I went back to read what I posted and I didn't like all the
fuck-ups I made and yes they were my fuck-up. That's what happens when you
write more then one story at a time with more then a few characters to keep
track of. (for me that is)
Anyway thinks to ar-magus for kindly bringing it to my attention, I fixed it.
I really didn't mean to post that yet. I was suppose to post something else but as I said I messed up. Anyway I hope you all enjoy the corrected version of the fic. I'll try not to pose the wrong thing anymore. I'm not promising anything cuz sometimes I do get a little scattered brained but mostly only when I'm sick.
Chapter 9
Terry awoke the next morning to the sound of foot steps. High heals clinked against the marble tiles. The sound was close, to close and before he could rationally think of what was going on a hand reached out and touched him.
Without thought he sprung from the bed, took hold of the outstretched arm and gave a swift twist. A startled feminine cry echoed the room accompanied by a grumble of cursing from beneath the covers.
The woman looked at Terry with a rueful smile and rubbed her wrist. "Is that how your dad told you to greet your loving aunt?" She stood up from the bed apparently not noticing that her real nephew was underfoot. "My, you've grownup, and put on a little muscle and I see you take after your father being quite the ladies man although you seem to have grown into your mothers look's I guess, cause I don't see my brother in you at all. For that matter I don't see your mother either, must have got your gramps looks, genetics and all, you know they can skip a generation. Anyway give you aunt a hug will ya."
She ambled over to Terry and gave him a big hug and spun him around to have a better look at him. Terry didn't know what to do. He was at a loss foe words and her heavy British accent didn't help matters much. However William wasn't. He was still cursing up a storm and trying to untangle him self from the layers of blankets he crawled under last night.
As if things couldn't get anymore awkward the woman turned round, raised an eyebrow at him and simply stated. "Well let's have a look at this bird." She tore back the covers and gasped in shock.
A blast of cold air hit bare skin, Willie was fully awake now be it wanted or not. He laid there sprawled out on the bed, completely unclothed, with his man hood at early morning attention and then a sudden horror over took him. His Aunt was looking at him, after his shock ebbed; he scrambled for the nearest item he could find, placing the pillow over himself while trying to find the air needed to fill his lungs to breath let alone talk. This was not good.
The woman Turned to Terry and simply said. "That's no bird luv."
"What?" Terry hadn't a clue of what she just said.
"Your squeeze is a bloke, didn't ya know."
"What?"
"Aunt Marheret, I'm William."
She turned to the bed slowly and studied the face. There was no questioning it that was her nephew William, he had the Watts nose, it's a wonder she hadn't spotted it before now. "Oh, oh dear, sorry about that luv. Seems I made a bit of a switch. Who's he then." She pointed at Terry.
"What?" Terry still couldn't make heads or tales of most of what the woman was saying and not for lack of trying. She had a thick accent, but that didn't stop him from interpreting the jest of things.
"I'm Terry." He extended his hand.
She took it with a smile. "Jenny, Jenny Marheret."
Terry studied her, he noted that Williams aunt was a slim, black haired, short, attractive, London Goth. She was in her mid twenties by Terry's guess.
"Aunt Marheret would you mind, I'd like to put something on."
"Oh, um, right I'll go make a pot of tea, but don't you take to long, we need to ketchup" she turned to look at Terry and then back at her nephew. "On a lot apparently." She walked to the door and stopped in the doorway. "Oh, and don't you go running off Terry, I want to make sure you're fit for my nephew. Tea in ten, chop, chop."
"What?"
William could hear his Aunt call back. "Not a bright one is he then, it's a good thing he's a looker ahe." William was glad for the fact that Terry hadn't yet figured out how to decipher her thick accent. He got dressed quickly, tugging on a fitted shirt and baggy sweats, Terry just slipped into the pants Will had given him last night and called it a day.
"You're not going to put on a shirt?" Questioned Willie.
"For what, she already saw me without a shirt on, besides your shirts fit like a second skin, anyway it wouldn't hide anything."
"But it's my aunt I don't want my Aunt getting and eye full of my boyf-. Umm, you."
"Boyfriend." Terry smiled. "You can say it you know, I don't care if people know." Terry struggled as he slipped on one of Will's wife-beaters.
"I was hoping we could keep this to ourselves until I tell my dad first." Willie looked a little terrified at the thought.
"Yeah ok. But do you mind if I tell Max she's my best friend." He could feel the fabric stretching. "How's this?"
William looked at Terry, the shirt made it worst, nothing was left to the imagination it showed every muscle to its peek, but he wanted Terry to put on the shirt, and it wouldn't be right to ask him to take it off now, not when he went through all the trouble to squeeze into it. "Only if she can't keep a secret, ok, let's go face my Aunt."
It had taken all of three minutes to get dressed, five minutes for William to order his thoughts and seven minutes to build up the courage to step out of the room. They made their way to the kitchen to find two hot cups of coffee on the table and a cup of juice.
"You Yanks don't have a parsnip of tea in this whole place. All ya have is coffee, bloody trifling stuff, but I figured it be good for ya. Give ya pep and all."
Terry chuckled he hadn't a clue as to what she said really, but the few words he caught was more then enough.
They sat at the table and talked for what seemed like minutes, when in fact an hour had passed. Jenny asked all normal family questions first, as if she hadn't found the two naked and in the bed together.
"So does your da, know you're bent?"
"No."
"How bout you Terry, do your parents know?"
"Whats bent?"
"Oh sorry luv, it's another way for saying queer."
"Oh, not yet." Terry admitted.
"So ya plan on telling them do ya." Jenny smiled at Terry. "Well that's a good lad there, your parents must really be understanding, because when my brother finds out about the two of you he is going to flip his lid."
William began to breathe heavily; just the thought of what his dad might do or say was enough to steal the air from his lungs. Terry noticed the drained color of Williams face. He pulled William into a one armed half hug. He gave Willie a light squeeze for reassurance. The comforting embrace helped purge some of Willies rampant thoughts.
"Aunt Marheret you're not helping."
"Oh, oh yes, sorry dear sometimes I tend to go off on tangents. But anyway I haven't been here in ages so I was thinking we could go out, have a bite to eat, maybe find me a decent cup of tea, what do ya say."
Willie looked at Terry. "I don't know if you have to go home or not but if you can, I'd like you to come along."
"Yeah we'd love to have you along Terry."
"I would go but I have detention."
