Don't own these characters you know.

Part 3

Two months had already passed since they had met Warren at Mr. Boomski's Christmas party. The young teen had fully wormed his way into both Layla's and Will's heart. Warren's unassuming personality and quiet nature made Will wish to protect him as if he was a younger brother. Both, or at least one of them, would secretly bring Warren food in the evening. They were extremely careful not to get caught so that no harm would come to their new friend. Layla and Will couldn't wait until they were able to get Warren out from under the hatefulness of Mr. Boomoski.

However, Will was getting a little agitated. His parents had been extremely busy with emergencies across the globe and kept promising to look into the Vills situation, but had not followed through as of yet.

"I wish they would hurry up," Will thought to himself, "Vills are losing their lives daily and Warren only has four more months to go before his Disappearance Day."

The ringing of the phone pulled Will from his thoughts.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver.

"Will, Honey. It's your mom," Josie Stronghold's said to her son, "Your dad and I are going to be late getting home tonight. We have to track a train that may be transporting illegal weaponry."

"Fine," Will said understanding, "Mom? Have you and Dad checked into the Vills system yet? The campaign is not going well since the public does not believe that there is actually a 'Disappearance Day.' We could really use some actual proof."

"Not yet," his mother said, "I promise we will check into it soon as possible."

"But Mom," Will protested, "If you don't do something soon, Warren is going to die."

"You are still worrying about Warren?" Will's mom asked her son.

"Yes," Will said sadly, "I really like him Mom. I don't want him to die. He is no older than I am. Wouldn't you fight to keep me alive?"

"Oh course I would Honey!" she said sincerely, "I promise you that your dad and I will check into the Vills before the month ends. I give you my word. Goodnight Baby."

"Goodnight Mom," Will said automatically and then thought to himself, "You have never let me down before. Please keep your promise so that I can help Warren. He deserves better than what he is getting."

O.O

Josie Stronghold, known as the Super Hero Jetstream, and her husband Steve Stronghold, known as The Commander, were worn out and ready for this mission to be over with. They had been tracking a train that was supposed to be transporting illegal weaponry. The train had switched tracks several times and they had to backtrack on more than one occasion.

"I wish we'd find the blasted thing," Steve said irritably, "I'm sick of dangling from your grip as we fly all over the damn country. This is very uncomfortable."

"Well, I'm tired of carrying you. You weigh a ton," Josie snapped, "You need to lay off of the sweets. You've gained some weight."

"It is new muscle," her husband whined as he twisted his head to look up at his wife, "I've been working out more."

"Yeah," Josie joked, "Lifting brownies up to your mouth."

"Well…you make good brownies," Steve pouted making Josie stifle laughter that was desperately trying to escape.

"How about if you show some discretion?" she offered gently as her husband nodded his head in agreement.

"You know I always pack on some holiday weight," Steve sighed, "I guess I'll have to go on a little diet, but don't tell Will. He'll never let me live it down."

"Oh, I won't," Josie said giggling, "It'll be our little secret."

"Thank you," her husband said sarcastically before stiffening in her grip, "There's the train! Get me to the front and drop me on the tracks."

Jetstream located the train and quickly caught up with the locomotive. She dropped The Commander in the train's path and watched as he used his super strength to stop the engine in it's tracks.

"What's going on here?" the engineer demanded, "We have a load to drop off. You are going to make us late."

"We are Jetstream and The Commander with the United Nations of Supers," Josie informed the man as her husband jogged up to join her, "We have the authority under the United Nations to search this train for shipping violations."

"Be my guest," the engineer snapped, "We are a government issued train and have legal orders to ship our cargo. You can go see for yourself."

The husband and wife searched each car and found nothing remotely resembling weaponry of any sort. The train seemed to be shipping building supplies and food rations. The last four cars had "Live Cargo" stamped on the doors. Josie and Steve shared a look of confusion.

"Why is a government train shipping animals?" Steve asked as he reached to open the door to the car.

"I have no idea," Josie said before gasping in shock, "Oh Lord!"

