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The Stone Circles of Senegambia, The Gambia and Senegal
Earth

"Next time, I get to carry YOU in my arms," Blaze pouted.

"Okay, hon. when we head to our next country, okay? My competitive little baby. You're so cute when you lose our card games," IB teased.

"Hmph. Next time let's play Spaceopoly Deal when we need to make a decision!"

IB laughed as they broke through the clouds. "Stop pouting hon. You'll miss the great view!"

Blaze turned to look as they soared over the Rivers Gambia and Senegal. "Oh my gosh! Those stone circles look awesome when viewed from up above!"

"They're even more awesome when you think they're associated with burials," IB added.

As they flew over the vast territory, IB mused. "You know, Earthgov sent me here to take out a local agitator who wanted the countries of Senegal and The Gambia to merge."

"Tsk. What would be the point? All offworld policy is dictated by Earthgov Central anyway. Each nation has internal autonomy only within broad guidelines..."

"Eh, something about celebrating the glory and magic of the ancient kingdom. It wouldn't have been a problem if he hadn't been inciting riots and using some crazy black magic mojo to try to animate these stone circles."

"So what'd you do to him?"

"Just dropped him in jail. They didn't send me on any lethal missions - none of us teen agents were."

"Huh. Earthgov has a heart, after all."

"Yeah, maybe they thought the years below 16 should be relatively benign."

They both fell silent as they arced lower. IB chuckled as he flew over a notably dense concentration of circles. "I had an awful time putting these back in their proper places during the night. Especially since I had to pretend I couldn't bend light in ways other than using it to turn myself invisible."

"I'd like to hear the story of your actual escape," Blaze mused. "Sounds like..."

"Wait, look at that," IB pointed. "Those fences weren't there before."

"Why would that be odd? They're not that high," Blaze noted. "Maybe they're doing reconstruction work?"

"But these are permanent fences, not fence-screens. And the location... Could you check your Omnicom for the Senegal and Gambia country boundaries?"

"I... Oh. I see what you mean."

IB gasped. The fences were right on the boundary delineating Senegal from the Gambia.

"Maybe we have been out of touch too much," IB whispered.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe the governors just want to assert their territory for admin purposes?" Blaze asked, though he sounded doubtful himself.

"I hope so..."

Echmiadzin, Armenia

"I would have visited this on my first Earthgov mission after I'd reached majority," IB pointed to the 2,700 year old Cathedral of Echmiadzin. "The Director told me he had something special in mind for my birthday. The day I'd become a man, so he said."

"I thought the day you became a man was the day you finally let me do... Ouch!"

Blaze frowned in mock pain as IB slapped his shoulder. "Oh, don't go bringing that up again! You had more firsts with me than I had with you!"

"Fine, my abusive boyfriend," Blaze grumbled. "Anyway, what happened? Did you find out something sinister about that mission?"

"Yeah. The Director wanted me to have my first kill."

"Oh."

They fell silent as they walked through the rows of cross-stones dotting the church gardens.

"See, Armenia is proud of being the first world nation to adopt Christianity as an official religion. So some whacko had created a cult of personality advocating a return to the old ways and beliefs. He had collected tons of money and was threatening to lead followers into a mass suicide if the Governor didn't transfer the title to him. Given the imminent danger and the lack of time, Earthgov wanted me to reduce the risk by killing him."

"And I bet you argued against it by promising to find evidence that would discredit him to his followers?"

"Yes, but the Director said it was too risky. Not enough time. So I pretended to go along, but sent a secret tip to the LMB. Remember, I'd kept my other skills hidden. While one of me was at Earthgov's bunker, three of me were gathering evidence, two were watching over the church and the last was just waiting at LMB HQ. As soon as I'd found enough evidence, I transmitted the same, anonymously, to the LMB. They arrived within minutes and played the recordings I'd made of the so-called Messiah's plans. His followers turned on him instantly. The LMB still held great influence among the people."

"Wow, that's amazing! You totally outsmarted everyone. And I bet Earthgov didn't suspect a thing because you told them you couldn't perform the assassination while the LMB was there."

"Correctamundo. And after that I planned my exit strategy. I... hey, look, here's the pagan fire pit they built the altar over."

IB pointed to a sign over the church museum. They scrambled down to an empty room with stone walls. Any ash that may have been there had been swept clean.

"Look, says here the pit was preserved only because... Blaze?"

A mesmerized Blaze stood transfixed in the middle of the pit. Steam began to rise from his shoulders and head.

"Blaze? Blaze, what..."

Blaze's hair transformed into a fiery corona, and cinders fell from him onto the floor below.

"Blaze! Is something wrong?" IB ran to his boyfriend. "Ahhh! I can't go nearer unless I turn to light!"

"Wha..." a shocked Blaze let the fire wink out. "Oh! I'm so sorry... I just felt something in this place. I... it was like the history in this place called me to celebrate it..."

"Does this have something to do with the Order of the Sacred Flame you joined?" IB asked, worried. "Did you feel brainwashed?"

"No, no. I just felt glorious, like how when you stretch out in the sun and revel in the light? It was like that here. I felt I had to revel in the fire."

"Okay... is this the first time this happened?"

"Yes, actually. Maybe it has to do with the Order's origins on Earth. I don't know."

IB fell silent. "Maybe we should investigate YOUR origins more too."

Blaze held IB's hand. "I'd like that. But first let's finish yours, okay?"

Champagne Reef, Dominica
Earth


"I wonder if the water will get us drunk?" IB quipped as he and Blaze swam through the bubbles being emitted by the volcanic vents on the seabed.

"I hope not. We've been building up our alcohol tolerance. Wouldn't want to be taken advantage of when we hit Earth's greatest party spots," Blaze replied.

"We really should hit those soon," IB mused. "Recent news blurbs haven't been very reassuring."

"Yes, but I agree that we should do our web research first. The potentially volatile situation lends itself to caution. Besides, you aren't done telling me about your past yet."

"Fine," IB laughed as he swooped through a particularly strong concentration of bubbles. "Wish the sealife here were a bit more attractive... But then I prefer colorful fish to seahorses, frogfish, squid, crabs and... Ah!"

IB gave a start as the "rock" beside him waved a claw.

"Should I fry that lobster for you, baby?" Blaze burst out laughing.

"Hmph. Just for that I'm going to sic a wild dog at you," IB pouted.

"When we have kids I'm going to tell them we can't have lobster because you get jumpy," Blaze teased.

"At least lobsters aren't quite as dangerous as dogs," IB retorted. "Like that time on the beach when I had to hold both your hands cause the dog was barking..."

"Aww, you're so cute. Now come on baby, tell me how you finally got away from Earthgov."

"I should charge you for this," IB said as he settled on a rock after he'd convinced himself no camouflaged sea creatures were hiding. "After the Armenian incident, I knew I'd have to scoot before the Director sent me on another assassination. Luckily, by then I'd developed my powers enough to have some skill with visual illusions too. I didn't dare tell anyone what I was planning, not even the others my age. They seemed pretty happy anyway, and I always felt I could come back for them if needed. So my next mission was underwater too, we were after a bunch of pirates who'd been terrorizing the Caribbean, going after rich corporate types with yachts."

