Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock or The Incredibles
Chapter Three: Rules
Mr. Incredible led Francis, very forcefully, by the arm to a room off the control room while Frozone showed Dicker out. Mrs. Incredible followed after with a smile. They stopped outside a room with a steel door. Mrs. Incredible slid her glove off and pressed her thumb to a scanner. The scanner read her thumbprint and the door slid open. Inside was a bed with a steel frame and white blankets folded neatly on the bare mattress.
"Is this a cell?" Francis asked after a moment.
"Well, yes. But it's only temporary. Don't worry, we'll find you a real bedroom upstairs soon." Mrs. Incredible said in a placating tone.
Mr. Incredible directed Francis into the room. The teen stood in the middle of the holding cell with disbelief written across his face. He turned back to the superhero couple. "So in the meantime you're gonna lock me up?"
Mr. Incredible shrugged. "Can you blame us? We don't know anything about you. It would be naïve of us to let you wander around unchecked."
"Yeah, but…a cell?"
"Just for a little." Mrs. Incredible reminded him. "I'll be back in the morning and we can talk about the new arrangement over breakfast."
"Wait a minute…" Francis began. The door slid shut before he could finish. He stared at the locked door for a moment and then let out a whine worthy of a three year old. "This sucks."
Francis looked at the bed and decided against making it. Way too much effort. He grabbed the single pillow off the stack of sheets and blankets and tossed it to the head of the bed. After that he shoved everything but the outer blanket off the bed. Francis peeled off his damp t-shirt and stripped down to his boxers, which would have to do as pajamas.
He was tired, damp, angry, and his head was pounding painfully. All Francis wanted to do at that moment was crawl under the blanket and go to sleep. So he did.
School was cancelled the next day, unsurprisingly. There were rumors that Metroville High would be closed indefinitely following the hostage incident. Nobody was complaining, especially not Virgil. He got to sleep in to a glorious 11:30 on a Wednesday morning. He never got to sleep in. No, really. On the weekends and during the summer the kids of the Sanctum had Super training during the morning. Virgil could get used to this.
He rolled out of bed around noon, got dressed, and wandered towards the kitchen with a sleepy smile on his face.
He found his dad, Bob, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack seated at the table. His dad, Bob, and Violet looked serious, Dash looked confused, and Jack-Jack's expression was hard to read as the baby was smeared with some sort of sauce. "Whoa, what's going on?" Virgil sank into a chair.
"That was a great call on the Stone kid Virgil." Bob smiled at him.
Violet started. "You recognized F-Stop as a Super?"
"That's enough of that F-Stop, his name is Francis. I will not be encouraging gang mentality in this house." Bob said firmly. Violet rolled her eyes.
Virgil was confused. "Well, yeah. What has that got to do with anything?"
"As I was explaining to Vi and Dash," Bob gestured around the table. "Your dad and I went after Stone last night after you all went to sleep. The kid was a rogue. He ran away from a government center when he was twelve."
Lucius took a sip of coffee from his mug, "Apparently he's cost the NSA nearly a half a million in search expenses."
Virgil blinked at the adults for a moment before shaking his head in wonderment. "Wow, I had no idea."
"So what are his powers?" Dash asked.
"He's a pyrotech." Bob was half-filling in a crossword puzzle in the newspaper while he was explaining the situation to the kids.
"I knew it!" Virgil exclaimed.
"How?" Violet asked.
"He's the one who put out the fuse yesterday." Virgil explained succinctly.
"Oh."
"That is so cool." Dash squirmed with excitement.
Virgil looked around, noticing Helen's absence for the first time. "Hey, where's Helen?"
Bob rubbed the back of his neck like he did when he was nervous. "There's something else I have to tell you about Stone."
"What?" Violet asked.
At that moment Helen walked into the kitchen, dragging a sullen Francis in behind her.
"He's…uh…living with us."
Francis would have laughed at the expression on Virgil and Violet's faces if he weren't royally pissed off at everything.