The dark car was filled with young teenage children of both genders. The children were crammed into the cars and heavy chains led from the metal collars around their necks to a horizontal pole that ran down the center of the car. The children blinked in the dim light that spilled from the open door and the husband and wife duo openly gaped at the signs of abuse and starvation on the younglings' bodies. They were all clearly Children of the Vills

"They're no older than Will," Steve said in a shocked voice.

"Boy," Josie said to a nearby teen, "What is going on here? Where are you being taken?"

"It is time for our Disappearance Day Mistress," the young man said respectfully, "We have all reached the age of sixteen. None of us know where we are being taken, we just know that it is our time."

"Time for what?" Steve asked fearing what he would hear.

"It is time for us to die Master," a young girl said softly, "We won't have to hurt anymore."

The last three cars revealed more young Vills chained like animals. Outraged, Josie and her husband stormed back up to the engineer.

"What the hell is going on here?" Steve demanded lifting the man by his shirt front, "Why do you have children in those cars? Where are you taking them?"

"We take them to a government facility," the engineer choked out, "The Vills are disposed of and their bodies are cremated. This is a legal program."

"No it is not," Josie said like a momma bear protecting her cubs, "The government would not allow this to happen. The Vills system was supposed to protect the children and remove the opportunity for them to go bad."

"Well this is a sanctioned program by the government. What better way to keep the Vills from turning bad than to eliminate them," the man said, "Check the orders yourself. The radio is behind you."

The Commander dropped the disgusting man and quickly checked with the authorities. He took no notice that his wife had disappeared.

"Oh my God," Steve breathed out, "He's telling the truth."

"What?" his wife asked coming back into the engine room.

"We have been given the orders not to interfere. Those children are all to be taken and disposed of tonight. Will was right."

"We can't leave these children," Josie begged.

"We have no other choice," her husband said sadly.

Jetstream picked up her husband and flew away from the horrible situation.

"We will help all Vills," Josie vowed to her husband, "I went back and gave those children the food rations we found on the train. I also took pictures of the children and how they were treated. We will reveal these atrocities to the public. The people won't stand for this."

O.O

The Commander and Jetstream went public with their findings much to Will and Layla's delight. Unfortunately, the public met them with mixed views. Half of the people were outraged and joined the campaign to end the Vills program and stop the killing of innocent children. The other half of the population was either apathetic or felt that the elimination of "Villain Spawn" was a just way to keep more Super Villains off the streets. This was going to be an interesting battle to say the least.

"Things have got to go faster," Will said desperately to Layla as they walked to visit with Warren and bring him so more food, "Warren doesn't have that much longer. I won't let him die."

"I know Will," Layla soothed her distraught boyfriend, "My mother is trying to get an appeal. This will freeze the whole Vills system until a ruling is made."

"How quickly will she be able to get one?" Will asked.

"I don't know," Layla said sadly, "The government is not happy that Supers are interfering in the Vills system. She is trying to go through a lot of red tape."
"This sucks!" Will said angrily as they reached Mr. Boomoski's residence.

Both Layla and Will snuck around to the back of the property and quickly slipped into Warren's tool shed. Warren sat on his pallet of blankets diligently working on something.

"Hello young Mistress and Master," Warren greeted looking up at the two.

Will and Layla gasped when they saw that one side of the young man's face was painfully bruised and one eye was nearly swollen shut.

"What happened?" Will demanded kneeling down and inspecting Warren's face.

"Master Boomer is not happy that someone started a campaign to end the Vills program. He feels that it is a direct attack on his person," Warren said sadly, "He grew even more angry when he saw that the Stronghold's had joined the campaign. The Master took out some of his frustrations on me. Don't worry, it doesn't feel as bad as it looks. This campaign will cause Vills a lot of troubles."

"Warren. Aren't you glad that there is a campaign trying to help the Vills?" Layla asked handing Warren the prepared plate, "Wouldn't you rather be free?"

"I don't know. How would I be free Mistress?" Warren asked softly, "I am not sure that my mother is still alive. Who would take in someone who had once been a Vills? What could I do with my life?"

