"Cosmo!"
"Cosmo!"
Ace sprinted up the
next flight of the stairs, feeling the thickening smoke tickle his lungs.
He paused, spinning about, black cape whipping with him as he searched
the next floor. The usually calm and collected magician was nearing a panic.
His gray costume was soot covered, a small tear running along his shoulder
where debris had struck during the first chemical explosion, hair a wild
mess from his fall. It didn't matter. What did matter was that his partner
was somewhere in this mess. Somewhere near the epicenter of the explosion.
"Cosmo!" he screamed
against the rising snap crackle of the fire. Damn, everything had become
such a mess so quickly. Bad enough to be dealing with a mad bomber. Worse
to be dealing with a mad bomber that was a complete imbecile. Ace pushed
down the hall, feeling sweat trickle down his face. The chemical plant's
monitoring room should be around here somewhere. It was where he had sent
Cosmo. Wanting his younger partner to shut down the processing plant to
further lower the risk of damage their mad-man might cause.
Unfortunately, that
mad-man had still managed to wreck a great deal of havoc. Including the
fire raging through the plant. A distant explosion sent shudders through
the floor, and Ace stagger stepped against the turbulent disturbances.
Fingers clenching as he looked briefly over his shoulder. The volatile
chemicals were starting to mix, with less then ideal results.
Damn.
"Cosmo!" Ace called
again, coughing as more acrid smoke trickled into his lungs. A moments
lightheadedness overcame the dark haired man and Ace caught a door frame
for balance. No. Oh damn, no! There was more then industrial chemicals
in this buildings. Much more. Nerve toxins and hallucinogenics were here
also. Produced for the military, under contracts that supposedly didn't
exist. Ace grabbed his cape, whipped it around his body, willing it to
obey his commands. It did, as long as Ace had the strength, it would. The
black cloth wrapped snug over his face; a barrier against the alien chemicals
while allowing him to breath easily. For now. Even the black cloth could
not filter out the mix forever.
So Ace hurried, through
the main production area for the plant, feet pounding as he reached the
next set of stairs on this floor. These were a metal ones, rising to a
catwalk above where rested a small office cubicle overlooking the plant
floor. After that was the ceiling. If Cosmo wasn't there... Ace tossed
the dark thought aside and started to ascended, clutching suddenly the
rail as another explosion rocked the mammoth building. A wave of heat rushed
up from below and Ace flinched as a plume of green fire briefly illuminated
the quickly filling structure.
Not much longer before
the whole place went up. So Ace hurried. He hit the catwalk running, the
metal frame bouncing under his weight as he rushed to the small office.
The smoke was thick here, almost blinding and his eyes stung, wet. The
cape protected his breathing, but Ace felt the sting on every inch of exposed
skin. Something definitely had gotten mixed in the smoke. Something not
good. He had to get Cosmo out now. The teen would have no protection against
the mix.
"Cosmo!" he cried
again, voice slightly muffled by the cape as he threw the office door open.
The smoke was no better here as he searched frantically about. From the
equipment, he guessed that this was the monitoring room. A file cabinet
fell over and a figure staggered out of the smoke filled shadows.
"Cosmo." Ace felt
relief wash through him at the sight of his younger partner. Cosmo looked
a bit worst for ware, blood trickling from a small cut along his nose,
jacket smudged with the oily smoke that filled the building. Cosmo coughed,
looked at him and frowned uncertainly.
Probably having trouble
seeing him. Ace moved forward, reaching for the young man.
Cosmo screamed and
lashed out, a fist whistling past Ace's face as he backpedaled hastily.
With a feral snarl the teen followed with a left, face set in a determined
snarl.
"Cosmo?" Ace called
out in confusion as he blocked the blow, feeling his arm jar under the
impact as he pushed the young man back. What the heck was going on? Cosmo
skittered back to a corner, watching him warily, tears tracking down his
face from the polluting smoke.
The smoke. Something
was in the smoke. Damn! Cosmo was under the influence of something in the
smoke. Ace held his hands out, to show he was unarmed. A peaceful gesture.
"Cosmo, it's Ace,"
he tried gently. "Your friend Ace."
Cosmo swayed, eyes
never leaving him, blinking madly against the thickening smoke. It seemed
they had reached a stale mate. Cosmo in his corner, watching him distrustfully,
and Ace uncertain how to proceed. They had to get out of here. The fire
was just to damn close and there was the very real threat of the whole
place going up in an explosion. If only he could get close enough to his
partner, then he could relocate their butts out of here.
Bad idea. The moment
Ace took a step forward Cosmo screamed and attacked again. Ace grunted
as the young man's fist clipped his jaw, but he caught the wrist and twisted
it back behind Cosmo's back, his friend crying out in pain at the maneuver.
"Easy, Cosmo, please!"
Ace begged, trying not to lever to much pressure against the entrapped
limp, lest he break it. Cosmo hissed and glared over his shoulder.
Ace felt the magic
gather half a second before pain lanced through his forehead, ripping a
cry from him as the world momentarily disappeared in a haze of red. He
just barely caught hold of his senses as Cosmo bolted for the door. What
the heck had just hit him?! No time to think about it as Ace almost unconsciously
formed the magic staff, whipping it out. The headpiece exploded forth,
trailing a rope, the barbed edges that unfolded from the headpiece sinking
into the door frame just as Cosmo reached it. There was an inarticulate
cry as Cosmo tripped over the rope, falling heavily to the catwalk outside.
Head still ringing
from the magical blow, Ace retracted the staff and moved forward. Had to
get Cosmo out of here. Had to get both of them out of here. If only Cosmo
would work with him on this project.
He tackled the teen
just as Cosmo made it half way up sending both of them back down to the
catwalk. Cosmo let out a snarl but Ace couldn't pay it any mind as he drew
in his own magic.
In a haze of gold
light the smoke and dark chemical building gave way to the sudden brightness
of sunlight and fresh air. The transition was stunning even to Ace who
had expected it as Cosmo let out a low groan beneath him.
"Sorry, Cosmo," Ace
breathed suddenly. Damn, no shield in place and the relocate was one of
his more powerful spells. Ace levered up off his friend, and for a moment,
Cosmo did nothing but lay there, curled up.
"Cosmo?" Ace called
worriedly. The teen's eyes snapped open, burning with hatred and pain and
Ace cried out as Cosmo's fingers wrapped around his throat, strong fingers
digging into his windpipe.
Damn! Cosmo was still
under the influence of whatever gas he had breathed in.
Ace brought his hands
up, trying to free himself, but Cosmo didn't seem so much intent on choking
him as keeping contact with him. A feral gleam glittered in the gray eyes
as Ace felt the magic again. He attempted to slam his own mental shield
up, but they were never his forte, and he'd never once had to defend from
his partner before.
The pain came again
as before. Lancing through his forehead and drop kicking his world into
that of one of agony. But this time the attack was more focused, more powerful,
and Ace barely heard his own cry as he passed out.
***
The world came back
with a distinct *thud*. Ace flinched, and groaned, rolling to his side.
What had hit him? It was all kind of blurry as he laid there studying an
out of focus piece of stone.
'Whoever's trying
to sledge hammer my brain, please cut it out,' he thought ruefully, wincing
as he smiled. Oh.. man. What had hit him?
Cosmo had.
Ace flinched. Everything
flooded back with that thought. Cosmo. Somehow Cosmo had lashed out and
attacked him in a blind panic with a spell Ace never had even seen before.
And damn if it wasn't
effective.
With a groan, and
a wince, Ace shoved himself up, the world dancing merrily around him. In
the distance he heard fire-trucks, their blasting sirens above the roar
of the fire that filled the sky with thick black smoke. He sat there and
stared at it, realizing that he was on the far side of the parking lot,
near the out buildings that walled the vast expanse of asphalt in. It'd
been a bit of blind casting, but successful. He could feel a touch of pride
in that.
"Cosmo?" he murmured,
twisting to look around. His heart skipped a beat.
"Cosmo?!"
The teen was nowhere
to be seen. There was not so much a trace of him. Panic rocketed through
Ace and he was own his feet in heartbeat. And nearly off them equally as
fast. One hand clutched his head, as if trying to offer equilibrium, as
Ace stared feverishly about. He saw someone running toward him. Vaguely
Vega shaped, but it wasn't important.
"Cosmo!" he screamed
again, staggering, head ringing with his own raised voice. What had happened?
Where was his young friend? The dread became a sick worry. Cosmo had been
suffering the mix of chemicals released in the fire. There was no telling
what he had breathed in and how it was effecting him. A good number of
the chemicals that plant made were also lethal.
Ace stumbled across
the tarmac even as he started to lose coordination with his body. Cosmo
hadn't been the only one the breath in the chemicals. Ace simply had prevented
himself from inhaling any large amounts. But it seemed to be enough to
tilt his world on end.
"Cosmo!" Ace stared
around at a lost. Where was he? Where the heck was he?!
He had to stay awake.
Had to! But his body was just not agreeing on this point as Ace heard someone
talking to him, catching him as he fell, darkness snagging at his vision.
Damn it!
"Cosmo!"
***
"Ohhhh." Faintly he
was aware of the noise. Even more faintly aware that he was the one that
made it, but right now he really didn't care.
"Quiet, you got to
be quiet," a voice whispered urgently. Coolness touched his forehead and
it he flinched away. It was such an antithesis to the stinging heat he
felt behind his eyes that it was painful. He tried to form words. Was sure
he knew how, but all that came out was a thick gurgle.
"Shh.. please be quiet.
We'll get in trouble," the voice begged, more urgently. The coolness came
again, wiping across his face, rivulets of cold striking through the heat.
He flinched again, but this time it wasn't so painful. Quiet. Someone was
asking him to be quiet. He could do that. Heck, right now it'd be real
easy to do. Cosmo let himself slip quietly back into the darkness. Yeah,
he could be real quiet right now.
***
"Ace, you should have
stayed at the hospital."
"I have to find Cosmo,"
Ace hissed, scrubbing his hair dry even as he outpaced the large detective,
entering the computer control room. Angel was there, suspended in mid air,
pulsing steadily.
"Any luck, Angel?"
"I have completed
the trace, Ace. Cosmo's com unit is located at 678 Brosen St.," she reported
calmly, though worry tinted her words. Ace shoved a hand through his damp
hair, laying it back and worrying no more about the unruly wet locks.
"Okay, feed the coordinates
into the Racer," he ordered.
"Ace!" Vega wailed
as he pushed past. With a snort the cop followed.
"Ace, let me go get
him. You're in no shape."
No.. he wasn't.
He hurt like hell and just couldn't seem to shake this headache. He'd come
to in the hospital emergency room, with Vega nearby. Neither the cop, nor
the emergency ward doctors had been happy when he insisted on checking
out. Between the fight with the mad bomber, and Cosmo, Ace was at the end
of his rope. But that had never stopped him before, and it wasn't going
to now. Cosmo needed him. As in the past, that single fact would raise
a protective instinct in him like no other. Ace's own well-being came completely
secondary when his young friend was in trouble.
Vega was arguing still
as the door to the vehicle bay slid open. Vega meant well. Was worried
about him and would be more then willing to go after Cosmo, but it wasn't
that easy. Ace simply leapt over the safety rail, ignoring the stairs and
landing on the vehicle bay floor.
