THE JOKER VERSUS JOHN. 

His face a mask of concentration, he pulled on the tight fitting latex gloves and unscrewed the cap of the bottle. Holding his breath he slowly tipped the contents of the phial into it, a smile of relief crossed his tanned features as the white odorless liquid slipped obediently down the neck of the bottle. 'Thankyou Brains, I owe you one.'  he mouthed, screwing the cap back on and giving the bottle a good shake. If it hadn't been for his LMD stereo breaking down, he'd never have been in the lab at the right moment to come across this latest discarded experiment of Brains'. He had wasted little time filling a phial, once he'd known what the white liquid did.

Checking his watch, Gordon Tracy slipped the empty phial into the back pocket of his jeans, returned the other bottle to its rightful place, and then headed for the pool, whistling tunelessly.

********

This was what he'd been waiting for John thought as he looked out over the balcony into the pool below. He'd been counting the days. Tucking his towel and suntan lotion under his arm he sprinted down the curved steps, two at a time, and crossed the terrace. Throwing himself down on the nearest vacant lounger, he peeled of his shirt and shorts, liberally dosed himself with his suntan lotion, slipped his shades on and leaned back with a smile of contentment.

That smile remained as he listened to the background sounds of Tin-Tin, Scott, Virgil and Gordon frolicking in the pool.

"Here you are son."

He flicked open his eyes to see the tall frame of his parent placing a laden tray of assorted treats and drinks, on the table beside him.

 "Your Grandma seems to think you deserve special treatment after your month on TB5." Jeff said with a warm smile, "and I second that."

"Gee; thanks Dad, thank Gran' for me, too, will you."

"We're all coming out, so you'll be able to do that yourself. John?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled through a mouth full of crumbs.

"Don't eat all the chocolate ones, hmm?"

"Sure Dad."

Replete, John leaned back, the sounds of activity around him melding into a fuzzy haze as he began to drift off.

"Scott! Get your hands off my cake."

"How'd you know it was me?"

John's eyes remained closed as he replied, "'Cause I'm psychic….."

"Yeah; right….."

"……and you're greedy. Besides I gauged it was you by the size of your shadow."

Both looked across at the deep rumble of their fathers' chuckle, mingled with the light one of their Grandmothers'. Both responded with grins of their own. John watched as Scott had rejoined the activity in the pool, before rolling over again.

"You gonna spend the morning vegetating, or get some exercise in?"

The good humoured tone of Gordon's voice cut across his drowsy state. "I'm gonna vegetate," he replied indolently, without looking up, his ears alert for the next thing from his brother. There was always a next thing with Gordon.

"You could use some more lotion, you're burning."

John doubted that, but, "You want to do the honours then?" he heard some mumbled excuse followed by a splash. "I guess that means no," he said shrugging into a sitting position and reaching for the bottle. It wasn't like Gordon not to be helpful, but what the heck….He did a fair job of coating his back and what he missed his father obligingly assisted with.

"Some people are so lazy; still what can you expect, lolling about on a spaceship all day…"

John stretched lethargically, rolled over and peered up at Gordon. "You trying to say something bro'?"

"You need a translator?"

"With all the languages I speak; are you kidding?"

"So why don't you get your lazy butt in the pool, before you melt here?"

"Tut, tut. You need a refund from charm school."

"And you need some exercise," Gordon bounced back, scooping up a handful of water and flinging it at John.

"Hey; cut that out. You'll pay for that."

Gordon's actions had the desired effect as his brother leaped good humouredly from the lounger and into the pool, knowing, as he hit the water he wouldn't have a hope of catching Gordon, but John was still prepared to give the aquanaut a run for his money, and judging from the sounds around him, he wasn't doing so badly either. He took the sounds for encouragement, until he heard the odd laugh. Looking up he saw the expressions being directed at him, the collective dropped jaws and he came to a halt in the water, looking questioningly at them.

"What?" he asked into the stunned silence.

The creak of the lounger brought his head round to his parent, "Dad?"

"Oh my!"

"Gran'?"

Into his line of vision strolled his water loving brother, dripping water everywhere, wearing a grin that was synonymous with one of his pranks.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on…..what's the big deal?" 'Damn!' Making a quick check downwards, John breathed a sigh of relief on finding he still wore his trunks. 'So if it wasn't that……'

"I think you'd better take a look in the mirror." Scott advised, swimming over, with Virgil close behind him. Behind them they heard the gravelly tones of their father admonishing Gordon. But even as he moved John discovered he didn't need a mirror, he saw the streak on his arm, correction, arms, and there were others developing. His skin was starting to take on an interesting shade of green. The impish grin of his brother wasn't deterred by the glare John was directing at him, if anything it only served to encourage him, "Bet the Hulk'd be proud to call you bro'"

"Well I'd be happy to hand you over to him…..if this stuff stains….." John growled mildly, pulling himself from the pool.

"Relax will ya. You know your trouble……"

"Yeah it goes by the name of Gordon."

"Funny."

"There is an antidote for that." Scott said, joining them by the side of the pool. It wasn't a question, the memory of Gordon's last prank still uppermost on his mind.

"John? Perhaps you should go and wash that stuff off."

"I was just about to Dad." John replied, his eyes on Gordon, "then I have some unfinished business to attend to." he said making for the shower block/changing rooms by the pool.

Jeff waited until his son was out of ear shot, "What's this about an antidote?" he addressed Gordon, "I rubbed some of that on his back." He didn't need to add anything more as several pairs of eyes flicked to his hands, which so far remained unaffected.

"Relax Dad; it only reacts to certain chemicals, chlorine being one of them."

"And is there an antidote?"

Gordon shrugged, "No problem, I'll go get it…….the trouble with people round here is they have no sense of humour anymore."

"I'll give him sense of humour," Jeff said, as he watched his fourth born amble towards the house.

********

"So where the deuce is he?" John asked, tapping his foot impatiently and staring at his watch again, his normal patient, easy going nature, evaporating fast.

Jefferson Tracy shrugged, "I'll go and chase him up; he's probably had to wait for Brains to finish work on those blue prints for the hover boards first."

John threw himself onto his lounger, aware of the fascinated stares of his Grandmother and siblings. Folding his arms in a defensive gesture, he stared out across the pool, avoiding all eye contact. The green streaks had proved immune to soap and shower gel. 'How much longer?' "You guys do me a favour, will you?"

"Sure John." Scott was the first to offer.

"Not one word to Alan; right!"

All agreed.

John directed his gaze at Tin-Tin. She blushed and looked away. "I wouldn't John."

Satisfied he pushed himself up from the lounger and was just about to head indoors in search of his errant brother when he saw the two figures approaching. He halted, waiting until they reached him.

"Tell him."

"Tell me what?" John looked from one to the other.

"Go on Gordon. Since you've thought this through with your usual attention to detail, tell him."  Jeff prompted

Gordon stared sheepishly at his feet and John felt the pit of his stomach sink. He shook his head, knowing what was coming.

"Sorry John," Gordon flicked a contrite glance at him, "Brain's tells me there isn't an antidote."

"WHAT!! How long?"

"Uh?"

"How long before this damned stuff wears off?" he emphasised every word through clenched teeth.

"Go on son; tell him."

"Er; about a…..week……"

"A WEEK!"

"……or so….."

"Want me to kill him?" Scott offered.

"Yeah, but wait until I've done it first."

Gordon was prepared and shot backwards as a pair of green streaked hands reached out. Yelling his apologies over his shoulder, Gordon bolted for the boat-house, prepared to barricade himself in, indefinitely, if need be…..until the steam had stopped coming out of his brothers' ears.