Part 2:
Settling In
Secrets Revealed
The Luck Of The Irish

1

The house was big. No, huge. It was bigger than any of them imagined, even James, who had worked for Banion before. This was just, extraordinary!
The five stood, awestruck, in the den. The den was a very modern looking room. It was furnished with the most modern accessories and furniture. And it was big, about 20x30 with a 10-foot ceiling. It could comfortably fit all five simultaneously.
To the west of the den was the kitchen. It was also furnished with the most modern appliances. It was also very big, about 10x15. To the north of the den was a staircase. The staircase led to the bedrooms, each set to exact specifications, that is, to the tastes of it’s occupants.
Alexander’s room was, virtually, a library. Walnut bookshelves, stacked all the way to the ceiling, filled with the works of Chaucer, Dickens, Poe, Melville, Stevenson, and Milton. And a music library. A library of Johnny Cash.
Spencer’s room was very logical. Everything perfectly symmetrical. It was blue in color, with much of its furniture and accessories of a steel gray hue. On the walls were pictures of Einstein and Moseley, periodic tables, basic equations, and pictures of atoms. There was also a laptop.
But the centerpiece was a little piece of home. It was a web cam and his briefcase full of his second quarter notes. He left his job, but he didn’t have to quit.
James’ room could have passed for a football museum. The walls were plastered with pictures of great players and coaches, schedules, logos, quotes, and images from the greatest games ever played. James immediately knew he would enjoy the stay.
James’ attention was drawn to a small card on the nightstand. He picked it up. It read:
The radio is XM equipped.
Now you can listen to UNM when they play.
By the way: 41-27, UNM!
James’ day was complete.
Allison’s room was basic, almost bare. A bed, nightstand, chest-of-drawers, and a clock, that was all. She liked simplicity. But one thing was missing. She needed entertainment. She did have her sketchpad, but that may not hold her over.
She slid open the chest-of-drawers. She let out a squeak of joy. The chest-of-drawers was completely full of manga.
Heather’s room was very professional. It had basic bedroom furniture. It was very bland, but all she needed was a bed and a desk. She could get some work done in comfort. It was perfect.
She noticed an envelope on the desk. The front said:  CONFIDENTIAL. She opened it anyway, and read it. Her eyes widened. This could topple the BMR and that prick Preston Gyrich for good!
The closets were full of clothes. The clothes fit perfectly, and they were the exact fashion that each of the five wore. The whole set up was perfect.

