Author's Note: Hello there, readers! Did you miss me? It does my heart a bit of good that everyone is enjoying this story. Really sorry it took so long but I've got a lot of 'work in progress' stories and they tend to distract me and my slightly short attention span. To all the readers, thank you guys for being awesome and feel free to leave reviews. I can't stress it enough how much I need feedback from you guys.
This might be the longest chapter so far and I hope it doesn't bore people but I'm trying to do some character build up and what kind of superhero Freddie will become.
There's also going to be a few changes. Nothing drastic, no one will really notice. If you do, I'll just throw myself at the mercy of the wolves and hope for the best.
Disclaimer: As I've said before, I don't own anything that wasn't created by me.
Also there are some mild adult situations so this episode is a little PG-13. You have been warned! :)
With that, let's get to Episode Four!
•••
"Heroism often results as a response to extreme events."
- James Geary
•••
A woman in her late twenties who had long dark brown hair runs down an alley as if she were being chased. She keeps running until she reaches a dead end. Behind her, she sees her pursuers have reached her. The three of them looked like typical street thugs - nothing particularly special about them.
"Now where do you think you're going?" One of them said, a heavy set guy in his late twenties with a shaved head. "We were just beginning to have fun."
The woman had a look of genuine terror on her face. "J-just take my money. Please- please don't hurt me." She said.
"We don't want your money." Another thug said, the one was taller and thinner than his friend and was wearing a beanie on his head. "Now you made us work this." He forcefully grabs her wrist. "You're gonna make it up to us."
The woman was petrified when she looked behind her and saw something. She stares in utter disbelief. "B-behind you."
"Lady, we ain't falling for that." The third thug, a smaller almost rat like imp of a man stated.
She continues staring at what was behind them which causes them to turn around. What they see gets looks of awe, confusion and fear.
A figure wearing dark clothing with a hood over his head and a mask covering the bottom part of his face. He wore a pair of high tech glasses covering his eyes and black fingerless glasses on his hands. The four people stare at this person as he finally speaks.
"A group of punks attacking a defenseless woman in a back alley?" The figure asked, his voice sounding deep but it was familiar. "You boys can't be a tiny bit more cliché?"
"It's a little early for Halloween, ain't it?" The beanie thug asked.
"Yeah, haven't heard that before." The figure said in a sarcastic manner. "I'll get to the point, let her go or I'll pummel the three of you so badly that your great grandchildren are going to need medical attention."
"Who is this clown?" The heavy set thug asked.
"Wait, I've heard of him. This bartender in Queens told me about him. He has been beating up criminals." The rat thug said nervously. "He's put five guys in the hospital!"
"You aren't actually scared of this guy?" The beanie thug asked, still holding on to the woman's wrist only for him to hand her to the heavy set thug. He walks over to the figure. "He's almost half a foot shorter than me. How dangerous can he-"
Without warning, the figure punches the beanie thug square in the face. The blow was hard enough to send him stumbling backwards and he touched his face to see that he was bleeding from the mouth. He stares back at the figure who just stands there.
"Do yourselves a favor, walk away." The figure remarked. The beanie thug takes a swing only to have the figure catch his arm. "Suit yourself." He uses the attack's momentum to send him crashing into a few garbage cans.
The heavy set thug throws the woman on the ground and charges at the hooded figure. The figure ducks and punches him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. The thug tries catching his breath but the figure delivers a swift and devastating roundhouse kick to his head, knocking him out cold.
The woman watches this take place while still on the ground as the rat-like thug picks up a metal rod and goes to attack but stops dead in his tracks at the figure's stern stare. Even with his eyes covered, the figure gave a look that he shouldn't be messed with.
"Walk away or get carried away." The figure bluntly said. "Your choice."
The rat-like thug didn't know what to do until he came to a decision. He throws the rod on the ground. "Screw this." With that, he ran for dear life out of the alleyway.
The beanie thug began to get to his feet with something in his right hand. "You're dead, freak!" He said as he folds out his bench made model 42 Butterfly knife in a flashy manner.
The figure lets out an annoyed groan and fires a small blast of lightning at the thug's armed hand. He wails in pain and drops his knife on the ground to tend to his hand. The weapon lay on the ground, smoking.
"Metal and electricity. When are you whazzbags gonna learn they don't mix?" The figure quips.
The beanie thug stares back at the figure in horror. "Wh-what are you?"
"Just a concerned citizen." The figure said when suddenly he lifted the thug by his shirt collar while the heavy set thug slowly lumbered to his feet. "But you can call me Pulse." He throws the beanie thug at the heavy set thug which knocks them both unconscious.
The woman stares in disbelief as the figure begins to tie up the thugs with plastic ties.
The figure turns to look at her as he finishes up. He walks towards her as she backs away in fear. "It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you."
The woman takes in a few breaths as he offers his hand to help her up. "You didn't kill them, did you?" She asked, getting to her feet. "Not that I care or anything, just… curious."
"They're gonna be really sore later." The figure said, turning to look at the restrained thugs. "But they'll live." He looks at her. "Call the cops but not until I leave."
The figure begins walking away. "Thank you." The woman said, which caused him to stop. "What do you want me to tell the police?"
"Tell 'em I did their job." With that, the figure runs off at incredible speed as the woman watches this almost in awe at the sight of this.
From a rooftop just above the alley, a different looking shadowy figure watches 'Pulse' leave the area. When the siren from a police car is heard, the figure makes his own getaway from the area as well.
•••
The figure heads towards a familiar looking warehouse. The same warehouse that Cassie had been training Freddie. He agilely leaps up on top of a dumpster and jumps into an open window.
It was dark inside the warehouse and he walked towards a door that read 'basement' in faded letters. He opens the door and walks down into the basement that was lit by the glow coming from the monitor of a Pearbook. There sat Gabe with Millie standing over him. Cassie and Pete sat in front of a table in mid discussion until the figure appeared.
The four all turn to face the figure. "So, how'd it go?" Gabe asked him.
The figure takes off the high tech glasses and pulls down the mask to reveal the figure was Freddie Benson. "Badly for them."
"You didn't hurt anyone badly, did you?" Millie asked.
"Relax, Millie. I've been doing this for about a week. Figured out how to show some restraint by now." Freddie joked.
"Thanks to us." Cassie is heard saying, indicating to Pete and herself. "Otherwise, you'd be punching holes through people."
"And your help is much appreciated." Freddie said.
"How was your evening?" Pete asked.
"Okay, I guess. Two purse snatchers, a carjacker and some chauvinist blowhards who tried to force themselves on a woman in an alley. Nothing major." Freddie said.
"So, you're calling it a night?" Cassie asked. "Despite your newfound career as a superhero, you still have to go to school."
"Don't worry. You'll be happy to know I've actually finished most of the academic syllabus for the semester for several of my classes." Freddie said confidently.
"I'll believe that when I see your grades." Cassie replied, sounding skeptical
"Doesn't hurt him when he can gain access to certain professors' emails using cyberpathy." Gabe explained.
"I could... I just choose not to." Freddie explained when he groans in pain, grabbing his right forearm.
"You okay?" Cassie asked in a concerned tone.
"Yeah, the carjacker tried stabbing me. I think he may have grazed me though." He said, lifting the sleeve on his shirt. There was a deep slash on his arm but it wasn't too deep. Millie instinctively pulls out a first aid kit. "Seriously, what is the deal with criminals and knives being their weapon of choice?"
"They decided that at the semi-annual convention." Gabe joked as Millie prepared to clean his wound. "I believe that they hold it at Hooters."
Millie rolls her eyes as she goes to place a cotton swab damp with rubbing alcohol on the wound. "This is going to sting so try not to shock me... again."
Freddie smirks as Millie places the swab over the wound. He flinches a bit which makes Millie flinch but he gives a reassuring glance. She continues and he keeps talking "The way I've been handling things, I could bring down at least a level of crime in the city. I don't wanna brag but I've been killing it." That last statement causes the others to give looks ranging from shock, confusion to sheer horror. Freddie realizes what he said and corrects himself. "Figuratively speaking, of course."
Gabe got up from his chair. "It's ready." He said with a smile.
Freddie appears to be excited. "Really?"
Gabe walks over to a large darkened display case holding a remote device. "Figure it's time you had the proper attire."
He pushes a button on the remote and the display case lights up to reveal a black bodysuit with dark blue accents on it. It looked like it was made of Kevlar but it appeared to be lightweight. Next to the suit was a pair of fingerless gauntlets and matching black boots. The left hand gauntlet had a computerized device similar to the wrist device he wore on the first night only far more advanced tech. There was a pair of state of the art glasses like the ones Freddie had been wearing only it was shaped like a domino mask and a face mask similar to the one he'd been wearing.
"I was tweaking with the materials in development at Morgan Innovations for the past few days and constructed this battle suit. The material is lightweight but bulletproof. It can withstand multiple rounds from military grade ammunition and all bladed weapons but is compact enough for you to place inside a backpack or gym bag. The boots are made of the same material and can make your kicks pack more power behind each attack." Gabe explained with pride. "Same with those gauntlets and they can also store any excess electricity from any of your energy blasts. The computing device I've put on the left gauntlet makes the one I gave you last week look like a kids toy. Even has a mini holo-projector. These new glasses are an upgraded version of your original specs but they're far more durable. I shaped them to look like a domino mask and they won't fall off your face. I didn't have to do anything to your face mask but I figure you won't need a hood anymore. You could just do your hair differently than you normally would."
The gang stares at this in awe. "So this is what you've been doing during our training sessions?" Cassie said as Freddie walked over to the case for a closer look.
"I do have more to offer than just my good looks and charm." Gabe joked.
"More of daddy's stolen toys?" Pete quips while crossing his arms over his chest.
"Like I said before, no one's gonna care if the boss's son takes a few things without asking." Gabe said.
"If they value their jobs, they won't." Cassie joked which made Gabe chuckle.
Freddie said nothing as he stared at the display case. This was it. No turning back now.
•••
Freddie and Gabe walk into their dorm room. There were dark circles underneath Freddie's eyes and he threw himself face first onto his bed from sheer exhaustion.
Gabe stares at his roommate with amusement. "You done with the stellar acting job you've been putting on for Cassie and Millie?"
"Shut up!" Freddie said, which was muffled by his face being covered by his pillow.
Gabe chuckled. "Maybe you should take a shower. You smell like you were throwing up and down an alley and vice versa."
Freddie lifts his head and answers. "Sort of how it went, yeah."
"Then it would be a good idea to wash up. That way you'll get four hours of sleep rather than your more recent three and a half." Gabe stated.
Freddie groans as he gets up off the bed. "What are you, my mother?" He thinks for a second then shakes his head. "No wait, you're not. You seem mentally stable and you haven't tried to give me a tick bath."
"Really hoping that last part is a joke." Gabe replied.
"It isn't." Freddie stated as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Gabe just laughs as he checks his Pearphone and sees the display, it reads: 10 Missed Calls - Mom. He sighs as he throws his phone on the bed in frustration.
•••
Freddie looks at himself in the bathroom mirror and sees he looks like hell - besides the aforementioned dark circles under his eyes, Freddie had a bit of bruising on his face, most notably a large welt on his left cheek.
Freddie slowly removes his black T-shirt due to his whole body being racked with pain. He looks at himself shirtless as weeks of training to become a skilled fighter began to change his body. Freddie now had abs, not a six pack but his midsection had become more sculpted and toned. His arms were a bit more chiseled and muscular.
As he continues looking at his body, Freddie sees the fresh injuries he sustained that evening. Heavy bruising in his midsection and a few cuts and scrapes on his forearms. What he had been noticing for a while is that whatever injury he received, the following morning the injuries had mostly healed. He knew that the injuries and bruising might be gone by morning. His body would still feel some discomfort but that could easily be remedied by a couple of painkillers.
"Those bruises look like they hurt, Fredley." A voice said behind him. "But the rest of you don't look too bad, though."
Freddie doesn't turn around as the figure of Sam Puckett who was standing behind him. She was wearing the clothes she wore on their date at Pini's when Carly came along as their relationship negotiator.
"I would say that this isn't real but what would be the point?" Freddie told her.
Sam proceeds to drape her arms around his shoulders and Freddie's body flinches at her touch. Despite being a figment of his imagination, she felt real. A scent exuded from her skin that seemed like she was right there with him.
"You're scared, aren't you?" Dream Sam said as she caressed his chest. "I can tell."
Freddie turns to face her and looks into her eyes. Real or not, she was a beautiful sight to behold. He grabs her face and kisses her passionately. She kisses him back as he tousles her hair when she pulls away and stares back at him with her beautiful blue eyes.
"Now, what would your girlfriend say?" She replied.
This statement causes Freddie to snap out of it. He sees he is still facing the mirror. He brushes the hair in his face and lets out a sigh.
"I REALLY need to get some sleep." Freddie breathes as he prepares to take a shower.
•••
The thug that had escaped from Pulse walks into a rundown apartment building which was more like a drug den. He looks around and finds the place deserted.
"Hello?" He calls as he fails to notice two figures standing in the shadows - a large and imposing figure and a smaller female figure standing next to the other.
"You're late." A female voice said, making the thug shudder in terror.
"Oh. Raina. Rufus." The thug said. "What are you guys doing here?"
The two step into the light. The taller of the two was a tall muscular bodybuilder male. He was wearing a dark suit and had short black hair as well as a few tattoos. The look on his face read that he wasn't in the mood. The female figure was an Asian woman with long jet black hair who was calmer than her large male companion. She wore a skin tight dark green leather catsuit which she moved in as if it were a second skin with a long black leather duster over her catsuit.
"Do you think we would come to this rat hole to make idle small talk?" Rufus said as he strides over to the thug menacingly who backs away slowly. He spoke in a European accent. "Mother wants what she asked for, Izzy."
"We tried but me and the guys got attacked by this guy jumped us before we could bring-"
Before he could finish, Rufus grabs her by the throat and squeezes tightly. "Mother doesn't care about excuses." Xavier said.
The female, Raina, calmed Rufus down. "Easy there, big fella. Let him talk." Rufus loosened his grip on his throat. "Tell us something that will convince him to spare you."
"Give me another chance." Izzy begged. "I won't fail her again. I promise."
Raina snaps her fingers and Rufus lets Izzy go. The two begin to walk out to Izzy's relief. Suddenly, the look on her face changed to one of maniacal glee as a razor sharp knife appeared in each of her hands.
"Sorry, Izzy." Raina said as he quickly threw the knives which landed in his heart and neck. Izzy falls to the ground, dead. "Mother no longer believes in you."
With that statement, Izzy's body slumps to the floor as Raina and Rufus walk off without giving a second thought.
•••
Morning had come too quickly for Freddie's liking. It seemed that he had only closed his eyes for a second but four hours had actually gone by. He begrudgingly got out of bed as he saw Gabe was already ready to go to class.
"Good morning, Master Wayne." Gabe said in a bad British accent. "I trust you slept well."
Freddie glares at his friend then rubs his tired eyes. "Put a sock in it, Pennyworth."
Gabe grins when suddenly Freddie's Pearphone rings. Freddie smiles even before checking the ID and answers the phone.
"Hey there, Ms Louis." Freddie said, faking a cheerful voice.
Jane Louis, the first girl he's ever developed feelings for since Sam, was on the other end. Freddie and Jane had spent the past few days trying to date but his secret life was making it rather difficult. Plus, there were instances where Jane had to be the one to bail. She had a valid excuse, her dad was sick and she was the only one who could take care of him. He could never tell her what he was really doing.
"Hey, Freddie Bear." Jane can be heard saying. "How was the movie?"
"It was... okay. Wish I could've been there with you instead of having to go alone." Freddie said as Gabe listened. Both boys knew Freddie never went to the movie after Jane bailed on the movie portion of their 'dinner & a movie' date. "How's your dad doing?"
"He's okay. Doing much better than last night. Sorry I had to cut our date short." Jane said apologetically.
"It's all right. You had an emergency." Freddie said. "At least we actually got to go out on a date."
"One where you weren't canceling minutes before." Jane replied but before Freddie could interject. "This isn't me complaining. Stuff just comes up. I get it."
"Thanks for being understanding." Freddie said. "But you have my word that we'll actually get through an evening without either one of us having to bail."
"If that's the case, I'll hold you to it." Jane stated. "I gotta get going. See you in class?"
"See you then." Freddie said as Jane hung up.
"That's your first." Gabe said.
"First what?" Freddie asked.
"Broken promise before it's been broken." Gabe simply said.
Freddie stares at him, he would tell him off if he weren't right. Deep down Freddie knew he was.
Suddenly Gabe's Pearphone rings and he checks the Caller ID. Gabe groans and declines to answer.
"Your mom calling again?" Freddie asked using his cyberpathic powers to know who was calling. "It's been like this for days, what's up?"
"Not really in the mood for a mother-son chat." Gabe said coldly.
"Does it have anything to do with you taking stuff from your dad?" Freddie inquired with concern.
"No." Gabe said as he let out a sigh after a long pause. "She's sick."
"Sick? Is it serious?" Freddie asked.
"Yeah." Gabe said frankly. "Mom's a recovering alcoholic and years of binge drinking have taken a toll on her liver. She's going to need a transplant or she's going to die."
"Dude, I'm sorry." Freddie said solemnly. "Why don't you want to talk to her?"
"I've got my reasons." Gabe said bitterly.
Freddie stares at his friend and sees this was eating away at him. "Gabe, you're mom's dying."
