Youthful Revolution
By Michael Weyer
This was another IC tie-in that hit me and wanted to share. All thoughts welcomed.
Earth-19999
Chicago, IL
To many longtime residents of the Windy City, the massive skyscraper would forever be the Sears Tower. Despite now called the Willis Tower, it remained a landmark of the Chicago skyline, home to a transparent balcony that offered a beautiful view of the city. It was no wonder anyone from tourists to residents loved to check the place out.
Said view was a bit lost on Richard Rider, mostly due to how he was struggling in the grasp of an armored figure dangling him over the edge of the roof of the tower. The young man, fresh out of high school, gasped a bit, his long brown hair framing his handsome face with a form that showed his experience as his school's football star and a build that proved he could move to the pros if not for a tough leg injury.
The man holding him up was clad in a mostly black armored suit with red coloring by his knees, shoulders and wrists. It was marked with several weapons from fighting sticks to an odd attachment on his back to a sharp spike extending from one wrist. His head was covered by a red and black helmet which showed only his eyes and the black skin around them, with the eyes glaring hard at Richard.
"One question," he intoned, the voice coming through the helmet in an echo. "Are you Richard Rider?"
Gasping out as he struggled against the surprisingly strong grip, Richard choked out. "Ye...yeah. So what?"
"Good."
With that, the armored man opened his hand and Richard was sent falling toward the hard streets fourteen hundred feet below.
The armored man watched him fall, noting how his scream was less out of fear and more surprise and even a bit of annoyance. He kept watching as a glow came over Richard's body as he plummeted down only to suddenly seem to stop roughly thirty stories below. Then, something started flying up toward him.
The man stepped back as Richard flew above him, his jeans and t-shirt now replaced by a mostly blue uniform with a pattern like a trio of yellow suns on his chest. The arms were golden as was the helmet covering his head with a huge red star. His entire body shimmered with a glowing aura that matched the fury in his eyes.
"Okay, asshole," Richie snapped. "I'm gonna give ya the benefit of the doubt and assume you knew I'd survive that. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna pound you into pulp anyway!" He brought together his hands to emit a burst of energy that the armored man managed to dodge.
Richie flew at the man, only for another figure to step out of the shadows. By which, she literally seemed to flow out of darkness, appearing in between the pair. She was an attractive dark-skinned woman who appeared of mixed American and Asian descent, clad in a blue and black outfit that fit her shapely body well. She was notably leaning on a pair of high-tech crutches yet still possessed an athletic form.
Richie managed to balk his flight as the woman glared at the armored man. "I told you this wasn't the right way to do it," she said in a calm tone.
"I don't believe in wasting time," the man snapped.
"Yes, I'm aware of that." The woman sighed as she turned to Richie. "Call me Silhouette. This is...Night Thrasher."
Richie looked at the man and barked out a laugh. "Night Thrasher? Seriously?"
The man crossed his arms. "It works for me. And I know about you, Rider."
"So what's this about?" Richie demanded, still looking angry.
"I'm here to make you...an offer."
Rider snorted. "Really? After that..."
"It pays."
Richie paused before slowly landing on the roof, his aura fading. "Okay...keep talking."
The wail of police sirens was a regular noise in Chicago, so few were surprised to see a trio of police cars chasing a van down Michigan Avenue. The armored truck was weaving through traffic as one man leaned out of the rear doors and fired a machine gun at the lead police car, forcing it back.
Inside the car, one officer cursed as his partner weaved to avoid the gunfire. "Dispatch, these guys are playing for keeps!" he yelled into his radio. "We need backup before some civilians are caught in the crossfire!"
The van took a corner hard, too hard as it began skidding out of control. It hit the curb and flipped over, starting to sail right toward a cafe where people were rushing to escape, even if it appeared to be in vain. Without warning, a blue energy field covered the van and seemed to hold it in place. It slowly lowered to the ground as a figure floated down from above.
He was a handsome young man whose brown hair flowed from the top of the mask holding across his face. He was wearing a mostly white and blue costume with a gold star at his chest and a small cape flowing behind him. The same blueish energy surrounded his body and matched the bright smile on his face.
One of the men in the truck exited and was firing bullets at the costumed man. The same blue energy appeared to create a shield and block the bullets. Another wave of it reached out to yank the gun out of the man's hands. The youth furrowed his brow and the blue field flowed into the truck and was soon yanking out the trio of thieves, all startled at what was happening.
The youth saw the police pulling up and smiled. "Hey, here you go! One pack of crooks wrapped up for you, courtesy of Major Victory!"
One officer just sighed as he exited his car. "Oh for...again?"
"Hey, Officer Pulanski, nice to see you!" the young man waved.
The veteran cop sighed, rubbing at his face as he approached the youth. "Kid...listen...first of all, the 'major' thing isn't going over well given it's pretty clear you've never been in the military."
The man's smile faded a bit under the cop's gaze. "I know but...I mean, Captain America has always been a hero to me..."
"Yeah but still not right, trust me, some vets on the force not taking it well." The officer waved at the scene. "Also, you want to do this, you have to be careful. Those bullets could have ricocheted around and hit someone!"
"I was trying to block them..."
"And there's how you're interfering in police business." Pulanski stepped forward, his face softening. "Look, I know your heart is in the right place and we appreciate it. But you can't keep busting into police business. If nothing else, it's an easy way for some crooks to get out of it, claim some costumed guy attacked them."
"Hey, there are witnesses..."
"And we'll get their stories, and hopefully, this one works." Pulanski put a hand to the youth's shoulder. "Again, I get you want to make a difference with whatever powers you have. But maybe get some training before you decide to do this?"
He moved off to where the other officers were arresting the crooks, leaving Vance Astrovik to mull over his words. The blue aura flew over him as he started to fly upward, lost in thought. It had seemed so simple when his mutant gifts manifested themselves. Put on a costume, fight crime, become a hero, hell maybe even get a tryout for the Avengers someday. It seemed easy but it was dawning on him that becoming a superhero was a lot harder than it looked.
"Yo!"
At the voice, Vance looked to a nearby rooftop to see a trio of costumed figures standing atop it. He was curious to fly over, taking them in, from the armored man to the attractive dark-skinned woman to the guy in the weird helmet.
"Cop's right," the armored man spoke. "You need a bit more training. And we can give it to you. Interested?"
Vance smiled.
As much as it tried to shed its image over the years, Cabrini-Green was still infamous in Chicago as the worst, most crime-ridden part of the city. Attempts had been made to revitalize the area, but sadly, the Dusting had hit it hard with investors pulling out and once more crime on a high pace. It meant criminal deals going on practically every street corner, making it easier for someone to find trouble.
Such a someone was the figure marching toward a run-down tenement. He was a hulking dark skinned-man standing six feet tall, his body looking like he'd come out of weight-lifting competition and bench-pressed his other competitors. He wore leather pants and an open jean jacket/muscle shirt with a yellow mask covering his face. On the back of the jacket, in blazing letters, was a single word: "RAGE."