"Correct me if I'm wrong luv but I thought Yanks didn't go to school on Saturdays."
"Normally we don't but my principle, lives at the school and doesn't have a life."
William looked at Terry questionably. "How did you get detention?"
"I got in a fight, with Nash."
"Oh." Willie didn't have to guess what the fight was about. He was sure that it had something to do with him.
"Well I should be going. It was nice meeting you Jenny." Terry leaned in and kissed William on the lips. "And I'll see you later."
Willie watch as Terry grabbed his things and walked out the door.
"Well what do you want to do aunt Marheret."
"Oh I know, wouldn't it be smashing if we went to a museum."
"Ok let me go put on some museum worthy clothing and we can shake a tell feather."
"Oie, was that a jab at me, are you trying to say something about my use of slang. I'll have you no that smashing is a very popular word in London."
"I was in London last year Aunt and it was ancient then." William gave his most smug straight faced upper crust smile; he fought hard to squelch the laughter in his stomach.
"Really, old maybe and that's pushing it but ancient, shake a tell feather ancient, that's like; that's great granny Ulase old, that's four generations."
That it Willie couldn't hold back the laughter any more not after watching his aunt's face turn into something that was literally indescribable.
"Oie, get back here you little piss ant. You owe me ice-cream for hurting my fragile feelings."
"Ok, ok just stop tickling me."
"Fine, now off with you get dress and then out we go to the museum."
"It's my ice-cream and I say we get it after the museum."
"Fine but no triple mocha fudge for you."
"Just go."
It didn't take long for Willie to change, he was in what his aunt would call town close, blue jeans and a button up shirt. It had taken them about five minutes to get to the museum.
"From now on I drive." Willie stated plainly
"It wasn't that bad."
"No, not that bad; it's just that this car is my baby, but look you got us here in five minutes." He didn't bother mentioning that the drive was normally a fifteen minute ride.
"Oh I see you boys and you toys. Your dad's the same way you know."
"Oh, really. He's been in a car with you to" Willie mumbled the last part under his breath.
"What was that love?"
"Forget it, let go in."
Terry was forty minutes into his cab ride and on his way to detention when his vidcom rung.
"what's up old man?"
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, now switch your vidcom over to GNN."
"The Gotham news network." Terry switch the channel to the local news station. He watched in horror as three villains, reported to be Ink, Basilisk, and one of the Stepford Cuckoo's who tore their way through the gotham museum, leaving many dead.
"oh my god, let me out here."
The cabby pulled over. "Is everything alright kid?"
"I hope so." He scanned his cred
card and hopped out of the cab for the nearest secluded place,
Shocked and sickened by the images he was seeing Terry raced to put on his
costume, it had taken him a wile to find a good spot to dress. A high-rise was
as good as any other place. He darted
out of the nearest window and swung the first left turn fast as he could toward
the museum, already knowing that he was too late. He knew many of those that
had been inside were already dead but maybe he could stop any others dying.
It was a good thing he had taken the costume with him to Will's, he had questioned himself about it at first but then decided that it was worth the risk.
He had known Ink was on the loose but he didn't think she was the type to travel with an entourage? Or work as a team with Basilisk and a Stepford Cuckoo? He was having a hard time figuring out why they were together not to mention why go for the museum.
"Hey Bruce you there."
"Yeah."
"Good I'm going to need all the info you can give me about Basilisk and the Stepford Cuckoo."
"Way ahead of you kid. Basilisk real name Basil Elks known terrorist and reported to have been killed by Scourge, wow."
"Wow what?"
"Me and the thing took him down last time."
"Great more mutants."
"Now for the Stepford Cuckoo, this one is named Esme."
"Wait a minute, I saw her at the Xavier Institute for the gifted she seemed fine."
"she's not fine now, she's a telepath a powerful one and the guy's a teleporter not to mention he has superhuman strength and shoots rays from his eyes. You might need some backup for this one, hold tight I have a few friends that owe me one."
"No time Bruce their killing people down there, I have to do something. Even if all I do is distract them. It'll buy time for some of the people to make it out safely."
"Don't do anything fancy just distract them."
Terry took one more look at his vidcom, he patched into the museums cameras to keep a tab of what was going on inside and then he caught a glimpse of his boyfriend. Oh god, Trying to shake the thoughts of all those dead people or the possibility that his boyfriend might become one of them, Terry concentrated on getting to the museum as quickly as possible.
The Police had the scene surrounded. Batman swung past them and into the building. Landing on the wall he felt disgusted by what he saw. Bodies littered the floor, blood was covering many of them and some of the wounds were horrific, obviously done by Ink.
Some of the bodies looked like they had been fried, that must have been done by Basilisk deadly blasts he thought. Other bodies had their skulls cracked open which he presumed to be curtsey of the Stepford Cuckoo.
He took all this in quickly, those that had created this havoc were standing as a group, watching him. A few civilians were still alive and huddled together, among them was William and his aunt. They seemed to be worn out, pale and in obvious distress. Batman hoped that he would be able to save them but the odds were stacked against him.
'Welcome Batman.' Ink nodded in his direction.
'Why do I get the feeling this was a trap?' Batman asked them.
'No trap, just our way of getting you out of hiding.' someone replied.
Four of them, damn he had only seen three before. "Bruce I could use that help, there's four of them."
"Help is on the way; meanwhile you just keep them on there toes. I'll see what info I can dig up on this forth guy."
Batman was about to reply when he got sight of Ink slipping through the cracks in the wall he had been sitting on. He leaped out of the way just in time to avoid her attack
Ink's sudden movement seemed to kick start the other two into action. The Cuckoo flew towards Batman but he was able to back flip away from her and throw two glue balls that hit her on the forehead, temporally knocking her off balance.
While the Cuckoo was plummeting to the floor Basilisk began his assault. Using his agility, Batman narrowly avoided the blasts. Feeling the wall suddenly begin to shake he nearly lost his balance, during which time the Cuckoo was able to get a blast in that sent Batman tumbling to the floor.
"You didn't tell me she could do that."
"Telepath"
"Oh right."
Basilisk smirked at the fallen hero. His blast banging on the wall had caused the hero to fall. Moving over to Batman he went to stomp his foot down on the fallen body but Batman quickly rolled out of the way.
