Absolute Power

Absolute Power 8 Lamp Quest

By Joan Banks

"Are you feeling better, honey?" The woman asked her 15-year-old son. A pre-teen girl fidgeted in the corner. The doctor filled out a note on his clipboard and pulled back the curtain to leave.

"Mrs. Robertson I can't explain how he got better but we'd like to keep him for observation for the next hour." The doctor told her, "The nurse has some insurance papers for you to sign. She'll be by shortly."

"Thank you, doctor." Mrs. Robertson replied, running her fingers through her sons' hair. The doctor closed the curtain behind him.

"I hope it'll be Nurse Jenny." The boy snickered as she continued playing with his hair. "She's hot." Mrs. Robertson slapped her son on the back of the head, hard.

"Ow!" He said, "Geez! Child abuse." He smiled at a private joke. Mrs. Roberson and her daughter smiled along.

"You turd." She told her son. "I'll get you later." She said with an ominous but playful tone. They stared each other in the eye, sharing some secret message. She looked to her daughter and asked pointedly. "Do you have to go potty now, dear?"

"Yes ma'am." She said to her mother. For some reason this also elicited a slap on the back of the head. The little girl smiled and stuck out her tongue. She closed the curtain behind her as she left.

"Do not 'ma'am' me. Do you understand, young lady?" Mrs. Robertson threatened the closed curtain. The boy just laughed.

The girl dawdled through the emergency room. She stared at people and their charts all the way across the room and mumbled to herself as she walked. Twenty minutes later she still hadn't made it to the bathroom and many would have been surprised to see that her mother and brother had snuck out of the hospital without her.

Noticing that her family had left she put a slightly panicked look on her face and continued around the room. Seeing that, contrary to initial diagnoses, most of the patients were actually very healthy, the doctors were starting to mill around looking for something to do. As the girl started to make her way towards the exit she felt a firm grip on her arm.

"I know what you are!" The middle-aged woman said, "We don't want your disease here."

A crowd began to gather.

"You're hurting me!" The girl cried out. "Let go!"

"You're a Whisperer. One of those vile creatures that pretends to heal people and then infects them with a deadly disease."

"What are you talking about? Let me go!" The child tugged at the woman's grip, but didn't get free.

"My Johnny had a broken leg twenty minutes ago. Now he's fine! Explain that, you monster."

"So you're mad because he's better?" The girl asked, still tugging ineffectually.

"Because you've killed him!" The woman spat bitterly, "It's only a matter of time before the sickness gets him now."

"That's crazy. Why would anyone heal someone just to kill them later? It doesn't make sense." The girl stood taller now. The older woman tried to squeeze with all of her might on the girls' skinny arm. The girl ignored it.

"I just know that if it wasn't for GeronTech and that saint of a man Mr. Collins, we would all be dead right now."

"Oh that's it!" The girl easily extricated herself from the woman's grip. "Casper Collins was the most evil man to walk this Earth. He engineered the disease. He almost killed Denver. I, for one, am glad he's dead."

"Dead, he's not dead." One of the watchers said, "I just saw him on TV."

"You believe what you want to believe." The girl jumped in the air over the crowd and landed hard on the other side. "And you're welcome." A second later, she was gone.

"I am so tired of being a nine year old." The girl said as she climbed into the back of the car. "Next time, it's your turn, Deb."

"No way. And get stuck like that?" Deb said.

"While we're talking about changing, how about putting us back?" Bull said from the passenger seat. He was uncomfortable being stuck in the skin of a fifteen year old. He had changed into his sweats for the transfer back. Debby started the car and began to drive.

"Fine. Back to Bull." Sarah said. Her friends' features changed and he grew back into his old self. The former gang-member sighed in relief at being back to normal.

"What took so long, anyway?" Debby asked.

"A crowd stopped me. They accused me of being an evil whisperer. They wanted to kill me. Eyes front Bull." After her friend complied, Sarah slid off her little girl clothes and into a pair of sweats similar to Bulls. She whispered and was back in her young adult form.

"So everyone still thinks Casper is a hero?" Debby asked. Sarah grunted an affirmative.

Sarah began to whisper again. Debby felt the familiar tingle as she changed back into a less matronly form. Bull looked over at her and suppressed a grin. He glanced back at Sarah who was trying not to laugh as well.

Debby noticed her friends and pulled the mirror over to look at herself.

