Ghost, Water, and Gaslight

23 June 2015

The blonde-haired and white-furred rabbit doe woke as her husband’s car turned into the driveway and the garage door opened. A few moments later, her brown-furred and ginger-haired mate stepped through the connecting door and shook his head. “Waiting up for me again, Terry?”

“You know I still worry, Sean. How did things go?”

“Reasonably well. Exit got the rest of the family out, but we had to go in to help rescue the young super they were after.”

“Too many of them for Exit?”

“Not so much too many, as an unexpected problem. The girl’s decided to call herself Ferric, for a very good reason. She’s Junior’s age, but she’s taller than I am, and apparently comes close to exceeding Exit’s mass limit all by herself.”

The doe’s eyes went wide at that. “By herself? I thought Exit could handle a ton!”

“She can. But the kid’s something like three-fourths of a ton all by herself. Might as well be solid iron. Very nice girl, though. Liberty Belle is escorting her to New York to rejoin her family. They’ll probably all need new identities.” 

“So how’d they find out? And who’s ‘they’?”

“Apparently she’s had her powers from birth and someone noticed. They’re trying to track down who owned the site they were taken to, but so far it’s a hedge maze of interlocking holding corporations.”

Teresa shook her head. “That’s rough. Tell the Bureau, if there’s anything we can do to help her, we’ll be happy to.”

“Morningstar took charge of things herself. But I’ll pass that on.” He sighed. “How’d Junior take my missing the end of his playoff game?”

“Not well, I’m afraid. He did very well, too, batted a triple in the eighth which put them over the top. He was very upset that you weren’t there to see it.”

“I’ll have to make it up to him.”

“How? Don’t you -dare- tell him I overheard, but I’m pretty sure he cried himself to sleep.”

“Hmmm. Terry, can you take the rest of the kids on an outing after breakfast? I’m going to go with the truth. It’s time he had the talk anyway.”

“You’re going to tell him?”

“Aye. If he has powers of his own, they’ll be waking up soon. I think he’ll be a little less upset if he finds out about my -other- job.”

*   * *   *

Sean knocked on the bedroom door. “Son? It’s ten o’clock. Time you got up and had breakfast. I’m making waffles.”

The reply was muffled. “Mm not hungry.” 

“I’m sorry I had to leave before the game was over, but something came up at work. Literally life and death.”

The response this time was heated. “Life and death? Dad, you’re a freakin’ accountant! It’s not even tax season!”

Sean forced himself to keep his voice stern. “Language, young man. You do not swear at me, even if you censor the words. Five minutes, or you’ll have cold waffles.”

“Don’t care.”

“And if I have to come up and get you, you’ll have a warm bottom to go with them.” The whiny grumble he got in response sounded like a yes, so he went back to the kitchen.

Sean Junior made the deadline with fifteen seconds to spare. “You -promised- you’d be there. And then you -left- again..." His voice trailed off. “Daaaad? Why are you wearing a superhero costume? And where’s everyone else?”

“I did tell you work called and it was life and death. I’ve just never told you before that I’ve got a second job. It’s just you and me right now, your mother took the rest of the gang to the zoo.”

“But... you’re an -accountant-. Accountants aren’t superheroes!”

“I’ll admit most of them aren’t. But it’s pretty good cover, don’t you think?” He sat down at the table, pointing at the seat across from him. “Sit. I’m not making this up, and we do need to have a talk.” The boy stared as the skillets and waffle iron continued to move as his father’s magnetic powers manipulated them.

“You... you really are Teragauss?”

“The one and only. Well, maybe not the only one any more. There’s supposed to be another magnetokinetic over in Scotland. Sorry, son. Your old dad’s living a double life.”

“Does Mom know?”

The older buck laughed. “Of course she does. I couldn’t keep this a secret from her even if I tried. That locked storage closet in the basement? 

“It’s your secret lair?”

“Nah, it’s just a secret exit when I need one. Most of the time, of course, I just drive to the Bureau’s public headquarters as my mild-mannered accountant self.”

The boy was rapidly forgetting that he’d ever been upset. “You’re not just telling me this now because I was mad about you ducking out on my game, are you?”

“Not entirely. It was a good excuse, but I was going to have to tell you this summer sometime anyway.”

“You were? You mean I...?”

“You might. I started noticing my powers when I was just a little older than you are now. Nobody’s sure how it works, whether it’s recessive or dominant genes or something more complicated. No guarantees that you’ll have powers of your own, I’m afraid, or that if you do they’ll be anything like mine. But if you do, you could see them kick in soon. I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I don’t want you caught off guard, either. If nothing else, your chances are a lot better than most.”

"Cool!" He thought about it while taking a few more bites. "That's why you have me learning kendo, isn't it?"

“Part of the reason. That’s useful to know even if you don’t end up in the superhero biz, though. I’d have been training you how to shoot, too, if we weren’t in Massachusetts. Now that you know, though, I’m going to do just that. We’ve got a range at HQ, and nobody will hassle us about it.”

“Really? Wicked!”     

“Just don’t tell your school friends. You’d have to explain -how- you can do that, and we’d both get in trouble for it.”

The boy nodded. “Yessir.”

“So, let’s finish our breakfast, and then we can go in and I’ll introduce you to Ironsides. She’s our rangemaster.”

“Okay.” He took another waffle and poured syrup on it. “So... life and death for real? Can you tell me about it?”

“Some. Someone took a young super’s family hostage to try to force her to work for them. Exit and Rapier went in to rescue them, but they could only get the family out. Liberty Belle, Coriolis and I went in to break her out once her family was safe.”

Junior’s face went blank. “Could that happen to -us-?”

“Only if someone finds out my secret identity. Make sure it isn’t from -you-.”

“No, sir! How’d they find hers?” 

“Special case. She’s had her powers from birth, and I understand they’ve recently started to show. Ferric’s just a few months older than you, but she’s taller than I am...”

*   * *   * *

12 December 2017

“Thanks for helping out, Robert. We owe you one.”

The black-furred bull shook his head. “It’s no trouble at all, Mrs. O’Leary. You’ve got great kids, and I don’t mind house-sitting for you while you and the boss head out to St. Louis.”

The doe shook her head with a fond grin. “I’m Terry, and he’s Sean, Robert. Remember? You may be Sean’s employee at O’Leary and Associates, but you’re also his colleague at the Bureau.”

“Yeah, but Minotaur calls him Teragauss. Robert calls him Mr. O’Leary in the office, and I don’t need to get into bad habits.”

“Oh, you... fine, you can call him Mister if you must. But I’m still Terry. An dtuigeann tú?”

Robert shook his head with a grin of his own. “If you insist.” She tapped her foot at his pause. “Terry. Anyway, say hello to Duncan for all of us, and tell him he’s welcome back any time.”

“We’ll remember. And I think he’ll appreciate it, even if he’ll pretend not to believe it.”

Her husband returned at that point, surrounded by their children. “We’re going to need to leave, kids, so we don’t miss our flight. Sean, Brigid? I expect you to help out around here, and not give Robert any grief. Pat, Mike? I expect -you- to do your homework and not give Robert -or- your brother and sister any trouble. Got it?”

The twins did their best to radiate innocence. Mike (as usual) spoke for both of them. “Of -course- we’ll be good, Dad.”

“You’d better be. Your Christmas presents are riding on it.” This sally made them both look thoughtful. “Anyway. Your mother and I will be busy, so we won’t always be able to answer the phone, but you can call when you need us. So can Mr. Jackson. And I’d better not get phone calls from him asking one of us to tell you to do something. Got it?”

“Yeah, we got it..." 

“Good. Final hugs, and then we’ve got to leave.”

*   * *   * *   

Much later that night, a nondescript black van parked up the block while the ram in the passenger seat scanned the property with night-vision binoculars. “Okay... I’ve got the alarm box in sight. Looks like a custom system of some kind, but it shouldn’t be a problem to knock it out without setting it off. Besides, if we go in early it probably won’t be set.”

The Irish setter driving the van was dressed in what had been an elegant suit, fifteen years earlier. “Good. And the phones?”

“Well, Sparks can knock out the landlines easy enough, Mr. Shaughnessy, but these days everyone has a cell phone. We’ll have to move fast and make sure none of the kids has a chance to call before we grab ‘em.”

The dog frowned. “The kids have their own cell phones? Seriously?”

“Things have changed a bit in the last fifteen years, Mr. S. Even if this O’Leary fellow wasn’t loaded, almost everyone does now.”

“Then we’ll have to get a couple extra sets o’ muscle to help out, but we can still pull it off, right?” 

“Sure, if we make sure we grab their phones first thing.”

Shaughnessy growled. “Then we’ll just make sure to do that. I -owe- that rabbit. I -still- don’t know how he got hold of my real books, but that damned accountant managed to compare ‘em to the public ones and send me up the river. He’s worth millions now, and I’m getting satisfaction from him one way or another.”

“You have a plan on getting out with the boodle, right? That’s always the tricky part with a kidnapping.”
“Don’t worry about it. They’ll be told to deposit it in a Swiss account, and it’ll go through a bunch of transfers after that, including a few in countries that don’t share info.”

“In that case, I know a couple of boys who’ll be perfect for the job. When will you need ‘em?”

“He and his wife are supposed to be gone for at least a week. Three days. Friday night. That way nobody else will miss the kids before Monday.”

*   * *   * * 

The winter evening closed in early in New England, and the twins barely even made it home from school before sunset during the first weeks of December. They bounced in the front door in the gloaming and dropped their bookbags in the living room. “Hey, Sean!” 

“Hey yourselves, Thing 1 and Thing 2. Robert called and said he’s gonna stop and pick up Chinese on the way here. You still like the veggie moo shu, right?”

Mike glanced at Pat for a moment, then nodded. “Sure!”

“That’s what I told him to get for you, but you know the drill. We’ll mix and match. Take your junk upstairs and get your homework done, Mom and Dad are gonna call tonight after dinner.”

“Aww... can’t we wait until tomorrow?” 

“Well, I suppose you can.” He gave them a nasty grin. “If you want to stay here and do homework while the rest of us go down to Faneuil Hall to get presents for the folks. And then you can explain why you don’t have anything for them in two weeks.”

“Aw, no way. That’d suck.” They exchanged more glances, with ear-flicks thrown in for good measure. Mike said, “Wait a minute. You wouldn’t leave us here alone.”

