"Family Matters"
by
Aaron Storck
|
Bell St.
"Ess-Eff-Ays?" Dane Casey asked, lucky to get a word in. He paused to check the number of the space he was parked in before running his credit card through the meter. He retrieved the ticket and put it on the dashboard of his UNCLE-issued sedan while Stacy slung a duffle over her shoulder and closed the trunk. "Security Field Agents," Stacy explained briefly before continuing. "I was SURE that The Sarge was just putting on a show for me. I mean we were in the gym at 0600 doing a light workout and weight training for two hours. After the morning brief over breakfast, anyone not assigned for the day was on the shooting range for an hour. Then we were back in the gym for hand to hand training for a couple hours before all of the capes arrived...." "Capes? Oh you mean..." "Yeah, Grav and Triphammer and the rest of them. Those guys do a full morning of 'Rough and Tumble'. That's what Triphammer calls the 'Advanced Abilities Training'," Stacy added, anticipating the young UNCLE captain's next question. "Then for an hour or so, the capes and the SFA units break into teams and train together. Sometimes they mix the teams; sometimes they put the capes against the agents. They play strategy games like capture the flag on occasion, but mostly it's teamwork training aimed at tailoring combat situations to each of the different mixes of capes and agents. Stacy paused at the elevator while Casey pushed the "up" button, all the while continuing the narrative she had began in the car upon arrival at Sea-Tac International Airport. "The lunchtime brief is usually a specialty brief. Mostly its operational stuff, like assignment schedules, or notifications of new PDA updates. Sometimes it's a tech briefing, or a Q & A with LAPD or the Bureau. One time this guy "Matt Something" came down to talk about the company's new 401K manager. That was boring." As if on cue, the elevator arrived in the lobby. The pair entered and Dane pressed the button for the third floor. "After the lunch brief, the agents have an hour or so of desk time, but unless they're clarifying After-Action Reports, it's mostly catching up on correspondence or surfing the web. "ONLY an hour of paperwork? I wish I had it so easy." Stacy smiled at her boyfriend and continued, "I think the best part of the day is when they run protection scenarios in the afternoon. That's when they simulate an attack on a client and the team has to respond. Sometimes the capes are the protective detail and the SFAs are the threat. Sometimes it's the opposite or a mix of assets depending on what The Sarge, Tracker or Mrs. Price want to do. One of them will brief both sides, establish the scenario and setting, and the objective. Then each team breaks off and plots strategy to obtain their objectives. The assault team will usually take its plans from existing intelligence about the particular threat they’re role-playing. "For the first few days I got to play the part of the principal, which was a great chance to watch the teams in action. It was really impressive. After that, I took part in an attacking force," Stacy said enthusiastically with a huge grin on her face. "I got to play a covert Mandate operative in the client's entourage and shoot Triphammer in the back. Of course, it was just a stunner, but it was strong enough to put him down for a few minutes. "Then The Voice put his whammy on me and I ended up sitting in the corner braiding my hair," she added in a much lower tone, her cheeks slightly flushed by embarrassment. Dane got a good chuckle as he visualized his girlfriend sitting on the floor of the Armor Security gymnasium playing with her beautiful long dark hair while men and women fought each other all around her. It was then, looking into her deep brown eyes, that he realized just how much he had missed her over the past six weeks while she was in Los Angeles doing research for her Master's Thesis. The doors to the elevator parted and Stacy's slight, embarrassed smile erupted into a full-blown grin as she continued recounting her adventures with Armor. "After the protection scenarios, we all reconvene in the classroom and review what happened. They have this really great policy of sitting next to people that were on the opposite team in the scenario so that everyone remembers that they’re on the same side and that there are no hard feelings." Stacy paused outside the elevator and continued with a low whisper, "That rule was put into place after Holly and Triphammer really got into it one afternoon. Tracker actually tried to make them sit next to each other and hold hands until he realized that they were trying to outmuscle each other. Then he made them hug each other for five minutes during which they could only say nice things about each other. "I heard that Triphammer told Holly that she had a great ass, to which Holly responded that coming from an ass like him that it meant a lot. Apparently they both cracked up laughing and called a truce." "I'd have paid a week's salary to have seen that," Dane Casey said as he and Stacy continued down the hall for a few feet and stopped in front of the door to Loft 308, Holly Wood's home. "From what I was told they were always at each other's throats. Not that they didn't like each other, they just tried to show the other one up all the time. One of the SFAs, Annie Pierce, said that it was SOP for Dyna Girl and Triphammer to try and outdo each other. SOP stands for... MMMMMMMMMMMFFFFFF..." Dane Casey grabbed his girlfriend and kissed her deeply on the lips, cutting her off in mid-definition. Stacy's surprise turned into warm affection and she kissed him back, dropping her duffle on the floor and wrapping her arms around the blonde UNCLE captain. After a few moments had passed, Dane let her go and smiled, "Standard Operating Procedure. I know what SOP stands for, hun." Stacy cooed and pressed her cheek into Casey's broad chest, holding him tightly. "I missed you, you know?" "I couldn't tell from the way you went on and on about Armor," he said, not able to resist a little jab at his lover. Looking up from the embrace, the brunette pulled back slightly, "Well then maybe I'll just have to show you just how much later tonight." Stacy released him and threw the duffle back over her shoulder, "Dinner. Seven o'clock. My place. "Don't be late," Stacy warned as she gently gripped the man's chiseled jaw, "or I'll have to demonstrate all of the Armor combat training I got on your desk-riding butt." "Desk-riding??" Dane replied with feigned injury to the remark. "Wow. I go from kick-ass agent of 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' to 'Desk-riding rear-echelon pencil-pusher' in six weeks, all because you learned a little kung fu. Well, maybe we'll just have to see whose kung fu is the best." "Just don't be late," Stacy got up on her tiptoes slightly and kissed Dane quickly but squarely on the lips, "and I won't have to embarrass you." Casey ignored the comment and reached out to knock firmly on the door. He heard raised voices inside, followed by footsteps rapidly approaching the door. Ken Hollenbeck yanked open the door, with a frenzied look in his eyes, "Maybe you two can talk some sense into her. God knows she won't listen to me." He stepped aside to allow Stacy and Dane inside and closed the door behind the pair. Turning to look upstairs toward the bedroom, Ken raised his voice a bit more than was necessary, "Hey Dyna Dope, Stacy and Dane are here." Holly's voice called down from upstairs, "Put a sock in it, Hollenbeck, I'm on the phone. I'll be down in a minute." Ken walked over to the couch and sat on the edge of the back. "There's beer and soda in the fridge if you guys want. I stocked up because I thought I'd be HANGING OUT HERE TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY THAT JUST HAD AN APPENDECTOMY AND SHOULD BE GETTING SOME REST!" Ken said, excessively raising his voice again to emphasize his point. Pausing a moment and looking over at Stacy still standing in the kitchen / entryway, Ken walked over to her and gave her a brief hug. "I forgot to say 'welcome home.' Sorry, Stace." He offered his hand to the other man, who grasped it. "Hi, Dane." The three heard Dyna Girl's voice drifting down the stairs, drawing closer. "... hope to make it to the museum as soon as possible, okay Dad? I'm really looking forward to meeting her." Holly Wood became silent and listened to the phone she had in her hand. Her