"Sarah, do it right!" She said. Debby looked like she was no older than 16. Debby was perturbed; Sarah knew her fear of getting stuck in one of these forms.

Bull and Sarah broke out into howling laughter. When Sarah could speak again she asked her friends a question.

"So how do we get the truth out about Collins?" She asked. "Someone has to know he's dead now. But how do we let the world know?"

Casper Collins sat in the lobby, waiting. He hated waiting, especially when he was the one doing it. He didn't mind making others wait, however.

This lobby of Social Services was filled with the dregs of the world. The families looked like they made an attempt to clean up but failed miserably. Casper tried to maintain his dignity in this setting. Somewhat nervously he smoothed his skirt and clutched his purse to his chest.

Being a woman is a nerve wracking experience, he thought. His new body was youthful and healthy but it was also female. Instead of viewing the world as a frail but powerful old man he was now a frail but powerful young woman. The difference in the two points of view was staggering.

He felt no guilt over his 'appropriation' of Molly Lawrence's body. She was a vile woman, he thought, coming to me to betray her husband. Not that Stan had been much better!

Nine decades of life had both helped him and hurt him in his adapting to life as a woman. Ninety-one years of life combated ninety-one years of observation, which left him in constant fear of doing or saying the wrong thing. Nervously, he smoothed his skirt again.

"Mrs. Lawrence?" A woman poked her head out the door, "If you'll come with me."

He followed the women into the bowels of the building. He thought that designing a semi-functional maze with offices would be impossible. He was wrong.

He was led into an office.

"Please, have a seat Molly." The woman said, "It's good to see you again. Coffee?"

"Thank you. Make it black please."

"No cream? I guess your tastes have changed. Now, Molly, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like Sarah back." He said. No use beating around the bush.

"Sarah's been placed in another home, Molly. I'm sorry but that much moving around is bad for the child. I'm sure you'll agree."

"She's my daughter! All I have left." He sobbed convincingly. "After I recovered, she was all I could think of. Is there anything that can be done?"

He had to have Robert back. Robert had the codes to most of the facility. He may have betrayed me but damn it, he's my son! I'll get what I want from him and then I'll get rid of him. Maybe I'll torment him a bit first.

"I'm sorry Molly. Short of her new family dropping off the planet there's nothing we can do. It's for the best. I'm sure you understand."

"I don't have to like it." He replied.

"We'd like to put some new children in your home. We are desperately short of beds, you know."

"Maybe later. I really want Sarah back. But I understand. I'll see myself out then?"

Casper rushed out the door and down the hall as quickly as he could. His frustration was rising as he searched for the door.

Drop off the face of the planet, eh? Well that can be arranged.

To: drwhisper@hotmail.comFrom: Professor Al-him

Deborah and Sarah,I have heard rumors of an archeological dig in western Iraq. My sources say that one item will be passed through customs WITHOUT inspection. The dimensions of the package as well as the archeologist who is conducting the dig both lead me to believe that they are transporting a Lamp of the Djinn. Those transporting are no doubt unaware of the treasure they are holding.

You probably think that this will not help but there are several things about transport of magical items you may not know about. Legend has it that there is a charm on these items that will not allow them to be moved without grave consequences. I would expect that the lamp would cause planes to crash and ships to sink if it travels more than approximately 100 miles a day. For this reason I believe that it will be transported by ground and very slowly. I do not know where the ship will land but I believe you have a suspicion as to where it is going. It will be moving east to west.

I pray that this information will help you.

Good Luck and God Speed,Al-Him

"You are kidding, right?" Pete said into the phone. "100 miles a DAY?" Pete was clearly perturbed. "No...no...yes...YES sir. We'll pick it up this afternoon."

"You guys won't believe this one." He said as he got back into the van. "Courier duty."

"Just as long as we get back to catching that bitch Whisperer." Bud scowled. His arm, still in a sling ached a little bit more every time he thought about it.

"Why don't you study, Bud?" Tom suggested, tossing the data file back to the convict. "Something to read while we get the van serviced." Basically it was a thick photo album. Bud winced as he tried to catch it with his bad arm. "Every person the whisperer has been in contact with. Every person that means something to her."

Always reluctant to study anything Bud still took the book. He would do what it takes to bring this whisperer down. Whatever it takes.

"Mrs. Lawrence?" The social worker asked.

"Yes?" Casper tried to suppress a grin. He had been expecting this call.