He stood outside the building, studying it carefully. He saw a couple of kids of about ten wandering up, both stopping as they took him in. "Get walking, kids," he said in a voice as strong as his appearance. "Aint' no dealing now or ever." His eyes narrowed. "And you two ever try again..." He cracked his knuckles, the pair quickly getting the hint to run off.
The man called Rage looked up at the tenement and called out. "Okay...I'm giving you fair warning and one minute to pack up and get outta there! Anyone still in, they brought it on themselves!" He stepped into the doorway and pressed his hands against the sides. "This pace was condemned a while ago, so I'm just saving the city some bucks!"
He pressed his hands outward, grunting as his muscles strained hard. There were loud cracking sounds as the doorway crushed outward, and more cracks appeared as the building shook. A second rumble came, this from feet storming down the stairway as a half-dozen young men charged down and raced out of the crumbling building as soon as they could. Rage snarled as he pushed even harder, and in a final loud crash, the entire already ruined building completely collapsed.
The gang of dealers stood on the street staring, along with several passerbys at the remains of the building in pure amazement. A shuffling came about as slowly Rage pulled himself out of the wreckage. He brushed the dust off his arms, looking very little for wear after what he'd done.
The gang leader looked to the others. "Don't just stand there, waste him!"
On cue, the others pulled out their guns and started firing at Rage. He stood there, letting the bullets bounce off him as he started marching forward. The gang leader glared at his aide. "Get him!"
The other man gaped at him. "The dude just wrecked our pad and bullets bounce off him! You think I'm getting in his way?"
A look at the other gangsters made the man realize they all shared the same sentiment. Realizing they were right and discretion the better part of valor, they took off running with Rage slapping his hands together to brush off more dust.
"Not bad." Rage turned to see a handsome black man in his forties standing before him. He was dressed in a professional suit but Rage sensed this was more like a uniform. The morning sun glinted off his bald head with a beard as he studied the other man. "You know they'll be back somewhere else by next week?"
"Probably by tomorrow," Rage allowed. "And I'll smash that place too. And the next and the next until they get the message."
"You're fighting the tide, boy. You know that doesn't work right." The man walked closer. "You keep this up, only gonna get you killed."
"I'm tough enough."
"Are you? What about the folks around you?" He waved at the people around still uncertain about Rage. "They could get hit in the crossfire. You might just make things worse around here."
Rage turned fully to study the other man. "You ain't a cop. You don't strike me as a fed. So who are you?"
"Name's Chord," the older man answered. "And I got an offer for you. One that lets you do more good than you can imagine."
Amid the scores of skyscrapers and buildings in downtown Chicago, the headquarters of the Taylor Foundation wasn't as fancy or obtrusive. It was a large tower whose main offices held the goings on for the long-standing Chicago foundation with ties to various companies in the Windy City and beyond. The top floors were a lavish penthouse that, unknown to most of the occupants or workers below, was home to far, far more.
That included a massive training room on par with anything at SHIELD or Avengers Tower. There was also a large computer center which was where Chord was leading in Rage, who took in the others already gathered. "I'm back with the new recruit."
"Ain't signed up yet," Rage rumbled. "But I'm willing to listen."
Night Thrasher nodded as he undid his mask, lifting it up to show a handsome young black face. It was no surprise to Vance or Richie to recognize Dwayne Taylor himself as he was the only one who would be living here. "Nice place," Richie admitted as he looked around. "You live here alone?"
"No, with Chord," Dwayne motioned to the man. "And Tai." Right on cue entered an Asian woman appearing about sixty years old, her wrinkled face still strong, hair done up in a severe bun with clips and clad in a robe. She nodded to the others as she stood by the doorway.
"You have your own recruit from an old movie?" Richie snorted.
Tai fixed him with a gaze oddly making him feel nervous. "Such a large library you must have of books you have only read from covers."
"Cute," Richie remarked. "So why you bringing us here?"
"My parents were murdered when I was a child," Dwayne intoned as he moved before the computer, quickly bringing up some information. "I'm going to make as many criminals as I can pay for it." He tapped on the keys. "I realize I can't do it alone. So I've been searching for others who might fit into a team."
"And we're it?" Vance asked. "And how did you find out about us?"
"In your case? The mask is good but facial rec can still place you, Vance. I know why you left New York and moved here and I can understand." He glanced at Richie. "And if you think SHIELD doesn't already know about someone bearing an alien artifact, you're dumber than you look."
"Thanks," Richie sardonically said. "So you're gonna whip together, what, some sort of junior Avengers?"
"More like our own team for a new type of fighting," Dwayne replied. "The Avengers can handle the cosmic stuff, but the folks on the street need more help."
"I can get with that," Rage said. He looked at the other guys. "So...just who are you?"
"We can do full intros later," Dwayne replied as he looked at the data on his screen which showed the photos of two women Vance's age. One was quite attractive with bright red hair, the other a brunette with a more laid-back style. He reached to his phone to start hitting some buttons. "Right now, we're almost set for the last members..."
Riverside was a nice suburb just outside of Chicago, close to the city but still felt distant enough for its own identity. It was a fun place for anyone taking a break from college and thus fit Angelica Jones as she sat in her room, checking on her phone. The redhead was wearing a nice pair of slacks and orange blouse that matched her red hair, humming to herself as she checked her phone.
Nearby, Michiko "Mickey" Musashi was going over the closet. The attractive brunette was in a more stylish outfit of a silver blouse and slacks, humming to herself, her smile highlighting her face, showing her dual Asian-American heritage. That matched her energetic attitude. "I keep telling you, Ang, you can beef up the style!"
"Not all of us have your credit card limits, Mickey," Angelica replied. "Dad's doing better since the promotion but still tricky."
"You don't have to go whole hog to get more stylish!" her friend insisted. "Just let me rearrange some ideas…"
"Mickey, love you and all but I'm fine how I am."
"I'm aware and why I try to help."
Angelica saw an incoming text and clicked on it. "Look, I need to…" She stopped as she took in the text.
Angelica. I know who you are. I know what you can do. And so will the world unless you come to this address in the next hour.
Taking in the text and address, Angelica sat right up. "Um…Mickey, sorry something just came up, I gotta….gotta go."
Mickey frowned. "Really? What is…" She was cut off by a beeping from her own phone, turning to check it. She paused as she read the message and suddenly stammered. "Um, ah, turns out, gotta get home myself." She started out the door. "Ah, talk tomorrow?"
"Sure, sure," Angelica said, waiting for her to go before racing to a hidden compartment inside her closet.
The rooftop was clear as the makeshift team gathered. Night Thrasher was calm while Nova leaned on a wall, Silhouette stood near him, Rage pacing back and forth, and Vance tapping his foot impatiently. "How much longer we gonna wait?" Richie called out.
"Long as it takes," Night Thrasher responded as Silhouette stood nearby. "You're getting paid either way."