three visitors noticed that she was walking very slowly and carefully down the stairs. "Oh Dad, stop it! You’re as bad as Ken. I'll be fine. I'll call you later." A pause. "I love you too." She closed the clamshell of her phone and smiled at the two new arrivals. "Hey, you!" Holly put her arms around Stacy briefly. "Welcome home! Dad's been a wreck at work without you, though he'll never admit it, of course." "Thanks," Stacy hugged her friend back very gingerly, noticing her wince even at the slightest pressure. "Sorry." "It's okay," Dyna Girl said, releasing her and then sitting at the spot on the back of the couch that Ken had vacated previously. "So, how was Armor?" "Oh my God, Holly, I had the best time! I got a lot of research done for my thesis AND I got to shoot Triphammer." Barely suppressing a laugh, Holly Wood smiled (and winced slightly), "I can't wait to hear ALL about it." "Oh, I have your uniforms and equipment in that duffle bag," Stacy said, indicating the bag on the floor next to the door. "Thanks for letting me use them. It was like playing dress up with guns. Oh! I almost forgot. There's some stuff in there from Grav and M*ber and everyone. They all said to say that as soon as you’re up to it, they'd love for you to visit." "Speaking of uniforms," Dane interrupted, "why are you in your Dyna Girl outfit?" "Because she's stubborn," Ken blurted out. "Zip it!" Holly retorted, and then turned back to Dane Casey with a smile. "I'm going out to Marymoor Park this afternoon for the Northwest Young Women's Expo." "Is it really a good idea, Holly? I mean you just underwent surgery," Stacy noted. "A very difficult surgery," Dane added. "Nightsable told me that Reed Richards had to provide some kind of laser to cut through your bulletproof skin for the so that the doctor could operate." Dyna Girl wore her best poker face. At least the cover story is circulating. The "doctor" Dane Casey referred to was actually Doctor Stephen Strange - Surgeon and Master of the Mystical Arts, and husband of one of Forte's founders, The Mist. In actuality, Strange had used his arcane powers to suppress Holly's near-invulnerability in order for him to operate. The surgeon revealed that while Dyna Girl's recovery would still be faster than a normal person's, it would take longer than originally anticipated because he would have to leave the magics limiting her physical resistance in place in order for healing to occur properly. Doctors Richards and Strange, old friends for many years, had concocted the story so that it wouldn't get out Stephen Strange was more than a talented surgeon, and to hide the fact that Dyna Girl was not up to snuff. It wasn't that Dyna Girl didn't trust Dane or Stacy or Ken or any of her other non-Forte friends for that matter. It was simply a fact that it wasn't just her secret she was protecting. Plus, even at UNCLE, the walls had ears. "Look, it's my decision, OKAY?!?" The exasperated heroine raised her voice a bit more than she had intended. "We're not trying to gang up on you, Holly," Stacy promised. "We just care about you." "I know Stacy. It's just that it's really important to these girls. If Nightsable was in town, I'd have her go, but she's not available right now. And Tinker...well... it's just not her kind of thing. All I'm going to do is go out on stage and talk to the crowd a bit and come right home." "That's not all, and you know it." Ken stood, arms crossed, glaring. "What about the 'Feats of Strength?'" "Oh okay, I'm going to lift something too. Big deal. I won't even exert myself." "But you COULD pull open the stitches," Dane said with a look of concern. "Hey, Holly, why can't I stand in for you?" Stacy asked. "I could borrow one of your costumes and pin my hair back. With your sunglasses on and at a distance, I can't see how anyone could tell the difference." She smiled, "I could be Dyna Girl for a day." Ken looked at Stacy. "That makes sense." Dyna Girl shook her head, "It won't work." "Why not, Holly?" Dane asked. "For one, Stacy is about half a foot taller than me..." "Which no one will notice at any distance," Ken countered. "Secondly, Stacy isn't going to be able to fly or lift the weight that I can." "Yes I can," Stacy said confidently. "I'll get a hold of Grav. He can lower me onto the stage and make it look as though I'm lifting that weight." "Look Stacy, I appreciate the concern," Holly said genuinely. "but I'll be okay. Really." She paused a moment to look at each one of her three good friends. "Don't worry, you guys," she added with a reassuring smile. "At the very least, let me give you a ride," Dane offered. "You shouldn't have to fly all the way out over Lake Washington and exert yourself." "That's sweet Dane, really, but I'm supposed to meet Dad and an old friend of his for dinner afterwards and I'm going to be pressed for time as it is." "Perfect!" Stacy said, hooking her arm through Dyna Girl's. "Dane and I will take you out to the expo and then drive you over to the museum afterwards so you can meet your dad. I have some things to drop off anyway. You can leave your dinner clothes in the car, that way you won't have to come home." "But..." the heroine started, but looked at the resolute faces of her assembled friends and sighed in resignation. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" "Nope," Ken answered for the trio. "C'mon, Holly, let's go upstairs and get your clothes together," Stacy ordered, leading her friend toward the stairwell. ************ Marymoor Park
From backstage, Dyna Girl peered through the curtains. She was briefly mesmerized by an ongoing game of Frizbee when a strangely familiar voice behind her broke her reverie. "It's some turnout, huh?" Turning to face the voice, Holly immediately broke into a broad smile, "I didn't know you were going to be here." Sabrina Knight-Parker returned the smile. The slender blonde wore a sharp looking business suit with a modest skirt and her long blonde hair was pulled up on top. "I'm here to represent the 'softer side' of Questar," she replied, her pale blue eyes twinkling behind stylish glasses, "but I didn't expect you to be here after... well... you know." "Like you said, 'some turnout.' And I hate to disappoint them. After all, I made a promise." The former Forte heroine known as Knightsabre paused a moment until a passing event organizer was out of earshot. With a glance over her shoulder, she leaned in close and lowered her voice, "Well, for what it's worth, I'm proud of you, Holly." "Thanks, Sabrina. It means a lot coming from you. It really does." Smoothing her skirt, the Questar scientist took half a step back and extended her hand. "I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say, Dyna Girl," she spoke at a normal volume extending her hand. "I've got to get back to the booth." "Thank you, Dr. Parker. It was nice to see you again," Dyna Girl said with a wink, returning the handshake. "I'm so glad you could be here today." Dyna Girl released the woman's hand after a moment and watched as she turned to walk away. Sam's lucky to have TWO of them, she thought with a slight smile on her face. "Hey, Dyna Girl!" Turning at the sound of the voice, Holly saw Dane and Stacy approaching with another woman in tow. Dyna Girl recognized her after a moment and waved at the three. "Hey there!" It was Casey who stepped forward to make the introductions. "Dyna Girl, I don't think you've met Shari Hawkes, have you? We met her parking the car. Shari..." Hawkes stepped forward and extended a hand toward Dyna Girl. "Hi. I'm a big fan," the woman admitted. "I'm a bigger fan of yours, I'll bet," Holly said honestly as she took the other woman's hand for a moment. At almost five foot-eleven, she was a bit taller than Stacy and not quite as tall as Dane, but she radiated a certain energy that made her bigger than life. "Last year's Most Valuable Player. Averaging nine-point-one rebounds and about sixteen points per game. Winner of two Final Fours for Stanford, and Team Captain for the Seattle Storm." The tall woman blushed slightly, but Dyna Girl continued, "AND the secret crush of a certain good-looking Latino friend of mine." Holly saw Dane and Stacy smile at her last comment. They both knew that she had continually needled Grav since moving back to Seattle that she would arrange for him and Hawkes to meet, but Grav had always come up with (rather lame, in Holly's mind) excuses. "Well, tell your friend to grow a spine and call me," Shari laughed. "I'll do that. By the way, it is really great of you to take time out of your schedule and show up." "I just wish I had more time." Dyna Girl smiled. "I know the feeling." Suddenly, a woman wearing a headset mic came running up to the group, "Okay, you’re going to be on in a few minutes." She stopped to look over at Dane and Stacy who she obviously didn't recognize. "Um... are you supposed to be here?" Casey stepped forward and produced his UNCLE identification and badge. "Captain Dane Casey. UNCLE. This is Stacy McKone of the Forte Museum," he said with a nod to his companion. "She's here to document the event. Is that okay?" "Whatever," the harried woman said. "Just stay out of the way." The event staffer dashed off leaving the four alone. "So," Shari said with a smile, "how do you want to do this?" ************ The Forte Museum
