Aidan and Tony entered the lab and noticed two bottles at the opposite end of the room. There was a timer on each, with 90 seconds left on the dials. Making sure Tony was far away just in case the gas escaped, Aidan broke the timer and made sure the bottle didn't leak. She also made quick work of the other dial, but heard two shots ring out.

Tony grimaced at the pain in his gun hand from where Rutile's bullet grazed it. His gun itself had slid back about 7 feet. Rutile stood at the other end of the room, glowering. "So, you think you can destroy my plan, well, I have my bargaining chips," he said as he pulled Melissa into the room. Two other gunmen came in with Pam and Bill. Melissa was scared, but otherwise unharmed as were Pam and Bill, though they were all wincing at the sound of the alarm. "Now, this time, you are not going to do anything until Serpentine makes his decision. Then, everyone will get what they want."

"You..." Aidan said, stopping when the gunmen aimed their guns at her head. Hearing what Rutile said, they were more worried about what she could do over Bill and Pam, not knowing they were well versed in fighting themselves.

"Don't listen to them," said Bill. "These guys are nothing more than a buncha loons anyway. They're going to set those off whether or not Serpentine does anything."

Rutile smiled wickedly. "The ancient FBI agent thinks he's right... and he is. You do anything, I'll kill you and set the bottles off with my gun, and that will be an explosive finale for not only the school, but several blocks around here."

The two looked at each other and gave the other a subtle wink. "Fine," said Aidan, "But appearances can be deceiving." Just then, Aidan flipped the cape over her head and turned, quickly lowering the two gas bottles to where they lay flat on the ground and moved them out of firing range. Tony in turn dove for his gun, and ducking behind a desk, took a couple of shots. He aimed them at the chalkboard away from the doors, so as to look tough but not hurt Bill, Pam or Melissa. After shaking out of their surprise at Aidan's reaction, Rutile and the men shot at her head, but the cape kept the bullets from hitting her. Rutile's face paled slightly when he saw the odds were not in his favor anymore. He dragged Melissa out of the room and ran down the hallway with her in tow.

Finding the gunmen were more interested in firing at Aidan, Bill swung an elbow into the stomach of his gunman, then flattening him with a punch to the jaw. Ralph, who had missed Rutile leaving by about 30 seconds, came up from behind and struck Pam's gunman over the head with a dissection tray. Not bothered by the hit but still holding on to Pam, the gunman swung an arm back to try to hit Ralph and missed. When the gunman moved, Pam swung her leg up, the impact causing the man to groan in pain and release her. Ralph turned the gunman around and gave him a right cross, knocking him out. .

Seeing Rutile nowhere in the room, Tony turned to Aidan. "Get him Aidan," he said with a grin. "I've got these guys."

"With pleasure," Aidan said and headed out the door. She saw Rutile stop at the other end of the hallway, wrapping his arm around Melissa's neck and pointing his gun at Aidan. "Let me go girl or she'll die." Again, Aidan used telekinesis to remove the gun from his hands, shocking him. "It wasn't an accident, it's you... you did it. Well, let's see how fast you are to save your friend here." He then proceeded to squeeze Melissa's neck tighter...

Angered, Aidan started running, surprised to see she was picking up speed as fast as a racecar. Melissa eyes widened in shock before her eyelids fluttered and closed. Surprised at what he saw, Rutile dropped Melissa to try to get away, but Aidan and faster and hit him full force. When the two collided, both fell to the ground, but Rutile slid back and struck his head sharply against the wall. Aidan got up and shook her head, feeling as though she hit a linebacker, but all right otherwise. Moving over to the two prone forms, she checked both his and Melissa's vitals.

"How are they," said Tony as he, Ralph and Pam came up with their ears covered to drown out the sound of the alarm. Tony and Bill had handcuffed the other two gunmen, and Bill stayed in the room to keep an eye on them.

"He's a mackerel," she said bluntly. When Tony gave her a funny look, she shook her head. "Sorry, completely out cold, and yes, this time I'm sure. Should've made sure the first time. Melissa's all right, I think she just fainted from being in the headlock. 'Course, if she saw me running before it, I would too if I saw my teacher in red and a black cape unfurled running faster than lightning. Be like those dreams you had of your teacher being a witch."

Tony smiled and handcuffed the man. "Now, we need to find some way to explain this to Serpentine here so people don't think she's crazy when she comes to."

Aidan thought for a moment. "Well... I do have one idea. Just hope it doesn't act wacky again." She grabbed the suit's belt and buckle and concentrated. "Jeans, shirt and shoes," she said, and the suit changed to a 3/4-length sleeved red shirt with the emblem on the front tucked into black jeans with a red stripe down each side. The cuffs of the jeans brushed the tops of red hi-tops with gray trim. "All right, that's better, but come on, can't you change colors too?" she said sighing, then chuckling.

Pam was shocked to see the jammies change form, save the colors and the belt. Ralph, noticing Pam's reaction smiled. "Long story hun, but it's still the suit. Could be worse, could've been a bikini again."

"Bikini?" said Pam, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep, Pam, it did that, courtesy of a wild comment," said Aidan blushing. "And I can think of something else it could've done. Now..."

Just then, Melissa stirred and opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. "Miss Aidan, what are you doing here... Wait, I could've sworn I saw you run really fast at us and you were wearing a funny outfit..."

