QUANTUM CATS -	G-MEN

[After the bloody battle with Dom, Tatiana and the Beast, in the desert 
outside Las Vegas, Jackie drove their ruined RV back to the city, and 
brings SFX (still with a dismembered arm), Chase (with bullet wounds), 
and the bodies of George and Dom, to a hospital.]


Jackie -

	She gives a sneer of annoyance to the doctor, as well as the 
pigs arriving in full force.  Shouldering the bags of disks, CDs and 
assorted junk she looks at the doctor, "Tell the cops I'll be inside, make 
sure they get in touch with a SWAT team and the FBI."
	Walking inside, she goes directly for the pay phone and tries to 
dial Lee from memory, with all that's happened a bit difficult.  If she 
needs a bit of change she'll take it from the phone itself.
	If she gets in touch with him, "Mr. Lee.  You don't know me, my 
name is Jacqueline Carlysle, with the Quantum Cats.  We need your 
help, I have two of my people in bad condition and the law is on it's way 
down here.  If you read the papers, we had a run in with the werewolf 
serial killer.  Can you get here?  I want to run a press conference and 
need help keepin' names out of this mess."
	If she has time, she will find the phone numbers for a TV station 
and a PI, the type that specializes in VIP bodyguard work.  Hopefully, 
not a tough thing to find in Vegas.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Mr. Lee isn't in his office at this hour; you leave a message. By the time 
you're looking for the number of a TV station, police officers are 
surrounding you in the hallway of the hospital. They don't have guns out, 
but their hands aren't far from their pistols.

"Ma'am, please hang up the phone," one says. "We have a few 
questions for you."

<><><><><>

Jackie

	Jackie laughs at the cops, "Yeah I got a question for you flatfoot. 
How do you all plan on stoppin' the Beast?  The Werewolf, whatever you 
want to call it?  It's out, it's alive and it's a few miles away.  Maybe badly 
hurt. Those popguns won't do squat, I seen automatic weapons barely 
make it mad.  Oh yeah, you also got some terrorists runnin' around.  No 
not me.  I'm part of the solution.
	I'm tired and thirsty and my friends have been put through a 
blender. Join me in a cup of coffee?  If not get me the FBI or a detective 
to talk to."
	She looks over her appearance to make sure she isn't hurt, 
she's not sure if Tataiana did any real damage.  She makes her way to 
the cafeteria, keeping a wary eye on the cops.  After all a billy club and 
some pepper spray can do some damage.

<><><><><>

[GM]

The police remain tense. "OK, let's get some coffee," one of them 
agrees. They cautiously walk with you towards the cafeteria. "Now why 
don't you run that by me again slowly? You came barreling into a 
hospital emergency room, with an injured child and two dead bodies. We 
need a few explanations. Real good ones."

Your skin is in fact blistered, though you hadn't noticed the pain until 
now. Your jacket is pretty much ruined too.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Arriving in the cafeteria she looks around. *S***!  When's the 
last time I ate somethin'?  A fruit platter...lunch kinda got ruined.  What 
time is it?!  I don't even know if I should be p***** or not.*  Jackie decides 
she should be.
	She fills up several styros of coffee, black and sits down with her 
back to the wall.  Taking off her business jacket, she touches the blisters 
with a careful probe. *M****** ******!  That b****!  Leastwise we know she 
can change to different gas.*
	"Okay, I'll talk slow so you can write it down.  I brought in two of 
my friends, one a kid and the other... Two corpses.  One was my friend, 
the other guy is the one who killed him.
	I'm too tired to tell you everythin'.  The facts are these Nazi 
F***** kidnapped all of us and took us out into the desert.  We got free 
and then the Beast found us.  It got really messy.  The Beast wanted us 
for dinner and the other whackos wanted *US* for somethin'.
	These guys reminded me of SWAT guys, auto rifles all in black.  
They hosed the wolf and we all worked on killin' it cause it would have 
eaten us all up.  We downed the F****** and then they turned on us.  We 
defended our butts same as you would.  They killed my friend, I killed 
him.
	We got out of there while we could still walk, my friends needed 
help.  When we left, we didn't see the Beast.  It's still out there, maybe a 
bit worse for the wear.  You also have a handful of terrorists still out 
there and a metahuman chick who can turn herself into gas.
	So, Professor, got any bright ideas?  They sprayed that monster 
with handfuls of bullets and it slowed him down.  I electrocuted him, 
drove a buzz saw through it's chest, hit him with sonic blasts and it still 
didn't die.
	I ain't goin' nowhere, I'm stayin with my friends until they are up 
and about.  I'm not a psycho and I don't want any trouble. Least of all in 
a hospital.  You have more worries than me.  I suggest you get on top of 
it Dudley.
	Shut the highway down, get copters out and some big guns.  
That's all you need to know.  If the Feds want you to hear what else I got 
to say, so be it.  I ain't repeatin' myself again."
	Looking around at the food in the hospital, she considers getting 
something.  The food however, reminds her of what she was eating a 
scant three weeks ago and she forgets about it.
	"You guys got any smokes?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

"This 'beast', you're saying it's the 'werewolf killer'?" the lead cop says. 
"And the others in the van- metahumans too? Like you? What about the 
little boy?"

A plainclothes cop pulls a pack of Camels out of his pocket, taps out a 
cigarette and hands it to you. The uniformed officer questioning you 
says "The feds are on their way. With metahumans of their own, I 
understand."

A doctor approaches from the direction of the emergency room.

"Excuse me, officers," he says. He's holding a clipboard as he looks at 
Jackie. "Ma'am, you didn't give me your name, or the name of the child. 
Are you his legal guardian? I need a release form for me to treat him. 
Also, how long ago did he sustain those injuries?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Jackie takes the Camel and draws in the smoke, exhaling, "Yes, 
the same one.  It's hurt this time, there may be a chance for you guys to 
kill or capture it.  Though capturin' it isn't a brilliant idea, I've seen it rip 
right through metal and stone.  You guys have to get on this quick 
before more people die...
	Yeah, the little boy, the dead blonde guy and my friend with the 
ripped off arm are metahumans."  Jackie winces.
	When the doctor approaches, "Doc, the little boy isn't as young 
as he seems, he's old enough.  I'm the closest he has to a parent or 
guardian, so I'll sign it.  But I am not givin' names out til my lawyer gets 
here.  I really don't think anyone is puttin me away, but I am cautious.
	They both were wounded about 20 minutes ago or so at the 
worst.  How bad are they Doc?  When can I see them?"
	She takes the clip board and signs her name, if anyone is to 
blame or be snagged she will, but not them.  She isn't leaving them 
behind, no matter what.  Blowing on the coffee, she takes a gulp and 
then takes a drag of the Camel.
	"So what are you waitin' for?!  Get on the horn and get some 
people on this.  If you plan on askin' more questions, you can wait for 
the Feds, but I'm goin' to make some phone calls.  Want to watch?  I 
ain't leavin here, so you got no worries.  How about some police on my 
friends' room?  Those Nazis might be back."
	After taking a last long drag on the cigarette, she puts it out in 
the coffee cup, picks up the other one and takes a gulp.

<><><><><>

[GM]

The doctor frowns. "Twenty minutes? No, it's obvious he's been healing 
for at least a couple of days."

"As for your other friend, he's in surgery now. The attending physician is 
still trying to determine whether his arm can be reattached." The doctor 
looks slightly rattled.

"Now, is there anything else we should know about them?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Taking the doctor aside, she gives him a skeptical look, "Okay 
Doc, as I got it, you don't give out hospital or patient records lightly, so 
I'll be frank with you.
	The little boy has the power to speed his healin' a bit, as well as 
others.  I think he did that for himself and my other friend.  He was very 
tired and the sooner he is rested and strong he can probably do more 
than you can.  I suppose treatin' him for what he has now and tryin' to 
speed up his fatigue will help a lot.  He has powers that um, affect 
probabilities, but they are a bit uncontrollable.  They cause some weird 
thin's to happen, but will not hurt anyone.
	My other friend can amplify sound, if he wakes up he might 
shatter some eardrums.  Try some earplugs if you got them.  If it looks 
like he's gonna wake up get me right away.  I might be able to help.
	I'm ok, but I think I have some burns, if you guys got a minute I'd 
appreciate some help.  On second thought, if you all would feel better, 
I'll stay in the room while you do your thin'.  I know how you feel about us 
people. Kind of scary.
	I'll do anythin' that I can to help my friends.  Name it."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Metahumans," the doctor says. "Great." He shakes his head, and walks 
back to the emergency room. "Come along, we'll give you some 
treatment for those burns. There isn't much to do for the...little boy, aside 
from antibiotics and stitches. Your other friend is still in surgery, and will 
be for a long time, assuming they find sufficient lack of nerve damage 
that they can attempt to reattach the arm."

The police follow closely, but don't interfere. By the time Jackie has 
been undressed and treated for first and second degree chemical burns, 
(and fitted for a lovely hospital gown), Chase has been put up in a 
regular room in the children's ward, where he continues to sleep. 
Meanwhile, some new arrivals have entered the hospital.

In the examining room after Jackie has been treated, she sits on a table 
in her hospital gown while two men with dark suits that scream "COP!" 
worse any regular cops enter.

"Good evening, ma'am," says the first, a blond man with enormously 
broad shoulders and a build like a football linebacker. "I'm Special Agent 
Jay Hensley, and this is Special Agent Jack Hammond." The other man, 
taller but somewhat less massive than Hensley, with brown hair in a 
buzz cut, nods. "We're with the Justice Department." They both flash 
badges.

