tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19453371602954798142024-03-14T04:08:12.817-07:00Really Rad Roleplayers do Mutants and MastermindsThe novelisation of our role play sessions.Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-28480372388540540742014-12-23T10:22:00.001-08:002014-12-23T10:22:41.047-08:00Session Six - Nemesis<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dealing with a nefarious super-villain organisation was one
thing. Dealing with bad PR, our heroes
discovered, was something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Liverpool populace didn’t take Vomit Man to their
hearts. In fact, in light of his vomit spreading ways, he was targeted with
numerous death threats, slapped with an anti-social behaviour caution from the
fuzz and ordered to go back to Runcorn where he belonged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Liver Birds were left to deal with the fall out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was a quiet day, crime-wise and so BOB had decided that
it was a good time for their long-put off clean up exercise in Everton Valley. Nymph
contacted the local press and the others loaded up the van with mops, buckets and
a lot of cursing aimed at the much maligned Vomit Man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They had heard nothing more about Hydra. Katherine had stayed on to become part of the
team, operating under the code name Distortion; homage to the name of the
secret nanite operation that had given her her powers. Her identity was secret
and no one outside HQ suspected notorious party girl Katherine Knotts as being
their latest member. She was currently
busy with university assignments and had wheedled her way out of clean up duty,
along with Joules, who was tackling potato blight on her farm. Oddly enough, neither of them seemed too
upset to be missing out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So it was that our heroes found themselves in deepest,
darkest Everton Valley on a drizzly morning, armed with cleaning apparatus and
piles of vomit to tackle. Devi got to
work, conjuring a water spell to thin the vile stuff out. Vixen used her
telepathy to push the watery sick down the street drains. Facade skulked near a tree, refusing to do
anything. Nymph hung around near the three journalists and photographer who had
showed up, batting her eyelashes and giving them positive ‘soundbites’ which everyone
knew was a ruse to avoid work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass and Devi got a couple of big sponges and began
scrubbing graffiti off the brick wall off the abandoned community centre. Devi’s sponge had barely made contact with
the brickwork when she stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Something was wrong.
She sensed a malign magical presence.
Suppressing a shudder, she scanned the walls and spotted it. A rune, imbued with dark powers, sprayed onto
the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She grabbed Cass’s arm.
‘Don’t touch it,’ she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass frowned and on Devi’s nod, scanned her mind. She let the sponge fall to the ground and
muttered, ‘BOB, can you hear me? We’ve
got problems here.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB recommends that you encourage the media to leave.’ His voice crackled through her phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass sent a psychic message to the Liver Birds making all of
them collectively look up with interest, even Facade. Anything was better than
mopping up Vomit Man’s spew, even dark magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nymph turned to the press and smiled her most winsome smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Oh, by the way, did you guys know Psylocke has a new
man?’ They visibly brightened at this
piece of news worthy gossip. ‘Yeah, I
saw them just before at the Costa on Tithebarn street, holding hands and
giggling.’ Nymph frowned as if thinking.
‘At least I think she was with a <i>man...</i>’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The journalists practically ran back to their cars and took
off, tyres screeching. Nymph giggled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi explained the runes.
‘They’re like magical booby traps, activated by anyone who touches
them. This one here,’ she pointed, ‘will
give an electric shock. And that one
will generate illusions.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What does this one do?’
Asked Facade, whacking the next rune Devi pointed at with a clenched
fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An enormous fire ball exploded, engulfing them in
flames. Devi and Facade managed to jump
out of the way but Vixen, who was stood right behind them, got the full
blast. She was blown ten metres back and
landed burned and bleeding as Nymph, Distortion and Cass nursed their own
injuries, screaming obscenities at Facade. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘When are you going to think before you punch stuff, you
massive jerk?!’ Cass yelled. Facade
shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi, choking back a sob, ran to Vixen’s aid, healing her
with a spell. Vixen groaned and sat up.
Her bloodshot gaze took in the scene of smoke and rubble, and then rested on
Facade. She pointed a trembling finger at her team mate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You jerk-off.’ She
snarled. ‘As if I don’t have enough crap
to deal with, you put me in the infirmary <i>again?</i>
Well, I’ll tell you what,’ She gestured at the pool of scarlet that surrounded
her as she hobbled to her feet. ‘You can
clean this blood up. I’m not doing it.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facade apologised profusely and begged for forgiveness. Well, actually, no she didn’t. She just shrugged again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was blood now as well as vomit to deal with and runes
or no runes; the team had a cleanup op to complete. Devi summoned some local rats and Distortion morphed
into a rat herself, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">communicating her desire for them to eat the vomit. Being rats,
and from Everton Valley, they weren’t fussy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The others dealt with the runes by ganging up on Facade and
pushing her into them to activate them.
Foul green smoke emanated from one and custard pies from another. Facade leapt about a foot into the air when
she got an electrical shock and was surprised when another rune caused her feet
to swell up to three times their normal size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Now I know how it feels to be you, Jumpsuit.’ She smirked
at Cassandra. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once all the runes were safely deactivated, the vomit
cleaned up and their spleen fully vented on Facade, the team headed back to the
van.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You know, for dark magic, a lot of that stuff was kind
of...’ Vixen wracked her brains for the right description.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Infantile?’ Nymph suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi nodded. ‘It
struck me as the sort of dumb magic kids would do.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Distortion cleared her throat and said, in a self-important
manner, ‘Exposing the public to magic through runes in this way is illegal. It
violates the Coven Act of 1998. We need
to investigate this more thoroughly.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Thanks, Bambi. Where
would we be without your legal knowledge?
Sorry. I mean <i>Daddy’s</i> legal knowledge.’ Facade
smirked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Everyone coven has to register with the government.’ Devi
chipped in before another fight could kick off. ‘We could research local covens
and see which ones have children or teenagers.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB, scan city-wide CCTV for any more of these runes.’
Vixen commanded. ‘And stop the van off at Maccies. I don’t know about anyone
else, but I need a Big Mac.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No one argued with that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back at HQ, they studied the CCTV footage BOB had pulled
together for them. Sure enough, the
grainy footage shot a few days previously outside the abandoned community
centre showed a small gang of hoodie-wearing youths. One was much taller than the others and
presumably older.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘That one must be the ringleader.’ Cass pointed at the gangly figure. ‘Devi, do
you know these kids?’ Devi shook her head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I don’t understand why anyone would do this.’ She murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘That’s what we need to find out.’ Nymph said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘There are three covens in Liverpool.’ BOB added. ‘Two contain members of the Abbott family.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi sighed. ‘My
dad’s coven split in two in the seventeen hundreds. The two halves haven’t spoken to each other
since. As far as I know, they’re still based in Scotland.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Maybe not.’ Vixen
made a show of grimacing and putting her bruised leg up on a footstool,
throwing a poisonous look at Facade.
‘They sound like just the sort of people to hold a grudge against the
local covens. Maybe they want to cause
trouble on their enemies’ patch.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi’s brow creased with concern. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB,’ Nymph asked. ‘Is anybody registered as being in more
than one coven?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A whirr and pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Yes.’ BOB said. ‘Arun Abbott, eighteen years old.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The team looked at the gangly youth on the CCTV footage and
at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Time to pay the Abbotts a visit.’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was decided via a game of paper, scissors, stones that
Cass, Facade and Nymph should go to the Abbott elders while Vixen, Distortion
and Devi called on the other clan, the Jahars.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Distortion rang the front door bell and was greeted by a wrinkled
quartet of ladies, none of whom looked a day younger than eighty. They were ushered in. Distortion explained
who they were and asked them about Arun and was promptly met with a shower of
praise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Such a lovely young man.’ One cooed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘The image of his father. So handsome.’ Another gushed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘He works hard at his studies. He’s training to be a doctor.’ One beamed
proudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘He just needs a good wife to look after him. Do you have a boyfriend, dear?’ The last old
lady asked Distortion, who backed up so quickly she almost fell over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Do you know where he was three days ago?’ Vixen asked, strictly business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We’ve no idea what the young folk get up to. He was probably studying or spending time
with his friends at university. Are you
single, my dear?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Can you give us his address?’ Vixen whipped a notebook and
pencil out of her pocket, ignoring the question completely. As soon as she had scrawled it down, they
swept out of the room before the ladies could ask them about their dowries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, at the Abbott’s place, Cass, Facade and Nymph
were given a decidedly frostier reception.
They guessed that this had something to do with the vomit streaked walls
that signalled that Vomit Man had recently passed by overhead. Cass started to explain that they hated that
douchebag as much as anyone until Nymph shook her head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She beamed at Mr and Mrs Abbott, complimenting them on their
home, Mrs Abbott’s dress and saying what lovely children they had until her
charm offensive thawed them out and they were admitted inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It turned out that Arun often took the younger kids under his
wing. He talked to them, took them out
places. The team raised their eyebrows at
each other, a fact that went unnoticed by Mrs Abbott. Though she smiled as she spoke, it was clear
from the tuts and dark looks from Mr Abbott that someone in the family at least
didn’t think much of Arun Golden Balls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next, Vixen, Distortion and Devi visited Arun’s
parents. As Vixen rang the doorbell,
Distortion climbed out of Devi’s bra and onto her shoulder. Not as her usual self, obviously, but as a
gerbil, which she had turned herself into in order to be able to hitch a ride
with the two heroes with flying abilities.
Funnily enough, she hadn’t suggested turning into a bird. She gave a gerbil-wink at Thelma the rat, sat
on Devi’s other shoulder. Thelma
seethed, if a rat could be said to do such a thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The door opened.
Distortion had quickly regained her human form and was winningly dressed
in a gaudy yellow dress that looked like a peeled banana. Vixen glanced at the plunging neckline and
rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
Distortion flipped her hair over her shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Hi.’ She greeted
Arun’s mother brightly. ‘We’re here to
chat to you about your son.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instantly, Arun’s mother, an Indian woman, gave them a huge
smile and ushered them into the living room.
She was more than happy to talk about Golden Balls. It turned out that,
surprise, surprise; she was Arun’s number one fan. The team listened to her drivel on about how
wonderful Arun was, all the while bringing them piles and piles of food from
the kitchen – curry, naan breads, popadoms, bowls of rice. Soon the coffee table was groaning under the
weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Liver Birds were more accustomed to being told to piss
off than being invited into people’s homes. Generally, they considered
themselves lucky if they were offered a cup of tea. This was a treat so generous it instantly
made Vixen suspicious. She sniffed the
food, tasting it carefully with the tip of her tongue. As soon as she had chewed, swallowed and not
keeled over, the other two tucked in with gusto. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The team ate happily, pretty much ignoring Arun’s mum wax
lyrical until the front door opened and in strode Arun’s dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He took one look at our heroes and demanded, ‘what’s the
little shit done now?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They glanced at each other. Here was a turnaround. A pattern was emerging. The women in Arun’s
family thought the sun shone out of his nethers. The men, perhaps being more wise to his ways,
were not as easily impressed. Their reactions hinted at a darker side to Arun,
which was all our heroes need to know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Don’t call him that!’
His mum trilled. ‘You’re always
so hard on him.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘He’s always in trouble.
Who called the police this time?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘These women aren’t the police.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘So he’s knocked one of them up? I’m not paying out unless
there’ a DNA test.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Voices rose, our heroes grabbed the leftover naan breads for
the road and slinked away, closing the front door behind them just as they
heard the smash of crockery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A quick phone call and the two teams met up at the
rendezvous point – KFC. They ordered takeout from the drive through and held a
brief meeting. BOB had narrowed down the
names of some local coven kids and it was agreed that Vixen should lead the
party that visited them. Devi and Nymph swapped teams and they headed in
opposite directions once more, Devi heading up the team going to Arun’s digs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You’re best talking to him.’ Vixen handed her the scrawled
address. ‘This is your area.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi tried not to panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once at the halls of residence, Cass scanned the building and
immediately sensed him. ‘Fourth floor.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi conjured a key card to let them in before Facade could
kick the door down and send their insurance premium to unmanageable heights.
They ran up to the third floor and let themselves into the unlocked room
without bothering to knock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facade was wearing her new costume; an armoured jumpsuit
with a red ‘crying’ theatre mask and red taped knuckles to match. No wonder the bleary-eyed young man dressed
only in his underpants leapt off his beanbag with a girlish cry of terror. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The two other men in the room also leapt back in alarm. No doubt due to Devi, whose eyes had
blackened, as did the room itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What the...’ Cass gaped as the gangly man she assumed was
Arun himself, rolled his eyes back in his head.
They began to glow and the half of the room he was stood in grew
brighter. Neither Cass nor Facade knew
what was happening but unless their instincts were off, something bad was about
to go down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB patched a message through to Vixen, who was wondering
why the weather had darkened so suddenly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What is it, BOB? Is there a storm on the way?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You could say that. I won’t because metaphors are not an
intrinsic part of my programming.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB, hurry up and tell me what I need to hear.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You need to get to Arun’s halls of residence immediately.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vixen didn’t need to be asked twice. She abruptly changed direction, mid-flight
and sped back the way they had come, Distortion wriggling uncomfortably in her
bra in her guise as a gerbil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nymph was on the ground, travelling on foot. BOB rang her mobile phone and told her Devi
was in trouble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘My information tells me that the phenomenon of light and
shadow is not restricted to the halls but is happening the world over.’ He
added. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Bollocks.’ Nymph swore, sticking her arm out to hail a cab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back at Arun’s place, Cass tried desperately to read Devi’s
mind but had no joy. Devi twirled and
rotated in the air, hidden in supernatural darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB called Cass. ‘I
have it on good authority that Dr Strange and the top mystics in Britain are
aware of the situation and are working on a plan to contain it.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Well tell them to bloody hurry up before this gets out of
hand.’ Cass yelled, as she felt something like an invisible fist punch
her. Across the room, Facade yelled out
in pain, clutching her arm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We need backup.’ She shouted above the roaring wind that
swirled around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On cue, a large bat fluttered in through the open
window. It was Distortion. As she swooped over Cass’s head, a pulse of
white light shot out of Arun’s fingertips, sending her reeling away to the
darkness. The floor began to shake and
with a sickening groan, began to crumble underneath them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facade punched the glass covering the fire alarm and the
wail filled the building. She grabbed
one of the students – the clothed one – and dragged him out of the room and
down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She met Vixen outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What’s going on in there?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Smurf’s gone to the dark side.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What are you talking about?