"Yeah, money's nice but also in this to figure out what your real game is." Richie glared at Thrasher. "And I find out it's not good, you and me…."
Whatever else he might have said was lost as a blast of fiery energy tore between the pair, burning a hole through one of the stone columns on the rooftop. They all jumped as their eyes turned to a woman floating in the air before them. The aura around her was much like her red hair, glowing brightly along with the mostly dark yellow suit she wore over her body with a red-tinted visor around her eyes like a mask, allowing them to see her eyes, which were as filled with fire as the rest of her.
"Who are you?" she snapped. "How did you know about me?'
Richie, Rage and Vance all leaned down to look at the hole in the column, seeing how it had burned through a solid ten feet of concrete with no problem at all. They then pointed at Thrasher to speak at once. "It was his idea!"
For his part, Thrasher just stood with his arms crossed, showing no fear of the floating and glowing woman. "We want you to join our team."
"And you think blackmail is a proper motivational tool?!" Angelica snapped.
'He ain't exactly a people person," Richie put in. Angelica glared at him with her eyes showing more glowing, making Richie take a step back.
Feeling a need to speak up, Vance stepped forward. "Listen, I just met the guy and I know he's...prickly. But he has some good ideas and the money to back them up. This could work."
Angelica shook her head. "I'm not that interested in being a hero."
"The outfit says otherwise."
"It's...complicated, okay?" She was about to say more when a whirring sound flowed closer. She looked to see another female figure fly toward them. She wore a skintight blue suit that flowed over her athletic form well. Her head was covered by a helmet with a clear visor, her long black hair flowing behind her. Her ankles and wrists held large fan-like apparatus that seemed to be driving her onward.
"Okay, pal!" she yelled as she hovered in the air. "Who are you and why..." She stopped as she took in the redhead and her eyes widened. "Angie?"
The woman blinked at her. "Um...no?"
"Oh, come on, Angelica, we've been friends since the third grade, I know who you are!"
Angelica's own eyes widened. "Wait...Mickey?!" She looked at the outfit. "How are you flying?"
"Me? How about you?"
"Are we missing something?" Vance whispered to Richie, who just shrugged.
A coughing sound got their attention, and they looked down to Thrasher. "We can discuss this more inside. Along with an idea on our first mission."
"Mission?" Angelica demanded as she landed with Mickey behind her. "I haven't even agreed to joining this...team!"
Thrasher was already walking back to the staircase leading down and despite her doubts, Angelica followed with Mickey right behind her. "You could have told me!" she hissed.
"Mutants aren't exactly popular," Angelica defended herself.
"Oh, come on, you know I'm no bigot!" Mickey retorted. "I'd never have judged you for that!" She waved at her outfit. "Now, your costume on the other hand, that I can judge on. I could have come up with something better!"
"Yeah, speaking of suits..."
"It's a long story..."
The Xavier Institute
Westchester, New York
The snapping of bubble gum echoed through the chamber in perfect unison. That it wasn't intentional was rather impressive and showed the unique connection between Jubilation Lee and Tabitha Smith. The former was lounging in one large chair, clad in her usual pink shirt and blue shorts with a long yellow coat, visored sunglasses perched on her head. The latter was in her own mix of bright colors (she enjoyed shifting her uniform nearly daily) that showed herself off with a similar pair of shades and a mop of blonde hair.
The pair watched the exercises before them in what was nicknamed "The Danger Room" of the X-Mansion. Flying through the air was Samuel Guthrie, his body clad in a purple suit designed for flying complete with goggles over his eyes. That helped him as the lower half of his body looked like it was on fire, rocketing him forward.
Below, Roberto DaCosta had transformed his body into what looked like black energy. The Brazilian-born mutant was wearing his own mostly red costume as he fired off blasts at Cannonball, who nimbly dodged them. Next to Sunspot, Juilo Richter was unleashing waves of seismic energy in the air, which Cannonball also dodged.
"Easy guys," Everett Thomas called out. Nicknamed Synch for his ability to copy the powers of other mutants, the handsome bald-headed black youth hung by the rear of the training area, wearing his usual red and orange uniform. "May be cutting it close, Sunspot."
"I'm fine!" Sam yelled out, his voice showing his upbringing in Kentucky. "Ya know I'm nigh-invulnerable when I'm blastin'!" He spun around, avoiding another blast from Sunspot as well as from Danielle Moonstar. The Native American woman was firing off a wave of neural arrows, clad in a uniform paying tribute to her heritage resembling a jerkin.
"Nice goin', bro!" Paige Guthrie called out as she stood by Jubilee and Boom Boom. The attractive blonde may not have been as outgoing as her brother, but she had her own attitude to spare. Her power to literally shed her skin may not have been the most appealing yet she made it work. She brushed back her hair as Rahne Sinclair stood with them, her short red hair framing her attractive face, clad in a mostly orange uniform. "He always need to go on about the blasting?" she asked in her thick Scottish brogue.
"Ah, ya get used to it," Boom Boom said as she sat up. "Still, always a way to test it..." She flexed her hand, creating a trio of balls of energy. Mentally counting down, Boom Boom threw the balls out, sending them flying at Cannonball. He saw them coming and cursed, twisting in the air just as they exploded, the shockwaves sending him off and knocking Rictor and Sunspot on their backs.
The others yelped as the shockwaves struck the various exercise equipment about like the artificial walls. They split apart with some walls crashing toward the other mutants. Rahne's body shifted and in moments transformed into a wolf as she dodged them. Next to her, Monet St. Croix let out a tired sigh and held up her arms. The dark-haired beauty easily caught the wall, grunting as she dug into her high-heeled boots. "If this scruffs my Lous Vitton outfit, you're paying for it!" the rather snobbish mutant called out. She placed the wall down as the shockwaves subsided.
A loud buzzing sound echoed throughout the room as Boom Boom blanched. "Ah, crud..." She glanced over to the side as the doors to the room opened, and a stern-looking Sean Cassidy entered, her eyes glaring under his shock of red hair. He marched forward, clad in his yellow and green outfit with the arms resembling wings of a sort. He crossed them as he fixed Tabitha with a hard glare. "Ye weren't supposed to take part yet," he said in his Irish brogue.
"Um...well...isn't the point to test us and our powers?" Tabitha defended herself. "So maybe, um, consider that a test?" She made a weak smile as Jubilee just shook her head to indicate this wasn't working.
Banshee fixed her with a hard glare. "Training is well and good, lass. But only when supervised." He waved to where Cannonball was landing. "Sam's blast field may protect him, but the shockwaves can still cause harm to others. Ye have to be careful how ye use them."
"Hey, I was using them okay before I came here!" Tabitha barked. "Same with Jubes!" She hiked a thumb at Jubilee, who flexed her own fingers, creating crackles of fireworks-like energy between them.