"I understand you have been involved in a metahuman incident."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Listening to the doctor, she brightens a bit at the news on Chase 
and as quickly, her mood turns black and foul at SFX's condition.  She 
hopes that Chaos affects everything when he heals both himself and 
others.  Or he will be SFX's only hope.
	Passively she sits in her gown as her burns are treated, an 
occasional wince is all she allows herself for the pain.  For a moment 
she ponders getting some cigarettes or a cigar or two to cut off her 
appetite with some nicotine, but doesn't get the chance.
	She eyes the two federal jackboots, "You guys ever knock?  
Yeah, I was, but not just one, several.  I got a lot to squawk about, but 
not sure I should. The only real reason, other than to see you guys 
dance for me is due to a bit of a complication.  Mainly, it was found out 
in the commission of crimes, well at least some of it.  It don't bother me 
none, but I have friends to think about.
	You guys have any authority to deal?  If not you can wait for my 
lawyer to show up."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"We don't personally have the authority to grant amnesty for past 
crimes," says Hensley. "Our agency does have connections that go all 
the way to the top, though. Nothing is out of the question."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She frowns, "Okay, then I'll give you an edited version.  
Basically, a short time ago, maybe an hour ago, I was kidnapped by two 
metahumans here in town.  One could pop back and forth, like some 
major Star Trek transporter action.  He also was strong as a gorilla and 
tough, he laughed at me when I hit him.  This guy, Dom, he came along 
with this woman, Tatiana.  She's also one of these Aces, she can turn 
into smoke, gas, acid gas."  Jackie rolls her arm and shoulder 
uncomfortably, as it painfully itches.
	"I woke up locked up in some kinda box in my own RV, they 
apparently grabbed my friends, George and the little boy.  Well I got out 
and they gave us a choice, join them or die.  I chose to call their bluff.
	The thin' you don't get is that we found out these guys were 
mindf****** and we would be too.  Brainwashed, wigged out by some 
other a******.  Also a metahuman.  Well it got a bit worse, cause the 
Beast showed up.  As funny as it is we kinda threw into it with these 
psychos to take on the Beast.  Well we thought we killed it, durin' that 
my friend got his arm ripped off for his trouble.
	All that was left was my friend George and the little boy.  We 
had to kill them, we weren't offered a choice.  My friend George saved 
what is left of our lives, by runnin' this f****** Dom down with his RV, 
twice.  Well, Dom jumped in and broke his neck."
	A brief silence falls over her, "I paid him back in spades. I got us 
out of there, but the Beast was gone.  What is left of these guys is out on 
the highway, even funnier is they operate better than cops, more like 
you guys would I guess.  They got money, gear and lots of people.  Oh, 
and they might be Russian or German.
	I never found any ID on them when I had the chance to before.  I 
ain't sayin' any more until I get a lawayer here.  No way am I gettin 
myself and my friends in deeper.  Easy way to check out my story, check 
the highway.
	Not alone though.  Tatiana, the Beast and half a dozen auto 
wieldin' psychos still might be out there.  These people are crazy.  We 
made a big mess for you guys a smaller one to deal on, remember that 
when you start pointin a finger.  There's a lot more to tell you.
	I ain't real worried about you guys takin me in or lockin me up, 
but I want a clean record for me and my friends.  I don't rat on my friends 
or leave them.  So if you'll excuse me, I'm goin' to see them.  I ain't 
leavin' or nothin', I'm here to wheel and deal, so you get on the horn and 
do somethin'. Hell there might be some good stuff in my RV that would 
help too.
	I told you guys the important stuff, the stuff you can do somethin' 
about now.  Before more people get killed.  The rest is just frostin' on the 
cake."
	Jackie gets off the table and opens the door, on her way for the 
children's wing.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Mindf***ed?" Hensley repeats. He and Hammond exchange looks. "Holy 
f***," he mutters.

They follow you to the children's ward. "We've been trailing you all the 
way from Louisiana. Ever since you broke Mr. Moore out of the 
nuthouse. Of course we didn't know much when we first began the 
chase, just that metahumans were involved. But we picked up more 
clues along the way. I already have your records, Ms. Carlysle."

In Chase's room, you find the boy still sleeping, somewhat fitfully. The 
two feds look at him. Hammond says quietly "This is Steven Moore? 
Why did he become a child?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She lets them let the idea about a metahuman who can take 
others as if they were slaves, but she is a WAY bit peeved.
	Glaring at the Feds, "OK ***wipe, you guys "tracked" since 
Louisiana, hypothetically speakin'.  You guys have a fistful of donuts or 
somethin', to busy to help out?  Pin a colored little pin on a map and let 
the chips fall where they may?  Seems everyone knows where to find us, 
but these psychos are the only ones to invite us to a f******' 
housewarmin'."
	A stainless steel, kidney shaped bowl inverts, flexes and falls to 
the floor with a clatter.
	"Since you know so g******** much, you yuppies goin' to get on 
the ball and actually DO somethin'?  Go talk to your cop friends, I'd like 
to stay with my friend and don't need you followin' me like two snotty 
puppies.  I ain't sayin' anymore until my lawyer gets here.  That is unless 
you want to arrest me for tryin' to keep alive?"
	Jackie goes over to the bed and pulls a chair next to Chase's 
bed, she takes hold of his hand.  "Don't worry Chase, Aunt Jackie's here 
and nothin' is goin' to take me away."
	She gives the agents a glare that clearly is dagger laced, which 
it very well could be.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"We didn't know where you were at any given time," Hensley says 
calmly. "We were always a step behind you. Your friend Moore left quite 
an...interesting trail, though. And as to 'doing something', we already 
have agents out on the highway, duly warned about this 'Beast' and the 
gas woman. *We* are here to make sure you don't go anywhere. We 
COULD arrest you, on quite a few charges. We'd prefer not to make 
things unpleasant. You may not think you need us, but perhaps you'd be 
interested to know that we already have some potential information on 
this 'mindf***er' of yours."

Chase stirs, disturbed by the grownup voices.

<><><><><>

Chase:

  He was having a nice dream.  Of course, he didn't realize it was a 
dream.  

  He was being held by Momma, he could feel her arms, her warmth.  He 
was holding Teddy.  Teddy and Momma would keep him safe and away 
from all the badmen and the monsters...

  So why were there suddenly noises?  Low, rough, they didn't sound 
like momma.  

  He wished the noises would go away and leave him and Momma and 
Teddy alone.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"Make no mistake, we don't need you.  And if I didn't do what I 
did, this whacko would have another metahuman on his team.  As I said 
before, I don't plan on leavin' without my friends and your threats are 
pretty weak compared with what I've had to go through lately.
	So, why don't you guys tell me about Wizard and your little 
secret farm commune in Colorado, or about Terminator, or maybe what 
you're doin' about Richard Napes, or for that matter Legion.  What 
makes you think I care about this metahuman jerk off?  You goin' to give 
me a uniform to fight the good fight for you?  I seen enough bad TV to 
know better.
	Truth is, you guys are just gonna start stockpilin people like us 
to fight against other people's stockpiles of super weirdos.  The more 
you got under your thumb, you win.  Right?  You guys seem to have few 
choices when it comes to people like us.  I can't see you lettin' us live 
our lives in peace. So maybe I suffer an accident, or maybe am labelled 
a threat and doped up for life, or better yet be your tin soldier.
	I'll cooperate to a point, but I'm my own tin plated soldier."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Yeah, bad TV and Oliver Stone films," Hensley says. "We want to 
recruit metahumans because the bad ones are destroying frigging cities! 
Dope you up? Only if you're one of the ones causing mass destruction 
and we have no other way to keep you confined. Would you rather we 
shoot all captured metahumans in the back of the head?"

"You know about Legion? Have you encountered Legion yet? Probably 
not, because you probably wouldn't be here. Wizard, Colorado....that's 
stuff that our agency wasn't involved with, but yeah, I know something 
about it."

Chase wakes up, disturbed by the increasing volume of the 
conversation.

<><><><><>

Chase:

  As the dream began to dissolve, Chase screwed his eyes up and his 
head down, into the pillow and whatever part of Jackie it was resting 
against.  The part of him that was aware, in that twilight between sleep 
and waking didn't want to wake up.  If he woke up he'd see... he'd have 
to remember... Well, he wasn't sure what yet, but he knew is was *bad*.

  Unfortunately, the noises didn't let him stay asleep.  "Nnnhhmm???," 
he whine/mumbled as he shifts, bringing a hand to one still closed eye 
and rubbing it.  

  There *were* voices.  One was...  "Jackie?," he mumbled as he opened 
his eyes.  The other two were male.  Steven?  Meany Larry?  He looked 
and froze...

 No.  Not Steven.  Not even meany SFX.  He didn't recognize either of 
them.  

  After a staring at the men for a heartbeat, Chase grabbed the nearest 
part of Jackie's clothing he could reach and half-buried his face, half-hid 
behind her (putting her between the men and him), leaving only enough 
exposed to look at them with one eye.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	They seem a bit reasonable, but she is not going to be a dog on 
a leash, "Look guys, call me paranoid, but for all I know you guys are 
here bein' all nice and s***, get my trust and you turn out to be under this 
mindf******.  I ain't insane, but I'm sure you can understand.  Another 
thin', let's say you guys are recruitin' folks, so is this another nut.  How 
many out there are bein' killed, enslaved or wrackin' up the town.  You 
guys can't be everywhere now can you?
	Sooner or later some of us are goin' to want to try to live normal 
lives or use our powers to do the same.  This stuff is goin' to be real 
hard to control once thin's, settle if they ever do.
	Now, I been workin' on tryin' to create a civilian group of people 
like us, people got to have alternatives.  But it seems Uncle Sam is goin 
to have to step in and regulate a little.
	What do I have to do to get a clean slate, a fresh start from all 
this nuttiness?  I'll cooperate, but I ain't gonna get squeezed."
	Chase stirs and grabs her, she holds him and gives him a tight 
hug. Leaning over she whispers into his ear, "These guys are Feds, they 
seem to know everythin', what do you think?"

<><><><><>

Chase:

  He hugs Jackie tighter in response to her hug, but does not respond to 
her quesition.  Truth be known, he's not sure what she means by 'Feds'.  
He *thinks* it has something to do with Elliot Ness and G-men, but he's 
not sure.  The rest of her quesiton is just as confusing.  What did he 
think?  A *grown-up* was asking *him* that?  What was he supposed to 
say?  Not that he would with these strange men here.   

  So instead of answering, or looking at the strange men, his one eye not 
hidden behind Jackie, wandered around the room looking for SFX or 
George.  Where were they?  He didn't want to think about SFX too 
much.  Last he remembered, he was rolling around, screaming.  And he 
looked *real* bad.  Well, besides Stephy turning him white by mistake 
too.  He hoped someone'd been able to fix his arm like when his GI Joe 
broke.  (Well, no, he *really* didn't, if he *actually* thought about it, think 
of it that way.  He knew the difference between dolls and people, after 
all.  People had *stuff* inside them.  But, he did not want to think what 
that meant.  So he didn't.)

  After a few moments, he realized the room was a hospital room, he'd 
seen on TV.  And Jackie's dress was weird one of those weird ones 
doctors were always making everyone wear- it had nothing but a couple 
little strings in the back.  And it was a funny green color.  He wondered 
why they made Jackie wear one of those too, though.  He hoped she 
wasn't sick.