“No, but Brigid and I can take the train into town while Robert stays here with you. Your choice.”

“You -really- suck.” They stomped up the stairs, leaving their older brother chuckling as he went back to his own reading.

The knock on the front door was unexpected, and he shook his head as he put down _Lord of the Flies_. “Saved by the bell. William Goldfinch, you were a complete waste of oxygen.” The surveillance camera showed a ram in a police uniform waiting there - but no squad car in the driveway. He frowned and flicked the intercom rather than opening the door. “Yes? May I help you, officer?”

“Just need to talk to you for a few minutes, sir. There’s been a report of suspicious activity in the neighborhood and we want to know if you’ve seen anything.”

“Not a thing. Haven’t been home from school that long.”

“What about your parents? Can I talk to your mother?”

“She won’t have seen anything either.” He started punching in the emergency number that he’d memorized two years before, wincing as the phone beeped with every touch of a button. <What idiot thought that noise was a good thing for an iPhone?>

The voice from the other side of the door got more urgent. “C’mon, kid, let me in!”

“Not without a warrant!” The ram hauled off and kicked the door, and simultaneously the lights flickered and went out. A second kick splintered the lock as another crash from the back door told Sean that there was more than one intruder. He yelled upstairs as he backed off from the broken door. “CALL 9-1-1!”

*   * *   * *

The ram swore as the kid started dialing, and kicked the door down. “PLAN B!” Power to the house went out as Sparks shut down the junction box, and he heard his partners breaking in the back way as he went in the front. “Gimme the phone, kid!” He tried to grab the boy before he could run, but he missed in the suddenly dark room. At least the kid had dropped his phone. He followed him up the stairs just in time to see a bedroom door close as the lights came back on. “Hah. Gotcha now, kit.”

*   * *   * *

At the rear of the house, a hyena and a bear sow forced the back door open and charged into the kitchen, surprising twelve-year-old Brigid in the act of getting a glass of water as the lights went out. “You collect the girl, Jugs, I’ve got the twins.” The bear gave her an ugly smile and walked toward the young doe.               

“You stay away from me!” Brigid dashed around the other side of the center island as the bear lumbered forward. 

“You look a lot like your mother, kid. Behave and you’ll get to be her age someday.” She moved to the left, the kit dodged back around the island. She frowned and moved right, and the kit ran. She followed and skidded on a wet floor. Her last coherent thought before she crashed into the wall on her back was <What the frackin’ hey? That was -dry- a moment ago!> To add insult to injury, the girl bounced off her stomach on her way out of the kitchen and toward the open back door.

Unfortunately for Brigid, Shaughnessy had been bringing up the rear, and the setter caught her just as she thought she’d gotten away.

*   * *   * *

Lefty (the ram -never- used his given name of Eugene even in his own thoughts) opened the bedroom door and looked around as the lights flickered back on. The boy had managed to vanish in that brief amount of time, but there was really only one place he could have gone. He threw open the closet door triumphantly-- only to stare in confusion at a closet empty of anything but clothing. Quick checks under the bed and desk turned up nothing. He walked back into the hallway, shaking his head. Cassius had the twins, all right and tight, holding each one by an arm, and a yelp from downstairs told him that someone had grabbed the girl. He went down the hallway, checking the other rooms, and came up empty before heading downstairs to rejoin his colleagues. “All right, kid. We’ve got your brothers and sister, you’d better come out if you don’t want anything to happen to ‘em.”

*   * *   * *

Sean had panicked as the thug in the cop uniform grabbed for him, and he’d turned and run. But even through the panic, he was mentally turning cartwheels. He’d felt the ram’s hand try to grab him, and he’d felt it pass through him as he’d run. <I’ve got superpowers! I’ve got ‘em! Wicked!!!> He’d dashed into the spare bedroom and into the closet, trying to reconnect to that panicked reaction so he could escape through the wall. <C’mon, c’mon, I did it, -how- did I do it…> He froze as the closet door opened, and then almost gave himself away laughing as the thug stared in confusion, not seeing him, before turning away and looking through the rest of the guest suite before leaving to search the other rooms. The bathroom mirror confirmed it - he was invisible, though he faded back into visibility as he stared into it. <Cool beans! I can go invisible, and intangible. Now if I can just do it when I -want- to...> He poked at the wall, trying to duplicate the feeling, until his hand passed through the panel. His grin faded out with the rest of him when he flexed the other facet of his power. <Well, I’m not a blaster like Dad or a powerhouse like Robert, but at least I’ve got a power. Now how do I use it to rescue the others?> He padded, silent and invisible, to the top of the stairs to see the his siblings marched into the living room by the kidnappers.   

He’d just started scribbling a note when the thugs announced their ultimatum from the living room. <Crap. Well, I’ve gotta stay with the kids. The bad guys don’t know I can do this, I can always get away later.> He turned and walked downstairs, stopping for just a moment to use his newfound power to stick the incomplete note under the banister. 

Four of them were waiting in the living room, a big hyena holding his brothers, an older canine holding his sister, the ram disguised as a police officer, and a bear sow looking bruised and angry. The twins were subdued for the moment, but he could understand the silent version of their private language, just a little bit, and that told him they were planning things already. Brigid just looked intensely frustrated. “Sorry, bro. Almost got away, but I wasn’t expecting the dog.” She glared at said canine over her shoulder. “What’s this all about, anyway?”

“Your father owes me for a bad turn. You four are my leverage to collect on that little debt.”

“Ransom?” Sean sniffed in disdain. “That never works. The FBI and the BoS will track you down no matter -where- you try to hide.”

“That depends on your connections, kit. And I’ve still got some that are good enough.” He dropped an envelope on the table. “A little note for your babysitter when he gets back. We’ll be long gone by then. Let’s go.”

*   * *   * *

The van was brought up from its spot down the block, and the kits were marched out to it. Lefty and Shaughnessy got into the front, the ram ditching his police disguise; the hyena, the bear, and a skinny tomcat got into the back, sitting between the kits and the door. The bear was holding an icepack to the back of her head and glaring daggers at Brigid. “You are just lucky the Boss wants you in one piece for now.”

The young doe just shrugged. “Not my fault you made me drop my glass.” She paused, remembering what the hyena called her. “Jugs.”

The bear growled. “You don’t get to call me that, you little brat.”

Brigid shrugged again. “Have it your way. Why does -he- call you that?”

“None o’ your business, brat. Now shut your mouth before I gag you.”

*   * *   * *
  
The front compartment was sealed off from the back, so Lefty and Shaughnessy were free to talk without being overheard by the children. “So what was in that note you left ‘im, Boss?”

“The usual. Don’t bother the cops or the supers with this, on pain of harm to the youngsters, along with orders to let -us- contact the parents. Sparks checked the alarm system, and assures me it wasn’t armed, so we should be fine. If they call before we do, he’s supposed to ignore it.” He frowned as the check engine light came on. “What the hell? I thought Sparks checked this out this morning?”

Lefty leaned over. “He did. I watched him do it. What’s it saying?”

“Engine temperature’s in the red. We don’t need this crap -now-.”

“Better pull over, Boss. Someplace quiet, so we can let it cool down. If it gets -too- hot, it’ll trip the sensors and it’ll shut off and won’t let us start it again.”

*   * *   * *

Brigid relaxed as the van pulled over, and asked the hyena “Are we there already?”

The hyena frowned. “Shouldn’t be.” He turned as the rear door opened just a crack and the ram stuck his head in. 

“Sparks, the engine’s messed up. Come take a look at it.”

The cat slipped out and the door closed again. He slipped back in a few minutes later.

“So what was it?” the hyena asked. 

“Damnedest thing. Can’t find anything wrong, and the temp started dropping as soon as the engine shut down. Probably just a blocked sensor.”

*   * *   * * 

Jackson’s Bureau phone buzzed as he was on his way back to the O’Leary’s. “Minotaur here. What’s up?”

“It’s Digger. There was a power glitch at the O’Leary’s, and it looks like they’re on generator backup at the moment. But Sean Junior isn’t answering his phone and no one’s answering the house landline. We may have a problem.” 

“Roger that. I’ll be careful.” He increased his speed to the legal limit and a little past. <They’re gonna kill me.>

The house looked dark compared to the rest of the Christmas-decorated neighborhood when he arrived, since the outside lights and inflatables weren’t on the emergency power circuit. To his dismay, the front door was slightly ajar, and the damage to the lock was downright frightening when he got close enough to see it. “Digger, we definitely have a problem. Looks like a break-in. I’m going in.” He summoned his maze aura and quietly opened the door. The living room was a mess, as if there’d been a struggle, but the envelope propped up on the coffee table was obvious. 

My dear Mr. Jackson:

Please do everyone a favor and keep quiet. The children are safe, for now, and we will soon be contacting their parents directly. There are four very good reasons why you should not involve the police or the Bureau - yes, I know he’s their accountant - and I sincerely hope you have the good sense to believe me.   

“Digger? We have a worst case scenario. Or maybe just second-worst. It’s a kidnapping, and I’ve already violated the letter they left behind by talking to you. I doubt they have any spies in the Bureau, but I think we still need to keep this real quiet. Does he have any enemies as O’Leary? I don’t think this is aimed at Teragauss.”

“Crikey. I’ll get right on that. Seem to recall there was somethin’, but it was before my time.” 

*   * *   * *
“Again? Why does the engine keep overheating?”

The tomcat shrugged. “This is the same as last two times, Boss. There’s probably just some dirt in the radiator that blocks the sensor. Not much we can do for now but keep stopping. I’ll do a fill and flush on it tomorrow.”

“Dammit, we’re going to attract attention if we have to keep stopping.”

*   * *   * *

Sean Junior’s ringtone went off at 7:30; apparently his parents were keyed in as Mozart’s Dies Irae. Jackson swallowed nervously and picked it up. “Hello, Boss.”

“Hey, Robert. Where’s Junior?”

“He’s... not here. Wait, you haven’t heard anything yet?”

“About what?”

“Someone broke in and kidnapped them sometime between school letting out and me getting here from the office. Left me a note not to notify anyone and that they’d be contacting you directly.” He moved the phone away from his ear. Terry was capable of a -lot- more volume than he’d ever suspected.   

