Time sure flies by when you're taking final exams. Anyway, I'm back with a fresh new chapter. But now, it's profile time! Today, we get an in-depth look at one of the team's international members. Say hello to Thunderbird!

Thunderbird

Full name: Neal Sharra

Nickname: T-Bird; Birdie

Age: 14 (He's the youngest)

Birth: March 15Sign:PiscesElement:WaterPlanet:Neptune

Hair: Black

Eyes: Dark brown

Family: parents (unnamed) Sanjit (younger brother)

Mutation: Neal can convert ambient heat into a fiery super-heated plasma which he fired from his hands like jets of energy. He has recently developed the ability to fly as well.

Personality: Shy and reserved Thunderbird tends to be the voice of reason whenever his more gung-ho teammates are about to do something stupid. He's a sensitive kid who picks up on others' emotions easily and doesn't like conflict. Because of this, it's hard for him to know when to leave things alone and when to intervene in a fight. Despite his withdrawn nature, Neal becomes quite animated when playing video and board games (Like Clue, Mario Party 3, and Egyptian Rat-Slap). He speaks proper English quite well, but has yet to conquer some American figures of speech.

Learning to Breathe

58. Dining with Disaster

Almost everyone slept in late following the impromptu "sleepover" the girls threw in Corona's honor the night before. It was this rare grace that kept Virus from overhearing about Andi's upcoming date with the fearless superhero Kid Razor. Therefore, when she stepped out in date-gear that evening, many eyes locked on her.

"Andi." Neal asked. "Is that you in there?"

"Yes, it's me." The blond girl replied, hands on her hips. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're wearing makeup and fancy clothes." Mitch stated. True to form, Andi had on a black blouse with ¾ length lace sleeves and a low neckline with a slight ruffle around it, black jeans, and a leather studded belt along with her trademark combat boots. She also wore lipstick and eyeshadow. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Solo mission." The blond said. "An undercover bit, but don't worry. I'll be back before midnight."

"Is that code for date?" Steve asked.

"Who's the lucky dude?" Mitch joined.

"Oh, leave her alone!" Kristen chided. "She's only going out with him so he'll leave us alone and go back to Ohio."

"Oh, him." Steve chuckled. "Have fun."

"Thanks." She said before walking out of the game room and into the garage where Zartan and the car taking her to her destination awaited. Not long after her departure, Virus appeared in the room.

"Was that Atlantis I just heard?" He asked.

"Yeah." Bryan shrugged. "She's gonna go try to get Razor to lay off our backs. She oughta be back in a couple hours."

"Such a shame I couldn't go with her." Virus stated.

"Yes. A shame you didn't leave us in peace and quiet." Kristen sighed.

"I just hope she doesn't get carried away with interrogating the punk and accidently smashes his skull in." Corona stated.

"God, are you still here?" Virus groaned, looking at the Hispanic girl with distain. The former street-walker glared back.

"Take it up with your boss, Nerd Boy, 'cause I ain't goin' anywhere for a while." Virus growled.

"Why does he keep hiring these incompetent monkeys without consulting ME???"

"Maybe because he's the boss and you're not?" Regan replied casually. "That's really all the reason he needs. Even your egotistical, warped little brain should be able to comprehend that."

Virus stared in shock. "Where did you learn to speak like that, birdie? You sound almost intelligent."

"My mother was a model, Vincent." Regan smirked. "A very in-demand model who knew how to manage her finances and became a self-made millionaire. Since she insisted I know how to manage money as well, I attended one of the most prestigious private academies in Italy."

"Wow." Mitch whistled. "I knew you were well-off but damn!"

"I bet you never got an A-plus in your life!" Virus scoffed.

"Actually, Regan's one of the smartest people on the team." Kris smirked. "She's aced every class she's been in for as long as I've known her."

"Except for handwriting in third grade, but I still feel that C was unwarranted." Regan stated. "Left-handed children cannot be expected to write as neatly as their right-handed classmates. Especially when an inking pen is involved."

"I can't bloody believe it!" Vincent exclaimed. "You were an A-student?"

"Would you rather me quote Shakespeare or recite the Pythagorean Theorem?" The blue-eyed blond asked.

"B-b-but—you're all such…delinquents." The British teen gaped.

"There's no law saying we can't be educated delinquents." Neal said. "I also attended a private school in my home country. One that very few could afford to tour, let alone enroll."

"And Andi's foster 'rentals, the Bennets, were old money from Canada." Bryan said. "Of course Andi got herself expelled from about half the schools they put her in, but they were expensive, so I guess that means they were good."

"Hey," Burn-Out said as he walked in "did Creed already leave for her date?" Virus perked up.

"Date? What date?"

"The one she's on with that Razor punk." The dreadlocked Dreadnok said. "Didn't you know about it?"

"No." The insane inventor scowled. "But that is a mistake soon remedied."

While Virus plotted death for Kid Razor, Andi was waiting for the costumed hero at Tony's Pizza By-the-Slice. It had been a few minutes, and she wondered whether or not her watch was slow when a wild mane of blond hair walked through the front door.

"Such a shame such lovely hair has to be stuck with such a loser." She teased. The green-eyed teen grinned.

"You wanna play, huh?"

"Let me decide that." She smirked. "I'm shocked you picked me out so quickly."

"Not hard. I just had to find the one chick in here with black and blond hair." He shrugged.