  But, of course, what he *really* wanted was...  "Want Teddy...," he 
mumbled into Jackie's side/back.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"One of you gents, could you get a stuffed animal for the boy?  It 
helps calm him down," she gives them a wink

<><><><><>

[GM]

The agents talk to a nurse, who procures a stuffed bear from somewhere 
in the wing, and hands it over to Chase.

"Can he talk to us?" Hammond whispers to Jackie. "Does he remember 
what happened when he...changes bodies and everything?"

<><><><><>

Chase:

  He noticably less reticent with the nurse, though he still does not leave 
the protection of almost hiding behind Jackie.  Until he sees the teddy-
bear.  Then his face lights up and he practically jumps- though still 
cluthing at Jackie's gown with one hand, yelling, "Teddy!"  He wraps his 
free arm around the teddy bear and holds it to his body.  A moment later, 
looks up at the nurse, his face solemn as only a child's can be and says, 
"Thank you, pretty lady."

  He then scuttles back besides Jackie, teddy-bear clutched to him, and 
watches the nurse for a moment.  He hears the men's questions, and 
shows it by looking at them.  But does not answer them.  Instead, 
looking up at Jackie, he asks, "Are we sick?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She smiles at Chase and without missing a beat scowls to the 
Feds, " This is a little boy who has undergone a traumatizin' hour.  He 
needs his rest and he can't tell you anythin' I don't already know.  There 
is absolutely no reason for you to disturb him now, unless you just want 
to fill out your files."
	She leans in to Chase and whispers to him, "SFX really needs 
your help, I know you have a lot of questions and don't understand.  I 
want you to be a good boy and rest, to be strong for later.  You can talk 
to them, but I think we'd be better off if we didn't."
	Tousling his hair, she looks at the agents, "You can talk to him if 
you want, don't know how much help he'll be.  He is very sick.  I'm goin' 
to get some more coffee and see about my other friend.  Followin' me is 
optional."
	Keeping an eye on them, she goes for the door.

<><><><><>

Chase: 

  To say he is confused by Jackie is an understatement.  On the one 
hand, she tells the strange men to leave him alone and tells him not to 
talk with them.  But, on the other, she says they can talk to him and 
she's going to leave him *with* them.  *And* she says he's sick.  Sick is 
bad.  Leaving him with these strange men is worse.  

  He doesn't let go of Jackie as she stands to go to the door.  If she's 
going, he's going with her.  Sick or not, he doesn't want to left alone with 
these strange men.  "JAAAACCCKKKIIIIEEE!!," he whines. Loudly.  Still 
trying to clutch and hide behind her.  "Don't leeeaaaveee meeee!"   

  **Steven!  Stephy! ???**  An unarticluated question.  Hadn't she said 
something about going to see SFX?  "Wanna go with you!," he 
continues to Jackie. "I can help!  Don't needa sleep!"  The teddy-bear is 
cluthed tightly against him with the other arm, so that between it and 
Jackie, he's practically completely hidden.  He's not panicked.  But, if 
Jackie leaves him here alone with these strange men....

<><><><><>

[GM]

Contrary to his protests, Chase IS tired.

"Jeez, calm down, kid! We ain't gonna hurt you!" Hammond looks at 
Jackie. "Maybe you'd better not leave him, I'd hate to see his power 
erupt in the middle of a kid temper tantrum."

Steven and Stephy echo Hammond's words: **CHASE! Calm down! 
Please, be good, you can't...you can't let all that weird stuff happen 
again, not while you're hurt, and we're in a hospital!**

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She stops as he gets dragged along with her, she gives a look 
of exasperation, "Okay Chase you win.  I'll stay here, but only if", she 
gives a look to the Feds, "you guys take a powder.  No need to agitate 
him more.  He needs his sleep.  And I'd like a break from all this 
interrogation.  I'm here, I'm stayin'.  Give it a rest a while guys."
	Getting Chase settled into bed again, she pats him on the 
shoulder reassuring him she isn't leaving.  Walking over to the Feds, 
she speaks in soft tones, "Can you guys just give us some time to relax?  
Maybe get me some food, coffee and cigarettes...and a phone?  Post 
some cops if it makes you feel better, I just need time to think."
	Going back to the chair, she sits down and holds Chase's hand.

<><><><><>

Chase:

  Chase, still cluthing at both Jackie and the teddy-bear, peeks at the 
strange men (from behind Jackie if she's still sitting or teddy if not).  But 
he doesn't answer them.  Instead, he finally mumbles to neither Jackie 
nor the men, but off to the side a little, "Okay... I'll be good."  He gives 
Jackie a soulful look and continues, "I pmomise."  He's stealing quick 
glances at the G-men, as Jackie 'drags' him along.

 His face lights up as Jackie says she's going to stay and he lets her 
lead him back to bed and tuck him in, snuggling up with the teddy-bear. 
"I not tired...," he whines, but not loudly, when Jackie talks about him 
sleeping.  "Not really..."  He pouts as he tries- ultimately unsucessfully- 
to fight a yawn.  Sure he might *really* be tired, but he didn;t want Jackie 
to know that.  He knew like kids everywhere you didn't realloy have to go 
to bed just because you were tired.  Grown-ups didn't.  Of course, he 
*would* get rather cranky.  But what kid ever thought about that?

  Her lets her walk back to the men without whining or folowing, but his 
eyes follow her every step of the way and he's ready to jump out of bed 
the instant it looks like Jackie's leaving.  Sure, he know she's a nice 
lady, but even nice people try to trick kids every once in a while.  
Especially when they're trying to get them to go to bed. <g>

<><><><><>

[GM]

The agents look at each other. "OK," Hensley says gruffly. "We'll check 
on the other kid. We're also running fingerprints on the two, uh, 
deceased."

They leave the room, and Chase gradually nods off again.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She nods to them and stays seated, "First one is George 
Calhoun, small time hustler.  Why did he go and pull a dumb fool stunt 
like that?!  That stupid M***********!  Why couldn't he just save his own 
neck, like I told him to?  He could have.  I WOULD have."  She rubs her 
eyes knowing what she's thinking is a lie.
	Hearing Chase's grip falter a bit she realizes he's asleep.  She 
sits fighting the urge to do the same, it's not hard.  It's a skill you learn in 
the slam, waiting for some redneck to pay a call on you.
	Relishing the quiet for once, she tries to replay the events in her 
mind and see if there was another way...

<><><><><>

Chase:

  He was fighting sleep, unsuccessfully, but heard Jackie talking about 
George.  He remembered what he'd seen in the RV.  He just hadn't 
wanted to remember it.  He'd seen that George was hurt, but hadn't 
known he was dead.  That made him real sad.  For Jackie and Stephy, 
mostly.  

  "Don' cry, Jackie...," he mumbled softly against Jackie's hand through a 
mouth made heavy by approaching sleep.  Of course, Jackie wasn;t 
crying, but Chase knew that's what people did when people died.  "He's 
in heaven..."  That's what the preacher said at that funeral Steven had 
gone too anyway.  Though, Chase wasn't sure who it been for.  

  He then gave a huge yawn and feel asleep, unable to fight it off any 
longer.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She smiles to Chase, "He just might be in heaven."  She keeps 
quiet, anting Chase to believe that something good might have come out 
of this, though she hasn't put too much stock in religion.

<><><><><>

[GM]

Jackie wakes up before Chase does, being a light sleeper. She leaves 
the boy in his bed, and goes to check on SFX and the feds.

Agent Hammond and Agent Hensley, not surprisingly, were lurking 
nearby, waiting for you to emerge.

"Good news and bad news, on all fronts," Hensley says gruffly. "First, 
your friend, Hubert Lusk. The doctors are finishing up the reattachment 
of his arm. The prognosis is so-so; he'll live, but whether his arm will be 
fully functional is questionable. By the way, he *is* normally black, isn't 
he?"

"We've scouted the scene where you fought the other metahumans and 
that werewolf creature. Which, from all evidence, *is* still very much 
alive, though if it makes you feel any better, it finished off your machine-
gun toting friends before vanishing into the desert. Although we can't be 
sure until we finish assembling all the pieces, it doesn't appear that 
there is a female body among the remains, so I suspect your gas woman 
got away also."

"Now," he pulls a paper out from under his jacket. "This is a FAX we just 
received from Washington." He hands it to you. "As you can see, it's 
signed by the Attorney General herself. In return for your full 
cooperation-"

"I advise my client to say nothing until I've had a chance to inspect that 
document!"

Mr. Lee is hurrying from the elevator, dressed in a suit and carrying a 
briefcase, every bit the lawyer.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She curses herself for falling asleep at all, stupid details like that 
can get her butt iced.  Well, Chaos did that already...
	Before she has a chance to rub the sand from her eyes, Hensley 
starts up.  She listens to them, growing irritable by the second.  *Is he 
black?!*
	"You guys think you're so smug, you know his 
name...supposedly, but don't know if he's normally black?  Now that is 
rich."  She starts to laugh, but cuts it a bit short after hearing the rest.  
*Good, wolfy tore those p****** a new a******.  Tatiana.  She can't be far.*
	She raises an eyebrow at the FAX.  *A signed FAX?  Is that 
legal? Remember four years ago?  Don't be stupid and sign anythin'.*
	Mr. Lee comes barreling out of the elevator and Jackie breaks 
into an ear to ear grin.  Walking over to him, she takes his hand, "Mr. 
Lee?  Iron Maiden, we definitely have to talk.  Buy you a cup of coffee?"

<><><><><>

[GM]

Mr. Lee separates you from the feds, after giving them his card. They 
seem none too pleased. "Your client better not disappear on us," they 
call after you, as you head for the hospital cafeteria.