2

After they settled into their rooms, all five met in the den. There was a 3-person couch and two recliners. Osgood and Heather sat in the recliners, and Allison, James and Spencer sat on the couch.
“So, Banion told us that we all were hiding a little secret.” Osgood started. “So, I believe that it is time we let the cat out of the bag, so to speak.” Everyone was quiet.
Osgood broke the silence. “Now, I’m pretty sure none of us are from an alien planet, or have a fetish with bats. And we all have a secret of our own. I do believe that your secret is safe.” Still, no one spoke.
Finally, James leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees. He clasped his hands together, popped his fingers, and sighed. “I guess I’ll start.” he said.
“I am the second of three kids. My older sister, Jackie, she was normal, like mom and pops. Dominic, my bro, he and I were… we were born different. I was the first by a year and 7 months. When the doc delivered me, he said that there was something wrong. They did some tests, and figured out what was wrong.
“It was some genetic abnormality. My DNA, as you all know, send messages to different parts of the body. Well, my nervous system kept getting messages sent. These messages said to keep creating my bodies natural electric current. Well, it did, and it never stopped. In fact, it is doing that at this very moment.
“The doctors had no idea what this would do. They thought it might just make me more prone to static electricity, and that it wouldn’t effect me in any major way. Well, they were wrong.
“See, the electricity that my body produced was different, it wasn’t exactly static electricity. It was more powerful. And my body just kept making it.
“Well, just like anything that your body has an excess of, it tries to dispel it. The weird thing was that I have total cognizance, total control over the expulsion. I can get rid of it, by shooting it out of my body through my fingertips. It is pretty sweet.”
At this, James held his hand up, palm towards him. He looked at his hands, and something amazing happened. Little bolts of lightning came leaping out of his fingers. It was like he was touching a plasma ball that you by form novelty stores. “Pretty cool, huh?” All the others nodded.
Allison looked at him. “So, what happened to Dominic?” James gave a weak smile. “well, his is kind of complicated. See, he can speed up air particles. Well, when he does that, well…” Spencer finished for him. “When he speeds up the air particles, it creates friction. And friction creates heat. And when the nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in the air get overheated, well, boom.” He made a fist with each hand, and opened his hand quickly, to illustrate the explosion.
“Yeah, that’s what happens.” James said. “His ‘partners’ call him Sin.”
Spencer looked around the room at his colleagues’ faces. “Hey, guess it’s my turn, huh?” Spencer closed his eyes, and then opened them slowly.
“Well, my condition is pretty similar to James’. See, the cells in my nervous system are hyper charged. They are dividing rapidly, which turns their potential energy into kinetic energy. My body can’t use that kinetic energy, so it has to get rid of it. So, I do the same as James.”
Spencer held up a fist. It shook and glowed with a bluish-purple light. Then, a flash of the same blue-purple light shot out of his fist, and went straight through the ceiling. “Oh… oops.” He chuckled shyly. “I, uh, didn’t mean to do that.
Allison laughed. Alexander shook his head in exasperation, James looked at Spencer with a ‘what the heck are you thinking you dumb-ass’ look.
Heather laughed, and then took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’ll go next.”
She looked around at her audience. “I have no idea how to explain my ability. I was once told that I can bend the air around my, make it solid and still transparent or something. Someone else told me it was a telekinetic ability. All I know is that I can create a force field around me. A shield, if you will. It’s pretty cool. I mean, if it’s cold outside, I can just create a little shield around me before I step out, and I’ll be surrounded by room temperature all day.”
“So, it’s kind of a telepathic ability?” Osgood asked. “I have no clue. I just know that I have the ability.” Heather explained. Osgood nodded, but didn’t seem satisfied with the answer.
Allison was beaming a great big smile. “My turn?” she asked. “Sure, go right ahead.” James told her.
“Well, I have a pretty cool thing. I am magnetic. Well, I have a big magnetic field, and I can control it.”
Spencer nodded. “So, the atoms in your cells are spinning rapidly in opposite directions, cause a greater magnetic field?” Allison looked at him blankly. “So… it’s… yeah.” he said, giving up on trying to explain it. Allison kept that blank stare locked on him.
“I guess it is now my turn.” Osgood said, breaking the awkward silence. “I have tele-psychic abilities. I am both telepathic and telekinetic. It comes in quite handy for my career.” James gave a quick little smile. “Powers of deduction, eh?” he asked. “If that is what you want to call it, then yes.” Osgood said, returning a sly smile.
Now the secret was out. Telling it was the hardest part. Now, however, everyone in the house felt more secure with his or her housemates. Now they felt a little like friends.

