Guardian Angels: Chapter Three

John…he had never really thought about his name much but with orders to sit tight in human world, he found himself with plenty of time to think about things even as simple as his name, John Dole. Still, before he had ever become a team leader with the Guardian Angles, an investigator and eventually second in command under Watcher, he knew absolutely nothing about his past or who he was.

As ordered, he had led the team secretly to the United States where they established a small company that truly ran off the capital they raised playing penny stocks with the help of Rewind.

In the meantime, John spent most of his time sifting through missing person’s reports while trying to determine his true identity. One thing he was certain of was that he was American and that’s why he chose America for them to make his search just that much easier…or, so he thought. Apparently, no one missed him leaving him to wonder what kind of person has no ties or records.

He sat quietly behind his desk going over files he had already looked at several times before when Night Raven, AKA, Kiera Manus walked into his office. “You’re still trying to find yourself, huh”, she asked him bluntly.

“Yea”, he replied in short before actually asking her, “How does a person fall off of the face of the planet without someone caring enough to file a missing person’s on him”?

“Too bad you didn’t think to ask Watcher where they had found you”, she replied. She looked at John’s head with a puzzled expression. She walked around the desk in her woman’s business suit and began looking through his hair. John simply sat there with his own look of confusion.

“Umm…what are you doing”, he asked her.

“I’m…aha”, she exclaimed. “Just as I thought”, she told him only to stop and look him in the face, “Your special dust hit you straight in the head, unlike the others and that’s why you have amnesia…it also explains why you’re more powerful than them”.

“So, I got whacked on the head by the fairy dust”, John replied and grumbled, “How does that help me any”?

“I was just curious more than anything”, she replied as she walked back around the desk and quickly thought to change the subject. “I still can’t get used to seeing you in a suit”, she told him with a smile.

“Me neither”, Tally, AKA Tony Smart, added as he burst into the office. Even he was wearing a suit and had his hair neatly combed and cut to match the part. Unexpectedly, however, he was wearing glasses.

“What’s with the new look, Tony”, Kiera asked him.

“We can worry about that later”, Tally replied indicating his desire for her to drop the subject as though he was hiding something.

“What’s up, Tony”, John asked as he stood up from behind his desk, unaware that his hair was sticking up where Kiera had looked for the scar.

“Uncle Sam is taking a personal interest in our operation. I guess they’re wondering why we are doing so well on the market when everyone else is flopping’, Tony replied. “Linda Laurel, AKA Rewind, really needs to ease up on being right all the time or we may start drawing some really unwanted attention….legal attention”, he pointed out nervously.

“Insider Trading kind of thing”, Kiera replied. “It’s like you said, we’ll have to grab a few losers...so, when you handle the trading, just through in some losers for us…easy enough”, she told him.

John walked around his desk and closed the door to his office. “Guys, I’ve already been doing that all along just to keep us padded. I don’t think they’re taking an interest in us because of our stock market expertise. I think one of us has been moonlighting as a super hero after we were given strict orders not to”, John told them.

Kiera dropped her head and confessed, “I’m sorry John, but I couldn’t just sit around and let innocent people get hurt”.

“You too”, Tony exclaimed.

John cut a sharp eye at him and asked them, “How long have you two been out moonlighting…and better yet, I guess I’m just as guilty. I think it’s time we rounded up the team and had a conference on this”. John walked back around his desk and hit the intercom button for his secretary and asked her to have everyone gather in the conference room that had been specially built to ensure they could speak openly without anyone being able to infiltrate their conversation.

Once the team was rounded up, John stood there and looked at them with eyes of guilt as he felt he had let them down.

Plasma, AKA Jim Taylor, closed the lid on his laptop after he shut it off. He knew John enough to know that something heavy was about to go down.

Fulcon, AKA Barry Bradshaw, blurted it straight out after having read his mind, “You’ve been moonlighting as a super hero after we were told not to”?

