The wind howls as the students arrive through the gates, hustling and bustling down the corridors. Friends are greeting each other with a hug or a playful punch while newcomers stand looking scared. The seniors stand, tall and proud, confidence born of experience.
The halls were crowded with people, and the chaos was so perfect, like a movie. There was the couple that was always making out on the left side of the hall, and about ten feet farther down, the cliquey girls. Opposite them, the cliquey jocks, and between them, the parade of band geeks with their huge instrument cases. There were the aerospace tech kids who never did anything but make paper airplanes and the fashion kids that wheeled mannequins and clothing racks down the halls.
Then there was the two muscular young men in one of the mens rooms. One of them had his back turned to his friend with his shirt pulled up to reveal the bruises, welts and claw marks covering his torso. "Be honest. Do I look as bad as I feel?"
"Not gonna lie. You look like you got mauled by a tiger." His friend replied.
The young man dropped his shirt back down and put his jacket back on. "Yeah. That's about right. I gotta tell ya we were right on the money about this guy. He was like a pissed off Sabertooth Tiger on crack. Did I tell you he set his hands on fire?"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Thankfully the rain put a damper on that but I still had to deal with his speed and strength. Never seen anyone move around like he does." He sighed and walked over to a mirror. He was a tall young man, standing at six feet tall with a powerfully built body with green eyes. His hair, usually slicked back, was today wild and unkempt with parts of his bangs shooting outwards in spikes. He turned on the water and began splashing it in his face to wake himself back up. "I'm not worried though. If he comes back I'll be ready to smash him down again."
"Okay that's a brilliant idea but just for the hell of it lets come up with an actual battle plan Matt."
"Cut me some slack Hank it is early and I got in a super brawl last night." Matthew Maximilian replied while drying his face off.
"Did you get the girls out?" Hank Harrison asked his friend. Like his friend Matt, his body was rock solid muscle. Fitting the star quarterback of Serenity High and the Captain of the Wrestling Team. He had light brown hair he kept short and hazel eyes to match.
"Yeah. Yeah got them all out. They'll talk to the police and they'll track this dirtbag down." Matt balled up the paper towel and tossed it into a recycletron. "With his high-rise hideout broken down he'll be on the run for a new place to hide anyway so we've got some time."
"Sooo....what are we gonna call this guy anyway?"
"Good question. I'm thinking of going with Animality."
"Animal nature or character. physical, instinctive behavior or qualities. Yeah that sounds accurate." Hank agreed.
"Thank you."
"Still I think we should get you a new name already."
"What's wrong with Bruiser?" Matt questioned as he picked up his backpack which was filled with weights along with the various books and school supplies.
"Nothing it's just....I think you should go with something more iconic and inspirational. Not just something the media gives you." Hank shrugged.
"I'll think about it." They headed towards the door.
"By the way." Hank opened the door. "Did you finish your AP Physics homework?"
"FFFFffffuuuuudge!"
Hank laughed. "Look on the bright side. You've got study hall before physics. You can squeeze it in there."
"Well if I bust my butt then maybe. Sure."
"I have faith in you bro." They started walking the hallways to first period. "Moving on. We're getting a new student today."
"We're getting a few. Anyone in particular?"
"Flannery Kingston. My dad says her mom's joining the force today and-"
"Woah woah woah! Kingston? As in Jennifer Kingston?" Matt asked excitedly. "The Super Cop from Stonehollow?"
"The same one. You know her?"
"Seen her exploits on the news and my uncle is in the armed forces with a relative of hers. So I know her by association."
"Epic. So be sure to get along with her alright? Show her around the school, help her get comfortable. And who knows? Maybe Super Cop will deal with Animality for you."
Matt chuckled. "Ahhh with the tech they have these days it wouldn't surprise me. Checking the rest of the high rise will be a good start."
"When you say the rest...how much of it did you guys wreck?"
"Just a few floors. A lot of walls and rooms. Think we went through some support beams."
"Sounds like you had a real party. But you need to be careful man. This guy is dangerous." Hank warned him.
"I know, I know but don't worry about it. I'll be sure to take him out if he shows up again."
"Just promise to come back in one piece okay?"
"Promise." They slapped their hands together, shook on it and then fist bumped before going their separate ways to their respective classes.
Soon the bells ring and everybody runs except an occasional slowcoach or chatterbox.
The tunnel was like a snake skin turned inside out, slinking into the abyss of the hillside. Whoever built it tunneled for the softest soil, not giving a damn about how straight the line was. In just meters there was no sun from behind, the dark tiles absorbing every ray. The walls are a grey brick covered in graffiti. The perfect arc of the flooring is a perfect arc littered with hypodermic needles, broken bottles and sewage with enough mud tracked in over time to make it more like walking on a woodland path with a slight softness underfoot. It has an odour like a stagnant pond but with an undercurrent of sewage, but it's not like there are public conveniences down here. The ends had become seemingly closed off by years of leaves piling up in the autumn winds, now decomposed to a rich soil and supporting much flora. Brutus, a hunched over hairy giant of a man stalked through the tunnel with his hand trailing the wall while he crushed whatever he stepped on underneath his clawed hairy feet. It didn't hurt him. His hardened skin crushed everything easily. Nothing Brutus stepped on down here could hurt him. But The Boy....The Boy had hurt him. His skin was littered in bruises from his fight last night. A fight that had wrecked his hideout and made him flee to safety. Fortunately the others had set up a hiding spot here ahead of time. He could rest and hide down here to recover his strength then make a plan to go kill The Boy. He stomped around the twisted and winding tunnel until he found his hiding spot and he pushed in a section of the wall and moved it aside revealing a large room The Others had set up. A little hiding spot in case something ever happened to the other one. It was filled with stolen carpeting and bed sheets and clothes and pillows. He grunted and ducked down into the room and then closed the wall back up and moved a large rock in front of the wall to prevent anyone from finding them while he rested. Brutus flopped down on the floor hugged himself as his body started to change.
Brutus was a giant to be sure. A wondrously large and strong man, with no ruth for man, woman, or beast. He had extremely long shaggy and spiky black hair with a prominent widow's peak and a a larger than normal forehead, eye ridges and brow, a unibrow, bright yellow eyes with cats irises, rows of razor sharp teeth, a hairy body with large tufts of hair on his shoulders, elbows and the backs of his hands with long prominent claws on the end of each fingers and bone like growths growing of his knuckles. His nerves and veins were large and prominent under his skin.
But as his body changed his hair receded back down and the hair all around his body also vanished back into his body. There was a snapping of bones and ligaments while his overall body shrank back down from a little over seven feet tall down a five foot tall man with shaved hair. His teeth changed back to normal and his forehead shrank down to normal. The spikes were pulled back into his knuckles and his claws shrank down into normal nails. A white t-shirt and long white slacks grew around his body. His eyes were the last to change a more normal dark blue with black irises.
Cade Cannon woke up screaming in pain. His body felt like he was lost in an ocean of unknowable depths of pain, swift currents and lurking beasts. His pain was an icy wind choking the breath from his lungs and making a noose around his neck. It's savage, bitter blasts cut right to his bones and gripped his brain in it's freezing claws. His heart constricted in it's wake as if not sure if it should go on beating.
"HEEELLLP MEEEE! HEEELLLP ME! WHERE AM I? WHERE AM I? SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE! SOMEONE HEELLLP!" He screamed out as loud as he could. He tried to set up and only got halfway before he was slammed back down onto the bed and he began twitching and convulsing as his body changed again into a classically beautiful woman with large liquid brown eyes that held such an intelligence and serenity that it was impossible not to be held prisoner by them. Her cheekbones weren't especially high and her nose was a little too long to be perfect, but there was undeniable symmetry to her features and perhaps that would leave you feeling captivated. Her long black hair was long and fluid, lying gently over her shoulder bones, kissing her soft skin in a bun each day, but in my mind it was long and fluid, lying gently over her shoulder bones, kissing her soft skin.
Her dress covers her shoulders halfway and flows down into a stylish round neckline. It's a relaxed fit which removes the focus from her breasts, but without making it look sloppy. Her arms have been covered completely. The sleeves are a tight, but comfortable fit from top to bottom, allowing for enough movement while still looking stylish. The dress' waist is thin, but it's a tight fit. A small, elegant belt helps accentuate her waist without being too much. Below the waist the dress widens and has a gathered style. The dress reaches to just above her ankles and is slightly longer at the sides and back of the dress. She's wearing ballerina flats, a strange, yet seemingly perfect choice. To top it all off she's wearing an ornate necklace and small, stylish earrings.
Terri Warren's eyes snapped open and she sighed. "That is enough out of you young man." She gritted her teeth and tried her best to bare the pain.
Her arms ached. No matter how she moved them, they were impossibly numb. Someone could cut them off and she wouldn’t feel a thing. She was exhausted. "Owowowowowow ouch. This hurts. That Boy was strong. Does anyone know his name? I don't mean The Bruiser I mean his real name? No? I suppose that is the reason for the mask and hood." She sighed and rested her head back. "This pain...I am not good with pain. I am passing the ball to you Max." She changed her body again. Her dress changing into a finely tailored suit and her flowing hair changed into a blonde ponytail and slicked back hair. Her feminine form became male again as she took the form of a handsome young man.
Where his eyes were the green of fresh dew glinting in the sunlight off a leaf of green emerald. His lips were pale and thin and his nose slender and rounded. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around and the strength of his neck showed in the twining cords of muscle that shaped his entire body; strong arms, bold thighs and calves, a firm chest and abdomen. He was an Adonis among the other men who each pale in comparison. One look and both women and men swooned at the sight of him no matter their sexual preferences and one word passed from his lips had even the straightest of men flushing shades of red that no one ever knew was naturally possible.
Maxwell Meadows sighed as he sat up. "Gee. Thanks. A little warning first next time alright?" He groaned and crossed his arms. "Everything hurts but I can handle it for now. I am calling first dibs on a bubblebath first chance we get though."
Dear Diary
If I can think of one word to describe my whole life then it'll be adjustment. First it was with having Esper abilities, second is coping with the fact that my dad's gone, then there's having a brother named Hiro. Whose awesome btw. It did took me some time to try out the word brother, heck I sometimes wonder if mom even expected to have a son? But through time, it wasn't awkward having a new member of the family. I do wish dad were here to witness it sometimes.
As of recently, I'm handling a new adjustment. Moving into a new city. It's called Serenity City, named after the hero who died a while back. She was my muse, the reason I became a hero. So finding out that she died just brought back some bad memories. So now I'm Serenity's newest resident and I'm determined to maybe one day live up to the same ideals that Serenity followed.
It won't be an easy task that's for sure, but as long as I have my family with me then I can overcome anything.
Flannery
There were three knocks on the door before it opened. "Hi honey! Are you ready for school?" Jennifer Kingston asked her daughter. She was around her daughter's height(5'4) with equally pale skin. Upon first glance nobody would assume mother/daughter but more like an older/younger sibling, much to Jennifer's embarrassment; while most mothers her age would be flattered by that, she'd be just as embarrassed as her daughter. Her petite frame does come with perks, such as the ability to get the drop on criminals and to be out of sight when need be. Even with the police body armor. she's still capable of packing quite a punch, a fact that notorious Esper criminal The Mountain can testify. Jennifer had told the kids that this wasn't even the SWAT Armor!
The Khrysos Corporation took police safety very seriously and had made some vast improvements over the past ten years.
"Already to go mom!" Flannery Kingston pushed her chair back and a shelf opened up in her dresser and her diary closed itself, latched itself and floated into the dresser and it proceeded to close itself. Flannery Kingston stood up and her backpack flew to her hand while the chair slid itself back into place. She, like her mother, was a redhead. Her hair reminds people of a burnt orange sunset over Camra Bay, it was warm and it tumbled over her shoulders like rusty water, making her look as if her whole head was on fire. Much like her mother, she's on the petite side. Yet. Her clothes were snug and fashionable. You'd never guess that it was lined with kevlar throughout. The same with the backpack. Same with Hiro's clothes and backpack. Jennifer called it caution and they weren't going to argue with their mother.
Jennifer leaped across the room and scooped up her daughter in a hug. "You are going to love Serenity High! They've made a lot of improvements this year and their technology is nearing the university level now!" She set Flannery down. "This is a fresh start honey and you and Hiro are going to do great here! You are going to flourish I just know it!"
"Flourish like flowers mom!" Flannery promised and high fived her. "So are we taking the bus or?"
"Oh no. This is your first day at Serenity High. I'm driving!"
Downstairs, Hiro Kingston was already finishing off his pancackes while watching videos on his holo-phone with the sound turned down. His usually wavy unkempt black hair had been combed back for his first day to make a good impression. He is wearing an unbuttoned black blazer over a black-trimmed cream sweater, dark horn rimmed glasses, blue jeans, and brown shoes. He was shorter than his sister with a skinny body. A fact that stemmed from that woman he used to live starving him all the time while she either wallowed in her sorrows or put him through hell. There was rarely middle ground with her. But when she did find the middle ground....when she had actually acted like a mother....that was one of the few times he would see the light come back to her eyes and he could almost feel someone else trying to claw her way out of a deep dark pit before the madness would take her again.
Hiro did not despise his birth mother nor would he make excuses for her. He just wanted the doctors to help her. He wanted them to make her better. To balance her out so that she could stay in the light. So that he could see that light come back to her eyes again.
He wanted her to be his mother again.
Hiro pushed the thoughts away and sipped his milk while he watched the video of the mysterious Serenity City Bruiser in action.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The video was found footage captured on a holo phone at night by a hidden man while the action was going down. As far as Hiro could tell from the footage, some thugs in masks and all black outfits were dragging some people out of a store towards a truck while screaming at everyone to stay put. The men had bags of stolen diamonds and valuables. Obviously they were taking the civilians as hostages in case of police interference.
"NOBODY FOLLOW US DO YOU HEAR ME? NOBODY FOLLOWS US! ANYBODY TRIES AND THEY GET IT!" The apparent ringleader yelled out while threatening the people inside of the store with a blaster.
"Helllp! Help us somebody please!"
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Another one of the thugs yelled out while shoving his blaster against his face. One of them ran over to their track and opened it up.
"Load them up!"
The thugs started shoving the civilians inside of their truck when one of them noticed the phone recording them. "Hey! Who the fuck are you? What the fuck are you doing?"
"Ohhhhhhh shit." The recorder whispered.
The thug pulled out his blaster and started racing towards him. The footage turned around as the civilian obviously started running away but then there was a booming sound behind him and the thug was heard yelling out. The phone turned back around just in time to see the thug being thrown over to the truck by a man in a blue leather hoodie, black jeans, boots and red leather gloves. His face couldn't be seen with his back turned but Hiro noticed a light coming from it. The Bruiser then rushed down the thugs, grabbed one and slammed him down to the ground then he punched the next one. Hiro noticed from his posture that The Bruiser had boxing training. This was confirmed with the fast jab that knocked out another man. One of them managed to get his blaster up and fired on the hero with a concentrated beam. The Bruiser blocked it with his hands and there was a sizzling noise as the beam burned through his gloves but The Bruiser remained standing. He pushed forward and grabbed the blaster and then shoved the thug backwards through the air. The blaster blew up in his hands while the thug smashed into a bench. Bruiser dropped the blaster's remains, looked at his hands and shrugged.
The truck started up and Bruiser quickly grabbed onto the door, threw it off and climbed into the truck. There was the sounds of struggles and flashes of light and then the thugs were tossed out of the truck and the engine turned off. Bruiser hopped out of the truck, walked around the truck and yanked the back door off of it and motioned the civilians out. "Come on out! It's okay now! I've got you!"
His voice was filtered obviously to hide his identity. A smart move. Hiro couldn't help but notice the two holes burned in the front of the jacket though, not that they seemed to bother him any.
Bruiser helped the civilians out of the truck and they ran back to the store. Bruiser looked around and then he saw the civilian watching him and Hiro got a look at his mask. On top of the hoodie he had on a NW Aqua-X Cool Balaclava Full Mask and a Blue Ghost Cyber BOT LED light Robot Mask. Clearly he was going the extra mile to hide his identity. He saluted the civilian and then leaped on top of a rooftop and then another one across the street.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hiro set his fork down and sipped his milk while he began analyzing and deducing this guys identity.
"So is it me or was he showing off a bit?" Flannery asked from behind Hiro with a smile.
"Maybe just a little." Hiro chuckled. He turned around and embraced his sister. "Good morning sis."
"Morning yourself baby bro."
They parted and performed their secret handshake which consisted of placing their palms together, folding their thumbs over their hands, pulling back, high fiving, slapping the backs of their hands together, high fiving up and down and then fist bumping before saluting each other.
Flannery sat down and her drink levitated over the table and into her hand. "So what do you think? Of him?"
"Oh well, yeah, I think he might've been showing off a little bit but you can't deny that he isn't efficient. He took those guys apart." Hiro scratched his neck as he thought out loud. "He's a brick for sure but he hasn't had his powers for very long if he is still being surprised by his durability as evidenced from his surprise at the fact that the laser gun didn't harm him. Despite this he has enough muscle control that he isn't constantly breaking everything with his super strength. Considering his costume is mostly normal clothes he either hasn't gotten around to crafting a proper costume for himself or he's poor. Considering his posing when he's fighting he's definitely had boxing training so he either picked it up from a relative, television or at a gym. I get the feeling that he is young and probably in high school. Most likely someone on a sports team." Hiro shrugged. "Course, that's all theory right now. Besides he's helping people."
"While I would prefer that he did things legally, I'm glad he's around helping us out. Rookie or not he's still saving lives and that's the most important part." Jennifer replied as she sat down with her children and ate her breakfast. She chewed her cereal and flipped through her phone until she found the image she was looking for. She chewed and swallowed her food before continuing. "Anyway, he's not the problem. This guy is." She set down her phone and a hologram of a tall hairy beast of a man appeared in front of them. "This is Brutus The Animal. He is responsible for mauling at least ten victims that we know of. He had recently abducted four Serenity High Cheerleaders. He had attempted to murder them as well but The Bruiser stopped him and freed the girls. Following this they fought through a high-rise in the slums and, I have been informed, basically demolished it." Jennifer changed the picture to the high rise, which was now surrounded by police tape, and true to her words the building looked like a wrecking ball had been taken to it. There were large holes in the outside walls and entrance and a crater in the ground in front of it.
"Who won?" Flannery asked.
Jennifer shrugged, sipped her coffee and then set it back down. "We're not sure yet. Neither of them were found around the building premises so we're assuming the fight was inconclusive. Evidence has been found of a fire and burn marks on walls and the rubble so we can assume one of them has pyrokinesis to go with their super strength. Listen to me. If you see this lunatic running around, do not engage. Find a place to hide, call the police and let us take care of it...but, if you must defend yourselves, remember your self-defense training and hit him hard and fast. Go for the vital points and fight from a distance. Understood?"
"Understood mom."
"You got it mom."
"Good." She turned off the holograms. "Now onto a lighter note, who's ready for their first day at Serenity High?"
"WHOO!"
The kids finished their breakfast, washed off, washed the dishes, cleaned their teeth and followed their mom into the garage. Jennifer pulled out the beeper and the cruiser came alive again and levitated into the air. The doors slid open and the kids got in the back with Jennifer getting in the driver's seat. The garage door opened up and Jennifer turned on the engine and slid in the key and the car backed out and the garage door closed and they were on their way to school.
On the way there Hiro and Flannery took the time to enjoy the view of the streets around them.
"Man this is a cool city. We really hit the jackpot with this move mom."
"That's the spirit Flannery! You guys are going to love it here!"
She slowed down the cruiser at a red light and waited patiently for it to change.
"Uhhh, can't police officers run red lights mom?" Hiro asked her.
"Some do. I don't. We need to set examples after all." Jennifer pointed out.
"Good point."
The light turned green and they continued driving around Serenity City and they took in the sights as they drove to Serenity High.
Upon finally arriving, they drove down a long bridge and through a checkpoint and then they were greeted with Serenity Science HighSchool. It was a marvel. The school was a gorgeous five level office building and that was just the entrance. There were multiple buildings around it as well making it look like an entire college campus instead of just a simple highschool!
"Woah." Flannery and Hiro gasped simultaneously.
"Cool huh?" Jennifer beamed. "Take it all in kids because this is going to be your new school. Now I want you kids to have a nice long fun day here. Get settled into your classes, start making friend, read the class syllabi and form some study groups. Do you know your schedules?"
"Got them in our books and phones mom!"
"Alright, you kids have a good day alright?" Jennifer opened the doors and they bounded out to start their day. They were almost at the door when turned on the sirens for a second and then switched them back off. "Ah ah ah! You forgot something!"
The siblings turned around and waved goodbye to her. "Love you mom!"
"Love you too kids! That's a copy!" She waved goodbye to her kids and drove away.
"You ready for this?" Flannery asked Hiro.
"I think school better get ready for us." They fist bumped and they walked into the school.
There were crowds and crowds of excited kids from all walks of life chattering excitedly as they walked the halls of the school to get to their classes. Hiro brushed against a few of them and found his mind slipping away as he received flashes of another life. Of their lives. The world around him would suddenly vanish and he'd see a moment in their lives from their perspective.
A young man spray painting a wall in an alleyway with his friends.
A young girl copying words from a webpage for her homework before erasing it and starting over.
A young man briefly considering shoplifting but then stopping when he sees a picture of Serenity and putting the object back.
An online argument between a student and someone else devolving into some rather harsh language.
Hiro stopped and rubbed his head as the world came back to him. Flannery sensed his distress and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey? Hey are you okay bro?"
"I'm fine. Just...the flashes are kicking in again."
"Oh shit. Anything bad this time?"
"N-no. Worst I saw was graffiti tagging and an online argument. Nothing too bad so far. Just wish I would get some warning when that happens. It can be a bit of a mind screw is all I'm saying. You know what I need? I need spider sense."
"Oh trust me. I've been picking up all kinds of vibes since we walked in. They've been washing all over me. How about you?"
Hiro took a second to relax and opened his mind to the world around him and let his Chemosensation Mutation, often called the Empathic Mutation, to go to work as he opened his heart to the world around him. The Empathic Mutation develops in the cerebral cortex and it allows the super utilizing it to interpret the neurochemical activity of others to develop an emotional connection. Compounding mutations allow the Alternate to use this connection to exert control over the other's emotions. Empathy is the ability to feel the emotions and desires of others via a neurochemical connection. The Alternate could predict how a person could react due to how they feel at the moment, or to figure out why someone does what they do. The Alternate may be able to determine the presence of unseen people within their immediate proximity as well, because one with this ability can sense the presence of emotions. The evolved human may consider their ability a liability due to the prevalence of pain and suffering in society, and the dominance of these aspects over pleasant emotions. With training, the user may learn to 'shut out' random emotions they wish not to feel, or concentrate on specific individuals.
Telepathic Empathy is the ability to perceive emotions, but with the emotions expressed as though they were thoughts. One with this ability can read emotions of any kind, like a normal empath, but they must be expressed through verbal thought wave manifestations (the subject must think something like “I’m so mad!” or “I can’t believe she did that!”). The user can project emotions in the same fashion; instead of projecting emotions (like normal Empathy) the user can project thoughts which convey a certain emotion, and the like.
Hiro had both variations of the ability along with a form of extrasensory perception, which he described as flashes, that came to him whenever he'd make physical contact with people. It wasn't much but he could see brief flashes of their lives on contact and he would receive a surge of the emotion they would be feeling in that moment. It wasn't all bad. He'd used it help them track down criminals in the past but he would like to receive a warning on occasion before he did so.
Right now though he was letting all of the emotions around them flow into him and it felt good. Nothing weird around, just a perfectly normal happy healthy high school filled to the brim with optimistic young super geniuses. Hiro grinned. "That's better. Thanks Flannery."
"Anytime bro. Ready for school?"
"Let's do it!"
"Alright just get through first period." Matt told himself. "Take it one class at a time. Just get through first period without falling asleep and you'll be good to go." He adjusted his backpack and let the good vibes of the students flow into him. Another quirk of his powers, besides the superhuman strength and toughness, was what he'd taken to calling his 'Goodness Sense'. The ability, as Matt understood it, gave him the ability to constantly sense the positive energy in others. He wasn't entirely sure of its range, since he was surrounded by the positive vibes everywhere he went, but it was what allowed him to sense the kidnapped girls in the building the other night. Thank God it did too. He got there just in time to lay the smackdown on that animal.
And wreck the building. But that was besides the point.
"Better watch it fuzzball. I'm gonna kick your teeth in next time we meet."
In the meantime, he'd have plenty of time to come up with a battle plan to fight him. He'd discuss it with Hank around lunch.
Matt was approaching his astrophysics class when he accidentally brushed against Hiro. "Hey sorry man!" He apologized.
Hiro's eyes widened as he saw himself clashing with The Animal in a derelict high rise building.
"Come on fuzzball that all you got?!" The Bruiser asked while picking himself up out of rubble and then racing forward to grapple with the giant snarling beast of a man. Jesus, seeing the hologram was one thing. Looking up at the monster face to face was something completely different.
He looked like a rabid musclebound werewolf stuck in mid transformation.
Hiro saw himself, as The Bruiser, slamming into The Animal in a football tackle and carrying him through a wall and into the room behind it. He fell down on the animal and they began throwing hands before the vision ended.
Hiro looked back at him as the student proceeded into his classroom. He noticed Hiro staring at him and he smiled and waved. "Sorry about that! My bad man! You okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah it's cool man!" He awkwardly waved back.