Blaze nodded as he sat down beside IB. "Mmmm, the hot bubbles feel great here. Sorry, go on."

"I bet you love having the vents blow up your butt," teased IB. "So a bunch of us blitzed the pirate base. I think they wanted blood because the pirates had robbed Cornelius Ricimer, the man who would own Earthgov. Guess I should have realized then just how much influence he already had."

"Don't blame yourself, hon. You did play a part in taking him down."

"Awww, thanks... I guess I did do my part. Like with this mission. I was the first one into the pirates' lair. I set things up carefully and waited for the one pirate I knew had cybernetic enhancements who would plausibly be able to see through my invisibility. You can just imagine the firefight that followed. a few cosmetic explosions later and part one of my escape plan was hatched."

"And part two?"

"I just had to wait for the LMB to arrive. I didn't want anyone dead, so I tipped them off. They arrived just as things were going to hell - the Director was yelling in my ear the whole time so I ditched my comlink. Made it look as though the LMB had arrived just in time to save the pirates. The mission was aborted before any of the other agents had a chance to come in after me. As the LMB left, I followed invisibly. Nobody knew that I'd mastered my light abilities enough to create realistic visual illusions that'd fool any organic being. followed behind the LMBers, and when we finally got back to their HQ I was stoked! I was free at long last. Of course, the Corporate Takeover happened weeks later while I was still working up the courage to stop lurking around. I managed to make my way off Earth and finally followed the team to Legion World, and the rest is history."

"Wow, that seems like one for the holos! I'm really glad you made it through."

"So am I. Else I wouldn't have met you... Huh? Hey! The bubbles around you are multiplying fast!"

Blaze looked up in shock as the seabed around him began to rumble. The volcanic vents shook as the water around churned up. Rock was crumbling all around them.

IB quickly grabbed Blaze by the arm. They bolted for the surface like a bat out of hell, flying up in an arc over the water.

As they exited the water, the rumbling stopped and the sea fell still again.

"Honey..." IB said as he hugged Blaze. "Have you ever controlled magma or lava before?"

"No..." Blaze shook. "It's possible though. Some of the senior Order members could."

"... I think we know where our next stop is then."

Takht-e Soleyman, Iran
Earth

"Landscape looks just like I remember," Blaze whispered as they flew over the sparse grasses mixed with arid soil and scattered rubble.

"How did you get to live in the Throne of Solomon, anyway?" IB asked.

"...Remember how I told you that I lived with my grandparents while I was growing up?"

"Yeah, I remember," IB said as they zipped over a tall mountain that wa surprisingly green. "I always wished I'd known you earlier so I could hold little Blaze while he was alone at night."

"I know... I would have felt a lot less lonely if you'd been there. It was funny. First my big brother went to live with them, but he came back home after a year. Then my big sister went. When it was my turn, I thought I'd come back after a year... but I never did." Blaze turned to look down at the approaching temple. "I rarely saw my mom after that. Five years later, I was brought here."

"The Throne of Solomon. Literally," IB breathed. "It's immensely amazing..."

"You get used to it," Blaze smiled as he led IB in. "I could probably wander around blindfolded and still tell you where each and every one of the sacred fires is."

"So go for it," IB quipped. "I can turn the lights out for you."

"Oh, don't you start! Come on, over here is where they tested me to see if I could join the Order."

"What exactly is the Order of the Sacred Fire anyway?" IB asked as they made their way the scattered remnants of stone pillars.

"We're kind of like what the legendary Green Lantern Corps used to be, although a lot more insular... Maybe a Dark Ages monastery would be a better term," Blaze offered as he leaned down to peer at stray brick. "We don't have any vows, but most of us chose to stay in the temples and tend to the sacred cleansing fires. We always believed that to be near these fires meant our souls would be cleansed. I never really believed all that, which is why I chose to be one of those who'd leave and use our flames to protect the universe."

"My hot little knight. I guess it's good you didn't go for all that purity stuff. I can imagine the things we do in bed aren't exactly your standard sacred purifying acts..."

"Not quite," Blaze grinned as he took off, motioning for IB to follow him. "I can imagine the lashing I - and you - would get if the original elders ever found out. But by our time things had relaxed a lot, and the cleansing was more about letting go of the desires to harm other beings. It was all about using the fire to help others. Ah, here we go... the Zendan-e Soleyman."

"Solomon's Prison?" IB translated.

"Yup. Solomon was supposed to have imprisoned monsters here. To find out if we had the powers, we were supposed to stay here at the rim and stare deep into the maw of the volcano."

"Brrrr. Pretty creepy. How was your test?"

"Cold and miserable and dark. I remember staring at it like... like... UGH!"

"Blaze honey? What?" IB rushed forward, only to be thrown back by a large corona of flame.

"Blaze!" IB screamed as his lover erupted in a large burst of fire.

"IB! I can't stop... I... I... No!" Blasts of flame surrounded Blaze. He clasped his hands ot his face, trying to smother them.

"Blaze! The crater rim! You're... ahhh!" IB yelled as bits of rock began to fall into the crater.

"IB... I... AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Blaze's cry followed him as his footing gave way and he tumbled into the pit.

"No!" IB jumped in after Blaze, straining to catch up to him. He used his light powers to get a burst of speed and flew on... on... he reached out to grab Blaze's hand...

... and then the fire engulfed them both.

Nabro Volcano, Eritrea

Invisible Brainiac awoke in the darkness. The last thing he remembered was extreme heat, and then...

He gingerly felt his arms. No burns, no peeling skin. What had happened?

"Blaze?" he called. No answer. He looked around. He was outdoors, but the sky around him was dark. No wonder; smoke billowed everywhere. He would have choked on the ash had he not been wearing a transuit.

The ground glowed an angry red and the heat wafted around him. He began to fly; Blaze could be anywhere. He checked his Omnicom; it had triangulated their position. hey were in Mount Nabro, Eritrea. A volcano that had a history of erupting suddenly when long thought extinct.

Suddenly, the clouds of smoke around him began to whirl. He heard a yell. "Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!"

"Blaze?" IB asked fearfully. He clambered forward, then stopped in his tracks. Blaze stood in the middle of the smoke, back arched and arms outstretched. "Blaze, what?"

"We teleported through the magma!" Blaze yelled. "We must have been drawn here because it almost erupted! I can stop this!"

"Are you sure? You've never done anything like this before!"

"I can! I have to! How many people live in this area?"

"Wait... my Omnicom says the projected strength of this eruption will not cause any immediate damage to the area. Just throw off a lot of dust. Maybe you don't have to strain yourself like this? I'm getting worried!"

"I can... do this... I... NO!"

Blaze fell backwards as the ground shook even more. Ash and dust flew around them like a tornado. IB could feel his hairs getting singed underneath his transuit. "Blaze, I know you really want to be in control of your powers, but this might be too much too fast! Let's get out of here!"

Blaze looked in horror at the ground around them, then hung his head. He grabbed IB in his arms then closed his eyes, drawing them into the fiery rock below.

The William Tubman Residence, Harper, Liberia
Earth

Invisible Brainiac tread gingerly through the refurbished villa. It had obviously been restored several times; the signs of wear and tear that one would expect in tropical climate were absent.

