Dateline: Sunday, July 5, 1981, 7:37 PM, Parisian Standard Time.
Ashley couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She was given an assignment where she wasn't expected to do much of anything. They said they needed her because her powers were mental. But she knew the truth; they were giving her an easy job because she was blind.
Not that Ashley wanted a difficult job, per se, but she was a little upset that she was being treated differently form her teammates because of her disability. She was no different than they were, right? Her blindness didn't make her a less powerful superhero, did it? She couldn't disagree with the fact that she would be more powerful if she could see, but did that really matter?
"Good luck, ma'am," said the chopper pilot as Ashley stepped out. She could hear the whirlybird lifting off the ground and flying away.
"Wait, how am I supposed to get down from here? Don't leave me here all by myself!" But he was long gone. Ashley was petrified. "Mommy!" she screamed in a childlike impulse. Then she started to hyperventilate.
"Erschrecken Sie nicht, Fraulein. Ich werde sich helfen!" (Translation: Don't panic, Miss. I'm here to help!)
But hearing a strange German voice only made her panic more. "Who's there? What do you want?"
"Es tut mir lied, dass ich keine Englisch sprecke." (Translation: I'm sorry that I don't speak any English.)
Oh, perfect! Ashley thought. The only person who can help me out probably doesn't even speak any English!
"Wunderbar! Das verstage ich!" (Translation: Wonderful! I understood that!)
"Um, I don't speak English, whoever you are!"
Silence. A horrible, frightening silence. Then…
Can you understand me now?
That's weird. I can hear this guy thinking in English, but when he speaks, all I hear is German.
It seems that you can hear my thoughts in English, while I hear yours in German.
Are you a telepath too?
No, you're just thinking outloud.
Oh…
My name is Holger, and I was sent by the ELS to help you out, Miss Cohen.
After a quick scan of his brain waves, Ashley decided it was okay to trust him.
Okay, first things first, he thought-spoke to her, let's get you into that super suit.
After suiting up and climbing down the stairs, Holger escorted Blind Tracy to the site where Five-Alarm Jim was causing a scene.
Um, Holger, could you remind me why I was selected to vanquish Fiver Jim?
Munich police couldn't reason with him, because he can't speak, and they couldn't subdue him with brute force because his powers are too strong. They're hoping you'll be able to attack him mentally.
Okay, so I'll go in there, read his mind, see why he's doing what he's doing, and then we can root out the problem, is that it?
Sounds like a plan to me.
Okay, here I go…
Miss Cohen, you're not moving.
Give me a push, Blind Tracy thought-spoke weakly.
Holger placed both hands on her back and started walking. Still a little nervous, Blind Tracy entered the not-yet-burning-but-probably-about-to-get-that-way building where the fire-starter maniac was.
From what she could hear, there were many people inside the building. She formed a makeshift megaphone from her hands and shouted, "Attention people of Munich! I am Blind Tracy, and I am here to negotiate with the pyromaniac!"
Who is this new super? Thought the group as a whole, and why doesn't she speak German?
"Oops." Blind Tracy reiterated herself in thought-speech so they could understand her.
Oh, woe is we! The only one who can save us can't even see!
Hmm, tough crowd. All right, which one of you is Fiver Jim?
Yes, someone thought, she'll never find out that it's me, because I can't speak! And even if someone gives me away, I can sneak away from her!
Unless she can read your mind and deduce who you are by your thought waves, right? Surrender Fiver Jim.
When he realized that he was found out, he panicked. Quickly, he shot a wall of flames right at the fiery redhead. Blind Tracy knew this was coming, and she could feel the heat bearing down on her. The only thing she could think of to do was to use her telekinesis to divert the fire. She tried her best, concentrating on returning the attack to its source. Although she couldn't see it, Blind Tracy could feel the nearby temperature falling, and she assumed that the fire was sailing back toward Fiver Jim. He screamed like a little girl, and understandably too. Using his power, he managed to snuff the flames.
What the hell was that for? he wondered, are you trying to kill me?
No, Blind Tracy thought-spoke; I'm trying to protect the public. Now, please tell me, why are you doing this?
Fiver Jim wouldn't say. Instead, he shot a fireball right at her. She could have diverted it again if she wanted to, but she just didn't think that far ahead. She ended up dodging the flame, allowing it to burn a hole in the wall.
All right, wise guy, she thought to herself, if you're not going to tell me, I'm going to drag it out of you! Blind Tracy focused all of her psychic energy on Fiver Jim's brain, hoping to root out the cause of this guy's rage. Well, she found a lot of rage, but no cause. And the worst part was, she was so caught up in reading her enemy's mind that she didn't notice another fiery assault coming until it had already hit her!
"YAHHHHHHHH! Hot, hot, hot, hot!" she screamed. Thanks to E's engineering, her body wasn't on fire. However, her hair sure was. She started running around like a maniac. Then she remembered the whole stop, drop, and roll schtick that she had heard a thousand times since she was two. Blind Tracy lied down on the ground and started to roll…until she bumped into something. "Ouch!" After that, she continued to roll until she felt the flames disappear. Blind Tracy ran her fingers through her hair to make sure there was not too much damage.
Dejected, she got back up. This time, she had a plan. She would use her telekinesis to form a pseudo-force field around herself while she picked Fiver Jim's brain. While the enraged fire starter hurled blaze after blaze (only to see each one deflected into the walls), Blind Tracy, that fabulous mind reader, managed to find the source of his aggression.
As it turned out, Fiver Jim thought that the whole world hated him, on account of he didn't know how to speak, and also because of his firepower. (No pun intended.) Blind Tracy promised him that if he stopped burning down buildings, she would find someone who might help him with the former of the two. After seeing that his powers were ineffectual against her, he agreed.
She escorted the reluctant pyro out of the building. While the fire department put out the now towering inferno, the police were planning to arrest Fiver Jim. But Blind Tracy managed to intercede on his behalf.
So, she thought to them all, Mr. Five-Alarm here isn't evil, he's just misguided.
The police assured Blind Tracy that everything would be taken care of. After that, she ducked into a nearby phone booth to dress out.
"Well, that was quite a hot time," she said outloud, "but now that I have that out of the way, I can enjoy being in Munich. I wonder what the others are doing?"
Just as soon as she said that, she heard Vi and Dash talking over the radio, swapping stories.
"You think we should check on the others?" asked Violet.
"Nah, they might be in the heat of battle already," said Dash.
"Or they might be finished with their assignment, huh?"
"Ashley?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, it's your mother, of course it's me!"
"Now, there's no need to be snippy!" said Violet, always acting like she was Ashley's mother. "So, you're finished? How'd it go?"
Ashley told her.
"Whoa! The bad guy actually set you on fire?"
"Just my hair, and I don't think there was too much damage."
"How could you tell for sure?"
"I couldn't, okay? Give a blind girl a break! Anyway, I heard you guys talking about your missions. I couldn't help but feel that I got the easy job."
"So what? Any other super would be grateful that they got an easy one!"
"You don't think I'm the weakest link in this chain, do you?"
"Ashley, please don't bring this up!" Violet said, "Not now! Not while we're away from home, please?"
"Sorry, Mom. Stateside?"
"Yes. So, do you guys know what José is up to?"
"No, he hasn't called in yet."
"At the rate we're going," Ashley said, "I wouldn't be surprised if he was listening to us right now."
(A/N: I have to thank macro2050. It was his private message to me that made this chapter what it is. I admit, my work isn't always great, so I depend on honest souls like him to show me when I'm slipping. So thank you, macro2050, for saving me from myself. Anyway, please review, and stick around for the next chapter.)