Static was on his way to school when he noticed backpack weaving drunkenly across a wall in front of him before collapsing in a heap of sparks at his feet and Virgil's stomach plummeted. It dropped a flash drive at his feet and it's whirring came to a startling stop, the bright red light cracked and fading. Virgil felt his breathing speed up as he picked up the crumpled robot and the flash drive. Squeezing the drive in his hand Virgil dumped the robot unceremoniously into his backpack and took off to the school. It was closer than home now and this flash drive was important.

Panting as he flung open the doors to the school, Virgil dashed down the hallway, colliding with Hotstreak and sending them both to the floor. Hotstreak started to yell, but stopped himself when he saw the panic in Virgil's eyes. Pushing off of Hotstreak, Virgil didn't stop to look back as he tore into a computer lab and jammed the flash drive into the first computer he could reach. Without even having to prompt it, every computer screen in the room started to flicker before a code box appeared with just one word, repeated over and over and over.

ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA ALVA …....

Static started to back up slowly. Three words became his entire universe. They got him.

His shoulder ran into Hotstreak and the pyrokinetic muttered, "Aw shit."

Static felt his breathing level as an intense anger coiled inside him. Backing out of the lab, Static made his way to the entrance and left, his task the only thing on his mind. Hotstreak ran up behind him and grabbed him by the shoulder but the look the other gave him made him back away. Still, as the heartbroken hero made his way to the first hidden alley he could find, Hotstreak decided he would follow him to keep an eye on him so he wouldn't do anything exceedingly stupid. Virgil tore his costume out and jumped onto his disk and made a beeline straight to Alva Industries.

The last time his friend had been in danger he'd graciously taken his place, even to give up his own life. Hotstreak had help saved Alva's son along with Static and after that day, Alva industries had switched a lot of hands only to fall off the face of the planet. It still existed for scientific research, but that was all anyone knew. Now the name had resurfaced and it had something to do with Richie, or rather; Gear.

Static landed in front of the glass double doors and strolled casually inside and waited for an elevator. His boots were loud in the caverous waiting room and Hotstreak's shoe squeaked on the marble floor. The secretary at the desk was too busy on the computer patching someone through on the phone to notice Static and his murderous intent. The elevator light came on with a ding and Static stepped on and punched the B for basement. There was a stupid jazz melody being played through the ceiling speakers that made Hotstreak feel stupid as they prepared to "infiltrate" a government funded research facility.

The door popped open to a long blank, white corridor with a frosted glass door at the end. Static paced stiffly to the end and fried the card reader with a small bolt and swung the door open to a long ramp going down. At the end of a ramp was another longer corridor that ended and then turned right into another frosted door. After Static stepped through this door he stopped and placed a hand on the wall next to him. His senses told him there was a powerful energy source on his left and if his hypothesis was right then the more power you need to sustain a project, the more important it is.

They ended up in a tall ceilinged room with large complicated looking machines with people in white coats and clipboards all looking very official and important. Static's mouth turned up in a feral grin as he lifted his arms and blasted the hell out of the two machines closest to him. They overloaded and crashed in a small explosion of smoke, sparks still dancing over the surface and shocking the engineers, physicist and biologists standing too close. A few dropped what they were doing and ran while a few seemed determined to protect their projects.

At the moment Static could care less, raising his voice and shouting, "Who's in charge!"

No one moved for a moment, but as Static took a step closer, he intimidated a woman on his right as she pointed and screamed sharply, "It's him! He's in charge!" Then she turned and fled past her coworkers into the hallway behind them. Static watched her run in disgust and closed in on the man she'd singled out. The scientist's face paled and he backpedalled until his back ran up against a machine. Grimacing as Static closed in on him and balled up the front of his coat, and lifted him off the ground and back against the piping. Then man in his grasp winced and tried not to gasp, "What do you want?"

"You kidnapped Gear. Where is he!"

"I don't!-I don't know!"

Static curled his lips into a snarl as he slammed him against the metal, "Tell me!"

The scientist managed a weak, "No."

Static let him drop to the ground and then towered over him and dug his fingers into the side of his head, his expression edging on boredom and disgust rather than anger.

Tightening his grip on the man's skull, Static spoke gently, but it was laced with venom, "It would be easy; like flipping a switch. All I have to do is drain the electricity from your brain and you die. Just like that."