The student stopped in place. "First day jitters? Don't worry guys, it gets easier after the first day. You're gonna love it here. Catch you later." He hurried to his class.
"Uuuhhhh, right. Sure."
"Did you see something? What did you see?" Flannery asked her brother.
(Flannery...we just met Bruiser.)
"Walk with me." Flannery told him as they hurried to their own class among the waves of students while communicating telepathically so as they could speak about their recent revelation without anybody else hearing them. (Bruiser? Are you sure?)
(It's him. It was only for a moment but when I brushed past that guy, on total accident I mean, I got a flash vision and I saw him fighting The Animal. I mean, I got a first person view of it too!)
(Oh wow. What happened?! What did it look like? Are you okay?) Flannery asked him excitedly.
(One at a time sis.) Hiro chuckled. (Okay, so, get this. As far as I could tell, they were fighting in the high rise like in the police report and they were wrecking the place. I can confirm that they went right through at least two walls. The vision started off with Bruiser picking himself up out of some rubble, challenging the beast and then smashing it through a wall in return and they started exchanging punches.)
(And? What happened then?)
(The vision ended there. I'd need longer contact to see the rest. As for Animality, he was like a big snarling werewolf that hadn't completely finished transforming yet...and I mean big. Huge. Like, he might've been taller than Mountain. I think he might've been uglier too.)
Flannery and Hiro giggled quietly at that.
(It sounds like a real nightmare. Are you alright?)
(I'm fine. I've seen scarier things than him.) Hiro assured her. (Anyway. I'm worried about the kid. Fighting someone like that couldn't have been easy on him.)
(Good point. We'll find him later and talk to him if we get the chance. It could really help us close the case if we get a real description of what it's like to fight the big guy.)
(Wait, do you mean us an in us or us as in mom and the police?)
(Yes.) Flannery smirked.
(Smart aleck.)
They arrived at their first class, AP Chemistry, and Hiro placed his hands on the door and turned it to step inside.
(Hey Flannery? Should we tell mom we found the vigilante?)
Now this is quite a pickle for the redhead. She has discovered the vigilante's identity, courtesy of her awesome bro Hiro. However, clearly without said vigilante's knowledge and such information could play a factor as to the vigilante trusting in his newfound partners in superheroics. Yet she doesn't want to lie to her mother about that discovery, she'd rather face a legion of Goblins. Even though she'd waste them all. But the crafty redhead always have a 3rd option.
(Not yet. First we form a friendship with the guy then gradually let him in on his hero activities. Once he finds us cool enough then we let him know that we have a friend within the police force that could help us out.)
(Meet the parents scenario?)
(I want to word it in a manner that you wont consider, phrasing :P )
(Pfft. From the way you'd drool over Sabrina's ViewTube videos, I don't think he's your type)
(I DON'T DROOL!!)
Maxwell remained in charge until the pain finally subsided. "Okay that is much better."
He relaxed and Arabella Kensington took over. His body shrank back down to the form of a fit athletic young lady. Standing 5'11" tall, this short haired bronze skinned woman has an excited feel about her. She has a beautiful face with a square jaw, a stubby nose, and large lips. Her green and blue eyes are rounded and she has thin eyebrows. She is wearing a sporty tank top and yoga pants. Her bare arms look like they've been honed from hours in the gym with the well defined musculature of an experienced rock climber that grants her incredible grip strength even among her 'peers'. She yawned loudly and looked around. Her wide eyed expression gradually giving way to a look of disgust as she realized how cramped the room was around her. She was mortified. It felt like the walls were closing in on her. It felt like she couldn't breathe. Her heart rate began to speed up and so did her breathing. She grabbed the door and moved it aside as quickly as she possibly could.
"Okay! No. Nononono! No. This is not my scene!" She grabbed a bag that had multiple ID's and wallets with smaller bags of money inside of it and climbed out. She swiftly scaled the wall and pushed the door closed before resuming her climb upwards.
"Ugh! This is SO not my scene guys! I don't like ceilings or roofs! I don't like being down on the ground! I need to be high up!"
She swiftly crawled across the ceiling of the tunnel until she made it to the exit where she grabbed onto the lip and flipped up onto the grass. She breathed a sigh of relief as she beheld the clear blue skies above her. She took a big whiff of the clean clear air and exhaled.
Arabella burst out laughing and she began dancing around. "Oh MAN that is so much better! Seriously, I know I can climb better than anyone in the world, but wow I do not like roofs! The sky! I need the sky above my head! Clear beautiful skies! I love it! Perfect climbing weather!"
She laughed and ran over to a random street light and she leaped onto it, slapped her palm against it, swung around it and then she climbed up to the top and took a good look around the park.
"Oh man look at all this stuff! I love parks! Alright where is it huh? Where is it? Where's the biggest tree?! I need to be high up!" She looked around the park until she finally found the biggest tree around and she hopped off of the light and took off running for it. Because dammit she hadn't been in control for a long time! She had to get her climbing fix in!
Arabella ran over to a bench and vaulted over it. She hit the ground running and didn't slow down for anything. Not even a random man in her way. She simply leaped into the air and leapfrogged right over him! "I LIKE YOUR SUIT!" She complimented while running off.
The man watched her run away for a second before shrugging and continuing on his way whistling happily.
She ran over to a jungle gym and swiftly climbed to the top and leaped over to a slide, grabbed onto the side, climbed up to the top, dropped down and slid down the slide and she resumed running across the park until she reached the Coast Douglas fir. Arabella leaped onto it, landed on it palms first and she began excitedly climbing up the side of the tree like a spider. All 99.4 meters of it. She climbed up further and further and further until she finally reached the tippy top of the tree and she hung out there with one hand and both feet on the side of the tree.
"Ohhhh yeeeaaaah! This is what I'm talking about baby! Nice and high up! The way God intended me to be!" She put a hand over her head and looked across the park to the city beyond it. "Damn this is amazing! Just look at that view!"
The pair entered the chemistry class and took notice of the various students who were also settling into their morning class. There was a wide variety of students inside in varying states of alertness. Some were getting a last bit of shut eye before class started, some were happily chatting among themselves, some were reading books, some were scrambling to finish their homework.
A pair that caught Flannery's eyes were a pair of gorgeous young twin girls reading notes together at the same time in perfect synch. One of them was sitting down in her chair and the other was bent over and looking at the notes in her sister's hand.
They looked exactly the same and even dressed the same. They had the same waist length ponytail, the same dark hair in front of their eyes, the same dark blue eyes, the same pink vest, the same pink gloves with the same gold bracelets, the same pink skirt and the same ripped blue jeans with more blue filling in the holes.
"Okay so lets see now. Double checking here. If we combine the splitting schemes for the 2s and 2p orbitals, we can predict bond order in all of the diatomic molecules and ions composed of elements in the first complete row of the periodic table. Remember that only the valence orbitals of the atoms need be considered; as we saw in the cases of lithium hydride and dilithium, the inner orbitals remain tightly bound and retain their localized atomic character. We now describe examples of systems involving period 2 homonuclear diatomic molecules, such as N2, O2, and F2.
four key points to remember when drawing molecular orbital diagrams:
The number of molecular orbitals produced is the same as the number of atomic orbitals used to create them (the "law of conservation of orbitals").
As the overlap between two atomic orbitals increases, the difference in energy between the resulting bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals increases.
When two atomic orbitals combine to form a pair of molecular orbitals, the bonding molecular orbital is stabilized about as much as the antibonding molecular orbital is destabilized.
The interaction between atomic orbitals is greatest when they have the same energy.
We illustrate how to use these points by constructing a molecular orbital energy-level diagram for F2. We use the diagram in part (a) in Figure 9.8.19.8.1; the n = 1 orbitals (σ1s and σ1s*) are located well below those of the n = 2 level and are not shown. As illustrated in the diagram, the σ2s and σ2s* molecular orbitals are much lower in energy than the molecular orbitals derived from the 2p atomic orbitals because of the large difference in energy between the 2s and 2p atomic orbitals of fluorine. The lowest-energy molecular orbital derived from the three 2p orbitals on each F is σ2pzσ2pz and the next most stable are the two degenerate orbitals, π2pxπ2px and π2pyπ2py. For each bonding orbital in the diagram, there is an antibonding orbital, and the antibonding orbital is destabilized by about as much as the corresponding bonding orbital is stabilized. As a result, the σ⋆2pzσ2pz⋆ orbital is higher in energy than either of the degenerate π⋆2pxπ2px⋆ and π⋆2pyπ2py⋆ orbitals. We can now fill the orbitals, beginning with the one that is lowest in energy.
Each fluorine has 7 valence electrons, so there are a total of 14 valence electrons in the F2 molecule. Starting at the lowest energy level, the electrons are placed in the orbitals according to the Pauli principle and Hund’s rule. Two electrons each fill the σ2s and σ2s* orbitals, 2 fill the σ2pzσ2pz orbital, 4 fill the two degenerate π orbitals, and 4 fill the two degenerate π* orbitals, for a total of 14 electrons. To determine what type of bonding the molecular orbital approach predicts F2 to have, we must calculate the bond order. According to our diagram, there are 8 bonding electrons and 6 antibonding electrons, giving a bond order of (8 − 6) ÷ 2 = 1. Thus F2 is predicted to have a stable F–F single bond, in agreement with experimental data." They read off of the notes at the same time. "Sounds about right. We're good to go."
As they got closer, Flannery took notice of expertly drawn Molecular Orbital Energy-Level Diagrams for Homonuclear Diatomic Molecules.(a) For F2, with 14 valence electrons (7 from each F atom), all of the energy levels except the highest, σ⋆2pzσ2pz⋆ are filled. This diagram shows 8 electrons in bonding orbitals and 6 in antibonding orbitals, resulting in a bond order of 1. (b) For O2, with 12 valence electrons (6 from each O atom), there are only 2 electrons to place in the (π⋆npx,π⋆npy)(πnpx⋆,πnpy⋆) pair of orbitals. Hund’s rule dictates that one electron occupies each orbital, and their spins are parallel, giving the O2 molecule two unpaired electrons. This diagram shows 8 electrons in bonding orbitals and 4 in antibonding orbitals, resulting in a predicted bond order of 2.
The twins caught them staring and smiled. "Looks like we've got some new students." The sitting twin said to her sister. "I'm gonna say hi to them. You can take a nap if you want."
"Oh thank God. Yeah. I'm getting tired just reading these." She held her twins hand and then she slowly faded from sight and seemed to flow into the other girl! It was then that the two realized that she wasn't a twin at all. She was a duplicate! Self-Duplication (also called Replication, Cloning, or Copying) is the ability to produce copies of oneself. Someone with this ability can create a number (could be anything from 1 to 500) of clones of themselves. These clones have all of the memories of the original, and are an exact replica.
She smiled and offered her hand. "Cool trick huh? I'm Summer Samson. Welcome to Chemistry Boot Camp!"
Matt took his seat in the back of his class and he began reviewing his notes. They had a big test today and he had to review while he still had time.
(Urgh, of all days to have a test, it has to be the one after a big fight. I'm not sorry of course. Those girls got to go home to their families because I kept hairball busy. But come on! Throw me a bone here!)
He smiled at his little inward joke for a minute and he continued looking over his notes. But then his smile faded as his mind drifted back to the case at hand.
(Heeeyyy....why was he targeting the girls? I mean...I could be wrong about this but fuzzball's previous victims, the ones they could identify anyway, all had criminal affiliations right?)
He set down his notes and put his right hand on his cheek and his left hand on his bicep.
(Crap. Okay, okay, real quick. I'll look it up reeaaaal quick. Just a minute. That should be fine right?)
He took out his cell phone and quickly typed in the name of one of the identified victims. Callousface Sandra. Residential mortgage fraud in the fifth degree. Placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the first degree. Criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree. Loitering in the first degree. Criminal usury in the first degree. Promoting prison contraband in the first degree. Found mauled in a broken down shack.
(Yeah, that's a criminal alright. What about the others?)
He typed in another name. John Delaney. Criminal sale of marijuana in the third degree. Impairing the integrity of a pair-mutuel betting system in the second degree. Gaming fraud in the second degree. Making an apparently sworn false statement in the second degree. Rent gouging in the second degree. Tampering with a consumer product in the first degree. Found mauled in the same location as Sandra. He looked up a few more names and then turned off the phone and returned to his notes.
(Okay. So. At least five of the identified remains of his victims in Serenity City were men and women with previously known criminal affiliations and long rap sheets. That doesn't mean that he hasn't been targeting innocent people but his m.o. has apparently been to target criminals so far.....so why go after the girls? I know Beverly Parker at least. She's never done anything illegal that I know of. Christina Chamberlain? Samia Stuart? Georgina Ortega? Why target them either?)
He set down his notes and put his head in his hands. It was too early for this and he had a test in a few minutes.
(Helena. I need to talk to Helena. If anybody knows what's up with the girls, it's her.)
"Hello Class!"
Matt's head jerked up and he saw Professor Mary Kim Martinson, 31, dancing into class with piles of test papers in her hands. She is tall and has a wide-hipped build. Her skin is chocolate-brown and she died her hair pink at some point. She has high cheekbones and wide feet. Her wardrobe is tight and she is married to Professor Claire Viola Martinson, the AP Chemistry Professor. So the students generally tried to stay on both their good sides.
"Who's ready for test day?!" She sang out with a big smile on her face.
(Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge!)
One student, Landen Lee, raised his hand up. "Is this open note ma'am?"
"Open note tests are for the weak. You'll never learn that way kids. I'll tell you what those Landen, you can hand out the tests for me."
"Okay ma'am." He stood up and took the papers and walked around the classroom handing out the papers to the various students while they put their stuff away. "Alright then. Bring it on." Matt said while laying out his pencils.
Once all of the papers were handed out Professor Martinson clapped her hands together. "Alright kids you know the rules. You have the rest of the hour to work on the test but when the bell rings its pencils down. If you finish ahead of time, turn your paper over and wait for the end of class to hand it in please. Good luck everybody!" She took her seat and smiled as the kids began working on the test.
I. VIRIAL EQUILIBRIUM
Consider a gas cloud comprised of hydrogen. The mass M = 10 6 M , radius R = 50 pc, and temperature T = 10 K. The energy from the gas comes from assuming an ideal gas law. Explain it below:
II. SIMPLE STELLAR MODEL
(a) What is the mass M of the star (in units ofM)?
(b) What is the free-fall timeτfffor this star, in suitable units (s, h, years. . . )?
(c) Find the pressureP(r)
(d) Find the central pressurePc
III. DEFINE PLANCK TIME
IV. DEFINE CHANDRASEKHAR MASS
V. SHORT PROBLEMS IN GRAVITY
(a)Find the gravitational acceleration due tot he Sun at the location of the Earth’s orbit(i.e.,at a distance of 1AU)
(b) Show that for a small mass, m, orbiting a much larger mass, M , in an eccentric orbit, that the area swept out per unit time by a line joining the large and small mass is a constant around the orbit (i.e., Kepler’s 2nd law).
(c) The orbits of several stars have been measured orbiting the massive black hole near the center of our Galaxy. One of them has an orbital period of 15 years, and the orbital radius is 0.12 second of arc (as seen from the Earth). Take the distance to the Galactic center to be 8 kpc. Compute the mass of the black hole, starting from F = ma. Express your answer in units of the Sun’s mass (M�). (Assume that Newton’s law of gravity is applicable for orbits sufficiently far from a black hole, and that the orbiting star satisfies this condition.
VI. GEOMETRIC AND PHYSICAL OPTICS
(a) Find the theoretical limiting angular resolution of a commercial 8inch (diameter) optical telescope being used in visible (at λ = 5000˚A = 500 nm = 5 × 10−5 cm = 5 × 10−7 m).
(b)A large groundbased telescope has an effective focal length of 10 meters. Two astronomi cal objects are separated by 1 arc second in the sky. How far apart will the two corresponding images be in the focal plane?
(c)A collimated light beam propagating in water is incident on the surface (air/water inter face) at an angle θwater with respect to the surface normal. If the index of refraction of water is n = 1.3, find an expression for the angle of the light once it emerges from the water into the air, θair. What is the critical angle, i.e., θwater = θcrit, such that the light will not emerge from the water?
VII. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
(a)Use the Bohr model of the atom to compute the wavelength of the transition from the n = 100 to n = 99 levels. [Useful relation: the wavelength of Lα (n = 2 to n = 1 transition) is 1216˚A.]
(b)A galaxy moves directly away from us with speed v, and the wavelength of its Hα line is observed to be 6784A˚. The rest wavelength of Hα is 6565˚A. Find v.
(c)A star is at a distance from the Earth of 300 pc. Find its parallax angle, π.
VIII. LUMINOSITY AND MAGNITUDES
(a)A particular star has an absolute magnitude M = 7. If this star is observed in a galaxy that is at a distance of 3 Mpc, what will its apparent magnitude be? What is the distance modulus to this galaxy?
(b)The differential luminosity from a star, ΔL, with an approximate blackbody spectrum, is given by:
(Oh thank God. At least it doesn't look too hard.) Matt mused to himself with amusement. He twirled his pencil and got to work.
Matt twirled his pencil, gripped it lightly between his fingers and he got to work on the test.
Matt finished the test and then he checked his worked and then he checked it again. The third check was just to make sure he'd signed his name. Satisfied that everything was correct and in its place, he set his pencil down and walked to the front of the class to hand his paper in.
"Gooood morning Matthew! Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock ma'am." He handed in his test. "All yours."
She looked over the paper. "Fantastic work Matt. Feel free to take the rest of class to rest."
"Thank you." He smiled and walked back to his desk, sat down and rested his eyes for the rest of the period.
As she shook their hands, Hiro's psychometry brought about another vision. He saw a flash of Summer and her clones hanging out together in a Dojo. It was hard to tell which one was real. One group of Summers was practicing karate with other Summers around the dojo practicing various other martial arts with a few other Summers sitting outside reading textbooks on various subjects. It gave Hiro pause for a moment as he pondered how this training with all of the clones could work but then he remembered Summer speaking with her clone and the two of them reviewing the notes together before she reabsorbed the clone back into herself. That was when it clicked for him. When she reabsorbed the clone she likely reabsorbed their knowledge as well. Judging by the training and reading she'd done in the Dojo, she could use them to do a ton of physical training with them while the others studied her various school subjects and when she was done she would absorb all of them back into herself along with all of their collective knowledge they'd gained! It was brilliant! Utterly brilliant! She could compress hours or days of studying into a single hour by dividing the studying among all of her clones.
Flannery read this knowledge from his mind and she was equally impressed. That had to be one of the most genius uses of replication she'd ever heard of!
"Happy to be here Summer. My name's Flannery Kingston and this is my brother Hiro."
"Hello Summer. Great to meet you."
"Kingston huh? As in, Jennifer Kingston the Super Cop?" Summer asked them.
That got some attention from their classmates. Flannery giggled. "Yes, 'The Super Cop.'. We just call her mom though." Flannery joked. "Cool power btw."
"Thank you. I've been rocking replication since I was a kid and not to brag but I've gotten pretty good at it."
Dear Diary,
I've entered my first day in a genius school and so far me and my brother are making a good impression. I was a little worried that we'd become outcast or something far worse. Fortunately we are going through the day without anything Heavy. Well, outside of the fact that one of the students happen to be that infamous vigilante named Brick whose operating in Serenity. Call it a cop intuition that I've picked up from my mom but every fiber in me wanted to find out about this vigilante: who is he? what is his motivation? just how outside of the law he operates? But I wanted to do it in a manner that wouldn't alienate him. So I have the majority of the day to choose my words carefully before I meet the guy Hiro saw in his vision, and physically bumped into. If we happen to partner up, he'd most certainly be a welcome addition to my Guardian Angels website. I might even get an interview!
Author's Note: The Guardian Angels website is a website that Flannery hosted that pay tribute to the new breed of heroes that are cropping up. Flannery doesn't use the word vigilante as she considers that a little demeaning. So far the people listed on her site have been Violet, Scion(David), and Brick.
"I can tell." Flannery grinned. "That's awesome Summer. I'd love to hear more about it later."
"Tell you what, we can exchange E-Mails after class and I can send you my notes to get you guys caught up in class and we can discuss powers too if you'd like."
(Smooooth.) Hiro thought to himself.
"Sure, I'd love that."
Professor Claire Viola Martinson, the AP Chemistry Professor, walked into class a minute after the bell to give the students time to wake up. Standing 6' 0" tall, this golden-brown skinned woman has a quick tempered feel about her. She has a triangular face with a nice chin, a well-formed nose, puffy lips, and her light purple eyes are wide. She has closely shaved orange hair. She wears pale lipstick, a subtle foundation, colourful eyeliner and green eyeshadow. She has long arms, a lean torso, and nice legs. Her whole body is a canvas for a collage of religious tattoos that she covers up when on the job. She usually wears perfectly pressed, expensive clothes that are mostly neutral-coloured but wears proper lab equipment when she's working.
"Gooood morning everybody! I'm sure you've noticed we have two new students in our class today so before we begin I would like Hiro and Flannery Kingston to come up to the front and introduce themselves."
"Actually, three." Professor Martinson looks at the door of the classroom to see another new student making her presence known. A very attractive pale-skinned girl with long black hair that is styled in a hime-cut and brown eyes, along with two curved streaks at the side of her face, brown eyes. She wears a red blazer with black trim lining the cuffs and collar, a white button-up dress shirt, a dark pleated skirt, a tie and black/grey colored stockings.  "Apologies, am I late for class" The young lady bowed gracefully before the teacher who just smiled at the Transfer Student"Not at all. You've managed to make it, by the skin of your teeth that is. Just ensure to be even more timely in the future"
"Yes ma'am" The young lady said
"Please join Flannery and Hiro in the introduction" The Professor motioned for her to appear before the class to introduce herself, along with Hiro and Flannery.
Summer could overhear a few students whispering behind her
"Damn, check out the new girl"
"How much you want to bet they're just as big as D'Amico's?"
Author's Note: Lian Quing Shan in da house! |
|
(Ohhh Helena I can't to see your face when you find out you missed this.) Summer applauded her entrance. "On behalf of our class, welcome to Serenity High!"
"Thank you very much! I can't wait to become friends with everyone here!"
"You'll have an easy time of it. Everyone here is super cool." Summer assured her.
(I like her. She's sunny.) Flannery told Hiro.
(Same here. She's good at making entrances too.) Hiro noted.
Lian danced across the floor and she seemed to even be gliding over it until she reached them and she stopped on her foot and she offered her hand. "Hell-o. My name is Lian Quing Shan. It's nice to meet you."
Hiro extended his own hand with a smile. "Hiro Kingston. Nice to meet you."
Now, normally, whenever Hiro touched someone's hand, he got a quick flash of their life, just a quick peek into their past and memory and he'd be able to feel a some of their emotion in that moment. That was Psychometry. That was how his power worked.
Yep. That was what would happen. Nothing too major just a quick flash.
Any second now.
What was going on?
(Sorry kids. But a lady has to have her secrets.) Lian informed Flannery and Hiro.
Hiro did a quick side glance to the class and the teacher's while keeping a casual facade on his face. Apparently none of them noticed the red eyes that were on display, for a brief second Hiro got a slight sense of uncontrollable fear the moment he gazed at them but the moment Lian's eyes returned to normal he felt more relaxed. (My apologies sometimes I cant shut off my abilities.)
(I can relate) Lian smiled warmly at Hiro then the two began their introduction.
Hiro's the first one to start things off"Hello. My name is Hiro Kingston, we've just moved to Serenity City about a week ago and...I hope to make a good impression upon each of you"
Hiro stepped back, he wasn't much on introductions.
(Did you see it, sis?)
Upon viewing the red eyes she felt a slight sharp pain inside her head. It was enough to make her slightly jolt but once the red eyes vanished the pain subsided. (Yeah, that was pretty trippy)
"My name is Flannery Kingston. (murmurs from several students were heard) Yes, relation to the infamous Super Cop that you've seen on several web videos. Who happens to be my mom" Cue to the students within the class having their minds blown at that fact. Lian, on the other hand, just glanced at Flannery with interest.
"Simple deductive reasoning of course will tell you that Hiro here is my brother and he is just the best."
Hiro laughed. "Thanks sis. Back at ya." He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the audience. "Before you ask, let me just say that yes, all the stories you've heard about our mom are true. She's pretty awesome."
This resulted in exciting chatter from the various students in the class until the the teacher clapped her hands and snapped fingers and pointed them upwards. "Now now kids, no need to overwhelm them on their first day. There'll be plenty of time for that later. We're very happy to have you here in our class and I'm sure that Jennifer Kingston will be a great service to the SCPD."
"Mom's a hard worker. Rest assured everybody, you can sleep quietly at night knowing that she's on the job." Hiro said to everyone.
The students whooped and cheered for them until the teacher quieted them down.
"Thank you for the introductions Flannery and Hiro Kingston. Now everybody lets have a big hand for Lian Quing Shan!"
Lian stepped up and waved to everyone as the students applauded her. "Thank you, thank you. I am so happy to be here with you. Lets see, I guess I should start with my parents right? My mother is Carmella Hóng lóng* Shan and my father's name is Sammy Stryker. They're Paranormal Investigators believe it or not."
Reece raised hir hand. "Do you mean like the Detective in Castle City?"
"Exactly like that. We're actually good friends with Violet and my parents have collaborated with her on cases before. As a result of their job we've had to travel a lot. When I heard about this glorious institution I became enamored with the idea of attending. So I spent long hours working and studying to earn the right to join this fantastic astonishing academy! I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to becoming friends with everyone here and continuing our education together! Thank you!"