And who’s Briggsy?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The student Facade had dragged with her was whimpering about
Briggsy. Facade shrugged. ‘I dunno. The guy in the underpants?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vixen couldn’t be bothered to ask further. Using her greatly-honed
telepathy skills, she sought the underdressed student and lifted him clean out
of the building through the window and set him gently on the ground. He looked completely stunned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Don’t worry.’ Vixen told him. ‘This is all a dream. Go back
to sleep.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Briggsy nodded gratefully, curled up on the floor and began
to snore lightly as panicking students streamed, screaming from the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In her taxi, Nymph was yelling at the driver for taking her
a roundabout way, threatening not to pay him, for which he threatened to throw
her out of his cab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back in Arun’s room, Cass, being unable to communicate with
Devi, did the next best thing, grabbed Thelma and ran. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB, what’s going on?’
She cried but all she heard in reply was the fizz of static. Cass yelled in pain as she was assailed once
again with invisible punches. She burst
out onto the street and nearly ran into Vixen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Something’s hitting me!’ She raged, swinging her fists
about. Thelma squeaked and scurried into Cass’s jumpsuit pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vixen grabbed her arm.
‘That’s not going to help.’ She
said firmly. ‘I saw what hit you. It was
your own shadow.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass stared open-mouthed. ‘What the hell is going on?!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good for Devi.’ Vixen
looked up at the building, half cloaked in shadow, storm clouds, streaked with
lightning raging overhead. ‘Or any of us.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Distortion relaxed out of her bat form into a naked girl. It
said something of the bizarre nature of the scenario that neither Devi nor Arun
seemed to notice. She tried not to feel offended.
She grabbed the rat cowering in the
corner – Arun’s rat, Gerard, as it happened – and ran. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As she did so, Arun glowed dazzlingly bright and the floor
gave way completely, plunging Distortion into an abyss of dust and chaos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As the fourth floor disappeared and the smoke cleared, figures
emerged from the wreckage. Facade limped
into the sunshine, clutching her arm, Vixen her shoulder. Cass was unharmed and
scanned the ruined building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Distortion?’ She yelled.
There was no answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The team looked at each other. Vixen tried to think of something comforting and
ultimately pointless to say but was spared the job when Distortion emerged from
the ruins with a cough, covered from head to toe in dust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘My hair is frigging ruined.’ She wailed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKUwNtF9eJz3GhW8SRd231jJx9WONuq5cgCfPNihd6FOb2tMZRxwoqE0FGZeKKFX0F5G2PNKgG3ZHYLjgYKfMr-sjtGFz-nfhlBA-4torIGyQ_aE3LtHJZ7Ltd1iXIWY77gnng_vF4eyg/s1600/443d136da5da9d08aa8e7698eaef0d5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKUwNtF9eJz3GhW8SRd231jJx9WONuq5cgCfPNihd6FOb2tMZRxwoqE0FGZeKKFX0F5G2PNKgG3ZHYLjgYKfMr-sjtGFz-nfhlBA-4torIGyQ_aE3LtHJZ7Ltd1iXIWY77gnng_vF4eyg/s1600/443d136da5da9d08aa8e7698eaef0d5a.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/279012139384275066/" target="_blank"> here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-8226270290064450562014-12-22T08:18:00.000-08:002014-12-22T08:23:56.831-08:00Session Five - Operation Distortion<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Katherine continued to lash out and hurl abuse at her
rapidly-running-out-of-patience rescuers as they bundled her downstairs. Cass sent Devi a mental message pleading her
to ‘try and convince this arsehole to come with us to HQ’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi cleared her throat.
‘Katherine. I know this has been a rough night for you, but we’re only
trying to help. Do you think you could –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Do one, bitch!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Façade’s limited well of patience was finally
exhausted. She grabbed Katherine around
the throat and before Vixen could protest, threw their charge into the back of
the van. Façade and Devi hopped up front
and Vixen and Cass climbed in the back with Katherine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Who turned into a crocodile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi screamed as the rabid reptile flung itself at Vixen who
was shocked but managed to dodge it. It
slammed into the back of the doors, rocking the van from side to side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Put your foot down!’ Vixen yelled at Facade as the dazed
croc rounded on them again. Façade obliged and they took off, tyres screeching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Cass, mind swap with her!’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cassandra placed her fingertips to her temples and tried to
concentrate which wasn’t particularly easy at that moment. It was no use. The van was now nearly tipping over from the bad
tempered crocodile bashing into either side, missing Cass and Vixen by
inches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As it turned to attack Cass, Vixen saw an opportunity and
threw herself on top of its jaws, grappling them shut. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Oh my God, we’re all going to get EATEN!’ Devi sobbed. Façade glimpsed the mayhem in the rear view
mirror and speeded up. She jumped a red light and a car emerged prematurely
from the junction, driving directly in front of them. With a bang and sickening crunch of metal, they
collided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vixen lost her grip on the croc, went flying between the
front seats and sailed through the windscreen in a hail of broken glass, rolled
off the bonnet and landed face down on the tarmac.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a split second of horrified silence before Devi
resumed screaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Façade leapt out of the van, gave a vulgar hand gesture to
the stunned-looking driver of the other car, grabbed Vixen under her arms and
dragged her back into the van. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A quick once over and it was clear that their leader wasn’t
too badly hurt, apart from the gash on her forehead which was spurting jets of
blood all over the cab. At least the
crash seemed to have temporarily stunned the croc. It sat there, motionless, giving Devi time to
work her magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Is Vixen going to be okay?’
She wailed as she held her hands over the croc, draining its energy and
subduing it completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Fine. We’ll patch
her up at HQ.’ Façade said, revving the engine.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You’re not driving, you complete and utter lunatic!’ Cassandra screamed. ‘You nearly killed us all!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I don’t want to die!’ Devi wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Ugghhh.’ Vixen moaned, slipping in and out of
consciousness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB came over the radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Would you prefer if I drove?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘YES!’ Cass and Devi shouted. Vixen was too busy vomiting over herself to
reply. Façade shrugged and relinquished control of the wheel. ‘I was sick of driving you jerks anyway.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Um, guys.’
Cassandra’s voice sounded high pitched from the back of the van. ‘We have a problem.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What?’ Façade and
Devi turned around in time to see Katherine the crocodile swell, double and
then triple in size, turning blue and rounded, getting bigger and bigger until
she had turned into…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘A bloody whale!’ Cass moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘BOB, do something!’ Devi cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Bambi has supersized on us.’ Façade said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB’s voice crackled over the radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I suggest that Devi use a teleportation spell to send
Katherine Knotts straight here.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Just so you know; she’s going to need something roomier
than a holding cell.’ Façade cut
in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I will have a tank prepared.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi clambered into the back of the van, trying to ignore
the whale’s gaze, which was difficult as its eye was now the size of a football
and swivelling menacingly in her direction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She took a steadying breath and began the incantation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The creak of buckling metal grew louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Hurry! She’s
bursting out of the van!’ Cass yelled.
Devi’s chants filled the van as did a brilliant white light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Wait! No!’ Devi cried before a bright flash blinded them
all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our heroes blinked.
They looked out of the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We’re back at HQ.’
Cass wondered. ‘How did that
happen?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Where’s Bambi?’ Façade asked. The back of the van was empty except for Cass
and Devi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Façade raised an eyebrow as Devi dropped to her knees and
began crawling around. ‘Just before I
could complete the teleportation, she turned herself into –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The back doors were flung open. Joules scanned the van.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Where’s the girl?’
She asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi yelped and gathered something in her hand. She stood, holding her hand out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘She’s here.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Is that an <i>ant</i>?’ Joules wrinkled her nose. ‘If that’s all she is I don’t know what took
you so long. I thought BOB said you were
bringing mail? What was that about?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘A whale. Long
story.’ Cass clambered out to join Nymph who came running over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Oh my God, what happened to the van? And to <i>her</i>?’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Nothing a plaster and some asprin won’t fix.’ Façade
dragged the bloody, unconscious Vixen from the cab.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘When she changed from a whale into an ant, the shift in
weight must have allowed me to transport all of us, including the van.’ Devi was surprised and rather pleased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB’s voice came from the tannoy. ‘I take it Katherine
Knotts will no longer be requiring the fifty ton water tank in the basement?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Er, no.’ Cass answered.
There was a sigh and the sound of a plug being pulled and gurgling
water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Take Vixen to the infirmary,’ Cass instructed one of HQ’s
lab technicians. ‘And let’s get this one
to the holding cells.’ She looked
through narrowed eyes at the tiny insect scuttling over Devi’s palm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once she was deposited in her cell and the power
nullification field activated, Katherine was not a happy bunny – literally or
metaphorically. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You pack of fucking morons!’ She screamed, rattling the
bars of her cell. ‘Why couldn’t you mind
your own business? Who do you think you are?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Who do you think <i>you</i>
are, you jumped up, piss-head trash?’ Cass exploded. Things were set to get nasty. BOB intervened and for once, didn’t aggravate
the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We must unite against the real enemy.’ He persuaded. ‘There is the small matter of
the scientists waiting for you, Bambi.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What did you just call me?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Sorry. I meant... Miss Knott.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Oh God, I’m in soooo much trouble!’ Katherine groaned, head in her hands. ‘You freaks have <i>no</i> idea. If they discipline me over this, I could fail the entire
year. My Dad is going to be so pissed.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Believe me, Bambi, that’s the least of your problems.’ Cass
said. ‘The stuff you knocked over while
breaking and entering was nanite technology.
It’s what’s causing you to morph into different animals. The scientists sent us to get you back so
they can extract the nanintes from you –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Did they say if they’re going to press charges?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘ – but we know that what they weren’t saying is that
removing the nanites will probably kill you.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘So, you have a choice. We can take you back to the
scientists to have the nanites removed; bearing in mind they don’t particularly
rank you as their first priority. Or you
can stay with us while we figure out how to remove them.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Or...’ BOB said over
the tannoy. ‘You can wait for twenty
four hours and do nothing, by which time your body will have completely
metabolised the nanites. You will
permanently have the power to change into animals but with more control.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Katherine was uncharacteristically quiet. It was a pleasant break for our heroes’ ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I can’t think! This
is way too heavy!’ Katherine wailed. ‘Do
you guys have anything around here to, you know?’ She waggled her eyebrows. ‘Help a girl chill out?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Yep.’ Devi
beamed. ‘We have just the thing.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two hours later, the whole crew were lounging on the couches
and armchairs of HQ living quarters, blissful and smiling contentedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘That was just what we needed.’ Cass sighed. Devi nodded happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Wasn’t it?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I haven’t seen <i>The
Little Mermaid</i> in years.’ Nymph said, taking the disc out of the DVD player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What shall we watch next?’
Katherine asked, dressed in an old pair of Nymph’s pyjamas, munching
from a huge bowl of popcorn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i>Frozen</i>?’ Cass
suggested. There was a general cheer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The heroes worked their way through Disney’s back catalogue,
amid much singing, of varying quality.
Nymph sent out for pizza. Joules fell asleep during <i>Mulan </i>but woke in time for the ballroom sequence in <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>, having fortunately
missed out on the debate between Nymph and Katherine as to whether Belle was,
in fact, suffering from Stockholm syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Joules looked at her watch.
‘Guys. I think Katherine can try
out her powers now.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They all looked at her expectantly. Katherine got gingerly to her feet, brushing
popcorn from her front. She furrowed her
brow – and turned into a cheetah. Everyone cheered and clapped. She turned back into Katherine once more –
swishing a cheetah tail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What do you think?’
She purred. ‘I might wear it on
Saturday night around town.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cue more cheers all round.
As Katherine skipped off to the bathroom and the team celebrated this
sort-of victory, BOB patched through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I have the scientists on the telephone. They want to know
the current status of our mission. My
programming is inconsistent when it comes to the interpretation of voice
intonations but I have concluded that they are not happy.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That lowered the mood.
While BOB put the call through, a plan was hurriedly thrown together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Okay, so – we’ll tell them Katherine died while we
teleporting her back to base.’ Cass hissed.
‘We’ll invite ourselves over to discuss what happened, Katherine can
disguise herself as Devi’s freaky rat –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Don’t talk about Thelma that way!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘- and once we’re there she can change into something bigger
and attack those bastards. We just need
to keep Katherine quiet while we talk to the –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass’s mobile rang.
She hushed everyone with a dramatic finger to the lips gesture making
Facade roll her eyes. She answered, putting them on speakerphone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Hello? Cassandra
speaking.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Where is Miss Knott?’
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB wasn’t wrong.
They definitely didn’t sound happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘She’s dead.
Yeah. She died while we were
trans-‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘<i>Let it go, let it
gooooo</i>.’ Katherine bounded into the living quarters, twirling, and arms in
the air like a ballerina. Cass dropped
her mobile in horror while Nymph whipped a vine out from her fingertips to gag
Katherine’s mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Who was that?’ The
scientist snapped. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Nobody. That is, I
mean, that was one of our team members. She loves a good sing song.’ Cass babbled. ‘We try to relax here at HQ, you
know? Balance the stress of fighting crime with-’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We need her body back. To give to her parents.’ The
scientists said, a little too quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Of course. We can help you arrange that. And we’re awfully
sorry. Terrible mess.’ Cass paused and took a steadying breath, attempting to
read the mind of the scientist down the phone. It wasn’t difficult. The
scientist didn’t believe a word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nymph pulled the mobile towards herself. ‘We’ll clean her up
and come straight over to the university.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘How long will you be?’ They asked. Cass heard them think <i>we’ll have to notify Hydra</i>. A chill ran down her spine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Give us twenty minutes.’ Nymph said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass had time to psychically register one last thought
before the scientist hung up. <i>Plenty of time to set up a strike force.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We’re in a world of crap.’ She said as Nymph passed her the
phone. ‘They’re sending a strike force to whack us.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facade swore. Devi
gasped while Joules tutted angrily.