"I'm afraid there's been a terrible accident. Can you still take Sarah into your home?" Her voice sounded as if she had been crying recently.

"Of course." Casper said calmly-too calmly. "I'll be right there."

"Shouldn't you be in school, young lady?" A male voice shocked Debby from behind.

"Um....er." Debby said eloquently as she turned around. "Uh...no."

A police officer was staring down at her. He judged that the girl was no more than 16, probably 15. He had a stern expression on his face. He stayed silent, trying to get a better answer. As an interrogation technique, silence usually worked with kids.

But silence is all he got in return. Debby stared back up at him with no fear on her face at all. She was merely window-shopping. Is that a crime?

"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" The officer asked.

"Am I under arrest?" Debby replied snottily. This was harassment, plain and simple.

"You are now. Come with me."

Debby considered running, but she wasn't enhanced right now. This cop would catch her easily. Complaining about his hard grip on her arm, she went along.

"This town is a shit hole." Debby whispered to Sarah. They were sitting in a small courtroom with several other people. The others looked like they were in a hurry. They were, no doubt, caught in the city's infamous speed trap.

The judge poked his head in the door after his lunch to see if anyone was waiting. He smiled and closed the door.

"It's in just the right place. If they have to stop every hundred miles then they HAVE to stop here. I-80 is the main corridor to whoever is impersonating Casper."

"And Bull has the teams running the highway?"

"Every inch of it. Shh...here comes the judge."

Debby smiled. She didn't look like a teenager anymore; Sarah had aged her face subtly and advanced her into her early twenties. Bull had provided the proper ID and had resumed his watch on the freeway off ramp.

The judge handed out harsh fines to the other people in the room and finally called Debby forward. Without looking up from his paperwork he started into a speech.

"This state believes in educating our young people. Truancy is considered a crime here carrying with it a very harsh punishment. Young lady..." The judge looked up to give the full impact of the sentence. He shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs. "Jack," He said to the officer "a word please."

"Sure thing." The officer walked up behind the bench and they started arguing frantically. Eventually Jack was sent back to his normal courtroom chair.

"Young lady, how old are you?" The judge asked.

"22 your honor."

"Do you have proof of that?"

"Yes."

"Did you show that proof to the officer?"

"He never gave me the chance, your honor. I have it here if you'd like?"

"Please." Debby handed the card to the judge. It was a very good forgery. He banged his gavel.

"Case dismissed. Jack you get your eyes checked. We'll see you for supper tonight, son?"

"Yes Pa."

"Good. I'll have your mother put out a setting for you." The two walked out the back of the courtroom together, leaving Sarah and Debby alone. Just before the door had closed behind them the Officer glared at Debby. The message was clear, watch your back.

Free on the streets of Gothenburg, the two women made their way back to the hotel.

It was a nice enough town, Sarah thought. I little like Langley, but smaller. She thought back to the small town, not so far away, that they had lived in for several weeks. Everything there was going well until Caspers' goon Stan arrived. Stan had turned out all right in the end. In a short time he had become a good friend. Sacrificing himself for Debby, Stan was a hero in her eyes.

Wham! Something small and alive threw itself against her legs. Assuming it was a dog, Sarah was ready to kick it into oblivion when she saw who it was.

"Corey!" Sarah detached the small child from her legs and held him in a strong hug. "What are you doing here? Where's your Daddy?"

"We got your message." A woman's voice said from behind. "And I get my hug next."

Sarah turned around and saw a gorgeous brunette woman standing behind her. Debby was several feet away hugging Ted, Corey's father.

"Do I know you?" Sarah asked.

"You should." The woman said holding her hands wide. "I'm the woman you made."

"Freddy?" Freddy used to be Ted's transsexual brother and was now, very obviously, his sister.

"The one and only." Freddy hugged the woman who made her dreams come true. Corey complained of being squished and squirmed his way to the ground. "Thank you." Freddy said emotionally.

"My pleasure." Ted had left Debby and was now standing directly behind Freddy.

"Do I get a turn?" He asked. Sarah flushed. She had never felt this way about anyone before. Ted made her stomach do flip-flops.

"Definitely." Sarah put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Why does he do this to me, Sarah thought?

"Ahem." Debby coughed. The three of them were standing off to one side, pointedly trying not to watch them. Corey was giggling. "I need to check on Bull." She said, and walked off, "it's really great to see you again."

"Maybe we should talk." Sarah said. Together, they continued to the hotel.

