Chapter Four

A Few Minutes Earlier

Jeff Tracy stepped out of his bedroom freshly showered, shaved and dressed ready to start another day. He just hoped it wasn't as drama filled as yesterday. A meteor striking the island and releasing a unstable seemingly organic version of metagas which had started turning his sons into metahumans – except Alan of course – was quiet enough excitement for a while.

As it was they were going to be in for some interesting times as the boys learned to control their manifesting powers whatever they were. And it would probably be quiet comical at times as well. Jeff smiled remembering how Alan had accidentally sent Scott sliding into the diving pool when his powers first appeared. Jeff wasn't really sure what to expect to happen next with the boys. He had some idea what powers Gordon and John had already though he was still completely clueless with Scott and Virgil. And then there was Tin-Tin and Fermat what was going to happen to them. And there was the possibility that Brains might also develop some metahuman powers. He was also worried about Kyrano and how they hadn't been able to rouse him yesterday after the meteor impact and the following gas release.

Alan's bedroom door just down the hall opened and Alan and Gordon stepped out. Alan dressed in fresh clothes though Gordon was still in the clothes he had been wearing last night. Looking at Gordon Jeff was relieved to see that Gordon seemed to be none the worse for ware from his very painful experience last night. Jeff inwardly shivered as he recalled the sounds of Gordon's screams – and the unbearable agony implied in them – as the transformation from normal to metahuman took place within him.

Then Jeff looked over at Alan and blinked in surprise when he saw that Alan's hair had changed colour to pure white. How on earth has that happened, Jeff wondered even though John bleached his hair it never went that white, have his powers been boosted. If they have is the white hair a sign of that power boost.

Neither Alan nor Gordon had noticed that he was here, they were deep in conversation with each other. Getting the distinct impression that his two youngest sons were planning mischief Jeff decided to announce himself before they got to deep into the planning of one of their infamous joint pranks. Though if he knew Alan and Gordon then it was probably too late to stop them if they were planning a prank. They could after all only be quietly discussing last night's events. But somehow Jeff didn't buy that explanation.

"Good morning you two" he said and inwardly laughed to himself when both Gordon and Alan jumped.

"Morning dad" Alan replied turning around to look at his father.

"Morning dad" Gordon echoed as he also turned around. Jeff looked knowingly at both of them.

"So what are you pair planning" Jeff asked.

"Planning. We're not planning anything dad. Are we Alan" Gordon replied innocently.

"No" Alan agreed equally innocently.

Jeff wasn't fooled for a minute by the innocent tones and the angelic looks he got off Alan and Gordon. They were planning something, or more likely Gordon was and had roped Alan into helping him, which is how it usually went. Still he let it slide for now. Though he made a mental note to be on his guard for the next day or so and to check his seat before he sat down just to make sure their was no hidden whoopee cushion. They were among Gordon's favourite weapons and he had caught everyone out with them more the once.

Jeff changed the subject by asking the question that he had wanted to ask since the boys stepped out of Alan's room. He would ask Scott, Virgil and John the same question when they got up and Fermat, Brains and Tin-Tin when he saw them next. Which would probably be at breakfast since he'd always insisted on everyone eating meals together.

"Are you boys okay" Jeff asked.

"I'm fine dad" Alan answered relieved that his dad hadn't commented on his hair had turned white. I have to see about getting some hair dye before I go back to school or I'll never hear the end of it, he thought, I'm going to probably get enough teasing of Scott and Virgil as it is.

"Same here though I've got this really weird feeling of some kind of energy deep inside me. It's somewhat strange" Gordon answered. Alan looked over at his older brother and smiled.

"You'll get used to it just like I have" he said. "Right now feeling energy inside is a new sensation for you Gordon that's why it feels strange but soon you'll barely be aware of it. You'll just accept that its part of you and pay it no mind."

"Well you would know more about that than me" Gordon agreed. "Now if you'll both excuse me I want to get some clean clothes on."

"Go ahead Gordon" Jeff agreed.

