Superhero Adventures, UK Style

1. A group video-phone call. A couple of words were all they needed to say. “we’re in.” Bethany actually squealed with delight. They agreed that her sponsorship would be kept secret but that they would turn down the offer to work for her Dad (not that he’d contacted them since the visit to his offices). Yes also to the offer of Adam’s services and the long term loan of a vehicle.  After a few minutes of conspiratorial chatting they ended the call and went back to thinking through what they wanted from Bethany.

Sam felt an earnest gladness. They could possibly negotiate an offer more in favour of Bethany (if they could figure out what she wanted from the deal), but accepted that Akira and Mary may have their own needs. Sam didn’t think of himself as the wanting type. The sooner they were able to help the Dalton’s, the better; too many fingers in too many rotten pies at the moment. Was this a family and success story gone astray or was it always destined to be a tragedy?

He was a little surprised after the call when Mary insisted that they try and buy the site themselves and only fall back on Bethany’s funds if the price went above what they could afford.  The auction was tomorrow and they agreed that Mary would go alone though she did agree to have Bethany’s number on speed dial just in case the purchase price spiralled out of control.

Sam was happy about their potential new home and opportunities, though he had a niggling doubt – being more established sets you up more for a fall. He’s read too many comic books in his time not to know where this is heading. Things have been going too swimmingly recently and all falling into place, Tempus excluding.

They discussed how they could equip the site if they were successful tomorrow with Mary stating that she was very happy with the BASEment proposals suggested by her colleagues. It was obvious that she had other things on her mind, especially when she declared that it was her intension to continue to live in container town.

The final discussion of the night; about what they should call themselves as a group took the usual turn with Mary’s position on a name for the group being well-known (“not bothered”). She did reluctantly accept it would happen whether she wanted it or not. It was Akira who suggested that they call themselves The Balance. Sam agreed it was a good name. Akira sketched a yin-yang symbol with the words ‘The Balance’ inside it. Mary’s look made it clear that creating a logo, especially one with mystical far Eastern connections might be a step to far for the moment and before Akira could object, bundled them out with a comment that she at least needed her sleep.

2. The morning after. Well, today was the day. The team had managed to cobble together about £35 k in total of their own money to hopefully purchase the junkyard from Ivor’s son. The auction room was crowded with people hoping to buy domestic properties at lower than market value prices either to rent at an extortionate mark-up or as their first rung on the property ladder either for themselves or for their children. Mary was alone. She carried the entire bundle in cash given that her only bank account was in the name of Banshee and she didn’t want that connection to be linked with the elderly woman sitting at the front of the noisy room. She looked around but there was no sign of Stavros. He’d obviously decided not to attend.

Lot 18 was the junkyard and initial bidding was non-existent resulting in a starting offer of £5,000 which caused a nervous young man to raise his baton. Mary countered with six and so it went on. It took Mary a few seconds to realise why the young man bidding against her was so nervous. She bet that he was a friend of Stavros who’d been asked to bid to raise the price a little but he’d obviously hadn’t expected to be the only other bidder. She grinned as the bidding reached £11,000 and indicated she didn’t want to bid. Her opponent went pale white as he realised that left him with the last bid, money he obviously didn’t have. Even if he refused to pay for the property, he’d still be legally liable for the auctioneers’ fees of 15%.

“Going once, going twice, going…” Mary raised her number at the very last second and shouted out in a clear voice “11, 5.” The young man looked over with uncontrolled gratitude in his eyes and refused to respond when asked if he wanted to make a counter-offer.

After handing over her ‘details’, she sat back. Lot 21 consisted of some material that Ivan had obtained as scrap from some out of the way place and had never found a buyer for. A job lot of scrap metal that, in reality, consisted of a number of blast doors, body scanners and what looked to be a dismantled MRI scanner or two as well as three iris valve-type doors and a pile of decade old computer equipment. The ‘scrap’ was still in a warehouse and only photos were available at the auction. Nobody else had apparently recognised their value, since they were primarily here to buy property and a quick smile at the young man convinced him to not try that trick against her again. She got the job lot for just under £5k.

