Hello my faithful readers! I know it has been a long time since I've updated, and I'm so very, very sorry for making you wait. Things were happening, life was hectic, and as much as OI want you all to enjoy my stories, I needed to cut them out for awhile in order to get a handle on things. But that's all behind me now! I'm looking forward to a long, story-filled summer, and I can't tell you how excited I am to post this latest chapter! Because Augustinianfrog has been gracious enough to allow me to use characters from his stories "Dusters" and "Half-Moon", and this chapter is their introduction! I don't know how many of you know of Augustinianfrog, but his characters are awesome, and his stories are as well! I highly recommend them. For now, just be aware that Francis, Julia and her three kids, Alexandra, Adam Anders, James Vanderbraun, Carl Thoompson, and Slightly-Psycho Sven, as well as other characters who are yet to be named belong entirely to Augustinianfrog and I am merely borrowing them. I hope you all enjoy what he and I have worked hard to put together, and I hope it was worth the wait. As always, I beg everyone to read and review, and I give a special shoutout to my awesome Beta Amymimi.

And now, without further delay, I present everyone the next installment of Sin'Nati.

"Regulator Justice, calling headquarters. Regulator Justice, calling headquarters."

For a moment there was only static, and then a wizened voice came over the radio asking, "What is every man guilty of?"

Justice answered the question without hesitation: "All the good they haven't done."

Another moment of static, while Justice sweated over whether he had remembered the right answer, and then the same voice said "this is Francis Garret, regional commander of the Regulators. What can I do for you, Justice?"

Justice sighed in momentary hesitation, then launched into an explanation. "Well, sir, first let me say what an honor it is to be asking for your help. I'm not sure how much the stories have been embellished by the time they get to Sin'Nati, but-"

The voice on the other end of the radio lifted a few octaves in surprise. "You're in Sin'Nati? How the hell is the radio even reaching New York?"

Justice cleared his throat, then explained. "One of the main settlements here, known as Raw Border, has a fully-functioning radio tower. I've been given permission to use it to contact my superiors."

"I thought Sin'Nati was neutral in the Regulator-Talon conflict," Francis replied. "How did you get to use their radio tower?" So Justice had to explain how the Talons had tried to take over the Raw Border, and in response its leader, and the leader of Passtime, had agreed to support the goals of the Regulators in the region, especially where they involved dead Talons. "Sounds like you've got everything settled then," Francis surmised. "Why are you calling me?"

"Actually, things are really heating up here," Justice explained. "It's not just the Talons. There are raiders all around us, and it feels like the leader of Raw Border is preparing for a war. And in the middle of all this, he's suddenly moving west; to the Island"

"I don't follow," Francis admitted.

"The Island is old Indianapolis, Indiana's state capital. It's the heart of raider territory. I think there are at least three factions vying for power there, based on word of mouth. If that's true, then he's charging straight into a warzone with a handful of men."

"Seems suicidal if you ask me," Francis said. "Why does it matter though?"

"Because the men he's taking with him aren't scared. They're not even that worried. To them it's just like another job, though they won't tell me what's going to happen. Which means something like this has happened before."

Francis was silent on his end of the radio for a moment, probably mulling over what he had been told. Finally, he asked, "And what do you need from me?"

Justice hesitated. This was where things got a little complicated. "Well, sir, I wanted to request reinforcements. There are five Regulators this side of the Ohio, including myself. I'm the only one going to the Island, because I want the rest of them to keep our presence strong in my absence. Already people are beginning to trust us, and I don't want to ruin that by suddenly uprooting everyone and moving west, possibly to our deaths. But neither do I want to completely abandon Raw Border's effort. How would that look, if the Regulators run from a mission just because it seems dangerous?"

"I see your point. Why do you only have four men?" Francis asked.

"We felt that a smaller group could slip past the Pitt unnoticed, and that we'd replenish ourselves with local recruits. Unfortunately, the Talons arrived in force and we were forced to accept Raw Border's peace terms or be wiped out."

"I understand. You did what you had to. And it turned out fine in the end, all things considered. But you're right; for now, you need reinforcements," Francis agreed. "Trouble is, I don't have many to spare. About a year ago we fought a massive battle with some bastards named Lab 18. We lost a lot of good men, and only recently have we been able to replenish our numbers. And most of our recruits are greenhorns who can barely aim a gun, let alone perform vital tasks in the field. I'd be doing more harm than good by sending them."

