Waiting by the armor plated transport Sun Wolf, Betony and Crusader watched the grey and maroon armored MCTF troopers walk down the ramp.
Each trooper wore standard issue Mega Crime Tactical Armor. In addition to a helmet with a fully polarized face covering visor, the armor itself was built out of high impact ballistic plates which gave the wearer protection from small arms and light powered energy weapons. The plates covered the torso, groin, biceps, and thighs in a dark matte maroon over an industrial grey jumpsuit. At the waist hung a tactical belt covered in pouches and devices that the average trooper might need during his dangerous duties. In addition the troopers had matching armored leather boots and gauntlets once again in a dark matte maroon.
A tall man in a maroon half helmet with captains’ bars and a tactical visor separated himself from the troopers and offered a hand to each of them in turn. “I’m Captain Sherman. Good job capturing these two.” He looked around at all the damage “It looks like this was quite the fight; I wish I could have seen it.”
Captain Sherman pulled a military grade touchscreen pad out of a hip pouch and taped the screen a few times pulling up files and photos and occasionally adding a few notes about the scene of the battle here and there in the proper spots.
Natasha looked over at the pad one eyebrow raising in appraisal.
“Ok, the Electrocutioner and Abominatron. Class C and D ratings respectively.” He shouted over his shoulder to his troops. “Second class electrical containment, the usual the reinforced rubber restraints on the Electrocutioner. Remember not to disturb his hood; we have to follow the law. Separate the robot parts in bins, no more than 20 pounds per. He can reassemble at 30 pound increments. And put the EM detectors on top to see if the parts start to go active.” With those instructions his men got to work.
She whistled, an odd sound coming from a muzzle “That is quite the database. Where can we get ahold of one of those?”
“These? They are standard MCTF issue. Touch screen, sound and video recorders, GPS, and a copy of the powers database software. I’ll see what I can do, we have sold them in the past. Maybe we can sell you one at a discount, with a self-updating subscription plan of course so you have the latest info to help you out.”
“That would be great, very useful in our line of work.”
He tapped the pad again. “These two had a reward. Want me to send it your usual account? It is about six thousand combined before taxes and admin fees.”
“Da,” She agreed “that sounds good. It is almost time for the usual bills and such. This is not a cheap line of work to get into. Especially if you don’t have any sponsors.”
Captain Sherman nodded “Will do. Oh and do you guys have a team name yet? I know it would make our job a bit easier when it came to get ahold of you.”
They all shook their heads.
Betony spoke “We are still arguing about that.” She rolled her eyes, “We have kinda decided that it needs to have patrol in it. But Grande has some of the worst suggestions.”
Grande chose that moment to walk up after his interview. “No I don’t, I think Power Patrol eis a great name.”
They all shook their heads or rolled their eyes. “That sounds like a name a bunch of kids would have.” muttered Sun Wolf.
Sherman chuckled “Good luck with that. A name can make or break the team’s reputation.” One of his men signaled him as they were loading the last of the tubs with Abomination’s parts inside. ” Looks like my guys are about done. Well off to Granite Island. If you want I can try to arrange a tour some time. You deserve to see where some of the guys you bust end up.”
“Thanks for the offer Captain. We might be interested in that. Use the team email you have on file for us.” replied Sun Wolf
“Will do. “ The Captain waved as he got in the MCTF armored transport. The rear hatch closed with a mechanical whine and the vehicle rumbled off.
Betony glanced over to Crusader after the MCTF had left. “You were awfully quiet back there. What’s up?”
“Yeah, I had no idea what you guys were talking about back there. As you probably remember I’ve only been doing this for about a month. This was not my plan for my life. I'm still going to community college to get my associates degree. I just read a bit about this kind of stuff online and in the paper. Like most normal people I just kinda ignored it and tried to go along with my life. And besides I thought it would better not to say anything and look stupid in front of that guy.”
She winced “Oh yeah, I think we forgot about that. Most of this is probably pretty weird for you. Anything in particular you want to know.”
“Yeah, what’s Granite Island?”
“What’s Granite Island, huh?” Betony looked over to Sun Wolf and Grande for help “That is not too hard of a question. But it might be better to talk about it in less public surroundings.”
