Misfit Hunt

Part 1

Unusual Suspects

By Nick Maro

Roxy and Rapture were behind a row of thick hedges waiting in ambush for any of the other teams to pass by their position. Roxy slowly looked at the blonde woman crouched next to her. Rapture was in military camouflage and face paint with her blonde hair tied back into a tight ponytail. Cracking a small smile Roxy leaned over and whispered to her. "I gotta say, Rapture, You're really damn good at this. I'm impressed, Stinger."

"Thanks, Roxy. Like Riot, I was also a military brat. I get it from my mother. We were stationed in Germany when Riot and Minx came looking for a third band member. I jumped at the chance. But my mom insisted that I learn how to use a gun for my own protection." Rapture looked at the light gun. "Somehow I don't think this is what she had in mind." She shifted uncomfortably from Roxy and kept an eye on the path before them.

The twig that Hitomi laid along the path snapped sharply. Roxy waited for Rapture's cue since this was a part of her plan. Hitomi put Rapture in charge of strategy and planning. Roxy hoped this would work. The games had only started an hour ago where each team was granted a half hour to plan their strategies. Roxy and Rapture were paired up by Hitomi, while she went with David. Divide and conquer was the strategy. Rapture started the countdown for the attack with her left hand. Roxy may not have liked being paired with this particular woman, but she had to admit that she knew what she was doing. She was given the final cue and the two young women jumped up from behind the bushes surprising Eiji. "Die, Romeo!" Roxy yelled when she then noticed his other three teammates Jem, Stormer, and Minx. "Oh shit! Run!"

Roxy and Rapture ran down the path to where Hitomi and David were waiting in their own ambush. It was a simple strategy that was easy to execute. Rapture checked over her shoulder to see that Minx was holding the rest back. "dammit," she cursed quietly. "Minx is on to our strategy, Roxy. Time to go to plan B, you tell Hitomi, I'll get David." After Roxy nodded they branched off to where their two other teammates were waiting. Rapture found David crouched by his bush. "Minx figured out our plan. Let's climb into the trees while we still have time."

"Alright, just wish we could've used radios for this." David rubbed his thigh muscle and stood. Rapture gave him a concerned look. "It's nothing, just a cramp from crouching so long. It'll be fine." He followed Rapture at a brisk pace. They arrived at the orchard of trees at the same time as Roxy and Hitomi. David and Roxy climbed up the same tree and Rapture and Hitomi took the opposite one. "I swear the first person to start singing Sitting in a Tree gets it." David laughed softly and looked relieved that the cramp in his leg had vanished.

"Quiet." Roxy put her finger on his lips. "I think I hear someone coming." Roxy sent a hand signal to the opposite tree. Hitomi and Rapture sent back their acknowledgment. After a few minutes wait, a referee came walking down the path. Roxy let out a breath and smiled at David. "I'll say one thing for sure this game has made me even more paranoid. I keep jumping each time I hear a squirrel." She stopped when she heard voices coming from below.

Roxy quickly gave the hand signal for voices. David readied his position next to her. Across the way he saw Rapture and Hitomi do the same. Roxy held her hand up to wait. Ken was the first to come into view while Pizzazz, Shana and Raya shortly followed. Roxy gave the signal to fire without warning. The four in the trees fired upon the confused members below. Sensors began beeping rapidly. Pizzazz's team was eliminated without any problem. Despite himself, David smiled. He helped Roxy climb down and turned to his sister. "Gotcha Pizzazz."

Pizzazz slowly nodded. "Yeah good work, David, but I'm afraid we were eliminated already." A sly grin crept across Pizzazz's face. "Get 'em!" she shouted and moved out of the way.

From behind David, Jem and her team came out and quickly knocked Roxy and David from the game. Hitomi and Rapture were able to eliminate Stormer and Eiji and remove a few points off of Jem and Minx before they were eliminated as well. David smiled at his sister. "That was very sneaky! I can't believe Jem agreed to it. Are you sure that was legal?"

Roxy pulled David by the arm. "Come on, David. We can discuss it in the Loser's Circle." She walked next to David and let the rest lead the way. "Man, this is sucks. We planned this out perfectly." She kicked a rock into the trees. "I guess we can watch the rest of the war in the Loser's Circle. Ah well, there's a hedge maze I want to check out after the contest ends. Wanna come with? Invite Kimber along, it'll be fun." She kicked another rock that bounced off Stormer's butt who quickly turned and glared at Roxy. She pointed at David trying to pin the blame on him.