Justice's heart sank for a moment, but Francis continued. "But the good news is that you'll be asking whoever I do send to deal with grim, perhaps suicidal, odds. And I have four louts who seem to have made that their specialty. How soon do you need them?"

"We're leaving in a week," Justice replied, trying to keep the relief from his voice. Another squad was more than he had been hoping for. And if Francis was telling the truth, then the people he was sending were very experienced. Just what he needed.

"A week?" Francis demanded. "Can't be done! There's no way for them to get to Ohio in a week."

"Yes there is," Justice insisted. "Just leave that to us."

A large crowd of people had gathered outside the Vault that served as New York's Regulator base. Derek sighed to himself as he brought the vertibird in for a landing. The ancient gears protested as the rotors became vertical, but otherwise the machine landed without a hitch. Olivia detached herself from the co-pilot's chair and stepped gracefully from the cockpit onto the barren ground below. Derek turned and nodded to Justice, who was strapped into one of the chairs in the cargo bay. "We're here. Let's go meet our new friends."

Derek dropped from the cockpit and breathed in the New York air. It tasted different from Sin'Nati. Cleaner, less pollution. He turned and made his way towards the crowd, who was silent at the moment. On his back was strapped his Boomstick, and he twirled his crowbar absently in his left hand. The crowd was armed to the teeth as well; Derek saw hand-to-hand weapons, as well as small arms, and even a few high-caliber weapons and explosives.

The leader of Raw Border stopped midway between the crowd and his vertibird. He could taste their anticipation, the suspense they felt as they waited for him to make the first move. Derek sighed and planted the sharp end of his crowbar in the ground and rested his hands on the top. He hated being the center of attention.

"I was informed by this man," he began, his voice carrying easily to his entire audience as he gestured to Justice, "that we were coming for four people. I'm hoping that's still the case, because there's not enough room in the vertibird for all of you. Now, if the four people we're here for would kindly step forward, we can begin introductions and leave, before our window of opportunity closes."

After a bit of commotion within the crowd, five people stepped forward and strode toward Derek. At the head of the group was an old man with a plasma rifle strapped to his back. "The name's Francis," he said as a greeting. "I'm the commanding officer of the Regulators in the northeast regions, which includes Ohio. I guess I should thank Sin'Nati for finally deciding to support the Regulators."

Derek shrugged. "It wasn't really our decision. The Talon Company decided it when they sent assassins and armies into the city. I took care of the assassin, and then killed the men who sent him."

Francis' eyes widened in surprise. "You killed a Talon assassin?" Behind him, one of the men in the group whistled, impressed.

Derek shook his head. "I just beat him senseless then gave him to someone else to be interrogated. I think he's still alive."

Francis cleared his throat and pressed on. "Yes, well, anyways, I'm glad they're accepting our help now. These are the men going with you," he explained, motioning for them to step forward. "This is Adam Anders, close-quarters combat expert, infiltration specialist, and the squad leader," he said, indicating the man who had whistled. Adam was toting at least seven blades, including a sword on his hip, as well as a submachine pistol. He stood with the confidence of a trained killer, his weight on the balls of his feet and his eyes riveted on Derek, searching for his strengths and weaknesses.

"This is James Vanderbraun, the squad marksman and medic," Francis continued, moving to the man next to Adam. James carried a patchwork rifle on his back and a belt of metal spikes across his chest. On his hip was a satchel that Derek guessed was filled with medical supplies. His eyes were everywhere at once, trying to spot threats before they appeared.

"Next is Carl Thompson, the squad heavy weapons specialist." Francis indicated a black man who stood at just below seven feet tall. On his back rested a Gatling laser and its attendant energy pack, and in his right hand he grasped a super sledge. Carl stood as if he wasn't carrying anything, which, judging by the way he was built, didn't surprise Derek at all. His eyes were pointed in Derek's general direction, but they weren't very focused. Derek guessed the man-mountain was at least partially blind, but he doubted that was much of a hindrance if he was one of the Regulators' best.

"And this," Francis announced as he stepped to the last man in the line, "is Sven."

Derek glanced at the old man for a moment. "Just Sven?"

Francis cleared his throat before answering, "We call him 'Slightly-Psycho Sven. He's the explosives expert." Sven didn't bother to speak for himself, and frankly, there wasn't any need for it. The man was a veritable walking bomb, with explosives strapped to various parts of his body, some sort of hybrid-launcher on his back, and the equipment for an incinerator at his feet. But what really drew Derek's attention was his smile. It wasn't one of friendly greeting, or even a sneer of derision. Instead, it had that broken aspect Derek associated with severe shock or trauma. Slightly-Psycho indeed, he thought to himself. Watching Sven work would be interesting, to say the least.

