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<span style="font-size: 30px;">Family Matters</span>
<span style="font-size: 25px;">An LMBP-New Crusaders OneVision</span>

Prologue

Wind slammed against the high vaulted windows as thunder boomed outside. Frequent lightning bolts illuminated the interior of the manor, in some ways throwing off more light than the numerous lights that were ensconced periodically along the paneled walls. As one would imagine, the manor corridors were drafty and cold, but there was also a heavy sense of cold dread in this place, as if it had been forsaken by all that was good and warm in the world.

A large group of figures stood silently before the huge fireplace, trying in vain to absorb what warmth they could from it. They weren’t sure how long they had been kept waiting, or for how much longer they would be forced to wait. None dared ask, though. It was best not to question him too closely.

In McKenzie Manor, those who asked too many questions often met disturbing ends.

The huge wooden door opened, and a cloaked figure entered the library. The ten occupants of the room turned as one, eyes narrowed slightly in apprehension. None of them had asked to be here. In fact, each was quite certain that this was probably the biggest mistake of their lives. None had dared to refuse the call, however.
David McKenzie was definitely not someone you wanted as an enemy.

McKenzie stopped before them, reaching up to push back the hood covering his head. He had once been a handsome man, with thick blond hair and ruggedly attractive features. In some ways, he could still be called good looking, until you looked into his eyes. There was a cold cruelty there that could stop you in your tracks. They were overpowering in their depth and frightening in intensity.

This was a man who had performed unthinkable acts of violence in his lifetime.

“Welcome to my home, my friends,” he said, his strong voice echoing in the stone chamber. “I trust the journey wasn’t too bad.”

“It was not without it’s bumps, Mindscape,” Vortex said evenly. “The storms around the castle were a bit harder to navigate through than I anticipated, but of course my powers were more than up to the challenge.”

A heavyset woman behind him laughed. She was dressed in a clown’s costume, with vertical stripes clashing with aces, clubs, hearts and diamonds. Her face was concealed beneath heavy, garish makeup, which looked even more bizarre when her curly magenta hair was added to it. “I think I lost a few wits along the way, Vortex, and we all know that I can’t afford to lose any.”

“Shut up, Myrthe,” the teleporter snarled, “or I will sent you back the hard way.”

Myrthe began to move forward toward Vortex, but she stopped when the armored Dreadnaught stepped in between them, heavy broadsword partially drawn from its scabbard. A mirthless chuckle drew their attention back to their host.

“My friends, I know that working together isn’t always our best suit, but trust me when I tell you that this will be the biggest caper of any of your careers.” He saw interest in every face, and satisfied he continued. “Our success in this endeavor will not only bring us supreme power, but it will also bring an end to our old adversaries, the New Crusaders.”

Part One

1700 Park Avenue, Bay City, New York: If one were to check the records down at City Hall, they would show that the property belonged to wealthy businesswoman Victoria Prentiss. It had been in her family for nearly two hundred years, occupying an entire city block in the middle of the city. In fact, the large park across the street had been named after her ancestors. The huge mansion settled in the center of the property had been home to generations of the Prentiss Family.

However, after growing up in the house, Victoria Prentiss had decided to leave the city, moving to the more peaceful suburb of Prentiss Point. The Park Avenue mansion was left more or less inhabited for several years. And then, one day, the construction workers arrived. For nearly two months, PrentissCorp engineers worked around the clock, digging deep down into the foundations of the property. Hidden as it was behind tall stone walls, curious onlookers were unable to figure out just what was going on.

Vast sub-basements were carved out deep beneath the mansion, and were filled with technological wonders that had never been seen before. An underground hangar facility was constructed, with a launch pad built in the middle of the gardens behind the mansion. Although the physical appearance of the house did not change, a state of the art security system was installed behind its walls.

The citizens of Bay City soon learned that the property was now being called Crusaders Mansion, and was to become the home and headquarters for Bay City’s premiere team of costumed crimefighters, the Crusaders. The team made it’s headquarters there for over fifteen years, until their mysterious disappearance several years back. A short time later, the mansion gained new occupants in the form of the New Crusaders, who had dwelled there ever since.

And today, it was the site of a very special meeting.


---


“Prepare to energize, Mister Scott.”

William Scott turned to look at the young man standing beside him, one eyebrow raised. “Have you been watching reruns of Star Trek again, Interface?” The teenager didn’t even look up from the scanning device he was holding. William sighed and turned his attention back to the control console before him. Scientists were not generally known for their senses of humor, but sometimes Interface could be downright robotic. Although, given the fact that the young scientist had several bio-robotic body parts, including an enhanced brain, that probably made a lot of sense.
Wouldn’t kill him to crack a smile once in a while, though.

The New Crusader known as Interface and his laboratory assistant were on the Laboratory Level, one of the deepest sub-basements of Crusaders Mansion. This was a new laboratory, which had been opened nearly one year ago, after several members of the Crusaders were accidentally transported to a parallel universe. Originally a research lab, it now held the fruits of Interface’s laborious research: the Transmatter Machine.

And today was going to be it’s inaugural use: to teleport members of the LMBP from their parallel universe into this one.

“Energize, Mister Scott,” Interface said, finally looking up from his scanner.

William moved his hands across the control panel, pressing a series of pressure-sensitive buttons. The lights in the room dimmed slightly as the Transmatter Machine came to life. Twelve metallic disks were spaced out across the floor of an alcove set into the wall before them, with matching disks mounted on the ceiling above. The wall panels of the alcove began to pulse with light as energy began to form in the air above the floor disks.

Slowly, the energy began to writhe and transform, elongating vertically, slowly taking shape. Six figures began to take shape: a heroic looking young man, dressed in a blue and gray outfit with metallic disks affixed to it; a beautiful young blonde wearing a midriff-baring black-and-blue outfit, her male twin standing nearby in a similarly styled costume; a good looking man wearing a costume of purple and black, an “L” insignia adorning his chest; a brown-haired young man holding a tall staff, a cape billowing around him; and a small cat, who looked a little… annoyed. The figures fully solidified, and the machine began to power down.

The front-most young man stepped forward, swaying slightly as if finding his sea legs. He looked at the two men before him, and cast them a disarming grin. “Interface?” he asked, stretching his hand forward.

The scientist stepped forward, placing his scanner into the utility belt around his waist. “Cobalt Kid, I presume.” He shook the offered hand. “And Princess Crujectra?” The pretty blonde nodded her head slightly, not quite trusting her legs enough to move just yet.

“May I introduce Loser Lad, Maxx the Sorcerer, and my brother, Prince Mykel?” Crujectra said, a sweeping gesture taking in the two heroes behind her.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Interface replied. He looked down at the cat, who was sitting down on the transmatter disk, swaying to and fro. “Errrr… I’m guessing Bob, but I wasn’t actually expecting a cat.”

Bob rolled his eyes upward. “Don’t get your abacus in a twist, kid. I was a cat in our universe, too. Although I suspect that I may have left my lunch and a few whiskers back home.”

Before Interface could respond, the door to the left slid open and two Crusaders stepped into the room. The first one the LMBPers recognized as Spellbinder, the young sorceress who had been involved in their previous meeting. Walking beside her was a muscular young man with long sandy brown hair. A large “W” adorned the chest of his costume.

“Cobalt Kid! Crujectra! I’m so glad that you made it okay,” Spellbinder said, stepping forward to quickly embrace the two guests.

“Well, it’s not quite like running across the street,” Cobalt Kid said as he wrapped his arm supportively around Crujectra’s waist, “but I guess we made it in one piece.” He quickly re-introduced their traveling companions.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Spellbinder said. She had met them briefly once before, during a battle at the end of time. However, there hadn’t been time for formal introductions. “I’d like to introduce you all to my boyfriend, Wildside.”

Wildside smiled slightly, but didn’t step forward. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Spellbinder decided to take pity on her boyfriend, who was a little uncomfortable around new people. “Welcome to Crusaders Mansion!”

Part Two

“On behalf of Reboot and Mystery Lad, I want to thank you for your help in developing this Transmatter Machine, Interface,” Cobalt Kid said as the heroes moved down the corridor from the Transmatter Room.

“No thanks necessary, Cobalt Kid,” the young scientist said. “Believe me, it was a joint effort. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

“Don’t be modest, Interface,” Crujectra said pleasantly, walking hand-in-hand with Cobalt Kid, her discomfort from the transmatter journey behind her. “After all, it was you who developed the communication device that enabled us to make contact with each other again after our previous meeting.”

The heroes stopped before a pair of metallic doors at the end of the corridor. Interface stepped to the side. “Well, if you will all excuse me, I will be taking my leave of you here. I’ll arrange for a tour of the laboratory level later, if you’d like, but for now I’m sure you would like to see the upper levels and your quarters.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Interface,” Crujectra said as the young man moved back down the hall.

“You’ll have to excuse Ryan,” Spellbinder said, pushing the call button of the elevator. “He’s a little shy around people. If you ask me, he spends far too much time around his gadgets and equipment, but it makes him happy.” The lift doors opened to reveal a moderately sized elevator car. Spellbinder and Wildside looked to their guests expectantly. “After you?”

Cobalt Kid looked at the elevator car curiously. “What is it?”

“Ummm… it’s an elevator,” Spellbinder replied, confused.

“What does it do?” Crujectra asked curiously, leaning forward slightly to look inside.

Wildside raised an eyebrow. “It… ummm… carries you from one floor to the next?”

Crujectra looked at him suddenly, her eyes alight with wonder. “Really? That’s so quaint!” She quickly entered the lift, followed closely by Cobalt Kid, who looked equally excited. Loser Lad, Mykel and Maxx followed, along with Bob, none of whom seemed as excited about getting closed up in such a small space. Shrugging to each other, the two Crusaders followed them in. “We don’t have elevators where we come from. We travel from floor to floor using either personal teleporters or anti-gravity tubes.”

Spellbinder sighed slightly, a smile creeping onto her face. “I don’t suppose one of you would like to press the lobby button, would you?”

Part Three

The elevator doors opened out into a large reception area. Comfortable looking couches were arranged around sitting areas on either side of the room. A long carpeted walkway stretch from the heavy oak front doors to the semi-circular reception desk at the rear of the room. The walls were richly paneled, with a variety of artwork hanging on them. Potted plants were placed at regular intervals around the room, giving the entire lobby a very soothing, welcoming appearance.

Spellbinder and Wildside led the visiting heroes across the lobby, nodding to the receptionist who was speaking into her headset and busily taking notes. They approached an archway set into the eastern wall of the room. There was a shiny sign hanging to the right of the archway, with GALLERY written in block letters.

The young sorceress turned to the LMBPers, smiling sweetly. “Before we get you all settled into your quarters, I thought you might like a little introduction into just who the New Crusaders are, and where we come from.” The group moved into the gallery.