"Breaking open some ATMs is one thing," Sean said. "Using them in the field is something else." He looked to the others. "I know, it seems overwhelming. I've been there. First time I used me sonic scream, blew out half the windows on me street. It's why this school exists, to help ye use your powers wisely." He narrowed his eyes at Boom Boom. "Which means trying to follow some type of rules."
The clicking of heels caught everyone's attention long before their owner strode into the room. With a walk mixing a supermodel with a regal bearing, her hair was so blonde it was nearly white. That matched her outfit, a very alluring white suit with coat and bustier, complete with a cape drifting behind her. The beautiful face was marked by a mouth seemingly pulled into a permanent condescending smirk and eyes raking over the students before her.
"Now, now, rules are meant to be broken." Emma Frost fixed Tabitha with a smirk. "I rather like someone taking the initiative. I prefer it over just toeing the company line of Xavier's dream."
Sean glared at her. "Emma, I know the professor thinks you have a place here, and I trust his judgment. But you have to be aware that we have the future of these kids to think of." He narrowed his eyes. "Which means not turning them into...what would you call them...Hellions."
"Much better than this 'New Mutants' label," Emma replied. "I do agree some discipline is needed. And I am good at that." She paused and looked over to Jubilee and Boom Boom. "I can hear what you're thinking, you know."
"We know," the two said in unison. Rather than be upset, Emma just smirked again. "Well, I do hate to interrupt..."
"Since when?" Monet scoffed.
Emma pointed at her. "Just because you have your own attitude does not make us friends, dear."
"You'd think bitches would hang together more," Paige had to interject, ignoring the ugly looks both women gave her.
Emma looked to Banshee. "I'll be taking up teaching for the remainder of the day, Sean. It seems they need you to oversee some of the antics upstairs. At least until the professor returns from that little excursion to Africa."
He sighed. "Fine, fine." He set a look at the others. "Just try to keep any damage to a minimum?"
As he walked out, Emma faced them all with that smile that made a few feel very nervous. "So...let's move on to more advanced lessons...shall we?" The twinkle in her eyes added to the nervousness.
The Institute had some of the best security on the planet to hide how advanced it truly was. Given a few mutants had powers lending themselves to technology, stealth and other abilities to keep the school blocked off from the outside, hacking into their systems was a near impossibilty. The best SHIELD hackers had tried and failed miserably along with others.
Thus it would be impressive how every camera feed in the school (and a few cameras the inhabitants didn't know about) were showing clear views of the Danger Room as the students began a new wave of exercises. They were shown on multiple screens in a huge monitor room as computers more advanced than anyone could possibly imagine went through data on every one of the mutants, their powers and potential.
The figure sitting on the hovering chair observing it all, tapped a hand made of metal against his chin. One eye took it all in while the other glowed with cybernetic energy. His white hair offset a cragged face with his body clad in a military-styled suit notable for the large number of pouches it contained.
As he observed Cannonball rocketing forward to dodge more attacks, the man tapped his fingers on his head. "Guthrie...DaCosta...Smith...they're in," he rumbled in a gravely voice. "Not sure yet on the rest although Rictor and Sinclare have potential. I might need more...maverick figures. At least for what I have planned."
The computers kept recording his words as he studied these young mutants. "They have no idea what's coming. We don't need dreamers, we need soldiers. We need something different. We need a Force to stop the coming tide. And I need to figure which of them can survive it."
With that, the man the few in this time who were aware of his existence called Cable kept on with his private studies.
"This is an impressive system," Vance noted as he looked at the computer console in Night Thrasher's home. "What's the gig capacity?"
"More than you can imagine," Chord said as he worked at the keys. "Hey, Dwayne, I like this guy better than the one with the bucket on his head."
Richie smirked. "This 'bucket' has an onboard computer that puts this thing to shame." The smirk failed. "Too bad I can barely figure out how to get it to work and when I do, I can't understand most of it."
"Where'd you get it?" Angelica asked. Even if she was unsure of joining whatever group this was, she was curious as to her new colleagues.
Richie sighed. "There's this thing called the Nova Corps. Basically, space cops. They were attacked by that Thanos guy, almost totally wiped out. One of them barely escaped, crashed on Earth right before me taking a late night walk while trying to handle my screwed up life. He was dying and for reasons I can't explain, decided to give me the helmet and the power." He shrugged. "After that...well, guess trying to help folks made sense."
He looked over to Rage. "How about you? Spend a lot of time at the gym?"
"Not exactly." Rage crossed his arms. "You remember that weird 'terrigenesis' thing a while back? Got hit by one of those crystals, put me in a freaky cocoon. I break out, I'm ready for a pro wrestling career."
"Wow," Vance whispered. "Makes being a mutant being pretty normal."
Angelica looked to Mickey. "So...about the suit?"
Mickey scratched her head. "You know that weird uncle I kept talking about? Turns out for once, he invented something that actually worked. It's not a full-flight suit, but if I wanted to, I could fly to Paris and back."
"Nice," Angelica admitted. "I haven't really pushed myself in my own flight yet."
"Yet you have the suit."
"When my powers first started developing, I went to that Xavier place for a check. They let me have the suit to help regulate what I do."
"Which is fire?"
"Actually, microwave radiation."
Having been leaning not far from her, Rage jumped away a bit. "Whoa, you're radioactive?"
"No, no, I'm not," Angelica quickly assured him. "It's what the suit did, help me regulate until I could properly control it. A couple of the ladies there wanted to make it look fancier."
"And you didn't stay with them?" Vance asked in surprise.
Angelica shook her head. "I didn't want to get stuck attending Mutant High. They're good people, don't get me wrong but it just felt like less a school, more a way of...well, hiding a bit. Being around only mutants may sound better for some, but not for me. I wanted a normal life, didn't seem too much to ask."
"Pretty sure 'normal' goes out the window when you can fly," Richie inserted in a rare dose of wisdom.
Mickie looked over to Night Thrasher. "Like Angie, I don't like how you wanted to blackmail us into this but I'm willing to listen to you. Just know, I haven't gotten a lot of combat experience in this thing."
"We'll be working on that," Dwayne said as he saw Chord bring up some files. "Okay...there's a company on the West Side called Genetech."
"I've read about them," Vance mused. "They're into a lot of stuff like DNA splicing, integrating alien tech and such. They think it can be a benefit for hospitals and maybe even cure a few diseases."
"That's the company line," Dwayne said. "But the money being moved around looks shady, too many hidden accounts and restricted files. Plus, they put out a notice a while ago offering money for voluntary test subjects."
"And lemme guess," Rage grumbled. "None of them heard from again?"
"Not that I can tell," Dwayne confirmed. "So we need to check it out and-"
He was cut off by a loud flashing alarm with Chord hitting some keys. "Getting chatter on the police scanners...something happening in the Field Museum!" He looked at the report code and winced. "Code 696."
"A superhuman emergency?" They all looked at Vance, who shrugged. "I kinda keep up on these things."