"Sure Gordon" Alan added barely keeping a knowing smile off his face. Sure Gordon wanted to get some clean clothes on but what he also wanted to do was go in his room where he could make himself invisible again without anyone seeing him do it.

Gordon quietly turned and left them disappearing into his own room where he could get some clean clothes on and think how he was going to have some fun with his invisibility power. Alan already knew that he was planning to play some tricks with his invisibility but the others didn't know though it was obvious dad suspected that he was going to do something but he didn't think dad had any idea that he was going to take advantage of his new powers to pull off his pranks.

Smiling at the prospect of pulling some really good tricks on his family Gordon went over to his wardrobe to get out some clean clothes.

Back out in the corridor Jeff turned all his attention to Alan.

"What happened to your hair Alan" Jeff asked.

"I don't know dad" Alan admitted. "I woke up this morning and it was like this. I think I'm going to have to start using hair dye. If the kids in school saw my hair like this I would never hear the end of it." A smile graced his face. "It's ironic Gordon is just stopping using hair dye and I'm going to have to start."

Jeff smiled he could see the irony as well. Until very recently Gordon had dyed his hair jet black as opposed to its natural coppery red colour. Gordon had started doing it in high school when he got tired of being bullied for being the only red head in the class. But recently Gordon had decided to stop and now Gordon's hair was starting to shade back to its natural coloration. It was ironic that Alan was now going to have to start using hair dye if he was to avoid being teased. And while Alan was big enough and strong enough to intimidate others into not bullying him physically he was as vulnerable to verbal bullying as anyone else.

Before he could say anything else the door to John's room opened and John came out. As with Gordon he looked none the worse for ware after last night.

"Good morning John" Jeff said.

"Morning dad" John replied coming over. "Morning Alan. How's your hair turned white" Alan shrugged.

"Not a clue" Alan replied.

"Are you okay John" Jeff asked.

"Aside from a bump on the head where I hit the ceiling this morning I'm fine dad" John answered.

"How did you hit the ceiling John" Alan asked curious. "Your powers have appeared haven't they"

"Yes. It appears that I can fly and generate force fields" John answered. "Though quiet how it all works I don't know and I haven't the foggiest idea how to control and use all this properly. And there is this weird feeling in me like energy inside."

"As I just said to Gordon you'll get used to that" Alan replied smiling. "As for actually controlling and using your powers that will come through a mix of instinctive use and practice."

"Suppose you would know" John agreed he wasn't looking forward to learning to control his powers. It was probably going to be a lot of hard work. From his brothers expression Alan could guess what he was thinking.

"Relax John power control is not as difficult as you think" Alan said. "You might not believe me now but as soon as you start using your powers you'll find that it's not as difficult as you would have imagined. In fact after a little while you'll control and use you're powers without even really thinking about it. And you'll find there are few barriers other than the ones you set for yourself in your head." Alan was quietly amused to find himself saying to John basically the same thing as what Gear had told him a month ago when they'd all been in the fridge and he hadn't been sure he could phase through the door.

"Again you would know more about that than me so I'll take your word for it" John replied encouraged by Alan's words. Sometimes Alan did display wisdom beyond his years and this seemed to be one of those times. It helped that Alan knew from experience what he was on about.

Before anyone could say anything else the door to Scott's bedroom opened and Scott came out looking comfortable and refreshed obviously having just come out the shower and just like John and Gordon he showed no outward signs that he'd changed. Maybe Scott hasn't changed yet, Jeff thought.

"Good morning Scott" Jeff said. "Are you ok"

"Good morning dad, John, Alan" Scott answered. "I feel fine dad. A feel a little different but what that means I don't know."

"Different how" John asked. "Anything like a feeling of power inside"

"No. Just a difference inside I don't know what it means but I don't feel anything like energy." Scott looked carefully at Alan wondering how on earth his kid brother's hair had suddenly turned white. Though it would be fun to tease him about it. He would just have to be ready to dodge retaliatory snowballs from Alan. And you had to be quick because Alan's aim was lethal. Over the last month he'd been hit a few times by snowballs from Alan when he hadn't been quick enough to dodge.

