Title: Revenge Part 2
Rating: T
Author: Ethiercn
Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters. MacDonald's power is borrowed from a similar power in the series The Sun Sword by Michelle West.
Author's Note: Takes place the morning after Part 1. Thanks to Myth for letting me borrow a plot point from her story "Web of Fire".
Crash Pad
"Super-Tights has a stalker? That's . .. "Nova couldn't finish, he was laughing too hard.
Nita smacked him up side the head. "It's not funny," she claimed, but her lips quirked.
Speedball looked nervous, not his usually jovial self. "Nita's right. What if she follows the rest of us?"
"C'mon Toothpick, it's sorta funny," Nova responded with a smirk. "You're just jealous."
Speedball smiled, "Well, if a girl was going to stalk someone . . .". He picked up a bagel from the tray in front of him.
"Despite the humor of the situation," Silhouette said quietly from her seat on the couch, "What are we going to do about it?"
"I've tightened security around the Crash Pad," Thrash replied. "And I'm pulling the tapes from the last year. It will take awhile to go though them." He called up various screens on the computer.
"It just might be a prank," Rage suggested as he poured milk onto his cereal.
Justice and Firestar exchanged a glance. "It's possible," Justice conceded. "But I think we should be careful. Double check when we come here. Make sure we're not being followed."
"We could have a secret knock," Speedball suggested.
"No knock," Thrash vetoed. "Everyone just be careful. Vance, Nita, can you two stay and we'll go over some more security ideas."
After the meeting, Firestar flew back to her apartment. Justice had almost tried to get her to stay at the Crash Pad, but if she was going to call Stephen, she wanted to do so from the privacy of her apartment. Vance had settled for her promise of being careful.
There must be some deep psychological reason why she was willing to talk to her criminal uncle but was still unsure about writing her mother, Firestar thought absently as she flew along.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a movement on the ground. She paused in her flight. She saw two Guardsmen trying to subdue Rhino. There was a third person, a woman, unarmored, who seemed to be singing. She watched as Rhino grabbed one guardsman and threw him at the woman, who dodged out of the way just in time. It might be a trap, Firestar thought, but she wasn't about to let the guardsmen get killed. She flew down to help.
Scott Washington was able to evade several of Rhino's blows before one felled. Rhino picked him up and raised him high in the air. Scott could see MacDonald and Conrad regaining their feet, but there was no way that they could get here in time. Their weapons would be useless against Rhino's skin. Mac's power was taking time to affect the super villain as well.
Rhino stumbled backwards as a blast stuck him. He dropped Scott. Scott pushed himself off the ground and looked up. He saw Firestar move in to engage Rhino, forcing the man back. We, Scott thought, have to get a powerhouse on this team.
Rhino yanked a street light out of the ground and swung it at Firestar. The red headed mutant drove under the blow and came up and flashed her opponent. She then melted the street light. Rhino let out a string of curses as the metal heated up and turned into slag. Had he actually felt that, Scott wondered. Rhino launched himself at the mutant who quickly dove under his leap before flashing the man.
Scott slammed into the criminal and tried to force him to the ground. Rhino snorted dismissively. Changing his tactics, Scott tried to shock him. "That tickles," Rhino chuckled. He shouldered Scott off.
Rhino then barreled down to Conrad who had finally climbed to his felt. A burst from Firestar caused him to come to a screeching halt. The young mutant kept firing off bursts, her power keeping Rhino somewhat confined. Both Scott and Conrad watched as the costumed villain stop moving and wobbled. Finally he collapsed and began to snore.
Firestar stared at the loudly snoring man, a perplexed expression on her face, "How? You didn't gas him?" she asked the two guardsmen.
"My power," Mac said as she came up. She was average height with slightly dark hair, a badge hung from a chain around her neck. She kept her gun out. "I can sing people to sleep, among other things. It takes time if they're especially pig headed." She held out her hand, "I'm Moira MacDonald. Pleased to meet you. Thanks for the assist."
Firestar landed and shook the proffered hand, "You're welcome. Do you need anymore help?"
MacDonald shook her head, "Once I get them down, they'll down. Of course, perhaps Washington and Conrad need help securing him."
Sometimes, Scott thought, these helmets were a draw back. You couldn't shoot disgusted looks at people who richly deserved them. "I think we can handle it from here. Say hi to Vance for me."
With a quick good bye, Firestar flew off. "You know Washington," MacDonald said as Scott finished securing Rhino, "Maybe the boss should hire her. If we're going to be dealing with criminals like Rhino, another mutant would be helpful. Your Justice has a record. Boss doesn't want that."
"You have to be kidding," Conrad said with a frown. "She tried to free her boyfriend when we were taking him to the Vault."
"Wouldn't you after that joke of a trial?" MacDonald responded quickly. "And you don't understand. That darkness crap from months ago, all the local superheroes came out to fight it, including Firestar. The difference was, she stayed and helped the fire crew clean up afterwards. She's like us," Macdonald finished, "She's not in it for the glory."
