To Lobo-Chan: Haha...that's funny. Bears in pink tutus doing the tango. Haha. It reminds me of a cool episode of Teen Titans.

To Victoria Wolf: Yes you are a loyal reader...even if we did have a little misunderstanding in earlier chapters:) Oohhh...have Hotstreak punish Shiv...nice idea! Thankx!

To Darkbusterrancher: Oh okay, I was actually wondering where you went. Well, you can always review anonymously if you can't log in anymore. I could care less either way...I just like getting your input:) As for your question...I'm not sure yet. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I guess you'll just have to wait and see.

To Anonymous: Hmmm...okkaayyy...thankx. I think. Umm...but, yeah...well if you've been paying attention at all to the story and not just her, you should have already figured out Rioko's not a perfect 'Mary-Sue' seeing that she contimplated suicide at one point, among other things. And you also should have guessed that she's more then likely already been 'hit on the head or something.' Thankx for your review though. Even if it was a flame...it's nice to know what people think.

To LaBOBuren: Okay, here's what you do. Go to your menu page, and click on the 'settings' link on the left-hand side. This page is where you can make your bio, change email, ect. The one you want though is the fifth slot down, next to 'Anonymous Reviews'. You'll see a check box to the right. If you want to allow anonymous reviewers, make sure the box is NOT checked. Hope that helps:) Oh, and sorry I didn't email you. Parental restrictions wouldn't allow. (If you know what I mean.) As always, thankx a bunch for your review:)

To Feral2k: Oh cool. I'm glad to hear that:) Thankx.

To joyfulcry: Thankx so much for your review! And as for your question...you'll just have to wait and see;) Muhahaha!

To Jill: Really? Cool! Thankx for letting me know that! Hey, you know, you can always drop me a line even if you don't have any suggestions or anything:) Hope to hear from ya again!

Okay, did I get everybody? Wow...great job on the reviews dudes. It's nice being able to turn on my computer in the morning a find all these reviews waitin for me. Okay...down to buisness. Chapter 20 up and ready for your reading pleasure! And it only took me a week to post! I'm trying my hand at angst, so please let me know how I'm doin. I've never tried writing it before, so I'm not quite sure if I've got the anxiety part down just yet. K, well enjoy! Later!

Let the suspence begin...


Sneaking stealthy through the unlit room, Hotstreak made his way through the factory. He jumped slightly as a bird shuffled on a shelf beside him. Stupid bird. Okay dude...where are you? Just then, Hotstreak caught sight of a single lit light bulb shining weakly in a room next to him. He cautiously made his way to a door leading into the lit room and slowly pushed it open. Within the room he found a table with a bloodied piece of paper upon it not unlike the one he had found in the barn earlier. Growing annoyed with the seeming 'games' his unknown enemy was playing with him, Hotstreak angrily picked up the paper and read. Good boy. You really do value her life, don't you? No matter. You're here now. But where to next, I wonder? Her blood is still spilling big brother... Hotstreak's eyes grew wide and flared a furious red as he burned the taunting note in his hand. "This is not a game!" he screamed; lashing out all his strength toward the table beside him. His fist rammed through the wooden table at if it were a toothpick and was soon engulfed with the flames of the beyond furious metahuman. "I swear I'll kill you the very second I find you, you..."

"I don't think so." Hotstreak's lash of anger was cut short by the dark sound of a familiar voice teasing over an intercom.

Hotstreak jumped upon hearing the voice, but immediately responded after recognizing its jeering sound. "Ebon! You're the one doing this?"

"You got it." Ebon replied.

"Why?"

Ebon laughed a chilling laugh that made Hotstreak cringe. "Haha...I think all that fire really did melt your brain."

"What?"

"You betrayed me remember? Sent me up the river."

"Yeah, so what does this have to do with Angel?"

"Ahh yes...your dear little sister. Well, let's just say she served as perfect leverage for my purpose."

Hotstreak growled fiercely as he heard Ebon's taunting voice. "What do you want?"

"Meet me in the main room of the factory. Now." Ebon's devil-like voice filled the room with a frightening ghost presents before the dark silence of the abandoned factory once again filled the air.

"Ebon!" Hotstreak yelled before bolting out of the room and running as fast as he could to the main room.

"Ebon!" Hotstreak yelled again furiously upon reaching the still dark assembly room.

"Chill out Hotstreak. There's no reason to be so angry." Hotstreak's attention flared towards the area of the large room where he had heard the voice.

"Show yourself before I burn this whole place down!" Suddenly, Hotstreak heard a deep click sound echo through the factory. Within seconds, the factory's old lights began to flicker on throughout the room; steadily reveling a shadowy figure of a man standing roughly twenty feet from Hotstreak's position. "Ebon." Hotstreak growled softly.

"Hello Hotstreak. Long time. How are you?" as he spoke, Ebon glided out of the few remaining shadows of the large room and walked closer to his arch rival.

"Cut the crap Ebon. Where's Angel and what do you want?"

Ebon closed his eyes and snickered as he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Hotstreak tensed quickly; ready for any attack that lay ahead of him. But instead, Ebon simply reopened his white eyes and pointed effortlessly to something behind Hotstreak.

