Disclaimer: I own what I own, and the characters, not part of this. I did make some of the more radical changes, like super powers, but that's about it.

:}

Beck sat in a fancy office downtown, secured in an overstuffed chair, waiting for this man to finish checking his notes. This men, this Eric Walker, who he'd come this day to visit with, was checking the results of that battery of tests Beck had recently taken. A battery of tests this man had requested. "Um, Mister Walker, is there any chance we can get this over with? I mean, I'm flattered you made the offer, but I got the feeling I didn't do well on those tests. Kinda weird for some of them, but still..."

"Oh, you failed." Eric said, sounding oddly chipper despite the bad news. "And yes, they could be kinda off, given what they were checking for. Still, since we only get to use this office for our business, which is not quite concluded, I felt maybe it would be better if we waited and find out about my our backup option. See, we did have an alternative, something my contact at Cal Tech mentioned. So it's probably for the best we wait. My boss, she was very insistent we give you a try, both options, to the point that the police, who don't like to surrender their toys, made you that offer and had you in for testing."

"Backup?" Beck asked. "As in…?"

"A power suit, of sorts." Eric mentioned. "If it works, it'd be a big step in military technological advancement. However, like most projects of this nature, it's not so much the cost of the equipment, which is formidable btw, but the systems adaptability to new users. If most people will never be able to pilot this armor, then why make more then one suit? And once you have that suit, if it's not reasonably transferable, then whatever do you do with it? Honestly, maybe ten percent of the population have the right personality to use the power armor, and less then one percent of that population has the right brain wave anomaly we found is required to pilot the damn thing. That makes a good pilot a one in a thousand find." he checked his phone again, and the note he had there. "However, from what we've been able to tell, you seem to meet that requirement. So, we're waiting to see if A, you're as good a candidate as they think you are, and B, if they'll release the armor to us, so we can have you trained in it's use. Again, this is so you can help us deal with a very powerful yet unstable recruit. You're calming personality may well be just the thing we need. It'd be a job, Mister Oliver, training and learning, with the option of using you as a backup hero, mostly in times of need, disasters and the like." He shifted to his best salesman smile. "So, assuming things work out, you still interested?"

"I won't get to know what it's like to have the body, and power, of a Greek hero" Beck asked, an odd disappointment on his face. "Does the armor fly?"

"Yes." Eric said, trying to keep his cool. The social worker had agreed to be Misses V's go between after she'd told him that this boy knew her from her civilian life, and the last thing she needed was one of her daughters friends realizing just what she and her family were involved with. 'She said he keeps his cool under all but the most extreme circumstances. That he's a calming influence on Jade. That's why, at her request, I reached out to project Steel Copper, asking if they still had the prototype, and if we could see if Beck here was suitable as a pilot. One in a thousand seems like long odds, but given the population of the city, and his ability to stay calm no mater what, it felt like maybe he had a better chance then most.'

Beck was looking out the window, keeping cool as he tried to judge the next thing he'd be expected to say. "Um, if I'm not using the crown, who is?" The Canadian asked.

"Not sure, why?" Eric asked back.

"I have a friend who I think would maybe be a better fit." Beck explained.

"Oh really?" Eric asked, feeling a touch intrigued. "You know, this whole offer is mostly because of the qualities you offer, and not just you're ability to use the crown. You know, that charming, calm persona you exude."

"I was just thinking that maybe he could help." Beck insisted. "He's not the bravest, but he's always willing to help a friend. That, plus he's taken more then his share of beatings. Put a few precautions on the crown, and I'm thinking this whole part time backup hero thing may be just what he needs. At least for now, cause who knows how we're gonna change as we go forward."

"For far too many people, the way they develop is depressingly predicable." The social worker sighed, his experience having taught him that much. However, he'd become a touch curious about if this new suggested person in any way matched the description of Constable's cousin, Andre. 'Besides, that's part of the job, helping them make the changes to shift that future.'

"Robbie Shapiro." Beck told him. "Having him go through the training would make it all that much easier on me. Plus, guy can really keep a secret."

"I'll pass the suggestion along." Eric promised, not feeling too hopeful about any suggestion outside the Harris family. "But I really doubt they'll want too many outsiders in this project. The only real exception would be if somehow he was able to help us in our training of the Black Dahlia."

"Black Dahlia?" Beck asked. "Sounds like someone I know, all morbid and chiz." A teasing smile crossed his face. "She wasn't arrested for vandalism, was she?"

"She fought both Blue Steel and Constable to a standstill. Lasted for almost ten minutes." Eric told him. "Girls one of the most potent mystics this departments ever encountered, but she lacks much in the way of battle experience. We figured, had she been properly trained, she'd have taken a lot more to bring down. That's the other reason we're looking to add to out police supers auxiliary. You're young, and normally, we'd assign you as a sidekick. But we don't have any powered armor heroes at the moment…."

