'Uhhhh,' groaned Kali. She tried to sit up but her body was too heavy so she had to lie back down again.

'Don't try to move just yet dear,' said Nurse Spex as she bustled over to Kali's bed.

'What happened?' she asked blearily. Her head was spinning.

'Well you and Mr. Peace had a little confrontation that got slightly out of hand. You managed to knock each other unconscious. He's awake now though,' replied the Nurse checking Kali's eye movements.

'Oh yeah…' said Kali as she remembered the fight. 'So what time is it now?'

'It's almost the end of school. You are and Mr. Peace are fine to fly so if you just wait until the bell you can go to the busses together.'

'Um, no, if it's all the same I'd rather not wait. I need to get something from my locker,' she said as she desperately tried to avoid spending any time at all with Warren. She could feel him staring at her.

Everyone said he was batting for the good guys but blood is thicker than water and all that and if he knew her dad was looking for his dad then that was more than she did and she wanted some answers. If he wanted to help his dad then he might try to use her for something and she definitely didn't want to risk that. As soon as she was disconnected from the machines she grabbed her stuff and almost flew out of the ward before Warren had chance to say anything to her though she could feel his gaze burning into her back.

'Now what was all that about?' muttered Nurse Spex to herself.

Kali burst in the front door calling for her mother. On the bus ride…flight, she wasn't sure what is was, she had managed to work herself up into a near frenzy over her whole father issue.

'What is it dear?' asked her mother calmly walking in from the kitchen.

'Dad is out looking for Barron Battle!' exploded Kali.

The expression on her mother's face switched from mild to shocked and angry in a matter of seconds.

'Who told you that? And don't stand shouting it with the front door open! God knows who could overhear!' she hissed, dragging Kali into the front room and sitting her firmly down on the sofa.

'So it's true then?' she retorted angrily. 'And why couldn't you tell me this?'

'Yes, it is true and the only reason I didn't tell you was that your father made me promise not to. What he's doing is very secret and very dangerous and possibly illegal! Can you see why he didn't want you to know? The less people the better.'

'And am I some stranger on the street? If he's doing stuff that could put me in danger I think I have a right to know! I'm his daughter in case you'd forgotten! What if I was attacked in the street by one of Barron's henchmen? I wouldn't have a clue what was going on? Could you really live with that?' she shouted.

Her and her mother rarely rowed but when Kali got started it took a long while for it to burn out.

'And that I had to hear this from Barron Battle's son! My god if he knows why the hell couldn't I?'

Her mother took a step back, shocked. Her voice was concerned.

'Wait, you met Barron's son? When did this happen? Is that how you got knocked unconscious?'

'He's at Sky High mom. We had power perfection together. It got a little out of hand…it's nothing, I'm fine. Anyway,' she snapped, 'stop changing the subject! This isn't about a knock on the head. It's about you and dad lying to me. So why is he after Barron Battle then?'

'Kali, I can't tell you. I'm sorry darling but your dad and I decided it was for the best. If you ever were to get kidnapped, God forbid, you need to have no knowledge of what is going on. There are so many ways to tell if someone if lying these days that we didn't want you to have to lie and then be found out.'

Kali stared hard at her mother. Much as she hated to admit it, her mom had a point. Plausible deniability was always a good thing.

'So am I ever going to see Dad again?' she asked in an accusing manner.

'I don't know sweetie,' said her mom, her voice tired and full of emotion. 'I hope so, I just don't know when that will be. Even I haven't seen him since the move and I worry so much.' Tears leaked out from her eyes.

Kali hugged her mom. She didn't know what her dad was doing looking for Barron Battle but she guessed it must be something pretty serious to make her mom so upset. She never cried it seemed. She was always perky and if something went wrong she would be moody but she'd never cry. She didn't cry when a villain who wanted the location of the Ministry for Heroes killed her sidekick right in front of her. She dealt retribution on his ass but didn't cry about it.

'So, sweetie,' her mom said, brushing the tears from her face. 'How was the rest of your day?''

Kali laughed and sank back on the sofa. She was glad her mom was back to normal. After she filled her in on all the details they flicked on the tv and hopped channels until they came to the news.

'And in this special broadcast we bring you news of a battle raging downtown. It appears that Desperando, whose vigilanti antics have not gone unnoticed, is attacking the villain Aegean in his latest assault since Monday. We join Dave in the helicopter to tell us more…'

Kali stared at the screen for a moment and then switched it off. The silence was oppressive.

'Mom, is that Dad?' she asked, not quite daring to believe what she was seeing. Her dad had never sought out villains unnecessarily. He'd gone when he was called for, like every superhero, but to go out and find them in some crazy kamikaze style was not him.

'Yes, that is your father. Never have I been so grateful that you don't watch the news. He's been on every day since we moved here attacking these villains almost randomly it seems.'

'But it probably isn't random. Dad is too logical to just attack villains randomly in the hope of finding Barron Battle. You should know that,' said Kali.

'I thought I did know that but it seems I don't even know your father anymore. He's a completely different person. Agitated, excitable, not the collected man I once knew.'

'Mom…'said Kali, 'isn't Barron Battle in jail anyway? Why is Dad out looking for him when everyone knows he's in Maxville Penitentiary for a good many years?'

'I don't know, Kali. I don't know anything anymore and I would really appreciate it if you stopped asking questions now. My head is killing me and I need to put dinner on,' replied her mother, getting up from the sofa.

'Mom! I think this is slightly more important than whatever we're eating for dinner! We need to talk about this!' shouted Kali, outraged.

'Not right now, sweetie. If you can find your father, ask him these questions. I can't tell you any more.'

And with that her mother wandered back into the kitchen, leaving an incensed Kali in her lounge, fuming at her mother, father and Warren Peace. Why does he know things she doesn't when she is clearly one of the good guys!

Right, she thought, if no one is going to tell me what is going on around here, I'm going to find out for myself.

And with that she stomped upstairs and opened up her laptop. Never had she been so grateful for the Internet. It didn't take long to find the names of the villains her dad had attacked recently and when she searched them in the Hero/Villain database she found something that made all the blood drain from her face…

A/N: lol evil author I know but hopefully you forgive me for not updating! But please review!