“Can I go to the bathroom?” Marco asked in Russian

“No.” Scattershot replied. She was dressed in a paramilitary dark green outfit straight from the cold war.

“Why not? I really got to go?” Marco was still dressed in the same clothes he was kidnapped in.

“Because you might escape.” Scattershot answered. Marco was seated on a couch in a large office in the center of a factory floor. The office had several desks that were lined up near the wall with the couch in the center of the room, creating a small waiting area.

“What?” Marco asked Scattershot who was reading a magazine next to him.

“You might escape and then we would have to find you and that would mean I would have to put this magazine down.”

“I can freeze your crotch so you don’t have to go.” Siberion told Marco with a metallic twang.

“Maybe not. I think I can hold it. How long are you going to keep me here?”

“Until your father decides to join us.” Siberion told him.

“Why would he do that?”

“Because if he says no I will freeze your crotch.”

"OK Jimbo, try not to miss? I don't want to end up in Jersey." Speedball said as he crouched down next to Proudstar.

Proudstar laughed as he grabbed the collar and belt of Speedball's costume. "Don't worry, Robbie, I think New Jersey might spit you back."

"Funny. Hope your aim isn't as bad as your jokes. "

"Trust me" Proudstar began to spin around using the momentum of Speedball's weight to increase the speed of the spin. After about 30 seconds, Proudstar threw Speedball towards the factory doors with a huge yell and Speedball sailed through the air like a missile, tearing through the metal factory garage doors and creating a huge crashing sound.

"Warriors move now!", Night Thrasher shouted.

"What the hell is going on?” Scattershot shouted as the main factory space outside the office exploded with noise.

"Bella, Siberion find out what is going on. I will secure the prisoner in the safe room. "

"I hope it's some American superheroes, their faces are so soft, when I hit them." Bella told Siberion with a wicked smile on her rocky face.

"American superheroes are over rated. They would not last one day back home." Siberion responded back with his metallic voice.

When they left the office, Scattershot barked at Marko, "Marko get up. We're going into the safe room, until I know what's going on." She grabbed the teenager's left arm and moved him towards the back door. "Psi-Wolf, Scattershot, what is our situation?" She felt something move at the corner of her eye and she flinched to her left, as Silhouette's fist glanced her chin.

"What?" Marko shouted as Scattershot shoved him to the floor.

Scattershot grunted as Silhouette leaped out of the shadows and connected another fist with Scattershot's stomach. She backed up, pointed her hand at Silhouette and electrical sparks caught Silhouette in its arc.

Silhouette fell to her knees as the electricity coursed through her body. "That hurt, you witch!" She grunted as she lunged at Scattershot.

Scattershot tried putting her arms in between them, but Silhouette sweeped her arms before she could let off a charge. Silhouette used the heel of her palm and caught Scattershot in the nose, knocking her out.

"C'mon Marco. I'm one of the good guys." Silhouette told Marko as she offered her outstretched hand.

"Glad Thrash made me pad my costume," she told herself. "Ok kid. Let me warn you that this is going to be a rough ride. Last time someone shadow jumped with me, they lost their lunch, dinner and dessert from two months ago."

All Marco could do to not to look stupid was take Silhouette’s hand.

"So that is what we are offering. Dr. Vucemiloc." Doppelganger told him, as he leaned back on his leather chair.

"I don't know what to say, but it is a very attractive offer." Dr Vucemiloc answered. They were seated in a foreman’s office that was on the second floor of the factory. Invoices and announcements were pinned on the bulletin boards.

"Doctor, let's talk Russian to Russian. You must admit that this academic life you are leading now is not fulfilling, am I correct?"

"It could be more exciting, but the research opportunities..."

"Admit it, you could be 20 years ahead of everybody, if the American government didn’t hold you back. Think about it, back in Russia, how many advancements did you make there?'

"Things were different then. Fast and loose. No one was watching over me."

"Exactly. The interests I represent want to offer that back to you. We do not want to see you waste your talent dealing with bureaucracy and paperwork. We want you creating superhumans for us."

"But what would you do with them?"

"Anything and everything. Think about the applications. Superhuman farmers resurrecting the Russian farmland. Cold resistant workers maximizing the riches of Siberia. The possibilities are endless. We can't beat the Americans on the Internet or in technology, but we can beat them with this and Doctor this is it."

"I must admit the offer is tempting."

BOOM

“What is going on?” Dr. Vucemiloc asked worriedly.

“Don’t know, but I would not worry about it.” Doppelganger replied as he rose from his seat.

The lights went off in the office as Bengal and Night Thrasher charged in. Doppelganger threw a lightning quick kick that barely missed Bengal, while Night Thrasher grabbed a disorientated Dr. Vucemiloc. Bengal threw a sai at Doppelganger trying to pin him to a wall, but Doppelganger moved swiftly and plucked the sai out of the air. If Bengal was surprised he did not show it, charging right back at Doppelganger.

“Dr. Vucemiloc, I am Night Thrasher and these are the New Warriors and we are getting you out of here.” Night Thrasher told Dr. Vucemiloc as they ran out of the office.

“uhh…OK.” Was all Dr. Vucemiloc could utter as he tried to absorb what was going on.

