Chapter Two

All was quiet in Sharon's car as she drove away from the stadium towards home. The radio was turned off and neither her nor Virgil felt like talking at the moment. Out of the corner of her eyes Sharon saw Virgil staring out the passenger side window apparently deep in thought. Sharon found his silence weird as it wasn't something she was used to getting from her kid brother or at least as she knew him as she'd seen tonight there was another side to him, a side she'd never seen nor ever even suspected that was there before.

Finally after nearly half an hour of driving she could stand Virgil's silence no longer, nor could she suppress her curiosity anymore.

"So how did it happen," she asked. Virgil gave her a curious gaze.

"How did what happen," he asked not sure what she was on about. No actually he did know he just wanted her to say it.

"You know what I mean Virgil. How did you end up a meta-human?"

"Oh that. The answer to that question is simple. I was exposed to the mutagenic gas released during the Big Bang just like all the others. Caught quiet a few lung fulls of the damned stuff in fact."

"How though Virgil. You shouldn't have been anywhere near the docks when that explosion occurred." She paused. "You weren't part of one of a gang were you?" Virgil looked uncomfortable. "You were weren't you?"

"Not really. I was trying to avoid being pulled into that world you know why." Sharon nodded knowing that Virgil was referring to there mothers death by rouge gang gunfire in the Dakota Riots even after nearly five years it was still a subject that was to painful to talk about much.

"I wasn't having much luck. Wade wanted me as part of his crew and Francis – Hotstreak as he is now – wanted to either kill me or beat me to a pulp why I sure as hell don't know. I was called by Wade to the docks that night – basically to make my mind up – and the rest is history."

"That's answers that question. But where did you get the idea to be Static?"

"Initially it was Ritchie's idea. I called him to one of the cities junk yards the same day as I discovered my abilities when I showed him what I could do – even back then when I didn't have the foggiest idea what I could and couldn't do altogether – he suggested that I could be a superhero. He was right we came up with the costume and that was that. I wasn't really sure of the whole thing until that evening when those crooks tried to rob that warehouse and I stopped them, without even breaking a sweat. I found I liked beating the bad guys and then when other meta-humans started turning up it was obvious that someone had to do something to stand up to the destructive ones like Hotstreak, Shiv, Ebon and the rest of that bunch. And since only one meta-human can really beat another…"

"You decided that you might as well do it," Sharon finished surprised despite herself that Virgil had voluntarily taken on the responsibility of keeping the people of Dakota City safe from those bang babies who had nothing better to do than use there frightening and amazing abilities to make trouble. In her experience getting Virgil to do practically anything voluntarily was almost impossible. Now it was apparent that that was not the case.

Before she could speak to ask Virgil another question she pulled into there street and they both received a surprise. Dad's car was parked outside he was back early from the conference he'd gone to.

"Dad's back," Vigil exclaimed in surprise. "Conference must have ended early. Good I only want to explain all this once. After all now that you know about me its only fair that dad learns the truth of what and who I am." I just hope he takes it well, he thought, finding out that I'm both a meta-human and Static Shock is going to be one hell of a shock.

As soon as Sharon pulled up outside there house Virgil undid his seat belt and climbed out of the car while Sharon turned the engine off before releasing her own seat belt. He was walking up the path to the door when she caught up with him. It was Sharon who opened the door with her key.

"Hi kids," Robert Hawkins said as he poked his head out of the living room to see them come through the door. They were surprised to see him that was obvious but something was wrong. He especially noticed it when they both joined him in the living room. And he felt a chill something had happened between them. Something big.

"Okay you two what is going on," he demanded as they walked into the living room. "You've not been fighting again have you?"

"No. But I made a discovery dad your going to want to sit down for this," Sharon said. Confusion and concern growing Robert did as his daughter said sitting down in his favourite armchair.

"Okay you pair talk. What is going on here. What have you found out Sharon." Sharon looked straight at Virgil challengingly.

"Will you tell him or should I," Sharon demanded of her brother. Virgil simply shrugged.

"What the hell is going on here," Robert demanded more insistent this time.

"Virgil's got a secret that he's not told us. A big one and I just found it out." It didn't escape Roberts notice that Virgil was getting increasingly nervous as Sharon spoke.

"Don't tell me Sharon," he said looking straight at his son. "You tell me Virgil. What have you been hiding and why?" Virgil sighed and met his father's gaze. Here goes nothing, he thought.

"I'm a meta-human dad," he said. "To be exact I'm a bang baby."

Of all the things he had expected Virgil to say Robert had not expected that one. He stared at his son in complete and utter amazement and disbelief. Virgil can't be a bang baby, he thought to himself, he's so normal. We've never seen him display any kind of meta-human powers.

"A bang baby," he repeated in disbelief.

"And not just any bang baby," Virgil continued gaining confidence. "I'm Static Shock."

"What!" Robert exclaimed even more amazed by that revelation than the previous one. His son was Static Shock. No that couldn't be right. And yet when he thought about it Virgil and Static were the same height and had the same build. Could it be that they were the same person.

"I can't believe this," Robert said softly not wanting to admit the possibility even to himself that Virgil could well be Static. "This is a joke isn't it. Something the two of you have thought up together."

