Not noticing the change in players, the ant continued to follow Diz as if nothing had changed. Diz would rush ahead a bit and then throw some high-speed rocks at the ant to infuriate it more. Then he would run off again. After a while, Karis flew into the path and switched places with Diz again. It was a slow journey because they had to keep the ant's attention, but eventually they led it where they wanted it to be.
They had come to the top of a small cliff overlooking a reservoir. The ant sensed the water and was reluctant to come any closer, but that was when Karis and Diz put the second part of their plan into action. Karis threw punches at the head with Diz focusing his blows on the legs. They weren't having the impact that they needed.
Karis sent a mental message to Diz and flew away. She flew a couple of miles away and hurtled back at super-sonic speeds. She collided with the ant in its abdomen and knocked it off the cliff and into the water below. The ant struggled at the surface so Karis flew a mile into the air and dove into the ant, driving it to the bottom of the reservoir. Karis rose out of the water and landed beside Diz who was seated on the edge of the cliff.
"Well done," Diz acknowledged as he took off his helmet. "Do you think this is the best that Mornigan has to offer?"
"I doubt it," Karis lamented. "It sounds like this is just the beginning of our troubles."
"I wonder who he is," Diz mused, kicking a stone.
"We'll find out," Karis insisted, squeezing water out of her hair.
Chapter 9
"He dropped from the sky," Diz repeated for the tenth time.
"Can you describe any physical features?" yet another nameless track suit asked.
"He was about my height, dressed in brown including a brown cloak, and an angular metal mask."
"And he said his name was Mornigan?"
"We're wasting time," Diz demanded, slamming his fist on the table. "Mornigan is out there and who knows what he's doing."
"So there were no distinguishing features on this Mornigan?"
"I've told you and a bunch of your other clones the same thing," Diz demanded. “He was wearing a helmet.”
“So it was a helmet,” the agent droned.
Before the man could ask any more questions, the door opened and Michaels walked into the room followed by Karis.
"You may leave," Michaels told the other man.
“What is wrong with you guys?” Diz demanded.
"Sorry about the grilling," Michaels stressed, "but some of the boys insisted on finding out more about the fight."
"You could have just asked nicely," Diz argued. "After a few hours of this nonsense, I'm not sure I want to fight the next giant ant that shows up."
Diz started pacing back and forth across the room, slow gaining speed with each pass. Karis walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't be like that, Diz" Karis admonished, "we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
"You seem to be cozy with this Michaels guy," Diz accused.
"It's nothing like that," Karis retorted. "We seem to be the only people in the hero business at the moment, and we can use all the help that we can get."
"I guess you're right," Diz admitted with a touch of reluctance. "So what's on your mind, Michaels?"
"I have a feeling that neither of you is interested in joining our organization," Michaels started.
"Us in track suits?" Diz interrupted."No thank you."
"As I was saying," Michaels continued, "I would like to propose a situation where we will provide back-up for any significant situations you may face in the future. You may approach us for tactical and logistical support at any time."
"What about financial support?" Diz pressed. "It isn't cheap living in this city."
"I will have to see what we can arrange," Michaels explained.
"For now," Karis interrupted, "I think we will be heading home. It's been a long day, and I need some down time."
"Of course," Michaels agreed, "we will be watching out for you and we can talk again in the future."
Michaels signaled for a grey-track-suited man who led the heroes out of the building. Without waiting for any other instructions, they took off and headed back to their home. There were no mental exchanges or signals given. There were things to talk about, but they could wait until they were home again.
* * *
Karis looked around their apartment. Nothing was different, but things felt different. Maybe that was just because of the sudden relocation thay had experienced several months ago.
After arriving in New York City, they had found a small two-bedroom apartment that they could afford with the money they had saved. Not wanting to leave any clues for people that might be looking for them, they had emptied and closed their bank accounts shortly after they left.
The apartment was small, but they had managed to make it homey. Even though the furniture came from a thrift store, it was in good condition and comfortable. They had a couch and two recliners as well as a blocky old television which was all they really needed. Cacy had found a few paintings to spruce up the walls and cover the holes that came free with the apartment. The living room doubled as a kitchen, but it was a full kitchen with a dish washer. The bedrooms were off the living room and there was a single bathroom connected to each room in the middle.
Karis reached out and took Diz's hand and they returned to their own bodies.
"It feels good to be back here," Gavin exclaimed after they had switched back to their original bodies.
"What's wrong with my body?" Cacy demanded.
"Nothing," Gavin assured as he stretched, "I just miss being me. It isn't easy being in a strange body."
"It doesn't matter which body I’m in," Cacy commented as she played with her hair, "I'll never be in a body that feels natural again."
"I'm sorry," Gavin apologized, "it must be difficult."
"At least your changes were something you could have done to yourself with enough work," Cacy complained.
"Except for growing several inches," Gavin interrupted.
"But look at me compared to who I used to be," Cacy continued, "There is no natural way I could have become this woman. Even my hair has changed its natural color."
"You do look good as a blond," Gavin commented as he flipped a lock of her hair.