The walls were covered with numerous framed pictures, featuring a wide array of costumed figures. The first that they came to was of a large group of older heroes, posing in front of the White House. In the center of the group stood the President of the United States.

“It all began with the original Crusaders,” Spellbinder said, indicating the heroes in the picture.

Twenty-five years earlier, during the third World War, the greatest heroes of the United States banded together to defend not only their homeland, but the world itself against evil forces threatening to tear the planet apart. Calling themselves the Crusaders, these heroes discovered that the enemies behind the war were not human at all, but shape shifting invaders from a far-off planet. They had replaced key political figures around the world, planning to throw the planet into such chaos that the Earth could be easily overthrown by their alien militia.

Once the invasion was thwarted and peace restored to the planet, the heroes decided to remain together. The team battled evil for nearly twenty years, and their roster swelled to include heroes from around the world. And then, quite suddenly, they had disappeared.

Cobalt Kid looked at the heroes in the photo. There was such a feeling of idealism and goodness that came from them. He just knew that they were the kind of heroes that others would look up to and respect.

“I don’t suppose you have any pictures down at floor level, do you?” Bob the Cat asked, straining his neck in a futile effort to look up past the humans. “Some of us are a little vertically challenged.” Crujectra smiled and kneeled down to pick up the cat, who then arranged himself around her cleavage. Once comfortable, the cat nodded that Spellbinder should continue.

With their primary defenders missing, the people of the world found themselves at the mercy of the planet’s super-villains, who were running rampant without the Crusaders to fight them. It was decided that the world needed new heroes to take the place of the missing heroes. The children and protégés of the original Crusaders banded together to form the New Crusaders. They were young, many of them in their mid-teens, but they were all prepared to fulfill the legacy left to them by their parents.

Spellbinder led them to another picture, this one showing a smaller group made up of teenagers, arranged around a memorial to the missing Crusaders. They looked so proud, but so terribly young. Loser Lad scanned the picture closely, wondering what an even younger Spellbinder might look like. “Are you…?”

The young sorceress smiled. “No, I’m afraid that this picture was taken before my time. Mind you, my parents were both members of the original Crusaders, but when the new team was formed I was still a little too young and untrained to join. I wouldn’t join the team for another three years.”

Six months after the disappearance of the original Crusaders, the elder heroes returned. It was relieved that they had been kidnapped by an old enemy, and had been lost in the time stream. The journey back was not without it’s trials, and it took quite a toll on them. Most of the Crusaders decided to retire, although a few of the original members decided to remain to work with the New Crusaders, giving much needed training and guidance.

The group moved to stand before a large frame. The photo inside it was taken outside Crusaders Mansion. Over thirty teen heroes stood in front of the lobby doors. They were of various ages and, from the look of it, various nationalities. In the center of the group stood three adults. One was an attractive blond woman, perhaps in her forties, with carefully styled platinum blond hair, dressed in a smart business suit. She was standing with her arms wrapped around two teens that the LMBPers recognized as Brainstorm and Oracle, whom they had met when the Crusaders had visited Legion World. The other two were a man and a woman, both of whom were tall and muscular and dressed in patriotic costumes. They flanked two younger heroes, one of whom they recognized as Powermax, Brainstorm’s boyfriend.

“This is the New Crusaders as we are today. This is the largest roster we’ve ever had. The woman in the center there is Victoria Prentiss, formally known as the Crusader called Psyche. She’s the team’s benefactor, and also the mother of Brainstorm and Oracle. You’ll definitely be meeting her while you’re here.” Spellbinder smiled at the picture affectionately. “Victoria is like a second mother to the team. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for us.

“The other two heroes are Captain Victory and Ultrawoman, the parents of Powermax and Paragon. Although they still act as unofficial advisors these days, they have more or less retired from active duty. Crusaders Mansion was kind of like our graduation present, given to us when our advisors felt that we were capable of standing on our own. It was the fulfillment of our legacy.”

Spellbinder turned to face the visiting heroes. “Now that you’ve gotten a little of our backstory, let’s see about getting you all settled in?”

Part Four

“Explain to me again why we aren’t sharing a room, Crujeckie?”

Sighing heavily, the Princess of Psyonia turned to face her boyfriend, who was seated at the foot of her bed. The princess had been given a large bedroom the second floor of Crusaders Mansion. The room was in the front of the house, so the windows looked out over Prentiss Park. The room had two large beds in it, complete with matching dressers and vanity tables. There was also a large walk in closet and private bath.

“Cobie dear,” she explained patiently, “It only makes sense that the guys would share rooms. We can hardly expect the Crusaders to put us all up in our own private suites. We may be their guests, but we shouldn’t take advantage of that.”

She turned and entered the walk in closet. “Besides,” she said casually, “this isn’t the 31st Century, and we’re not back home. We aren’t married, after all, and I don’t want anyone to think that I’m trampy.”

Cobalt Kid smiled, knowing that he had just gotten the real answer. Crujectra could be very easy going and let her hair down; any girlfriend of his would have to be able to do that. However, she was still a princess, and she had a very old fashioned set of values; again, not a bad idea for any girlfriend of his, he admitted grudgingly. He supposed that it would be a small price to pay if it made her more comfortable.

Rising from the bed, he crossed over to the closet and gave her a hug. She stiffened a little, looking toward the door across the room. “Cobie!” she hissed through clenched teeth. “Not here!”

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Cobalt Kid released his girlfriend. Apparently the price was going to be a little higher than originally planned. “Why don’t I go unpack, and I’ll meet you a little later?” he suggested. Giving her a quick kiss, he crossed the room and stopped before the door, waiting patiently for it to open. And waited. He frowned.

“Doorknob, dear.”

“Oh yeah,” he muttered, and let himself out into the hall.

He moved silently down the hall, stopping before the next door. Mykel and Maxx were sharing the room across the hall from Crujeckie, and he was sharing the room next door with Loser Lad. As he reached out for the doorknob, he heard raised voices coming from inside. Pushing open the door, he walked in.

Loser Lad was standing beside one of the beds, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Bob the cat was sitting in the center of the bed, stubbornly looking up at his roommate. The two turned to glare at Cobalt Kid, who quickly considered backing out of the room, but decided against it.

“Errrr… is there a problem, guys?”

Loser Lad jerked a thumb at the cat, who decided that it was the perfect time to start cleaning his hind quarters. “Can you tell this talking mousetrap that the room only has two beds, and I am not going to sleep in the chair so that he can stretch out?”

Bob swung his butt around to point toward Loser Lad, which seemed a fair indication of his view on the topic.

Instead of paying the price for Crujectra’s virtue, perhaps it would be wiser to simply run a tab? And where could he lay his hands on some catnip, to ensure that Bob stayed on Loser’s bed?

Part Five

Having freshened up and changing into more casual attire, the LMBPers ascended the grand staircase leading from their second floor guest quarters to the reception area. They walked over to the reception desk, waiting a moment until the receptionist finished her call. She hung up the phone and smiled pleasantly at the group. “Good afternoon, and welcome to Crusaders Mansion. I’m the team’s daytime receptionist, Melissa.”

Cobalt Kid smiled down at her, a twinkle in his eye. Melissa was young, in her twenties, and was pretty, with blue eyes and long blonde curls. Eyebrow raised, Crujectra appeared to lay a hand on Cobalt Kid’s bare forearm, but the sharp intake of breath implied that perhaps her fingernails had dug into the skin a bit. She moved forward to address the young receptionist, who nodded in understanding.

“Excuse us, but we’re supposed to be meeting some of the Crusaders for lunch, but we’re not certain where to go.”

“Certainly, miss. Let me get someone to escort you.”

As she reached out to the phone, a voice from behind caused her to stop. “No need, Melissa,” a deep, masculine voice said. “We can take things from here.”

Coming through an archway beyond the reception desk were two young men, walking hand in hand. The brunette was taller, and built like a football player, with broad shoulders and a powerful build. A large star adorned his chest, and a long cape billowed behind him as he walked. His partner was blond, with the slighter build of a runner. Both young men were familiar to the LMBPers.

“Brainstorm! Powermax!” Princess Crujectra exclaimed, delighted to see the pair. “I was hoping that we would run into you two during our visit.”

“Why, Your Highness,” Brainstorm replied. “How could we have possibly stayed away when we learned that you would be visiting?” He bent low, a hand reaching out for one of Crujectra’s, and laid a quick kiss on the back of her hand.

Crujectra let out a throaty laugh, pulling back her hand. “Christian Prentiss, I am more woman than either of you is willing to handle.”

Michael Chamberlain grinned. “Maybe we just haven’t found the right woman yet, Princess.”

Crujectra stepped forward, giving the two young men a hug. “I have my hands full with Cobie, boys,” she said, smiling warmly at her boyfriend. “I don’t think I’m up to the challenge of converting you.”

“Hey!” Cobalt Kid said indignantly. “What do you mean that you have your hands full with me?”

Crujectra wrapped her arms around one of his and bat her eyelashes. “I only meant that you’re more than enough man for me, dear.”

Cobalt Kid smiled, obviously mollified by her reply. Loser Lad rolled his eyes and Maxx and Mykel hid grins behind their hands. Bob looked as though he were about to hack up a hairball.
Grinning, Brainstorm turned slightly and swept his hand out to the left. “If you would all walk this way.”

The group exited the reception area, walking down a long paneled corridor. There were pictures of various heroes hanging on the walls, and small tables with vases of colorful flowers here and there. It was quite different from LMBP Plaza. Where the Plaza was very comfortable, Crusaders Mansion gave one the impression of elegance and history. Not the kind of place one might expect to find a group of twenty-first century teens, but then the New Crusades were not ordinary teenagers.

At the end of the hall were a pair of French doors, which opened into the gardens that spread out behind the mansion. Cobblestone walks wound their way through beds of colorful, fragrant flowers, and a number of benches were placed beneath a number of large shade trees. This more than anything reminded the LMBPers of MacNeil Grove, and home.

“Since you all have flight rings, we figured that you would like a little overhead tour of the city as we head for our lunch date,” Brainstorm said casually.

“That sounds like fun,” Cobalt Kid said, leaping up into the air, only to drop immediately back to the ground. Frowning, he looked down at his flight ring. It looked fine. He tried once more to take off, only to find himself earthbound once again. “Well, that certainly bites.”

“It would seem that our technology doesn’t work here,” Loser Lad said, obviously disappointed. Flight rings were something that you didn’t think about much back home, but their absence was immediately noticeable. The LMBPers were not used to walking.

“Ummm, I guess we can always take one of our Blackhawk cruisers,” Powermax suggested.

Crujectra tossed her hair back over her shoulders and smiled. “Nonsense. We have three powerful telekinetics amongst us. We should certainly be able to provide transportation across town for anyone who can’t fly.” Bob the Cat screeched in anger as Crujectra telekinetically lifted him off the ground to hover beside her.