"They lacked the anomaly?" Beck asked, cutting in.

"Precisely." Eric didn't mince words. "Look, I have a very personal interest in seeing Project Redemption succeed, and so I'm working very hard to bring you on board. The only real requirement is power, and this armor, while not the most impressive suit out there, will make you into a weapon of justice."

"I get it." Beck said. "This Black Dahlia is so powerful, getting her to work on your side is worth training an extra hero or two." His smile returned. "So lets go for two. See if Robbie has what it takes to activate that crown thingy, and if so, then we have him work with her."

"I can only ask." Eric warned. "We'll have to see what my boss wants to do first. But I promise, I'll ask, because like you said, training two would be easier then training one. This Robbie Shapiro, he's an idea candidate?"

"He just needs a lot of confidence." Beck assured the probation officer. "But as long as I'm involved, he'll do just fine."

Eric felt a vibration on his leg, and pulled out his phone. "We got a text." He said, showing Beck a message from an unmarked number that just had one emoji, the "Thumbs Up". "Looks like we're a go. It'll be a few days, at the earliest, before we get you integrated. But don't worry, once your parents sign the contracts, and we have the suit retrofitted to your body, we'll be ready to go."

Beck smiled. "And Robbie?" He asked.

"We'll look into it, but I'm thinking that this was a blessing in disguise." Eric said, as a thought occurred to him. "I mean, Pandion was, it seems, her family, though you didn't hear that from me, and if we just assigned someone to have that body, hanging around her in that body, it could cause trouble. You, you have the right personality to use that body, just you lack the right mystic potential. I'll ask about this Robbie, but as I said, not my choice."

"Pity, cause Robs about the only member of my little group who'd get all jazzed at being a hero." Beck admitted. "But, if it's not happening..."

"We'll look into options, just in case." Eric once again promised. "But for now, lets get your parents involved, get the contracts signed, so you can start this new job, all nice and legal. Of course, your parents, they'll be given a cover story, police reserve and the like, but it'll still allow us to have you legally trained. Hopefully we can get this started before the end of the month." He flashed a smile at the Canadian. "I know it seems awfully fast, but trust me, we need someone to help out, cause right now, she's so isolated, and frankly, I worry about her..."

A little later that day, miles away, Tori softly walked into her home, not wanting to confront her parents just yet. 'Come on, luck, give me the best way to do this. I need my parents to understand, so I can date Jade, as much as I'll be allowed to date her.'

"Tori, just the daughter I was hoping for." Holly said, her face too cheery. "We've just recruited a new hero in training, and we're thinking of adding Warpath to the class at Project Redemption as well, to surround Jade. Of course Warpath, like the new guy, would be a backup hero, police reserve. And get this, it was the new guys idea to have multiple other students around Jade. So, I was wondering, what kind of powers do you have, and would it be appropriate to have you train with them sometimes?"

"Can it wait for dad to get home?" Tori asked. "I'd rather not go through this twice."

"Sure, but I really wanted to know if we could have you train too, cause then we could plan on cycling you, Warpath, and the new guy through on various afternoons, so she has a larger class, but not that many at once. Maybe one to two days per week, we get everyone together, but for the most part, Dahlia is on the sidekick track, and everyone else is on the reserve track." Holly seemed giddy.

Trina bounced down the stairs. "Have you told them yet?" She asked Tori.

"I told her, but I haven't really told you." Holly said, glaring at her eldest. "Trina, I mentioned I had something to tell you, and you raced up stairs before I could get the words out."

"Something came up today, and I had to get to my room so as to not spill it before Tori had the chance to explain." Trina said, trying hard not to be too anxious with this odd bit of news.

"Waiting for dad." Tori explained to her sister.

"Oh, then, I'll be upstairs until he gets here." Trina stated, only to find her mother standing in the way. "Um, mom, you may wanna be careful about just stepping in the way. I mean, even in this form, I'm hella strong. I might bowl you over, maybe even hurt you, then I'd feel all guilty and chiz."

"So why not sit down and let me explain what I had to tell you. That way, when your father gets here, you'll be caught up." Holly gestured to the couches, and the daughter let out a defeated sigh.

They settled down to waiting, with Holly explaining to Trina that Warpath was going to be training a couple of days per week with the Black Dahlia. "Mostly police training, cause you're very good at the physical stuff. But I want her to feel less alone."

"Somehow, I think that's in the works." Trina commented. "I just wanna know how it got worked out."

"Okay, obviously Trina knows something I don't..." Holly turned to glare at her youngest.

"Oh look, no dad." Tori said. "Guessing we'll have to wait until..."