Nymph visibly drooped and in doing so, released the vine gagging
Katherine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What are you idiots doing?’
She yelled, Angry Katherine back in full force. ‘Why did you tell them I was dead? That was stupid!’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We were trying to protect you from them, you idiot!’ Cass
yelled back, nose to nose with Katherine. She laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I don’t need protecting from them. What can they do to me?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB tried to intervene.
‘Perhaps we can reach a diplomatic solution to your differences of
opinion?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Shove it up your circuit board, BOB.’ Cass snarled. To Katherine she yelled, ‘you moron. You’ve
endangered your own life and ours by letting them know you’re alive. And now
they’re going to kill us all, unless we come up with a plan.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Listen.’ Devi held her hands up nervously. ‘There’s a lot
of distrust in the room. We can’t help
each other unless we trust each other.’
She approached Katherine. ‘I don’t think we formally introduced
ourselves.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When no one said or did anything other than glare at
Katherine, Devi continued. ‘This is Facade...Joules...Cass you know.’ She moved around the room quickly before Cass
could speak. ‘And this is Nymph.’ She smiled shyly at her crush who winked back
at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘And you’re speaking to Devi.’ Joules drawled. ‘Nymph’s girlfriend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi blushed scarlet to the roots of her hair. Katherine sighed in a put upon manner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘You people have serious social skill deficiencies.’ She
looked Cass up and down in particular. ‘But if we’re all going to be <i>friends</i>.’ She said the word using her
fingers as inverted commas. ‘Then we might as well work this crap out
together. I say we go to the university
and ambush those pigs before they get their little strike team assembled.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For once, they were all in agreement. In a matter of moments Joules teleported them
down the telephone lines where they assembled inside one of the lecture rooms
inside the university.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass mentally swept the area. ‘They’re in the room across
the corridor,’ she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nymph drew herself up to her full height. ‘Listen
everyone. We’re in a serious situation.
Our leader is in a medically induced coma. We’re
up against Hydra and I don’t need to tell you they’re the most dangerous force
we’ve encountered yet, one against which we’re hopelessly ill-prepared. But I know that the people stood before me
are heroes. Flawed ones, yes. We don’t
always get things right. But one thing
you can say for the Liver Birds is-‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cass tutted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘-we never give up. No matter how many times we’re kicked
down, beaten up and humiliated. We get
up and keep going.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I don’t know if that speech was meant to qualify as
rousing, but you just made us sound like a bunch of complete morons.’ Joules
sniffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Let’s go.’ Cass
hissed, opening the door and leading the way down the corridor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was time to throw the first punch. Cass sent out a mental mind blast across the
room with the scientists inside. They
heard someone tut. ‘Ouch! My head
hurts. I think I need an asprin.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It wasn’t a great first punch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘I recognise that voice.’ Facade growled. Before the others could stop her she burst
through the door. Inside was their old
adversary Hertz, his twin sister Candela as well as the two scientists, whose mouths
fell open in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facade leapt across the room and threw Hertz a sucker punch
that sent him to the floor. A swift uppercut knocked one of the scientists off
her feet. As she fell to the floor, she
lifted her arm up in salute. ‘Hail
Hydra!’ She whimpered before she hit the deck, out cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Candela screamed in rage.
Katherine winced, not just at the noise but in horror at the yellow neon
jumpsuit Candela was wearing. Purely to
punish her for her crimes against fashion, Katherine morphed into a bear and
charged at Candela. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Candela was too shocked to move and was thrown to the
floor. Joules threw up her force field
and shot a bolt of electricity at the neon-clad villain, knocking her
unconscious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our heroes remembered the twins well from their first
encounter and weren’t in the mood to take prisoners. Devi conjured a tornado in
the palms of her hands and blew it across the room to entangle Hertz before he
could do any damage. Unfortunately
Joules and Bear Katherine got caught up in the maelstrom as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB’s voice crackled over Devi’s phone. ‘In light of us being a woman down, I have
called for backup. Help is on the way.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At that exact moment there was a horrible noise just outside
the room. A hacking retching could be
heard over the noise of Devi’s tornado.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Oh no!’ wailed
Cass. ‘It’s –‘<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In through the door burst a bedraggled scruff, hacking and
coughing vomit. Yes. It was Vomit Man. No. Our heroes were not
happy to see him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Not him!’ Nymph cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What’s the situation?’ Vomit Man asked Cass, who shrank
away, gagging. He cast a bleary eye over
the room and took a deep breath before showering Hertz with a blast of
projectile vomit. It missed and hit
Joules and Katherine instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As if he hadn’t proved himself incompetent enough, Vomit Man
then also became entangled in the tornado, yelping as it swept him off his
feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nymph aimed carefully.
This would be tough. She mentally
crossed her fingers praying she wouldn’t miss and blasted Hertz with her
pheromones. He swirled around the room
on the current of turbulent air, looked over, blinked and beamed a dopey
grin. Like Devi, he had fallen hook,
line and sinker. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devi bristled. She
ran over to Nymph and the tornado instantly dropped, sending the others
crashing to the floor. She barely
noticed them as she linked Nymph’s arm, glowering at Hertz. Nymph laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Don’t worry honey.
He means nothing to me.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If love could be personified by tweeting birds flying around
someone’s head, Hertz’s head space would look like an RSPB sanctuary. He stared, dewy-eyed, up at Nymph. She pointed at Katherine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Go and clean the vomit off that bear.’ She demanded of Hertz. ‘With your<i>
tongue</i>.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And off he trotted.
The rest was too horrible to describe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back at HQ, the team found Vixen had recovered enough to be
back on her feet, waiting for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What happened to the scientists?’ She asked after Cass has
described what happened at the university.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We brought them back here. They’re in the holding cells.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Who’s guarding them?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘No one. We all
needed showers, thanks to <i>someone</i>.’
Cass sniffed pointedly. They were doing their
best to ignore Vomit Man, who was sniffing around the kitchen, looking for
something to eat. ‘I’ve told BOB never, <i>ever</i> to call on him as backup again.’ Cass hissed.
‘I’d rather die in battle.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Joules and Facade nodded in agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vixen’s eyes narrowed. ‘You mean the scientists are alone?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Yeah. So? It’s not like they can escape.’ Cass said but
Vixen was already running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They followed her to the holding cells, just in time to see
the final death throes of the scientists as they twitched and lay still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Cyanide.’ Vixen spat in disgust, as foam spilled out of the
glassy-eyed scientists mouths. ‘They
must have bitten on capsules hidden in their teeth.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘What now?’ Joules
noted the twitching eyelids of the corpses with disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Let’s have a little chat with our old friends, Hertz and
Candela.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But our heroes were disappointed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘We don’t know.
Nobody tells us nothing.’ Hertz
shrugged when questioned, feet up on the interrogation table. It turned out that the mercenary twins had been
hired as muscle by the scientists. Candela
knew nothing, other than what she was getting paid - the fact that her money was
now unlikely to be forthcoming putting her in a vile mood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A mind sweep by Cass established they were both telling the
truth. Apart from gleaning that Hertz
had planned to spend his fee on Download festival tickets and Candela on a new tattoo,
there was nothing to be learned from them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The trail had gone cold. For now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzW-qgqfy2sn9x3L80XgsIn8GVEarQW2BVdh1AIr5aR4iUbenq_4HfIBIdi8OCLlEcN2_yooSEbfwYkcm6U58RtsffidEn8vt7rv_FN5S8LD2hUcPY5dYNswgH48EtrkBQa7wCKjkUwSi/s1600/19ecbbb9f4951b9dc686254009ac309c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzW-qgqfy2sn9x3L80XgsIn8GVEarQW2BVdh1AIr5aR4iUbenq_4HfIBIdi8OCLlEcN2_yooSEbfwYkcm6U58RtsffidEn8vt7rv_FN5S8LD2hUcPY5dYNswgH48EtrkBQa7wCKjkUwSi/s1600/19ecbbb9f4951b9dc686254009ac309c.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/429741989415836509/" target="_blank"> here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-3316830162665476252014-10-05T13:16:00.001-07:002014-10-07T08:34:24.981-07:00Session four continued - Intimidation<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Joules’ invisibility couldn’t protect her for long. She got caught in the workshop crossfire,
taking a blast in the chest which slammed her into the opposite wall, knocking
her unconscious. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cassandra wasn’t in a position to help, quivering under the
bench, trying desperately to break through the block on her telepathy. Without warning, screaming voices reverberated
around the room. They came from the
Tannoy system but to Cassandra, it felt as though they were deep inside her
head. She sucked in her breath sharply and tried to
block them out but she couldn’t ignore them – or their accusations. Images and sounds burst through her
consciousness – memories long-buried, along with overwhelming fear and
guilt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Noooooo!’ She buried
her head in her hands, trying to block the voices out. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Long ago while practicing a new trick for the circus,
Cassandra received a nasty shock when her magic routine resulted in the sudden
and unexplained disappearance of her boss who vanished into thin air. As if this weren’t bad enough, her
colleagues’ heads also exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Understandably, Cassandra didn’t like talking about it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I didn’t do it! It
wasn’t me! Leave me alone!’ She wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Back in the kitchen, Devi was simultaneously struck with the
same affliction. From nowhere, she heard
her parents’ voices – and they were <i>not</i>
happy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘You’ve tainted the family coven with your recklessness,
Indrani,’ her father berated. ‘Pacifism
is sacred and you have used the elements in battle.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Listen to your father,’ Devi’s mum’s voice dripped with disapproval. ‘You don’t deserve the powers you have. You don’t deserve Thelma.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi gasped. She
looked about frantically but somehow couldn’t grasp that her parents were not <i>there</i>.
She choked back a sob.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘No! I’m sorry Mum!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We should take her away from you.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Yes, take the rat away.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘No! Please!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi sank to her knees and cried, totally crushed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Nymph continued to rock backwards and forwards in the lab,
tormented by dark memories of her twisted childhood and though Vixen managed to
get up and slice through her nearest robotic assailant there were more where it
came from.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Things weren’t looking good for our heroes. They were outnumbered, out-gunned and out of
luck. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">All except one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Hot wiring the car was taking too long, so Façade decided to
fall back on her usual <i>modus operandi.</i> She punched the living daylights out of every
robot in the garage. It worked as well
as it usually did – she destroyed every single one of them in a blur of fists,
standing over their smoking wreckage with satisfaction. No messing about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A shimmer tugged at the edge of her vision. She whipped around to see another robot
materialise from nowhere in the garage, in much the same manner they had appeared
not so long ago in the combat simulator.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If she hadn’t been so preoccupied, this fact might have led
her thoughts to a certain person. But
there were now more A.I. to punch so the thought was shoved aside – much like
the robots. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At the same moment, another robot shimmered and appeared in
the library. Vixen took another bruising
hit and almost went down. Pain shot
through her side as she staggered, clutching her ribs. This was so unfair. Who was doing this? Was this part of MI13’s sick recruitment
process? Struggling to her feet, her
ears ringing, Vixen gripped her sword until her knuckles whitened. The union
would hear about this - if there were such a thing for superheroes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indignation rising with her adrenalin, she raised her sword
at the level of her eyes and charged. Her
sword went through the advancing robot like butter, burst through the force
field covering the door in a flash of green light and penetrated the control
panel which exploded in a fizz of sparks.
The robot crumpled into a heap as the doors clicked and swung open.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Strength ebbing away, Vixen staggered into the hallway,
sinking to her knees. Lights swam in
front of her eyes. Somewhere, deep in
the building, she thought she could hear a car engine revving…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade leapt into the ruined Lexus, whacked at the buttons
on the dashboard and hoped something would work out. It did.
As she rotated one of the gear sticks, the gun mounted on top of the car
buzzed and activated. Façade pressed the
red button. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A rocket launched across the garage and blew the doors
apart. Outside the library Vixen heard
the impact and forced herself to her feet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">More sounds were coming from around the corner. Vixen edged her way towards them, keeping
flush to the walls. Façade ran to meet her.
They looked each other up and down.
Façade raised an eyebrow when she too heard the clanking noises.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I think it’s coming from the lift.’ Vixen jerked her head to one side.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The lift was descending, gears grinding, buttons
flashing. ‘We have to warn the
others.’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She lurched drunkenly across the hallway to the doorway labelled
‘Communications Centre’. She rammed her
sword into the control panel where it promptly got stuck.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘What are you doing, Klutz?’