“Hey! I’m not a balloon, you know!”

Crujectra turned a withering glare upon the disgruntled cat. “With all of the hot air you blow out, I should think you would be able to float under your own power, dear.”

Mykel and Maxx clasped hands and lifted up into the air, followed closely by Crujectra, who was telekinetically supporting Bob and Loser Lad. Cobalt Kid, Brainstorm and Powermax all followed under their own power.

Crusaders Mansion stood in the center of a large, square property. It occupied an entire city block, and was separated from the neighboring properties by streets. Prentiss Park stretched out across the street from the main entrance, and the remaining three sides of the property faced small office buildings, usually no more than three or four stories in height.

The further away from the mansion they flew, the large the buildings became. Skyscrapers shot up into the air, boasting a wide variety of architectural styles. Beyond the buildings they could see Bay City Harbor, a large inlet of water cutting into the coastline from Long Island Sound.

Having soared high to get a better view, the heroes them swooped downward to fly near to the ground, where pedestrians on the streets below could watch and wave to the passing celebrities. Office workers rushed to the windows of the buildings they were passing, their work forgotten in the thrill of seeing brightly costumed figures flying by. One didn’t really interact with the common people in this way back home, and it was a strangely uplifting experience for the LMBPers to get this sort of attention. Certainly they were celebrities back home, but commuters didn’t walk along outside, and windows had long since been replaced by holographic panels.

Slowly a towering skyscraper came into view at the end of the street. Taller than any of the buildings around it, the glass and steel building stood alone at the intersection, the street splitting off to either side of the property. Large block letters adorned the face of the building, vertically spelling out the words PRENTISSCORP WORLD.

The heroes arched upward, soaring higher and higher up the side of the tower. Finally, they reached the rooftop. One corner of the roof was occupied by a helicopter pad. The rest of the rooftop held botanical garden, with flower beds and small trees. In the center of that was a large canopy, stretching above a dining table. An attractive blond woman was seated alone at the table. Seeing the group appear above the observation railing, she stood and walked out around the table to greet them.

She was a handsome woman, in that hard to define forty-something age range. Her shoulder length blond hair framed her face, and only served to accentuate her warm, blue eyes. She was wearing a pale green business suit, the skirt tastefully cut to knee length. She was slender, with the build of someone who led an active lifestyle.
And she bore more than a slight resemblance to Brainstorm.

She walked up to Brainstorm and Powermax even as they were landing on the rooftop, and immediately pulled them both into an embrace, planting kisses on both their cheeks. Brainstorm turned slightly, an embarrassed flush spreading on his face. “Mom, I’d like to present the LMBP: Cobalt Kid, Princess Crujectra, Prince Mykel, Maxx the Sorcerer, Loser Lad and Bob the Cat.” The visitors responded with nods and hellos. “LMBP, may I present my mother, Victoria Prentiss, one of the founding members of the original Crusaders.”

Pretty hot for an older gal, Cobalt Kid thought to himself. He winced as Crujectra elbowed him. Why was she always elbowing him, anyways? Victoria Prentiss winked knowingly at Cobalt Kid, who immediately remembered that she was a telepath, and he had most likely not been shielding his thoughts. He should probably remember to do that. If only for the sake of his ribs.

“Welcome to PrentissCorp, Legionnaires,” Victoria said warmly, moving from hero to hero to shake their hands. “I’ve heard so much about you from my children. Your world sounds absolutely fascinating.”

“Your world has been interesting to see as well, ma’am,” Loser Lad replied as Victoria led the heroes over to the table, which had been laid out with a variety of foods that looked and smelled wonderful. “The elevator was a big hit,” he said, rolling his eyes at Cobalt Kid. He winced as Crujectra elbowed him. What did he do?

Victoria smiled warmly. “Please be seated. Feel free to dig right in, we’re all friends here, so don’t be shy.”

The food, although mostly foreign to the LMBPers, was nonetheless delicious. Even Bob the Cat found nothing to complain about, especially since their host had arranged for a special table to be set up just for him, right by her side. Catering to the cat’s feelings of self-importance was always a good way to keep his mouth shut. Mouth-watering delicacies didn’t hurt either.

“Well, I always knew that I was different,” Victoria was telling them over dessert. “Neither of my parents had powers, but luckily our financial situation was such that specialists could be brought in when my telepathy began to manifest itself. Keep in mind that this was over thirty years ago, and super-powers were far from the norm. However, there were enough known cases that it was a new field of study.”

“That must have been tough,” Loser Lad said in sympathy.

“Well, it certainly made life interesting,” Victoria replied wistfully. “I had the hardest time learning to shield myself against other people’s thoughts. To be honest, I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t met David McKenzie.” A look of sadness came over her face, and Christian reached out a hand to her. Victoria gently patted his hand and smiled. “David was part of the government’s metahuman research program. He was also psionic, and he became my mentor when I was sent there for help in learning to control my powers.

“He also became my first boyfriend.”

Crujectra smiled, reaching out a hand to Cobalt Kid, who took it lovingly.

“When the third World War broke out, many of the program’s subjects ended up donning costumes and joined the war effort. David and I became founding members of the Crusaders. After the war, we became man and wife. When Christian and Cassandra were born, I decided to hang up my cape and concentrate on our family.

“I sometimes wonder if I things would have been different if I hadn’t retired.”

“Mom,” Brainstorm began.

“I know, I know, it wasn’t my fault,” Victoria said, shaking her head. “I can’t help but wonder sometimes.” She turned to look to the LMBPers. “You see, David was a very powerful psionic. Probably the most powerful metahuman on the planet. I don’t think any one person was meant to have that much power, unfortunately. You see, it began to change him.” She sighed and closed her eyes.

Crujectra leaned forward, sympathy filling her warm blue eyes. “Miss Prentiss, you really don’t have to tell us if it’s too painful for you.”

Victoria’s eyes opened, and she smiled. “That’s all right, dear. I brought it up, and really it was all so very long ago.” Sitting up straighter in her chair, she continued her story. “David’s powers brought out a much darker side of his personality than I had ever seen before. He began to do evil, unspeakable things. By unanimous vote, he was cast out of the Crusaders, who could not support his methods. He responded by attacking his former teammates.

“It was a terrible battle. He very nearly killed three Crusaders before they were able to drive him off. He returned to our home, but I had already taken the children and left, afraid to stay there any longer. Two of my former teammates, Merlin and Samantha Alexander, cast powerful protective spells on my home in case David came after them. Eventually, those spells were cast around Crusaders Mansion, as well. At least in those places my children were safe from their father.”

“Very ‘Harry Potter’, I know,” Brainstorm said.

“Who?” Loser Lad asked.

Victoria’s expression grew dark as memories flooded back to her. “David attacked my home one night when the children were seven years old. He overcame my psionic blocks and overpowered me. He thought to beat me down and then steal the children from me, but he was quite surprised when the Alexanders’ spells hit him.”

When Victoria’s pause stretched out, Loser Lad’s curiousity got the best of him. “What happened to David then?”

“Let’s just say that he never tried to take my children from me again,” she said, and the LMBPers could tell that the story was over. “Forgive me for telling such an overly dramatic story, my dears. The curse of growing older is an overwhelming need to revisit the past. In any case…”

Brainstorm leaped up from his chair, his head facing upward but his eyes unfocused. “Cassie?”
Victoria rose from her chair, a hand gripping her son’s forearm. “Christian, what’s wrong?”

“Cassie’s under attack!”

The LMBPers leaped up from their seats. “Our powers are at your disposal,” Cobalt Kid offered immediately.

Without another word, Brainstorm reached out with his powers, wrapping everyone in a telekinetic cocoon. Within seconds the group was rocketing across the city, racing to aid the young woman called the Oracle.

Part Six

Prentiss Point, New York: A twenty minute drive up the coast highway from Bay City, this quaint little town was founded over two hundred years ago by the Prentiss Family when they first moved to the area from England. Mostly inhabited by commuters who work in the city, the town also boasted the estate of one of the world’s most recognizable public figures, Victoria Prentiss.

Far from the main house, atop a cliff overlooking the ocean, a large lighthouse stood watch over the waves crashing against the rocks below. The lighthouse hadn’t been used to warn away ships in many years, but it was not uninhabited. It’s sole occupant stood upon the observation walk that encircled the dormant beacon, the cool wind blowing back her platinum blonde hair. She knew that, in theory, the view was supposed to be quite breathtaking, but she had never seen it. She hadn’t seen anything at all with her own eyes in over twelve years.

Reaching out a hand to guide her, Cassandra Prentiss moved away from the railing to move back inside the lighthouse. She knew that her mother absolutely hated the fact that Cassandra lived here, alone. She loved her mother for her concern, but what danger was living alone to a woman capable of seeing the future? Ever since the day her powers had manifested themselves and robbed her of her outer vision, Cassandra had been able to look into the possibilities, trusting the Fates to guide her through the obstacles of life.

So far, the Fates had never steered her wrong, although at times her friends thought that she must be mad to do some of the things her visions instructed her to do. In the end, however, things always turned out for the best, and Cassandra had never yet come to harm.

She moved slowly down the staircase that spiraled along the rounded inner walls of the tower, moving down to her living quarters. There were no pictures hanging on the bare walls, for what good were they to one who could not see them. Her home held other pieces of art, though. Sculptures sat on every available surface of her living room, works of art that she loved to touch and feel the beauty beneath her fingertips. She reveled in the feel of the textures of the fabrics that covered her chairs, in the plush carpeting beneath her bare feet. Fragrant flowers were arranged in vases by the windows, so that the cool breeze coming through could carry the scent across the room.

Sight was not the only sense out there, and she made the most of all of her remaining senses.
As she moved toward her favorite chair, she stumbled as a powerful vision came over her. Eyes clamped shut, she knelt on hands and knees as the vision washed over her. Her breath came in gasps as the vision passed, and she opened unseeing eyes as she used the arm of the chair to lift herself off the floor.

It had been a long time since she had had a vision so powerful. She briefly considered searching the possibilities, but then decided against it. A vision so strong could not be denied. She slowly moved over to the wall just beyond the stairs. Moving carefully, she transported the sculptures from the table to a safe place across the room. No sense in wasting good art, she thought.

Once her treasures were safely stored, she moved back to her chair and sat down to wait. Marshalling her thoughts, she reached out with her weak telepathic gift, knowing that he would hear her call. He always heard her when she needed him. Christian! she called. I’m under attack!

She then settled back in her chair to wait.

Minutes later, although she couldn’t see it, she could feel the power in the room. The wall behind the table she had just cleared began to glow, a perfect circle of pulsing energy. The energy within the circle began to fade, although an outer ring of energy remained. Instead of bare wall, now there was a kind of tunnel, which stretch back into nothingness.