"Iron Maiden," Lee mutters, shaking his head. "All right, tell me what's 
going on, I need all the details." He looks at the FAX he took from you. 
"It is signed by the Attorney General, but it isn't a legal document in and 
of itself, nor does it purport to be. It basically amounts to a promise of 
immunity from prosecution IF you cooperate and IF you haven't done 
anything too heinous. Not legally binding, but good enough to seriously 
embarrass the administration if they DO shaft you, so we know their 
intent is serious, at least."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"Okay Mr. Lee, now that I'm away from the jackboots, let me 
reintroduce myself.  Jacqueline Carlysle.
	The worst of it is, I'm an ex-con and I haven't exactly been a nice 
girl.  Before I became a meta whatever, I tried rippin' off some guy's 
house, by name of Richard Napes.  He turned out to be part of some 
nasty s***, mainly funding and recruitin' a bunch of survival/KKK nutjobs 
to maybe work for some other meta person.  Durin' this little job, I found 
out I could do weird thin's with metals.
	From there, I wanted to go it on my own and well robbed a hotel 
of a sizable load of jewelry, fenced it and financed our little trip.  Seems 
my friend, SFX, knew about two others like me.  One was in the loony 
bin at Baton Rouge.  Well somethin' made me choose that one.
	It turned out to be the kid in the other room, S. Moore.  Well in 
the course of his break out, we found a bunch of other whackos there, 
with submachine guns and people like us who were tryin' to kidnap him.  
We stopped them, which in the course of, I ripped off a car and 
destroyed it.
	Thin's were ok for a while, we ran into this Beast, the werewolf 
serial killer.  We got away and came here to Vegas.  They kidnapped my 
friend George and S. Moore and grabbed me and the...SFX.  We 
escaped.
	In the desert, we faced off against, I dunno, ten guys with auto 
weapons and two metahumans.  Then the Beast showed up.  We fought 
it until it dropped then we turned on each other.  They said they wanted 
us to be slaves or some nonsense and I said no.
	A few people got killed, many I did in self defense.  And they 
killed my friend George Calhoun, so I put it right as best I could.  There 
were more there, but I was the only one left able to stand straight and 
out axle was broke.  I had to force it into shape and get here.
	The little boy, S. Moore is restin' and SFX is in surgery to 
reattach his arm.  The Beast ripped it off."
	Jackie stops for a moment.
	"I don't want to be a Fed puppy to be lead around on a leash.  
Will you help us?  I take it a good sign you are here.  Give me the bad 
news or ask me anythin' you like."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Ill help you," Lee says. "The question is, what exactly DO you want to 
do? You're a group of metahumans, but one of you just got maimed, and 
the other has been transformed into a child...not the best condition to 
start generating publicity for yourselves. Also, it sounds like you've 
unfortunately generated quite a list of charges that the authorities can 
level against you, if you so choose. It sounds like you haven't committed 
any crimes of violence, except for this battle, which is good. That means 
the feds will be more willing to deal, and if your story holds up, you can 
probably get all charges relating to this altercation dropped on the 
grounds of self-defense. On the other hand, if you *don't* cooperate with 
them, they have a pretty good shot at locking you up again for a long 
time. Not that locking you up would be too effective."

"First, what is the legal status of the two kids? Are they both minors? If 
so, that's another big problem. Not only a new list of charges to be held 
over you, but I can't really do *anything* for them without parental 
consent."

He reads the FAX again. "I think we should talk to these agents and find 
out exactly what it is they expect from you. What they WANT is probably 
for you to join whatever clandestine operation they're running and be 
one of their pet supers. They'll probably settle for a more limited 
collaboration. There's no way they're going to let you just thumb your 
nose at them and walk away, though." He looks at you. "Which brings up 
another point. You can probably do just that, and unless they have 
metahumans of their own, there isn't much they can do to stop or hold 
you. But if you do that, you lose any future negotiating power. So don't 
make any threats, or cracks about walking out of any jail they put you in. 
Convince them you're a menace, and they definitely will take off the kid 
gloves. And I can't be party to any criminal activities. As long as I'm 
representing you, I have to have good faith that you intend to obey the 
law. Understand?"

<><><><><>

Jackie:

        "Sure I understand Mr. Lee, I don't expect to be a menace or nothin' 
like that.  We want and wanted to create a civilian type business where 
there is some kind of alternative for people like us.  Not the government 
or the spook factory, or even some whacko fringe.  Nothin' but people 
like us tryin' to make a livin' with whatever we got now.
        Screwin' over the Feds isn't a good idea, the government might be 
a good source of jobs.  My first instinct was to do just what you said, 
walk out, but there are ways of the Feds, the whackos and normal 
people makin' our lives hell.
        The best thin' I can see for us is to cooperate a bit, to get them to 
recognize a civilian group of people.  If they want to try and regulate us 
fine, we'll make a nice text book case for them.  People willin' to help out 
as a business, not as some sort of drafted puppets.
        Yeah, what's the best they got?
        A heist on my end, takin' a supposed mental patient out a bit early, 
some self defense and maybe reckless endangerment of a minor.  The 
only thin' is if I can't tell the guy with us what to do, how are they?  For 
all I know, he's 18, I didn't give him no written test.
        The little boy is the same person who came to your office today.  
Yeah, you figure that one out, it's given me a headache myself for a few 
days.
        These are my friends Mr. Lee, I'm not goin' anywhere, but I ain't 
listenin' to their Bull**** neither.  We can compromise to WORK for 
them, but not bein' little tin doggies under their bullwhip.  Of course we'll 
give them special rates and all, if we have any people who want to join 
us, well I guess it wouldn't hurt us or them to check them out.  Do you 
think we have a Softee's chance in hell to work this out?
        One of my friends is dead and two more are laid up pretty fierce, I 
really don't want to play pansy games with them while they twirl their 
rulers at us.  NO offense, but that's why I called you, you're much better 
at it without havin' to take a swing at them for askin' fool questions.
        If you need more money, I have gold stashed all over town and a 
briefcase with a load of CDs in it at the hotel's front desk.
        So shoot, tell me the bad news first," Jackie grins.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"I'll tell you what," Lee says. "No offense, but you look terrible. Why don't 
you get some sleep, while I try to get some more information, including 
talking to the feds? They can't expect you to do anything right this 
moment, while you're exhausted and just escaped from a metahuman 
battle, and your friends are both badly hurt."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She smiles wryly to Mr. Lee, "I don't rightly know if that is a good 
idea, see the Beast is still loose.  It tracked us all down once, it seems to 
still be alive.  I need to stay awake until my friends are ok, if it somehow 
can find us again, there's a much better chance of us all livin' if I am up.
	I took a catnap, that should do, I'll relax.  I know you ain't a 
waiter, but could you get me some cigars and maybe a pizza?  I didn't 
want to eat any food here until you got here...may seem a bit paranoid, 
but it's kept me alive in the past week.  Besides I have no money on 
me."
	Climbing onto the bed, she sits upright to keep the burns from 
causing to much discomfort.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"This hospital is now surrounded by federal agents," Lee points out. "If 
this beast does come after you, it certainly won't be sneaking in. You'd 
be in much better shape if you get some rest." He sighs. "But suit 
yourself. I'll see what I can do." He picks up his briefcase and leaves you 
alone in your room.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	After Lee leaves, she stares around at the room, the usual type 
of stuff you'd see in an institution.  She flips on the TV, not sure of the 
time.
	Rummaging through the bags, she finds a change of clothes.  
Settling on her usual, she puts on a charcoal black tank top, a loose, 
dark blue nylon windbreaker and some black sweat pants.
	Finding a loose chain link, she pops it into her mouth and lets it 
melt like a piece of hard candy.  Scanning the channels, she waits for if 
nothing else a few smokes.

<><><><><>

[GM]

The chain link tastes....different. Edible, but neither particularly tasty nor 
repulsive. It just tastes like...metal. The steel melts in your mouth, and 
you swallow it with a hesitant gulp, but it goes down your throat and 
settles in your stomach quite nicely.

Then, despite yourself, you drift off to sleep.

Jackie finally stirs and wakens as light is coming through the window; 
she's slept until dawn.

A nurse is in the room almost immediately; apparently they were waiting 
for you to wake up.

"Ms. Carlysle," she says. "You may want to see your friends...they've 
both undergone a...transformation during the night."

[to Steven]

Your sleep is disturbed by nightmares that chase you no matter which 
way you run....tall bullies with huge fists and poisonous gas clouds with 
a woman's face, a forest of teeth dripping blood, and somewhere, 
someone laughing, and someone else screaming "Let me out!"

When you wake, and stretch, you almost fall out of your child-size bed. 
Exhaustion seems to have spent the last of your power, even whatever 
held you in Chase's body. You're back to plain old Steven Moore again.

Steven, covered in a hospital blanket, since the clothes Chase was 
wearing split around you as you transformed. Steven, refugee from a 
mental hospital, plain old Steven who can turn anything into anything 
else, but rarely what you want.

And worst of all, those nightmares were real, just the events of the last 
day or two replaying in your head.

At least you're safe for the moment.

The door to your room opens, and two Men In Black are standing there, 
alert and tense. "Mr. Moore?" one asks.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  Stretching feels good.  Too bad the nightmares are just the last few 
day's reality.  **Where they heck am I?  Oh yeah... hospital.  SFX...**

  His head snaps up when the door opens.  He just stares at the MIBs for 
a moment.  Then- remembers Jackie telling Chase something about 
Feds, which of course ties to his memories of 1) warrants being out for 
him, 2) him being in the loony bin and 3) *whatever* the heck he did to 
Richard, those cops and whoever else...

  "S***!," he exclaims, leaping from the bed, less than gracefully given its 
small size and the child restraint bars.  He croaches down a little behind 
it, keeping it between him and MIBs.  "Just leave me alone!," he shouts.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She sits up in bed, blinking away sleep sand.  *Huh?*  She 
could understand Steven changing, but SFX?  She jumps out of bed and 
finds a baseball cap in her bags, puts it on over her morning hair and 
follows the nurse, "Brin' me to my older friend, at least until last night, 
the one with the arm."

<><><><><>

[GM]

[to Steven]

The G-men look at each other then at you, warily. "Mr. Moore, please, 
calm down. We don't mean you any harm."

"Ms. Carlysle explained the entire situation to us last night. Now, if 
you're...er, back to normal, we'd like to talk to all of you about pooling 
our resources. How do you feel?"

[to Jackie]

"Uh- " the fed has to think that one through. "You mean Moore? OK. He 
seems to have turned back into his normal self while asleep. At least, he 
looks like the photo we have on file for Steven Chase Moore, age 23."

While walking down hospital hallways towards the children's ward 
(apparently they haven't moved him yet), the agent says "As for Lusk, 
you remember I was asking about his race last night? That's because he 
*was* white when you brought him here, albeit with negroid features. 
Now he's become black again. Problem is, his arm didn't change with 
him. The doctors don't know what that might mean- but he could end up 
rejecting his own reattached limb."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He ignores their last question.  **Yeah, no harm.  Just lock me up and 
drug me forever.**  Amazing how adrenalin can make one forget one's 
morning coffee routine.  Of course, it doesn't do wonders for one's 
nerves.
 