"Oh, he did, did he?" Stormer said to the now confused David. She charged at him, tackled him to the ground and began tickling him. "Okay half brother now you're gonna get it." David started tickling her back while Roxy laughed at the two siblings.

"It wasn't me." David laughed out. "Roxy did it. It was all her fault!"

Stormer stopped tickling David. "Oh. She did, did she?" She slowly stood and helped David to his feet as Roxy nervously started walking backwards. "I say we pay her back in kind." He nodded in agreement.

"Now guys, I was only goofing around. Really." Roxy flashed her best smile.

"Get her." Stormer said simply while Roxy ran into the trees. Stormer and David quickly followed, laughing as they ran in pursuit.

David pressed the towel to his eye with the ice pack stinging the bruised area. Roxy rubbed his back lightly. "Sorry I hit you like that, I just got carried away." She wrapped her arm around his waist and walked with him. "Let's see how bad it looks." She stood front of David as he moved the towel to the side. She didn't hit him in the eye but just below it. The cold pack was helping the swelling go down. She smiled sweetly at him. "Kimber is so gonna kick my ass." Roxy laughed to herself. "Come on, let's check out that maze."

David wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his waist again. "That's one hell of a right punch you have. You shouldn't worry about Kimber kicking your ass. She'll understand and I'm not pissed at you. I'm angrier at myself but it doesn't matter, it was an accident." He squeezed her shoulders affectionately.

Roxy leaned her head against David's shoulder as they walked. They reached the maze in silence. Roxy studied the maze map for a few moments trying to figure out the best route to the center. "Maybe we should leave a note for Kimber telling her where to meet us." She quickly wrote where she and David would be for their friend. "I'm ready to take this on." She took his hand and led him into the maze.

"I've never been in one of these before. Nothing like a challenge, huh?" David gave her a sideways smile and followed her deeper into the maze. They twisted and turned for about twenty minutes when David spotted a bench. "Let's take a break, Rox. My leg is starting to cramp up again." He sat down, removed the towel from his eye and started massaging the back of his leg.

"Let me get that." Roxy said quietly as she pushed his hands out of the way and rubbed his thigh. David put the towel back on his eye. "You're just a walking accident, aren't you?" Roxy looked up at David and smiled. After five minutes of massaging she stopped, sat next to him and leaned against his arm. He put his arm around her shoulders while she cuddled closer to him and closed her eyes.

David shifted uncomfortably on the bench. "Maybe we should move to the ground, Rox. My leg just went numb." Roxy got up laughing and sat on the grass. He stretched out on his back on the lawn and stared at the sky while Roxy laid next him and put her head on his shoulder. Wrapping his arm around her mid section, she sighed softly in happiness. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the moment. He felt Roxy adjust next to him and then felt her lips press to his. As hard as he tried, he couldn't refuse the kiss and melted into it. He returned her kiss with a repressed passion. Finally they forced themselves to stop and he slowly opened his eyes. "Um, maybe that was a mistake."

Roxy laid her head on David's chest. "yeah, maybe." She looked up at David and put on a weak smile. "Perhaps we should get out of this damn thing." Roxy got back on her feet and brushed off her pants. Before leaving the spot with the bench she gave him a tight hug. "I have to confess, for awhile now I've been attracted to you. You're one of the few people to ever accept me for who I am. Hell, I've told you shit that I've never told anyone else." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Not knowing what to say or do David could only return her embrace. He kissed her forehead which made her smile again. "I don't know what to say. I do admit that I'm attracted to you as well. It's just natural to be with one person and be attracted to another. But I'm in love with Kimber and I'm happy with her. I'm not saying I don't love you, Rox, it's just not the same kind of love, if that makes any sense." He sighed. "I have no idea how to tell Kimber about this."

"Yeah, she'll actually kick my ass." Breaking the tension Roxy poked him in the ribs and looked him in the eye. "Let's talk about this later I know a place where we'll have privacy. Don't worry I'm not gonna jump you. That is, not unless you want me to." She took his hand in hers walked down a row of hedges. "Now, let's get out of this mouse maze." They walked down a few rows and made a couple of turns. "Okay, we're officially lost."

