the Webcam on the tower, though, he saw nothing. What...

A door appeared in the air, and several people in costume came through.

A stealthed vehicle of some sort!

They had apparently just arrived, so who was tilting the tower?! None of this was due to his actions! It didn't make sense!

* * *

"I'm sensing a lot of electrical activity from underground," said Energia, as she lofted out of the rear hatch. She ignored the members of The FX standing behind the flyer, who were stretching. Posey, in particular, was making a show of that activity, with accompanying moans of relief.

"They had the power and data lines buried to reduce interference," said Gadgetive.

"No, this is a lot more and some of it is in a different place than I felt last time we were here. I'm also feeling more stuff going in and out of the tower, though it's still far from full activity, from the way I've heard you describe it."

"Gadgetive, take Isarda and check whether the parts you took out of the device are actually still out," said Blue Impact. "The rest of you, scatter in pairs and check the area. I'll stay in the flyer to coordinate."

* * *

Stone was beginning to regret sending the New Breed off on activities intended to divert super attention away from the facility. Still, he was perfectly capable of handling a few supers, secure as he was in this underground bunker. They didn't even know he was down here! These caves were well away from the research facility and the communications and power lines were well hidden. Well, except where he had run his own control lines into the tower, just before starting his operation. Someone would have to go into the tower and search the ground floor to find those.

He decided to focus on the seismic disturbance. Which was definitely not natural. Perhaps something in the old Subterran tunnels was reacting to his activities?

* * *

"It's running this way," said Energia, flying low and slow. Partly to dodge around trees, partly so Sircada could keep up and partly because of the difficulty of following the subterranean signatures she was tracing. "This wasn't here - or maybe just not active - the last time I was in this area."

Sircada ran after her, picking his way through the sparse trees. This wasn't a park, but government owned natural forest. The county, then the state, then finally the feds had taken control of the land, as the strangeness of the Anomaly had become more and more apparent through the years.

"We're moving almost directly away from the center," he called out to Energia.

"Yeah. So if someone is monkeying with the tower, this is the shortest route to run cables. Though why they're causing noticeable seismic disturbances I don't know."

"Unforseen side effect?"

"Whatever it is, I'm getting piezoelectric effects in time with the seismic disturbances, centered just ahead!"

* * *

"Hey, teach!" Gadgetive called over the coms. "Isarda and I found a hatch open in the ground level of the tower! It's an inspection access, goes down through the center of one of the pilings; I remember seeing this on the plans. It's not supposed to be open, though. It's definitely not supposed to have communications cables running through it, patched into the tower's control system."

"You two go check that out, then," said Blue Impact. "Forget about the tower device for now; track where those those cables go!"

"I'm getting electrical stuff well away from the facility," said Energia, likewise. "I followed power and communications lines deep underground to a forested area where there's not supposed to be anything. They stop here, too. Nothing at ground level."

"All right. You're with Sircada, right? See if you can find or make an entrance."

"Roger."

"Posey, Salamander head that way, too. I'll join you there." She secured the flyer and started out. "Oh, and leave the power and control lines intact! At least until we can see what's going on."

"Gotcha'a!"

Energia stopped at a location where she could sense multiple types of power and data signals moving towards some sort control area. Hopefully, this was above a tunnel or bore large enough for humans to access it.

"I'm gonna make an access," she warned Sircada. "This seems to be where it's closest to the surface. So, watch out."

He wasn't certain what she meant. However, when a blast of heat erupted from the ground below where she was hovering, he quickly got the idea. As well as very quickly moving further away. Salamander and Posey joined him shortly after Energia started.

Thanks to the heavy power lines coming in to the space below, Energia had a plentiful source of energy to draw from. She poured the heat on, while also pulling the molten material up and out of the way in a thick, sluggish, arcing stream. She dumped this lava into a lump in the nearby woods, starting a smoldering fire in the damp undergrowth. By the time she breached the open volume underneath the breakers between the transformer and the building were ready to trip, but she was through and still had a full store. She dropped into the cavity.

"Shit..." said Sircada, stunned.

"You two jump," said Salamander. "I'll climb down after you. The heat won't bother me."