    "Who the hell are you?!"  He seems to remember Jackie saying 
something about some Feds?- yeah, that sounded right- last night?  
Well, before he fell- well Chase, **Give myself a headache trying to 
keep this straight**- asleep anyway.  They certainly *looked* like your 
typical TV G-men.  If they were with the mind-controller ... then he was 
f***** anyway.  He might be f***** either way around.

  **And where the hell am I?**  He remembers ... a hospital.  But, is he 
*still* in one?  Or back in the loony bin?  If they were feds...  **Oh Ke-
rist!**  He did *not* want to go through that again.  No way, no how.  

  Keeping the bed between them, he snaps rapid-fire, "Where's Jackie?  
What do you mean she explained?  And... oh s***!," remembering, 
"where's SFX?.  I don't say anything 'till I talk to them." 

  **Assuming SFX can talk... And George... oh god, George...**  He 
dropped his eyes momentarily as guilt washed over him. **Sorry...** Its 
completely inadequate.  Almost immediately, his eyes snap back up to 
the MIBs.  He tries to cover the guilt with anger.  Maybe they won't see 
the difference?  

  "And don't try anything funny," he snaps, trying for a menacing tone, 
"'less you want to be...," he pauses, mentally groping for a something 
scary enough, the pause probably ruining whatever effect his threat has, 
"poodles."  He has no idea if he could pull that off.  But, hopefully *they* 
didn't know that.  Besides, god alone knew what a Chaos storm would 
do to all of them.

  "Now, show me where Jackie is or get out of my way...!," he continues 
as he starts around the bed.  And stops suddenly.  Realizes he's naked.  
Grabs the blanket and wraps it around his waist as he tries to keep from 
looking embarassed. "And point me to some damn clothes too!"  He 
glances around the room for a closet.

  He'd better find Jackie quick.  There's no way he's going to be able to 
bluff his way thorugh this for long.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She gives the nurse a strange look, "Yeah, what time is it 
anyways? Watches on me is as stupid as...well nevermind.  Actually, I 
meant Lusk, SFX, I want to see him first, I wasn't sure what you meant 
before.  Somethin' even weirder could have happened to him than what 
already did.  You'd understand better if you...forget it."
	*Yeah Jackie, now rave like a lunatic. If they travelled with 
Steve, they might not be as sane either.*  She sighs a sigh of relief that 
nothing even stranger than changing color has happened.  *Steven's 
power...it still is SFX's arm isn't it?  What he might have been in some 
other weird way?  He's been through enough.  You get what you 
deserve girl, you followed your own stubborness and it could have 
gotten them killed.  It did get someone killed.*

<><><><><>

[GM]

[to Steven]

The feds do a good job of *looking* unfazed by your threats.

"Mr. Moore, you're in a hospital. Do you really want to start threatening 
people and unleashing metahuman powers in here? I don't think that's 
going to help your friends, do you?"

"Now, if you calm down, maybe we can see about getting you some 
clothes and taking you to see Ms. Carlysle, if she's awake yet."

[to Jackie]

"It's almost 7 am," the nurse says.

In the critical care ward, you find SFX lying in bed, with numerous IVs 
and monitors connected to him. He seems to be asleep; there's no mask 
or tubes attached to his face, at least. His arm is encased in bandages, 
but his hand is exposed, and it is indeed several shades too light for the 
rest of his body.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  "Maybe?!," he snapped at the extraordinarily poor word-choosing G-
men.  So they didn't beliee him, huh?  They push him any further and 
he'd give them something to believe.  Still, if it really was just a 
hospital...  

  "*Maybe* you just better get the *hell* out of here before you make me 
do something we all regret!"  OTOH, if this really were just a hospital, 
there ought to be lots of non-G-man-type folks around-- just on the other 
side of the door.  Whihc would also prove if it really *was* just a hospital.  
And if it wasn't... well, he wouldn;t be responsible for the consequences.

  Clutching the blanket to his waist, Steven stomps towards the door, 
intent on just walking through it- and looking for all the world as if he 
intends to walk through the G-men too, if they don't get out of the way. 
  Now, get out of my way!"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Wincing in sympathetic pain, she looks at SFX.  Turning to the 
nurse, "So tell me how bad is he?  Really."
	She knows she has to find Steven and at least try to explain 
things to him without him going nuts on HER for a change.  If anyone 
can help SFX, it has to be Chaos.
	"Bring me to Steven," her face a tight mask of anger and 
menace.

<><><><><>

[GM]

A doctor, who has now joined the nurse, says "He'll live. But whether 
he'll be able to keep the arm is still very much in doubt."

They acquiescently lead you to the children's ward....where you find two 
of the seemingly-interchangeable feds walking down the corridor 
alongside a stretcher, which is being pushed by an orderly. Steven lies 
unconscious on it.

"He was getting hysterical," one of the men says, recognizing Jackie. 
"We were afraid he might cut loose with his weird powers again, right 
here in the hospital. So we had to shoot him with a tranq dart. He should 
be awake in a couple hours...but we'll have to keep him heavily sedated 
until we're reasonably sure he won't lose control."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Looking over the Feds, she decides that even if it is true, which 
it most likely is...she doesn't like it.  Maybe they don't know that he 
wouldn't really hurt anyone, maybe mess them up a bit...
	'Yeah right, couldn't have gotten me or just let him think a minute 
could you?  Let's see how sane you'd be after walkin' a minute in our 
shoes. You also might have just cost my friend his arm, which will not be 
a point in your favor.  I'm goin' with him and stayin' with him until he 
wakes up.  I'd hate to have one of you monkeys tell me you had to pack 
him up and send him away 'cause you couldn't deal with him."
	She follows them to Steven's new room and sits down, "Be a 
dear and get Mr. Lee?  I'd like to see if you people are true to your 
word."

<><><><><>

[GM]

Agent Hammond looks slightly perturbed. "From what little we know 
about your friend, he's quite possibly mentally unstable, and his powers 
seem to be erratic and most likely to go haywire when he's under stress. 
He was losing his cool, threatening us, and about to go roaming through 
the hallways wrapped in a blanket. Maybe tranqing him was an 
overreaction. Maybe. But after seeing the results of some his more 
spectacular uses of his power, we didn't want to risk seeing it happen in 
a hospital."

He nods to Hensley, who leaves the room. "Hensley will find your 
lawyer. Now what do you mean we could have cost your friend his arm? 
And as for Moore waking up....how sure are you that you can keep him 
from losing it when he does? Undoubtedly the fact that we had to shoot 
him this time will only deepen his paranoia...."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"Yeah, you are right, he is a little paranoid, but he isn't a nut. 
He's about as paranoid as I am, not entirely an unhealthy thin' these 
days. So that's why I want to stay with him until he gets up, so I can calm 
him down.
	His powers aren't really lethal, it's only when his life is 
threatened. It's the only time I've seen thin's get hairy.  I can't explain 
how it works, but he made his wounds better than they are, probably 
gave both of them a second chance.  If anyone can fix SFX, he can.  
And you knocked him out!  If you guys don't understand, how we feel 
then don't start grillin' us, we've had a bad time of it.  Just give us some 
room and there won't be any type of future misundertandin's, okay?  
That isn't a threat, but a request.  I have my lawyer here and I don't plan 
on leavin', if I did I'd be gone.
	Mr. Lee is his lawyer too, you inform him of that before you 
started with playin' fast and easy with your Jart gun?  Yeah, maybe he 
got a bit off, but both of our little clique are a bit frazzled aren't we?  Just 
give us all some air."

<><><><><>

[GM]

The agent reluctantly leaves. It's about twenty minutes before he and his 
partner return, with Mr. Lee.

Lee looks at Steven. "You are NOT going to drug him, or I'll have a 
restraining order on you and your entire agency before you can even 
think about transporting him elsewhere, and I'll bring in Constitutional 
arguments sufficient to challenge this entire method of restraining 
metahumans. No doubt that's what you do, right? How'd you like to have 
the Supreme Court deciding that all your prisoners you have stored 
wherever you store them are to be undrugged?"

Hammond says "You're getting WAY ahead of yourself, counselor...." 
while Hensley says "How'd you like to be in the same room with our 
prisoners while we carry out that order?"

Lee snaps open his briefcase. "I have legal documents here giving my 
clients full immunity from prosecution for all crimes listed there, and any 
other crimes allegedly committed, excluding unrestituted major felonies." 
He looks at Jackie, and says "That means you can't suddenly confess to 
a murder you didn't mention earlier, and be immune to prosecution, once 
they sign these documents. Likewise, any hypothetical stolen goods 
have to be returned. But this will officially clear you on the mental 
hospital breakout and that fight out in the desert, those are the biggies."

"We'll have to send this up the chain-" Hammond says...

"Then get to it," Lee replies. "I want to talk to my client..s. Don't worry, 
neither of them are going anywhere....obviously."

Neither agent looks any happier now than before at Lee's officiousness, 
but they grudgingly retreat.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She listens to her lawyer rip the suits a new A****** and smiles a 
big broad smile.  *This guy sounds like he means it, where was he when 
I was up on charges?*  Pushing thoughts of the past away she turns her 
smile on Lee.
	"Hmmm...I better put on my thinkin' cap and make sure I come 
up with any little minor league crime.  I did spend half the cash on the 
RV, toys, clothes and stuff and then transferred the rest to CDs.  Might 
be hard to retrieve that or the two cars I stole, one I mashed up pretty 
good, the other I sold to a chop shop.  Also bought some lockpicks and 
some tranquilizers over the counter if you know what I mean.  Might 
sound petty, but I ain't lookin' for them to throw a loop round my neck a 
second time.
	Steven has another problem, he did defend himself, but he also 
turns into other folks, sides of his personality.  You know about the little 
boy, HIM and the chick that saw you in the first place.  All the same 
person.
	Well one of them Stephenie, she kind of was into S&M, a real 
dominant libido driven juggernaut.  Well she sort of changed a guy into a 
muscle bound puppy dog that followed her around and did her biddin'.  
Might count as kidnappin' or somthin'.  We can't start fresh without 
spillin' it.  I think that might actually be it.
	So what's up doc?  What does this immunity mean to us?  This 
mean we got to follow their drummer, or we get to work with them on 
mutual terms. I think even a time limit may not be best, they think we are 
a threat, well they can send us on Mission Impossible."

<><><><><>

[GM]

Lee says "Well, we can probably arrange for restitution for anything you 
can't return immediately." He rubs the bridge of his nose as you relate 
'Stephanie's' antics. "That could be more of a problem. They MAY be 
willing to give Steven immunity to criminal prosecution, but that won't 
prevent this poor fellow from filing a civil suit."