"No. Do you smell that?"

Roxy sniffed the air. "Rice? Who's cooking rice?" David shrugged in equal confusion. "As the commercial says, follow your nose. Maybe whoever it is knows how to get out." David and Roxy followed the smell of cooking rice to a dead end. There they found the boy they tried to help in Japan. "Hey, can we help you?" Roxy asked, startling the young man.

"Oh hello, I was just having lunch before I make my way back to Furinkan High. Would you care to have some?" He offered a bowl of rice to each of them. David took a bowl and thanked him as did Roxy. They ate in silence until the young man broke it when he was finished. "So what are the two of you doing in here?"

"We're actually lost. You wouldn't happen to know the way out?" David asked hopefully.

The young man put his bowl away and took theirs when they handed them to him. "It's easy. I'll show you." Within minutes David and Roxy were at the entrance. "There you go I'm going to pack up my gear before it starts to rain." He turned to enter the maze.

David looked at the clouds and noticed were rolling in fast. "Better hurry." He turned to see Kimber coming running up to the maze. He spoke to the young man without looking at him, "Say, I never got your name before. What is it?"

"It's RyogAHHHH!" He was cut off by a sudden down pour of rain. A little black piglet came running out of the maze, running past the three confused friends and headed for the woods.

Roxy, David and Kimber looked at each other in confusion at what they had just seen. "I'm not asking what that was about," Kimber said hugging David. "Come on, you two. Riot's team won. It's time for you two to play good losers." She wrapped her arm around David's and they walked to the Xanthos Mansion in the rain.

Stormer leaned over the second story railing of the aviary as a variety of species of birds flew over head. It was an open aviary giving the wild birds a place to nest and eat. She giggled like a young girl and looked at Jetta. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful, Sheila? Look at the colors above us. Their sounds are just a choir. I can't believe Richard has a place like this in his backyard!"

"It sure is something special, luv. You love these things, doncha?" Jetta put her hands in her jacket pockets and leaned her butt against the rail. A hummingbird hovered mere inches in front of her face and she couldn't help but smile. It fluttered away when she put her finger out for it to perch on.

"This is the place I want to work in if The Misfits ever split up. It's just so peaceful. So when is the ceremony for the winning team?" Stormer grabbed a handful of seed and held it out for the birds. To her surprise a few landed and grabbed a couple of seeds.

Jetta looked at her watch. "Richard said it was goin' to be at seven, its half past five now so we have time. That's some light show goin' on out there. I hope David and Roxy got out of that hedge maze in time. Well, before a bird craps on me head, I'm headin' into the main house. I'll leave the umbrella here for you, luv. Don't be too long." Jetta walked down the stairs to the main floor. Once there she looked up at her friend, who was all smiles. She shook her head and opened the door to exit the building. She waited for calm in the rain and ran for the house with her jacket over her head.

Stormer rested her chin on her hands and watched the birds fly and swoop down. She felt air rush in from the door opening. "Sheila, is that you? Couldn't stay away, huh?" She giggled as the birds kept flying in front of her.

"You're gonna have to settle for your half sister. I brought you something to drink, a nice cold bottle of water." Pizzazz handed Stormer the bottle and hand dried her hair. "It's really coming down out there. You missed David, Kimber and Roxy when they came in totally drenched." She flipped her hair back and put a hand on her hip. "Guess they won't need a shower tonight." She leaned against the rail next to Stormer.

"Thanks for the water. I was telling Sheila this is what I want to do when The Misfits break up." Stormer smiled contently at Pizzazz.

"Misfits aren't breaking up, Mary. Not for a longtime so quit talking like that. We're finally successful and on top. You're going to jinx us." A bird swooped in front of Pizzazz startling her momentarily.

Stormer took a long drink from her bottle. "I'm not talking about us breaking up in the next year or so. I'm just making long term plans. Is there anything you'd enjoy doing after the band breaks up?"

Pizzazz rubbed her eyes in thought and then looked at her. "Yes and you can't tell anyone I do this. I do a lot of painting when we're not together. Mostly portraits and scenic landscape stuff. I've never shown anyone my work." She smiled at Stormer. "I'll show you later tonight. I don't think I would want to paint for a living though. It's just a hobby for now."

