"Having fun with the paranormal story, eh, Justice?"   

Judge Justice was totally angry. Andrew Chaser has been pestering him for the last half hour. This obnoxious reporter wouldn't let him get a rest every since that incident in New York. He could have Chaser arrested, but that wasn't his style. He had to handle this like a man.   

"Get off my damn back, Chaser!" Justice gave that naive reporter that look he gave everyone that itched him the wrong way.

 Chaser was very persistent. "C'mon, Justice, fess up. You know better than anyone else that Captain Manhattan nearly killed Spitfire. I saw him, along with most of New York." Chaser gave Justice a puppy dog look. "Just give me that file you got on him and I'll leave you alone!"

Justice grabbed Chaser by his tie and slammed him against a wall.  "Listen, I've got something to tell you. One: that file is government property and not in the public domain yet and two: I wouldn't give it to a scum-sucking sleezeball like you, even if you threatened me with a gun, first." Justice paused, looking at the bulge in Chaser's jacket pocket. "And in case you're taping all this, you can quote me, as saying, that the day I give you or anyone that file is the day I admit that you, Andrew Chaser, is not a piece of eroded shit and a bastard in a half. 'Nuff said."   

Justice let Chaser go and opened the door out of his office. They could both hear the numerous NSC agents outside trying to get some order out of the many cases they were handling. Justice pointed to the door.   

Chaser straightened his jacket and started to head for the door. "Yeah, well, I was on my out, anyway."    

Andy left and Justice slammed the door after him.   

Closing all the curtains in his office, including the one that went over his door, Justice turned and opened a file cabinet, full of the government files. He searched through draws C and S and pulled out two files. He set them on his clean desk.  

 Amidst the usual stuff planted on his working space, he had the two most wanted government files in New York. In those files described two of the most dangerous people in this nice, little town.   

He pulled up the receiver of his phone and dialed. A split second later, he heard a familiar voice on the other end introduce himself.   

He finally spoke. "I have those two files you requested."

"Thanks," the man on the other end replied.    

"You’re welcome, Mr. President."    

Justice hung up.     

Jenny Swensen approached Ken Connell’s apartment in SoHo, ringing the buzzer to be let in. After greeting her former boyfriend, she was buzzed in.

The first thing that young Jenny spotted once she entered the apartment proper was the giant chandeliers overhead and the huge staircase to her right.

Jenny Swensen climbed up the stairs. She walked up two flights when she saw the door to the giant master bedroom. She knew, at first sight, that this was the room that she wanted.  

Jenny completely opened the door and giggled to herself. Kenneth was on his giant bed, the covers all over the place. He looked like he hadn't shaved in at least two days. So, the rich agent slept like normal people did, she whispered to herself.   

Taking off her high heels quietly and resting her overcoat on the chair right near his desk, Jenny walked to the bed. Not wanting to disturb him, she tip-toed and pushed his cover aside.

He jerked, seemingly feeling that the cover was not there. Then, he went back to sleep, not knowing what the inevitable may bring.

Jenny leaned next to him on the bed. She blew into his ear.

Kenneth Connell bolted, thinking that he was being attacked or worse. He turned around and saw Jenny right next to him, looking as sexy as ever.    

"Oh, it's you?!"    

Jenny was stunned. "What, you sound disappointed."  

Kenneth rubbed his eyes and brushed through his hair. "No, no, it's not that."

Kenneth looked at her blouse and smiled.     

Jenny returned his stare. "Are you disappointed now?" 

"No, of course not."    

He brought her body against his. "You look great today."

"Now tell something that I don't know."   

Jenny looked into his eyes, her face making that same expression she made when she was drunk that time. She bucked her head, her hair waving backwards. She kissed him, softly.    

And, what a way to wake up, Kenneth thought.           

Hours ago…

“Well, that was delicious, Stephanie,” Captain Manhattan said to the leading members of DP7, as Spitfire stood before him. “It looks like you can handle this mission from now on.”

David walked forward, approached Captain Manhattan, and shook his hand. “I would like to apologize for my earlier lack of appropriate behavior. I had no right being angry with you. I guess I was just a little jealous about Stephanie inviting you. I thought it was supposed to be a private dinner for two but then she invited everyone else. Including you, Spitfire, and the rest of DP7. I just want to say I’m sorry and I hope that I can make this up to you one time, someday, when we aren’t fighting people from other times.”

Captain Manhattan shook his hand and Spitfire smiled. “Apology accepted. And I will take you up on that offer.”

“And you, Spitfire?” David asked.