“How ‘bout the base?” Grande suggested.
“Da, good idea Grande. And besides,” The wolf woman smirked “You can change your pants. I imagine that rip up the back is getting a bit drafty. Although the red was a good choice; it matches your costume well. That TV interview might be a good one for my personal archive.”
“OhDiosMio.”
Betony, also smirking, nodded her head. “Yeah, totally. We should do that. Wait, what time is it?”
Everyone looked around the street trying to find a clock when Crusader stage whispered to Betony. “Check your cell phone.”
She grimaced and pulled it out of another pouch on her belt. “Four o’clock! I’m gonna be late! Practice is at Four thirty! Crusader can you give me a ride to the school? I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“Sure, I can do that for you. The car is over there.”
“So eit eis settled, being that tomorrow eis Saturday, we will meet at the base, let’s say tomorrow at about Ten-ish.”
“When was that settled? Was that one of your spontaneous executive decisions?” Sun Wolf sighed and waved her hand “Sure that will work. And besides Roland will be back from vacation. We can introduce him and Crusader to each other.”
Betony and Crusader both waved to the other two before they got into Crusader’s beat up Focus. Crusader climbing in the driver seat and Betony into the cluttered back seat. She had to shift a still slightly warm pizza bag and a few empty fast food drink cups to make a space to sit down.
Crusader looked in the rear view mirror at his companion “Why are you sitting back there?”
“I have to change; I can’t look like this at school. Secret identities are supposed to be secret. And besides because I am running late I need to put on my cheer uniform so I am ready when we get there.”
Before he pulled away from the curb he watched as she reached around behind her neck and unclasped the large gold necklace she wore. Magically her features began to change, youthening dramatically. Her long nearly waist length blond hair shrank down to a simple pageboy. Overall her body shrank down and got less mature until she looked her actual age of seventeen not the mid-twenties appearance she normally had while on the job. She glanced up at the mirror and smirked at Crusader “My mom made me a good disguise huh? You can stop looking now.”
“Crap, sorry. That is just so cool to see.”
“It is kinda cool isn’t?”
He pulled away from the curb and began to quickly pick up speed and cut in and out of traffic in the manner of all good delivery drivers as it raced to Betony’s school.
“Roosevelt High School right?” Crusader called over his shoulder. Being very careful not to look in the mirror at the changing teen in his back seat.
“Yep!”
A mere fifteen minutes after they had left the heart of downtown they pulled up to the front of the Roosevelt High School campus.
“We are here.”
“Wow that was super fast! Are you sure that is not another super power?” She commented with a small laugh. Betony climbed out of the back of the car adjusting her uniform and smoothing down the skirt of her green and gold cheer uniform. She posed over dramatically “Go Rough Riders!”
He chuckled at her over cheerfulness. “Well I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Wait!” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Can you do me a favor?” She held out a small bundle, her costumes belt and the amulet. “Can you hold onto this for me until tomorrow? I don’t want to take a chance of anything happening to this here. You know just in case. There are herbs in here that might look suspicions to security. And this valuable and I’d rather not have this stolen and have my mother’s disguise amulet go missing and end up in the wrong hands. “
“Sure thing B, you have my word that I will protect your stuff and keep it safe.” Momentarily reality seemed to pause except for the two of them as soon as he uttered that promise. “Whoa, that was weird. What kind of power do you think that was?”
She also looks a bit startled. “Yeah that was weird. Maybe it was an oath? We should probably check that out tomorrow. Well, see ya later! I’m off to practice!”
Crusader waited until she walked through the front doors of the school before he drove off. As he drove off he picked up his cell phone and made an important call.
“It’s me. Sorry it is taking me so long to get back to you. There was a villain fight or something in downtown. Yeah, it killed traffic. I’ll be there soon to finish my shift. That last delivery? Yeah I made it there on time but that old lady gave me a fifty cent tip. Quit laughing. Yep, see you in fifteen.”
Crusader pulled off his chainmail coif, undid his bandana, shrugged off his jacket and put on his red mesh Poppy’s Pizza hat. Time for him to get back to work.
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