"That's beside the point," Cacy insisted trying to hide a smile. "I was happy with who I was. I don't think I'll ever manage to adjust to this body."
Gavin reached out and held her close. He didn't have any words, so he didn't bother trying to say them. He hoped that the silence would say more than his words could.
Cacy broke down and started crying. Gavin just held her and let her cry. He couldn't think of another option at the moment, and just held her close. Cacy lifted her head after several minutes and looked deep into Gavin's blue eyes.
"Do you like me?" Cacy wondered aloud.
"Of course I do," Gavin admitted kissing her forehead.
"Did you like me before we changed?" Cacy pressed.
"Why do you want to know?" Gavin countered.
"Just answer the question," Cacy demanded.
"Did I like you?" Gavin hemmed as he rubbed his head.
"That is the question," Cacy growled, poking his chest.
"I feel silly saying this," Gavin started, "but in a way I liked you better like that."
"Really?”
"I always thought there was something special about you," Gavin suggested as he took her hands.
"I was so plain," Cacy insisted. "No one was interested in me."
"I was shy," Gavin retorted. "The only reason I was able to talk to you at all was because I was your lab partner."
"That's hard to believe," Cacy mused as she leaned closer, "you seemed pretty confident in front of the class when you were lecturing."
"It's easier for me to talk to a group than an individual, especially about stars," Gavin explained. "I can't explain why."
"What do you think of me now?" Cacy pressed.
"I think you are beautiful," Gavin said with a grin. "We've both changed, maybe for the better, at least in some ways.'
"So you don't care what I look like?" Cacy asked.
"Why would it matter?" Gavin inquired.
"I was just thinking that this may not be the only change in store for us."
"Then we will face those changes together,” Gavin whispered.
Chapter 10
Gavin didn’t sleep well that night. He kept thinking about Cacy's words. There could be more changes on the way. He had a dream where he was dancing with Cacy, but he slowly transformed into her and she turned into to him.
Gavin felt a tap on the shoulder and turned to see himself rather than Cacy in his body standing there, and they danced together for several hours until the alarm went off.
Gavin took a moment to clear his head after the dream and the sudden waking. Once he was awake he took some time to seriously think about his situation.
There was a marked division between Gavin and Karis just as there was between Cacy and Diz. He spent most of the morning thinking what a conversation between the four of them might look like. He decided that the only way to learn the answer was to try it, and promised himself that he would talk to Cacy when she woke.
In the morning, it had changed from April to May, but the flowers hadn’t started blooming yet. The air was fresh and sweet though.
There wasn't much time to talk though. Breakfast was a major event, especially after the battle last night. Even though Gavin hadn't done any of the running, his body was desperate for calories. Cacy obliged that need by cooking up dozens of pancakes, two packages of bacon, and a medium-sized pot of oatmeal. Of that feast, Cacy was able to get a scoop of oatmeal and a strip of bacon.
"This would be easier if I could use your super speed for meals," Gavin observed.
"We could always change for meals," Cacy suggested.
"We already spend enough time in each other's bodies," Gavin commented as he stuffed an entire pancake in his mouth.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Cacy joked. "There are lots of guys that would kill to get into these pants."
"I've been there," Gavin muttered through the pancake, "and they aren't that comfortable. Have you noticed that you dress differently now that you have changed?"
"I'm not the only one," Cacy rebuked.
Cacy was dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a tight cami while Gavin was just wearing a pair of boxer shorts. A couple of months ago neither would have dressed that way alone, forget about in front of anyone else. They both considered their outfits in silence.
"What is happening to us?" Cacy asked breaking the silence.
"I don't know," Gavin admitted. "We need to figure that out.”
“How do we do that?” Cacy wondered.
“We check out the stars the night we started to change,” Gavin suggested.
Before Cacy could ask about Gavin’s idea, they both felt another wave of images overwhelm them. There was a creature they could not identify, but this time they had a stronger sense of where to find it. As they recovered, Cacy and Gavin looked at each other and nodded. Gavin reached out and took Cacy’s hand. They switched bodies and talked about their plans.
“What do we do next?” Diz pondered. “We don’t know what we’re facing.”
“We’ve got two options,” Karis listed. “Either we fly off blind and face whatever we find, or we talk to the track suits and find out what they know.”
“I really don’t like either idea,” Diz mumbled.
“Then let’s do both,” Karis suggested.
* * *
Michaels was sitting in his office pondering his pile of unattended papers when the door opened. A young intern started through the door, but a gust of wind came in at the same time and blew most of the papers onto the floor.
"Diz," Michaels objected, "you could at least do me the courtesy of knocking before barging in my office."
"Sorry," Diz laughed, "I'm in a hurry."
"As always," Michaels noted as he started to pick up papers.
"There's something out there," Diz said interrupting the intern. "We had another vision, and something is coming. Karis sent me to talk with you while she went ahead to scout the scene."
"Sir," the intern muttered, "we have a sighting of a mouse coming towards the city."
"I don't see the problem with a mouse in New York City," Michaels yelled.
"It is currently five feet tall and according to eye-witness reports, it is still growing."