Kiera defended John by admitting that she had been also, along with Tony’s admittance.

“Well, who else has been out there breaking the golden rule”, Paragon asked and somberly added, “Well, who else besides me”.

“It doesn’t matter”, John replied. “I just know in my heart I can’t just sit by and watch good people get hurt everyday and do nothing. I’m not that kind of guy. The Guardian Angels might be gone forever, but their legacy lives on in the gifts they gave to us and now, I think it’s time we get back to work”.

“He’s right guys…look how long it’s been since we’ve heard anything. Watcher and Rox aren’t coming back”, Kiera agreed.

The walls turned black in a blast of light as Watcher appeared before them. “I never left you guys”, he told them. “Granted, the Guardian Angels have been moved to a new home and you are all that remains here on earth. I wanted to leave you here as guardians but I didn’t feel I could justify asking you to do so…this was a decision you had to make for yourselves and now that you have…it is time to get to work”, he told them as he stood there like he always did when he was calling the shots. “I can’t stay here long…the battle between the Urmalaans and the Harahctu is ever intense but, for now, the earth is safe from their war. Nevertheless, I want you to establish yourselves as the heroes you were born to be”.

“We will, Watcher”, John promised him.

Kiera jumped up so quickly it made John jump back before he caught himself from nearly falling over his chair. She asked Watcher quickly, “where did you find John…he needs to know who he really is”.

“John was the first earthling I ever saved. When I found him, he was lost at sea with no memories of his former life. I tried to trace the number on the side of the boat in hopes of helping him only to discover that the boat had been stolen. It was then that I realized I could never help him find his way home and so I convinced the council to adopt John, making him one of us and the first of your kind”, Watcher explained. “And, with that said, I must go. However, before I do, I have your first assignment. As it turns out, the humans captured Flashwave and his group and are holding them. According to my resources, one of them named every member of the group and what that member’s special ability is. Also, I’m sure you are aware of the fact that the American government is closing in on you. It is vital that all of you be very careful not to appear as former members of Guardian Angels. If they discover just one of you, it will reveal the rest of you to them”, and with that said, Watcher disappeared.

“He’s right…we have to reinvent who we are and why we’re here”, John agreed.

“Why don’t we call ourselves, The League of Justice”, Jim asked him.

“That won’t work”, John replied. “We’re not here for Justice…we’re guardians for life”.

“Yea, but we can’t call ourselves, ‘Guardian Angels’, anymore”, Kiera replied and quickly added, “And, I’m sorry he couldn’t tell you anything useful”.

John looked at Kiera and smiled, “Actually, he did…he told me that my past isn’t as important as our future and that really is all that should matter right now”.

“So, we have to go by new code names”, Rewind asked.

“Yes, Linda…it’s very important that we hide who we were. Thanks to Flashwave, the Guardian Angels will forever be enemies to the humans”, John replied.

“So, how do we trick them into liking us as good guys”, Plasma asked point-blank.

John started pacing with his hands behind his back when it hit him, “Actually, I know a way to kill two birds with one stone”.

“John…you’re grinning and the last time I saw that kind of grin out of you…I ended up with a broken arm”, Kiera told him.

“I said I was sorry”, John replied, still grinning. “The humans think that Guardian Angels are a menace…this is too easy”, he told them as he bubbled with the pride of his own genius.

“So, you’re going to have Rewind act like a villain, the rest of us will come to save the day and turn her over to the authorities who will then, stuff her into the same facility where they’re holding Flashwave and his team. She blinks out, and then we go in and rescue the rest”, Paragon replied.

“Well…Yea…” John replied feeling, as if he just had his last cookie stolen.

“Sounds awesome”, Plasma interjected. “Let’s get on with the extreme makeover”, he chimed. “So, what should we call you now, John”?

“Powerman”, John replied as if he were asking for their permission.

“Nope…won’t work”, Kiera replied. “I know every, ability you have under the sun. So, I think we should call you, Major Power”.

