The Darkness Before Dawn

Stratocaster awoke with a start, despite falling asleep so quickly. "Geez....what a bad dream" he said. Then a knock on the entreance of the shop door. "who could possibly want tea at this hour?" Stratocaster thought. He grabbed his staff, attached the damening device to his shirt, and went downstairs. sense there was no peak hole on the door he had to open the door a peak. he slowly cracked open the door to see about a rough estimate of 20 of slade's drones.

Stratocaster then slammed the door shut, hid behind a counter and held his breath. Then the door was slammed off it's hinges and the drones started pouring in. "you mechanized peices of crap arent getting within 10 feet of those stairs" he said angrily as he swung out an air wave that cut its way through a good number of drones.

[uh, corv, i would rather people didn't use the drones without my say-so.]

[Also Strat asking himself "who would want tea at this hour" would say that he is unaware of the 9:30 curfew. Just saying.]

(im sry ill delete my post when i get the chance and make changes)

[I have been neglectful in my duty to post. I am deeply ashamed with myself]

"You only loose when you stop fighting. And I'm too damn stubborn to give up." Hotspot snorted, exhaling smoke as he did. "And besides, even without the curfew, it's snowing, not like we could do much or get around quick anyways." He argued.

Slade paced back and forth. Ilia had all fo the night patrols, but for now, he had nothing for Kamica and JK. he figured he may as well give them SOMETHING to do. He pressed the switch on his wrist, activating their comm devices. "Kamica, JK, come here." he ordered.

"Where the hell did you run off when I saved you anyway?" Alaska said now jumping to her feet and pointing a finger at him. "We sure could have used your help when Robin was getting shot in the chest!" "Can everyone just chill for a second?! The more we argue the worse off we're going to be! We have to act like a team!" Robin instructed. "It was his fault."

Kamica groaned and got up. She had fallen asleep. Was it mourning already? Well crap it. She slowly made her way outside only to run into JK. "Watch it Arrow Boy." She said. "Well someone had a rough day. Tell me Miss-All-Powerful-Additude, get your butt kick?" He laughed and passed her. When they reached Slade's office, JK was soaked and part of his shrit was scorched. "Yes sir?" He asked shooting a glare at Kamoca, who smiled back.

"oh forgive your majest, next time I get beaten to a pulp, I promise to magically know where you all are next time!" Hotspot hissed back. He pointed and said "She started it" when Robin scolded them.

"Argh! It doesn't matter who started it and I don't care, I'm going to finish this!" Robin said sitting up. "Red head,"Robin said snapping his finger at Alaska, "what's your name?" She looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Don't you watch TV at all?" She asked him, "I'm not Beast Boy." Robin said plainly. "Ever watch that television show Specter?" She asked. "I'm the main character! Alaska Flowers?" "Never heard of it." Robin stated. Alaska pouted, "But that's not the point, Specter, shake hands and make up with Hotspot." He ordered, she was surprised when Robin caller her that. "Make me." She retorted. "If we're going to be here together you'd better." Robin threatened. Narrowing her eyes they darted at Hot Spot. Then she shot out her hand.

Hotspot retuned the handshake (albeit he raised his hand a couple dozen degrees) and felt like they were even- for now. "ANYWAYS, Robin, where have y'all been these past few years? Off fighting Slade here 'n there?" Hotspot asked Robin, eager to change the subject.

Slade motioned for Kamica to come in. "I have an accomplice coming into town- he has a pass waiving him from the curfew. I want you to go pick him up at 2300. Understood? The place is just outside of town, near the docks." Slade explained.

(xD Alaska and Hotspot crack me up! XD)
Kamica nodded. Pick up duty? Did she look like a cab driver? Or babysitter for that matter? "Sir, am I just to fly there? Or did you have anything else planned?" Like a cab... She didn't add it, though the thought made her metally smile.

Specter fell to the floor her hand in pain rolling around she waved it in the air and made a big commotion about it. Robin ignored it. "I've been trying to track Slade for years, the man's a proverbial ghost and it's imperative that we execute him as punctually when viable." Robin said scratching his chin. "Imma ghost." Specter perked up as she was still trying to cool her hand down.