*Red Dragon!
The students cheered and applauded her introduction and she bowed her head.
The teacher let them clap for a bit and then she calmed them down and the students returned to their desks. "Very nice to meet all of you. You're going to fit right in. We'll begin the lecture now and if you need any help don't hesitate to ask me or the students around you for assistance." She walked over to the lights, turned them off and then she turned on the holo-projector to enhance the lesson with visual examples while she gave the students the lecture on Chemical Kinetics Rate Laws.
Chemical kinetics, also known as reaction kinetics, the branch of physical chemistry that is concerned with understanding the rates of chemical reactions. It is to be contrasted with thermodynamics, which deals with the direction in which a process occurs but in itself tells nothing about its rate. Chemical kinetics includes investigations of how different experimental conditions can influence the speed of a chemical reaction and yield information about the reaction's mechanism and transition states, as well as the construction of mathematical models that also can describe the characteristics of a chemical reaction.
In 1864, Peter Waage and Cato Guldberg pioneered the development of chemical kinetics by formulating the law of mass action, which states that the speed of a chemical reaction is proportional to the quantity of the reacting substances.
Van 't Hoff studied chemical dynamics and in 1884 published his famous "Études de dynamique chimique". In 1901 he was awarded by the first Nobel Prize in Chemistry "in recognition of the extraordinary services he has rendered by the discovery of the laws of chemical dynamics and osmotic pressure in solutions".
After van 't Hoff, chemical kinetics deals with the experimental determination of reaction rates from which rate laws and rate constants are derived. Relatively simple rate laws exist for zero order reactions (for which reaction rates are independent of concentration), first order reactions, and second order reactions, and can be derived for others. Elementary reactions follow the law of mass action, but the rate law of stepwise reactions has to be derived by combining the rate laws of the various elementary steps, and can become rather complex. In consecutive reactions, the rate-determining step often determines the kinetics. In consecutive first order reactions, a steady state approximation can simplify the rate law. The activation energy for a reaction is experimentally determined through the Arrhenius equation and the Eyring equation. The main factors that influence the reaction rate include: the physical state of the reactants, the concentrations of the reactants, the temperature at which the reaction occurs, and whether or not any catalysts are present in the reaction.
Gorban and Yablonsky have suggested that the history of chemical dynamics can be divided into three eras. The first is the van 't Hoff wave searching for the general laws of chemical reactions and relating kinetics to thermodynamics. The second may be called the Semenov--Hinshelwood wave with emphasis on reaction mechanisms, especially for chain reactions. The third is associated with Aris and the detailed mathematical description of chemical reaction networks.
Factors affecting reaction rate
Nature of the reactants
The reaction rate varies depending upon what substances are reacting. Acid/base reactions, the formation of salts, and ion exchange are usually fast reactions. When covalent bond formation takes place between the molecules and when large molecules are formed, the reactions tend to be slower.
The nature and strength of bonds in reactant molecules greatly influence the rate of their transformation into products.
Physical state
The physical state (solid, liquid, or gas) of a reactant is also an important factor of the rate of change. When reactants are in the same phase, as in aqueous solution, thermal motion brings them into contact. However, when they are in different phases, the reaction is limited to the interface between the reactants. Reaction can occur only at their area of contact; in the case of a liquid and a gas, at the surface of the liquid. Vigorous shaking and stirring may be needed to bring the reaction to completion. This means that the more finely divided a solid or liquid reactant the greater its surface area per unit volume and the more contact it with the other reactant, thus the faster the reaction. To make an analogy, for example, when one starts a fire, one uses wood chips and small branches — one does not start with large logs right away. In organic chemistry, on water reactions are the exception to the rule that homogeneous reactions take place faster than heterogeneous reactions.
Surface area of solids
In a solid, only those particles that are at the surface can be involved in a reaction. Crushing a solid into smaller parts means that more particles are present at the surface, and the frequency of collisions between these and reactant particles increases, and so reaction occurs more rapidly. For example, Sherbet (powder) is a mixture of very fine powder of malic acid (a weak organic acid) and sodium hydrogen carbonate. On contact with the saliva in the mouth, these chemicals quickly dissolve and react, releasing carbon dioxide and providing for the fizzy sensation. Also, fireworks manufacturers modify the surface area of solid reactants to control the rate at which the fuels in fireworks are oxidised, using this to create different effects. For example, finely divided aluminium confined in a shell explodes violently. If larger pieces of aluminium are used, the reaction is slower and sparks are seen as pieces of burning metal are ejected.
Concentration
Main article: Rate equation
The reactions are due to collisions of reactant species. The frequency with which the molecules or ions collide depends upon their concentrations. The more crowded the molecules are, the more likely they are to collide and react with one another. Thus, an increase in the concentrations of the reactants will usually result in the corresponding increase in the reaction rate, while a decrease in the concentrations will usually have a reverse effect. For example, combustion will occur more rapidly in pure oxygen than in air (21% oxygen).
The rate equation shows the detailed dependence of the reaction rate on the concentrations of reactants and other species present. Different mathematical forms are possible depending on the reaction mechanism. The actual rate equation for a given reaction is determined experimentally and provides information about the reaction mechanism. The mathematical expression of the rate equation is often given by
{\displaystyle v={\frac {\mathrm {d} c}{\mathrm {d} t}}=k\prod _{i}c_{i}^{m_{i}}} {\displaystyle v={\frac {\mathrm {d} c}{\mathrm {d} t}}=k\prod _{i}c_{i}^{m_{i}}}
Here {\displaystyle k} k is the reaction rate constant, {\displaystyle c_{i}} c_{i} is the molar concentration of reactant i and {\displaystyle m_{i}} m_{i} is the partial order of reaction for this reactant. The partial order for a reactant can only be determined experimentally and is often different from its stoechiometric coefficient.
Temperature
Main article: Arrhenius equation
Temperature usually has a major effect on the rate of a chemical reaction. Molecules at a higher temperature have more thermal energy. Although collision frequency is greater at higher temperatures, this alone contributes only a very small proportion to the increase in rate of reaction. Much more important is the fact that the proportion of reactant molecules with sufficient energy to react (energy greater than activation energy: E > Ea) is significantly higher and is explained in detail by the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies.
The 'rule of thumb' that the rate of chemical reactions doubles for every 10 °C temperature rise is a common misconception. This may have been generalized from the special case of biological systems, where the α (temperature coefficient) is often between 1.5 and 2.5.
A reaction's kinetics can also be studied with a temperature jump approach. This involves using a sharp rise in temperature and observing the relaxation time of the return to equilibrium. A particularly useful form of temperature jump apparatus is a shock tube, which can rapidly jump a gas's temperature by more than 1000 degrees.
Catalysts
Main article: Catalysis
Generic potential energy diagram showing the effect of a catalyst in a hypothetical endothermic chemical reaction. The presence of the catalyst opens a different reaction pathway (shown in red) with a lower activation energy. The final result and the overall thermodynamics are the same.
A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction but remains chemically unchanged afterwards. The catalyst increases the rate of the reaction by providing a different reaction mechanism to occur with a lower activation energy. In autocatalysis a reaction product is itself a catalyst for that reaction leading to positive feedback. Proteins that act as catalysts in biochemical reactions are called enzymes. Michaelis–Menten kinetics describe the rate of enzyme mediated reactions. A catalyst does not affect the position of the equilibrium, as the catalyst speeds up the backward and forward reactions equally.
In certain organic molecules, specific substituents can have an influence on reaction rate in neighbouring group participation.[citation needed]
Pressure
Increasing the pressure in a gaseous reaction will increase the number of collisions between reactants, increasing the rate of reaction. This is because the activity of a gas is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas. This is similar to the effect of increasing the concentration of a solution.
In addition to this straightforward mass-action effect, the rate coefficients themselves can change due to pressure. The rate coefficients and products of many high-temperature gas-phase reactions change if an inert gas is added to the mixture; variations on this effect are called fall-off and chemical activation. These phenomena are due to exothermic or endothermic reactions occurring faster than heat transfer, causing the reacting molecules to have non-thermal energy distributions (non-Boltzmann distribution). Increasing the pressure increases the heat transfer rate between the reacting molecules and the rest of the system, reducing this effect.
Condensed-phase rate coefficients can also be affected by (very high) pressure; this is a completely different effect than fall-off or chemical-activation. It is often studied using diamond anvils.
A reaction's kinetics can also be studied with a pressure jump approach. This involves making fast changes in pressure and observing the relaxation time of the return to equilibrium.
Presence of Light
Light provides necessary activation energy to the starting materials, therefore, most of the reactions becomes faster in the presence of light. Example: Photosynthesis
Experimental methods
The experimental determination of reaction rates involves measuring how the concentrations of reactants or products change over time. For example, the concentration of a reactant can be measured by spectrophotometry at a wavelength where no other reactant or product in the system absorbs light.
For reactions which take at least several minutes, it is possible to start the observations after the reactants have been mixed at the temperature of interest.
Fast reactions
For faster reactions, the time required to mix the reactants and bring them to a specified temperature may be comparable or longer than the half-life of the reaction. Special methods to start fast reactions without slow mixing step include
Stopped flow methods, which can reduce the mixing time to the order of a millisecond[7][8][9]
Chemical relaxation methods such as temperature jump and pressure jump, in which a pre-mixed system initially at equilibrium is perturbed by rapid heating or depressurization so that it is no longer at equilibrium, and the relaxation back to equilibrium is observed.[7][10][11][12] For example, this method has been used to study the neutralization H3O+ + OH− with a half-life of 1 μs or less under ordinary conditions.[7][12]
Flash photolysis, in which a laser pulse produces highly excited species such as free radicals, whose reactions are then studied.[9][13][14][15]
Equilibrium
While chemical kinetics is concerned with the rate of a chemical reaction, thermodynamics determines the extent to which reactions occur. In a reversible reaction, chemical equilibrium is reached when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal [the principle of dynamic equilibrium ] and the concentrations of the reactants and Products no longer change. This is demonstrated by, for example, the Haber–Bosch process for combining nitrogen and hydrogen to produce ammonia. Chemical clock reactions such as the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction demonstrate that component concentrations can oscillate for a long time before finally attaining the equilibrium.
Free energy
In general terms, the free energy change (ΔG) of a reaction determines whether a chemical change will take place, but kinetics describes how fast the reaction is. A reaction can be very exothermic and have a very positive entropy change but will not happen in practice if the reaction is too slow. If a reactant can produce two different products, the thermodynamically most stable one will in general form, except in special circumstances when the reaction is said to be under kinetic reaction control. The Curtin–Hammett principle applies when determining the product ratio for two reactants interconverting rapidly, each going to a different product. It is possible to make predictions about reaction rate constants for a reaction from free-energy relationships.
The kinetic isotope effect is the difference in the rate of a chemical reaction when an atom in one of the reactants is replaced by one of its isotopes.
Chemical kinetics provides information on residence time and heat transfer in a chemical reactor in chemical engineering and the molar mass distribution in polymer chemistry. It is also provides information in corrosion engineering.
Applications and models
The mathematical models that describe chemical reaction kinetics provide chemists and chemical engineers with tools to better understand and describe chemical processes such as food decomposition, microorganism growth, stratospheric ozone decomposition, and the chemistry of biological systems. These models can also be used in the design or modification of chemical reactors to optimize product yield, more efficiently separate products, and eliminate environmentally harmful by-products. When performing catalytic cracking of heavy hydrocarbons into gasoline and light gas, for example, kinetic models can be used to find the temperature and pressure at which the highest yield of heavy hydrocarbons into gasoline will occur.
Chemical Kinetics is frequently validated and explored through modeling in specialized packages as a function of ordinary differential equation-solving (ODE-solving) and curve-fitting.
After the lecture and lab work, the bell rung and the class let out. The students gathered their belongings and the Professor Martinson assigned their homework assignments and then she signaled to speak with Kaleb Barrett and Reece Dixon to come up to the front desk while everyone else was leaving.
He awakened to the sound of the epic school bell ringing and he stretched.
"Long night musclehead?" Tommy Allen laughed. He's a tall and muscular male student with a small faint scar on his left cheek and light brown hair that looks like it's going in every direction. He wears a thin gray t-shirt with the sleeves rolled to make it appear as a tank top and army style camo pants.
"Well you know, gotta keep the gains up." Matt said as a quick excuse for his exhaustion. It was his usual, go to excuse and it had worked well so far.
"Aren't you jacked enough already big guy?"
"There is no such thing." Matt smirked.
He started gathering his belongings but the professor signaled him. "Ah Mister Maximilian? Could I speak to you for a moment?"
"Sure." He finished putting his books into his bag, zipped it up and walked up to the front desk as the students walked out. "Is everything okay ma'am? If it's about me closing my eyes I'm sorry."
"No but yes. Are you okay Matthew? It isn't like you to be so exhausted in class. Are you feeling okay? Is your home life alright?"
"I'm fine ma'am. Honestly. I just workout a lot. Plenty of pushups and sit ups and weight lifting, shadow boxing, gymnastics....freerunning. So much freerunning."
"Well okay. Just don't push yourself too okay? You're still young. You should go out and enjoy it."
He chuckled. "Okay yeah, I will. Great test today too. Really got my brain rushing."
"I'm so glad to hear that. I work really hard on these you know!" She beamed. "We could always have another one tomorrow if you want!"
"I will....get back to you on that." He smiled and walked out of the class. "Have a great day ma'am!"
Matthew Maximilian proceeded down the hallway. (Okay. So. Got a bit of rest at least. After my next class I need to go find Helena.)
The duo quietly waited till just about the whole class left the classroom, Reece, with a heavy sigh, says to her bros-if "Lets go face the music"
Kaleb gave her the wounded puppy look, "I don't want to go"
"Save that for the teacher" she nudged him forward the pair walked like they're on a death march. The moment they got up to her desk the words instantly spout from Kaleb's mouth, "Don't punish Reece, ma'am. I was the one who encourage her to take part in it. So I'm willing to take the bulk of whatever karma will dish out"
Reece just looked at him, stunned.
Professor Martinson leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. "Care to explain what you were thinking?"
"I'm sorry. It was stupid, my hormones took over my brain for the moment and I spoke without thinking. Believe me ma'am, I am sincerely sorry for my behavior." Kaleb apologized from the bottom of his heart.
"Kaleb, Reece, you are aware of the rules here correct? Did you even consider how Lian would've felt if she heard you?"
Kaleb hung his head and Reece answered instead. "Believe me ma'am, we're well aware of the rules and the zero tolerance policies in place. We're aware that this institution is meant to be a safe and secure institution of higher learning for everyone who comes here seeking knowledge. We're sorry for our behavior and that you're right that we should've considered Lian's feelings before speaking out."
Kaleb raised his head back up. "Please Professor. What can we do to make this right?"
Professor Martinson took a deep breath and then exhaled. She crouched down and pulled out a pad and paper. She tapped the back of a pen on it. "As far as apologies go, not bad. I can tell you sincerely mean it and given that this is your first offense....I'm willing to be lenient. I won't be writing you up but in exchange I want a three page handwritten essay, so that I know that it was the two of you that wrote them, detailing what you did wrong and why your behavior was wrong and what you can do to improve upon your behavior in the future." She started writing on the notepad. "In addition I am assigning you both extra homework: The properties of water, hydrogen bonding and dissolution of sodium chloride AND Finding the molecular weight of a vapor by Duma's Method." She wrote down the assignments on the piece of paper and handed it to them. "Have fun!"
"THANK YOU SO MUCH MA'AM!" They exclaimed simultaneously. "You are seriously THE BEST!"
"I've often thought so but thank you children." She wrote them both a hall pass and handed them out. "Run along now and remember to think about what you did."
"Yes ma'am. We will. Thank you!" They accepted the passes and hurried out of the class.
Professor Martinson laughed as she watched them leave. "Hmmmmmm.....seriously the best huh?" She wrote herself a note on the notepad. "Note to self: Assign extra homework more often."
"I can't believe we made it out of there!" Reece took a few deep breaths. "I thought we were dead for sure!"
"I felt like we just got an execution lowered down to community service." Kaleb gasped for breath and quickly ran over to a drinking fountain and took a few gulps of water and then he stood up. "Okay! first order of business: We find Lian and we apologize if she heard us. We owe her that."
"Agreed." Reece nodded hir head in agreement.
"Second: Wanna work on the essays together tonight over Firmament?"
"Oh my gooood yes! That would be a life saver. You are a life saver. I mean, really, thank you for that back there."
"Birds gotta flock together right?" Kaleb smiled and put an arm around his best friend and then raising his hand. "Condors!"
"Condors for life!" They first bumped together and then parted them and wiggled their fingers together before putting their hands together like a beak and pushing them together again while making Condor noises and then they walked to their next class while laughing together.
"Okay, so I'm sending you guys my E-Maaaaiiillll now." Summer said to Flannery, Hiro and Lian. "And then we go! I'll send you my notes later and we can talk tonight together on Firm if you'd like."
In another section of the school a young lady was sitting on a desk in an empty classroom while talking on a holo-phone. The camera was turned off. The holo-phone was showing transparent images of a blonde man and a dark haired man both of them were wearing fine suits.
The young lady is tall with the athletic body of a cheerleading gymnast with short blonde hair with tanned skin, and green eyes. She has noticeably large breasts and a plentiful set of buttocks as well and is not shy about showing it.
"Yes I am aware that the police are watching the girls but they can't always be around them can they? I want ninjas watching them around the clock. We've got more than enough of them to spare some for my friends. Tell Daddy it was my idea if you have just get it done! If this Brutus furball thinks he can target my friends he's got another thing coming! Speaking of whom, I want him tracked down and taken down hard! And I mean put him down like the rabid mutt he is! Nobody goes on a killing spree in our city without facing the consequences!" She ordered the men. "And somebody find The Bruiser already. I want to have some words with him regarding what happened last night. Cool?"
"Yes ma'am. Of course. We'll pass the message along to your father. Have a good day, Miss D'amico."
"You guys too." Helena D'amico turned off her phone and hopped off of the desk and walked to the door. She turned around to the camera, reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device and pointed it at the camera and pressed a button. The camera slowly turned back on but she was already out the door.
Her friends were waiting for her outside. Helena reached into her bag she left with them and pulled out some hall passes and handed them out. "Thanks for waiting on me girls. Here you are."
"Thanks for these Helley, but are you okay?"
Helena D'amcio adjusted her tie. "I will be. Once this animal is either dead or locked up. But that's for later. Come on. We've got classes to attend and new students to greet."
"Mornin' guys!" Matt greeted his friends as noticed them in the hallway.
"Hey big guy!" Kaleb greeted him with a high five followed by one from Reece.
"You guys keeping out of trouble?"
"More like getting into some." Reece admitted while they walked. "We opened our big dumb mouths and got assigned some extra homework."
Matt laughed. "You gotta watch what you say in Martinson's class. She's got ears like a bat. She can hear you no matter how quiet you are in there. What's the homework?"
"The properties of water, hydrogen bonding and dissolution of sodium chloride AND Finding the molecular weight of a vapor by Duma's Method." Kaleb responded.
"I wouldn't worry too much then. The Dumas method just follows the ideal gas law is all. You place a small quantity of a substance into a tared vessel of known volume. The vessel is then heated in a boiling water bath; all the air within the flask would be expelled, replaced by the vapor of the substance. When no remaining liquid can be observed, the vessel may be sealed, dried, and weighed. By subtracting the tare of the vessel, the actual mass of the vapor within the vessel can be calculated. Assuming the compound obeyed the ideal gas equation, the number of moles of the unknown compound, n, can be determined by p V = n R T {\displaystyle pV=nRT\,} where the pressure, p, is the atmospheric pressure, V is the measured volume of the vessel, T is the absolute temperature of the boiling water bath, and R is the ideal gas constant. By dividing the mass in grams of the vapor within the vessel by the calculated number of moles, the molecular weight may be obtained." Matt summarized.
"Yeah! That's it exactly!" Kaleb nodded his head in agreement. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to collaborate on homework together over Firmament?"
(Hmmmm. Okay what to do here? I really should be out there looking for Brutus....but I can't just turn my back on my friends. Besides with the ABP out on him anyway and the tech the police have? I'm sure they'll find him anyhow. Lets see now. If we're at school for eight hours, doing homework for six hours and need nine hours of sleep for our developing brains, then that leaves approximately....1 hour or so for other activities like eating, bathing, exercising, socializing and extracurriculars, chores, relaxation and family time....not to mention the fact that I'm still tired from our last fight....on the other hand! If we set up a group chat and work on the assignments together that could cut the time working on homework in half, giving me time for a good dinner and a quick nap before I go out on patrol to take a quick look for the animal!)
"You got it Kaleb. All in! I'll talk to Hank about working together with us too."
"You're a lifesaver Matt." Reece complimented him.
Matt beamed. "Compliments appreciated Reece."
"Anyways! Lets get off the homework topic for a more fun one. We met the new kids!" Kaleb told him.
"Spill."
"Sure!" Flannery agreed. "My account is Royal Bureau of Justice 777, all one word."
"Agent Majestic Defender." Hiro informed them.
"Niiice niiiice." Summer grinned while jotting those down. "Mine's Light My Choir."
"The choir being your replicants?" Flannery guessed.
"Got it in one!" Summer laughed. "How about you Lian?"
"Cherry Siren Succubus."
(Spicy!) Summer thought to herself. "And got it. Alright. We'll all meet up online around say 6? We can collaborate on our assignments. Kids here do it all the time." She suggested to her new friends before she turned more serious. "However and I'm sorry to kill the mood but there's something important I want to stress to you: Go straight home. Don't linger around anywhere any longer than you have to. Go straight home and lock your doors. There's a monster out there stalking the city streets and mauling people. The Serenity City Bruiser busted him up pretty bad last night but the police haven't been able to find him yet. So until he's caught, go home, lock your doors and stay inside." Two clones stepped out of her. "Institute a buddy system if you have to but don't go anywhere alone." All three of them told the trio.
(That's the creature. The Bruiser must be the local vigilante I've been hearing about. I'll need to check out their battlefield to get a better reading on their destructive capability though.) Lian noted. "You're saying there's a monster in the city? Is it that Brutus guy I heard about?"
"That's him. That hairball's mauled a few people already. Just recently he targeted a few students here. They got lucky that The Bruiser was able to save them but the police still haven't made any arrests. Now we think he's got some helpers carrying out the actual abductions but nobody knows who they are." The clones stepped back into Summer and the four of them resumed walking down the hallway to their next classes. "Flannery, Hiro, I'm sure you know this already, but it's for the best that we leave it for the police."
"Trust me, mom tells us that all the time. It's been drilled into us at this point Summer." Hiro assured her.
"I'm pretty sure it's her catchphrase." Flannery joked. "So this Bruiser guy? Any thoughts on him?"
"We haven't met him personally yet but he's been protecting the city for the past two years and he's got a solid track record for a self-trained rookie."
Oh really now? This was an interesting bit of information. "Self-trained?" Flannery asked.
"Judging by his fighting style from the recorded videos and the initial collateral damage from his fights, it was obvious that he wasn't classically trained in martial arts or possessed military training in his fighting skills and the usage of his powers, rather, he was figuring it out as he went along. You ever see the photos or the crime scene reenactment simulations of his first fight with the Nightmare Knights gang? Bullet casings everywhere and a bunch of ripped apart vehicles. He got the job done don't get me wrong but it was still rather sloppy....thooouuugh to be fair he was heavily outnumbered there." Summer admitted.
Lian held in her laughter on the outside but inside she was unleashing a Noblewoman's Laugh. (Oh this is just hilarious. They seriously called themselves Nightmare Knights? What do some street punks know about nightmares? I ask you?)
"The next big thing came from his fight with his first quote unquote Super Criminal. A meteor powered calling himself Death Ray."
"Excuse me but Meteor Powered?" Hiro asked her.
"Oh right, ah, that's what people came up with to distinguish superhumans in Serenity who got their powers from the meteor explosion two years ago from the born evolved humans."
"How do you tell the difference?" Flannery asked.
"You really can't unless they tell you. There isn't much of a distinction. Anyway, all evidence points to The Bruiser being a meteor powered too." Summer explained. "As for the fight, if you watch the footage, you'd see that Ray had a big advantage over him because he had the better range game. So what does Bruiser do? Ground pounds the street and somehow instead of it traveling outwards in a circle he somehow sends it forward and it tears up the street and knocks Ray down long enough for Bruiser to close the distance, get on top of him and then punch his lights out."
(The plot thickens.) Flannery smiled as she took notice of this. (Whether The Bruiser realizes it or not, it sounds like his super strength could at least partially involve subconscious tacticle telekinesis. I'll have to check the videos to be sure but that would explain a few things.)
"Sure!" Flannery agreed. "My account is Royal Bureau of Justice 777, all one word."
"Agent Majestic Defender." Hiro informed them.
"Niiice niiiice." Summer grinned while jotting those down. "Mine's Light My Choir."
"The choir being your replicants?" Flannery guessed.
"Got it in one!" Summer laughed. "How about you Lian?"
"Cherry Siren Succubus."
(Spicy!) Summer thought to herself. "And got it. Alright. We'll all meet up online around say 6? We can collaborate on our assignments. Kids here do it all the time." She suggested to her new friends before she turned more serious. "However and I'm sorry to kill the mood but there's something important I want to stress to you: Go straight home. Don't linger around anywhere any longer than you have to. Go straight home and lock your doors. There's a monster out there stalking the city streets and mauling people. The Serenity City Bruiser busted him up pretty bad last night but the police haven't been able to find him yet. So until he's caught, go home, lock your doors and stay inside." Two clones stepped out of her. "Institute a buddy system if you have to but don't go anywhere alone." All three of them told the trio.