"Cosmo was exposed
to an unknown combination of chemicals, Derek," he reiterated, having had
already explained it to Vega once. A shudder touched him at the memory.
Cosmo blindly attacking him. Whatever he had breathed messing him up to
the point that Ace's presence through the empathic link hadn't even registered.
Sending his partner against him. Making him willing to attack. To wield
the spell Cosmo had hurled against him. Ace clenched his teeth as he jumped
into the Racer. A spell he might have to face again, if Cosmo was still
under the chemical's effect.
"He was messed up
enough to not even recognize me. There is no knowing what condition he's
in now. And truth is, Derek, the only way to really fight a magic user
is with a magic user."
Vega ran to catch
up, the canopy nearly hitting him as he fairly fell into the back seat.
"You could at least
let me drive," he snapped. Ace grinned over his shoulder briefly.
"What? And miss an
opportunity to make a few more of your hairs white?"
Vega glared. "You
took care of that just fine a long time ago, Ace."
Ace just smiled slightly
and floored it.
***
"Hey." The world rocked
and he didn't like it. "Hey. You going to wake up?"
Cosmo groaned and
shifted, rolling onto his side as he forced his lids to open. His eyes
burned. Feeling gritty, and dry, and vaguely he rubbed at them. Oh man.
Who had invited the headache that had taken residency in the back of his
head? It sure hadn't been him.
"Hey."
Cosmo blinked, confused
in the dim light and tried to bring some focus to the person in front of
him. A few more blinks helped clear up the picture. Cosmo feeling his eyes
water against the gritty dryness.
What had happened?
Dimly he remembered a fire. Yeah, something about a bomber in a building,
big building...
"You hungry?"
The question jerked
Cosmo's attention back to the person in front of him. Even though the light
was dim here -the only illumination a portable camping light that was set
on an old milk crate- Cosmo could make out the little girl sitting in front
of him.
She couldn't be a
day over six. Thin, with long, stringy brown hair. She wore a t-shirt that
was perhaps two sizes to big for her, and had been repaired a number of
times, and jeans so worn that only threads kept her knees from popping
out.
"Hi," he croaked,
the grittiness in his eyes matched by that in his throat. Cosmo swallowed
reflexively and coughed.
"Quiet. You can't
make to much noise," the girl proclaimed in a worried rush. Cosmo swallowed
and frowned.
"Why?" he whispered.
Man, he'd kill for an aspirin. He felt like... well.. like hell. Man, he
wished he could remember the party that had caused this hangover.
"Here." The girl held
out an open soda can. Until that moment Cosmo hadn't realized how thirsty
he was. The girls aversion to answering his question was forgotten as he
grabbed the can greedily, slugging it down in great gulps.
He heard a childish
giggle and made himself stop short of polishing off the soda. The girl
was smiling and snickering at him. Yeah, Cosmo mused, he probably did look
kind of spastic.
"Thanks," he rasped,
throat no longer gritty, but still raw feeling. Smoke, he distantly remembered
smoke, and feeling real weird in the head.
"I got you some food."
The girl held out a number of snack bars and an apple.
"Thanks again." Cosmo
smiled, taking the offered gift. "Who are you?"
The girl ducked her
head shyly. "I'm Mickey."
"Mickey?"
She blushed. "You
know.. as in the mouse. Squeak, squeak," she giggled.
Yeah. That name fit
her in a way.
"Nice to meet you,
Mickey," Cosmo said, offering his hand. Mickey took it and shook it enthusiastically.
"I'm Cosmo."
Mickey frowned. "That's
a weird name."
Cosmo laughed. "Thanks.
You're so good for my ego."
That made the little
girl giggle again as Cosmo looked around. He was in a small room. A very
small room, the walls completely bare. In fact, there was no furniture
at all besides the milk crate with it's camp light and the old blanket
he was lying on. Where the heck was he?
No matter. He had
to call Ace. He wasn't still clear on what had happened, but the fact that
he was here meant it wasn't good.
Cosmo blinked. Then
frowned.
"Uhm, where's my com
bracelets?" he asked curiously, for the first time noticing his exposed
wrists. The com units were almost a permanent attachment to his body. Cosmo
had learned long ago the importance of having a ready communication source.
Wryly, he noticed the extreme tan lines from where they usually rested.
The skin even paler then his normal complexion, attesting to how much he
wore them.
"Uhm, well..." Mickey
fidgeted. "Roth sort of sold them yesterday. It was the only way to get
the food for you," she explained quietly. "I'm sorry."
Cosmo blinked. The
food for him? He looked around again. Something was seriously wrong here.
He felt it. Drumming up a smile, Cosmo nodded.
"That's okay," he
sighed. "Where's the nearest phone?"
Mickey shrugged. "I
don't know."
"You don't know?"
Cosmo paused. "Where are your parents?"
Another shrug. "I
don't know."
That set off Cosmo's
personal alarms. This little girl didn't know where her parents were?
"Mickey. Where am
I, and how did I get here?"
She brightened at
a question she could answer. "You're in the big brick building. You were
in the storage room. You're not suppose to be in there. No one is. I found
you." She seemed to take a point of pride in that.
"Thanks," Cosmo offered
and Mickey smiled shyly.
"Well.... I got Roth
and Susan and we brought you here. You were really weird. All talking to
yourself and everything. But we kept you secret. Good and secret."
"Why did you have
to keep me secret?"
Mickey's smile dimmed.
"They would have killed you if they found you. I didn't want that. You've
got pretty hair."
Cosmo was floored.
Not by the odd compliment, but the revelation. This child, and her friends,
had saved him from someone? Someone who would kill him? But who?
He winced as the headache
flared. Eyes closing briefly against the pain.
"I've got to go,"
Mickey declared, pushing herself with a child awkwardness.
"Wait!" Cosmo exclaimed.
He needed answers, and currently, Mickey was his only source of information.
He surged up and promptly fell back as the world swirled around him.
Ohhh... that did not
feel good.
"Are you okay?" Mickey
was frowning down at him worriedly.
"No," he answered
honestly. Her frown deepened.
"Well. You sleep.
I've got to go. They'll be doing the head count soon. You stay here and
stay quiet. I'll come back in the evening."
"Mickey, I need to
reach a phone," Cosmo said weakly.
"We don't have one.
Now just rest. I'll be back."
He wanted to protest
but Mickey was already at the small door set in the wall. A heavy, squat,
steel affair that she had to strain to open.
"Sleep tight," she
called before leaving.
"Thanks, Mickey,"
Cosmo mumbled as the door closed. He rubbed futilely at his face, wishing
the damn headache would just kill him and leave already. Even as he felt
his tenuous hold on consciousness slipping Cosmo couldn't get the questions
out of his head. Where was he and what the heck was going on here?
***
"Quick pawn," Vega
rumbled disdainfully, studying the ragged store front. Ace made no comment.
They were close to the chemical factory. In the cities industrial district,
along the fringes of its red light entertainment. But he couldn't figure
it out. Why would Cosmo's com register here? Only one way to find out.
A bell chimed as they
entered. The interior, if possible, even more dingy and cluttered looking
then the street outside. Glass cabinets were everywhere, and every imaginable
'thing' that wouldn't fit inside them, was stacked on top of them.
Vega glanced at Ace
as the large man moved amongst the tittering debris. He looked so out of
place here. The pinnacle of grace and style amongst the dregs of low class
business.
"Be right there,"
a gruff voice called from behind a stack of file cabinets. Vega moved to
catch up with Ace. It would not be good to let Ace get out of range. Not
looking the way he looked. Face cold, set.
"Where is it, Angel?"
Ace said softly into his com.
"Twelve feet southwest
of your position, Ace," Angel answered curtly. Vega looked and found a
glass case, reaching it before Ace. There, tucked in the right corner was
Cosmo's familiar wrist com units.
He heard a slight
gasp from the magician, and immediately offered a hand to his arm.
"This doesn't mean
Cosmo isn't okay, Ace," Vega said immediately. Though it wasn't the first
thought that went through his head. The first thought was undoubtedly the
one Ace had had. That Cosmo was.... Vega stopped himself. There had to
be a better reason. Had to be!
"Boy, do you two stick
out," a man laughed behind them. Both turned on the heavyset gentlemen
that wandered out, his bulk undulating around the brick-a-brack tossed
liberally about.
"What can I do for
you?"
"Where did you get
these com units?" Ace demanded immediately, with no politeness in his voice.
Vega groaned silently. That was not the way to get people to talk to you.
But being cordial was the last thing on the man's mind.
"Pawn. Everything
here's pawned," the man chuckled as if Ace were dense. He came alongside.
"Which ones you interested
in?"
"The matching wrist
guards. There," Vega said pointing. The man nodded.
"Yeah. Those are nice
aren't they. Got a hell of a coverage area with those. Just got them in
last night," the man went on as he opened the cabinet and withdrew the
bracelets.
"Who brought them
in?" Ace hissed, fingers brushing over the familiar equipment. The store
keeper gave him a dark smirk.
"Hell if I remember.
I get half a dozen trades a day, at least," he muttered.
"Red haired, young
man," Ace started. "About 5' 10", 18 years old."
"I don't remember."
The store keep waved it off.
Vega saw Ace just
barely keep his temper; a cheek muscle jumping.
"Please. It is rather
important," Ace said softly, laying one hand flat on the glass display.
Just beneath his fingers a flash of green was visible. The storekeeper
eyed it curiously. Then smiled.
"No one been in here
by that description," he declared, hand laying beside Ace's. "Not in the
last few days. Beyond that, I honestly won't remember."
Ace flinched and withdrew
his hand. The bill, Vega couldn't see the amount, disappeared into the
store owners grip. But it must have been generous because the man stayed
with them.
"Then who brought
these in?" Vega nodded to the bracelets. The storekeeper looked at the
wrist units, then the bill in his hand. The money seemed to help him come
to a decision.
"Roth. Kid's name
is Roth. He occasionally comes by and checks things out. This is the first
times he's ever brought something in," the storekeeper went on.
"What's he look like?"
Ace asked, still softly. His hand had never left the com units. As if he
could discern some clue from being in contact with them. Vega knew better.
The man was just trying to control his emotions and using the reminder
of Cosmo as an anchor.
"Look... I've told
you too damn much already. If you're not going to buy them..."
"You have received
stolen goods, mister..." Vega interjected calmly. The storekeepers eyes
narrowed.
"Harkins. And don't
give me that stolen goods crap. Roth's no thief. Heck, the kids only six
years old. If that," he spat.
Vega, without missing
a beat, produced his badge.
"Six, or sixty, I
don't care. Until we find Roth I would be more then happy to charge you
with receiving stolen property, and hold you responsible in lue of a more
subtable suspect," Vega said, with deceptive cheerfulness. Harkins muttered,
and cursed, then muttered again.
"About yah high."
Harkin's hand was about three and a half feet from the floor. "Brown hair,
kind of long. I always see him with an older blond guy. The fellow never
comes in here, hangs outside by the phone booth, but he's a real bruiser.
Blond, about 6 foot, weight lifter, with the ugliest haircut you ever saw.
Looks like someone stuck a bowl on his head and used it for a guide. And
were drunk when they did it! They come this way maybe once a month in the
evening. Usually the kid only looks around," he went on. "That's all I
can tell ya. The kid's never been a problem. Rather quiet. In fact, I don't
think I've ever heard him talk. He just brought these in yesterday. Heck,
he wouldn't even take any money. He just raided my fridge." The storekeep
gestured to a small fridgerator tucked in the corner. "That's all I know."