Batman's vision was blurry but he could see that he had rolled over to face one of the bodies, feeling nauseous he leapt up to perch on the ceiling, hoping the distance would buy him a few precious moments. Seeing the bodies scattered around, a feeling of anger swept over him. Determined to make his enemy's pay, he leapt to the ground and ducked another one of Basilisk attacks. Placing himself between Ink and Basilisk he waited for the right moment. Timing was crucial if he was even a millisecond to slow it would be the end for him, Basilisk let loose a blast as Ink charged him. Forcing himself to hold his ground he waited until the blast was near, leaping to safety he watched as Basilisk blasted Ink. She was unable to move in time and hurdled straight into Basilisk, the collision didn't seem to affect him too much butInk looked to be out for the count. That left two to go.
Terry leapt back up to the ceiling to avoid another blast from Basilisk. The Cuckoo was next to attack using her powers to make him think there was an earthquake. Losing his grip on the ceiling Batman plummeted to the ground. He shot two batterings, which caught onto the Cuckoo's legs. Landing on the ground he swung her around and let go of the web, leaving her to crash into the wall.
"Nice moves. It doesn't look like you need much help to me."
He spun around expecting an attack from Basilisk; however he found that he was gone along with Ink. He heard shots from outside and assumed the police were firing at them. Then he looked up to see a Blond hair white eyed young man flying there.
Turning back to detain the Cuckoo he found that she was also missing. Confused he went over to the few remaining civilians. He helped them outside.
"Who are you?" Terry questioned
"You can call me Match."
"Grandfather Bat said you needed some help."
"I do, I mean; I did. Where did they go? Why didn't you stop them?"
"They ran off when I showed up and incase you didn't notice I'm holding up a ceiling here, that is unless you can manage it."
"No thanks, I'll leave all things that weight over two tons too you."
"Gee thanks."
"Sorry about biting your head off."
"No prob. post fighting adrenalin, beside that's nothing compared to sunfire."
Terry heart aced when he failed to spot William at first glance. Then he let out a sigh of relief when he saw William and his aunt crawl out from behind a pillar Match held up with his foot.
Before leaving Terry looked around one last time. The sight before him was sickening and he felt a deep sadness for the number of lives lost. Not only did men and women die but so did children. Amongst all the carnage he could see the broken body of a small child, still clutching her teddy bear. It was the most distressful thing he had seen in a long time. He felt tears well up and quickly left the building.
"The woman and the teen you know them?"
"What makes you say that?" Terry questioned as he headed back to the bat cave with Match
"Two reasons, I could he your heart racing and then it stop when you saw them not to mention you sighed."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did."
Match decided to change the subject. "Hey Bruce what do you say putting me up for a week or two. I don't really want to go home yet. Sure but if your Dad's call I'm not going to lie and say your not here."
"Dad's."
"Yeah I was adopted by Lucious Fox."
"Thee Lucious Fox, of Foxtecha industries."
"Yep that's the one… So if you don't mind me asking how do you know them?"
"Know who? Oh you mean William and his aunt. He's a close friend."
"hey listen, do you mind If I split for a bit I really want to go check on my friend."
"go on I'd do the same if I were you."
"Willie you go and rest I'll make us some tea."
Jenny didn't know what to do, Willie was taking this whole ordeal horribly, not that she could blame him. He spent the next hour and a half in a zombie like state; he took a hot bath to help relax him and went straight for his room. He sat there half cloth and weeping, he didn't even here Terry walk in.
'Willie?'
'Terry.' His voice was cracked and Terry knew that he was crying.
Willie couldn't believe it; the whole block had been blown to smithereens. Rubble was everywhere. Ambulances, police and TV crews had the area surrounded. The injured were being taken to the hospital but many of them were still trapped beneath the fallen buildings.
Willie took a deep breath and tried to control his ramped emotions, it was no use the pain of it all just welled up in him, and rushed out like a raging river. His body began to shutter uncontrollably. It was painful; the thought of it was heart breaking.
Mindful of the bruised areas he could see Terry took Willie into his arms and held on. Willie was shuddering so he whispered nonsensical words to calm him down. Knowing that whatever had happened in there must have been really bad to cause this reaction, he lightly kissed his lover's forehead before moving them to the edge of the bed.
Two days later
Terry had come home from Will's house he was still a little grief-stricken and had been walking around school like a zombie for the past two days. Not to mention that his Aunt took off with his cred card right before his dad got back, but not before she accidentally hinted at Williams's sexual preference. Pore guy was having a hard time all around and the headache. So he thought William could use some cheering up. Terry left well before Williams dad got home. He didn't want to give the guy any ideas.
"Hi mom"
"Oh hi Hun, I didn't see you walk in, how was school."
"It was fine mom."
"and work."
"Mr. Wayne didn't need me to day."
Mrs. McGinnis looked down at her watch. 8:45pm. "Terry its kind of late where have you been all day."
"I've been at Will's house, trying to cheer him up. He was one of the people at the museum the day it got attacked and he's still not over it yet."
"Oh I see...um just call next time and let me know where you are ok Hun."
"Sure mom." Terry was in his room and about to close the door when he heard his mom call out.
"Terry Mr. Wayne is on the line."
"Ok mom I got it." Terry picked up the phone and waited for the receiver on the other end to click indicating that the phone was hung up.
"Hi Bruce why are you calling me on the house phone."
"Because you don't have your PVC."
"Yes I do." Terry looked around for his PVC (portable vid cam). "Damn it must have fallen out at Will's place."
"It did, I called it first and he picked up. You'll be happy to know he's taking messages but that's not why I called. Pull out one of the spare phones I got you and call me back on a secure line." Terry pulled out one of the many extra phones he had and called Bruce back.
"There are in fact 8 missing super powered villains currently free." Bruce paced in front of the projection screen in the bat cave which held the photograph of each, except for that of Eleon.
'Eight!' Terry exclaimed. He was shocked to say the least. He had been worried about four villains, but eight on the loose? What if they were all working together?
'Yes eight. Many of them had escaped custody months ago. Although these criminals have not worked together before, there is one person that links many if not all these criminals together.' Bruce stated.
'And that would be?'
'He calls himself Rao Prim.'
Terry watched as four nodded their heads. He didn't pay any mind to the fact that there where people in the bat cave with Bruce until now, Emma, Match, Zatana and this Haden Grayson guy who was speaking was apparently an ally and also one of the most important men in law enforcement. According to Bruce he ran PHATOM, which dealt with all major crimes especially those involving super powered villains. Terry had never heard of such an organization before, apparently it was top secret. They also had a secure prison which kept super powered beings, such as the criminals they were searching for, under lock and key, but Terry thought it couldn't be that secure if they had so many of them missing.