(That's the creature. The Bruiser must be the local vigilante I've been hearing about. I'll need to check out their battlefield to get a better reading on their destructive capability though.) Lian noted. "You're saying there's a monster in the city? Is it that Brutus guy I heard about?"
"That's him. That hairball's mauled a few people already. Just recently he targeted a few students here. They got lucky that The Bruiser was able to save them but the police still haven't made any arrests. Now we think he's got some helpers carrying out the actual abductions but nobody knows who they are." The clones stepped back into Summer and the four of them resumed walking down the hallway to their next classes. "Flannery, Hiro, I'm sure you know this already, but it's for the best that we leave it for the police."
"Trust me, mom tells us that all the time. It's been drilled into us at this point Summer." Hiro assured her.
"I'm pretty sure it's her catchphrase." Flannery joked. "So this Bruiser guy? Any thoughts on him?"
"We haven't met him personally yet but he's been protecting the city for the past two years and he's got a solid track record for a self-trained rookie."
Oh really now? This was an interesting bit of information. "Self-trained?" Flannery asked.
"Judging by his fighting style from the recorded videos and the initial collateral damage from his fights, it was obvious that he wasn't classically trained in martial arts or possessed military training in his fighting skills and the usage of his powers, rather, he was figuring it out as he went along. You ever see the photos or the crime scene reenactment simulations of his first fight with the Nightmare Knights gang? Bullet casings everywhere and a bunch of ripped apart vehicles. He got the job done don't get me wrong but it was still rather sloppy....thooouuugh to be fair he was heavily outnumbered there." Summer admitted.
Lian held in her laughter on the outside but inside she was unleashing a Noblewoman's Laugh. (Oh this is just hilarious. They seriously called themselves Nightmare Knights? What do some street punks know about nightmares? I ask you?)
"The next big thing came from his fight with his first quote unquote Super Criminal. A meteor powered calling himself Death Ray."
"Excuse me but Meteor Powered?" Hiro asked her.
"Oh right, ah, that's what people came up with to distinguish superhumans in Serenity who got their powers from the meteor explosion two years ago from the born evolved humans."
"How do you tell the difference?" Flannery asked.
"You really can't unless they tell you. There isn't much of a distinction. Anyway, all evidence points to The Bruiser being a meteor powered too." Summer explained. "As for the fight, if you watch the footage, you'd see that Ray had a big advantage over him because he had the better range game. So what does Bruiser do? Ground pounds the street and somehow instead of it traveling outwards in a circle he somehow sends it forward and it tears up the street and knocks Ray down long enough for Bruiser to close the distance, get on top of him and then punch his lights out."
(The plot thickens.) Flannery smiled as she took notice of this. (Whether The Bruiser realizes it or not, it sounds like his super strength could at least partially involve subconscious tacticle telekinesis. I'll have to check the videos to be sure but that would explain a few things.)
Flannery was briefly distracted by a girl walking past them wearing a homemade Ultra Girl T-Shirt. She had to do a double take before she returned to the conversation at hand.
"Oh my. This is certainly shaping up to be a very interesting school year if my first day is this intriguing." Lian giggled. "Do you have any ideas as to who his secret identity?"
"I've been narrowing it down recently and I have a few ideas. See, there's this awesome guy here named Hank Harrison and awhile back he and his family got into some trouble with-"
"Hey Summer. Giving the new kids a history lesson?" Helena asked as she walked up to them with her posse around her. Flannery quickly took notice of the fact that everyone there was wearing collars except Helena. Making it perfectly clear who the Alpha was of their little pack. The second thing she took in was the fact that the girl's were all knockouts but Helena herself was smoldering hot.
"Hey Princess. Guys, this is Helena D'amico. Helena, this is Flannery, Hiro and Lian. They're new in town and I thought I'd help them out. We're gonna be working together on Firmament tonight if you wanna join us."
"Good idea. Now listen up, while I'm sure Summer's already told you, there's a big bad monster running around the city right now. While I'm sure the police can handle it, you should still go straight home after school until he's caught. Don't go anywhere alone either. Damn fleabag already abducted some students."
"Have you gotten in touch with them?" Summer asked in a sincere tone of voice. "Are they okay?"
"They're doing fine now and we've got people watching them. They'll feel better when the monster is finally caught." She clapped her hands. "But we're getting off on the wrong foot here! So let us give you all a big welcome to the Science Center of Serenity City! My name is Helena D'amico and we're always welcome new students and celebrities to our fine institution of higher learning!" She stepped in and hugged Flannery and Hiro followed by Lian.
Hiro wasn't that much of a talker, especially when in the company of beautiful ladies, but the furthest he got was introducing his name. Hiro Kingston, it took awhile for him to get used to the last name but the more he lived and got to know the family who took him in, the last name started feeling like a part of him. He glanced over at Flannery, who introduced herself to Helena and the rest of the posse. Amazed at how much of a natural she is at this whole thing, it had to take every ounce of determination and self rehearsal for him to not stumble around his words.
"Recent crisis aside the community is pretty cool, it has a looking out for one another vibe to it" Helena says to, Flannery, Lian, and Hiro.
"But minus The Greater Good motive I bet" Lian joked in a manner that caused Helena to grin at the shout out, her impression of the young lady was disrupted when a member of her posse burst out laughing. And when I mean laugh, I mean in a manner of a banshee encountering a joke that she found amusing. She clamped down when Helena, The Alpha friend, glanced at her but she still laughed inward at Lian's joke. Her attention then shifts towards Hiro
"I like you guys, something tells me that we are going to get along just fine" Helena placed a hands on the side of Lian and Flannery's face affectionately.
(I don't even need to be an empath to feel the heat those two are brewing) Hiro thought to himself while he glance at Helena and Summer. He felt the young lady's eyes on him. He glanced at the young lady, out of the members of Helena's posse, there was something unique about her. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. And she's studying him like a book.
Margherita Mei Natsuko Nakamura smiled at the new kids while her tongue flicked out of her mouth and she tasted the air. She tasted Blanch DuPont Cologne from the boy and Sapphire Rose and Wine Blossom perfume from the girls. Tasty and classy. They were an interesting group.
Helena slid her hands down the faces of Flannery and Lian while Summer stepped forward. "Rushing things a little aren't you?" She asked Helena. "Come on, at least let them settle in before you move in."
"Besides, I'm a Romantic who prefers to build a relationship first." Flannery smiled.
"Same here. You gotta get with my friends first. Besides." Lian leaned forward and whispered in Helena's ear. "A climax is more fun if you build up to it."
Helena smiled and nodded. "I getcha, I getcha. I like you guys already. Well then." She did a pirouette and gestured to her own friends. "We've been introduced so allow me introduce my friends properly: Margherita, Laurena, Sirah and Syrah, Chardae, Crystal, Danielle, Bailey, Franciacorta and Charmaine!"
*Fun Fact: Helena's friends happen to be named after alcoholic drinks and wines. :P
"Now then, I'm sure most of you are up to speed about a dangerous madman lurking within the city" Helena asked, Hiro and Flannery nod, Lian spoke up "I remember he got into an altercation with that Bruiser fellow"
Helena nods, "Thankfully lives were saved that night but the next time we might not be so lucky. Which is why I'd strongly recommend that, if you ever decide to venture beyond school grounds, then do so with a group. And if you notice anything out of the ordinary then inform a school guard as soon as possible."
"Good idea." Flannery agreed. "Any idea why he was targeting the girls though?"
Helena motioned for them to follow her as the group walked to their next classes. "Charmaine?"
"Beverly Parker: Cheated on Karl Gross with Oliver Dotson. Christina Chamberlain: Criminal diversion of medical marihuana. Samia Stuart: Possession of graffiti instruments. Georgina Ortega: Shoplifting." Charmaine listed.
"We're pretty sure Georgina has kleptomania actually. It's a big problem for her." Danielle explained.
"Okay, I mean, those aren't good things but I wouldn't say it's worth killing someone over.
"Quite right, Hiro. My friends are certainly flawed individuals, which I acknowledge, but they aren't monsters or career criminals. Not like the people the animal has been targeting."
"Which means that his moral code, assuming he really has one, is loose and flexible enough that he'll consider anyone who commits crimes or commits sins as prey." Lian reasoned. She sighed. "Aiya. What a pain."
"Which is precisely why we need to let the police handle this. We'll let the courts figure it out once he's been apprehended." She looked back at Flannery and Hiro. "And with a super cop working with the superhero, this will be over before you know it."
"They're super cool. Lian is the really elegant girl with long hair and these badass red clothes and beautiful hair, she's probably super rich from how she acts and dresses. She carries herself like it. Flannery's a super chill down to Earth redheaded new girl on the block and she's super smart too. She worked through the chemistry project with no problem at all. Hiro is really down to Earth too. He's honestly just a normal kid. As far as we can tell. I estimate at least a 50/50 chance that the three of them are super." Kaleb theorized. "I'm basing this off of the fact that while Hiro was happy to shake hands with everyone else he met in class, he had this odd reaction to Lian. Like, it was only for a moment, but he seemed to almost space out." He shrugged. "Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think there was something there."
"Hey for all we know it was a first day crush." Reece theorized.
"They sound like a fun trio. Looking forward to meeting them."
"Oh trust me man. They're super chill. You'll like them."
"Just too bad they had to come into town when there's a cannibalistic monster running around the city. So how long do you think it'll take for the police to catch that monster?" Reece asked them.
"I give it a day or two. Maybe three. Either The Bruiser's gonna catch him or the Police will. He'll get locked up in either a prison or a mental hospital and life will get back to normal." Matt assured them. "Until then, stick to the curfews, stay in groups and report anything weird or suspicious or monstrous to the police."
She stayed up there enjoying the view for an indeterminate amount of time until she felt a buzzing in her head and her muscles started quivering. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Fiiiiine. Fine, I'll get down. Just wait a minute okay?" She quickly climbed back down the tree to the ground below, hopped off of it, landed on all fours, stood back up and quickly began running down the path until she found a good spot to hide and she stepped behind an oak tree and bushes. She quickly dug into the bag, pulled out a glasses case, put on sunglasses and then took out a retractable cane and let it out as her body changed to a ruggedly handsome man with dark grey hair and whiskery beard and an all black suit. In mere seconds The Climber had been replaced by The Blind Man.
Quentin Marble gripped his cane and walked out from behind the tree and began walking back to the park, navigating through his superhuman senses taking in everything around him at once. Every movement, every scent, every crunch of the ground under his feet, every snapping twig, every animal, he took all of it in at once and smiled.
Mere minutes later Quentin exited the park unnoticed by anyone.
"The Bruiser, huh? So he's been defending the city for about two years now right?" Reece asked. "You know I have a theory about him around for awhile now."
"Really? What is it?"
Matt asked as they turned to an alcove and began ascending the staircase to their next class.
"Lets run down the list of what we know about him: He's been defending the city for years, he acts like a classical hero, he's an absolute powerhouse with a certain measure of skill, he can take some serious injuries and bounce back from them in a day or so, he's shown up to fights with some fairly crazy tech on occasion, his suit is always repaired by his next fight and from what I've gathered by studying him, he's working with some kind of helpers. On top of all of that he's a Brick." Reece snapped hir fingers and lowered hir fingers. "I think....that The Serenity City Bruiser....is secretly Serenity's son and he's defending the city to honor his mother and continue her legacy. I bet he's got a secret base hidden somewhere in the city with all sorts of advanced crime fighting technology and a team of superhero trainers assisting him too!"
Matt resisted the urge to burst out laughing and kept his game face on. "You know? You just might be right about that Reece. Makes sense when you think about it." Truth was that theory was starting to gain ground despite him never saying anything about it in costume. He was glad it was giving people hope and lifting their spirits but in all honesty, Matt was starting to get a little worried about it getting out of hand and who it could attract. (Maybe I should do a public service announcement?) He pondered to himself. (In all fairntess though, I do have an awesome team helping me with some of the tech and superheroing, so Reece's isn't completely wrong about that. And honestly, who would expect a bedroom to be a superhero lair?)
"Two whole years and still going strong huh? You know, I wonder how he feels about that sometimes. Him and Ultra Girl."
Matt shrugged. "Can't speak for Ultra Girl but I'd hazard a guess that Bruiser feels a bit like a maid sometimes." Matt joked.
In the lady's restroom, Lian dried her face with a paper towel. She glanced at her reflection on the mirror, there was no need for any theatrics, there were no flickering of the lights, doors of the bathroom stalls opening and closing on their own. All it took was the little things. If you look into a mirror just long enough, you may notice something that's slightly out of the ordinary. Like a blink and you'll miss it smile from her reflection in comparison to her non-smile. Her Demon has heard the stories about Serenity City's killer and wonders when it'll come out to have a little fun? She pressed a finger on her lips in a shushing motion.
(I'm well aware of the news. But let's get to know the others before we have a little fun of our own) Lian says to her Demon.
The door to the ladies' restroom opens and enters a fellow student of average height with long blonde hair styled into two ponytails that are tied with black ribbons and dark yellow eyes. She wears the standard issued school uniform. A red blazer with black trim around the cuffs and collar and gold buttons. Beneath the red blazer, she wears a white button-up shirt and black tie. She wears a gray pleated skirt, black colored stockings and regular brown loafers with black soles.
The other students looked at her direction, she just gave a blank look at them. Taking the hint the students leave the bathroom, leaving her alone with Lian. She just giggled at the show before her. "I seem to be getting quite a warm welcome as of late."
The blonde student approached her, Lian studied the other girl's movements. There was no sense of hostility from her. The student stopped and knelt before Lian.
"Your highness" The blonde announced
Lian raised an eyebrow
"I'm Jesse Vikander, Familiar to Darius & The Red Dragon Coven."
"Uncle Darius, you say?"
Jesse nods, "Yes M'Lady"
Lian reached down and cupped Jesse's chin, she brought her up to her feet. She leans forward and kissed a stunned Jesse on the lips. After a minute or so she lets go, giving Jess a chance to breathe. "And now you're my Familiar"
"Y-Yes, your highness" Jesse blushed (Holy Socks! My first kiss!!! I wanted to save myself for Darius when the time comes, but...Wow! I hope I left a good impression)
"So. What can you tell me about this school here? Most certainly Miss D'Amico is the Alpha here?"
"By far. But it would also appear that someone is challenging her for that position" Jesse said
"Summer. I've already met."
"She's the most grounded in comparison for sure, but between you and me." Jesse leans forward and whispered, "If this rivalry escalates the way I expect it would, I'd distance myself from both of them."
"Say I consider that, who would you personally recommend"
"There's this student I'd hang around with, Hank. He and his friend Matt may look like your typical HS jock but there is more to them than that."
"Hmm. I already got Flannery and Hiro on my radar but it wouldn't hurt scouting them out also." She motioned to the bathroom door. "After you"
Jess bowed then lead the way.
"BTW. I heard that you got into some hot water with Eagle Eye" Matt said
"More like surviving a encounter with a Mountain Lion" Kaleb murmured
"Yeeaaaah. That was all me. Whenever there's a pair of...'Cali North's' on display rationality usually takes a backseat." Reece said dejectedly
"Hey, I played my part in it too, and mistakes were made. But that gives us time to make up for it" Kaleb said
Meanwhile....In Midtown Serenity City
I arrived at the office where my partner, Commissioner Sterns, assigned me to. Getting out of the car I walked up to the glass window, it's signboard read:
LEON BLACK__SUPERHERO
No Costumes, Parlor Tricks, Or Catchphrases
What you'd get is a hero who'd help the helpless
Commissioner Sterns or Serenity's only legit amazon, as I'd personally describe her, described him as the kind of individual who'd much rather work alone. Especially as most of his partners have the tendency of dying. So she figured, given my reputation, I'd break the curse. Especially as I too deal with cases that are Extraordinary by nature, not by choice on my end. If there's a first impression I'd provide after seeing this, it would be that Flannery would be giddy at the possibility of another superhero.
I surveyed the structure of the office, my research of it indicate that it used to be a hotel that go all the way back to the 1920's. It was also the only building that survived that crazy battle between Serenity & Equilibrium awhile back. Public officials wanted to turn it into a historical landmark while Leon had other ideas, turn it into an headquarters where he'd defend the defenseless.
I opened the door then went into the building.
One of the first things Jennifer noticed as she looked around the lobby was the hidden gunsafes around the building. Most people wouldn't notice them at first glance but Jennifer had a keen eye and sharp senses to spot things people tried to keep secret. (Cabinets, floorboards, holes in the wall, shelves, display cases, boxes, stairs, just to name a few. Clever. Shutter doors. Designed after blast doors. Obviously built to take a beating.) She took notice of the obvious and hidden cameras watching the area too. Next she took notice of the retrofitted bulletproof front desk. More than big enough for people to hide behind with it covering the people on all sides. Retractable bulletproof glass would separate whoever was sitting behind it from assailants. Leon obviously liked to cover all his bases. Sitting behind the glass was a young woman with a stern face, piercing green eyes and chocolate brown hair tied up in a bun. Even with her secretary outfit Jennifer could tell she had the build of an MMA fighter. What seemed out of place however was the insulated gloves she wore on her hands. That didn't match the outfit at all. An aesthetic choice or more likely an unfortunate encounter with an electrokinetic? On her desk was a picture frame that Jennifer couldn't see but she assumed was of family, several file folders, a cup of coffee, and a Serenity Calendar. She smiled as she looked up at me and her stern face seemed to melt away to a kinder, more welcoming one. "Hello, Officer Kingston, welcome to The Hall Of Justice." She joked. She had a sweet cheerful soothing voice which was always nice to hear. "My name is Faith Darkholme. It is an absolute honor to make your acquittance. You are a super star and you're going to make serious waves here. Trust me, the boss already knows you're here and he is waiting for you in his office on the top floor."
"Thank you." She walked to the stairs and walked up them to the fifth floor. As much as she would like to explore the museum turned office, she had a job interview. Priorities and all that.
Jennifer finally arrived at the fifth floor and looked around for the office. Her attention was immediately drawn to the sound of a punching bag being clobbered mixed with classical Jazz music. Judging from the speed of the punches she calculated them to approximately 100 MPH. She followed the sound to the room and knocked on the door. "Hello? Mister Black? My name is Jennifer Kingston. I'm here for the interview?"
"I assure you, your highness. You're going to like Matt. He's super cool." Jess waited until they passed some students before continuing quietly. "You may have seen his exploits on the news."
(The Bruiser is attending school here? I guess I should've expected that but wow. I didn't expect to find him this early. That simplifies things. You've done good work Jess.)
(Huh? Oh. Right. Projective and receptive telepathy. Forgive me your highness. I've been here for awhile and psionics aren't too common in Serenity. The closest we've had is Nightmare Queen and I haven't seen her since she got locked away at the mental hospital. Long story short, she had a mental breakdown after her thrashing. I haven't even seen another vampire since I've arrived here. Outside of the occasional powered criminal fight it's a fairly quiet town up until now. Anyway, the Bruiser. He's strong. He's fast. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he's got a good heart. I wouldn't say he's vampire material per say but he's certainly hero material, if that makes sense.)
(Sounds cheesy but I like it. It makes life easier for us if there are heroes around the world keeping the troublemakers quiet. Still though. If he's as cool as you say he is, I would certainly like to meet him.)
(Trust me your highness. You'll love him. He's a great friend.) Jess informed her as she lead the princess towards the Cryptozoology Course.
I can hear the sound of fingers snapping before the music stopped, I can also hear my heartbeat gradually rising as a surge of exhilaration went through my body. I distract myself by focusing on the double doors, they're oak and brown in color, with iron door handles. The lock is an old fashioned one, the kind that would require a key to open, it's not the sort that would require something as simple as hand identification to open like most modern doors of this era. (How much I want to bet he has an classic record player?)
The doors opened and out came my boss. Leon Black.
"Hello, Ms.Kingston. Leon Black" When he smiled, those gorgeous dimples of his was on full display. He was far from what I pictured when I think of a seasoned Hero For Hire. He's a tall handsome man, broad shoulders, and an angelic looking face. He wouldn't fit be out of place in a supernatural romance novels that I'd normally read during my spare time. I notice these kind of things, sue me.
His accent had an Norwegian sound to it, I wouldn't go as far as to call it modern as there would be some Old Norse language that would peek out. He's not a vampire, his body language doesn't give off that vibe. Plus he's sweating a little from the workout and vampires don't sweat. Glisten sure but never sweat.
"I've read your files and I'd say an interview won't be necessary." He said as I shook his hand, his grip had a warriors grip to it. Which increased the adrenaline in me even more. "If you don't mind me saying, from what I've read, you'd make an exceptional superhero"
"Flattery appreciated but I wouldn't be caught dead in spandex or leather." I joked, "Also, I'm well aware of my reputation but I'd prefer to be treated no differently than any officer here."
I looked past him at his office then at my boss, no matter how his humble demeanor would hide it, he has quite an reputation himself. Such as stopping The Monster Clown of Green-Hill, whose reign of terror left that town so fear stricken that they'd turn a blind eye whenever it would come out of its hiding spot and go hunting. All it took was a group of kids to contact Leon for the job. Not only he agreed to do so but he did it free of charge. Bringing that clown to justice was rewarding enough. There wasn't a day that goes by that I don't think about that case and think, that could be my daughter. Even with this recent case I hesitate to think of a scenario, what if The Beast had one good day?
I pushed those doubts aside, looked at my boss with newfound determination "How would you like to do this?"
"Well" Leon pondered, he stepped aside to invite me into his office. "I still need to finish my workout, so how-about a sparring session?"
The adventurous side of me is totally screaming "DO IT!!", I grinned in compliance.
(Ok, so much for giving my superhero career some time off. First thing I'm definitely going to do is research this Beasty Guy with Hiro. If The Bruiser just happens to show then I'm sooo down with a team up.) Flannery thought to herself while she sits in the Crypto Class. Her brother, meanwhile is in a class that focus on the "human psychology" of androids. Either robotic or biological. Hiro had always wanted to do a profession that involves androids and it's the best class for him to build his research on.
She looked to see Lian, The Other New Girl, walking in with a blond haired girl. Flannery took note how much the lady in question stood out when compared to Lian, she's a few feet smaller and nowhere near as curved as her dark haired companion. (She's making friends pretty fast here) another thing Flannery took note.
Flannery took a sharp breath as she felt a slight sharp pain, like somebody pierced a needle inside her brain. At the exact same time, Lian covered her mouth and let out a sneeze.
Sitting next to her, Hank noticed both of the girls but took attention to the closest one near him. "You ok?"
Flannery cleared her throat, "I think so"
Matt took notice of the cute redhead entering the class and he quickly recognized her as one of the kids he met earlier. He put two and two together and realized she was one of the new students, Flannery Kingston! Which meant that bro earlier must've been Hiro Kingston.
(How about that? I hope I made a good impression earlier. I'll have to properly introduce myself after class.)
Flannery smiled as she picked up on his thoughts. (That must be the kid from earlier. The big guy. He was cool. He's really on the ball too. This is going to be such a fun school.) Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden pain in her head. (Ungh! What was that?!)
Jess walked into the classroom with Lian and waved to Matt and Hank. She was about to introduce them to Lian when she sneezed. Jess quickly produced a fancy looking handkerchief for her.
"Bless you!" Reese called out to her.
"Oh, thank you." Lian replied back to him while keeping her mouth covered as she turned away and took the handkerchief with her free hand. She lowered her hand slightly and noticed the little bit of blood on it. While her nose had already healed from whatever had caused it, this was still surprising. Regardless she quickly wiped her hands and balled up the handkerchief and discarded it into the trash.
"Thank you! Sorry about that everyone!" She said to the class in a sing songy voice and then she skipped across the room and took a seat.
"Hey Jess, who's your new friend?" Matt asked his friend from where he was sitting behind her. He'd figured out by process of elimination that she was likely Lian but he wanted to know for sure before he jumped to assumptions.
"Hey Matt. This is Lian Quing Shan. She's a friend of mine from out of town. Lian, these are my very dear friends, Matthew Maximilian and Hank Harrison."
Prior to the sneeze Dr.Charles Shepard(no relation to the town itself :P ) was preparing for his lecture for the glass, he sensed a supernatural presence nearby and looked to find Lian entering the classroom with Jess. He has researched the various vampire covens, even ones that have been kept out of the history books. No matter how much the Coven would try to hide it, that is The Daughter of Draculina alright. (Well, this school year certainly has gotten interesting.)
Lian sneezed, loud enough to get the students attention. She apologized and waved it off, after accepting a hankerchief from Jess.
"Are you ok, young miss?" Dr.Shepard asked.
"Yes sir, thanks for asking."
"No problem. Please have a seat" Dr.Shepard motioned
Jess stood up and pulled out Lian's chair for her. "Thanks Jessiekins!" Lian replied to her as she patted her friend on the back and she sat down and slid it into the desk.
(Jessiekins?) Matt questioned as he looked up at her.
'Not a word' she mouthed to Matt.
Matt just smiled and offered his hand to Lian from the seat behind her. "Matthew Maximilian. A pleasure to meet you."
"Lian Quing Shan. Likewise good sir!" She smiled and accepted Matt's hand and squeezed it. Matt raised an eyebrow. He was actually feeling her grip! That did not happen often. He squeezed back to Lian's amusement. He was as strong as she hoped. They shook hands up and down and then she let go of Matt's hand and returned her attention to the class at hand.