He continued when she’d calmed down a little. “They left a note, but it was just the boilerplate ‘don’t call the authorities’. I ignored that, of course, the Bureau folks are in on it, but we thought it would go better if you reacted without being forewarned, keep them thinking they were being listened to. However, Junior -also- left a note. He says ‘At least four, bear, hyena, ram, old setter in charge. Tell Dad I trig’ Apparently that was all he had time for. What’s trigonometry got to do with anything?”

Sean’s voice held a note of surprise. “Not trig math. Triggered. Something happened and he’s finally found his powers. By now I thought he didn’t... Must’ve been the stress."
“Probably, sir. Digger and Ironsides - well, as Dave and Caroline - are here, Carrie’s fixing the doors and the electricity. She’s also downloaded the security camera footage from the backups at HQ. We’ve got clear shots of the ram, he tried to get in posing as a police officer but your kids didn’t fall for it.”

Terry’s voice was grimly amused. “Darn straight. My kids aren’t dummies.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sir, do you have any enemies? Or is this just opportunism?”

“Junior said an old setter? I’m afraid it’s enemies, then. One of my first big busts, back in ‘02. Several politicians I caught cooking the books during the Big Dig subway construction scandal. The head was James Shaughnessy, formerly City Comptroller.” He sighed. “Okay, I’d better get off this line in case he tries to call. We’ll contact you via the Bureau once we know anything, and you call us the same way if anything breaks on your end. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!” The call clicked off. He sighed to the lemur, who was just finishing up the front door. “That went better than I’d feared.”

Caroline chuckled. “I heard Terry from over here. Let’s hope Sean gets her calmed down.”

“Got that right. In the meantime, got a name for you. James Shaughnessy, former political figure in the Big Dig scandal. Boss thinks he may be the mastermind.”

*   * *   * * 
    
Everyone’s nerves were shot by the time they made it to the Maine cabin that Shaughnessy had picked for their hideout. The van’s engine had overheated and forced them to stop seven times, and during the second-to-last one a well-meaning young fox had pulled in behind them and offered to help. Jugs had had a brainstorm for that one; the kids were cowed into remaining silent not by threatening them, but by threatening to kill the helpful driver. Eventually they managed to send him on his way, unaware of his narrow escape.
The setter exhaled with relief as he pulled into the driveway. “Finally. Get the kids inside. We need to call O’Leary and get the ball rolling, now.” The van doors were opened, to a chorus of ‘Are we there yet?’ and ‘I gotta peeee!’ 

Sparks was nearly knocked over as the twins swarmed out the door. “Where’s the bathroom? Are we gonna go camping? We’re hungry!” The hyena grabbed them both and headed for the cabin door, but whether he was marching them or if it was the other way around wasn’t obvious. 

Jugs sighed in relief as the noisy youngsters dragged Tomas off in search of the facilities. “I’m gonna wait until we’ve got the ransom and then I am going to beat those two half to death. Don’t they -ever- stop talking?”

Sean snorted. “Not that I’ve ever noticed. You seriously dragged a pair of nine-year-olds on a four hour road trip without thinking that over?” 

The bear growled again. “Shut it. There’s food here, so if you behave, you’ll get fed. They’re still young enough to be stupid kids. You an’ your sister ain’t. You keep up with that smart mouth, kit, and we won’t feed you.”

Sean subsided, waiting for the right moment. <Still, you must’ve really annoyed them. Pat was actually talking to help drive you nuts. He only does that on special occasions.> 

*   * *   * * 

Brigid felt mainly disappointment as they were escorted into the cabin. <I was really hoping I could delay them enough that they’d -have- to stop somewhere for a bathroom break. Still... a summer cabin near a lake? This could be interesting. I’ll have to tell Sean what I can do, though. He might have some good ideas, and we’re gonna have to plan this out.> She took her turn in the cabin’s bathroom and let them lock her in the crowded bedroom with her brothers. She didn’t have to -see- the pipes to know where the water was, after all, and she amused herself by making the cold water faucet in the sink splash violently when Jugs took her turn. The bear’s outraged bellow was music to her ears.     

Sean grinned as he shoved the cots around to give his sister a more private corner of the room. “Mike, Pat... you hungry?”

“You better believe it. It’s been -ages- since we were supposed to get dinner!”

“Then bang on the door and complain about it.” The twins obeyed enthusiastically, and Brigid gave him a dirty look. He nodded, and motioned her close. “Yeah, I know. They’ll annoy me, too, but it gives us cover in case they’re listening. Any idea where we are?”

“Actually, yes. We crossed two big rivers, and the ocean was on our right the whole way.”

Sean’s eyebrows crawled up his forehead. “You... you’re sure of that? How?”

Brigid looked away, biting her lip nervously. She came to a decision and looked him in the eyes, coming clean. “Yeah. Sorry I haven’t told you before, but... I’ve got Powers. Water powers. I know where it is, I can push it around some, that kind of thing.”   

“Wait... so the engine overheating was you?” She just smirked in response. “Little sister, have I told you I’m proud of you lately?”

“I don’t think you’ve -ever- told me that.”

“Well, I’m telling you now. Has Dad given you the Talk?”

“Mom did.” She rolled her eyes. “Like I didn’t know where babies come from..."

“Not -that- talk. The one about your powers.”

“I haven’t told the parents about that. They’d make me quit the swim team!”

“What, you’ve been cheating?”

“No! Well. Maybe a little. I don’t hafta worry about breathing. Kinda hard not to cheat that way.” She looked at him more carefully. “Wait. Why would Dad have a Parent Lecture ready about superpowers?”

He leaned over to whisper into her ear. “He’s Teragauss. And I’ve got ghost powers of some sort myself, didn’t know ‘til today.”

“What!? Da--mmmmpph!” Sean was ready for it and clamped his hand over her mouth the moment her voice rose. She glared at him, but nodded and relaxed after a few seconds. “Sorry. But yeah, I’ve known for a couple years now. Since I was the twin’s age. You just found out?”

“So I’m slow. Probably my own fault, I’ve been trying to blast stuff and it turns out it’s not that kind of power. Anyway. So north for two and a half hours actual driving. How close was the ocean?”

“Pretty close. Within ten miles most of the time.”

“So they stuck to the coast. That puts us in Maine.” He grinned. “I suspect that they’ll take one of us outta here to confirm to the folks that we’re okay so far. Whichever of us it is, mention that they should warn Robert that my friend was gonna come over Sunday to study with me. James Blaine.”

“Who?”

“James G. Blaine. Always introduces himself that way. A pompous ass, but he’s in my AP history class.”

“So... Joseph Warrington the Fourth, with a different name. Some kinda code?”

“Yep. You can look it up when we get home.”

Brigid looked nervous for the first time. “You think they’re going to let us go home when they’ve got the money?”

Sean grinned. “I’m Ghost, you’re Water, Dad is Teragauss, and the twins are agents of chaos even -without- powers. They’ll be begging to let us go home before we’re done with ‘em.”       

*   * *   * * 

The twins had been going at it for a half hour before the door opened. A still damp Jugs was standing there with a tray of plates. “All right, ya noisy little brats. Here’s your dinner, now shut up and eat.” She flicked a finger at Brigid. “You’re coming with me first. The Boss wants you to tell your folks you’re all okay.”

“And if I don’t wanna?”

“Then you’ll get to tell ‘em that you’re not all okay, and it’ll get worse if they don’t pay up.”

Brigid grumbled. “Okay, okay... I’m coming.” She got up and walked to the door. “None of you had better eat my food while I’m gone.”

Mike held his hand up. “We won’t, sis. Scout’s honor.”

Sean just sniffed. “No worries, I’m not that fond of canned pasta.”

The phone conversation was already in progress when she arrived. She recognized her father’s voice on the line. “...ten million dollars? And what gives you the idea I have that kind of money?”

“You have a lovely home, and a business with some very lucrative clients. I’m sure you can borrow against them for what you don’t have on hand, Mr. O’Leary.”

“And how are we supposed to do that when you don’t want us to tell anyone what’s going on? It’ll take time to arrange, no matter what.”

“They are delightful children, Mr. O’Leary. I’m sure I - and my less civilized associates - will enjoy their company until you can make the arrangements. And here is young Brigid to assure you that they are in good health. So far.” The setter nodded to the young doe and motioned her toward the pickup.

“Daddy?” Her voice trembled, with a hint of a sniffle in the background.

“Brigid? Are you all right, sweetheart?”

“I’m fine, Daddy, and so are the boys. I’m sorry..."

“It’s not your fault, honey.”

“But I almost got away!”

“It’s all right. We’ll get you out of this, no matter what it takes.”

Shaughnessy interrupted. “Very touching, but that’s what you need to know.”

Brigid frowned at him. “What happens if other people find out we were kidnapped?”
“You don’t want that to happen, my dear.”

“Well, they’re gonna. Sean was supposed to meet a classmate tomorrow for a study session. Jimmy Blaine, I think it was.”

“Well, then, Mr. O’Leary, you had best tell your caretaker to forestall that. And now, Brigid, off with you. Go have your dinner.” The bear ushered her out again. “And on that note, I will be signing off as well. It would never do to stay on the line too long. If you are cooperative, you can have a Merry Christmas after all, if a poorer one than you expected. I will call back in forty-eight hours to tell you what to do with the ransom.”

*   * *   * * 

Terry was smolderingly furious. “As soon as we get the kids back, we are going to hunt him down and skin him for a rug. Smarmy bastard thinks he can get away with this, he’s gonna regret the day he was born.”   

“We’re agreed on that, all right. But he doesn’t know that we know who he is, and we’d best keep it that way for now. But there’s a stroke of luck. Brigid and Sean are keeping their heads together, and I think she just managed to send us a message.”

“What, about cancelling a study session?”

“The group project was due this past week. And his study-buddy for it was that obnoxious boor of a boar-child, Warren something. He was over last Sunday and stayed for dinner?”

“Oh, the Warrington kid. So who’s Jimmy Blaine?”

“Let’s find out.” A quick internet search turned up an entry. “James Blaine. Presidential also-ran against Grover Cleveland. Slogan... James G. Blaine from the State of Maine.” He grinned. “Sean must’ve primed her, his term paper was about the Cleveland presidencies. They managed to tell us where they were -taken-.”

“And his note said he’d triggered. Pity he couldn’t tell us what his powers are.”