"Suck it up and get in there!" snapped Blue Impact, just arrived and already running past them for the hole. She paused at the edge to look down, ignoring the fact that the soles of her boots were burning. "We need to give her backup. It's not far down; just jump, avoiding the sides."

"Which are still red hot," Sircada muttered, as he hurried after her.

He jumped, holding his breath and closing his eyes. He couldn't completely avoid a brief brush against the side, given his trajectory, but both he and his costume were tough enough there was no damage. The drop, however, was further than he expected, and he hit a bit hard. He sat up, shook his head and looked around. Blue Impact was already looking around the tunnel they were now in. He rolled smoothly to his feet and moved in behind her as she started down the tunnel. Just in time to clear the way for Posey.

She also hit hard, rolled over and groaned.

"Ow. Forcefield or not, that was a real jolt."

She realized there was no-one there to hear her. In fact, she wasn't sure which way to go. She was in a dimly lit tunnel - which Energia's shaft had hit the side of - and that gave her two directions to try. Shrugging, she got to her feet and limped off in one of those.

* * *

Abraham Stone almost ignored the blast of heat, distracted by a sudden, huge power drain. He was so involved in trying to figure out what was going on that at first he dismissed the heat as irrelevant. Then he heard yelling.

Time go go, he instantly decided. He hated to abandon this effort, but his data was all backed up offsite. He would live to try again.

He quickly activated the destruct sequence - which involved mechanically throwing three switches in three locations on the way to his escape tunnel, each of which required more than human strength to move and which ignited thermite charges once the third switch was thrown - and ran out.

Energia arrived just in time to see someone in a suit run out of the chamber.

"Dammit!" she shouted. "He's is getting away!"

"Do not chase him alone!" Blue Impact yelled. "The escape tunnel is likely trapped!"

Energia started to protest, then realized there was an unusual amount of heat coming from several locations in the room. She began siphoning it away, hoping to save the equipment.

"Where is everybody?" Salamander yelled, as he finally reached the bottom of the hole.

"This way!" Sircada yelled.

Meanwhile, Posey - running the other way - had found the prisoners. Including one specific one.

"Vic?!

"Posey?!" said the martial artist, startled out of her ki projection mischief.

"Where are the others?" said Posey, looking around, confused.

"Unconscious, in those cages."

"I mean the others from Tricorne and The FX."

"I haven't seen them."

"I went the wrong way!"

"No, wait! Stay here and get me out of this! Just be careful of the bars. They're charged."

Posey changed course and hurried over to Vic's cage. She tentatively touched the bars.

"I think I can ground this with my force field. Can you break out then?"

"Yeah. I've had plenty of time to find the weak spots. Just grab hold over here."

Vic needed three quick strikes to break one of the bars loose at the top and bottom. She then squeezed out through the barely large enough gap, wincing as the paper exam gown tore down the center front.

"Let's go!" said Vic, starting down the tunnel.

"I can see your heinie!" said Posey, scandalized.

"You didn't happen to see where Stone hid our clothes, did you?"

"So Abraham Stone is behind all this?"

"You mean you folks came charging down here without knowing I was here or that Stone was in charge of all this??"

"No! We just knew something weird was going on at the research facility."

Vic scowled and muttered under her breath as they ran down the tunnel.

Part Eleven

Blue Impact ran into the equipment chamber just as Energia finished cooling the thermite charges below the combustion point. There was some damage, but she thought that most of the equipment would be fit for study. The place was half full of smoke and completely full of odd odors, but an air current from somewhere was already moving all that out.

"Hopefully there's enough left to tell us how to reverse the effects on Stone's test subjects," said Energia.

"Did you see Stone?"

"The only person here ran down that way!"

"You take lead, plasma wall up, with me right behind."

Energia nodded, dropped a bit, and flew into the tunnel. Sircada ran into the chamber just as she left.

"This way!" Blue Impact yelled to him, as she chased after her younger teammate. "Stay sharp. We really need to be on our game for this guy."