Matt looked at his hand in confusion before lowering it down and getting ready to take notes. He had something he wanted to ask the teacher but it could wait until after class.
Dr.Shepard watched this entire situation with interest. He'd known the boy was strong even before he got his powers but being able to hand wrestle a Royal Dhampire of Lian's level like this, even briefly, was very impressive. If they were to team up with Harrison, Jess and the Psionic it should be relatively easy for them to handle The Animal. It was going to be interesting to watch their development from here.
Anyway, it was time to get this show on the road. He tossed his cane into the air, caught it, twirled it and slapped it into his palm and a radio speaker slid out of it. He raised it up to his mouth and smiled as he spoke to his class. "Hello everybody! Welcome back to Cryptozoology! I see we've got a few fresh new faces in class today! Rest assured you're in safe hands! From the Altamaha-ha to the Yowie and everything in between! I'll tell you everything you'll need to know about the nightmarish monsters that lurk behind the veil of society so that you'll be well prepared for anything and everything! By the time I'm done with you kids you'll be ready to take on the world! Now then does anybody have any questions before we start?"
A number of hands shot up.
"Any questions related to the animal man running around the city can wait until after class."
The hands went back down.
"Right then. Lets get this show on the road!" Dr.Shepard exclaimed.
"Remember, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, if you need help catching up, please talk to your fellow students."
He smiled and began his lectures.
"We're going to start off with the Crocotta today. The Crocotta, also known as the Corocotta, Crocuta or Yena, is a mythical wolf like creature said to lurk in the forests of India and Ethiopia. The Crocotta was first described by Pliny the Elder in his work Natural History, book VII chapter 30, as the combination of a wolf and a dog with tremendously strong teeth and instant digestion, able to change color and gender at will.
May classicists believe that the source of Pliny the Elder�s description was Greek physician Ctesias� description of the cynolycus. Other mythologies have described the Crocotta as a gluttonous beast that digs up the buried dead and prowls around farms at night.
It is said that the Crocotta could imitate the sound of a man in distress and used this ability to lure dogs to their deaths. The Crocotta is also rumored to hide at forests edge and listen in on a conversation between two people, usually farmers, upon learning their names the Crocotta would then wait for one of the two people to leave and then call out the name of the unlucky individual who was left along. When the individual went to investigate the Crocotta would slowly back up deeper and deeper into the woods, continuing to call out its victim�s name.
When the individual was deep enough into the woods so that no one would hear his or her screams for help the Crocotta would leap from the shadows and devour its prey. It has also been noted that this ability to mimic human voice was a trait that the Crocotta passed on to its offspring, including the Leucrocotta which resulted from the mating of the Crocotta and a Lion.
There is often some confusion between the more wolf like Crocotta and the more lion like Leucrocotta and in some cases the two creatures are looked upon as the same. Though the two where clearly meant to be two different types of animals, authors of bestiaries often mistook them for one another due to their alleged blood relation, similarity in name and their supposed ability to mimic human speech. Though the Crocotta its self is shrouded in mythology and mystery it has been suggested that the hyena may have been the bases for this legend.
The scientific name for the spotted hyena is Crocuta crocuta, which was taken from the mythological Crocotta, and there are some similarities in their descriptions. Hyenas after all have very powerful teeth and jaws and can digest a wide range of foods. They are also known to dig up human bodies for food and can make unnerving human like vocalizations, such as the well known hyena laugh. Local hyena folklore often suggests that they had the power to switch gender, shape shift and use human speech, all of which has lead many researchers to believe that the hyena may have contributed or even have been the source of the original Crocotta myths.
Of the creature, Pliny wrote: "Among the shepherds’s homesteads it simulates human speech, and picks up the name of one of them so as to call him to come out of doors and tear him to pieces, and also that it imitates a person being sick, to attract the dogs so that it may attack them; that this animal alone digs up corpses; that a female is seldom caught; that its eyes have a thousand variations of color; moreover that when its shadow falls on dogs they are struck dumb; and that it has certain magic arts by which it causes every animal at which it gazes three times to stand rooted to the spot. When crossed with this race of animals the Ethiopian lioness gives birth to the corocotta, that mimics the voices of men and cattle in a similar way. It has an unbroken ridge of bone in each jaw, forming a continuous tooth without any gum."
Of the leucrocotta, he calls it "the swiftest of all beasts, about the size of an ass, with a stag's haunches, a lion's neck, tail and breast, badger's head, cloven hoof, mouth opening right back to the ears, and ridges of bone in place of rows of teeth—this animal is reported to imitate the voices of human beings."
The Byzantine scholar Photius summarizing the book Indica, by the Greek author Ctesias, writes: "In Ethiopia there is an animal called crocottas, vulgarly kynolykos [dog-wolf], of amazing strength. It is said to imitate the human voice, to call men by name at night, and to devour those who approach it. It is as brave as a lion, as swift as a horse, and as strong as a bull. It cannot be overcome by any weapon of steel."
Claudius Aelianus (aka Aelian) in his book On the Characteristics of Animals (VII.22) specifically links the hyena and corocotta and mentions the creature's fabled ability to mimic human speech. Porphyry in his book On Abstinence from Animal Food (III.4), writes that "the Indian hyaena, which the natives call crocotta, speaks in a manner so human, and this without a teacher, as to go to houses, and call that person whom he knows he can easily vanquish."
According to the Augustan History (Pius, X.9), the emperor Antoninus Pius presented a corocotta, probably at his decennalia in AD 148. The historian Cassius Dio (LXXVII.1.3-5) credits the later emperor Septimius Severus with bringing the crocotta to Rome, saying this "Indian species...was then introduced into Rome for the first time, so far as I am aware. It has the color of a lioness and tiger combined, and the general appearance of those animals, as also of a dog and fox, curiously blended."
Later bestiaries of the Middle Ages confounded these various accounts, so that one finds the largely mythical creature given differing names and various characteristics, real and imaginary. Among the characteristics not found in the ancient sources was the idea that the eyes of a crocotta were striped gems that could give the possessor oracular powers when placed under the tongue. The Aberdeen Bestiary describes a Leucrota as "a swift animal born in India. It is the size of an ass with the hindquarters of a stag, the chest and legs of a lion" and shows an illustration of it on Folio 15v." He explained as the class took their notes on the subject.
"This is a good point to Segway into our next topic, Mimics."
The Strange, Shadowy World of Real Doppelgängers
mysteriousuniverse.org/2016/11/the-strange-shadowy-world-of-real-doppelgangers/
"It has become sort of a colloquial expression to say someone is a “doppelgänger” if they look just like you. Yet the origins of this term and indeed the whole phenomenon behind it are cloaked in a veil of myth, mystery, and high strangeness beyond what you might expect. This is a world in which spirits or demons from beyond take the form of people, in which individuals bilocate to other places to exist in two places at once, are followed about by shadow copies of themselves, or project themselves into other locations through means we may never understand, and in which spectral clones of ourselves or even evil twins run amok. As we will see, sometimes when someone says you are the spitting image of another it could possibly have rather bizarre connotations and implications.
The word “Doppelgänger” originally derives from the German phrase “double goer,” and rather that denoting one who simply bears a striking resemblance to another, the origin of the word is steeped in the world of the strange and supernatural. The myths and legends orbiting the doppelgänger phenomenon are varied. In some traditions they were considered to be shadow selves; ghostly twins that follow their owners around and which all of us possess, although they rarely make themselves known. These shadow beings were often said to be harbingers of bad luck, hardship, illness, disaster, and death, and it was never thought to be a good thing if one were to see their own doppelgänger. In other traditions, the doppelgänger is a supernatural entity such as a spirit or demon, which takes the form of a person for inscrutable purposes, and other tales describe them as a physical manifestation of a person’s spirit, a sort of extension of them given form in the physical world.
Doppelgängers are said to be indistinguishable from their double, and usually are imparted with all of the same knowledge and memories. They are said to appear either directly, fully interacting with the world as their double would, often in an entirely different location, or to simply make themselves known fleetingly in the periphery of the vision. In some eery cases they are known to have the unsettling habit of blinking into existence behind a person as they look into a mirror, hiding on the edges of our known reality. It is not uncommon to hear tales of an doppelgänger interacting and talking with the friends and family of a person in a different place as if they were that person, totally unbeknownst to anyone involved, especially the one being copied. Although it is said that these shadowy imposters have mostly nefarious intents and agendas, haunting their owners and being very much the “evil twin,” they are said to also on occasion help their double, doing tasks, taking care of business, doing chores, and more or less acting as a sort of surrogate body for their host.
Although this may all sound like pure myth and spooky folklore, there are many well-known and documented real cases throughout history of people encountering their own mysterious doppelgängers, and these reports are often imbued with a surreal bizarreness. Many of the people who have reported being confronted or even stalked by their doppelgänger are far from raving lunatics, and these kinds of reports have come from numerous notable historical figures.
None other than Queen Elizabeth I of England, who ruled from 1558-1603, allegedly once saw her doppelgänger lying in her bed as if dead. The experience apparently deeply troubled the usually level-headed, rational ruler, and making things even more ominous is that she supposedly died not long after reporting the incident, just as the sinister legend predicts. A similar story involving royalty and their doppelgänger is that of the great and famous 18th century Russian empress Catherine the Great.
According to the tale, Catherine was in her private quarters when some startled servants saw her and wondered how she could be there when they had just spotted her entering the throne room just moments before. Curious as to what they were talking about, Catherine then allegedly went to the throne room and was met by the site of her exact double sitting upon the throne as if she had every business in the world being there. Supposedly the empress ordered her men to fire upon the strange intruder, after which the imposter purportedly dematerialized into thin air. Chillingly, just as had happened with Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great died not long after encountering her doppelgänger. Is there any relation? No one knows.
The rich and royal are far from the only ones to have been allegedly haunted by their wraithlike doppelgängers. The 16th century poet John Donne claimed that he saw the doppelgänger of his wife as he was visiting Paris. The somewhat spectral woman was holding a newborn baby, which was eery as Donne’s wife had been expecting a child at the time. Allegedly, Donne’s wife would tragically give birth to a stillborn baby at around the exact time that Donne had seen the ghostly apparition. The well-known German writer, poet, and politician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also had a rather bizarre encounter one day in the late 18th century as he was traveling down a dark, lonely road on his way to Drusenheim after visiting a lady friend.
At one point another traveler approached going the other way, and as the stranger came closer Goethe claimed that it had turned out to be a man looking exactly the same as him, only wearing a dark gray suit trimmed with gold. The mysterious double continued on his way as if he hadn’t even noticed Goethe, and the whole thing was not a little creepy, although he would later claim that it had also been strangely soothing. Weirdly, Goethe would be traveling down the same road 8 years later in the opposite direction and as the memory of the strange incident overtook him he suddenly realized that he was wearing the exact same distinctive gold-trimmed suit his doppelgänger had been wearing at the time.
Interestingly, Goethe also supposedly had the experience of seeing the doppelgänger of a friend of his named Friedrich, who he saw walking along the street in the rain only to find him back at home wearing the same clothes but totally dry and claiming he had not been out walking about at all. Another well-known tale of a doppelgänger also has its ties to the literary world in the form of Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was a poet, and more famously the husband of famed author Mary Shelley, the author of the classic Frankenstein. The man seemed to be absolutely plagued by his doppelgänger, confiding to his wife on June 23 of 1822 about his many strange encounters with his enigmatic double.
Perhaps the spookiest such encounter was when he told her that he had been out on the terrace and seen his ghostly twin calmly standing there. The doppelgänger then had apparently turned to him and asked, “How long do you mean to be content?” Corroborating the seemingly far-out tale was a sighting of Percy Shelly’s doppelgänger by Mary Shelley’s friend Jane Williams, who claimed that she had seen Percy walk down a street she knew led to a dead end and then strangely pass once again from the same direction, but that he had then not come back out. Creepily, Percy himself would later claim to have been nowhere near that street at the time. Percy also claimed that he often saw his double looming over him when he was ill, its face blooming from shadows and darkness to randomly startle him, and that these encounters had become more intense in recent days. Ominously, Percy Shelly would die in July of 1822 in a storm as he was sailing from Leghorn to La Spezia, Italy, on July 22, 1822, almost exactly a month after telling his wife of his doppelgänger.
Another writer menaced by a supernatural double was the great French writer Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), who towards the end of his life claimed that he had frequently been visited by his doppelgänger, who would often talk and interact with him. One day, things took a sinister turn when de Maupassant was sitting at work writing a story called The Horla, when his doppelgänger had apparently entered the room, calmly taken a seat next to him, and begun dictating what the author was writing until the unnerved man called to his servant in a panic and the double vanished.
Bizarrely, this particular story he had been working on is about a man being haunted by an evil entity that plans to turn him insane and take over his body. Almost prophetically, Maupassant is said to have gradually lost his grip on sanity in the years after finishing the story. As his mental state further deteriorated, Maupassant was allegedly visited by his doppelgänger again, with the entity sitting in his room and burying its face in its hands as if in abject despondency. Maupassant would later be admitted to an insane asylum, where he would eventually die around a year after this weird last encounter, perhaps with thoughts of the doppelgänger still dancing through his head. Maupassant would write about his doppelgänger experience in his short story Lui.
Moving beyond the world of royalty and writers, there is a fair number of others who have had these bizarre doppelgänger experiences as well, and perhaps one of the most famous is the great American president Abraham Lincoln himself. On the very day of his election in 1860, just after he had been told that he was now president of the United States, Lincoln had apparently been sitting on a sofa at home when he looked into a full length mirror and saw himself standing there within it, only oddly with two faces, one paler than the other, cast over with an almost deathly pallor. Startled and a bit unsettled, Lincoln then had then stood up to approach the mirror and the apparition had promptly vanished. The disconcerted president sat back down on the sofa only for his own, two-faced visage to materialize within the mirror once again. The incident would disturb Lincoln, who went on to tell his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, about it.
A few days later, the doppelgänger in the mirror would appear again, and Lincoln’s wife became increasingly convinced that it was a portent of bad things to come, and that it meant he would be elected to a second term but would not live through it. The incident was written of in a book by Noah Brooks, who claimed to have heard it first-hand from Lincoln himself, and who wrote about it in his Washington in Lincoln’s Time (1895). In keeping with the sinister portents of doppelgängers, president Abraham Lincoln would die one month into his second term, just as his wife had feared.
Another man of political power who witnessed a doppelgänger was British Parliament member Sir Gilbert Parker, who in 1906 was attending a debate and spied fellow parliament member Sir Frederick Carne Rasch sitting amongst them. At the time, Rasch was supposedly at home very sick with the flu, and so his presence at the meeting was surprising to everyone present. The startled Parker approached Rasch and asked if he was feeling better, but the man seemed to simply completely ignore him. Thinking it all rather odd, Parker went back to his own seat, but when he looked back to where Rasch had been sitting moments before, the man was gone. Other parliament members also remembered Rasch being there at the debate, but no one knew where he had gone off to, and no one in the lobby had seen Rasch pass by.
When he was contacted at home, Rasch claimed that he had been very sick in bed the whole time and had not been present at the debate. Although his family feared that it was an ominous harbinger of death, Rasch would survive the appearance of his doppelgänger and would even humorously joke that he was sorry that he hadn’t died, but that he would try and do better next time. Equally as strange was an incident experienced by a Dr. Wynn Westcott, of the British Museum of London. On April 12 1888, Westcott and a Reverend W.T. Lemon had an appointment at the reading room of the museum, and Lemon arrived to find Westcott talking with a Mrs. Salmon, who excused herself to greet the reverend. When they both looked back over to where Westcott was, he was gone without a trace.
They looked everywhere but he was nowhere to be seen, and when they asked around the receptionist informed tham that Dr. Westcott had indeed arrived but had never left. Many others who were present also remembered seeing Westcott, but did not know where he had gotten off to. When Lemon and Mrs. Salmon went to visit Westcott at his home, they were startled to learn that he had been seriously sick in bed all day and had not left the house.
One of the weirdest cases of an alleged doppelgänger is that of a certain French woman named Emilie Sagee, who in 1845 was a teacher at an exclusive girls’ school in Latvia. Although she was considered to be a reliable and capable teacher, she had oddly gone through 19 different teaching positions in 16 years, and this may have been largely in part to the doppelgänger that was said to follow her around. In her new school, rumors quickly spread that the popular teacher had a strange habit of being in two places at once, often in the same room and in front of many witnesses.
One such situation happened one day during Sagee’s French class, when she was writing something on the board and her ghostly twin appeared beside her to mimic all of her motions. The doppelgänger was described as looking completely identical, right down to every piece of clothing and seeming to be quite corporeal. It was not only during class when the strange entity would suddenly manifest itself to copy her movements, and it was seen at times as Sagee ate or as she walked along. In every instance, Sagee herself was unable to see the apparition, although students claimed that they could clearly see it as though it was a living, breathing person. Sagee claimed that during these odd episodes she felt tired and somewhat drained of energy.
There were also many claims at this time that Sagee would often be seen roaming the school halls, even though she was later found to have been in her office the whole time or even at home fast asleep. In one case, the doppelgänger appeared before a group of students of a sewing class to sit silently in the teacher’s chair even though the real Sagee was allegedly outside visibly working in the garden. Students who had warily approached the entity said that they could pass through it, although it was noted to have had a certain density to it like “thick fabric,” or “like the stuff cobwebs are made of,” after which it vanished in full view of around 50 startled students.
In total, hundreds of students would come forward claiming to have witnessed Sagee’s doppelgänger in action, and she was eventually dismissed amongst growing fear and complaints, despite the fact that she had been considered a model teacher. Reports of doppelgängers go far beyond what I have covered here and I have only scratched the surface with some of the most famous cases involving well-known people.
There is even a case of Rod Sterling, of Twilight Zone fame, seeing a man at an airport who looked exactly like him and who had been carrying exactly the same kind of luggage, who would go on to inspire the episode Mirror Image, concerning, of course, doppelgängers. How can we explain such strange phenomena, and who are these mysterious wraiths that seem to copy people’s every detail?
There have been many ideas on what could be going on here, ranging from the rational to the bizarre. The most mundane idea is that these are merely hallucinations, some sort of mental glitch, or the effects of profound mental issues such as schizophrenia, but this would not explain those cases of doppelgängers that were clearly witnessed by other people.
Another is just as myth suggests; that these are spirits or wraiths of some kind that mimic and stalk their quarry. There is also the theory that these strange doppelgängers could in fact be “living ghosts,” or projections of a person’s spirit through a process we may never understand. More outlandish ideas point to these apparitions being in fact past or future versions of a person that have somehow travelled through dimensions or a time slip of some sort to make themselves visible. There is also the theory of the phenomenon of what is called “bilocation,” wherein a person is somehow able to appear in more than one place at once. Do any of these explanations have any merit?
Are we dealing with ghosts, phantoms, bilocation, inter-dimensional oddness, or mental projections materializing into the real, or is this just flights of fancy and crossed brain circuits? Is there anything to this beyond simple myth and legend? It certainly gives one pause when one is told that they look just like someone else. Perhaps there is more going on than just a strong resemblance."
Matt raised his hand. "Sir? Is there any difference between a Doppleganger and a Shapeshifter?
"There’s no doubt that AI is becoming a permanent component of general public consciousness: AI-enabled technologies are now commonplace in mainstream applications. On mobile devices, intelligent personal assistants such as Khrysos Corp's ANGELS are touted as a successful integration of a variety of AI technologies such as natural language processing, knowledge discovery, intelligent interface, and recommender systems. A new generation of cognitive systems, best represented by IBM’s famed Watson system, is opening up new venues for commonsense reasoning, knowledge engineering, and task automation."
www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/ex/2015/03/mex2015030002/13rRUyXKxQi
Professor Franca Natsuko Clementina Lidia Mondo explained to her class while Hiro took notes.
"Autonomous driving, based on a number of AI technologies such as robotics, planning, intelligent control, and multi-agent systems, promises huge benefits in road safety. The expected reduction in traffic congestion and the likely major changes in human driving behavior and mobility patterns, along with a potentially revolutionary impact on the auto industry, have fascinated technologists and the general public alike. In military contexts, autonomous logistical systems based on robotic vehicles of varying kinds, and robotic combat capabilities, are already a reality or not far from it. The past years have also seen exciting developments in AI methodology itself. Take the example of deep learning. In just a few years, deep learning and the related end-to-end computing paradigm have blossomed into an active field of study with major success in a variety of applications, rekindling the interest in one of the old AI traditions concerning the development of human-inspired general problem-solving mechanisms.
Growing Interest in AI Ethics
As the interactions between AI-enabled technologies and users (individuals, organizations, governments, and society at large) intensify and deepen, the interest in the ethical aspects of AI and AI applications is rapidly growing. Major actions are being taken by AI technology providers and governments to deal with such issues. For instance, in early 2014, Khrysos established an internal AI ethics board to ensure the proper application of AI technologies. We suspect that it’s very likely that other major players in the AI industry will soon set up similar mechanisms. Multiple countries are deliberating legal guidelines governing the use of driverless cars—for instance, in the US, legislation has been passed in several states and Washington, DC, to allow their use, and in Germany, a committee consisting of researchers, practitioners from the auto industry, and the government has recently formed to draft a legal framework to regulate such vehicles.
Research interest in AI ethics (broadly construed) is growing, but ethical studies of AI aren’t actually new. Before the establishment of AI as an academic discipline, philosophers, science fiction writers, and futurists were already discussing the ethical ramifications of machine intelligence. Such discussions are the precursors of AI ethics studies. In today’s technological backdrop, old and new AI ethical discussion threads alike, to a large extent, are no longer fantasy pastimes. The legal, policy, and societal relevance and significance of AI ethics are now almost palpable.
Major Discussion Threads
Here, I summarize the major discussion threads concerning AI ethics. Needless to say, this summary isn’t meant to be comprehensive. Rather, I’m aiming at the ongoing hotspots of meaningful discussions that might trigger further research, legislative actions, or broader societal repercussions.
Discussion Thread 1: “Technological Singularity and AI Doomsday Scenarios”
From AI’s earliest days, philosophers, technologists, futurists, and the general public have been fascinated and, in some cases, frightened by the potential of AI and its possibly drastic impact on society and human civilization itself. A stream of science fiction movies and TV series dramatize various viewpoints, ranging from AI doomsday scenarios to AI/robots helping humanity prevail in difficult situations or saving civilization from the dark side of humanity itself. Many important figures have jumped into this discussion as well. Stephen Hawking is a leading voice cautioning about the potential threats posed by AI, famously saying, “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Technologist Elon Musk posits that the development of AI is like “summoning the demon.” Bill Gates has also joined them, suggesting that AI could be an existential threat to humans.
At the other end of the spectrum, several influential thinkers propose the idea that AI could culminate in human immortality and become a phenomenon at the cosmological scale redefining consciousness and matter. Technological singularity has been used to refer to what might happen as artificial intelligence exceeds human intellectual capacity and control.
The following statement, from Eric Horvitz, director of MCS Research Lab (and a member of this publication’s advisory board), and his colleagues, represents a well-balanced and pragmatic viewpoint: “AI doomsday scenarios belong more in the realm of science fiction than science fact. However, we still have a great deal of work to do to address the concerns and risks afoot with our growing reliance on AI systems.”
Discussion Thread 2: “Impact of Automation on Economy and Employment”
There’s no doubt that the application of AI leads to increased productivity in specific areas of the economy. Yet, unintended adverse effects could occur. Take, for example, high-frequency or algorithmic trading, which typically involves AI elements. Put in the limelight by the US equity market flash crash in May 2010, automated trading practices have triggered a lively debate. One school of thought is that algorithmic trading has improved the overall quality of markets through lowered trading costs, more liquid markets, and reduced discrepancies in prices across related markets. The counterargument concentrates on a mirage of negative impact: creating something resembling a single point of failure, benefiting the very few at the expense of the very many, and trading ahead of market orders to the detriment of long-term investors.
At the macro level, the total return on AI investment needs to be carefully weighed, especially when considering potential downsides such as increased inequality and unemployment: increased automation could push income distribution further toward the winners-take-all scenario. However, although traditional economic agents—the providers of cheap labor and “ordinary” capitalists—might be increasingly squeezed by automation, a new group of people who can innovate, design, and develop new products, services, and business models might emerge as winners in the new knowledge economy.
Discussion Thread 3: “Legal Ramifications and Accountability”
The current legal system, as well as social norms and ethical standards governing accountability and credit/blame assignment, are made for humans and relatively low-tech technological underpinnings. AI-enabled hardware and software systems, as they’re embedded in the modern-day societal fabric, are starting to challenge today’s legal and ethical systems.
For instance, in the current legal system, intent determines whether an act is considered a crime. As autonomous, intelligent, and adaptive AI entities roam across both the physical and cyber worlds, how will we define crime and intent? In particular, the era of driverless cars will emerge in the not-so-distant future, raising new questions in liability law. How can legislative bodies, jointly with technology providers and consumers, and society at large, design new legal frameworks that encourage the realization of the safety benefits in autonomous driving technology? How much legal responsibility and protection should the driverless car manufacturers and designers enjoy? In the medical domain, who will be responsible for accidents or errors made by robotic surgical systems or automatic diagnostic systems?
Isaac Asimov’s classical work on robots raised many interesting questions about the responsibilities of robots and how to interrogate the ones that kill their human masters. In the futuristic but entirely conceivable robot era, can a robot be put on a trial? How much responsibility should the robot’s designer assume? Can a robot be called on to testify against itself?