Façade held her arms out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We need to send a communication to the others.’ Vixen
snapped. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I suppose impaling a control panel is an improvement on
stabbing yourself.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘This worked before, all right? It’s not my fault it’s stuck. I’m knackered. Where’s that piece of crap computer?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade got out her mobile as Vixen wrestled with her stuck
sword.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘BOB, where are the others?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Static fizzed. ‘I am
unable to locate the others. There
appears to be something wrong with my programming.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Can you reboot yourself?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Yes. It will take
approximately half an hour.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Whoever’s in that lift will be here in half a minute. And I doubt it’s a welcoming committee!’ Vixen whipped her mobile out of her pocket
and yelled into it. ‘BOB. Answer me straight. What’s happening?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I am afraid I cannot answer that question. I do not know.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘You’re full of shit, BOB.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘That is incorrect. I
am full of binary code.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Before Vixen could say anything else, the lift pinged and she
and Façade could only watch as the doors slowly slid open.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Framed within was Psylocke, looking furious, a tall,
dark-skinned man in shades and in front of them, almost filling the doorway
with his physique, was a square-jawed handsome man dressed in the colours of
the Union Jack. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘Captain Britain!’ Vixen </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">couldn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> help gasping. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">He flashed the same mega-watt smile that had graced the
covers of so many newspapers and TV news reports as he strutted into the
hallway, closely followed by the others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Psylocke rounded on Vixen and Facade. ‘Where is she?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Who?’ Asked Façade indignantly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Phreak!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I thought she was with you?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘No. I ordered her to
stay behind in the Comms Centre.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">About the same time the metaphorical penny dropped, a
mounted gun appeared above the doorway to the Communications Centre and
unleashed a round of bullets straight into Captain Britain’s chest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They glanced off him, littering the floor like hailstones. He shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘It’s going to take more than that to stop Captain Britain!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade rolled her eyes.
Vixen continued to struggle to disentangle her sword. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We’ve been under attack.
What’s going on?’ Façade asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Psylocke frowned.
‘It’s Phreak. She’s infiltrated
MI13 and compromised BOB.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Why?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I’m not sure yet. I
think her primary goal was to obtain information on you lot.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Not much of a psychic are you?’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I was looking for truthfulness.’ Psylocke glowered. ‘And she answered all her questions
truthfully.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The dark-skinned meathead in shades, who happened to be
nightwalker Blade, grew impatient.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Enough talking!
Let’s get in there!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘How?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade strolled over to the doorway, drew back her fists and
threw the hardest punch she had yet. The
door was blown off its hinges and crashed across the room. Vixen’s sword came away from the control
panel in a shower of sparks. The other
Supers looked at each other, impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Nice one, rookie.’ Blade nodded at Façade. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They all peered into the semi-darkness of the Comms
Centre. It was empty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Damn it!’ Psylocke
swore. ‘She must be controlling the
system remotely using the link in her brain.
She could be anywhere.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOB’s</span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">eerily high-pitched voice echoed from within the room,
making everyone jump.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Welcome</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The strain of this small yet strangely terrifying fright,
coupled with fatigue and a sudden urge to go to the bathroom, proved
catastrophic for Vixen who promptly wet herself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Nice one, Klutz.’
Façade gave her the thumbs up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Shut up!’ Vixen
snarled, trying to edge away from the other Supers who were politely pretending
not to notice. They had seen this sort
of thing with a hundred newbies. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the kitchen, Devi, who had been fighting the insecurities
which had threatened to overwhelm her, finally got to her feet. Her parents weren’t here. This wasn’t real. Using the last of her strength she summoned
her fire spell and blasted open the doors to her prison. Thelma was delighted and began cleaning her
whiskers from her vantage point on Devi’s shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Back at the Comms Centre, Façade and Vixen could hear the
groan of warped metal and hoped it wasn’t a bad sign. As if in answer to their fears there came a
clanking noise behind them. Someone was
climbing down the lift shaft. Our heroes
held their breath. A pair of red
stiletto heels appeared followed by their owner – the medic in a white lab coat
who had healed them after their session in the combat simulator. Everyone
exhaled in relief.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The medic leapt into action, laying her healing hands on
Vixen who instantly felt better, though not less embarrassed. Before she could move on to the other Supers,
the gun mounted outside the door whirred into life, pivoting around so that it
pointed inside the room – right at Façade.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade looked towards Blade and concentrated. Using her
powers of mimicry, she absorbed his strength a fraction of a second before the
impact of the hail of bullets thudded into her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They glanced harmlessly off her and Vixen forgot her shame
in a moment of incredulous awe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Since when could you do that?’ She asked, jaw hanging open. Façade shrugged. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Captain Britain marched into the room and headed towards the
server room, the door to which now stood open, crumpled from the impact of the
Comms Centre door flying across the room and hitting it. He reached for the mass of wires within the
machinery and in a single action, ripped them all out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The lights went out, plunging them in darkness for a second
until the emergency strip lighting kicked in and glowed brightly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">BOB’s voice could barely be heard as he cried, ‘Noooooo……’
and faded away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Across MI13, the remaining robots powered down, as did the
force fields around the doors, which all swung open. The intimidation of Phreak had been stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi and Nymph emerged, blinking and dazed but unharmed.
Joules came around and sat up, nursing a huge lump on her head. From where she still hid under the workshop
bench, the block on Cassandra’s telepathy broke.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A thousand sensations rushed into her cerebral cortex,
filling her nerve endings with the thoughts and feelings of her fellow
heroes. Fear, pain, panic – a
superhighway of emotion that made the blood vessels in Cassandra’s brain swell
fit to burst.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She threw back her head and screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The mind blast that resulted from the sudden release of her
pent up fear and anger ripped through MI13.
Psylocke, Blade and Captain Britain covered their ears and winced. Façade didn’t feel anything and wondered what
the others were doing. Vixen found that
Cassandra’s mind blast had the pleasant side effect of clearing her
headache. But others were not so
fortunate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi, perhaps the most sensitive member of the group, took
the blast hard and was knocked off her feet.
After a few seconds she sat back up again – and wondered where the hell
she was. Her memories of the last few
days had been completely wiped from her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Some might say she was the lucky one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Four months later<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade, Devi Vixen and Cassandra wend their way through the
university corridors, following the scientist in the white lab coat and nervous
twitch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We can’t account for how they got into the building.’ She twittered. ‘The damage to the lab is extensive. We haven’t contacted the police. You were the first people we called.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Relax. First we’ll look at the CCTV and then the lab.’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Since the ‘code nine’ incident, life had moved on for our
heroes. Devi had needed to be virtually
re-recruited, not to mention re-introduced to everyone. It was doubtful they would ever be able to
reverse the effects of Cassandra’s mind blast though Devi remained besotted
with Nymph, and much to her own bemusement, wanted to cry whenever she smelt
bacon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Miss Metamorphosis proved a wily opponent, managing to
escape from police custody that day and remained AWOL. Psylocke and the other Supers had quelled the
riots she left behind as a result of her mind control though they had been
unable to figure out if she and Phreak had been in cahoots or whether Phreak
had acted alone. Either way, Phreak also
remained missing and at large.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One upside to the code nine was that Psylocke fully
recruited our heroes, deciding that while they were more than a bit eccentric and
certainly had elements of the pathetic about them, they seemed able to handle
the unpredictable life of superheroes. They
were given their own kitted-out Liverpool headquarters in the sub-basement of
the Liver buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Pretty soon, they were getting distress calls. A robbery here, blackmail there, could
Merseyside’s newest hopefuls help them out where the police and justice system
had failed? It turns out they
could. Their local notoriety grew. They began appearing in <i>The Echo</i> and were even interviewed on <i>Granada Tonight</i>, much to Nymph’s delight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Psylocke insisted that they elected a team leader. Nymph promptly voted for herself. To Vixen’s shock, Façade nominated her. She strongly suspected that Façade would use
the fact that she wet herself against her at some point in the future, but what
the Hell? Her dignity had left the
building some time ago, in no small part thanks to her fellow heroes’ constant
reminders, and Twitter. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vixen felt obliged to put her own name forward after being
nominated and Devi surprised everyone by electing Cassandra who in turn put
herself forward. Nymph was out of the
running, though thankfully remained gracious throughout defeat. She even posted magnanimous tweets congratulating
her team mates. She reserved her
bile-filled rants for the secret diary she kept under her pillow and into which
she scribbled furiously at night for a week until she felt better. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That left BOB with the deciding vote. For reasons known only to him and a complete
mystery to everyone else, he chose Vixen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So, as Team Leader, with Cass as her Second in command,
Vixen led the way to their latest call out – a break-in at the University of
Liverpool’s labs. Joules had a lot of
students taking piano exams that day and Nymph was presenting a scientific
paper at a conference so that left the remaining four ‘Liver Birds’, as they
had been nicknamed by the press.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cassandra had sworn to find out who coined the moniker, hunt
them down and kill them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ensconced in a poky security room with the lights off, our
heroes stared at the flickering black and white images on the CCTV
footage. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">All was still until around midnight when a dark-haired girl
entered the lab. From the way she was
looking around and behind her it was clear she was nervous. The cameras cut to a different view point in
which she was stood in front of a table laden with equipment. She was handling something but had her back
to camera, obscuring the view.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She stumbled backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Look,’ Devi pointed.
‘The vial that was on the table has gone.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The two scientists glanced at each other nervously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The girl in the footage jumped into the air, stumbled again
and suddenly lashed out, arms and legs flailing madly. She knocked over a whole table sending its
contents scattering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then she turned into a deer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Our heroes blinked, after the fact which was lucky, because
it was truly a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it transformation. One second they were looking at a rather
clumsy young woman. The next they were
looking at a bucking hoofer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The deer now thrashed wildly about the lab, turning over
tables and smashing everything in sight before bolting out the way it came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the scientists froze the tape.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘That’s it.’ She
said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Our heroes looked at each other and shrugged. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Well? What do you
think?’ The other scientist asked,
looking anxiously at her colleague. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We don’t know yet.’ Devi laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We’re good, but not <i>that</i>
good.’ Cassandra said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Take us to the lab.’
Vixen tried to keep things business-like. Not always easy with this crew.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The lab in question was easy to spot, seeing as its bashed
in door was hanging off its hinges. Once
inside, our heroes surveyed the carnage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi spotted blood on the floor by shards of smashed
glass. The sight made her queasy and she
wished for the tenth time already that Nymph were there. Nymph was great with gore. When she crouched down for a better look she
noticed a shiny substance like mercury smeared across the tiles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Here’s something for BOB back at HQ.’ <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vixen took a swab.
‘We’ll get this back to the lab for analysis.’ She got to her feet. ‘Take us to the caretaker.’ She narrowed her eyes at the two jumpy
scientists. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Brian Mason was an unassuming bloke with five o’clock shadow
and a hint of hen-pecked husband about him.
He sported a bloody bandage across his head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘That thing done it!’
He bemoaned. ‘Whacked me with its
antlers as it come running out the lab.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘What can you tell us about what happened last night?’ Façade
asked, cracking her knuckles menacingly.
She had no intention of punching him – yet – but found that people tended
to talk faster when she flexed her fists.
Brian swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I’d unlocked that room for cleaning only I forgot my mop,
so off I goes back to the broom cupboard.
I was bursting so I went the bog on the way. I was gone no more than five or ten minutes. When I got back I heard a racket and when I
got to the door that beast come charging at me like a bull and took a chunk out
my forehead. I should sue. There’s nothing written in my contract about
this sort of thing. My mate Barry from
the union –‘<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Thank you, Mr Mason, that’ll be all.’ Vixen turned to one of the scientists. ‘What was in that vial?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The scientists looked at each other before the first
replied. ‘Can we rely on your complete
confidentiality? What we tell you must go no further.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Hurry up and spill.’
Façade cracked her knuckles again.
The scientists visibly paled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Nanites.’ One
said. ‘It’s a technology that allows its
subject to change their molecular structure.
It’s a top secret programme.’ She
added hastily. ‘I can’t tell you who
we’re working for. Needless to say, the
only people who know about this project are us scientists and our students, all
of whom have signed a confidentiality agreement.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade got out her mobile and hit speed dial. ‘BOB.
Patch into the uni’s CCTV and run a scan on the girl in last night’s footage. See if you can match Bambi up in the student
database.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Affirmative. I mean
– okey, dokey.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In less than ten seconds, BOB replied brightly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘The subject, code name Bambi, is a registered student at
the university, Katherine Knots.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If possible, the scientists paled further, a fact that
didn’t go unnoticed by our heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Didn’t you recognise her as one of your students?’ Devi asked incredulously. The scientists shook their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We err, teach so many students and err, we’re very busy
with the research…’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘What is it about Katherine that makes you so nervous?’
Cassandra asked, eyebrow raised, her psychic abilities tingling. Right on cue, BOB continued.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Katherine Knotts is the daughter of Gloria Knotts,
prominent Liberal Democrat MP and Jonathon Knotts, a well-respected
lawyer. A notorious party girl, Katherine is quite famous. Even BOB has
heard of her.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Not the sort of publicity you want, I suppose?’ Vixen said.
‘Daughter of MP eats nanites and goes buck mental – literally.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As this conversation played out Devi gathered up whatever
further evidence she could find to analyse back at HQ. Cassandra handled each item, trying to pick
up psychic vibrations but got nothing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Can you help us or not?’
One of the scientists snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘What exactly do you want us do?’ Cassandra asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We want Katherine back in one piece so we can safely
extract the nanites from her bloodstream.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘What will happen to Katherine when you do that?’ Vixen asked suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Nothing. We’ll put
her through dialysis and she’ll suffer no side effects afterwards.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They nodded sincerely.
Cassandra didn’t believe them for a second. She sent a psychic message to that effect to
the minds of the rest of her team.
Façade immediately stepped forward, cracking her knuckles yet again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We don’t believe you.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vixen stepped forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We think you’re full of crap. That is,’ she looked to Cassandra. ‘My colleague here doubts the sincerity of
your claims.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘You’re full of crap.’
Cassandra said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The scientists’ expressions were blank but Cass spotted a
single bead of sweat rolling down the forehead of one of them. Sensing her defences were down, Cassandra
scanned her mind. As she predicted, the
truth wasn’t buried deep. Both
scientists were well aware that the removal of the nanites would kill Katherine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cass squared her shoulders.
‘Thank you,’ she said brightly.
‘We’ll be going now. Lots to
analyse back at HQ. My colleagues and I
will find Katherine and bring her right back here, pronto. Thank you for showing us around.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The scientists’ eyebrows shot up. ‘Really?