Feeling happy with her acquisitions she went over and paid – to the auctioneers’ complete surprise she offered to pay the sellers’ commission as well taking the total cost to just under £20k. That left Stavros the full sale price for himself. Although Stavros didn’t need the money it made her feel better since she was sure the MRI alone would probably have been worth more than that for spare parts even if they didn’t manage to get it working.

She wondered what Adam would make of her purchases..?

3. Akira entered the office with a small package under his arm and walked across to shake hands with Jasper Dexter. He looked Haggard.  “Ah, Mr Akira isn’t it?” Akira merely smiled. “Thank you to you and your associates for agreeing to pay for the roof to be repaired. I, we’re really grateful. I have to assume that my brother has decided to vanish for some reason so between that and the rent he’d failed to pay on this office and apartment I was struggling. I take it there has been no news from your end?”

Akira reached out and put his hand on Jasper’s shoulder, an intimate gesture that took him by surprise. “I’m sorry Mr. Dexter; we have to assume that chro… Flint has gone undercover and it may be sometime until his return. However we have a proposition for you. How about we take over the lease and the business at least until either Flint returns or until the lease expires?”

Jasper’s face said it all. “I can arrange for all of his possessions to be…” “No need, we will just be using the office and he may want his things when he comes back. Though, would we be allowed to change the name plaque?”

With that, Akira unwrapped the small package he had been holding under his left arm; it was a brass plaque the same size as the Dexter Investigations one, it read ASI then below in smaller letters Akira Steadman Investigations and the legend “Your problems are a thing of the past”.

4. What the..? Mary had arrived back at her container only to be almost bowled over as Jeeves (and an excited Rascal) ran in and Jeeves actually hugged her. This was so unlike him, what..? Her phone rang and Akira filled her in on the events in the park and Jeeves’ gift from Ms Van Helsing. When Akira finished, Mary scanned Jeeves who had now calmed down but was smiling from ear to ear as he talked about his ‘recovery’. She realised just how fragile was the power of the amulet and how hard the demonic imps were trying to tear down the interference ‘field’ it created. How long would it be able to protect him…? Whatever it was, it was strong but so were the imps that were trying to break through. This was a short-term solution at best. Then he remembered what Ms Van… Naomi had told Akira, employment would help focus him and reinforce the field making it more powerful. She knew she relied on him and was her friend, one of the few she fully trusted. Trusted enough..?

“Jeeves, Edward this is a temporary solution at best. I promise we’ll do our best to get rid of… of your problem permanently, but you need to be aware it could come back. Ms Van Helsing tells me that it would be best to keep yourself occupied and… Well Sam, Akira and I could do with your assistance with a project we’re working on…” Before she could say anymore, Jeeves quietly said, “Would that have something to do with the abandoned foundations beneath us ma’am? I couldn’t help but be aware of that young man Adam? Who extended your container over the old lift shaft? It was I you see who’d been making sure it was always adequately covered over just in case. Ms Weirdigan, I’m aware of your secondary personae and your obvious connection to the two young gentlemen. If I may be so bold? I hope this doesn’t mean you will be abandoning Container Town? The residents here need you, you know.”

“No Jeeves, I will not be abandoning my friends, I plan to continue to live here but Sam in particular rather stands out and could become a target were he to remain. He wouldn’t be able to cope if someone injured the people here to get at him.” “In that case, Ma’am I’m at your service. Can I sort out some supper for you in the meantime..?”

5. Adam entered the basement. A new start he thought, he’d miss his contact with… With his old friends, but he needed to try and put that part of his life behind him. Now this, this would be a challenge. As he walked down the ramp he realised that Young Sam and Akira had beaten him to it and were manhandling (or simply floating) a stack of equipment and what looked to be more blast doors (where had they managed to get them from?) Looking at the sizes they appeared to be identical to the one’s already in situ. Had they been left over when the upper floor of the factory had been demolished? They looked about right. While he was pondering this, Sam turned towards him… “So Adam, ah tell us a little about yourself. From your accent I’d say you are from Somerset. What brings you to Wessex?”

He’d wondered how long it would take them to ask. This was a secret base and they had their own secrets to maintain… So where to begin, how much to say? “You’ve a good ear; I am a mechanic, first worked in a local garage but had a falling out with my parents a couple of years ago, especially my dad so moved out.”