"I know!" Gabe yelled which made Freddie jump back a bit. Gabe then calms down. "She was never there for me. She spent my entire childhood pawning me off on the manor's staff including an army of nannies while she was off somewhere getting wasted. Now that she's sick, she expects me to be there for her? Do you think that's fair?"
"Not really, no. Look, I don't know what it feels like to be neglected because my mom did everything but put me in a plastic bubble." Freddie stated which made Gabe laugh a bit. "Maybe you should talk to her. See what she has to say."
"I don't see you having too many heart to hearts with your mom." Gabe snapped.
"I've been... busy. It's just strange she hasn't tried calling me. Normally she's trying to contact me excessively when I'm out of her sight for at least an hour." Freddie said as he realized what had happened. "And you just found a way to change the subject."
Gabe gave a small smile. "Get dressed. We gotta get to class."
Freddie just shakes his head.
•••
Cassie was sound asleep on her bed, still wearing the clothes she had worn the night before. Footsteps cause her to stir as her eyes suddenly snap open. She quickly turns and finds Pete standing next to her bed, holding her Wonder Woman coffee mug.
"You know, if this had been someone else standing where you are, they wouldn't be standing." Cassie jokes, rubbing her eyes.
"I figure they'd be flat on their back." Pete said as he handed her the mug. "Brought you some coffee. Black, six sugars?"
"Caffeine, yay!" Cassie smiles as she happily takes a sip. "So, don't you have any plans to go home?"
"Is this your polite way of kicking me out?" Pete said with a grin.
"No, I'm just curious." Cassie retorts as she sips her coffee. "I don't see why you'd want to spend your free time with me, Freddie and the rest of Mystery Inc?"
Pete just shakes his head. "I have a couple of reasons. One of them being I have a lot of free time.
"And the other reason?" She asked.
Pete brushes a strand of hair from Cassie's face. "I might have some ulterior motives regarding that one."
Cassie smirks as she grabs his hand. "This isn't me fishing for compliments, White Knight." Pete smiles at her, he couldn't help it. She begins to get out of bed. "I can't tell you how grateful I am for everything you're doing for us."
"I'm glad I can be there to help Freddie. Kid could use all the help he can get." Pete said as he followed Cassie into the living room. "I know he doesn't fully trust me yet-"
"But he will. Besides, we shouldn't worry about his trust issues." Cassie said. "His late night activities could attract the attention of the wrong people. Mainly the police."
"The cops are going to be the least of his problems." Pete told her which caused her to turn to face him. "There are scarier things that Freddie is going to run into than the police. People who won't have qualms with putting several bullets into him because he shook a few too many of the wrong trees."
"I know!" Cassie yelled in aggravation. "It's just-" She then quickly finds a way to calm down. "Right now, I have to make sure no one puts two and two together and he gets thrown in jail for what he feels is the right thing to do." She nervously rubbed the back of her neck with her hands.
Pete stares at her, he could tell that this was taking its toll on her. "You really love him, don't you?"
"He's my nephew. Kid's the only connection of my brother I have left." Cassie told him. "When I was growing up, my parents tended to have loud screaming matches after my dad would come from some bar after a long day at work. It would get so loud that covering my ears didn't help. Lenny would come into my room and, to calm me down, would tell me to think of the most perfect place in the world and imagine I was there instead. I'd do that and the next thing I knew, I had fallen asleep."
"And you think protecting Freddie will keep you connected to your brother?" Pete asked.
"Basically. I understand why Freddie's doing it. He wants to be a part of something. I've been there." Cassie said with melancholy. "It sounds like I'm trying to find reasons to justify letting my nephew continue his vigilante activities, doesn't it?"
"You don't have to justify anything. Not with me anyway." Pete replied. Cassie smiles as there's a knock at her door. "Besides, it's not like it can get any worse."
Cassie opens the door and stares at who stood at her door, her eyes widened in horror. "It just got worse."
Marissa Benson was standing at Cassie's door.
•••
Victor Flores walks into his precinct after his two weeks off to recuperate from his injuries. He was looking forward to getting back to work, going stir crazy from the cabin fever. He was also anxious to learn whether or not he'd be reprimanded for his actions a couple weeks ago, going behind his superiors' backs in an attempt to save his daughter Millie from her kidnapper Professor Emil Dahl. Victor had done the wrong thing for the right reasons and he would've done it all over again in a heartbeat.
He walks over to his desk and sifts through the pile of paperwork sitting on his desk when a tall African American male in his late fifties walks over to him. The look on his face read of seething anger. He wasn't in a very good mood. This was Captain Irving Thompson, Victor's boss.
"Captain Thompson" Victor stated. "It's good to see you, sir."
"My office. Now!" The captain barked.
Thompson storms towards his office and walks in as Victor follows him. Victor reluctantly and calmly walks inside and Thompson shuts the door, slamming closed.
"Sir, if this is about that kidnapping case, I didn't want to go over your head but I needed to find my daughter." Victor said to justify his actions.
"I know and I understand." Captain Thompson said. "I have three daughters of my own and if put in the same position, I probably would've done the same."
"Thank you, sir-"
"However, I can not have you cowboying up and undermining my authority and the rules of this department. You do it again and I'll demote you so far down that you'll be back to writing parking tickets. Do I make myself clear?" The captain ordered.
Victor nods "Yes, sir."
"Good. Now... I didn't ask you here to deliver some kind of lecture." Thompson said. "I came to let you know that I am assigning you a new partner."
"Are you sure that's a good idea, sir?" Victor asked.
"Vic, I understand that you like to do the whole lone wolf thing but you need to give your years of expertise to someone else." Thompson told a very perturbed Victor. "He's an upstart detective transferring from the Chicago PD-" A knock at the door interrupted them. "Come in!"
A man who looked about thirty four with blue eyes and dark brown hair opened the door. He had chiseled features, about average height, definitely good looking. His eyes hid a wounded soul underneath his rugged exterior, which he tries desperately to hide. "Is this a bad time?" He asked.
"No, it's all right. Come in." Thompson said as the man walked into the office. "Vic, meet your new partner, Daniel Parker. Danny, this is Victor Flores. The two of you will be working together."
"Good to meet you." Danny extends his arm for a handshake which, after an awkward pause, Victor shakes his hand firmly.
"Likewise." Victor replied, he seemed like a nice enough guy but something about Danny was odd.
"And the two of you have your first case together." Thompson said, handing Victor a file. "Early this morning, a couple of uniforms got themselves a nice little present. A couple of punks beaten and hog tied in an alley."
"Why is that important?" Danny asked, his curiosity peaked.
"Because this is the fifth time in the past week that we got these 'special' deliveries." Thompson explained. "Most of them have priors, pick pocketing or purse snatching. One of them was even in prison for sexual assault. After they were taken to the hospital, they told us some guy in a hood and mask had attacked them."
"Do their stories carry any merit? I mean, these guys are criminals. How reliable can they be?" Victor said as he handed the file to Danny.
"We've gotten a few eyewitness accounts of them also seeing a hooded guy beating and kicking the tar out of these criminals." The captain said.
"So we got some kind of Batman wannabe out there trying to take the law into their own hands?" Danny asked whilst leafing through the files.
"I'm afraid there's much more to it than that." Thompson said. "A few of the eyewitness accounts state they saw this guy shooting lightning out of his hands."
Victor's eyes widened a bit as he remembered what had happened in the tunnel and how a masked man saved his life by shooting lightning at Dahl. Could this be the same person behind these vigilante actions?
"Lightning?" Danny asked incredulously. "You're serious?"
"That's what you have to find out." Thompson said. "I want this punk off the streets. Can't have this guy remain on the loose and think he takes the law into his own hands."
"And inspiring copycats to follow suit?" Danny replied.
"Precisely." The captain stated bluntly.
"What if this guy isn't dangerous?" Danny asked. "Could be of some help to us."
"As much as I want to believe that, we cannot take that risk. He has to be stopped."
Victor stares pensively as he thinks of this vigilante running around and how he could potentially be the same man who saved his life. The man who saved his daughter from Emil Dahl. He had to remain objective in this case, but could he?
•••
The two thugs Pulse had captured in the alley were being released from police custody. They walk outside to find a long black limousine waiting.
The back door opens and out steps Raina who was in a low cut dark green top and a tight black pencil skirt. "Gentlemen."
"Raina, wh-what are you doing here?" The thug in the beanie asked nervously.
"Jackie, Novak, is that the thanks we get for making bail?" Raina asked. "Well, not me of course."
"Mother did this for us?" Jackie, the heavy set thug asked.
"Yes, now you must honor that investment. She needs two more for this month's shipment. You need to bring it in before tomorrow." Raina told them.
"W-we won't fail her." Beanie thug Novak replied frightened.
"See that you don't or you won't live long enough to screw up a third time." Raina said as she got back in the limo. "Ask Izzy."
Jackie and Novak reacted to this with silent horror as the limousine drove away.
Inside the limo, Raina was speaking to someone at the other end of the vehicle. "I don't see why we need these losers to do this?"
"Because they are expendable." The shadowy female figure said. "I can't have you or Rufus doing leg work these... lost souls could do it for a fraction of the price."
"And so easy to get rid of if they don't fall in line." Raina hissed. "So do you have a buyer for these... assets?"
"Not assets, my dear. I prefer dolls." The figure said. "Not yet but we have time. But we do have to be more careful. Can't have anybody throw a wrench in my plans."
"Not to worry." Raina replied. "There's no way that anyone is going to ruin your plans."
•••
Freddie and Gabe were walking in the quad area of City Tech. Freddie smiles a bit at 'reading' the texts and emails of students and faculty discussing the activities of the hero Pulse. Most of them he liked. Some he didn't. Most were just entertaining.
"OMG, have you heard about this Pulse guy?"
"Pulse is a freaking BAMF"
"Guy's a menace. Nothing good can come from what he's doing."
"I think I saw him scaling up the side of a wall near Time Square"
"I bet he's a TOTAL hottie under that mask! ;)"
Gabe notices his friend smiling. "Liking the attention?"
Freddie snaps out of his focused concentration and looks at Gabe. "It's like being in on the best inside joke."
"Like being a hipster without the pretentious sense of entitlement." Gabe quips and Freddie laughs.
The boys turn and see Millie walking towards them with a pretty young female student with long honey blond hair who had a guitar case strapped to her back.
"Hi guys." Millie said.
The boys greeted their friend as Freddie noticed Gabe staring at Millie's friend.
"Millie, who's your friend?" Freddie asked, saving Gabe the trouble of asking first.
"Oh, this is Lucy Shepard. She's in the nursing program too. Lucy, these are my friends Freddie and Gabe." Millie said, giving the formal introductions.
"Nice to meet you, Lucy." Freddie said, extending his hand. Lucy takes his hand and stares at him. "What?"
"I've seen you before?" Lucy asked as Freddie and friends looked nervously at each other. "Wait, I know who you are!" A look of fear came upon them. Had she seen him on one of his patrols? "You were on that web show iCarly!"
Freddie breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. "Yeah. Yeah, I was."
"I used to love that show. One of my favorite episodes was the one with the unfunny robot." Lucy said as Freddie remembers that as his failed attempt to co-host iCarly. "I mean it was a total train wreck but it was sweet that you tried."
"Um thanks, I guess." Freddie said sheepishly as Millie and Gabe stifled their laughter. They both clearly knew about that incident.
Gabe changes the subject as he looks at Lucy's guitar case. "So, do you play?"
"Uh yeah. I've been playing since I was twelve years old. My dad used to say I had an ear for music. Least that's what my mom tells me." Lucy said bashfully.
"So what's a beautiful Bohemian musician like you doing studying to be a nurse? Thinking you belong at a music conservatory or something." Gabe said.
"Because my mom wanted me to think practically. Not to chase after silly dreams." Lucy said. There was a silence among the four until...
"Parents suck sometimes." Gabe said as the others agreed.
"I do play at a few coffeehouses when I'm not studying for extra cash." Lucy said.
"If it isn't too forward of me to say that I'd love to hear you play some time." Gabe said, which makes Lucy smile.
"I'd like that." Lucy said, grinning sweetly.
Millie rolled her eyes at Gabe working the Morgan charm on Lucy and she grabbed Lucy by the wrist. "And that's our cue to head off to class." Millie said as she pulled Lucy away. "See you guys after class?"
"Yeah, see ya then." Freddie said as the boys watched the girls walk off.
Both boys could've sworn they heard Millie tell Lucy "I told you that's what he does."
The two grin as Freddie looks over at Professor Tommy Bennett talking to a worried-looking African American woman. Tears stained her cheeks as Professor Tommy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
The woman leaves as the guys make their way towards the professor. "What was that about?" Gabe asked.
"Hey guys, how's it going?" Professor Tommy replied.
"Is everything all right?" Freddie asked the professor.
"Not really. That was Daphne Waller's mother." Professor Tommy said.
Freddie looks over Gabe. "I think she's in one of my classes."
"Yes, my class, Freddie." Professor Tommy remarked.
Freddie blushes due to embarrassment. "Sorry, face and names blur together sometimes."
"So why is Mrs Waller so upset?" Gabe asked, getting the conversation in focus.
"Sadly, Daphne has gone missing." Professor Tommy told them. "She says that she was kidnapped, told me she went out to a nightclub Saturday night with her roommate and was told she hadn't come back to her dorm. She's already reported her missing but Mrs Waller hasn't heard anything from the police."
"That's awful." Gabe said sincerely as Freddie remained quiet.
"Her mom was here because she had spoken to the administration to inform them of what's happened to Daphne. My hope is that they find her safe and sound." Professor Tommy said as he checked his wrist watch. "Class is about to start. Catch you guys later."
"Sure thing, Teach." Gabe said as Freddie nods but he seems distracted as Professor Tommy walks away. "What are you thinking, Benson? Are your Pulse senses tingling?" Freddie stares at his friend with a withering look. "Sorry."
Freddie rushes over to Mrs Waller as Gabe looks on. "Excuse me? Mrs Waller?" The woman turns to face Freddie.
"Can I help you?" Mrs Waller asked, sounding troubled.
"You don't know me, my name's Freddie Benson. I'm in one of your daughter Daphne's classes." He explained.
"Oh yes, Daphne told me about you. Were you and Daphne friends?" Mrs Waller asked.
"Actually, no. Professor Bennett told me about what happened." Freddie said. "I wanted to offer some help."
"I've already spoken to the police." Mrs Waller said.
"Well, my aunt Cassie is a private investigator." He said, pulling a business card from his pocket and handing it to the parent. "She's really good and maybe she could help you."
"I-I'm not too sure that I need a private investigator, Mr Benson." Mrs Waller said as she tried handing Freddie the card back.
Freddie puts his hands up defensively to ensure she keeps the card. "Just talk to Cassie. I'm sure she'd be happy to help."
"Thank you." Mrs Waller said and with that, she walked away.
"What was that?" Gabe is heard saying as he walks over to Freddie. "What did you do?"
Freddie looks at Gabe. "Let's get to class, shall we?"
Gabe smirks and follows Freddie to class.
•••
Cassie had welcomed Marissa into her home. She watched as Freddie's mother cautiously walked through Cassie's living room which made her grin in amusement. Pete had remained in the apartment with Cassie to make sure she was okay.
"I could stay if you want." Pete said.
"No, it's okay. I got this. Thanks." Cassie said and Pete began to leave. "I'll see you this afternoon."
Pete nods as he makes his way out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him.
Marissa Benson finally speaks up. "I hope I wasn't interrupting something between you and your... gentleman caller."
Cassie scowls at Mrs Benson as she folds her arms across her chest. "I know you didn't come here to judge my lifestyle. Why are you here?"
Marissa stares Cassie down. "Still the same sass-mouthed hooligan, aren't you?"
"Answer the question. Why are you here?" Cassie wasn't backing down.
"I'm here to talk about Freddie." Marissa said. "You did say he was in the hospital, didn't you?"
"Yeah, and I told you that it was an inner ear infection." Cassie replied bitterly.
"Do you really think I believe that?" Marissa snapped, catching Cassie off guard. "I saw the news. There was an accident on the City Tech campus, a student was struck by lightning. You think I wasn't going to put it all together?"
"And why would you assume it was Freddie?" Cassie asked, playing coy. "The student's name was never released to the public."
"Do you really think I'm stupid? I asked you to look after my son and the second you take your eyes off him, he's seriously injured!" Marissa shouted.
"I can't be expected to watch him 24/7! I have a life, and so does he." Cassie shouted back defiantly. "Now, I'm really hoping this impromptu visit isn't some INSANE plan to take Freddie back to Seattle. You have no right to do that."
"I have every right, I am his mother!" Marissa yelled.
"We'll see how far you get because you will have to get past me." Cassie said, striding over and getting in Marissa's face. "And I am much stronger than I look."
"You're seriously threatening me?" Marissa asked, eyebrows raised.
"Not in the traditional sense… but see how far those sword fighting skills will get you when I could disarm you without you evening landing a single parry." Cassie sternly warns. "Freddie's not a little boy anymore. He can take care of himself just fine without you." This statement caused Marissa to burst into tears. Cassie realizes something is wrong. "Oh, and I stepped over the line."
Marissa soon becomes inconsolable and starts bawling which makes Cassie drop her aggressive demeanor.
"Marissa?"
"I-I can't-" Marissa began.
Cassie pulls the woman to the couch. "Listen, if it was something I said, I'm real sorry about that." She then shrugs. "But to be fair, you started it."