"As for what they'll want in return, I imagine we'll have to negotiate that. 
Frankly, they probably think you're ALL dangerous, but they need you 
anyways. Trying to kill you would be stupid, when there are other 
metahumans who are obvious large-scale threats."

"Tell me, does he have any control over his different...personalities? 
When he came to visit me, he, uh, he was a she, called herself 'Stephy'. 
She acted so wanton and in love with her own body, I thought she was a 
transvestite at first....you don't see too many real women who flaunt 
themselves that blatantly. Didn't seem entirely...with it, either. It sounds 
like he has a serious case of multiple personality disorder, which has 
been made much more serious by his powers...if not the other way 
around. You have any idea if he had mental problems *before* he 
became a metahuman?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"No he was normal before this, if any of us was ever *normal*.  It 
seems when he got his powers, he was dosed with acid, a friend of his, 
Ricky, hasn't been seen since then.  No one seems to know what 
happened to him.
	He does have multiple personalities, one of them is his dead 
sister, not sure if they really are other personalities, not sure what they 
are.
	What I'm hopin' to work out with the Feds is some sort of 
connection with them, we'll contract out to them and cooperate, if they 
help us get a civilian company goin'.  If they somehow regulate us, then 
they can take some sort of control, but we will be private with the ability 
to run thin's the way we want.  Think we can do that?
	Steven has had a rough time, thrown in a loony bin and 
kidnapped a few times.  His control is not what we all want it to be, 
considerin' all this he's doin' pretty good."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Some sort of cooperation with the government will be essential, since 
otherwise, just about any use of metahuman powers probably breaks 
some law or another," Lee says. "I suspect the main thing they want right 
now is your help in catching this 'Beast'. And figuring out who has a 
bunch of armed men abducting people and shipping them across the 
country. Besides the government, that is."

Agent Hammond returns in a bit, and asks to speak to Lee. He gets up, 
says "I'll let you know what's up soon enough," and goes with the fed. A 
short time later he comes back and says, "They think they're willing to 
give you the immunity, provided you provide them with ALL information 
you have about metahumans, including whatever Mr. Lusk has acquired. 
And your help in a so-far undefined capacity. We'll have a big talk later. 
But they wanted me to let you know that Mr. Moore is going to be coming 
around soon, and you'd best make sure he doesn't go nuts when he 
wakes up. And *please* make sure he doesn't threaten the feds again. 
That's not a smart move."

It takes about another half hour before Steven starts to emerge, with a 
headache and his mouth tasting like it's filled with formaldehyde-soaked 
cotton.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"That sounds almost fine Mr. Lee, but let's try to define this 
undetermined time and cooperation a bit.  I do not want to continue with 
these suits, especially if they think we can be grabbed along with any 
and all little projects they assign us.  Oh yeah, make sure you get us in 
as some sort of consultants, if we have to put our plans on hold, I want 
more than a handshake and a piece of paper.  We are goin' to need 
some cash to help pay our expenses and such.  Yeah, yeah I know don't 
push it, but I ain't gettin' killed for free, that paper ain't goin' to be much 
use if it happens."
	Jackie sits with Steven, waiting for him to wake up...still wishing 
those monekys brought some chow and a good cigar.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He groans.  His hands go to his head, holding it as if that's all thats 
keeping it together at the moment, spitting out- well, trying to, though it 
comes out more as a croaked mumble- "*&@^#^$ing ()%*%$&^&es 
#*(@^$%&^$$&%*$%#&^&#@%" as he struggles to sit up against the 
last effects of the drugs.

  Spits.  Spits again, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.  It doesn't 
help.

  Then goes perfectly still and quiet.  Then...

  In one jerk of motion, he pries eyes threatening to cross open to look 
wildly around the room.  Sees Jackie.  And Lee.  "Jackie!," he croaks, 
trying to stand, a vague intent of guarding her if the goons come back.  
Groaning, falling back onto the bed less than half-way through trying to 
stand. "Bastards shot me..."  

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	'Okay Steven, calm down.  I know what happened and it isn't 
goin' to again.  We have our lawyer here and he's doin' pretty good for 
us.  SFX is still in bad condition, his arm is still white too.
	We can get ourselves immunity, but we have to cooperate with 
the Feds to some extent, that is if our plans still want to happen.  I told 
them about what I did, but made it fuzzy who you are and what you did.  
I did tell Lee almost everythin' about all of us.  I didn't want to make any 
choices for you until you know what is goin' on.
	They found the whackos ripped to shreds in the desert, no 
Tatiana and no Beast."
	Jackie sits down in a chair next to the bed.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He sat there while she spoke, but his first words were spat out with 
vehemence, almost as if he hadn't heard her.  "Bastards...  '*maybe* 
we'll take you to them'.  They wouldn't even get me any clothes."  Then 
he goaned.  Anger was just succeeding in making his headache worse.  

  "They didn't bother to leave any f**** aspirin behind, did they?"  So, she 
told the lawyer his name and all about him.  So, what?  The government 
goons already knew it all.  So much for trying to stay out their clutches.

  Then the rest of his memory caught up with her words.  He snapped his 
head up saying, "SFX?!"  Winced.  "Is he...," he started slower.  "Still 
*white*?  His arm?  Oh s***."  He tried to stand a gain.  Made it this time, 
the blanket held at his waist with one hand, the other supporting himself 
against the receding dizziness.  Gave up and sat back down heavily.

  "Sorry...," he mumbled, head in his hands again.  "Give me a sec..." He 
was quiet for a moment, thinking.  **The Beast and Smoke got away?  
Damn.  More important problems right now...**  

  He didn;t look up at Jackie, but said a bit clearer, "SFX, did they ...? 
Never mind.  I can fix it.  Better than they can."  **I hope.** "Faster 
anyway.  I..."  He hadn't looked up at her since sitting back down.  He 
couldn't.  "Oh, ker-ist, Jackie...," he groaned woefully.,  "I'm so damn 
sorry.  George... If he hadn't... If Stephy... I... We... It was all my fault."  

  **I killed him.  As sure as if I wound his key and pointed him at Dom.  
Oh f***!  Richard.  George.  SFX.  God knows however many cops...  
How many people...?  I never wanted to hurt anybody...**

  "You ought to leave me, Jackie.  There never gonna let me alone 
anyway.  They can always say I've gone crazy again.  After I fix SFX, 
you and he..." His voice fell.  He cleared his throat quickly and 
concluded.  "Get me some pants, please.  Then see if they'll let me try to 
help SFX."

  "Please?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Jackie listens to Steven, the same things have run through her 
mind as well, but her temper flares nonetheless, "Don't be so F*****' 
stupid!  George got killed, if you want to blame someone it's me.  I hired 
him and lured him with money, I kept playin' on a guilt angle with him.  
But he decided to stay, he's been around enough, he knew how bad 
thin's could get.  He CHOSE to run down Dom, twice and he knew what 
he could do.  He died for us, maybe he didn't mean it that way, but that 
is how I'm goin' to remember George.  Don't cheapen his death by 
blamin' yourself."
	For a moment she looks uncertain and a bit of color drains from 
her face, grief and stress still show through.
	'Count two Steven, don't be so F******' stupid, you think I'm goin' 
to leave you now?!  You think I'm goin' to leave my little brother to these 
sharks after all I've gone through?  Strength in numbers baby, strength 
in numbers.  Where else am I goin' to find new friends to put up with my 
s*** on such short notice?"  Jackie gives a weak chuckle.
	"Besides, if I did time before for not rattin' out my friends, what 
makes you think I'll jet now?  You two are worth any five of those losers, 
not only that but you got voodoo on your side.  No way is someone goin' 
to try to squeeze you like they did last time.  They don't want us to 
threaten them, fine but next time they try to air dart you, they'll be airin' 
out there a** on a clothesline."
	She drops the bag of clothes, one of the few bags that have all 
the possessions they have left in the world. "Somethin' in there should fit 
you. And try to not let these guys get to you, we got our own law here 
now.  If they think we are nuts, they will hunt us down like the rest.  I 
definitely do not want to work for these bozos, so let's get somethin' 
hammered out and leave them as soon as possible.  Okay?"

<><><><><>

Steven:

 He winced as her hollering started the pounding in his head again, but 
bore it as stoically as possible as he tried to listen.  No matter what she 
said, he *was* to blame for George.  She may have brought him to the 
group... but if Steven had just lied, told him he was really Stephy, that 
Steven was the abberation... George would have never left and never 
been grabbed...  He might not understand where the others really came 
from, let alone be able control their acts, but he *could* control how *he* 
acted.  And what the hell... if the others weren;t really *him*, or he they, 
or whatever, then what were they?

 He lifted his head slowly a few moments after her 'little brother' remark.  
Didn't interrupt, just gave her a funny, thoughtful look.  And actually 
started paying attention to what she was *really* saying.  

When she wound down, he said slowly, "Jackie.  When we were in the 
crystal... did you...?  I thought I heard some things.  George... He 
thought he was..."  He paused, chewed his lip a moment. "You know, 
your right about one thing:  He could have bugged out.  He must have 
been scared spitless.  But he still...  He was a hell of a lot braver than he 
thought.  He was a hero."

  **But it was still my fault to begin with,** he added silently.  

  "A real hero... I don't mean to cheapen..."

  He sighed.  Bent over to rummage in the bag, holding the blanket over 
his lower half.  Came up with a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt.  Struggled 
to put the pants on under the blanket while he thought of how to put the 
rest of it into words.  What was imporant was not what Jackie said, but 
what she *meant* to say.  What she would say if she trusted herself 
enough to show that much of herself.  The trick was finding a way to tell 
her he understood that without saying it in a way that would make her 
dismiss it automatically.

  He stopped as he began to put the t-shirt on.  Looked directly at Jackie.  
He had to say *something*.  "Jackie... I don't think George did it out of 
guilt.  I...  You..."  He gently put an hand on her arm, said quietly, "Thank 
you. If you'll have me... us... I'd like to stay. God knows I need someone 
with a good head to play keeper.  Or I *will* end up back in the loonybin.  
I trust you."