The storm sounded like it was ready to pick up in strength. "Let's get in the house before the storm makes the umbrella useless. I'll just have to visit here more often." Stormer handed the bottle to Pizzazz and led her down the steps. As she was about to open the door, it swung open letting rain and wind in. The action caused Stormer and Pizzazz to let out a scream of shock. Stormer dropped the umbrella. In the doorway stood a figure in a fedora and trench coat, nervously, Stormer spoke. "Ex-excuse me, you just startled me."

The mysterious figure entered the aviary and took off his hat. "Are you Ms. Mary Phillips?" Stormer looked at Pizzazz then slowly nodded. "My name is Marlowe, I'm a private investigator. Mr. Raymond hired me to investigate Jem's origins when she first appeared. What I found at Starlight Drive Inn was some sort of super computer. Well, I'm here to ask you a few questions of my own about what happened at the concert. Is that fine with you?"

"I don't see why not. Mind if we get to the house first? I don't want to waste this lull in the storm." Stormer picked up the umbrella and handed it to Pizzazz.

"Of course." Marlowe opened the door while Pizzazz opened the umbrella. Stormer and Pizzazz ran to the house under its protection. Marlowe put his hat back on and ran next to them. They reached a covered porch and each shook off the rain water. Marlowe looked at the two young ladies. "Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Ms. Phillips. At the end of the concert Jem turned into Jerrica Benton after a glimmer of pink light. Her sister Kimber, who coincidentally is your roommate, claims that Jem asked Jerrica to pose as Jem for the concert. Starlight Music offered the explanation of it being a trick of the light. I don't buy it."

Stormer stopped Marlowe as they walked to the main banquet hall. "Just what are you getting at, Mr. Marlowe? It sounds an awfully lot like you're accusing Jerrica Benton of really being Jem. That's insanity since I've seen both of them together." She began walking to the banquet hall again.

Marlowe chased after her in desperation. "Wait! Just hear me out, please. The computer I told you about is the key! It projects light images. When I discovered it, it freaked out. I panicked and threw something at it and it exploded. Or maybe it didn't. I don't really know." He followed Stormer and Pizzazz into the main banquette hall and grabbed Stormer's arm. "I need you to ask Kimber Benton about it."

"I most certainly will not!" Stormer raised her voice and shoved the strange man away. "I just remembered where I have seen you before. I saw you on my way down from a meeting with Eric Raymond. How dare he send you to spy on my friends? Much less use me to do the spying?" She pushed him to floor and shook her finger in his face with her rage rivaling the storm outside. "So help me if I ever catch you near my friends or myself again, I'll make you regret it." She stomped past the shocked guests. She stopped in front of Eric Raymond and slapped him hard as she could. "And to think I was starting to believe you were starting to become a decent human." She left through the main doors and went to her car where she drove off disappearing into the storm.

It was decided that the tapings for the awards ceremony would be postponed for another time since the special was taped for a later broadcast. The TV crews all went home after the storm had died down. The Stingers and Eric Raymond left shortly after the crews. Jem and The Holograms offered to help The Misfits and Suzaku to look for Stormer. David and Pizzazz thanked them but refused their help. Pizzazz explained that it was a Misfits matter. Jem nodded her understanding as she and The Holograms left the estate.

Pizzazz turned to her friends. "Clash, Techrat, first I just want to say sorry for not including you in the games. It was bands only and while you're technically Misfits, you're not in the band. Anyway, it was for the musicians only. David was allowed to participate for the fact he was once the lead singer of Pulsar. So no hard feelings you two?"

Clash giggled softly. "You're silly, Pizzazz, of course there are no hard feelings. Techie and I know our roles are just technical for The Misfits. Don't worry about it. Besides, I say we have a private intercompany match sometime." Clash poured herself another glass of water and sat back in her seat.

"Okay here's what we're going to do, we're splitting up into groups of two. Techrat and Clash you're together. The other teams will be Jetta and Ken, David and Roxy, Hitomi and Kimber, Eiji and myself. We're going to look in all of Stormer's favorite hang outs. I've teamed everyone with one person who knows Stormer the best. Any questions?" Pizzazz sat on the table and wrapped her hands around her knee.