Marissa managed to regain some of her composure and said "This isn't about that!"
"Then what is it? What's wrong?" Cassie asked, concern written on her face.
"I-I need to tell you something. But you have to promise that what I'm going to tell you can't anyone, not even Freddie." Mrs Benson said and Cassie nodded. "Two days after Freddie left, I received a phone call from - I can't even say it."
"It's okay." Cassie said calmly.
"It was a call from your brother." Marissa admitted causing Cassie to become stunned.
"Are- are you sure?" Cassie replied, thrown by the revelation.
"It's been sixteen years but I still know the sound of Leonard's voice." Marissa told Cassie.
"Oh God." Cassie replied flabbergasted. "What did he say?"
"Nothing. When I answered, all he said was my name, paused, then said 'I'm sorry' and hung up." Marissa explained.
Cassie sat in silence. She hadn't heard from her brother since she was eighteen and now he FINALLY chose to resurface. It didn't make any sense.
"W-why don't you want me to tell Freddie?" Cassie asked.
"Because I don't want him to get his hopes up. He needs to focus on school and getting better after his accident, not on his neglectful father." Marissa replied. Cassie stares at her. "I'm sorry."
"Honestly, I don't care what you say about Lenny. He deserves it." Cassie said as Marissa gave her a look. "I don't- I don't think you should be keeping this Freddie. This is his father."
"The same man who abandoned him. I've been trying for Freddie's whole life to a good mother but I don't think he'll be able to understand." Marissa said. "It's taking all my strength not to worry so much about Freddie as much but this… accident and that phone call broke my resolve."
"I get that but I don't understand why you want to keep this from him. He won't be able to understand why his mother is keeping the fact that his father tried to contact her a secret." Cassie stated. "I don't know the REAL reason why Lenny left you and Freddie but hiding the truth will not make things better."
"Haven't you ever had something to hide? Something so terrible that you needed to keep it secret to protect the ones you love?" Marissa asked.
Cassie bites her bottom lip and stares at Freddie's mother. "I have and it ate up what little of my sanity I had but I knew in my heart what I was doing was for the best."
"Then why can't you understand I'm only trying to protect my son?" Marissa asked.
Cassie smiles at her and places her hand on her knee. "Because you seriously underestimate how strong your son really is. Kid's tougher than you know."
Marissa was surprised by her demeanor. "Where did all this wisdom come from?"
"I guess I'm not so much the same sass-mouthed hooligan, am I?" Cassie said with a grin. "Freddie's going to find out the truth sooner or later... but it won't be from me."
Marissa breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry Freddie got hurt on my watch but I will do what I have to in order to protect him." Cassie assures her.
"I don't blame you, Cassandra." Marissa stated but then said. "Well not completely."
"Fair enough." Cassie walks to her door and Marissa follows her. "Just so we're clear, you were never here and this little discussion for all intensive purposes never happened."
"What about your friend? Aren't you worried he'll say anything?" Marissa asked worriedly.
"Don't worry, Pete and I have an... understanding." Cassie said.
Marissa sighed as Cassie opened her door. "I know I'm going to sound like a broken record but... Promise me that you'll try harder to protect Freddie. Take care of him."
Cassie nods in agreement. "You have my word."
Marissa smiles as she heads out. Cassie closes the door and leans against the wall next to the door. She lets out a tired sigh and rubs her eyes.
All of sudden, Cassie's cellphone rings and breaks the silence. She quickly answers. "Hello? Yes, this is she? Oh. Oh, god." After a pause, she said. "Did he? Oh, okay. I think we can work something out."
•••
Victor and Danny sat at their desks, working on the Pulse case. Victor was sifting through some paperwork while Danny was looking at the monitor of a laptop.
"It doesn't add up. These attacks seem random." Victor said. "The only connection they have is that they were committing a crime when they were attacked."
"Guy's got quite a following on social media. At least fifty two tweets regarding him specifically." Danny said while checking his own Twitter account.
"Tweets? Please do not tell me you're going to rely on that?" Victor asked in disbelief.
"Welcome to the twenty-first century." Danny joked.
"Don't even try to introduce him to modern technology. It took me three years for me to talk him into getting an email address." A voice said which caused the two men to turn to find Millie standing behind Victor.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Victor said cheerfully while getting up from his chair to hug his daughter. He had been doing a lot of that lately.
"I just finished classes for the day. Wanted to see if you were free for a late lunch... or an early dinner." Millie replied as she looked over at Danny.
"I would but I got a new case. I'm working and I don't know how long I'll be." Victor said.
"Oh. That's too bad." Millie said disappointed. "I wanted to use my week off from work to have some father-daughter bonding time."
"I think we had plenty during my time off." Victor said. "Besides, I thought you had your study group?"
"I had some time before I had to meet the guys." Millie said. She continues to stare at Danny. "Hi, I haven't seen you here before. Are you new to the department?"
"I am." Danny said frankly.
"This is my new partner, Danny Parker." Victor said. "Danny, this is my lovely and brilliant daughter Millicent."
"Dad!" Millie said sheepishly as she nervously offered her hand for a shake. "Don't worry about using the 'cent'. My friends call me Millie."
"Nice to meet you, Millie." Danny said as he smiled and shook her hand. His boyish smile and good looks caused Millie to grin.
Victor clears his throat which causes Millie to break her concentration. "So, um, what kind of case are you guys working on? Drug ring? Group of carjackers? Serial killers?"
"Actually, it has something to do with a vigilante running around." Danny said to her.
"Vigilante?" Millie asked nervously. "What do you mean?"
"I don't think you should be talking about this in front of my daughter." Victor said.
"She's an adult. I'm sure she can handle it." Danny said.
"Don't bother with explaining that to my dad. He still sees me as his little girl." Millie quips.
"No matter how old you get." Victor replied with a laugh.
Millie just smiles and looks down. "So this... vigilante? His name wouldn't happen to be... Pulse, would it?"
Danny looks at Millie with a quizzical stare. "Have you seen him?"
"N-no. Not exactly. I've only heard a bunch of kids at school talking about how they've seen him or heard about someone who's been saved by a guy calling himself Pulse." Millie said, doing her best to divert any suspicions.
"What have you heard?" Danny asked.
"Nothing too clear. Most of it might be true. A lot sounds like gossip or tall tales." Millie said.
"What do you think?" Victor asked his daughter.
"I think he's just trying to help. He isn't a bad guy. At least, I don't think he is." Millie told them.
Victor nods while Danny just stares at Millie, trying to get a read on her.
"I'll let you fellas get back to work." Millie said as she pulled out her Pearphone. "But first." She aims her phone to snap a picture of Danny. "Smile, Danny Boy." This causes Danny to sheepishly grin as she takes the picture. She kisses Victor on the cheek. "Bye, Daddy."
"Bye, Sweetie, I'll see you when you get home." Victor said as Millie walked off.
"So, there is more to you than I thought." Danny replied.
"In our line of work, there usually is." Victor said as he sat back in his chair. "Okay, share time is over. Let's get back to work, shall we?"
Danny just shakes his head as they get back to working on the case.
•••
The gang minus Millie and Cassie are at the warehouse lair. Today, Pete was in charge of Freddie's fight training today. Meanwhile, Gabe was working on a piece of tech as he watched the training.
Freddie wore a tight dark blue wife-beater to show off his muscular arms and black pants and was bandaging his hands with hand wrap as Pete walked into the sparring area. Peteete also had his hands wrapped up and he wasn't wearing a shirt and wore pants similar to Freddie's. Pete's body showed a few battle scars on his upper torso. This man has seen conflict.
"So, what's the lesson for today?" Freddie asked.
"Hope it's not how to look badass without a shirt on because very few people can pull that off." Gabe joked but off Pete's glare adds "You being one of them."
"I'm going to be teaching him the basics of Eskrima." Pete said.
"Which is?" Freddie asked.
"A Filipino Martial Art using an assortment of weapons including knives and sticks." Pete stated.
"Sticks? Did you say sticks?" Freddie asked as Pete tosses a pair of long sticks which he catches.
"No offense, dude, but Freddie isn't out there fighting Friar Tuck." Gabe said as Freddie stared at the sticks.
"No but this type of fighting requires you to use your surroundings and the use of muscle memory and Freddie seems to have turned up to eleven, might be good for him to learn it." Pete explained. "Besides, if it's good enough for Dick Grayson..."
Gabe sat there dumbfounded at Pete's reference as Pete picked up a pair of sticks of his own.
"Let's get started." Pete said.
Freddie nods and walks to the center of the training area.
Both men raise their sticks upward and begin to spar. Freddie swings the sticks but Pete blocks the attack with one stick and uses the other to smack Freddie in the back of his right leg.
Freddie rears back in pain and Pete goes to take a swing but Freddie blocks the sticks and kicks Pete in the stomach.
Pete also rears back, slightly impressed. "Not bad for your first go. Ready for Round Two?"
"Didn't realize Round One had ended?" Freddie said with a smile.
Pete grins as they prepare to fight again. Gabe watches this with mild entertainment until his phone vibrates. He checks the caller ID that reads 'Mom'. Just as he was about to hit 'Decline', Gabe stops himself and sighs. He gets up from his seat and walks outside as Freddie turns to see this and ducks at an attack from Pete.
•••
Gabe stood outside the warehouse and answered his phone. "Mom, hey." He tried sounding surprised.
"So…you've decided to stop ignoring me?" Gabe's mother asked.
"I've - uh- I've been busy." Gabe replied. "With school."
"Too busy to take one phone call from your mother?" She asked.
Gabe remained silent for a while until he finally spoke. "Can we not do this now?"
"Gabriel." The way she said his name made him seize up. She sounded very frail and small. "My sweet angel."
"Mom." Gabe said as tears well up in his eyes but he quickly wipes them away with one hand. "So- um- When is it?"
"Soon, I hope. The doctors said they may have found a donor liver. That's why I was trying to talk to you." She said.
"So it wasn't to say goodbye?" Gabe asked with slight relief in his voice. "I can't take that if that's the case."
"Maybe it was both." She told him. "I need you to be there when it's time. I'm not sure if your father is going to be there. He's been here to see me from time to time but he has to leave to do business."
"His wife is sick in the hospital and he's worried about work?" Gabe said angrily. Now he felt even less badly about stealing from him.
"Don't be angry at him. That's his way." His mother told him. No matter what his father did, she always defended him. "Please come."
Gabe sighs. "I will. I promise." He hangs up and punches at the side of the warehouse. Rage was building inside him but calmed down after hearing footsteps. He looks up and finds Cassie standing a few feet away. "Cass. Hey. What's up?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing." Cassie said afterward, remaining quiet for a moment until she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Gabe just grins. "No, not really." He walks past her and goes back into the warehouse.
Cassie lets out a deep breath and follows Gabe inside.
•••
Millie is standing in the room, watching Freddie and Pete sparring with each other. There was a small smile on her face as she watched the two square off.
The fight was evenly matched with neither one giving an itch. It had been almost five minutes and Freddie had gotten really good with the sticks but Pete didn't let up as he countered every blow.
Gabe and Cassie stride in as the fight continues.
"You're good." Freddie said. "Would you object to me fighting dirty?"
Pete raises an eyebrow at the statement. "What do you-?"
Suddenly, electricity flows from Freddie's hands then goes from his sticks onto Pete's and causes Pete to fly backwards onto the edge of the mat.
This happened so quickly that the other three had little time to react. Pete tries to get to his feet but one of the sticks pushes him back down.
Pete looks up and sees Freddie holding the very stick pinning him to the floor. A look of respect came upon Pete's face. "Not bad, kid."
Freddie smiles as he sets down the sticks and helps Pete to his feet. Cassie, Gabe and Millie rush over to them.
"Are you okay?" Cassie asked Pete.
"I'm fine, Princess." Pete said. "No harm done."
"Okay, good." Cassie said as she quickly smacked Freddie. "What is the matter with you?"
"Hey-ow!" Freddie said, reacting to the assault. "He was the one who told me not to hold back!"
Cassie turns to face Pete with a raised eyebrow. "That true?"
"Yes. I did say that." Pete admitted which causes Cassie to quickly smack him in the arm. "Whoa, easy! I'm still raw."
"Um, if we're done with domestic violence." Millie spoke up to get everyone's attention. "We might have a serious problem."
"What is it, Millie?" Freddie asked.
"You've attracted attention from the last people you need to be attracting any kind of attention." Millie said.
"The police?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah." Millie said. "And guess who's been put in charge of your case?"
"Your dad? Victor Flores is being charged with bringing Pulse in?" Gabe asked.
"Him and his new partner." Millie stated.
"He's got a new partner?" Cassie asked.
Millie nods "His name's Danny Parker. He seems to be fixated on doing his job and doing it well." She sat down on a chair. "Plus, he's super cute."
Cassie scoffs "Please, how good looking could possibly..." Millie pulls out her Pearphone and shows her the picture she took. "Good sweet Aunt Jemima, that boy is pretty." Pete gives her a look which Cassie catches. "Relax, Mr Jealouspants. I am allowed to look."
"Anyway... You think this guy's dangerous?" Freddie asked.
"Well, it seemed like he was interrogating me when he asked me what I knew." Millie told them. "With this guy and my dad working together, they'll find out something eventually which means..."
"We'll all be going down." Cassie replied as they all looked at each other.
Freddie's eyes furrow and he turns to Gabe. "You REALLY might want to take that."
Suddenly, Gabe's phone vibrates. "Is it my mom again?" He pulls out the phone but he doesn't recognize the number and answers. "Hello?"
"Gabe, hey! It's Lucy."
"Lucy? Hey." Gabe said as he looked over at Millie who was grinning from ear to ear. "How did you get my number?"
"Millie gave it to me." Lucy told him.
Gabe glances over at Millie who was smiling from ear to ear. "She did?" He asked incredulously.
"Yeah, I did have to twist her arm a bit." Lucy admitted. "I was wondering, are you free this evening?"
Gabe looks over at Freddie "Am I free? Well..." Unexpectedly, his phone chimes telling he had received a text message. He looks and sees it's from Freddie and it reads:
'Go. I'm giving you the night off.'
Gabe looks up at Freddie who nods. "I think I might be."
"Great 'cause I've got a gig and wanted to invite you to come see me play." Lucy asked.
Gabe smiles "Sure. I'd love to hear you play."
"Awesome. I'm performing at The Kaleidoscope Cafe at 8:30." Lucy told him.
"See ya then." Gabe said as Lucy hung up. He looks over at his two friends as Millie walks past him.
"You're welcome." Millie replied confidently.
Gabe couldn't help but grin as he went over to Freddie who was removing the hand wrap from hands. "You sure it's cool if I take the night off?"
"Dude, just because I've decided to put my social life on hold, doesn't mean you have to do the same." Freddie said. "Who knows, if this works out, maybe you guys can double with me and Jane."
"If it works out... for either of us." Gabe quips.
Freddie glares at him. "You want me to change my mind?"
Gabe's laughter stops and he shrugs. "Frane Forever."
"Frane?" Pete asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's Freddie and Jane's super couple name. Frane." Gabe explained.
Millie giggles. "It's no Bragelina."
"Okay, since Gabe's got the night off, what are we going to be doing?" Cassie asked.
"Gabe isn't the only tech whiz in this group, you know. Pulse will stay in and Fredward Benson will man the hardware." Freddie replied as he looked over at Gabe. "Did you find anything about Daphne Waller's disappearance?"
"A few loose facts but it isn't stuff the police don't already know." Gabe said, showing the information on his PearPad. "Think you'd be up for some digital excavation?"
Freddie stares at the data and smirks "Just call me Indy."
•••
Cassie was inside the Groovy Smoothie, standing at the front of a line with other customers. She was on her cell phone with an annoyed look on her face. "Question, how did I get stuck with gofer duty?"
"We drew straws. You got the shortest one." Pete's voice is heard saying on the other end.
"Millie rigged that game. I just know it." Cassie replied.
"Didn't peg you for a sore loser, your majesty?" Pete said with a laugh.
"You are all gonna pay." Cassie joked as she hung up.
Cassie grabs the tray filled with four smoothies and makes her way out of the smoothery.
As she walks to her car, Cassie felt a strange feeling she was being followed. She made it to her car but still couldn't shake the feeling as she set the drink carrier on the roof of her car.
Out of nowhere, Cassie instinctively swung to strike the person behind her with her elbow. She turns to face her stalker by getting into a fighting stance but finds someone she wasn't expecting.
Detective Danny Parker was now on his back. He sits up and nurses a slightly swelling lip.
"Oh god. Are you all right?" Cassie asked as she relaxed her body.
"I might be. Except for the constellations I'm seeing right now." Danny said.
Cassie crouches down and offers to help him up. "Here, let me help you."
Danny takes a breath and he accepts her help, Cassie helping him to his feet.
"Hasn't anyone told you not to seek up on a person?" Cassie snapped.
"Well, normally a person's natural response isn't to cold clock someone who's doing it." Danny quipped. "Who taught you people skills? Natasha Romanoff?"
"You're lucky it wasn't Yelena Belova." Cassie retorts as Detective Victor Flores walks over to them. "He belong to you, Vic?"
"Good to see you haven't lost your charm, Cassandra." Victor joked.
Danny looks at Victor then back at Cassie. "You two know each other?"
"We do. This is Cassandra Sinclair. Her nephew is one of Millie's classmates. Cassie, this is my new partner Daniel Parker." Victor said, making the proper introductions.