“What are your abilities, John”, Tony asked.

“I’m as fast as you physically. I’m as strong as Lifter…the muscle-bound guy that was caught along with Flashwave. I have the ability to emit rays of ice from my eyes and I can hear a heartbeat in Tokyo from here. I also have the ability to fly and I’m invincible, hence my old name”, he replied and added, “Kiera’s right but Major Power still sounds kind of campy to me. Well, that and I think that using code names might not convince them that we’re different from the Guardian Angels, right now”.

“Well, we can’t just walk up to them and use these names”, Paragon disagreed. “We have to cover who we are with masks and the whole nine yards”.

“Fine…call me Major Power”, John conceded.

“I’ll be Night Shadow from on”, Kiera told them.

“Call me, Fireman”, Plasma told them.

“I’m Paradox”, rewind said, announcing her code name.

“I’m Bounty Hunter,” Paragon, AKA Everett Johnson, introducing his code new name.

“I cannot give up my honor to my father”, Ranger replied. She had taken on the human name, Melanie Ross as her alter-ego.

“Mel, you have to or you’ll jeopardize our mission and lives here”, Kiera told her.

“Why not just call you, Delta or Seal of something along those lines”, Fireman asked her.

She sighed heavily at his lack of military knowledge and then she thought about it for a moment, “Maybe you guys should call me, Camo”.

John sat back down in his chair and folded his hands across his chest, “Now, for the next task at hand…we need a new base and a whole new look. I’ll miss the old uniform but I’m looking forward to the change”.

Kiera smiled at him and replied, “So, are you going to wear colorful tights and a cape”?

“I was thinking of wearing something that’s a little more American”, John replied. His smile quickly changed to a look of concern as he reminded them, “Guys, we are on our own in this. It’s very, very important that we remember this because we don’t have anyone we can trust to bring in…like, oh, say a seamstress”.

“Maybe while we’re saving lives we can look into recruiting some of them”, Barry recommended.

“Only if you clear them, Barry…you’re the mind reader so I’ll leave that up to you”, John replied. “So, start by finding us our first recruit…that knows how to sew”.

“Actually, my tailor has a good heart in her. I think that if I asked her to do this, she would”, Barry replied.

“You have a tailor”, Kiera questioned.

“Of course I do. One of the things I’ve been doing is stockpiling our funds so that in the event we ever did rise from the ashes we would have the means to do so”, he replied and quickly added, “Call me, Mystery, by the way”.

“Okay, then…Mystery…why were you going behind our backs and stockpiling money”, Kiera asked him.

“For the same reason you guys broke the Golden Rule...we are what we are and sitting around isn’t going to help matters any”, he replied.

“What’s done is done”, John replied.

“Not good enough”, Kiera argued. “This could very well be the reason they’re snooping, John”.

“Doubtful”, Mystery replied. “All of my investments were made through dummy companies. Speaking of which, I need to step outside the bubble for a moment”, he told them as he excused himself from the room.

“He had no right using her ability like that”, Night Shadow argued.

“Kiera, I get it but you need to calm down and think rationally for a moment. We were all keeping secrets from one another and this kind of secret actually plays into our favor so let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth”, Major Power replied.

Barry came waltzing back into the room and waited for the room to seal before he told them, “Since my dirty little secret is out, you’ll be glad to know that one of the companies I have acquired is has architect who owes me big time. I’m sure I can convince him to help us build a new base away from here”.

“Yea, but how do we explain running out of here at the same time when stuff happens”, Tally asked them and added his new name in, “Call me Lightwave”.

“Not all of us need to go running out the door. We’ll go as the situation calls for it”, John told him.

“So, when do we start”, Fireman asked.