Helen gently pushed him into a chair at the table and then walked over to Jack-Jack, cooing at the baby as only a mother could.
Francis glared at the three kids openly gaping at him. He considered the fact that Virgil Best was Static and that weird Violet chick was Incredi-Girl. He wasn't really all that surprised. He was surprised Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, scratch that, Parr, would let him in on their secret identities so fast. There was no reason for them to trust him like that.
"Um…what?" Virgil managed to stutter out after a few minutes of complete silence.
"Francis will be staying with us for the foreseeable future." Helen explained calmly, picking up the spoon and jar of baby food to resume feeding Jack-Jack.
Francis grimaced at his given name.
"This is so not okay." Violet said angrily.
"Yeah, what she said." Virgil agreed.
Dash continued gaping in awe at the older super. Francis raised an eyebrow at the boy and a grin exploded onto Dash's face. "Can you turn into fire? Jack-Jack can. Sometimes."
Francis' other eyebrow rose. "What's Jack-Jack?"
"My little brother." Dash pointed at the baby.
"Ah."
Virgil stood, hands clenched. "Do you have any idea who he is?" He gestured angrily at Francis. "What he does? He is in a gang, no, he leads a gang. He terrorizes people. You are voluntarily inviting him to live with us? Are you insane?"
"Are you hungry?" Helen asked Francis.
The pyro shook his head slowly.
"Are you listening to me?" Virgil yelled.
Bob pounded his fist on the table to gather attention. Virgil sank back into his seat and all eyes turned to the Parr patriarch. "Of course. We know exactly what Stone's been up to in the last five years. He's got a rap sheet and a half testifying to his character. That's why there are going to be rules."
Francis sat up. What?
Bob leaned forward, staring at Francis. "Rule number one, you cannot use your powers without my own, my wife's, or Lucius' authorization."
"What?" Francis gripped the table to prevent himself from rising to his feet in anger. It was one thing to stop yourself from using your powers but to actually be forbidden from using them? That was crossing a line.
"You heard me Hothead."
"Or what?"
"We'll think of a suitably horrible punishment."
"You can't do that." Francis ground out.
Bob smirked in way that implied that yes, yes he could.
"Rule number two, you lay a hand on anybody in this house, or anywhere outside for that matter, and you are outta here." Lucius said.
Francis looked from Super to Super, disbelief on his face.
"Rule number three, you will receive training from Bob on the weekends and after school. Dicker mentioned you never received comprehensive training for your powers. That starts tomorrow." Helen said.
Francis just shook his head. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
Dash stared at Francis for a second. "You swore!" He looked at his mom. "Mom! He swore!"
Helen frowned. "Rule number four, no obscenities in this house."
Francis groaned and sank in his chair. "Anything else?"
"Yes." Bob folded the newspaper and pushed it aside. "No more fraternizing with your former gang buddies."
Francis bolted upright in his seat. "You can't do that!" Yeah, what he and his friends considered hobbies would also classify as crime, but they were his friends.
"There will be no more criminal behavior from you or anyone you choose to associate with. If I hear anything to the contrary, well, that's a one-way ticket to Dicker and a room in a government center." Bob said calmly.
Virgil and Violet looked close to hysterics. The look of disbelief and anger on Francis' face was too much for them. It was about time that hood got what was coming to him.
The kitchen was uncomfortably silent for the next couple of minutes. Francis was clenching the sides of his chair so hard he was surprised the wood wasn't splintering. He couldn't ever remember being this angry. The silence was broken by the ringing of the cell phone he had forgotten was in his pocket.
Francis started and pulled the phone out. Lucius reached over and snatched the phone from his hand. Before Francis could protest the cell was in Bob's possession. Bob looked at the screen. "Danny T?"
"Banger." Virgil supplied happily.
Bob ignored the call and flipped the phone open, flicking quickly to the address book.
"Carlos?"
"Banger."
"Evan?"
"Banger."
"Monster?"
"Banger."
"Maria?"
"Skank."
The last was provided by Violet and earned her a disapproving look from her mother.