Hotstreak swirled from his guarded stance and allowed a small gasp to escape his lips after taking in the sight before him. "No..." Standing some fifteen feet from him was Shiv and Talon; both smiling sinisterly as they held up a semi-conscious girl between them. "Rioko!" Hotstreak yelled upon seeing the beaten state of his younger sibling. With hand's bound tightly behind her and the cover of water draining her pyrokinetic abilities, Rioko was helpless in nearly every manner of the word.

Hotstreak could feel his heart jumping into his throat as she weakly lifted her head and stared at him with dazed eyes and pained expression; managing only to get out a small whisper of a word before passing out. "France..."

"What have you done?" Hotstreak asked harshly without taking his eyes off his sister.

"She would be in better shape, but Shiv had a few little disagreements with her earlier."

Shiv jumped a bit when Hotstreak's piercing glare turned to him for a further explanation. "It's really her fault. She wouldn't stop struggling."

Hotstreak could feel his anger growing inside him with every passing second as he thought of what torture Shiv had put his sister though. "What do you want from me Ebon?" Hotstreak asked as he moved his attention back to the shadow metahuman.

"Nothing complicated really. Just your average everyday life-for-life deal. You give me your life, and Angel here goes free. You refuse, Shiv gets to finish the job he started, and I kill you anyway." upon hearing Ebon's words, Hotstreak shot his attention back to Shiv who had now morphed his hand into a long blade; held snuggly at Rioko's neck. "I guess you could say it's one of those win-win situations…for me anyway."

Hotstreak stood in silence for a moment, knowing he only had one true option until his 'secret weapon' showed up. "Alright." he said; lowering is guard. "Let her go and I'm yours."

"Good choice." Ebon laughed before again snapping his fingers as to call two new members of his gang to secure Hotstreak by the arms. Laughing a bit harder this time, Ebon snickered after seeing Hotstreak wince at the roughness of his new bodyguards as they tightly grasped Hotstreak's arms. "Haha...so, do you like my new boys? I hired 'em just for you, Francis."

Acting as if he didn't hear Ebon's tease, Hotstreak turned his attention back to Angel, who was still being held by Shiv and Talon. "Okay, you got me, now let her go."

"That was the deal wasn't it?" Ebon nodded towards Shiv and spoke disdainfully, "Take her outside...put her out of her misery."

Hotstreak's eyes grew wide after hearing Ebon's orders and began to fight against the guards with every ounce of energy he had in him. "NO! Rio! We had a deal Ebon! Let her go!"

"Haha...I don't think so. Like I said, no matter what, I win, and you lose."

"NO!" Hotstreak attempted to charge a blast of fire into the large, muscular men holding him, but found it useless as the men seemed to feel no effect. "What the..."

"What?" Ebon began. "Did you think I just found normal human's to hold you? These boy's are fire-resistant bang babies bro, so don't waist your energy."

"Ebon you..." Hotstreak's voice was muffled through the thick outside walls of the factory, but Static had caught just enough to now it was his cue for action.

"Time to go." Static said to himself as he jumped to his feet from his hiding spot against a barrel just outside the factory. After rushing around the side of the building to an unused side door, Static found himself forced to decide whether to find his partner or help his rival first. All his instincts told him to find Rioko as quickly as possible, but upon hearing a scream from Hotstreak of unmistakable pain rush through his ears, he knew Hotstreak needed his attention first. "You'd better still be alive Hotstreak, or your sis is gonna kill me." Static flew open the rusty metal door and ran into the factory with the greatest of speed.

After running down a long, partially lit hallway, Hotstreak and Ebon came into view in front of him. Trying to be as quiet as he could be, Static crouched behind an old piece of machinery and watched as Ebon taunted Hotstreak.

"Haha...so how does it feel?" Ebon asked as Hotstreak struggled to break free of the guard's hold.

"How does what feel?" Hotstreak growled; his angry voice tainted with a crack of pain from a recent blow he'd received from one of the powerful metahuman's holding him.

"Well, you made your first mistake by betraying me, then you fought your own sister with full intention of killing her, and now, after you've come so far to rescue her, she's soon to be dead and you're about to join her." Ebon laughed as a new taunt entered his mind, "You really are the biggest failure I've ever met."

Hotstreak pulled against the guard's hold with his greatest strength, but in realizing there was no way he could escape, he decided to relax and accept whatever was coming to him with what little pride was left in him.

"What? No smart reply?" Ebon snickered.

"Why? You're right...I am the biggest failure you ever met."

Somewhat shocked buy Hotstreak's guilt stricken tone-of-voice, Ebon smiled as he spoke, "Finally. We agree on something. Too bad it's time for you to die."

"Do your worst." Deep in his soul, Hotstreak knew Static was somewhere nearby, but something inside him just wouldn't let him believe that he would live through this night. So many sins, so much pain. Hotstreak wasn't really sure he wanted to live through it. Maybe it's better that I die tonight instead of live and try to pick up the pieces again. Finding himself locked in an inner battle of guilt and fury, Hotstreak was torn in just about everything from who he was to what he wanted.

Allowing his head to fall on his shoulders in utter defeat, Hotstreak stood silently in front of Ebon. "Haha...my pleasure." Ebon lifted his clenched fist and readied himself for the most enjoyable punch he'd ever throw.