"We've met." Danny said, rubbing his face. "I just became acquainted with her elbow."
"Good thing you didn't become acquainted with her fist." Victor told him. "From what I've heard, girl's got a killer right hook."
Danny stares at Cassie who was smiling like a Cheshire Cat.
"You aren't going to do something silly like have me arrested for assault on a police officer, are you?" Cassie said with mischief in her voice.
"I would but seeing as it was an honest mistake, I'll let it slide." Danny said. "Next time, you might not be so lucky."
"Ooooo, I'm shaking in my stylish yet surprisingly affordable boots." Cassie slyly quips.
"Cassie, come on." Victor pleaded to calm down.
"Relax, Vic. I'm just having a little harmless fun." Cassie replied.
"Harmless? Tell that to my swelling lip." Danny said.
"What's the matter, a big strong man afraid of getting blindsided by a woman?" Cassie quips.
Danny just shakes his head. "Your boyfriend must be the most patient man on the planet, I mean to have to put up with you."
Cassie glares at Danny. "Shame YOU couldn't handle someone like me." She quickly changes the subject. "So, I heard you boys are hunting some superhero wannabe?" Victor and Danny stare at each other. "Millie told me."
"I wouldn't necessarily call him a superhero. Guy's a vigilante." Danny replied.
"Really? How do you gather that, Wonder Boy?" Cassie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"When a person takes the law into their own hands that automatically constitutes vigilantism." Danny states.
"And that's usually because that individual believes the legal agencies of the area are inadequate." Cassie replied as she turned her back to them to open her car door. "And word on the street is that he's been helping a lot of people. Doesn't seem like a bad guy if that's the case."
"Tell me, why are you defending him?" Danny asked.
"I got my reasons." Cassie replied, not facing them.
"Which are?" Danny asked.
Cassie turns her head and looks at him. "Nothing you need to concern yourself about, Dan Dan." She grabs the drinks from the top of the roof. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get these smoothies for my nephew's study group. You gentlemen have yourselves a nice evening."
"Tell Millie not to stay out too late." Victor told her.
"That's really up to her, Vic." Cassie said with a grin. She gets in her car and drives off.
"Well, she was... pleasant." Danny said to Victor.
"That's just Cassie's charm." Victor replied.
"Woman is about as charming as a feral alley cat." Danny stated.
"Trust me, she becomes less hostile once you get to know her." Victor replied. "Doesn't mean Cassie isn't above confrontation. She's got quite the temper. Especially when it comes to her family."
"Like I said, feral alley cat." Danny joked, rubbing his sore jaw.
•••
Lucy Shepard was playing a version of My Chemical Romance's 'Helena' on her guitar as the patrons of the Kaleidoscope Cafe watched her perform. She was wearing lace white top and blue jeans and her flowing blond hair was down.
Halfway through the performance, Gabe walks into the cafe. He stood at the door and watched Lucy as he listened to her sing. Gabe was transfixed by her voice as if it were a Siren's song.
Once Lucy finishes performing, the patrons offer some applause and Lucy looks up and sees Gabe standing in the cafe, applauding along with the audience.
Lucy steps off the makeshift performance area and walks over to Gabe. "You came."
"Uh, yeah." Gabe said. "That was amazing. You've got a great voice."
"Thank you." Lucy said sheepishly. "I got like fifteen minutes until my next set. Do you want to sit and talk?"
"Sure." Gabe replied. The two of them sat at a table. "So, do you normally do covers?"
"Mostly. I write my own stuff but I perform covers so I'll get paid." Lucy told him.
"Do you have a particular aesthetic?" He asked "Like writing what you know or experienced?"
"Like writing about an ex? Pulling a Taylor Swift?" Lucy asked which made Gabe laugh. "I mean, it works for her. She doesn't have those awards and all that money if she wasn't doing something right. It's just not my thing."
"Good because I really don't want to end up in a chart topping song someday if this doesn't work out." Gabe said.
Lucy giggles at this. "I'm curious to know how the son of a billionaire tech genius ended up at City Tech?"
Gabe sighs. "Just trying to find my own path. Not letting my father's legacy define mine."
"Wow, did you rehearse that?" Lucy joked.
"Every night in front of a mirror before bed." Gabe quips and Lucy giggles. "I wanna be my own man. I mean, the trust fund is nice but eventually I'm gonna have to navigate the real world without a safety net."
Lucy smiles. "I don't get why Millie didn't want me anywhere near you? You're nothing like what she said."
"What'd she say?" Gabe asked.
"That you're a playboy who doesn't care who he hurts just as long as he gets another notch on his belt." Lucy said. "Is that true?"
Gabe bit his lip. "Let's just say I've got a bad track record with members of the fairer sex."
"But you're trying to change, right?" Lucy asked.
"You could say that." Gabe replied, taking her by the hand which made Lucy blush.
Across the street from the cafe, Novak and Jackie watch this from inside a black SUV parked across the street. They seem to be focusing on Lucy. Watching her.
•••
Freddie was in the basement lair with Millie. He was now wearing a long sleeved blue shirt and had the same black pants and was reviewing some of the data Gabe recovered as Millie was playing with her Pearphone.
Pete, now wearing a long sleeved black shirt, walks down the stairs "Okay, I've cleaned upstairs and made sure no one but us can get in."
"Good, can't have any vagabonds taking shelter in the Pulse Cave." Millie said as Freddie looked up at her and Pete gave her a strange look. Millie looks at the two men and appears confused. "So, that's a 'no' on Pulse Cave?"
"Sounds a tad lame, Millie." Freddie replied. "No offense."
"I was just surprised you used the word 'vagabond' correctly in a sentence. Most girls your age don't use that word on a regular basis." Pete said, which caused Freddie to let out a stifled laugh.
Millie glares at the two as a figure quickly leaps down from the rafters, stunning the trio and causes Millie to shriek in fear.
The figure was Cassie who did a perfect somersault with the smoothies tucked under her arm. She did it so perfectly that she didn't spill a drop.
Freddie grins at his aunt. "Nice of you to drop in"
Cassie gives him a withering look. "Wow, really?"
"You did kinda walk right into that one, Cass." Millie replied. "Or should I say leap?"
Cassie lets out an annoyed groan as she holds out the drink carrier. "Are we done with the puns or is this going to turn into open mic night?" Freddie and Millie walk over to Cassie as she starts handing out the drinks. "Okay, who got Strawmango Kapow with extra protein boost?"
"That's mine." Freddie said as Cassie gave him the smoothie.
"And Cranorange Fiesta with memory boost is yours, right?" Cassie asked Millie.
"Yep." Millie said and Cassie handed over the drink.
"And PassionBerry Blitz is mine." Cassie said, setting down her drink. "That leaves Cherry-Yummy Berry Dream with an energy boost for Mr Sawyer."
Freddie and Millie stare incredulously while Pete takes the smoothie. Pete looks at them with a look of 'not a word'. They look down and appear to nonchalantly sip their drinks.
"So, how long have you been a ninja?" Millie asked Cassie. "We didn't even hear you come in."
Cassie grins smugly as she looks at Pete. "Guess someone didn't do a good job locking up, did they?"
Millie drank her smoothie and said "That or is it because you're superhuman?
Freddie and Pete stare at each other knowingly as Cassie grins.
"Oh you don't know the half of it." Cassie simply said as Millie appears to be confused and she looks at Freddie for an answer.
Freddie simply said "Spoilers."
"Inside jokes aren't nice." Millie said. "But all seriousness, Cassie, you've gotta show me how you do that?"
"And risk your dad locking me up, no thank you." Cassie jokes which makes the three laugh. "Speaking of, I ran into him after I left the GS. Him and his new helper monkey."
"You did?" Freddie asked.
"Well, I first ran into his partner." Cassie explained. "Actually, my elbow ran into his jaw."
"You hit Danny?" Millie asked in shock as Pete grins a bit.
"I didn't know it was him. I thought it was somebody trying to rob me." Cassie stated. "It was a reflex, okay? One thing lead to another and-
"And he pressed assault charges?" Freddie joked.
"He didn't go through with it. I didn't like that he acted like he was doing me a favor by not pressing charges." Cassie said as she sipped her drink. "Smug, good looking jerkwad."
"Hey, if you don't want him, I'll be happy to-" Millie began.
"I'm not sure your father would approve of you putting the moves on his partner." Cassie said.
"Or the fact that he's almost two decades older than you?" Freddie replied.
"Or the fact that you aren't his type." Pete said, glancing at Cassie.
"And I am?" Cassie asked quizzically.
"They do say opposites attract." Pete said as he drank his smoothie.
"And they don't always work out." Freddie replied. "Trust me, I learned that the hard way."
Cassie stares at Freddie and feels his inner turmoil then changes the subject. "Okay, let's drop the angst and get back to the investigative work. Did you find anything about Daphne's disappearance?"
"I was going to ask you what Mrs Waller told you." Freddie said.
"Just that she went out with her roommate and didn't come back to the dorm." Cassie said. "She was too upset to give me any details."
"I did get a bit more pieces of the puzzle." Freddie said as he tapped on the PearPad. "Gabe took the liberty of hacking into police records and found the file on Daphne's case."
"Happy to know he's using his powers for good." Cassie said as Freddie pulled up the file.
"Apparently, Daphne's roommate told the cops she was a little tipsy and saw her leave with a couple of guys in a black SUV." Freddie said.
"That isn't sounding good." Pete said. "Sounds the scenario for a potential rape and murder."
"The poor girl might not even be alive." Cassie said grimly.
"Gabe did find something else." Freddie said as he swiped the screen. "He found several missing persons cases with the same traits. The ages seem to range from 18 to 35 and are either blond or brunette. The younger women were all college students."
"Creep must have something against redheads." Cassie stated, commenting on her own hair color.
"Maybe." Freddie said quietly. He thought back at the description of the women and realized something.
"What is it?" Millie asked, noticing his expression.
"Nothing, it's just- the description matches that of two of my best friends from Seattle." Freddie said.
Cassie put a supportive hand on his shoulder.
•••
Gabe and Lucy were walking out of the cafe as the place closed for the evening. "I can honestly say that is the first time I've heard a version of Karmin's 'Brokenhearted' on an acoustic guitar." Gabe said.
"Not mine. I heard a girl on 'America Sings' try." Lucy replied.
"But your version was much better." Gabe said as Lucy blushes.
"Well I have to be honest too and truthfully... I had fun." Lucy said playfully.
"Maybe we can do it again sometime?" Gabe asked.
Lucy smiles. "I'd like that."
The pair round a corner and are approached by Novak and Jackie. Lucy jumps back in fear as Gabe protectively stands in front of her.
"Step aside, pretty boy!" Novak ordered. "We just want the girl."
"You boys want one, go get your own." Gabe said. "I'm sure you can find girls with low standards and even lower self esteems in some of the nicest dive bars."
Novak pulls out the switchblade which causes the couple to flinch. "Not gonna tell you again, give us the girl."
Gabe grabs the arm with the knife and kicks Novak in the stomach. Novak drops the knife and Gabe goes to tackle him and Jackie.
"Lucy, run!" Gabe yelled.
Lucy reluctantly runs off as Gabe fends off the two men. Jackie pushes Gabe to the ground and Novak proceeds to kick him in the ribs.
"Grab the girl, Jackie!" Novak yelled.
Lucy made a break for it but she didn't get far as Jackie forcefully grabs her by the arm. He pins her arm back and he puts his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.
Gabe gets to his feet but Novak punches Gabe hard in the face and causes him to fall to the ground.
"Little help, Novak?" Jackie said as he struggled with Lucy. "This chick's a fighter."
Novak walks over and assists his friend while Lucy bites Jackie and screams for help.
Half a block away, Detectives Victor Flores and Danny Parker were walking to Victor's car. Suddenly, Lucy's screams are heard.
"So much for a quiet evening." Danny stated as he and Victor ran towards the screams for help.
The two men arrive as the sound of squealing tires are heard in the distance. They find Gabe face down on the ground and Victor gingerly checks his pulse.
"Is he-?" Danny asked.
"He's alive but out cold." Victor said and he turns him over. "Oh god."
Danny stares at Victor who looks grimly at Gabe. "Do you know him?"
"He's one of my daughter's friends." Victor said as he checked the severity of his injuries. "Call for a bus. Now!"
Danny gets on his phone as Victor continues checking on Gabe. He saw Gabe had a deep cut on his forehead and a small trickle of blood coming from his nose. Victor also finds Novak's switchblade a few inches away from Gabe.
•••
The gang was still reviewing some of the research on the missing women that could be connected to Daphne Waller's disappearance.
"Can't believe all these women are missing?" Millie commented.
"It's the kind of stuff the Powers that Be don't want us to think about." Pete said. "You should see the list of missing children."
"If you ever want to get a decent night's sleep, you really shouldn't." Cassie said to the younger woman.
Freddie looks up from the data he'd been reading and glances at Millie. "It's your dad."
Millie stares at him with a perplexed look until her Pearphone vibrates. She sees who was calling and shivers a bit. "Still creepy." She gets out of her seat and answers her phone. "Hi daddy, I'll be home-" However, what she heard on the other end caused her to become pale. "Is he okay? Wh-what about- I'll be right there." She hung up the phone before he could object.
"Millie, what's wrong?" Cassie asked with concern.
"Um, Gabe's in the hospital." Millie said, still in shock.
Freddie was now very worried. "What happened? Is he all right?"
"I-I d-don't know. He didn't say." Millie said in a panic. "H-he didn't tell if Lucy was with him. I-I gotta get over there."
"Millie, sweetie, relax." Cassie said calmly.
"I need to know what happened." Millie quivered.
"I'll take you there." Cassie said.
"We'll all go." Freddie spoke up as the gang made their exit.
•••
Novak and Jackie unloaded a still struggling but now bound and gagged Lucy from a large black SUV. "Stop your squirming." Jackie ordered. "It's just annoying."
Lucy squealed under her gag as footsteps approached.
"Don't damage the goods, children."
Novak and Jackie look over and find Raina and Rufus entering the room. "We aren't going to fetch any money for her if she's black and blue."
Raina was in a black leather motorcycle outfit and Rufus was in a tight black shirt and cargo pants.
Lucy looks terrified as another figure enters the room. It was a woman in mid thirties in a tight blood red corset over a black evening gown with a plunging neckline.
This was Mother in all her glory. Her long and sharply manicured nails also planted blood red with black French tips. She was decked out with expensive jewels on her wrists and around her neck. Her makeup was flawless and dramatic. This woman came straight out of a Gothic horror novel.
"Is this our new doll?" Mother asked.
"She is." Raina said.
Mother bends and lightly touches Lucy's face who trembles at the touch. She made a face as if she wanted to speak. "Do you have something to say?" Mother removes the gag from her mouth only to Lucy spit in her face.
"You aren't going to get away with this, you psycho!" Lucy screamed as Novak grabs her gag and muffled any further objections.
Rufus hands Mother a silk handkerchief and she wipes away the spit from her face. "You are a firebrand." She lightly sticks her thumbnail into her chin. "Which will be quickly extinguished by whoever bids high enough. You are going to set someone back a pretty penny."
Lucy whimpers in terror as Mother pulls her hand away.
Raina looks at Novak and Jackie "One down, one to go. Live up to the end of our bargain. Make Mother proud."
Novak and Jackie go to their car and drive off as Rufus grabs Lucy by the back of her neck. "Put her with the others." Mother said.
"You're gonna make some new friends." Rufus said as Lucy futilely cries for help under her gag and Raina follows.
Mother looks on with a devilish smile on her face.
•••
At St James Hospital, Gabe sat on a bed in the ER with a bandage over the gash on his forehead and a bandage on his nose which was slightly bruised. Victor and Danny stood in the room with him.
"That's all I can remember. These jokers jumped me and took Lucy." Gabe said.
"Are you certain you don't remember any details? Like what your attackers looked like?" Danny asked.
"Maybe but my head's still a bit rattled by my mild concussion." Gabe replied, grabbing the back of his head.
"Do you want me to call your father?" Victor asked.
"You could but what would be the point?" Gabe replied.
"Couldn't hurt to try." Danny said.
"Thank you, complete stranger I've only known for an hour and a half." Gabe quips.
Danny looks over at Victor "Are all your daughter's friends this polite?"
Victor chuckles when at that moment Freddie, Millie, Cassie and Pete enter the room.
Gabe looks at his friends and notices their seriousness. "Geez, who died?"
Millie says nothing and rushes over to hug Gabe. Gabe gasps for air as Victor looks at this. He REALLY didn't like this.
"Still making jokes?" Freddie said while Millie pulled away.
"Sorry, I laugh in the face of danger." Gabe laughed but grabbed his ribs in pain. "Then danger kicks me in the ribs and punches me in the face so… danger won this round."
"Where's Lucy?" Millie asked. "Is she here? Is she okay?"
Gabe looks down as he sadly said. "The guys that jumped me took her."
Millie cups her hand over her mouth.
"Do you know who took her?" Pete asked.
"Two men: one was heavy set with a shaved head and other taller and thinner wearing a beanie." Danny said, reading off his notes.
Freddie's eyes widen in horror which Gabe, Millie, Pete and Cassie notice.
"Dad, you have to find her. Please." Millie begged.
"We'll do what I can." Victor said.
Danny looks over at Cassie who was standing close to Pete. "Friend of yours?"