Three figures began to appear, walking quickly forward through the tunnel. The armored Dreadnaught appeared first, and he slammed his gauntleted first down upon the empty table that blocked the portal, reducing it to splinters with one blow. Oracle shook her head sadly. It had been a nice table, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good. The knight stepped into the room and looked quickly around for any other occupants. A grin spread across his face beneath his faceplate. This was going to be far easier than anticipated.

“Move aside, Dreadnaught,” the Black Mage uttered in irritation, pushing past his armored companion. “There’s no telling how long Vortex can hold the portal open, and we must subdue the Oracle.”

“Don’t worry about me, Mage,” Vortex said, stopping at the end of the tunnel. “The mission will not fail because of me.”

Oracle arose from her chair, arms stretched out before her, wrists held tightly together. “If you don’t mind, please try not to bind me too tightly. I bruise easily, and I doubt that ‘He’ will take too kindly to you hurting me.”

The Black Mage frowned as he considered the girl before him. She was right, of course. And kind of creepy, just quietly standing there, waiting for them. Best finish things quickly. He reached out a hand and uttered an incantation. Bands of power floated out toward the seer, narrowing to fit securely, but not too snugly, around her outstretched wrists.

Dreadnaught carefully took hold of the girl’s elbow, and began walking her toward the portal.

“Cassandra!”

Victoria Prentiss’ cry rang through the room. The villains turned to see the heroes floating outside the window. Dreadnaught shoved the seeress backward, and she stumbled into the waiting arms of Vortex, who began pulling her back along the tunnel. Dreadnaught drew his broadsword from its scabbard, and swung outward with a two-handed grip on the sword. The concussive force of the swing slammed into the heroes, and Brainstorm released the heroes who could fly in order to better protect those who couldn’t.

Cobalt Kid, Crujectra and Bob the Cat dropped into the room, and immediately ducked behind chairs as they took in the situation. Crujectra barely had time to shout out a warning before the Black Mage cast his spell. Eldritch flames burst across the room, barreling toward the open windows with the force of an inferno. The heroes still outside dove aside to avoid them, all except for Powermax, for who the flames held no danger.

Or so he thought.

As the magical surge hit the New Crusader, it exploded, and Powermax was flung backward away from the lighthouse. The heroes shielded themselves from the explosion, which rocked the tower dangerously. Crujectra and Cobalt Kid turned quickly toward the villains, who were using the diversion to run down the tunnel toward safety. The two LMBPers rushed out from behind the chairs as the portal began to close. Bob leaped to the back of a chair and reached out to touch the planet’s ambient magical energy, intending to magically hold the portal open. To his surprise, however, he could sense the magic, but found that he was unable to access it.

As they closed on the portal, Cobalt Kid reached out a hand and pushed his girlfriend off course, sending her falling into a chair and tipping it over.

“Sorry, Crujeckie,” he said to her feet, which were sticking up over the overturned chair. “Better safe than sorry.”

With that, he dove through the portal just as it was closing.

The other heroes came into the room just as the portal disappeared, and Crujectra got herself up off the floor. “Cobie?” The princess looked around the room, and righteous indignation began to flood into her. “Cobie,” she shouted, “ I am going to kick your ass!”

Suddenly, her face fell and the color drained from her. Mykel rushed to her side, a questioning look on his face. She turned to look at her brother. “Mykel, he’s gone. I can’t feel him through the soul-link.”

Loser Lad moved over to the pair. “Maybe he’s just too far away?” he suggested.

Crujectra shook her head weakly. “You don’t understand, Lou. I have felt Cobie’s presence across the universe. Distance doesn’t matter to our link. If he were anywhere in this universe, I would feel him.”

Victoria Prentiss looked at the princess, fear and anger chasing each other across her face.

“Then where in Hell is my daughter?”

Part Seven

Spellbinder and Maxx the Sorcerer moved slowly about Oracle’s living room, their hands sweeping back and forth through the air as they cast their spells. Interface stood nearby, a scanning device in his hand. Brainstorm and Powermax sat on the room’s single couch, with a distraught Victoria Prentiss between them. Loser Lad was comforting Crujectra, who kept walking back and forth across the space where the portal had been. If determination alone could have re-opened the portal, then she would be walking down the tunnel to find her mate.

Bob the Cat sat alone on the window sill, staring out over the ocean. He had been trying to touch this world’s magic ever since the portal had closed, but still found that he could not. He had always been in touch with the magic of the universe back home. Even though he was never as powerful away from Psyonia, still he could access ambient magic everywhere to use in some manner. It was a strange feeling to no longer have that.

It did not make him happy.

Spellbinder and Maxx lowered their hands and turned to face the couch, even as Interface completed his scans. Victoria looked up hopefully, and from the expressions on their faces knew that they had been unsuccessful. Spellbinder knelt down in front of her, looking near to tears.

“Victoria, I’m so sorry, but our efforts to trace the portal magically didn’t work.”

Victoria reached out a hand to cup the young sorceress’ cheek lovingly. “That’s okay, dear. I know that you did your best.”

Interface stepped forward. “I had a small amount of success with my scans, but unfortunately my results are not conclusive. Analyzing the residual energy left behind from the portal, I was able to detect that this portal led to another vibrational plane. A parallel universe,” he clarified. “Unfortunately, I have no way of telling the exact vibrational frequency needed to trace it to its source.”

“Who were those villains?” Loser Lad asked. “The mage seemed familiar.”

“That was the Black Mage,” Spellbinder said. “He was one of the villains that were transported with us when we came to your universe.”

“The other two were Vortex and Dreadnaught,” Powermax said. “Like Black Mage, they are members of Villains, Inc.”

“Why would they kidnap your daughter, Miss Prentiss?” Crujectra asked, sitting down wearily into an armchair.

“David,” Victoria Prentiss said coldly.

Part Eight

Cobalt Kid stood with his back flat against the wall, and then leaned slowly to peer around the corner. The hallway stretched out away from him, apparently deserted. So far, he had yet to meet a single person as he had made his way through the big house. Apparently the villains hadn’t hung around after they had made their escape from the lighthouse.

He lightly touched the place inside himself where the soul-link had been. A sense of loss came over him, and he thought about Crujectra. She was probably worried about him, and most likely more than a little pissed off. She hated when he tried to protect her, insisting that she was more than capable of protecting herself. Crujectra was one of the strongest people that he had ever met, but he was a guy, and guys defended their women.

It was a guy thing.

Slipping silently around the corner, he moved slowly down the hall. He listened carefully outside each closed door that he passed, trying to detect any noise that might alert him to danger. So far, the house seemed deserted. Finally, at the end of the hall, he saw a door that wasn’t quite closed. A thin line of light was coming through the narrow opening, and he could hear voices coming from inside the room beyond.

“What’s wrong, my darling daughter?” a deep, cruel voice asked. “No hug for daddy?”

“Just because I came along quietly doesn’t mean that I am anxious for a family reunion, Father.”

“Ah, Cassandra, how your bitch of a mother has poisoned you against me.”

Cobalt Kid peered carefully through the crack. A man was seated in an oversized armchair next to the fireplace. Dark figures loomed back against the wall, their features difficult to make out due to the lack of illumination. Standing back to the door was the Oracle, he bonds gone and her captors nowhere near her. Of course, a blind girl would have a hard time escaping.

“Mother has never spoken out against you, Father. Your heinous crimes against humanity are public record. How could I feel anything but disgust for you?”

Unseen by his daughter, a look of anger crossed over the face of Mindscape. His voice barely masked his ire as he spoke. “I have gone through much to have you back by my side, Cassandra. Thanks to the enchantments that protect you, I have been forced to have others do what I could not. The cursed Alexanders protected you from me, but they failed to protect you from my new partners.”

“Father, don’t be a fool. Do you honestly think that you could sneak up on a seeress without my knowing about it? Your plan succeeded only because the Fates decreed that it should be so. Do not operate under the misconception that you have already won.”

“Of course not, my darling daughter. My victory will only be complete once I have both my children under my roof. Fear not, though, for your brother will be joining you before you know it, and then, with my children at my side, the world will tremble before us.”

Oracle shook her head slowly, a look of sadness on her face. “Do not count your victories yet, Father. Even the Fates have not yet decided how this will end. Even now there are new variables being added that could turn the tide against you.”

Mindscape laughed. “You mean like that insignificant gnat hovering out in the corridor? Come in and join us, Cobalt Kid.” Suddenly, the doors flew open to reveal Cobalt Kid. “Grab my daughter and rescue her from this place, if you think you can.”

Cobalt Kid didn’t move a muscle, but suddenly the room exploded into activity. Metal candle holders ripped free from the walls, hurling themselves at the lurking villains like daggers. Curtain rods broke free of their brackets and twisted around the figures, their strength enhanced by the power of Cobalt Kid’s magnetism.

Cobalt Kid reached out a hand, and suddenly Oracle flew backward into his grasp, and he pulled the doors closed as they exited into the hallway. Every piece of furniture in the corridor that had any metal in it at all suddenly rocketed down to pile itself outside the door. Grasping the seeress’ hand, Cobalt Kid began to pull her down the hall.

“Cobalt Kid, this isn’t going to work.”

Cobalt Kid cast his famous smile upon the girl, forgetting that she couldn’t see it. “Have no fear, Oracle. Back where I come from, my heroic deeds are legendary. I’ll get you out of this.” Sighing in resignation, the seeress merely grabbed hold of Cobalt Kid’s forearm and let him pull her along. He would find out the truth soon enough.

Moving quickly along the hall, Cobalt Kid kept looking for a way out. Suddenly they entered what looked like the main entrance hall of the manor, and he spotted what must be the front door. Racing across the hall, he reached out a hand and the doors flew open before him. They ran through the door and stopped suddenly.

The landscape outside was barren, with not a single sign of vegetation in sight. Dirt and rocks encircled the manor house for nearly twenty yards before the ground dropped off suddenly. The air above them crackled with energy, and lightning arced out across the sunless sky. Claps of thunder boomed like explosions, shaking the ground with every burst.

“Where in the world are we?” he asked.

“My home exists in a parallel plane of existence,” Mindscape said from behind him, and Cobalt Kid spun around to face him. Mindscape stood in the center of the entrance hall, and at least two dozen villains ranged out around him. “You know, you really should look before you leap through unknown portals. You never know where you might end up.”

Laughter sounded behind him as the villains enjoyed Cobalt Kid’s helplessness. “Now, as a reward for your heroic effort,” Mindscape raised a single hand, “let me introduce you to pain.”

Cobalt Kid screamed in agony.

Part Nine

22,300 miles above the Earth’s equator, a solitary satellite circled the planet in a synchronous orbit. Large and round, it looked like a tiny metallic moon, with blinking lights and lighted viewports scattered across its surface. The inhabitants of the planet below knew that it was there; it would be virtually impossible to hide such a large structure. However, only a small amount of people with the highest security clearances imaginable knew it for what it was.