He was also curious as to how John and Gordon were. Alan was bound to have checked up on Gordon this morning when he got up, if Gordon wasn't up already. Assuming they hadn't slept together like the normally did when one of them was upset or anxious about something.

But before he could say anything the door to Virgil's bedroom opened and Virgil came out and everyone blinked in surprise and amazement when they saw how much he'd changed overnight. Virgil had always been fit and athletic but not like this. The clothes he was wearing – sweat pants and a T-shirt – hung tight to his skin they weren't loose like they were supposed to be. The T-shirt was especially tight and they outlined a body that was incredibly muscular and strong yet without the ugly bulk of a bodybuilder. Instead Virgil's suddenly massive muscles were sleek and compact built for strength and agility not vain showing off. He looked more like a top professional male gymnast than a bodybuilder still the change was startling and amazing.

"Good morning Virgil" Jeff said finally finding his voice. "Are you ok"

"I'm fine dad" Virgil answered inwardly smiling to himself at his family's reaction to seeing him though he couldn't see Gordon anywhere. He could understand their shock it was exactly the same kind of shock he'd felt when he'd got a good look at his transformed physique in the mirror. "Aside from the fact that I'm going to have to get a load of new clothes. Practically my whole wardrobe of clothes doesn't fit me anymore. And even this thing is a bit to tight."

"Well that's easy enough to sort out" Jeff replied. "Someone could always go to the main land and get a few new clothes for you enough that you could go yourself later and sort out the rest. And it's no problem to make a few new uniforms."

"True" Virgil admitted. "Though I do feel kind of funny."

"Funny how" Alan asked. "Like energy inside"

"No. I just feel…" Virgil's voice trailed off as he struggled to explain the strong feeling inside him. "I just feel strong" he continued at last. "Really, really strong. In away it's sort of frightening." Scott looked thoughtful.

"Maybe the gas has made you super strong or something. That could be why you're feeling that way" he suggested.

"Good an explanation as any" Virgil agreed.

"Now why don't we all head downstairs and see about getting some breakfast" Alan suggested. "I don't know about anyone else but I'm starving."

"You know Alan that is a really good idea" John agreed readily.

"Nice idea snowy" Scott added the last part in a teasing tone to Alan referring to the fact that Alan's hair had turned white.

Alan glared at his oldest brother catching the tease immediately even as Virgil and even John – who normally wouldn't laugh at such things but tell Scott off – chuckled. Jeff for his part looked disapprovingly at his oldest son.

"What" Scott asked back. "Snowy's a nice new nickname for the squirt."

"Oh that does it" Alan growled back annoyed being called squirt all the time by his oldest brother was bad enough but he could put up with that – he had done for years, but getting called Snowy on top of squirt was too much. Glaring sharply at Scott he felt his power flare slightly and he threw a snowball at his brother.

Scott's eyes widened seeing the oncoming snowball he knew that at this close a range he would never evade it. It would hit him right in the face. He started to move to try anyway when he felt and heard like a whoosh in his ears as he moved changing position in the hallway so he was flat against the wall. The snowball shot passed in a clean miss.

Jeff wasn't particularly surprised when an annoyed Alan threw a snowball at Scott, neither were Virgil or John. But what happened next shocked everyone. Scott started to dodge when all of a sudden his movements became little more than a blur the snowball flew past to hit the far wall with Scott motionless his back to the wall opposite the bedroom doors. Super speed, Jeff thought realising after a moment what had happened, Scott's power is super speed.

"Wow" a shocked Scott said pulling away from the wall. "How did I do that"

"I don't know" John answered. "But at least you know what your power is now. Super speed."

"Yes" Scott agreed. "Now lets all go downstairs shall we" Smiling the five of them headed for the stairs down to the living areas below. As they walked away none of them noticed the door to Gordon's room open then after a moment close again seemingly of its own volition.