Cassie folds her arms over her chest "Don't you have a girl to find? Or do you get your job done by acting like a teenage boy who picks on a girl just because they like them?"
The gang quietly laughs as Danny looks at Pete. "Is she nicer to you?"
"Only for one simple reason." Pete said as he got in Danny's face. "She likes me better than you."
"Come on Danny, we got work to do." Victor said, grabbing his arm.
"I really hope that you're Pulse." Danny said to Pete. "Because if you are, I won't have any issues with locking you up."
Pete laughs at this assumption while Freddie looks down at his feet as Victor and Danny leave.
"Told you, jerkwad." Cassie quips.
"I caught those guys." Freddie said. This statement caused the others to look at him. "The guys that took Lucy. I beat them up and hogtied them for the police."
Millie was shocked "Then how did they get out?"
"Either the police have nothing to hold 'em." Pete guessed.
"Or someone made bail." Freddie stated. He pulls out the PearPad from his book bag and tosses it to Gabe. "Hack into the precinct's mainframe and find out who was released from booking. I mean, if you feel up to it."
"Please. Not even a concussion is going to stop me from hacking into NSA records." Gabe said as the others. "Not that I've ever done that or anything."
"What you do with your free time is your business." Cassie stated.
"Even if Gabe can hack in, how will he know what to look for? We don't even know these guys' names." Millie stated.
"I do." Gabe said as he busily got to work. "The guy in the beanie was Novak and the big dude was Jackie. Heard them say their names to one another during the whole thing."
"Nicely done, Fight Club." Cassie jokes, referring to his bandaged nose.
Gabe busily looks at the screen intently until "Found them. Jackson Foley and Edwin Novak. Both of them were released this morning after their attorney made bail."
"What was the lawyer's name?" Freddie asked.
Gabe looks at the screen. "Uh, Irma St Turpetmo."
Cassie's eyes widen and the gang stares at her. "This- this is not happening."
"Cassie, what is it?" Freddie asked.
"That name, Irma St Turpetmo?" Cassie explained. "It's an anagram for 'astute imposter'."
The other three stare at her in amazement. "How did you know-" Millie began.
"Because I know who she really is." Cassie said. "I'm beginning to think what happened to Daphne and Lucy's abduction are connected."
"Looks like we got some work to do." Freddie said as he looked at Gabe who tried to get off the bed. "You sure you're up for this?"
"I'm fine." Gabe said, still in pain. "We have to find Lucy."
Millie offers her hand and helps Gabe to his feet as the gang makes their way out of the hospital.
•••
"Her name is Raina Tran." Cassie was talking to the gang back at their hideout. They were gathered around Gabe who was on his computer. "She's a mercenary who sells her skills to the highest bidder. She usually waist deep in the worst crime you could think of. Narcotics, prostitution, even in a few international terror plots. Raina will do anything for the all mighty dollar."
"It's obvious to assume that she's dangerous." Freddie said.
"To assume anything less would be your death sentence. She's a cold and calculating killer who enjoys what she does." Cassie replied. "A sadistic sociopath and this is me paying her a compliment."
"How do you know much about her?" Millie asked.
Cassie stares at the gang who look for an answer. "Uh, word of mouth mostly. She's kind of like a boogeyman. Whispered about in sections of the city."
"So, why would a sociopathic mercenary bail out a pair of low level street punks?" Pete asked.
"Maybe it has something to do with who she is working for." Freddie stated.
"The police were able to get security camera footage from the nightclub Daphne was last seen in." Gabe explained to get their attention. "I'll download it from their archives. Should take a few minutes."
"How do you do this without anyone being able to find you?" Millie asked curiously.
Gabe grins mischievously. "'Cause I'm Loki, God of Mischief." The others stare at him perplexed. "It's a name I'm known by in hacker circles. I'm thinking of using it as a codename. I mean, we shouldn't have Freddie refer to us on the com link by our own names."
"Because someone could overhear and investigate that fact further." Freddie said. "Makes sense."
"I kinda came up with some code names for the rest of you." Gabe said.
Cassie stares at him with peaked interest. "Oh I wanna hear this."
"Okay." Gabe said, turning to face them. "Obviously Freddie is Pulse so no name required. For Millie, I was thinking... Nightingale."
"As in Florence Nightingale?" Millie asked quizzically.
"She was the mother of modern nursing and you're studying to be a nurse. Also, you patch up Freddie whenever he comes back from patrols with any type of injury." Gabe said. "Seems like a natural fit."
Millie nods "Guess it does."
"With you, Cassie, I had to put some thought into yours and it hit me - Athena." Gabe stated.
"Athena?" Cassie replied, surprised.
"The Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare. Also in most Greek myths, she is the wise and sometimes unseen companion to most heroes." Gabe explained. "Plus, it rolls off the tongue better than her Roman equivalent, Minerva."
"It does have a nice ring to it." Cassie replied, sounding impressed.
Gabe's computer beeps to indicate that his upload is complete.
"I think it's done." Pete said.
"Aw, and just before we got to know what codename he gave you." Cassie jokingly said to Pete. "How convenient."
Pete just smiled as Gabe got the footage rolling. The gang watched the video. The video wasn't in good quality and they struggled to see.
"You can barely see anything." Millie stated.
"Think you can clean it up?" Freddie asked.
"I can try but video editing isn't my forte." Gabe said as he looked at Freddie. "But I'm sure you can work wonders on this grainy footage, Mr Technical Producer."
Freddie smirks as Gabe steps aside. He begins to do his tech nerd thing as the others watch. After a moment, Freddie smiles "Got it."
"Do you recognize anybody?" Millie asked while the others looked on.
"I see Daphne." Freddie replied.
Cassie stares at the screen. "She doesn't seem like she's drunk"
"I got the same feeling." Gabe retorts as he observes the video. "I saw people flat out plastered. She doesn't even look remotely tipsy."
"Wait, it looks like she is looking at something on her phone." Pete stated. "Zoom in on that."
Freddie sighed. Part of him missed being the tech whiz, other times he was glad he wasn't the resident tech monkey all the time.
"She's sending a text message." Cassie said as Freddie focused on it.
"Even with the picture quality improved, I can barely-" Gabe began
"Cait, where are you? You ditch me? Text me back." Freddie said, as if he was reading off the screen on the phone.
"How did you-" Millie asked.
"Guess the lightning also improved my eyesight." Freddie stated. "Who's Cait?"
"Think that might be Caitlin Greenburg, Daphne's roommate. Mrs Waller told me that she was the last person to see Daphne." Cassie said.
"Also, the same person who told the police the last time she saw Daphne, she was drunk." Gabe said.
"Which the tapes contradicts completely." Pete retorts.
"Am I being paranoid if I were to say this all sounds fishy?" Freddie said.
"It's not paranoia if we're all thinking the same thing." Cassie said as they went back to the tape.
They watch as Daphne makes a call when a large black SUV pulls up a few feet away. Two men get out and approach Daphne. Freddie and Gabe glare at the screen.
Millie notices the boys' demeanor change. "Is that them?"
"Oh yeah." Freddie said angrily.
"It's them." Gabe replied, gritting his teeth.
The gang watches as Daphne tries to walk away but Jackie grabs her by the arm and pulls her roughly. Daphne clocks him in the stomach with her elbow.
"Whoa! Go Daphne!" Millie said enthusiastically as the others stare at her. "Sorry. Got caught up in the moment."
They see Daphne try to get away but Novak runs after her and grabs her from behind. Jackie goes over to help his friend and the two men load a struggling Daphne into the car. The car begins to peel out and drive away.
"Go back and see if we can get a close up on the license plate." Freddie said as Gabe did so and got a clearer shot of the rear of the car.
"I got it. I'll look through the DMV records to see who this car is registered under." Gabe said.
"I think we need to pay Caitlin a visit. She obviously knows more than the police would have realized." Freddie said.
"Cassie Sinclair PI is on the case." Cassie said. "I'll go tomorrow."
"Good idea. We should try to get a decent night's sleep tonight because it looks like tomorrow is gonna be a long night." Freddie said as the gang stared at him.
•••
Cassie rounds the corner of a hallway of an older, more rundown apartment building. She was on her cellphone "I made it to Caitlin and Daphne's apartment. I'll let you know what I find out."
"Okay, good. Gabe said he got the name of the person who owns the SUV. Pete's got the address and is tailing them." Freddie's voice at the other end.
"Is Millie doing any better?" She asked him.
"A little but she's a bit shaken up. This and what happened with Dahl can't help things." Freddie said. "I feel completely responsible for that anxiety."
"Don't beat yourself up, kiddo. Just be a good friend to her. That's what she needs right now." Cassie stated. "Tonight, you can be her hero... Again. Now you get to class."
"All right, bye." Freddie said.
Cassie hangs up as she turns to see Victor Flores and Danny Parker walking down the hallway. "Fancy running into you gentlemen here."
"What are you doing here?" Danny asked, sounding annoyed.
"Pamela Waller asked me to look into her daughter Daphne's disappearance." Cassie explained. "I'm here to talk to Caitlin Greenburg."
"We just spoke to her. Doing a follow up interview regarding Daphne's disappearance." Victor said. "Danny thinks it might have a connection with Lucy Shepard's abduction."
"Really?" Cassie said with one eyebrow raised. "How did you gather that, Dan Dan?"
"That's for me to know and you to spend sleepless nights trying to figure out." Danny stated. "I keep my deductive skills a secret, close to the chest."
"Is that so? Did you figure out that Ms Greenburg might be lying about whether or not Daphne was intoxicated that evening? Or the fact that Daphne sent her a text message implying that she had completely abandoned Daphne at the club that evening?" Cassie explained as Danny and Victor stood there, stunned.
"How did you find this out?" Danny asked.
"Sorry but like you, I don't share trade secrets with just anyone." Cassie replied playfully. "So, if we're done measuring dicks, would you kindly step aside and let me work."
Victor snickers a bit as Danny steps to one side and Cassie walks between them. She continues walking until she realizes something and comes to a stop.
"Um, you two didn't by any chance tell her any sort of details regarding the case, did you?" Cassie asked.
"Just that another girl was taken and that we might be reevaluating Daphne's disappearance. Why?" Danny asked as Cassie's eyes widened.
"You boys just gave her a thirty second head-start." Cassie stated as she ran down the hall. Victor and Danny realize this and chase after her.
The three run over and find an apartment with the door ajar. Cassie stares at them with a mixture of anger and annoyance.
"She couldn't have gone far." Danny said.
"She probably took the back exit." Victor said as he and Danny ran off.
Cassie looks into Caitlin and Daphne's apartment. She sees the apartment had a window with a fire escape. The window was slightly ajar. She flashes a wicked smile.
•••
Caitlin, a short girl with shoulder length dark brown hair with a blue streak on her bangs, ran out of the emergency exit of the apartment with a small duffel bag. She looks harried as she hears Victor and Danny heading her way. Caitlin places a piece of wood against the door to lock the door close.
Caitlin smiles as she hears Victor and Danny struggle to open the door. She runs to exit the alley but -
SLAM!
A trash can lid smacks Caitlin in the face, causing the girl to fall backwards and drop her duffel bag. Caitlin groans in pain as she looks up at who hit her - Cassie.
"So, where are you off to in such a hurry?" Cassie asked, holding the trash can lid.
Caitlin looks worried as Cassie tosses the lid aside. "What the hell?" Caitlin managed, feeling the pain from the blow.
"Didn't answer my question." Cassie replied as she bent down to pick up the duffel bag. "Wonder if this has something to do with it?"
Caitlin begins to panic as Danny and Victor manage to get the door open. Caitlin gets up and tries to take back the bag only to have Cassie simply shove her back down.
"Police brutality!" Caitlin yelped.
"That's cute but there's a flaw to that logic, sweet pea... I'm not a cop." Cassie said with a sly grin. She turns to face Victor and Danny. "However these two gentlemen are and they promise to be REAL gentle."
Caitlin tries to attack Cassie but Victor and Danny grab her by the arms before she can.
"That wasn't very smart, Ms Greenburg." Victor said.
"That's putting it mildly." Cassie said with some ill intent in mind.
"Now let's see what could you have in this bag that would cause you to do something like that?" Cassie said as she opened the bag. She looks inside and is dumbfounded.
"What is it?" Danny asked.
"Thinking she had a good reason to bolt like a bat out of hell." Cassie said as she shows the men the contents of the bag - stacks of unmarked 100 dollar bills.
•••
"Why did you have all that money?" Danny asked as he and Victor questioned Caitlin Greenburg in an interrogation room back the precinct.
"It isn't mine. I-I'm holding for a friend." Caitlin said.
"All right, give us the name of that friend and we'll ask them why you were holding that seventy five grand for him." Victor replied.
Cassie was standing on the other side of a two-way mirror, watching the interview. She had her arms crossed over her chest and stared at Caitlin because she knew Caitlin knew more than she was letting on.
"I-I don't remember his name." Caitlin said nervously.
"Must not be a very good friend." Danny replied.
"What does he looks like?" Victor asked. "Think you can give us a description so we can go find him ourselves? Ask him why he asked you to hold that large amount of cash."
"I haven't done anything wrong." Caitlin quivered.
"Is that so? See, I don't know many innocent people who run from the police." Danny said.
"Caitlin, we've got two missing women. One of them being your roommate. If anything happens to them and we find out you're indirectly responsible for their disappearances, you could face some serious jail time." Victor said as he walks over to the mirror. "You could make it easier on yourself and tell us or we can bring in our ace in the whole to have a little girl chat."
A light shines to reveal Cassie standing on the other side of the two way mirror. Cassie playful waves at Caitlin who looks relatively freaked.
"I'd recommend you talk to us." Danny said. "We're a lot nicer."
"Please, you're bluffing. No way you guys would let her try anything." Caitlin said.
"I don't know, we could walk away for a few minutes but neglect to lock the door to this room." Danny said in a threatening tone.
"Our friend uses that opportunity to talk to you one on one." Victor replied.
"We would be facing disciplinary action. Worst thing that could happen to us we'd we a slap on the wrist." Danny joked. "Possibly a week's suspension."
"Three days at the least." Victor said to his partner.
Caitlin stares back at Cassie who smirks at her. "Oh- okay, fine. I'll tell you where I got the money." she said with terror in her voice. "Just keep Psycho Sydney away from me."
Danny and Victor look back at Cassie who grins and turns the light off.
"Where did you get the money?" Victor asked.
"This guy came up to me a week ago while Daphne and I were off campus having lunch." Caitlin explained. "Said if I wanted to make some real cash. He said he could get me twenty thousand dollars, all I had to do was have Daphne meet him outside of Hyperion."
"The nightclub you and Daphne went to the night she vanished." Danny asked.
"Yeah, said he had a friend who he wanted to introduce her to." Caitlin said. "Thought the guy was paying me money to play matchmaker. Probably some sugar daddy looking for a new plaything."
"And it didn't bother you that you were basically handing your roommate to a complete stranger?" Victor asked.
"I needed the money, okay?" Caitlin yelled. "I-I was desperate. College life isn't cheap. I was strapped for cash. I knew it was wrong but I was kinda out of options."
"Do you know this guy's name?" Danny asked.
"H-he just said it was Novak." Caitlin said.
Cassie's eyes widened. This cemented the fact Daphne and Lucy's abductions were connected.
"Anything else you want to tell us?" Victor asked.
"After he dropped off the cash, Novak took a phone call. He said 'gotta get her to mother.' Didn't really understand what it meant." Caitlin explained.
Danny stares at Victor with a look of shock and looks back at Cassie as he gives her the same look.
•••
Cassie paced around the outside the hallway near the interrogation room. Danny and Victor step out of the room. "So, are you gonna explain that look or you like keepin' us in suspense?" Cassie asked Danny while Victor and Danny stride towards their desks.
"I know who might be behind this." Danny stated.
"Who?" Victor asked.
"Back in Chicago, there were several disappearances of young women. Same profile - most were between the ages of 18 to 34. All of them were either natural blondes or brunettes." Danny explained as Cassie recognized this as the same profile the gang estimated. "My partner was working on the case but was pulled off it after the FBI got involved."
Cassie read the look on Danny's face. There was more to this. "The case became personal for him, didn't it?" Danny stops and looks at her. "Did one of his loved ones became one of the victims?"
Danny stares at her in amazement. "His daughter, Gaby. She was taken a few hours after her eighteenth birthday party."
Cassie remained silent until she spoke up. "You're thinking that the person behind her kidnapping might be the same person behind Daphne and Lucy's abductions?"
"Not just that." Danny replied. "My partner discovered that there were at least several dozen abductions in several major cities. Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, Miami. Even some in a few international cities. All fitting the same victim profile. There were even disappearances that go back at least ten years."
"Sounds like a human trafficking ring." Victor stated.
"That's the same thing my partner thought. He was making some headway before Gaby was taken." Danny said. "He thought these people made it personal so he'd be pulled from the case."
"And what was it that reminded you of all this?" Cassie inquired.
"Something Caitlin said, what she overheard Novak saying over the phone." Danny retorts.
"Gotta get her to mother." Cassie repeated the statement. "And who is 'Mother'?"
"My partner learned the leader of the ring went under an alias. She called herself Mother." Danny stated.
"A head of a human trafficking ring using the name 'Mother'?" Victor said. "Must be a fan of irony."
"This lady, and I use that term loosely, is only taking girls. Maybe it's a prostitution ring." Cassie estimated.
"More than likely." Danny replied.
"So, what now?" Cassie asked.