Now as he watched them all nod in understanding he felt more than confused. Who was this Rao Prim? It seemed like there was a lot he didn't know and it only alienated him more from the group of people on the vid cam. He felt like the odd one out, he didn't have no-where near the amount of knowledge or experience as the other people in the room. He was also a little nervous due to the glances that Haden was giving him. He knew his reputation was bad and he was hoping not to get arrested by this guy.
'Okay obviously everyone here knows this Rao Prim guy, so maybe someone could clue me in?'
'You don't know who the Rao Prim is?' Haden asked amused.
'No, should I?'
'Well considering the sheer number of his henchmen you have fought I would think you at least knew his name.'
'His henchmen? Okay I'm so confused now its not even funny.'
'I think it's funny.' Bruce laughed. "Don't you read the papers I give you to
take home."
"Yeah well, of all things, you find that funny and I'm suppose to read those,
there like dictionaries… So this Rao Prim guy is?" Terry asked again.
'Prim is a crime lord that runs this city and many others. We think we know who he is but we're uncertain. He likes to use enhanced beings to do his dirty work. Ink, and Basilisk have all worked for him in the past.'
'Really? He mustn't have high expectations if he hires Basilisk.'
"You would think that, however many of those that work for the Rao Prim end up dead should they fail."
"Wow, not a nice guy. So why is Basilisk living? Surely he has messed up."
'Oh yes many times however he has yet to give up information on the Rao Prim and his brute strength and energy eyes comes in handy.' Haden answered.
'Well I didn't think he was kept around for his conversational skills.' Terry joked. 'So if they have connections to the Rao Prim then they may all be working together for that reason.'
'That's what we believe.'
'What's their goal though? Their attack was so random.' Terry asked.
'Well that's easy, they want you dead.' Match looked serious.
'Well that's always nice to know.' Terry deadpanned.
"Actually I think they where going for him." Haden enlarged a picture that came form a recording of the museum fiasco. Terry's heart skipped a beat. "His name is Willie Watt; he's a student at Hamilton hills high school. Not to long ago he was in a scuffle with a homo-superior named Proteus AKA David Xavier. I think that at some point in this fight he might have left something in Willie's possession that he doesn't even know he has."
"What?"
'Look Terry don't worry about it. You have PHATOM and the Four of us on your side. We'll bag the baddies.' Match looked more then confident.
'God I hope so.' Terry whispered.
A few days later
Basilisk watched as Ink left the building. He had lost count of the number of times she had changed hair length, height, weight, not to mention the different facial features during the last couple of days. This was Ink's last job; she wouldn't be fighting with the others.
The Cuckoo heard the radio come to life. She was told to stand by; it was time to start the main part of the plan.
It had been just under a week since their last attack. Terry had been worrying constantly and checking the news at regular intervals. He was over at Gotham University on a school trip when the bombings occurred. The whole university had been talking about it. He had overheard the conversations as he left the lecture hall. He rushed over to the scene.
Terry knew exactly who had done this. There was no way in hell that they were going to get away with it, not this time.
He scanned the area looking for a glimpse of those that were responsible, he knew they must be close by. He counted on possibly fighting a total of eight bad guys; he knew he stood no chance of winning on his own. This time he really needed help.
"Hay bat watch out?" shouted the Cuckoo.
Batman flipped to the left, just before a small bomb exploded in the exact location he had been standing at. Turning around he saw the Cuckoo.
'This way Batman. We have some surprises planned.' She cooed.
Before Batman could reply she took off, she didn't turn back to see if she was being followed, she knew full well that Batman would be right behind.
Batman followed along behind, he could have caught up to her if he wanted but he needed to know where the others were. He kept alert as he zipped through the city, prepared for an attack.
Terry opened the feed to the batcave. "Bruce are you sure they'll be here."
The Cuckoo led him to a secluded area, which was both a blessing and a curse. On the upside, there was less chance of civilians being hurt, but on the downside, there was less chance for the Calvary and Phantoms agent to find him. A lack of buildings also stopped him from using them as cover, he was going to be stuck mostly on the ground. Batman felt extremely vulnerable, he hoped that Match and the others would be able to track him down soon.
"We're already here bats" replied Haden. "Not in the favorable numbers I had predicted, there were some; complications, but we're here."
'Have you found them yet?' Terry was becoming agitated.
'Not yet, we have teams searching the city.' Bruce replied.
His agents had soon arrived at the scene of the latest bombings, and had reported that Batman had gone after the Vulture, no doubt being led into a trap. Helicopters had been sent out almost immediately and were currently sweeping the city for the missing bad guys and hero.
'Don't worry kid, we'll find him.' Haden reassured Terry. He was confident in his agents' abilities.
The fight had broken out fast.
Batman crashed into the ground. It was just one of many knocks he had already taken. His bat Suit helped him avoid some of the attacks but due to the sheer number of them he wasn't able to avoid them all.
It was difficult fighting so many at once. He was thankful however that there were only five enemies, instead of the possible eight.
It was still difficult though. He knew who they were, he had fought some of them before but they all seemed to have learnt from their past mistakes, they were also working well as a team. That was something he hadn't expected.
Quickly leaping up from the ground, Batman avoided one of Fix's tentacles whips. Fix was some mad whiz kid who could turn the hair on his body into giant tentacles. Batman back flipped over Cuckoo and gave her a hard hit on the head, knocking her out.
Haden had already taken down Joker 10.5, Match had handled Basilisk, and Zatana took down Hex who's name said it all, that only left Fix. Who was turning out to be more trouble then he was worth. Okay I can do this. So I ache everywhere, am covered in blood and bruised and think I might have broken a few ribs, what's to stop me from winning?
Fix truly was a wiz kid. He could fight, incredibly well, to well for Terry's liking and his powers didn't just stop at manipulating his own hair, as Match and Zatana found out the hard way. Terry felt as if metal slip gripped him around the waist. He fought to stay conscious but his vision was mostly black. His head was ringing. He tried to move but his whole body felt heavy. Arms tight with pain, there was nothing he could do to stop it, he was too weak. He knew that this was the end.
As Emma neared the fight, she watched as Fix picked up Batman, who looked to be unconscious. "Please let him be-alright." With that, she exited the jet. 'Get off of him!' Emma hit Fix with a psionic punch that knocked him a few feet back. Fix's reaction was immediate, he cried out in pain and dropped Batman to the ground.