Thank you,’ one blurted. ‘That’s
excellent.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘No problem.’ Cass
beamed. ‘We would be delighted to serve
the cause of scientific discovery. We’ll
be in touch.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Back at HQ, our heroes had a quick meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Okay, team.’ Vixen
said. ‘Clearly those scientists are
corporate sell-outs working for someone really shady. Thanks to Cass for coming across as
co-operative – slightly unconvincingly I felt but I think those two bought it.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cassandra smiled smugly.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade flexed her by now slightly tender knuckles, briefly
considering the possibility of early on-set arthritis. ‘So what do we do now? We can’t hand Bambi over to them knowing
they’ll kill her.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I can’t believe they care more about some stupid nanites
than a human life!’ Devi’s eyes
glistened. She was feeling particularly
emotional these days and frequently burst into tears. As a precautionary measure, her fellow heroes
had taken to carrying tissues around with them and steering Devi away from
greasy spoon cafes and the processed meat aisle in supermarkets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We’re not going to hand her over. That was a bluff.’ Vixen nodded appreciatively at her Second in
Command. ‘We’ll track her down and bring
her here, then decide what to do next.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">BOB spoke from his server.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I have scanned all Liverpool city centre CCTV footage and
located Katherine Knotts. I followed her
erratic progress around town before tracking her back to local student
accommodation near here, where she returned around one a.m. in human form.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘So the nanites must wear off?’ Devi said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Or she’s learned to control them.’ Cassandra said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I have traced the scientists’ employer to Asia but the
trail went cold. It was a front
organisation.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘All the more reason not to trust these people.’ Vixen said.
‘Let’s head for Bambi’s student digs.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Shotgun.’ Cassandra
said quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade drove the van, Cass riding up front, while Devi and
Vixen sat in the back. The seats were
covered with plastic sheeting. Façade
said it was ‘for blood’. Whose she
didn’t say but Vixen suspected from the snorts of laughter up front that this
was yet another jibe at the infamous incident at MI13. She seethed.
No one saw her barn-storming display of samurai prowess, did they? But every man and his dog knew she had wet
herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">BOB had sent a request for back up to the local animal rescue
centre who promised to stand by outside the student accommodation with large
nets in case they were needed. Façade
carried a small portable EMP device that BOB knocked up during their
pre-mission tea break. Its purpose was
to send out an electromagnetic pulse which would temporarily knock out the
nanites and hopefully return the errant Katherine to her human form, should she
be prancing around her flat as Bambi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Their non-descript black van pulled up outside Catherine’s
apartment block. Trying to look as
inconspicuous as possible our heroes sauntered up to the front door and buzzed
to be let in. Nobody answered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘It’s only eleven o’clock in the morning.’ Devi nodded sagely. ‘Most of the students will still be in bed.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Loafers,’ Façade muttered and punched through the front
door’s keypad lock.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vixen sighed and gave Façade a withering look but her team
were already through the door. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Cassandra
pressed her fingertips to her temples.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘I can sense twenty-four people in this block.’ She said.
‘And one animal.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Wasting no time, our heroes ran up the three flights of
stairs to what they knew was Katherine’s room.
Before Façade could step in with her fists and wreak more damage than
their insurance could cover, Vixen used her telepathic powers to manipulate the
keypad and open the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It swung inwards, creaking ominously. Silence.
Another closed door stood at the end of the hallway. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Go on.’ Vixen prodded Devi.
‘Go talk to her.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Me?’ Devi squeaked
in alarm. ‘What do I say?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘You’re the nicest person here. We generally lack compassion.’ Vixen gestured to herself and the other
two. ‘Animals sense that sort of
thing. Just – tell her we mean no harm.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As Devi approached the door, Vixen raised her telekinetic
sword and Façade her fists. Cassandra
tried to get a psychic sense of whom or what lay behind the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Hello? Is anybody
there? Katherine?’ Devi tried to hide the tremor in her
voice. She was met with silence. ‘Katherine?
Are you in there? We’re here to
help. Sit tight. We’re coming in.’ Devi reached for the door
handle. It was unlocked. She closed her eyes and pushed it open. ‘Please don’t attack us!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The room was empty.
The others followed Devi inside, Facade closing the door behind them. Devi was the first to spot the flecks of
blood spattered on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Look.’ She
whispered, pointing to where the trail led, under the unmade bed. Feeling that she had to at least put on a
show of bravery, Devi crouched and peered under the mattress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Hung upside-down from the springs was a massive, black
bat. It opened one yellow eye and
unfurled its wings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Devi screamed as the bat flew out from under the bed and
around the room, bashing into the walls and flapping around wildly, trying to
escape.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Facade tossed the EMP device to Vixen and shrugged. ‘I don’t
know this stuff works. I just carry it.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vixen activated the EMP and there was a flash of light. The bat morphed instantly into a person and
crashed to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Catherine winced. She
looked up to see a ring of four blurry, unfamiliar faces looking down on
her. A swell of panic bubbled up inside her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Are you all right?’
Devi asked concerned, noting Katherine’s paleness and bleeding hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Katherine looked up at them indignantly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Get the fuck out of my flat!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Charming.’ Vixen
said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘We’re trying to help you, you ungrateful hussy!’ Cassandra scolded. While she and Katherine
were busy arguing about who had more cheek, Devi quickly laid her hands on Katherine and healed her injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘You’re coming back with us to HQ.’ Vixen told her. ‘Whether you like it or not.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Façade tied Katherine’s hands behind her back and
frog-marched her out, to Devi’s distress who pleaded with Façade to show more
compassion. Façade didn’t have much
compassion for the irate student who was still yelling at them all to piss off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cassandra read Katherine’s mind and through the hazy jumble,
quickly discovered what had happened the previous night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Katherine had been drunk, playing truth or dare with her
room mates. Who even does that these
days? It appeared that she had been
dared to steal something from the lab, which was what had led her there. She had snatched up the vial, heard a noise
and got spooked, managing to break the vial in her hand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The next thing she knew, she was a deer. This was not an easy situation to deal with,
especially after twelve vodka jelly shots.
After what appeared in Cassandra’s mind like a montage sequence of a drunken
deer about town, running through red lights, knocking over wheelie bins,
staggering into walls, Katherine managed to teeter home where she collapsed.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-72480305883900927702014-09-17T04:50:00.000-07:002014-09-17T04:50:13.866-07:00Session Four cont’ - Code Nine<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘CODE
NINE. THIS IS A CODE NINE. ALL SUPERHEROES REPORT TO THE CONTROL ROOM.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">BOB shouted
through Phreak’s mobile over the din of the wailing siren. Psylocke leapt up, nearly knocking the table
over in her haste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Report,’
she barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Miss
Metamorphosis has escaped custody.’ BOB
said. ‘Citizens converged at random
outside the police station where she was being held and managed to release her
from her cell. Initial reports are that
their mindless behaviour was due to a mind-control stimulant, likely
administered through the money Miss Metamorphosis handled at the bank.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Bitch,’
breathed Cassandra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Wait
here.’ Psylocke gestured for our heroes
to stay put. ‘Except you, Phreak. Come with me.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Wait. Why can’t we come? We could help.’ Nymph said.
Psylocke shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘You’re new
recruits.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘So?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘None of you
are properly insured yet.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> ‘Lame.’
Vixen shook her head as Psylocke and Phreak hurried from the room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our heroes
looked at each other as the siren cut off, leaving them in silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Now what?’
Devi asked. Joules got up and
stretched. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I don’t
know about you, but I intend to get some head space.’ She said as she ambled out the door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After an awkward
pause Vixen also got up. ‘It wouldn’t
hurt to explore this place. With
Psylocke and the others out of the way we can have a proper look around.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She slipped
noiselessly from the room. With a shrug
Façade and then Cassandra also left.
Nymph sidled up to Devi who blushed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I’m
starving.’ She batted her eyelashes at
Devi. ‘Tell you what, gorgeous. Why don’t you see if you can rustle me up
something from the kitchen? I could
murder a bacon buttie.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vixen
wandered to the end of the first corridor.
She heaved the heavy doors at the end of it open. To her surprise, she found herself in a
wood-panelled library, heavy with silence, filled floor to ceiling with shelves
stacked with leather-bound books. It
would be interesting to see what passed for light reading at MI13, she thought
as she browsed the shelves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cassandra stumbled
upon an untidy room that looked like some kind of workshop, filled with wires
and circuit boards among other devices, which from the way they were scattered
about looked like they had been dropped in a hurry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wandering
down a different, identical wide corridor, Façade went down a short flight of
steps into a pitch black basement. She
felt along the wall for the light switch.
Florescent tubes hummed and flickered into life overhead, illuminating
the room in dazzling light, revealing row after row of gleaming super cars. This was more like it, she nodded in
satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nymph got
lucky and discovered the one place in MI13 she hoped to find. A sterile, white lab, filled with test tubes,
bottles with skulls and crossbones on them, microscopes and Bunsen
burners. She hugged herself and
immediately hopped up on a stool to examine one of the Petri dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Devi, unable
to resist Nymph’s charms was looking anxiously for the kitchen, heaving a sigh
of relief when she found it. A quick
scout around the fridge and cupboards and she soon had everything she
needed. She lit the hob, laid the bacon
on the frying pan and hummed to herself as it began to sizzle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joules,
meanwhile, had paced the corridors, looking for nothing and no one in
particular; just trying, like she had said, to get some head space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Softly,
almost silently, the doors leading to each of the rooms swung on their hinges
and with a heart-juddering crash, simultaneously slammed shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vixen was
contemplating the volume <i>Diplomatic
Solutions for Confrontational Villains</i> alongside a hardback edition of <i>Fifty Shades of Grey </i>when the doors to
the library swung shut. She felt the slam
as much as heard it, jumping a foot in the air, swearing loudly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nymph looked
up, saw the door to the lab swing shut and snorted. She swivelled around in her chair, humming to
herself, tweeting; <i>I can’t believe the
MI13 scientists didn’t use a counterbalance in the centrifuge. #dickhead. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joules, who
had wandered into the kitchen, heard the bangs echoing down the corridor. She whipped around as the kitchen door
slammed shut in her face. Her throat
went dry. She was trapped. And she was trapped with Devi, who looked up
from her bacon with a mystified expression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cassandra
was also bemused to find herself locked in the workshop. She tried the door. It didn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Façade rattled
the handle to the garage door. When she
had no luck she hit the intercom button on the wall. There was no response, only white noise. She fished her mobile out of her pocket. No
signal. Thinking, she spoke into it
anyway. ‘BOB? Can you hear me?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Affirmative.’ BOB’s voice crackled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I’m trapped
in the garage and need to bust out. Do
any of these cars have weapons?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Might BOB
suggest the Lexus to your right with the enormous gun fixed to the roof?’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Oh, right. Link up to the others’ phones and speak to
them. Find out if they’re trapped too.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Affirmative. Yes. No
worries, sister.’ A fizz of static. ‘I am upgrading my programming to sound more
human.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Shut the
Hell up BOB before I rip your wires out of their socket.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘One moment
please.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Every hero
with a mobile phone felt it vibrate.
Vixen picked up first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Hello? BOB?
What the fuck is going on?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Please
elaborate.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘The door to
the library just slammed shut. It’s
locked and I can’t get out. What’s happening?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I don’t
know.’ BOB’s said. ‘No one else is trapped in their rooms.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unaware of
BOB’s cryptic conversation, Façade punched through the window of the Lexus and
clambered in. She wasn’t sure if she
knew how to hot wire a car but now was an excellent time to find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks to
Nymph’s devastating pheromones unleashed at the bank, Devi remained obsessed with
her crush and more specifically with delivering the requested bacon
sandwich. She looked first at the closed
door, then Joules, then at her bacon sandwich and back at the door again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘But how am
I going to bring Nymph her sandwich now?’
She faltered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I’d say
that’s the least of our worries, wouldn’t you?’
Joules snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With her
predicament now clear to her, Devi burst into tears. Her rat familiar Thelma climbed out of her
pocket and onto her shoulder, squeaking sympathetically. Joules rolled her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile,
back in the lab, the still nonplussed Nymph was curiously poking about the
room. She tried to log on to one of the
computers but couldn’t guess the password of the previous user. Then something
caught her eye. She peered closer and
gasped. She couldn’t believe it. These fossil scientists were still using
Windows Vista. No wonder things kept
screwing up around here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Laughing, she
looked up and noticed something she hadn’t before. Perched on a long bench at the far side of
the room, among beakers filled with blue liquid, and glass apparatus, was a
huge pile of money. Nymph approached and
looked closer. She felt instinctively
that this was the money Miss Metamorphosis had tried to steal from the
bank. MI13 must be trying to figure out
the nature of the mind control substance she covered the bank notes with. Nymph skirted around the edge of the table,
studying but being careful not to touch anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Devi’s
shoulders shook as she sobbed. Joules
looked a</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">bout frantically for a way out - to escape this hormonal madwoman.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was no good.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There were no windows and the only door was
the one now barred to them.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There was no
other way out of the room.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Not at least,
for ordinary people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joules held
her mobile phone to her ear. It was
dead, no signal, no dialling tone.