Discussion Thread 4: “Privacy Considerations and Human Rights”
Intelligent softbots and assistive robots are already collecting and processing a lot of information from their human users in an array of task environments. Privacy concerns abound in such cases and have attracted a lot of attention. For instance, Ryan Calo wrote a chapter in Robot Ethics: The Ethical and Social Implications of Robotics (MIT Press, 2011), discussing three aspects of privacy: direct surveillance, increased access, and social meaning.
The major implications of robotics on human rights are becoming a reality. According to a Guardian report published on 20 June 2014, the Skunk Riot Control Copter, a drone armed with plastic bullets and pepper spray built by a South African company, has been sold to an international mining company interested in using it to suppress labor riots. “Shaking the Foundations: The Human Rights Implications of Killer Robots,” a report released by Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic on 12 May 2014, finds fully autonomous weaponry could pose major challenges to fundamental human rights. Such concerns have also been discussed in high-profile international events—for instance, the first multilateral talks on killer robots opened at the UN in May 2014.
Discussion Thread 5: “Human-AI Relations”
Although humanoid robots are still a work in progress, it’s not inconceivable that such robots or AI machines assuming other outward forms will interact with humans holistically in the future, including at the emotional level. As such interaction intensifies and grows, interesting ethical considerations concerning human-AI relations will arise. Can robots really understand our feelings? Do we have feelings for robots?
In recent years, a growing number of robots have been developed to care for or accompany children, the elderly, and the disabled. Without a doubt, these robots will provide a lot of benefits. However, it’s entirely possible that their users could develop various forms of attachments to these robots. Such attachments could lead to interesting and challenging relational and ethical issues, warranting further research.
Discussion Thread 6: “Robot Rights”
Humans have human rights. Animals have animal rights. Should robots have robot rights? Should they be treated as conscious beings? Does the First Amendment protect robots’ speech? Do we need laws to protect robots from being abused?
It’s still too early to formulate specific answers to these “robot rights” questions given the current state of the art of robotics. Nonetheless, these questions are already drawing significant attention from the general public. In February 2015, heated discussions erupted in both mainstream and social media about a video showing Boston Dynamics employees kicking a robot dog to show its robustness. A widely held opinion is that although this dog isn’t a real, living thing, kicking it is inappropriate and can be construed as a violent behavior. A prevailing thought is that although we don’t necessarily need to care about robot rights, abusing robots (just as abusing animals) very likely will make people more abusive toward other people. As such, protecting robot rights indirectly protects human rights. The emerging field of roboethics, short for robotics ethics, is concerned with these and other issues, such as how “humans design, construct, use and treat robots and other artificially intelligent beings.”
Discussions about AI ethics are fascinating, thought-provoking, forward-looking, and in no small part entertaining, but one thing is clear: AI ethics is no longer a purely philosophical topic. Nor does it still fall under the realm of creative thinking by science fiction writers and futurists. Because of the increasingly deeper and wider adoption of AI technologies, AI ethical issues are becoming much more real, with practical relevance and significance. This emerging field calls for rigorous research and collaborative efforts from disciplines as disparate as philosophy, law, anthropology, economics, politics, computer security, and, of course, different branches of AI itself.
Most people with more than a cursory interest in AI are familiar with Asimov’s famed three laws of robotics. Against the backdrop of a newly kindled interest in AI ethics, several researchers in Europe argued a few years ago that an extended set of ethical rules are needed for building robots. Five laws were put forth:
“Robots should not be designed solely or primarily to kill or harm humans.”
“Humans, not robots, are responsible agents. Robots are tools designed to achieve human goals.”
“Robots should be designed in ways that assure their safety and security.”
“Robots are artifacts; they should not be designed to exploit vulnerable users by evoking an emotional response or dependency. It should always be possible to tell a robot from a human.”
“It should always be possible to find out who is legally responsible for a robot.”
Of course, we can always argue whether these laws or certain components of them make sense or not. But as to direction, such potentially actionable guidelines and shared understandings might be what the AI community needs to further push the technological envelop while remaining mindful about our humanistic and societal bases."
She finished her lecture and paused to let the class take all of this in. "Now then, I ask you everyone: At what point does an AI deserve human rights?"
Hiro raised his hand, noticing it she allowed hero to stand up. With his mic in hand he proceeds to answer the question, "I suppose it all depend on how sentient it actually is. If it talks, thinks, and feel like we do then it should deserve the same rights as us."
"Just not too much" A young girl with blue hair muttered. Either the teacher has a good vision or good hearing or both she noticed Riley's comment. "Please, Ms.Lehane. Care to elaborate?"
Riley shrugs and gets her microphone, standing on her feet "I'm sure most of us in here are aware of the debate of droids being too intelligent. Some even more than it's creators. So what I'm saying is, technology has advanced to the point that what we once consider as science fiction is becoming a reality, who is to say those nightmare scenarios of A.I.'s taking over won't be a reality?"
"To be fair, how is that any different than what Non-Droids do every day? But it doesn't have to be like that; it is possible that humans and androids can learn from each other to make the world evolve for the better" Hiro stated.
"You know if you think about it, humanity has obligations toward our ecosystem and social system. Robots will be part of both systems. We are morally obliged to protect them, design them to protect themselves against misuse, and to be morally harmonized with humanity. There is a whole stack of rights they should be given, here are two: The right to be protected by our legal and ethical system, and the right to be designed to be trustworthy; that is, technologically fit-for-purpose and cognitively and socially compatible (safe, ethically and legally aware, etc.)." Eléonore Sabine Lapointe reasoned.
"I'm sorry but there is an important difference between humans and robots (and other AIs). A human being is a unique and irreplaceable individual with a finite lifespan. Robots (and other AIs) are computational systems, and can be backed up, stored, retrieved, or duplicated, even into new hardware. A robot is neither unique nor irreplaceable. Even if robots reach a level of cognitive capability (including self-awareness and consciousness) equal to humans, or even if technology advances to the point that humans can be backed up, restored, or duplicated (as in certain Star Trek transporter plots), it is not at all clear what this means for the “rights” of such “persons”." Riley Lehane countered.
Chidiebere Andile Ayodele brushed his hair aside. "You know Riley, I've been on a tour at one of the Khrysos Corp Facilities. Their androids seem to work just fine."
"Piper Khrysos is crazy, Chidiebere."
"No doubt. But her inventions all work just fine and by all accounts her androids have been working alongside humans for years without any problems. I have my doubts it would start up now."
"That's obviously because she's just biding her time. Anyway, lets get back on topic."
"Right." He sat back in his suit and crossed his legs. "Of course, rights are not the exclusive preserve of humans; we already grant rights to corporations and to some nonhuman animals. Given the accelerating deployment of robots in almost all areas of human life, we urgently need to develop a rights framework that considers the legal and ethical ramifications of integrating robots into our workplaces, into the military, police forces, judiciaries, hospitals, care homes, schools and into our domestic settings. It means that we need to address issues such as accountability, liability and agency, but that we also pay renewed attention to the meaning of human rights in the age of intelligent machines." Chidiebere explained.
"Good question. The difference between a shapeshifter and a doppelganger is that shapeshifter is a creature capable of freely changing its appearance or form at will while doppelganger is doppelganger, they're more like your evil twin. Should they encounter a person whose appearance or station they desire for themselves, the doppelganger will use their skills to learn everything they can about the chosen target. Once they have all the knowledge they need, they will quietly eliminate their target and assume his or her form, taking their place in life, right down to their memories and live their stolen lives. Shapeshifters, usually, aren't nearly no malicious and tend to live freely. Does that answer your question?"
Even despite the slight increase of her headaches Flannery diligently took notes on this level of information. She couldn't wait to share this kind of intel with Hiro as soon as they get home. This topic unintentionally just produced more layers to the case than she could ever imagine.
(….Hold on. Shapeshifting? Changelings? The news report. I think the girls said something about being threatened by a man and a woman but they were gone by the time I got there. Only Brutus was there. And someone would have had to kidnap them in the first place and I doubt Brutus could do it without being seen. Sure he could have helpers but he doesn't really feel like the type. He's been mauling anyone he deems as a sinner.)
Flannery jotted down her thoughts on the subject in her notebook and went back to focusing on the lecture.
(I'll need to talk to Helena to confirm it but I think I might be onto something here.)
The topic of Skinwalkers made Jess think back to that family of such long ago. A family of serial killers who'd travel from neighborhood to neighborhood and kill the families of whomever they befriended. They then made an unfortunate mistake of targeting Familiars. That was when the Red Dragon Coven sent Darius and Lilith. Jess and her mom acted as bait to lure them out. She had reservations, at first, but the payoff made it all worth it. She didn't see the act, as she was busy helping Lilith dispose of the parents, but hearing the screams of the kid Skinwalker as her Master Darius took his time with him is ranked No.1 as far as pleasant memories go. Oh nobody called the cops that night, thanks to D and Lilith enchanting the neighborhood residents into being blissfully unaware.
(Greedy Icarus soared too high and had a great fall) Jess smiled wickedly.
Upon listening the lecture a proverbial lightbulb shined above Matt's head, he remembered the testimony of the surviving victims. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together and he instantly wrote the clues down so he could talk this over with Hank. He side glanced at Flannery whose steadily taking notes, he would assume that it's relating to the class and it kind of is but he also know that this is the daughter of The Super Cop.
(I wonder if I should bring her and her bro along? With their detective know how we could solve this case before any more innocent girls get hurt)
_
(Just when I thought I have you figured out my psychopathic friend) Lian smiled at the possibility that this killer could be supernatural. If so then she wonders if he's worth being given to The Red Dragon Coven? If not then she'd gladly let the police sort it out. That still wouldn't mean she won't have her fun before hand.
"Seriously? AIs don't think like humans or any other organic life form. They don't have human needs and reactions that humans evolved genetically over millions of years. When people think AIs would get angry at getting treated like a slave or feel threatened when getting turned off, people are doing a sort of anthropomorphizing by assigning human characteristics to AIs where there isn't really any because any want or desire they have is calculated." Riley insisted.
"Sounds human to me." Hiro smiled. "Why treat them differently? We are nothing more than biological machines anyway, so why discriminate against robots?"
Margaret Cunningham looked up from her desk where she'd been writing.
"Not for nothing, but, if we could grow and design human beings, why wouldn't we treat them like humans? And in that case, why not do the same to robots? Just because they're made of copper and metal and wires instead of squishy guts doesn't make them any less real than us."
"Robots can be made in a factory though! Humans are grown inside of people with a heart and a brain and a soul!" Another student spoke up.
"Artificial Wombs are a thing." Margaret pointed out. "Again, if you could combine all of the elements perfectly and develop an artificial human in one, to the point that they'd be indistinguishable from humans, why not give them the same rights? And if you can justify that, why not do the same for robots?"
"But do you even know all that goes into a human?" Eléonore ask.
"Sure." Hiro spoke up and took a deep breath.
"Here we go: Oxygen: 43 kg, carbon 16 kg,hydrogen 7 kg, nitrogen 1.8 kg, calcium 1.0 kg, phosphorus 780 g, potassium 140 g, sulfur 140 g, sodium 100 g, chlorine 95 g, magnesium, 19 g, iron 4.2 g, fluorine 2.6 g, zinc 2.3 g, silicon 1.0 g, rubidium 0.68 g, strontium 0.32 g, bromine 0.26 g, lead 0.12 g, copper 72 mg, aluminum 60 mg, cadmium 50 mg, cerium 40 mg,barium 22 mg, iodine 20 mg, tin 20 mg, titanium 20 mg, boron 18 mg, nickel 15 mg, selenium 15 mg, chromium 14 mg, manganese 12 mg, arsenic 7 mg, lithium 7 mg, cesium 6 mg, mercury 6 mg, germanium 5 mg, molybdenum 5 mg, cobalt 3 mg, antimony 2 mg, silver 2 mg, niobium 1.5 mg, zirconium 1 mg, lanthanum 0.8 mg, gallium 0.7 mg, tellurium 0.7 mg, yttrium 0.6 mg, bismuth 0.5 mg, thallium 0.5 mg, indium 0.4 mg, gold 0.2 mg, scandium 0.2 mg, tantalum 0.2 mg, vanadium 0.11 mg, thorium 0.1 mg, uranium 0.1 mg, samarium 50 µg, beryllium 36 µg and finally tungsten 20 µg." Hiro listed.
www.thoughtco.com/elemental-composition-human-body-by-mass-608192
"That's the elemental composition of an average 154lb adult male. An artificial uterus, sometimes referred to as an 'exowomb', would have to provide nutrients and oxygen to nurture a foetus, as well as dispose of waste material. The scope of an artificial uterus (or "artificial uterus system" to emphasize a broader scope) may also include the interface serving the function otherwise provided by the placenta, an amniotic tank functioning as the amniotic sac, as well as an umbilical cord but, if everything else be combined, along with the cell division being handled artificially, it wouldn't be impossible to artificially develop a human being."
Riley stood up. "But...but would that even be considered human?"
"Would you be able to tell?"
Riley went quiet and sat down and put a hand on her head while resting her elbow on her other hand. "Huh."
"And that is what makes this class fun." Professor Mondo smiled, "Good debate class" she glances at Hiro, "Especially you, Mr.Kingston. You most certainly have a future"
"Thank you very much ma'am!" Hiro smiled. "This was a lot of fun!"
"I'm glad you liked it because that's your homework assignment class. Consider it an opinion piece. A 5 page essay on whether or not you believe in rights for AI and why. If you use sources please cite them properly in your work. Remember there are no right or wrong answers in this assignment only well argued positions!" She explained to the class as the bell rang.
The bell rang and the class received their homework assignments: An essay on the nature of Mimics and Dopples, along with completing a worksheet about them.
The class packed away the worksheets and packed up. A number of the students had questions for the professor about Mimics and the Animal in the city but Matt was already off to his study hall. He still had a essay to finish before his physics class so he'd show up, get counted for attendance and then go to the library to get to work and research Brutus some more if he had time. Most importantly, he had class with Helena next so they could talk about it.
"Hey bro!"
Matt turned back and smiled as Hank, Flannery, Jess and Lian were catching up with him.
"Hey guys." He looked at the redhead and offered his hand with a warm smile as he soaked in the positive vibes from them and the students around them. As worried as he was about the Animal running around the city, he couldn't help but stay in a good mood with that much positivity around him. "Flannery, right? I'm Matthew Maximilian. Sorry about bumping into you guys like that earlier."
Flannery could feel something from him but she wasn't quite sure what it was. It was like she could feel him unconsciously mentally scanning her. Interesting. She offered her hand. "It's all good man. I'm Flannery Kingston." They shook on it and fist bumped.
"It's always nice to meet new students at the school. I'm just sorry you had to come here during a monster attack."
"Your concern is certainly touching Matty, but rest assured, we can handle ourselves." Lian assured him.
"I'll say. You've got a good grip."
"Thank you. I work out and my mother had me training with the best teachers in the world since I was a kid." Lian replied truthfully to Jess's amusement.
"That's awesome! She must be super cool."
"Like you wouldn't believe."
"Regarding the monster, I noticed your lightbulb moment in class." Flannery said to him.
"Same here. It's just a suspicion right now. But, when the Bruiser saved the girls, their bindings were broken off and the blindfolds were taken off. Then he fought the animal around the high rise while the girls escaped. Thank God. But then, like, there was no one else there."
"Right. A man and a woman were mentioned as working for Brutus but when Brutus showed up, they just vanished, and by their accounts, he just randomly showed up. There was no sign of them both leaving, not even with any sort of vehicle." Flannery noted.
"They kept the girls' eyes covered. All of the monologuing but they still didn't want the girls to see them. Why worry if they had so much confidence in Brutus?" Lian asked.
"They didn't get a good look at their kidnapper either." Jess pointed out. "But it obviously wasn't Brutus. He stands out too much."
"So it would've had to be someone he could rely on, who could blend into a crowd, but he wouldn't work with anyone." Hank realized. "Ohhh shit. Matt, you're not thinking what I'm thinking are you."
"It's just a hunch right now, but I think there's at least a 90% chance right now that Brutus could be a shapeshifter. I can't say for sure, but I think we should at least bring it up to the police."
"My mom is joining up with the SCPD today. I can give her a call later." Flannery offered.
Matt gave her a thumbs up. "Excellent idea."
Flannery smiled and nodded while sending out a telepathic message to her bro.
(Hey! Hiro! Can you hear me? I think we're onto something here! I'll need to talk to mom about it, but we think the animal might be a shapeshifter! In which case, you and I are going to need to check out the high rise battlefield to see if your powers can pull anything up!)
"Son of a bitch." Jess rubbed the back of her head. "That would explain why nobody's been able to find him while he's moving through the city and why at least some of his victims remains had their eyes covered. So nobody could see him changing shape. It was a safety precaution."
"It's a little peculiar though isn't it? Why only punish quote unquote sinners?" Lian asked.
"According to the girls, their abductors were rambling on about the world being full of sin and headed to damnation unless the unjust and guilty were purified." Matt shrugged. (There was also Brutus' rantings during our fight in between his roaring and the two of us smashing up the place.) He noted internally.
Hiro was one of the first students to leave the class, all things considered, he has had a good day. He didn't crash and burn during a debating topic and made a good impression with one of the teachers. Looking back in hindsight, he could've brought up the fact that Valyskria was the first country to produce A.I. Citizenship but with some of the other rather....questionable policies that it also has he did the right thing in not opening that can of worms.
"Hey, Newbie, Wait Up!"
He looked behind him to see Riley walking toward him in a rather quick pace, she slowed down the moment she caught up with him.
"Um. No hard feelings back there?" Hiro said
Riley gave a look like Hiro just finished telling an amusing joke, "No hard feelings? I should hug you for helping make that class interesting back there"
"Helping?" Hiro raised an eyebrow
"No disrespect to the Prof and all but most of the subjects she'd spark out can suck the energy out of the room sometimes. Hence that riveting debate that I've started. Normally I'd say something but nobody would join in on the conversation...well nobody but Pretty Andy anyways, yet he'd do anything as long as the spotlight is on him. But you happen to provide that class the much needed spark. I've never seen the Prof had a look like that since Miss.K once did a guest presentation."
"Miss.K visited the school?"
"Yeah. She used to go here so anything to contribute to her once learning space"
"Learned something new every day" Hiro said
"Speaking of Pretty Andy, him and some of the other classmates want to orchestrate a study group concerning our recent assignment during lunch. Like to join?" Riley offered
"I'd be honored" Hiro smiled
"Epic!" She patted him on the back and Hiro received a flash vision of her and Margaret in their house working on what looked like a ninja style robot in a basement. Super cool.
"Well I am the best looking gentleman here, so I certainly appreciate the compliment." Chidiebere joked.
"Eh. 6 out of 10. Personally I'd put Hank in that spot. Maybe Hiro after he grows up a bit."
"Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder." Chidiebere chuckled. "But anyway Hiro be sure to eat right, exercise regularly and take good care of your body. You never know when you'll have to fight against or run from some powered criminal." He pointed out. "I have a Chin Na Dojo I can recommend. It's brutal but they can turn you into an absolute beast. Well, you know, not like this Brutus animal. I know you've heard this already but be sure to go straight home and stay indoors until this gets resolved."
"Oh hey that's very interesting. I've got a fondness for grappling techniques myself so that would be nice to learn. Still....Brutus. Hmmm. I wonder if referring to him as an animal is going a tad too far. His murders seem a bit too premeditated and specifically targeted to be the actions of a simple animal. I think it's more safe to say that he's a disturbed individual in need of a professional psychologist."
"I'd say he's highly disturbed but you're right little man. You're gonna do just fine here." He placed a friendly hand on Hiro's shoulder and he saw a flash of Chidiebere shirtless and sparring against two students at once in his Dojo and throwing them both around with ease.
"Ah, uh, yeah, thanks man."
(Hey! Hiro! Can you hear me? I think we're onto something here! I'll need to talk to mom about it, but we think the animal might be a shapeshifter! In which case, you and I are going to need to check out the high rise battlefield to see if your powers can pull anything up!)
(Here you loud and clear sis. I'll be there!)
"Epic!" She patted him on the back and Hiro received a flash vision of her and Margaret in their house working on what looked like a ninja style robot in a basement. Super cool.
"Well I am the best looking gentleman here, so I certainly appreciate the compliment." Chidiebere joked.
"Eh. 6 out of 10. Personally I'd put Hank in that spot. Maybe Hiro after he grows up a bit."
"Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder." Chidiebere chuckled. "But anyway Hiro be sure to eat right, exercise regularly and take good care of your body. You never know when you'll have to fight against or run from some powered criminal." He pointed out. "I have a Chin Na Dojo I can recommend. It's brutal but they can turn you into an absolute beast. Well, you know, not like this Brutus animal. I know you've heard this already but be sure to go straight home and stay indoors until this gets resolved."
"Oh hey that's very interesting. I've got a fondness for grappling techniques myself so that would be nice to learn. Still....Brutus. Hmmm. I wonder if referring to him as an animal is going a tad too far. His murders seem a bit too premeditated and specifically targeted to be the actions of a simple animal. I think it's more safe to say that he's a disturbed individual in need of a professional psychologist."
"I'd say he's highly disturbed but you're right little man. You're gonna do just fine here." He placed a friendly hand on Hiro's shoulder and he saw a flash of Chidiebere shirtless and sparring against two students at once in his Dojo and throwing them both around with ease.
"Ah, uh, yeah, thanks man."
(Hey! Hiro! Can you hear me? I think we're onto something here! I'll need to talk to mom about it, but we think the animal might be a shapeshifter! In which case, you and I are going to need to check out the high rise battlefield to see if your powers can pull anything up!)
(Here you loud and clear sis. I'll be there!)
(Oh BTW, Sis)
(Yes?)
(I'd say Psychologically Handicapped would be a more appropriate term than an animal, given how he operates and all)
(.....Ok, I'll give you that one. So, when would be a good time to discuss this??)
(Sometime after school, me and a few classmates have a study session during lunch)
(My little bro is establishing a posse already. I couldn't be anymore prouder)
(Did you have to phrase it like that?) Hiro rolled his eyes, having an mental image of Jennifer giving him that exact same compliment.
(Awwww but it's so cute!)
(Yeah, yeah. What about on your end? Making friends?)
(Assembling a team. You have got to meet these guys Hiro. They are all so smart and cool. The Bruiser is just as good as the stories said and the others are awesome too! Jess is really funny and smart, Lian is just cool and Hank is one of the nicest jocs I've ever met. If we put our heads together and come up with ideas and then tell mom and the police about them, Brutus is as good as caught!)
(I'm glad you're making friends just as easily. Man, I have got to tell you about this killer debate we just had in my Androids class!)
(OH really? What's it about?)
(AI Rights. It was a really spirited debate too and it was a whole lot of fun. I'll tell you all about it later. I gotta get to class.)
(cool, cool. Me too. Me and Matt are headed to study hall. Hopefully we'll find Helena. Either in class or on the way and we can ask her some questions. I'll let you know how it goes. Later, Bro!)
The group split up to their respective classes with Matt and Flannery traversing the hallways with Matt leading her to her study hall class.
(Sooooo. The Bruiser huh? He's a lot nicer than I imagined and the fact that he's attending a school like this explains his intelligence in battle and the gadgets he's brought out. I didn't expect him to be working with a team though. That's quite a secret to hold against your chest. I wonder what their headquarters is like? Regardless, our team ups shall be legendary!) Flannery thought to herself. (As much as I want to talk superhero though, we're gonna need a quieter space to do it. Lot of kids around.) She decided to switch it up to small talk. "So how long have you known Jess and Hank?"
"Since we were kids really. Hank and I grew up in Serenity together and Jess moved into town around Middle School. We've been through a lot of craziness together. You won't believe some of the things that go on in this city." He chuckled.
(So they've been working together for that long huh? Interesting.) "Ha ha ha! I can relate. I've seen a lot crazy myself through the years."
"Nightmare Queen."
"Optic Nerve Blackout." She countered.
"Death Ray." He raised.
The Kingston Executioner." She countered again.
"The fu-?"
"Yeah, he called himself that buuut all was, was some guy with a grudge against my mom for busting some crime ring he used to roll with. It was a long day. My mom piledrived him out of a second story building. It was a whole big thing."
"Huh. Is he okay?"
"Last we heard he was walking again so yeah I'm sure its fine."
"Oh. Okay that's good then right." He smiled.
They shared a short laugh. "So what are your real thoughts on this Brutus guy?"
"I think he's certainly highly disturbed." Matt said simply. "Anybody who can just maul people like that certainly is. Best thing the heroes can do for him is knock him out and lock him up behind bars. As long as he's out there he's a danger to himself and others. Once he's behind bars or in a padded cell they can assign him a therapist to help him through his issues." He rubbed his right shoulder which caught Flannery's attention. An injury?
"I think we might be onto something regarding him possibly being a shapeshifter and if so we can pass this information onto your mom." He continued. The sooner they find him the better."
(That couldn't be more true.) Matt added internally. (I hate to admit but...that guy....he scared me a bit. I've fought a lot of crazies up until now but Brutus is different than the others. He's not out to rob banks like Death Ray or causing unorganized chaotic terror like Nightmare Queen. As far as I can tell, he actually believes in what he's preaching with all of the fury and strength of a beast. Never seen moves like his either. Finding him is one thing but I'm going to need a plan if I'm going to survive the rematch.)
"Anyway, what are your thoughts?" Matt asked as they walked up to the study hall door. A quick peak inside showed Flannery that Helena was inside using the time she had to text someone before class.
