Chapter 1: First Impressions
"Thank you all for coming," Randor said, pacing nervously behind his desk. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"Probably go to your room and cry," Lightning Lad muttered. Superman elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!" He complained.
"I will have someone show you around…" Randor said, turning around and looking anxiously about the room. "Oh, where did she go?" He asked.
The Superheroes exchanged confused glances.
"Um… where did who go?" Timberwolf finally asked.
"My niece, Kytori. She was just here… Oh! Yes! Now I remember!" He exclaimed. "I sent her to pick up my lunch. She'll be here any second, you can just sit down."
Once again, the Superheroes exchanged glances, then settled down on a few of the eight padded benches in the room.
"He seems absentminded," Lightning Lad whispered, glancing behind them to Tylew Randor. "Maybe he accidentally told someone about the vaults?"
Brainy shook his head. "Even an absentminded man would know better than to do something like that."
"It was a thought," Lightning Lad said.
Moments later, a young woman bustled into the room. "Here's your lunch, uncle… Who are you guys?" She demanded, turning and placing her hands on her hips, glaring at the Legion representatives.
"We're here to help your uncle figure out who's been-" three hands cut off Lightning Lad's careless giveaway. Lightning Lad frowned, and then rolled his eyes.
Brainy, Superman and Timberwolf slowly dropped their hands from Lightning Lad's mouth.
"We're here to help your uncle figure out who has been doing something that requires utmost skill and secrecy." Brainy said.
She sighed. "Like my great-aunt's apple strudel recipe, made the old-fashioned way."
"Everything's better that way," Timberwolf muttered.
"I'm not one to argue with that assessment," Superman replied.
"Kytori, would you mind showing these young people around the bank?" Randor asked, using a sweeping gesture to take in Brainy, Superman, Timberwolf, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl.
She shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's not like I have anything better to do."
Randor sighed. "Kytori…" He paused. "Well, I suppose arguing doesn't change much. Just show them around, and answer any questions they have."
"Sure thing," She replied.
"Well, how are we going to ask about the likelihood of a robbery if we can't tell her we're trying to find a robber?" Lightning Lad whispered to Brainy, repeating his argument for probably the eighteenth time.
"Be very, very subtle, then," Brainy said, giving up with a sigh. "But it would be easier if you kept your eyes and ears open, because that's less suspicious."
"Don't worry," Lightning Lad replied. "I was born to play the part of Mr. Subtle."
"And this is another boring vault," Kytori said to them, gesturing at the object. "Any questions?"
"Yeah, how do you guys keep these things from being opened by the wrong people?"
"What, like being robbed?" Kytori asked, turning to face Lightning Lad.
"Oh no, I wouldn't say that… um… well…okay, yeah. Robbed." Lightning Lad said.
Brainy dropped his head into his hands with a smack. "Nice going… Captain obvious," He mumbled.
"What was that?" Lightning Lad demanded.
"…Nothing," Brainy said.
"Yeah, I'm sure it was nothing," Lightning Lad retorted.
"Well, I guess as far as robberies go, it'd be nearly impossible."
Lightning Lad snorted, and Superman and Timberwolf whacked him.
"Ow!" Lightning Lad shouted.
"Guys, stop." Saturn Girl chided.
Kytori shrugged and continued with her explanation. "See, there's a miniature camera in each and every lock, and it identifies the person coming up. Also, if that camera doesn't work, there's still the retinal scan."
Brainy nodded, trying to cement every word into his memory.
"And when we're closed we have laser tripwires, Infra red cameras, security teams at every post, and DNA scanners. In fact, this is probably the dumbest place in the galaxy to rob." Kytori folded her arms to accentuate that point.
"Dumbest, huh?" Lightning Lad asked.
"Definitely. Now come on, I need to show you guys the rest of this lousy place."
"What do you think?" Superman asked when the group had gathered back in the ship, after the tour.
"I think it's impenetrable." Lightning Lad said.
"It does look pretty secure," Timberwolf agreed.
"Kytori was a bit unsettled, but that could just be her normal state of mind," Saturn Girl said.
"Plus, she's so grumpy. She probably is like that all the time!" Lightning Lad exclaimed.
"Part of the reason she was grumpy might have been because you kept insinuating her uncle must be the thief," Timberwolf pointed out.
"Seriously! He knows the place, it should be easy for him to rob it!"
"But," Saturn Girl said, "His distress was real. Also, why would he call us if he was the thief? It doesn't really make sense."
"I agree," Brainy said. "We need to look for other options. For example, who says there is only one thief? There might be someone in on it in the security department, or it might be a whole group of thieves. We don't really know anything."
"Right, so let's go take a walk around the bank ourselves, take a look at things the way we want to, without worrying that our tour guide could be the thief." Superman said. "We'll try and piece together information."
"I think I'll question Mr. Randor," Brainy said. "And see what may -or may not be- unique about these thefts."
"So, you say the thief has been going for better and better vaults. Any idea how he knows it's better?" Brainy asked, leaning forward.
"No, I don't see how he could know." Randor said, shaking his head vigorously.
"Anything strangely… different about these robberies?"
"Well, we don't have any record of it on the security tapes. It looks like nothing ever happened, yet, the vaults are empty. I just don't understand it!" Randor dropped his head into his hands.
"Have you had any technicians check the tapes?" Brainy asked. This was an important question…
"Why?"
Brainy slumped in relief. "Never mind. Could I please review your security tapes?"
"Of course, but… why?"
Brainy smiled inwardly. Outwardly, he shrugged. "It could be helpful."
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A/N: There. That looks better now. Um, yes, R&R please... To the people I told would be posting and then I didn't, I'd been kind of busy with school wrapping up, and summer chores... I barely had time for writing!!