"Genetech can wait," Night Thrasher said as he shut his mask. "Whatever is happening, we need to be there fast!"
"Hey, haven't even agreed to join!" Angelica snapped.
"You want to leave people in danger?" Angelica had to quiet at that. "We also need code names in the field."
"Got mine," Rage rumbled.
"Might as well stick to Nova," Richie said.
Vance bit his lip. "Um...Justice." He shrugged. "Better than others."
"Turbo," Mickey declared.
Angelica thought for a moment before nodding. "Firestar."
Dwayne nodded as he led them toward the roof. "Chord, get the chopper fired up!"
"On it," Chord said as he sipped his drink. "Just watch yourself, try not to get killed."
"Didn't know you cared so much, Chord."
"I have to. You die, I'll have to go back to merc work and you can't get this kinda exotic coffee in the bush."
Dawyne looked to Tai. "I know you'd prefer we'd be more prepared..."
The older woman thinned her lips. "A blade can only be sharpened so long until it dulls its edge."
He nodded as the group raced off, leaving Tai to watch them leave. As soon as she was sure she was alone, a smile came to her face. "So it begins..."
Twenty minutes earlier...
The Field Museum had been a mainstay in Chicago for over a century and practically a rite of passage for any high schooler or college field trip. While some teens could be interested in it, others in the large group were naturally rather bored as their teacher led them through the large Egyptian history wing of the museum.
"The latest arrival is something I'm sure you heard about in the newspapers," the teacher intoned. "A recently discovered pyramid buried for millennia in a region many thought had long been explored. It is unusual to make such a discovery today but also quite intriguing when they found the sarcophagus within."
She led the group over to a large casket on a special raised platform. "The Museum directors had to make some special deals to have us be the first museum in the world to show this off," she said, waving to the casket. "Found in the central chamber, it's speculated it belonged to a high royal of that time although some scholars are still debating the writings around it." She pointed to a nearby item which was in the shape of a classic ankh, made of solid gold with a set of bright gems in it. "This was near the casket and likely part of the burial ceremony."
"They didn't pop the lid?" asked one teen.
"Contrary to what you see in the movies, archeologists don't smash up anything they see," came a bright voice. It belonged to an attractive woman in her early twenties, her long blonde hair flowing in a ponytail from her strikingly beautiful face. She was wearing a nice blouse and jacket with slacks and a pearl necklace, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous spirit.
"That's right...I'm sorry, your name?"
"Nita Prentiss," the woman answered. "Ancient cultures is sort of a major interest of mine."
"I'll take current events more," said a teen popping a bubble of gum. He was a thin and somewhat lanky youth with blonde hair in somewhat baggy pants and a t-shirt. While he looked a bit brighter than his appearance might suggest, he still seemed rather bored by the trip. "Thought we'd see more cool Indiana Jones stuff here."
"It's not that type of trip, Robbie," his teacher chastised him. "Now, pay attention."
As the group moved around the casket, a man in an expensive Armani suit slowly paced through the area. He appeared to be in his late 40 or perhaps early 50s with dark Middle Eastern features, his slicked black hair framing his face, which was handsome in its own way but also marked by a hard aura. He was on the side of the dais containing the casket, studying the various signs on the guard ropes.
"So," the guide continued. "It's believed this artifact was buried alongside this noble, perhaps to mark their station and-"
"Wrong."
All eyes turned to the man, who was shaking his head at the various signs. "It's all wrong. The year, the location, the writings..." He looked up at the guide with a scowl. "Who did they use for the translation? Eperson? I can't believe that fool's books keep getting published."
It wasn't the first time the guide had to put up with a rude guest and she was well versed to keeping her calm. "Sir, please refrain from questions until after..."
"I have no questions, woman," the man snapped. "I have more answers than you could possibly conceive." He looked to the casket and the hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Ah, you almost got away with it, old enemy...Literally burying it for so long in a place you knew I would never wish to return to...I had to wait a long time to find this...but then, time I have in abundance."
He moved to step over the ropes and headed toward the ankh. "Sir!" the guide yelled. "Sir, you can't..." She moved to put a hand to his shoulder, only for him to shrug her away. As he did, his suit began to shift around him, becoming like classic Egyptian garb, a mix of purple and aqua-green with bracers around his wrists. His head was now covered by a cowl resembling a crown and his body seemed to grow more powerful. He marched to the ankh, grasping it and moving toward the sarcophagus.
"What the hell?" Robbie blurted as Nita raced to help the shaken guide. The transformed figure placed the ankh onto a slot upon the top of the casket as he threw a smirk at the guide. "All those scholars, all those studies...and no one realized this was a key, not a decoration?"
He twisted the symbol and then pushed the lid, which came loose in his hands. He lifted it over his head just as a trio of security guards burst into the area. With little effort, the man threw the lid at them, knocking all three back. He gazed at the mummified remains within the casket, what appeared to be a royal figure with a crown marked by a large red diamond-shaped gem. "At last," he whispered. "At last, after five thousand years….it's mine…"
He reached down and tore the gem from the corpse. He examined it before placing it upon his brow, fitting perfectly onto his mask. Instantly, the gem came alive with light and power, threads of energy flowing over the man's body. It seemed to grow in muscles and a few inches in height, his face becoming more craggy, almost like stone while impressive in power. He flexed his hands and sparks of energy flew between them.
"At least," he hissed, his voice carrying as much new power as his form did. "At long, long, last…the power is mine again! At last, I can unleash my full might!" He threw out his hands and let out a loud laugh. "At last, this world shall know the power…of the Sphinx!"
He threw up his hands as they exploded with blasts of red energy that sent everyone scattering in terror. He raked around with the blasts as they ran off, pushing and shoving toward the exit. All except Nita, who was pulling off her jacket. "Dammit," she muttered. "This was brand new, too."
She quickly moved to shuffle off her pants as she touched her bracelet. A shimmer flowed over her as her remaining clothing transmuted, a form-fitting green suit coming over her body, giving her freedom to move but also covering her with a mesh-like armor except for her bare feet, which were notable for feathered wings by her ankles.
With a hop, Nita flew through the air, the wings flapping as she extended her fists outward and hit the Sphinx dead on. She bounced off, wincing at the blow with the Sphinx just as startled by her appearance but recovering quickly. "So…an unexpected test of my new strength! I thank you, girl, for a challenge!" The gem shimmered before firing off a blast of energy that Nita barely managed to dodge.
The students and other visitors were racing out as the blonde-haired teen named Robbie broke away from the group. He looked back at the blasts of light and took in a deep breath. "Welp…you wanted excitement, Robbie Baldwin. Careful on wishes and all that."
He ran away from the main group, heading to the stairs. While others were rushing to get to the exits, Robbie ran up them, bounding to the upper levels of the Museum facing one of the side atriums. He paused, glancing around to make sure there was no one watching and a quick look for any cameras. Seeing no one, he grabbed the edge of the stairway, threw himself off it and plummeted to the hard concrete fifty feet below him.
