Disclaimer: Still don't own.
:}
Holly wasn't fully paying attention to Andre as she fielded updates from her people. 'I have Beck going south, to our best guess as to where the sailors might be heading, and I have Robbie going North. Of course, Achilles Junior isn't our best choice for something like this, but the odds of running into trouble are low, and I need to cover a few bases in order to show the Mayer, and everyone else, we're doing our best.' She flashed a smile at her daughter, not sure what else to do in this situation. 'Should have sent Warpath, but I can't let Dre here know how involved my kids are. So, lets just see what I have, and what I can do… God, if I need to send one more person, I only really have Bastion, and she's nowhere near ready.'
Tori and Dre had been talking amicably about the oddities of being other then normal. "So, basically, I have some odd abilities, and even if I never do anything special with them, I'll always be a mutant, at least to the general public. Being a part of the program is the least I can do to protect myself."
"There a lot of minor metahumans in the program?" Andre asked, not aware how he'd stripped the one major weakness in the story.
"There are some…" Tori hemmed.
"Less then we'd like." Meredith added. "Thing is, the programs, we need funding, and so far, we only got it for a few, select groups of kids. Children of the police, or of people who've worked with the police, like me, and criminals handed over by the justice department. We need us better funding so we can offer those who need the training a chance to learn how to use whatever abilities they might have."
"Okay, I get that." Andre sighed. "I just wish everyone wasn't so busy now. Between my job, and everyone's new schedules, we hardly ever get to just hang out any more." He smiled at Tori. "Of course, I get that Tori here may have odd hours, given that she's such a hypocrite."
"Hypocrite?" The singer pulled back, feeling offended.
"You told me dating Jade was a bad idea." He reminded her. "Said it was crazy."
"And it was." The Latina agreed. "That was a very different Jade. She was and is mean, but this Jade has had a chance to learn a touch of humility. She cares, and has learned how to show that caring in ways that don't necessarily leave scars. Plus, turns out, I was wrong. She likes a far wider array of movies and plays. I'm amazed at how many tragic musicals are out there, but she has the whole fudging collection…"
"So you're saying it's okay for you to have a thing for Jade, cause she's changed?" Dre asked.
"That, and she was single when they got together." Meri added. "Man, I never get to be involved in these conversations. Feels good."
Tori grinned at her friend, and returned to her conversation with Dre. "So, assuming you don't date Trina, cause I can see how that could be a problem, anyone you have your eyes on?"
"I've been looking at a few people." The boy sighed. "And yes, I can see how Trina would be a good choice. I get along with her sister, I know she's attractive, and while her total lack of talent is off putting, I do appreciate her work ethic, even if sometimes she's too in her own ego to understand. Just, and this is mucho important, not sure I can date someone who is physically more dangerous then I am. Honestly, my biggest reason I'm grateful I was able to get over my thing for Jade is how dangerous she can be. I mean, I don't want her all jealous about some pretty young thing I flirt with, and do something scissor related to her."
Meredith laughed. "What?" Tori demanded.
"You're waiting for the hundred days to do something scissor related with her." The shorter girl said.
"Girls, please." Holly said, and thought hard at the two.
Meredith looked at her program administrator, and for a second, saw the red flashes of words across the woman's body. 'What is it she wants to tell… OH….!' Her eyes opened, and she leaned in to Tori and whispered. "Dahlia just confronted a sinking ship full of undocumented immigrants. Saved the ship, and the mostly female cargo, and now we're sending people out looking for the crew. Just, V's already giving the order to have Dahlia head here after the debrief, so she can keep tabs on how this affected her."
Tori nodded, never changing the smile she had on her face as she listened to the short girl, proving she had one hell of a poker face. "Okay, but I need to tell Dre here." Tori covered.
Meri's eyes widened as she read the singer. "Don't you dare…"
"If it's about your thing for Trina, I already know." Dre chuckled. "You kinda told me…"
"I was gonna tell you about Meri's ways of dealing with frustration, but I think, maybe, you have yourself enough trouble with strong girls." Tori chuckled. "So, instead, I'm gonna go find out where Trina got off too."