Francis stepped aside to allow Derek a chance to speak with the four men. Behind them, the crowd watched in eager anticipation. Once again, Derek was the center of attention. The thought annoyed him. "Gentlemen," he began, deciding to attempt a diplomatic approach for a change. "Before everything else, you have my sincere thanks for what you are doing. The knowledge that the noble, resourceful, and above all else the powerful Regulators stand with the people of Sin'Nati helps put my worries for tomorrow to rest. I hope that together we can accomplish what apart we thought impossible. Together," Derek repeated, emphasizing the point by jabbing his crowbar into the air, "we can bring peace, stability, and hope to the wastes."

The people in the crowd murmured excitedly to one another. The stranger spoke very well. "But," Derek continued, his tone hardening considerably, "there must be rules." He tossed his crowbar into the air and caught it by the sharpened tip, then pointed the rounded end towards Justice. "Justice, the leader of the Regulators already in Sin'Nati, tells me you respect the wishes of the leader in any settlement you want peace with. Say hello, Justice."

Surprised at suddenly being in the spotlight, all the black-haired Regulator could manage was a wave of his hand. Derek replaced his crowbar on the ground and placed both hands atop it once more, leaning forward a little to look each of the four Regulators in the eye as he spoke. But his words carried for all to hear. "Raw Border is a place of strength. The strong survive, the stronger thrive, and only the strongest can lead. You are all strong. You will do well for yourselves in Sin'Nati. But you aren't the strongest." Here Derek paused, letting his words sink in.

"Who is?" Someone in the back of the crowd asked. The question rolled through the gathered people like a tidal wave, and soon everyone was demanding to know who the leader of the Raw Border was. Francis and Carl were impassive, not betraying any of their thoughts. Adam was trying to do the same, but Derek could see the man was interested by the way he was staring at him. James wasn't bothering to try and hide his curiosity. Sven just looked bored. Derek looked over to Justice, who shook his head in response. He hadn't told anyone who Derek really was. Groaning inwardly, he closed his eyes and composed his features.

"I am the leader of the Raw Border!" Derek shouted above the noise. Immediately the crowd went silent, everyone abandoning even a pretense of disinterest to focus on his words. "I've come myself to tell my guests what is expected of them; what I expect of them. As much as I need your help, I will not risk instability."

A short bark of laughter stopped Derek from continuing. Adam was trying to contain his amusement. "Sorry," he managed between chuckles. "Just, I can't believe you're expecting us to swallow this. You? A kid, the leader of a whole settlement? 'Only the strongest can lead,'" he mocked Derek's voice before falling into another fit of laughter. "Is the city filled with little girls and boys?"

Olivia giggled and patted Derek's shoulder. "Looks like you've got competition for 'thick-skulled leader'."

Derek heaved a frustrated sigh, then drew his shotgun and pointed it at Adam. Angry and worried shouts came from the crowd behind him. Weapons were drawn and aimed, and a dark-haired woman clad in simple leather armor moved closer to the front of the crowd. Olivia and Justice remained passive, as did Francis, who was watching Derek with interest now. He motioned for Sven, James, and Carl to put their weapons down as well, and they did so reluctantly. Adam was watching Derek intently now, a knife in each hand.

"First lesson," Derek said, looking to each of the four Regulators in front of him before returning his gaze to Adam. "Don't you dare call anyone weak in my home. Because if you do, they will try their very hardest to kill you." He holstered his gun and gripped his crowbar in his left hand. "But since we're a long way from home now, I'll settle for an ass-kicking." Derek motioned to Adam, "come on, let's see what those toy knives of yours can do."

Several guns remained trained on Derek even after his shotgun was put away. More than one pair of eyebrows when up in surprise when he asked Adam to fight him. He took that to mean Adam was a pretty good fighter. All the better, Derek thought. Adam himself was hesitating, not sure what to do. "Get on with it!" Olivia shouted at him. "Or were you only pretending to compensate for how small your dick is?" Derek laughed at the crude joke, hoping it would make him angry enough to fight.