Are you okay? Sound off!
Hi Helena! I'm fine!
Doing alright. Police are watching our house around the clock. No sign of the monster.
I've been hiding in the panic room since last night. No sign of any monsters outside.
We've locked down our house and drawn the curtains. I'm still hiding. Has there been any sign of it since the battle? Is it dead yet?
Helena smiled. Her friends were relatively okay all things considered. Once this mess was taken care of they'd be finally be free to walk the streets of Serenity in safety again. She owed The Bruiser big time.
Sadly, no. There's no proof it's dead yet. But we've got people and the police looking for it. Once they find him he'll be put down like the animal he is and everyone will be safe again! The Bruiser or them will find him and it'll all be okay guys. You'll see. This will get wrapped up and then we'll be okay. So just stay indoors, stay safe. We've got ninjas watching you guys. You'll all be okay. I'll text you again when I have some free time.
Helena put her phone away and shifted back into School Mode as she placed her elbows on the desk as she clasped her hands.
"To answer your question Matt, I think you're right. Whatever it was that caused Brutus to go on this rampage, the fact remains that he's a damaged individual and he needs to be stopped and placed in a correctional facility. Once he's safely behind bars he can receive counseling to help figure out why he is the way he is." Flannery opened the door. "Regarding the possibility of him being a shapeshifter though....I wonder if there's more to that? It's possible that he's not entirely in control of his actions and that the shapeshifting is allowing a darker part of himself to take over."
Helena looked up from her seat. "Wait, hold on, are we talking about the animal here? He's a shapeshifter now too? Since when?"
"Hey Helena." She and Matt high-fived and he sat down next to her with Flannery grabbing an empty seat behind him. "I trust you've met Flannery?"
"Sup Red?"
"Nice to see you again Helena. You holding up alright?"
"As good as I can. How about you?"
"Okay. Circumstances aside I'm loving it here so far."
"Yeah, it's a weird time but it'll blow over soon. What's this about a shapeshifter?"
"It's just a theory right now." Matt admitted. "We just came up with in our Cryptozoology course. But it would explain why nobody's been able to find this guy so far and why the girls had their eyes blindfolded and why all of the victims so far have been blindfolded."
"Here's our theory: We believe that Brutus blindfolds his victims, then shapeshifts to and from the man and woman to lecture and preach at their victims while hiding the fact that they are actually just one shapeshifter until its time for Brutus to take over and maul them." Flannery explained. "Think about it. Would a guy like that hire henchmen without mauling them? There was only one car in the area, one set of tracks, and said car got wrecked in the fighting right? While it is possible that they were simply waiting, someone would've still had to drive them away from the area, but they escaped just before The Bruiser burst in. They fought all around the area, right? And yet neither of them saw the escapees." Flannery explained.
"That would also explain why nobody tried to stop the girls while they were escaping besides Brutus." Helena realized. "Counting the mystery driver, that would be three henchmen, two men and one woman in the area fanatically loyal to Brutus's insane quest, yet they didn't try to stop their escape." Helena ran her fingers through her hair as a realization hit her. "Holy shit. Could it be DID?"
"Maybe." Matt confessed. "It's a possibility but we won't know for sure without further research."
Helena nodded. "The library. After the teacher takes attendance we'll go there and we can discuss this freely."
"Excuse me." A girl said from behind them. "What exactly are you guys talking about?"
"How to help the police crack the case and save the city. You know, the usual, Takara." Matt joked. "You in?"
"Bitchin'. What can I do to help?"
"Meet us in the hall of justice so we may discuss our secret plans in privacy." Flannery smirked.
"Library got it."
The kids hung out together until the door opened and the teacher levitated across the room cross legged with a cup of coffee in her hands while the teaching assistant followed closely behind her covering an Erotic Romance Mystery Novel inside of an Astrophysics book. Flannery was the only one who noticed. Once they reached their desks she put away her books inside of her purse and the teacher touched back down on the floor. "Hi Class!" She greeted. "Let me take attendance and then you can relax or get to work if you choose. Remember we are here to help you kids out if you need any assistance and feel free to ask your fellow students for assistance."
After she took attendance Matt raised his hand.
"Yes Matthew?"
"Hey Professor, can we be excused to the library?"
"You and who Mister Maximilian?"
"Flannery, Takara and myself." Helena spoke up.
Matt noticed a number of the other boys in the class staring at him. He just laughed and waved while Takara cracked up behind them.
The teacher however just rolled with it. "Sounds legit. Alright I'll right you kids some hallpasses but be sure to go straight to the library and that you're either studying or doing your schoolwork. Anything else and we'll know."
Takara was clearly enjoying this. She smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am!" She said while holding back a giggle.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Yes Ma'am."
The teacher handed them some hallpasses and the four exited the class to go to the library. Once they were out Takara doubled over laughing. "Oh my god I am going to get so much mileage out of this! You see the way they looked at you Matt? We are talking years worth of trolling material here."
"I don't know what their deal is. We're just going to the library."
"Hey if you two want to find a quiet corner of the library while we plan out how to save the city, I won't stop you." Helena joked.
"We can start planning dates once the police have the animal man behind bars." Matt insisted.
(Yep. This is High School.) Flannery thought to herself as she enjoyed their banter. "Does Professor Elm always float into class like that?"
"Yeah. Alvina Elma is a levitator so she likes to enter rooms like that. It's not the flashiest power but she likes to show off a bit."
The team reached the library in no time and Matt held the door open for the girls while they walked inside. Flannery quickly spotted four Summer clones sitting around a table in the back of the library and she walked over to greet them.
"Hi Summers!"
"Hi Flannery!" They replied quietly.
"Shouldn't you be in class?"
"Summer is." One of them informed Flannery. "But she has a big test next period so she sent us ahead to the library to handle the studying before her next class so we can learn all we can in between now and then when we'll let her re-absorb us and all the knowledge. What about you?"
"Study hall so we came here. We're holding a brainstorming session about the villain running around the city if one of you wants to join in?"
"What do you think?"
"I think it's something we definitely need to discuss."
"Although Summer did tell us to study for her."
"Still there's four of us here. One of us could talk with them while the others work."
"Go on ahead. I'll study harder to make up for it."
"Okay then. I'll see when I get back." Summer #3 decided as she stood up and followed Flannery over to the computers where the other three had gathered and Matt was on the computer pulling up his essay from his E-Mail to pull double duty on finishing that while discussing the villain investigation with the girls.
"Hear ye, hear ye, this meeting will now come to order." Helena declared. "Flannery, since you're the new kid in town, would you like to start us off?"
"Well...this is certainly a surprise." Jess noted as she looked at her phone with her feet propped up on the seat in front of her. "Teach called in sick and they didn't get a sub in time sooo we've got today off. Still got homework up there to do but yeah. We've got the hour to chill." She pocketed the phone and looked over at Lian who was resting her head on her arms on the back of her seat.
"Hmmm? I guess if we have nothing else to do for an hour we could go the library." (Besides there's something I wish to discuss with you there.)
(Okey-dokey honey.) Jess smiled and got up and grabbed her stuff.
The two walked back out of the class to the library. (So what's up your highness?)
(I've been looking into the case since the initial murders. At first it was curiosity but now this manimal, Brutus as we're calling him now, has my attention. His powers somewhat resemble a Lycan's, to a lesser extent, without an apparent Silver weakness. While I would like to observe the high rise battlefield before further judgment, the fact that he was able to match someone as strong as The Bruiser intrigues me. I think that if we could bring him into The Coven and give him some training and direction, he could have a lot of potential.)
(Er, your Highness, I know it is not my place to question your decisions but don't you think he'd be a little volatile? Not to mention from the religious ramblings he'd written in the blood of his victims, I do not believe that The Coven would be a good fit for him.)
(Worry not, Jessie-Bean! I welcome your input!) Lian assured her while wrapping her arms around Jess's. (I have taken note of those which is why I want to get a better look into his mind and question him before I come to a decision. As for the rest we can train that out of him. It would be a better usage of his powers and talents than simply killing him or letting him rot in a cell.)
(Much appreciated, your highness. However I feel like he needs proper psychological counseling before we look into recruitment.)
(On that we are in complete agreement dearie. And please, just call me Lian. We're in a school, not the Coven.)
(Yes of course, Lian. You've got it.)
(Thank you! At any rate we'll need to know our enemy before we consider recruitment. Now then, The Bruiser is the one who finally found him right? I would like to talk to him and get his insight into Brutus's mindset and get the hero's help in corralling the manimal. You wouldn't happen to know where to find him would you?)
Being in school was a nice escape for Vladimir Volkov, it was one of those rare moments when she could switch their mafia brain off for a few hours and live out the illusion of normalcy. Even though they know that normal never run within her family. Yet, part of her is relieved that the other students are too wrapped up in their own problems to acknowledge that the offspring of Lady Volkov attends the school. Least it's not fear is the reason why nobody has approached her. For Vlad, it felt normal. And each day she felt safe enough to know that she doesn't have to look over her shoulder every time.
She sits on the bench near the window of the second floor of the library. Pulling her knees up to her chest she looks out the window. It provides an awesome view of the campus outside. She sees Gail surfing on what appeared to be a hoverboard. Not those In Name Only Hoverboards that exist a couple of decades ago but an honest to goodness hoverboard.
She noticed that the hoverboard she made is custom made and she's demonstrating her creation to a couple of teachers. Having the time of her life. Vlad wishes that she could invent things. Could be the one thing that could set her apart from her crazy family. If she could use it for something nobler, that would be a bonus.
“Hey,” came an unfamiliar male voice from somewhere to Vlad’s right. “Can I sit with you?”
Vlad turned her head her eyes falling on a brown-haired, boy who she vaguely recognized as being from the year above him. But given his size and athletic frame, which was enough to cause Vlad's cheeks to warm, he could try out for a varsity team if he wanted to.
"It's a free country if you believe that term" Vlad shrugs, moving her legs up further to provide more sitting space.
The young boy took a step forward, his form slumping down beside Vlad without ceremony. The two sat silently together for a few minutes, watching the campus. "How come you're not out there," Vlad asked, finding her voice.
"Had a bet with Gail, I lost, she gets to demonstrate her project, and I learned a valuable lesson when it comes to gambling" The student joked
"I'd take that lesson to heart" Vlad smiled, "No offense but, you don't strike me as the tech type."
"I wasn't at first but I had a good teacher that helped me discover my hidden talent. How did you know about that, btw? You wouldn't happen to be a shadow agent disguising as a student would you?" he gave Vlad a mischievous look
Vlad snorts, "You would never see it coming if I were"
The two students share a laugh.
"You're ok. Name's Andrew"
"Vlad, just Vlad. Yeah, not the kind of name suited for a girl"
Andrew shrugs, "It makes you unique"
"Always know when to charm a girl don't you?"
Note: Vladimir Volkov is gender fluid
The girls walked into the library together and looked around for a place to sit and continue their conversation. Jess spotted Matt's group and waved to them. She was about to walk over to them to arrange the meeting but Lian was already happily dragging her towards the second floor. Lian took a quick glance around the library to make sure nobody was watching them and then she put an arm around Jess and jumped up to the second floor with her in tow and landed perfectly on one foot on her tiptoe on a chair while holding Jess bridal and then hopped off of it onto the floor and set Jess down.
"Still your second way to travel, Lian?" Jess giggled.
"Right next to Superspeed and Teleportation in fact." Lian smiled. "Now where should we sit?"
"Holy cow, did you see her jump?" Vladmir asked Andrew. "Either she's a Parkour specialist or that was Super Powers. Is she a friend of Jess? I haven't seen her around school."
"Oh that's Lian. She's one of the new." Andrew told her. "Wanna meet her?"
"Sure. If she's as cool as you." Vladmir replied. "I...wait, Lian?"
Andrew stood up and waved her over. Lian noticed him and waved back and then smiled wider as she spotted Vladmir. "Vladdy!" She laughed and hurried over to him.
"You know her?"
"Kiiinda." Vladmir admitted. "Our family's go a long way back
Vladimir got up and proceed to hug her friend. As Lian pulled her in, Vlady found herself wedged between the marshmallow heaven of Lian's breast. "I didn't know you attend here also, how is the school treating you!"
Tilting his head at the whole greeting, Andrew gave a curious look at Jess. She just shrugged her shoulders while watching the whole affair in an unflattery manner(Leave it to the Mafia Monarch to find a way to go to second base with the vampire princess.)
He tapped her side and she let him go. "Hi Lian. Welcome to Serenity."
"Thanks Vladdy! Sooo? How about you?"
"I'm doing alright. We've got a cannibal running around the city but aside from that everything's peachy. Mom told me that I should attend a science school and she was right on the money. This is a really fun school. Oh and this is my new friend Andrew." He summarized.
"Oh you're the Andrew Harrison I've heard so much about!" She cheerfully shook his hands up and down. "Hi there! I'm Lian! Lets be friends!"
Takara sat on Helena's lap with one hand brushing against Matt's arm as they waited for her to begin.
Flannery looked at them but she ended up smiling and nodding "Okay. So. We have reason to believe this guy is a shapeshifter. We hit on this idea in our Cryptozoology course when we were discussing mimics and dopplegangers. Not only would this explain why he's able to move around the city despite how big he is, but it would also explain the abduction. The girls stated that they were sermonized by a man and a woman but not allowed to see their faces. They didn't see the face of the driver either. Right? The Bruiser didn't encounter them. The girls didn't encounter any followers on the way out either. If they were so loyal to him, so fanatical to his cause, that they would preach the same ideals to their victims, then why wouldn't they watch? Why wouldn't they stop them? The high rise and the surrounding area were wrecked, including the car! Where was the driver? Where were the kidnappers? The answer then becomes that it was all one person. The other victims were blindfolded before and during their maulings. That's because, however unlikely it was, Brutus didn't want them seeing him changing shape just in case someone escaped or someone saved them! His shapeshifting has been his big advantage. It's how he's been able to move around the city. Because everyone was looking for Brutus. Nobody was looking for a random civilian in a city of millions." She explained to everyone.
"Okay that's cool but how exactly are the police going to catch him then?" Takara asked.
"The high rise is a battlefield. A ruined one but a battlefield. One filled with evidence." Flannery grinned. "The car for example. It's a wreck but it's evidence. The police know the model and license."
"The police have likely already checked the cameras around the city. If the mystery driver was driving anywhere in the city, they'll find him or her, and can trace that back to the abduction of the girls, and find out how it happened. In addition they can start looking for the driver, find out where he or she comes from and trace that back to Brutus." Matt added.
"However if he's a shapeshifter then how are they going to find him? If he catches onto the fact that one of his disguises is on watch he can just take another one and still walk around freely." Helena pointed out.
"True but I have a feeling that this guy is a special case. His bloody handwriting isn't all that stable at the crime scenes." Matt stated. " You've seen the crime scene photos. His writing is shaky, jagged, it's not normal. I have no doubt he believes his own nonsense but he could potentially have a host of other mental issues on top of that."
"This is just a theory right now, but I have a feeling his disguises aren't just that, but that they could be personality alters." Flannery brought up to the others.
Even though Andrew was caught off guard by her eagerness he took it in stride and smiled at her, "I'd be honored, Lian"
(Damn right you would. You're about to rub arms with Vampire Royalty, kiddo) Jess smiled at her Tech-Bro.
"Yay! I'm gonna call you Andy then!" Lian giggled. "This is super cool. I just got here and I'm already making tons of friends." She pulled up a chair. "So what's up? What are you guys talking about?"
"Oh, you know? School related stuff, superhero stuff, No One Reboot" Vlad murmured at the last one but it was enough for him and Jess to feel an uncontrollable chill surge through them. "Oh....That one" A blank faced Lian said in a monotone.
Andrew looked at the group, putting two and two together, "I suppose we should dub it, The Series That Shall Not Be Named?"
Like a lightswitch, Lian's expression brightened and nods
Jess smiled at Andrew(Scoring points with The Princess already), she then looked at Vlad and rolled her eyes.
"Er….right! Yeah, the Nameless Series!" Vlad chuckled. "Ah, I mean, the choreography's nice but yeah it's not on the level of the old series. And it's not just the charm. It's lost some of the ultraviolence too." He shrugged. "The main character hasn't even strangled someone with their own entrails yet."
"I know right? The Entrails Noose was No One's finisher!" Lian giggled. "But anyway, it's nice to see you doing well and I'm glad you're enjoying school. Regarding, 'Superhero Stuff' what are your thoughts on the Wolfman Wannabe?"
(Well, you know me. I'm great with people...wait she's royalty?) Andrew asked her in shock. (Should we be bowing?)
(I can explain later but don't worry about bowing right now. Lian's super chill and she is here to help. To summarize, there's nobody in Serenity with more monster hunting experience than her right now.)
(Wait a second!) Andrew realized. (How are we communicating telepathically right now?!)
(Oh don't worry about that. Lian hooked us up. Telepathic Radiotelephone. It's a psionic skill where she use herself as a psionic cellphone tower so we can communicate through our thoughts. I don't really have psionic abilities of my own but I've learned how to receive it and watch my thoughts around psionics so we can communicate regardless.) Jess explained.
"Wow....coooool. So hey how long have you guys known each other?"
"Oh, Jess, Vlad and I have been friends since we were children Our families run in the same circles so it's only natural we knew each other." Lian summarized. "We've been through a lot together but we always knew we could lift each other up. I'm super happy to hear they could find even more friends here!" She twirled around and took a seat. "I can't wait to get to know your other friends and to meet Hank! We simply must throw a party once this monster business is taken care of!" Lian declared while holding Jess's hand. "The sooner the better!"
"You can say that again." Vlad sighed. "Way too many people have died already. Criminals or not..."
Andrew placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about them. Bruiser and the police will have him locked up behind bars or in a padded cell before you know it and everyone will be safe again."
Vlad held his hand gently. "Thanks Andy. Can I call you that?"
"Sure Vlad. Andy's just fine with me."
"Oh he'll be done alright. Sooner than you think." Lian told her friends as she simultaneously listened in on Matt's conversation with his group down in the library computer lab. (Hmmmm, split personality alters and shapeshifting eh? Yeah that would explain a few things. If we were to bring that young Hiro to the remains of the high-rise, his power could narrow down our search. Same if we can find where the remains of his car were taken.) She thought to herself. (Say, Jess, could you make a note to speak with Hiro Kingston later?)
(Noted your highness!)
"You're right. Thanks, Lian." Vlad decided to change topics. "But hey, enough about whatever that furball's problem is, I say we start planning for this party while we've got some freetime."
"Heh, so Valyskria also has an A.I for a Prime Minister" Riley commented while reading the article for their school assignment. She, Hiro, Chidiebere, and Jun sat at an oval shaped table with holographic laptops on display for each of them to use.
"Really? I've always wondered if A.I.'s were capable of politics" Jun said in an Norwegian dialect, Northern to be specific.
"They've been running our lives through internet, phones, and other things tech anyway." Hiro pointed out.
"Ha! Points to the potentially good looking science bro" Riley said
"So Andy, mind if I ask you a question" Lian asked while she sits behind Vladimir, braiding her hair. More like running her fingers down the strains of her friend's head as Vlad's hair braided themselves, vampire magic.
"Knock yourself out" Andrew said
"How much do you know about vampires?"
Vladimir' looked back but Lian smiled in assurance. (Relax Vlady. From what Jess has told me about him, he's pretty open minded)
"Enough to make me question the legitimacy of every vampire movie Hollywood has produced" Andrew said, which earned a laugh from Lian and Jess.
"Well, you're definitely on the right track." Lian replied. "But even with all of the contradictory information we have Hollywood putting out we do let the occasional kernel of truth slip out. Dhampir's for instance. We're very much a reality. I'm literally living proof after all."
"Wait....what?" Andrew stared at Lian. "You're...A Dhampir? For real? That's incredible." He crossed one leg over the other and glanced at Jess. "So what brings you to Serenity? And how do you know Jess?"
"Okay, so, all cards on the table, Andrew, we're childhood friends. More than friends actually." Jess confessed. She reached out and held Lian's hand. "We are, in fact, betrothed."
"Awwwwww. You never told us that. That's so sweet."
"Sorry. Some things had to remain secret."
"As for why I am here it's to assist with the current investigation. It was my initial assumption that our killer was Lycan but now I'm not so sure. He could be an imitator. An Animal-Morph."
"Oh really?" Andrew asked her. "What makes you say that?"
"For one thing, there was a distinct lack of Full Moon last night and yet all signs point to our mystery killer transforming into a similar form regardless. For another." Lian looked down at the computer lab. "Your friend is both still alive and in no danger of turning."
"Hold on a second...you....know?"
"Like I've said, I've did my homework before I came here" Lian winked at Andrew
"Well...Nice to see that you've come prepared, when we get the chance I should definitely introduce you to my big bro. Especially Matt, something tells me that he's gonna like you" Andrew gave a knowing smile
_
"I was curious, has has your mom ever handled a case like this one" Matt asked Flannery while they're researching The Brute. "The closest that come to mine was when she was chasing after the Invisible Douchebag, pardon the language"
"I'm really looking forward to meeting him. Your friends must be exceptional." She giggled and sat down gently on a table. "Honestly, I didn't quite expect everyone here to be so much fun. I might just stay awhile."
"Non-taken, Matt. As far as teenagers go, that was mild." Flannery joked and returned to the topic. Hmmmm, well, she has chased down one or two people with DID but they weren't dangerous, just a bit lost and in need of help. She helped get them into therapy and counseling to set them on the right course and they're doing fine now. She has tackled some heavy duty bricks too but again nothing as hardcore as this fuzzball. Fatso for example was crazy durable but he wasn't all that fast or smart. She gradually took out his senses and then she brought him down. For personal reasons however we don't like to talk about that particular case."
(Oh trust me, I can sympathize with that.) She caught Matt's thoughts. (I still prefer not thinking about some of the craziness Nightmare Queen showed me.) "I understand. I won't press."
"Thanks for understanding." Flannery replied sincerely. She returned her attention to the case. "This guy though, he's pretty scary. He's fast, he's strong, he's durable, he's big, he's vicious, he's got teeth and claws...he's basically got the complete package aside from flying as far as we know. There were scorch marks in the area too so we know he has low grade pyrokinesis and he can potentially shapeshift on top of all of that."
"And he can blend in with everyday society." One of the Summers pointed out. "Like, jeeze! Can it get more unfair? How do you even track someone like that?"
"Well, how did Bruiser track him in the first place?" Helena asked.
"Probably just deductive reasoning. An abandoned high-rise is kind of a perfect evil lair." Matt suggested.
"Yeah, that's how mom would do it too." Flannery agreed. (Still...a guy as strong as this...finding him is going to be one thing. I have a plan for that. But how the hell do we beat someone like this?) She looked over the notes on people with DID and then pulled up a tab of the ruined high-rise. (He tried that and he wasn't able to quite seal the deal...buuuut…..you were alone and playing to his strengths. But teamwork can change everything. If you can pin him down, then I could attack his mind. The three of us, you, me and Hiro will hit him where it hurts most at the same time! A war on two fronts! Or, should I say...) Flannery wheeled her chair back and looked up at Lian who was watching them. She smiled and waved. (Perhaps the four of us...) Flannery considered while waving back. "Hey Matt? Can I see your lunch schedule for a second?"
"Huh? Oh, sure." He pulled out his planner and handed it to her.
"Thanks. Okay! That's good. Looks like we match up." She handed him back the planner. "If you're free, I'd like to continue talking about the case with you. Say on the bleachers if they're open?"
"Sure I'd be glad too. But why there specifically?"
"It'll be easier to think outside the box if we're outside." Flannery joked. "Can you wait just one sec? I want to go check something. Don't go anywhere!"
"Not until the bell rings." Matt promised.
She saluted and hurried out of the lab towards the stairs to speak with Lian.
(So are you still set on recruiting him?) Jess asked Lian telepathically, she looked at the palm of her hand and a holographic clock appeared as she checked to see how long they have until the study session is over(Oh you know it! This guy is strong enough to take on a Brick at even footing, imagine what he could do against a Lycan. Until then though, my primary objective is to ensure that he is not only apprehended alive but gets the help that he needs) Lian finished braiding Vlad's hair and gave her a kiss on the cheek."If I may....I might know someone who could scout the guy. All she needs is some kind of intel that could set her on the right track" Vlad blushed at the kissQuentin casually walked through the city tapping his cane on the ground while navigating around the city with his superhuman senses. His hearing picked up everything in the area around him. His ears could pick up every single sound, decipher layers upon layers of differing sounds and conversations and locate the sources of noise. His sense of smell could detect specific persons, objects, substances or even places, locate their origin and track targets with nothing but his nose. His sense of taste could detect the changes and spices in the air. His sense of touch could detect vibrations through the ground and air pressure. He basically had everything except outright sight and thanks to his senses he didn't even need it. He could navigate this city with ease even without his cane. But he found it comforting all the same and people left him alone if they saw it.
What was important now was how much he was hearing in the city. Countless conversations. Some mundane, some intense, some flirty, some in hushed whispers. People crying, people yelling, people shouting, people screaming, people laughing and so much more all at once. Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness, Rage, Loneliness, Melancholy, Despair...he could hear all of it. He could taste all of it. He could feel all of it! It was like being in a crowded concert hall right between the speakers and the mosh pit surrounded by cigarette and pot smoke while sweaty people bump into you while splashing their drinks in your mouth while tailgating during a championship game and smelling everything being grilled from everywhere around you while engines roared and spewed smog into the air and people screamed in his ear.