"I'm home." David announced as he walked in through the garage. "Had me a long talk with Lane today, and he explained a couple of things I might have been missing. See, Jade needs a social group to exert a good influence on her. So, I was thinking, maybe Tori here could sometimes let the others from their little social group spend time with Jade, like when you're rehearsing for a play, or working on your music..?"

"Okay, gonna say this fast, and then answer a lot of questions." Tori said, taking a deep breath. "I have probability altering powers, basically luck. I used it to try and finally find me a relationship that will last, assuming we're both lucky, and ready. And I meant last well past high school." she felt nervous, but also if she stopped now, she wouldn't finish. So she pushed forward. "Thing is, I followed Mister Abra's suggestion, focused on feelings more then images, and wouldn't you know it..."

"Tori and Jade are dating." Trina jumped in. "So Tori is dating the Black Dahlia. Now, at first, when I got the text, and then later got Tori's confirmation, I was skeptical. I though it was some kind of plot. But then, it hit me, instead of just looking at what Jade brings to the table, lets look at whats she's looking for, and how Tori could compliment her. Tori can nurture, and Jade needs a lot of that, so I say yea, let it happen. That, and now I know Beck's free."

David looked at his wife. "Somehow, I suspect this is your doing."

"Think about this." Tori tried. "I asked my probability powers to bring me someone long term, who would make me happy, and be there for me when I needed them. It's a bit of a stretch for Jade, but she did grow towards being that kind of person last year, so maybe..."

"I wanted you away from her, Tori." David growled. "She's dangerous, powerful. I wanted to keep both of my children safe."

"And having them train with her, as part of our overlap program, will help them all get to be more familiar with one another, so that if and when we activate our reserve heroes, Dahlia will be familiar with them." Holly explained. "Though, admittedly, I'm still a bit freaked out about Tori dating Jade."

"Guys, it happened, and Tori will be a good influence on Jade." Trina pointed out. "Tori has consistently been the strongest positive influence on Jade, cause none of the others were both strong enough to resist Jade's personality, and willing to step in and help her correct her behavior in a positive way."

"Look, I know we'll have limited time together, but I intend to make the most of it." Tori declared.

"Probability altering powers?" David asked, oddly shifting away from the original topic. "How much control do you have?"

"Not much, in that the luck, for lack of a better word, unconsciously works in my favor, and it often see's a bigger picture then I do." The young Latina explained. "However, as I build my reserve of luck, cause if I push it too much, it can run low, but as I build it, thing'll start going my way more often."

"How much more often can things go your way?" Trina wondered aloud.

"If that's how your powers work, then you have to make a decision." David said, sighing. "I want to protect you, but if you really have the powers you claim to, then that's probably all the protection you'll need. Assuming you had the effect you though you did, and your luck is saying dating Dahlia is the best thing in the long run." He shook his head, not fully convinced, but had more then one run in with someone with minor probability edging powers, and knew how hard it could be to pin someone like that down in a fight. "We'll let Holly's team run tests on you, figure out if you're safe around Dahlia. Then, you decide how you're gonna tell her who you are, cause I'm sorry, training around one another for extended periods, she's gonna notice. Maybe Trina can pull it off, but that's because Warpath is bigger and bulkier then she is. You, I suspect, will quickly discover she's figured out who you are." His hand went up to stop the immediate protests. "Because maybe, if you two are really meant to be together for a while, her realizing your like her will only make the bond that much stronger. Just, know when to lie to her. Tell Jade you're gonna be a part of something new, and then act surprised when she's a part of Project Redemption."

"So you approve?" Tori asked, not quite believing it.

"Yes and no. I do kinda agree that Jade can be a much better person then what you saw at school." David said. "But I'm not crazy about this. It's happening kinda fast, and I want to make sure that you're not gonna be getting hurt in the process. So, my next question is, how far along in dating are you?"

"We had a spark yesterday..." Tori started.

"And spark is slang for?" Holly asked, interrupting her daughter.

"It's slang for they talked, Jade feeling lonely and vulnerable, while Tori had probably opened herself up for this probability altering power of hers, and as a result, for the first time, whatever had been between them was either laid bare, enhanced, or both." Trina said, smirking at her family as they all stared at her. "What? This I've been studying. Super Powers, meta abilities, what I may wind up facing if I do get activated, become a hero. The point is, yesterday, they became aware of feeling something for one another."

"And today I asked her out." Tori finished. Only the singers face fell. "Okay, I tried to ask her out, but I got so nervous, she had to finish for me. It's embarrassing to have someone ask themselves out for you. But yea, she did, and she said yes, and we talked a little about how we'd do this, and decided to just skip ahead to being a couple, kinda, so that we'll be better able to build some trust. I don't know if we managed any more agreements, just, we're dating, and kinda a couple, and then there was the whole who do we tell thingy. Jade texted Trina, cause she wasn't sure she could share with her own family, not right now, and she wanted to tell someone. And it's not like Trina and Jade are friends either. No, Jade chose her over Cat cause Trina wasn't likely to send word over mass text. And, and..."