He was glad this "museum" house was closed for the day. At least they could relax without having to invisibly sneak around. He noted with interest how the rooms reflected Liberia's origins as a home for repatriated slaves from the USA.

IB approached a silent Blaze, who was staring out the top floor window. Palm trees and sugar cane fields dotted the landscape, and the country's preserved rainforests could be seen in the distance.

"Honey..." IB said. Blaze continued to stare. "I've been checking the news. The eruption was contained swiftly with current technology, and it was mostly ash too. No flights were affected and the ash cloud didn't even reach Luxor..."

"You don't understand!" Blaze snapped. "I wanted to be able to control that! I needed to be as strong as you are, don't you see? I can't always be the one who loses control of his powers!"

"But hon! You showed amazing control when we were fighting the Dark Oval! You were able to ignite the bomb at the portal precisely, which is why we were able to close and then reopen it."

"I wanted to save you, baby! After almost losing each other in the War, I want to know that I can keep you safe..."

"Oh honey... you got us out of the volcano. And if you're worried about how we got there in the first place, there's a lot about your powers we don't know yet." IB took a step forward and grabbed Blaze's shoulders, looking at him in the eye. "And we'll discover all that together."

"Ohhhh..." Blaze's eyes began to fill with tears. "I just remembered feeling so helpless as a kid. It wasn't until I joined the Order that I felt like something. And it means so much to me to be able to use my powers to protect you because you're the most important person in my life..."

"Sssshh, I know, I know..." IB held Blaze tightly as both of them began to weep. "Let's figure it out together, okay? For now let's both get some rest. Though, maybe the old house of Liberia's first president who was executed by coup plotters isn't exactly a conducive resting place..."

Gutenberg Castle, Liechtenstein
Earth

"Hey... I just wanted to say sorry for yelling at you," Blaze sheepishly held out a hand to IB.

"I know you're sorry," IB smiled as he hugged Blaze from behind. "Now come on. I know you're worried about losing control, so we're going to do something about it. Viola!"

"Hey, I know this place..."

"You should! You've been pestering me to go to Liechtenstein for months! How do you like the castle? The hilltop's been inhabited since Neolithic times, though of course the castle came later..."

"I've always wanted to live in a castle," Blaze breathed as he strode forward.

"Like a princess, waiting for your prince to come?"

"Like a PRINCE, waiting for his PRINCE to come," Blaze pouted. "Let's go in!"

"We will. In fact, you are going to practice your fire powers in here! Now be quiet, because we're in for a wedding."

They tiptoed through the rose garden, which was decorated in simply. It seemed like the couple wanted the natural beauty of the area to speak for itself. Guests were already seated all around.

"Now," IB whispered, "use your powers on the candles. Your challenge is to make them flare up three times without anyone noticing."

"What!? How am I supposed to do that?!"

"It's windy. If you can keep the flaring small they'll think it's that. Now come on!"

"Wait! What if they see us? I don't think I can manage that much control!"

"Come on, do it while the procession's ongoing! I know you can. At least the four tables nearest us. I believe you can."

Blaze nodded, though his heart pounded. He turned to the tables and felt the fire call out to him.

"Come on, come on..."

One flame flared, then another. Then the third. Blaze began sweating. IB knew it was hard; he'd seen Blaze control larger flames before, but splitting his concentration to handle four was another matter entirely. But he believed Blaze could...

Finally, the fourth candle flared as well.

In front of the tables, the first of the marriage party began walking in.

IB squeezed Blaze's hand gently. That was one.

Blaze squeezed back, and as he did the candles flared a second time. Sweat was pouring from all over him.

Finally, the candles flared up a third time.

IB hugged Blaze as he grinned at IB while steadying himself. IB didn't need to ask to know it had been very exhausting. Smiling, he flew them away so Blaze could rest.

Kifuka, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Earth

"You sure know how to tire me out, baby," Blaze smiled as they flew through the air.

"Well, you told me about your early training, and I knew that was the test you had the hardest time with," IB smiled. "I think this one will be easier for you."

"What's next, do I heat you up?" Blaze shivered. "It's getting mighty cold up here."

"That's because Kifuka is a hilly place right next to the dense Congo rainforests," IB said as they descended through the clouds. "And it's also the part of the world where lightning strikes are most common. Each each square kilometre experiences approximately 158 lightning strikes per year."

Blaze shielded his face as they descended. IB just smiled as he savored the wind and the rain.

"And with Earthgov having to worry about its budget a bit... climate control isn't fully back on yet, so..."

Both boys closed their eyes as the heavens flashed. Lightning streaked down from the sky onto the dense canopy below. Soon, smoke began to billow.

"Here's your cue," IB gestured to Blaze. "I could trap the fire so oxygen deprivation will kill out, but why do that when we can be more direct?"

Blaze smiled as he looked down. "After tackling a volcano, this should be a piece of cake!"

Blaze flew down into the thick jungle. The smoke parted as they descended.

IB marveled at how Blaze moved right towards the source of the flame. He was really able to become one with it.

Holding out his hand, Blaze slowly began to let the fire burn itself out. It shrank slowly as it consumed all that it could in the immediate vicinity. Soon, all that remained was ash.

Blaze smiled at IB again. "Thank you, baby."

The Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan
Earth

"Are you kidding me?!" Blaze yelled as they approached the burning pit in the middle of the Turkmen desert.

"The Doorway to Hell," IB breathed as they saw the fire dancing in the deep pit. "Legend has it that some diggers suddenly broke into a cavern containing natural gas. To prevent it from leaking and killing everyone in the area, they set it on fire. Who would have thought there'd be enough here to last a thousand years?"

"And you want me to put THAT out? I don;t even remember seeing anyone in the Order who could handle that much!"

"No! We have no right to put it out. I just brought you here to play with it," IB said. "And you can play with the fire, too," he winked.

"Mmmm. In what order?" Blaze teased. "Obviously. I don't want to get sand in our naughty bits. Okay, here goes..."

Blaze stretched out his arm and concentrated. "Mmm, it's a good thing this is just one single flame... should make it easier..."

The fire began to rise, then all of a sudden it jetted out of the pit.

"Good, good," IB whispered encouragingly. "Can you make some shapes?"

"I'm... trying.. to.. spell..." Blaze said, as the fire began to make rings in the sky.

"You can do it," IB whispered encouragingly.

"Ngggh... maybe later... for now..."

The ring widened slowly,then curved in on itself at the top - to form a heart.


"Awwww..." IB said as he moved closer to Blaze. Blaze turned to look at him, smiling.

The fire fell back down into the tip as the two kissed.

The Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland
Earth

"What if I mess up?" Blaze asked as he shivered in the cold.

"That's why I chose Greenland. It's probably the most sparsely populated region on Earth, though not as much as when it was still part of the Kingdom of Denmark. And I'll be here to back you up, okay?"

"Fine," Blaze said. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm putting it all in your hands, okay?"

"As if there's any part that hasn't been in my hands yet," IB joked. "Okay, so whenever I make a target, you have to hit it with a fireball. But the goal is to do so without melting any part of one of Earth's fastest and most active glaciers, okay?"