Trina, meanwhile, was speaking with Techfire near LA Justice's base. "Anyways, while it's been good reconnecting, what I really wanted was some gadgets. Things to make our training facilities feel as good as Redemption. I love training with Dahlia, cause of her illusion and other abilities, except it's just a reminder of how limited what we have is. Was gonna asked Techbanger, except… yea."
"What the holy fuck is it about you and metahuman girls?" The youthful hero asked. His various drones were near, in case he needed them, the real reason he drove a van. However, to the causal observer, it looked like the boy was just having lunch with a girls his age, who just happened to appear way out of his league. "I swear, why is it so many of them wanna fuck you?"
"She doesn't wanna fuck me." Trina insisted. "She doesn't trust me. Big difference, perve."
"I'm telling you, something about Warpath makes the girls want you." He teased. "Just glad you're not into them, cause it gives me a shot with the second biggest prospect to come out of the Blue Generation initiative."
"Just, we need the tech." Trina refocused on her task, ignoring his implications. "Wait, getting a call… Yo…" She listened for a moment. "Okay, if you need me, tell me where to go. I have access to some speed, if I need it." Then to Lenard. "What can you give me to get me someplace far away, fast?"
"How about an experimental jet cycle?" He asked back. "Lets get to one of my labs, and I'll see if I have one available…" He hesitated. "This an emergency?"
"Not yet, but it could be." Trina urged.
"Then to the lab." He said, leading her to his van, and the quick trip to where he stored his odd inventions. "Um, I'll have someone deal with your car…"
"Don't bother, I have access to the same resources." Trina said, calling the liaison for the Blue Generation initiative to recover her car as she went to get whatever the inventor might have for her.
The building didn't look like much, almost a warehouse, but repurposed for some other uses. It continued not to look like anything until they made it to the upper floor, and with it, Lenard's lab. "Okay, I put a few things together here, things I was building for some of the other members of LA Justice. Not that they appreciate it, but I did build this chiz for them. So, I have this hover-cycle, uses vectored thrust to propel it along. It also has this small but powerful engine that can drive the wheels, let it run as a motorcycle. But the big thing is the vectored thrust duct-fans. It can fly fast, and I put a lot, and I mean a LOT of work into computer aided on the fly adjusting stabilization and control for the flow from the fans, that lets it turn almost on a dime. Thing is maneuverable as hell."
"How fast does it go?" Trina wondered.
"Up to five hundred pound load, it can drive at over one hundred and fifty miles per hour, and it's faster in the air." Lenard bragged. "It flies at over three hundred miles per hour. Bikes fast, especially if given the chance to pick up speed. So, after you learn how to fly it, it could be a great vehicle. Just, I'd be the one doing maintenance, and you'd have to make it worth my while."
"Make a second, cause Meri's gonna want one too." Trina ordered. "And as for making it worth your while…." She hesitated. "Lenard, how did you build this, when you don't have this kind of speed in your drones?"
"I found this breakthrough, and…" He stopped, seeing the look in her eyes. "Okay, that Thai bitch build it, and then it got destroyed in one of her confrontations. I salvaged the remains, and was able to rebuild it. Probably be able to copy the design enough to make a second, but again, whats in it for me?"
"Lenard, you're better than this." Trina sighed. "I'll talk to Meri, but you know she hates you. Doesn't help you how jealous you get at Techbanger for her chiz. No, Meri won't be happy I came to you for this, or just about any of the shit I'm hoping to add to our public base. I just, it has to look like a high tech superhero base, or everyone is gonna wanna know what Project Redemption has. That, and it might be fun to have a few things laying around to play with. So, can you really build a second one of these?"
"I may not be as creative as that bitch is, but I can copy existing tech." The short boy insisted. "Fuck, I thought I'd be able to make improvements, like the programming, but it's like, I don't know how she does it. I did add the autopilot, improving the navigation computer to include several apps that made it more complete. I…" He deflated just a touch more. "I don't understand how she does this?"
