Notes: I don't own Ralph or Pam Hinkley, Bill Maxwell, Tony Villacana, Rhonda or Holly Hathaway as they are Stephen Cannell's creations. Aidan Hinkley is my own character as are any created characters in the story. First chapter is set during the time of "The Greatest American Heroine," Chapters 2 onward, 20 years later. Story rated T for some violence and language. Thanks to Lauren, Ms B, and Derek for beta'ing.
--------------------------------------
August, 1986
Bill Maxwell was having a rough time fighting a local drug ring. He was at a warehouse near the ocean and members of the ring were shooting at him. He found refuge behind a set of boxes filled with various narcotics and nerve gases just before they started firing. Looking around, Bill frowned when he realized he needed the suit's help, but had yet to hear from her.
'Geesh, Ralph was never this slow in responding to a scenario,' Bill thought as he reached for his communicator. "Holly, will you get a move on, these guys have me pinned down and I need backup as soon as possible."
"Right, coming," said Holly over the communicator just as gunfire rang out again. Bill ducked behind the boxes, hoping they didn't shoot the boxes so much he ended up under the influence of what was inside.
As he pulled back the hammer to fire another shot at the gang, he listened for any movement or gunfire. Instead, he heard the telltale sound of someone about to crash land flying and ducked. Holly crashed through the side window and landed in a tumble. The gunmen stopped firing long enough to stare at a woman in funny longjohns and a cape before shooting again. "Sorry I'm late Bill," she said.
"Never mind that, get these bozos," shouted Bill. Holly nodded and quickly dispatched the gunmen. "See, simple," she said. "But Bill, you've really got to stop fighting these guys. I mean, we've also got to stop those seal hunters in Alaska. You know. ..."
"That's terrific, Holly, and we'll get to that shortly. Now, do you think you can help tie these guys up before they come to?" said Bill with his teeth clenched in a tight smile. 'She's still getting on my nerves. Six months since Ralph had to hand her the suit and I'm still dealing with Pollyanna,' he thought.
As he was tying up the last of the gunmen, a man in the rafters looked over the barrel of his rifle and took aim at Bill. Holly glanced up and saw the man. "Look out Bill," shouted Holly and Bill turned around to see the man take aim. Holly took three steps and jumped and the man, shocked to see Holly fly, pulled the trigger, hitting Bill. Holly heard the shot ring out and knocked out the gunman before he had time to shoot again. After crushing the gun, Holly looked down and saw Bill lying on the floor, unmoving.
"Bill," she said in shock and again took flight, landing next to the man. She looked at his injuries and saw him stir. In his delirium, he could've sworn Holly's physical appearance had changed, but before he could respond, he felt darkness closing in again. "Bill, come on, keep your eyes open. Don't pass out on me again..." she insisted. ...
--------------------------------------------------
"Bill, come on partner, wake up, don't pass out on me again," urged Ralph, shaking Bill's shoulder and smiled when he saw the agent stir again. Ralph had just finished tying up the leader of the drug ring that he and Bill had been dealing with for the past two weeks with a tire iron when he saw the sniper behind the boxes take aim at Bill. Unfortunately, the man was able to take a shot and though Ralph kept him from killing Bill, the bullet grazed the agent, knocking him out.
Bill groaned as he started to open his eyes. "Holly, you nitwit, why did you let those guys hit me," he said groggily.
"Holly? Bill, who the hell's Holly," said Ralph with a confused look. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. "This is Ralph Hinkley you're talking to. You know, your favorite schoolteacher who wears the dumbest suit this side of the galaxy?"
Bill blinked a couple of times and looked up to see Ralph, wearing the jammies, look back at him with concern. "That you kid? What's going on?"
"I wasn't able to completely stop the sniper, and he got you. You've been out for a few minutes," he said. "Didn't think I'd get such a strange comment from you when you woke up though."
The FBI agent shook his head and, with some assistance from Ralph, sat up. "Yeah, sorry kid, you won't believe this, but I dreamed I was partnered up with a dame, Holly Hathaway. ..."
"Holly Hathaway? Bill, please tell me you're not still having that dream," said Ralph with a groan, finally remembering the connection. For the past few months, Bill had been having dreams of a woman taking over the suit from Ralph, and it'd been Holly. Ralph had the same dream one time when he had considered using the suit to become a celebrity instead of being an ordinary schoolteacher. Confused, the two went to Palmdale to talk to the green guys. They said the dream was a warning of what could happen if Ralph and Bill were not careful using the suit. Though Ralph hadn't had the dream again and pretty much forgotten about it, Bill would get it on and off again, especially if he was wounded.
"Yeah, kid, I am, but for some reason this one changed," said Bill. "It wasn't Holly, well not exactly. At first it was but she changed."
"Changed, how?"
"Well, before I woke up, she looked different. Her features were blurry but I know her voice and hair color changed," said Bill. "Last thing I saw was a pendant with some sort of funny markings. She's never had those traits or wore a necklace in my dreams."
Ralph frowned. "Bill, you were grazed by a bullet and knocked out," he said, changing into his street clothes. "More than likely, your dream changed because of that. Now, the police will be here in a couple of minutes, and you are going to the hospital and have that injury checked out."
Bill stood up, brushing off Ralph's offer to help and took a step. "Come on kid, I'm sturdy as a tree..." he started before he stopped in his tracks and felt the world grow dark ...
Ralph, noticing Bill go ashen and start to crumple, caught the man and picked him up in a fireman's carry. "Yeah a weeping willow," said Ralph. "Now, since it's obvious you can't stand up without nearly passing out, I think you're going to go to the hospital."
"All right, all right, I'll go. But I don't haveta like it," grumbled Bill, recovering. Ralph only chuckled and carried him to a nearby chair. After sitting him down, Ralph looked at Bill and put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, Bill, I want you to know something. This Holly dream you're having, it's just that, a dream," said Ralph simply.
Bill started to say something, but Ralph put a hand up. "Nope, let me finish. We both have been tempted to use the suit many times for reasons other than good, but we won. You, me and Pam are going to stay a team until the green guys want us to hand over the suit to retire as a team, and not because of something dumb like egoism, OK?"
The older man looked at Ralph and smiled. "Yeah, kid I hear ya. We're a team, always have been since that day five years ago in the desert. Now, sounds like the police van's here, so why don't we get these guys off to jail and me to the hospital before I drop. Nothing's more embarrassing than having your friend carry you into the hospital ... and you do that too much."
Ralph chuckled and patted the man on the back, realizing that Bill put the events behind him...
