To LaBOBuren: No prob dude. Oh, by the way...sorry I haven't reviewed your story in a while. I promise I'll read it as soon as I can:)

To Lobo-Chan: Sure, be my guest:)

To Victoria Wolf: Hmm...actually, I like that idea too, but I kinda need Static for the time being, so Hotstreak's gonna have to deal for a little while;)

Whoa...hey. Sorry 'bout the long wait for updates. It seems my life's not gonna let up, so unfortunately I think weekly updates are gonna be the best I can do for now. Hope you enjoy.

Here ya go:)


After carefully looking over their means to rescue Rioko from whatever fate had befallen her, Hotstreak and Static quickly climbed in the lightly damaged Lamborghini and rushed off to the ever familiar abandoned district of Dakota city. Static sat awkwardly in the passenger seat with wide eyes and sweaty hands gripping tightly to the dashboard in front of him as Hotstreak sped through the busy city streets with insane speed. "Hotstreak! Slow down! You're gonna get us killed!" Static cried upon hearing the yells of innocent bystanders running away from the rocket of a car.

"Haha..." Hotstreak laughed sinisterly, "Stop you're whinin' sparky. We ain't gonna die. Well," he added quietly, "You might, but I'm not."

Static turned to Hotstreak with a look of some what shock before he spoke in a voice cracking with nervousness. "Well that's real reassuring. Just remember hot head, you need me right now."

Hotstreak knew he was right, but just knowing didn't make it any easier to accept. "Yeah, whatever. Let's just go get Rioko."

The two rival metahumans rode in silence through the large city as they each secretly contemplated the battle they new was to come. At least, that's what Hotstreak was thinking about. Static, on the other hand, couldn't get his mind from dwelling on the constant curiosity that loomed in his mind about why Hotstreak would leave his little sister so many years ago. In Static's mind, it was because he was a selfish pig who couldn't care less about anyone but himself. But now that he could see the deep sadness and worry glazed over his usually carefree eyes, he was beginning to wonder if there was more to this alleged 'hot head' then met the eye.

"Hotstreak?" Static said suddenly; breaking Hotstreak's train of thought.

"What?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

Hotstreak looked at Static with a slight expression of confusion before answering. "You can ask whatever you want. It's whether or not I'll answer that's the question."

Static nodded calmly and decided to take a chance in asking anyway. "Why did you leave her?"

"What?" Hotstreak asked; almost as if taken by surprise.

"Rioko...what made you leave her alone like that at such a young age?" Static knew he had hit maybe the only soft spot in Hotstreak's hard heart the very moment he spoke.

"She told you?" Hotstreak asked quietly.

"Yeah. She told me everything...well, most of it anyway."

"Haaa..." Hotstreak sighed deeply. "I was goin' through a bad time. Had enemies on my back constantly. I just didn't want to risk her getting hurt, that's all."

Static sat back in an odd surprise to see that Hotstreak actually answered. "Real good job that did." Immediately, he knew his word's were cold and to Hotstreak's disbelief, cut right through to his very soul.

"I know." He said simply; as if not able to continue.

Neither Static nor Hotstreak spoke again until they reached their goal. The sun was setting low in the evening sky by then, and the old building in front of them reeked of a fierce presents that just screamed 'haunted'. Following the plan they had made previously, Static stealthy sneaked out of sight while he watched Hotstreak walk in the open towards the condemned toy factory. A shiver ran up and down the pyrokinetic's spine as he inched closer and closer into a place where he would otherwise never dream of going. A giant evil-looking clown jack-in-the-box sank over the building's roof ledge made Hotstreak cringe as it watched his every move; coming ever closer to the factory's large chained doors.

With great ease Hotstreak silently heated through the rusted chain lock and pulled open the large metal doors leading into the main room of the factory. A wicked cry of the door's rusted hinges filled the air and caused a few previously peaceful bats to flutter in the factories rafters. Hotstreak too winced at the noise, but continued to walk on nonetheless. Nothing could stop him now; not now that he'd come this far. Proceeding forward into the large warehouse-like room in front of him, Hotstreak inched cautiously forward; continuously peering into the dark shadows formed by large broken machines and unfinished devil-like toys. Man, it's no wonder why this place didn't make it... Hotstreak joked silently.

Meanwhile, in another area of the factory, Ebon and Talon sat patiently in front of a row of TV monitors. Each one showed a different security camera set in every room of the factory, but their focus was on only one. Ebon smiled as he watched a clueless Hotstreak venture deeper into the shadows of the condemned building. "That's it punk, just a little more..." Ebon said with a tone that threw a shiver up Talon's feathers.

"I can't believe he actually showed." Talon interrupted.

"I told you he'd come. He might be a thief and a traitor, but when it comes to family, he's nothing more then a brother wanting to protect his kid sister."

"Seriously Ebon, how'd you know he'd fall?" Talon asked while taking a sip from a can of soda.

"You forget I've got family too." Ebon thought that was enough of an explanation, but upon seeing Talon's confused expressed he decided to continue. "Put it this way: if you knew your little sister was in danger, would you put aside everything you are to help her?"

"Good point." Talon concluded simply.

"Shiv." Ebon said into a radio he had picked up.

"Yeah boss?" Within seconds Ebon and Talon heard Shiv's reply through the radio's receiver.

"Our boy's here. How's our guest?"

"Oh, wow...he actually showed?" Talon and Ebon looked at each other for a moment before Shiv continued. "Cool. Oh...uhh, yeah...Angel and I had a little uhh...dispute a few minutes ago, so she's not really conscious at the moment..."

Ebon shook his head in frustration as he thought of how Shiv constantly let his temper get the best of him. "For the last time Shiv, we need her alive for this to work. Don't go and have a field day just yet."

Shiv sighed deeply before replying, "Yeah I know. Sorry boss. Won't happen again."

"Don't worry 'bout it. She won't be our problem for much longer anyway."

The moment the he heard the radio disconnect, Shiv allowed himself to slump down in the chair he had been sitting in. Whew...that was a relief. I thought he was gonna be madder then that. Oh well. I guess it really doesn't matter. All she needs to be is alive. He didn't say anything about well. On that thought, Shiv let his eyes dance across the floor to the base of a well-locked metal door. I wonder if she's awake yet? Allowing his curiosity to take over, Shiv stood from his chair and walked over to a large hole filled with thick plexiglass near the top of the intriguing locked door. Looking in, he could see everything was covered in a thick black shadow from lack of light save for a large pair of limp wings. An eerie glow of deep red shown dimly from them just enough to light up the figure of an unconscious, water-drenched female laying on the floor. Shiv stared at her resting body and smirked evilly as he thought, Haa...vengeance is so sweet.


Soo...

Hey, is anybody still reading this? I mean, I know I still have my loyal 4 (yes, that's LaBOBuren, Lobo-Chan, Victoria Wolf, and joyfulcry:), but is anybody else still with me? As always, suggestions are always welcome, and PLEASE REVIEW! Thankx, later.