Wally Wood, formerly known as the hero Electro Man, currently the Curator of the Forte Museum and Chair of the Forte Foundation, pushed past the four stacks of papers before him, leaned forward and clicked the switch on the intercom. "Thank you, Donna. I'll be out in just a moment." Stacy will be back in less than twenty-four hours. You can make it, he encouraged himself. The barrel-chested man stood and opened the closet next to his office door revealing a full-length mirror. He gave himself a cursory inspection and straightened his tie. How long had it been? Seven years? That's about right... since just after the funeral. Adjusting the lightning bolt-shaped lapel pin on his jacket, a gift from Dr. Jackal when he took the job at the museum, he closed the closet door and stepped out into the administrative reception area. Ann Bailey turned at the sound of the opening door and smiled as she saw her friend emerge from his office. "Wally!" "Hello, Ann. It's wonderful to see you." Electro Man returned the smile and extended his hand. "Give me a hug," the woman demanded, pushing past the offered hand. Acquiescing, Wally Wood embraced his friend and former teammate. "It's been too long, old friend." "Who are you calling old?" the slightly graying black woman demanded, pushing the large man away. Then with a chuckle, she gave him a brief peck on the lips. "I guess you are talking about me." "About both of us, I'm afraid," Wally admitted, taking her hands in his. "Time flies..." "Yes it does. "How have you been? How's Holly?" the woman asked. "We are both doing fine," Wally responded, taking a brief look around the administrative reception area. "Didn't Jessica make the trip? I was looking forward to seeing her again." "She's at the mall. Niketown," Ann said with a sigh and a roll of the eyes. "She'll join us later for dinner." "Great. Holly's running around a bit, too. That will give us a chance to catch up. Why don't we go into my office and relax while we wait for the girls." Ann Bailey looked at her friend, "I'd rather have a tour, if that's okay. I've heard a lot about this place." "One tour, coming up," Wally said with a bit of pride. Turning to the young woman behind the reception desk, he added, "Donna, why don't you call it a day? Get out of here and enjoy the sun. Go ahead and put yourself down for eight hours at the agency, and if you need a recommendation, feel free to use my name." "Thanks, Mr. Wood!" "Let's start in the rotunda," the man said, leading his guest out into the main lobby, closing the door behind him.
"Trust me," Dyna Girl said with a smile and a wink. "You're on, ladies," the woman with the headset mic informed Shari and Holly. Dyna Girl opened her palm and bent over slightly so that her open hand was face up and right about knee level. Shari's foot stepped firmly into the open palm while she looked at Dyna Girl. Reading the look on her face, Dyna Girl again said, "Trust me."
Dyna Girl walked out onto the stage smiling with both arms stretched above her head. Shari was also smiling, being held by the ankles over Dyna Girl's head while keeping a trio of basketballs bouncing. Once they had reached center stage, Dyna Girl lowered Shari closer to the ground as she dribbled the basketballs faster until she jumped out of Dyna Girl's grasp and landed on her feet, catching two of the basketballs in the crook of her elbows, and letting Dyna Girl catch the third. Both ladies smiled and waved to the crowd, who greeted them with an eruption of applause. Shari rolled the basketballs she was holding across the platform to Stacy and Dane, who were waiting backstage. Dyna Girl did likewise, but grimaced slightly as she did. The pain above her right hip as she bent over was substantial, but she gritted her teeth into a smile for the crowd as Shari approached the microphone on the stand at center stage. Who's brilliant idea was it to do this? Holly asked herself as she went over to stand next to the basketball star. "Hello!!" Shari said smiling at the crowd. "What a welcome! "Look who I found backstage," the athlete added passing the microphone over to Dyna Girl. Speaking over the audience's generous applause, Dyna Girl smiled warmly as well. "Shari, look at all these beautiful young women. I think THEY deserve the applause." Dyna Girl and Shari Hawkes both broke into applause aimed at the crowd. After a few moments, Shari took the microphone back from Holly and began to address the crowd. "It is so wonderful to see so many of you here today..."
Marymoor Park
"Yeah. Did I mention that I'm not too crazy about this plan?" a voice asked over the phone. Alice Parks smiled with a menacing, toothy grin, unseen by the voice at the other end of the recently-purchased cellular phone. "Don't worry, baby. You just make a lot of noise, buy me time to deal with my little bit of unfinished business, and meet me at the rendezvous." Which will be crawling with cops responding to an anonymous tip, she didn't add aloud. "Then it's you and me, baby, off to a nice tropical spot where no one will find us," Parks lied to her associate with a slight purr. "Even after... well... you know. Are you sure?" the disembodied voice asked. "There's gonna be a lot of pissed-off folks, Allie." "Don't worry, hun," Parks replied with false assurance in her tone. They'll be too busy trying to get information out of you instead of looking for me. That, and mourning.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Tom Gilford, Editor of the "P-I's" Local section was the first to speak. "Jack, if this is about the piece that Simpson wrote about the Forte Foundation slush fund..." "That's only part of it, Tom," Jack Parker said, cutting him off, "but since you brought up Simpson, let's talk about that article." Gilford shifted in his chair, sitting up, ready to defend his writer. "Solid piece of journalism from a real pro, Jack." Jack Parker, known to many in Seattle as the Editor In Chief and Managing Editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, paused a half a second to think about how his more impetuous alter ego Dr. Jackal might respond to his old friend Tom Gilford. Probably toss him out the fifth story window behind him, Jack thought before continuing. "I need better than 'solid,' Tom," Jack said in an encouraging voice, containing just a hint of reprimand. "Everyone named and on the record in that story were not directly connected with the Forte Foundation. Where were the responses to the allegations from someone at the Foundation? Simpson was out to do a hatchet job on the Forte Foundation and it was personal. Admit it, Tom." "I stand by my guy, Jack." Parker glared at his friend with an intensity that he rarely showed. "Tell 'your guy' to quit grinding his axe in MY paper and to get some relevant EFF-ING quotes next time. Understood?" "Understood, Jack," Gilford said, slightly shocked. Jack Parker was not one to dress down a staffer in front of others. "Now, Editorial," Parker shifted his gaze across the table until it fell on the next target. "Ruben, nice job overall, but how about some other names on the page? I think Seattle is tired from hearing from the same party hacks week in and week out..."
"Allie?" the voice on the other end asked. "Yeah, baby. Time to go to work. I'll see you at the rendezvous." Parks ended the call and snapped the phone in half. She meandered closer to the stage where Dyna Girl was encouraging the crowd to stay in school, off drugs, or some other crap. Keep talking, superstar. Parks dropped the broken cell phone into a trash can and continued closer to the stage. Let's give it ten minutes.