Vega paused and studied
the man, then nodded. Harkins had nothing to gain by holding out. Between
Ace's bribe, and his threat, the man had everything to gain in cooperating.
"Thank you," Ace said
suddenly, producing a hundred dollar bill and blithely placing it on the
glass as the com unit disappeared into his other hand.
Harkins took the bill,
then nodded grudgingly to Ace.
"No problem. Least
you got manners," he snorted, casting Vega a dark look. Vega just smiled
as Ace headed out, and followed his friend.
"Ace?" Vega asked
softly, outside. Ace didn't answer immediately, the magician studying the
bracelets in his hands. They then disappeared into the folds of his cape,
magic taking care of them.
"We'll find him,"
Ace said simply. Vega nodded. It was the attitude they needed.
"Any ideas where to
start?"
"Not a one," Ace admitted,
though it didn't seem to stop him from walking. Vega followed worriedly.
***
Cosmo stirred. Or tried,
muscles aching and sore. He'd been awake for a while, but lacking the strength
to move. His throat was still as raw feeling as before, and the headache
hadn't really improved, but now his muscles were giving him hell. Cramping
up tight all over. Would this day never end?
He let himself float
for a moment. Just what the heck had happened? Bits and pieces were coming
to him. But nothing firm.
"Damn," he hissed
as another spike of worry lanced through his thoughts.
Ace.
Ace was worried, undoubtedly
about him, and he had no way to call his partner and let him know he was
all right. Cosmo fumed, well, alive at least. The all right part was still
in debate. Weakly, he reached out to gather the magic to form a shield,
to guard himself from Ace's projections. And just as before the magic skittered
in his grip. Slipped away from him as if water in his hands.
Man, that only happened
when he'd pushed his casting limits. Had he pushed his casting limits?
He remembered... something. Doing something... but just what refused to
be revealed at the moment.
Ahh... damn. So Cosmo
rested, and concentrated on Ace's emotions for a while. Bad. The magician
was worked up bad. The older man's worry and distress almost tangible.
He had to contact Ace. Get word to him.
That meant getting
up.
Okay, he could do
this.
With a groan, Cosmo
forced muscles to obey, rocked slightly then rolled himself to his side,
then to his hands and knees.
Ohhh... Unfun in every
way. Cosmo closed his eyes against the nausea that rose in him, and gulped.
No fun at all.
That and he had to
go to the bathroom. Man.... Cosmo took several deep breaths, attempting
to convince his body there was no reason to be ill. At last, it seemed
to listen, and he took another look around. Still the same. Still the stark,
empty room as before. But at least it wasn't spinning.
Okay, goal number
one achieved. He was kneeling. Now for standing.
With a shove Cosmo
pushed him self upright and teetered precariously, stumbling back till
he hit a wall and rested against it. The nausea came again, but he fought
it, breath raspy and labored. Man, he didn't need that! His lung was healed
from his little run in with Marvin Jones, just barely, but this was not
the kind of aggravation it, or he, needed.
What had happened?!
He'd give good money to get that answer. More bits and pieces floated to
him as he rested. Fire... and yelling. Ace yelling at him. Must've been
something for Ace to yell at him. He remembered... fighting... Ace?
Him, fighting Ace?
What the heck? Cosmo
fought to reform the memory, bring some kind of clarity, but it darted
from his grasp. Hid behind the pounding headache in the back of his skull.
With a frustrated snort he let it go. It would come to him in time. That,
and man... he still needed to go to the bathroom.
Well... there was
definitely none here. That meant he would have to look elsewhere, and the
only other "elsewhere" was through the low steel door.
Legs gaining strength
Cosmo made it to the door and cracked it open. Not the easiest task due
to its weight, but he got it opened enough to look beyond. And gasped.
Whoa! And Ace thought his room was a pig sty.
Pulling the door open
farther, Cosmo eased into the silent room beyond. It look like an old locker
room. Battered metal lockers lined the walls, paint peeling from them.
But in the center, where changing benches would have been, were blankets
and old mattresses, and a few tattered and torn sleeping bags. All dirty
and worn. Cosmo wrinkled his nose. The smell was not overpowering, but
it was unpleasant as he stepped gingerly amongst the rag tag nest. A few
toys were strewn about. A doll here, a toy car there, but other than that
the room lacked any other form of possession.
Stunned, Cosmo turned
and just looked. Then noticed the bathroom
"Hallelujah, there
is a God," he breathed, making a beeline for it. After relieving himself
Cosmo returned to exploring the locker room. There was an eerie familiarity
about the place. It stirred unpleasant memories of his gang life. Of the
nights spent huddled in abandoned housing, using what blankets and sheets
they could cobble for warmth. Nesting together like a pack of rats.
Cosmo shivered. Yeah,
way too familiar.
He headed toward the
only other door in the room. Paused, listening outside for a few moments.
There was some distant noise, but nothing distinct. Cautiously he opened
it to investigate, and let it shut just as quickly.
Oh.... man!
The biggest, ugliest
guy Cosmo had ever laid eyes on in his life was standing by the door and
armed to the teeth. Not good. Not at all. Cosmo backed away uncertainly.
Now what? His magic was still fickle. Heck, he couldn't even form a shield,
let alone whip up an invisibility, or anything else. And he was without
communication as well.
"Okay Cosmo. You're
a smart guy. Figure something out," he murmured. He wasn't going through
the front door any time soon. Sooo, it was up to Cosmo to see if there
was a back door.
***
"Ace, damn it. You
need to rest," Vega snarled as they turned down yet another street. They'd
been walking for half the day now. Scouring the industrial district relentlessly.
Stopping and asking anyone they saw if they had seen Cosmo. No one had,
and every negative answer seem to push the magician all the more. And Vega
watched unhappily as the fruitless hours ate at the dark haired man.
"He has to be around
here somewhere," Ace muttered darkly, never stopping.
"Ace. You need to
rest. Cosmo isn't the only one who breathed in chemicals at that fire.
I'll get some men out here. Have them do the footwork," Vega offered diplomatically.
Ace stopped and spun on him.
"And what if Cosmo
is still messed up from the chemicals? What if he attacks them? How do
you think they'll react to that?" Ace snapped. Derek sighed and laid a
hand on his younger friends shoulder.
"Ace." He shook his
head. "Ace, you have to take care of yourself as well. I know you, I know
you'll keep at this till you drop and that won't help Cosmo. You have to...."
'Now hold on a
minute.' Vega's attention suddenly found a new point of interest as
his brow creased. With a small gasp he moved past Ace, the magician turning
in confusion at the abrupt end to his pep talk.
"What is it?" Ace
asked softly, coming alongside, following. Vega frowned and stared intensely,
nodding slightly to himself.
"I think I just found
our guy. The blond fellow that was with the kid Roth." Vega was already
moving, heading toward a seedy looking bar that was across the street and
down a way. Ace was right beside him, cape billowing out as both men broke
into a run. The blond man Vega had noticed was stumbling across the parking
lot, obviously intoxicated, and heading toward a null-grav bike parked
in front of the building.
"Hey.. wait up," Vega
called out as they crossed the street. The man turned, frowned at them
then proceeded to get on the bike.
"Damn!" Vega snarled,
trying to urge more speed from his body. Ace let out an equally determined
snarl, sprinting past.
"We just want to talk
to you," Vega called as the bike roared to life. The man cast them another
worried glance as the bike lifted and stabilized, but Ace unhesitantly
leapt in front of the machine using his body as a barrier. That set the
blond man back as he frowned at the dark haired magician.
"We just want to talk
to you," Ace assured in a no-nonsense voice.
Vega, panting, caught
up and stood with Ace.
"You're not in trouble,
we just need to ask you some questions about your little brother," Vega
said between gasps. The blond man pulled back, confused.
"Brother?" he muttered
thickly, looking at them puzzled. Ace frowned and cast a quick glance to
Vega. This had to be the guy. There was no missing that haircut. The shop
keeper was right. It was ugly!
"Your brother Roth.
You were at the pawn shop the other day," Vega went on.
The blond man's confusion
became definite worry as the bike revved suddenly.
"Ace!" Vega just caught
Ace and pulled his friend out of the way as the bike surged forward. Both
men stumbling as the large machine roared past.
Ace ripped free of
his grip, hands slamming together then separating, producing the magic
staff. The magician whipped it out with all his strength, sending it spinning.
The slender projectile caught the biker smartly alongside the head, taking
him off the machine all together.
Even as the man rolled
to a stop, sluggishly getting up, Ace was moving, running toward him.
"Don't hurt him, Ace!"
Vega hollered, not real certain of his friends mental state at the moment.
Where Cosmo's safety was concerned the magician could become very single
minded and very dangerous.
Ace caught the blond
man's arm as he made it to his feet and just ducked the roundhouse swing.
Ace blocked the second swing and leapt back from the third.
"Damn it. We just
want to talk," Vega snarled, grabbing one arm as Ace caught the other.
"Off me, man," the
blond snarled, jerking madly. Vega grunted as he nearly broke free. Damn.
The man was a muscle bound brute just like the pawn shop keeper had said,
and drunk on top of it.
"We just want to ask
you about Roth," Vega went on, hoping to get this guy settled down. It
didn't work. At the kids name, his struggles doubled.
"Off," he snarled,
getting a grip on Ace's shirt and jerking him off balance, sending Ace
to the ground. Without Ace's help Vega had little chance of holding the
weight lifter and went for another tactic, throwing himself into the muscle
man. The blond grunted in surprise at his tackle, caught him, and rolled
him aside where Vega joined Ace in the dirt.
"No," Vega gasped
as Ace tired to rise, grabbing his arm. The blond was running back to his
bike, leaping on and bringing the machine to life.
"Let me go," Ace hissed.
"Ace, sit your butt
down and trust me for a change," Vega snarled, jerking him down hard. They
both watched as the blond punk made a break-neck run for it. Panting, feeling
a new set of bruises forming, Vega lounged back and watched the man dwindle
out of sight.
"This had better be
good, Vega," Ace growled. Vega chuckled and smiled slightly.
"You're not the only
one with nifty gadgets, Ace," Vega told him, pulling out his phone, hitting
speed dial.
"Hello, Ms. LaSage.
Yes, I'm in the field right now. What? Oh, let the Captain stew. What I
need you to do is activate a tracer unit for me. I.D. 5647. Full
scan and print out," Vega said pleasantly into the unit, smiling unconsciously
as he always did when talking to his secretary. "Yes, that's all I need.
Thank you, Ms. LaSage."
Vega shoved the phone
back in his pocket and looked over to Ace who was smiling wryly back at
him.
"You slipped a tracker
unit on him," Ace chuckled, impressed. Vega nodded
"Yep. You learn a
few thing out on the streets, Ace. Even when you're a cop. Now..." He shoved
himself to his feet with a groan. "Now, we are going to go back to the
Express so you can rest while we wait to find out where Mr. All Muscle
No Brain ends up for the night. Then we can pay a visit," Vega declared,
helping Ace up.
Ace laughed and patted
him on the shoulder.
"Even after all this
time you can still surprise me," he chuckled.
Vega snorted and nodded.
"Wouldn't be fun if
I didn't. Come on."