"You go and let us do our jobs." Danny stated.
Cassie scoffs "Excuse me?"
"Danny's right, we've got a better hold on this." Victor stated.
"If it wasn't for me, your only lead would have been on the first flight to Tahiti." Cassie spat. "What am I supposed to tell Mrs Waller?"
"That the police have gotten more details on Daphne's case." Danny retorts. "We just can't have any hindrances with this case."
Cassie glares at Danny "Wow, you go from being a decent guy and revert back to the T-1000. That takes talent." She turns her heels and walks off with the heels on her boots stomping off.
"We're going to find them, Cassie!" Victor called out.
Cassie doesn't acknowledge this as she pulls out her cellphone. "Not if we find them first." She hits the speed dial and talks on her phone. "Got something. Get the gang together, we got a lot to talk about."
Not paying attention, Cassie passes by Captain Thompson, who stares at her. He seems to know her.
•••
"A human trafficking ring?" Freddie stated.
The gang, minus Pete, were back at their hideout. Cassie appeared to have explained what she had learned at the police station. She leaned on a pillar as Freddie stood next to Gabe who was still on his computer sifting through files. Millie was sitting on the table next to Gabe's computer.
"Basically. Does explain why Raina Tran is bailing out a couple of lowlife punks. She must be working for 'Mother'." Cassie stated.
"But why only girls?" Millie asked. "I may be coming off as naïve but why does their gender matter?"
"Because human trafficking is usually linked to prostitution. Sometimes slave labor or black market organ sales." Cassie replied. "Danny said that most of the abductions had begun at least ten years ago."
"So whoever Mother is, she didn't just get in the game. She's been doing it for a while." Freddie said.
"But why get Novak and Jackie to do their dirty work?" Millie asked.
"I think it's because they're expendable. They got bailed out of jail but I think this Mother chick has the typical criminal mastermind mentality of 'three strikes, you're dead.'" Gabe said.
"You said my dad and Danny are the case, right?" Millie asked Cassie. "Maybe we should let them try to find Daphne and Lucy?"
"Because by tonight, it'll be too late."
The gang looks over at the stairs and finds Pete standing on the stairwell.
"I take it you got some decent intel?" Freddie asked.
"And then some." Pete said as he walked down the stairs. "I tailed those two punks for most of the day and I think I may have what we need to find those girls."
"What did you learn?" Millie replied.
"I saw them prowling around the city looking for girls. Anyone who didn't know what these clowns were really up to might've thought they were just cruising for chicks." Pete stated.
"Why would they need any more girls? Wasn't Lucy enough for them?" Gabe said with rage building in his voice.
"Take it easy there, Loki." Cassie said jokingly to calm him down. Gabe smiles and relaxes a bit.
"I may know the reason why they're still on the prowl." Pete told the gang. "They stopped off at this diner a few hours ago so I followed them in. I sat in the booth behind them and they gave me enough to go on."
"What'd they say?" Freddie asked.
"They were talking about how they needed to make one more pick up before the shipment is sent out." Pete explained.
"Shipment?" Millie replied in a confused tone.
"I think they might've been talking about Daphne and Lucy." Cassie stated.
"Not just them. The larger one made a joke about them needing to complete the baker's dozen." Pete said.
"Gabe, pull up the list of the missing women." Freddie ordered.
"Way ahead of you, Master Wayne." Gabe replied, which caused Freddie to groan softly. After a few seconds, "Got it. Not counting Lucy and Daphne, there are at least ten other women abducted in the last two months."
"Baker's dozen is thirteen." Millie stated.
"They need one more to complete their 'assignment'." Cassie retorts.
"Why did you say that it might be too late for the police to find them?" Millie asked Pete as the others waited for his response.
"Because they said the shipment is being sent out at midnight." Pete told them.
The expressions on the other's faces ranged from sheer terror and pure rage. Gabe slams his fist on the table, catching the others off guard.
"Where are they now?" Cassie asked.
"They left the diner and I decided to come give you guys the information." Pete replied.
Gabe got in his face and did something the stuns the gang. "You let them go? How do you know they didn't snatch a girl after they left the diner? You could've called and given us the information instead of keeping track of them!"
Pete glares at him but speaks in an eerily calm manner. "I understand that you are upset about what happened to you and your friend but there's so much I will let you get away with. So back up and let me explain why I let them go or someone's gonna get hurt."
Gabe realizes he may have overstepped it a bit and backs away slowly. "Why DID you let them go?"
"Before they left, the larger thug asked his buddy if they were going to grab a girl soon. His friend told him that they'd grab someone in Chelsea tonight. He said 'Mother needs a classy brunette'." Pete replied.
The gang looks over at Freddie. "What now, fearless leader? What's our next move?" Gabe asked.
Freddie brushes the hair in his face back "They're looking for a brunette, I say we give 'em one."
Gabe glares at Freddie "Hope you're not suggesting we use Millie as bait to lure these creeps. She went through hell last week and you want to throw her to the wolves?"
"I would never suggest that unless Millie agreed to it. I am suggesting we lure them into a trap... but Millie isn't going to be our bait." Freddie said as he turned to face his aunt.
Cassie stares at the others who seem to share looks of agreement but also worry for her. She let out a deep sigh and simply said "What do I have to do?"
•••
Victor sat at his desk, still reviewing the missing persons' cases that matched the profile Danny had given. Neither he or Danny were making any headway on this. Part of Victor regretted chasing Cassie away. The girl did have a knack for detective work.
Suddenly, his cellphone ringing breaks his concentration and he answers "Flores."
"I can help you find those girls." A distorted voice told him.
Victor's blood ran cold. It was the same voice from the night he went to find Millie. "Wait- how did you-"
"You don't have time to ask questions, Detective. The lives of twelve innocent women are at stake." The voice replied.
Victor remained silent until he asked. "How can I be sure I can trust the information you're giving me?"
"I did help you find your daughter, didn't I?" The voice stated. "My friends and I only want to help save these girls."
"By friends, you mean Pulse?" Victor asked.
"He can be counted as one of my allies, yes." The voice said. "I'll send you the proper intel if you're interested in saving the lives of these women."
Victor paused then said. "Send me the info." He looks up and sees Danny making his way towards their desks with two cups of coffee. "Mind if I bring some back up?"
"I'd recommend it. You're gonna need all the help you can get." The voice stated.
"So, does this disembodied voice have a name?" Victor asked.
"You can call me Loki." The voice said as the call ended.
Victor's phone chimes to tell him he had received a message.
"Is it Millie?" Danny asked as Victor looked up at his partner. "Got you coffee. Two creams, one sugar, right?"
"Thanks, but we gotta take it with us." Victor said as he got off his chair. "I got a lead."
"Is it a solid lead?" Danny said.
"We're about to find out." Victor replied as they made their way out.
•••
Gabe sat at his computer with Millie standing next to him and Pete sitting on a stool a few feet away from them. Gabe was wearing the same headset device he wore to distort his voice before.
"Do you think they'll make it?" Millie asked.
"That depends on your dad, Mills." Gabe said.
"Let's just hope this plan works. If not, this could end up going south on both fronts." Pete said.
"Thank you, Captain Optimism." Millie quips.
"He's not wrong about fearing the worst." Gabe said. "I'm worried about whether any of this is too late to save Lucy."
Millie puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
•••
Outside the Rubin Museum of Art, the large SUV was parked across the street where Novak and Jackie sat. Prowling, looking for a potential victim.
"See anybody worth Mother's time?" Novak asked.
"Nope. Most of these chicks are ancient." Jackie stated.
"We'd better move quickly. Shipment leaves in a few hours and if we don't make quota, we're as dead as Izzy." Novak replied.
"Still can't believe he's gone." Jackie said mournfully.
"Hey, don't go getting soft. Izzy chose to ditch us and he paid the price for it." Novak told him as he looks back out the window and sees something that catches his attention. "Whoa!"
"What?" Jackie asked. "Got something?"
"Yep, a classy brunette. Just what we need." Novak said.
Across the street, a pretty brunette wearing a stylish black short trench coat, paired with black leggings and thigh high black high heel boots. She was wearing black leather gloves and a pair of sunglasses. The woman heads away from the museum and is alone.
"And she's all alone." Jackie stated.
"She's practically gift wrapped." Novak stated with malice in his voice.
The two men exit their vehicle and begin to calmly follow the woman. They see she tries to hail a cab but none stop.
"Excuse me, miss?" Novak said, approaching her. "Do you need a ride?"
"No thanks, I'm fine." The woman said quickly, as to avoid eye contact.
"Come on, I wouldn't mind giving a ride to where you need to go." Novak said as Jackie hid behind a part of a building.
"My mother always told me never to accept rides from strangers. Thanks but no thanks." The woman said, still not making eye contact with Novak as she tried to hail another cab but Novak forcefully grabbed her by the arm. "Hey!"
"I don't have time to play nice." Novak stated. "We're going for a little ride."
The woman knees Novak in the groin and ran away from him.
Jackie comes out of his hiding spot as Novak rubs his crotch area in pain. "You all right, bro?"
"What is up with these chicks and self defense?" Novak said in pain. He stares at Jackie. "What are you waiting for? Go get her!"
"We can find another girl." Jackie said to him.
"We don't have time to find another girl, moron. Besides, she made it personal. Come on!" Novak said as he went after the woman with Jackie in tow.
The woman ran as quickly as she could from Jackie and Novak until she ran into an alley blocked by a chain link fence. She looks around and sees she has nowhere to go as she turns to see her pursuers finally caught up with her.
"Wow, all that running only to end up at a dead end. Trapped like a rat." Novak said, still in pain.
"Hmm, that's funny." The woman said confidently as she lowered her sunglasses slightly to wink at them. Her demeanor changes as we realize what Jackie and Novak don't - this woman is Cassie in disguise. "I was just about to tell you boys the same thing."
The men look at her confused until a figure leaps down behind them. They turn around and are horrified at what they're seeing.
Freddie, decked out in his battle suit, stood behind the men. He looked intimidating in his new suit and he filled it out well. His fingers crackle with electrical energy as he pounds his fists together in a menacing manner. His hair was combed in a way that you wouldn't know this was Freddie Benson. This was Pulse in all his fully realized glory and then some.
"You again?" Novak said nervously. He stares at Pulse puzzled. "In a better outfit."
"W-what are you doing here?" Jackie asked.
"Oh, I take it you boys have met my friend?" Cassie replied.
Novak and Jackie aren't sure what to do until they try running past Pulse only to be met with a double clothesline from Pulse. They lay flat on their backs as Pulse stares down at them.
"Daphne Waller, Lucy Shepard, you took them." Freddie said in an intimidating tone. His voice seems to be altered electronically. Sounds a bit like Iron Man when he is wearing his helmet. "You're gonna tell me where."
"We-we can't. She'll have us killed." Jackie said, terrified.
Freddie grabs Jackie by the shirt collar and pins him against the brick wall. "Whoever it is you're afraid of…" He holds him up with his left hand as his right hand sparks menacingly with electricity. "Fear me MORE!"
Novak got up and went to attack Pulse but Cassie grabs his arm and flips him off his back and he lands hard on the ground. He tries to get up but she pins his arm back to hold him down.
"Two on one just isn't very fair, Edwin. Play nice or I'm gonna bruise more than your pride." Cassie replies as she twists his arm a bit and Novak yelps.
Freddie continues threatening Jackie. "Where are the girls?"
Jackie stares Pulse down. "I ain't telling you squat!"
Freddie scoffs "Fine, looks like I'm gonna have to do this the hard way." He places his electrified fist over Jackie's abdomen and delivers a mild electric shock. Jackie wails in pain as Freddie pulls his fist away. "Tell me what I need to know or am I going to have to turn up the voltage a little higher?"
"Piss off, you hobknock-"
Before Jackie could finish his insult, Freddie delivers another shock but it was a bit stronger than the last. Cassie stares at this and notices that Freddie seemed to be enjoying hurting him.
"Pulse, that's enough!" She said as Freddie pulled his fist away again.
"All right! I give! I'll tell you!" Jackie yelled in pain.
"They'll kill us! Don't!" Novak yelled.
"I don't care!" Jackie stated. "Mother and her flunkies have them stashed inside several shipping crates on a cargo ship near Chelsea Pier. Once Mother gets a buyer, they're sending out the girls."
"Sending them where?" Freddie asked.
"I don't know. Whoever bids high enough. She holds some sort of silent black market auction on the dark web. I swear that's all I know!" Jackie pleaded.
Freddie lets him go. "Get out of here! Go before I change my mind."
Jackie begins to run off as Cassie lets go of Novak and he gets up. "Let's get out of here!"
Novak glares at Cassie and Pulse but follows his friend.
"Sure that was a good idea letting them go?" Cassie asked.
"It wouldn't have been… if I hadn't tagged him and his buddy with tracers when I clotheslined them and that they're going to lead us straight to Mother and her ship." Freddie boasted.
Cassie smiled, impressed. "Clever boy."
"Go check if they're really gone." Freddie ordered.
"I'm on it." Cassie said as she ran out of the alley.
"Sure this is gonna work?" Gabe's voice is heard over Freddie's com link.
"Don't worry. I tagged those jokers. They're going to lead us straight to those girls." Freddie said. "Did you contact Detective Flores? Are you headed over here?"
"Freeze! Don't move!" Victor's voice called out from behind Freddie.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Freddie said under his breath.
Freddie turns around and finds Victor and Danny standing at the entrance of the alleyway. Both detectives had their guns drawn as they stared at him in disbelief.
"So, Pulse is real." Danny said with a mixture of awe and amusement. "He still looks like some crazy weirdo with WAY too much time on his hands, though."
"I wonder how much that costume cost to put together?" Victor asked.
"You know, it's rude to talk about someone when they're right in front of you." Freddie snarked, he seems to be getting better at the zingers.
"You're right, how about we ask you these questions when we get back to the precinct." Danny said as he continued holding his gun with his right hand and pulling out pair of handcuffs with his left. "Turn around and put your hands behind your head!"
Freddie lifts his hands but then makes a pistol motion with his left hand and fires a bolt of lightning at Danny, shooting the handcuffs out of his hand.
Danny rears back in pain as he tries to process what he had just done. "You saw that too, right?"
"Yeah, I did." Victor said. "Don't try that again or else I'll be forced to use lethal force."
Suddenly, a figure in black zooms between the two men with uncanny speed and takes out their legs using a long pole like object, causing them to fall flat on their backs and dropping their guns.
It was Cassie who's wig and sunglasses obscured her facial features. She was holding a long metal pole in her left hand which she had used to take the two down.
"Pulse, go!" Cassie said, trying to disguise her voice.
Freddie runs towards the fence and climbs over it and lands on the other side, taking off running.
Cassie whirls the metal pole as the two detectives grab their weapons and get to their feet.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Danny asked, almost trying to see past her disguise.
"Not amused." Cassie growled.
"I'll go after Pulse. You deal with his friend." Victor replied as he ran off.
"Shouldn't be too hard." Danny said but Cassie used the pole to acrobatically kick Danny in the stomach which throws him back down. "Spoke too soon."
Cassie lands on her feet as she tosses the pole aside and runs out of the alley. Danny gets to his feet and chases after her.
•••
Freddie continues to run only to round a corner and finds himself faced with Victor Flores and his service weapon, pointing it at his face.
"Don't you try anything funny." Victor ordered.
"It's okay. I'm one of the good guys." Freddie said in a low voice.
"Are you joking?" Victor stated. "You're a criminal."
"I'm trying to do what's right." Freddie stated. "Like trying to save those women from Mother."
Victor stares at him for a moment. "Who are you?"
"Someone who wants to help." Freddie told him. "I've placed a tracer on the two men who took Daphne Waller and Lucy Shepard. As we speak, they are headed to their meeting place where Mother plans on sending them and ten other women to God knows where. I am trying to make sure that doesn't happen. Either could help me save them... or you could just shoot me."
Victor sighs as he slowly lowers his gun. The two men look at each other with understanding.
•••
Cassie runs into an abandoned four story building with Danny giving chase. She runs up the stairwell then looks down and sees Danny was in hot pursuit. She groans and continues running until she reaches the last floor.
Cassie keeps running through an empty and abandoned loft and nearly reaches the end of the long room until…
"Stop!" Danny yelled as Cassie came to a halt in front of a window. "I think that's far enough, Miss. Hands in air." Cassie slowly raises her arms in the air. Danny slowly walks towards her. "You're coming with me. You're going to answer some questions. I don't think you have any more tricks left to pull."
Cassie stares at her reflection in the dingy window as a smile creeps up on her face. "Just one."
With that, Cassie charges at the window and dives head first through it with all her strength.
"No!" Danny yelled as he ran to the window. He looks down and sees Cassie's body laid out on the pavement below. "Oh god." His phone rings and he answers it. "Victor, wh-what is it? Did you catch Pulse?"
"Never mind that. I know how we're going to find those girls." Victor said.
"How'd you manage that?" Danny asked as he stepped away from the window. He was still thinking about the woman who threw herself out of a window.
"There isn't time to explain. Just meet me in the alley we found Pulse." Victor stated.
"I-I'll be right there." Danny said as Victor hung up. Danny walks back to the window and sees Cassie's body is nowhere to be found. This legitimately freaks him out. No one could've survived a fall like that. Where did she go?
•••
Cassie limps slightly out of an alleyway into a street corner. She speaks into her own com link. "Pulse? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. What about you? How did you get away from Danny?" Freddie asked.