"That does sound like a problem," Michaels admitted as he threw a handful of papers on his desk.
"We need to do something," Diz insisted, "Karis is on her way there right now."
"We dispatched a team to intercept as well," the intern informed.
"Are they going to be able to handle a five-foot mouse?" Diz demanded.
"I'm not sure, sir," the intern replied.
"I need to get out of here," Diz explained.
"You may want to take a few moments," Michaels suggested as he headed toward the door of his office.
Diz considered his options. He wanted to run into the battle-to experience his speed, but it seemed like Michaels had something important on his mind so Diz decided to follow. They wandered down several hallways and through a large door. Behind the door was a laboratory and a variety of men and women in lab coats with grey track suits underneath. Michaels led the way to one of the women.
"Diz," Michaels said pointing at a shorter woman with red hair, "this is Doctor Green. She and her team have been working on something for you and Karis."
Doctor Green didn't wait for Diz to respond and led him to another door. It was a large panelled door with several sliding panels. She slid the door open and there were two outfits hanging from coat hooks. Diz grabbed one of the hooks and looked at the outfit. It was a black suit with black shoes and a helmet with a whirlwind painted on both sides.
"This is for you," Doctor Green informed. "The fabric is a special material that is designed to tolerate high speeds and friction. The shoes should last over 100,000 miles at your highest clocked speed. The fabric should also provide substantial protection for most impacts."
"This was worth the wait," Diz admitted as he examined the suit.
"There is more," Doctor Green continued, "the helmet has readout displays that inform you of your speed and sensors that can signal incoming hazards."
"That might come in handy," Diz agreed.
"The other outfit is for Karis. She doesn't need to worry about impacts, but her suit is able to withstand high speeds and should hold up to intense damage. We can also provide a cape if she feels that would be helpful."
"It looks a little skimpy to call it a suit," Diz critiqued.
"Nonsense," Michaels dismissed, "isn't that what people are expecting from a female super hero?"
"Whatever," Diz concluded, "it doesn't matter what she wears if I delay here. We'll have to talk about the whys later."
Diz didn't wait for an answer. He changed quickly and bolted out the door to figure out where Karis had ended her travels. He just hoped he would be there in time to help.
Chapter 11
Karis floated above the mouse as men and women in grey were trying to contain it. They weren't doing anything aggressive, but just by standing around it they had been able to keep it from moving forward any further. Karis wanted to engage the mouse, but she'd promised Diz that she would wait unless it was absolutely necessary. For the moment, she could afford to wait.
She did decide to risk a closer look and flew towards the rodent. It stood almost as tall as her at five foot eight inches. As she approached, the mouse turned its attention from the men and women in grey and towards Karis. It hissed and started after her.
Karis didn't panic. Instead she started flying directly at the mouse. Just before impact with the creature's face, she flew below it and grabbed its tail as she flew by. Taking the tail, she flew around and tied it t
o the mouse's front left foot and flew away again. It was a short-term solution to the problem. Karis knew that tails helped animals with balance and with the tail wrapped up; the mouse would have trouble moving let alone fighting.
The Greys, as she decided to call them, were trying to regroup, but they didn’t seem to have a backup plan. Karis thought about talking to them, but she didn’t want to give the mouse a chance to get going again. There was a voice in her mind that was getting stronger every moment. It was Diz. “Coming!” his mind shouted into hers.
Karis decided that it was time for action and started flying circles around the mouse’s head. On most of the passes, she would just fly past, but there were also passes where she would punch the mouse. She hoped that this would distract the rodent until Diz arrived.
Karis was so busy flying that she didn’t notice that the mouse had freed its tail. Diz zipped onto the scene; at least she assumed it was Diz in that black outfit.
“Where did you get,” Karis started to ask until the mouse’s tail lashed out and knocked her from the sky. The mouse scampered away.
Diz took a short detour to check on Karis. She had smashed into a tree and her clothes were almost gone-ruined by the impact. Diz felt a little guilty about what she saw until she remembered that technically it was her body.
“Just in time,” Diz announced.
“You could have been a little sooner,” Karis complained. “What am I supposed to do now?”
“You won’t like it,” Diz explained, handing her the bag, “but Michaels sent you a gift.”
“Did it come from the same place you got that get up?” Karis asked as she reached for the bag.
“Yeah,” he admitted, “the one they prepared for you is in this bag. Just remember that it wasn’t my idea.”
Diz handed her the bag and ran after the mouse before she had a chance to look at the gift from the Greys. The mouse had a bit of a lead, but nothing that Diz couldn’t beat.
Karis looked at the bag and slowly opened it. Her outfit didn’t look like it was very much material. She was reluctant to get a closer look at it. With no other options, she reached in the bag and pulled it out. The entire uniform consisted of a sleeveless pink leotard with a sparkling orange K on the front. There was also a pair of five inches heels that were a different shade of pink. Karis thought about throwing it away, but Diz needed her help, and she didn’t have time to get anything else to wear. She stripped out of her clothes and put on the leotard. She would have to do something about this, but for now there was a mouse to restrain.
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