***
Cosmo peered thoughtfully
into the air-conditioning vent. At one time he might have fit -maybe- but
not now. He'd grown about as tall as he was going to get, but in the last
year he'd definitely filled out, shoulders wide now and no way capable
of squeezing into that confined space.
He sighed and ran
a frustrated hand through his hair. There had to be a way out of here.
A way not to be seen. Just stifling a scream of frustration Cosmo turned
and froze as the door started to swing open.
Oh.... damn!
He all but flung himself
down, rolling hastily beneath an old bench that was bolted to the floor
and attempted to make himself as small as possible. Eyes wide and ears
sharp, Cosmo all but stopped breathing as he heard the door swing completely
open and hit into the wall.
"Go on," a deep voice
rumbled, followed by the shuffling of a dozen feet and the occasional soft
whisper. There was more movement, the sound of wheels turning and more
noise after that as the door closed, Cosmo just making out the distant
click of a bolt being thrown while the noise level skyrocketed.
Frowning, he dared
to peek out. Across the room was perhaps half a dozen children give or
take. They were gathered around an old cart, one child, Mickey in fact,
was handing out small foil wrapped packages to the other children who talked
softly to each other. Except two boys were getting into a friendly shoving
match. As everyone received their bundles.
With their little
treasures in hand, the children went and settled down, opening the foil
and revealing food. Sort of... Cosmo made a face as his eyes turned to
the shoving match. It was getting rough. One boy suddenly grabbed the others
food and ran for it, his prize held high. Frowning, the other children
watched but didn't interfere as the boy who had just lost his supper wailed
and gave chase, the first boy laughing and keeping one step ahead of him.
That was till he reached
Cosmo's hiding spot. The teen rolled out and onto his feet easily, the
little boy sliding to a halt in surprise at the sudden appearance of an
adult in front of him. Cosmo nipped the foil package from his hand and
tossed it absently.
"Didn't you learn
it's not right to steal, little dude?" he quipped lightly.
"Cosmo!" Mickey came
running over. "You can't be out here! You have to stay hidden." She was
definitely not happy, eyes darting to the door. She was not alone, Cosmo
looked with her, but apparently the children's little screaming rampage
was ignored. Given the way kids were, this was not surprising.
"Here you go, bud."
Cosmo handed the bundle back to it's original owner and the boy smiled
shyly up at him, scampering off before his food could be lost again. The
first boy glared up, then opened his mouth to scream.
And received a smack
to the back of his head for his attempt.
"He's my friend,"
Mickey declared. "Don't you dare tattle tale on him. You were just being
a bully anyway."
Cosmo couldn't hide
his grin as his young rescuer reamed out her companion. For some reason,
he suspected if Vega had a child, this would be her. The boy rubbed the
back of his head and glared, so Cosmo knelt down to be eye level and held
out his hand.
"I'm Cosmo," he introduced
himself. The boy glared at the hand, then him, then huffed and stalked
off to a pile of blankets with his own food. Cosmo sighed and watched,
then turned as Mickey took his hand.
"You can't be here
Cosmo. You have to hide," she tugged ineffectually on his arm, urging him
in the direction of the sideroom he had been secreted away in.
"Mickey, what am I
hiding from?" he asked, holding his ground. Mickey didn't give up easily,
but she seemed to finally realize that she had no chance to budge the teenager.
At least, not without the help of her friends.
"Freddy and his associates.
That's who will find you." She had to pronounce associates slowly and Cosmo
didn't doubt the word held little relevance to her. To her it just meant
bad people.
It meant the same
to him.
"You can't hide me
forever, Mickey," he argued. She bit her lip and frowned.
"Can try."
Cosmo laughed and
grinned. It seemed to do wonders, for Mickey smiled shyly at him.
"How about you introduce
me?" he suggested. Mickey seemed to think about it, then nodded.
"Okay." And Cosmo
was led to the room's center and sat down. The children gathered. Not too
close, but near enough to give him a good looking over.
Mickey proceeded to
give a very careful introduction of every child. There were seven of them
all together. The youngest five the oldest six and a half.
"Sooo, what do all
you little tikes do here?" he couldn't help but ask. Another girl, Susan,
answered.
"We make stuff."
Cosmo quirked an eyebrow.
"Make stuff?"
They all nodded in
tandem.
"Yup. Make vials of...."
Mickey started then sighed. "Can't never 'memeber how to call the stuff."
she admitted with a blush.
"What's it look like?"
Cosmo prodded.
"Pretty," Joey piped
up. "Orange liquid. We put it in these little glass jars with little needles.
Mickey's the oldest and puts on the needles," Joey pointed out proudly.
Mickey nodded. "Have
to be careful not to touch needles. I did once." A shiver ran through the
little girl and the youth fled her face in the light of painful memories.
"Made me feel bad, real bad. Was sick for days."
Cosmo offered a sympathetic
smile, unsure of what to say.
"Sounds odd. Orange
liquid?"
"They got a nickname
for it," another child offered.... Ferris if Cosmo remembered right.
"Cool. What is it?"
"Slamdance."
A punch to the stomach
wouldn't have left Cosmo feeling this breathless. Slamdance? Drugs. These
kids were packaging street drugs? Not just any drug, one of the most lethal
and addictive ones.
Oh man...
But why?
"They use you guys
to package this stuff?"
Another group nod.
Cosmo was trying to
think. Okay, there had to be a reason. And it came to him as he stared
at the wide eyed, young faces. Control. The kids were easy to control,
to manage. Perfect slave labor. Captive in the cities industrial district,
under the cruel and watchful eyes of the drug lords they worked for. Man...
Cosmo had heard rumors of such.. slave rackets, but never imagined...
Here... in Electro
city.
"Do any of you know
where your parents are?"
Silence rained and
various uncomfortable looks passed over the children's faces.
"They said, they sold
us," Sandy started slowly. "But I don't believe them. I... I was
playing in the park when Wicked grabbed me. Freddy said he had paid for
me and I was his.. but.. Mommy and Daddy..."
Joey crawled over
and hugged her tight and Cosmo tried to breathe past the lump in his throat.
Kidnapped and forced into slave labor. The perfect set up for the drug
lords. Labor at the cost of food alone, and if anything went wrong, that
same labor was completely disposable.
"It's late..." Mickey
said softly, getting up. "We's got to sleep now."
Cosmo went this time
when she urged him up. His mind was reeling with what he had learned, trying
to sort out if he could do anything....
No.
Not if he could do.
What he would do! He smiled at Mickey as she led him to his "room". Definitely
do!
"Mickey, can you do
me a favor?" he asked, kneeling down to be eye level with her.
"Sure, Cosmo," was
her unhesitant answer. He grinned.
"I need you to make
me a map of everything you guys know about this place. The areas you work
in and everything around it. Can you do that for me? Somehow, without being
caught?"
Mickey frowned and
chewed on her lip.
"Yea, I think we could
do that. We've got chalk. Roth got it when he went out. Tomorrow we could
make you a map," she decided at last. Cosmo rewarded her with a broad grin.
"Cool, thanks, Mickey.
You said Roth goes out? Does he go often, can he talk to anyone?"
Mickey's face dropped
and her eyes darted to the side, towards were a boy went quietly about
making his bed.
"Roth can't talk at
all. They... hurt him. They take him with them on deliveries, to make them
look less sus-spi-sous. Occasionally, they let him stay in a pawn shop,
but they never let him go anywhere else and they never let him out of their
sight. Sorry," Mickey explained. Cosmo nodded and tentatively patted her
shoulder.
"That's okay. Just
trying to figure things out," he assured, eyes going to the young Roth.
Hurt him she had said. He could only imagine. Didn't want to really...
The boy was perhaps six years old, if that much. He felt his gut clench.
"Good night, Cosmo."
Mickey's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. He dug up a smile for her.
"Goodnight, Mickey."
***
Vega blinked and flinched
suddenly from his doze, blinking the world into to focus around him. He
was, in all places, the computer control room. The electronic heart of
the Magic Express. Currently parked in the lone chair in the whole, vast
room, and vaguely pleased to find it was a rather comfortable chair. Comfortable
enough for him to doze on and off in. He immediately dismissed the cold
cup of coffee abandoned on the control board and look up at the electronic
map on one of Angel's main heads-up displays. It seemed the blinking tracer
had yet to move. Had held the same position for... -Vega checked his watch-
about three hours now. It was a safe bet their perp had hit his home, or
whatever passed for it.
Shoving himself up,
Vega stretched and attempted to limber up. He'd claimed this place for
his own after seeing Ace to bed. Allowing no alternatives to the exhausted
magician. Ace had gone, grousing he didn't need to be tucked in. Vega smiled,
and just for that, Vega had tucked him in, receiving a dark glare from
the younger man.
That had been hours
ago.
Scrubbing a hand across
his face, Vega stared thoughtfully as the screen, reading the detailed
information on the tracers current location. They're boy liked to party.
He'd hit every dive across Electro Cities east side, but in the end he
had gone home. What was odd was the location. An old machine shop in the
industrial district. Vega felt decades of intuition twitch. The same industrial
district Ace had lost Cosmo in. Something smiled rotten and it wasn't his
socks. Feeling the sleep fall away with the puzzle, Vega mused at what
to do. Only way to find out what was going on was to check the scene out
himself.
"Angel, is Ace still
asleep?"
"Yes, lieutenant Vega.
Should I wake him?"
"No, no that's the
last thing he needs," Vega declared hastily. Vega frowned for a second
then sighed. No, Ace needed his sleep too damn much. Vega was more then
capable of doing his own surveillance. He was the cop afterall, even if
Ace liked to play crimefighter. The magician could sit this one out. In
his condition it was the best thing. Of course, Ace would be mad at him,
but that wasn't a first either. Thus resolved, Vega opted for a quick shower
and onto business.
***
Morning had brought
another hasty greeting and breakfast from Mickey as the little troop of
children went about the toiling routine of their lives. The moment Cosmo
was sure the locker room was secure, he started to prowl around for anything
of use.
Escape was honestly
no longer a problem for him, he had his magic back. It was still... jumpy,
but he had it. Had tentatively tested it out by tossing the milk crate
around. So far, Ace wasn't projecting, which more than likely meant the
magician was asleep. Cosmo was glad. Knowing Ace and knowing how worked
up he had been last night, it was the best thing for the man. But, magic
or no, Cosmo had given up his idea of getting out of here. Alone at least.
A small part of him told him he should. Just get out and get help. Let
the cops deal with this. But then, the other part talked to him; told him
the facts as he knew them. The moment the cops showed up it would be the
children's death. There was no way the drug dealers would leave any witnesses
to their operation behind. And even if they were trapped, they would probably
kill the children out of spite.
No, last night Cosmo
decided he was getting everyone out of here. Together.
How was still a mystery.
So he went on a scavenger hunt, trying to find anything of use. In truth,
there wasn't much. Besides the children's own rag-tag bedding and sparse
toiletries and toys, there wasn't much of anything.
Cosmo sighed and rolled
a pile of marbles around on the floor. There had to be something they could
use... Then he frowned and studied the marble under his finger tips. He
laughed. Man, here was the answer in front of him! The surest way to trip
up any adult was for a kid to leave his toys out. And that he had all around
him.
Gathering the marbles
up, Cosmo started getting a rough idea of a plan. The rest would have to
wait till Mickey came back with her reconnaissance report tonight.