"Roddy G?"
"Banger."
Bob had heard enough. He crushed the phone in one hand.
Francis glared at Virgil. "I remembered why I hate you."
Virgil returned the look and added a sneer. "What are you gonna do about it Hothead?"
Lucius put a warning hand on his son's arm. "Now, now boys." He looked at Francis. "Remember the no-contact rule. You have to control your temper."
"Aw shut up." Francis growled while rolling his eyes.
"His father's son." Lucius muttered.
"Fuck you!" Francis stood angrily.
"No swearing!" Dash piped up. Jack-Jack started to whimper.
"I don't have to remember shit. I punched your baby boy's face in last week. He remembers that well enough." Francis smirked tauntingly.
Virgil shot to his feet, sparks leaping in his fist.
Violet pushed a force field between the two boys as Lucius restrained his son and Bob restrained Francis. Helen slid Jack-Jack's high chair away from the table and Dash jumped down from his seat, ready for whatever was going to happen.
Bob grabbed Francis by his collar and pinned the teen against the wall. "Don't you ever threaten my family or swear in front of my kids like that again or I will put you through this wall."
Francis stared stonily back at Bob. "Fuck you."
"That's it."
Bob pulled Francis towards the doorway. "Call Dicker Helen, we cannot have this in our house."
Francis struggled in Bob's grip but the other Super was too strong. His thoughts raced wildly and frantically. They were going to lock him up in that cell until Dicker got there and then he was going to be locked away in that center for god knows how long. No. He couldn't deal with that. Anything else. "No! I'm sorry, please."
"Bob, don't be too hasty." Lucius tried to reason with his best friend.
Bob looked at Francis. He hadn't realized he had hoisted the boy off his feet. He put Francis back on the ground. "Say it again."
Francis swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry. Don't…just don't call Dicker."
"Bob…" Helen began.
Her husband cut her off. "I can't say I agree with this because I don't. Fro, are you okay with this kid staying here? He assaulted your son."
Lucius looked between Virgil and Francis. "I think we should give him a chance."
"Virgil?" Bob looked at the teen.
Virgil glared at Francis, and then he saw something in the other boy's eyes. Fear. Francis was actually afraid of the government center. He shrugged noncommittally.
Bob nodded. "Just give the word and he's out of here." He looked around the table. "That applies to everyone. Anybody have a complaint about his behavior," Bob shook Francis for emphasis, "and this experiment is over." He stared at Francis. "I will not put my family in danger for some delinquent rogue off the streets. Do you understand?"
Francis nodded.
Bob released him and Francis sank back against the wall, head bowed.
Helen stood and walked over to her husband, shooing him back to the table. She looked at Francis. "Well, first things first. We have to go get your things. You can't go walking around in the same t-shirt and jeans forever."
Francis looked blearily up at the Helen and nodded listlessly.
"You live here?" Helen asked, looking up at the bleak and dilapidated apartment building.
Francis nodded, scuffing the toe of his sneaker against the pavement. He had yet to look anybody in the face since the near throw down this morning.
Helen and Bob were standing on either side of the teen. Lucius had gone to work late and Violet and Virgil were babysitting.
"Keys?" Bob asked.
"You took 'em." Francis reminded him.
"Oh yeah." Bob rummaged through the duffel bag he had brought along for the items he had confiscated off Francis this morning. He found the keys and bounded up the steps to the entrance.
Helen looked around at the neighborhood. It was about as dangerous as they come. This was a neighborhood were the gangs had more power than the police. The streets were littered with garbage and the buildings were in varying states of disrepair. The few people who were out sitting on the stoops regarded the three with wary expressions.
"Do you live on your own?" She asked Francis as they walked up the steps after her husband.
Francis nodded.
"How do you afford it?"
"Steal stuff."
Bob shot the pyro a look over his shoulder.
Francis glanced up for the first time. "What? You want me to lie now?"
Bob sighed and wrenched the door open. He moved aside to let Francis lead the way. There was caution tape around the elevator and Francis didn't even hesitate to walk over to the door that led to the stairs.