Fix did however give Basilisk and Cuckoo the time they needed to recover. After gaining his bearings Basilisk immediately bull rushed Match, who had just managed to free himself from his own hair. Match stood his ground, when Basilisk was close enough, Match grabbed him by the head and swung him around; sending a stunned Basilisk hurling through the air.
Emma tried to sneak up on Fix; however, he was able to track her movements. He knew that she was coming up behind him. Waiting for just the right moment he turned quickly and shot a dart into her arm.
Emma cried out, more in shock than pain. She immediately lost her footing. Fix watched as his prey began to pale and her feet gave out. The poison was fast acting. Fix was about to go in for the final blow. Luckily, for Emma, Hadan was an even better fighter then fix was, and was able to stun him using some kind of pressure point attack.
Zatana managed to magically wrap Fix's tentacles around Basilisk's body, who flailed uselessly as Match quickly finished him off with a punch to the face.
Emma fell hunched over Terry. Match, tried to get them to wakeup but was tackled from behind. Surprised by the sudden weight of a stranger on top of him he struggled to get free. The stranger merely smiled, he had been too easy to catch, preoccupied with the Batman and Mrs. Frost. Holding out his knife ready to slit Match's throat, his movements abruptly stopped as pain shot through his body. Avoiding the knife, Match threw the Man off him. He sat up to see Haden with stun guns. He nodded his thanks and quickly made sure that no body else needed his help, he then returned to Terry's side.
"The stranger got up from the stun gun shot and looked at the four of them you'll all pay for that he said as energy crackled around him. Terry instantly remembered who that was the face the voice it all cane back to him.
Emma gasped as she realized who the stranger was. "David!"
"That's Proteus to you."
"I'll take care of this." Match charged forward to come crashing into a psionic shield. Then he fell to his knees with a scream of pain. "get out of my head." Match clutch his head as tight as he could before he passed out.
Haden managed to get close enough to Proteus to stab him with his army knife, the blade cut through the flesh like it was water. Proteus growled in pain and grabbed Haden by the neck. He started choking Haden.
Zatana was just about to cast a spell when she saw Haden dig in his pocket and pull out a flash grenade. The grenade went off and when the light cleared Haden was the only one to remain.
Some hours later.
Terry's head was pounding as he came to. He could feel something soft beneath him and a warm hand was holding his.
Blinking his eyes open he was assaulted by the too bright light. Squinting he slowly opened his eyes, his vision was blurred but he was able to make out a blond head to his left.
"who are you?" he croaked
"Hello Mr. McGinnis. Feeling better?"
"Feel like crap." Terry replied.
"That's what you said last time you woke up." Match wasn't too concerned. Bruce said that Terry would be fine.
"Match?" Terry was confused. Last time he woke up. When was that? He couldn't remember being awake and he certainly didn't know where he was. Looking around it seemed to be the bat cave. What had happened?
Deciding that questions were too much for his muddled brain, he looked back over at Match's face and tried to smile. It hurt and came out more of a wince than a smile but Match seemed to understand and smiled back.
"Want some water?"
Terry nodded but found that was also too much for his aching head. Closing his eyes against the dizziness he allowed Match to help him into a position to drink the offered water. He took a few sips before falling back to sleep.
Haden entered his office and looked in the mirror; he smiled pleasantly then opened a secure channel. A female voice answered. "Is this a safe line." Ink demanded.
"Yes."
"Good. You didn't mess this up. I'll tell Prime that you're in place."
Haden balled his fist in anger at her comment but remained quiet; he knelt down slowly, almost ceremonially in front of the shrine a picture of Willie, Terry, and Joshua. Haden closed his eyes and fire catches to the three pictures. The fire swallows the photos quickly leaving nothing but ash.
"Are you listening to me?" Ink demanded. "Or were you thinking of your revenge again."
"Does it matter?"
"Focus Proteus, we can't afford to slip up now not while we are so close."
"I know the plan Ink, I came up with it remember."
"I'm not so sure of that any more, you haven't been holding up lately."
"I'll tell you what; let's see how well you hold up after you've lost your body."
"This conversations gone south I'm hanging up."
"Ink wait, Tell prime that the Watt's kid has the thing, somehow it got transferred in the fight, but he has it, I felt it."
"Will do."
Click. Proteus turned back to the mirror. "Hi I'm Haden, Haden Grayson." He smiled again in triumph and then turned to the computer. He touched it and waited for his Tele-mechanical powers to kick in. but nothing happened.
"Watt's." he growled before switching on the computer with a voice command. "pull up all the files you have on a Willie J Watt's."
Two days later.
"Boy Eaten by Killer Moths."
Maxine groaned as she read the headline for her latest story. She knew better than to read the rest of the article, but something inside her just wanted to feel kicked this afternoon.
Bred in a lab in South America, these top secret moths are the next generation of military assassins. They are genetically engineered to think their way into an enemy's lair where they bite the neck of the target and infect them with a concentrated poison that will render the victim dead within an hour.
Now they have escaped the lab and were last seen heading north, straight for the central U.S. Be on guard. They could be in your neighborhood within the month...
Dear Lord, it was worse than she'd imagined.
Her hands shaking in anger, she got up from her desk and headed straight for the Hamilton hills news room and into Kip Ricers office. As usual, he was online, reading some poor slob's blog and making copious notes.
Kip was short, leanly muscled with long dark red hair that he always wore in a ponytail. He also had cold, gray eyes and a strange tattoo on his hand. He'd be cute if he wasn't so damned annoying.
"Killer moths?" she asked.
He looked up from his notepad and shrugged. "You said we were going to have a moth invasion, I just had Nelson rewrite the story to make it more marketable."
She gaped in total astonishment. "Nelson? You had Nelson rewrite the story? The guy who wears tinfoil in his jockstrap so that the people with x-ray vision can't see his... That Nelson?"
He didn't flinch or miss a beat. "Yeah, he's my best writer."
Talk about insult to injury... "I thought I was your best writer."
Sighing heavily, he swiveled his chair to face her. "You would be if you had any imagination whatsoever." He held his hands up dramatically as if to illustrate his point. "C'mon, Max, embrace your inner child. Embrace the absurd that lives amongst us. Think Ibsen." He put his hands down and gave another weary sigh. "But no, you never do, do you? I send you out to investigate the bat boy who lives in the old church belfry and you come back with a story about moths infesting the rafters. What the hell is that?"