Energia saw a running figure in the dim illumination, far ahead. She shot him with a bit of high voltage, not much more than a bad static shock; a stinging jolt, just to see how susceptible he was. The man staggered, reached into his jacket and hurled something at her.

Energia shoved her plasma wall ahead of her, reshaping it to completely block the tunnel. There was a shattering explosion which knocked down the plasma wall and left Energia a bit stunned. It also left her feeling glad she was wearing com ear buds, which doubled as hearing protection. The strange man was down, largely because most of the blast had reflected off the plasma wall and was channeled down the tunnel at him. It must have been a bit like being in a canon as it was fired. Before Energia could resume the chase or even get her plasma wall back up, however, Blue Impact ran past her.

By the numbers, having already been shocked with electricity and blasted by his own explosive, Stone should have succumbed to Blue Impact quickly. In fact, he unexpectedly parried her leaping punch and slammed her into the ground. He glanced quickly around, saw Energia already raising her hands for another ranged attack, and abandoned Blue Impact. Instead, he resumed his escape along the increasingly rough and irregular tunnel.

Great, thought Energia, as she quickly moved to check her leader. Guy would be competent.

"I'll get him," said Sircada, running past.

"Be careful!" Blue Impact called after him, getting back to her feet with Energia's help.

* * *

Vic and Posey entered the equipment chamber at a run, just in time to see Salamander go out the other tunnel. They heard a distant, echoing bang from down that way, but Salamander barely paused, so hopefully the situation wasn't too dire.

By now so much of the smoke was gone that what was left was barely noticeable. Vic slid to a barefooted stop while Posey kept going, after her teammate. She had not had much chance to examine the place during her brief interlude there before, but Vic did remember seeing what looked like five trash bins along one wall. As Posey continued through the chamber and out via the other tunnel, Vic instead hurried to the bins. She figured there were more than enough people already chasing Stone, and hoped to find something to wear which wouldn't get her arrested for indecent exposure! The leftmost two bins were indeed full of just regular trash. Well, regular trash for a mastermind working on a mad invention. However, the next three had...

"Clothes!" shouted Vic, in triumph.

There were far more clothes than just hers in the bins. Which reminded Vic of the other prisoners. She'd heard breathing and an occasional moan or stirring from them, but otherwise nothing. As Vic quickly dug through the bins she debated going back and freeing them, but decided that was a job for professionals. First, secure the area; then call 911.

She found panties she thought were hers, and her jeans, but not her bra or one even close. She did find her t-shirt, thanks to the logos on the front and back. No shoes or socks. With the sigh of someone much put upon, Vic took a quick look around, confirmed she was alone, and stripped off the tattered remains of the paper exam gown. Panties, jeans and t-shirt would have to do.

Naturally, that was when Gadgetive and Isarda ran in.

"That way!" Vic yelled, desperately pointing down the other tunnel. At least they're both females.

They gave the naked Vic incredulous looks, then refocused on the chase. Vic quickly got dressed and joined them.

"I hate having breasts," she muttered, running down the tunnel as she tugged the t-shirt into place. "Boobs bouncing, nipples noticeable..."

She ran out of alliterations well before she got to the fight. Mainly because she could hear that it was still going on, and shut up the better to listen. She quickly noted that her side was not doing well.

* * *

As she approached the rear of the crowded melee, Vic slowed to evaluate the situation. As usual with super fights, figuring out how things had reached the current configuration was not really possible without knowing the preceding events.

Posey had managed - somehow - to get from near the back of the group fighting Stone to the big man's far side, blocking him from continuing. Unfortunately, that meant he was now fighting much harder, rather than mainly trying to escape.

Stone kept switching his attentions back and forth between Posey - who appeared to have expanded her force field to thoroughly plug the small tunnel; fortunately for her she was on the other side - and whoever was currently at the front of the pack attacking him. He had obviously used several devices against the heroes, some of them pyrotechnic from the sulfurous odors in the cramped volume. Now he was down to fists, feet and teeth. His expensive-looking three-piece suit was already in tatters.