Joules took a steadying breath, shimmered, compressed and vanished. Devi stopped crying mid-sob and stared as
Joules’ mobile clattered to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joules
surfed the electrical current down the phone line and emerged through the
nearest mobile she came across. As she
dusted herself off and looked about the workshop she noticed Cassandra cowering
under a bench.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘I wish you
would give some sort of warning before you do that!’ Cass bellowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Across MI13,
our heroes’ mobile phones vibrated. BOB’s voice rang out. ‘I am attempting to contact your fellow
heroes.</span> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Please remain
calm. We appear to be in trouble.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This was
something of an understatement. At that
moment the doors opened and robots flooded through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘What the –‘
Vixen didn’t have time for a single curse before she was struck clean across
her shoulders by a robot’s blast and thrown back against the shelves, a cascade
of books tumbling down on top of her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Façade
looked up over the Lexus dashboard as a glancing blast sheared across the top
of her head. She fell back,
stunned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cassandra
and Joules watched in dismay as the robots from the combat simulator burst into
the workshop. Joules made rapid use of
her gifts and disappeared while Cass escaped a blast by burrowing deeper under
the bench she was crouched under.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She pressed
her fingers to her temple, trying to ignore the crossfire. As she suspected, her psychic powers were
being blocked somehow. This was looking
like a classic set up. Or at least, she
assumed this was what a classic set up looked like. She didn’t have much experience of this in
her day job. Misplaced handkerchiefs and
white rabbits appearing in odd places were the order of the day when you were a
magician’s assistant. Nevertheless, she
was learning fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A force of
will broke through the block and she quickly read the minds of the others. They were in similar dire straits. This was <i>so</i> a set up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back in the
kitchen, Devi’s bacon mission reached its sorry and premature conclusion. When the first mechanical menace marched
through the door and trained its beam on her she did the first thing that came
naturally and held up the plate of Nymph’s sandwiches as a shield. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The blast
dissolved the plate into a cloud of dust. Looked like Nymph would be <i>#hangry</i> - an unfortunate blend of hungry
and angry about it - a while longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unable to
contain her devastation at the loss of the bacon, Devi threw back her head and
screamed, levitating off the floor and rapidly turning blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Her fire
spell shot out of her fingertips and blasted the robot’s head off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the same
moment, Nymph was polishing off a leftover box of chocolates she had found in
one of the cupboards and wondering where her Smurf-like admirer was with her
bacon sandwich when she heard the commotion down the corridor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Smelling the
proverbial rodent, she quickly necked a vial of her special serum. Vines and leaves creaked and rustled as they
sprung from her skin, leaving her a bark-hardened hero ready to kick arse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first
robot through the door got a tube of acid in its face. It collapsed, melting, into a heap. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nymph
grabbed another tube and held it over her head, aiming for the next robot when
the room started humming. She
froze. It was a familiar melody. One she thought she had forgotten – a melody
that closed the gap between the years since she was last trussed up in a lab
like this, frightened, helpless, while her mother injected her with the latest
serum the scientists had created, all the while humming to her daughter,
humming that tune…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tube
slid from Nymph’s fingers and shattered; the acid burning through the floor
tiling. She stood quite literally
rooted, frozen in fear as the melody echoed through MI13’s tannoy system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3pD7JvkeGNvmQPVmUBvNj5fLAIzGcRXC428fBGOsWLUc_EvhBxKPHKoMV-wMbHCRB1f-jopZ53-02qPsdr6kM11PP7pGvoI7HKszilJdDjGvnnS-f6uD8DpDIv0-pSspatdWozsvmKIT/s1600/d532b51be260fcdfb443be1517dca342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3pD7JvkeGNvmQPVmUBvNj5fLAIzGcRXC428fBGOsWLUc_EvhBxKPHKoMV-wMbHCRB1f-jopZ53-02qPsdr6kM11PP7pGvoI7HKszilJdDjGvnnS-f6uD8DpDIv0-pSspatdWozsvmKIT/s1600/d532b51be260fcdfb443be1517dca342.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://uk.pinterest.com/pin/409123947369977504/" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-69418119063299303792014-09-08T14:12:00.003-07:002014-09-08T14:16:38.664-07:00Session Four - The Interview<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psylocke
appeared and after exchanging meaningful looks with Phreak which included
eye-rolling from both parties, the senior Super gestured for everyone to follow
her, leading them to HQ’s living quarters.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I won’t ask
how that combat training was for you – partly because I saw enough of it to
despair but mostly because I don’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Time waits for no hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
crack on with your formal interviews.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We’re being
interviewed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t we have the job
already?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nymph was alarmed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What if we
don’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> the job?’ Joules
asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I thought
working here wasn’t exactly a choice?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Vixen added.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘And what’s she doing?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded at Phreak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘I thought she already worked here?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I’m new and
under assessment.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phreak said curtly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘As am I.’
The robotic voice floated through the air from Phreak’s mobile phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘BOB will also be applying for a permanent
position.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone
groaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psylocke ignored them, pointing
to the large table in the centre of the room, set with six chairs, pens and
paper. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I will ask
you a series of questions.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psylocke
said as they sat down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Please answer
them as fully as you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bear in mind
that my powers allow me to tell if you are lying in your responses.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here Psylocke narrowed her eyes at Cassandra
who pretended to look the other way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘First
question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would you say is your
best quality?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joules
rolled her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My focus</i>,
she wrote.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What kind
of a lame question is that? That’s what they ask in job interviews for bank
cashiers. We’re superheroes!’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Just answer
the question please.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Fine’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Telekinesis,
obviously, </i>she wrote<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. How many people
do you know who can move objects with the power of their mind? </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I’m adaptable</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, Façade wrote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a lie, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the Hell did she know what her strengths were?
She woke up in an alley six weeks ago with no memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that she was going to let on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps joining MI13 would be her best chance of
discovering who she was and what had happened to her? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
two.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psylocke continued as they
finished scribbling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘What is your
greatest weakness?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nymph sucked
on the end of her pencil as she thought carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I hit
like a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fall after a baby hits
me.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I’d rather not say,</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Devi wrote, glancing under her
lashes at Nymph.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I have none,</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> wrote Façade, a statement which anyone
who had been on the receiving end of her fists would disagree with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her temper was a pretty big weakness and her
blatant lies were starting to give Psylocke a headache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glared down the table at Façade who was now
doodling a stick man with a sword stuck through his head on her answer sheet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is your hero, real or
fictional?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Einstein is my hero</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, wrote Nymph, confident that
Psylocke wouldn’t know her real hero was Poison Ivy – sexy, clever and a total
badass. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That Nymph thought she could
hide the truth from a psychic Super was almost as questionable as her taste in
women.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">My grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She encouraged the little rebellious streak
in me</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, wrote Devi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Question four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are out and about, minding your own
business, when you notice an altercation on the street between two
civilians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While dealing with them is
not technically part of your jurisdiction, they are causing public
disorder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Leave it to the authorities</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So not my problem, thought Joules.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">It depends</span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"> wrote Vixen. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If it was two drunks fighting over who got
off with whose bird, I’d walk on. If it was, say, a mugging, I’d probably give
out a ninja kick to the guy’s happy sack.</i></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I am a computer programme</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, BOB texted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was no
sound in the room now apart from pens furiously scribbling across paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BOB has given you orders from Central
HQ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You disagree with them. What do you
do?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
snorted<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I acknowledge the council has made a decision but as it’s a stupid ass
decision I’ve decided to ignore it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vixen took a
moment to consider before answering<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, if I
don’t agree with them I’ll make a formal complaint through official channels. </i>This
wasn’t true but she didn’t feel that she could write the truth - she would do what
she wanted and then blame it on Cassandra.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear a knock on your door and
answer it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Standing there is a person
who claims to be your child from the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What single thing surprises you most about this situation?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our heroes
exchanged looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nymph snorted and
tweeted, ‘W<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eirdest job interview ever
#strangeboss.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">That I had a child</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, Joules wrote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like that was going to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">I would never have a
child - alternate or otherwise – so it must be some sort of shape-shifter trap,
</span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">wrote
Façade. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I cannot propagate</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">, texted BOB.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
seven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are battling some villains
and it’s not going well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you risk the
humiliation of calling for back up and all the negative publicity it will bring
or go it alone as a group and risk civilian casualties?’ <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vixen took a
moment to reflect on their combat training in the simulator.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">It galls me but going for
back up is probably the best bet. The chances of us thinking of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">one</span> decent plan is remote, never mind
a back-up plan</span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Phreak’s
handwriting was neat and expression concise, not unlike herself<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wouldn’t lose</i>.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your mother is in need of an
organ transplant to save her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bad
guy is the perfect match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you
do?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nymph
looked pensive as she answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What organ is it? I’d leave the bitch to die
I guess. Although I wouldn’t mind trying out my surgical skills and setting up
my own sterile hospital ward. Why didn’t I think of that before the bee stings?<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She
clearly had #<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parentissues.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
showcased her colourful attitude to superhero-dom with the answer;<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I give them to Vixen to cut open and we’ll
do the transplant ourselves. Dude, we have awesome on our side!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At
least she was showing a willingness to work with her team mates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Question
nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you sacrifice a fellow team
member if it meant saving innocent civilians?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There
were furtive looks around the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a tough ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least
Cassandra won honesty points for answering; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WHICH
TEAM MEMBER? I’m not risking myself for the nutter who punched me in the face
during training.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">I would save my team
mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would help me later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">Phreak was optimistic, not to mention self-interested.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psylocke
looked hard at every one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘And
finally, question ten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to be
a part of MI13?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explain yourself.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our
heroes looked around at each other once more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did they want this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did they want
to give up on their old lives and become tied down to a mysterious organisation
that, if today was anything to go by, expected them to risk their lives on a
daily basis?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did they want to work with
each other at all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what about the
pay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even superheroes had bills and
Psylocke hadn’t so much as mentioned the salary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Should
you be successful you will be able to keep your regular jobs.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psylocke added.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘In fact, we encourage you to keep up as much
of your old lives as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good
cover.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘And
what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moonlight as a crime-fighting
ninja?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have time.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Just
answer the question please.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">No</span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">, wrote Joules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I like
my life</i>; which wasn’t exactly true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Yes,</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> wrote Phreak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I can
utilise my skills.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">I don’t need the money so
the pay cheque doesn’t necessarily interest me but I never really had a family
so being part of a group might be kinda awesome. Plus, being a government official
might have its benefits.</span></i><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a Government
funded lab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nymph felt all warm and
fuzzy inside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Façade
doodled a giant fist punching a face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And as
Psylocke collected their papers, the alarms went off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RscffbVuOW3LDVGws7ccTuybmsqpGe7Cn6YJk7Pg9NRXCauY0vJI-UZE-gVzrpGrXJrEraYK63JLpk06S-LS8y_V_G4ODcVP7saAE_MqhZsHCHLXTCoskzNxhrJN1Sy5ye1DnQA-Ehzw/s1600/463cf9b88ea9b77118d97be7264d491c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RscffbVuOW3LDVGws7ccTuybmsqpGe7Cn6YJk7Pg9NRXCauY0vJI-UZE-gVzrpGrXJrEraYK63JLpk06S-LS8y_V_G4ODcVP7saAE_MqhZsHCHLXTCoskzNxhrJN1Sy5ye1DnQA-Ehzw/s1600/463cf9b88ea9b77118d97be7264d491c.jpg" height="640" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nymph's hero, Poison Ivy - from <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/395402042257263639/" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-9367820533111760212014-08-01T14:51:00.000-07:002014-08-02T06:43:27.399-07:00Episode Three - HQ<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Outside the
bank, the roar of a powerful engine approached making everyone turn to what
remained of the window, which happened to be nothing. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘Perhaps
it’s the police wanting us to make a statement?’ Willow said hopefully. No one wanted to admit that whoever was
approaching </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.39px;">didn't</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> sound like the police.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">A black
limousine with tinted windows rolled to a halt just outside the </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.39px;">smoldering</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> bank. Out clambered the three coolest
human beings our heroes had ever seen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psylocke,
Sage and the Black Knight were well known on the Superhero scene and
internationally famous to boot. Willow
gave a shriek of excitement so shrill that everyone assumed their ears must
still be ringing from Hertz’s sonic wave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psylocke
stood, hands on hips and surveyed the carnage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What
happened here?’ She demanded. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘There was a
heist.’ Indrani said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We foiled
it!’ Maeve added excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
Superheroes looked far from impressed. Psylocke
glared.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We made a
detour especially to deal with this situation.
And we would have done so, if it hadn’t been for the traffic...’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sage and the
Black Knight muttered among themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Still, this
trip hasn’t been a complete waste of time...’ Psylocke looked our heroes up and
down and seemed to make up her mind.
‘Come with us. We need people
with your talents.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Where?’ Ellis asked.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘London.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘How long
for?’ Iris was alarmed. Her heart began palpitating at the thought of
a trip that might last longer than a day, thus necessitating sleeping under a
strange duvet.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘As long as
it takes to knock you into shape.’ Psylocke narrowed h</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">er eyes ominously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What if we
don’t want to go?’ Facade asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I’m not
going anywhere.’ Maeve said defiantly.
It was a valiant stand but from the way the three Supers advanced upon
them, our heroes knew it wasn’t really a choice. Plus Psylocke said, ‘You don’t have a choice’
as they were buckled into the back seat of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">****<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few
uncomfortable hours later (the limo wasn’t that big) they found themselves
being whisked through London town; over Tower Bridge, past Big Ben and the
London Eye, through a dull-looking building and into a lift that travelled
deep, deep down, Willow tweeting the whole way until they lost reception. They emerged into a huge underground cavern
fitted out as the most high-tech lab imaginable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘This is
MI13, our Headquarters.’ Psylocke made a
sweeping gesture as they gawped, open-mouthed.