“He’s been trying all kinds of things to see if he’d gotten blaster powers. I think he was hoping for something flashy. But if it took something like this to bring them out? It’ll be something internally focused, something defensive or concealing, I’ll bet. But they don’t know what they’re dealing with, and that’ll make all the difference. Let’s get someone started on finding a black van headed for Maine earlier this evening, and see if ol' Shaughnessy owns anything in Maine that his wife didn't get when she divorced him.”

“Aren’t we heading back ourselves?”

“Do -you- want to tell Dealanach why we’re leaving early?”

“...”

“Didn’t think so. He’s under enough stress already.” He shrugged. “We can coordinate from here well enough, and the rest of the Bureau wants me to stay as far away as I can. There’s a -reason- we’re not generally allowed on missions involving family.” 

*   * *   * * 

The twins were not happy with dinner. “This isn’t even Chef Bir-Dee-Ay canned ravioli. This is store brand.” 

Sean shook his head. “You’ll live. I doubt they’re getting anything much better. Criminals aren’t usually gourmet chefs.”

“So what are we gonna do? We can’t just wait around for them to let us go.”

“Well, for now we’re gonna eat to keep up our strength, and when Brigid gets back, we’re gonna make plans.”

“She’s just a guurrrrrl. How can -she- help?”

“Oh, I think she’ll be -very- helpful.” He leaned in, and whispered, “She’s had her powers longer than I have.” 

Sean was ready to muffle them if they got excited, but Mike’s voice dropped to a whisper to match his, while Pat’s ears just quivered. “For real? Both of you?” 

“For real.” He waved his hand through the table by way of demonstration. “Not a word to anyone, of course.”

“No waaaay. So what does Brigid do?”   

“Stuff with water, not sure what all she can pull off.”

The twins rolled their eyes in unison. Mike added, “Ooo, she can get the bad guys -wet-. We could do that with water balloons.”

Sean snorted.   “Think fire hose, munchkins. I’m a spy. She’s a blaster.” 

The twins went back to eating, suddenly thoughtful. For once, Pat was the one who spoke. “So are we gonna get powers, too?”

“Magic Eight Ball says, ‘All signs point to yes.’ We’re batting a thousand so far. Probably not for a couple years, but you never know.”

The smile they shared with each other was, he decided, seriously disturbing. “Wiiiickeeed!”

*   * *   * * 

Sean and Brigid let the twins take the first watch. It was deep into the night when Mike poked Sean awake. “They’ve all gone to bed except Tomas, and he’s fallen asleep on guard duty.”

“You’re sure--” He was interrupted by a bubbling snore from the other side of the door. “Right. Your turn to nap, Brigid and I are going to start messing with them.”

“Aww… we wanna help!”

“Heh. We’re gonna use some of your ideas, no worries. We’ll wake you up when it’s time for the fun to start. But if we’re gonna blow this joint later, you’ll need some sleep.”

Brigid joined him, stretching and yawning. “So what’s first?”

“First, we see if I can ghost you along with me. I can do my clothing and stuff I’m carrying, but you’re a lot bigger than a pair of shoes.” They walked over to the outside wall, looking at the bars over the window. “They don’t want us to get out, that’s for sure. Pity it isn’t gonna work for them. Let’s try this...” He took Brigid’s hand and focused on holding on to her as he walked through the wall. A moment later, they stepped into the cold night air. 

Brigid shuddered. “Okay, you can do it, but... I don’t want to do it any more often than I have to. That was like... claws on glass, all the way down into my -bones-.”

Sean shook his head. “It was tiring, too. A -lot- harder than doing it for myself.”

“Can you get me back inside?”

“Yeah, but I’m gonna need to rest up. And getting everyone out at once is gonna waste me.”

“You’ll manage. You rest, I’ll get the ice patches started.” She went down to the dock that jutted out into the lake and flexed her powers. The ice bulged up, and then cracked as the liquid water broke through the crust. She floated a blob over to the front porch and spread it around to freeze in the cold air. As an extra bit of gotcha, she filled the door lock and held it in place until it started to solidify as well. 

Sean watched as he recovered from his effort, amused. “You can’t manipulate it when it’s frozen?” 

Brigid stopped in her tracks. “I... I didn’t try. Hang on..." One of the shattered pieces of ice on the lake wobbled into the air. She grunted with the effort. “‘Kay. I can do it. Not easy. I bet it’s like you taking me through the wall.” She let it drop onto the ground. “Good to know, though. Let’s get back inside.”

“Whoof.” Sean sat down on his cot after they came back through. “That’s gonna take a lot of practice.” 

The twins were still awake, waiting. “Are you gonna be able to do it for all of us?”

“Yeah, but I’m gonna be exhausted for a bit afterwards. We’ll have to allow for that. And we’re not gonna be able to escape tonight, not if we’re gonna pull the one where I’ve gotta drag you all back and forth. Y’ think we can put up with spending Saturday with these clowns?”       

Mike grinned. “Oh, I think we can come up with something entertaining.”

Brigid exchanged a look with her older brother. “I am really glad that smile isn’t aimed at us..."

*   * *   * *

Sean proceeded to the next phase of the plan. Lefty and Sparks were sharing a room - he moved all of the cat’s stuff to the ram’s nightstand and vice versa. He also exchanged their shoes. The bear and the hyena shared a room as well, but Tomas was currently leaning against the door to the prison bedroom, so he contented himself with turning one of Jugs’ sleeves inside out before putting it back on the chair where she’d left it and shoving her shoes under her bed.

The setter had a room to himself, as befitted the mastermind of the operation. Sean explored it, noting where he’d left his keys and wallet and phone, then left as quietly as he’d come.

Back in their room, he grinned at his siblings. “First stage is set. They’re gonna be scrambling when Tomas yells, and getting tangled up with the wrong gear. Now, let’s get you outside… I’ve was experimenting a little while I was scouting around, and I think it’s a proximity thing. So Brigid gets to ride piggyback, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 each take a hand.” They got themselves ready. “And step through on the countdown. 3... 2... 1... Now!”

The transition was unpleasant for the other three, and Sean sagged as they got through. Mike shook himself when they got outside. “This is not something we’re gonna ask you to do a lot, Sean. That was -nasty-.”

Brigid nodded. “That’s what I told him the first time. And I don’t want to think about what would happen if we got stuck part way through.”

“Oh, thanks for -that- bit of nightmare fuel, Brij. Lemme get my breath back. Once I’m ready, I’ll go kick it off and then get back to you. We’ll have to move fast when the time is right, and then everyone get into bed fast. And -no giggling-. We do not want to give things away, no matter how crazy they get.”

The twins nodded, serious for once. “Got it, bro. They play rough as it is.”

*   * *   * *

The cabin was silent except for the hyena’s snoring when Sean slipped back inside. He quietly unlocked the door and opened it, then went invisible and knelt in front of the kitchen chair Tomas was slumped in. With one convulsive heave, he tipped it up and over. Tomas crashed to the floor and scrambled to his feet, cursing a blue streak. It took him a minute to realize that he’d landed -inside- the bedroom, and that the children’s cots were all empty.

He turned white under his fur and pelted off down the hall. “Boss! Everyone! Get up! Get up!!! They’ve gotten away!” 

Sean kicked the chair out of the lockup, closed the door and dove through the wall. On the other side, he grabbed hold of the others and ran back through. The twins jumped into their cots, and Brigid pushed him into his as he collapsed before making for her own.

Outside of their room was pandemonium. Sparks and Lefty were cussing at each other, each accusing the other of grabbing the wrong shoes. Jugs was tangled up in her blouse and still barefoot, and Tomas was yelling in panic. Shaughnessy finally bellowed for all of them to shut up and the shouting subsided. “Right. Tomas. What happened?”

“I dunno, Boss! I was leaning up against the door, when all of a sudden it fell in and the room was empty!” 
  
The setter paled and raced them there, but stopped dead when he rounded the corner. “Tomas…”

“Yeah, Boss?”

“You fell into the room?”

“Yeah, that’s what I... said..." It dawned on him that the door was closed and the chair was on the floor outside of it.

Shaughnessy’s voice was dangerously soft. “Open the door.”

Inside, the twins and the young rabbit doe were sitting up, obviously wondering what was going on, while the teenage buck had managed to stay asleep through the racket. The twins bounced out of bed all the way and started a rapid fire commentary, alternating back and forth and keeping the barrage of questions going nonstop. “Are you having a party? Can we stay up, too? Is there gonna be pizza? Yeah, we’re still hungry! Pizza’s good! Why is Miss Jugs only wearing half a shirt? Ooooh... are you playing strip poker? Can we play? Can we watch?” The door slammed closed again, which did not immediately slow them down. “Hey! No fair, we wanna party too! You’d better not be having pizza without us!”

“Idiot.” The old setter’s voice had gotten even softer, and yet none of his minions was missing a single word he said. “You fell asleep. You fell asleep, dreamed they’d escaped, and then managed to fall over and wake yourself up.” He paused. “And then you woke us all up instead of checking properly first.”

“But... but I was... in the room when...“

“I take it back. You are not an idiot, because that would be an affront to actual idiots.” He gave the rest of his henchmen a jaundiced look as they tried to sort out clothing and shoes. Jugs had finally gotten both her arms in sleeves, but her shirt had ended up inside out in the process. “These three, for example.” He sighed. It was almost time for shift change anyway. “Lefty, take over for Sleeping Beauty here. And get those confounded twins to shut up. I’m going back to bed.”     

*   * *   * *

Pat and Mike wound down and went back to their cots, stifling laughter, and had fallen asleep before Lefty stuck his head in to double check before settling down for his watch. “I dunno what just happened, but it had better not have been your fault.”

Brigid glared at the ram. “Right. Like it’s -possibly- our fault that tall, dumb, and spotty fell asleep on guard duty and had the rest of you running around like All the Third Stooges.”

“Watch your mouth, kid. Boss says we can’t rough you up too much until the money comes in. After that it won’t matter, see? We’re saving it all up for then. So maybe you don’t want to be such pains, capice?”

“Hah. Dad works for the Bureau. You pull a double-cross like that, and you’ll have nowhere to hide. Nowhere you could enjoy your share of the ransom, at least. Even China and Russia will be after your heads.”

“Yeah? Maybe if you annoy us enough we won’t care. So watch it.”

Brigid sniffed after the door closed. “Right. Good luck wi’ that, ya wool-headed caorach.” She fell asleep listening to the steady breathing of her brothers and plotting what to do next to torment their captors.