***
Vega was sure that
the macro-binoculars had become a permanent part of his face. It sure felt
like it as he once again raised the glasses to his eyes, watching the abandoned
building front. He currently had Ms. LaSage pulling up everything about
the massive brick structure. Who owned it, what it had been used for, what
was going on now.
Going on now...
Vega sighed. Not a
heck of alot. There wasn't much around here except wind and dirt.
Vega himself had taken to an equally abandoned building across the way
from the entrance. There were signs that people had been here before. Squatters,
drug users, other forgotten members of society, but right now Vega was
alone.
He liked that. Vega
himself hadn't had an official partner for years. Made life easier, he
decided. Having Ace as his unofficial partner on occasion could keep him
on his toes bad enough. Vega couldn't imagine having a full time one. Didn't
want to either.
The binoculars scanned
across the filthy windows, knowing he had no hope of seeing in. But, he
needed to do something. Dawn had come and gone, but other then that, not
much else was happen... Now wait a minute.
The front door opened
and Vega's eyes shot straight to the man stepping out. Humm.. wasn't the
same perp he'd tracked here last night. With professional ease, Vega summed
the man up. About six foot, 220 pds, armed... There was no missing the
bulge beneath his vest. The man paused and lit up a cigarette. Typical
brute, nothing particularly amazing about him. A strong arm type. Vega
let out a low hum. What was hired muscle doing hanging out in the old industrial
district? He wasn't aware of the faint smile on his lips as Vega took some
satisfaction that his instincts were still good.
The loading bay door
beside the man door started to trundle up, the smoking man looking over.
Vega looked with him. A small freight truck was just lifting up, a slight,
nondescript fellow behind the wheel. Vega immediately jotted down the license
plate and scanned the loading bay. Not much, a few boxes, no other.. Whoa!
An interior door cracked opened-- just a touch, and a small head peeked
out.
A child?
Vega focused in to
just catch the briefest glance of blond hair as the door closed again as
the freight truck departed. A child? Here? Vega frowned. He hadn't gotten
a good look, but still.... His attention was drawn as the truck rumbled
off and the freight door closed again. With a brief nod, the smoking man
watched the truck depart and after a few more drags, dropped his cigarette
on the ground and stomped it out, before disappearing himself back into
the building.
The moment he was
gone, Vega was on the phone calling in the plate number. They'd stumbled
onto something here. Something big, he just knew it. Worry clenched Vega's
gut as he read off the plate number. Something Cosmo might be in the middle
of.
***
Fuming wasn't a strong
enough word for Ace as the Racer all but charged through town. How dare
he?! How dare Vega take off like that without so much as a word! Ace felt
a kink in his neck from his clenched jaw and ignored it. He knew why his
older friend had done it. There was no arguing he felt a world better for
the long sleep he had enjoyed, but damn it! Cosmo was missing and if Vega
had the slightest clue as to where he was he should have been the first
to be informed.
The Racer spun another
corner and Ace spotted Vega's car, pulling alongside. He frowned as he
leapt out. The man was nowhere to be seen and they were still a good three
blocks away from the tracers final location. What was up?
A shiver danced up
Ace's spine. Vega was a man of long experience and good instincts. Something
had set the cop up to be cautious and mad as he was, Ace wasn't foolish
enough to ignore that. Vega had told him to find his car and call him from
there. That told the magician a world of info. That Vega was keeping a
low profile, being cautious. A cautious Vega was a Vega that had found
trouble.
Ace sighed.
Great.
Low profile. Okay,
contrary to popular belief, Ace could do low profile. He drew his cloak
up momentarily and concentrated, eye closing for a brief instant. Like
that he was no longer Ace Cooper magician, he was just another man on the
street. Dressed in jeans and a loose t-shirt.
Ace smiled and brushed
at the pants. He could just imagine the look Cosmo would give him, seeing
him dressed in civvies. The thought of his missing apprentice sent a pang
through the older man.
'Be okay, Cosmo,'
he wished. 'Just don't get into trouble'
Well.. anymore
then normal at least, a small voice in his head piped up. Ace snorted
and lifted his com keying in Vega's number.
"Ace?"
"At your car, old
buddy,"
"Old buddy? Glad to
hear your not still mad."
"Don't get your hopes
up that high, Derek," Ace shot back. He heard a soft chuckle.
"You needed the rest,"
Vega argued amicably. He did. Didn't make him happy though.
"Yes, mom. So where
are you?"
"Head east two blocks
and you'll come to the front of the old matchbook factory. Doors been busted
in, just head all the way to the back and go up the stairs. Can't miss
me for trying." Vega instructed him.
"On my way."
***
"Cosmo?" Mickey peeked
curiously into his hiding place. "Cosmo?"
Cosmo couldn't help
but grin as he dropped the invisibility spell, standing behind the little
girl.
"Boo."
Mickey squealed and
literally jumped three feet straight up as she spun about.
She landed and glared
hands planted on her hips.
"You scared me!" she
declared with a pout. Cosmo laughed and knelt down.
"Yup. And taught you
how to fly at the same time," he pointed out.
Mickey blinked then
laughed.
"How'd you do that?"
"Magic," he said as
she took his hand and pulled him out into the locker room. The work day
was done and now the kids were busy eating their dinner.
"Magic? You can do
magic?" Mickey asked with delight. Cosmo nodded and grinned.
"Yup. A little, just
a little." He pinched his fingers together for emphasis. "Like this." And
reached behind Mickey's ear and pulled a marble out. Displaying it to the
little girl. She grinned and took it.
"Wow!"
Cosmo laughed silently.
That was the oldest trick in the book. Just slight of hand, but it had
it's own magic.
"Here, I think I heard
a few more rattling round in there." Cosmo reached and pulled out another
marble, then another, Mickey giggling everytime. "Man, you're just full
of these things."
"Am not!" she protested
batting his hand away when he reached for a forth marble. "Come on, hungry.
Got you food too. Ferris snitched Wicked's lunch bag when he wasn't looking."
The blond boy held
up his booty. "Hey, thanks Ferris, but you shouldn't have. Don't want you
to get in trouble," Cosmo said patting him on the shoulder. Ferris blushed
and shrugged.
"'twas easy," he mumbled
around a shy smile.
"Thanks all the same,
bud." Cosmo took the bag and was delighted to find it held a sub and chips.
Man, food! This he needed. Then he noticed Mickey had gone over to where
the other children were gathered. Still eating they were talking and pointing,
occasionally arguing. Famished, Cosmo opened his own dinner, wolfing it
down as he came over to investigate.
Roth was sitting on
a bare expanse of floor with a piece of chalk in hand. His hand was rubbing
furiously at a line and redrawing it then.
"There's a door there."
"Where's it go?"
"Dunno, but there's
a door there."
Roth inserted the
door in question.
The map. The map Cosmo
had asked them to draw. The kids were already on the ball and working furiously.
Swallowing his half chewed food, he let out a low whistle.
"Man, this is great
guys."
Mickey smiled and
nudged Jenny out of the way so he could kneel. Roth looked up and Cosmo
couldn't resist reaching out and tousling his hair. Silently he laughed
and shoved his hand away then went back to work.
He wasn't the only
one, Cosmo's mind was a whir. Following the haphazard map growing on the
floor. Big place it seemed, though that might be a matter of perspective.
When you where three foot high, everything looked big.
"What's this?" He
pointed.
"Garage," Martin supplied.
"How do you know that?"
someone else asked.
"I looked!" he said
with a touch of pride at his bravado to investigate.
"Garage? Was there
a car in there?"
"Truck was. It left."
Cosmo chewed his lip.
No matter. A loading bay he bet. Then he saw another tunnel on the other
side of the building. It wasn't finished.
"Okay, what's this?"
Silence answered him
for a moment.
"Big hall. Only seen
a little of it. The door's usually locked but it went a long, long way,"
came his answer at last. Hum, Cosmo nodded absently. This was some kind
of old manufacturing plant. Given the wide open rooms and small storage
areas the children were laying out in front of him, it was a safe
bet. That hall might link this building to another, but it was the loading
bay that held all of Cosmo's attention. It was the best way out and might
even yield a vehicle to assist in their escape.
"How many of the guys
are about?"
"Well, there's always
one outside in the big room by our door," Mickey held up a finger. "Nick
and Blast they live here, heard them say that." Two more fingers came up.
"And when we work see Wicked and Bud and Freddy." Two hands were up now
and six fingers displayed.
Okay, so there was
someone always one guard on the floor. Two losers lived here and three
other guys were here during the day. There could very well be more, but
he'd deal with six for now. Night, best time to skip out would be night
when it looked like there was just three guys about. If they were lucky.
Two of them likely sleeping.
A plan, he was definitely
starting to get the framework for a plan as he finished his dinner.
"That's my gang of
munchkins," Cosmo chuckled. "This is great guys, really great."
Mickey looked up at
him puzzled.
"What's a gang?"
Cosmo blinked, that
being the last thing he expected.
"Well.... I guess
a gang is a group of people working together, watching out for each other..
that sort of thing." He was telling the truth.. kind of. Cosmo really didn't
think going into what real gang was necessary. It was something he prayed
none of these kids would ever learn about.
Mickey's face scrunched
into a thoughtful frown, then she smiled.
"Are we your gang?"
she asked.
Cosmo swallowed. "Well..
I guess if you want to be." He grinned lopsidedly. "That's up to you guys
actually."
"Want to be a gang,"
Joey proclaimed loudly.
"Yes." "Me too." Followed.
"You're our leader,
right, Cosmo?" Susan said in her ever shy voice.
"Sure he is," Mickey
said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It was his idea."
"He's a big person.
I won't trust a big person," Martin muttered with a pout, pointedly setting
himself apart, back to them. The other children looked at him, some uncertain,
some annoyed.
"Well, I like Cosmo
and I want him as our gang leader." Mickey decided firmly with a very decisive
nod. Cosmo hid a grin at the exaggerated gesture. That seem to do the trick
because the other kids nodded as well.
Martin just muttered
something rude and ignored them. Cosmo smiled gently. Playing the rebel.
Now why did that look familiar?
"Okay. So it's official,"
he said simply.
"So.. what does a
gang leader do, Cosmo?" Mickey asked. Cosmo sighed. Nothing nice in the
real world. But they didn't know that.
"Well... a gang leader
takes care of his gang. So I guess I'll start with a bedtime story," he
said slowly. That did the trick. The children's eyes lit up and Cosmo suddenly
found himself the center point of shiny, eager eyes. He sat down the children
gathering closer, Joey crawling in his lap.
Martin snuck a look
over. Clearly wishing to join in the story, but unwilling to give up his
rebel attitude. Cosmo chuckled. Way familiar. So what was it that Ace had
always done to get him out of his shell?
"Okay," he started
slowly, trying to come up with a story. A wicked grin suddenly graced his
lips. "I'll tell you a story of the bumbling magician and his handsome
and clever apprentice." He grinned at the rapt faces. How long had it been
since these children had enjoyed something as simply as a bedtime story?
Even one that he was making up on the fly.
"There was once a
bumbling old magician named Derek. He was an olllld man. White hair and
everything." The children nodded. But then, to them, anyone over twelve
was old. "And he had a clever apprentice by the name of Major." Cosmo paused
and cast an exaggerated eye down on the children.
"You know what I need?
I need someone to help me with sound effects," he announced. All hands
went in the air and Martin was now looking over unhappily, obviously wanting
to join in as much as his compatriots.