"Alright. Let's do it."

IB immediately created a round ring made of light. "Go!"

Blaze threw a fireball that just narrowly missed the target.

"Come on, you can do it! Come closer, closer!"

Blaze snarled as he chased after IB's glowing targets. Fireball after fireball flew from his hands. Those that missed the targets winked out just as they did, to avoid damaging the ice.

"Not bad, hon! What's more important than actually hitting them is making sure you avoid collateral damage!" IB said as he flew around.

Blaze grit his teeth as he flew after IB. "Would be best if I could fulfill both objectives!"

"You're not doing bad," IB said as he called up another half-dozen targets. "You've hit twelve of sixteen so far."

"I can do better..." Blaze muttered.

"And you will, with practice. But remember my first mission? I missed Starfinger and hit Lash's glasses instead! Just glad I was able to reflect my laser off that and take Starfinger's hand."

"But I can't reflect my fireballs," Blaze pouted.

"And that's why we're working on you keeping track of them so you can snuff them out if they miss," IB replied.

"Hmmm. You're right... I shouldn't be so impatient," Blaze smiled. "Er, can we take a break? It doesn't seem right in such a cold place but I am seriously sweating."

"Sure, better keep your energy up cause I'm gonna tire you out tonight. We're going to..." IB was cut off as his Omnicom beeped. "Uh oh."

He quickly flew over to Blaze. "You'll have to forget what I said about patience, hon. We're needed. Actually, you are."

Blaze gulped as IB showed him the Omnicom.

Mount Yasur, Vanuatu

"I can't believe people used to climb these slopes!" IB said as they approached one of the most spectacular volcanoes on Earth.

"But didn't you say that it can be approached safely even when erupting? People used to climb up during the eruptions!" Blaze replied.

"They still do, though they tightened restrictions after some guides brought people too near the eruptions. Oddly enough, they still happen regularly every few hours - which is why I don't understand the danger now," IB shook his head. "Why would they suddenly increase in intensity while people were here? The government has been monitoring the situation for years!"

"Maybe someone slept on the job," Blaze shrugged. "Important thing is we stop it."

"Right, I'll get the people out while you start controlling the lava flows," IB replied. "Keep safe hon. I know you can do it."

Blaze smiled as he watched IB fly off. The illusions obscuring their features remained, of course. Blaze concentrated on the flowing lava. Soon, he was pushing it back into the mouth of the volcano.

He inched forward; maybe he could stop the eruption at its roots. He failed last time, but maybe now he could. He gently sculpted the lava flows, pushing them back into the crater. Then he crept forward until he could peek into it. He prepared to descend.

The lava erupted in his face. Something else else was pushing it forward!

"Get away from here, foreigners!" someone yelled.

Blaze couldn't make out the figure in the distance. "Why are you driving these people away? What have they done?"

"They have threatened to corrupt us. Exposure to the outside world has. And now, leave or I will not hold back."

"I don't think so, pal!" IB flew in and fired a laser at the figure. "Your actions are threatening to hurt innocent people, and we can't condone that!"

"I have hurt nobody. Merely scared them away." Their opponent stepped into clearer view. He was accompanied by an arrogant-looking man about Blaze's age. Blaze's breath caught. He recognized him.

"I am Caster, and you better listen to my buddy here. Calls himself Vulcan," he sneered. "We believe that Earthgov should start decentralizing and letting each nation develop on its own, to prevent another Corporate Takeover. And you two -" he pointed at them - "are in our way. Now, bye bye."

"Not so fast!" IB yelled as he let loose a blinding flash. Blaze quickly followed by solidifying the lava around their enemies' feet.

Caster held his head. "Dammit! Alright, you want to play hardball. We've done our job here. Come on, Vulcan!" The two merged with the lava flows underneath.

"Come on, IB! We're going after them!" Blaze quickly grabbed IB's hand and dove in after them.

Grande Marche du Dantopka, Benin
Earth

Blaze couldn't keep from grunting as the fires spat them out. He and IB landed in a heap inside a darkly lit hut. An odd-smelling flame crackled above them.

He quickly pulled IB to his feet. "We have to catch them!"

The two boys ran after their prey. IB hissed at Blaze as they did. "Oh my gosh. We're in the largest fetish market in Benin!"

Blaze couldn't help but notice the rows of animal skulls, skins and other assorted body parts as they ran after the fleeing Caster and Vulcan. The arrogant Caster was looking behind them and scowling.

"Little guy runs fast for someone who's barefoot," IB huffed as they gave chase. "Say, do you know why he's looking behind him? We're invisible."

"I don't know. Maybe he can sense us. The most powerful Order members could detect living beings by their body heat," Blaze replied grimly as they ran around a crowd of people gathered against a woman who was flailing around. Two more women were dancing behind her, both with white powder smeared all over their bodies. They looked not unlike their skin had been transformed into old bark.

IB looked back in interest. "Damn, if we weren't chasing them I'd love to get a video of these voodoo rituals... hey, wait! They're stoppiing!"

Caster and Vulcan were chatting angrily with a plump woman whose severe stare made her seem like an owl. She was wearing a dress wrapped around her body, and she swayed as she spoke.

She suddenly turned towards where IB and Blaze were coming from, despite both being invisible. With a thunderous glare she pointed her finger at them.

"What's happ- whoa!" Blaze yelled as he was yanked into the air. Beside him, IB struggled helplessly.

The world vanished around them as Blaze watched the arrogant Caster, who had a smug grin on his face.

Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago
Earth

The two boys fell from mid-air with a loud thud. Not that anyone heard though; music played around them.

"Are you okay?" a shaken Invisible Brainiac asked as he scrambled over to Blaze.

"I... that guy... IO can't believe it!" Blaze hissed.

"I'd like to wipe his smug grin too, but let's find someplace quiet first," IB suggested. "Let's figure out what the heck has been going on!"

"So... where are we? Looks like some place in the Caribbean or Central America or Africa..."

"Omnicom says Trinidad and Tobago. Looks like we're just in time for the Tobago Heritage Festival, a two week celebration of culture. Might as well grab a bite while we think things through."

"How can you say that?! Caster and that kid caused a volcanic eruption!"

"We rescued everyone, and now we're halfway around the world," IB said firmly as he dodged a couple of dancer in colorful dresses. "We should go over what happened, since the danger is not imminent. We've encountered three super-powered humans in two locations now, and we've heard plenty of rumblings of ultra-nationalistic pride. The problem may be larger than we anticipated."

"Fine," Blaze grumbled as he began to walk through the crowd of energetic dancers in multi-hued costumes. IB wondered idly how they could dance so nimbly while wearing such formal clothing. "Let's move fast though. I have a lot to tell you."

They made their way through pockets of dancers and booths selling food with influence from all over the world. IB saw signs offering fried shark, Indian-style rotis, fried chickpea balls, coleslaw, noodle dishes, and meat pies. Any other day he would have gladly sampled several, but his mind was struggling to grasp the implications of what they had just encountered. All reports had said Earth was slowly getting back on its feet. So why...