He grit his teeth and got ready as he hit the ground hard. As soon as he did, a strange blast of energy surrounded him along with an aura about his body. Robbie's body transformed, now clad in what looked like a blue suit with yellowish gloves, boots and a belt around his waist. A mask of the same pattern covered his face with his blonde hair looking more pointed as it billowed around him. He literally bounced off the ground and into a wall, bouncing about more as his trail was followed by a wave of multicolored bubbles.
The Sphinx was punching at Nita, who grunted as she took the blow. He was about to hit again when a loud whooping sound came over him. Turning, the Sphinx stared in disbelief at the strange figure bouncing and ramming right into him, sending him flying back.
"All right, pal, no idea who you are," the figure said with an odd echoing to his voice. "But you're facing the worst fear of mothers across northern Illinois, the Masked Marvel himself…Speedball!"
The Sphinx was too utterly baffled at the strange figure coming at him to avoid Speedball bouncing to once again knock him back. He was off-balance when Nita flew at him, launching a hard punch to his face. He grunted at the blow before raising his hands, unleashing blasts of purple energy at them. "I have not lived and fought this long to be defeated by...children!"
"Now that hurts," Speedball said as he bounced off the wall and headed toward the Sphinx. The man grabbed the youth's leg and used his momentum to send him sailing through three solid walls and crashing into a display case. "Now...that hurt," Speedball grunted.
The Sphinx was turning toward Nita when a blast of fiery energy hit him from behind. He spun around to see Firestar flying toward him, unleashing another burst of microwave energy at him. The Sphinx grunted as he fell back while Nova rocketed forward and hit him with a trio of solid punches.
The Sphinx fell back as Night Thrasher, Rage, Turbo, Silhouette and Justice arrived on the scene. "Nova, back off!" Thrasher yelled. "Don't jump the gun!"
"Ah, just one guy!" Nova said as he punched the Sphinx again. "We can handle it!" Nita was with him, also punching the Sphinx hard. Nova looked at her and grinned. "Nice outfit."
Nita didn't return the smile. "Nice bucket."
"Nova."
"Call me Namorita."
"As in..."
"Yes but that can wait."
The Sphinx snarled as he moved back, raising his arms. "I have no patience for this...but I do see a way to test my newfound power!" He flexed his hands as tendrils of energy flowed around the Egyptian wing. They flowed over the various mummies, the showcases of weapons and a shaking came across the hallway.
"Uh oh," Justice whispered.
Several of the caskets began to glow and lids soon began flying off the coffins. From them emerged figures in armor with spears, swords and other weapons, looking little more than mummified corpses but still ready for battle. The Sphinx pointed at the group before him and barked out an order as they charged at the young heroes.
"Blue Blazes!" Nova gasped.
Namorita looked at him in confusion. "'Blue blazes?'"
"Old habit," Nova sheepishly explained. "My mom hated me cursing as a kid so fell into that." He flew ahead with Namorita quickly following to barrel into the pack of warriors.
Firestar flew behind them, letting out a blast of fire at one of the mummified warriors. It burned much of the figure yet it kept coming closer. Another wave of energy from the Sphinx and it seemed the warriors managed to split apart and multiply, many moving out of the wing to the main museum. Turbo sent out bursts of wind at some of the warriors to try and push them away.
The Sphinx was smiling as he turned in time to take a double punch from Nova and Namorita. It sent him flying through the ceiling, smashing into the upper level. "Nice one, babe!" Nova grinned.
"Okay, who are you and why are you risking suicide by calling me 'babe?'" Namorita asked as she flew upward, Nova right on her heels.
Speedball was back on his feet, looking to Justice and Firestar. "Just me or anyone else think this is kinda cool?" Two dubious faces answered him. "Okay, just me." Rage charged into the fray, his fists easily knocking some of the mummies down but more kept coming at them. Speedball took another run and jump to start bouncing around again while Justice and Firestar exchanged confused looks before getting into the fray.
The heroes were in the middle level of the museum as more of the warrior mummies were pouring out of the halls to stalk the terrified museum guests. Justice concentrated, creating a wall of blueish energy to keep them away. "I'll try to hold it as long as I can!"
"Keep at it," Night Thrasher said as he reached to his back. "I'll take it to the source." He pulled off an attachment that looked like a solid shield of some type. He tossed it down on the ground and leapt onto it as the wheels on the device flowed over the marble floor.
Rage stared in complete disbelief. "He...He's riding...a skateboard."
"Yeah, see it too," Nova dully said. "Wow."
Thrasher ignored the pair, skating along the floor, expertly jumping over some debris as he raced around the various mummies like they were the immobile statues they'd once been. He raced up to one, flipping the board into its face. He caught it in mid-air, thumbing a switch as a solid razor blade erupted from one end. With one stroke, Thrasher beheaded the mummy. Another attacked with its sword and Thrasher held up the board as a shield to block the blow. He clenched his fist, the sharp blade popping out and stabbing the mummy in the eye, throat and chest before kicking it away.
"That's...actually pretty good," Nova had to admit.
Namorita looked at him. "Friend of yours?"
"Just met actually." He smiled. "Now, you and me..." Rolling her eyes, Namorita flew back into the battle as she and Nova tore through the mummies. The Sphinx let out a blast from his gem that caught Namorita, sending her flying into a nearby display case. A trio of the mummy warriors lunged at her with Namorita trying to dodge their blows. Another blast came at her, igniting a nearby set of curtains. Within seconds, the fire suppression system had activated, pouring water into the chamber.
Namorita closed her eyes, taking in the water as if she were inhaling it, her muscles flexing. She opened her eyes as she broke into a huge grin. "Oh...Oh, that was so the wrong thing to do." She flew again, literally smashing through one of the mummies to charge at the Sphinx with a trio of sharp punches.
"Damn," Nova murmured as he followed her lead. "Sure not doing anything later?"
"I am. Just not with you."
"I swear, I used to be better at this..."
Sil was moving about, seeming to melt in and out of the shadows to strike at the warriors. For someone on crutches, she moved exceptionally well, easily flipping over an attack with a sword to strike with one of her canes. The flip of a button unleashed a blast of electricity that sent one of the revived figures down. Silhouette was already flowing back into the shadows as the fight went on.
The Sphinx glared at the young heroes with Rage crushing two of his mummy warriors together. "I have lived over five millennia...and I will not be distracted by you striplings!"
"Striplings?" Rage scoffed. "Geez, dude, what's next, gonna call us whippersnappers!" He punched another mummy down. "And I thought my granny was old-fashioned!"
Speedball was bouncing about, smacking into mummies like tenpins and whistling as he went. Justice saw him pass by and called out "Is that a kinetic field around you?"
"Your guess as good as mine!" Speedball yelled back. "This didn't come with instructions!"