Gordon's Bedroom

A Few Moments Earlier

It didn't take Gordon that long to have a quick wash and to get changed into clean clothes. He stood listening at his door to the voices in the hallway. From the sound of it dad and all his brothers were out there now. He waited patiently for them to leave; he didn't want anyone other than Alan to know what he was planning on doing with his invisibility power, or for them to even know he had the ability to become invisible yet.

After a while he heard them begin moving away. A smile graced his face and then he concentrated. Remembering what Alan had told him earlier when it came to using his powers about not thinking of the action itself but the result he imagined himself invisible to others. And felt energy well up from the source deep inside him until it flowed through his whole body. He relaxed and looked down to see his body again surrounded by the rainbow coloured corona of energy. Gordon opened the bedroom door and walked out into the hallway closing the door behind him.

Following his family he headed for the stairs already thinking of the tricks he could play on everyone, tricks that he wouldn't have been able to accomplish if he wasn't invisible to them. Gordon grinned mischievously this was really going to be fun.

When he reached downstairs with his sons Jeff wasn't particularly surprised to find Peter already there, along with Static and Gear though neither of them was wearing their full uniforms. All three were nursing steaming mugs of coffee.

Peter looked up at the sound of their approach.

"Good morning Jeff" he said.

"Morning Peter" Jeff replied. Peter turned his attention to the boys. All bar Gordon were here.

"Morning boys."

"Morning Uncle Peter" the boys said as Peter looked them over one by one and blinked in surprise when he saw what had happened to Virgil. But before he could say anything he felt something blow past his right ear making him jump.

"What was that" he wondered.

"What" Jeff asked confused.

"I felt something brush past my right ear as though someone was blowing on it" Peter answered.

"There is no one there you must have imagined it" Virgil suggested then he also felt something blow past him on his left ear. "Hey I felt it then as well." Jeff frowned.

"Perhaps there's a malfunction in the air conditioning system causing rouge gusts" he suggested.

Before anyone could reply one of the mugs of coffee on the coffee table picked itself up and made an orbit of the table before setting itself back down.

"Okay what is going on here" Gear wondered as everyone stared at the mug in confusion. "Has this place suddenly got a poltergeist"

They were all so focused on the mug they didn't notice the volume control on the stereo unit being turned up almost to full power, or see the power on switch seemingly press itself.

Rock music blasted from the speakers at nearly full volume making everyone jump and clutch at the ears to shut out the noise. Except for Alan who liked rock music and would have the stereo in his room up at full blast playing it if Jeff would have let him. Still even Alan flinched slightly at the noise coming from the more powerful downstairs stereo unit.

Spinning round Static used his powers to turn off the stereo unit. Everyone sighed in relief and removed hands from ears.

"What is going on here" Virgil wanted to know. As they watched a cushion picked itself up off a chair and suddenly seemed to throw itself through the air right at John. John closed his eyes waiting for the impact, unlike Scott he couldn't avoid flying objects by moving at super speed. And then he felt some instinct pull at him and curious he went with it and felt the energy inside him pulse.

The cushion never hit John. A moment before impact the cushion hit an invisible barrier and bounced off to land on the floor. The force field that had appeared around John shimmered and rippled slightly at the point of impact before disappearing with the purple shimmer. Cautiously John opened his eyes to find everyone – except dad – staring at him in surprise.

"Whoa John you can make force fields" Virgil said. "Neat trick."

"Thanks Virgil. But I'm not sure how I did that. I just did."

"You'll learn" Static told him smiling and then out of the corner of his eye he saw a book seemingly pick itself up off a side table. "What in the world is going on here" he said turning to look at the floating book even as it floated across the room and put itself back in the book case.

For a second more nothing happened then the television remote picked itself up and the big plasma screen television on one wall turned itself on and flicked through a dozen channels before switching off and the remote putting itself down. By now everyone was more than a little confused.

So much so that they didn't notice when the big glass doors to the sundeck and swimming pool area opened and Brains accompanied by Fermat came in.

"G…g…good morning" Brains stuttered making everyone jump.