Kimber spoke before anyone else could. "Why wasn't I teamed with David?"

Pizzazz smiled a little. "The two of you know her the best of anyone here. If there's a chance of finding her, it'll be one of you." Kimber slowly agreed after thinking about it. "Now, let's get going. I've never seen her act like that and it worries me. If you find her give everyone a call or text. Good luck all."

After thanking Richard Xanthos for use of his home, the four pairs of friends went their separate ways in search of their missing friend. David got into the car with Roxy and leaned his seat back a bit. "Figures we'd get teamed together. Not that I'm complaining. Just wondering if Pizzazz is suspicious at all."He adjusted the seat again not happy with its previous position.

"I doubt it, David. She was just putting us together because of our friendship. Plus you do know her better than I even though I've known her longer. Where to first?" Roxy put the car into reverse and pulled out of her parking spot.

Finally satisfied with the seat position, David ran his hand through his hair. "Let's try the observatory. When I lived with her we'd sometimes go up there and talk. She really loves science and nature." He watched Roxy drive for a minute and smiled. She was a very beautiful woman. He always noticed but never thought of her in a romantic way. A twinge of guilt washed over him as thoughts of Kimber flooded his mind. He really did love her but he couldn't shake the fact he was attracted to Roxy. Finally he cleared his throat. "If she's not there then maybe we could talk about what happened."

Roxy turned the radio on and rubbed David's hand. He flinched slightly then let her rub it. "I'd like to talk someplace less cool. I was thinking maybe my place since Jetta will be out. Give us a chance to be undisturbed. How's that sound?"

David chewed the inside of his cheek in thought. "The patio on the roof of Misfits Music, we can talk there. Besides, there are some papers I need to get from my office. It's just tour information. We'll head to the observatory and then to Misfits Music?" He put on KJEM and tapped his fingers in beat with the music on the dashboard.

"Sounds good to me, I love that patio up there." She smiled wide at David as he looked out the window for the rest of the trip. Twenty minutes later she pulled into the observatory parking lot. David led her up the concrete steps to the observation area. She was surprised that she had lived in Los Angeles for a few years but never visited. Before her were the lights of the skyline of the city. "wow. This is beautiful. I can see why she likes it here."

"I know. Mary fell asleep on my shoulder the first night she took me up here. I was just hypnotized by the beauty before me." David finished searching the observation deck. "She's not here. Let's check Misfits Music then we can talk." He walked past Roxy who took his hand in hers. He stopped walking down the stairs and turned to her. David hugged Roxy tightly, slightly confusing her. He then kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "No matter what, you're one of my best friends." He then hugged her again and led her to the car.

Stormer stumbled into her house completely drunk. She was glad Kimber wasn't home yet since she didn't like it when people saw her intoxicated. She went into her bedroom to change for bed when a knock came from the front door. "who th' fuck?" she slurred a little. Throwing on her robe, she answered the door. "What do you want?"

The trenchcoated figure of the private investigator Marlowe stood there. "Ms. Phillips, I apologize for what happened earlier today. It's just that it's been so frustrating. I just wanted to apologize and I'll be on my way."

She smiled and shook his hand and opened the door a little more. "You're forgiven. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, thank you." Marlowe followed her into the kitchen after shutting the front door.

Kimber drove up to the house she shared with Stormer and found police squad cars in front of it but Stormer's car was missing. With her heart in her throat she got out of her car and went inside. "Wh-what's going on here?" she asked nervously.

A man in his mid-forties approached her. "Are you Ms. Kimber Benton?" She nodded. "I'm Detective Evans of the homicide department. May I ask you a few questions about your roommate Mary Phillips?" He led her into the living room. "Now Ms. Benton, have you ever known Ms. Phillips to be violent at all?"

"Violent? No. She's one of the most peaceful people I know! I don't understand. What's going on here?"

Detective Evans sighed and stared her in the eyes. "Ms. Benton, Ms. Phillips is wanted in questioning for the murder of a private investigator named Henry Marlowe. His body is in the kitchen where he was shot to death." Kimber felt the blood rush from her face in shock.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "RUN, RABBIT, RUN"

PART 2 OF MISFIT HUNT