FATR: Patience, Firestorm. There is no cartoon knowledge required, all relevant information will be worked into the story. The vast majority of information will be revealed in this very chapter. I had to make up a several things about Hardesky's life to fill in some gaps. The cartoon did not explain it, but I will, while I am filling in all of these other things the cartoon neglected to explain. I do not own the bit about him breaking into the lab to memorize the formula and witnessing the creation of captain America. I do not own the fact that the lab was destroyed by someone I can only guess is supposed to be a spy. I do not own the bit about him returning the rendevous point then hiding in a storm drain. Alright, now Stray. Doc Ock's accent is kind of hard to describe. I've tried to identify it myself, but it's really hard. I think it's sort of eastern European. Can anyone who's seen the cartoon give me a hand with this one? Perhaps you, Agent Silver? I'll keep trying to figure it out, Stray, but I'm so bad at turning accents into words I didn't even want to try this time (Refer to "Opening the Gate" to see what I mean). Also addressed to Stray: When will we see more of Zach? When will we see more of Blue Eyes? Huh? Huh? Thank you for reviewing. I suppose that is all. Back to Firestorm for a moment: Wow. That review was much longer and more specific than I would have expected. You put so much time into the review, I will break through my laziness barrier long enough to go back and fix some of the typos in my previous chapter. I may even fix chapter one of "Opening the Gate." Unfortunately, I am swamped with academic related business right now. I vow here, before everyone, that I will fix it on Friday the twelfth. You are all my witnesses. If I forget, beat me until I do it. And yes, L.L., Otto is a pervert. I'm glad you are amused by that fact. So... to the chip chip mobile!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I never had much growing up. My father was a great escape artist who managed to make a little money performing in streets and bars, but for the most part he was forced to steal. He was known anonymously throughout Europe for his daring break ins and almost supernatural escapes. He taught me just about everything I know today. During World War Two, three men came to our house. They told us they were with the American army and they needed someone to sneak into a top secret Nazi base, where they were working on a top secret weapon. The secret weapon was rumored to be a serum that could transform anyone who took it into a super soldier. The men needed someone small to break in, and I leaped at the chance. My father had his reservations, but I insisted. I wanted to make him proud, I guess. Besides, I had one thing my father didn't: a photographic memory.

I got to the building, climbed a tree to hop the fence, and entered through an air vent. They had shown me a map of the air vents before hand so I reached my destination relatively quickly. I found myself looking down at a lab where some scientists were preparing to immerse a young man in a vat of green liquid. When none of them were looking, I jumped down and found the black board with the formula written on it. With my mission completed, I was ready to hightail it out of there. I had just pulled the grate back into place when I heard something that froze me in my tracks. They were talking about defeating the axis powers. I had to turn and watch. What I witnessed was actually the creation of Captain America."

"Captain America?" Felicia gasped.

John nodded. "I went ahead and met the three men at the planned rendevous point. I'm not sure why I didn't just run home right then. I guess I still thought that it might just be a Nazi trick, naming their super soldier Captain America. When I asked the men why the axis powers would use that name, something about the looks on their faces tipped me off. I ran out of there and hid in a storm drain until the coast was clear. It was then that I vowed never to tell anyone about the serum."

"Couldn't they have just sent someone else in to steal it?"

"There was a German spy in the lab. I don't know if he was hired by the same men or if he acted of his own accord, but he smashed some computer banks in order to destroy the whole project. The lab exploded and the building burned to the ground that very night. I am the only living person who knows the secret, at least until Fisk forced it out of me."

There was silence while Felicia digested this. Maybe he was involved in the theft of the Ausbach fortune. She looked at him. Her reaction towards Jason when she had discovered he was actually the Hobgoblin came to mind. In fact, as she sat and stared at her father, it was almost as though she was waiting to feel the hate or the disgust. They never came. It was valiant of him to keep the secret so well for so many years. She hugged his arm and put her head on his shoulder. "You know there's nothing you could say that would make me stop loving you."

John studied his daughter warily, wondering what she was about to ask. He had tried to go straight, he really had, and he was ashamed of not being able to. "Of course."

"Before I was taken here, Dr. Octopus was blackmailing mother, over something called the Ausbach fortune."

John winced but nodded at his daughter to continue.