When they got to his door, Francis held his hand out for the keys. Bob dropped them into his palm. Francis unlocked the door and shoved it open with his shoulder.
Helen took charge from there. She had Francis show her his bedroom and started folding the clothes in his closet, laying them out in piles on his unmade bed. T-shirts, pants, sweatshirts…everything had their own pile. When she started rummaging through his drawers Francis flushed a deep red and snatched a pair of his boxers out of her hands. "I can do that."
"Suit yourself. Keep things neat. You don't want them to wrinkle." Helen reminded him. Francis unzipped the duffel and started packing his clothes. He could hear Bob opening drawers in the kitchen and living room.
Helen cleared her throat. Francis looked over his shoulder. She had a girl's panties held between two fingers. She was giving him a pointed, disapproving look. Francis felt his face flush the color of his hair again.
"Rule number eight. No girls at the house." Helen dropped the panties in the waste paper basket. Francis nodded.
"What else do you want to take?" Helen asked, looking around the room. It was surprisingly bare. There were a few posters on the wall, mostly of cars and motorcycles. There were no books or other personal possessions scattered around.
Francis shrugged. "Don't have a lot of stuff." It was true. All of his clothes fit comfortably in the duffle.
Helen nodded and motioned for him to walk out ahead of her. Francis slung the duffle over his shoulder and obeyed.
Laid out on the table were various objects Bob had found in his search. A gun, a switchblade, some porno magazines, and other items Francis would have preferred were not exhibited. Bob took the gun and blade and bent them in two, rendering them useless. He scooped all the items into a garbage bag and tied it shut.
Helen wrote a short note explaining that Francis was changing residences and slipped it, along with the keys, under the door of the superintendent. Bob gave the trash bag to Francis and made the teen throw it in the dumpster on their way out.
Francis threw the duffle down on the bed, back in his cell. The door was shut, which meant it was locked. Helen had promised to be back in a few hours for dinner and that he should rest and unpack.
Yeah right.
Francis kicked the bed. He threw the pillow against the wall, just to throw something. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. This wasn't fair. At all. He liked his life. He liked hanging out with his friends and occasionally committing some petty felonies. What was so wrong with that? Now he was stuck in this house with the biggest group of do-gooders in the city and if he so much as put his big-toe over the line he was going to be shipped off to Dicker and that claustrophobic hell-hole of a prison the government liked to call a relocation center.
Francis scoffed. Relocating to where exactly? He knew before his mom had died the government had been in the process of finding the Stones a permanent residence in accordance with the Superhero Protection Program. Then his mom had bit it and it was like Francis got caught in limbo. Nothing happened. Nothing was going to happen. They were probably just going to keep him in that center until he turned eighteen and then highly monitor the rest of his life. Francis wasn't about to let that happen.
So he'd left.
Apparently they hadn't liked that so much.
And now, five years later, he was right back where he started. Perfect. Francis growled in anger and stepped forward angrily. He didn't notice the pillow he had tossed earlier. Francis slipped on the pillowcase, which slid easily on the tile floor, and went crashing head first into the metal frame of the bed.
Immediately he put a hand to the bandage over his nose. His fingers came away covered in blood. He groaned. Great. He had re-opened the wound. Francis made it to all fours, blood dripping down his face and off his chin, creating a small pool on the tile. Francis scooted backwards and leaned against the wall, tilting his head up. He hoped dinner was soon.
"Francis? Dinner's in ten minutes and I thought you might like to wash up…" Helen opened the door and stopped mid-sentence. "Oh."
"I fell." Francis supplied. He was embarrassed but had a raging headache and really wanted an aspirin.
Helen looked at the boy. There was blood on his face and on the floor. He didn't look like he was in very much pain; in fact he looked perfectly calm. "C'mon."
"Whoa. What happened to you?" Violet asked as her mother and Francis walked into the kitchen.
