Matt stepped through the front door of the mansion and his jaw dropped. The entry hall opened on to the most picturesque view of the Pacific Ocean he had ever seen.
“Now this is what I’ve been talking about!” He exclaimed, as he rushed to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched the length of the house’s west side.
“This place is huge!” Kevin agreed, as he joined his team-mate, enjoying the view.
“It gets better.” Katie said. “We also have eight bedrooms, in case we expand the team, three bathrooms, two living rooms, a library, a rumpus room, and a play room.”
“A play room? You and jock-strap planning on starting a family?” Mosley asked, as he followed her through the door, looking unimpressed.
“No. I was thinking we could turn it into a command centre. Fill it with computer gear and radio scanners and junk. The library could be a weight room for you boys; some of you could use the workout.” Katie paused to glare at Matt, who just smirked.
“Sounds like a plan.” Ally said, as she trudged into the room.
“I already bought the house with the last of my Belle Bottom jeans endorsements, but if we’re going to trip this place out, you’re all going to have to put in too.” Katie said.
“Of course. Security systems?” Matt asked.
“Yeah, the best. Not just the usual private gear either. We’re registered heroes, we can apply for military grade stuff. Radar, motion sensors, the whole nine yards.” Katie said.
“We should all have some leftover cash from Hire-A-Hero… Right?” Kevin asked.
“We should have enough.” Matt agreed.
Matt turned to look out the window again, taking in the view. He jumped back a moment later, as Fisher rose up from the ground before him.
“Woah! Dude! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Matt shouted.
“Apologies, but I saw a news report. Long Beach is under attack. Captain Blackblood.” Fisher said.
“The pirate dude? Are you serious?” Mosley asked.
“Looks like I get to cross something else off my “Awesome Things to Fight Before I Retire” list. First ninjas, then dragons and now pirates. Let’s do this.” Kevin said.
<><><>
“That is an honest-to-god pirate ship down there.” Mr Perfect said, as he and Mr Universe surveyed the scene.
“Yep, made from wood and all. Before you ask, no, I can’t just pull all the nails out and sink the ship. They’re stuck in tight, and it would take forever.” Mr Universe replied.
“Well, there goes Plan A…” Mr Perfect said.
“How about Fissure builds a sandbar underneath, beaches the ship so they can’t get away.” Mr Universe suggested.
“And then we take down his crew… Solid plan.” Mr Perfect replied.
“I’ll take care of his cannons, no sweat. It’s the guys on the beach I’m worried about…” Mr Universe said.
“Blackblood is a weather controller right? What about the rest of his crew?”
“Hook has a magical hook, it changes shape. It’s not ferrous, whatever it’s made from, so I can’t touch it with my powers. Davey Jones is super-strong, stronger than you, but not stronger than say, Dark Rose of Blood. Arawelo is a Somalian, she’s a telepath, pretty strong by all accounts, but nothing on Helix. Hiah and Di are brothers, not sure which is which, they’re from Singapore, both speedsters, you’re faster though… I think.”
“Thank god for the internet.”
“Amen… Are you sure Ally’s up to this?”
“She insisted. I’ve got her back, just in case.”
<><><>
“Avast ye, scurvy dogs!” Captain Blackblood shouted, as he swung his sword menacingly at the fleeing civilians. “You bilge rats had better be searching for their valuables!” He ordered his crew.
His crew began scouring the beach for every abandoned wallet, watch and bag, while his super-powered officers looked on. “We be havin’ bigger fish to fry!” Captain Blackblood pointed his cutlass towards his true target. The Queen Mary.
“Cap’n, what be we doin’ with another ship?” Hook asked.
“Aye. We only have enough crew for one.” Davey Jones agreed.
“This ship be worth millions of doubloons! We be selling it to the highest bidder. Yarr.” Captain Blackblood argued.
“But how be we stealing it?” Hook insisted.
“We be sailing it out of the port and into the ocean! How else do you think we be stealin’ it?” Captain Blackblood exclaimed.
“… Sir… The Queen Mary has been docked here for forty years. It doesn’t have fuel… Or engines…” Hook explained.
“Then we’ll tow it out! Onward!” Captain Blackblood charged towards the decommissioned ocean liner.
“You guys really thought this through, didn’t you?” Belle asked, as she stepped out from behind a nearby lifeguard station.
“It really puts Mr Perfect to shame.” Firestorm agreed, leaping from the observation deck.
“Could we stop the banter? It’s a little unprofessional.” Mr Perfect said, as he landed in front of his teammates.
“And totally lame.” Pixel agreed, as she appeared next to Firestorm.
“Yarr! What be the meanin’ of this?” Captain Blackblood demanded.
“We be here to be puttin’ you away!” Mr Perfect said.
“Aye. Be that so matey?” Blackblood asked, a wicked smile appearing on his face, as the sky began to darken.
“Yarr. That be so.” Mr Perfect replied.
“You are having way too much fun with this.” Belle muttered.
“I know, right?” Mr Perfect replied. “Damn, I broke character.”
“Can we just keelhaul these guys already?” Firestorm asked.
“Fine…” Mr Perfect said.
