Thanks to my reviewers - SnakeMistress, dea puella, FudgePuppies, BooBoo, Hiro No Tsuki, KaliAnn, tiger witch, MockV, fantasylover12001, EyesLikeSilk, JadeDragoness, pita, Pathetic Krypton. Your encouragement keeps me going.

I noticed several 'Spidey-senses' tingling in your reviews for Chapter 8. I must be doing my job.

Fantasylover12001 - Hmm. The force is strong with this one.

Hiro No Tsuki - That was the first time I saw "Sons of the Fathers." Great episode and very powerful. I'm too far into this story to change my mythology now, so I'll just say this is very AU.

JadeDragoness - Your reviews always make me smile. Curious, though - what do you think is happening with Mr. Foley? Drop me an email, and I may confirm or deny.

Disclaimer - No money for me. All honors to Milestone/DC and Warner Brothers.

Warning for this chapter - Virgil finds out some of what happened to Richie while under Brainiac's control. Sad, dark, and somewhat squicky. Skip that part if it makes you uncomfortable.

Hotstreak picked his way back to the Foley's street after his run-in with Static. He wanted to get the lay of the place before dark, so he sneaked around the back. As he entered the back yard, he could hear a voice raised in anger.

"What the hell did you think you were doing? I turn my back for two minutes and you're up here acting like a slut with that boy!" The harsh words were accompanied by the sound of flesh striking flesh.

"We weren't doing anything wrong!"

Another slap, this one followed by a sharp cry of pain. "How many times do I have to tell you? You do not talk back to me! You keep your damned mouth shut and do as you're told! Are you stupid?"

"Are you stupid?" Hotstreak was paralyzed by a powerful flashback of his mother's boyfriend, Carl. "I told you not to touch that! Mary! Keep your little bastard out of my things or I'll break his damn fingers!" He actually had broken little Francis' fingers once. Carl had left his watch on the kitchen table in the Cameron's small apartment. Francis was an inquisitive child. He had picked up the watch and turned the little knob to see what would happen. He didn't mean to break it. Carl came in and saw what the five-year old had done. He slapped Francis so hard that it knocked the boy to the floor, and then grabbed the youngster's hand. "I told you what would happen the next time you touched my stuff, didn't I?"

Sounds from above snapped him out of his memory.

"Get up!"

"Please!"

"I said, get up!"

"I can't!"

More fleshy thuds drifted down from the window. "I've had enough of you dragging this family down. It's gotten so that I can't hold my head up in public, and our neighbors haven't invited us over for dinner in months. I've suffered your inadequacies for years. Well guess what? Ride's over."

Hotstreak eyes widened at the sudden change in tone. He knew he had to do something or Foley would be dead before he could be given to Brainiac. Hotstreak came out from behind the house and ran down the street. Ducking into the convenience store, he found a pay phone. Then Hotstreak did something he had never done before. He called the cops.

After placing the 911 call, he waited at the corner where Static had surprised him. His patience was soon rewarded by the wail of sirens. A police cruiser and an ambulance sped down the street and screeched to a halt in front of the house. The paramedics waited while the officers went to the door. Hotstreak could hear the thumps as the cops pounded on the door. When there was no answer, the officers broke down the door and went inside.

He was such an idiot. Why didn't he just change into Static and fly to HQ? But no, he had to run practically the entire way. Exercise was supposed to clear your mind, but Virgil wasn't any closer to figuring out how to help Richie than he was before he did the whole marathon thing. He'd get this over with Batman then go home. He really needed to talk to his father.

Virgil entered the gas station. Batman and the Martian Manhunter were at the table staring at Richie's scavenged laptop. Strange hardware was strewn about, and Gear's secret hiding place was wide open. Virgil dropped his backpack by the door and plopped on a chair by Batman.

"Make yourself at home, guys. Feel free to wreck the place while you snoop around." Virgil had had just about enough of grown-ups pushing him around today.

J'onn gave Batman a slight headshake. The boy wasn't truly angry with them; he had other burdens.

"Virgil," Batman began, "What has Richie told you about his time with Brainiac?"

"Nothing. Said he didn't remember. Why?"

Batman turned the computer toward Virgil so that he could read what was on the screen. "As near as we can tell, this is a download from Richie's mind via Backpack. I think you should read it."

"You hacked into Richie's computer? Isn't that illegal? You know, you could get in a lot of trouble." Virgil knew he was stalling. Deep down he really didn't want to know what happened, to know just how badly he had failed Richie. He didn't think he could stand to read about how Richie didn't have faith in him any more.

J'onn placed a hand on Virgil's shoulder and said, "Richie has been very brave in trying to cope with this all alone. As his friend, you must honor that strength with courage of your own."

J'onn and Batman stepped away to allow Virgil some privacy as he began to read the strange monologue.

"I want to die. Please just let me die. I'm not strong enough. I can't stop him. God somebody help me!Virgil? It's Virgil! He'll take one look at me and know something's wrong. V? Where are you going? No! No, don't let him fool you! DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE ME WITH HIM! Oh, Virgil, why? I need you. Why didn't you see me?

He's cold. He wants to break me. When he needs information from me, it feels like icy claws ripping into my skull. I am completely open to him. No privacy. No secrets. He probably knows me better than I know myself now. That's why he's making me build the android. So I won't be able to find a way to end this hell.