"You could live with me," Will said instantly, "You are the closest to a brother that I have ever had. And as for what you would do in your life; you could do whatever you want to do. You could be a Super Hero if you have powers, you could be a doctor, and you could be a lawyer or just about anything. I'd help you!"

"Thank you Master Will, but my Disappearance Day is too close," Warren said regretfully, "I will leave you and you will hurt. I never wanted that for you. I knew that nothing good would come of you and Mistress Layla getting to know me."

"I won't let you die," Will insisted, "When a Stronghold makes a promise, it is kept. I will…"

"Master, you are a Stronghold?" Warren interrupted with a stunned face.

"Yeah," Will said realizing too late his blunder, "I didn't want to tell you the first night we met. I didn't want you to hate me since it was my parents that took down The Baron."

"I…I don't hate you Master Will," Warren said earnestly, "I am just surprised. My father made the decision to be a villain and your parents did what they had to save others. Are you and Mistress Layla working on the campaign with your parents as well?"

"Yes Warren," Layla said happily, "We are going to help free all the Vills. We won't let anything happen to you."

"There are something's in the world that you cannot keep from happening," Warren said looking up at the only two friends that he had ever had in all his years as a Vills, "No matter what happens, please know how much I appreciate everything that you have done for me."

Everyone sat in uncomfortable silence as Warren began to nibble on the food they had brought for him.

"Warren? What is this?" Will asked touching what looked like the beginnings of a small rag doll.

"I am beginning my Memory Doll," Warren answered.

"What is a Memory Doll?" Layla asked curiously.

"I will show you when it is done," Warren said, "Every Vills is allowed to make one as his or her Disappearance Day draws near. I will show you the Memory Doll's significance when I am done."

"Boy! Get in here now! Mr. Boomoski is hollering for you! Hurry!" the cook's voice shouted from the back door.

"I have to go," Warren said handing the food back to his friends and leaving quickly.

Will and Layla tried to wait for Warren to return, but as it grew later, they realized that he wasn't going to be coming back out of the house anytime soon. They hid the rest of the food in a tool box that the three of them had rigged up to place food into if Warren wasn't able to meet them out in his shed.

"I hope he will be okay," Layla whispered as they snuck from the Boomoski residence.

"I do too," Will said sadly, "I do too."

O.O

Warren hurried into the house and practically ran to get to his master's side. When Master Boomer was on a rampage, you do not keep him waiting.

"Master," Warren said as he entered the room, "How many I be of service to you?"

"Do you know what those spineless cretins are saying on the streets?" Mr. Boomoski hissed ignoring the young Vills question.

"No Master," Warren said keeping his gaze down.

"They are saying that Vills like you deserve rights. That you are being mistreated," his master said angrily, "Do you feel that you are being mistreated?"

"No Master," the young teen said quickly, "I appreciate all that you have done for me. You have every right to treat me as you see fit. You are my Master."

"EXACTLY!" Master Boomer bellowed at one of his softer ranges causing Warren to still have to take several steps backwards to stay upright, "Vills are nothing. They should appreciate what they are given. When I find out who is responsible for revealing to the Strongholds about Disappearance Day they will regret being born. I will not lose my position in the government because of a bunch of Vills!"

Warren remained silent and waited to see what further actions his master would take. The teen feared that if he moved Master Boomer would demand to know if he knew who had told the Strongholds."

"Where have you been?" his master demanded of him suddenly.

"In my shed Master," Warren softly replied, "I was preparing my Memory Doll."

"So you don't have some fairy tale dream that you will bypass your Disappearance Day?" Mr. Boomoski demanded, "You have accepted that you will be disposed of as I see fit?"

"Yes Master," the Vills said.

"Good boy," his master purred patting the young man on the head and leaving him with the feeling of being unclean, "Tell the cook you have permission to have a piece of bread."

"Yes Master," Warren said backing up slowly to the door, "Thank you Master."

"When you eat your bread, I want you to clean the whole house for me by tomorrow morning," Master Boomer said grinning maliciously, "And be sure not to disturb my sleep."

"Yes Master," Warren said downhearted knowing that further punishment awaited him in the morning since he would not be able to get a house this size cleaned in only a few hours.

To be continued…

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