"Easy." Trina tried to comfort him. "She doesn't have to do research, cause she's not the scientist you are. She, her powers, they kinda shortcut the whole process, allow her to make chiz like this. I understand, in a junkyard, she can come up with all kinds of stuff. And I really do like the cycle. I think you being able to rebuild it is way cool. I just, I'm not gonna date you, and Meri would just kick your ass, so…" She wracked her brain for anyone she knew she could set this boy up with. 'God, he's less of a man then Robbie, and he's a fucking superhero. How the hell do I find this creep a girlfriend….' It hit her. 'Beck! He knows some loose, low morals women. Maybe one of his Northridge scanks can get past the short, the nerd, and the general creepiness, not to mention the jealousy, and find the rich boy underneath.' She found her smile. "I'll reach out, see if anyone I know can help you find some shallow women. Not promising much, just that I'll try."
The boy surprised her. "That, and you have to let me into your club." He was looking away from her, his mind someplace else. "I'm way younger then the other members of LA Justice. They let me join cause they desperately needed a gadgeteer. I have my friends, kinda, but I'm the kid. It'd be nice to have people I can talk to, people who understand the kind of world I live in now. I'll accept the castoffs from whichever of your pretty-boy friends, but I also need the support." His voice faded to a whisper. "I feel so along sometimes. I just, I need some contact."
"We can do that." Trina offered. "Just, not gonna date you, creeper. But you need someone to talk to, I can help. That, and I do think your inventions, even the stuff you modified from existing chiz, I think it's all pretty cool. Just, you need more confidence. I'm thinking, the way you do your heroing, it doesn't build the confidence you need. Not saying to rush out there and get hurt, cause not a good idea. Just, Techfire is a hero, and not just because no one knows it's a drone. You're a hero cause you decided to use your abilities, your technology, to fight crime, to protect people. You are a hero, and need to find a way to be proud of that, cause this isn't an easy lifestyle you've chosen. Hell, one of the reasons I'm so reluctant to go more then part time is how hard the whole thing is on my social life. But I'll be your friend, and encourage others to try and be your friend. It's the least we can do."
"Then I should have the next bike done by the end of next week." Lenard said, turning to the task of building a copy of the one he had. "Tell Meri she can come here to pick it up then."
"Thanks." Trina insisted.
"And tune in the radio for the bike." Lenard added. "It includes a connector for a helmet, so you can both have a heads up display, and connect your devices and chiz. Stay in contact. Now, contact V, see if she needs you, cause this puppy, it's ready to fly."
"How often do I need to refuel it?"
"When that light turns read, maybe once every two to three months, pour about a quart of purified water in here." He instructed. "You can get that chiz at any store. They sell it for infant formula…"
Holly finished her last phone call, checking her notes. "Okay, I've called Trina. She'll be home soon. And oh, look, Andre's still here."
"Yea, sorry about that." The musician said. "I just, this whole thing, kinda weird for me."
"He knows who Bastion is." Meredith told her. "And I'm not worried about him spilling things. Still, I agree, he needs to be watched." He eyes narrowed.
"Trina managed to talk to Techfire, and got him to agree to helping us." Holly explained to The Velvet Phantom. "Meri, I don't think we need you here much longer…"
"Nah, I have my reasons for wanting to stick around." She said, smiling at the woman in control of so much of her planned future. "Wanna talk with Treen about something."
"That crush you've been harboring?" Holly wondered. "Oh, David saw it, and told me. It reminded me of the early days, when you first met Warpath, and how you crushed on her." Her smiled was more motherly. "Just, make sure of your own feelings before you drag my daughter int anything. Tori dating Jade is nerve-wracking enough."
"True that." Andre agreed.
"Anyways, I've got Steel Copper covering a smugglers cove to the south, Achilles Junior heading up north, and thanks to Trina. Warpath has this really fast hover-cycle…" Meri's eyes lit up. "Yes, Techfire promised her he'd make one for you too. Just, it'll take some times. But with that, she can be on standby to cover most of the Los Angeles coast, just in case someone tries to sneak in. We do have a few harbors, Venice being one of the more likely one's to watch."