  He pulled the t-shirt on.  "Let's go see if they'll let me fix up SFX."  He 
started for the door.  "And if they have some aspirin and coffee around 
this joint...."  He stopped, turned back to her, and added softly, "Sis."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	After winding down and calming down a bit, she listens to 
Steven. "Okay, I just don't want you bringin' up George again.  We know 
what he did, maybe not why or who's to blame.  People sometimes throw 
you by suprisin' them."Adding softly, "and themselves."
	Once Steven dresses, she stares at him, 'Look, anythin' can 
happen, the Beast can find us, those other whackos can find us.  Are 
you sure you are okay? SFX needs you, but no use in killin' yourself, 
again."  She pauses at the door and opens it.
	She winces at Steven's last remark, but doesn't go crazy, "Yeah 
the chow here may be bad, I'm used to that, but I need somethin' in my 
belly."
	Sighing, she goes through.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He nodded when she asked not to mention George again.  **Not for a 
while, anyway,** he amended silently.  **But, he saved our lives.  He 
deserves better than to just be forgotten.**  And, what the hey, lately he 
was surprised if he was himself... whatever that was anymore.

  "Only one way to find out if I'm up to it.  What's the worse that could 
happen?  I have to start borrowing your clothes?  I get a sudden urge for 
teddybears?  Or, I get stuck eating hospital food for a while. We need to 
be able to travel.  Especially, if the Beast or that mindguy...  Well, you 
know.  Hell, we'll probably need to be up to full strength just to deal with 
the slimey bastards who are supposed to be on our side."

  **And SFX and you deserve this.** he thought.  **Whether you know it 
or not."  Thinking back-very briefly- on the desert fight  **Whether you'll 
admit it or not.  Wish I could make him older for you, though. Give him a 
chance, without his age getting in the way.  You need it too Jackie.  
Even if you won't admit you've earned it.  Some of us deserve a shot a 
happiness...**

  He followed her out into the hall.

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She nods to Steven and together they make way for the hospital 
cafeteria.  Getting a tray, she'll go for plenty of coffee and wrapped 
sandwiches.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He follows Jackie, thinking their heading towards whereever SFX is.  
After a while, he realizes she's headed for a cafeteria.  He shrugs to 
himself.  Probably couldn't hurt.  He could really use some coffee to 
flush the drugs those sob's shot into him.  Some food probably wouldn't 
hurt either.  They'd best not take too long though.  "So, uh, Mr. Lee was 
here?  What all... er, I mean, does he know about, um, who Stephy ...?"  
He sighed.  "Oh what the hey, I guess its better if he thinks I'm just queer 
or something rather than crazy.  What exactly did you all work out with 
the fascists?  Where are they anyway?"  It just occurred to him that they 
could probably tell him what happened to Richard and the others in New 
Orleans.  Now, however, he was wondering guiltily if he'd rather not 
know...

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Sitting down at a table drinking hot black coffee and eating a 
tuna on rye, she swallows and thinks a bit.
	"Lee is negotiatin' us a deal with the suits.  I told Lee about you 
and a bit about what your powers do to you.  This guy sounds like he 
wants to make new law, or just a rep on us.  I like him, good choice on a 
lawyer by the by.
	The Feds say they'd give us immunity if we cooperated and did 
some dirty work for them, mostly takin' on the Beast and this mind f******.  
I say we owe them both some sort of payback, BUT I ain't got a 
deathwish.  I'd rather not, that ain't part of my new life, but they can track 
us down good, we saw that.  So maybe a little time in this gig can get us 
a few more on our side."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He buys a cheese sandwich, a *bland* cheese sandwich.  Even though 
his stomach tells him he's hungry, the nausua left like a present by the 
transqualizer dart hasn't receded enough for him to do more than play 
with the plastic wrapping.  Coffee on the other hand...

  "Tell Stephy.  About Lee, I mean.  She, er, popped up right before... 
well, before she, um, tripped over SFX with that magazine."  No purpose 
in telling Jackie what Stephy was really trying to do then.  "But, uh, I'll let 
her know."  He sighed in pronoun-frustraton and just sat for a few 
minutes quitely drinking coffee.

  "I suppose we have no choice but to work with them.  Forget the Beast.  
That mindf***** knows we're out here.  And you KO'd one of his- or her- 
stooges.  He, or she's, going to come after us again, as sure I'll be 
someone else tomorrow.  If the government doesn't have a way to stop 
that mind-control...," he covered the shudder that the thought of being 
Stephenie permanently caused with a shrug, "maybe they can at least 
give us some help figuring our powers out."

  "As tough as you and SFX are... I think we'll need the edge."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	'I like bein' self taught just fine.  'Sides you think they'll just test 
you for giggles?  Sure they'll help you with your powers, so long as we 
are useful to them.  When we become un-useful, they got all of what we 
can and can't do on paper ready to use against us.
	What if they think drugs or wearin' a head zapper round your 
noggin' is the best way to keep your powers in control.  We both know 
your powers get out of control, I can live with that...but can they?  They 
see one of your patented Chaos storms and they'll be scrapin' their 
shorts out with a garden rake."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He thought about what Jackie had said while finishing off his cup.
"You're right," he finally replied.  Then smiled, "You often are.  Right, I 
mean.  About this stuff.  Given a choice between trying to figure them 
out ourselves and haiving them figure out how to screw us..."  He 
shrugged.  "Like I said, your right."

  "Hang on."  He got up, got another cup of coffee.  Returned, tore the 
sandwich package open.  Sniffed it.  Tried to keep from gagging.  
Decided he'd better try to keep something down and ripped a bit out, 
chewing like he was daring it to argue with him.  Swallowed.  "But... 
uh..."  Paused.  Continued when he seemed to hold the bite down.  
"Jackie... that mindf***** scares the piss out of me.  I vote we don;t do 
jacks*** for them against him unless the goons have someone or 
something that can keep him from taking us over."

  He looked at his sandwich, took another bite.  "So... uh, are we gonna 
check on SFX?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"Don't know too much about this whacko, might even be a she, 
some feminist gone wrong," Jackie smiles.  "Of course, they prob 
wouldn't need us so bad if they had some gizmo or other superboy in 
their pocket.  What scares me more is if this person is some sort of 
ghost that takes people over and then just gets a new one after they're 
done suckin' dry whoever they got.  We know exactly jack about this.  I 
say we agree to go after the Beast first, no matter what, I want that thin's 
head on a pole.  Stick that F*****'s head on a pole at Disneyland.  The 
funny thin' is without it, we'd both be sittin' in the morgue...next to 
George."
	She tries to hide a wince behind a gulp of coffee.  Worse, no 
matter how much she wants to forget...he's just going to take up a space 
in the line of dead friends.
	'Yeah, we are goin' to see SFX, but let's just relax a bit, no need 
to charge in and make vanilla taffy drip from the ceilin'.  Are you sure 
you are okay?  Kid, I said this to George and SFX before, maybe if they 
took the out, they wouldn't be where they are now.  Leave anytime you 
want, you might have a better chance without an ex con.  Your powers 
can keep you hidden better than mine can.  And no, I'm not tryin' to be a 
pain in the a**.  Just helps my conscience some, considerin'...well it can't 
hurt for me to say it out loud."
	Finishing off her tuna sludge and coffee, she tries to spot a 
cigarette vending machine.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  "A ghost?  S***.  I hadn't even thought of that," he replies into the 
silence while she takes a drink.  Would that be better or worse?  Not if it 
sucked you dry... though Titiana didn't look like she was dying.  But, 
then how would they know?  It did raise an idea though: maybe this 
person couldn't control more than one person at a time?  If not, why not 
just try to grab Jackie and him right off instead of the kidnap carvan?  He 
shook his head.  Too many unanswered questions.  Concentrate on the 
here and now.

  "Jackie...," he started after she finished the second part of her 
comments, "You think we should go after the Beast...  then I'll support 
you. Though, I still wish there was some way other than killing it.  I keep 
thinking about New Orleans.  For all I know I was the same.  Or could be 
again."  He did not mention George- even to try and mouth some 
comforting platitude- as promised.
  
  "And I told you... If you'all want me go, I'll leave.  But, I'm not going to 
desert you or SFX.  I'd still be in the loonybin if not for you.  Hell...  you 
two are the only friends I've got...  the only thing I can count on right 
now.  My powers didn't stop Dom from grabbing me.  I think you're right, 
'strength in numbers'."

  "'Sides," he grinned a little, "what's the big deal about an ex-con when 
you're walking around with a loonytoon?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	She gives a wide grin, smiling she gets up and punches Steven 
in the arm, "Let's got see SFX.  Maybe these Feds want to capture this 
thin', but after what we did to it, the only way may be to kill it.  You 
remember your storm don't you...?  I know I'll never forget it.  But one 
thin' is clear, that thin' wanted to rip our heads off before that, durin' and 
after.  Yeah I feel sorry for it, but c'mon if I was goin' around rackin' 
people up like a set of ribs too, I doubt I wouldn't expect people to be 
mad at me."

<><><><><>

[GM]

A senior doctor frowns at the two of you as you wander over to SFX's 
room. You don't recogize him, but there is another doctor also standing 
next to the kid, along with two nurses. They seem to be examining him, 
with some puzzlement.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He gives her an obviously fake a show of pain at the punch, then 
smiles and nods.  "Yeah, let's go fix SFX up."  He stands, looks around a 
moment for something to do with his half-eaten sandwich, then shruggs 
and just decides to carry it.  Taking a drink from the cup in his other 
hand, he waits to follow Jackie.  "We'll have plenty of time to worry about 
this other stuff latter."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	The two stop a nurse on the way to critical care to help them find 
SFX, alternatively look for a room with a lot of suits hanging around.

"What's up Doc?  Can you give me an idea of how he's goin' to pull 
through?  My friend here might be able to help, but no way are we if he 
is too weak or too hurt."
	Jackie takes a look at her friend lying like a corpse.

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He stands beside Jackie, looking at SFX.

<><><><><>

[GM]

"His arm seems to have changed...uh, back to black," the doctor says. 
"What are you two doing wandering around?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Ignoring the doctor, "So how is he?!  Who cares what color his 
arm is?! Could you reattach it goo enough?"

<><><><><>

Steven:

[presumably there's no visible blood?]

  **'His arm changed back?'**  That's right, he remembered now, Stephy 
turned him white.  And he *stayed* white.  At least, until Chase fell 
asleep.  A light went off in his head.  "Wait a minute, Jackie.  I think I've 
figured something out here."
 
  "We're his friends and his partners," he continued to the doctor.  And... 
er, I can heal... um, him.  Superpowers, you know."  He moved forward 
besides SFX injured arm and hand.  "Hang in there, SFX," he said to the 
sleeping boy.

  "Now," he turned back to the doctor.  "Do you mean his arm was white?  
He changed back... but it didn't?  At the same time anyway. But it did just 
now?  Or a little while ago anyway," he said to the doctor.  