*   * *   * *

The St. Louis Bureau had been pressed into service as the command center for the crisis. A call to the Regional Headquarters in Colmaton had gotten Computer Mouse forwarded to assist, and armed with the name and particulars of the former politician, she had happily dived into the Net and popped up with all kinds of interesting information. She rematerialized from her journey into the virtual world and gave the highlights even as a printer started churning out documents.

“Okay, this is what I’ve got so far, guys. Shaughnessy completed half of his sentence and was released on parole back in June. They set him up with a halfway-house room and job, but he disappeared from it after two weeks, along with at least one fellow who’d been released at the same time he was, one Eugene ‘Lefty’ Hornfeld.” She fetched the papers that had so far been printed out and flipped through them. “This fellow.”

Teresa frowned at the picture. “That’s the one who tried to pose as a cop.”

Computer Mouse nodded. “I think so, too. Shaughnessy was charged seven and a half million in fines and restitution as part of his sentence, and his wife divorced him after he was convicted and got his remaining property in the settlement. He hasn’t tried to contact her since his release as far as anyone knows. But I’ve looked at his financial records - you’ll want to double-check me on this, Teragauss - and I think that he’d managed to conceal some of his holdings in secret accounts under false names.”

Sean nodded. “You’re printing that information out?”

“That’s most of the print queue, actually. Though I’ve highlighted the parts that caught my attention. Let me know what else you need once you’ve had time to go through it.” 

“Thanks. We owe you one, CM.”

She shook her head, embarrassed. “Nah, you don’t. You’re Bureau, too. This is the least I can do to help.”

Terry shook her head. “This isn’t Bureau business, dear. This is fursonal. If you -ever- need -anything- we can do for you, you will have it. Money, a job, recommendations, a transfer, you name it, one of us will help.”

Sean nodded. “Seriously, though, with your powers? You’d be a natural for forensic accounting. If you want to go into the field officially, just let me know and I’ll arrange a scholarship.”   
“Well, thanks for the offer, but --”

She was interrupted by an enraged bellow from outside the room. “SEAN! Ye bloody twit, why’d I hae tae find out abou’ this frae Fixer!?” The scarred otter burst through the door. “An’ what are ye still doin’ here? We shoulda been on our way hours ago!”

Fixer and Velocity Blaze arrived in his wake, the rabbit trying to get his attention and the raptor just looking worried. Sean held a hand up and waited for silence. “Duncan… where exactly should we be going?”

“To find ‘em, o’ course! How can ye jus’ sit here when--”

“Trust me on this, Duncan, I am at least as angry - and worried - as you are. But running off in all directions at once isn’t going to do anyone any good, least of all the kits. I have set things in motion to gather the ransom, just in case he’s tapped into the financial markets or my firm somehow. In the meantime, by sitting right here, we have made progress. Sean and Brigid got a message through during the brief phone call that they’ve been taken somewhere in Maine. We know from a note that Sean left for Minotaur who four of them are - and that he’s finally found his powers. They don’t know that. And thanks to Computer Mouse, we’ve confirmed names for two of them already, and Revere and the rest of the Boston branch are working on tracking them down.”

“But--”

“Maine is better than ‘somewhere’. But it’s still half of New England, and a lot of it is wilderness.” He pointed to the printout map of the state they’d tacked to the wall. “Where do we go first?”

The otter sagged. “Cach, I dunno. But why didn’t ye tell me right off?”

Terry gave him a hug. “Because we didn’t want you to worry any sooner than you had to,”

Fixer nodded. “Wasn’t just them, Dunc. We all agreed. And then I had to open my fat mouth and screw it up. Forgive me?”

Duncan returned Terry’s hug tightly, giving Fixer a grudging nod and a half-smile. “When we do find ‘em, I get to help fetch ‘em, right?”

Sean chuckled. “If they let me go, you’ll be along. They don’t like family going on that sort of mission, though. Too likely to go berserk if something goes wrong, after all. But in Boston? I think they’re all tainted by knowing the kits fursonally, so they’ll probably have to let us come along as well.”

“They bloody well better.” His scowl was still fierce.
  
Sean nodded. “In the meantime... Duncan Gunn, aka Dealanach, this is Fiona Applegate, aka Computer Mouse. Fiona, Duncan. He won’t bite, he’s not nearly as ferocious as he looks. You’ve got a bit in common, you were both in rough circumstances before you joined up.”

The mouse still looked a bit nervous as she offered her hand.   “Umm... hi?”

*   * *   * *

Brigid woke up the next morning to the sound of Sparks trying to open the screen door at the front of the cabin. She grinned to herself as she listened to him fighting with the frozen lock. <Kidnap us, will ya?> She poked the twins awake. “Sparky’s gonna be hopping mad when he finally gets through the door. And I doubt he’ll be looking closely at the porch when he does.”

They grinned. “Ya did the ice thing?”

“You betcha. This oughta be good.” She tried to rouse Sean, but he just groaned and burrowed into his blanket. “You okay?”

“No. Got a migraine. Toldja - only figured powers out yesterday.”

“And you overdid it.” She patted his shoulder gently. “I’ll see if I can get you some pills. Sleep it off, we’ll be fine for a bit.” He grunted in response, folded his ears down and burrowed further into his bedding.

Sparks had apparently found something to use as a hammer, and finally shattered the ice jamming the screen door’s latch. Unfortunately for him, he’d gotten thoroughly annoyed by this time, and stormed out onto the cabin’s front porch as soon as he got the door opened. He promptly slipped on the sheet of ice that Brigid had laid out the night before, skidded into one of the columns holding up the porch roof, bounced off, tripped down the short flight of steps and faceplanted in front of the van. “Ow...”

Lefty turned at the noise and started toward the door. “Sparks, you okaAAAAIIIIEEE!” The ram nearly did his own faceplant, but grabbed the doorjamb in time to convert it to a hard landing on his tailfur. “What the ----- hell?”

The cat’s first attempt to get up resulted in a yowl of pain. “No, I’m not. I think I broke my wrist.” He rolled to his side and used his left hand to push himself up.

“Your nose is bloody, too. Where the hell did this ice come from? It wasn’t here last night.”

“No idea. Something leaking, maybe?”

“If there is, I don’t see it. Do we have any road salt?”

“No idea. Ask the boss.”

*   * *   * *

The twins and their sister grinned, ears pressed against the door to listen to the ongoing trainwreck. Mike asked “Should we start complaining about breakfast?”

Brigid shook her head. “Not yet. Let Sean sleep as long as he can. He overdid it last night, dragging us all through the walls. Besides, if we annoy them right now they may just put us to work chipping the ice, and you don’t have coats.”

“Neither do you.” 

“Yeah, but I don’t need one. Water powers, remember? Includes being able to breathe it and stand cold water. Cold air is no problem at all.”

“Lucky..."

She grinned. “Yep. But let’s let him sleep. We’ve gotta think up an alternate escape plan if he can’t get us through the wall again for a while.”

*   * *   * *

Shaughnessy just shook his head when he woke up and found Jugs wrapping a bandage around Sparks’ wrist. “Now what have you done?”

“There’s some kind of water leak, Boss. The porch door was frozen shut when we got up, and the porch is a solid sheet of ice. I kinda took a header on it. Thought it was broken, but she says it’s only a sprain.”

“What about the van?”

“Well, I need a few basic tools and enough antifreeze to refill the radiator after I flush it.” He gestured at his damaged wrist. “And someone to turn wrenches for me, now.” 

Tomas looked up from his breakfast. “Do we need it any more? It’s not like we’re gonna take the kits anywhere, are we? Just get the ransom and leave them here. We’ve got my car and yours to leave in.”

The setter scowled. “I’d rather have options, but... yeah, you’re right. That might end up being more trouble than it’s worth.” He walked over to the front door and stared out at the ice. “Right. Tomas, get a shovel out of the shed when you’re done and chip that up a bit so it’s not a skating rink.”

“Why me?”

“Because it might keep you awake for a bit.”

“Why not let the kits do it? It’ll wear the little monsters out.”

Shaughnessy glared at the hyena. “Because we don’t want anyone driving by and maybe -seeing- them, perhaps?”

“Oh.   Right..."

Shaughnessy sighed. “I am surrounded by idiots.”

On the other side of the door, Brigid snorted. “And he fits right in with ‘em, too.” The twins snickered. “All right, we know they’re not gonna make us work outside now. Go for the breakfast call.”

Mike nodded. “Breakfast second. I gotta use the bathroom first!”

*   * *   * *

Sean felt a good deal better after food and a headache tablet scrounged from the bathroom medicine cabinet. “Must’ve used too much energy. I was -starving-. Even store brand instant oatmeal tasted good. So how’d things go? Apparently I slept through all the excitement.”

“Score is Kids three, Kidnappers zero. Their boss thinks they’re all idiots, Tomas especially. Sparks has a busted-up wrist courtesy of the ice sheet, Lefty took a tumble on it as well, and Jugs is still nursing a headache from our kitchen floor.” She paused. “And someone’s using the bathroom... Wait for it..." Her face got that abstracted look that her siblings were learning to associate with using her powers when she didn’t have line of sight. She grinned as the bear started swearing. “Oh, perfect! Jugs again. She’s just not having any luck with that sink.”

Mike shook his head. “Such language. Doesn’t she know there are kits listening?”

Sean chuckled. “New vocabulary for you?”

“Well, we’ve never heard all those words used like -that- before. Not even from Uncle Duncan the time he caught his thumb in the door.”     

*   * *   * *

The O’Leary adults had finally fallen asleep cuddled against each other in the St. Louis command center in the early evening of Saturday, but not before Sean had identified some leads for Computer Mouse to check out. Velocity Blaze was leaning against Dealanach while they kept watch. “You do need to keep your powers under control around her, love. She is... made of electronic signals, yes, when she is in t’e web? And what you do makes her t’e very nervous.”

“Aye, yer right. I’ll try ta stay calm. But it just makes me furious that the kits are in danger because o’ a slimeball like that.” 

“You are fond of t’em, yes? You stayed wit’ t’eir family for a while, I was told?” 

Duncan nodded, holding the velociraptor close to his chest. “They... they’re like kid brothers and sisters tae me. If somethin’ were tae happen tae ‘em... I think that might just be the last straw.”

Velocity Blaze frowned deeply, gripping the otter’s scarred face and forcing him to turn toward her. “Duncan...You are strong. I know t’is. Stay strong for me, si?” 