Vic stopped a bit back from the action, watching. Most ranged powers couldn't be used in these cramped quarters due to the risk of directly hitting an ally and roasting everyone due to the tight quarters. Blue Impact got knocked down again, and Isarda jumped over her, only to get punched out of the air. Sircada tried to squeeze past on her right, but tripped over Blue Impact's legs. Vic winced as Stone caught him squarely on the chin with a heel-palm strike. Gadgetive had to settle for dragging the injured back out of the way. Energia kept dithering back and forth, but not only couldn't use her offensive powers, she didn't really have any room to maneuver with her flight. Salamander just stood at the rear, scowling and looking for an opening.

The martial artist - who definitely had a vested interest in seeing Stone get a desperately deserved beatdown - grew increasingly aggravated. They were going after Stone with muscle and skill, and he was beating them with incredible skill backed by muscle. Finally, she saw an opening.

"Everybody freeze!" Vic yelled, as she surged forward.

She charged a short distance and jumped. Vic first leapt up and to the right, bending well forward to keep clear of the roof of the tunnel. She kicked off from the wall above Energia's head, kicked off from the left wall a bit further along the tunnel, then hit Stone squarely in the forehead with a flying side kick as he turned to intercept her. They both dropped. Vic didn't bother trying to stand, but immediately got Stone in a combined laying joint lock, air choke and blood choke. The latter two being applied by her left leg - held tight by her right calf - as she got his right arm in a hard lock, using both her arms.

"Uh, he's not moving," said Sircada, after a few moments.

"He's not breathing, either," said Posey, after a few more moments.

Blue Impact moved forward and pinched Stone's right ear lobe.

"Well, he could be acting, but I think he's out."

With a growl, Vic deftly flipped him over and got him in an over and under double half Nelson. She put her entire weight on his back, her entire body into the pin.

"Go ahead," she snarled, in his ear. "Just try to get loose. Just a twitch. I dare you."

Deliberately or due to an inability to comply, he didn't.

* * *

"I really need something to eat," said Vic, in a strained tone, after Blue Impact, Isarda and Sircada had all applied their super-rated restraints to the still unconscious Stone.

"We have some emergency food and drink in the flyer," said Blue Impact. "C'mon; let's get him back to that chamber so we have room to work. Then we can show you the way to the flyer."

"We also really need to get paramedics in here to treat the other captives," said Vic.

"Other captives?" said Sircada, startled.

"Oh, there's a whole room of them," said Posey. "In cages. Didn't have time to tell you before."

They dumped Stone unceremoniously on the floor of the equipment chamber. Vic noted that all of them except Posey, Gadgetive and Energia had damage to their costumes, as well as an assortment of injuries. Fortunately, none seemed serious.

"Prisoners are this way," said Posey, leading Salamander and Isarda into the tunnel.

"Oh, wait!" Vic called out. She briefly rummaged through Stone's pockets and pulled out the remote and keys. The device looked a bit battered but she thought that was all cosmetic. "This turns off the charge on the cage bars. The keys work the locks."

Vic winced as she realized that last was obvious. Salamander took the device and nodded his thanks.

"Okay, Gadgetive and Energia, get Vic to the flyer and call 911," said Blue Impact.

"Roger," said Energia, lifting off and flying down the tunnel. Slowly enough the other two could keep up.

* * *

"You really shouldn't fight without a bra," said a smirking Gadgetive, later, in the flyer, while Vic took the edge off her hunger.

"Yeah, well, I didn't have much choice."

"Don't talk with your mouth full. Anyway, I'm not sure, but I think I saw Stone cop a feel while you were wrestling with him."

"I will end you," said Vic, with deceptive mildness.

First responders were on the way, and most of the heroes were busy working to make access to the cavern with the cages easier. Gadgetive was supposed to be waiting in the parking lot to show the paramedics and police they way. However, she and Vic were both currently watching the martial artist eat and drink. They'd have plenty of sound and sight notifications of arriving vehicles.

"Whew!" Vic said, finally. "Thanks. I don't suppose you also keep spare bras in this thing?"

"There are some spare clothes," said Gadgetive, frowning in thought, "both civilian and costume. We haven't accessed those in a while so I'm not sure about what's there in any detail."

"Show me, please."