"It's an important
job to do the sound effects. I need someone with a good sense of timing
and who's dependable," Cosmo went on cheerfully. All the arms went up a
little higher as he looked them over. Hesitantly, Martin turned.
"I'm dependable,"
he murmured slowly.
Cosmo looked at him,
arching an eyebrow. "What, Martin?"
Martin seem to blush
slightly as all the other children looked at him.
"I'm dependable,"
he repeated, only a little louder.
Cosmo smiled. "Then
I guess you're the man for the job," he laughed and scooted over. Martin
accepted the invitation sitting at his left.
"Okay, now where was
I?"
***
"You know..."
"Know what?"
"This is really boring."
Vega smiled as he
looked over to Ace Cooper who'd been planted by his side watching the building
through his own set of binoculars.
"Welcome to the glorious
routine of police work, Ace," Vega chuckled. "Any way, you've done surveillance
before."
"Yeah, and something's
usually happened."
Maybe, but not this
time. Nothing had happened since the truck had rolled out. The sun was
setting low and no one had left or arrived since.
"So what do you want
to do?" Vega sighed already knowing the answer.
"You know what I want
to do," Ace chuckled.
"Go home, get something
to eat and sleep and let your old friend Detective Vega handle this?" Vega
baited receiving the raised eyebrow just as planned. He smiled and Ace
shook his head.
"You're impossible,
you know that?"
"Only to you, Ace.
I'm nice to everyone else."
"Why do I believe
that?"
Vega laughed, stowing
his glasses. He gazed at the dark side of the building feeling tension
building.
"We need to get in
closer."
"Great minds think
alike." Ace swept the area again. "After the sun's gone down. We can do
a little investigating of our own."
"Sounds like a plan.
Be right back."
Ace cast him a curious
look as Vega levered himself up.
"I asked Ms. LaSage
to drop off some coffee and sandwiches at the car. Should be there now.
We're going to need it."
"Remind me to thank
her. Her coffee's great." Ace told him. "Sight better then yours."
"Road tar is better
then my coffee, Ace. Be right back."
Ace gave him a quick
nod as he departed the magician already absorbed with keeping his vigil.
***
"Shut up!"
Cosmo was jerked from
his sleep as a rough man's voice reached in the dark depths of his own
hideaway. The frightened muttering of the children burned his ears even
as he rolled to his feet and leapt to the door, prying it back.
Beyond was the dimly
lit locker room, the children huddling together as one man staggered in
and eyed up the group a leer on his face.
"Bunch of useless..."
he rumbled under his breath, bloodshot eyes darting amongst the rag tag
pile. Then he lunged out, caught one slender wrist and jerked Jenny from
the tangle of frightened bodies.
"Hell with Freddy's
rules. Bout time I had a little fun," he drawled as the children cried
out, Jenny screamed and Mickey latched onto her arm.
"Off!" the thug snapped,
kicking Mickey free, sending the child rolling.
Cosmo could never
imagine the fury that rolled through his veins as he all but exploded from
his hiding place. A feral snarl ripped from his lips as he leapt over the
frightened gaggle, one hand connecting solidly with the bastard's face.
Jenny was loosed with
a cry and wasted no time scuttling back to the pile as Cosmo swung again,
the brute falling back with a gurgle of pain, managing to bring an arm
up to block his high kick and endeavoring to swing back.
Cosmo ducked easily,
blocked the second blow and caught the man's wrist. Out of the corner of
his eye he saw the other hand reaching for a gun, felt his magic churn
and snarl with the raw fury pounding through him.
Then he knew. Knew
what to do with the power and the anger. Focused it, sent it out in a single
pulse. Cosmo could feel the negative emotions take a form all their own,
the magic arcing through his hand and into the captured wrist in a single,
angry burst.
The thug gasped, let
out a gurgle, stiffening as if shocked by electricity only to fall a second
later, limp to the floor.
Gasping, Cosmo stared
oddly down at the unconscious man. That spell... he knew that spell...
Cosmo groaned, the memories washing back. A hand went to his temple. Ace,
he'd hit Ace with it. Panic, he remembered panic, being afraid, angry,
in pain when he couldn't shield against the other man's magic and that
spell had been born. Cosmo moaned softly.
'Man.. Sorry Ace.'
He felt his gut clench at the thought of attacking his friend, even if
he'd been to messed up to see straight. That.. and that spell... Cosmo
shivered. It was destructive. He didn't like it, not at all! To be able
to hurt people that easily... Cosmo couldn't quite suppress the cold dread
that tickled through him.
It was the muffled
crying of the frightened children that allowed him to drag himself out
of his own grim realization. Cosmo turned unsteadily, looking at the frightened
hoard, all eyes wide and watching him.
"It's okay guys,"
he murmured, kneeling down. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
The soft promise was
all it took. The children ran to him, nearly bowled him over as they all
fled to his open arms. He returned the frightened hugs, hushed the children
softly and try to instill some calm. Strong, he had to be strong for the
little ones. He could work out this new.. spell, later. Right now they
had bigger problems.
At last able to extract
himself from the pile up of children, Cosmo stood and looked down at the
unconscious thug.
"Looks like we're
going to have to put our plan into action sooner than I thought."
***
"Ace?"
"Ace?"
Ace jerked and looked
over to the cop at his side. They'd left their watching post and had made
it down to the building proper, slipping along the side and looking for
a possible back door in. But all of that was forgotten as Ace felt the
currents of the Magic Force writhe to life. Just at the edges of his perception.
Almost out of range of his awareness of the powers around him, but Ace
had still sensed it. Had felt Cosmo casting.
"Cosmo!" It was a
whisper of joy as Ace looked at the brick wall in front of him. Cosmo *was*
here. The young man had just cast a spell: very powerful one too. Generally,
Ace could feel Cosmo's impact on the fabric of magic only when the teen
cast in close proximity. But despite the sense of distance Ace had, the
spell had disrupted enough power for him to feel it.
"Cosmo," he repeated.
"He's here. I just felt him cast something."
"Is he close by? Does
he know you're here?" Vega asked.
Cosmo's mage sense.
"Not sure. Generally
I can only feel it when he castes in close proximity, but that spell was
powerful, disrupted the fabric quite a bit."
Vega exhaled heavily.
"Well, at least we know the kids here. Man, what has he gotten into this
time?"
"I don't know, but
I plan to get him out of it," Ace hissed, eyes glittering
"Yup." Vega concurred,
his own eyes dancing over the wall. There had to be a way in that wasn't
the front door.
"Come on, nothing
good here." Vega led the way to the corner of the building, peeked, then
jerked back. Ace flashed him a confused look. Vega held up two fingers.
"Two guys, armed watching
the back door," the older man reported in a whisper, drawing his gun. Ace
pushed past Vega and looked as well.
"Seems almost unfair
somehow," Ace chirped softly. Vega gave him a look.
"Two of them, two
us... The odds are definitely in our favor," he explained as Vega rolled
his eyes.
"Well, I'll still
hedge my bets thank you."
The grin Ace flashed
was all business. "So will I. Magic Force, reveal the power within."
Vega turned slightly away as the wash of magic exploded over Ace, the magician
being reborn in the full glory of the Magic Force.
"Let's get this show
on the road," Ace decided.
Vega nodded.
"Lets!"
***
They moved quickly.
Tying up the perp -Wicked was his name- and leaving him abandoned in the
john. Then they moved out. Mickey was taking the kids toward the loading
bay. All of them crouching and walking quickly amongst the tables and boxes
that filled the old production floor.
This was the first
time Cosmo had actually been outside the locker room and paused briefly
to look around. The place was huge! In the meager lighting provided by
the sparse safety lights on the walls, it looked downright cavernous. The
entire building nothing more then a hollow shell. The ceiling two stories
up and criss crossed with old cranes, used once to lift heavy materials.
One floor up a catwalk lined three of the walls. At one time holding more
machinery, but now used pretty much for storage. The main floor itself
held a few tables and boxes. Lots of boxes, stacked everywhere. More then
likely for shipping the drugs produced here.
According to Mickey
a small room to the right was where they made the stuff. A chemical lab
but the kids weren't allowed in there. But that wasn't Cosmo's concern.
He moved to another door that was Nick and Blast's room. Apparently these
guys lived here. Well, if Wicked was the one on duty they'd just whacked,
then it stood to reason the other two were crashed. Cosmo reached the door
and pulled out the two halves of a rubber ball. It had been one of the
kids' toys, but Cosmo had used his pocket knife to cut it in two and now
it made the perfect wedge as he wiggled the pieces carefully beneath the
bottom of the door. Anyone trying to open the door would just wedge the
balls in further and make the block stronger. Cosmo smiled slightly and
looked across the packaging floor. Mickey and the gang were half way to
the hall that led to the vehicle...
The observation was
abruptly interrupted as he gasped, doubled over and Cosmo's eyes went wide.
Without thought his mind moved as the power of the Magic Force rocketed
through him. Gathered in his own magic and formed a shield around his mind.
Ace?
Ace!
Oh, he could just
grin. Man, he just bet. Cosmo tried to get a sense of direction. Moved
suddenly to the back wall and paused. Moved again then felt it, just the
barest tingling along his neck. Like a soft breeze, but it wasn't the wind.
It was his mage sense.
Ace was just at the edge of his perception.
"Timing's perfect
as always, bud," he whispered and grinned. Then ran silently to catch up
to Mickey, eyes dancing everywhere. The children were paused behind a stake
of boxes. After that was a large open area and the hall. At the end of
the hall was the shipping department then the vehicle bay.
"Cosmo," Mickey seemed
almost afraid to breath as he crouched with them.
"Everyone okay?"
Mickey shook her head.
Then pointed. Cosmo followed her finger and cursed. There was a shadow,
up there on the catwalk, silhouetted against the filthy windows. It was
somebody, though who, they didn't know. So far they had gone unnoticed
but the moment they entered the open area...
Distraction, they
needed a distraction.
Cosmo smiled grimly.
He could do distraction.
"Guys, I need you
to listen up," Cosmo whispered, gathering the kids around him.
"I'm going to get
that guy to look the other way. I need you to move as fast as you can and
stick to the plan. Get outside. Look for a man with black hair and white
strips. His name is Ace. He's my friend, best friend actually. You find
him and you stay with him!" he ordered.
"Cosmo," Mickey protested
but Cosmo shook his head.
"Hey, I'm the gang
leader, right?"
Slowly they nodded.
"Then you've got to
be good gang members and do what I say, okay?"
More slow nods. He
smiled and offered Mickey a pat on the arm.
"I'll be right behind
you guys. I'm just going to make this guy look somewhere else."
"How?"
"Like this." Cosmo
pulled out another toy. A small wind up car. He primed it and moved away
from the children to the stack of boxes' far edge. Then put the little
toy down and let it go.
The happy little car
made happy little beeping noses as it trundled across the floor. Cosmo
pressed himself in the shadows as the man on the catwalk leaned out and
saw toy bouncing along. Then he started heading to the stair down to the
floor.
"Go!" Cosmo hissed
and Mickey didn't hesitate more then a second running out, the gang in
tow.
Cosmo watched the
little car go and go as did the man on the catwalk as he paused at the
stair.
Mickey was at the
hall, waiting as Jenny and Ferris ran by, the little girl urging the others
to hurry. Cosmo kept watching, wishing the guy would come down the stairs.