The otter gazed into her eyes and the edges of his mouth curled ever so slightly.   “I’ll try.”

“You will try, and you will succeed, si. I do not want to be on t’e team t’at has to stop you.” She smiled. “Besides, you know what we have found out. T’ese are petty crooks and a corrupt politician, not rut’less supervillains or slavers. T’ey are more likely to be in trouble t’an t’e bunny-kits.”

Duncan’s small smile became a grin. “Y’know...You’re probably right. I’ve babysat the twins an’ they’re a nightmare on their own.They’re prolly running the bastards ragged.”

Computer Mouse emerged from the Net again. “You were right, Sean! Got him tracked down and..." She stopped when she realized the rabbits were finally asleep, and nodded to Duncan and Vera.   “Got Shaughnessy’s backup identity nailed down. He’d squirrelled away over a million, kept it secret from everyone.” 

Duncan snorted, careful to keep his power as quiet as possible. “So why’s the bastard after ten million? He could jus’ live quietly somewhere, maybe start afresh.”

“Who knows? Maybe he thought he needed more? Maybe he just wants to punish the fellow who caught him?”

Fixer nodded. “Some of column A, some of column B, I’d guess.”

Computer Mouse nodded. “Haven’t found any property in Maine, though. Either he’s renting something under still another identity, or he’s ‘borrowed’ someone’s summer home that’s empty for the season. I’ll keep looking.” With that she slipped back into the computers. Her image popped up on one of the screens briefly. “I’m printing out more of what I found. Tell Sean when he wakes up.”

*   * *   * * 

Jugs settled down for the night watch, still grumbling to herself about the bathroom sink. Tomas rubbed her shoulders as they chatted. “I got no idea why that faucet always acts up when you try to use it. At least those blasted kits have been quiet this afternoon.”

“Hah. Just means they’re saving it up, I’ll bet.”

“Well, they were pestering Lefty pretty badly at dinner. But aside from that, they’ve been getting used to their situation.”

On the other side of the door, the kits in question were conducting a whispered council of war. “I could get us out of here tonight, easily. Grab one of the sets of keys, disable the other two vehicles, and we slip out through the wall and get away before they can stop us.”

The twins nodded vigorously. “Let’s!”

Brigid shook her head. “I’m hearing a but in there.”

“Yeah. We could do it, but Brij and I would be risking our secret identities. Four normal kids couldn’t do that. How could we explain just vanishing out of a locked and guarded room? Somehow stealing keys, making it to the cars without breaking open a window - with bars, no less, and a guard at the door - and nobody hears a thing until we start it up?”

“Well... “ Mike and Pat looked at each other, but couldn’t come up with an answer.

“Yeah. It’s been fun messing with them, but we need to get out before they get violent, and I’d rather do it in a way that’s explainable.”

Brigid nodded. “He’s right. And you’ll be happier when you get powers if we aren’t already outed, too.”

“Grab one of their cell phones and call for help, then?”

Brigid and Sean exchanged a glance. “Why not? You’re the one who got told about it before. Dad give you any direct secret numbers?”

Sean nodded. “Yeah, he did. It’s worth a shot. Dunno what will happen to one if I drag it through a wall, but worst case it breaks and they’ll have another what the heck moment in the morning.”

The twins perked their ears up. “Wait, Dad gave you a secret BoS number? Is he--”

Sean interrupted to cover the indiscretion. “Dad’s their accountant, remember? They’ve always been worried that some supervillain might try this. They just didn’t expect it to be a bunch of -normal- crooks.”       

“Oh, right.” The twins didn’t push the issue, but they still sounded suspicious.

“So now we’ve just got to wait for the rest of ‘em to fall asleep and I’ll go borrow a phone.”

The twins grinned. “Why not use this one?” Pat pulled it out of his pocket. “Got it from Lefty while we were complaining about bedtime.”

*   * *   * * 

It was a bit past one in the morning in St. Louis when Teresa’s phone went off. She jolted awake, nearly knocking her husband off his chair, and scrambled to hit ‘accept’ while he caught his balance. The rest of the command center went quiet. “Hello?”

Sean Junior’s voice answered, cheerfully unworried. “Hi, Mom! We’re all fine, wish Dad was here.”

“What? ” She looked at the incoming number. “Whose phone do you have? Where are you?”

“The twins borrowed it from one of our kidnappers. They don’t know we’ve got it yet. Is Dad there?”

“I’m here. Status report, Cadet.”

“Don’t know precisely where we are, sir. Pretty sure it’s Maine, and Brij says it’s either an island or a peninsula sticking out into a lake. Some kind of summer home or a big cabin. We’re all fine, a bit underfed and unwashed, but no problems.”

“Glad to hear it. We got both your messages. Have you seen anyone besides the four you mentioned?”

“One more, a scrawny tabby cat they call Sparks. Seems to be the only one of them who knows a spark plug from a can opener. The setter’s definitely the one in charge, says this is revenge for something you did once.”

“Yeah. James Shaughnessy, formerly City Comptroller before I caught him cooking the books on a public works project.”

“Yeah. I gather he wants you to give him his graft back, with interest. Brij and I have figured out a way to get out of here, but..."

Terry grabbed the phone back. “What do you mean, but!? You get yourselves out of there right this minute if you can!”

“We can’t do it without giving our powers away, Mom.”

Sean took the phone again. “Our? Brigid has powers, too?”

The teen chuckled. “Yeah. When you gave -me- the talk? Should’ve had her in on it as well, she was starting to get hers that far back. She does stuff with water, that’s how we knew where we were going. I’m... well, I’m a ghost. I can do intangible and invisible. Only figured that out Friday, so there may be more to it. The twins aren’t admitting to any powers, but they make a crack pickpocket team. Tell Uncle Duncan thanks, if he had anything to do with it.”

Teresa shot the otter a glare, but he held his hands up to ward it off and shook his head. “Nae me. I were muscle, not a dipper.”
        
“So where exactly are you? You obviously don’t think you can be overheard.”

“Took the phone the twins boosted and walked out into the woods with it. They’re guarding the door to the bedroom they stuffed us in and put bars on the window, but nobody’s patrolling outside. We don’t have coats, though, so I’m gonna have to get back in the warm soon.”

“Hang on just a minute..." He looked around. “Where’s CM gotten to?”

Fixer was already at a keyboard. “Just sent her a note, Sean. Give her a sec..."

The mouse shifted out of the virtual world fast enough to strew virtual paper in her wake. “We found them!?”

“Not quite. We’ve got Junior on the phone, though. Can you step through to him with a GPS beacon?”

“Absolutely! One location coming up!” Behind her, the files she’d dragged into the real world shimmered and faded back into their normal state as their time limit expired. She stepped up to Terry’s cell phone and leaned in. “Point the screen away from you, Sean.”

“Ready.” A few seconds later, she stepped out of the cell phone and into reality in the Maine woods next to him. The rabbit offered a handshake. “Sean O’Leary, Jr. I’m thinking of going with Scatha. Ghost powers.”

The mouse accepted. “Computer Mouse. Where are the rest of you?”

Sean pointed. “About fifty yards that way, big cabin on a lake. I can ghost everyone through the walls, once or twice, but I can’t do it a lot yet. It’s a lot tougher than doing it just for me. We’ve thought up a couple ways to get away, between Brij and me, but we’re kinda hoping to have an obvious explanation for it that doesn’t involve ‘they tried to abduct supers’.”

The mouse nodded. “Good idea. It’s not like you guys don’t have a connection to the Bureau, so all we really need is an explanation for how you got the phone.”

Sean started to lead the way back. “Heh. That’s actually legit. The twins stole it from one of the thugs during our last bathroom break. I have no idea how they learned to be pick-pockets.”

“Probably Duncan had something to do with it. Even if it was just inspiration.” She smiled as the GPS finished its calculations. “Ah, here we are. 91 Fire Access Road #30.” She giggled. “They actually kept that as a name when they started building on it? No imagination... Raymond, Maine. 
And, we’re right next to Sebago Lake State Park.” She pulled out her communicator. “Computer Mouse to Boston Bureau. I’ve got the location for you.”

Minotaur answered the line. “Computer Mouse! We just got the word from St. Louis. Everything’s all right?”

“Sean’s here, and he’s fine. Says the others are, too. I’m going to pull them all out, you guys can make the arrests. Five of them, at this address..." She read it off again.

“Got it. We’re on our way. It’ll be about a half hour before we can get there. Raymond was the closest town, you said? We’ll tell their police to meet us there as well.”

“Roger that.” She put the communicator on standby and turned back to the young rabbit. “So, do we sneak out?”

“Well... I do have an idea for making sure they’re still here when the Boston Bureau arrives without having to stick around ourselves. Cars don’t run well without oil, after all..." They both quieted down as they got near the building, and Sean crawled under the van and came back up with the oil drain plug in his hand. Two more crawls and the oil from all three vehicles was oozing out onto the ground.

“How’d you do that so quickly?”

Sean grinned. “Just grabbed the drain plug and then ghosted with it. Who needs a wrench?” They crept around the back of the cabin. “Now for the hard part. Hang on..." He took her hand and then stepped through the wall. “Welcome to our home away from home.”

Computer Mouse staggered a little as they came through. “I think I like my way better.” She smiled at the rest of the kits. “Hi, guys. The cavalry is here!”     

*   * *   * *

Jugs was half-dozing and half bored out of her skull when the kits start cheering. <What the...?> She got up and pounded on the door. “Shut up and get back in bed, you brats. It’s two in the frackin’ morning!” 

This command was greeted with a chorus of raspberries. “Nope. Don’t wanna. How about a song?”

“How about you shut your yaps before I have to come in there?”

The rabbits subsided into whispers for a moment, then giggled. “Really? Cool! Okay, Jugsy, we’ve got a new version of an old favorite for ya!” The twins launched into the threatened song. “Aleph-null bottles of beer on the wall! Aleph-null bottles of beer! Take one down and pass it around! Aleph-null bottles of beer on the wall!” They launched into a repeat.

The bear growled. “Right. That’s it. We’re gonna send you back with damage, even if I have to discount the ransom with part of my share.” She unfastened the padlock on the door and threw it open. “Who wants to be beaten firsss..." She found herself unexpectedly confronted by a mouse wearing a red and gold armored bodysuit. “Oh, sh**biscuits.”