Adam suddenly vanished. "Stealth-boy," Derek told Olivia. "Step back, please." As she did so, Derek simply stood passively and waited. He knew it was useless to try and spot a stealth-boy user without smoke or dust in the air, and he guessed that Adam would be on him before he could gather dirt from the ground to throw everywhere. He also wanted to avoid swinging his crowbar wildly like a madman. So that left waiting.

He didn't have to wait long. A blade pressed against his neck, and a voice whispered in his left ear. "What was that about toy knives, boy?" Adam asked. Derek could imagine the smirk on his face. He could also imagine it vanishing as he turned to the invisible man and grinned, even as the knife cut into his flesh.

"Thanks for letting me know where you are," he taunted. Derek drove his elbow back, hitting Adam's gut and knocking the wind out of him. He heard Adam gasp for air as he swept his legs out, knocking the still-invisible man off his feet. Adam's grip on his neck, already weakened, broke completely as he fell to the ground. Derek spun around and saw the dust fly up from the impact. He jabbed with the blunt end of his crowbar in the general direction of the man's throat and was rewarded with a choking sound. Then he placed a foot on where he thought Adam's chest would be. "Second lesson: Don't fuck with the man in charge. Now turn of your stealth-boy," he ordered calmly.

Still invisible, Adam spat on Derek from the ground. Derek sighed and reached for his shotgun. "Adam," Francis said in warning. Derek's hand paused for a second, and Adam reappeared beneath him.

Derek didn't remove his foot from Adam's chest, or his crowbar from his throat, but he did take his hand away from his shotgun. He turned to look at the crowd of people still watching his every move. Some still had weapons pointed at him. They looked angry. Some were in awe. Others looked to be in shock, or disbelief. "I apologize to everyone here," he said, looking everyone he could in the eye, one after the other. "I did not wish for this to happen." He turned to Francis and nodded to him. "Thank you for preventing meaningless death."

Francis shrugged. "It's why I'm here. I try to make sure we only kill the bad people."

Derek smiled at him and turned back to Adam, who was glaring at him from the ground. His words carried to everyone, but he was focused on Adam the whole time. "I still want us to work together. But you had to understand what that means, what you're getting into. My world is one of hideous strength. You will be weighed, you will be measured, and if found wanting, you will be crushed. You are strong. I know that. But others will know it too. They will try to use it to their advantage against me, against Sin'Nati, against everything but their own selfish gain."

"This is my wish: you will not interfere. You are your own. I cannot command you. But neither can I allow you to undermine my authority. If that happens, I will do my best to kill you where you stand. I am truly sorry, because I don't want to kill you. But there is so much at stake, and as I said before, I will not risk instability. If that is what it comes to, rest assured that I won't hesitate to do what is necessary."

Derek stepped off of Adam and removed his crowbar. He smiled down at the man and reached out to help him up. "But that's all the dreary stuff," he said in a more cheerful tone. "To be perfectly honest, I'm excited to be working with you." Adam swatted the hand away and stood on his own, then walked stiffly back to his squad. James leaned over and asked him if he needed a stimpack. Adam shook his head and marched over to Francis. The two of them started a heated conversation.

Derek stepped around them and moved to stand with James. He motioned for Carl and Sven to join them. James watched him warily. Carl stood impassive, but within arms' reach of Derek's throat if it came to that. Sven was grinning like a child on his birthday. "Let me put it this way for you three," Derek said. He didn't much care who heard him at this point. "Say you've managed to find crop, assuming you all know what that is, that can grow in the radioactive dirt at our feet. You spend years, perhaps your whole life, breeding it and replenishing your seed stores, clearing a plot of land, killing possible vermin and pests, digging irrigation ditches, and so on."

"Finally, you're ready to plant the seeds and grow your crop. But you find that you simply can't look after the entire field yourself. But, miraculously, you find willing people to help you make your dream of wasteland crops a reality. But after all the time you've spent on this project, all the frustration and blood and tears you've poured into it, wouldn't it make you just a little uncomfortable to accept help from perfect strangers? What if they add too much water? What if they fall asleep on watch and chimera make off with a whole section? What if they cause a fire? What if, what if what if?" Derek paused and rubbed his fingers on the bridge of his nose. He hoped he wasn't wasting his time.