"Good morning Brains, Fermat" Jeff said as everyone turned to look at Brains and Fermat. Brains looked everyone he could see over and was relieved to see that they all still looked normal though the change Virgil had undergone was dramatic and startling. "Are you alright" Jeff asked.

"I'm fine" Brains replied.

"Me t…t…to" Fermat answered. "S…s…still feel n…n…normal." He hid his disappointment. He had been hoping to wake up this morning and find he had superpowers like Alan did.

Before anyone else could speak Brains jumped as he felt something blow in his ear.

"W…w…what the" Brains stuttered. "S…s…something blew in my e…ear."

From where he was standing Scott frowned just like everyone else he was wondering what was going on. What was causing all these ghostly events? He started to open his mouth to speak when for the second time today a sudden blinding pain tore through his head. As before Scott gasped from the sheer surprise of it closing his eyes against the pain. The pain got worse and Scott moaned in agony clutching at the sides of his head.

Everyone stared at Scott in concern especially as they could see pain on his face. It was immediately obvious that something else in Scott was changing but what it was they didn't know. Looking at Scott Gear contemplated quickly running upstairs and getting backpack. But somehow he knew that by the time he got back with backpack whatever was happening with Scott would have stopped.

Scott groaned again and then his eyes flew open and everyone was shocked when they began to glow in a similar fashion to way Alan's would glow when he used his water or ice abilities and the way Jeff, Alan, John and Gear had seen Gordon's eyes glow last night. But instead of glowing silver or blue with Alan and just blue with Gordon Scott eyes glowed with a pale reddish light.

Scott looked at his family and everyone else as the pain in his head faded away but he didn't seem them. Not properly anyway, instead of seeing them as he would normally he saw only humanoid shapes glowing brightly in different colours with the background a duller colour. It was like he was looking at them through a thermal image camera. He counted nine of them and blinked in surprise. There should only be eight of them with Gordon still upstairs. One of the imagines was paler than the rest and was almost indistinguishable from the background he was only able to see a faint thermal image.

That one person – if that's what it was – came over and Scott saw it reaching for a cushion presumably to throw or something. Scott reached out and grabbed the reaching arm around the wrist and held it hard.

"Ouch" Gordon's voice said. "Hey Scott let go, let go." Startled at hearing his brother's voice Scott blinked and abruptly the thermal image disappeared and he could see normal again to see he was holding something that to normal vision was completely invisible.

Everyone was surprised to see Scott holding something invisible so much that they barely noticed when the reddish glow disappeared from Scott's eyes. Scott felt an invisible hand bating at his arm trying to get him to let go.

"Scott let go" Gordon's voice said from thin air. "You're hurting me." As Gordon spoke his last word Scott felt a tingle run down the invisible arm and suddenly his hand passed right through and Scott pulled back startled.

"Whoa that was cool how did I do that" Gordon's voice said again.

"Gordon" Jeff said looking at the point where his second youngest son's voice seemed to be coming from. He realised immediately that invisibility was what Gordon's third power was and that all the strange ghostly things that had been happening since they'd come downstairs hadn't been the work of a poltergeist. Now they'd been the work of the Tracy family's resident trickster. "Show yourself. Enough pretending to be a ghost."

"Spoil sport" Gordon's voice answered. Then a section of the air rippled with rainbow colour in a human shape and turned into Gordon Tracy who was rubbing his right wrist where he had a bruise forming from where Scott had been holding him.

"You know Scott you've got a ferocious grip" Gordon said. "How did you see me anyway"

"I sort of saw your body heat" Scott answered. "I saw everyone like that. It was like I was seeing things through a thermal imaging camera."

"Maybe that's what the glow in your eyes indicated" Virgil suggested.

"What glow" Scott asked.

"Your eyes glowed like Alan's do when he uses his water and ice abilities except the glow in your eyes was red not silver or blue" Peter answered. Scott blinked surprised.

But before he could speak everyone heard the sound of running feet. They all turned to look at the open patio doors as Tin-Tin – in obvious emotional distress – came running in.

"Come quickly" Tin-Tin said in a frightened tone of voice. "We can't get my dad to wake up."