Called Sentinel-One, it was the satellite headquarters of the main peace-keeping force of the United Nations of Earth. When things got out of hand, the U.N. sent in the Sentinel Agency.

Director Paul Phelpps stood on the command deck of the satellite, his coffee mug cooling on the counter beside him as he scanned the file in his hand. In his forty years of military service, Phelpps had held every ranking known to the armed forces. He had fought in seven wars, including the third World War, and had received every medal and commendation available. At the end of World War III, when the governments of the planet Earth had joined under one government, the newly formed United Nations of Earth had founded the Sentinel Agency. Phelpps had been one of its first officials, overseeing the training of troops.

He had fought against everything from terrorists to alien invaders, and believed that he had seen it all.

He was wrong.

The alarm klaxon sounding sent the command deck into action. The white overhead lights suddenly changed to red as technicians ran to their stations. Phelpps threw the report he had been reading on the counter as he moved over to the communications station.

“Report, Lieutenant.”

“Internal scanners are detecting intruders on Levels five, eight, twelve, fourteen and fifteen, sir. Security teams have been dispatched to investigate, and blast doors have been activated to seal off those areas that have been breached.”

Phelpps scowled. “How did they get into the satellite?”

The lieutenant consulted his console. “Sensor readings detect residual energy signatures that would signify some form of teleportation portals, sir.” The young agent looked up in surprise. “Blast door breach on Level Twelve, sir!”

Phelpps turned to face a large viewscreen that stretched across one wall of the command deck. “On screen, Lieutenant.” The viewscreen flickered to life, showing the section of Level Twelve that held the intruders. Stepping through the debris of the blast door was a hulking creature: twelve feet in height and nearly as wide, with grotesquely inflated muscles bulging as it threw aside the remains of the door. Walking behind it were two other figures: a female wearing a flowing cape with jagged edges, much like lightning bolts, and a tall man, his chest emblazoned with a large atomic symbol.

“Behemoth,” Phelpps said levelly, “And Weather Witch and Atomix.”

“Sir, scans have identified the other intruders as members of Villains, Inc. They are breaking through the blast doors and engaging the security teams.”

“Our teams are not going to be able to detain these intruders,” Phelpps said, turning from the viewscreen to face the communications officer. “Get me the Crusaders. We need to get them up here as soon as possible.” He scowled as the lieutenant sat still, his eyes looking straight ahead. “Did you hear me, Lieutenant?”

Turning slowly, he looked at the other bridge officers. All around him, officers sat calmly at their stations, none of them moving, all of them looking off, unfocused. The sound of ripping metal spun him around. The doors leading to the elevator were twisting, as if being pulled apart. Phelpps’ hand dropped to the holster on his hip, but before he could draw his weapon he was hurled backward by an unseen force.

Stepping from the elevator car was Mindscape, his hand casually on the shoulder of the young woman at his side. She was looking off, unfocused, like his crew, but Phelpps knew who she was, and suddenly the state of his crew made sense. The girl was the villainess Marionette, who had the power to control the minds of anyone she came into contact with. His bridge crew would not be able to help him.

“Good afternoon, Director Phelpps,” Mindscape said conversationally. “Sorry to arrive unannounced, but I didn’t think you would take my call.”

“What do you want here, Mindscape?” Phelpps said, rising slowly from the floor where he had fallen.

“First, I wish to borrow your wonderous space station. You see, someone down on Earth has something that I want, and I intend to use the Sentinel Agency to get it. And then, I plan to use the station as the launchpad of my plan to take over the world.”

Mindscape raised a single hand. “Unfortunately for you, I have no use for you.”

And Director Paul Phelpps, career soldier, decorated veteran of numerous wars, was dead before his mind could register what was happening.

Part Ten

Communications Center, Crusaders Mansion: Communications Chief Russell sat before his control console, recording a variety of readings into his daily log. Lining three adjacent walls in the underground chamber were monitors, each one playing news feeds from around the world. The computer equipment scanned each news feed to determine the significance of the emergency, and whether or not the Crusaders needed to become involved. It was Scott Russell’s job to make sure that the systems were operating properly.

A beeping noise drew his attention to the panel to his left, and he reached out a hand to press a sequence of buttons on the keypad. He frowned. That didn’t make sense. Setting his log on the counter, he rotated his chair around and began typing, verifying the data that was coming through.

Reaching up, he placed a hand on the com-badge on his chest. “Russell to Dragonheart,” he said.

A moment later, he heard the reply in his earpiece. “Go ahead, Scott.”

“I just got an alert regarding Sentinel-One,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “Our scanners picked up that Sentinel-One’s thrusters have fired, and the satellite is changing its orbit.”

“That’s odd,” Dragonheart said. “Are there any hot spots currently?”

“None, which is why I called. Why would Sentinel-One be on the move? They never alter their orbit unless there’s trouble brewing somewhere.”

“Get me Director Phelpps,” Dragonheart ordered, “and patch his call through to the informal conference room.”

“Will do, sir.”


---


While the main conference chamber was buried beneath the mansion, there was an informal conference room on the ground floor, overlooking the east garden. The paneled room wasn’t small, but it seemed smaller with the long conference table running down the center of it. Princess Crujectra, Loser Lad, Prince Mykel and Maxx the Sorcerer sat along one side of the table, while Dragonheart, Paragon, Prysm, Minimax, Brainstorm and Powermax sat along the other side. At the head of the table sat Victoria Prentiss, who had decided to don her Psyche costume for the first time in over a decade.

Dragonheart reached out to the small console built into the conference table and pressed a button. “This is Dragonheart, go ahead Scott.”

The Communications Chief’s voice was amplified over the intercom. “Dragonheart, Sentinel-One isn’t responding to my hails. And they seem to be slowing down.”

Dragonheart frowned, glancing at the heroes ranged out around the table, who were listening intently. “Where are they?”

“Well, allowing for their present rate of deceleration, I would guess that they should stop directly over Bay City.”

Crujectra, Brainstorm and Psyche all looked upward, a look of concentration on their faces. Crujectra looked down, and said, “Something else else is preventing our psi-scans from getting through. I can tell that there is… a presence… up there, but I can’t get a lock on any thought patterns.”

“It’s David,” Psyche said, also looking back to those seated around her. “Somehow, he has taken over the satellite.”

Minimax looked uncertain. “Why would Mindscape need to take over the United Nations’ defense satellite? I mean, I could understand why other villains or terrorists would want to, but what would be Mindscape’s motivation?”

Minimax’s wife, Prysm, nodded in agreement. “He certainly wouldn’t need it for power. He’s got more than enough of his own.”

“We know what he wants,” Psyche said, leaning forward in her chair. “He wants my children. He already has Cassandra, so…” All eyes turned toward Brainstorm. Powermax moved his chair protectively closer. “But what does Sentinel-One have that he doesn’t?”

Paragon looked thoughtful. “He needs to get into the mansion in order to get Christian,” she said slowly, an idea taking shape. “He can’t do it himself, thanks to the protections placed on the mansion, so he’s going to need to rely on his new partners to do it.”

“That’s madness, though,” Prysm said. “Even Villians, Inc wouldn’t be crazy enough to attack us here.”

“Sentinel-One has two things that they could use,” Dragonheart said. “They have firepower, and they also have access to the mansion’s schematics.”

“Just out of curiousity,” Crujectra said, “what kind of defenses do you have here in the mansion?”

“The mansion is filled with defensive devices meant to keep intruders out,” Dragonheart replied. “None of them are going to be much help against Sentinel-One, I’m afraid. The satellite is armed with laser cannons and torpedos designed to attack surface targets from orbit. The mansion would be a sitting duck against that kind of attack.”

Crujectra stood up. “We have mages, telekinetics, and people who can level a city block with their bare hands,” she scoffed. “I think we’ll manage.”

Part Eleven (Post 1 of 2)

“C’mon Bob,” Maxx said, following Spellbinder to the door.

“I don’t think so, kid,” the cat replied. “I’ve got no mojo, and I’m short on lives. I’m going to find a hole to crawl into.”

Maxx scooped the cat up before he could get away. “Actually, you’re going to go outside with me and Kyra and help us set up some defenses.”

Dragonheart pressed a button on console. As he spoke, his voice range through all the levels of the headquarters complex, from the attic to the lowest sub-basement. “Attention, all mansion support personnel. This is a code one alert. Energize all defensive systems. Prepare for attack.”

“Where are they likely to come in?” Loser Lad asked.

“Normally, I would guess either the upper mansion levels, or maybe the submarine hangar. However, with access to the schematics, Vortex could open portals just about anywhere. We won’t really know until the mansion’s been breached.”

“Well then, this should be fun.”


---


Spellbinder and Maxx stood back to back in the garden, their hands weaving a complex pattern in the air before them. Bob the Cat sat on a bench nearby, casting a critical eye on their progress. They were going to attempt to set up a shield over the property, similar to one that Maxx had used to protect LMBP Plaza from a missile attack. In this case, however, they wouldn’t just be deflecting solid objects, so some fine tuning was needed.

The cat looked upward, and he raised his hackles. “How’s it coming, kids?”

“Another minute,” Maxx replied, a trail of energy following the path his hands were making.

“We might not have a minute.” Bob could see a pinpoint of light in the sky, which was quickly growing larger.

The sorcerers threw their arms skyward, and arcane energy burst up into the air above the mansion. The power swirled around like a whirlpool, quickly expanding over the gardens. The energy cover sloped down to touch the sidewalks just outside the garden walls, and solidified for an instant before disappearing.

“Duck and cover, kiddies,” Bob said, leaping from the bench and diving into a bush, just as the laser beam impacted with the shield. The transparent shield wavered in and out of sight as the laser pulsed into it, absorbing the energy. The two mages shook hands, congratulating each other on the success of their defensive field.

That’s when the portal opened, and dozens of mind-controlled troops flowed into the garden. Pulse rifles open fire immediately, and the enemy fire shot across the garden. The two mages threw themselves to the grass, dodging the lasers.

All around the garden, sections of grass slid aside, and pulse cannons rose up from the ground. The mansion defenses fired back, as concussion blasts tore through the invading troops. As the mind-controlled invaders were stunned into unconsciousness, detention coils snaked up out of the ground, wrapping themselves around the stunned intruders.

The battle, it seemed, had begun.


---


Buried deep beneath the mansion, in the lowest sub-basement, was the Crusaders’ submarine pen. Although the submarine was rarely used anymore since the team had begun using their Blackhawk cruisers, the submarine hangar was always kept in top condition. The pen sat in the center of the cavern, facing a huge waterlock that led underground to an exit into Long Island Sound.

The portal opened near the gang plank that reached out to the submarine. Sentinel Agency troopers spilled out through the portal, along with Myrthe and Shifter of Villains, Inc. The two villains looked around carefully, waiting for an alarm to sound, but hearing nothing. It was possible that they had gotten inside undetected.

