Emerging from the restroom, Brandon looked around for his leader. Before his leader ever made himself known though, his phone did. Immediately, Brandon whipped the phone out and instinctively checked it. It was a text from Gage's mom, all capped.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Brandon rolled his eyes, Gage has a mature parent...

"Brand-oh?"

Brandon looked up to see Gage right in front of him. There was a light behind his eyes that said he had cried. Confusion crossed Brandon's own blue orbs, but he spoke, "Your mom's wondering where you are."

Gage's eyes instantly dilated, "My mom!"

Without even taking his phone back, an always hasty Gage raced out like a high tailed cat. Brandon took another look at Gage's phone before locking it and putting it in his back pocket.

Alone, in the waiting room hall, Brandon finally breathed. At last, the surrounding world was visible to him. The white walls, dark azure floors... Brandon took several steps into the nearest waiting room, which was the same as every other in the building. A sigh escaped a dreary Brandon's mouth. As he took notice of the gloomy clouds outside, Brandon sat down on one of the cushioned (yet still uncomfortable as Larry's couch) seats and curled up. Finally, his mind slowed, and he realized how tired he was. It had certainly been an eventful day amongst eventful days. This was totally taking place of March 28th as the worst day of his entire life!

His eyes were coated in shame. Sure, he turned down the job position that got them all here. However, even if Gage believed in the team's bond, Brandon needed his fellow teammates' words that he would be accepted back. Let alone, he needed to know they would be alive as a whole. While doubt in himself polluted his own mind, as rain started playing a mellow song on the window, he realized how much he trusted them.

They would recover.

Brandon closed his heavy lids, feeling his head and chest churn light as sleep instantly threatened to take the huddled boy away. He did not know how long his eyes stayed closed, but feeling like he was flying lasted anywhere from a second to a million years. Who knew? When he heard his name called out again though, his body and mind seem to get in line with each other again. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Clouded eyes opened.

"Brandon, dear?"

Brandon lifted his head from his knees. He was still hugging himself, but when he saw who it was he straightened up a little.

"Mrs. Rowan!"

Yup. That was Rhett's mom alright.

As Gage skidded to a halt in front of his car, he panted heavily. Still unable to find his mom - especially without a cellphone to call her - he had run out to his car hoping that he would find her there. Rain drizzling down from a purple sky though, Gage was left disappointed.

Nothing. Ziltch. Nada.

"Hey, Green."

A very familiar and sinister voice marked the surprise introduction of...

Just at the other side of the car, the silver driver was watching him in full uniform.

Adrenaline burst through Gage's system, all alarms blazing code red and all sirens breaking the sound barrier. Eyes wide in a multitude of sudden emotions, Gage shouted, "You!"

Without any form of warning, all other thoughts were tossed out of the window as Gage immediately started chasing him. As Gage tried to catch him, an also adept runner turned tail and ran, leading Gage outside the parking lot.

Mrs. Rowan sat down next to Brandon. She looked just as discombobulated, with overdone makeup and messy hair, as ever.

She watched Brandon with somber eyes, "Rhett hasn't been to the ER since our car accident. He was a toddler then, adorable and bright little munchkin. When he had that concussion, they said either his personality or intelligence would be affected. Of course, he changed from confident and explorative to quiet and shy in an instant. It was a heavy blow, because he withdrew and even stopped talking. For his age he already had a lisp, but going into elementary school it was still there. And while Rhett was, beyond a doubt, very sharp and intelligent, he had become... eccentric... Even showed signs of being schizotypal."

Brandon looked back on Rhett back then. He totally was eccentric, still was today. While Brandon was no physiologist, as the LeBay's held the popular opinion that it was not proper science, Brandon thought it over and doubted the schizo part. None the less, despise being energetic and outgoing, Rhett was always - and still was - extremely socially awkward, especially when meeting someone new. Not to mention how aloof and outright odd he was. He even seemed somewhat detached from reality as a whole, making otherwise stupid mistakes and mixing common knowledge up. As he looked back on him though, Brandon felt he needed those horrid puns and outrageously backed conversations of weird ideologies back.

Brandon sighed, turning his head away from her gaze. "Ma'am," Brandon miserably started, "It is my fault your son is here. I was the one who lef-"

"-Brandon, sweety, look at me."

Brandon only shut his eyes, mumbling, "I can't..."

"Brandon, Look at me-"

"-I can't!" Brandon screamed.

While completely unaware of the sudden attention his cry had caught from any others in the room, Brandon heard her get up. She placed her hands on his shoulder. He recoiled, but her hands stayed on him.

"Brandon, what is your job profession?"

An extremely unpredictable move, this alone caught Brandon's eyes to flash wide. He turned and looked at Rowan, "Wu..."

"What's your job profession?" Amusement spread across Rowan's voice as she asked again.

As usual, Brandon answered any questions asked sharply, "I'm a fourth of Team Hot Wheels. I'm the team scientist and medic."

Rowan nodded, "I know that, Brandon, but that's not what I was asking. Allow me to ask with more clarity."

