Dateline: Tuesday, July 7, 1981, 2:01 PM, Pacific Daylight Time.

"Before I tell you what's going on," Loren said, "you have to accept the fact that my mother is crazy. I mean clinically insane, bonkers, nuts, screwy, completely apesh…"

"Okay," Violet interrupted, "you mother's nuts, and we get it, now what's going on?"

"I'm getting to that! Be patient!" Loren fumed. "So anyway, after Herr Cannon killed my best friend Vox that one day…"

Kim gasped. "He didn't!"

"He did, and I thank you very kindly not to interrupt me again. As I was saying, after that, I became a different man. I gained humility, respect, a new perspective on life. My mother, however, didn't get the memo."

"So what happened?" asked Dash.

"I was sitting around the house one day, two weeks ago I think it was, and I was minding my own business. Just then my mother came in and asked me 'When was the last time you went out and challenged your enemies, those Alpha Force brats?' No offense on you guys, that's just what she said."

"None taken."

"So I told her you guys weren't my enemies anymore, and she said 'Now, Loren, just because you get defeated once in a while is no reason to give up'. I told her that even if I wanted to, I couldn't fight you guys because I had no magic left." Loren stopped. "Can I get some water please?"

"I'll get it," said Dash. He was there and back in no time at all, and he didn't spill a drop. "Hey, it's what I do."

After whetting his parched throat, Loren continued his story. "So, my mom and I got into this argument, and somehow she ends up saying, 'Once again, I have to do your work for you!' And off she went, concocting some new plan to destroy you guys."

"So what else is new?" Ashley asked sarcastically.

"Plenty, you snide little urchin!" Loren hissed. "She called in favors from all her best buds in Europe, telling them that if they didn't do exactly as she said, she'd hex them all! So these guys went to five different cities to make nuisances of themselves."

"Wait a minute," said Violet, "you mean to tell me our Europe assignment was all your mother's doing?"

"Yes," Loren said sorrowfully.

"We've been had!" José screamed.

Kim turned to the sheriff. "You knew about this, and you let us do it anyway?"

"I'm sorry, but she threatened my family too, said they'd all die if you guys didn't go."

"So, what was her master plan?" asked Violet.

"She knew how strong you guys were, and she anticipated your victory. In fact, it was a critical part of her plan. Once you all won, you all would receive medals." He paused once more. "Violet, when you shook the French mayor's hand, did you notice anything unusual?"

"I felt a little prick on my hand, but I didn't think it was major," she answered.

"Hey, I felt a prick too," said Ashley. As it turns out, all five of them did.

"That prick was to get a sample of your DNA, so she could carry out the second part of her plan."

"Wait, so she pulled us across a great ocean just to get a sample of our genetic make-up?" asked Kim. "Why didn't she just stage this thing in the United States?"

"So that you would never suspect what was going on," said Loren.

"It worked!" remarked Ashley.

"But how did she get the DNA samples back to California all the way from Europe?"

"She's a witch, she used magic, hello! She summoned it to her lair through the telephone. Anyway, using a simple spell, and the DNA she got from her Europe friends, she was able to produce clones of each of you."

"So we each have an evil copy of ourselves running around out there?" asked José. "How cliché is that?"

"I wouldn't know," said Loren, "I don't read comic books much."

"So these evil clones are only around to destroy our reputation?"

"Yep."

"Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"Two things, actually. These MagiClones (patent pending) are imperfect. They are slightly different from the original person they're based on."

"Like Violet's clone was almost eight inches taller than she is," Dash pointed out.

"Are you ever going to stop with the short jokes, Dash?" asked Violet.

"Nope, once short stuff, always short stuff. Get used to it!"

"And the other thing…?" Kim asked Loren.

"The other thing," he answered, "is that MagiClones (patent still pending) come with a failsafe mechanism, which will cause them to disintegrate when activated. They all have a pin in the back of their neck, like the pin on a hand grenade. Pull the pin, and poof, they're gone."

"Boy, that's lucky for us!" said José.

"Too bad this isn't a novel," said Kim, "because if it was, I'd stop reading right here."

"Kim, what are you talking about?"

Kim shifted her eyes nervously. "Oh, nothing."

"Good," said Ashley, "because what we need right now is a little less talk and a lot more action!"

"Whoa, hold on!" said Violet. "I'm not so sure we should get back into action so soon. My powers aren't yet back to where they should be."

"But we can't just sit around and do nothing while those…those…" Dash searched his limited vocabulary for the right word. "While those evil uses are out there doing God knows what!"

"Perhaps I could help?" said Loren. "I'll talk to my mother and see if I can buy you guys some time."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know, I'll think of something. Oh, I got something: I'll tell her that I'll take over Omega Force for a while, but then I'll hold them at bay or something. But then my mom will find out and chew me out about it, so it will only be good for about a day, maybe two."

Violet grinned, "More than enough time. Thank you, Loren, you are a saint!"

"I'll issue a press release about this Omega Force," said the sheriff, "so you can get your reputation back!"

"Thanks. In the meantime, I need to use your phone," said Violet.

…

"Hello, Dr. Gibson's office."

"This is Violet Parr, I need to see Superdoc today. When is his earliest convenience?"

"I think he might be able to see you now, but you'll have to hurry, he's got an appointment at 2:45."

"Pencil me in for 2:30, I'm on my way!" Click. "Kim, you come with me in case I can't drive home. The rest of you, run back to the house and try very hard not to make this worse for us than it is already! Let's move! We haven't got time to waste!"

(A/N: Hi. Yeah, I know, the whole evil twin motif is kind of hackneyed, but I think I can put a fresh spin on it. Stick around, there's more action coming in the future. If your reading this, please don't stop, because I have abandonment issues. JK!)