A tidal wave of wave surged up out of the submarine pen, washing across the intruders. Troops lost their footing and slammed against the cavern wall, some barely managing to hold on to their weapons. Myrthe and Shifter were nearly knocked off their feet, but managed to maintain their footing. The Clown Princess of Crime looked around, anger distorting her features as her magenta hair dripping down on her face.

Standing on the stairs leading down from the elevator stood two figures: a man and woman, each wearing what resembled scuba diving swimsuits. The girl’s long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and both figures had webbed hands and feet. “What’s the matter, Myrthe?” Manta asked, a smile crossing his face. “Doorbell not working?”

Shifter began to change, his arms elongating, hands transforming into pincers. Myrthe turned to look at the troops, who were finally regaining their feet. “Don’t just stand there looking stupid,” she screamed. “Get them!”

As the stunned troops surged forward, Manta and Moray leaped down to meet their attack.


---


Troops moved down the main corridor on the laboratory level, the rifles raised and sweeping from side to side. Weather Witch and Silver Scythe moved nervously among them, neither one too thrilled with the idea of being deep within the New Crusaders’ headquarters. They weren’t the ones calling the shots, however, and doing what you were told is important. They both vividly recalled the image of Director Phelpps, hanging on the wall of the command deck of Sentinel-One.

Suddenly, a set of metal doors slid apart to the right. The plaque mounted on the wall beside the door said “ROBOTICS R & D”. Moving carefully, the troops closed on the doorway and looked inside.

Interface stood in the center of the laboratory, lab coat pushed back behind his hands on his hips. He frowned at the troops, who moved inside the facility. Little was known about Ryan Seavey, beyond the fact that he held degrees in virtually every scientific field imaginable, and his list of patents was as impressive as it was extensive. Interface rarely operated in the field.

“I suggest that you turn around now and get out of this building,” the scientist said matter-of-factly. “I do not allow visitors to just wander around aimlessly down here.”

Weather Witch laughed, feeling more confident now that she stood facing the least dangerous member of the New Crusaders. “I don’t really see how you are in any position to bark out orders, Geek Boy,” she sneered. “Test tubes and calculators aren’t going to help you against us.”

“Really?” Interface said, a bored expression on his face. “Test tubes… how last century.”

Reaching out in concentration, Ryan Seavey let his power flow. Born with the mutant ability to telepathically link up to virtually any computer or mechanical device, he interfaced his mind with the robotics facility’s main computer, bringing the room online. Suddenly, large combat robots moved away from the walls where they had been standing, moving into defensive positions beside their creator. Hydraulic arms holding welding apparatus and drills reached down from the wall. Portable pulse cannons rolled out from the maintenance area.

“Surprise,” Prince Mykel said, stepping into the room behind the intruders. With a surge of telekinetic force, the steel doors slammed shut behind him.


---


Maggie O’Brien had been cooking her entire life. First as a short order cook in her parents’ restaurant back home in Ireland. Later, she attended Julliard, studying the culinary arts under the tutelage of the masters. She had worked for millionaires and diplomats, in some of the finest kitchens in the world. She only had one rule, but it was one that she had held to in every job she had ever had.

Stay out of her kitchen while she was working.

Maggie swung the cast iron frying pan in her hand like a tennis racket. A satisfying bong sounded as it connected with the head of the trooper that was trying to push his way through the mansion’s kitchen. He fell to the floor, dazed and confused. With her kitchen staff flanking her, each armed with meat mallets, butcher knives and pots, Maggie O’Brien looked at the remaining troopers through narrowed eyes.

“Who’s next?”

Part Eleven (Post 2 of 2)

Loser Lad leaped and ducked as he moved through the medical center to avoid laser fire and physical attacks. Forefingers and thumbs forming L’s, he gestured wildly, letting his powers flow. The results were interesting, to say the least. Lighting fixtures dropping from the ceiling to land on the heads of troopers. Bedpans that had been carefully stacked on a counter slid onto the floor, only to be stepped in, causing unsuspecting Sentinel Agents to slip and slide across the room. Then there was Plasma’s unfortunate accident with the canister of anesthesia.

Prysm stood to one side, watching the show with amusement. She knew that she should be helping, and probably shouldn’t be smiling while Crusaders Mansion was under attack, but you had to admire the guy’s style. And his rather unorthodox dance moves.

Seeing Atomix moving up in Loser Lad’s blind spot, Prysm decided to get to work. Raising her hand, she pulled her fingers back to form a fist and concentrated. The air before her solidified, and a large transparent fist appeared. At her unspoken command, the fist rocketed across the room, and slammed into the unsuspecting Atomix. The impact hurled the villain into the wall, and he slid to the floor, unconscious.

Loser Lad looked at her quickly and smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

Prysm smiled back, and looked for her next adversary. It was always nice to have an appreciative audience.


---


Paragon grunted as Behemoth landed on top of her, knocking her to the floor. The entire hangar deck rumbled with the impact. Blowing a lock of blonde hair from in front of her face, she swung upward, punching the hulking beast across the face. She rose from the floor and hovered before him, swinging left and right, her blows snapping his head from side to side.

Minimax looked around him as troops encircled him. He waved once and disappeared from sight. The troopers looked at the spot he had been standing, confused. Suddenly, one intruder flipped backward. Nicholas Peterson, now less than a half inch tall, laughed. Luckily, shrinking didn’t make him any weaker than he was at normal height.

Dashing out into the center of the troopers, he spun around in a circle, arms spread wide and fists clenched. As he spun, he grew: not to his normal six foot two, but to twenty feet. As his fists connected, the intruders fell backward, sliding across the floor. Shrinking may not make him any weaker, but growing did make him stronger.

As Paragon hit the side of a Blackhawk, seriously denting its hull, he wondered if his teammate needed any assistance. When Paragon leaped back into the fight, he felt the concussive shockwaves coming from their punches.

Perhaps he should stay out of her way, at least for now.


---


Detention cables snaked out from hidden compartments lining the living room windows. They were able to capture a handful of the troopers, but unfortunately the number of intruders pouring through the windows was surpassing the mansion’s defenses. Luckily the mansion had other options.

Dragonheart leaped over a couch, right leg extended. His foot connecting with the chest of a surprised trooper, he immediately dropped low to the floor, his leg sweeping around to knock another off his feet. In all the world, there were few physical combatants who could beat him in battle.

The Black Ninja was going to give it his best shot.

The two combatants were a blur as they moved around the room, arms and legs snapping out in attack even as their bodies spun around in circles. They flowed from one martial arts style to another, each looking to find the move that would surprise the other and give them the advantage.

Crujectra entered the living room and took in the scene. As soon as they spotted her, the Sentinel Agents raised their weapons and advanced on her, haphazardly overturning tables and knocking over priceless antiques as they passed. Crujectra, whose love of beautiful things was legendary, shouted out in ire.

“Watch the décor!”

Arms raised, Crujectra reached out with her telekinesis, psionically grabbing everyone in the room, Dragonheart included. With a mental thrust she hurled everyone out the broken windows into the garden beyond. Flowers could be replanted, but priceless art was, well, priceless. Rising from the floor, she soared out the window to join the battle.


---


The front doors exploded inward, and the intruders pushed into the reception area of Crusaders Mansion. Melissa removed her headset and gripped the arms of her desk chair. She closed her eyes, and waited. Laser turrets extended out from the walls from behind hidden panels and opened fire. Melissa could feel her chair moving backward, and when it stopped, she opened her eyes. The emergency escape elevator door was just sliding shut. Within a heartbeat the elevator began descending quickly. She would be safely in an escape pod within a minute.

Back in the lobby, Titania, the Black Mage and Dreadnaught moved forward, flanked by Agents. Before they had moved halfway through the room, they stopped. Standing before them were Powermax, Brainstorm and Psyche. Titania smiled, a glint in her eye. “Powermax,” she said, a hint of excitement in her voice. “I’ve been itching for a rematch ever since that fight in Seattle.”

“Then let’s do it,” he replied, leaping into the air. The windows rattled as Powermax slammed into Titania, lifting her off the ground and carrying her out the door.

Brainstorm watched them leave, and then tried to take his mind off them. Powermax was one of the strongest beings on the planet, and was damn near indestructible. He would be fine. Besides, he had other things to worry about. As Dreadnaught’s sword swung down on him, Brainstorm raised his arm to block it, wrapping his forearm in a telekinetic shell. The sword glanced off his arm, and although it had done no damage, the blow still shook his whole body.

Psyche looked out at the troopers, eyebrows knit in concentration. With a powerful surge of power, she issued a mental command. SLEEP! As one, the troopers dropped to the ground, unconscious. The Black Mage looked around him, suddenly uncertain. He hated telepaths. He hated working for them, and he hated fighting them. Raising his hands, he began his incantation. He had barely begun when Psyche’s psi-bolt struck him, forcing him to stagger backward.

WHERE… IS…MY… DAUGHTER!!!

She slammed into his mind like a sledgehammer, tearing through his thoughts. She caught glimpses of memories, but the mage was fighting with every ounce of strength he had. While not a telepath, a certain level of mental discipline was required to perform magic, and he was using everything he had to fight back and keep her from getting the information she sought.

“Wha…”

Psyche turned to see Dreadnaught step back from Brainstorm. A portal was opening beneath his feet, and it quickly moved upward, consuming the young psionic as it moved. Within seconds, Brainstorm had vanished from the lobby. Psyche cried out in anguish as her son disappeared, helpless to do anything to prevent it. Flashes of light drew her attention back around. Dreadnaught and the Black Mage were also disappearing, escaping through similar portals.

Psyche reached out with her thoughts. The Villains, Inc members were teleporting to safety all over the mansion, although the mind-controlled Sentinel Agents were being left behind. Typical, she thought. Henchmen are expendable.

She turned as Dragonheart and Spellbinder ran into the lobby. Psyche nodded at the leader of the New Crusaders. He quickly activated his biochip communicator. “Dragonheart to Interface,” he said. “We took a huge risk here. Please tell me it worked.”

“The tracking device is working,” Interface replied. “As expected, Vortex’s portal didn’t take Brainstorm to Sentinel-One, but out of this dimensional plane. I am feeding the information into the transmitter device’s mainframe. We should be able to follow shortly.”

Deactivating his biochip, he looked into Psyche’s eyes. “It worked,” he said. She sighed, and turned away. The plan had been risky, but it had seemed like the only way to get Cassandra back. Letting Christian be taken had been the hardest thing she had ever done. She grit her teeth, a look of grim determination on her face.

She would get her children back, and one way or another she would end this.

Part Twelve

Brainstorm opened his eyes as awareness returned to him. He was laying on a large bed in the middle of a comfortable-looking chamber. A fire was burning in the fireplace, and lamps were lit around the room, casting dancing shadows around the room. Seated on a low couch in front of the windows was the Oracle, holding Cobalt Kid’s head in her lap, gently stroking his forehead.