Quentin was going to need to have a talk with the others about moving out to the country in the future. He hated cities. People in general as well of course but primarily cities.
Speaking of people, as he was stopping at a crosswalk and waiting for the light to change, he heard an argument in the upper levels of an apartment building. Two people screaming. A man and a woman. The argument between them was intensifying. A strike. A cry of pain. More shouting from the man. He patiently waited at the crosswalk until he could walk and casually strolled across it and then he navigated through the city while taking out a pair of gloves and slipping them on. He kept walking until he reached the apartment he was searching for and stashed his bag somewhere out of sight before walking back to the door and slipping in behind someone else and then he traversing the stairs up to the seventh floor. Slowly. Calmly. Purposefully. Upon arriving at the seventh floor walked down the hallway to the one he was looking for and calmly knocked on it until finally the door opened up and a drunken brute of a man stuck his head out. "Wrong apartment asshole. Now get the hell out of here. I'm busy."
He tried to slam the door shut but Quentin forced it open and pushed him backwards. He shut the door behind him and stalked towards the man like an animal cornering its prey. He could hear the woman sobbing in the bathroom she'd locked herself inside of and nodded. He smelled the alcohol on his breath and the blood on his hands and the tears pouring down her eyes. He could taste them. "Oh no sir. I think I've got the right apartment." He gripped his cane tightly. "But before I end your life do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"What the fuck is this? Who are the fuck are you, huh? I do what I damn well want freak now get the hell out of here before I knock your teeth down your throat!" He tried to grab him only for Quentin to grab two of his fingers and bend them backwards hard enough to break them, elbowed him in the nose hard enough to break that, slipped behind him and kicked the back of his leg to drop him, grabbed his head and smashed his face against the wall once, twice, three times before dropping him to the floor. The man dropped to the floor sputtering and spitting blood onto his shirt which mixed in with the blood flowing from his nose.
Quentin crouched down on one knee and bowed his head He signed himself and then reached out with his hand, grabbed the drunk's hand and did the same with him.
"Dear Lord, I now release this man into your loving arms. Although it is my hearts desire to have him/her with me longer on this earth I know that your timing is perfect. I now ask that you would send your heavenly angels and escort him into your presence. I ask that all fear, worry and anxiety be removed. Fill him with a complete peace and sense of your goodness. May he/she now be surrounded by my love and your love. Let this man be assured that life does not end but is for eternity. I now ask that you would complete your will in this situation and take him at your perfect moment. I ask all this in Jesus name. Amen." Quentin then crushed his throat with a few quick hard punches and stood up while he was left choking and gasping from his crushed windpipe. He calmly knocked on the bathroom door. "Madam, you may wish to call the police. Rest assured however, this man will not harm you again. Go with God fair one." He said to her quietly and then he walked away, closed the door and quietly walked out of the apartment building while dodging people and slipping out of their sight.
Once he'd returned to where he'd stashed the bag though Quentin fell to one knee and closed his eyes as his body shifted once again into a more feminine form in a fancy high class pantsuit. His grizzled face was replaced with flawless feminine skin. His hair was changed to a golden blonde. His eyes regained their sight and his facial expression was one of haughty indifference. The sunglasses were placed in a case in the bag along with the gloves and then a pair of black-gold diva glasses were retrieved from another case and placed on her face while her senses returned to their normal levels.
"Honestly." She spoke up in a smoky voice. "While I agree that sinners should be purged doing it in daylight like that is just going to cause undo attention. I think you should take a nap for awhile, Quentin." Josephine Jenkings scolded and brushed her hair out of her face with her hand. "Hmph. Let me show you how to blend in with the plebeians." With that she casually walked away from the apartment complex with her head held high.
"Well, if you're going to look anywhere, the battlefield is probably the best place to do it." Vlad replied. "Or, if you can get a chance to talk to them, then you could ask the girls he kidnapped or The Bruiser." (It shouldn't be too hard to get a picture of what happened from their minds.) He added mentally.
"Hmmm, now that is certainly a good idea. Besides, I want to see it up close for myself."
(I don't blame you for wanting to recruit him. He's certainly got the raw power to make it in the coven.) Jess added. (But I think we should come up with a strategy to capture him first.)
(Oh don't worry. One is being formed at the moment buuut even if I were to confront him one-on-one, I'm sure I could handle him. He's strong but I doubt he's as fast as I am and I can use mental attacks to weaken him at the same time. I'm not too concerned. I was trained by my mother and grandmother after all.) Lian assured Jess.
Flannery hopped over a chair and walked over to the group. "Hello again!" She greeted in a singsong voice.
It's hard to describe exactly how Flannery felt when she met up with Lian and the other's, it's the equivalent of a chill running down your spine so cold that she can notice her breath escaping her. (Ok...That was weird). She recalled the same feeling during homeroom when Lian introduced herself.
"Hi, Flannery! Lovely singing voice you have there" Lian complimented
The moment he set his sights on Flannery, Vlad could feel his body started to warmth, he ducked his head down before his complexion went red and waved at her.
Jess looked at Vlad then noticed the rest of the group's interest towards Flannery, she made a faux smile. "Hi, Red"
Jess's inner thoughts:" *scoff* "You've seen one then you've seen them all." She froze when Flannery glance at her. (CRAP! She couldn't have caught that could she)
Flannery just smiled and winked at Jess
"Thanks Lian. Hey, Jess right? Apologies but I can borrow Lian for a second? I just need to discuss a lunch meeting with her."
"Hmmmm alright. Hurry back now."
"Don't worry honey, I'll be riiiight back!" Lian promised her and walked away to a corner of the library with Flannery.
"So what's up?" Lian asked her.
"Okay." Flannery turned back to look at her. "So, look, uhm, you're obviously super powerful. I can tell that just by standing near you but you're not exactly a normal Powered. I'd venture to say you're more along the lines of the Supernatural. Uhm, regarding our first meeting, in class, I'm sorry. My bro and I are used to his Retrocognitive History Reading power and it's a bit uncontrollable, so, if we offended you with it earlier...I'm sorry. Having said that, I would like to request your help in tracking down The Animal Man. Animality."
"Well now! You've got quite the deductive mind! I'm guessing you get that from your mom." Lian grinned. "I was hoping someone would ask me. Rest assured, I would be more than happy to join the six of you in your grand quest. My darling Jessie is already part of their team after all."
Jess noticed Vlad's change of complexion, "Need a fan or something?"
"Not funny" Vlad mubled then buried her face behind Andrew's shoulder.
Andrew turned around and hugged them both. "There, there, guys. It's all good. I'm sure she'll be right back."
"Don't worry Jess, we'll get through this." Vlad assured her while patting her on the back and holding Andrew.
"That's right Vlad! We just have to believe in her and each other!" Jess replied playing along.
Flannery smiled, she offered her hand then Lian accept it in return, unlike her bro there's no History Reading. "Partners then, and don't worry. Your vampire identity is safe with me"
"As is yours, Ultra Girl." Lian replied and shook her hand.
"Awesome." They shook hands together and while Flannery once more felt that surge of energy and chill running down her spine but nevertheless she let it wash away and shook Lian's hand up and down. "In that case, can I see your lunch schedule? I'm planning a meeting with Matt to discuss the case further. I have an idea on how to how to track our villain too and it's going to rely on my bro's power, but your talents could be invaluable in both finding and capturing him. Sooo yeah. Teamwork is going to be the key to capturing this guy."
"BTW, Vlad. you mentioned that you have someone that could help track this guy?" Jess asked
Vlad nod, "Her name is Ritter. She's a magic detective"
"Like the one from Castle City?" Andrew asked
"Sort of, she's a necromancer who'd do a few cases for my mom. When she's nod working for the city also. If there's anyone I'm confident who could track him down, it's her" Vlad said
Flannery looked around, noticing that nobody's looking she decides to ask the question. "Out of curiosity, how did you notice my superhero identity"
Lian tapped her chin. "From your mannerisms, the structure of your face, how you both have the same detection skills." She smiled and whispered another fact in Flannery's ear. We don't hear it but from Flannery's flushed expression we can put two and two together.
"Wait, a necromancer? As in, summoning the dead? Is that a good idea?" Andrew asked.
"It is something you need to be careful with." Jess admitted. "But it can be invaluable for gathering information. What better way to get information on a killer than by asking the victims who either saw the killer themselves or have had a chance to do so after they've passed?"
"Huh. I never thought of it that way but what about zombies?"
"A proper necromancer takes precautions and uses their magic intelligently so as to only commune with the dead or to give them a chance to finish up unfinished business upon this Earth before laying them to rest." Vlad summarized. "Really, it's only the A-Holes that try for the whole zombie apocalypse scenarios and they don't tend to last very long."
Lian giggled before she spoke up again. "Don't worry Red, you're a real looker, but I am already committed to my dear Jessie." She assured Flannery. "As for the last sign of your secret identity, much liked you sensed my own abilities, I too sensed yours from the moment we met. It all fell into place."
"Heh, man, we're a real team of super sleuths aren't we? If we put our heads and skills together, then this guy won't stand a chance."
"In that case, why not help me solve a mini puzzle in the meantime?" Lian asked. "That girl down there. Takara. Her blood smells weird."
"Really? Weird how?"
Lian crossed her arms. "Well, it doesn't smell like blood exactly. It's different. I can't quite place it."
She walked back out with Flannery and they looked down at the computer lab where Matt, Summer, Helena and Takara were working and discussing assignments. Lian took a whiff. (Yeah. There's definitely something weird about her. The Summer down there is a Replica so I'm not surprised I don't smell any blood in her. Matt and Helena smell very nice but that one. Takara. I can't place it. Her blood, if that's what it is, smells so weird. It's like getting hit with a whole bunch of perfumes mixed with paint.)
(Well I doubt she's involved with the killer. All indication is that she's been attending the school long enough to be friends with everyone. I doubt the killer would be that patient.) Flannery reasoned.
(Right. So in that case she's something different. Hmmmm....) Lian leaned over the railing and looked down at Takara and narrowed her eyes while reaching out with her mind to look into hers. Only for Takara to look up at her and smile as Lian found herself running into a metaphorical heavy metal vault door halting her progress.
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(Heh. That's impressive. She's got some strong mental defenses. Alright then, I won't push. I'll let you keep your secrets for now girl.) Lian decided while waving back. "This school is going to be so much fun." Lian spoke up sincerely.
"I was thinking the same thing. We just got here and we're making so many friends. It's great!" (So you're up for the lunch meeting?)
(Sure thing. We can talk strategy there.)
(Awesome! We're going to crack this case wide open!)
A buzz came from Riley's cellphone, she picked it up to see an ID that read Offspring of No One. She rolled her eyes at the user name and answered her phone. She read the text message that the user sent.
"Have you considered the offer"
Riley thought for a second then post a response.
"Meet after school...creepo"
"Love ya too Riley-Ville. See you then"
Putting her phone back in her pocket she placed her hand back on the computer table, her hand brushed up against Hiro's and for a brief moment it felt like he was transported from the classroom and inside a car at night.
It's like he's watching a scene play on a monitor and the actors in question are Riley and another female, sitting on the front of the car. Riley clearly looks distressed while the young lady(who looks to be in her early 20's) holds the back of Riley's neck and rubs it affectionately with her thumb.
"Everything's going to be fine, no matter what happens I'm here for you"
Just like that he finds himself back in the library. A snapping of Riley's fingers fully brought him back to reality. "With us Hiro? You looked pretty out of it there"
"..Heh. I'm glad to hear that Hiro. I could really use some friends." She offered her hand again and he gently took it in his own. Both hands. He didn't want to go back there but he had to be sure that he'd saw what he thought he did.
Riley noticed his face becoming pale and tears welled up in his eyes. Hiro stepped backwards against the desk gasping and trembling in fear. "I-I-I..."
"H-Hiro? Oh shit, Hiro are you okay?!" She asked as she stepped in and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Hiro speak to me man! What's wrong? Can I help? Can you breathe? Can you hear me? H-Hiro? Hiro take deep breaths okay? You need to breathe man."
The various students in the computer lab started getting to their feet as they took notice of their behaviors.
"Hey what's going on?"
"Are you two okay?"
"What's wrong?"
"Do we need to call a nurse?"
Hiro blinked as tears ran down his face and he suddenly came back to reality and he stepped in and gently embraced her. "I-I'll save...I'll save...you. I'll save you. We'll save you. I swear it. We will." He whispered to Riley.
"H-Hiro...w-w-what...what are you..."
"I'll explain soon." Hiro promised as he stepped back and logged off of the computer and turned it off and wiped his eyes. "S-sorry guys! I..uhhhh...h-have to go to the nurse. Sorry. I'll be back. It's okay. I'll be right back." He assured them and stepped out with Riley. They walked down the hallway together until he collapsed against a locker breathing rapidly and his hands trembling for a minute until he could calm himself down. "R-Riley? Riley there's...uhhh...s-something you should know. I'm...Powered. And my power is...Tactile Empathic Flash Retrocognition. History Reading. N-not only am I...more in tuned with people's emotions than normal people are...I-I can see the past of a person or object that I touch. Th-the longer I have physical contact with them...the more I can see. And...when your fingers brushed against me just now I...I saw...."
"Oh. My. God...y-you....y-you s-saw.....that? You saw...them?" She asked and hugged herself with trembling hands.
"I did...I'm sorry. I don't like to pry into people's pasts but it happened on contact. I'm not judging you. I don't know the specifics but I know that you are a good person Riley.' He wiped his eyes and stood tall. "You're a good person and a beautiful person and a great person and you don't deserve that. Listen, my mother, Jennifer Kingston? She's a Super Cop. She's probably already making friends in The Force and..." He looked around before lowering his voice to a whisper. "My sister is Powered too. She's a psionic. She can help you. We can all help you. We even know who The Bruiser is. He's here. We can ask him for help too...as well as another girl, her name is Lian. She's...something special but I trust her. There are good people here. People who can help you. People can put those monsters behind bars. I-I'm sorry if it feels like I invaded your privacy with my power. I assure you it wasn't intentional but please let me make it up to you. Please trust me to help you. We can save you. I promise, we will not let them hurt you again." Hiro got down on one knee, crossed an arm over his heart and lowered his head. "I swear it on my life. I, Hiro Kingston, will be your hero. So please, let me help you."
She went quiet for a moment before she slowly stepped past Hiro and sank down against the lockers. "You...saw that huh?"
"Yeah." Hiro admitted as he leaned back against the lockers. "I'm sorry. I know that was personal but now that I know, I know that I can save you. That we can save you. So please, all I'm asking is that you let us help. You don't deserve this. Nobody does. You are a good person, Riley, I can feel it, I can sense it, you deserve to be free and happy. You do not deserve to be treated the way they are treating you."
Riley's phone buzzed and she took it out of her pocket with trembling hands and she looked at the messages.
Where Are You?
Hurry Up!
Do Not Make Me Wait!
Riley sniffled as she read them.
"We can put a stop to this. We can put them away where they won't ever hurt you again." Hiro assured her gently.
"D-do...do you...promise?" Riley asked Hiro. "Do you promise they'll go away?"
"I swear it. They will not be able to hurt you again. Please, let us help you." Hiro offered his hand again.
Get Out Here Now.
Do NOT Make Me Come Get You!
Riley scowled and held Hiro's hand and stood up with him. "What's your plan?"
Hiro took out his own phone and sent a message to his sister. "I'm calling in the cavalry."
Flannery was hanging out with the others in their corner of the library when her phone buzzed. She took out and looked at the message.
Psionic Conference Call. Now. Code Red.
Flannery nodded and held up her hands. "Excuse me. I need to take this." She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind across the school until she found Hiro standing with Riley in an area of the school close to classrooms. She could already feel the fear and anxiety radiating off of them. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Something had happened.
(Bro? Bro it's me. It's Flannery. What happened?)
(Flannery? Where are you? Are you at the library? Are there others with you?)
(Lian, Summers, Helena, Matt, Andrew, Vlad and Jess. What's happened?)
(You might want to brace yourself sis. We're going to need to call mom.) Hiro paused and informed her of what he'd seen.
Flannery was silent but her hands slowly clenched into fists as things around the library began to lightly tremble and books fell off of shelves and desks and the lights started flickering.
"Woah what's going on?" Matt asked as he stood up. "Tremors? Or..." He looked at Flannery.
Lian narrowed her eyes as she felt the rage radiating off of Flannery. She'd heard something. Something bad.
(Where are they?) Flannery asked.
(Outside. Parking lot. There's going to be a woman waiting to take Riley to them. We need to hurry. I don't want to see the school turn into a battlefield.)
(I understand. Take Riley into a room and hunker down. Stay around people and give mom a call. We'll smack these bastards down. Be careful.)
(You too. Stay safe.)
(I love you bro.)
(I love you too sis.)
Flannery ended the call and the library went back to normal. She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I need your help."
Matt, Jess and Andrew had been through enough to recognize the steely rage in her eyes. Lian could sense the rage boiling under her calm exterior. Helena and Vlad had seen such rage in their parents eyes and it usually meant somebody wasn't waking up tomorrow. The Summers knew enough that it meant it something very serious was happening. "What do you need us to do?" Matt asked.
Flannery took a deep breath and blew it out before she filled them in on what had happened.
Hank was relaxing in his own classroom and working on an assignment when the door to their classroom opened up and Hiro and Riley stepped inside and quietly shut the door.
"Oh hey, Riley? What's..." His voice trailed off as he saw the anxiety in their eyes. He walked across the room to meet them. "Uh...hey you're one of the new kids right? Is everything okay? Did something happen to you guys?"
"Sir! Sir, I'm sorry to intrude in your class like this, but can we hide in here?" Hiro asked The Professor.
The teacher snapped his fingers and motioned for a student to go close the blinds. "Of course. Whatever seems to be the problem?"
"Lets just say we really need a place to hide right now." Riley summarized. Hiro lead her into the middle of the class and they ducked down in the middle of the classroom where they'd be surrounded by other kids. Hiro took out his phone and dialed his mother's number.
(☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎ ☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎ ☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎✋︎❄︎✡︎ ☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎✡︎✏︎! ☝︎⚐︎👎︎ ☞︎🕆︎👍︎😐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ 👎︎✌︎💣︎💣︎✋︎❄︎! I can't believe this was happening right under my nose! Riley....oh God...what you must have went through! God...all this time and I never even...dammit! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!) Matt's hands trembled as he screamed at himself internally. (Those bastards! They are not going to get away with this! I swear it!) He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and let the positivity in the library flow into him to calm his mind as the others talked.
"I see. so it's like that. Alright. So if they're at Hank's class...that's not too far from here." The Summers stood up. "We'll go to the classroom to back them up. Andrew, you with us?"
"Of course. Jess and I will back you guys up."
"Vlad and I will go to the Principal's office and inform any security guards we find on the way." It sounded like they needed to make some phone calls of their own too. Vlad patted her back. Completely understanding what she was planning.
"Matt?" Jess asked hesitantly. "Matt are you going to be okay? Are you going to be alright out there?"
Matt finished calling himself down. "I'm fine. I'm going to be just fine. Play this by the book." He placed his essay into his backpack and zipped it up. "You might want to call in some ambulances though."
"A man after my own heart." Lian replied. "Just remember not to go too far out there."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. I know. I'll be fine. You guys just be careful okay? We aren't sure how many bad guys there are out there so we need to take care of this quickly before anybody here gets hurt."
"He's right. We'll have to go out there, find them and hit them hard and fast and incapacitate them for the police." Flannery agreed.
"While taking out the car to prevent them from escaping." Lian pointed out.
Helena crossed her legs and looked up at Matt. "Are you sure you're going to be okay out there?"
"Don't worry about me." Matt smiled. "I'm going to be just fine. You guys ready to move out? The priority is protecting Riley and Hiro."
Matt and the others dropped off their bags behind the Librarian's desk and told her to watch over them and to be ready to call the police over a situation happening outside before they filed out of the library and went their separate ways.
Helena and Vlad made sure they were safely away from the crew before Helena whipped out her phone and called her father with a dead serious expression on her face. "Hello father." She greeted once he picked up. "We have an issue at my school. Some bad men have been having extremely inappropriately towards a young girl named Riley. Yes, yes, yes, that is all true. Now, I know we're not in the habit of heroism but I have reason to believe these bad men are not only not with us but not paying us protection money either. I know that you're the boss but between this and the mongrel? We're looking at some serious disrespect. And I think we should do something about it don't you?"
The Summers maintained a tight formation around Jess and Andrew as they made a beeline towards Hanks Astrophysics Class. Andrew put a wrist watch device on his wrist and he pressed a few buttons on it to summon drones to the school to catch everything on camera. There would be nowhere for these criminal filth to hide.
"Anything out of the ordinary?" Jess asked the Summers.
"Nothing yet." They replied in unison while keeping an eye out.
"Alright turn this corner." They turned it and they quickly found a pair of security guards. "Oh sweet. Hey! Over here!" She waved them over.
"Hello there. What can we help you kids with?" A security guard asked.
"Daniel, Johnny, we have a situation." The Summers informed them. "Some bad men are outside and they are have been harassing and causing physical harm to a student here."
"Which student?" Johnny asked them.
"Riley. She's hiding out in an Astrophysics Classroom with the new kid Hiro Kingston. My brother Hank is with them."
"Tell us everything."
Hiro kept the phone to his ear until Jennifer picked up.
"Hello Hiro. What's up? How's school going?"
"Hi mom it's uh...it's, we have a situation here. I'm hiding in a classroom with a friend of mine, her name is Riley Lehane. There are some bad men here and they've...they've uhh...hurt her."
Matt pushed open the doors and the trio stepped outside. "Alright where are they?"
Lian and Flannery psionically scanned the area until they located the targets. "There. Far corner. The woman in the shades in the Lamborghini is the one in charge. The sleazeball in the car with her is the client."
"Alright. We hit the tires first to keep them from getting away, then drag out the assholes and pin them down for the police. Restrain them the best we can. If they try to make it a fight, we flatten them hard and fast so that they don't have time to hurt anybody else." Matt summarized the plan. "Any powers we need to be aware of?"
The woman's an Illusion Caster and the man has some level of Enhanced Strength."
"Ohhhh great. Another one of those." Matt shuddered. "Okay, I think, psionic should fight psionic. I've beaten an illusionist before but it wasn't easy. They're kinda my kryptonite. I can handle the idiot though."
"No worries. She won't even know what hit her." Lian assured him.
The trio traversed the parking lot and made a beeline for the car.
"What is taking her so long? Is this some kind of game she likes to play? Because I am not in the mood for it." The client complained.
"Relaaax she'll be here. She knows better than to make me wait. She knows what'll happen to her if she does." The Illusionist replied and took out her phone and sent another message.
Get out here now or everyone starts screaming. NOW!
A few seconds later she finally received a reply. It was not a pleasant one.
Eat A Whole Bag Of Hairy Dicks You Human Trafficking PsychoBITCH!
"Oh Riley." She sighed and pocketed the phone. "I really thought you were smarter than this. Time to start the screaming." The Illusionist raised her hands towards the school and was about to use her powers when the tires popped around the car. "The fuck?" She turned around and was promptly bitchslapped across the face by the back of Lian's hand. She spun side over side and hit the ground and slid across the ground a few times. She spat some blood down on it and stood up shakingly and wiping her mouth. "Wh-wha? Who the hell?"
Lian's response was a deep inhuman growl that sent shivers down her spine.
"What the hell? What is this? Where'd you come from?" She challenged. The Illusionist was mind tossed through the air and landed on her back again as Flannery approached her. "First and final warning: Give up. Lay down on your stomach with your hands on your head. The police are on their way."
"Hey what's going on?" The client tried to step out of the car when the door was flung open behind him and a pair of hands grabbed him and dragged him out and tossed him to the ground. Matt stood over him with his fists clenched tightly. "Be smart and stay down or I will knock your freaking teeth out."
"Think again punk!" The man hit the ground hard enough to put fist sized cracks in it and he sprung back to his feet only to be kicked in the knee by Matt who then grabbed his head and he swung up at his jaw with an uppercut and then he punched him in the gut and kicked him back to the ground. Honestly, compared to the animal man, this loser was practically moving in slow motion. He obviously wasn't used to his victims fighting back.
"Okay, I don't know who you kids are, but I am going to shatter your fucking minds for this!" The Illusionist spat at them and reached out with her mind to send the two girls into an illusion world. Lian and Flannery watched the world collapse around them into fiery pits of lava as the ground they were standing on levitated up into the stratosphere and the woman transformed herself into a blue skinned multi armed behemaoth with snake headed tentacles coming out of her back and spiky black hair and spider like red eyes and a large mouth filled with razor sharp teeth! A massive storm started up around them.
"Welcome to your worst nightmares! Your mind will shatter like glass! No matter how much you may plead for mercy I will show you none! I will reach into your minds and bring out your deepest darkest fears and make them eat you alive! There will be no escaping me! No mercy! Only your wonderful screams and I-"
"Are you going anywhere with this?" Lian asked. "Look, I'm sorry, I know you're a pathetic spineless little bitch, but this...this is just the definition of try hard."
"I WILL END YOU! I AM THE SUCCESSOR OF THE NIGHTMARE QUEEN! I AM NEW THE NIGHTMARE QUEEN! I AM THE EMBODIMENT OF FEAR AND I-"
"Wow she really is a try hard." Flannery agreed. "I wonder if the original Nightmare Queen was this lame. I'll have to ask about that when we're done here."
"Ohhhh so the bitch wants to talk about nightmares huh?" Lian challenged. Her eyes glowed with a crimson red light.
"We'll show you some nightmares."