In the semi-darkness he failed to see the reaction on Sam’s face though Akira caught it and began to wonder. Adam continued “Went to London where I got a job with Alex Farraday, do you know him? Runs a techie’s paradise, a specialist shop in Notting Hill. Anyway I, I needed to move on so Alex helped me to get a job with the kids; the Challenger-Wildeman family, working on their vehicles and then Bethany asked me to help maintain her fleet of vehicles and now, well the rest you know…”

Sam desperately wanted to know what had caused Adam to leave home. Yes dad had been a bit disappointed in his decision to be a mechanic rather than an academic, but enough for him to leave home?

As he tried to think of a way to broach the subject, Akira spoke up “Forgive me from prying but can I ask why you left home, then the employ of Mr Faraday then the Challenger-Wildeman’s? Are you likely to leave us very quickly too?”

Ok, direct question; deserves a direct answer. Let’s find out… “Ok, no is the simple answer, I’m trying to make a new life for myself here. I, I had a friend, a close friend but well it didn’t work out and I needed a fresh start…”

Akira looked at him and said “Was your friend, was HE the reason you had a falling out with your parents also?” “How..?” Akira bowed his head slightly “forgive me; it was clear that your friend was the reason you left home. Your parents had difficulty accepting that you were in love. You referred to that person merely as a close friend, not as a girlfriend or boyfriend… It was an assumption, my apologies if I have offended…”

What he didn’t say was that a quick reading of Adam had told him a large part of the story even before he’d spoken.

“Yes, I’m gay… That isn’t a problem is it?” Sam and Akira assured him it wasn’t. “So you and… your dad had a falling out over your sexuality?” Even as he spoke he knew his father and his intolerance. It was part of the reason he’d never revisited after his transformation… Adam looked down at his feet and spoke. “Yeah, so I moved to London to be with my… with Sufi. He also, well he sort of worked with Alex and some of his other protégées. However it was only then that I discovered that Sufi had agreed to go through with a marriage arranged by his parents when he was younger. That he would marry this girl, for them, father a child with her, for them. That he’d stay with her rather than with me… Sorry, anyway Alex realised that the tensions in the shop were reaching Mount Etna levels and suggested I go work for a while with the kids but… It was too close, too raw so when Bethany suggested moving here I jumped at the chance. You ok with that?”

Again Sam and Akira assured him that was ok. “So, how do you think you can get this place liveable within only three months? There’s no way you can do that on your own surely?” “Well, you’re right I can’t but between Bethany and I; we have a few favours we can call in.”

He insisted on walking them over towards the hangar. As they passed an alcove, they both got a shock as they saw the inhuman monstrosity that stood there, apparently ready to pounce. Adam laughed at their reaction “Sorry, this is a present from one of my friends, Mikey… She’s a meta’, can manipulate metal and I’d like to ask her to come help.” I, I’m one too.” He held up his hand and it suddenly glowed white-hot as he held two pieces of scrap metal together and welded them by touch. With his finger he then folded and reshaped it. “It’s why Alex agreed to help me after…  Anyway, between us we can sort out all the structural repairs. As for the cabling and other repairs I was hoping Bethany might persuade the kids to let us borrow a shipload of their ‘little helpers’ as well as some of their advanced construction equipment; the prototypes for their proposed settlement on Mars.”

6. Young Sam had a call to make with Max… “So who are you wanting this holo-suit for anyway?” When he heard, he was very much in favour. “I might even be able to help with the look…

If you don’t need the miniature gravitics unit in the unit, you got a problem with me passing it to Adam for one of his little projects?”

“No problem. Re the holo-suit no, we don’t need anything too fancy or heroic, just something that is safe and reliable. We ‘could’ try to help out on the looks, but knowing Annie I’m sure she’ll be up for making her own device and hologram customisations, with or without our help.”

Max laughed and started to fill Sam in on a bit of her background; avoid going for a meal as she’d only be able to sit and watch. You can’t disguise her size – or yours – so avoid cinemas but going outside was a definite yes. Did he think she’d be up for a change of job? His thoughts were yes but… Don’t make her exchange one self-imposed prison for another, she needs contact with people. She’s scared how people will view her so give her space and choices… “Oh and did you know she was also a fully qualified doctor? Just never had the opportunity to practice. Amazing what you can learn off the internet if you don’t have to sleep…”

Now to think how to broach the subject. He was also aware that Akira had also indicated an interest in her… Just a game he was playing with him, or..?