"Well, I've been digginy my own dirt on Slade, but thus far, not much. I DO, however, have some intel on those chicks we fought earlier:" He said, and withdrew a phonebook and pen from the small table beside the bed. On the blank pages in the back, he scribbled crude pictures of Ilia, Blade and Kamica. He pointed to Kamica's first. "THis one is Kamica Blade. She has a lot of different powers at her disposal. Controling them dosen't seem to be her strong point. And to make it that much more interesting, she is one of Slade's kids." he explained. He pointed to Blade. "Blade- a story book tale of good girl going bad. Slade's goonies got her a while back, and she's been with him ever since." He finally pointed to Ilia. "This one is Ilia. She used to be a resitance fighter back in the day, we actually did work together. But when Slade got her, her heart didn't freeze over- it vanished. I've never ONCE seen her excersize Mercy on anyone. But it dosen't stop there." Hotspot said, taking a pause. "The project she was working on when she got caught was the anti-serum project."

Slade gave Kamica that 'you are SO in for it' smile under his mask. "Not really up to me- just don't make him upset." Slade explained.

She wasn't sure she liked how he said that. "So bad temper? As in the guy has powers and could kill me if he wanted?" Talk about a twisted way to get her from earlier. Kamica sneered because behind her JK started laughing.

"THis gentleman HAS no powers, but be sure, he could kill you if he wanted." Slade snorted. "I'd get a move on, he dosen't like to wait" Slade said, waving Kamica out of the room.

She sighed, loud and sarcasticly, "Fine, just send me out into night to pick up your poker mate." She took off running, so he couldn't say somthing else to her, or hit her. As soon as she was outside, she jumpped into the air and took off towards the docks.

A man stood at thee docks, waiting for Slade's contact to come pick him up. He was attired in a brown longcoat and wide brimmed hat, concealing his features, save for the lower part of his face.

[*sniffsniff* I smell something dying......]

"Yeah, a project to reverse the effects of Slade's serum stuff. unfortunateley, she alone has the research data. If we could get our mitts on it, we might have a shot at making an antidote ourselves. Unfortunateley, that's problem- where the hell does she keep it?" Hotspot explained to Raven.

"How did she turn? By who's hand?" Robin asked. "This Ilia chick... she's important.." Alaska muttered on the floor on her back. "Yeah she's important, where was she spotted before she turned?" Robin asked Hotspot. "Her house... always at the house..." Alaska commented on quietly. "Hey Hotpants, can you patch up my hand?" Alaska asked Raven.

"Well, before she turned she did a lot of resistance work, so probably some resistance base or another." Hotspot explained. "But I doubt we'd find anyhting if we went there- odds of Slade leaving her work intact is poor.... at BEST." Hotspot speculated. "Ilia herself would be the best lead in that area."

Meanwhile, the owner downstairs was making a phone call.....

Robin was deep in thought, his eyes closed. "So get to Ilia... man our last attack was sort of.. out of the blue. We'll have to spread out in the morning. Get Ilia and interrogate her." Robin said shaking his head. "Sure, you and your sucking chest wound." Alaska continued to pessimistically comment.

"Hey I like your pants... please." Alaska smiled coughing, she was trying to stop the blood from flowing to quickly to her hand. "Hot pants, you know?" She said pointing to her lack of pants.

Kamica landed in the shadows of an ally near the docks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No screw ups. Play it cool, and try not to make the guy think your an amatur." A little pep talk never hurt, but dang she was at a low to even need one! Kneeling on her human leg, Kamica shined up her robotic one. Finally getting up she walked onto the docks. It didn't take long for her to find a guy who looked like the contact. Heck, he was the only guy out here. She went over to the guy and simplely said, "Your Slade's man then?"

"Hey wow! That feels so much better! Thanks kid!" Alaska smiled waving her hand like it was brand new. "No thanks to Lava Butt." Alaska smirked.