Dateline: Sunday, April 26, 1981, 6:51 AM, Pacific Daylight Time.

Violet awoke to the unusual sound of the Alpha Phone. That has to be the sheriff, she thought, but what could he possibly want at this hour? She answered it in haste.

"Python, we have a situation in the Sapphire Village again."

"Let me guess, it's Herr Cannon?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Wait. How is he able to use his cannon? I thought he still had a broken arm."

"He does, but you don't need two hands to plant a bomb."

"Oh my God! Please be with us today!"

"He's targeted a specific house, and has taken the sole occupant prisoner."

"What's the address?"

The sheriff told her, and she recognized it immediately. She dropped the phone and stared off into space for about three seconds.

"Python? Python, are you there?"

She grabbed the phone. "Yeah, I'm still here, and we're on the job." Violet hung up. "Hey, Dash! Dash, wake up!" There was no response. "Dash, don't make me get the bucket again!"

"I'm up!" he exclaimed. "I'll be ready for church in a few minutes!"

"Never mind that, where's Ashley?"

"Sleeping in my room, probably."

Violet cast her brother a look of confusion. "Why?"

"Because I wasn't using it? I don't know, ask her!"

Violet strode to Dash's room and found Ashley sleeping there in a fetal position. "Look alive, Blind Tracy! It's showtime!"

"Showtime at this hour? You gotta be kidding me! Besides, I can't face a villain in street clothes again!"

Almost as if on cue, the doorbell rang. When Violet opened it, June Mode was standing there.

"Special delivery for a young super known as Blind Tracy, one super suit ready for action!"

"Thank you," said Violet, "and not a moment too soon!" When June left, Violet opened the suit and got a good look at it. It was reminiscent of Syndrome, with a large white "T" for Tracy instead of an "S". And no cape, naturally. Violet aided Ashley in suiting up, and they headed for the door.

"Make sure nobody comes in here, okay, Dash?" said Python.

"Don't worry about me, short stuff!"

"You know I hate it when you call me that!"

"Yes, I do!" he said smiling.

On the way to the target, Python went over the strategy with Blind Tracy.

"I'm not sure I can do this," Blind Tracy whined.

"Ashley, we're superheroes. Doubt is a luxury we can't afford anymore."

"Like cable TV?"

"Yes, exactly like cable TV," Python said snickering. "Now, we can't afford to screw this up, because if we do, Alpha Force will be severely handicapped."

"How come? Who is this person that Herr Cannon is trying to kill?"

"It's our technologist, Carmen Peña, also known as Mirage."

"Mirage? Wasn't she…?"

"Yes, she was, but she works for us now, okay?"

"Okay."

"We're approaching the target. Ready?"

"Python, I was born ready!"

They climbed out of the car and walked forward to face their nemesis. Herr Cannon stood with his right arm still in a sling and his meteor-sized left hand gripped firmly around Mirage's wrists.

"Python! Don't worry about me!"

"Mirage, you're like family to me, and I'm going to rescue you!"

"A lot of good she'll be," said Herr Cannon, jerking Mirage wildly, "when that bomb I planted goes off! Then she'll be tech-less, homeless, and utterly useless! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!"

"And what do you plan to do after that?" asked Blind Tracy.

"After this, I'll wait awhile until my arm heals, then I'll be back up to…"

While Blind Tracy kept Herr Cannon occupied in conversation, Python turned invisible and sneaked into Mirage's house. She searched for 10 minutes and finally found the sucker in the living room, under the couch. The timer read 3:00, 2:59, 2:58…

"Rocket, this is Python, come in, do you read me?"

"This is Rocket, go ahead Python."

"Rocket, do you remember what Dad taught us about defusing bombs?"

"I sure do. You got a pair of scissors?"

Python projected a force field in the shape of a pair of scissors. "Got it."

"All right, you need to cut the red wire first, that will stop the timer."

Snip. The timer stopped at 2:25. "Check."

"Now cut the blue wire, and he won't be able to detonate it remotely."

Snip. "Wait, was that the dark blue wire or the light blue wire?"

"The dark blue wire, why?"

"Damn it! I cut the light blue wire!"

"You idiot! That's the special anti-meddling-kids wire!"

"Well what does it do?"

"If that wire gets cut, it activates a back up detonator! The bomb is gonna blow in 20 seconds, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!"

"The hell there isn't! I know a way! Python out!"

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

BOOM!

The bomb did go off…inside one of Python's force fields! Nothing was damaged; Mirage's house still stood. Now, she had to get back outside for phase two of the plan. She disappeared and sneaked back out onto the street, where Herr Cannon and Blind Tracy were still talking.

"I must admit, your new super suit looks great on you."

"Are you sure, it feels like it's a little revealing, you know what I mean?"

"Well, I suppose it should feel that wOW!" Herr Cannon screamed and dropped his hostage. He never saw Python run her knuckle up his back. Still invisible, Python leapt onto Herr Cannon's writhing body and proceeded to beat the daylights out of him. She reappeared and produced a dagger-shaped force field. She held it to his neck.

"I've already defused your little bomb, bud. Leave this woman alone, or I'll cut you to ribbons!" She really wouldn't, but the expression on her face made Herr Cannon believe she was serious. He scrambled to his feet, forcing Python to the ground.

"This isn't over!" he said fleeing the scene. "I will control the world, eventually!"

"Yeah, well, good luck with that! You'll need it!"

Mirage quickly got back on her feet. "Violet, you saved my life, and my livelihood. And who is this young person who reminds me of my old boss?"

"Oh, Mirage, this is Blind Tracy, our new member."

"How do you do, ma'am?" said Blind Tracy as she offered her right hand.

"Over here, Tracy!"

"Oh, sorry about that!"

"Well," Mirage said, "as long as you're here, I would like to show you something new I've been working on, and…"

"We'd love to see it, Carmen," interrupted Python, "but we can't right now. We have to go, or we're going to be late!"

"Late for what?" asked Blind Tracy.

"Church, of course! It's Sunday, remember?"

"Oh, yeah!"

And with that, the two able-bodied members of the Force drove back home.

(A/N: Whew! I thought I would never get this chapter finished. You see, my dad was serving in the Navy when I started writing this and he returned just after I finished chapter 20. I thought it would be kind of weird writing with my dad in the same room. Now, I can keep writing until I finish. Okay, Chapter 22 is under construction. Happy belated Independence Day!)