“Now…Linda will begin using her abilities to commit crimes somewhere up north. Tony will keep monitoring her until she gets the attention of the ones holding Flashwave and the others. When they do surround you Linda, stop time and take their weapons from them…I really want them scared before we step in and save the day. Just, don’t hurt any of them and don’t worry, I’ll be close by at all times. We’ll wait until after they’ve accepted us to build our base”, John told them.

“Here’s my biggest problem with the plan”, Tony interrupted. “The goal of this is to free the others…if we show up the next day with them at our side…won’t that send up a red flag that it was just a hoax on our part”?

“Yea, except they’ll disappear and the newly reinvented them will become new teammates for us”, John replied.

“I still think that someone is going to figure it out sooner or later”, Tony replied.

“Well, maybe by then we will have proven ourselves as being the good guys”, Kiera told him.

“I certainly hope so…this half out the closet situation could turn bad if this doesn’t work”, Bounty Hunter said agreeing with Tony.

“Back to the basics, guys”, John said as he brought them back to focus on what they need. “Barry, get your tailor to work on making us new outfits…I don’t want anything that matches as if we were a group. And, I really want the costumes to steer clear of anything that resembles the military…except mine. I want a big American flag thing going on without it looking ridiculous…okay”?

“No problem…I’ll have the Tailor get it done for us. But, first, I need you guys to make some drawings of how you want your outfit to look like”, Barry replied.

“Something else we need is a private way to communicate outside these four walls”, Kiera pointed out.

“Lightwave, cook us up something that will cover that problem”, John told him Tony. “Paradox, do you still have your old uniform from the Guardians”?

“Yes, sir…and with any luck I’ll always have it”, she replied.

“Good…I need you to go ahead and get to work. I believe it will take them a week or so to catch on to how the mystery bandit is pulling off such incredible deeds”, John told her with a grin. “Still, if things get too hot…you come straight back here”.

“I will”, she replied as she excused herself from the boardroom table and left the room.

“Let’s hope this works”, John told them. “Are there any more suggestions, before we call it day”?

“Yea…I honestly think we should disband from working together or our personal lives may become too much of a coincidence with our real job”, Lightwave told him.

“I hate saying it but I agree. It’s a viable story that we became so successful within this company that we decided to go on and do other things. However, without contact with Paradox…lay low on the stocks, okay? Also, we do need to stay in touch but keep the business side on the down low and only call if it’s necessary. Once Lightwave has our communications established, we should fare much better”.

“I’m staying here with you, John”, Kiera told him. She sounded as though she was afraid she would also have to leave.

“Kiera, we’re partners for life. That, and you need to be here to run things while I’m out…taking care of other things”, he told her.

“Or, vice-versa, depending on the situation”, she told him with a smile.

“So, is everyone else in a place to establish themselves elsewhere because each of us needs a company that reflects what we do best and to help us develop ourselves even further”, John told them.

Barry spoke up and told them, “Don’t worry about if you’re not. I have quite a few dummy companies that will find your projects without having any direct ties back to me”.

“I have some heavy stock in a telecommunications company out of Massachusetts. I can set up our communications there and mask it beneath the gazillion communications that comes through there”, Lightwave told him. “So, that where you’ll find me at if you need me”.

Bounty Hunter smiled and told them, “I’ll open up tracking center for missing and lost persons. It’ll make a great cover for me while I’m hunting down cold cases and using the facility to aid us with search and location. And the best part is, it’ll cover my excuse for using digital imagery to scan the globe for hotspots as we need to.”

Camo sat there quietly as the rest of the group discussed what they kind of business they would start up to help further the team’s endeavors. Then it hit her as she told them, “I’ll start up a military weapons research and development company. I can use the facility to help produce better armors and non-lethal weapons for us since not all of us are bullet-proof”.

Fireman, felt Camo didn’t give him a chance to finish with her outburst and told them in a audible tone, “I’ll focus on something…shoot…I forgot what I was even thinking about doing”.

“Why don’t you work with Camo on Weapons development”, John suggested. “Actually, I’d prefer keeping you two close together to watch out for one another”.