Marymoor Park Another slow news day, Jennifer Chow noted as she and her "KING 5 Action News" cameraman, Lloyd, got a couple more establishing shots of Dyna Girl addressing the crowd. The entire text of her speech was available to the media already through the Forte Museum and the competition had already left. After all, who wanted to get stuck in afternoon traffic on the SR 520 floating bridge? "You about ready to wrap it up, Lloyd?" the newscaster asked. "Yeah, Jen," the man said, setting his camera down inside the van and shutting it off. "Hey, we're going to be stuck in traffic for a bit. I'm going to grab a hot dog and Coke for the road. You want one?" "Mustard, kraut and a lot of napkins, please. And make that a DIET Coke for me." "Of course," Lloyd said, walking toward the food tents.
Corner of Western Avenue and Elliot Avenue It was far too warm of a day to be wearing an overcoat, but no one really seemed to take notice of the tall woman making her way down Elliot Avenue. That was nothing new to the woman. For the better part of her life, no one had paid her any attention. Well, except for Allie, of course. That'll change, she thought. As she drew near her destination, Marcia Kapelos quickly removed her overcoat and dropped it in a trash barrel in one deft motion. Moments later, passersby took notice as the woman turned to stone and grew to a height of roughly three stories.
"There's more competition for the news consumer's attention today than ever before. Network, cable, internet, and radio have really taken a toll on our subscription renewals. We can't afford to be lazy," Jack Parker continued addressing his editorial staff. Before he could continue on to his next point, he heard screaming and glanced over to the large window that looked out onto the newsroom. The editorial staff turned also and saw what had distracted Parker: the newsroom was in chaos. Many staffers ran in groups either to the window or to the elevators and stairs. Others were frozen with fear or had climbed under their desks for protection. Still others were on telephones, visibly upset. Parker moved quickly for the door to the conference room, opened it and grabbed the first person he could get his hands on. It turned out to be Larrabee from Sports. "Steve! What the hell is going on?!?" "There's a fifty foot tall woman outside attacking the building!!" the sports columnist exclaimed before working his way out of his boss' grasp and heading for the emergency exit. "You guys get to your sections, make a quick sweep for stragglers and get the hell out of the building," Parker ordered, his directive punctuated by a loud crash followed by a massive hand bursting through a newsroom window that looked out onto Elliot Avenue. "Move it!! "Make sure to look under the desks!" Parker called after his editors as they darted for their respective domains. After they had disappeared into the cubicle maze, the Editor-in-Chief headed for his own office. Upon entering, he saw his administrative assistant still seated at her desk talking calmly on the phone. She hung up as soon as the boss came in. "Police and fire are on the way. UNCLE has been alerted too," Sandra Levinson reported as the fire alarm went off. "I told the security desk to hit the fire alarm. That should get everyone out of the building if they haven't already evacuated." "Good work, Sandra. Head for the rear stairwell and don't stop unless it's to pick up strays. I'll be right behind you." The woman grabbed her purse, stuffed a photo from her desk into it and headed out the door. Jack Parker slipped into his office and closed the door behind him. Walking over to the large closet, he kicked off his shoes and slacks and grabbed a slightly oversized pair of jeans and boots from a duffle bag in the back and put them on quickly. He unbuttoned his cuff on one wrist and twisted a dial on the watch strapped to it. Waiting for the system to connect, Parker stripped off his shirt and tie and dropped them in the closet. The watch made a quiet bleep and Parker glanced at a very subtle display. Six local signals online. That should be enough. He raised the watch close to his mouth, "Guys, this is Doctor Jackal. The P-I building is under attack." ************ Dyna Girl and Shari Hawkes waved to their fans for a moment more. Alice Parks was disgusted by the entire spectacle. Any minute now. She watched the Forte heroine for a sign. There it is! ************ Taking a step back from Hawkes side, Holly raised her left glove to her face and looked at the display built in to the silver button on it. A priority alert? Then she heard Dr. Jackal's voice through the miniature receiver implanted in her ear. The P-I building? Why would someone attack there? Waiving once more to the crowd, Dyna Girl began to move backstage quickly. She had to talk to Dane Casey and figure out what was happening in town. ************ As Dyna Girl turned her back, Alice Parks metamorphosized into a cat creature with huge claws and leapt over the crowd, landing on the stage just behind the heroine. With a swipe of her claws she shredded the back of Dyna Girl's shirt. The were-cat relished the squeal of horror from the crowd as she watched the heroine stagger forward. First blood is mine! ************ "What the hell is going on?" Lloyd Nelson asked his coworker as he approached the news truck with a tray of hot dogs and drinks. "Get your camera, Lloyd! Something is attacking Dyna Girl!" Jennifer Chow was already moving closer to the action while her partner was getting his gear. Slow news day my ass! ************ Dr. Jackal stood on the shoulder of the stone giantess, trying to maintain his balance as he delivered another blow to her cheek. "Shake a leg, UNCLE! We have civilians at ground zero!" the hero shouted into the open comm line. "We're establishing a perimeter now with SPD, Doc," Jack McNeal, the leader of Seattle UNCLE's STRIKE Team responded over the radio link. "I'll have my guys in place in two minutes to support you." The bestial Forte hero had to jump from his perch and over to the P-I building as the mammoth attacker took a swipe at him. "Make it quick!" "Need a hand, Doc?" a different voice crackled over the radio. Just then a dark green streak cut across the sky and flew past the chin of the assailant with a resounding CRACK! Seahawk. The blow appeared to have no affect on the giantess except to enrage her. She clawed wildly after Seahawk but only grasped the dissipating contrail left by his armor's jets. "You're gonna have to do better than that Sea Chicken," she exclaimed loudly as the armored hero hovered just outside her grasp, "cuz Brickhouse came to party." "Wow. A party. And me without my dancing shoes," a voice boomed from a loudspeaker above the villainess. Brickhouse looked up in time to see Forte's flying submersible, The Mariner, rapidly decelerate to a hover above her and a large figure leap out the side hatch before the craft zoomed a short distance down the street and landed. The leaping figure loomed ever closer when it became clear that it was actually two people, one riding piggyback on the other. The smaller figure leapt clear of the other and landed atop the P-I building. The larger one was on a collision course with the giant. BOOM!!! Rainier drove his large fist into the giantess' rocky face, stone against stone, staggering her back into the news building. The hero landed on the ground two stories below. Rubble began to break off the side of the structure and fall toward the few bystanders on the street below. Entire panes of glass fell streetward as the panicked people below tried to get clear of the falling debris. "Rainier! Watch the fallout!" Seahawk warned. "On it," the archeologist-turned-hero replied, noting the falling objects. He shouted to small group close to him, "Get down!" and shielded them with his body. "MOVE!" Tinker shouted at several people that stood transfixed by the destruction as she raced past them on her frictionless skates. Then she poured on the speed and headed for a woman and her child directly in the path of a chunk of falling wall. Without breaking stride, she hefted the child over her shoulder and wrapped her arm around the woman's waist, dragging both out of the way of the debris. Then Lucy Toy, a.k.a. Tinker, collapsed to her knees, letting her charges fall gently to the ground. "Hey, that's my shtick!" a voice said behind her. She knew the voice. "You're late, Vortex," Tinker replied without turning, still catching her breath. "Funny," the Forte speedster replied. ************