"An accident." Helen explained quickly. "Lucius, would you drive him over to Doc Sunbright? I think he needs stitches."
Lucius nodded and rose. Violet handed Francis a wad of paper towels and he nodded his thanks, pressing the wad to the bridge of his nose. "Let's go kid." Lucius put one hand on Francis' shoulder and steered the teen from the kitchen.
The car ride was silent. Francis kept his head back and his eyes were closed. The paper towels were stained crimson in a matter of moments. Lucius looked at Francis out of the corner of his eye. "What happened?"
"Slipped, hit the bed." Francis said reluctantly. It was ridiculous and was something that could only happen to him. He was surprisingly accident-prone.
Lucius smothered his chuckle. "Does it hurt?"
Francis shook his head lethargically. "Got a headache though."
Lucius reached over and popped the glove compartment, pulling out a little bottle of pain relievers. "Here."
"Thanks." Francis popped the top and swallowed two.
There was silence again, a little more comfortable than before. Lucius drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He glanced over at Francis again. "Listen, your mom…"
"I know you dated her, it's cool." Francis said quickly, eyes closed.
Lucius stared straight ahead. "Well, yeah. I just want you to know that I cared about her a lot. I didn't know she had passed."
Francis didn't say anything.
"You look a lot like her you know." Lucius added.
Francis shrugged. "Dunno, I don't really remember her."
"How old were you?"
"Six."
Silence again.
"You can ask." Francis said, opening his eyes and grinning lazily at Lucius. "I know you want to."
"Ask what?" Lucius feigned confusion.
"How she died."
Lucius glanced at Francis and then quickly returned his gaze to the road. "I'm curious but I'm not going to ask."
"Syndrome."
"What!" Lucius almost slammed on the brakes in surprise.
Francis nodded. "Yeah, apparently she was one of the first to go."
Lucius shook his head. "Unbelievable." He pictured Blazestone, as he had known her. The woman he saw was the farthest thing from a mother and he certainly couldn't see her succumbing to Syndrome and his omnidroids.
Lucius opened his mouth to ask another question and promptly thought better of it.
Francis was looking at him oddly. Under the blood there was no expression on the teen's face. "My Dad?"
Lucius thought it was eerie how Francis could read him so well. Maybe he was more like his mother than he thought.
"Same."
Lucius clenched the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white and shook his head again, at a complete loss for words. Syndrome had orphaned Francis and that son of a bitch didn't know it, wouldn't ever know it now that he was dead. The sad thing was; if Syndrome had known, he probably would have relished it. Would have made a point out of it.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Francis said gruffly. "Didn't know him and don't remember her. It doesn't make a difference." He turned away from Lucius and looked out the window at the city lights. His head was hurting. He popped another couple of aspirin and frowned into the dark.
Author's Note:
Whooo, you didn't see that coming huh? Maybe you did. I dunno. Let's take a look at my extremely convoluted time line shall we?
Superhero Protection Program Initiated / Parr wedding / Francis is born
15 year period
Syndrome
6 month period
Present
Virgil and Violet are fifteen years old. Francis is sixteen. Dash is eleven.
Let's say that Buddy was fifteen when he tried to be Incredi-Boy and messed that whole Bomb Voyage thing up. Buddy started the Omnidroid program when he was twenty. He was thirty when he died. That gives him a ten year period to develop the omnidroids. If Blazestone was among the first Supers to die, then she would have died when Buddy was twenty and Francis was five/six. I imagine they listed Blazestone as missing and then finally classified her as dead over a period of time. According to wikipedia, Downburst was in the second group of Supers to die, so let's say when Francis was seven/eight.
Is this making sense?
Anyhoo. Backstory time. Blazestone never told Downburst she was pregnant because frankly they were just having a fling. Poor Francis, he was a mistake. Before Downburst could find out the Superhero Protection Program was started and he was given a new identity and location, away from Blazestone and the child he didn't know she was carrying. So Francis never knew Downburst but knows who he is. In case you were confused.
PLEASE REVIEW!
FHGVZEhyde