They barely had time for that before they heard sirens approaching. Gadgetive went outside while Vic closed the rear hatch and began searching for something to wear.

Several emergency vehicles arrived before she reopened the rear hatch. Vic was glad Gadgetive had turned off the flyer's stealth function as soon as they were inside; parking was getting tight and someone might have tried to put a fire truck on the helipad if they hadn't been able to see the pod. Vic wasn't certain what use a fire fighting crew would be. Then she realized that if nothing else they could put a ladder down the hole Energia had melted. As it turned out, they were vital in helping the police and paramedics get Stone and his other victims out of the cave quickly and safely and then to the parking lot.

More and more emergency vehicles arrived, some from agencies of rival governments. As she walked towards the impromptu focus of activity, Vic saw Blue Impact, Sircada and Isarda escorting Stone to a just-arrived state police van equipped for handling supers. However...

"Will a neutralizer have any effect on him?" she asked, as she hurried over to join them.

"Ah," said Stone, still a bit groggy. In fact, Vic could still see the mark the knife-edge of her foot had made on his forehead. Which reminded her that she was still barefoot. "The mighty maid arrives. I acknowledge your victory."

He laughed.

"Perhaps I was right to put you in chains for your scan, in spite of my statement that I could handle you without them! You are a remarkable specimen!"

He was still laughing as they put him in the van.

"What is it with old guys lusting after my genes?!" snapped Vic.

"To answer your previous question," said Blue Impact, as the state trooper super control team secured Stone inside the van, "probably not. These people know how to control supers without needing to use those, though."

"Okay. Just FYI, I found a sports bra among the clothes stashed in the flyer. It's a little tight, but it will do for now."

"Probably one of mine," said Blue Impact, grinning. "Don't stretch it all out of shape!"

"Yes, Mother... It's a little snug around the chest but there's room in the bust."

"Oh, look," said Sircada, sourly, pointing to a TV news van. "More guests!"

"Great. It's that crew which used to follow me around town," said Blue Impact. She gave an exaggerated sigh and shook her head. "How did they get so far out of town so quickly?"

She turned and left before they could see her. Sircada sighed as well, put on his "stern, professional super" face and went to talk with them. Vic decided to join Blue Impact.

* * *

Fortunately, the procession of victims being carried to the ambulances - Energia had widened and cooled her shaft while they were waiting for the first responders to arrive, even adding a bit of slope in the process - was what first caught the attention of the TV crew. Once those victims were safely on their way to three different local hospitals, the TV van crew focused on The FX. Which suited Tricorne and Vic just fine.

"I really hope none of them mentions that I was held in a cage and what I was wearing."

"I doubt any of them would mention that, Vic," said Blue impact, trying to be reassuring. "Actually, from what I heard Posey is the only one who saw you in the exam gown."

"Posey might actually say something about that," said Gadgetive, grinning, "except I think she's too busy telling all and sundry about how she beat Stone and saved the rest of us. I think Isarda will keep quiet about seeing you naked. Though I might be persuaded to talk."

"Wait, what?" said Energia. "Why was Vic in an exam gown? And naked?"

"That's right," said Blue Impact, nodding. "You haven't been in the prisoner room, yet, and by the time the other victims were brought out they were on stretchers and covered with blankets."

The quartet spent the time before The FX was finally done with the TV news crew catching each other up.

Part Twelve

The police, naturally, wanted a full report. All of them. The local county cops had arrived first and claimed priority. Then the state police shortly after, with their super capture vehicle, and claimed priority. As the ambulances were leaving - those bright lights of theirs throwing bizarre moving shadows as they maneuvered - four groups of feds arrived, though only two sets of them were part of an actual law enforcement organization. All of them claimed priority. Oddly, only one of these groups - of non-LEO feds - wanted to make any sort of immediate, substantive release to the press. Blue Impact and Sircada insisted there only be one on-scene statement to law enforcement by the supers, given to representatives of all those agencies at the same time. More details could be acquired at the headquarters of The FX later. Getting agreement from all those government agencies on scene was not difficult; there was still a lot to do there, much of which needed doing soon.