  Without waiting for an answer to those questions- the obvious 
inference from the doctor's statement answered them already after all, 
he told Jackie, "You remember the time on the road, Jackie?  The purple 
goo?" 

  He turned back to the doctor.  "You've re-attached his arm, haven't 
you?  I mean the *nerves* are connected and working, right?  At least 
some of them.  You can monitor that, right?  And it didn't turn back to the 
right color until after you got some kind of response, right?" 
He waited for the doctor's response.  But, he was pretty sure it had to be 
true.  It was the only thing that made sense.  Stephy'd been thinking 
something similar earlier... before the kidnapping.  

  He couldn't make the change in Jackie 'take' in desert, but SFX turned 
white when Steven healed him during the fight.  The difference?  SFX 
was *unconscious*.  And he stayed white.  While he was still 
unconscious.  But, it didn't last, except for his arm.  Because his arm 
wasn't connected... to his brain.  Until it was reconnected.  It had to be.

<><><><><>

[GM]

[It's bandaged quite thoroughly.]

The doctor says patiently to Jackie, in the condescending manner of 
many physicians when talking to laymen, "It matters what color his arm 
is because it could well indicate a change in the arm's tissue 
type...whether or not his body will react to it as a foreign object. Now I 
suppose the fact that it seems to have regained its...er, correct color, 
may be good news. But we have no experience with this sort of 
transformation."

He looks at Steven skeptically. "Since neither we nor, apparently, you, 
have any real idea how your powers work, I think we should wait and 
see how he takes to the surgery before we talk about using...metahuman 
powers to try to 'fix' him."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He looked at the doctor, then Jackie and rolled his eyes. "What are 
you," he said turning back tot he doctor, "jealous?  Besides racist, I 
mean.  Never mind you won't answer my questions.  You obviously 
haven't done a tissue type, or you wouldn't be speculating."

  "You're experience doesn't matter.  *I* do have experience with it.  I've 
healed both of them before.  It's the only reason why he's alive now for 
you to argue over."

  He almost just went ahead an did it anyway.  He was sure he was right 
about the arm and all that.  And like he'd said, he'd healed all of them 
before.  He even started reaching for SFX.  But, at the last moment, he 
corraled his impulsiveness and looked back at Jackie and asked, "How 
about it?  We leave it up to them and god only knows how long it could 
take. But..., well, you know the risks."

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	"Steven much as I want you to go ahead, let's see how they can 
do.  If you can speed up the way he heals, wouldn't it be better if they 
could do more? I think his arm is good news, but both of you suffered 
pretty good, take some rest while you can.  I got faith in you Steven, it's 
just now our lives aren't countin' on merely bein' up and awake.  If you 
can repair, nerves and stuff, what would it hurt for them to do most of the 
work for you?  Make it easier for you maybe and SFX.
	He's goin' to need a lot of time for surgery, let's go see Lee and 
the Feds okay?  Get somethin' hammered out."
	Jackie turns to the doctor, "Make sure someone gets us if you 
start havin' trouble doc."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  He looked at Jackie, thought for a moment, then shrugged and 
withdrew his hand.  "If you say so."  Hopefully, they had time to wait.  
Besides, he was still kind of tired.  And all the drugs probably we'ren't 
out of his sytem yet.  "I'm pretty sure I could heal him completely, and his 
arm a heck of a lot better than surgery would."

  He looked back at doctors and nurses, tried for a pologetic smile.  "No 
offense.  And I'm sorry about the ra... um, name calling.  I'm still a little 
off, I guess.  But... but I've done things in minutes you'all couldn't do in 
months.  If ever.  Like completely healed... um, someone who was ripped 
up and nearly frozen to death.  Or was practically split in half."  It was, in 
fact, the one thing he was close to sure he could without causing 
anybody any harm.  Was it any wonder he was proud of it?

  "Probably help if he was awake anyway," he continued to her.  Might 
be less chance of misfire anyway, going on his limited experience.  

  "Heck, doc," he turned back to them, "if we have time, and SFX's ok, I'd 
be happy to help with any patients you can't.  People you can't do 
anything for.  Like terminally ill children.  So there's no ethical 
problems."  He meant that.  He'd like to be able to help.  It sure beat 
killing.  It might even start to make up for Richard and whoever else he'd 
screwed over.  "And, um," he added a after a moment, "cosmetic 
changes.  Got a patient who wants be Madonna's twin or something?"  
*That* wasn't just an offer to help.  It would also provide some 
experimental information.  He was real curious if his speculations about 
what people wanted affecting what and how long the effects were was 
true.

  "Just think of it as a new technique, doc.  You wouldn't get mad if 
someone offered you a new wonder drug, would you?  If there's a 
chance it'd help... I'd like to try."

  He looked back to Jackie, intending to follow her when she left the 
room.  "You best do most of the talking to the goons."

<><><><><>

[GM]

"Racist!?" the doctor exclaims. Then, "Of course we've done tissue 
typing..."

He lets Jackie and Steven talk, and folds his arms while Steven 
continues afterwards.

Shaking his head; "You are NOT going to run around using your powers 
on our patients. I'm sorry, I'm sure you're well intentioned, but we don't 
test new procedures by grabbing a random sample from a hospital and 
trying it out on them. I'd be happy to refer you to some colleagues of 
mine involved in medical research at various universities."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  Steven didn't reply to the tissue-typing claim.  Obviously, if he'd done 
tissue-typing, then he'd have known the arm was the same as the rest of 
SFX now, cellar and such-wise.  Which meant that his comment about 
its color *was* racist.  Wouldn't help to rub his nose in it though.

  He couldn't let the rest pass though.  "Geez... chill, doc.  I wasn't 
talking about a 'random sample'.  I just can't believe you'd pass up a 
chance to help your terminally ill patients."  The AIDS patients must 
really love him, *not*.  "Oh well," he shrugged, "I guess that's between 
you and God."  Besides, who's to say Steven couldn't just wait a while, 
copy someone and try to cure some patients anyway.  "But, yeah, sure 
leave me the referrals.  Give them warning though, the poor I help for 
free but the rich pay."

  He turned, paused, then turned back, "Waitaminute.  If you did the 
tissue-typing what was the big deal?  His arm matches the rest of him 
now, right?"

<><><><><>

Jackie -

	Looking at Steven, she thinks his heart is the right place, but.... 
"Okay Steven, I'm sure the Feds can come up with guinea pigs fot you, 
but even then...we've had a few problems already.  If they are goin' to 
take care of SFX let's not antagonize them any more...Thanks Doc, we'll 
stop by in a few hours."
	She'll go with Steven looking for the Feds and their lawyer.

<><><><><>

[GM]

The doctor takes a deep breath, struggling for patience.

"Young man," he sighs, "first of all, believe it or not, there is a REASON 
why we don't immediately test every promising medical treatment on 
terminal patients just because it looks like it MIGHT work, and it ISN'T 
because we're a bunch of greedy, heartless beaurocrats."

"Secondly, transplanting body parts requires that a whole host of factors, 
ranging from blood and marrow type to antibody reactions, be totally 
compatible. Now, we were TOLD that the arm brought to us belonged to 
the young man. It appeared to be the correct size and age, and tissue 
typing matched in *most* details, save for one obvious detail. That detail 
would normally be enough to convince us that it was NOT the patient's 
arm. We were told metahuman powers were involved, and to proceed 
with the reattachement, so we did. Now the arm has transformed, while 
attached to the body. Tissue typing still indicates compatibility, but I 
hasten to add that tissue typing alone does not guarantee that a graft 
will take. And we have NO idea what the physiological effect of a 
strange metaphysical process that alters tissue cells at a microscopic 
level will be on someone in such a delicate healing state."

He leans closer. "Now, IF I have justified my profession, my medical 
expertise, and my humanitarian ethics sufficiently for you, kindly GET 
THE HELL out of my intensive care ward!"

A nurse takes his arm nervously, obviously trying to calm him down. 
"Look, it would be best if you two leave."

<><><><><>

Steven:

  Steven just stared at the officious ass for a few moments, telling himself 
to calm down.  Finally, he blew a deep breath out, blinked and said 
slowly, "Oooo-kay.  You could have said so in the first place, you know.  
Just because I don't have a white coat doesn't mean I'm stupid or 
wouldn't understand.  And just because you do, doesn't mean you're 
always right or shouldn't stop to explain things sometimes.  It'd prevent a 
lot of misunderstandings, you know.  They can be dangerous with some 
'matas'."  **Like Stephy, or Stephenie or Sid...**, he added silently.

  He turned back to follow Jackie out.  Stopped, tunred to the nurse, 
"But, if you end up with someone dying and no other choice, please 
remember, I'd still like to help."

  He then followed Jackie.

===================================================

[GM]

It took a long time for the pain to go away. Nothing had ever hurt it like 
that before. It had been shot, and once its prey stuck it with a knife, but 
those were momentary, stinging pains, obliterated in the rush of bloody 
ecstacy as another sentient being (the tastiest prey) was reduced to 
shredded strips of flesh and shattered bone.

Not this time. The prey fought back. The prey was...different, with a 
smell much like its own, yet not. The prey brought many men and many 
guns, and it had been shot and 
shotandshotandshotandshotandshotandshotandshotandshot and it lay 
dying and bleeding in the sand while the prey fought each other.

Even after it was able to crawl away, it hurt. And when it found some of 
the prey wandering in the desert, it was still hurting, and tearing them all 
apart didn't make it feel better at all.

The *others* were in the city, with all the other sentient beings, where 
there were many many prey and lights and noise and guns, not a place 
for hunting, for sneaking up on terrorized victims and chewing their faces 
off at leisure, it was the most dangerous hunting ground of all.

But there was its prey, the prey that hurt it. Nothing had ever hurt it like 
that before, and now most of them were dead, but there were some who 
weren't. As long as they were still alive, they could hurt it again. THEY 
could hunt IT. They could make IT become prey.

That can never be. It is the ultimate predator, the supreme hunter, top of 
the food chain, the biggest and the baddest, everything that lives, lives 
in fear of it.

This prey must fear it. In fact, it KNOWS the prey fears it.

More than that, the prey must die.

Fear is for others, for the prey. Never for it. And when this prey dies, that 
nagging, uneasy feeling it gets whenever it contemplates the prey still 
alive (it isn't fear, it fears nothing, nothing!) will die too.

It moved silently across the sand, crossed a highway, and padded into a 
suburb on the outskirts of Las Vegas.