‘Here we will assess your capabilities before you undergo a rigorous
training programme. If you earn it, you
will be accepted into this elite organisation.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What’s
that?’ Indrani pointed and asked.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘That’s
BOB. He works here. You’ll be reporting to BOB a lot over the
next few weeks.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘It looks
like a brain in a jar.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘That is, in
essence, what BOB is, yes.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If someone
had told them that morning that they would soon be, among other things,
reporting to a brain in a jar, it may have sounded a bit strange. Only a few hours since the heist and this now
seemed a perfectly reasonable request. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psylocke gestured
to a group of chairs in a semi circle nearby. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Please,
sit. Let’s introduce ourselves. Tell us your name and a bit about yourself.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cue a
collective groan followed by an awkward pause in which no one wanted to be the
first to speak. Indrani cracked first.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I’m Indrani
Abbott. I’m a student. My favourite book
is Pride and Prejudice. When I was seven
and I first learned to ride a bike, I - ’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Please
stick to the stuff about your powers.’ Psylocke
interrupted.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Oh right,
sorry. Well, I do magic, as you might
have guessed. I have my own familiar; my
rat Thelma. She’s adorable. I won’t lie; I was a bit disappointed I
didn’t summon a cooler animal, like a tiger or something, but Thelma is sweet
and portable too. Look, I keep her in my
pocket.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a
screech of chairs scraping hurriedly across the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Um, okay. Maybe you can meet her later. My mum is British-Indian and comes from a
coven that follows the teachings of the sacred Hindu text Atharvaveda. My dad
is from a coven of Wicca who harness the power of the elements – not to gain
power or wage war, but to better understand the potency of the world in which
we live.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Did they
teach you how to do magic?’ Maeve asked.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘No. I’m self taught. I learned everything I know from my
grimoire. It’s an ancient spell
book. I don’t actually talk to my
parents about this stuff. I don’t think
they’d approve. They want me to be a
doctor.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ‘And what is your superhero identity? What name do you like to go by?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Devi.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Thank you,
Devi. You will all be addressed by your
superhero names from now on.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I can name
everybody.’ Facade pointed at Indrani,
Willow, Ellis, Iris and Maeve. ‘Smurf,
Twiggy, Klutz, Sneezey and Jumpsuit.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a
chorus of disapproval at these monikers, including a comment that may have been
‘Bitch Face’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘That’s
enough. Who’d like to go next?’ Psylocke interrupted. Willow waved cheerily.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Hi, I’m
Doctor Willow Andrews. Pleased to meet
you all.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We’ve
already met, Twiggy.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘My code name is Nymph. My
parents were scientists, like me. My
upbringing was a bit <i>unusual</i>. I was born and raised </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">in a sterile lab
environment and never introduced to the usual allergens that other children are
exposed to.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Sounds
a bit over-protective.’ Iris said.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Oh
no, it wasn’t that. The scientists
wanted to create the perfect allergic specimen. Never having been exposed to allergens, I
ended up allergic to an extremely high proportion of things including most
plant life, animals and foods.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Okay,
sounds a bit psychotic.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘It’s
not all bad. Using allergen immunotherapy,
the scientists created a vaccine that made me immune to all allergens. But there were side effects. I’m now immune to all viruses, bacteria and
poisons. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> When I take a special serum I basically turn
into a human tree. I can release
pheromones with the power to control people.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a
girlish giggle from Devi which everyone politely ignored. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I can also
manipulate plant life, insects and the like.
Get them to work for me.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Your
parents must be...erm...proud?’ Ellis raised
an eyebrow.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Willow’s
expression hardened.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">'We don’t
speak.’</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">She said flatly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I don’t
blame you.’ Ellis said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After
another awkward pause Iris realised she was next. She folded her arms and her tone was terse.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘I’m Iris,' she said. <em>And this is stupid.</em></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 'I can control electricity
too. </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s not much else to tell. I keep to myself and I like it
that way.’</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">What’s your secret identity?’</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘I don’t have one.’</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘How about Joules?’</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Nymph suggested.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was
universally approved of within the semi-circle so it wasn’t as though Iris, aka
Joules, had much of a choice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maeve was up
next. She beamed at the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Hello,
fellow supers! I’m Maeve Maddox,
magician’s assistant by day, Cassandra by night.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Cassandra
by night? You sound like you work in the
red light district.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
gave Facade a pointed look.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Cassandra
is my superhero identity and that’s all I’m going to say as my powers aren’t
something I feel able to share with you people yet. Maybe <i>if</i>,’
here she threw Facade another look, ‘and <i>when</i>
I decide I like any of you enough to be friends that might change.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ellis rolled
her eyes. ‘Fine. Let’s wrap this up shall we? I’m Ellis Parker. No relation to Peter.’ She added quickly. ‘Code name; Vixen. I’m curator at the museum. I have a degree in History specialising in
ancient warfare and combat. I’m
proficient in all disciplines of martial arts.
I do demonstrations for the kids at the museum.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Cool.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Thanks,
Willow. I mean – Nymph.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Do you have
any superhero abilities?’ Psylocke
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vixen paused
before answering. ‘I’m telekinetic, but I
don’t have much control over it.’ She
admitted. ‘I’m working on it. I can conjure a sword when I need it.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Is falling
on your own sword some sort of Samurai tribute?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Shut it
Bitch Face!’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Why don’t
you introduce yourself?’ Psylocke nodded
at Facade. She shrugged.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘My name is
Facade. Just Facade.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A long
pause.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Is that all
you care to say?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Yeah.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Someone
muttered, ‘lame’ under their breath. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A young,
stern-looking woman in a white lab coat marched up to our heroes, heels
clacking and clipboard in hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Good
afternoon. My name is Dr Phreak.’ She peered over the edge of her glasses. ‘I’m in charge of MI13’s combat simulator. Let’s get started and see what you can do,
shall we?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before
anyone could protest the cavern melted away.
They were stood in the middle of a lush green park. Trees lined the paved walkway and people
milled about, enjoying the sunshine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What the
hell?’ Cassandra blinked against the
bright light. Before anyone could
speculate that the words ‘combat simulator’ hardly implied a cucumber sandwich
and ginger beer picnic, they were surrounded by robots that appeared in a fizz
of static and immediately opened fire.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nymph, Devi,
Joules and Vixen took a direct hit of their laser beams and were blasted off
their feet, stunned. Cassandra managed
to duck receiving only a glancing hit on the shoulder. As she scampered for cover, Facade did what
it was becoming apparent she did best; punch her enemies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her fist
went right through the nearest robot which collapsed in a pile of sparks and
twisted wire. Phreak’s voice sounded
from a tannoy in the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Thank you,
Facade. Please sit the remainder of this
simulation out.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Facade
retired to a park pew, smiling smugly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘As for the
rest of you, I am very disappointed in the standard of your heroics.’ Phreak’s voice dripped disapproval over the
largely comatose crew. Cassandra looked
up and spotted the control booth suspended above the tree line. She could see Phreak in her white lab coat,
looking at them through the huge windows, Psylocke at her side.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
wasn’t strong. She couldn’t fly. She couldn’t move objects with the power of
her mind. She wasn’t good at thinking of
witty retorts to snarky comments, which would have really come in handy
today. What she<i> could</i> do was swap minds with anyone she wanted.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which was
how she ended up in the control booth a few seconds later, in Phreak’s
body. At the same time, Phreak looked
about, stunned, in Cassandra’s body, unable to figure out how she ended up in
the middle of the robot melee. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the
control booth, Cassandra was confronted with a vast dashboard of computers,
flashing lights and buttons. Being
unable to navigate the differences between a Windows PC and a Mac, she was
considerably out of her depth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, she did what
any tech-idiot would do. She randomly
pressed all of the buttons, one after the other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Down below
in the park, the others began to slowly come around. They awoke to the sight of one of the robots
powering down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Is it
over?’ Vixen croaked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The other
robots advanced, seemed to change their minds and began attacking each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Are we
supposed to stop them fighting?’ Joules
asked. ‘This is public disorder, isn’t
it?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘It was GBH
a minute ago. I call this
progress.’ Vixen said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Up in the
control booth, Psylocke looked on the mayhem disapprovingly. She sighed as Joules harnessed electricity
from the park’s street lights and hurled the lightning bolt at the robots – and
missed. Time for a coffee break. She left them all to it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Phreak, or
Cassandra as everyone still believed, emerged from the bush she had been hiding
in. She had some idea of what had
happened and frowned up at the control booth at the alien sight of <i>her</i> thrashing about at her precious
computer like a clueless moron. She put
her fingers to her temple and used her brain connection to the computer to
access the mainframe and lock Cassandra out of the system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in the
booth, Cassandra quickly realised that her idiotic button-pushing didn’t seem
to be doing anything anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So she
picked up a laser gun that was handily lying around and blasted the dashboard.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the
melted metal smoked and smouldered, down below the remaining robots spun out of
control, running amok and shooting the innocent bystanders, who had up until
now been enjoying themselves, rather unfeasibly unconcerned about the marauding
A.I. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The robots’
lasers now seemed, unfortunately, set to kill.
Every bystander went up in smoke and the scene froze. The light flickered and all went dark. When the lights came up, they were back in
the lab.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘How did we
do?’ Devi asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Phreak’s
expression said it all – she was distinctly unimpressed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘You
failed. You were supposed to stop the
robots from hurting innocent civilians.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We stopped
them hurting <i>us.</i> We’re innocent.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Phreak
sighed. She had her work cut out for her
with this useless shower.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Let’s load
the next programme.’ She snapped her
fingers twice and the lab melted away once more. They were now in a large, empty room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘That’s
awesome. How do you do that?’ Devi asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Using my
neuro-connection to the computer mainframe that Cassandra saw fit to almost
destroy.’ <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
stared at the floor sheepishly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘While I’m
making repairs on the system I want you all to keep yourselves busy with this.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A shimmering
blue ball about the size of a football appeared in the middle of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘This test
is called ‘Keep Away’. As I clearly
overestimated your collective intelligence with the first simulation, we’ll
keep this one nice and simple. I’m
splitting you into two teams; Cassandra, Joules and Nymph versus Facade, Devi
and Vixen. Your goal as a team is to
keep hold of the ball for six minutes, protecting it from the other team. If the ball is destroyed the blame will lie
with the one holding the ball at the time and the other team wins. Clear?’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They all
nodded. Phreak sighed again and headed
back to the control booth, sending a mental instruction to the coffee machine
to have a latte with two sugars waiting for her. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our heroes
looked at each other. No one moved. Without warning, Facade strode over to
Cassandra and landed a punch at her head, knocking her out cold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No one could
deny that Facade had what is generally known as a ‘game plan’. It was just unfortunate that her strategy for
every scenario boiled down to the same thing; bone-crunching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘For God’s
sake!’ Vixen shrieked at her team
mate. Had this woman ever tried a
diplomatic solution? Vixen ran for the
ball, grabbed it, threw her force field around it and levitated to the ceiling,
where she hung, slowly spinning, looking down on the others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Right
then. Come and have a go.’ She said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joules
summoned a bolt of electricity and threw it at Vixen who dodged it easily. Joules inwardly cursed her faked sick notes
dished out during secondary school P.E. lessons. She could do with some spatial awareness right
now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Is it just
me, or is it getting hot in here?’ Devi asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The walls
flickered and disappeared. The room
expanded, outwards and upwards, black rock rising around them and a crater high
above. Cracks appeared beneath their
feet and they had to jump out of the bubbling lava pools that opened up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘We’re
inside a volcano?!’ Nymph squeaked. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Phreak must
be really pissed off.’ Devi said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
sat up groaning, nursing a bruised head.
After a second or two of confusion she remembered the perpetrator of her
pummelling and threw Facade what she dearly hoped was an intimidating
look. Facade looked spectacularly
un-intimidated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But
Cassandra wasn’t the type to fight fire with fire. Oh no.
She had a game plan of her own and nothing spelt revenge like stealing a
shiny blue ball from her enemies. She
conferred with Nymph and Joules, outlining her plan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Above them,
Vixen watched this little conference with alarm. She frantically gestured to her team mates to
gather and come up with a strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devi and
Facade put their heads together and managed to agree on something before Facade
felt the need to throw her fists, which was certainly progress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devi cupped
her hands together. They glowed blue and
three balls identical to the one Vixen held appeared. Devi threw them up for Vixen to catch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vixen was relieved
that her teammates had brains as well as psychotic and lovesick
tendencies. All she had to do was mix
the balls up, while making sure she knew which the real one was, like so, and
then throw the others to her team mates.
Nymph, Cassandra and Joules wouldn’t know which the real ball was. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vixen chucked
the balls at Devi and Facade. They went
completely over their heads and bounced across the cavern.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Nice one,
Klutz.’ Facade said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nymph had
tried to use her powers to rally the local insect population but the inside of
a volcano didn’t seem to be the sort of place for flora and fauna to hang
out. Still, there were always her
pheromones.....<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Cassandra
and Joules looked anxiously at the three balls bouncing around and up at the
one still clutched in Vixen’s hands, Nymph sidled over to Devi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Hey,
gorgeous.’ Nymph snaked a vine across
Devi’s cheek. ‘I want to wrap my roots
around you.’ Devi giggled. ‘You know we’re on the same side, right?’ Nymph smiled seductively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devi nodded,
beaming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘So, remind
me, which ball is the real one?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘That
one.’ Devi pointed up at Vixen.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘No! You idiot!’
Vixen shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Facade
whispered in Devi’s ear. Devi seemed to
remember something and muttered under her breath. Vixen felt the ball wriggle in her hands and,
more disturbingly, heard it gnashing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘What did
you do?!’ She yelled.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘I brought the
ball to life.’ Devi beamed. ‘His name is Steve. He’ll bite anyone from the other team. He won’t bite you. I think.
Just be careful where you put your fingers.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before she
could vent spleen, Vixen was overcome with the strangest feeling, like that of
catching her balance just before she fell over.
She shook her head to clear it – and found herself back on the ground,
looking at Nymph. Where was the ball? It
was gone – no wait.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She looked
up and experienced what is commonly known as an ‘out-of-body experience. There she was, still floating in mid-air,
clutching the ball.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Was this
part of the test? Was she going
mad? Maybe this was all a dream and the
heist had never happened, she had never met these crazy people and this whole
thing was a product of her raving mind?