"Remember me?" the she-cat asked the downed heroine. "Yeah." Dyna Girl turned, struggling to her feet, touching the open wounds on her back. She brought her bloodied hand around to get a look at the damage. The blood was dark. The cut was deeper than she had expected. "Alice Parks. Celebrity stalker. Psychopath. You'd have to be to come looking for this fight." "I go by the name Menagerie now," the metamorph growled through sharp teeth. "What makes you think you'll take me THIS time?" VEEEEEEE-DOW! Dane Casey, stepping out from backstage, answered for Dyna Girl with his blaster pistol. The shot caught the changeling square in the forehead, snapping her head back, and sending her reeling backwards until she fell a few yards away. Casey ran past the injured heroine and covered the downed attacker with his drawn pistol, "I've got her, Dyna Girl." "Clear out, Dane! Get these people out of here. I need you on crowd control," Holly responded. Menagerie shifted form in the blink of an eye and changed into an ape-woman, grabbing the UNCLE agent's gun hand, crushing it and his weapon. The blonde man screamed in pain as the hand around his own tightened and the changeling climbed to her feet. She hauled the man up to eye level and glared. "Yes, Dane. Go control the crowd," Menagerie sneered before flinging him off the stage and into the hysterical masses below. ************ "Well we've got thousands of children threatened here and Lloyd and I are the only news crew on the scene," Jennifer Chow shouted into her cell phone. "You want an exclusive, Larry? Break into your downtown coverage NOW!" The reporter listened to her producer's response for a moment and then closed her cell phone and put it away. "Thirty seconds, Lloyd," the newscaster said with a smile. ************ Niketown Lou is just going to love these. At least they held them for me, Jessica Bailey thought as the salesman bagged up a gold pair of retro Nike Air Max 97. She had been bugging the staff at Niketown in Portland for months for a pair in the right size, only to track them down to the Niketown in Seattle. And there's another name to cross off the Christmas list. Jessica Bailey was the type of person that began planning her holiday shopping the day after the holidays. Jessica took a leisurely walk down the block, window-shopping as she went. She was starting to get hungry, but she'd promised her mother that she'd wait to eat with her and her friend Electro Man. Jessica recalled meeting him once before, at his wife's funeral which she'd attended with her mother. What was his little girl's name again? Sally? No. Holly. Holly Wood, she recalled with a smile. Some parents had no imagination. Crossing the street to the public parking lot, Jessica opened the trunk of her Honda and deposited her purchases. As she got in her car, she consulted her watch. I'll give mom and Wally a bit longer. She tuned the car radio to the local news channel that also carried the Mariners, KOMO 1000 AM. Thursdays were day games in Seattle, as at most major league ballparks. Let's see how the Mariners managed to choke today's game away, she thought as she settled in to her seat. "...sister station KING Five TV's Jennifer Chow is on the scene at Marymoor Park in Redmond, reporting live. Jennifer?" the radio broadcast crackled from the car radio. "Thanks, Bob. With Forte and UNCLE on the scene downtown, it seems to this reporter that Dyna Girl is on her own here in Redmond at the Northwest Young Women's Expo. I can't confirm it, Bob, but there are reports of an off-duty UNCLE agent in the crowd who attempted to assist Dyna Girl. That man was assaulted and his condition is unknown at this time. We will update you as things develop here. Reporting live from Marymoor Park, Jennifer Chow, KING Five." Time to go! Jessica Bailey instinctively reached behind the passenger seat and pulled out a bag containing her cape. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, the slender black woman slid off her slacks and blouse, revealing the light blue costume of her alter ego: Maelstrom. She quickly exited her car and zoomed straight up into the air, attaching her cape as she went. With a brief pass over her car, she activated the alarm and locked the doors with the remote in her pocket, flying quickly down Sixth. Then she paused and landed on the street next to the mall. She addressed a woman leaving the shopping center. "Um, how do I get to Marymoor Park?" ************ "These things have no effect!" McNeal shouted into the radio clipped to his shoulder. The UNCLE Captain paused to adjust the setting on his energy rifle. "STRIKE Team: Set rifles on overload! "Forte, UNCLE STRIKE is not, repeat NOT effective. We are setting guns for full expend. After that, we are falling back to perimeter. Do you copy?" "Copy STRIKE," Tinker responded over the radio. "Thanks for the assist." "Assist... right," McNeal muttered after closing the Forte radio link. He pulled the trigger on his final shot before his rifle burned out, and watched it bounced harmlessly off of the target. "Goddamn it!" he exclaimed, throwing his weapon aside in disgust. "UNCLE Seattle, this is STRIKE Six. We are withdrawing to fallback position," the graying UNCLE Captain said into his secure UNCLE-only radio channel. "Seattle Actual acknowledges," a voice responded over the secure link. McNeal recognized it as Commander Castillo, head of UNCLE Seattle. "Damn it, Eddie!" McNeal shouted at his boss over the secure channel. "We need some goddamn real firepower, not these popguns!" ************ Dr. Jackal continued to rain blows from above while Rainier slammed his hammer-like fists into the titan's shins and knees. It seemed that each time that the heroes gained the upper hand, they had to withdraw to save an emergency worker or innocent bystander from a piece of debris. At least she's stopped attacking the P-I. Dr. Jackal thought as he continued his assault. But why even attack in the first place? "How about a little help here?" Moonspider requested as he continued to avoid Brickhouse's continued attempts to grab and crush him. Vortex zoomed past Tinker with another armload of bystanders, then reappeared alone a moment later in a blur. "Yeah. Where's Holly?" ************ Dyna Girl knew she was in trouble. Menagerie had just taken Holly's best shot and shrugged it off. Apparently Dr. Strange's incantation had diminished more than just her natural invulnerability. Add the fact that her back was bleeding steadily where the metamorph had clawed her and that her Forte teammates were otherwise occupied. All in all, not the way that the heroine thought the day was going to end up. And Menagerie was closing, claws bared and bloodlust in her eye. ************ The situation was dire and Stacy McKone knew it. Holly needed help, and from what Dane had told her before he had tried to subdue Menagerie, there was none coming from Forte OR UNCLE... they already had their hands full. Think Stacy. Wait! That's it! Stacy opened her cell phone and dialed a number that had been given to her only a few days before. A moment later a male voice answered at the other end. "Yes?" "Grav! This is Stacy McKone!" "Stacy! Are you bored of Seattle...?" The Forte Museum researcher cut him off. "Listen, Dyna Girl is in trouble! That Alice Parks woman is attacking her! Forte is tied up in Seattle and doesn't know she needs help." "Stacy, I'll do what I can to get there, but it's going to take us half an hour at best," Grav admitted with obvious regret. Miguel Garcia pulled the phone away from his face to bark an order at someone in the room. "I need the jet ready in 3 minutes! Tell Palmer to get 'em spinning! Get Shockwaive, Pixie and an assault team to the flightline. "Stacy we are moving. Tell DG to hang on..." "Wait, wait, wait! You'll never make it in time! Can you patch me through to the Hero System?" ************ "Are you okay?" Captain Dane Casey of UNCLE looked up into the face of an attractive older blonde woman. He thought he recognized her from