7. Sam had arranged to meet Tony Jason at the Endeavour. Akira had also wanted to go so and he’d managed to suggest to Adam that he might also want to come along when he finished for the night… He seemed reluctant at first but said he would try and downloaded the address onto his PDA.

Sam and Akira arrived about 9pm, half an hour before Tony Jason was due. Jack wasn’t behind the bar; a young man was serving instead. 17 or 18’sh, long blonde hair with a number of facial studs who went through the reminder for Akira. Yes he understood that he wasn’t to use his powers here, or pick fights or…?

Sam was glad to be back, though he already missed the unfaltering advice and companionship of Jack. Perhaps our studded friend will be just as welcoming. Sam immediately ordered Gold-Leaf Vodka for himself, as an in-joke. Vodka or not, he’d be pleased.

He was extremely surprised when the young man immediately leaned down and produced a bottle of Royal Dragon Vodka with flakes of gold leave and Wildcat’s tankard. Someone, Jack presumably, had scored out the ‘Royal’ and written ‘Red’ on the bottles label in a thick red marker pen. Sam laughed as the young man poured Sam a double into the tankard and demanded an extortionate sum for the privilege.

Since Akira didn’t want to drink alcohol at the present time he approached the pool table with his mango and orange juice and waited his turn by the pool table. An older man with a bit of a limp was taking on all takers and seemed to have some serious skills with the game…

Akira agreed that yes he would be happy to play for money and £25 was an agreeable sum. Sam thought this could be fun and walked towards the pool table only to see the other man, wink at him. He almost didn’t recognise Jack. Saying nothing, he also bet £25 but to Akira’s surprise, against him. What did he know..?

His opponent allowed him to break. Akira smiled and proceeded to influence the direction slightly. Nothing! On its own it was a good break but he’d planned on his powers to pot the red and although he positioned it well, nothing went in. A moment of panic came on him as for the first time in years he discovered his psychic powers were nullified. The older man smiled at him “Life’s a bitch ain’t it? You really should have listened to Moses’ introductory spiel… Your powers are useless here. I’ve a psi and meta-neutraliser in play to block the use of powers whilst you’re here. That means this game is all down to skill and… skill alone.” He took his own shot and immediately managed to pot the next three balls with a shot that ricocheted off three cushions, spread the rest of the reds across the table and set him up perfectly for his next shot.

Sam watched intently, teasing Akira with puns, taunts and the occasional prod as Jack cleared the table. Pool was certainly not Sam’s game to play but it obviously was Jack Taggart’s and he was an expert. Easiest £25 Sam’d ever made, assuming Akira paid up.

Sam had hoped Adam would accept his invitation to the pub that evening, even if he were extremely busy with the BASEment development and so was glad when he saw Adam walk through the door.

What caught him by surprise when he immediately walked toward Jack, grabbed his hand and shook it with a big smile on his face, both of them talking animatedly.

Seems Jack knew Adam’s old employer, Alex Farraday, and had apparently met Adam on a number of occasions previously.

As quick as the conversation had started, it ended; with Jack signalling to the barman to pour Adam a drink on the house “in memory” and Adam crossed the bar with Sam to the booth Sam had staked out previously. “Sorry about that, Mr Taggart was a good friend of Mr Farraday’s and frequented his establishment on a number of occasions. Just surprised to see him here.” “In memory..?” Sam queried. “Of the Protectors. They both shared some sort of connection to them… Never fully found out what though.”

Adam was still just as he remembered him from before; still mysterious, just now in a different way. Before he’d simply disappear from days on end, and only rarely did he mention his “partner”.

Sam supposed that his meta-ability to weld by hand and to fold metal would have been invaluable to his profession, no wonder he’d be able to work on so many things so quickly. A true manipulator of metal, and not the cheating magnetic kind either. It would be easy for people not to notice either, because people do not tend to look directly at the welding. He was curious to see what else Adam can do. If Adam was just as much Meta as Sam was, then he’d no doubt have a few tricks up his sleeves, beyond his obvious current talents that is.