Brandon raised a confused eyebrow as she spoke, "What is your team classified as legally, and what does it make you?"

More confusion than ever on the direction of this conversation was visible on Brandon's face, but he still responded, "We're... a special law enforcement unit. That makes me a law enforcement officer."

A smile spread across Rowan's face, "Exactly."

Rowan stood up, taking her hands off Brandon and simply watching him. "How long has your team been active now?"

"About a year." Brandon replied.

Rowan nodded, "I see... Brandon, you and your team, my son included, have come across various forms of danger in the past. I remember the DORC units we all loved, and the monstrosity it all became. Brandon, LeBay, as a person whose responsibility is to uphold the law, every day your life is at risk for your town. You all made the sacrifice, and for a year this once depressed and crumbling town has enjoyed a golden age."

Brandon did not utter a word as she continued, "It's been a year since you started, right? ... I'm surprised a heavy blow like this hasn't hit your team before now."

Brandon was now submerged in thoughts surrounding what she said. When the team first started, none of them even seemed to be thinking that way. There was this fantasy all running through their minds. They were awesome, they had awesome cars, and were whooping bad guy butt. Thing was, they never even looked at it as this... responsibility. They always knew it was their city to protect, but never before had this message come so clear to them. It hit the hammer on the nail.

Rowan smiled sadly at Brandon, "My husband was in the military for how many years, believe me, this is not the first time I've waited on a loved one's condition after a fight."

She pulled her red hair behind her back, tears forming in her eyes as she closed. "Quite frankly, I don't care who's fault this is. And take it from his mom, Rhett won't care either. His father was neglectful, I never am home, but he's so quick to forgive."

As the rain continued the drum on the windows, she spoke one final time, "Would you do one favor for me, hun?"

Brandon was confused on a cynical level, but nodded, "Sure."

Rowan sighed, "I have a night shift starting in thirty minutes. I hate doing this, but I can't stay here. I already took care of what needs done with the doctors and information and stuff, but if Rhett, you know, wakes up, would you be there? He'll need a familiar face if he suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar place."

Face hardened in loyalty, Brandon nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Rowan smiled, "Thank you, dear."

With that, she turned and walked away.

After she left, a still insecure Brandon moaned in worry...

"Brandon no likie."

It was still raining, but like either of them cared.

Through the streets of the city they ran. Down the common roads, across the purple stained sidewalks. A city that had seen both glory and ruin, the flashing lights and bustling people were all a blur as Gage raced after the silver driver. Pedestrians shouted as the teenage boys shoved through crowds. While the initial adrenaline rush had given Gage a good starting spurt, he was panting heavily now. Silver also was losing his stamina; his footsteps were sloppy. Silver knew where he was going through, slipping into the shadows of the alleyways and sewers, he was closely followed by Gage, who maintained solid speed.

At last, running far enough from any major human populated area, Silver turned a corner, into a shaded alley. Of course, Gage blindly followed.

While Gage skidded to a halt at the end, where moonlight dimly lit his eyesight, Silver was close to a dead end, iron fence. Silver turned to face Gage, covered in shadow.

Even if Silver's helmet was on, the opponents still glared.

After a moment of catching his breath, Gage spoke, "What are you doing?"

Silver shrugged, "Destroying the world one victim a time."

As his close friends, all suffering thanks to his doings, crossed Gage's mind, he shook his head in disbelief, "Why?"

Silver tilted his head, "Finally! I thought no one would ever ask."

Gage raised an eyebrow. Silver leaned on his side, "You're a lucky person, Gage Green. You live a good life. You have two loving parents, loyal friends, one of the sweetest jobs ever... I never had that."

Silver pulled his visor up, finally giving Gage a look at his face. It was slightly swollen from the beating he got from Brandon, bruises scattered. Eye narrowed in exhaustion, he spat on the ground, "I was born in dust and ashes, poor as my parents were. They gladly handed me over to a richer person, someone who should have taken care of me be better than they. Instead, he was really a mad scientist. I was experimented on for about a year before he was caught, blamed it on somebody else, and I went into the beautiful world of foster care. My parents had died off by then, really had no choice."

Silver crossed his arms, continuing his tale, "There was something different about me. When could science... change someone like that?" Amethyst eyes glared into oak, "I can't read minds, but I can certainly tell what someone is experiencing through simply looking into their eyes. Extreme empathy, apparently. I can even predict their next actions this way, judging their emotions, personality, and twisted human nature."

Silver smirked, "And I can do it fast." As he snapped a finger, he chuckled, "Whenever I watched anybody, they felt like by just looking at them I was invading them or something. I hate people, 'cause nobody ever cared. Quite frankly, I never cared for them either."

"Well, when my mentor found me, it was a whole new world." Silver took a step forward, "He has a long history with the one who experimented on me, he has a plan for vengeance. I quickly joined him."

The silver driver removed his helmet, his blond hair slightly rustling in the wind. "I hate people. Hate them. What's the hope in people with the same selfish evil? The best option is to wipe them all out."