someplace. "Hand's broken, I think." Dr. Sabrina Knight-Parker helped him up and glanced at his hand. "Definitely broken, Captain." Casey looked at the fight taking place on the stage. "She's not doing well," he admitted, not intending to let that slip out. "No she's not. Can you get on your radio and call in some assistance?" "There's none to be had. UNCLE and Forte are trying to stop an attack on the P-I building downtown." "The P-I??" Sabrina said with a little more concern than she had intended. "Don't worry, ma'am. I've got a heavy blaster in my car. I'll do what I can to help Dyna Girl. You should get to a safe location." "Captain, Dyna Girl told you to get these people out of here, and that's exactly what we are going to do," Sabrina said with determination. ************ "I'm going to finish what I started three years ago. THEN, I'm going to track down that son of a bitch Tim Cruz and deal with him," Menagerie said with a snarl. "I thought you loved him," Dyna Girl said, trying to buy time and figure a way out. "Hah! He doesn't deserve me! Three years of psychiatric evaluations in prison and I learned only one thing." "What's that?" Holly asked, continuing to stall. "I'm better than everyone else!” the changeling spat. “I'm not weak little Alice anymore, I’m Menagerie. “And Menagerie is anything but weak!” The were-cat leapt at Holly. ************ “Jesus! Lloyd! Are you getting all of this?” “I’ve got it Jennifer,” the cameraman said, tightening his focus on the brawl ensuing on stage. As he adjusted his lens, he saw his light meter dip briefly as a shadow played havoc with his settings. What the hell was that? he wondered. He had his answer a moment later. ************ Holly prepared to fly fists-first into Menagerie as soon as she had left her feet, but as the felinoid leapt, she was knocked sideways with a gust of wind and sent tumbling across the stage. “Bad kitty!” Maelstrom chided, landing gently next to Dyna Girl. “Nice timing. Thanks,” Holly said relieved. “Heard you might need a hand, Dyna Girl,” offered Jessica Bailey, still keeping an eye on Menagerie who was getting to her feet. “You heard right. Maelstrom, isn’t it?” “Yeah. I just happened to be in the neighborhood,” the Four Aces heroine responded truthfully. “Lucky me,” Dyna Girl admitted, still catching her breath. “Look out!” Maelstrom shouted, stepping forward. Menagerie had leapt again. ************ “Tinker. Go,” Lucy spoke into her communicator watch after hearing the tell-tale chime. “Tinker, this is Stacy McKone from the Museum. We need...” Tinker cut the young woman off, “Stacy?!? Get off this channel! ” What the hell is she doing on the Forte frequency?? “We’re a little busy right now,” the gadgeteer added with her typical blend of sweetness and sarcasm. “Shut up and listen to me!” THAT got Lucy Toy’s attention. In her opinion, Stacy had always been a bit on the mousy side. “Dyna Girl is in trouble at Marymoor Park! That psycho, Alice Parks, from the Oscars three years ago is here and has cut her up bad. Maelstrom just showed up but I don’t know how long she’s going to be able to hold Parks off. She’s furious!” “I’ll get someone out there, but we’re pretty bad off ourselves. I’ll have Seahawk head over to help.” “NO! I need Nightsable or Vortex to get to the museum and get me item number SM-101 from the vault and get it to me now, or Dyna Girl is dead!” Stacy listened in earnest over her cell connection for Tinker’s response. Finally it came. “Vortex, did you get all that?” “On my way!” the speedster’s voice responded. “Stacy, Vortex is patched into your connection. Good luck!” ************ Jack?? Sabrina Kinght-Parker “called” out to her husband Jack, a.k.a. Dr. Jackal, through the telepathic link they shared. Yeah, honey? the hero replied after a few moments. You’re hurt! I can tell... Only when I breathe, baby. Dr. Jackal paused a moment and Sabrina “felt” him punch something. I’m a bit busy here. I know, Dane Casey told me. Casey?? Holly’s in trouble Jack. We’re out here at Marymoor Park. I’m afraid she’s not going to make it. Help is on the way, sweetheart. I just heard on the radio. He paused. You’re not invulnerable anymore, you know. You find a safe place and stay there. I already have, Sabrina responded, as she helped another mother and daughter find the nearest exit. Liar. The embattled hero chided his wife. I love you. ************ “Over here is the Learning Center, Anne. Every summer we have...” Wally Wood’s tour was interrupted by a blue and white blur that appeared in front of him and quickly solidified into the form of the hero Vortex. “Wally, I need something from the vault. Item number SM-101.” “The vault?” Wally repeated, slightly confused by the abrupt interruption. “What do you need...?” “There’s no time. Dyna Girl is in trouble. Maybe Stacy, too. Maelstrom is there, but there’s no time to waste,” Vortex replied matter-of-factly. “I’ll get it for you,” Wally offered. “Sorry. No time. Just give me the combination.” Wally quickly replied with the information and Vortex disappeared once again. Electro Man turned to his friend Windstorm. “Let’s see what’s going on.” The woman followed him quickly to the nearest television. ************ “I’m getting sick of this crap!” Tinker exclaimed to no one in particular. It was obvious that she, Seahawk, Vortex and Moonspider weren’t doing anything to slow the giantess. Neither was UNCLE for that matter. At least the civilians were clear of the area. Rainier and Dr. Jackal had staggered her a bit but not enough to put her down. Down? That’s it! “Seahawk! Moonspider! I need you over here now!” Lucy barked over the Forte frequency. “Jack. Rainier. Buy me thirty seconds!” Dr. Jackal responded with another thunderous blow to Brickhouse. “Thirty seconds. I’m counting.” “You can count? Wow. I guess Phantasm was wrong about you,” the volcanic hero Rainier added with a massive punch of his own. “Funny,” the elder Forte member replied with a big toothy grin... and another punch to Brickhouse. God! I’ve missed this! Below, Tinker huddled with her two unengaged teammates. “Luke. Hobbie,” she said, looking from one to the other. “Let’s take down that walker.” “What?” Seahawk asked, confused. Lucy could see Moonspider smile beneath his mask. “You’re old, mate.” ************ Commuters on the SR-520 floating bridge were enjoying another slow-and-go commute across Lake Washington and into Seattle. Such was the price of living in The Emerald City and commuting out to the high-tech East Side. At least they weren’t stuck on I-405. Suddenly, a tremendous wall of water was built in the blink of an eye, stretching from Seattle side of State Route 520 across to the Redmond side. Within the blink of an eye, as quickly as it had appeared, it settled into a rough wake across Lake Washington. Vortex. ************ That was close! Maelstrom admitted, noticing the tears in her cape made by Menagerie’s last pass. “Do you have any ideas?” the wind-controller asked Dyna Girl. “Um... You have any catnip on you?” Maelstrom broke into a brief grin. “Oops. I knew I forgot something today.” The changeling metamorphosized into her gorilla-form and ran at the two heroines. Growling, she raised her great fists and swung them back over her shoulders, ready to bring them down. ************ Seahawk commanded his wrist gauntlet to unspool its line and handed the end to Moonspider. “Drinks are on me, later.” The argent-clad hero wrapped the line around his glove a few times, then looked over at his armored friend, “Deal.” With that, Moonspider dashed toward the titaness’ feet, weaving in and out of them, wrapping the line around her legs. After making several passes, he carried the remaining line back to his friends. Locking the exposed end of the line into his armor, Seahawk nodded at Tinker, who clamped one of her modified “knee-lock” devices to him. Between Tinker’s knee-lock clamp and the activation of his armor’s “brace mode” to minimize joint movement (and damage), he was sure that he could hold the line and bring the giantess down. Well, pretty sure. “Jack! Rainier! Tip your waitress!” Tinker shouted over the radio. Both men leaped up at the huge attacker’s chin. ************ “Happy Birthday!” Vortex said as he raced past Stacy and dropped the package she wanted into her