"It's getting downright crowded, here," muttered Gadgetive, as Blue Impact told the others the plan. "Do we really need to stick around? It's getting towards dawn. You had a nice nap before this started, but I'm up hours past my bedtime with no coffee."

"Yes," said Blue Impact. "We really need to stay, including you. If for no other reason, you'll have to explain to the people the company behind this facility send here what Stone did to it. They should arrive shortly. You'll need to work with them to make sure everything is safe."

"You have had three energy drinks in the last three hours, Gadge," said Energia, rolling her eyes.

"Those aren't coffee!"

One topic needed little discussion; the LEOs and supers agreed to wait for the TV news crews - more had arrived just as last of the ambulances was on the way out, actually getting in the way of one of the federal government vehicles as it also arrived - to leave before starting the on-scene debriefing. Soon, though, Sircada and Blue Impact were able to lead the various cops and non-LEO feds to the easiest cavern entrance. This was down the ladder at the tower.

While that was going on, the technical experts from the parent company arrived. They and Gadgetive had a hurried and intense conversation about the tower and the alterations Stone had made. Then she showed them what he had done to their equipment. The underground portions of Stone's setup were off limits to them, since that was not part of their original operation.

* * *

"I'm getting hungry again," said Vic, conversationally, as she and Energia sat on the rear ramp of Tricorne's large apergy flyer. "Did I mention that I had to heal two badly broken legs on an empty stomach?"

"We shouldn't be much longer," said Energia. "Yeah, I see Gadgetive on her way back, now."

Fortunately, she was right. There was still a lot of evidence to gather, but for now the authorities and company techs were through with Vic, Tricorne and The FX.

"Great," said Posey, as the two teams and Vic gathered at the flyer. "One more on the flight back."

"I'll go ahead on my own, this time," said Energia. "You can also put someone up front in my seat, to make it even less crowded."

"Wait," said Posey, outraged, as she finally got a good look through the canopy of the flyer. "There's four seats up front?!"

"Oh, yeah," said Gadgetive, smirking, turning and walking into the vehicle.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Energia, Vic and Michelle were eating in a sandwich shop across the street from the rear of the Fox building. Actually, Vic was doing most of the eating, while the other two women looked on, amused. This was Vic's third large meal since her rescue. The staff and other customers might have gotten used to seeing members of The FX and their guests eating there in costume, but this level of appetite was something a bit outside their experience.

"Oh!" said Vic, turning to Michelle, when she finally took a break from filling the apparently bottomless pit of her gut. "I think I forgot to thank you for letting Tricorne know what happened at the festival."

"Hey, what are partners for?" said Michelle, putting an arm around Vic.

"I mean it. If you hadn't notified them so quickly, there's no telling what that monster would have done to me."

She seemed rather unnerved by that thought.

"Well, I can't blame someone for wanting mates like you," said Michelle, just glad her love had been safely rescued and was in full recovery mode. Even if she was putting a strain on their weekly food budget. "I'm also very happy I'm the only one who actually does have you. Maybe it's greedy of me, but I want you all to myself!"

"I can't blame Stone for not wanting to feel alone," said Energia, quietly. "Though I definitely disagree with how he tried to alleviate that situation."

Vic made some muffled noises around her current bite of sandwich.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, dear."

Energia giggled. A bit sleepily; all of the rescuers were all still short on sleep, despite most of them getting naps of various lengths after their return from the tower.

"I was just apologizing for us missing most of our vacation," Vic said, after a heroic swallow. She sighed and put an arm around Michelle's shoulder for a brief, asymmetrical hug. "Sorry. I did warn you about the life of a superhero."

"That you did. I love you and still want to be with you."

Energia smiled as they hugged more equally, but deep inside felt a pang of absence.

* * *

Far too few people consider - or are even aware of - the cleanup problems typically involved in super matters. Even those where there is no combat and be messy, figuratively or even literally. There was a major bureaucratic battle currently occurring among different governmental entities about who had jurisdiction over the crimes. Especially concerning who got custody of Stone's equipment. Even the company funding the research of the Anomaly was making a claim for that. About the only thing they all agreed on was that no supers should be involved in these negotiations. Something Brade and the Bureau of Special Resources were contesting. Still, as consolation, contacts in various agencies were keeping The FX informed of their progress in the case.