“Cass!” he said, sitting up quickly. He got to his feet and rushed across the room. Dropping to one knee, he grabbed her hand. “Are you all right?”

“Of course, Christian,” she replied, a look of surprise on her face. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said sarcastically. “Kidnapped by our lunatic father, held God knows where.” He looked down at the unconscious Cobalt Kid. “Cradling someone who looks like he’s been through the ringer.” He psi-scanned the area to make sure that they were alone. “Cassie, why didn’t you try to get away? You just walked away with those villains.”

Cassandra Prentiss faced her brother, her expression one of someone who had to repeatedly explain the obvious to someone who just couldn’t seem to get it. “Christian, when my vision alerted me to the attack, I knew what the Fates had decreed must come to pass. When the future is so certain, why fight it?”

Brainstorm lowered his head in exasperation. “Cassie, there are always choices. Regardless of what the Fates decree. When will you see that?” Looking up, he saw a familiar stubborn expression on her face, and knew that there was no point in discussing this at the moment. “What happened to Cobalt Kid?”

“He tried to rescue me from here, not knowing that it was pointless. None of use has the power to leave this place. Father decided to make an example of him, showing his new partners the cost of disobedience.” She stopped stroking his head. “I think he’s okay, but I haven’t tried waking him yet.”

Brainstorm reached out a hand, and laid it gently on Cobalt Kid’s forehead. Closing his eyes, he reached out telepathically. He was fine, physically, but apparently Mindscape had put him through some vivid and nightmarish mental torture. With a cautious surge of power, he brought him to consciousness.

“NO!” Cobalt Kid sat bolt upright, eyes wide and expression stricken. He spun around, and when he saw the Prentiss twins, he relaxed a bit. “Brainstorm? Then I take it your father must have found a way to capture you.”

Eyebrows raised, Brainstorm replied, “Well, yes and no. He took over the Sentinel Agency, our world’s primary peace keeping force. Then he used them to attack Crusaders Mansion.” Seeing the fear in Cobalt Kid’s eyes, he said, “She’s fine. Don’t worry.

“I let myself be captured fairly quickly. There’s a tracking device in my belt, that is going to lead the team right here. Hopefully.”

Suddenly Brainstorm and Oracle looked toward the door, distant expressions on their faces. After a moment, Brainstorm turned back to face Cobalt Kid as the siblings got to their feet. “It would appear that the time has come for our family reunion.”


---


The trio walked alone through the halls of McKenzie Manor. The fact that they are left unsupervised reinforced the realization that they were not considered to be a threat. It wasn’t something that sat well with any of them. They returned to the living room where Cobalt Kid had tried to rescue Oracle from earlier.

Mindscape sat alone in the room with the exception of Vortex, who stood silently in the corner of the room. He regarded his children closely as they entered the room, and disregarded Cobalt Kid completely, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the LMBPer. Cobalt Kid hated not be taken seriously.

“I hope you’re not expecting a hug,” Brainstorm said coldly, looking at the man who was no father to him.

Mindscape looked at him through lowered eyelids. “So much like your mother,” he said dispassionately. “How disappointing.”

“What do you say we cut the crap, Father,” Brainstorm said defiantly. “I seriously doubt that you went to all of this trouble just to welcome Cass and I back into your bosom, so what the hell is going on?”

Mindscape regarded him silently for a moment. Slowly, a smile crossed his face. “All right, my son. Let’s cut the crap, as you so eloquently put it. As you know, I am a powerful man. Perhaps the most powerful being to have ever lived. I have found, in recent years, that my power has come with a price.

“I am dying.”

Brainstorm crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “So what? You brought us back for one last bonding moment before you go? Don’t hold your breath, Dad.”

“Actually, Christian, you couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, I have discovered a way to reverse the effects my powers have had on my body over the years. It is within you both to save me.”

Brainstorm laughed. “You honestly think that we would help you, after the things that you’ve done? You really are insane.”

The look on Mindscape’s face turned cold and calculating. “You misunderstand me, my boy. I’m not asking for you to heal me.

“I expect you and your sister to die for me.”

Part Thirteen

Crujectra looked over the group assembled before her, and couldn’t help but be impressed. Every New Crusader possible had been called in from the field to participate in the rescue mission. She couldn’t call them kids, because they were really only a few years younger than her, but they all looked so young. And, apparently, good at what they do. She ran down the list of names in her mind:

Arielle: female, able to track anything with her radar sense;

Artemis: female, mistress of weaponry, most especially the bow and trick arrows that were her weapons of choice;

Coldfront: male, able to generate ice and snow;

Copycat: male, able to countlessly duplicate himself;

Dragonheart: master of all known forms of physical combat;

Dreamweaver: female, mistress of illusion

Flashpoint: male, able to generate fire;

Fusion: male, nuclear powerhouse;

Interface: male, able to psionically interface with computers and mechanical devices;

Jumper: male, capable of line of sight teleportation;

Kilowatt: female, able to generate lightning bolts;

Manta and Moray: male and female, able to breathe underwater and control all forms of water;

Masquerade: male, able to shape-shift into any form imaginable;

Minimax: male, able to increase and decrease his size and mass;

Nightside: female, able to generate and merge with fields of darkness;

Paragon and Powermax: female and male, gifted with super-strength, heightened senses, invulnerability and the power of flight;

Phantasy: female, able to alter her density from intangible to near-invulnerable;

Prysm: female, able to generate solid light constructs;

Spellbinder: female, mistress of magic

Time Bomb: male, able to speed up or slow down time;

Voyager: male, able to fly at super-speed

Wildside: male, super-strength and durability, heightened speed and senses

These were the most powerful teenagers on the planet, and had saved the world countless times. If anyone was going to be able to save Cobalt Kid, Brainstorm and Oracle, it was going to be them.

The New Crusaders were standing in the transmitter chamber, waiting anxiously while Interface and William Scott finished preparing the device. Dragonheart was talking quietly to his teammates and the LMBPers, calmly going over the plan a final time.

“We’re going to be attacking on two fronts. One group will go to rescue our missing friends and engage Mindscape. The other group will be sent to Sentinel-One to liberate the satellite and Agents from Villains, Inc.”

Psyche stepped up beside the leader of the New Crusaders. “The majority of you will be going to the Sentinel Agency.” Hearing mumbled protests, she raised a hand. “I know you want to help my children, and I thank you all for that. However, this is a battle that you will not be able to help with.” A few members of the group broke off and moved to stand behind Psyche. “Powermax, Crujectra, Mykel, Spellbinder and I will be going after Mindscape. The rest of you will be going to defeat Villains, Inc.”

Interface turned from the control panel. “We’re ready,” he said. “First we will send the rescue group to the dimension where our friends are being held. Then the rest of us will be going into orbit to re-take Sentinel-One. I will be going on this mission in order to take control of the satellite’s mainframe. I should be able to shut down all of the defense systems. Then we just have to worry about human resistance.”

“Piece of cake,” Time Bomb said.

“Indeed,” Interface said, raising an eyebrow. He looked to Psyche’s party. “If you will all step onto the transmitter platform?”

The five heroes nodded and stepped up to stand on the platform. They knew what they were most likely to be facing, and knew that they had the best chance of success. It would be impossible to erect psychic shields on their teammates that would be strong enough to resist Mindscape’s power. The telepaths going would be hard pressed enough just protecting themselves. And, should there be any members of Villains, Inc there, hopefully Powermax and Spellbinder would be able to buy enough time to rescue the captives.

The bottom line was that, in the end, the greatest threat to Earth was having Sentinel-One in the hands of the villains. That had to be their primary focus. For better or worse, freeing the captives would only be a bonus.

“Energize, Mister Scott,” Interface said. This time, there was no smart reply. The situation was far too serious for banter.

In a flash of light, the five heroes were gone.

Part Fourteen

Cobalt Kid struggled furiously, trying to move his body. It was no use: Mindscape had trapped his mind within his body. He couldn’t move a fraction of an inch, nor could be access his powers. He was forced to stand perfectly still, watch as the evil bastard prepared to murder his own children, and do absolutely nothing. Within his mind, Cobalt Kid howled in frustration.

Mindscape smiled mockingly at Cobalt Kid before turning his attention back to his children. “I’m not a complete monster, my children. I don’t want you to suffer. If you go along quietly, Daddy promises to make this as painless as possible.”

Brainstorm stepped protectively in front of his sister, determined to defend her to his dying breath. Even as he did so, he realized that he was no match for his father’s power. Mindscape would tear through his mind like a hot knife through butter. However, Cassandra was his sister, and he would have marched through the fires of Hell to protect her. He started as she lay a hand gently on his shoulder.

Christian, I know that you don’t always agree with the way I choose to interpret my visions, she telepathed. But if you have ever trusted me before, you must trust me now. You must not fight this. We must submit to him, or all will be lost.

Brainstorm lifted his hand and placed it lovingly upon his sister’s hand on his shoulder. He didn’t always like that she blindly followed the Fates without regard to her own safety, but he knew that she had never been wrong in her visions. If she told him that this must be the way things went, he was willing to put himself in her hands and follow her lead. He looked coldly back into his father’s eyes, his heart full of hatred.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Mindscape smiled, and then cleaved into his children with all his power.


---


The heroes staggered slightly as their transmatter journey ended. Crujectra, Mykel and Psyche held firmly to the telepathic shields that they had erected around the group. First and foremost, their presence here needed to be kept secret for as long as possible. Mindscape could not detect a single stray thought or all would be lost.

They had appeared just outside the main entrance to the house. Psyche looked up at the house in surprise. “This is McKenzie Manor,” she said. “But that’s not possible. The manor was destroyed years ago, just after David attempted to kidnap the children.”

“It appears that he found a way to move it here,” Spellbinder said thoughtfully. “Wherever here is.”

Crujectra was standing with her back to the others, hugging herself tightly, tears falling down her cheeks. Psyche gently touched her back. “What’s wrong, Crujectra? Are you all right?”

The princess turned around, wiping away the tears, a smile across her face. “I can feel him, Victoria,” she said quietly. “The soul-link is back, and I can feel Cobie. He’s nearby, and he’s alive.”

Psyche hugged the young princess tightly. “Well then, why don’t we go and get our loved ones back?”

The group moved up the front steps, and Powermax placed a hand on the doorknob. The door swung silently inward. “I guess there’s no point in locking the door here,” he said, moving into the foyer. The others followed closely. “Can you tell which direction to go, Princess?”

Crujectra reached out through the soul-link, following its path through the house. She touched Cobalt Kid, and immediately felt his love flood through the link. He had felt the soul-link reappear, and had known that she had come. “This way,” she said, and moved quickly down the back hall. They reached the living room door within moments, and pushed open the door.