3

Suddenly, the phone, which was on an end table in the den, interrupted thir conversation. Alexander got up to get it.
He picked it up, and tentatively.
“H-Hello?” There was a little background static, but the voice came through clear as a bell. “I have an assignment for you. If you go to the Upton Mall on Harrison Avenue, you will find the “10.” Take him out, but do not kill him. He has backup, Irish Rebel forces, 20 or so. This is a dangerous mission, but I trust you all can handle it?” He didn’t give Alexander time to answer. “Good. Get going. Time is of the essence.”
Osgood hung up the phone, gently. Everyone was quiet for a minute or so. Then James spoke up. “So, what was all that about?” Alexander looked blankly at him. “Upton Mall, Harrison Avenue, 10 of Spades… Now.”
***
The Upton Mall was always a-bustle with shoppers running here and there, oblivious to the others that crowded around them. Today was much the same, that is, until a man with shockingly red hair and a distinguishing scar sauntered in.
He was surrounded by men dressed all in black, wearing sunglasses, and brandishing handguns. This was not a normal, everyday situation for the happy shoppers of Upton of Harrison Avenue.
Red made his way to the security booth, and took control of the intercom system. “Top o’ the morning lads and lasses,” he said in a thick, Irish accent, “I will be your pilot today. Do just as I say, and no one will be pushing daisies tonight.”
The crowded mall patrons looked up at the ceiling in astonishment and fear. Most stood still, some began to shake and fall on the ground in the fetal position. Some laughed at it like it was a sick prank, but all were scared. Then the voice come over the speakers again. “Who wants to play a game?”
Five guards, carrying large semi-machine guns came storming through. They picked out random people, and shot at them. The mall became a mad house. But there was nowhere to go, Chester O’Day, the 10 of Spades had sealed the doors. No way in, no way out.
The “game” went on for about thirty minutes. Unfortunately, there were no rules, and some of the shoppers paid with their lives. Hysteria was still rampant when the butchers went back to the booth.
“I think we got the message across.” One gunman said. Chester laughed manically. “Aye, ’tis a wonderful thing, fear. Keeps some alive, kills the others.” He laughed again. The plan was going swimmingly.  
It was about this time that five figures began pushing and threading their way to the booth. As they neared it, they saw that it was guarded by five masked gunmen. They only held small handguns, but that was more than what the five heroes had.
The five (who were James, Allison, Spencer, Alexander, and Heather if you haven’t figured out) stopped and hid around a corner. “Damn,” whispered James, “three Glock 40s and two .45s. We are in deep now, folks.” They all looked at James with amazement. He blushed, “My dad was a cop.” he explained.
Alexander spoke this time. “We need a distraction.” he said softly. “Against those guns?” James asked, shrilly. The others hushed him. Alex looked at Heather. “Carlisle, can you make a diversion?” She looked a bit surprised, but then remembered her talent. “Yeah, sure. I-I guess so.”
After a bit more planning, they set the plan into action. Heather strolled casually around the corner. The guards looked at her, then one spoke. His voice was muffled by the ski mask on his face.
“Hey, lassie, go on back with the others.” He had an almost incomprehensible accent. “No,” Heather said, coolly, “no, I like it up here better. More cool air.” “Get back, lass, or saints help me I won’t hesitate to shoot you.” The same guard said, waving his gun. “And that should scare me?” Heather asked.
The guard sighed. “God forgive me,” he said, and raised the gun. Something about the young lady standing in front of him didn’t seem quite right, but he fired the gun none the less. The bullet hit her, at least, he thought it did. It bounced, tinkling on the ground. The lady smiled. This time, another guard spoke. “Saints preserve us!” He crossed himself.
“You’re gonna need all the saints you can get.” Said a voice from behind the guards, who were still fixed on Heather. They turned to see a young man standing behind them. He was surrounded in what appeared to be lightning. He looked like he was standing in one of those plasma balls that you see in science museums and at novelty gift stores. The light was not red or pink, however, but a steely blue-gray.
The guards began to shake with fear. They raised their guns and fired, but they shook so much that they missed horribly.
The young man, who was James, smiled. “My turn.” He began to levitate off the ground a little, about a foot. He had his arms straight out, and his head tilted up a bit. The “lightning,” which was moving slowly around him at first, now began to move so fast that he looked as if he were incased in a blue orb.
Tongues of lightning began to shoot from this orb. Suddenly, one of the guards was lifted off the ground by a tongue. He began to scream, as a bolt of electric pain racked his body. He began to convulse violently as the pain became more intense. His hand radio, which was clipped on his belt, began to smoke and spark, then burst into flame. The ski mask began to smolder. He was being electrocuted some much, that his internal organs began to burn.
He let out one last, blood-curdling scream, and was thrown backwards. He landed at the feet of his colleagues. The mask was completely burned form his face, and come of the fibers where melted onto his eyes and nose and mouth. Blood ran from his nose and mouth, and his hair was nothing but a lump of smoking gel. He was a disgusting sight.
This turned the guards legs to stone. They tried to turn and run, but were paralyzed by fear. Another was lifted up. His hand radio was clipped to a strap in his shoulder. He had an ear bud to listen to his commander give orders. Two tongues shot forth, and attacked the buds and the radio. The man grasped at his ears, trying to pull out the electronics, but his arms went limp as James applied more electricity. Blood began to ooze from his ears and the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t scream because the electricity running through his head paralyzed his vocal cords. He, too, was tossed at the others.
Finally, the three remaining guards broke their trance. They made a bolt for the door. “Not so fast, you Irish punks.” This was Alexander. He, as well as Allison and Spencer, stepped into their way. Alex used his powers, and lifted one of the guards. This unfortunate guard, just happened to be carrying some fragment grenades on his bandolier. James pulled the pins telepathically. He propelled the unlucky man up and backwards. Three seconds later, there was an explosion in the rafters. Some black cloth rained down.

“Outta the way, lass, for God’s sake.” Sobbed a guard, as he waved his gun wildly in the air. Allison gasped, sarcastically. “That is a threat to my welfare. Now I have to take action.” She seized the gun with her magnetic powers, and spun it towards the man’s eye, and fired. “Your Irish eyes aren’t smiling any more.”

Spencer’s palms began to itch the minute the plan went into action. He didn’t understand. He saw the man across from him, he saw the utter horror in his eyes. Spencer felt sorry for him, but that only lasted a few seconds.
The guard upholstered his gun, and, with a shaking hand, aimed it at Spencer. “G-Get out of the way, ya American twit.” His voice cracked harshly when he said this. The man was on the verge of tears, not of sadness, but of fear.
Spencer checked himself. He started to back away, but then held his ground.
“No.”
His voice seemed to come from someone else. His palms itched even more.
“You asked fur it then, you bloody Yank.” The guard tried to steady the gun, but was not as successful as he would have liked. The bullet went wildly to the left, and made a hole in the wall.
Spencer recoiled. He put his hands to his face in instinct. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that his hands glowed with a purple tint.
The gunman growled with anger, and lifted the gun again.
Spencer put his hands out, as if to stop the bullet.
Suddenly he was knocked backwards by an unknown force. He stumbled back about six feet, and his hands no longer itched. He felt like he had just lost a great weight, that is, on his hands.
He looked at the guard, who was on his back. The man’s face didn’t look right. His mask was sloped in at an extreme angle. Spencer realized what he had done. He crushed the man’s face completely in. Spencer felt sick.