She gave him a droll stare as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It's called reality, Kip. Reality. You should stop "letting your imagination run riot long enough to try it."
He snorted at that before he flipped to a blank sheet of paper on his notepad. He set it beside his soda. "Screw reality. It doesn't sell papers. Bullshit does that... and I like it that way."
She rolled her eyes at his beaming face. "You are such a toad and the school paper is free."
He paused as if an idea had struck him. He reached for his pad where he quickly scribbled something. "Girl Kisses Toady Nerd to Discover an Ancient Immortal Prince... I like it. Can you imagine? Girls all over the School will be kissing their Nerdy tutors to test the theory." Then he looked back at her with a wicked grin. "Shall we try the experiment and see if it works?"
She screwed her face up at him in disgust. "Hell, no. And that wasn't a come-on, Kip. Trust me, even with a thousand kisses you'd still be a toad."
He was totally undaunted, mostly because the two of them had been teasing each other this way since they met two weeks ago. "I still think we should give it a try." He wagged his eyebrows at her.
Max let out a long, exasperated breath. "You know, I would bring you up on sexual harassment charges, but that would imply that you have actually had sex in your lifetime and I intend to maintain that you are a prime example of what happens to people when they're too sexually frustrated."
That brought another glassy look to his eyes before he scribbled again. "Sexually Frustrated jock Turns Into Screaming Lunatic. Disembowels School Ccheerleader Who Excites Him."
Max groaned deep in her throat. "Kip! Stop turning everything into a cheesy headline." And before he could respond, she quickly added. "I know, I know. Cheesy headlines sell papers."
"Exactly!"
Disgusted, she rubbed at the sudden pain she felt in her head, through her hands in the air and walked "I'll write an article that not even you would mess with." Max could hear him call back.
"Right, you'll need a one on one with Powers of Wayne and Powers inc. to impress me, but umm good luck with that, or you could let me take you out on a date."
"I heard that, an um no!"
Willie had been talking to the Librarian as he walked out the door. He had this strange feeling that he should watch out for something right before max bumped into him.
"Oh I'm sorry Willie, I wasn't watching where I was going."
"It's ok. Hay Max you seem upset are you ok."
"Yeah it just that Kip gets under my skin."
"I can tell. I read your article; it didn't seem like your style though."
"That was Kip, he let Nelson tweak it."
"Nelson? The guy who wears tinfoil in his jockstrap... That Nelson?"
"The one and only."
"What are you going to do?"
"Try and get an interview with Derrick Powers." Max sounded hopeless about the whole ordeal, not that she didn't have a right to, but then Willie remembered that Terry worked for Bruce Wayne.
"Hey Max, you might not be able to get that one on one with Derrick Powers, but Bruce Wayne is a possibility. You could see if Terry could put in a good word for you. He works for the guy remember."
Max had forgotten all about that. "Thanks Willie thats a great idea. I'll ring him now and tell him to meet me after school."
"Um Max I know Terry usually walks you home so could you tell him to meet me by Gothams old style cinema house when he's done, that should be around 6pm right, I've got a surprise for him.
"Yeah, sure no prob."
"Thanks max, oh and Man your more then welcome to come."
"Thanks but no-thanks Willie, two's company threes a crowd."
"Well the offer stands and you can bring someone." The bells for the next class rung and Willie was ready run off. "Shoot I'm going to be late, got to go Max. Oh, don't forget to tell Terry ok."
"Ok."
Max had been walking up and down the halls of the school waiting for Terry for about ten minutes. She had been meaning to ask Terry for a favor, but she kept missing the opportunity. Not this time she told herself, she was more then determined to make a formal bribe with an offer to do his homework and all. Max was on the other side of the hall when she spotted Terry exiting the Gym.
"Terry, Terry hay wait-up."
Max maid it half way down the hall before her book bag broke. All the contents of her bag were spilled all over the hallway. Terry looked down the hall at Max with a boyish smile. Then back to Match, who he must admit look very different in normal clothing. They walked over to max and Match helped her gather her things, his smirked still apparent.
"Hay Max, what are you doing here?"
"We were suppose to meet up after school… remember."
"Yeah I'm sorry; I'll make it up to you somehow." Terry started to gather some of the book's to.
"Thanks." Max looked up at Match's face who was somewhat amused at her situation. "I'm really not this clumsy."
"It Look's good on you though." Match looked over all the stuff Max had in her bag. "Know wander your bag broke, you stuffed it." He grinned.
"I didn't even notice I was putting half this stuff in my bag, I was doing some research for the school paper and kept slipping as many data cards as I could find on my subject into my bag."
"By the way I'm Maxine, Max for short."
"Sorry about that Max this is umm." Terry really didn't know what to call him. Match wouldn't do. Max was smart enough not to be fooled by glasses and clothing and he never mentioned having an alias.
"Corbin, Corbin El Helix." Match announced. "Nice to meet you Maxine."
"Ok now that that's done you said you wanted to talk."
Max glared at Terry for tarnishing her moment, and then remembered why she had been waiting around for him. "Oh yeah, but before I ask I'd just like to remind you that you had mentioned "making it up to me somehow." I was hoping you could get me a one on one with Bruce Wayne of Wayne and Powers for the school paper."
"I don't know Max, but I'll ask."
"Thanks Terry." She beamed.
"I'm sure Uncle Bruce wont mind."
Max gave Corbin a shocking look. "I've been going over paper work all day and none of it mentions Bruce having a nephew named Corbin Helix. "Wait a minute you're his godson aren't you. Corbin El Helix Fox. That's you right. I knew your name sounded familiar."
"Yes, that's me. It looks like you could use a hand home." Max smiled up at Match who was now holding the majority of her books. She looked down at her broken bag and thought it would be of little use now. She turned back to Match who was taking some of the heavier books from her.
"I'd appreciate it." taking the offered hand she was gently pulled to her feet.
"Hay Terry Willie wanted you to meet him at Gotham's old style cinema house."
"Oh shoot I almost forgot, hay Max, Corbin do you mind if I split I have to go pick up something for Will."
"Sure go, Corbin and I will be fine he'll walk me home and I'll keep him company."
"Yeah go on. I'll make sure she gets home safe and sound."
Willie opened the door to his house. He hadn't expected to see Terry standing there.
"Come on in, my dad's not home yet. He won't be back until tomorrow."
Terry walked in holding two bags of old fashion paper back hard cover books "Where should I put these?" Terry indicated to the pile he still held in his hands.