Cobalt Kid was still standing silently immobile, Vortex standing just behind him, watching in fascination as Mindscape absorbed his children’s powers. The twins had fallen to their knees, and were clutching each other for support, their faces twisted in pain. From his vantage point, Vortex saw the heroes enter, and even as his face registered his shock at their appearance he summoned his power. Behemoth, Titania and the Black Mage suddenly appeared from within a trio of portals that opened in the back of the room.

Psyche lashed out, and her psi-bolt hit Vortex directly in the face. He was flung backward against the wall, and then fell unconscious to the floor.

Powermax and Spellbinder leaped into action, engaging the newly-appeared villains before they could get their bearings.

Crujectra stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze focused on Cobalt Kid. Reaching out through the soul-link, she entered his mind. Psychic barriers had been erected throughout his brain, cutting off his access to his motor functions and to his power. Her power surged in anger as she shattered the barriers, freeing her mate from his prison. “Crujectra!”

“Not now, love,” she said. “We are so not out of the woods yet.”

Nodding once, he left her side to throw himself into the battle nearby.

Psyche looked to the Psyonian twins. “Are you ready?” They nodded, and the trio stepped forward behind the kneeling Crusaders. Grasping hands, they marshaled their wills and opened a rapport.

They entered the astral plane. No one knew exactly what the plane looked like in reality, for it was different for every telepath that came there. It was what psychics saw when they talked mind to mind with other psychics. In this case, it was much like the atmosphere outside McKenzie Manor: violent, turbulent, lightning crackling and thunderous explosions. Their appearance in the astral plane was similar to how they normally appeared, except that here they were colorless and translucent.

Before them they saw the astral projections of Mindscape, Brainstorm and Oracle. Unlike their real world counterparts, here Brainstorm and Oracle stood side by side, hands joined and proudly enduring their father’s assault. Where everyone else appeared colorless, Mindscape’s astral form pulsed and ugly red. A look of shock came over Mindscape’s face as the trio appeared. His voice boomed around them like the thunder. “You dare face me here, Victoria? Here, where I am Master?”

“For my children, I will fight you with my dying breath, David.”

Mindscape’s laughter echoed around them. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Victoria.” He power slammed out at her. As one, the Psyonian twins each raised a hand. A wall of power rose before them, deflecting the villain’s assault from its intended target. Psyche joined her power to theirs, and the wall pushed outward to enclose her children.

Brainstorm turned to look behind him as awareness returned to him. “Mom?”

“I’m getting you out of this, kids. Mommie’s going to fix everything.”

The trio took a step backward as another onslaught of power slammed into their psi-shield. Brainstorm and Oracle stepped backward to stand beside their defenders. Oracle turned to face her mother. “This is what the Fates have decreed, Mother. You know what must be done, and with our combined power we will help you.”

Victoria Prentiss looked to her daughter, tears glistening in her eyes. Cassandra was right. She had known all along what must be done. In some ways she still loved David McKenzie, but the man she had loved so deeply was gone. For the sake of her children, she would do it.

With Psyche as their guide, the five joined together, and their telepathic power exploded outward. Mindscape laughed once, raising his own psi-shields, and then screamed in pain and fury as their power drove through his shields like a hammer shattering glass. He tried to pull back, tear his awareness from the astral plane, but it was too late. There would be no backing out for any of them. They were all caught up in the maelstrom of power, and there would be no escape until one side or the other was defeated.


---


Cobalt Kid wiped sweat from his brow, sitting on top of the unconscious form of the Dreadnaught. Titania and the Black Mage lay on the floor nearby, ensnared by rings of power. Spellbinder and Powermax walked over to stand beside Cobalt Kid, and the three watched the scene before them.

Mindscape and the heroes all stood unmoving before them, their eyes closed. At first one might not think anything was happening, unless you looked at their closed eyelids. From the frenzied rapid eye movement going on, it was immediately evident that there was a battle going on. The three heroes were forced to stand there, helplessly watching a war that they could not fight.

Suddenly, Mindscape’s eyes snapped open, and he toppled backward onto the floor. His body twitched violently for several heartbeats, and then he fell silent. He stared vacantly up at the ceiling, unmoving. Cobalt Kid rose to his feet, staring intently at his princess.

Slowly, the five heroes opened their eyes, and Cobalt Kid sighed in relief. He rushed to Crujectra’s side, even as Powermax ran forward to pull Brainstorm into his arms. “Crujeckie, are you all right?” he asked, terrified that she wouldn’t answer. She smiled weakly, raising her arm to lay a palm lovingly on his cheek.

“Sweetie, remind me later to kick your ass,” she said, leaning into his embrace and laying her head on his shoulder.

Epilogue

Victoria Prentiss looked at David McKenzie, and sadness filled her. He was standing in a stasis tank, eyes closed as though sleeping. He looked so peaceful, for the first time in years looking so much like the man she had married. Sighing, she turned away.

Brainstorm and Oracle stood at her side, each one taking one of her hands. Crujectra and Mykel were also there, with Cobalt Kid and Maxx at their sides for support. The battle against Mindscape had taken much from them, and each had paid a price in their victory.

It had taken the five of them to defeat Mindscape. Their powers combined, Victoria had taken them through the process that would sever David’s connections to everything: his senses, his motor functions, and most importantly, his powers. For a telepath, it was a horrible way to go, and something she never would have believed that she would do to another living soul.

Held a prisoner in stasis, he was not dead, but neither was he truly alive. Perhaps, at some point, she could find some way to heal his fractured mind, and reduce his powers to some manageable level. Until then, however, for the sake of her children and even for the world, he would remain here.

It had taken Interface a few days to construct this stasis facility to contain the sleeping form of Mindscape, built in McKenzie Manor and powered by the strange storms that raged outside. He would be safe here, and even if he should somehow recover and find a way to free himself, he would still be safely locked away in this new universe he had found. Without Vortex, he would have no way home. They had made sure of that.

While they had been battling here at McKenzie Manor, the rest of the New Crusaders and LMBP had been successful in regaining control of Sentinel-One. Villains, Inc had been rounded up and shipped off to prison, and without Mindscape’s power boost, Marionette had been unable to retain control of the Sentinel Agents. Poor Director Phelpps had been given a proper burial, and posthumously awarded a Medal of Valor.

The heroes walked slowly through the manor, both reluctant and yet anxious to leave this place. They exited into the courtyard in front of the house, where Interface stood waiting. At Victoria’s nod, he raised the small device in his hand, and quietly pressed a single button. The air around them shimmered slightly, and in a flash of light, they went home.


The End

Hope you enjoyed the story. Feel free to comment, either here or in the Critics Corner

I'll be reading it start to finish really soon, Michael. And I'll be sure to let you know what I think!

Finally finished this evening! (And starting to get computer hooked up at home, even if its on my living room floor )

First, and I've said this before, I've got to say--your writing continues to remind me of the Avengers during the Perez era, and that is a high compliment indeed. There's a variety of reasons, but there two in particular that really nail it home. The first is the camraderie between the New Crusaders and the five LMBers (plus Bob ), which really creates an easy-going flow to the story. And it makes all of the heroes come off as confident and sure of themselves despite situations where they are anxious, scared or upset. Overall, you can really sense the heroism of them all.

Secondly, you are a master at writing large groups of villains! I reallly like the way you use them, and it reminds me of when DC and Marvel were able to do it in a way that actually worked. So many of them are cool too! I now have a soft spot for the Clown Princess of Crime, mainly b/c I have this cool visual of her in my head.

This was really a blast because we finally got to see the New Crusaders and what they're all about, rather than just a tease. I know you've had these characters for years and it must have felt almost catharitic (sp??) to post a story with them. So we get to see close to the entire membership, so not only do we get to see the ones we've already met, but we get to know some new ones pretty well, like Interface (possibly my new favorite) and then get a tease of almost the whole roster. So now I'm suddenly very interested in Copycat and Time-Bomb especially, given what little description we saw of them (and Time-Bomb seems like of 'gung-ho' from the few scenes he was in).

All in all, it was a blast! Ideas were flying a mile a minute and it was hella cool! Having them in the 21st century was a *very* cool idea, especially set up after WWIII. So not only did we get a sense of the traditional modern era super-hero set, it was still a bit futuristic with splashes of Avengers & JSA/Freedom Fighters, though for the most part highly all origional concepts. The history of the Crusaders is really interesting, especially the legacy aspect, and having so many sibling combinations on the team.

As for the story itself, I really liked it. At the heart of the huge hero/villan dynamic was a very powerful family saga. I liked the twist with Christian allowing himself to be captured, and I thought David McKennzie was a *great* villain. Very evil, despite having quite a bit of depth. Also, I take back my comment about Interface being my favorite--I think that might actually be Cassandra. Her powers, visual and attitude really keep me interested.

As always, I love the way you write the Cobalt/Crujectra relationship. It makes it so much easier that we're on the same page with their relationship . Cobalt had some great scenes, but I really like the way Crujectra reacted to losing her soul-link to him but then especially the scene where she refelt it--very powerful in its sincerity and its brevity.

Also, having Cobalt experience nightmares via David McKennzie's psionics kind of gave me an idea for the opening of my next onevision! It works really well, given that I know already exactly what he was seeing.

Oh, and Bob shined in his scenes too

All in all, a really great read that was also really fun!

Oh yeah, I really like the idea of Sentinnel-One! I like the whole world you've created. Shades of Jack Kirby, creating entire worlds!

Glad you enjoyed the story, Cobie. It was kind of interesting putting all these ideas out there, since they had mostly only ever existed in my mind. They have changed slightly since my original vision, but mostly due to my own maturing.

For instance, originally the Spellbinder character and the Brainstorm character were a couple. As a teenager, I had never heard of gay super-heroes, because there just weren't any. Plus at that time, I hadn't fully come out, so even the idea of writing gay characters was taboo.

Eventually, the couple was reimagined, and Powermax was created, partially to become a partner for Brainstorm, and partly because I like the idea of a "Superboy & Supergirl" pair of characters, which is essentially what Paragon and Powermax are.

In addition, in the original LMBP/New Crusaders team up, the Crusaders were living in Crusaders Citadel, which was a little vague, but in my head it was a kind of "Titans Tower" kind of HQ. So, in the year that has passed since that story, the Crusaders have "graduated", and taken up residence in the mansion.

I also like the idea of a support staff, so that's where characters like Maggie, Melissa and William come in. They don't live in the mansion, but they work there, and in their own way are as much a part of the team as the heroes. I wish now that I had taken the time to introduce their butler, Edward, who I suspect is having a fling with fiery old Maggie

As for Time Bomb, he was actually a character I created based on a skater boy friend I had at the time. He doesn't wear a costume, but dresses in a flashier version of the typical skater wear, and actually rides a hover-board. The real life friend is long gone, but the character remains

And yeah, I have a soft spot for old Myrthe myself. Who knows... maybe we haven't seen the last of the old Clown Princess of Crime