"My crop is already growing. And I really, really, really need some help making sure it yields a profit. But, and I'm repeating this, so it must be important, there is more at stake than I can say now." Derek looked past the three men into the crowd, still watching the whole scene, and lowered his voice. "If any of you have loved ones over there, I'd be worried for them." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Francis and Adam had stopped arguing to listen to him. "You four are exactly what I need: you're good at what you do, your goals are noble, and you can act independently of anyone's orders. But if you're going to question me, do it quietly from now on, or I'll have to kill you, as much as I don't want to."

Derek waited, watching the three men before him, hoping they would agree to help. Sven spoke first. "Is there much call for the exploding of… well, anything, where you live?"

Derek nodded. "There's always a building or two full of raiders that needs to be turned into a parking lot."

Sven's grin widened and he rubbed his hands together in gleeful anticipation. "Count me in! Things here have been too quiet nowadays."

"There's a river near Sin'Nati, isn't there?" Carl asked.

Derek nodded. "The Ohio. It separates us from old Covington, on the Kentucky side. It goes east to the Pitt, and west to Louisville and Lexington. It's how we get most of our trade."

"Any mirelurks?" Carl asked, a small, nostalgic smile growing on his face.

Derek grinned at him and thumped his chest-plate. "The myrelurks, and that's 'myre' with a 'y', that grow in the Ohio are huge, and their shells are stronger than steel. We sell it as armor. And the meat, as well as tasty, is very good for you. If it's cooked right, some people will swear that it gets rid of the rads."

Carl's smile widened into a childlike grin that mirrored Sven's. "If nothing else, I'll go with you to see these miraculous creatures of yours."

"You said there's always buildings of raiders," Adam said as he moved to stand next to James. "Do we get rewards for clearing them out?"

Derek shrugged. "Well there's the bounties, and besides that-"

"Bounties?" Adam asked. "What bounties?"

"Every morning on the radio I give out job requests and their attendant payment, and I give the name and location of a troublesome band of raiders and put a price on their heads. Generally it's about a thousand caps for clearing them all out." Derek gestured to Justice. "Your Regulator friends have made quite the living, and they haven't even been sending out their fingers yet."

Adam crossed his arms and ground his teeth, grumbling to himself as he considered the information. Behind him, the dark-haired woman Derek had seen earlier separated herself from the crowd and jogged over to their little group. "I'm Alexandra, Adam's unspoiled new wife that he's lucky to have," she explained to the young man. "I'll make this easier for both of you." She gripped Adam's shoulders and shook him. "Adam Anders, if you don't come home with at least three-thousand caps, you're sleeping outside the Vault for a year. Understand?"

Adam sighed and rubbed his temples. "Yes, I understand."

Alexandra spun him towards Derek and pushed his hand forward. "Now make up with your generous new benefactor." Scattered laughter could be heard from the crowd behind them, and Carl and Sven were grinning. James was still deep in thought.

Before Adam could take his hand away, Derek grasped it and shook firmly, smiling at him sincerely. "Good to have you on board." He glanced at Alexandra. "And I'll be sure to consider the expenses for a woman of Alexandra's moral fiber when I'm paying you," he said like she wasn't standing right next to them. Adam grunted his agreement and took his hand back from them.

James cleared his throat. "I'd like to know something," he said. Derek turned to him and waited expectantly. "You talk a lot about risk," he went on, "about how much is at stake." Derek nodded in agreement, so James continued. "So what's our goal?" His voice quieted. "If we're risking everything, what are we gaining? What exactly are we fighting for?"

"I don't suppose you've read the book The Grapes of Wrath, have you?" Derek's voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. And everyone shook their heads, except for Francis, who stood a little straighter and nodded. Derek raised an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged in return. What else was he supposed to do with a Vault full of books? Derek sighed, then explained. "The gist of the book is: you reap what you sow, or you take from the world what you put into it. There's a line, towards the end, that sums up what I'm fighting quite nicely. 'There is a crime here that cannot be discounted. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that undoes all our success.' My goal is to stop this failure. I'm fighting to keep what we've gained so far, to protect what little humanity has left."

"But if you're looking for something grander, then you could say I'm fighting for the future. Like the book, I'm doing my best to put good into this world, or at least keep the evil from spreading further. I'm fighting wars and building guns and shells, so that one day my sons and daughters can fight sicknesses and build roads and houses." Derek shrugged at James. "I won't say that winning will bring us anything other than our own safety, but we have to fight nonetheless. I'm sorry if that's not what you're looking for."