"Put them on the living room table, I have to do my homework anyway but now I'm thinking it might take longer then usual."
Willie leads Terry into the living room. The room was well furnished with all earth tone wood colors. There was a small collection of paintings and sculptures off to the side of one wall.
"Do you like it?"
"It's amazing. Who did all of this?"
"My Aunt an I."
"Who?" Terry was still admiring the works of art.
"Jenny. Strong British accent."
"Oh its lovely." Terry replied in his best British accent.
"So where are we going."
"It's a surprise, but first we have to do our home work and I have to go set up so you'll have to wait here. I told Max to stall you. Well not in those words but still."
"She met my Friend Corbin and it seems like they might hit it off."
"Hey do you think he'd like to come along to. I invited Max but she said three was a crowd but if your friend Corbin comes then it'll be four and that's not a crowd."
"I think I can make that happen."
"Cool the more the merrier."
Ten minutes later and Willie was done. "Ok I'm off, I called Max an invited her and Corbin over to keep you company, the limo to pick you up will be down stairs at 5:30 ok, and Terry don't be late." He smiled
For some reason Willie had been on edge ever cense he got to Gotham's old style Cinema house. Something just wasn't sitting right with him. Nevertheless, he past it off as an irrational feeling there is nothing to be afraid of; the odds of something like the museum happening to me again are like a million to one.
Willie had rented out the entire top floor and had instructed the crew to set up the place so that it was as comfortable as can be. When every thing was done he told the crew that they could go home and thanked them for there help. Max had arrived some time earlier to help him set up. He was thankful for the company. Though all she could talk about was Corbin. In truth he was looking forward to meeting the guy.
"So Max you told me about him but what's he look like."
"Well lets see he's Tall I'd say about 6'2" or 6'3" with blondish white hair and pale green eyes and he has a body like a Greek god."
"He sound's visually pleasing as well as smart. Don't let this one get away."
"Hey." She looked down at her watch "Terry and Corbin should be arriving in the next half hour."
"Max do you smell that. It smells like smoke."
"Good nose."
The last thing they both saw was a mettle pipe.
Xavier school for the gifted. Same night.
Joshua could hear and feel the fear bleed through him, the sounds the smells, it was all so real, he could feel the heat of the flame as if they were licking his own skin. Joshua had been feeling Willie in his mind for a wile now. Ever since the night of the party as his new powers became stronger so did his connection with Willie.
He could tell when he was hurt or in trouble, happy or in love. It was even becoming hard to distinguish his feelings from William's. It was taking all his control to keep the psychological feed back one sided but he was becoming unsure of how long he could keep that up. Something inside of Willie was starting to push at the barriers.
Willie screamed as the fire spread from the walls. "ahh!" a flash of pain shuttered through his body.
Help somebody help us. Willies cry echoed in his mind. "I'll get us help, just hold on."
Joshua picked up the phone and punch in the numbers to Willies house. Terry and Corbin were watching the end of the game when the phone rung, they had ignored it letting the machine get it. It wasn't there house so it wasn't right for them to answer the phone.
Another searing pain shot through Joshua's frail body, Joshua couldn't take much more of this, not in his present condition anyway. Something had to be done and it was up to him to do it, Jay's eyes took on a black hue, he had never before tried what he was attempting now. "I'm getting help for us just hold on."
Help, Help us, come quick, we need you, Proteus is trying to kill Willie and Max.
All the TV's in Gotham became a static like face and for thirty seconds there was no picture on any channel. Just a static like face that screamed. "help… quick… we need… you. Proteus is … to Kill Willie and Max
Terry watched in horror as he saw a face that resembled jay's looking back at him. "oh god, Will and Max are in trouble we have to go."
"did that TV just mention Proteus." Asked Corbin as he shot out the door behind Terry.
Terry and Corbin drove up outside the cinema and saw smoke and flame rising out from the top windows. Both Terry and Corbin got out of the car and rand into the cinema. The firemen had yet to arrive but Terry heard someone say that every one was out except for the people on the top floor.
Corbin burst through the mettle door and ran up the steps he didn't dare use his full powers not now with so many watching and not wile he was with Terry. As Match he had been spending a lot of time with Batman, if people somehow figured out who he was they could guess who Terry was and he wouldn't do that to Terry.
Terry was behind him when he entered the room at the top floor. The first thing they saw was Max and Willie tied to beams as fire consumed the room, the flames were hot and quickly burned through most of the stuff in the room. Willie and Max both seem to be unconscious. Terry ran to Willie's side and lifted his head.
"Willie? Willie." Terry cried as he held his head firmly in his hands looking for any sign of response. Willie came too slowly, he looked up into Terry's eyes and weakly manages to say
"Save Max."
Proteus came up behind Terry and grabbed him, he tossed Terry a crossed the room. "Get out!" he screamed his body glowing with a strange light. Obscuring his features.
Corbin pushed Proteus hard sending him flying into the far wall, and then he kneeled down to help Willie up. "The fire is everywhere and spreading fast. You get max and get out of here I'll get Terry."
Willie wasn't too uncomfortable until he heard the sound of a protesting ceiling. He'd stopped walking. "Corbin man… ah, we have to get out of here. Fast."
Corbin looked around the room, then back over at Willie. "Willie!"
Willie looked worried but his voice remind steady. "I'll get Max!"
Corbin looked over at a sluggish Terry heaped on the floor and then back at Willie and Max. Willie was over by Max untying her. He turned his attention back to Terry and spotted Proteus.
Proteus was crawling out of the flaming rubble, his hands raised in protest. "You shouldn't have done that!" Chunks of fiery rubble slammed into Corbin. Sending him crashing through an old dumbwaiter
Willie looks at Proteus and froze. "I remember you."
A wicked laugh echoed in the room. "Good, but it won't be for long." Willie was sent flying through the air into a pile of debris.
Corbin flew up the dumbwaiter and then crawled out at the last moment. He looked around and spotted Terry helping Max run outside. Terry was yelling over his shoulder to Corbin. "Get Will!"
Corbin scanned the room looking for any sign of Willie. "Willie? Willie? We've got to get out of here!"
Willie had managed to dig himself out of the debris to see, Corbin dodging Chunks of wreckage that was being hurled at him.
The fire started to rage out of hand. Debris started to fall from the wall and ceilings. The smoke in the room thickens making it hard to see. A large piece of wreckage came down from the ceiling. The fire maid the object unrecognizable but it was obvious that if Willie didn't do something the object would fall on Corbin.