"I don't think she'll leave the Warriors, "Scott said, thoughtfully. He would prefer Justice, but Mac had a point. "Not with her boyfriend on the team."
Mac shrugged, "Well, it can't hurt to ask. The worst she can say is no. And if she lets him control her that much, I wouldn't want her on the team anyway."
Angelica put Pumpkin on the table next to the phone. She petted the cat, then picked up the phone and dialed before she could talk herself out of it.
She waited while they went to get him.
"Hello niece," Stephen said as he got on the line. His tone bored. "I suppose you are not going to tell me how you got out of the restraint."
"No" she said shortly. That was one thing she was not going to tell him.
"I thought as much." She heard him sigh.
"I have questions, and you wanted to talk," she said. The sooner the conversation was over, the better she would feel.
"Yes, I thought as much, and it was why I made the offer. We'll do the trite game. You ask one, I'll ask one. It's very popular in the movies."
"It depends upon the question," she answered.
"Lucky for you niece, I'm bored. I've read every book in what passes for the library here, and I could teach the instructors a thing or two. Ask your question."
She debated for minute. There were two questions she wanted to ask in particular. "What did you mean when you said my mother was the killer, not you?"
"She is responsible for the death of my wife," Stephen said quietly, the usual slightly mocking tone gone from his voice. "Have you contacted your mother, yet?" he asked in the next breath.
"No," she didn't mind telling him that. "Why is she responsible?"
"She deemed the death of my wife an acceptable cost for the success of a mission."
She clenched her teeth, "That's not much of a . . ."
"Then ask a better question. How is Justice? They still talk about the boy here."
"He's fine."
"And you accuse me of less than full disclosure," her uncle replied, a bit of humor creeping into his voice.
She ignored him, for she figured out how to phrase the question. "What exactly are the circumstances surrounding your wife's death and the role of my mother in it?"
"Much better. My wife was working undercover. Your mother decided that the most cost effective way to take out the target was when my wife was in the car with him." His hand tightened on the phone. When he next spoke, there was an edge to his voice, "And you've gone back to the Warriors. And Justice, I presume. Are you sure that's you he wants and not your power?"
"Yes." Simple, quick, true. Speaking it aloud, she finally admitted it to herself.
Stephen didn't say anything for a minute. Then before she could ask another question, he spoke, "I'm weary Angelica. We will continue our conversation another day." He hung up the phone.
Trying to figure out if the conversation had gone well or not, Angelica stared out her window. It was time, she thought to write her mother. Perhaps then she could piece together the whole story. And if not, well, she had lived for years without mother or uncle.
Next evening
As they left the pizza parlor, James studied Vance, "You know, you look like a meerkat, peering around like that." Her hand in his, Angel looked over at Vance. He did look like a meerkat scanning the street. She gently squeezed his hand. He looked over at her and smiled.
"Just because he is gallant," Cynthia, her brown hair had dyed in streaks of green, replied. "Some men actually want to make sure the street is safe."
"Cindy," James teased, his black eyes dancing with mirth, "I'm not your type. You're not mine, either."
Cynthia smiled back at her friend, "True. But you could practice for when you met that some one."
"Who says I haven't?" James replied, but he held out his arm, "Well then, my lady can I escort you to the subway? Should any vile vandals, note the alliteration people, try to mug us, I will fend them off with my paint box." He waved good-bye to Vance and Angel. "See you tomorrow, Ang. Later Vance."
"T. T. F. N.," Cynthia called over her shoulder as she took James' arm.
Angel and Vance walked down the street. "Did you see anything?" he asked as they reached his bike.
"Just the same faces. Maybe Rage is right. It could just be a sick joke that got lucky."
He frowned, worry returning briefly to his blue eyes. "Maybe." He got on the bike. She got on behind him, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist. "Let's go for a ride," he suggested, resting his hand lightly on her thigh. "If it clears up, I'll show you what I learned in class today."
In truth, the couple didn't go for much of a drive, just Vance's favorite lookout, one of their special places. The night was cool, though that didn't matter when you were a telekinetic and your girlfriend controlled microwaves. The night was cloudily making star watching difficult if not impossible. Not that they were watching the stars, not that it had really been the plan anyway. A quiet out of the way place, no sign of anyone else. A perfect place to get lost in each other.
"You see," one watcher said to another in the warmth of a room. Their eyes were focused on the image the remote camera, cunningly placed, transmitted to the screen before them. "It is as I told you."
The second watcher nodded, hands clenching and unclenching in anger at the sight of Vance Astrovik making out with his girlfriend.
Stephen paced his cell. He ignored the constant guardsmen on the other side of his cell. They no longer concerned.
He discovered Angelica's trick to get out of the restraints. He meant to abide his time and wait. Some inmates here, even he would hesitate to set free. But now, the memories made him feel confined. He wanted out.