James sighed and shook his head. "At least you're honest." He clapped Derek on the shoulder. "After all your fancy monologues, damn it if you haven't won me over." He grinned and hitched his rifle into a more comfortable spot on his back. "Just be sure you can walk your talk," he warned. "Anyone can beat Adam, but you're making it sound like we're walking straight into hell."

"All nine levels!" Derek responded cheerfully, grasping James' arm and towing him toward the vertibird. The metallic, hard surface he found beneath his fingers confused him, but he didn't slow down or ask about it. James didn't mention it either. "Now that everyone is sure they're going," Derek said to change the subject as Sven, Carl, Adam, Olivia, and Justice fell in step beside them, "we need to move fast. We only have so long before-"

"James!" a female voice called from behind them.

"And it always has to be something," Derek complained, spinning the man and himself around and standing with his arms crossed, his crowbar stuck in the ground beside him.

A woman ran towards them, carrying two small children as a third toddled along behind her. Her face was pocked and scarred, and she was wearing robes similar to the Scribes in the Brotherhood wore, beneath her green Regulator duster. "I'm James' wife, Julia," she explained before turning to James. "Before everyone is hauled off to god knows where, I just wanted to tell you to be careful," she told him.

"Again," he responded, a loving smile on his face.

"Well, yes, again," she stuttered, her face reddening. "I won't be there to watch you, and who will take care of you if you get yourself hurt?"

"Me," Justice answered as he raised his hand from behind James. "I'm a fair hand at medicine. Probably not as good as either of you, if you've read the books in that Vault, but I'll do my best to take care of your husband, ma'am."

Julia smiled at him and dipped her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Regulator Justice. I'm glad to know my husband is in capable hands." She turned once again to James. "I-" and that was all she managed before he swept her into his arms and kissed her.

Derek watched for a moment, then poked James impatiently with his crowbar. "Excuse me, I hate to break up the happy couple, but we really need to go." Both James and Julia broke off, each breathless and looking at one another with longing. They missed each other already.

"You're heartless," Olivia accused him. "Just plain cold down to your core."

"Sure am," Derek agreed. "I'm very sorry you two, but we need to get moving. Now." James nodded, kissed Julia one last time, then turned and continued toward the vertibird with the rest of the group.

"One last thing." James muttered as they went, too softly for Derek to hear.

"What's that?" Justice asked, just as softly as he walked beside his fellow Regulator.

"As you just saw, I have a wife and three kids. I've gone into hell. I know what war looks like. Adam may be our leader, but I've always been the squad's analyst. We can do difficult, but we will not do suicidal, especially now that Adam and I have people we need to return to. Understand?"

James did not even bother to get a response. Justice wondered if he would turn out to be more difficult to work with than Adam.

As they walked, Adam leaned over to Sven and murmured, "Did you see me cut him? Before he knocked me down? I swear my knife cut into his neck, at least a little." Looking at the young man now, Derek's neck didn't have any visible wounds on it.

Sven shrugged. "I didn't see much of anything. I would've said he was as crazy as me for attacking thin air, except you appeared beneath him."

Adam stared at Derek's neck, searching for a cut that wasn't there, but he knew should be. "I cut him," he mumbled to himself. "I know I did."

Julia, her three children, Alexandra, and Francis stood at the front of the crowd, which was still divided somewhere between bowing at Derek's feet and shooting him where he stood. Carl, Adam, James, and Sven turned to wave at everyone before they climbed onto the vertibird. A cheer rose from the crowd, and almost instantly everyone was clapping and cheering and throwing their hats in the air at the four Regulators. They grinned at one another, stunned for a moment by the praise, before Derek threatened to beat them senseless with his crowbar if they didn't stop dawdling.

At last, everyone was strapped into the vertibird. Olivia was in the cockpit with Derek, while the Regulators were strapped down in the back. "Have you flown before?" Derek yelled over the roar of the rotors.

All four Regulators nodded. "We flew once during an invasion of Liberty Island," Adam explained. "We had to hold our lunches down while the pilot avoided enemy fire. It was crazy!"

"Oh, so you know what it's like to fly through enemy fire! Good to know!" Derek said, feeling relieved as he guided the vertibird into the air. Outside, the crowd continued to cheer and wave at their departing heroes.

"What do you mean?" Adam demanded, worry crossing his features. Apparently he hadn't enjoyed his last experience on a vertibird.

"Just that I'm glad to know everyone is experienced with evasion maneuvers!" Derek explained. "You'll need it on the way home!"

As always, I remind everyone to give me their thoughts in the form of a review. Please.