"It's not a joke dad," Virgil replied. "And I will prove it to you." Quickly he brought his hands close together and allowed the electricity to flow through surrounding both hands in a shimmering corona of purple-white light.

Roberts eyes widened when he saw the energy corona appear around his sons hands. But Virgil wasn't finished. Moving his hands closer together Virgil focused the energy flowing through them forming it into a glowing ball of lightning between his hands. Balancing the energy ball in his right hand Virgil stopped the power flowing through his left. He held the ball carefully knowing that if he dropped it the ball of energy would do a lot of damage to anything that it struck.

Roberts's eyes widened still further and his jaw dropped open as he saw Virgil make the energy ball and hold it without any effort at all. It was irrefutable proof that he was telling the truth. As impossible and as incredible as it seemed Virgil was telling the truth not only was he a bang baby he was Static Shock.

"Oh my god," Robert breathed. "You are Static." Virgil simply nodded in affirmation. His eyes still focused on the glowing ball of lightning that Virgil was holding Robert felt his shock and disbelief give way to anger and hurt. Why had Virgil not told him this before? Was he so irresponsible as to risk his life doing the superhero bit on the hot streets of Dakota City without telling his family who and what he was? What if he got himself killed in process and they would never know why and how he died.

Virgil drew the electricity back into himself even as he noticed the anger that abruptly came into his fathers face. He had half expected it but he was still worried and nervous when he saw it. Internally he snorted to himself he could face down powerful and dangerous meta-humans like Ebon and Hotstreak without even flinching and here he was frightened by his father's anger.

"Why did you never tell us this before Virgil? Why did you hide what you are from us?" Robert asked quietly determined not to shout.

"I wanted to," Virgil admitted. "When I first got my powers. But I didn't dare. Dad you've been negative about my kind right from day one. Bang babies are nothing but trouble and they all should be locked up. Isn't that what you said. How would you have felt, how would you have reacted if I had suddenly turned around and told you that I was one of the very things you hated. With your attitude you are surprised that I didn't tell you."

Robert winced sharply as Virgil's words struck home. It was true he had been negative about bang babies from the start. Only a handful had gone on destructive rampages but he hadn't seen that at the time. By tarring them all with the same brush he'd given Virgil no reason at all to trust him with his secret.

"You should have told me Virgil," he said.

"And be classed as a monster. Or be treated as though I had some sickness or disease I don't think so. There is nothing wrong with me. To be safe I had a doctor do a couple of tests on me. I didn't tell him what for though. He gave me a clean bill of health."

"I wouldn't have…" Robert started to object angrily at the implication that he would treat his own son like that.

"Considering your views on bang babies dad I had no way of know that. So I decided that the best course of action was not to tell you. I wouldn't have told you now but Sharon," Virgil looked at his sister, "has put me in a position that has left me no choice. She's figured out to much, seen to much for me to convince her that she was wrong."

"You're damned right there baby brother," Sharon replied smugly though inwardly she was wincing at hearing the angry exchange between Virgil and there father. She could understand why Virgil would think it better to keep the fact that he was a bang baby from dad considering how dad felt about bang babies in general. Hell if she was in his position she probably would have done the same.

Robert for his part felt his ire fading away like Sharon he fully understood Virgil's reluctance to speak about the fact that he was a bang baby especially considering how he'd always viewed them though he had started to come around to the fact that not all of them were bad. Ironically it was Virgil's own actions as Static that was part of the reason why his beliefs had started to change.

"We've all made mistakes. You should have trusted me son. And I should have been more open minded about bang babies." Virgil blinked in surprise. Dad was actually admitting that he was wrong about something. A rare event in his experience normally dad had the habit of being right about just about everything. He missed his fathers next words.

"Sorry dad I didn't catch that can you repeat please."

"I asked does anyone else know that you're Static," Robert repeated.

"Only Ritchie," Virgil replied. Robert had to smile at that. He should have expected it Virgil and Ritchie were so close that they were almost brothers.

"Why am I not surprised," Robert said. Virgil laughed. He sounds so much like his mother when he laughs, Robert thought not for the first time. I wonder what Jean would have made of all of this. Probably wouldn't have minded at all. Probably been proud as hell of him for doing what he does. Using his power to help others. Wait what was that her co-workers said she called Virgil that last night 'her superhero' did she somehow know who and what Virgil would become. Guess no one will ever know the answer to that one.

Robert's stomach grumbled at that moment and he flushed in embarrassment at the reminder that he'd not eaten since this morning. Virgil and Sharon both chuckled as they heard.

"Are you pair hungry," he asked and got affirmative nods. "Good who fancies a pizza?" He knew full well that they would both want one.

"Oh yeah," Virgil said.

"Yes," Sharon added. Getting up from the chair Robert went to pick up his keys from where he'd put them on the side table.

"Then lets go and get one shall we?" And do something normal tonight, he thought to himself, something to settle us back down to normality after Virgil's little revelation. Though I'm going to have a private little chat with him afterwards.

"Sounds good," Virgil agreed.

"Yes dad it does," Sharon added.

"Then lets go."