If he came down, the stack of boxes would completely block his view of
the kids.
A quick glance showed
Susan and Joey reaching the hall and disappearing beyond. Almost there,
almost there....
Cosmo almost screamed
in shock as the lights came on. The place had gone from dim shadows to
glaring brightness at a flick of a switch.
And Mickey, Martin
and Roth were caught right in the open.
"No!" Cosmo's hands
whipped up at the same time the night guards gun did. There was the sharp
retort of weapons fire a second before the push spell slammed into the
man sending him flying back into the wall.
***
The sound of weapons
fired, while muffled, made Ace's heart clench. "No," it came out a whisper.
"Damn!"
Ace spun at Vega curse.
"What?"
"They've gone inside."
The guards out back.
"It sounded like those
gunshot came from the front of the building," Ace murmured, mind racing.
"Go in the front,
or just use the back door?" Vega's mind was on the same track.
"We'll split..." Ace's
voice died as he caught sight of a bundle of little shadows suddenly coming
around the side of the building. They paused, then converged on them at
an all out run.
"What the?" Both men
stared as four rag tag children came running up to them, eyes wide. One
little girl approached Ace and studied him intently, peering pointedly
at the side of his head.
"You're Mr. Ace,"
she said almost as a declaration.
"Yes." Ace knelt down.
"Yes, I'm Ace. Do you know Cosmo?"
All heads bobbed enthusiastically.
"He said to find you,
that you were his friend," the little girl explained.
"Is he okay? Is Cosmo
okay?"
The child frowned
and looked back behind them. "He was. But he's still inside with Mickey
and Roth and Martin," she told him.
Ace looked with her.
Cosmo had been okay. But was he now? The memory of the guns retort made
him all the colder.
"Take care of them,
I'm going in after Cosmo," Ace declared before Vega could so much as protest.
The detective heaved a sigh as the magician went running for the building
front. Then he noticed one little boy looking up at him, then Ace. Then
of one mind the entire troop of children started a mad dash after the dark
haired magician.
"Hey!" Vega yelped
trying to give chase. One child stopped, turned and looked up thoughtfully.
"Sorry. Cosmo is our
leader and he said to stay by Mr. Ace and we're good gang members. We do
what our leader says," the girl said solemnly, then grinned and ran to
catch up with the others.
Vega threw his hands
in the air. Insane. Anyone that came in contact with those two simply became
insane!
Ace pressed himself
against the wall at the corner and listened. And heard the pattering of
little feet coming up behind him.
"What the...?" He
looked down into the serious faces of the troop of children.
"You were suppose
to stay with Vega," he sputtered in aggravation. As if of one mind the
kids shook their heads implicitly.
"Cosmo said stay with
you no matter what!" The oldest girl told him firmly. Ace groaned. Great,
of all the times for kids to actually listen to what they were told.
"Anyway... we know
our way around," she added then took off around the corner, the rest following
like a mad gaggle of geese. Ace smiling wryly as he brought up the rear.
They entered the shipping
bay with it's door pried part way up, then through the shipping department
and then a door that led into a hall. They stopped as the little girl pointed.
"Cosmo was down there.
He was making a dis-tract-tion."
"Don wanna go back,"
another girl whispered. The first looked at her.
"I don wanna either,
but Cosmo's our leader," she argued. The other girl blushed and bit her
lip. Ace decided this was the perfect place to intercede.
Kneeling down, Ace
patted the 'leader' on the shoulder. She smiled reflexively when he did.
"Now I know Cosmo,
and I know he wouldn't want you guys to come back in." Ace decided. "He
worked hard on getting you out and the best thing to do is stay out."
"Cosmo won't be mad?"
the little boy queried slowly.
"Not in the least.
Cosmo wouldn't be mad. I'm his friend and don't you worry, I'm going to
go in and find him and get him out."
"Get Mickey and Roth
and Martin too?"
"I'll get everyone."
The little girl apparently
in charge looked at her compatriots then nodded slowly.
"Then.. then we'll
wait here in case you need us," she said slowly. Ace squeezed her shoulder
gently.
"That will be just
fine. And if anyone bad comes, you go right back outside. Okay?"
They all nodded.
"Okay," the girl confirmed.
"Thank you," it was
all Ace could say as he left them, running down the hall and toward the
glowing light at it's end.
***
Cosmo hadn't hesitated,
vaulting up the stairs to the catwalk above, kicking the gun well clear
of the drug dealer as the man endeavored to stand up. Did stand up and
swing with impressive speed. Cosmo let out a cry as the fist clipped his
cheek, pain stinging through him as he fell back. He blocked, ducked, blocked
again. This spud knew how to fight!
"Arghh!" The cry left
his throat involuntarily as Cosmo was caught by a high kick that sent him
crashing to the ground. Lying there, he madly tried to blink the world
into some sort of focus as his attacker stopped and grabbed a box beside
him. Cosmo's stomach clenched. The effort the brute exerted to lift it
above his head was obvious, attesting to it's weight. And that weight was
going to be dropped on his little red head here in about a half a second.
Grinning snidely,
the drug dealer hefted his load then stopped with an urk as a lasso of
light entwined around his feet. For a moment he looked down in surprise
then let out a yelp as the lasso was jerked back. Cosmo winced as the catwalk
reverberated from his fall, the guys lights being knocked out when his
chin hit the metal grating hard.
Stunned. Cosmo looked
down as the light lasso retracted and returned to it's owner. Ace smiled
up at him as the rope returned to it's previous form as Ace's magic staff.
He grinned like a fool and gave his partner's a thumb up.
'Perfect timing, as
always,' he thought happily.
Ace had felt the most
profound relief when he saw Cosmo up on the catwalk. Despite the young
man's difficult situation. A situation Ace was more then happy to help
out with, hefting the magic staff with a satisfied smile.
"Cosmo!" A little
girl's voice wailed across the shop floor. Said little girl appeared, running
for all her worth, one of the gun man chasing. The magician recognized
him as one of the guards from out back. Ace jerked and started forward
when he caught a blur of orange red to his right.
"Coming, Mickey!"
Cosmo assured as he unhesitently threw himself from the catwalk, face set
and hands clenched into fist. With arrow like accuracy, he struck the gun
man feet first, both crashing to the floor. Cosmo rolled forward and pivoted
delivering a brutal right that laid the man out. Even before the man had
stopped moving the teen had scooped up Mickey and was heading toward the
catwalk stair.
Ace was stunned by
it all. Was that how he looked when coming to Cosmo's rescue? No wonder
fear would flit across his rivals faces if that was how he acted. Ace grinned
at his younger partner's single minded determination to defend his charge.
Yea, he probably did look like that when defending Cosmo and seeing Cosmo
carrying on the tradition made him proud.
But there had been
two gunman. And the second one showed up, scanning Cosmo and the child
running about and then his fallen partner. His gun came up in a heartbeat
and sought a target.
"That's a dangerous
toy you've got," Ace declared, pulling his cloak and sending it flying.
It enveloped the gunman's arms and for a moment he blinked madly, struggling
to get free. Ace stepped up and pulled the cloak off, eyes glittering.
"How about something
a bit less menacing?"
The gunman blinked
at him, then blinked at the cork gun now in his hands. Disbelieving, he
pulled the trigger and it gave out a satisfying *pop* as the cork discharged
and dangled out the barrel end by it's string.
"Much better," Ace
decided, smiling. With a snarl the gun man discarded his toy and attacked.
The magician, easily caught the brute's hand as he swung, twisted it around
and sent the man on his knees. The magic staff once again became a rope
and entwined the hapless thug in coils of magic.
"Man, it's great to
see you!" Cosmo shouted as Ace suddenly found himself caught in a bear
hug that nearly knocked him over. He immediately returned the fierce embrace.
Holding Cosmo by the shoulders at arms length and looking over him worriedly
as Cosmo step back grinning.
"The feeling's mutual.
Anyone else we have to deal with?"
"Not sure. Got a couple
locked in a room, but there could be more," Cosmo told him. Ace nodded.
"Well, let's get outside.
I have full faith Vega has called in back up."
"I hope. Mickey, where's
Martin and Roth?" Cosmo asked the little girl trailing at his side.
"Here we are, Cosmo,"
a little boy called, coming out, waving a broom handl.
"We were getting weapons,"
he explained, the other boy silent and holding up his own mop.
Cosmo grinned and
herded them together. "Thanks for the thought guys, but we won't need those
outside," he assured already scouting them to the hall. Ace brought
up the rear not letting his guard down untill they were all well and away
from the building watching the cop cars roll up.
***
Ace watched the chaotic
scene, feeling exhaustion weigh heavily on his brow. The place was now
literally crawling with police. The authorities all but taking apart the
building as they disassembled the lab. Vega shouting orders and keeping
the mad scene under some semblance of control. All the men they'd subdued,
and the two Cosmo had trapped, were now in custody and on their way to
a long prison sentence. The police happily tallying up the confiscated
narcotics. Ace was happy to leave them to their work.
His eyes turned to
where Cosmo had crashed with his 'gang' amongst the noise and insanity
of yelling police officers and cars and news reporters who'd showed up
on the scene trying to get across the lines. The teen was the center of
the rag tag group of a seven children, wrapped in blankets and huddled
around their red-haired guardian. Ace had been introduced to them all as
they watched the police arrive. Mickey sat in Cosmo's lap, asleep, slumped
against the teen's chest, secured by one arm around her small body. Exhausted,
despite the activity around her. The other children where pretty much in
the same shape. Napping, or occasionally looking around in wide eyed wonder.
But all stayed close to the one adult they trusted.
A smile quirked Ace's
lip at the sight. He hoped someday Cosmo would have children. It would
not be easy for the young man to find someone who could love him without
fearing his magic. Ace knew... But still... He did hope. Cosmo liked kids.
Seemed to have a natural affinity with them. Ace had full faith that his
young friend would make a fine father. Yes, a fine father. He hoped to
see the day.
Cosmo stirred, almost
as wiped out as his young troop and looked up a tired smile on his lips.
Ace nodded back and saw his friend chuckle, looking at the mound of kids
around him. But he didn't seem inclined to move or give up his protective
duties just yet.
Ace's smiled widened.
He knew the feeling.
Cosmo tried and failed
to stifle the yawn that escape. It was still the middle of the night despite
the wild escape he and his little cohorts had just managed. And in that
escape, brought to a screaming halt a major drug lab.
His leg was falling
asleep from Mickey's weight but he didn't have the heart to wake her. Ace
looked over and smiled and Cosmo returned it. His older partner was finding
it humorous his current position surround by small herd of children. So
was he and he chuckled, the soft laughter dying as he caught sight of a
woman being escorted past the line. She looked straight at him and his
gang and nodded.
She was a black woman,
rather plump and middle age with an unlined face and warm eyes, who offered
a smile as she came within range. Social Services. Cosmo recognized her
in a heart beat. Her and her companion, a younger, lanky man with dark
hair.
"Mr. Cosmo?"
Silently, Ace came
to his side as Cosmo flashed the woman a suspicious look.
"I'm Cosmo," he said
simply.
The woman held out
her hand. "I'm Martha Evins of Social Services. I'm here to take care of
your small friends here."
He shook her offered
hand. "Take care of how?" he asked suspiciously.
Martha seemed to understand
his uneasy question.