“Threatening innocent kits and then swearing in front of them? I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.”

Jugs rallied with a bit of bravado while backing away. “Those four demon-spawn are -not- innocent. We’ve had nothing but trouble since we started this job.”

“Then you’ll be happy to know that I’m taking them off your hands. And since you engaged in such shocking behavior, I’ll just return the favor.” She flexed her hand, and was suddenly holding a Half-Life stun baton. 

Mike chuckled from behind the mouse. “Say goodnight, Gracie! And thank Lefty for letting us boost his cellphone, wouldja?”

“You did what?” Her yell got the other criminals to start waking up, far too late.

“Boston is sending people out to collect you. Don’t go anywhere.” Three strikes, three bug-zapper buzzes, and the bear crumpled. “Okay, kids, let’s head out. Take my hands, and we’ll take a quick hop over to St. Louis.” She set the phone on the bed. “Incoming!”

*   * *   * *

The kidnappers were awake now, and staring at the empty room. Shaughnessy was just shaking his head in shock. Lefty took over. “What happened?”

Jugs was still recovering from being stunned. “Remember, earlier this evening when the twins were buttering you up? The little bastards picked your pocket.”

Lefty patted himself down, looking pole-axed. “They... my phone?”

“Yours.” The bear shook her head. “And they called in the Bureau, direct to their room. I have no idea how they did that. Some mouse in red and gold, probably some weird travel-by-electricity powers or something..”

Tomas shook his head. “They’re the kids of the Bureau’s accountant. They’ve probably been worried about this sort of thing for ages. Emergency numbers...” He went in and picked up the phone still sitting on the bed. “We can call it back if you want to check.”

Shaughnessy came out of his funk. “What? No! We have to get out of here! They’re gonna be back! They’ll have our descriptions now. We need to get out of the country!”

Lefty shrugged. “Canada?”

Tomas nodded. “It’d be a good start. We won’t have much time.”

Shaughnessy ran into his room and started grabbing everything portable. “Keys, phone, passport, ID, right, right… MAP! I need a map! What’s the quickest route to Canada from here...?”

Lefty steered him out to the cars. “Through New Hampshire and up to the crossings at the top of Vermont.”

“What about your phone?”

“It’s a burner and I’m leaving it here. Don’t need no super-powered mouse jumping out of it again.”

“Right, right... sorry, Lefty, I thought this could work.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Shaughnessy. We’ll try something else. For now, let’s just get out of here.” The pair of them headed out to the setter’s car, jumped in, and tore off into the night.

Tomas swore as they zoomed off. “He’s gonna just abandon us? That sunnava--” He stopped as Sparks thumped his arm to get his attention. “WHAT?”

The cat pointed at the greasy puddle on the ground where the car had been. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t think he’s going to get very far anyhow.” 

“Is that...?”

“Oil. Lots of oil.” He peered under the van and the other car in the cabin’s driveway. “Yep. All three. We’re gonna be walking, I’m afraid.” In the distance, the dwindling roar of the Jaguar’s engine abruptly cut off. “And so are they.”

*   * *   * * 

“Incoming!” 

Terry had just enough warning to set her phone on the conference table before five figures materialized out of the virtual world.   Pat and Mike dove into the waiting arms of their parents as soon as they’d solidified. “Wow! We had the coolest adventure! Wait ‘til you hear about it! Those bad guys never had a chance! And Brij and Sean both have superpowers, too! Are we gonna get superpowers someday?”

Brigid and Sean hung back for the moment. The St. Louis heroes were in costume with civilians present, but Brigid put two and two together now that she was aware of her father’s double identity. “Is that Duncan?”

Young Sean nodded. “Yeah. Similar powers to Dad’s, he was helping train him.” The pair headed over to where he was arguing with Computer Mouse.

“Stop bein’ a twit and take me through. You said yerself that the Boston people canna get there for a half hour.”

The mouse rolled her eyes. “Dealanach, I couldn’t even if i wanted to. They’ve cut the connection. And I won’t take -you- through in the state you’re in anyway. A voltage spike while we’re in the virtual world could kill both of us and you’re hardly in control of yourself.”

“Then take me through to Boston, and I’ll gae along wi’ them. I’ve got me damping collar if yer worried about that.”

“The answer’s still no. Morningstar told me explicitly that I was not to allow you, Sean, or especially Terry anywhere near the perps ‘til the kids were back for a full day. If then.”

“Morningstar’s nae here. I am.” He started gathering his power, to the alarm of Dark Starr and Endopossum, who were close enough to overhear the argument. “I might not be able tae go as fast as you, but I can still fly there.”

“I say thee, nay.” Computer Mouse was suddenly decked out in the robes of a Warcraft Mage, complete with staff. “Now calm down, unless you want a time-out as a feral sheep.”

Brigid chimed in. “Yeah, Duncan. We’re all fine, they were hopeless as kidnappers. Our biggest worry was not giving away our powers.”

“Oh aye?” Duncan’s expression changed from a frown to a smile, or as best as he could manage. He gave Computer Mouse a grudging nod, before turning back to Sean and Brigid. “I gather ye gave ‘em the runaround?”

Brigid grinned, and Sean outright chuckled. “I think the twins gave them the most obvious trouble. You know how they can get when they’re enthusiastic? They dialed it up to eleven.”

Sean nodded. “We snuck outside the first night and Brigid iced over the porch. She also kept pinging the overheat light on the van when they drove us up here. How’d you do that, anyway?”

“I just jammed the radiator flow. Told the water to ignore the pumps and stay in place. The antifreeze made it a pain, though, I couldn’t hold it long enough to make it boil over.”

“Ah, sneaky. But the best bit was when we gaslighted Spots.”

The otter frowned for a second. "Och, isn't that when creepy boyfriends try tae make their girl think she's nuts?"

Brigid laughed. “That was the movie, yeah. But headgames in general. The hyena was doing night watch duty and fell asleep. Sean ghosted us all outside, then tipped over his chair into the empty bedroom. By the time he brought everyone back, we were back in our cots.”

Duncan’s smile returned, and the light of mirth shone in his eyes. “I woulda loved tae see that. Ye should meet an old friend o’mine from back home, she did that sorta thing all the time.”
He leaned closer to whisper. “She showed me how tae pick a pocket, but kids are far better at it. Don’t tell yer ma.”

Sean sighed. “I slept through the best part. Ghosting the whole pack of them twice knocked me out.”

Brigid giggled. “That made it even more convincing, though. So you gave Things 1 and 2 hints from your friend, eh? They were practicing on me for a bit, and blamed it on having to watch ‘Oliver’...”

Duncan nodded. “Aye, I let ‘em in on a coupla secrets. Thought it might come in handy.”

*   * *   * * 

“Maine State Police, Gray Barracks. Corporal Evans speaking.”

“Good morning, Corporal. This is Minotaur from the Boston BoS. We have a favor to ask you.”

The moose checked the incoming ID, and blinked. <This isn’t a prank call.> “What can we do for you, sir?”

“We have some arrests to make in a kidnapping case. Three of our people and an FBI agent are headed to the last known location right now.” He gave the address and descriptions. “We disabled their vehicles when we pulled the hostages out, but the extraction was a semi-stealth operation and we couldn’t pick them up at the same time. We’d like you to set up a blockade at the intersection of Hawthorne and Raymond Cape Road, and then accompany us to make the arrests. We expect to be there in about a half hour. Can you accommodate us?”

“Just a moment..." He started calling up car locations. “I can have two officers there in twenty minutes, and two more in about forty-five with proper prisoner transport for five.”

“That should be fine, Corporal. Thank you!”

“No trouble, sir. How are the victims?”

“They’re fine. Someone tried to get a ransom from our head accountant. It didn’t go well for them.”

“Glad to hear it. Let me get this dispatched for you.”

“Roger that. Call us back at this number if you need any information.”

“Got it.”

*   * *   * * 

Warning lights sprang up all over the dashboard almost the moment they started out. Shaughnessy shook his head, trying to ignore them. “No, no, we’ve got to get away, we can’t stop!” The engine started laboring after the first thousand feet, and with a bang it died completely before they’d made a half mile. The setter’s frantic attempts to restart it didn’t even turn it over, but merely produced a harsh whine from the starter.

Lefty had to open the driver’s door and pop the hood open himself. He checked the dipstick, and shook his head when it came up dry. “No good, Boss. There’s no oil. Someone sabotaged it. Probably that mouse, or one of her friends.”

“It was those kids. I know it, somehow it was those kids.”

“Doesn’t matter who it was, Boss. We’re gonna have to get out of here on our own feet if we’re getting out.”

The setter calmed down a bit, though it was more a matter of less hysterical. “Right. You’re right. I’ve still got money. We just have to get to a bus stop or a train station. How far is it into town?”

“Couple miles. I don’t know how quickly the supers can get here, though, so we’d better keep moving.” They set out on foot.

*   * *   * * 

Sparks shook his head. “The cars are dead. I don’t even know where the drain plugs are, and we’d have to have oil brought out here even when we find ‘em.”

Jugs scowled. “So you’re saying we’re stuck here?”

The cat shrugged. “You’re welcome to walk. But the cars aren’t going anywhere. I’m gonna stay right here where it’s warm. We’re not gonna outrun masks.”

Tomas glanced out the window, his ears swiveling nervously as a branch crashed to the ground in the winter landscape. “If we’re gonna to try to escape, Jugs, we better start now. We won’t have much time, even if they have to send people up from Boston instead of over from Portland.” 
Jugs glared. “Kidnapping is a federal rap. I’m not gonna sit here and wait for ‘em. You coming, Sparks?”

“Nope. Good luck.” The cat watched the other two charge out into the snowy night, and then closed the door behind them with a sly grin. ”But I was told it was gonna be a robbery. I can plea-bargain, suckers.”

He didn’t have that long to wait. He’d made and finished off a pair of frankfurters when the whine of jets and the sound of hoofbeats heralded the arrival of the Boston masks. He could just make out bickering in the background when one of them knocked on the door. “This is the FBI. Open up!”

“It’s unlocked, come on in.” A tall armored wolf figure opened the door and stepped inside. It ducked slightly to get through the opening, and stood there for a moment as if expecting something. He waved at it with his good hand. “Sorry, no ambushes. Just a peaceful surrender on my part.”

The FBI agent, a silver-phase vixen, stepped around Ironsides, and consulted a list. “Andrew Cabrelli?”