She certainly hoped so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She looked
down and saw that she was wearing Cassandra’s spangly purple suit and the pieces
started coming together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘It’s
me!’ She shouted at Facade and
Devi. ‘And she’s not me!’ She yelled, pointing at, well, herself. She was met quite understandably with incredulous
looks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile,
Cassandra found that though she may look like Vixen that didn’t mean she could
fly like her. She tilted to one side and
began sinking downwards towards the lava pool beneath her. She flung the ball into the air – where it
disappeared. It was at this time Vixen,
Facade and Devi noticed that Joules was missing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devi sent a
ripple of light across the room. The
shadowy form of Joules appeared on the other side of the volcano.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘There she
is!’ Vixen pointed and almost instantaneously
was back up in the air, herself once more.
As Cassandra she had almost sunk into a lava pit and had to speedily fly
back up to the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the
control booth, Phreak gave up on the melted dashboard and got a new one out of
the cupboard. Those dorky recruits had
made a right mess. Feeling cross, she
found the volcano dial and whacked it up to ‘<i>Thar She Blows’</i>. Screw them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An ominous
rumbling filled the air. The ground
shifted and huge cracks appeared, running from one side of the cavern to the
other. The lava shot up like geysers
from the pools and rocks starting tumbling down. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Facade scurried up the side of the volcano,
showing considerable gymnastic skill – until a rock fell on her.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As she
landed in a heap none of our heroes were too concerned. Many felt that being the unconscious one for
once would do Facade some good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cassandra
marched around and gnashed her teeth at everyone, making a noise like an angry
bulldog. Too late, Vixen and Devi
realised that Cassandra had mind swapped with ‘Steve’ the now sentient ball and
was nestling snugly in Joules’ arms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A loud <i>beep</i> sounded. The volcano disappeared, along with the
searing heat. The lights came up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Congratulations
A Team.’ Phreak deadpanned. ‘Your team are the victors. After a fashion.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Why are we
B Team?’ Facade scowled, nursing a lump
on her head.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘You are
Team One so there’ll be no arguing, children.’
Phreak sighed and killed the mic.
She asked the coffee machine to put a shot of whisky in her next latte. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1945337160295479814.post-7010167978633090812014-07-27T11:14:00.000-07:002014-07-31T11:50:59.731-07:00Sessions One and Two - The Heist<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It should
have been an ordinary Friday morning.
The sun was shining, the streets of Liverpool were bustling and the bank
on the high street was particularly busy.
But it </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.39px;">wasn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> an ordinary morning.
Normality was about to crash and burn and it was all going down in the
bank.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Not that its
customers had any idea. They were milling
about in line waiting to see a cashier, minding their own business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Ellis Parker,
a sharp-featured brunette, checked her watch and did a quick calculation. She had time to do some work-related banking and
grab some lunch before she had to be back at the museum for her midday
demonstration of Samurai sword fighting for the next school party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Dr Willow Andrews,
an attractive redhead behind her was scrolling through her mobile phone, head
down, updating her Twitter feed. ‘<i>Stuck in longest queue eva. #JustShootMeNow.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Indrani Abbott
shifted her backpack, laden down with library books, from one shoulder to the
other and sighed. Why were queues in
banks always so slow? She was going to
be late for her next lecture. This young
student was unaware of the looks of admiration she was getting from some of the
more lecherous customers in the bank but then, tall, dark-skinned curvaceous
beauties aren’t exactly a ten a penny round these parts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Iris </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Layla
Caddigan-Yves</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> also stood
out for all the right reasons, although the attention was as unwelcome to her
as it had been unnoticed by Indrani.
She kept her head down so that she wouldn’t have to meet the eyes of the
man in front of her. He noted her high
cheek bones, round eyes and ebony skin appreciatively. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Hey.’ He ventured what he considered his most
charming smile. Iris pretended she
hadn’t heard and blanked him. Behind her
in the queue, Maeve Maddox hummed a merry tune to herself. She was dressed from head to toe in a purple spangly
outfit which befitted her job as a magician’s assistant but within the confines
of the bank made her look slightly mad which was why everyone was looking the
other way and pretending not to notice her.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">And a dark-haired
girl with grey eyes who called herself Facade kept to herself while watching
everyone warily from under her hoodie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">None of
these women knew each other. But they
were about to become acquainted in a spectacular fashion. Absorbed in their own little worlds, no one
noticed the striking couple that swished through the double doors, flanked by nearly
a dozen men dressed from head to toe in black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">If an
observant cashier looked up and noticed that these people didn’t exactly look
like legitimate customers then they were too slow to do anything about it. A rapid burst of machine gun fire at the
ceiling had everyone screaming and face down on the floor in seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Everyone
get down and stay down. This is a
robbery.’ The striking man shouted,
somewhat unnecessarily. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">He was tall,
broad and spiky-haired with a face shiny with metal body piercings. His female companion was even more
unusual-looking. She was as tall as him and
dressed from head to toe in the sort of tight neon gear and florescent body
paint that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a nineties rave. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">If you
weren’t terrified of being killed and you took the time to look carefully, you
might notice the similarities between them and deduce they were related which
would have been spot-on. Today’s
criminals were twins Hertz and Candela, there to rob a shit-load of money, and
their ten henchmen<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>, who were there because they were too
stupid to know any better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Several
things happened at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Ellis jumped
up, threw off her pinstriped jacket, fished a black velvet eye scarf out her
pocket and tied it around her face, Zorro-style, before pulling what looked
like a shimmering sword out of nowhere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Willow
looked up from her phone, finally noticed what was happening, turned an
unpleasant colour and sidled towards the executive conference room toilet,
creeping in without anybody noticing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Iris sneaked
something from her pocket, sniffed it and started sneezing profusely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">And Indrani
turned blue in the middle of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">This all proved
a bit too much for the regular customers at the bank, some of whom screamed at
them to ‘turn it in’ while others fainted altogether. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Hertz threw
them a filthy look. Rather than be
surprised or alarmed by these unusual women he merely looked annoyed at their
refusal to lie down on the floor and blubber like everybody else. He opened his mouth and screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">There are
many kinds of scream in the world, for example, like that of someone who finds
a spider in the bath, or that of an angry toddler or someone not enjoying the
roller coaster they have been peer-pressured into going on. All are brain-gratingly awful in their own
way but Hertz’s scream was something else altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">It was so
loud and high-pitched it almost blew the windows out. Everyone’s hands went to their ears in
agony. The only person who seemed
unaffected was the lone cashier still perched serenely on her seat behind the
main desk, fondling bank notes and watching wide-eyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Another
burst of gun fire at the ceiling caused it to partially fall down and a pile of
rubble blocked the doorway. They were
all trapped inside with no way to neither get out nor for the police to get in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Ellis
swallowed. This was totally crap. She only wanted to deposit some cheques. Why did this have to happen? Hopefully no one would recognise her and
report this to the museum. The thought crossed her mind that she might need to
invest in a better disguise in the future.
The eye scarf looked cool but probably left too little to the
imagination. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">She raised
her telekinetic sword above her head and advanced hoping she looked a lot
braver than she felt. Maybe that blue
chick will help, she wondered desperately.
Whoever she was, she was clearly ‘gifted’ like Ellis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">As if being
blue all over wasn’t weird enough, Indrani was now glowing softly and had grown
much taller. Her jeans and t-shirt had
morphed into a sari and her eyes shone wholly white. The effect was more than a little creepy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Hertz and
Candela stood, unimpressed, hands on hips, while the thugs cracked their
knuckles menacingly. They couldn’t see a
gnarled hand creep around the edge of the toilet door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Candela smiled
and touched her temple with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The room
seemed to buckle and swell. The edges of
everything became fuzzy and the ground seemed to roll underfoot. Our heroes stumbled as though on a boat that
was pitching back and forth on the waves.
Everyone felt sick, disorientated, confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Candela
obviously had some sort of mind control she could use to manipulate the environment. Hertz strode over to the cashier, seemingly
unaffected by Candela’s mind trick. He
threw the cashier fondling the money a sack.
‘Fill it up.’ He yelled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The thugs
began emptying the bags and wallets of the rest of the bank’s customers. Iris, who had been sneezing uncontrollably,
had strangely disappeared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Her head fit
to burst, Ellis charged at Candela blindly.
She lashed out with a taekwondo kick that connected with Candela’s
stomach and sent her crashing to the floor, moaning and clutching her middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Hertz spun
around and gave a scream of pure fury.
The air seemed to clear as Candela’s influence was broken. Feeling sick, Ellis could only watch as
Indrani held her arms out, palms out and a rippling wave of heat radiated out
from her towards the thugs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">They gave a
collective shout of horror and fell to their knees as their black Kevlar body
armour buckled and warped as it melted under the intense fire blast spell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Outside the
sound of police sirens wailed, growing louder and louder as the fuzz
approached. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Who called
the filth?’ Hertz screamed at the cowing
customers. ‘I thought I told you to take
their phones?’ He screamed at his hired
help but they were too busy writhing around in pain to say much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Façade, who
had until this moment hung back, saying and doing nothing, charged at them and
flung a jaw-crunching punch at the first thug she could find, knocking him
unconscious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">This was an
eye opener. The young woman worked her
way around the disorientated thugs, throwing punch after punch, breaking bones
and spraying blood and teeth. Ellis, Indrani
and Maeve could only watch. This girl
clearly needed anger management classes.
For now though, it would have been a lie to say they were upset at her
for taking on the bad guys, albeit in a psychopathic way. They needed all the help they could get.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">There was a blue
flash from the cashier’s desk and Iris appeared on the floor, rolling around in
pain. It took a few seconds for them to
realise that Iris had somehow been rendered invisible; how they couldn’t tell
though she wasn’t now, a fact which almost certainly had something to do with
the mysterious cashier, who was still looking on impassively and fondling
money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Seriously?
Is anyone going to ask <i>her</i> what’s
going on?’ Ellis asked the room,
exasperated as Maeve helped Iris to her feet.
But there was no time to question the cashier as Hertz opened his mouth
wide – everyone covered their ears – and turned to Candela, who was still
winded, screaming fully into her face.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The sonic
force knocked her out cold. Hertz, who
seemed to have lost his mind, pointed at the cashier and yelled, ‘IT’S HER!’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">That was all
Ellis needed. She didn’t much care for
the cashier and her money-fondling ways and was quite happy to go on the word
of a bank –robbing nut job on this occasion.
She punched the window separating them, sending a large crack shooting
across the glass. The cashier looked on,
unconcerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Maeve seemed
confused too, looking down at her spangly outfit, clutching her chest and gasped
in horror. She looked around, enraged,
opened her mouth and screamed, ‘AAAGGHHH!’
It was more than a bit weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Hertz
meanwhile, had grabbed Candela’s arm and pointed her hand towards the
door. A yellow beam shot out from his
comatose sister’s fingertips, vaporising the rubble blocking the door. There was confusion all round in the thug
camp. It looked like Hertz had turned
scab and his cronies weren’t happy. As
none of them were brave enough to actually punch him they had to content
themselves with vulgar insults that made reference to his mother, before being
forced to turn their attention back to the door. Within seconds, the fuzz were pouring
through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Another
punch to the cashier’s window exploded it into fragments. The cashier seemed to come to life, leaping
over the desk and dodging Ellis as she ran for the exit. The thugs and the police were tussling in a
fairly matched contest. It looked like
the mysterious cashier and probable mastermind was going to make a clean
getaway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Ellis leapt
towards her; telekinetic sword unsheathed, tripped over her own feet, fell and
impaled herself on her own sword.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Luckily it
only went through her shoulder before it shimmered and disappeared but it was
enough to knock her out. Iris, seriously
wishing she had obeyed her anti-social instincts and just stayed at home that
day, nonetheless ran to the water cooler, hands trembling and filled a cup with
water. She had to help if she could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">She threw
the water over Ellis, a sliver of lightening discharging through her fingertips
as she did so. The combination of being
doused and mildly electrocuted did the trick, bringing Ellis round in quite
literally a flash.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Hertz seemed
dazed, shaking his head as though waking from a bad dream just as a police
officer threw a pair of cuffs on him.
Maeve also shook her head a few times and smiled in satisfaction as
Candela was also cuffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">As this was
unfolding, long, trailing vines were snaking rapidly across the floor from the
direction of the toilet. The vines
whipped around the thugs’ legs and yanked tight, creeping up their bodies,
binding them. It seemed Willow had
horticultural talents to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">She emerged
from her hiding place in all her bark-covered glory in a sight that made the
remaining bank customers who weren’t already gibbering wrecks run screaming for
the door. Willow, having stopped
hyper-ventilating while in the toilet, got her act together for the final
showdown. She cast her most potent spell
on the thugs. It proved so potent it
floored the entire bank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The
pheromones she flooded the room with had every straight man and lady who liked
ladies, drooling and fawning at her misty eyed.
The policemen forgot to cuff the thugs.
The thugs forgot to run away. Indrani giggled and sidled up to Willow,
stroking her arm coyly. Considering her
own considerable gifts, it could be reasonably expected for her to have a
little more willpower to resist a fellow hero’s spell but to be fair, it had
been a tough morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">A lone gay
thug remained immune to Willow’s charms.
He raced for the emergency exit door at the back of the bank, flinging
it open to reveal a getaway van poised to get him away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Stung by the
shame of falling on her own sword, Ellis flew after him and delivered a sucker
punch that bashed the thug into oblivion.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The cashier,
aka Miss Metamorphosis, criminal mastermind, threw our heroes a poisonous look
as she and the remaining dazed thug were cuffed along with the others and
bundled into the back of a police van. One
of the officers lingered, angling for Willow’s phone number before his senior
officer barked at him to drop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">The police
left in a collective screech of tyres and wailing sirens. Only Willow, Indrani, Iris, Ellis, Maeve and
Facade were left standing amid the wreckage of the bank, staring at each other. Willow whipped out her phone and tweeted, ‘<i>Went to cash my pay cheque. Kicked villain
arse instead. LOL. #That’sHowIRoll</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ellis
glanced at her watch. She had definitely
missed her demonstration. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Laila Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661730598528055990noreply@blogger.com2