"Okay...then maybe...if it gets built up..." Justice concentrated and Speedball yelped as he found himself encircled by psychic energy. It formed a tight bubble around him as he bounced around. Justice grit his teeth, trying to keep the bubble as strong as he could, ignoring Speedball yelling out as the multi-colored bubbles multiplied and completely obscured him. Justice could feel the pressure building, larger and larger as he shaped the bubble to look like a cone aimed at the Sphinx.
He finally released one end of it as an eruption of bubbled kinetic energy flowed out and hit the Sphinx full on. He yelled in pain as he was sent flying off, crashing through a wall and to the outside of the Museum, almost to the edge of Lake Michigan.
Both Speedball and Justice slumped, moaning in pain. "Don't...do that...again...please..." Speedball pleaded.
"Don't think...I could..." Justice replied, wiping blood from his nose. "Did it...work?"
With a roar of pain and outrage, the Sphinx rose up, her gem glowing as his body bristled with power, screaming in an ancient tongue.
"Depends..." Speedball gasped. "If your plan was to piss him off even more, then, yeah, worked perfectly."
Night Thrasher was still rolling around the halls, including sliding the skateboard down the railing of a stairway as he sliced the heads off of two mummies. "Getting the Sphinx is key!" he yelled. "Keep him off his feet!"
"Maybe we can wear him out?" Justice suggested as he saw the man furrow his brow and the gem unleashed a blast of purple energy at Nova. The youth grunted as it hit him, feeling it affecting the force field around him as he tried to fight back. The Sphinx glowered as he unleashed more power from the gem. "You are…strong…young one…but not…strong enough…"
"Tough talk…stone face…" Nova snarled as he kept coming forward.
"Fall…fall…damn you, why will you not fall?!" the Sphinx snarled as Nova pushed ahead.
"Too bad for you….I'm…too dumb…to quit!" Nova kept on going as the Sphinx's snarls grew louder, pouring out more energy from the gem. Nova seemed to take it in, the purple light mixing with the force field around him. Richard grit his teeth as he felt something build in him. He threw his arms out as a massive burst of energy erupted outward, smashing into the Sphinx and knocking him further away, crashing into the ground so hard it broke open his lip and cut his nose.
"Suffering Shad!" Namorita gasped. "What was that?"
Nova panted for breath yet still managed to crane his head at her. "'Suffering Shad?'"
"Old habit."
The Sphinx was rising up to his feet as he saw the group forming before him, Night Thrasher in the lead, riding his skateboard. He leaped off it as the Sphinx was rising, the blade extending from his gauntlet. He slammed it right into the gem in the Sphinx's forehead, the man screaming out as the gem cracked. Justice concentrated on using his telekinesis to pull Thrasher back. He then allowed a blueish field to form before the group just as an explosive burst of pure power erupted from the gem.
It took a few moments for their eyes to clear, seeing the Sphinx kneeling on the ground. He still looked powerful but also drained somehow, panting for breath. The gem still rested on his head only with visible cracks that appeared to have cost him some of his power. He took in the group of youths before him, weighing his options. To lose to children was, at best, insulting but this battle was already taking too much out of him. He had more important matters at hand.
"This...day...I will yield to you, youths." His eyes narrowed. "But mark my words and mark them well...You will fall to me, as will this world."
"Ooooh, wow," Speedball intoned. "It's my first 'beware me, I will conquer' speech! I really am a superhero now!"
"Yeah, yeah, talk it up," Nova said, doing his best not to let on just how exhausted he truly was. "Just like the losing side in a ball game going on about how close they were to winning."
The Sphinx snorted. "You think...I'm the only threat...on the horizon? The one I seek...the one I am fated to face...he will do far, far worse to you all." He spoke something in an odd language. Glancing to Nova, the Sphinx almost seemed to show some respect despite the threatening tone in his voice. "You are the first to draw blood from me in countless centuries, whelp. I shall enjoy grinding you into the dust."
"Bring it on, stone-face!"
The Sphinx smiled. "Another time...when my power is greater...for now, know that you may have the fire of youth on your side...But it will not be enough to quench the ancient tide that is coming."
With that, he drew himself up before leaping upward, sailing through the air at speeds Turbo and Firestar couldn't match. He was soon gone, leaving the young fighters to gaze at each other as police and emergency service sirens echoed from the nearby museum. "Sooooo..." Speedball spoke up. "Anyone up for pizza?"
Night Thrasher winced as she slid off his mask and rubbed at his chest. "Damn...that hit harder than I expected." He sat back on the couch in his penthouse with Sil at his side. The rest of the group were hanging around, taking slices of the pizzas that had been ordered with some sodas and other drinks.
"At least it held up," Chord said as he examined the armor. "Good thing you could afford the best."
"Speaking of afford, remind me to send the Field a big check to help repair work."
"Easy to do when you're on the board of trustees," Chord pointed out.
"That was an experience," Speedball mused as he lounged on a nearby sofa. "One part of me never wants to do again and another part does."
Namorita popped open a can of beer from the nearby fridge to down it. "Gotta say, that was invigorating. I don't get a chance to cut loose like that."
"I can tell," Nova said as he had his helmet off to study Nita, for obvious reasons. "So, what's your story?"
"She's from Atlantis." At the surprised looks he got, Vance shrugged. "It just makes sense. The strength and flight are like that Namor guy and gets stronger with water."
"I thought you guys were...well...blue and couldn't breathe out of water," Turbo carefully said.
"Most of us from Talokan can't," Namorita answered. "And yeah, that's what we still call it, Atlantis was something from your myths that stuck." She sipped her drink again. "Me, I was born a hybrid like Namor. Why folks sort of combined our names."
"Any relation?"
"My cousin," Namorita confirmed. "I got more infatuated with the surface world as I grew up and decided to give life up here a try." She brushed at her blonde hair. "College life may seem dull to most, but I like it. At least until today..."
Turbo looked over at Speedball. "How about you?"
"The good old fashioned wrong place, wrong time during a lab accident," the youth answered. "Gave me connection to some weird kinetic field, the bouncing and pretty hard to hit and hurt." He grinned. "This was fun though! Toughest guy I ever fought before was someone calling himself the Sticker!"
"I think we did pretty well," Justice said as he watched the large TV screen which was showing footage of the battle with the team in focus. "Considering we never worked together before, we gelled wonderfully." He smiled at Firestar. "Thanks for the save back there."
"Same to you," Angelica said. Behind her, Mickey had a smirk on her face. Angelica looked over toward Night Thrasher. "I still don't like how you called me out...but you may be right that folks like us, with our powers...that we can do more to help the world."
"I'm for it," Namorita announced. "Guess my cousin's old heroism is genetic too."
"I can go for it," Rage said. "Long as we don't forget helping the common folk."
"We won't," Night Thrasher replied as he stood up. "I'm not looking to fight super-villains or the mob. I want to help the ones the cops ignore, the ones the press overlooks, the ones on the streets struggling."