“That’s me. Call me Sparks.”

“You are under arrest on the charges of kidnapping, conspiracy, and breaking and entering. You have the right to an attorney, and if you cannot afford one, you have the right to one provided by the government. You have the right to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning. If you choose to waive these rights, anything you say can and will be used as evidence against you...”

The cat joined in on the last line. “...used as evidence against me, yadda yadda. Yes, I understand my rights. I didn’t know it was a kidnapping until too late, they told me it was a burglary. And I’ll offer a bit of info in good faith - Shaughnessy is using the name Frank Simmons, I got a look at his car rental paperwork when I was checking it over for him.” He held up his arms, the right one still wrapped in athletic tape and bandages. “Just be gentle with the cuffs, wouldja?”

The electronically-altered voice of the armored suit said, “He’s not faking the injury, Agent Morris. Go ahead and cuff him in front.”

The vixen nodded and complied with the request. “Where are the others?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. Lefty and Shaughnessy lit out of here right after the Bureau pulled the kids out, tried to take his car but I doubt they made it a mile before they blew the engine. Tomas and Jugs left maybe five minutes later, on foot. I told ‘em the cars were disabled - tried to tell Shaughnessy, too, but he wasn’t listening. I tell ya, why pull me into this mess if you’re gonna ignore my advice? Am I right?”
  
*   * *   * * 

Digger was still shaking. “Next time, I’m ridin’ with you, and the civilian can ride with Ironsides. Or better yet, I’ll stay home and you can take Minotaur with ya.”

Paul Revere chuckled. “She’d have frozen to death, Digger. And we couldn’t bring Minotaur, they’d seen him in his civvy identity. Too risky.”

The mole grumbled. “I -hate- flying.”

Brown Beauty, Revere’s ghost horse, chuckled telepathically. *It’s not that bad. But I promise I’ll stay on the ground for you.*

“Thanks, BB.”

The Bureau radio frequency crackled. “Got two of ‘em in sight. The bear and the hyena, I think. And... drat, they heard me. They’re running. Silly crooks, you’ll only be tired when you’re arrested. I’ve got these two, you go on ahead, meet up with the state troopers and grab the last pair.” The armored figure swooped down, artificial muscles nabbing first one and then the other as they tried to escape. “I’m pretty sure Computer Mouse told you to stay put. Now we can put resisting arrest on your charge sheets, too.” 

*   * *   * * 

“Halfway there, Boss.” The ram was keeping an eye on the cross-roads they were passing. “And we’re almost off the peninsula. Once we’re past that, it’s gonna get a lot harder for them to find us.” 

“Good.” The hike had given the old dog the chance to calm down a bit, though he was still complaining about incompetent assistants, uncooperative children, and most frequently, his ungrateful ex-wife. “We’ll find an all night diner, get some coffee and warm up a bit, and figure out how to get the Bureau off our trail.”

“Sounds good, boss. I--” Rounding the latest curve in the road revealed red and blue lights flickering through the trees. “Dammit. Off the road, boss, now!” 

A few minutes later, it was obvious that the lights weren’t moving. “Roadblock, boss. We’ll have to get around them without being spotted. Just as well the car died, we’d have driven right into it.”

“Or we might have gotten past before they arrived. What d’you think... stay on this side and sneak by in the trees, or back up a bit and go overland to the east where there’s more room?”

The Australian-accented voice that answered the question made them both jump. “Well, if it were up ta me, I’d go under ‘em. But that’s not gonna be an option for you lads. Hands up, yer under arrest.”

Shaughnessy bolted, only to run into a rock spire a moment later when it erupted out of the ground in front of him. Lefty reached for his holdout pistol, only to pause at the mole’s words. “I wouldn’t if I were you. That’s a deadly weapon, that is, and not only does it up the charges against ya, it means that I get to use a -lot- more force to put ya down. An’ we’re not exactly in the mood to be gentle with ya at the moment.”   

Lefty carefully drew the pistol the rest of the way with his fingertips and dropped it on the ground. “How...?”

“Infrared, mate. On a winter night? You lot stand out like a lighthouse.” He gestured to the groaning setter. “Now do us a favor and pick up your boss, and we’ll go talk to the nice Jacks, shall we?”     

*   * *   * * 

The police van started down the road toward the summer house after Shaughnessy and Lefty were loaded up, picked up Tomas and Jugs halfway there, and finally arrived to pick up Sparks. Agent Morris signed off on the arrest warrants and Sergeant Carpenter of the Main State Police, a beaver, took custody pending extradition to Massachusetts. Revere rode along with the guards, while Brown Beauty amused herself by perching on the roof of the van, invisible to the rest, as they went.

Revere just shook his head as the setter brooded. “What on Earth did you think you were going to accomplish?”

“I don’t have to say anything to you. I know my rights.”

“I’m sure you do. But you could have quietly faded into obscurity after a few months, taken up your alternate identity, and lived comfortably. Now we know about it, you’ll be going back to prison, and you’ll probably be fined most of that money for back taxes or something. Did you really think we wouldn’t have all kinds of subtle monitors in place for our chief accountant? We were worried about a supervillain trying this kind of stunt. You were barely a challenge for his kids!”

The dog growled. “I -had- to try! I was gonna be mayor in a few years, maybe governor or even a senator by now! He cost me -everything-!”

Revere just shook his head sadly. “No. You did that to yourself, by being greedy. And now you will have to pay the price. We have enough corrupt politicians, we don’t need more of your kind.”   He ghosted up out of the van to join Brown Beauty for the trip home.

*   * *   * * 

They eventually got the twins bedded down in one of the unoccupied bedrooms of the St. Louis headquarters, and the parents sat down with their older two kits. Sean watched for a bit while Terry fussed over them and made sure they were all right. Eventually she settled down, just hugging one to each side. “So, you finally figured out your powers, son?”

“Aye, dad, I did. I wasn’t trying the right things before, but when that big ram tried to grab me, I didn’t -want- to be grabbed, and it all clicked into place. I had to tell the others, of course, and start to figure out exactly what I could do. But I don’t know how long it would’ve taken me to figure it out without this whole business happening. I’m not even sure I’ve got it all figured out yet. There’s something else I can do, I think, I just have to sort out what it is.”

He nodded. “I -am- glad you figured it out, but I really wish it hadn’t been this way. Your mother and I spent a -very- uncomfortable weekend before we got you out of there.” He turned to his daughter. “And you, young lady! Why didn’t you tell us?”   

“I... I dunno! It just kinda started happening gradually, and I didn’t, and then when I realized it, I didn’t want to tell you and have to give up the swim team..."

Both parents flicked their ears toward her at that admission. “You haven’t been using your powers to -cheat-, have you?”

“Of course not! Not on purpose, anyway, but... I can breathe underwater. Is that cheating?”

Terry looked at her husband. “You’re the expert.”

“Hmm. A good question, really. Brigid, it’ll be up to you. You can stay on the team, but... “ Brigid’s quick grin faded a little. “We’re going to take a look at what the records are. You don’t get to beat any, and you don’t get to try for the Olympics. That’s for normal furs. Can you live with that restriction?”

“I don’t have to let the team down?”

“Not if you don’t steal the limelight from anyfur without your advantages, no. Can you live with being second or third best on your team? Consider it part of your secret identity.”

She nodded. “I think so.”

He looked at his wife. “Terry? Do you think it’s a good compromise?”

“Aye, it should work. We’ll be keeping our eyes on you, though, young lady. And for not telling us sooner, you’re on dishwashing duty until Christmas. Now, the both of you. Any idea where your brothers got the idea to take up picking pockets?”

Sean Junior chuckled at that. “They were playing at being Fagan’s gang for a while after they saw ‘Oliver’. Pat was the Artful Dodger most of the time. I didn’t realize they’d actually gotten any -good- at it until they managed to get hold of Lefty’s phone.”

Brigid grumbled. “I knew they had. They kept going after me to practice. They might have gotten a few hints out of Duncan, but I wouldn’t blame him too much. That pair could talk the legs off a statue and convince it to go for a walk afterwards.”

Her father laughed. “I know the feeling. What did you tell them?”

“We had to tell them Brigid and I had powers, since our backup escape plan was to ghost ‘em all out and steal one of the cars while disabling the other two. I figured I could drive well enough to make it to the nearest town. That and they were gonna see me going in and out through the walls anyway.”

Terry nodded. “Probably. Honey, we’ve got to get him into that evasive driving course they gave us when you started officially working for the Bureau. He may not be old enough for a license, but…”

“You’re probably right. I’ll ask Ironsides about it when we get back. Brij, you’ll have to wait until you’re a little older, I’m afraid, but you’ll learn it too.”

“Cool! Like a race car driver?”

“More like Chamois Bond, but yes. Now. Did either of you tell the twins about -me-?”

“Nope. We specifically deflected them when they asked. Figured Brij was old enough to know, since she already had powers and was almost the age you told -me-, but not the twins.”

Brigid chimed in. “But they’re not dummies. They’ll suspect at least. But Sean said it was your call to make, not ours.”

Terry smiled, a little teary-eyed. “I’m proud of both of you. My little bunnies are growing up so fast... and so well.”

“Aw, mooooom…”

Sean grinned. “That said, I think we’re going to send you off to a rather different summer camp this year.”

“You mean..."

“Yep. They’re starting up a junior program for young supers at the Academy. Ferric will be there, maybe Techrat, a couple others. You’ll need to start thinking about costumes and code names..." 

Terry smiled. “We’ve got an Irish sprite and an Irish mermaid. How about Pooka and Merrow?”

The kids considered it. “Brij, what do you think? Go with a matching theme?”

“Works for me. We can be a team! Maybe even with the munchkins someday.”

“Pooka and Merrow it is! Evildoers beware! And if our powers don’t work, we’ll sic the twins on ya!”

The End

A Colmaton Universe fanfic.
Colmaton Universe is the intellectual property of Train.
Bureau of Superheroes and Morningstar are the intellectual property of Mojorover.
Dealanach/Duncan Gunn is the intellectual property of Maxim24.
Computer Mouse/Fiona Applegate, Velocity Blaze/Vera Ibanez, Dark Starr/Henry Lane and Paul Revere/Calrton Ross are the intellectual property of Boss Hoss. 
Other members of the St. Louis Bureau are the intellectual property of arvannas_sorrat 
All other characters original to me.