The man was shaking as he gripped Static's wrist for support, "Y-You wou-wouldn't!"

Static snarled, "Didn't. Don't test me." The man squirmed but other wise remained silent. Static grit his teeth and roared, startling a cry and a whimper out of the man below him, "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!!"

The man let out a sob as Static's power started to spark and twist across his frame , a low hum from his electricity increasing to a dangerous buzz. The scientist panicked and shouted as one jolt danced particularly close to his ear, "Stop! STOP! I'll tell you, just let me go! Just let me go."

Static ungracefully let him fall to the ground and waited for his answer, hunched forward and ready to attack should the answer be something he didn't care for, "I-I don't know w-wh-where, but they t-t-ook him to Arizona."

Static leaned forward to grab him again as a threat, but the man recovered honestly, "That's it! That's all I know! Don't hurt me."

Static turned away from the scientist and barely made it across the room before he screamed in frustration and kicked a computer console, denting it and frying all the circuits with an uncontrolled burst of power. Sparks skittered across the surface even as he walked away.

Hotstreak remained silent during this entire exchange, but he could barely hide his surprise, confusion, and worry for the electric hero. He'd never seen such rage outside of himself. Static didn't bother to see if Hotstreak was behind him, he made for the exit at a determined, mechanical walk. His powers surged though the hallway overcharging the circuits and blowing some of the lights he walked under.

Static clenched and unclenched his fist slowly, methodically, in a way Francis could relate to. Blue-boy needed to vent, badly, or someone was going to get hurt. Normally he wouldn't have cared, but seeing this dramatic change in demeanor was...almost frightening. Static stepped outside the building and immediately jumped onto his disk, not waiting to see if Hotstreak was still following.

Hotstreak called on his powers and felt the familiar creeping of fire through his limbs as the heat inside of him let him rise off the ground and follow the hero. He held back cautiously watching Static. For one he didn't want him to attack him unnecessarily; he was positive that if Static was angry enough he could seriously hurt him or kill him.

Static led him to a junkyard and jumped from his disk before he was even close to the ground and landed in a crouch only to straighten and let a wave of energy crackle, charging the very air and conducting bolts between the discarded cars and junk. Hotstreak sucked in a breath and dodged a bolt that stung the ground where he'd been standing only seconds before and he shouted, "Static!" When the hero ignored him, Hotstreak chanced edging closer and tried again, "Virgil!"

Virgil whirled and drew in his power with startling ferocity, his pupils literally glowing with energy. Now that Hotstreak had his attention, he wasn't sure what to say, "Virgil, you gotta get a grip...soon, or someone's not going to end up hurt, they're going to end up dead." Static reigned in the majority of his energy, but remained silent, his eyes narrow, as he considered if that really was such a bad thing. When Static started towards him, Hotstreak felt himself fall back into a defensive crouch, his instincts itching to call out his inner fire.

But for some reason, a fight was the last thing Hotstreak wanted, and he fought back the need to ignite and protect himself against all his better judgement. Apparently, this was the right thing to do, because Static looked him in the eye and then just walked past him, throwing himself down against the outer wall of the garage and sliding to the ground. Virgil sighed raggedly and leaned forward on his knees.

Hotstreak walked over and sat down in front of him, still cautious, but not unsympathetic. He cringed when Static asked quietly, "What do I do?"

Taking a deep breath Francis said simply, "You get him back; he's your friend right?"

Static groaned, "I have no idea where they took him!"

"So find him, then take him back."

"Alva is the government; how am I supposed to find all of that?"

"Because your not going to do it alone."

Hotstreak met his gaze evenly as Static snorted, "And whose going to help me?"

"I am."

Static opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, but when Hotstreaks' gaze didn't waver he asked, "You'd really help me? Why?"

Hotstreak's mouth stilted into a frown, "Why do you always act so surprised by that? Maybe I want to help."

Static stood and Hotstreak joined him, folding his arms across his chest as Static pushed his hair back, "Thanks."

"You can thank me when we find him. So, where do we start?"

Static answered flatly, "Arizona."

Francis followed as Static made his way to the front of the run down garage and said, "Uh huh. I was thinking, specifically where?"

Static ground out, "I don't know yet. Hang on."

Hotstreak was quiet for a moment before he recalled something, "Hey! Aren't you friends with the Justice League?"