“Me, too. I’d love to have a chance to chat with you. Also, I accept your apology.”

With that said and their business over and done with, Captain Manhattan and Spitfire vaulted out the open window where Dave Landers crashed through moments before. DP7 all waved good-bye to them.

In the beginning, Marcus Landover was nothing more than a scout boy. He was a wanderer who looked for a quick exit to the boredom that his normal life afforded him. His territory was Manhattan. That was where he frequented most of his time. He went to the clubs there to hang out with the local women, who made their way for mere pay. But he was glad that he didn't have to shell out money for public transportation into the city. He was thankful that now he was able to purchase a car of his own, instead of bumming rides from his parents or his friends. He had made a final trip to the city to the exact same places that he went to before. What he received in the mail yesterday was something that he did not like or approve of but something that he had to do, for service of his country. He was charged to serve on an experimental committee for Genetic Labtronics, the supreme genetic research facility in the country.

He wasn't aware of what he was to do on the committee when he arrived at Gene Labs but he presumed that that information would be awarded to him when he got there. He could only guess what it was. And he knew it was something that he would not like too fondly.   

As he parked his car on the street, he promised himself that this was to be a night to remember. Only where to start? That was the opportune question. Marcus had been to any number of clubs on the street that was once known as the infamous 42nd Street. This could be the last night of his freedom and this was going to be something special.   

He would start at his favorite. Showland. Also the place that he was considered to be a regular customer. A lot of money spent in clubs like these types but he considered it worth it. Money well spent, he thought. They were known as highly pornography theaters and clubs in the now-historically acclaimed twentieth century, times remembered for its western expansion in culture as well as people population. He knew almost all of the patrons and workers there by heart, in memorization cycles, so they were like an extended family to him. But they were more than family, they were more than his home. They were an extension of himself. For his last night of freeplay, he didn't know how this night would turn out and he liked to keep the element of surprise up in the air and as he thought before, a night to truly remember. And to think, tomorrow he could be a different kind of person, whatever Gene Labs had intended for him. He could be a soldier of the state,  whatever. He didn't know.    

That sort of surprise he didn't appreciate. The good with the bad, he thought. He had to take it both ways. But he tried to erase from his mind what was going to transpire on the next day, as he prepared to enjoy the fruits of  tonight.   

He payed his nominal fee to the patron at the desk in the lobby of the Showland theater club. He hadn't known them all that well, those sitting behind the desk, not delving in that deep conversation, but he said his hellos and good-byes to them once in a while. He had other important things to do than waste his energy on those types.   

Once that was done with, he climbed up to the second level.

Derek Shiningstar was not a man to be interrupted by trivial interruptions, least of all which were Dr. Landers' new experiments and inventions. And today, he was interrupted by none other than his premier scientist. He thought that he had previously made it quite clear what Dr. Landers' place was within the mechanical and electronic wing of Gene Labtronics that he inhabited. Dr. Landers was to monitor other experiments and works by other scientists but no new experiments were to be made or instructions without his proper say-so. And what Dr. Landers brought into his office on this day was something that he hadn't authorized . This made Mr. Shiningstar very upset and he had no other object of his fury and rage than Dr. Landers himself.

When his secretary Mary-- all secretaries seemed to be named Mary these days-- informed him that a Dr. Landers was waiting to speak to him of utmost urgency, he knew it was not a social call. He perished of the thought that an idea of free thought was running rampant in his facility. He encouraged suggestions of new idea to run free but not concocting an invention without his prior instructions. This made him very furious.

When he reluctantly agreed to let Dr. Landers into his private office, James prepared a speech in his mind that he used many times on occassions when wary scientists went out of his specific instructions. Now, he would use such a speech on Dr. Landers. Many were fired from their position for such an indignity. But he doubted he would do the same to Dr. Landers. Just a simple rattling of the nerves would suffice.

What he didn't expect was the state of panic that Dr. Landers was in when he did enter Mr. Shiningstar's office. He slammed the door closed behind him and nearly grabbed for his boss who sat calmly behind his desk. His hair was frazzled and mussed up and his clothes were put on very clumsily. He stopped at the desk, putting his hands on the rim of the desk, about to deliver his speech of ranting and raving, which Mr. Shiningstar didn't expect.

"Is there something I could do for you, Scott?" he asked, to relieve his partner's nerves. He expected him to be like this after he rattled him, not before. "Or get you? Like a cup of coffee or something that is an equivalent?"