"Fine, oh smart one, what did you have planned?" She glared.

"Nothing special." He admitted. "I just wanted to see if you're really the bad-ass you pretend to be."

"Would you rather me act like a school-girl?" She teased. He suddenly stared at her with renewed interest. "Don't go getting any dumb ideas, bub. I ain't wearin' any skirt."

"You kids know what you want to drink?" a portly server asked.

"Yeah, I'd like a root beer." Andi answered.

"Coke." Razor said. "You don't act like you're from around here."

"And where do you think I'm from?" she raised an eyebrow. "Besides, you're not from 'around here' either."

"I don't know, but what the heck was that comment about 'blues buddies' about?" The boy stated. "I heard of the Blues Brothers, but not blues buddies."

"I was referring to your badge-toting friends in the local police force." The girl replied. "Half of those sewer-mutants have major physical mutations that make it impossible for them to adapt to life above ground."

"You're blue and have scales and fins."

"Yes, but I can shape-shift and they can't. Besides, the ones that don't look like movie-monster rejects have accidently hurt someone with their powers and don't want to get arrested. They get caught, they land themselves in a whole bunch of trouble that they never wanted to bring on themselves. Get my drift?"

"Yeah." Razor grumbled. "So, if you don't think those stinky sewer-freaks are behind the gang activity…"

"Look into the gangs, you moron." The blond girl glared. "And you might wanna investigate any violent murders involving mutants."

"Get a tip?" he asked. "I'm sure he was more than happy for your services."

"You perverted jackass!" She hissed. "You know what? Go on and keep playin' the hero. When I see your body on the evening news, I will laugh!"

"Whatever." The Cleveland native rolled his eyes as their server returned.

"One coke and a root beer." The man said as he handed the pair their drinks. "Have you decided on your dinner or would you like a moment."

"Give us a little longer." Andi spoke up. The waiter nodded and left. As the waiter walked away, Razor noticed something move out of the corner of his eye. He casually glanced over and saw a brown-haired kid in a large hat and jacket staring at them.

"Nice decorations, eh?" The teen asked, trying to be sly. Andi looked in the direction her companion's eyes cut and spotted Virus hiding behind a fake tree. She smiled in understanding.

"Yes. Quite lovely." She attempted to bat her eyelashes. In reality, she looked like she'd stood in front of a bunch of flashing camera lights for too long.

"What are you doing?" Razor whispered.

"I thought I was flirting?" she whispered.

"uh. No." the boy deadpanned. "You call that flirting?"

"Give me a break. I'm new." She hissed.

"Okay. Yeesh." He said. "You should give him a break. Preferably to the skull." he glanced at the mutant behind the shrubbery.

"All right, smart one, how should I do this?"

"Try pouting your lips." She tries it, unsuccessfully. Razor groans. "Girl, you are clueless." He notices her face. "Babe, you look like a fish."

"I'm not showing off my scales, genius!" Andi protested.

"No, I mean the way you pout your lips." He corrected. "it makes you look like a fish."

"Oh." She sighed.

"Grrrrrr!!!!!!" Virus snarled from his "tree". "That jerk!"

"VIRUS!" Andi growled.

"Okay, who is the loser and how do you know him?" Razor asked.

"Nutjob that lives with us." Andi explained. "He thinks I'm in love with him. Can you see the problem."

"Uh huh." The blond teen nodded. "The Kid of Rock can believe that. The Kid of Rock can't see a babe like you with a loser like that."

"I am not a loser!" Virus exclaimed, attracting the attention of the other customers. "Oh."

"You are so dead once our boss finds out you followed me here." She hissed.

"Now, let the Kid of Rock show your pathetic ass the door." Razor said as he stood up and walked up to Virus.

"Mommy." Virus whimpered.

"She ain't gonna help you now." Razor said, grabbing the insane inventor by the collar of his shirt, dragging him outside, and throwing him onto the pavement.

"Great." Andi muttered. "Yet another place I'll be banned from for life!"

"Have you two decided on your choices?" The waiter asked.

"You mean you aren't throwing us out?" Andi blinked.

"Hey, it's downtown Chicago, kid." The man said. "S'long as you don't tear up the place, we don't care."

"Awesome." She grinned as Razor returned to his seat. "I think I'll have the Tony's special."

"Make that a double." Razor smiled. "Now that we can finally enjoy a quiet evening."

Outside the restaurant, Virus growled, and looked in the window. "I will kill you, Kid Razor!!!" As he growled, a black sedan drove up. The oblivious teen soon found himself unceremoniously tossed into the back seat and locked inside the car. "What's the bloody idea? Who do you think you are?"

"The man who is responsible for your paycheck, now shut up and buckle your seatbelt!" Zartan snarled from the driver's seat.

"What are you doing?" Virus exclaimed. "That punk is trying to seduce my woman!"

"First of all, she is not your woman!" Zartan glared at the boy. "And if I ever catch you trying to upstage the future dates of any of your teammates, I will lock you in a cold, dark, smelly room with no electric outlets."

"Nooo!!!!" The English mutant cried.

"Then let the girl enjoy her date." Zartan said. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes." The young Dreadnok pouted. "You're evil, you know it?"

"What do you think I get paid for?" the adult laughed.

So, with Virus's plans foiled, will Andi actually enjoy her first date, or will her evening go up in monumental flames? Stay tuned for the answer!