Cassie remains quiet until she says. "I'll tell you later. Do you still need me?"
"I got it. You were awesome, by the way." Freddie told her.
"Thanks. Now go be a hero." Cassie said as he turned off his link. "Loki?"
"Yeah?" Gabe's voice asked.
"Is Pete still with you guys?" Cassie asked.
"He is. Why?" Gabe asked.
"Give him my coordinates and have him take Black Beauty to come get me." Cassie stated. "And be a dear and have him bring me a change of clothes."
She passes by a store window and sees fresh blood on her forehead as well as heavy bruising on her face and eyes. She carefully puts the sunglasses back on and uses her wig to conceal the blood.
•••
Novak and Jackie pull the SUV in front of Raina, Rufus and four other goons who were standing near the entrance to a cargo ship where several shipping crates were placed. The two men get out of the car.
"Where's the last girl?" Raina asked.
"We got a problem. Someone is looking for the girls we took." Novak informs them.
"And how did they find out?" Rufus asked angrily.
"My guess is because you two idiots weren't careful!" Raina snapped. "If the cops show up-"
"The cops aren't who we should be worried about." Novak stated.
"What are you talking about?" Rufus asked.
"Do you remember the guy told you about? The guy who got us arrested?" Jackie stated.
Raina scoffs "You mean the guy who can shoot lightning out of his hands?"
"Yeah, that's right. Well, he attacked us again. He set a trap to get information out of us. He had some help. Some tough chick he used as bait." Novak explained.
"She wouldn't happen to be a platinum blond in all black, would she?" Raina asked, sounding a bit anxious.
"She was dressed in all black but this chick had dark hair." Jackie stated which made Raina breathe a small sigh of relief.
"What'd you tell him?" Rufus demanded.
"Nothing." Novak said when he turned to face Jackie. "But Jackie sang like a canary."
"He tazed me, what was I supposed to do?" Jackie replied.
"Sucked it up and took it like a man." Novak snapped.
"You backstabbing jackass!" Jackie shouted.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" Novak shouted.
"Silence!" Raina yelled as a car approached. "She's here."
The fancy town car pulls up and a chauffeur gets out and opens the back of the car and Mother exits the car, decked out in a slinky black dress and her long jet black hair pulled back in a ponytail.
"Is everything on schedule?" Mother asked.
"We may have a big problem." Rufus explained. "Ren and Stimpy over here may have compromised the shipment. Someone knows."
Mother looks at Jackie and Novak. "Were you followed?" The two shake their heads. "Good. Is the shipment complete?"
"We're short one." Raina stated.
"I can't give the buyer his prize if we're short one. My reputation is at stake." Mother said.
"What do we do, dispose of the cargo?" Raina asked.
"No, we'll send it as is. We'll just tell the buyer one died on transport." Mother told them as she pulled Rufus close and whispers in his ear. He nods in understanding. "Raina, come with me to check on the dolls. Xavier, go check on the ship's crew. Want to be ready for delivery." She looks over at Jackie and Novak. "You two make yourselves useful and help Rufus. And try not to screw it up."
The five people got one the cargo ship as the other goons took their positions.
The four goons - a tall athletic African in his late thirties, a shorter male in his early forties wearing a Kangol hat, and two muscular men in their late twenties who looked almost identical - stood guard near the entrance and chauffeur, a lanky man in his early forties with jet black hair that was slicked back, stood by the car. All of them wore dark suits.
All of a sudden, a noise is heard behind a wooden crate. The African motioned to the man in the hat. "Go check what that is?" He ordered.
The man in the Kangol hat draws his handgun and goes to check what the noise is. He heads further away and hears a noise behind him. He turned around, pointing his gun but there wasn't anyone there. He smirks as he turns and finds Pulse standing behind him.
"Boo!" Freddie said then he stuns him with a charged up hand. The electric shock knocks out the man with the hat.
Realizing that it was taking too long, the African stares at the muscular twins. "Go see why he's taking his sweet time."
The twins do so and walk towards where Kangol guy was observing. They look around and find him tied up and unconscious.
"What in the-" one of the twins began but before he could finish, his twin got zapped and fell to his knees. He turns around and finds Pulse standing there. He points his gun at him only to have a Pulse zap the gun out of his hands.
"Too slow." Freddie quips.
The muscular man charges at him and swings to punch him but Pulse dodges each punch. Pulse grabs the guy by the neck and kicks him in the stomach several times. He throws the guy back then hits him with a hard hook punch that causes the guy to be knocked out.
The African looks at the chauffeur who gives him an annoyed look. "I just drive the car. I'm not going anywhere unless Mother pays me to."
Suddenly, a pile of smoldering steel lands near the two men. They rear back as the African inspects the pile. It was the guns of the other goons, now broken to pieces and melted.
"You guys should really invest in better weaponry." Freddie's voice calls out as he walks towards them. "Although, I never would've guessed a million volts of electricity could melt a Glock 17."
The African and the chauffeur stare at Pulse as the goon pulls out his gun only to hand Pulse shoot it out of his hands, causing it to fall into the ocean.
"That didn't work for your buddies. Why did you think it would work for you?" Freddie asked in an amused tone.
The African charges at him as Pulse just sighs and fires a medium voltage blast of electricity at him which knocks him backwards. He tries to recover but Pulse kicks him in the face and knocks him out.
Pulse checks to see if he was still alive until he struck in the back. He turns around and finds the chauffeur holding a long wooden stick in his hands but the attack only annoyed him. He focuses his attention on the chauffeur who went from proud to petrified. The chauffeur swings to strike Pulse but Pulse grabs the stick. Pulse effortlessly wrestles the stick from the chauffeur and breaks it in half.
"Hey, wanna see a trick I learned?" Freddie asked as he twirls the sticks. He gets to uses the Eskrima techniques Pete had shown him. "I've been practicing."
The chauffeur stares with his eyes widened in horror.
•••
Raina opens up a crate with Mother looking on. She opens the door and finds four girls chained up by their wrists and ankles. Two of those girls were Lucy Shepard and Daphne Waller. Daphne was a tall athletic looking girl with cocoa toned skin and straight black hair, still wearing the outfit she wore to the club. The other two girls were also very pretty girls, one was an eighteen year old Latin American girl with wavy brown hair and other was a thirty one year old with short blond hair in a Pixie cut. Most were in either workout clothes or in clothing they wore for a night out.
"On your feet!" Raina ordered. "Mother wants your full attention."
The four women reluctantly did as they were told as Mother steps forward.
"Now, there is no need for so much sadness. You girls and the rest of your new friends are about to start new lives. Lives where you will be of use. Where they won't be wasted... Chasing pointless dreams." Mother explained. "Granted, you'll have to learn to hold your tongue. Especially since the man I sold you all to will have it cut out if you don't. His desires will become your own. His pleasure will be what will fill your lives with joy. If not... you'll learn to fake it. Most women do anyway."
Lucy and Daphne stare at each other then at the others.
"Now sit tight. We'll be off to meet your new owners in no time." Mother said with faux sweetness. She makes her way out as Raina shuts the door and locks up the crate.
"We're screwed." The wavy haired Latina replied.
"Don't say that! Somebody has to be coming for us." Lucy said.
"Who?" Daphne asked with incredulous disbelief. "The police? The FBI? Father Christmas?"
"I know it looks hopeless but I know someone will save us." Lucy replied.
"Why do you feel so strongly about this?" The woman with the Pixie cut asked.
"I have faith." Lucy stated.
Daphne snickers "Good luck with that."
Lucy sighed as she said under her breath. "Please. Please, someone save us."
•••
Rufus leads Novak and Jackie towards the front of the ship. It was empty and quiet, not a soul in sight.
"So, where's the crew?" Jackie asked.
"Below deck. Where they were instructed to stay until I did as Mother asked." Rufus said.
Novak looks confused. "What did she ask you to do?"
Suddenly, Rufus pulls out his gun with silencer on it and shoots Jackie twice in the chest and Novak in the shoulder. Jackie is killed instantly and Novak looks at Rufus in horror who heaves Jackie's body over the side of the ship as if he were a sack of potatoes. He turns to face Novak who was struggling to get away. Rufus grabs Novak's injured shoulder and turns him around.
"Please, please don't kill me. I won't fail her again." Novak said, pleading for his life.
"This isn't about failure, Mr Novak. Mother is moving her operation and we can't leave a trail." Rufus told him. "She wants me to... liquidate her liabilities. That means your services are no longer required."
Novak's eyes widen in terror as Rufus points the gun at his head. "Please. Please!"
All of a sudden, a bolt of electricity knocks the gun out of his hand. He and Novak look up to see Pulse standing on top of a shipping crate.
"Look, I don't like him very much myself but even he doesn't deserve to die like that." Freddie said.
Rufus looks at Novak "This the guy who jumped you and your buddy?"
Novak nods as he remains stunned. He couldn't believe Pulse just saved his life.
Pulse gracefully leaps down from the crate as Xavier slowly makes his way to him. Novak uses this opportunity to escape. "You got a last name, ?"
"Name's Rufus Montez." Xavier said. "And you're Pulse, right?"
"That's right." Freddie replied.
"Good. Now that we've been formally introduced..." Rufus goes to punch Pulse only to have Pulse catch his beefy fist.
"You'll proceed to get the fudge beat out of you." Freddie said as he kicked him in the stomach but it didn't phase Rufus. "Aw chizz."
Rufus grabs him by the neck and throws Pulse like a rag doll, the superhero landing almost halfway across the deck. Rufus just grins. "Welcome to the big leagues, hero boy."
"Dude, be careful with this guy. Montez spent twelve years in a Russian prison before he broke out two years ago." Gabe explained to him over the com link. "They gave him a nice little nickname. Called him the Golem."
"Oh gee, I wonder why?" Freddie said, still winded from the toss. Rufus charges at Pulse but he rolls out the way and causes Rufus to crash through a wooden crate.
"You going to keep scurrying like a little bug? Thought you wanted to beat me?" Rufus taunted.
"Can I ask you something?" Freddie asked. "Does food in a Russian prison taste differently than American prisons? I mean, it's no Space Race but we gotta have them beat, right?"
Rufus charges at him like a bull elephant but Pulse leaps into the air and jumps over him, all while stepping on his head. Rufus slams into a wall but the blow only momentarily stuns him. He turns back to face Pulse.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Xavier growled. He rushes at Pulse and swings his massive fists wildly at Pulse barely dodges them until a blow smacks the hero in the back of the head.
"Ow, aye caramba." Freddie said, his body in sheer pain.
Pulse tries to get up but the hulking man begins to apply a bear hug on Pulse who struggled to break free. "You fresh out of jokes, boy?" Rufus gloated as Pulse gasped for air.
•••
Gabe and Millie were still at the hideout and could only listen as this happened. "He's gonna kill him." Millie replied with terror in her voice.
"Don't worry. Freddie's gonna get out of this." Gabe said reassuringly. More trying to reassure himself.
At that moment, Cassie and Pete enter the hideout and rush down the stairs. Cassie was no longer wearing the clothes she wore a while ago but instead a dark colored turtleneck and dark blue jeans with the same boots on her feet. Also, her face wasn't heavily bruised anymore and there was no blood on her forehead.
"What's happening?" Cassie asked.
"Well, good news is Freddie found the ship." Millie stated.
"And the bad news?" Pete asked.
"An escaped Russian inmate who would make Bane green with envy is trying to kill him." Gabe stated.
Cassie's eyes widened in horror. "Come on, Freddie."
•••
Pulse gasped and struggled to get away but Rufus only squeezed tighter. "Any last words, runt?"
"I got a few." Freddie gasped when his entire body sparked with electricity and he began to shock Xavier. Pulse hit Rufus with a stronger charge, hoping it would knock him out and not kill him. Rufus screams in agony and lets go of Pulse who falls to the ground.
Rufus stumbles a bit as he looks at Pulse who slowly got to his feet. He glares at him but he simply falls to the ground.
Pulse relaxed his shoulders a bit as he stared down at Rufus.
"Freddie? Freddie, are you okay?" Cassie asked with concern.
"I-I thought we were using codenames, Athena?" Freddie quips, catching his breath.
"I'll take that as a sign you're okay." Gabe stated.
"I'm good… But dude may have cracked a rib… Other than that, I'm fine." Freddie stated as he grabbed a long chain to tie up Rufus. "I'm gonna use a chain to restrain him. Figure zip ties aren't gonna cut it with this guy."
"You sure he can't break metal objects?" Gabe asked.
"I'm praying he can't." Freddie said as he finished tying him up.
•••
Victor and Danny arrive at the shipyard and find Mother's four goons and her chauffeur tied to a long chain from a crane. They were bound and gagged.
"Who do you think did this?" Danny asked, examining the scene.
"Take a guess." Victor replied.
Danny stares at his partner in bewilderment. "So, we're supposed to bring this guy in, right?"
"And we will. Right now, we need him to save the girls." Victor told him. "You gotta trust me."
Danny sighs "Sure hope you know what you're doing."
Suddenly, razor sharp knife lands between them. This causes them to look around and find Raina standing at the top of the entrance to the ship. Mother stood a few feet away as she surveyed the scene.
"Long time no see, Victor." Raina said in a friendly manner.
"You know her?" Danny asked, a bit shell shocked from the projectile thrown at them.
"Raina Tran. She's a mercenary known in the international community." Victor explained. "A high paid assassin."
"Wow, going by the book. I thought we were on better terms than that." Raina jokes as she walks down the ramp but quickly stops as Victor and Danny draw their guns.
"Freeze! Stay where you are!" Danny ordered.
Raina stares sideways at Danny then focuses her attention at Victor. "New partner? Hmm, definitely an improvement from the last one. Tell me, what would possess your captain to give you another partner after what happened to the last one?"
Danny looks over at Victor who didn't take his eyes off Raina.
"I won't let you touch him." Victor snapped.
"Is your memory that fuzzy? As I recall, I didn't kill your partner." Raina explained as she looked at the tied up henchmen. "So, you care to tell me who did this?"
"Certainly wasn't us." Victor stated.
"Now Victor, don't sell yourself short." Raina joked. "Who's responsible for this?"
"Me."
Raina turns around and sees Pulse standing a foot away from Mother who rears back.
"Who are you?" Mother asked. "How did you get past my men?"
"The name's Pulse and it was fairly easy." Freddie joked as he inches closer to Mother backs away slowly. "Except one, Montez was tougher to beat. But hey, most mini bosses are."
"What did you do to my boy?" Mother demanded angrily.
"He's fine. I just zapped him with a few kilowatts of juice." He said as his hands spark.
"Hmm, sneaky boy. You would've made a fine member of my organization." Mother said as she slowly pulled out a long bejeweled athame from her back. "Shame I have to kill you." She lunges at him with intention to stab him but Pulse zaps the ceremonial knife out of her right hand. Mother screams in agony as Raina goes to help her but Victor rushes towards her and tackles Raina.
"Help him! I got her, go!" Victor ordered Danny as he struggled with Raina. "GO!"
Danny rushes up the ramp towards the ship as Mother grabs her athame and runs off. He runs over to Pulse. "I'll tell you one thing right now, I don't like this."
"I figured." Freddie simply said.
Danny sighed and begrudgingly asked "So, do you have some kind of plan?"
"The girls are inside some of these shipping crates. You try to find them." Freddie stated.
"And what if I run into the crew of this ship?" Danny asked.
"You mean those clowns I locked in their quarters before I fought Montez?" Freddie replied. "Don't worry, they won't be much of an issue."
Danny seemed mildly impressed. "And what are you going to do?"
"Have a heart to heart with Mommie Dearest." Freddie said as he ran off.
Danny shook his head and muttered. "He's a criminal. He's a criminal. He's a criminal."
•••
Mother opened the shipping crate Lucy and Daphne were locked in. She began to unchain Lucy.
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked which caught the other girl's attention.
"I've got the police and some freak chasing after me. I need to give him incentive for them not to kill me." Mother said, roughly grabbing Lucy and pointing the knife at her throat. "Or at least a human shield."
Lucy struggled as Mother led her out, who dropped the keys and forgot to get them.
Daphne reaches for the keys with her foot while the other girls watch tentatively.
•••
Victor and Raina grappled with one another. Victor tries pinning Raina's arm back but she breaks free by using the hold to kick him in the stomach. Victor rears back and Raina strides confidently to toy with him.
"Not bad, Vic." Raina said. "Your form has gotten better."
"I would consider that a compliment but seeing as it's coming from you, I won't." Victor stated.
"Tell me, how is Millie? I haven't seen her since she was about a ." Raina asked.
"And you'll never get to see her. If you so much as harm a hair on her head and I will kill you!" Victor threatened.
"How dare you! I have every right to see her!" Raina spat.
"You gave up those rights a long time ago." Victor stated.
Raina gave him an icy stare and charged at him. Victor braces himself as she tackles him to the ground. The two roll on the dock as Raina gracefully rolls to get to her feet. As she does so, Raina realizes Victor has his gun pointed at her.
"Hands in the air!" Victor ordered. "I'm taking you in."
"No you aren't." Raina said haughtily. "You're going to let me go."
"And what on Earth would possess me to do that?" Victor asked.
"If you arrest me, I'll tell your daughter the truth." Raina stated. "I'll expose her to everything you've kept from her. The reason her mother had to die."
Victor was flabbergasted, he didn't know what to do. Until he made a decision as he lowered his gun. Raina got up and began walking away.