He stopped. He thought he heard the word "murder". He turned towards a group of locals sitting around a storyteller. She was a young woman, with a bright green scarf wrapped around her head and wearing a green and white dress. She was sitting gracefully in the middle of a circle. Blaze tugged at IB's arm, but IB motioned him to keep quiet and listen.

"And what was freedom? Our ancestors asked that question many times. They were not bound by chains nor by rope. Yet they could not leave the islands. Could not leave the homes of their masters. What was it like to be born a slave, to live your whole life as a slave, to die a slave? To see the sun, feel the wind on your face, watch the birds fly free - and not be able to have the same freedom as these things?"

Her calm gentle voice had an edge to it, one that grew sharper by the minute.

"When our ancestors gained their independence, they swore on their blood that our people would never lose it again! But we did, when Earth was bought. And this has left our homeland vulnerable once more, to those richer and larger than us. But they are not more powerful, and they will not prevail over us!"

"Yes! Trinidad and Tobago for Trinbagonians forever!" cheered a man in the crowd.

"We will live free and die free!" yelled another.

IB's blood chilled. Earth had achieved its unity late in the 27th century only after several bloody wars had been fought. Only a few hundred years later, it was in danger of falling apart again.

"I don't like this, Blaze. I think we should leave," IB whispered. "Let's regroup somewhere else."

Blaze nodded, still fuming over what had happened. IB took him in his arms and they flew into the inght.

Luang Prabang, Laos
Earth

"Laos PDR... Please Don't Rush," Invisible Brainiac muttered as he and Blaze settled into the sleepy cafe beside the mighty Mekong River. "I'm glad that even after a thousand years, Luang Prabang still remains a well-preserved, sleepy and laidback town."

"Perfect place to talk, so let's talk," Blaze replied as he sipped his Black Rimborian.

IB pushed his drink aside. He didn't want to lose his focus. "Okay, we decided to head for Earth after that incident on Raltvee where someone left a torn newspaper article about us visiting. Someone scrawled "Earth Traitors" on our faces. Whoever left it had powers, as we didn't notice anything."

"And we called up Security Office reports that some Earthers who remained during the Corporate Takeover consider those who fled to be traitors."

"Right. But we haven't really seen traces of that here - because tourism is still at a low. Majority of returnees are here to reunite with families or to provide aid. Earthers who stayed behind are generally not rich enough to travel far, and vacationers typically only go to neighboring countries"

"And also because we've generally been sticking to remote, uninhabited or low-population-density areas, until recently."

IB shot Blaze a don't-start-that-again look. "We've also heard news and reports of regionalistic and nationalistic incidents again, with old 21st century borders starting to become closed off as we witnessed in Senegal and Gambia. Events in Vanuatu and Trinidad & Tobago also show that there have been people willing to fan the flames of xenophobia."

"So... what do we do about it?"

IB fell silent as he watched a line of monks amble past. Time was that they'd be followed by tourists eager to participate in the daily alms ceremony. Now there were only two foreigners dressed in scrubs who strode purposely down the street. "There must be a connection. Caster did't seem to be a Vanuatu local, and the fact they escaped to Benin - and were aided by a local women - says a lot. There's also the woman in Trinidad and Tobago who was fomenting discord, and the mysterious person on Raltvee who left the paper."

"So there's some sort of conspiracy here? Why would people who hate foreigners work together?"

"I don't know yet, other than they're taking advantage of negative emotions. Or they could be working together to build divisions. But we definitely need to learn more. Oh, and... you seemed to know Caster?"

Blaze snorted. "I do, sadly. He's a little $&!&^@! who used to be at the Order with me. He was arrogant and annoying, but hardly sinistr. Made my life hell after I advanced a rank and he didn't, despite us joining up together. He stayed behind when the Order fled." Blaze fell silent as he watched the sun go down.

"It would be great if we could find him again. Otherwise, we'll have to hit the worst trouble spots for leads. Like... Oh my gosh."

IB paled as he showed Blaze his Omnicom screen. "Reports popping in from around the globe. We'd better get started."

Blaze leaned back as he downed the last of his drink. "Too much to ask for a little relaxation."

IB hesitated for a moment, then downed his as well. "Might as well enjoy while I can."

The Valley of the Seven Castles, Luxembourg
Earth

"Four... Five... Six... Where's the seventh?" Blaze asked as they flew over the lush green rolling hills.

Invisible Brainiac frowned grimly as they descended. "I don't know, but I'd guess that weird fog and the dozens of screaming people running away from it might give us a clue."

"I really love your sarcastic wit," Blaze grumbled as they landed.

"Wait, hold on," IB said as he tucked his Omnicom into his pocket. He shrugged at Blaze's disapproving stare. "Hey, I'm a completionist. Everywhere we go I take at least one photopraph."

Blaze hmphed as he turned to face the running crowd. Most were dressed like tourists - caps, eyewear, carrying Omnicoms and universal translators. All were terrified. "Sir, sir, what's going on?"

"GHOSTS!" yelled a frightened man without even trying to stop.

"Luxembourg IS known for haunted castles, and Ansembourg takes the cake," IB narrated as they flew towards the source of the fog. "Legend has it a beautiful woman spun her own wedding shroud and leaped to her death to avoid marrying the cruel lord of the castle. You can supposedly still hear here spinning now."

"Brrr. Good thing it's daytime here," Blaze said as they entered the castle gates. The voluminous main hall was empty, though fog still wafted all around. "There," Blaze added, pointing at a shadowy figure hidden in the mist.

"I don't feel colder or damper," IB said as he unzipped his transuit. "Then this must be all smoe and mirrors." He waved his hand, and the fog disappeared. "A light-based illusionist."

The shadowy figure shimmered, then coalesced into an angry-looking young boy. "Offworlders!" he hissed. "Leave our land alone!"

"Why?" IB asked as he approached. "What are you afraid of?"

"That you will take it all away from us! Now get out of here!"

"Not on your life," Blaze thundered as he flared up. "You are going to tell us everything we know, stat! Who are you working with?"

The boy glared and stamped his foot. "There are hundreds of us - and you'd better watch out, or else!" He shimmered again and vanished.

"Uh uh, you aren't getting away," IB said as he waved his hands. "There!"

The boy grit his teeth as he reappeared in mid-stride. He was running towards the door. IB and Blaze dove after him. "Almost got him..." IB grunted as he reached out.

Suddenly, a portal appeared in front of the boy. He ran into it. "Pour it on!" Blaze cried as hey flew onward...

... only to zoom right out the gates.

"Great! Just great! Now how are we going to find him?!" IB fumed.

Blaze shook his head. "Let's just pick another one of the reported disturbances you Squookled up. There's gotta be another dozen of them going on right now."

The Sea around Rangali Island, Maldives
Earth

"I am so envious. I can't believe you were here!" Blaze stared open-mouthed at the massive underwater resort that sprawled out before them. "This is what Atlantis must have been like!"

"Just part of the job," Invisible Brainiac smiled as they made their way to the most sought-after underwater restaurant in the world - Ithaa Restaurant. "Got to pretend to be some corporate bigshot for a while. When this is all done, we can go back here. But first - we have to save the resort from whomever is creating the currents here! Get down!"

IB pushed Blaze down as a couple of sharks were carried backwards. "Uh oh, they're heading towards the restaurant walls!" IB created a light shield around the resort.