Nova snorted. "Dude...look where you live." He waved a hand around the palatial penthouse and high-tech nerve center. "I have a better claim to 'the overlooked masses' than you do."
"Bucket-head's got a point," Rage agreed. "Just cause we share the same skin color doesn't make you and me the same."
Instead of being upset, Dwayne just nodded. "I know. That's why I want you both on this team, to balance things out. I want you to listen to me, I want to be in command but I don't want just yes-men or women." He looked over them all. "I think we can do this. I think we can really make a difference in this city, maybe even wider. As long as any of you are in."
"I'm in," Vance instantly spoke up.
"Ditto," Turbo added. She looked at Angelica, who mused over it before nodding.
"We still get paid?" Nova asked.
Dwayne sighed. "Yes."
"Why not?"
"I'm good," Speedball called out. "As long as it doesn't get too crazy on weeknights. My parents are on me already for grades."
Night Thrasher nodded. "Good...now all we need is the right name..."
"I think we may have it." Vance rewound the TV feed and turned up the volume. The group gathered around the screen as their battle unfolded with a local newscaster speaking. "These amazing bold new warriors have burst on the scene to take on this threat and..."
"The New Warriors..." Dwayne repeated. His lips turned upward. "I like it." He turned and extended his hand. Vance put his own on top, followed by Angelica, then Rage and the rest.
"Is someone getting a camera?" Speedball asked. "This really seems like something worth keeping for history."
Night had fallen in Jackson Parks as Rage made his way to the small house at the end of the block. He checked under the mat for the key and used it to open the rear door into the small kitchen area. He took in the area before heading to the refrigerator, opening it and, as he expected, seeing a chicken casserole wrapped up and ready. He was taking it out when the lights to the kitchen clicked on. Turning, Rage saw an elderly woman in her 60s in a dark robe glaring at him. "There you are!" she said, her eyes narrowing behind her glasses, her white hair doing little to hide how angry she was.
"Hey, Granny," Rage said, turning to put the meal in the microwave and started heating it up.
"Don't you 'hey, granny' me, Elvin Haliday!" Edna Staples snapped. "What were you doing getting in some fight on television? And what are you wearing? You look like a damn hoodlum!"
Rage sighed as he pulled off his mask to reveal his handsome features. "It's my super-hero costume, Granny. I was trying to help fight that Sphinx guy. And I made some friends, like you keep telling me I should do."
"I meant friends your own age, Elvin."
Elvin snorted. "Case you missed it, Granny, aint' like I can go back to junior high right now."
"Don't you be sassing me, boy!" Edna snapped as she marched to him. "You may have gotten a growth spurt a little early, but you're still 14 years old! Don't think I won't try putting you over my knee, even if I break half my body doing it!"
Elvin rubbed at his face. "I'm sorry, Granny. It's just...since the change...I've felt like I don't belong anywhere. I'm too young for college, too old for much else kids do." He looked at her with a heartfelt expression. "Maybe these guys can help that."
Edna's anger faded as she reached up to brush at the cheek of the man who, just a few months earlier, had been her little grandson. "Your daddy would be proud," she softly intoned. She gave him a smack on the head. "That don't mean I like your outfit!"
"I'll work on it, okay?" He got the meal ready to sit and Edna had to shake her head at how much of a little kid he remained.
Firestar, Turbo and Justice flew across the cityscape together, heading back toward the suburbs. "You live far off?" Angelica called out.
"Not too far," Vance answered. "My mom should be home soon."
"Just her?"
"Yeah, she and my dad…" Vance's face darkened. "Let's just say, it was a bad divorce."
"Problems between them?"
"Not so much them. My dad wasn't happy to find out he had a 'mutie' for a son. It got…ugly." It was obvious there was much more to the story but Angelica didn't want to press it. She knew how Vance felt as she fretted about telling her father about her gifts. She knew he loved her but she'd read more than enough horror stories from mutants who came out to their supposedly open-minded parents and within hours were on the streets.
"At least Speedball looks like he's getting into this," Turbo noted. "Just let him bounce back home on his own and out of our hair."
Vance looked to the two girls and smiled. "I guess talk to you later. I'm looking forward to working with you both."
"Same here," Angelica said as Vance flew off. She felt eyes on her and turned to see Turbo smirking behind her mask. "What?"
"Oh I bet you're looking forward to it…"
Angelica rolled her eyes. "I just met him, Mickey."
"I'm just saying, he seems nice, superpowers, smart and could be something..."
"I can't believe we're friends sometimes."
"You love it and you know it." Mickey grinned at her. "Now...seeing as we both share something in common...let's see how fast you can fly, Firestar." She kicked her armor's jets into high gear to take off. With a smirk, Angelica quickly flew to follow her.
It was no surprise to Sil to find Dwayne at the computer, going through data from the battle. It was from news feeds as well as the sensors on his suit. She limped on her crutches, now in light slacks and a t-shirt as she moved behind him. "You can relax now and then, Dwayne."
"Still figuring things out," he intoned, tapping some keys. One screen had a recording of the Sphinx's last words. "Trying to access translator systems and figure out what he was saying. Problem is, if the guy's as old as he claimed, it's a form of Egyptian not spoken in millennia."
Sil stood behind him, looking him over. "You really think we can do this?"
He looked back. "I do. They're raw, but the potential is there."
"I know you wanted more of a family feel..."
"I did," Dwayne admitted. "But maybe friends can be better." He shrugged. "Problem for another day. We still have a lot of work to do in training and getting to know each other better."
"Will that go for sharing more about yourself?" Sil leaned in. "Like the real reason you do this?"
Dwayne's face darkened. "When the time is right...maybe. For now, I need them focused."
"Keeping secrets always backfires, Dwayne. I know that personally." She nodded at her limp legs. Dwayne winced as if remembering some sort of trauma he tried to brush past. "I know...But just need to focus now, Sil."
"How about focus on some rest?" Sil extended a hand. "Come on, a good night's sleep does you well."
He chuckled. "We didn't do that much sleeping, if you recall."
She smiled back. "No but I could always talk you into a good nap."
Dwayne smiled and rose up as Sil led him off and the computer continued its work. After a few moments, Tai moved from the shadows and headed to the computer. She watched it as the program completed and the translation appeared. She took it in with a deep frown before waving a hand. Without being touched, the computer keys clicked and commands were made to erase the record and simply respond "translation incompatible."
She let that thin smile come to her face as she turned to walk away, leaving behind the computer screen flashing the translated message just before it was erased from the system.
"Apocalypse is coming."
So this was longer than I planned, but it felt fun to get out.
For the Chicago setting, I wanted to get away from New York like an MCU show would and give the Windy City its own heroes. Also working in more of bits like Namorita and others.
Not much for "fan castings" as I'd imagine going for "unknowns" as the Warriors. However, for the Sphinx, imagine living legend of Egyptian acting Khaled El Nabawy in the part.
So the ending obviously leaves more up in the air so hope enjoy.