"Where are you going? Aren't you supposed to be helping your boss?" Victor asked.
"That's the beauty about being a mercenary, Vic. I get paid up front and loyalty is a four letter word." Raina said, turning her head to face him. She blows him a kiss, gets on a motorcycle and drives off.
Victor guilty watches as the deadly assassin rides away.
•••
Danny holds his gun and walks through the area where the shipping crates were being kept and he sees one of the crates was open. He slowly walks over to it and he rounds the corner and finds Daphne unchaining the woman with the Pixie cut as the wavy haired Latina fearfully stands behind Daphne.
The three women focus their attention on Danny with expressions of fear and anger.
"Who are you?" Daphne asked.
"I'm Detective Danny Parker, NYPD." Danny stated.
"How do we know that?" The Latina asked. "What if you're one of the men working for that whack job?"
"Show us your badge." Woman with the Pixie cut demanded.
"But put your gun away... Slowly." Daphne ordered.
Danny did so as he put his gun in his holster and slowly showed them his badge that was attached to his belt. "Believe me now?" He asked.
The girls all seem relieved but Daphne thinks about Lucy. "There was someone else with us. That psycho took her. She had a knife."
"Don't worry, my partner is up there. He'll stop her. I need you girls to help me free the others." Danny stated.
Daphne and the other girls nod in agreement and walk out of the crate together
Danny looks back at the crate and sighed "You had better save that girl."
•••
On the top deck of the ship, Mother drags Lucy to the front of the ship, still holding the athame at her back. Lucy whimpers in fear as she tries to get free of her.
"Mother!"
Mother looks up and sees Pulse was now standing there.
"Let her go." Freddie demanded.
Mother pulled Lucy close and held the knife at her neck. "You try anything and they'll be swabbing the deck with her blood."
"Please. Please, let me go." Lucy begged, crying.
"You don't have to do this." Freddie stated. "It's over. Let her go."
"It's not over until I say it is." Mother replied. "She's going to be my salvation. I'll let her go... if you let me escape. You let me go and she lives. But you don't, I'll slice her throat and you'll watch her bleed out like a stuffed pig. Ball's in your court, Pulse."
Pulse looks over at Lucy who had a permanent look of terror on her face. He looks past her and grins.
"There is another option." Freddie stated. He shoots a ball of lightning in the air, missing Mother.
Mother simply laughs as she pulls the athame from Lucy's neck. "THAT was it? You didn't even hit me."
"THAT was what most would call a diversion." Freddie replied. "I wasn't aiming at you."
Suddenly a loud explosion went off behind them as they saw the ball of lightning hit a boat filled with fireworks which all went off causing a massive and colorful explosion.
Mother is distracted by this and Pulse shoots the knife out of her hand and Lucy elbows her in the chest. Lucy runs over to Pulse as Mother reels from the attack when her foot gets wrapped around a rope which causes her to trip and fall over the railing.
Before she falls into the water, the rope becomes taut and Mother looks up and sees Pulse holding on to the rope.
"Aren't you going to pull me up?" Mother asked.
"Actually, I'm gonna leave you there." Freddie said. "You just... hang out."
"LAME!" Gabe and Cassie simultaneously over the com link which causes Pulse to react in a pained manner.
Lucy hugs Pulse tightly. "You saved my life. Thank you."
"No big deal. Really." Freddie said. "Glad I could help."
Victor arrives at the scene as the unplanned fireworks display ends. Pulse pulls away from Lucy and looks at Victor.
"You blew up a boat full of fireworks?" Victor asked in disbelief.
"I needed a distraction." Freddie simply stated.
"And where's Mother?" Victor asked. Pulse and Lucy used their heads to motion towards the railing. He walks over and sees Mother hanging from the rope by her ankle.
"Just hanging around." Freddie said in a joking manner.
"Still lame, dude." Gabe said.
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer psychopath." Lucy joked.
Danny and Daphne walk over to them. "What happened?" He asked.
"Pulse nabbed Mother." Victor said, motioning to the railing.
Danny and Daphne slowly walk over the railing and see Mother dangling from the rope. Helpless.
"Whoa! Nice!" Daphne stated enthusiastically.
"Pull me up NOW!" Mother screamed.
Daphne looks at Pulse. "Who are you supposed to be?"
"The guy who saved your life." Lucy stated. "He saved us all."
Danny looks a bit hurt.
"I couldn't have done it alone. Thanks to these fine gentlemen." Freddie said as Pulse walks toward Daphne "Daphne Waller?"
"How did you know my name?" Daphne asked.
"Your mom will be really happy you're safe." Freddie said as he began to walk away.
"Wait!" Danny yelled as he and Victor pulled Mother up. "Since this is over and these girls are safe, we have to bring you in."
"Not tonight."
Victor, Danny and the girls watch as Pulse leaps from the boat to the dock effortlessly. He lands safely on the other side as he looks at the group. With a quick salute, Pulse runs off into the night.
"You actually thought that would work?" Victor asked his partner.
Danny shrugs his shoulders. "Can't fault me for trying."
Victor pats his shoulders as several emergency vehicles arrive at the docks.
•••
Freddie had returned to the hideout. He was wearing his civilian clothes as Millie was patching up a small wound on his forehead. "I still can't believe you blew up a boat full of fireworks." Millie stated.
"What choice did I have? I wasn't going to let Mother get away and I certainly wasn't going to let her kill Lucy. Besides, I'm sure that those fireworks were illegal anyway." Freddie said as he flinched in pain. "Ah!"
"Sorry." Millie said as she realized something. "You didn't shock me that time."
Freddie smiles "Guess I'm getting a better hang of my powers."
Millie grins a bit "You know something? You're not just playing superhero anymore. You actually are one."
"Millie, come on." Freddie said sheepishly.
"I'm serious. You went out and faced off against a psychopath who made Joan Crawford look like June Cleaver. You fought a monster of a man who could've easily snapped you in half and won. Also, you saved a dozen women from being sold into human slavery." Millie explained as she finished bandaging him up. "I don't need to read a gazillion comic books to know a hero when I see one."
Freddie grins at his friends "Thanks."
"Imagine the looks from your friends back in your hometown if they saw you now." Millie said with a laugh.
"Honestly if I told them, they'd never believe me." Freddie said. "I was never the hero type."
"What about when you saved Carly from that taco truck?" Millie asked as he raised an eyebrow. "I read your blog about it. Perks of Being Hit by a Taco Truck."
"Okay, you were a fan." Freddie said, slightly amused.
"My point is that Pulse has always been in there. You just needed a little push in order for you to see it." Millie replied.
Freddie smiles at his friend. "Guess so."
•••
Gabe and Cassie walk into St James hospital where Victor and Danny had the kidnapped girls taken to examine them for injuries. They round a corner and find Lucy being closely examined by a nurse.
"Lucy!" He yelled.
The exhausted Lucy looks up and smiles. "Gabe!"
Gabe runs over and hugs her. "Are you okay?"
"I am now. I was worried that those guys hurt you." Lucy replied, melting into his arms.
"What happened to me doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're safe." Gabe stated which made Lucy smile and hug him again.
Cassie watched this scene with a big smile as Danny walks up behind her and she turns to face him.
"I take it you had quite a successful evening." She said, not turning to face him.
"Well, given the fact that a dozen women are safe and the leader of the trafficking ring and her flunkies are headed to jail." Danny said. "All and all, not a bad night."
From another hallway, Mrs Waller enters and walks over to Cassie. "I got your message. You said they found Daphne."
"Yeah, I think she's being looked after by a few doctors." Cassie explained.
"It's a miracle that the police were able to find them all." Mrs Waller stated.
"Actually, Ms Sinclair was able to get us an important clue that helped us find them." Danny replied, which made Cassie turn to look at him. "We all owe her a bit of gratitude for that."
Cassie was surprised by this. She would've thought he was going to pat himself on the back for finding the girls and stopping Mother's ring.
Mrs Waller looks at Cassie "In that case, how much do I owe you for your services?"
"That isn't necessary, Mrs Waller. I'm just relieved that Daphne is safe." Cassie said, putting up her hands.
"Call me Dorothy." Mrs Waller stated. "Guess what they say about you is true, Ms Sinclair."
"What do they say?" Danny asked.
"About her reputation of having a strong sense of honor." Mrs Waller replied as he looks at Danny. "You must be very proud of her."
"Um, why would I be proud?" Danny asked, confused.
"You are her boyfriend, aren't you?" Mrs Waller asked.
Cassie and Danny seem embarrassed at the assumption. "H-he's not my boyfriend."
"I'm not her boyfriend." Danny flat out denied.
"Huh, that's a shame. You two would make a charming couple." Mrs Waller pointed out.
The pair laugh nervously.
"Mom?"
Mrs Waller turns around and sees Daphne make her way towards her.
"Daphne." Mrs Waller said softly.
Daphne ran over to her mother and hugged her. "Mommy, I was so scared."
"I know you were, sweetheart." Mrs Waller replied.
Cassie and Danny observe this scene.
•••
"You didn't have to walk me back to my car."
Cassie and Danny were in the underground parking lot of the hospital.
"It's not safe for anyone to walk back to their car alone after Midnight." Danny stated. "You'll have to forgive me for being a little protective."
"My hero." Cassie said sardonically. "Besides, thought you couldn't stand me?"
"Huh, I could've sworn it was the other way around. I mean, jerkwad and all." Danny remarked which made Cassie's mouth become agape. "You wanna make snide comments, make sure the guy is out of earshot."
"Guess I had that coming." Cassie said with a sheepish smile, turning away from him.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asked as she turned to face him. "Why did you turn down Mrs Waller's money? Doesn't a private investigator get paid for what you did for her?"
"Honestly, it isn't about the money." Cassie stated. "Normally, I take cases to find out if a socialite's billionaire husband is having an affair. I take that money because they could simply pay their husbands a touch more attention than their pampered lap dogs. Mrs Waller was in pain and desperate to find her daughter, I wasn't going to demand cash from her like some hungry vulture. I have a touch more class than that."
Danny smiled as they reached Black Beauty. "You're not who I thought you were."
"Good to know." Cassie said.
Danny looks down at her shoes. "Um, nice shoes. Those must have been expensive."
"Not really. Like I said when we met, stylish yet surprisingly affordable." Cassie quips as she opens her door. "Good night."
She gets in her car, starts it and drives away.
Danny watches her drive away as he has a strange thought - those shoes looked almost similar to the one's the woman who helped Pulse wore.
•••
Inside a nice hotel room, Mrs Benson was getting ready for bed when there was a knock at her door. She walks over to the door and checks the peephole then lets out a sigh as she opens the door.
"Hello, Peter." Mrs Benson said.
Standing at her door, Pete Sawyer stood who had his hands in his jacket pockets.
"You wanted to see me?" Pete asked.
"Please come in." Mrs Benson said as Pete walked in.
"I didn't think that you would remember me." Pete said.
"I never forget a face, Peter. Especially the face of the man so close to Leonard." Mrs Benson said as she shut the door. "I know you were a boy then but your eyes are still the same."
"Cassie told me you heard from him. What did he tell you?" Pete asked.
"I told Cassie he said my name, apologized then hung up." Mrs Benson told him.
"But that wasn't the whole truth, was it Marissa?" Pete asked.
Marissa sighed. "Before he hung up, Leonard told me 'Division 6 is still alive'. Do you know what that means?"
Pete's blood ran cold. "It means they may be coming for your son. They may be coming for all of us."
Mrs Benson gasps in horror and cups her mouth to muffled her scream as Pete hugs her. "Don't let them hurt Freddie. Please."
Pete looks terrified but hides his fear with sheer determination. "I won't let anyone hurt him. I give you my word."
•••
Mother was now in a jail cell, pacing around. Her hair was disheveled and her outfit was torn and dirty. "I want my lawyer! I demanded to see my lawyer!"
An officer walks towards the cell and unlocks it. "Ask and you shall receive. Your attorney just arrived." The officer said as he placed handcuffs on her.
"About time." Mother replied as he led her out.
Inside an interrogation room, Mother is placed inside and she sees a clean cut looking young man in his early thirties with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes who wore a dark suit. This is Alec Grayson.
"You aren't my normal legal counsel." Mother said.
"Have a seat." Alec replied. "We have much to discuss."
"I want MY lawyer!" Mother demanded.
"Well, he's currently unavailable as he's decided to take a vacation." Alec replied. "One I'm told he won't be coming back from."
Mother's eyes widened in terror. "What has he done?"
"I would suggest you sit down, now!" He ordered. Mother slowly took the seat in front of him. "It's come to his attention that your operation has been compromised."
"It wasn't my fault." Mother stated.
"Need I remind you that you were ordered to keep your operation small and that he was to have received 20% of your profits." Alec replied. "Now that you've been shut down, can you tell me what's 20% of nothing?"
"He can't fault me for this." Mother said in defiance.
"Whoever's fault it was, it really doesn't interest him." Alec told her. "What matters is that he wants me to let you know that is liquidating your assets and destroying any evidence that could tie him to your activities. Not all your assets, Mr Montez will suit his organization just fine."
"I know I failed but I can try again." Mother begged. Alec begins to get up and Mother begins to threaten Alec. "I'll expose him. I will tell the world who the Maestro really is. What do you think that'll do to his bottom line?"
Alec stops and walks over to her as he gently grabs her hand then squeezes her tendon between her thumb and index finger. She reels in pain. "You know what they say, dead men tell no tales."
"What did you do?" Mother asked.
"I applied a nerve pinch to one of the arteries on your hand." Alec explained. "In a matter of moments, the colt I just gave you will reach your brain and you'll die of a brain aneurysm. Honestly, what I just did... Consider that an act of mercy."
Alec walks out of the room as Mother looks as if she received a death sentence. Suddenly, she grabs her head in pain and falls off her chair. She writhes in pain for a matter of moments then dies as an officer goes to check on her.
•••
Cassie walks into her apartment and shuts the door behind her. She limps to her couch and lies down, a groan of pain is heard due to pain and exhaustion.
Suddenly, her cellphone rings which causes her to groan a bit. Cassie sits up slowly and answers "Somebody better be dead, Fredward."
"Someone's grumpy." Freddie joked.
"Sorry, I'm just exhausted... then again so are you so I shouldn't be complaining." Cassie said as she grabbed her arm and felt something sticking out of her arm.
"I have superpowers. You sorta don't so I shouldn't expect you to be Super Cassie all the time." Freddie replied.
"I prefer Cassandra the Mighty." She joked while slowly rolling up her sleeve and found a shard of glass sticking out. A bit of blood dripped from it.
"So, how's Gabe? He get to see Lucy?" Freddie asked.
"He did. You should've seen it, it was actually kinda sweet." Cassie joked. "What about you? Explain to me why on Earth did you blow a boat full of fireworks?"
"As I told Millie and anyone who asks me that again, I needed a distraction." Freddie told her as Cassie quickly yanks the shard out of her arm. She gasps in pain which Freddie hears. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just... stubbed my toe." Cassie said, still twinges with pain. She watches as the wound completely heals, leaving a small track of blood about the width of the shard and she cleans off the blood.
"You never told me how you got away from Danny." Freddie asked with concern in his voice. "Tell me he didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No. No, the only damage that was done was... self inflicted." Cassie stated as she quickly changed the subject. "Listen, I'll explain it all in the morning. You go back to your dorm and get some sleep. You've earned it."
"So did you." Freddie told her and made her grin. "I'm gonna take Millie with me. We'll crash there tonight. 'Night."
"Good night. Love you, bye." Cassie said as she hung up.
Suddenly, she feels a pain in her side and walks to her bathroom. Cassie faces her mirror, lifts her shirt on the side the pain came from and sees what was causing her discomfort - a few of her ribs had broken and were sticking out of place.
"Man, not again." Cassie said with mild annoyance.
Cassie reaches at the injury and manually re-inserted her displaced ribs then watches as the flesh on her rib cage heals. She pulls her blouse back down and stares into the mirror.
•••
Main Cast
Fredward 'Freddie Benson - Nathan Kress
Cassandra 'Cassie' Sinclair - Melissa Archer
Millicent 'Millie' Flores - Ashley Argota
Gabriel 'Gabe' Morgan - Landon Liboiron
Peter 'Pete' Sawyer - Charlie Hunnam
Also Starring
Detective Victor Flores - Daniel Dae Kim
Jane Louis - Vanessa Morgan
Detective Daniel 'Danny' Parker - David Giuntoli
Guest Stars
Marissa Benson - Mary Scheer
Captain Irving Thompson - Ernie Hudson
Lucy Shepard - AJ Michalka
Professor Thomas 'Tommy' Bennett - Matt Davis
Fiona Morgan - Mary-Louise Parker
Mother - Lana Parrilla
Rufus Montez - Miro
Raina Tran - Kelly Hu
Dorothy Waller - Angel Parker
Daphne Waller - China Anne McClain
Alec Grayson - Colin Donnell
•••
Wow, that was a bit of a trip, right? For those who made it to the end - thank you very much.
I know I'm gonna get some heat about Cassie being able to heal that way but it was a choice I made and I am proud of that. Also, I know I copped out with the whole fireworks diversion but every writer is allowed a few Deus Ex Machina moments now and then. Still, I know it's not a good excuse but I made a choice.
Hopefully you guys notice the subtle changes I have made. I am going back to fix some story continuity errors I have made. Hope you guys like them.
Please review, love the feedback from you guys :)