"How long can you hold it?" Blaze asked.

"Maybe not long enough. Help with the evac please?"

Blaze saluted and swam straight up. IB concentrated, and his shield expanded until it covered the entire resort from the direction the currents were coming from. It was difficult; the patterns were not natural. Someone was definitely controlling the water movement. He began to form the shield into a bubble, to enclose the resort both below and above the water.

"IB to Blaze. We need to find who's causing this. Am going to leave my shield in place and search... UNFH!"

The water hit his body like a battering ram. No! IB realized desperately that his light barrier couldn't stop his opponent from controlling the water INSIDE the shield bubble!

He quickly formed a second shield inside the first. By making it shrink around the resort, he forced the water in between the first shield outside. Soon, he had created a pocket of air around the resort. Satisfied, he turned to face the cold, forbidding water around. He saw some vague shapes in the distance... there.

He let loose a blinding flare that lit up the area. Vague shapes coalesced into sea creatures of all kinds - whale sharks, great whites, tuna, manta rays, reef fish. And a human girl who glared at him. She looked somewhat South Asian; a Maldivian native, IB guessed. She shot him an angry glare and held up her hand.

IB began choking as his throat constricted. His eyes opened wide as he realized she was controlling the water in his body! How could she be this powerful? IB flailed as he thought she only needed to maintain this for a few seconds before he died. In desperation, he shot a dozen lasers in her direction. She dodged smoothly; water refracted light and IB was too busy drowning to aim well. No... he couldn't die like this...

"Stop it!" Blaze's voice yelled through their teleplugs as he slammed into the girl. IB's hands stopped gripping his throat as sweet air rushed into his lungs again. He quickly created a pole of light that he could lean on.

"Are you okay?" Blaze's strong arms latched onto him. IB nodded. "Thanks for saving me, baby. Our opponent?"

"Opponents," Blaze said grimly. "There was a boy with her - looked Latino. I doubt he's from around here. He touched her, then she battered me back with a blast of water."

IB shook his head. "Maybe the boy can enhance the powers of others. That would explain her ability to choke me with my body's water. Blaze, this is bad. There's definitely some sort of conspiracy going on."

Blaze nodded as he hugged IB tight while pulling him up. "Let's get cracking - after we get you checked out."

The Historic Center of Coro, Venezuela
Earth

"Why is this town a UNESCO site again? It looks just like many towns elsewhere," Blaze complained.

"Site says it's a unique fusion of Spanish Mudejar and Dutch architectural techniques," IB explained. "Only surviving such town in Venezuela. But someone seems to be wanting to wipe out the traces. Look!"

IB's hand shone like a flashlight, illuminating what looked like a young human man with Latin features. Only, he couldn't have been a normal man - he was dangling from the roof of a building by his legs and clawing at a seal carved in the doorway!

"Allow me," Blaze smirked as he flew down, arms on fire. "Okay, stop right there buddy!" The acrobatic man bared his teeth, swinging back up onto the rooftop. He grabbed some stray bricks and tossed them at Blaze.

"Yeow!" Blaze cried as he dodged. He threw fireballs at the man, cornering him near the roof's edge.

IB flew down at the side. "You obviously can't fly. Give it up, pal."

"I do not think so," the man replied as he slashed at IB. He yelled into what IB recognized as a comlink. "Ayudar!"

"Que viene. Un centenar de manos," came a reply. Rifles began firing out of nowhere.

"What? We're under attack?!" Blaze yelled as he threw fireballs into the street.

"There!" IB cried. Both boys stared in horror as a hundred soldiers in uniform began emerging from the street below.

"Stories made flesh," the acrobatic man smiled as he scrambled away. "Not even you can stop those, traitors."

"Ugh... I think I see the source!" IB yelled to Blaze as he shielded both of them in light. "They're coming from the left, over there! I'll spotlight the area."

IB shone his light on a girl in a green headscarf. She was holding a book and had on a serious scowl. "Blaze, the book! But don't burn it, it may be important!"

"Got it," Blaze smiled as he threw a carefully aimed fireball. It hit the girl's sleeve, causing it to burn. She cursed, dropping the book. With a hateful grin, she vanished into the shadows.

The rifles stopped, the soldiers vanishing into thin air. IB quickly zoomed after the girl, but she had vanished.

"She left her scarf, and this book. Stories of Freedom in the Americas," Blaze narrated.

"Blaze... did you recognize her at all? This scarf... it was the girl we saw in Trinidad and Tobago. She must have some sort of summoning abilities."

Blaze's eyes widened. "That proves our theory of an international conspiracy. But... why would all these people work together to create barriers around their countries?"

IB raised a finger to his lips as people began to spill out of houses, drawn by the commotion. "I don't know, but we have to find out."

Sangha Trinational
Cameroon, Central African Republic, (Republic of) Congo
Earth

The air was thick with the living sounds of the forest. Blaze shook his head as they flew over it. "Amazing. I can hardly believe that this survived the last thousand years."

"The three countries represented here have historically had poor governments, at least until the 23rd century's Leap of Africa," IB explained. "A large influx of skilled leaders, and the emergence of an African Union, really helped move things along. The 54 nations of Africa agreed that, for the most part, they'd been divided up wrongly by their former colonial powers. Some ethnic groups were split amongst multiple nations; other nations combined warring groups with little in common. So they decided to form greater political and economic linkages to promote peace and conserve their natural and cultural heritages. I'm glad they did - they saved a lot of rare animals like forest elephants, gorillas, crocodiles, the Goliath tigerfish, chimps..."

"But it looks like someone wants to preserve them by throwing us humans out!" Blaze pointed. Park rangers and scientists were being tossed into the air by thick vines and branches.

"Should be a piece of cake," IB smiled as he began cutting people loose with his lasers. Blaze followed suit with pinpoint streams of fire. "Keep track?"

"Why not," Blaze replied. "12... 13..."

"16... 17..." IB thought to Blaze, Good, let's keep acting cocky, draw out whomever is doing this.

Blaze nodded. "Hey, maybe after all this is over we can go ride an elephant or pet a gorilla... UMPH!" A vine wrapped around Blaze's waist and swung him into the air. "Yeow!"

IB caught the scientists Blaze was saving. They were already unconscious, but thankfully with little injury. This was getting serious. He quickly split into his seven selves. "Blaze, you and me find the source. The other six of me will take care of the people."

"Sounds good." Blaze quickly burned through the vines holding him back. "Down there? Okay to fire at will?"

"I can handle the people. Just be careful not to start a forest fire."

Blaze nodded as he began blasting a path through the overgrowth. "Come out come out wherever you are..."

IB's lasers cut down vines that tried to wrap around Blaze. His eyes searched frantically. Whoever was doing this had to know his or her way around the forest and would be very hard to find. He used his powers to pull in images from all around... there! He made his way to a figure kneeling on the far side of the forest, its palm touching the ground. If he could separate him or her from the ground, he could stop all this.

The figure started as IB approached. IB quickly went invisible and began to pounce.

The living sounds of the forest grew louder, and a storm of leaves rained down. IB gasped; his light shield protected him, but it ruined his visibility. He quickly blasted through the heap of leaves and looked around.