“You’ll be the one getting keelhauled matey!” Hook shouted, as his right hand melded into the form of a giant sword, which he swung at the young hero, who ducked it easily.
“You’ll have to do better than that.” Firestorm laughed, as he blasted fire into the villain’s eyes, sending him staggering backward, blinded temporarily.
Mr Perfect fought against the gale-force winds that were directed at him, as he struggled to reach the Captain. Hampering his movement even further were the speedsters, Hiah and Di, who were attacking him from both sides, using hit-and-run tactics to keep from his reach.
“I think I’ll be makin’ you walk the plank boy!” Blackblood shouted, as the young hero continued to fight his way towards him. “Or maybe I’ll be takin’ the easy way out.” Thunder boomed in the sky behind him.
“Not on my watch!” Pixel shouted, and suddenly Blackblood’s vision was filled with bright light.
“Get her!” Blackblood ordered, and Davey Jones charged forward, eager to please.
Pixel froze, as the giant bore down on her.
“Pixel! ‘Port!” Mr Perfect ordered.
Pixel snapped out of it, and disappeared, Firestorm and Mr Perfect both heaved a sigh of relief.
Firestorm’s reprieve was short-lived, a blow to the side of the head leaving him seeing stars, as he turned to see Hook standing beside him, his hook in the form of a club.
“Ok, no more Mr Nice Guy!” Firestorm snapped, as he began gathering flames around himself.
“One of the best parts of having a magical hook… It can’t melt.” Hook taunted.
“That’s ok.” Firestorm replied. “The fire wasn’t for your hook.” Firestorm unleashed the inferno onto the sand around Hook. The flames cleared out within seconds, and as the air cleared, Hook realised that his feet were now encased in glass.
“What the f-“ Hook got cut off, as Firestorm pounded him in the face with his fist.
“You know, it’s kind of funny how you all drop the pirate act when Blackblood isn’t listening.” Firestorm commented, as he landed blow after blow on the villain. “He must pay pretty well to turn you all into cosplayers.”
He pounded the pirate into unconsciousness, and turned just in time to see Davey Jones swinging at him. He ducked under the blow and stepped around the hulking brute, getting behind him. As Davey Jones turned, Firestorm ducked down again, this time sweeping the legs. The towering beast left a crater in the sand as he fell on his back. Firestorm mentally thanked The Shadow for teaching him that trick, before moving to finish the job.
The flame-enshrouded teen fired off a quick succession of fireballs, spraying sand all over Davey Jones. He then engulfed the fallen giant in a blazing shroud, encasing the villain’s body in glass, leaving only his head free.
“How’re things on your end jock-strap?” He shouted.
“Been better.” Mr Perfect replied. In the minutes since Firestorm last looked, Mr Perfect had walked all of ten feet. “Check on Belle for me.”
Firestorm obeyed, turning to the third teammate on the battlefield. The young psychic was in bad shape. She had broken out in a sweat and as down on bended knee. She had not broken eye contact with Arawelo since the battle had begun. Arawelo, on the other hand, stood strong, no emotion on her face.
“Ok, I’ll take care of this too. Time to go three for three!” Firestorm shouted, as he began firing at the African psion. His attack backfired, as the fireballs hit a wall of wind and blew back at the hero, who merely absorbed them on his skin. “Huh.” He mused. “So much for that.”
“Argh! Ye children are beginnin’ to irritate me!” Blackblood shouted. “I’m gonna end this fer good! Starting with yer Cap’n.”
Mr Perfect’s eyes widened as he realised what was coming. They widened further when he felt the hand grasping his ankle.
“We be eatin’ barbecue tonight!” Captain Blackblood exclaimed, as he summoned his control over lightning.
Mr Perfect smiled. “Is that what they serve in Alcatraz on a Saturday?” He asked, as he felt his body turn to stone.
“What do ye think yer doin’!” Blackblood demanded, but it was too late. The lightning bolt hit just as Mr Perfect faded into the sand.
“You’re getting really good at the whole ‘last-minute save’ thing, aren’t you?” Mr Perfect asked Fissure.
“Yes sir.” Fissure said.
“You think I can’t hit you over there!” Blackblood shouted.
“Oh look, you’re out of character. Minus a Hero Point.” Mr Universe joked from overhead. “Good thing for me, none of you are out of costume.”
The pirates felt as their belts, swords and anything else made from iron began dragging them up into the air and turning them upside-down.
Arawelo’s concentration was broken, and her struggle against Belle ceased, the young psi taking her chance and knocking her opponent out with her own mind.
The speedsters moved to unbuckle their swords, but found themselves on the receiving end of both of Mr Perfect’s fists, rendering them unconscious.
“It’s just you captain, and honestly, you can’t think you’ve still got a chance.” Mr Perfect said.
“I’m more powerful than the lot o’ yeh!” Captain Blackblood screamed.
“No point getting back into character now. Your ship is beached, your cannons are in the ocean, your crew are unconscious or trapped or both. You’re done.” Mr Universe said.
“And you can’t concentrate hard enough to use your powers.” Mr Perfect added, and Belle smiled. Creating confusion was an easy enough task for Belle, even after her long battle against Arawelo.
“I think I be wantin’ a lawyer.” Captain Blackblood conceded.
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