hands. He immediately took off across the stage after Menagerie, who was closing on Maelstrom and Dyna Girl. Opening the box she was handed, Stacy began inspecting “Item SM-101.” Perfect. It just needs to charge. ************ After a flurry of swift blows, Vortex was batted aside by Menagerie and sent toward the nearly empty picnic area. Only a few stragglers were left, though most of those were being persuaded to leave by Sabrina Parker and Dane Casey. The Forte hero landed with a hard THUD! Paul Seaborn climbed to his feet in time to see the beast-woman move quickly toward the two heroines. In a blur, he disappeared. ************ Menagerie brought her mighty ape-fists down. One glanced Maelstrom’s cheek, sending her crashing to the side. The other, directed at Dyna Girl, hit the instantly appearing Vortex as he drove his shoulder into the she-gorilla, and pushed her off the stage and onto the grass, but not before the speedster fell under the heavy blow. The metamorph crawled to her feet and reassumed her cat-like form. She hadn’t counted on dealing with THREE heroes. She needed an edge. She quickly found one. ************ Maelstrom struggled to her feet. She looked over at Vortex who was sprawled out across the amphitheatre stage. Dyna Girl, bleeding, was not much better off than Vortex. Where’s... ??? Oh, no! ************ “Dyna Girl!!!” Menagerie was calling her out. Holly moved slowly. She’d lost a LOT more blood than she’d thought. Time to worry about that later. She walked as tall and straight as she could to the edge of the stage where Vortex had knocked her off of. She noticed the speedster sprawled out on the stage floor, starting to regain consciousness. Maelstrom was already standing, but not attacking. Why? Then she saw. And she froze. ************ JACK!!!! Sabrina’s telepathic cry rang through her husband’s bones. He immediately knew the danger she was in. And, worse, he could do nothing about it. Bree! Menagerie brought her claws closer to the woman’s throat. ************ The felinoid held her captive tightly. Hostages. Don’t leave home without ‘em. “I want...” BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-OWWWWWWWWWW! Menagerie instinctively released her captive and covered her ears. “What....????” "Sonics. Ever heard of them?" a female voice said from the foot of the raised stage. BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-OWWWWWWWWWW! The changeling turned to face the young woman with the silly-looking pistol walking steadily toward her. "Forte Museum Exhibit Item number SM-101. A sonic gun used by Sean Strickland, Son of Sonic-Man," Stacy McKone announced. "According to your file, UNCLE in Los Angeles used sonics to keep you docile after Dyna Girl stopped you." She pulled the trigger on the sonic gun again and continued her assault on the metamorph who writhed on the ground in pain with each successive blast. BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-OWWWWWWWWWW! "And prior to your escape from SISRS, a sonic system was used in your restraints," the researcher recited from her photographic memory of Armor case files and Forte research. BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-OWWWWWWWWWW! Menagerie struggled to rise, but the sonic blasts had rendered her too weak to stand. Her clawed fingers barely dug into the grass as Stacy approached the enfeebled metamorph, sonic gun aimed squarely at her. Dyna Girl, supported by Maelstrom, flew down to the grass next to the gun-toting Forte Museum staffer. Vortex clamored to his feet and joined his teammate. Sabrina Knight-Parker slipped away while Dane Casey was busy on his radio reporting into UNCLE, still nursing his broken hand. Once Stacy was sure Menagerie was subdued, she set the gun for a constant sub-sonic hum. Alice Parks, Menagerie, could not change shape and returned to her human form, looking up with angry, helpless eyes at the five people standing over her debilitated body. That’s when Stacy McKone hit Parks in the nose with her open palm, knocking her unconscious. Stacy turned to smile at her injured boyfriend. “My kung fu’s the best.” ************ EPILOGUE ONE "... then she says, 'Sonics. Ever heard of them?' If I wasn't so scared, I would have laughed my ass off," Holly said with an obviously pained grin from her hospital bed. Tinker chuckled briefly, trying to hide what was really on her mind. Who the hell put me in charge anyway? I never wanted this job. "I swear to God, Lucy, she came on like Rambo. It was amazing," Dyna Girl admitted. "The girl was something, all right," Jessica Bailey, still wearing her Maelstrom outfit, added. She glanced at her watch. "Hey, I've still got to get back to Portland." "You saved my life," Dyna Girl said in all earnest. "If you ever need anything, you can count on me. I'm serious." "That goes for all of Forte, Maelstrom. We ALL owe you," Tinker said extending her hand. "Thanks for the help." Maelstrom took Tinker's hand and shook it. "My pleasure. Nice to finally meet you." The Oregonian turned to the bed-ridden Dyna Girl and put her hand gently on her shoulder, "Glad you're okay. We'll have to try this again... WITHOUT the insane stalkers next time." "Deal," Holly said smiling. Tinker waited until Maelstrom left, then she closed and locked the door behind the departing heroine. She pulled what appeared to be a cell phone from a belt pouch and pressed several buttons. "That will give us about five minutes privacy from prying eyes and ears," she said to no one while glancing around the room for imbedded UNCLE surveillance devices. "Vortex told me she told you to shut up..." Holly said jokingly before Tinker cut her off. "Goddamn it, Holly! You nearly got not only yourself killed, but also Dane Casey, Vortex and Doctor GODDAMN Jackal's GODDAMN WIFE!!!" Lucy Toy's eyes flared in concert with her raised voice. "Just what the hell were you thinking?!?" "Hey! How is it MY fault that some psychotic bitch went on a rampage?" "You should have followed your doctor's orders and STAYED HOME! Dane and Stacy told me that they tried to keep you home, but that you were too stubborn!" Tinker responded at the top of her lungs before she took a deep breath and composed herself. "Look, Holly, Stephen Strange told me that if you tore up the stitches and lost any more blood that you were THIS CLOSE to a pine box," Tinker held up a couple of fingers to emphasize her point. "There have already been enough Forte funerals. I'm not going to have one on my watch." "Okay, okay. I'll take it easy, Lucy. I promise." Tinker stood up straight and looked her friend in the eye. "I'm sorry Dyna Girl, but that's what you said after your first surgery." "But I really mean it this time," Holly pleaded. "Honest." "You're suspended from active duty." Tinker turned and left. Dyna Girl suddenly felt very alone. ************ EPILOGUE TWO "I'll call," Riptide said, throwing a bet into the pot. "She's going to be okay, though?" "Yeah," Grav answered, looking at his cards. "Stacy got that clown 'Son of Sonic-Man's' gun from the Forte vault and took Parks out with it." "I knew I liked that girl," added "Sarge" Selman, who was pushing more chips into the pot. "Raise ten." "So who the heck is 'Sonic-Man' and why does his 'Son' run around with a sonic gun?" Triphammer asked, looking at his folded cards. Grav and Riptide laughed. "We've never been able to figure out, have we?" Riptide asked Grav looking for confirmation. "Nope. Fold," Grav responded with a toss his cards. "I'm in ladies," Nathan James added his own chips from across the table. "Too rich for my blood," Eleanor Price admitted as she, too, folded and stood up from the conference room table. "Besides, I have business to attend to before I leave. Good night, gentlemen." "Good night, Mrs. Price," Selman said. "Thanks for the game." Eleanor Price closed the door to the conference room and proceeded down the hall to her office. Once inside she dialed a number on her secure phone. "Yes?" a voice answered. "Have you analyzed the tissue sample?" Price asked, a note of impatience in her voice. "The appendix provided a perfect specimen. It's a one-hundred percent match. Dyna Girl is a descendant of Bodecia." Price disconnected and allowed herself a brief smile. It's time to approach Dyna Girl and her father.