"But you have Cat there." Dre pointed out.
"Who's not yet ready for public deployment." Holly told him, already done with his trying to control her job. "I've contacted LA Justice, and they'll do what they can. Ten fudging members, you'd think they'd be better at protecting the city. Only, this isn't a major threat, and they've not good with the small time chiz. So, we're all on standby now… And I'm getting a report…" She walked out of the room, phone to her ear. "Okay, Achilles is facing who?" She jotted down some notes. "Slaughter, huh? Yea, that guys bad news, but lets watch, see what weapons he brought, cause I suspect Junior can take him… Just, make sure he knows to withdraw if things get bad, kay?" She monitored the fight, listening as the pilot relayed everything to her, through the two other people who connected the call. "Okay, I'm getting another call. Stay on top of this and let me know…" She shifted to her other call. "Copper, what do you have?"
She felt a bit more surprised as Beck told her why he was delayed on checking his secondary sights. "Warcrime, huh? Well, when the police come and collect him, you can check the other sights, then come back. I think we're not the only one's looking for those sailors now, and from what I can tell, whomever wants them dead."
She shifted back in time to find Achilles Junior had defeated his target, and jotted that part down as well. "Okay, have him ready to head back ASAP, and let me know once the police have Slaughter. I think we need to get several other groups involved. I'll make the calls. Just, let Junior know I'm proud of him, and once he's back, we can debrief. Tell him, if it's not too late, to come by mine for a check-in. I need to go over a few things with him anyways." She hung up and got busy alerting everyone else.
Jade was resting on the docks, in an office she hadn't cared existed before that moment. The Los Angeles Harbor police had taken her statement, and now were busy checking their own contacts, with the coast guard and others, trying to guess what happened to the boat load of sailors who'd abandoned those girls to die in the ocean.
Koval returned. "They're every bit as dumb as I'd have thought." The lion told Jade. "They've modified the launch, and are heading off towards Catalina island, cause they know they can land in the harbors, and it'll take time for anyone to get there."
"And the population will give cover." Jade nodded. "Okay, how do I get to them?"
"You don't." The lion said. "I've alerted Mister Cadabra, and he's alerting LA Justice. They'll send someone to make the final arrest."
Jade felt somehow robbed, not able to bring this whole chapter to a conclusion. "Wait, Catalina is like majorly patrolled. They don't have anywhere they can land, unless…"
"I've found their contact, and Cadabra said he'd take care of everything." The lion spirit promised. "Your job is done. Go back to your woman, and enjoy the satisfaction that you've saved lives. Besides, I suspect this whole ordeal just got a touch bigger."
'Too easy.' Jade thought, even as a call told the police she was done, and could go. Jade flew off to where she could get changed, and from there head to the Vega residence. Only, as she reached Project Redemption, she found someone waiting for her.
"You did good, Dahlia." Blue Steel complimented her. "But you're done, for now. I'm gonna give you a ride, and maybe, later, someone else can ride with one of the boys. We have, er, V wants Junior to report to her as soon as he's done with what he's doing. Constable is on rout to the docks, and LA Justice has send Sea Slug to Catalina. Slug's not one of them, but they use it when they need to deal with the islands, cause… Well, it kinda claimed the bay as it's territory, and we agreed. So, hopefully it'll make sure out missing sailors aren't already dead, cause we caught two assassins waiting for them to make landfall already. Not sure why, but this whole thing is now ten times more involved. So, finish getting changed so we can go."
"I finished while you were explaining." Jade said. "So, yea, lets go."
:}
So, Andre now kinda, sorta in the middle of everything, and secrets are being held by a breath. Trina, for her part, is getting them access to a whole new set of cool toys, and we even saw a touch of personal development from Lenard (Techfire). Overall, a nice building chapter. I want your thoughts on what your read, and how do you feel about Andre being dragged into this world.