"Tori, breath." Holly cut in. "So, who among your friends have you told?"

"No one." Tori said. "I just let them know I was gonna hang out with Jade some days. You know, so she won't feel rejected. And at the time, it was true. See, Andre's terrified of her, and he doesn't even know about Dahlia. Beck's still mad that they broke up, while Cat, not so good at keeping secrets."

"And Robbie?" Holly asked.

"Jade still insists that their not really friends, even though I know better." Tori explained. "Jade cares about him, and doesn't want to, so she pretends their not friends, like she used to say I wasn't her friend. But she's gone out of her way to help him in the past, so I'm sure they have that friendship connection. That, and given the number of things he's done to embarrass her, and what kind of power we now know she has, if she didn't like him, at least a little, he'd have met his end a long, long time ago."

"Or Rex would have." Trina added, smirking. No one wanted to comment on that.

"Okay, Tori, I want you to continue training with Mister Abra, as well as Reggie, and when your ready, we can integrate you into Project Redemption, as part of the Cross Training Program." Holly instructed. "That way you can avoid telling Jade anything for at least a couple of weeks, and we'll still be training you as a reserve super. Also, your friend Beck was tested for another aspect of the project, but he didn't have the affinity for the Pandion tiara." She watched her children, letting that moment sink in. "I wanted her ex, cause I wanted what it seems we may well wind up getting from you, a calming influence on Jade. However, we won't be using that option, the crown part, cause none of us seem to have the right connection to that crown to activate it."

"Bet Jade could make it work." Trina grumbled.

"Like she needs more power." David scoffed.

"No, no, no, that's not what I mean." Trina spouted. "Jade's got power, but also skill. Even bloodline. I'm thinking that maybe, since the last owner is alive, the crown needs to be handed off. I'll bet there's even a ritual."

"But Jade's grandfather didn't do any ritual." Holly argued. "Okay, Mister Sinclair did show us a ritual, one we've tried over and over. It's obvious that our candidates are lacking something, cause it worked for him, first try. And I believe him. I believe that Johnathan is being honest with us, so it has to be that intangible that's keeping it from working."

"And I'm thinking it has a fail-safe involved, so that the user has to do a ritual to hand it off, or no one else can use the crown." Trina argued. "Think about it, given the number of people, mystics and cops and the like, who've tried to use the crown. I'm betting that Jade, or maybe Dante, can figure out what kind of ritual we'll need. We just need them to have access. And think, maybe Dahlia would be more willing to work with whomever after she's helped transfer the power? So lets involve her, okay?"

"Okay, lets get her involved." Holly agreed.

"And I can date Jade?" Tori pushed.

"Around her schedule, and keep your friends at a distance until you're more secure in your feelings." David instructed. "From the relationship, that is. And Tori, it's only a mater of time before she figures out who Blue Steel is."

"What makes you say that?" Tori asked.

"She's gonna be around us a lot more, making it far more likely she'll see through my clever disguise." David explained. "Plus, my mask, like Constables, was enhanced by Mister Cadabra, and helps blur my featured, making it harder to connect me to the hero. But that's magic, subtle as it is, so she's gong to notice, sooner or later." He gestured. "I only wear the face plate in combat situations, to build trust."

"Warpath will start training with her, at least one day per week, starting next week." Holly told her eldest. "And as I told you earlier, it's mostly gonna be book learning."

"No, we're gonna do something physical, cause there's no way I'm transforming without burning off some of that energy that comes with." Trina protested.

"She's being asked to study law." David explained, again. "She needs to know the laws and regulations as well as a reserve police officer. Probably better. And you, Missy, could use that kind of knowledge too. Maybe you won't be sneaking into mega-stores to try and spend the night if you realize it's still Trespassing."

"How…?" Trina asked.

"Even with the bins on your heads, we were able to identify Robbie, as well as your outfit." David said. "We decided to focus on the attempted robbery instead. So, no more breaking the law, okay?"

"Wait, why you just telling me?' The eldest child wondered.

"Cause as far as we could tell, Tori wasn't there, though all her friends were." David explained.

"How is it you guys didn't notice Tori?" Trina groaned.

"I don't know, just lucky?" Tori guessed.

:}

There you have it, I started with an update on Holly's plan, and ended with a joke. Hope you appreciate it. Things are more out in the open now, and Jade's life improved, all without her making an appearance in this chapter. Thinking things are gonna slowly get complicated, but once it's all out there, maybe I'll know where I'm going with this.

Oh yea, review.