Willie pushed who he thought was Corbin out of harms way. A series of bright flashes occur as Willie's touch causes Proteus to have several visions. Proteus stumbled forward a foot or two and then spun around to see Willie wedged under a blaze of fire. Proteus's ruse was now gone, he was Haden Grayson again. Proteus grabbed Willie from behind and turned him around, shaking him. To anyone else it would look like he was desperately trying to get Willie out.
Proteus screamed. "You! It's your fault!"
Outside, Terry soon realizes that Corbin and Willie aren't behind them. "Max. Where are Corbin and Willie?"
Max took a deep breath. Gasping for air she managed to say. "I didn't see them come out with us."
The visions took Willie by surprise and maid him hesitate a split second to long. The fiery rubble came down on his left shoulder caging him to the floor. "Yaaaa… Yhaaaa…" Screams could be heard over the loud snapping and crackle of the fire.
Terry looked back at the door into the building where the fire was getting higher and higher.
"Willie!!" He ran back toward the building with no regards for his own life. He could hear Max calling his name but he kept running.
"Terry! The fire, Terry!"
Max ran away from the building as fast as she could, turning back a few times to look over their shoulder at Terry, who was heading back inside. The fire was intense and the smoke overwhelming. He saw Corbin over to his left and he spotted Haden unconscious on the floor next to a screaming Willie at the back of the room. He'd never get to them in time and even if he'd managed to get to them he'd have a hard time making it back. But this wasn't a problem for Match, A.K.A Corbin.
"Willie! Willie!" Corbin had just spotted Terry pointing to them on the far side of the room.
Corbin ran over to Willie who was now no longer screaming. He tossed the inferno of rubble off Willie and picks him up carefully, and then he pitched Haden over his shoulder and looked around for Proteus.
"We've got to get out of here!" Terry yelled.
Corbin ran from the house with Willie and Haden over his shoulders. Terry ran back to Max's side to check up on her. Once Corbin got to the edge of the street, he puts Willie and Haden down on the ground and lied on top of them just as the building exploded sending fire and debris shooting in every direction. The fire engulfs Corbin and Haden and Willie. When it clears, Corbin sat up. His face smudged with black and his jacket burnt, but Haden was unburned an Willie wasn't any more burnt then he had been.
Terry ran toward Willie with Max in toe. He shook Willie's shoulders and felt his neck for a pulse. "Willie! Willie!" Willie was badly burned but he was alive and ok.
Corbin checked Max to assure himself that she was ok then he looked at Haden who seemed to be having trouble breathing.
Max had run up to Corbin yelling. "Corbin! Corbin, are you okay?" She came to an abrupt stop as she looked down at Willie and Haden. "Oh, my God, are they okay?"
Terry looked up into fearful eyes. "Willie's badly burned and Haden, He's not breathing."
Max took a step over in Haden's direction. "I know CPR!" Max started giving Haden chest compressions. "Come on, You can't die on me."
Terry and Corbin watched fearfully until finally Haden starts to choke and sits up. Terry sighs in relief.
Haden looked at Max with glassy eyes. "I tried to save him. I tried."
"It's okay Haden. You're all right and he's alive, I think you scared Proteus away, thank you."
Corbin puts a hand on top of Haden's. Haden flinched. "You're gonna be okay." Corbin assured him.
Haden looks over at Willie. "Are you sure Willie's ok?"
"Willie's going to be ok. He has some bad burns on his back and he doesn't want anyone to touch them."
The flashing lights of an ambulance indicated that more help was on the way. The fire truck had already arrived and was tackling the fire. It wasn't long before they had the situation under hand.
William, William. Can you hear me, its Joshua we're gonna be ok. We're on our way to the hospital.
Terry took Willies hand as he hopped in the van behind him. "Will I'm with, I know you hate hospitals but I'll make sure there's always someone to stay with you."
Willie's eye's was glazed over and had a bluish sheen to them, his head was pounding and his back was num by pain. Willie could hardly see, his mind echoed with intruding thoughts and vivid images. He was flooded with over powering emotions, fear, hurt, pain, love, courage. All of these emotions and more came tumbling down on him. He could barely hear Terry calling his name before he passed out.
Three days later.
Mrs. McGinnis entered the hospital room; Terry was still sitting in the same plastic chair, as close as he could get to Willie's bed and holding his hand. Willie seemed to be unconscious, just as Terry had seen him the last three times he had visited.
"He wake yet?" she asked.
"Yeah but just for a little while. He had some water and then went back to sleep."
"Well he took quite a knock to the head, he'll probably be out for a little while longer."
"Yeah." Terry agreed.
"Why don't you take a break, you've been here for hours."
"No I'll stay. I'm sure Willie could do with seeing a friendly face when he wakes."
"And you don't think mine is friendly?" Mrs. McGinnis joked. She was sure that the two of them were in a relationship and that was Terry's motive for staying.
"Well try to get some rest."
"Yeah I will." Terry agreed. He would rest later, as soon as Willie was awake and more aware of his surroundings.
Willie was propped up on the pillows. Terry, Blaze, Max, Corbin and even Terry's mom was in his room surrounding his bed. He was trying to take in the conversation but the thumping in his head was not making things easy.
"…each other out." Blaze looked with interest at Willie.
"What?" Terry groggily replied. He wondered if they had drugged him, things really weren't making much sense. Next to him he could hear Max's trying to smother his giggles.
"Look guys why don't we leave Willie and Terry alone. It takes him a while to get stuff at the best of times; it may take awhile for everything to sink in with that lump growing out of his head." Max's pointed at Willie lump.
As the others left the room Terry turned to Willies "Lump?"
"Yeah, this thing here." Terry poked the lump in the centre of Willie's head.
"Ow!"
Terry merely smirked. "I love the way it's right in the centre and there's a huge bruise surrounding it."
"Wonderful, sounds attractive."
"Don't worry Willie, you look just fine apart from the bump…and the extra pale skin…and circles under your eyes…and the cuts and bruises and…"
"Yeah okay Terry, I get it. You really know how to make a person feel better." He smiled.
"Sorry Will, you still look great to me." Terry leaned in for a quick peck on the lips, not knowing that Willies father was standing in the doorway watching.
"Well if it isn't Terry McGinnis."
Terry jumped, startled by the sudden voice and quickly let go of Willie's lips.