Hell. I am in hell. Chinese mythology says that hell is a mountain prison, dark and menacing. It is filled with level after level of gruesome tortures. Every time I think that Brainiac has stripped the last bit of dignity from me, he finds a new way to destroy my soul. He had me make control chips. It was bad infecting the Flash. It was worse infecting Static. I swear I could feel Brainiac gloating as the control chip was attached to my partner. I remember screaming my imaginary throat raw while trying to stop it. Thank you electrostatic energy fields! Virgil is safe.

If I were smarter, he wouldn't have gotten me. I'm being punished. My parents have tried for years to make me stronger, but I always mess up. If I were stronger, I would have fought him off.

No, this isn't happening! NO! NO!

Why did he do that? He...God, I can't even think it. What did I do? Did I do something to make him…I didn't want…never feel clean again. Think about nice stuff. Think about Virgil. No! Can't think about V. That's what started it. He'll never want you now, filthy thing. He deserves someone clean.

Just go numb. No thinking. No feeling. Nothing. I'm nothing. I want to die. Please just let me die…"

There was more, but Virgil's eyes were too blurred to focus. Batman reached over the teen's shoulder and closed the computer. He was backing away when Virgil turned and buried his tear-stained face against his hero's chest. Startled, Batman was going to pull away, but a nudge from J'onn kept him in place. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Virgil and waited out the emotional storm.

After a minute, Virgil pulled himself together and moved away from the Dark Knight. He brushed an arm across his face to wipe away the evidence.

"The boy has been trying to ignore what happened. He won't truly be able to recover and put it behind him until he faces the truth. That means talking about it with someone he trusts."

Virgil felt a sharp stab of pain at J'onn's words. Richie hadn't told him, his best friend, what it was like to be in Brainiac's control. Didn't he trust Virgil any more? No, of course not. Why should he? Virgil was the one who supposedly destroyed Brainiac at the Watchtower. Virgil was the one who left Richie all alone with a Brainiac-infested Backpack. Virgil was the one who abandoned Richie when he was needed the most.

Batman spoke up. "If Richie is uncomfortable talking to you, maybe his parents could help? It would mean exposing his and probably your identities, but it may be his only hope."

Virgil looked angry as he said, "I'd go on CNN and tell the world who Static and Gear really are if it would do any good, but I wouldn't trust Mr. Foley to get Richie help. The only thing he'd give Rich is a black eye."

"What are you talking about, Virgil?"

"Richie's Dad has been kicking the crap out of him, and I didn't even notice. Some partner I turned out to be, huh?"

Batman grabbed Virgil by the shoulders and stared into his eyes. "What did you say?"

Virgil gulped, then repeated his comment. He continued by telling the two superheroes what he had seen at Richie's house and what Mr. Foley had said.

Virgil shrugged off Batman's hands and began gathering his things. "I gotta jet. When I get home, I'm gonna tell my Pops what's going on with Mr. Foley. Maybe Dad can get temporary custody of Richie, or maybe he can find a shelter for him and his Mom to stay at."

"If Mr. Foley is as bad as you say," said Batman, "Richie and his mother may not be safe in Dakota. Maybe I can find somewhere for them to hide out."

"Like Wayne Manor?" asked a smiling Virgil.

"Maybe."

"That'd be sweet! Richie'd be away from his old man, and if Mr. Foley ever showed up there, I bet Jeeves would rip him a new one."

"What about you, Virgil? Gotham is a long way from Dakota. You wouldn't be able to see Richie every day. It would mean the end of the team of Static and Gear, at least, for a while."

Virgil looked seriously at Batman and said, "If it will keep Richie away from his dad, I'll help him pack." Virgil stepped outside. Before he left he said, "Batman, Richie's safety is the most important thing. I'll do anything for him, even if it means we won't be together."

"Give me a few hours. I'll talk to my lawyers and call you. We'll try to find a way to help Richie and keep him here in Dakota."

"Thanks, B. You too, Marvin. Later!" Virgil, back in his Static costume, powered up his shield, stepped on, and zoomed towards home.

Back in the gas station, J'onn put the boys' equipment back in their former places. "He's a strong boy. They both are. They'll get through this."

Batman nodded. He plucked the picture of Static, Gear, and the Justice League from its place of honor. Brainiac had done this. Had nearly destroyed a young spirit that was already struggling under the terrible betrayal of a parent, the one who was supposed to love and protect him. How he hated that damned virus! Oh, if only it were still active so that he could kill it, painfully. Unfortunately, Brainiac was gone. Fortunately, there was now another target for the Caped Crusader's anger. Mr. Foley was gong to pay.

Virgil dropped into the side street just before his house and changed back into his school clothes. He made his way to the front door and entered while calling out to his father.

"Pops? I have something I need to tell you." Virgil saw his father walk into the living room and hang up the phone.

"Virgil. We need to get to the Dakota General. Right now." Robert Hawkins looked solemn.

Virgil gasped, "Is Sharon all right?"

Mr. Hawkins replied, "Sharon's fine. She's volunteering at the hospital." Mr. Hawkins stepped close to Virgil and gently placed his hands on either side of his son's face. "Virgil, it's Richie. Sharon says he was just brought in to the emergency room."