Static crossed his arms and said calmly, "They aren't an option."

"Why not?"

"Heroes or not, the Justice League operates under the influence of the law."

Hotstreak was silent for a second while he mulled over that, then he questioned, "Aaaannndd why is that a problem?"

Static met his gaze determinedly, "Because what I'm going to do doesn't fall under the law and I don't want the League getting in the way."

Hotstreak's eyes narrowed, "You mean cutting you out?"

Static's eyes flashed dangerously as he flexed his hand and his powers, and said, "I'm leaving tonight. The sooner I can find Richie...the better." Meeting Hotstreak's eyes sincerely he added, "You don't have to do this; you don't even know Richie."

Shrugging his shoulders and kicking scrap at his feet, Hotstreak mumbled, "You know him, that's good enough for me." Hotstreak thought carefully, "If it'll make you sane again..." then voiced out loud, "I'm assuming you're going to say something to your dad and then go. What do you want me to do in the meantime?"

Static rolled his shoulders and jumped onto his disk, staring at nothing in particular as he said, "I'll be back in an hour, do what you need to."

Watching the hero rise higher, Hotstreak shivered, but not from the cold, as the hero took off across the sky and sat down on an abandoned tire to wait. Compared to all the hours passed alone in his life, one hour to save...a friend... was nothing.

----

Static didn't even bother changing out of his uniform as he made sure no one as around and literally crashed his family's dinner. His dad instantly stood up. Hand gripping the back of the chair as he sensed his sons mood, and guessing that his son showing up in full uniform was just as bad as he thought, "Virgil, what's wrong?"

Sharon and Adam also grew concerned and stood, side by side as Static clenched his hands and mumbled, heart steeled after his previous emotional outburst, "They took him dad; Richie."

Sharon gasped and Rubberband Man's eyebrows drew together as he asked, "Who did?"

Static answered in monotone, half turned toward the door as if it were a chore to stay engaged in the conversation, "Alva."

Everyone's composure slipped a fraction at the word and his father stepped into the living room where he was standing, followed by Sharon and Adam, as the other metahuman asked, "Are you sure?"

Static let a short, hysterical bark of laughter escape his throat, but his eyes were dark, "I'm positive."

His father asked cautiously, "What are you going to do about it?"

Static ground out as passively as possible, "I'm getting him back, one way, or another." Without bothering to end the conversation, Static spun on his heel to leave, but was caught by Rubberband Man's elongated arm, shrinking back to it's normal size as he stepped closer. Static glanced back but didn't turn to face him as his sister's fiance asked steadily, "Are you going to do something you'll regret?"

Static looked at the wall, "Probably."

"Let me come with you."

"No." Static's answer was firm and unyielding.

"Why not, I can fight, I can help!" Adam sounded desperate. He'd seen what Static had been capable of in anger, and it hadn't been pretty.

Stating a fact, Static answered, "I found help, and you need to stay here; Someone has to watch the city while I'm gone."

Adam slowly relinquished his hold on Statics arm as his father said sternly, "Virgil, you can get help from the police, you can't fight an entire company on your own."

Static still wouldn't meet his eyes as he closed his eyes with a steadying sigh, "Pops, you know I can't do that. Richie needs help now. Alva could fight off media for long enough to get what they want with him and we'd still never find him." He paused and then added, "They know I'll be coming for him."

Sharon spoke up quietly from behind Adam, "Little bro...If you weren't going to listen to what we had to say, why did you come here?"

Virgil shrugged lightly, "So you would know where I was going..." he looked ready to say something else, but either didn't have the courage to say it, or though it wasn't necessary as he turned for the door and headed back into the night, catching himself on his disk on the first step out and leaving as grimly as he'd come. He just hoped that if Richie's parents got worried, his dad would tell them what was going on.

----

Hotstreak looked up, watching the hero descend until he was floating at rooftop level. Hotstreak jumped to his feet, letting the fire inside out as he rose to Static's level.

Static gestured to all of him and asked, "How long can you keep that up?"

Hotstreak blew out the air in his lungs in exasperation, "I dunno...a few hours?"

Static crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow, "It's going to be a long 'few hours' then."

Sighing Hotstreak frowned, "So which way to Arizona? Is that...South from here?"

"Yes genius, and that way is south." Static jerked a thumb over his shoulder and started in the direction, letting Hotstreak follow behind.