EPILOGUE THREE "It's all in the report, Eddie. Our response time was outstanding. We did everything right... EXCEPT make damn bit of difference!" Jack McNeal took another long pull off his beer. Edward Castillo leaned back in his chair. He was almost invisible in the dim shadows of his office, the only light was coming from the lamp on his desk. "I'll add your report to my own and send it along to the Western Regional Commander. I'll recommend service commendations for you and your team. Anything else?" McNeal slammed his beer bottle down on his commander's desk. "How about recommending that we get something a bit more powerful than SQUIRT GUN?!? Hell, according to Casey, that co-ed from the Forte Museum used a sonic blaster to take out that nutcase in Redmond. Why does she have a sonic blaster? *I* don't have a sonic blaster." Castillo answered calmly. "We're not a military force, McNeal." "Well maybe we should be." "Our job is protection and apprehension." "Right now, I have a lot of apprehension ABOUT this job." McNeal stood and headed for the door.
EPILOGUE FOUR The stone walls of the ancient hall were in stark contrast to the myriad of wall screens displaying global news feeds and seemingly endless amounts of computer data. The sun had been up for several hours, but the communications center had been bustling since the early morning when the night shift had recorded the piece from GBS Newsbreak in America. Kampov was dressed in the same sleek military-styled tunic as his companions, black in color with white trim. His, however, was decorated with gold sword-shaped epaulettes on the shoulders, indicating that he held rank over the rest of those in the communications center and the rest of the organization, for that matter. Those epaulettes came with the burden of command - a burden he was bearing at the moment. "With all respect, Graf Kampov, NOW is the time to strike!" Filov spat as he raved. "Our ancient foe is weak. We can destroy her and deliver a crippling blow to her friends, also known enemies to The Master." "Caution, young Filov," the older man warned. "We no longer serve the old master, but his offspring. And it is THAT will that we must bind ourselves to. "And that will bids us to wait. Reprisal will come in due time. Resprava will see to it."
EPILOGUE FIVE "Welcome home, Parks." "Blow it out your ass, Stover," Menagerie replied. Warden Cliff Stover smiled from the other side of the plexi-steel window that separated him and the recently escaped convict. He keyed the microphone again. "We've got your cell waiting for you... just like you left it. Didn't even have time to remove your personal effects." "Swell," Alice Parks replied sarcastically. "When's chow? I haven't had anything since I ripped open the neck of that pimple-faced guard of yours. I'm starving." A devilish look crossed the face of the changeling. Stover nodded to the UNCLE team that had Menagerie in restraints. Within moments they had the wrist and leg shackles removed, but the collar emitting the sub-sonic hum was still in place and keeping the metamorph's abilities in check. The four UNCLE guards left through the door they came through. "Come again, boys," Menagerie cooed, blowing a kiss at the departing UNCLE agents. Turning back to the window, Alice Parks glared at Cliff Stover. "I want my lawyer. No, wait. I want that guy Avalon from Seattle. Get me my phone call, Stover." "You'll get your call, Parks. You're in Holding Cell One. I'll have the call transferred in there and send in your grub." A door slid open across from Menagerie and she walked toward it. At last. I'm getting the respect I deserve. I'm big-time now. Entering the room, the door slid closed behind her. It was dimly lit and Menagerie, unable to shift into her cat form, was barely able to discern the figures standing in the shadows. "You gonna get me my chow, or what?" Immediately her arms were held from behind and the figures in the shadows advanced. A voice whispered in her ear. A woman's voice. It was the person holding her arms. "Marcia Kapelos says 'Hi,' bitch!" Warden Cliff Stover turned to the SISRS Sergeant of the Watch next to him. "Give them five minutes, then clear them out. Parks goes to the infirmary if necessary, but make sure that the video record is properly replaced." "Yes, Warden." "Oh…and get Parks her dinner and her call," Stover called over his shoulder as he left the room. "Yes, sir." No one escapes from my prison.
EPILOGUE SIX Stacy McKone blew out the candles in the bathroom and tied her robe tightly around the waist. A towel was wrapped around her hair and she paused in front of the fire blazing in the fireplace and warmed her body. Just then, she heard a knock on her door. Dane must have finished his reports earlier than he thought he would. "Just a minute," she called at the door as she dashed toward the bedroom and quickly pulled on a pair of flannel pajama pants and a tank top. She paused at the door and peered out the peephole out of habit (West Seattle wasn't the BEST neighborhood, after all). "Oh! Hold on!" she shouted at the door again and ran to close the door to her messy bedroom. Running back to the front door, Stacy unbolted and opened it. Standing in the doorway was Wally Wood, her friend and mentor at the Forte Museum. "C'mon in. I thought you were Dane." The former hero chuckled, "It's okay. Sorry to bother you." "Oh, no bother. Really," she promised as she gave the older man a dazzling smile and closed the door behind him. "How's Holly?" "I'm heading over to UNCLE to check up on her, but I wanted to see how you were." "Me? I'm fine. Tired. It's been 'go-go-go all day and it's finally catching up to me," the researcher admitted to her boss. "Dane's coming over to cook me dinner, though." The last was added with a broad smile that revealed how much she was looking forward to a nice evening with her UNCLE agent-boyfriend. "Well, I don't want to intrude on your evening," Wally said truthfully. He paused for a long moment, then he put his hands on the young woman's shoulders, "I just wanted to thank you. I...you..." The former hero began to break down. Stacy put her arms around the older man's back and pulled him in for a hug. "I know. She's my friend. I'd do anything for my friends." Wally released her after a moment. "Take tomorrow off. I insist." "I accept," Stacy said, the day’s events wearing on her. The two were interrupted by the sound of Electro-Man's cell phone ringing. He answered quickly, listened for a moment and said, "Yes, now is fine." "I need to go check on Holly. I'll send her your best." "Tell her I'll stop by tomorrow." "I will," Wally Wood promised as he left. Stacy McKone closed and locked the door behind him. She turned to walk back to the bedroom. "Stacy," a voice said softly behind her. "AHH!" Stacy turned with a shout. Nightsable was standing in the hallway. Well, it was Nightsable in jeans and a t-shirt and without her mask at any rate. "I'm sorry to startle you," Nightsable apologized. "It's just that we have something to say." "We?" Nightsable turned and walked into the living room. Stacy followed her and found a handful of people, most strangers, but Wally was among them standing toward the back, smiling. Then she recognized one other person, the blonde woman coming toward her. "You were at the park today," Stacy said aloud, clarifying where she had seen her. "I'm Sabrina Parker." "My mom," Nightsable admitted proudly. "This is my husband, Jack Parker," the woman continued. Stacy stood, mouth agape, as Jack Parker transformed into Dr. Jackal before her eyes. He wrapped his massive hairy arms around the woman. "Thank you, Stacy." Sabrina continued with the introductions. "This is Sydney Todd...Mist...." Dr. Jackal produced a box and opened it for Stacy to see. It contained a watch. "This is Tommy Rusk...Tomarssuk..." Jack Parker smiled as he clasped the watch to the young woman's wrist.
"Welcome to the family."
END.
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