"Well, first we need
to get everyone checked out at the doctors, then a good nights sleep and
something proper to eat in the morning. Then, we can start finding the
parents of these children." she explained. The children were stirring now,
some of them catching on to what was being said, others just waiting to
see what was up.
"Cosmo?" Mickey yawned
sleepily.
"Hey, kiddo," Cosmo
said and thankfully shifted her off his leg which was now totally numb.
"What's going on?"
she asked. Cosmo flashed a look to Martha, then Ace. Ace nodded slowly
and Cosmo knew that much as he hated to do it, it was time to give the
children over to people who could do more for them then him.
"Hey, Mickey, meet
Martha," Cosmo introduced her. Mickey looked up at Martha.
"Hi," she said simply.
"Hello, Mickey," Martha
returned with a smile that seemed genuine. That made Cosmo feel a little
better.
"Hi, Mr. Ace," Mickey
then said and smiled. "What's going on?"
"Well... Miss Martha
here's going to take you guys to a doctor to make sure you're okay then
in the morning she's going to help you find your parents," Cosmo explained.
Mickey looked critically at Martha, then Cosmo.
"Find Mommy and Daddy?"
"Yup. Now I need you
guys to be good little troopers and go with her and don't give her any
trouble. Okay?"
The children nodded
slowly, but no one moved.
"Can you come with
us?" Joey asked softly. Cosmo felt his heart clench and started to answer
that he would when Ace's hand touched his shoulder. The magician didn't
look at him but the fingers clamping lightly told him enough. His friend
knew it was better for him to let them go. He didn't want to. No way, did
he! But it still didn't mean it was the best thing for the children. They
needed to learn to trust other adults. To learn that not everyone who was
big was bad. And right now he was dead on his feet. Or butt as the case
may be. Ace thankfully answered Joey's question for him.
"Cosmo needs to see
his own doctor too, Joey. You've all been through quite a bit, but don't
worry. These are good people and they will take care of you," he said simply
with a reassuring smile.
"Okay..." Joey said
slowly, not looking happy. None of the children did as Cosmo forced himself
up.
"Hey, hey, cheer up
guys. You'll be seeing your families again soon," Cosmo reprimanded with
a smile, tousling Roth's hair.
"Really?"
"Honest?"
"Honest," Martha promised.
"First thing in the morning we'll start finding all your families."
"You hear that guys.
Now you go and be good. For me," Cosmo pressed.
Mickey smiled and
nodded. "For you," she decided and hugged his legs. The other children
followed her cue and Cosmo had to reach out for Ace for balance as he was
nearly toppled over.
"Easy, guys, easy,"
he laughed. "Now you be good."
"We will," Martin
promised with an extra tight squeeze.
"Bye, bye, Cosmo."
Jenny added and it was chorused.
"Bye, bye!"
Martha took Mickey
and Jenny's hands, her companion picking up Joey and the others following,
waving back at him as they were guided to two waiting cars. Cosmo waved
back and heaved a sigh as the little group was whisked away. Ace offered
him a smile and he returned it. The kids were going to be okay. That was
what mattered in the end.
"They'll be okay,"
Ace assured softly.
Cosmo flashed him
a smile. "Yea, I know."
"Come on, partner."
Ace said tugging on his arm.
Cosmo nodded and yawned.
"Man, am I bushed. Can't wait to hit the sheets."
"After we stop by
the hospital," Ace told him. Cosmo blinked, then made a face.
"I wasn't lying to
the kids, Cosmo. You need to be checked out."
"Man, I'm fine. Just
tired," Cosmo groused.
"You breathed in an
unknown combination of chemicals."
"Days ago."
"I don't care, Cosmo.
You're going!" Ace ended the argument with a glare.
Cosmo would have glared
back but his heart wasn't in it. He smiled instead and gave in with a sigh.
"Yes, mom."
Ace grimaced and shoved
him toward the Racer, but Cosmo felt the laughter in his mind and didn't
resist as Ace made good on his promise and took him straight to the hospital.
***
Morning seemed to come
too soon. Even if it was approaching 10am when Ace managed to get himself
out of bed. After a long shower -record setting in fact- he went to rummage
up something to eat. Ace looked over his shoulder as his partner dragged
himself into the kitchen.
"Morning, Cosmo,"
he called, receiving a gurgle in return. Both of them had pretty much just
collapsed in bed the night before after Cosmo's visit to the hospital.
Sleep being the first thing on both their agendas.
Ace chuckled. Looked
like sleep was still on Cosmo's agenda as the young man rifled the fridge,
all but asleep on his feet.
"How you feeling?"
"Hungry," Cosmo's
muffled voice came back as he hauled out eggs, milk and bread, heading
toward the stove. "Real food. Man, have I missed it!"
His older friend laughed,
hopping up on the counter and sitting there, watching as Cosmo went about
fixing breakfast.
"How are you feeling,
really?"
Cosmo looked at him
and shrugged. "Fine I guess. Still just a bit worn out by it all." He offered
a smile that faded. "Uhm.. I wanted to apologize, man."
Ace cocked a confused
eyebrow at him. "Huh?"
Cosmo shrugged again
and busied himself with a frying pan.
"For attacking you.
For hitting you with that spell. I... I wasn't tracking real good at the
time, but I feel bad man. Sorry."
Ace patted a convenient
arm and smiled. "It's okay. Do you remember that? When you were gassed?"
Another shrug. "A
little, it's still mostly fuzzy. I remembered the spell when I did it again."
Ace blinked and cocked
his head curiously at him. "Again? So you can control it?" He frowned,
concerned when there was no answer. Cosmo looked decidedly uncomfortable
with this spell.
"Cosmo?"
There was a sigh.
"Oh.. it just scares me, bud, that I can hurt someone like that. You..
you taught me magic and emotion should be separate, but this spell works
by funneling emotion, sort of sending a mental drop kick into the other
guys head." A shiver. "Don't like it. Don't like being able to hurt people
like that."
Ace was silent and
watched as Cosmo tried to distract himself with cooking. Yes, magic could
hurt people. Could kill. He felt his own gut twist. Both of them had some
strong offensive spells and neither was real happy with it. It was part
and parcel to the magic, but better to be leery then comfortable with those
abilities.
"It isn't a killing
spell, Cosmo. It is strong, I'll attest." Cosmo winced and his shoulders
slumped but Ace touched one, squeezing. Offered a smile. "I know it's scary.
My own spells in that area scare me as well. It's okay to be scared. It
keeps you honest. Makes you cautious when using the attack spells. That's
the safest way, for everybody."
Cosmo flashed him
a look, then nodded
"I guess. Just.. man,
now I know why you've always been so restrained with your magic."
Ace nodded. "It can
be frightening, what we can do."
"Yea... You think
the kids are okay?"
Ace smiled at the
change in subject. Not that Ace could fault him. He shrugged.
"They're better off
then they were, that's for sure. We can find out after breakfast. I'm sure
they'd love a visit from their Guarding Angel."
Cosmo smiled. "Yeah.
That'd be cool."
"Excuse me, Ace,"
Angel announced suddenly.
"Yes, Angel?"
"There are visitors
at the door."
Cosmo looked curiously
at him and Ace shrugged hopping off the counter.
Down in the lower
hall Ace opened the door and flashed a look of surprise. There was Mary
Staebler. Cosmo's former Social service counselor and behind her were a
man and a woman.
"Hello, Mary. I must
say this is a surprise." He stepped down, Cosmo appearing behind him.
"Cosmo!" A child suddenly
exploded from behind the man and woman and all but launched herself at
Cosmo.
"Mickey!" He caught
the little girl, easily lifting her up. "How's my little second in command?"
he laughed. She hugged him and turned, looking at the other two.
"This is my mommy
and daddy," she told him as they approached.
"Allow me to introduce
Henry and Virginia Demore. Mickey's parents," Mary told them as the two
came forward. "They just arrived this morning and insisted on meeting you."
"Thank you for bringing
her back to us," Virginia said, coming forward and catching Cosmo's free
hand, tears in her eyes. Cosmo blushed slightly and ducked.
"Just glad I could,"
he mumbled as Mickey laughed.
"You're blushing,"
she declared. "Now your face matches your hair."
"Hey!" Cosmo protested,
tickling her and ripping a laugh from the little girl.
"Mickey was taken
from us when we were visiting Electro city two months ago," Henry spoke
softly to Ace, eyes glowing as he watched his daughter giggling. "We..
we were starting to give up hope of ever getting her back."
"So far, we've located
everyone's parents except Roth's. It's possible that he was homeless to
start with," Mary sighed. Cosmo flashed her a look of consternation.
"How's he doing?"
Mary shrugged. "Doctors
are looking at him. He will be mute the rest of his life but..." Mary ducked
her head. "But.. if no parents are located, he'll be put up for adoption."
"And...." Ace nudged
sensing something was up. Mary shot him a glare and laughed.
"Me and the little
guy are getting along. I was considering adopting him myself."
"Way to go Mary!"
Cosmo cheered, Mickey adding a yippee.
"Hey, hey, We're still
looking for his birth parents," Mary protested with a mock glare.
Ace smiled warmly.
Mary's was older and her own children grown up and gone from the nest now,
but he could think of no one better to raise a traumatized child.
"Either way, I'm sure
he'll be happy," he said and Mary rolled her eyes, though she didn't hide
her smile.
"Thank you, young
man. If there is any way we can repay you," Henry said offering his hand.
Cosmo shook it awkwardly, trying to reach out and juggle Mickey at the
same time.
"There is a reward,
we'll be more then happy to give you," Virginia added.
"Huh?" Cosmo was momentarily
side swiped.
Mary spoke up. "In
fact, there are a number of cash rewards for the missing children, Cosmo.
Rewards you've more then earned," she explained.
Cosmo shook his head.
"I don't want the money," he stated firmly. "But.. but I'd think it'd be
righteous if you donated it to the missing children network. That'd be
cool. Do more good that way."
"I'm sure that can
be arranged, Cosmo," Mary said softly, Virginia and Henry nodding in agreement.
"Come on, Mickey.
You now we have to go talk to the police this morning," Virginia told her
daughter.
Mickey made a face.
"I've got to give tes-ti-mony," she declared wrapping her arms around the
teen and hugging him hard. Cosmo returned it just as fiercely.
"You take care of
yourself, little dudette. And you'd better visit me before you leave town."
"I will!" Mickey promised
with a last hug before he handed her back to her mother, who give him a
one arm hug.
"Thank you."
Cosmo ducked his head
again. "Wasn't anything. Mickey's the one who deserves all the credit.
If she hadn't saved my butt first, I couldn't have help her out."
"Our little hero,
eh?" Henry laughed, chucking his daughter playfully on the chin. Mickey
blushed and shrugged, but smiled all the same.
"We better go," he
told them with a smile.
"Bye bye, Cosmo and
Mr. Ace," Mickey called.
"Take care," Ace returned
and draped an arm around Cosmo's shoulders as they watch Mary bundle the
trio into her car. Then they were gone in a puff of dust, Mickey waving
out the back window all the way till the car disappeared out of sight.
"You okay?" Ace asked
lightly as Cosmo tried, not successfully, to wipe surreptitiously at a
tear.
He gave him a friendly
glare that turned into a grin.
"Man, this hero business
really has it's rewards, doesn't it?"
Ace nodded. "It does
indeed," he said with a smile.
"It does indeed."