The pair spent an exceptional amount of time re-routing around a bad storm front Static could sense and didn't want to get caught up in, but it was two days before they actually reached Arizona. Both were tired from sleeping on the ground and not much conversation was made past, "What do we eat and how do we get it?" They had both discovered that Hotstreak gave out faster in terms of powers on cloudy days and vice versa. When it rained, both of them were grounded, but lucky for them they only got stuck in a few scattered showers. Static had no trouble navigating, much to Hotstreaks surprise. Apparently the lightning hero was attuned to other electronic and magnetic signals, the most powerful being the earth itself, and he could inherently tell which was was north and south.

That particular skill came in handy more than once and Virgil was thankful to have his own personal flamethrower to start campfires with, but the rivals made it more or less in one piece and Virgil paid for a motel outside of a small town for them to spend the night. They didn't have much of a problem with people recognizing them; Hotstreak wasn't well known in this part of the United States and Static just had to take off his mask and jacket and goggles and he was just another guy. Granted, neither of them were dressed for a dinner party, but plenty good for buying a one nighter in a room with two single beds before they figured out where they were going.

Hotstreak fell back with an oomph on the tired mattress, his weight barely giving way against worn springs. Static mentally cringed at the state of it and then shrugged it off in his exhaustion, dully stating that he was going to shower. Hotstreak didn't bother to reply actual English, he just grunted and fell asleep to the rhythmic beating of the shower. He rolled over with his eyes to the light, waking him up to the sound of Static flipping through the pages of a phonebook.

The electric hero was wearing nothing but his boxers, unaware the Hotstreak was awake until he actually sat up and remarked, still dazed with sleep, "What happened to your clothes?"

Static didn't look up but replied distantly, "Washed em.' They stunk."

Hotstreak rubbed his eyes and swung his legs over the edge of the bed and let himself wake up before he stood and decided to take a shower as well. Stepping out of the shower, Hotstreak let the water on him just evaporate into steam rather than use a towel, and took the liberty of drying off the heros clothes as well as his own as he got dressed. He was surprised when he came out and Static was on the ground doing push ups...and still shirtless; rather adamantly too...the push-up part. He watched him for a moment, surprised at the muscle the other had managed to hide. After seeing him fight recently he wasn't surprised about that fact anymore anymore.

He fought to keep his eyes from unabashedly taking in the smooth curves of his shoulders, the reflective shine of sweat from exertion and he almost blushed at the reverence he was taking in the other hero's power. Throwing Static's uniform at him he said loudly, "I dried it off, but hey, it look like you're going to have to shower again." Static sat back and pulled his coat from his head and said, "Thanks, at least it's not on fire."

"Hey! I take offense to that."

Static laughed, "Sure thing Smoky."

"Don't call me Smoky!"

Static snorted but hopped back in the shower to rinse off the fine layer of sweat that shone on his body. Toweling off when he got out, Static replaced his shirt and his pants and entered the dark room to fall to his back against the bed. Hotstreak was just as exhausted as he was but had stayed awake if only to hear the game plan.

Hotstreak let out a long exhale and asked, lighting his palm aflame and watching his bones glow through his skin, but creating a nice night light for the room, "Now what hero?"

Static took a long shuddering breath and let his arm cover his eyes as he replayed the plan he'd worked up since they'd gotten to the motel, "Tomorrow, I research where Alva is located publicly as a research development firm and we start there and work our way up. Most likely they'll all be expecting us, but that won't matter after we hit the first place anyways cause then they'll know what we want and it'll be even harder to find him."

Hotstreak kept his eyes on the fire as he rolled the words around in his head, "That's a lot to handle for just two people."

"We're not two people, we're two metahumans."

Hotstreak let out a sadistic cackle reminiscent of the old days, "That's what I'm talkin' about!"

"At least I can continue to guarantee that enthusiasm won't fade in a fight."

"You bet your ass!"

Static let a small laugh escape him and he curled onto his side and passed out. Hotstreak mesmerized himself with the fire, content to watch the contours of his hand change the direction of the flame as it skirted from dark blue to bright gold. Eventually, he too found himself in the throes of sleep.

Once again, thanks for reviews : I lurvs them much! Just so we're clear, both of them are 18 now, which I failed to mention in the previous dribbles I call writing lol