"Among other finds, they discovered a previously unexplored branch of the Subterran tunnels, with a vintage transport waiting at the terminus," said Ma. "We think Stone was using that to access the caves under the facility."

Summer was nearly over. The FX was hosting only a few more panels before Tricorne and Vic had to get back to school. All those present at the analysis of the activities of the past three months agreed on two things: This needed to be done again - possibly with arrangements for educational credit from various schools - and they desperately needed to revise what was taught.

As the meeting wound down, though, the mood became much lighter.

"We definitely need a panel on improvising a disguise when caught without a costume," said Energia, deliberately _not_ looking at Vic.

"Given a choice," said Posey, innocently, "if caught naked, what article of clothing would you grab first before going into action?"

"Mask," said Salamander, whom they already suspected of having an exhibitionistic streak.

"Skip everything and go straight to work," said Blue Impact. "Just keep moving as fast as you can so - hopefully - no-one can see any details."

"Ditto," said Popcorn Dash, nodding sagely.

"That's fine for you super fast ones," said Isarda. "What about the rest of us?"

"Oh, I agree with teach," said Energia, smirking. "Except instead of moving fast I'd just tune my plasma wall to block anyone's view."

"Grab a pair of panties but pull them over my head," said Tone, also smirking. "People will be too distracted wondering about that to note any details."

"I have a public ID and not much to show," said Gadgetive, shrugging. "Grab a weapon."

"Well, as the only one here - I hope; I wouldn't wish that situation on anyone - who has actually had to make a choice of that type," said Vic, dryly, "I'd grab a long t-shirt and pray I could hold the bottom closed."

"*Ahem!*" said Ma. "All right, this is actually a serious subject, though about a situation unlikely to come up often. Yes, if we do this again next Summer, let's consider a panel on improvised costumes.

"By the way," she continued, as she suddenly remembered something. "Did you hear that they were able to pin the geology museum curator's murder on Stone? As well as the murders of the people at the Anomaly facility."

"More good news," said Blue Impact, "if about a couple of bad situations. Though what do consecutive life sentences mean to someone who's already over forty thousand years old?"

"One final complication," said Ma, with a mixture or tiredness and sadness. "Only a few of those Stone altered in his experiments have expressed any distress whatsoever about their transformations. Even for those he changed from male to female. The last half-dozen are actually now low-level superhumans, with regeneration. We figure he changed those after scanning Vic, as a test. However, he appears to have perfected the obedience implant before anything else. All his victims are likely to remain compliant to Stone for the rest of their lives, unless someone can figure out out to reverse that effect."

* * *

"Oh. My. God," said Blue Impact, that evening, as she read something in the paper. "They did it. The stupid bastards actually did it."

"What happened to watching out for bad language?" said Gadgetive, smirking.

"What's the matter?" asked Energia, concerned.

"They passed the non-aerodynamic flying bill."

"The which?" said Vic, confused, from where she sat in a recliner, petting Beefeater.

"They didn't," said Gadgetive, who appeared about to do some swearing of her own.

"It's a bit of state legislation which is supposed to be a drone control bill," said Blue Impact, reading through the long message. "They repeatedly sent it back to committee when people kept pointing out serious problems with it. The first version, for example, would have required all vertical lift devices flying over a populated area to stay under an altitude of fifty feet. The legislature finally settled on wording which doesn't actually affect helicopters or drones, but does regulate all super flyers and a lot of our vehicles. Without specifically mentioning them."

"Yeah, the FAA told them, in no uncertain terms, that the first version would not be allowed to stand, since it banned all helicopter flights," said Gadgetive. "That included medevac helicopters, with no exemptions offered or even considered. So after all that work, they came up with a version which only affects supers! Which may have been their goal all along..."

"So I have to fly under fifty feet?!" said Energia, outraged.