Brandon felt somebody shaking him. Curled up on the chair, he had fallen asleep waiting so long. He was thirsty, had to use the restroom, was extremely uncomfortable in this chair, and was overall just feeling blah. He opened his eyes. For a moment, it was pitch dark, but then his vision adjusted. He saw a surprised looking doctor, "Kid, you've been here for hours."

Brandon moaned as he pulled himself into a sitting position, "What time is it?"

The doctor shook his head, the young brunette looking exhausted himself, "Kid, it's one o'clock in the blessed a.m."

Brandon cracked his neck, yawning, "That late?"

"You're the only one still in the waiting room." He responded.

Brandon looked around. Indeed, he was. Thing was, he was waiting for a reason. "Can I ask something?"

The doctor shrugged, "It's my job, I have to answer."

Brandon liked this guy, "Room 122 was it? It'd like to know how the patient's doing."

"I'm his doctor," the man responded without much personality or care, "What luck."

Brandon's eye lit up in excitement, "Is Rhett okay?"

"The oppression was successful, he'll be fine, no funerals anytime soon, you can cut the waterworks, I'm so tired of emotional families..." The doctor seemed to be going through the motions.

Brandon rubbed his neck, "Is he awake?"

He shrugged, "Woke up about fifteen minutes ago. Only his immediate family is allowed to vis-"

"-Can I visit him?" Brandon stood up.

The doctor slumped, "I'm too tired to argue. Go ahead."

Brandon instantly ran out of the waiting room, towards Rhett, before either the doctor or his inner unrest could change his mind.

Gage narrowed his eyes, "What makes you say that? Why kill everybody? You're insane!"

Gage threw his fists in anger, "There's innocent people out there! They never did anything to you!"

Silver just laughed. A dark cackle erupted as his sides shook, "Nobody's innocent! We all did some form of wrong. We all hurt people, we all have the potential to destroy. You have the potential to destroy... one of the highest potentials."

Gage huffed in shock, "What?"

Silver smiled sickly at Gage, "You're lucky, Gage Green, but even you won't get away for much longer. You're more entangled in this than you ever realized, and you're destined to become the worst of it."

Gage's fists tightened more, sweat collecting even while freezing rain crashed down on them. "You are sick. Stop it! I'll never be like you!"

Silver rolled his eyes, "Oh, you'll never be like me, not awesome enough. But once again, you have a larger part to play than you realize."

Gage scoffed, crossing his arms, "Oh yeah? I'm the leader of the team that will end you. You think I don't know?"

Silver raised a knowing eyebrow, "Oh, not like that..."

Confusion crossed Gage's oak eyes as Silver smirked. Suddenly, the sound of... some crashing, or something... caused both teens to raise their heads in alert.

Silver looked up to the rooftops, "We're not alone..."

Gage looked anxiously around the darkness of the night. Under a clouded sky, the odds of finding the surprise guest was small.

"Just know this, Green!" Gage's attention snapped back to the silver driver. Suddenly, he was a lot more serious in tone. He raised a fist, shaking it. "This is just the beginning of something huge! I'm not the only one, even if you end me, you'll never end them. We're victims of atrocity, and we shall be avenged!"

He threw his arms, his helmet crashing to the ground, "We're all pawns in something huge! You are a petty, little pawn. Like I care, I've been used my entire life. As long as he reaches our goal, mark my words! You'll all pay! Cross my heart and hope to-"

A gunshot was fired out of nowhere.

Through the shadows, Gage barely caught the moment. Shot in the head, Silver instantly went limp. His body crashed onto the asphalt pavement. Amongst the blue puddles, one red puddle formed. Gage's eyes widened, realizing a moment it had happened what had happened.

Gage instantly vomited onto the ground, hands on his knees as he started shaking. A long moment, Gage pulled his head up, alert over a third, armed person out there.

Yet, when he looked up awaiting more gunshots, he was shocked... the silver driver's body was gone without a trace. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, "What?"

Silence.

Whoever had shot him had abducted the body and vanished.

It felt like a horror movie. Adrenaline release gone, Gage crashed under basically everything. The haunting words revolved in his mind like a hurricane, the sudden twist in events too much to process quickly. Gage fell to his knees, finally pushed over his breaking point.

A/N:

Wow. I just made a character die! Dark writing! Why am I so happy I did that?

Yeah, I chuckled sneaking in Brandon's catchphrase.

I wanted to write somewhere in this fanfiction that the team has a serious job on their hands, and that being like superheroes and saving the city ain't just fun and games. Seriously, that's a pretty big responsibility and they let kids do it. Yeah, we got the Teen Titans and Young Justice guys (I love both shows, btw - but totally not TTG!) going too, but still. A theme I'm trying to portray in this fanfic is mentally and emotionally maturing, growing up. This chapter is the first time I think I got that theme across.

Oh, and once again, poor Gagey Wagey xD Wow, I just left our main character scarred for life... Hooray for me (sarcasm)!