"He was threatening to expose some kind of connection she had to it."

John sighed. "Shortly after I escaped from the Nazis, they showed up at my house again, looking for me." I can remember it like it was yesterday, curse my photographic memory. He had seen them coming, a black car materializing out of the night, through his bedroom window. He had watched them get out and come up to the door, armed with guns. They had knocked oh so politely, but when his mother peeked out to see who it was they had not hesitated to kick in the door. There had been screaming, the men demanding to know where he was, and his parents insisting that he wasn't home. He had merely hid under his bed and listened to the horrible sounds below. The time passed unnaturally slowly as his heart pounded harder and harder. It was the gun shots that had sent him into flight. Being the trained acrobat he was, he had slipped out of his window and onto the roof. The Nazis rampaged through the house trying to find him. All John could do was flatten himself against the roof and pray that they wouldn't come out and look up. Then they had come out. He couldn't hear all of what was said but he had heard 'burn it down... can't have it, no one can.' One of them had lit a match. To this day he wasn't sure if his parents had been shot to death or burned to death, but it had been too dangerous for him to stay. So many things he remembered so well, yet all he said was, "If they couldn't have it, they weren't going to let anyone have it. I knew it wasn't safe for me to stay in Germany anymore. I ran away and continued to live in Europe for a few more years, under the name Hardy. I followed in my father's footsteps occupation-wise. When I was eighteen I met your mother, my sweet Anastasia, but that is a story for a different night.

We were not always rich. In fact, our first few years as newlyweds were some of the roughest years of my life. There was one pivotal moment in our lives that changed everything. I found out Anastasia was pregnant, with you, kitten. I didn't want your life to be as difficult as mine was growing up, so I planned one last robbery. The mother of all robberies, bigger than anything I had previously attempted. I was going to break into the most heavily guarded vault in my city. I was going to steal the Ausbach fortune. It went off smoothly, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I was caught. Your mother and I fled to America, where we started a new life as the wealthy Hardy family and established the Hardy Foundation. For years after that I kept a low profile, swearing to myself that I would go straight, for your sake as well as your mother's. The night wouldn't stop calling me, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it." He covered his face. "I'm so ashamed. I wanted to be a better role model than my father, but I just couldn't..."

So my family's wealth, the wealth Jason was after, was also ill-gotten. Perhaps Jason and I could have been perfect for each other. Both of us have social statuses built on thievery and trickery. At that moment, however, she felt that reassuring her father of her unconditional love was more important than her own issues. Perhaps she would discuss them later. "But you are a good role model, daddy. You kept the formula secret for so long, and you were ready to face anything to do it."

"I ultimately failed to keep that vow, too," John sighed.

There was silence. Then, "Daddy? Where have you been the past fifteen years?"

He wanted to tell her everything, about how the top secret government organization S.H.I.E.L.D. had taken him into custody to protect the secret stored in his head, but he couldn't. "I... That is a... a matter of national security. I cannot go into detail. It hurt me more than anything to have to leave my family, but I had no choice."

Felicia bit her lip and contemplated this. "I... I understand, but-"

The door swished open, interrupting her. Three armed guards stood in the door way in a triangular formation. The one in the front spoke. "The girl is coming with us."

Felicia had never felt so ordered around in her life. Tonight was shaping up to be an odd one, and she had a feeling this was only the beginning. She wanted to snap at them, resist them, but they had guns. She didn't even know if they really needed her alive or not. Felicia rose to her feet slowly but John grabbed her arm.

"No. I won't let you take her."

The two men in the back cocked their weapons for trouble. The one in front continued with his role of speaker. "We have our orders."

John stood up to protest again but Felicia cut him off. "It's okay. I'll be fine." She smiled reassuringly over her shoulder. I only wish I felt as confident as I'm trying to look. Her father didn't answer out loud but he nodded and backed down. Felicia squared her shoulders, held her chin high, and walked out.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FATR: LadyKayoss has reviewed since I typed the beginning, so I will add a little message here for her. I know, Otto was only in the end of "The Black Cat" for, like, a minute. I mean, what the heck was that about? I'm not quite sure how I'm going to treat that yet, but I'm working on it. And yes, I think it would be great to see, too. Perhaps if we track down and petition the creators? See you all next time.