Aidan smiled softly and helped sit her up. "It's all right Melissa, you're safe. You just fainted is all, probably from the headlock and the stress of being held hostage. Agent Villacana here caught the guy before he could hurt you or me. Now, as far as my outfit, well, I decided to try and copy that designer's clothing line, the one with the sci-fi and superhero themes. Anyway, I think it's had mixed reactions so far, so it's more like a set of super-duds." She heard Ralph and Pam cough, trying not to laugh, but she didn't join in. Aidan stood up. "Listen, do you think you can walk?"

Melissa nodded and stood, only to stumble and groan. Aidan steadied her and chuckled. "I take that as a no. Listen, Agents Villacana and Maxwell here have to stay with the gunmen, but Mr. H and I can carry you out of here so your dad can see you're all right sooner... If that's all right Ralph."

Ralph gave her a hesitant look. "Sure, Aidan, so long as you're careful," he said, worried she'd inadvertently break his wrists when she grabbed them to make the two person chair. Looking at Ralph's face and realizing the problem, she gave a wink, signaling she'd be careful just in case strength did decide to work in the suit's morphed form.

"Tony, are you and Agent Maxwell going to be OK if we leave," asked Aidan as she and Ralph picked up Melissa. Ralph noticed Aidan kept a gentle grip on his wrists so as to not accidentally break them, but still had a good enough grip to not let their passenger fall.

"Yeah, I got him covered Aidan, he ain't goin' nowhere, though can you or Mr. H kill the alarm," he said. "I always hated fire drills. These sound worse than those at a dentist's."

"What, you don't like the sound? Always reminded me of a TV show... 'TV test patterns of the 1950s.'" she said wryly, also trying her best to not cuss out the alarm herself. Noticing the younger agent's grimace, she chuckled. "As you'd say, joke Tony. The fire department should turn it off shortly."

Tony rolled his eyes, but both smiled and Aidan and Ralph headed out of the school with Melissa and Pam following the three. Aidan and Ralph carried the student to one of the agents, who would take her to Judge Serpentine and set her down. "She's all right, just still a little dizzy after a fainting spell" said Aidan as the agent took Melissa's arm.

"Where are Villacana and Maxwell?" asked one of the agents. "Did good work, but I'm going to have to tell Maxwell he's retired... again."

"They're inside with Rutile and his men. Agent Villacana said to tell you all of the gunmen are in custody and the gas is secured," said Aidan. "As far as Agent Maxwell, he was coming to visit the school to talk about identity theft when the school was taken hostage. When it was, he just went back to his roots and helped Agent Villacana get the bad guys. If he didn't, who knows what would've happened." Ralph and Pam smiled, glad to see that she had the same technique for fooling people as Ralph did when he wore the suit.

The agent just nodded, realizing that had to have happened, but hearing stories about Bill, was going to make sure. Just then, Tony and Bill came out with Rutile and the other men, who were wearing straightjackets and shouting at Aidan, saying she was wearing a superhero suit. The agent turned to her, taking a closer look at her outfit and she shrugged with a grin. "I'm a bit eccentric... This is something I threw together," she said, a little bit sheepish.

Giving a courteous nod, as even he wondered what she was thinking when she put the outfit together, the agent told the other men and they continued on their way. He then turned to Melissa, handing her over to another agent. "Miss Serpentine, this gentleman will take you to your father now..."

Aidan walked over to Pam and Ralph and watched as Tony and Bill returned and began to talk with the third agent. At the moment, Bill was talking, almost arguing with the agent, who apparently was scolding him for being there. Tony was standing there listening to the two, trying to not laugh at the banter.

Ralph laughed and looked at the other two. "Well, I bet Bill's having fun trying to explain how he got into this scenario," he said. "I'd better go talk to the superintendent. Need to talk with him and the fire department and see what we need to do as far as school today."

Aidan nodded as Ralph left and turned to Pam. "Knowing my luck, the Sup will think I set it off with the acetylene torches again. Only happened once my first year teaching, and that's because it was cuttlefish casting day. It was sorta like when Ralph set the barbecue pit on fire... lots of smoke, and smelled like burnt chicken feathers."

Pam laughed. "Yeah, that was an odd day. Told him not to put so much lighter fluid on there if he was going to start it using the suit..."

"Oh no, Pam, please tell me I can't set things on fire too," groaned Aidan. When the judge nodded, Aidan sighed. "OK, remind me to ask Ralph how he did that so I know not to do it at school. Last thing I need is to have that happen in the jewelrymaking room. Bad enough I have to keep the flint strikers locked up, don't want become a walking one."

The two chuckled and watched as Tony and Bill wrapped up their talk with the agent and headed toward them. Ralph also finished up talking to the superintendent and headed back. Tony shook his head when he arrived. "Well, the agency thinks those creeps are loons after describing Aidan. They've put the bottles in a secure truck. Also, the agency cleared the school for continuing with school today."

"That's great Tony, but it'll probably be tomorrow before school starts up again," said Ralph.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I think the kids need to be with their parents after being in a hostage situation. The superintendent also agreed... And, we can't reset the alarms because Aidan decided to have a heavy fist. The firefighters said the power has to be turned off to stop them and they won't be repaired until later this afternoon. I told you to watch your strength, Aidan. You don't tone it down, I'll put you and the suit in detention."

"Sorry Ralph, reacting first doubled with the suit, bad mix obviously," she said as though she was in the principal's office being lectured, then chuckled. "Well... guess I'd better take another tutorial in strength 101."