His target was gone.

Well your travels have certainly taken you to some of the most amazing places IB. And I really enjoy the history you have created as you traveled, the 23rd Century African Leap for example.

The international conspiracy sounds ominous - I'm looking forward to finding out more and will it fit into yours and Blazes back story? Also the ghost kid in Luxembourg seems to be a natural foil to your light based powers so am looking forward to you two meeting again.

You have obviously put a lot of time and thought into planning this and it shows! This has built really well, included the most magnificent backdrops, been both charming and exciting and I can't wait to read more, more, more!

Thank you for your kind words, Harbi Blaze and I really do plan to travel the world one day, so the research is a joy instead of a chore. There will definitely be tie-ins to the pasts of Blaze and IB.

The biggest challenge is that I promised myself I'd feature every single country on Earth. I've "cheated" with some by using sites that span multiple nations (Sangha Trinational is the most egregious example!) but it really means I have to plan my plot outline well!

I'm really grateful that you've read it all! Thanks for the encouragement

Mount Titano, San Marino
Earth

"The Most Serene Republic of San Marino," Invisible Brainiac narrated as he and Blaze descended from the sky. "Its people are proud that they maintained their independence from 301 AD, despite being the third smallest country in Europe and being entirely surrounded by Italy."

"I guess someone intends to keep that streak going," Blaze pointed. Soil and rock had begun rising around the territory of San Marino.

"In the absence of any overt threat from Italy?" IB asked. "San Marino currently holds the same status as any of the members that made up the United Nations. Someone is feeding people some bad information."

"Be that as it may, we have to stop the walls coming up..." Blaze replied.

"You wanna take that, while I do evac? San Marino never instituted border controls, and over the past millennium people have just been walking in from Italy."

"Done," Blaze smiled as he kissed IB. He zoomed along the wall of stone that seemed to be originating from Mount Titano's three towers.

He just barely dodged the spray of rock and dirt that erupted from below him.

"Okay, that is definitely man-made..." he muttered. He surrounded himself in a corona of flame and began throwing fireballs around. He hoped this would confuse his attacker. He began flying in a zigzag pattern while heading for the ground - if he was right, and his opponent was on the towers, perhaps he could better hide.

A large rock grazed his leg. Blaze cursed as he felt the scratch. Should he call IB? But he wanted to do this on his own...

He quickly zipped down to street level. His attacker wouldn't want to hurt any of the locals. He searched frantically. There must be something he could use... There.

He quickly entered a restaurant, smiling at the staff and customers huddled under their tables. "Don't worry, everything's under control folks." Facing a lit candle flame, he dove right in.

Blaze flitted from flame to flame inside San Marino, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He was pleased to see the evacuation was going well; IB had things under control and was keeping himself unharmed with a strong light shield. Blaze sent himself to Mount Titano, looking for his attacker.

A young blonde was standing, back to the fireplace. She was obviously concentrating.

Blaze shot out of the fireplace and launched himself at the girl. She screamed in surprise as he tackled her onto the floor. He flipped her around. "I'm going to ask nicely. Stop what you're doing."

She gave him a hiss. "We are not ready to confront you yet." Then she dissolved into the floor.

Blaze sat up, holding his side. Another failure. "Sigh. IB, stopped our attacker. Could you swing by her and help me with the medikit?"

Lake Rweru, Rwanda and Burundi
Earth

The sunlit waters of Lake Rweru sparkled like diamond on a clear day. It was a sharp contrast to the dark atmosphere of the area.

"I don't understand why Rwanda didn't simply absorb Burundi way back," Blaze asked. "Didn't they used to be one territory before they both gained independence?"

"They did, but you have to understand that they were split for the longest time. Beginning in the early 21st century, Rwanda started growing in leaps. Strict rule of law lessened corruption and caused ease of doing business to skyrocket, leading to a massive influx of foreign investment. In stark contrast, Burundi had been mired in poverty and disease and was one of the five poorest countries on Earth at that time."

Invisible Brainiac looked somberly at the waters of the lake. Ships carrying people crossed the border between the countries, but there were far fewer ships now.

"During the Great African Leap Forward, Rwanda had already taken its place as one of the success stories of Africa. Burundi was just getting there. Because of their shared histories, Rwanda was the partner nation assigned to Burundi. Rwanda would help Burundi exploit its cobalt and copper deposits and provide consulting support in strengthening governance. In return, Rwanda would get a small share of the profits and substantial international recognition to boost its tourism sector."

IB and Blaze watched as a ship stopped at the border checkpoint. Officials checked each passenger's papers; those who passed inspection transferred to another ship on the Rwandan side of the lake. Those who didn't were forced to stay on the Burundian side.

"The days of open borders in the area are gone now. With Earth's economy just recovering, each nation is focusing on its own problems. Earthgov is simply too weak to pull the Earth together."

"And we're here because of reported incidents of armed attackers harassing boats crossing from Burundi into Rwanda. Any descriptions of the attackers?"

"Sadly, none. About 3 or 4 only, but they always attacked at night. So we're here to observe, learn the terrain, and see if... uh, if they decide to change their minds."

Blaze turned to look in the direction IB was pointing at, and his mouth dropped open. "Is that... a gorilla????"

"Rwanda was one of only two countries in the early 21st century where it was safe to visit gorillas in their natural habitat," IB explained as he tackled the gorilla just as it was about to grab a frightened passenger. It roared in anger and swung back at IB.

"Hands off my boyfriend without my permission!" Blaze yelled as he singed its fur. It turned around to swat at him, but Blaze dodged its arm.

IB landed beside Blaze, hands glowing. "Just try it," IB said. "I bet you're a metamorph. All people on the ship are safe. You keep attacking and you won't be able to fight for your beliefs anymore."

The gorilla threw one last hateful look at them, then shifted into the form of a bird. "Ah ah, not so fast!" IB called as he and Blaze took off after it.

The bird flew into a portal, which again closed before they could follow it through.

"I'm really beginning to hate this..." IB muttered as he and Blaze returned to the ship to check on the passengers.

Toad River Valley, Canada
Earth

"What a scenic place," Blaze gushed as the serpentine river came into view. "Wish we could take some time off for a picnic here."

"We probably could; we need to keep our strength up to deal with this whole mess," IB said. "Hopefully we can also stop acting like amateurs and actually capture or follow one of these guys."

"So far we've been surprised by all their powers. I think if we play it smart we can."

"Better hope so, because I'm totally stumped at this one."

A translucent dome stood over a good portion of the valley. Traffic had stopped all around the dome, while people trapped inside were frantically pounding on the walls.

"Panic's pretty bad, let's see what we can do," IB said. "Hm. This isn't made of light. I can't absorb it. But I think I can cross it." IB turned himself and Blaze into light and slipped through the dome. "Let's make our way to the center, I bet the creep is inside. They picked their target fairly well; near here is a major highway that could paralyze Canada if it remains blocked."

"Okay, I... uh, I think he found us."

Blaze and IB stared in confusion as a glowing green man started firing energy beams at them. "Traitors!"