"It won't stand, of course, like Gadgetive said about the first version," said the attorney, flatly. "For one thing, it's not enforceable. How would a traffic cop seeing you fly overhead give you the ticket? Or prove you were too high? What if you were stopping someone leaping from a fifty story roof? Unfortunately, unless a judge orders a hold or until a court overturns the new law, there's likely to be a lot of harassment of flyers and teams with certain types of vehicles."

"Including us," said Gadgetive. She smirked. "I'm really glad we have stealth equipment."

"Yes, but don't say anything about that," said Blue Impact. "Not even to The FX."

"They know your flyer has stealth capability," said Vic, confused.

"Yes, but only because of a brief observation as they exited at the Anomaly facility, and that was at night. As long as they don't really know, if someone asks they have plausible deniability."

"Well, we only have a couple more days of panels," said Energia, yawning and stretching. "Then it's back to school for all of us."

"I'm actually looking forward to getting back to Pine Island and teaching teenagers again," said Blue Impact. "At least with them I know why they don't know anything. Though, like far too many of the adults, most think they know everything."

* * *

One of the last classes was on how to register a mask name and costume. Blue Impact saved this until the final day because she knew many people would be dropping out over the course of the Summer, and the complicated class would be smaller - and easier - then. Unfortunately, she hadn't realized ahead of time that there were many supers in the area who would only be interested in this class. It was packed, and ran overtime.

The final super to leave once the class was finally dismissed was actually already registered, which was why she waited. However, her problem was with the registration process she had already been through.

"I have electrical powers, y'know, and kind'a figured I'd have problems with the name I picked because it's pretty obvious but it went through fine, which surprised me, because I figured someone would have used it before now. Then I find out I misspelled it on the form even though I spell checked it, and they won't let me change it, 'cause they say it's a properly spelled word and it's not profanity or anything and even though it doesn't describe my powers I can't change it unless I pay the fee to register again! That's crazy!"

"Lightening Girl, isn't it?" said Blue Impact, completely without sympathy but managing to maintain a professionally neutral demeanor. "Well, here's a piece of advice. For legal documents, proofread carefully."

"I did! I did! And my spelling checker said it was right! How was I supposed to know that the word I used wasn't the word I thought it was, it's not my fault."

"Uh, yes," said Blue Impact, confused. "You filled out the form. So it's your fault."

"Well, aren't you gonna fix it?"

"How can I correct the problem?"

"You work for 'em!"

"No, I don't," said Blue Impact, flatly. "I'm just telling people how to register with them. I don't have an affiliation with the registrars."

"But you work for 'em!"

"No, I don't. There is no affiliation."

"But you work for them!!"

Blue Impact decided the woman didn't understand what "affiliation" meant, either. She gathered her stuff, said a quick goodbye and hurried away. The young woman stayed where she was but kept whining that it wasn't her fault that she'd used a word that wasn't the one she thought it was and why would they even have a word like that which was so close to a real word, and...

"God spare me from the ignorant but self-important," groaned Blue Impact, later at the lair. Unusually, she had her shoes off and her feet propped up.

"I tell ya," said Vic, slumped bonelessly on the couch. "I never realized how hard a job teaching was. You have my apologies and newfound respect."

"Thank you."

"I heard you dropped the harassment suit against Arlen," said Energia, as she entered the big room from the kitchen.

"Yeah. He, Blue Impact, Tone and I had a long talk with him. Which was a follow-up to a long talk he had with Tone and her other brother and their father. He genuinely seems to realize he's screwed up and wants to reform. Well, we'll see. I'm counting on Tone and her dad to keep an eye on him."

Vic grinned.

"I think it helped that someone told Arlen I have supernatural abilities, to explain how I was able to beat him so easily," she said. "After that lecture by Lieutenant McCorsky he didn't want anything to do with the supernatural.

"Oh; you remember that guy asking about how Pine Island deals with problem students, that first lecture?"

"Yeah?" said Energia, puzzled.

"That was Arlen's older brother, Malcolm. He takes after their mother in appearance, like Tone does. She explained all this to me after I saw him talking to her this morning. He got some low-level powers, himself, but went into real estate."

"So he was looking for advice on how to handle his brother," said Blue Impact, nodding. "Well, whatever they did, it seems to be working. Let's just hope it sticks."