Sam was worried about him though, while Sam has yet to feel the true sting of a heart broken, he wondered about Adam’s intentions, aspirations and goals. He described us as a kind of bolt-hole, an escape, a distraction from his personal life. Sam was elated to have him on board and to spend more time to him, but he wondered how long for.

Adam, as the older brother, always used to be the tough, vigilant protector over his brother, the one to kick the bully in the shins. Now, Sam feels this role has been reversed by a strange twist of fate. But it won’t be bullies this time around; it’s time-bending, fireball wielding, gun-toting villains and life-criminals. He almost panged for his somewhat anonymous days in the convention halls, but this is better. Only, there’s just so much more at risk now.

Adam was also a reminder of their parents. Sam was certainly in no rush to reunite, with everything in mind; His parents were the definition of intolerant, suburban Sunday-telegraph readers. One step in the door and it would be shotguns, golf drivers and “Monster, Monster!” No thank you.

Sam quickly looked round the pub, trying to seeing if there were any other meta’s, friendly or not, in tonight. In particular, he wondered if Tempus and his foundry cronies might be in for a bit of R&R, as unlikely as it seems.

There was another obvious meta in a nearby booth, as tall as Sam with stone-like skin talking quietly to a blue skinned individual in a raincoat. It was obvious that they wanted their privacy. As for the others? Who knew? This wasn’t a night for socialising. Possibly he should come back on Karaoke or pub quiz nights?

He still needed to reveal his identity to Adam at some point. Or not. Sam figured, Adam would already have him sussed by then anyway.

At that moment Tony walked through the door and went over to shake hands with Young Sam and they were joined by Akira who asked him what he wanted to drink.

Adam quickly introduced himself as “the hired hand”. Did their handshake linger slightly?

Sam started chatting to Tony. He didn’t want the conversation to be too formal, though he thought that he could be somewhat intimidating across from the table. He tried to play it cool. As much as a dragon-super-nerd can, anyway.

He thanked Tony for his work previously; “especially for being so fair in your write up of us. Can I ask, what you hope to achieve with your career? It’s obvious that you have some serious expertise as a reporter as well as a skilled photographer yet you currently work as a freelance paparazzi?”

He wanted to find out more about his motivations, aspirations (and current pay?)  colleagues have advised, and his general vibe was that he was content being a rogue, lone photographer.

“I’d actually like to work as a reporter for a quality newspaper but you need a couple of good breaks to make that happen these days. In the meantime this pays better, just not as satisfying.”

“You could work with a group like ours or possibly the Challengers. With the right training and devices, you could become paparazzi supreme. Surveillance extraordinaire. Evidence collaborator. Hero certification could be on the cards, if you wanted.”

Tony laughed then apologised. “The Challenger-Wildeman family don’t work with any paparazzi and have some sort of weird device that prevents anyone, except themselves, from successfully taking pictures of any of them. Only they can take pictures of themselves and they maintain a monopoly on it. Something about a story they didn’t like about one of the kids printed in one of the daily rags was the final straw and since then the only source of information or photos has been themselves.

As for paparazzi supremo? Look I’m happy to work with you, provided I maintain the right to write and photograph what I see without interference. My integrity isn’t for sale at any price. As for Hero Certification? I’m a reporter and photographer. I report the news when I can, but I have no desire to be the news.”

“Sorry didn’t hurt to ask though, right? Hopefully we haven’t offended..?”

“No chance, it’s a compliment really. Just you’ve got the wrong guy, sorry. Look you’ve got my contact details, if you have a story, call me. Who knows, you might be my ticket in.”

“Well at least being here may lead to other stories, right? Possibly you’re interested in some of the other patrons here?”

“Ha, same device that protects the Challengers, also apparently blocks my cameras here.” He took a drink of the pint that Akira had brought over for him, “and no-one wants the grief that would come if someone reported on Granite there, especially during his downtime” as he spoke he subtly pointed towards the hulking stony brute Sam had spotted earlier “or say someone like Gismo or Hurricane… They’d figure some way to make life a misery for some poor Schmuck like me. Me? Thanks for the pint but I’m a lover and reporter, not someone with a death wish.”

“Can you recommend someone as The Balance, that’s what we’ve decided to call ourselves these days, needs a PR manager, or a social media director, in any case? You got any recommendations?”

“Not my area of expertise but I can ask around.  So, anyone for a game of pool?”