"Okay, I am so annoyed at everyone calling us traitors. What the hell did we do that's got you all so mad?" IB yelled as he blocked the blasts.

"It's what you're about to do - encouraging Earth to open up so we'll be vulnerable to aliens again!" spat the man as he pressed his attack. A battering ram of pure energy eaded straight for IB and Blaze. IB countered with a light spear.

"And what made you think that?" IB asked.

"The Corporate Takeover was led by Earth natives, but we know they were supported by offworlders, and... ugh!" The man yelled as a fireball flew into him. He turned to find a grinning Blaze.

"Too much talk, not enough watching your back. I know you're not hurt, but now you're trapped," Blaze smiled as IB encased the man in a light bubble. As he did, the dome around them shimmered and faded.

"Now you're going to talk," IB smiled as the man glared at them.

"I don't think so," he smiled. Out of nowhere, a young girl phased through the bubble and touched the man. The two quickly phased out and dropped to the ground below.

"I don't believe this. How many metahumans are there on Earth now?" IB fumed as they gave chjase. Try as they might though, the couldn't find anything.

"Um... Can we still have that picnic?" Blaze asked.

The Valley of the Kings, Egypt
Earth

IB and Blaze stared in wonder at the centuries-old tombs in front of them. They gleaned in the crisp desert air, standing tall despite their age.

"Now THIS is one location we are definitely going to come back to, when all this crap is over!" Blaze said. "Take a picture of me while things are quiert, hon!"

IB chuckled as Blaze posed. Then IB placed the camera on a platform of light so he could take a picture of the two of them together. "Mmm, I like how we look. You should totally add this to your profile!"

"Maybe later hon, I think I've found why this was marked as a hotspot!"

Blaze pulled IB to the side as gusts of wind sprayed hot desert sand on the walls behind them. A frightened camel reared on its hind legs; the little girl tourist on its hump screamed in terror as she flew through the air. IB quickly caught her and set her down while Blaze calmed down the animal.

IB quickly handed the girl back to her grateful mother. "Please, get out of here now," he addressed the crowd. "This could get worse!"

"It already has," blaze said grimly as the sand in front of them solidified into vaguely humanoid shapes over 10 feet tall.

"Okay, so we're up against a sand-manipulator, and not a wind one," IB muttered. "Good, at least we don't have to worry about asphyxiation. Blaze, let's see how good our opponent's control is."

Fireballs and laser beams flew at the sand creatures, spraying grains of sand everywhere. "They're reforming... slowly, but still too quickly for us to beat them this way," IB said. "You wanna find the opponent while I stall them?"

Before Blaze could answer, a wave of sand washed over them. IB quickly created a shield.

"Man, this guy or gal is really pouring it on..." Blaze coughed. "Ugh, wallowed some."

"Me too, baby. Look, I think I can get at it in my light form but the sand particles will slow me down. Do you think you can decoy?"

"I'll do my best, but you owe me."

"Will this do?" IB kissed Blaze passionately. Blaze smiled back. "Fine, you know I can't resist you." IB dropped the shield as Blaze surrounded his body with flame.

Blaze battered the sand back as IB flew up. Scanning the area quickly, he found a young man on a hill pverlooking the valley. IB sped towards him, hands outstretched...

... until he punched through sand. "What? A decoy?" IB asked. "Blaze, I think he fooled us."

"Are you sure? Because the attack's stopped here."

IB stared open-mouthed. The wind and the sand had stopped and everything seemed to be back to normal, except for the panicked tourists.

"I think they're playing us, baby."

Ventspils, Latvia
Earth

"One of the busiest ports in all of Europe, they say," IB read from his Omnicom. "But what really makes it stand out are the cow statues scattered around the city, holdovers from the 2002 Cow Parade. Some retouched, of course, but still remarkably well-preserved."

"They'd have to be, to do that much damage!" Blaze remarked as he stood in front of a galloping cow statue that, just minutes ago, had been rooted to the ground. It seconds its legs had melted to slag, leaving it still once more.

"Nice job, baby," IB smiled as he laid a hand on Blaze's shoulder. "Minimal damage only. Now we just have to find the other nine - or whomever brought these status to life."

"I don't suppose you could do one of your triangulation tricks?" Blaze asked. "I don't want to race a clock here."

"No, these statues are mobile," IB replied as two more cows ran towards them. "But I can access news reports to figure out which statues are still dormant."

Blaze shrugged as he melted the legs one after the other. "Least we only have seven more to worry about..."

"Two," IB replied. "Five are apparently still statues, if these reports are up to date. They're being activated in an east-west pattern. I know where to intercept the next one, and I bet I'm faster than whoever's doing this. You want to play matador while I hopefully catch the crook?"

Blaze kissed IB's cheek in response and flew off.

In a flash, IB arrived at the sixth statue. Someone was kneeling beside it, his hands glowing. The statue roared to life and charged at him. IB calmly severed its leg below the knee, causing the statue to tumble.

"You're nowhere near as powerful as my friend Kinetix," IB said as he blinded the young man, who fell to his knees with a groan. "I know how to handle you. Blaze, zero in on my location ASAP!"

IB pulled the man to his feet. "You think driving foreigners away from your country's busiest port will help? Latvia relies heavily on trade, and has since before the Middle Ages! Who's been feeding you these ideas?"

The young blonde stared at him angrily. "Latvia has long been oppressed by more powerful neighbors! The three Baltic States have to stand together against Russia. We can impose our demands on them if we unite. They control only a tiny portion of the Baltic Sea."

"Okay, someone has got you thinking alright. But where are your allies? And don't think you can get away from me - all your teleporters so far have done their work through portals. I'm on you like a glove. Blaze, you done yet?"

"Going as fast as I can," Blaze replied. IB saw his halo of flame light up the sky.

"Good. Hey kid, looks like your allies have abandoned you. Maybe they realize you're not getting away. You'll have to talk eventually," IB smiled. "Make it easier on all of us. If you tell us your concerns we can find a constructive way of dealing with this."

"We know all about you, and we're learning more every day," the youth smiled back. "And we think you're all talk!"

IB gasped as his captive's form began to fade into vapor, beginning from his legs. He quickly erected an airtight bubble around them. "Okay, so I was wrong about your allies. Still not getting away."

"Try us," came a distinctly female voice. "I don't think your lungs will like it."

IB's hands went to his throat as oxygen left him. His ears filled with the ringing sound of feminine laughter...

... which were quickly replaced by Blaze's worried pleas.

"I'm awake," IB said weakly as Blaze helped him up. "Our opponents are very well-coordinated. They seem to be watching each site, and can quickly send the right backup. Damn, should have anticipated something like that. Transuit didn't activate quickly enough, or maybe she was already on me."

"It's okay, baby. Just glad you're safe," Blaze smiled as he clasped IB to him. "They didn't want to kill you, for some reason."

"No, and they didn't fight back too hard in Egypt, either. They hit and run. But why, and why don't they stop us once and for all?"

Blaze shrugged. "We'll figure it out. Maybe we should take some time to think. I know you'll want to analyze everything you can about that cute blonde who got away, especially after you wanted to be on him like a glove."

IB glared at Blaze's stuck-out tongue. "Blondes are YOUR type," he muttered as they took off.