“Watch out! Coming though!” Speedball shouted as he smacked into a group of Peristrike Force terrorists. He ricochet off them, bounced off a wall and slammed into Bella Volga, knocking her off her feet.

“Argh!” Bella Volga grunted as she quickly got on her feet trying to look for Speedball, but ended up facing Proudstar in front of her.

“I hear you might make me sweat? Let’s see if the Thrashman was right.” Proudstar began to circle around Bella Volga raining a barrage of quick blows on her head and body. Although the blows were quick and not at full strength, Bella knew she would be knocked out in a matter of moments. Her military training began to take over and she stuck her large leg out, throwing Proudstar off balance. Bella took advantage of this and slammed her fist into Proudstar’s chest sending him flying into some machinery.

“Weak American superheroes,” She grunted and began to look for Speedball again, when Proudstar started to move again.

“Lucky punch. Let’s see you do that again,” Proudstar said as he wiped some blood off his mouth and charged Bella Volga with a blood-curdling scream.

Sorceress was worried. She never had the opportunity to experience this much action before. A half-dozen Peristrike Force terrorists had her pinned down in a corner and it was taking all her concentration to maintain her force field. She could not think of a way to get out and was too afraid to grab her communicator. Sorceress let out a sigh of relief when a blur of motion passed by and the bullets stopped flying.

“I thought you might need a hand there, Mel.” Speedball grinned as he lay on top of the six terrorists. Sorceress responded with a smile, but it changed into a yell as Psi-Wolf came behind Speedball and grabbed his neck with both of his robotic arms. A visable charge leaped from Psi-Wolf’s eyes and ran down his arms as Speedball yelled in pain. It continued for several more seconds and then stopped. Psi-Wolf let go of Speedball’s neck and Speedball rose to his feet with a dead look in his eye.

Jolt came over to Sorceress’ side and asked Sorceress, “Mind control right?”

Sorceress nodded.

“Great. It would be ironic that he choose Speedball.”

CRASH

Someone flew out of the second floor window somersaulting in the air, sending glass everywhere and deftly landing near Jolt and Sorceress.

“Duc?” Sorceress asked. Duc Tranh was standing in front of her wearing a business suit and holding a sai in his hand. Jolt looked up at the broken window and saw Bengal standing there waving at them frantically.

“Mel, move!” Jolt shouted as she shoved Sorceress out of the way. The Duc Tranh wearing the suit thrust the sai into Jolt’s side, twisted it and smiled.

“No!” Speedball yelled as he snapped out of Psi-Wolf’s mental grasp. He waved his hand and a barrage of kinetic bubbles flew into the fake Bengal knocking him senseless. When he hit the ground, he quickly turned back in his original form of Doppelganger.

Psi-Wolf moved towards Speedball, but Speedball quickly spun around, catching Psi-Wolf with a fist in cased with kinetic bubbles. Psi-Wolf exploded backwards, sending metal parts flying around, into a wall and stayed on the ground motionless.

Speedball ran to Jolt’s side and cradled her head. “Please Hallie. Please be ok. I stopped the bad guys this time. I’m sorry.”

“Nice punches, Speedbump” Jolt weakly replied and smiled.

“Thank god.”

“Could you get me an ambulance now? I have knife stuck in my side?” She joked.

Epilogue

Robbie Baldwin loved this part of the West Side Highway. The newly opened running path with the Hudson River on one side and the Highway on the other was filled with joggers and bikers moving up and down Manhattan. He loved watching the people move under their own power, like engines powered by calories. It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning its descent when he felt Dwayne approaching him. The measured gait and steady arm movements gave Dwayne away immediately, so Robbie did not even turn around to greet him, but continued to keep his hands on the rail looking out into New Jersey.

When Dwayne Taylor came beside him, Robbie asked, “Not going to convince me to stay?”

“No Robbie, not today.”

“Good,” Robbie responded, “I will miss New York,” Robbie paused, “and you guys of course.”

“Where are you going to go?” Dwayne asked.

“The West Coast. I want to visit my mom. Going to take a cross-country trip. I want to take it easy for a while.”

“Well, you know you will always have a home here.”

“I know, but….” Robbie turned to Dwayne, “It’s different now. Every time I look at you, Dwayne, I see what I did to you guys,” he clenched his fist and kinetic bubbles appeared out of the air, orbiting around his fist.

“Robbie….” Dwayne began as he inadvertently touched his eye patch.

“Let me finish Dwayne,” Robbie asked. “I can control my Speedball powers more than ever before, but I would give it all up, for you to have your eye back or Calvin to be standing here with me.” He turned his head back on the water and put it down.

“Robbie, I know, but what is done is done. I do not blame you for this and I know if Calvin were standing here right now, he would not either.” Dwayne put his hand on Robbie’s shoulder.

“Look, I miss them too, but life goes on and we can choose to either live in the past or move on. Take some time off. Visit friends. Come back here, when you feel the time is right.”

Robbie continued to look into New Jersey. “I’ll try.” He turned to face Dwayne, “Thanks buddy. You remember the first time we met?”

“Against Terrax?”

“Yep. Who would have thought that you and I would be the last two left.”

“Not me.” Dwayne smiled. He moved in and gave Robbie a hug.

“Whoa, Dwayne, this psychiatrist must be brainwashing you.”

“Shut up, Robbie.”