Henry's frist thought when he heard the gunfire was to tackle charlotte he pulled her down behind the counter and covered her body with his own. More shot's followed and people screamed.

They could hear people running and rough voices shouing out orders. Underneath him charlotte twisted around to wisper in his ear "we have to go now" He looked at her expecting to see fear across her face but he only found determantion burning in her eyes.

"Down stairs" She explaned. "We can go to the back and get to the man cave but we have to move right now. They'll be up to the counter any second" he shook his head "we can't leave everyone else" he wispered back.

She rolled her eyes "you can help them a whole lot better as Kid Danger then as Henry right now" she reminded him. He was inclined to agree and backed off of her. They stayed low and snuck to the elavader.

The ride down felt like it took forever. Henrys mind raced with questions. Did Jasper get out ? How many criminals where there? How many could he handle alone?" His head spun and he felt like everything was happening to fast and crazy for him to grasp. Until charlotte took his hand suddenly and gave him something steady to anchor to.

"We'll fix this" she told him calmly.

He pulled her in for a hug without thinking about it. He just needed to hold onto something that was good and made sence, just for a moment. She wraped her arms around his waste and held on tightly.

The doors opened and they both looked around. All the main lights where off and the normally playful room seemed loney, still and almost tragic without their friends. Charlotte broke off the hug and ran to the commaned center. Before turning on any other systems she deactavated the elavator like Ray had that morning and then she turned on the viewers to the store.

It seemed like things had setteled down for the moment. Henry counted five thugs, three female, two male. each had on an identical black jumpsut and mask. They where lineing the hostage's up in front of the windows and doors.

"What are they doing?" Henry mumbled his best frind shook her head in anger "Using them as human sheilds." She told him. "So the police can't hurt them or see into the store.

Henry scofted in disgust and looked closer at the hostage's. There where less people in the room then there had been before but no body's. He guessed some people must have made it out the front doors before the villans had fully taken the store. With any luck Ray would have gotten out in the confustion and would be able to assist him as Capten man.

His hopes sank as he caught sight of the dark haired man standing next to Bork. When henry looked closer he realized Bork was stooped over slightly holding his arm and bleeding. The look on Rays face suggested he was doing some deep thinking and from the storm in his eyes Henry guessed they where some pretty dark thoughts regarding the people who'd hurt his friend.

Jasper was standing across the room. He didn't look frightened Henry realized his friend was waiting for Kid Danger would show up and make everything alright like he always did he had total faith in Henry. That scared the young sidekick more then anything becuase the truth was he had no idea what he should do now .

Henry was pulled away from his thoughts by his text alert it was Schwoz "KD I got out, but I can't get into the man cave CM forgot to unlock the can't do it without his remote I'm in the van across the street how I can help you kick these bad guys butts?"

Henry fely like his guts had turnded to ice. He realized everyone was expecting him to take charge and led them. He ran a shakey hand across his chin and squred his sholders.

He really needed a plan.

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In retrospect Ray Manchester understood there where smarter moves he could have made. It would have been smart to run out the door with the frist wave of paniced shoppers, he could have popped a gumball dubled back and taken these punks out.

Or he could have ducked behind any of the shelves here in the store during the intital panic and just made the switch that way but no.

Insteded his fight or flight response had kicked in and gone with fight. Only to be totally distracted a millasecond later by the sight of Bork flying backward after a bullet hit his left bicept

In that small window of time that would have allowed for an escape and triumphant return he'd been blindsided and his sence of fear for his friend had left him as vunrable as everyone else who hadn't gotten to the door fast enough.

He wasn't worred about getting shot. A bullet or two would be painful but only about as annoying as Jasper on any given day he could take it easyly, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid.

The fact was in front of him where five people armed to the teeth all posed to attack from a diffrent angle.

He wasn't afraid for himself, he was afraid for every other person in line with him. The stiuation was tence and the wrong word or look from anyone could set any of these thugs off. They might decide to hurt anyone or everyone and there was no way for him to protcect everyone from an attack he couldn't prodict.

Once everyone was in line and the people had quited down one of the male thugs adressed them. "Well that was fun." He begain. His tone was mocking and sarcastic "I realize this is a slight devation from the plans you all had for the moring, but if you all just play nice and behave for a few minutes then this only has to be a small detour in your day"

He raised a hand "however if anyone gets stuped and decideds to play hero" he shook his head "well if that happens my friends and I might get angry and the day...in fact all your days might just end here and now." He sighed dramticly "I truly hope you all prove smarter then that. " The Hostages regarded him with fear and lothing.

One of the female criminals spoke up "Oh come on everybody lighten up" she mocked "after all the holidays are about coming together, and nothing brings people together like the thought of an early death." The other thugs laughed "Yeah" the male who'd been talking before cut in "it's our brand of christmas magic" he tillted his head at the victims "your welcome"

The talkitve female clasped her hands together "Okay" she said brightly "lets get to work, who all works here? step forwaed please"

Ray felt his fight refex kicking in again but he suppessed it " play it smart " he thought "get everyone out safly frist. Give thses peaces of trash shaped like humans whatever they want let them think they won. Then hunt then down later"

He stepped forward but signgaled Bork not to. Unfoutunitly Jasper didn't get the message and also stepped up. Ray could have hit the kid if he wasn't so worried about him. The hero could pull the focus on himself he could take their gunfire or just about anything they might throw at him. The same could not be said for the boy. he tried to take any focus off Jasper and shift it back on himself "I own this place" he told the trash "the kid just sweeps floors"

The criminals seemed intrested "you're the owner?" one echoed he gestered to his buddy "forget the safe this guy could call the bank, we could clean out the his entire account. He said the one who had done the most talking shook his head "we aren't here for his money, don't get greedy" his friend shurrgged "I'm just saying it could be a nice perk"

"what are you here for?" Ray demanded. The criminals laughed

A/N I'm still interested in finding a beta if anyone's game ?

anyway hope you guys liked this