Scott shook his head in indignation. "No, nothing like that. I just have to tell you something and then, I'll be on my way. What I have to say you will not regret. This may up our profits by I don't know how much. But it will be very steep and it could be a healthy increase to our annual profits."

"I don't know about this..."

"Please, hear me out. Trust me, it'll be worth your while. I know how you feel about fellow scientists creating things on your time but I think I have something here that will do more than bide your time. What I have created is a device that can rip a portal to other dimensions. What I have seen ion my lab is something that the people of the planet Earth has not seen ever. I don't know how to explain this but..."

Derek waved his hand to silence Scott. "Whatever you were about to say, I know what you are going to say. I usually don't promote my scientists creating projects on their own but I do encourage new and fresh ideas to old experiments. This new device of yours intrigues me. I like the idea of creating portals to other dimensions. We can learn about the past, the future, and alien worlds. Bring this to the lab first thing in the morning for a complete demonstration and then, we can see where we can proceed from here. Thank you, Landers, for bringing this to my attention. You may go now."

As Landers exited the room with a rush of pleasure flooding his every being, Derek Shiningstar began to think things over, mull this around in his fantastic brain that he had at his command, and began to plan ahead.

As the dawn rose up in the sky, Dave Landers and Stephanie Harrington awoke to another beautiful morning. Memories of the enjoyment of yesterday lingered on her mind, as she loved sharing her life with David. She knew full well that without the Rebellion, they would not be as close as they are now. They shared the same apartment complex in Manhattan. Days passed insurmountably with little abate that the plan lingered on David' mind as much so as their life together in secret lingered on her mind with childish, girlish fantasies of romance. She wondered if he noticed her smile.

David had laid out his plan to gain entry into the fortress of Gene Labtronics in the suburban heart of Manhattan, which was called Big Apple Town. She knew that he planned to reiterate the plan again this morning, as this was the day that they were to invade the aforementioned lab.

Stephanie stretched her body, as she got up out of bed. The memory of last night still hung in her mind. She looked back at the bed at David' waking form. They both slept so soundly and she had fallen in love with him in the months that they had been in the Rebellion and shared this apartment.

"Oh, David, I really loved crusiing with you. The city looked so beautiful at night with all the neon lights. I don't think I've ever enjoyed myself with anyone so special in all my life."

He groaned and yawned himself awake. He fought his tiredness to get ready for their very important assignment. He wished her mind was on the Rebellion but he humored her the best he could.

He tapped her on the arm and shoulder. "Yes, I know you did. And so did I. But we do have more important matters that should concern us."

"How could I forget? Our mission." She didn't sound at all hopeful at their possible success of their mission. She wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity with David alone in the lone apartment. But mentioning such to David would be like committing religious heresy, in the eyes of one whose mind was focused totally on the carrying out on their mission. "What do we have to do again?"  

"We are to find the stronghold of Gene Labtronics. We are to incapacitate the guards there.

They both can hear the birds chirping and the wind howling in the ventilation ducts as they try to force open a lock on a door that seems nigh impossible.

Dave tries all of his locks and picks to pry open that lock but he fails. The door is like a Chinese puzzle for when he opens one piece a thousand more are revealed.

He is frustrated and rightly so. “Damn it, Stephie! When Gene Labtronics puts up a door and say it is impregnable, they aren’t just whistling dixie!”

“I know, David. But we better get what we came for before the guards here break out of our trap and fill our bods with bullet holes.”

“Yer right, Steph darling. But if normal tools won’t open the door, I know somethin’ that will that is just a l’il above technology!”

With a nod of approval from Stephie, David clasps his hands in the shape of a fist and blows it wide open! And when the door swings off its hinges, they both stand awe-struck at the sight before them.

 But one specific device in the room catches their attention. It is called the Device and they approach it so that they can be near its supreme power.

David turns to Stephanie, with the device in the palm of his hands. “Y’know, Stephie. This is it. This CD-ROM contains all of Derek’s plans to create a paranormal army. We must destroy it.”

“Yeah, this is it.” Stephanie, to express her feelings of joy, touches David’s hand, while looking at the CD in the other. An explosion is heard thru the hallways and the lab room and then, the clamping of boots on the floor! “David, that explosion—and oncoming footsteps. The guards must have escaped our traps and realized where we are!! We must leave, David. NOW!”

“Yeah, yer right, Steph!”

Carrying Stephie’s body under his, David escaped in the opposite direction of the approaching guards. For the time being, they have won their battle against Derek Shiningstar. But they knew that Derek would be back with another master plan to destroy the paranormals in the world. And they would be ready and willing and able.