“Well,” James said, finally on the ground, “I think that was all the guards, but the others…” He trailed off. “How many more are there?”
“I don’t know,” answered Alexander, “but I’m willing to bet that there are a few more at least.” Allison nodded. “The main things, though, is to take Chester into custody.”
Alexander took charge, with yet another plan. “James, Heather, you go and make sure all the patrons are as far back in the mall as possible. Meet back here, we have more work to do.”
After assuring that all civilians were safe, James and Heather met the others near the security booth.
After relaying the plan to James and Heather, the five stealthily went to work. But they didn’t go unnoticed.

“Patrick and his men are dead, sir.” This news came from a gunman who had witnessed the happenings through the tinted window at the front of the booth.
“Damn,” Chester exclaimed, slamming his fist on the desk he was situated at. “Get five or six more men and stand guard at the entrance, and at this door. Make sure no one enters.” The man clicked his heels together. “Aye.”

The five heroes made their way casually to the security booth. “Halt,” a harsh voice called out, “No entry.” He trilled his “r” when he said that, and Allison and James had to stifle a laugh.
The man held no handgun, but a semi automatic AK-47. When James saw this, he quickly second guessed  this expedition.
“Look, chum,” Alexander started, emphasizing his accent, “my mates and I just want to chat with your boss there. He seems a reasonable bloke, and I just want to talk is all.” “No passage, no entry, no way in. You’re just outta luck… gov’na.” The man said, mockingly.
“Now, now,” James said, breaking in, “we don’t want any trouble Red. Just a chance to speak with your supervisor. See, in America, (that’s were you and I are right now) that’s the way we do things. If someone doesn’t like the way things are going. They talk to the boss. Now, out of the way, jerk-ass.”
The guard cradled his gun now, readying it in case of a confrontation. “I’m warning you… one more step and--”
All five took a step forward. At this, the man shouldered his gun, and fired. Bullet upon bullet left the barrel, and yet, none of them hit the intended target. You see, Allison had step to the front, and, using her ability, caught the bullets in midair with a magnetic field.
“Well bang me sideways.” The man was too astonished to turn and run, which was a mistake. Allison counteracted the field, which sent the bullets back at the gunman with the same speed the left the gun. Every bullet found it’s target. The man hit the ground, dead as a doornail.
***
Chester was sitting back in the rolling chair that was in the security booth. Dusk’s plan was underway, and there was no stopping it now.
So a few lives had to be sacrificed. That was not important. They should be proud to have given their lives for the cause.
A crash outside the door, and a scream. “Excellent.” Chester muttered.

James threw the door open. “Not so fast Brim…” There was a sudden gush of heat as a back draft came curling furiously at James. He threw his arms in front of him instinctively as he waited for the intense pain of fire charring his skin. But there was no pain.
He opened his left eye, then his right. The fire was passing right over him. He didn’t know what to think. Then, “James, get the hell out of there, mate!”
James realized what was happening. Heather was shielding him from the flames. Alex was now yelling at him like a kid who is reaching for a burning stove for the second time. “Are you quite finished?” James looked a bit sheepishly at the crew, and gave a weak smile.
“He, uh, he left before I could get at him.” “Well we can bloody well see that.” Said Alex. “Yeah, that or he just spontaneously combusted.” Chimed Allison. “Well?” Continued Alex. “Let’s get out of here before the cops come.”
The others turned to leave, with James trotting to catch up.

“This is either a warning, or an invitation. We have got on hell of a problem on our hands either way. By the looks of the place, Chester does not mess around.” James and Alex had been trying to hash out what exactly happened as they waited for the police to arrive. All five were walking around the mall, checking to see if all the patrons were still alright. Unfortunately, ten had been killed, and at least seven where in critical condition.
Allison jumped into the conversation, “I just think that this O’Day dude is one sick mother- oomph!” She had been walking with her head turned to the side, and didn’t see the person she just slammed into.
“Hey, watch were you’re… huh?” The mystery person pulled back the hood of his black sweatshirt. His eyes were pierced three times each, as well as his lip, left eyebrow, and nose. The sleeves of his sweatshirt were rolled up to show numerous amounts of tattoos covering both arms. His pants were black and had chains hanging all over them.
Allison stared hard the black-hooded kid. ‘He couldn’t be… he isn’t like that.’ She thought. She had to be sure. “J-Josh?” The kids eyes brightened, “Allison?”