"There's no such thing as a curse." Bud said in a mocking tone. He and Tony carried gas cans back into town.

"The gauge is wrong." Tony joined in. Tony was a blond woman with a buzz cut. She only wore men's clothes. She was not happy being a woman and planned on killing the Whisperer because of it.

"Pete's an idiot." Bud said. "I can't believe he wanted to push through to Denver tonight. He knew about the curse!"

"How far?" Tony asked, switching the can to her other hand. "What town was it?"

"Gothenburg. Twelve miles I figure we stay for the night and head back in the morning with the gas."

"Pete'll be so pissed. Havin' to sleep in the van." Tony said, "Bet he wets himself."

Watching the freeway off ramp had to be the most boring thing in the world to do. Cars came in waves and none of them that left the freeway matched the description of the black van.

The sun was starting to set and there was a cold breeze starting up.

Bull really felt sorry for the couple that walked down the ramp carrying gas cans. If I could, I'd offer them a ride, he thought. But that was impossible, he had to stay put until Debby or Sarah relieved him.

"Rough day?" Bull asked the man. The woman looked like trouble, some kind of killer lesbian.

"Yep. Ran out about 15 miles that way."

"Station is right in town. Nice motel too, if you aren't heading back tonight."

"Thanks."

"So what are you doing here?" Sarah asked Ted excitedly. She hadn't left his side since he found them.

"We got the email asking us to look. It seemed like this was the best place to wait." He lifted the excited Corey onto his lap, "And when this little monster..." He roughed up his sons' hair which elicited a tired giggle, "...found out we'd be helping you there was no leaving him behind."

"I missed you, Corey." Sarah said to the sleepy 5-year-old. He held his arms out in an obvious plea to be held. Sarah lifted him over to her own lap and was rewarded with a kiss and a tight hug.

Several quiet minutes later Corey had fallen asleep. They placed him into his bed and walked quietly outside.

"Truth be told, I really missed you too." Ted told her. They had gotten close over a brief period of time, months and months before. Sarah was confused by those events, but she never forgot it. Ted was never really very far from her thoughts.

Still, somewhere deep inside, there was still conflict. Sarah was actually Larry, and Larry called out to be noticed at the most inopportune times. Larry knew it was wrong to feel this way about another man. The woman Sarah ignored the tiny voice of the male part of her conscience. It was getting easier to do all the time.

They sat on a bench outside the door. Sarah cuddled against him wanting nothing more than to be right here, right now.

"I have to go soon." Sarah told him finally, "It's my turn on the off ramp."

"Will you be okay?" Ted asked, he laughed a little "Look who I'm asking."

She smiled and snuggled a little closer to him.

"I'll see you in the morning, right?" she asked.

"Of course." He replied, shifting his arm so it wouldn't fall asleep. "First thing."

They stayed that way, entwined in each other's arms until it was time for Sarah to go. As she walked away, Ted watched.

"I love you, you know." Ted said softly, much to quiet for any normal person to hear.

At the end of the block, Sarah smiled.

She was no normal person.

"Considering the circumstances, we need to see how she reacts to your return." The psychologist told Casper. "She's been through quite a bit." It was very early in the morning at the Social Services Office. Casper insisted on taking 'Sarah' home as quickly as possible.

They looked at the child through one-way glass. Robert was playing with a baby doll. He was changing its diaper and mothering it to the best of his ability. Casper smiled.

"She was having a psychotic episode just a few short months ago. She stampeded around this place like she owned the place." The psychologist explained with a sense of awe, "We had her on quite a strict regimen of medication and psychotherapy." Robert was now putting the doll in a crib. "A remarkable child. Quite intelligent, but also teetering right on the edge of reality."

"So what kind of medication is she on now?" Casper asked. He wanted to burst out laughing at what his adult son had become-a little sissy girl playing with dolls.

"None, whatsoever." The doctor said proudly, "She is a normal five year old now. She's as good as new."

"Sarah?" The psychologist knocked on the door as she entered. "I have someone here to see you." The little girl looked up. After a moment where she had a completely blank face she broke into a calculated little girl smile. She grinned from ear to ear and held up her doll to the psychologist. "Wanna play with my...."

She fell silent. A dead woman walked into the room. Casper entered with an ingratiating smile and eyes that feigned a warmness he didn't feel. She looked at the doll and dropped it. She ran to the psychologist and hid behind her.

"I won't hurt you, dear." Casper said. The little girl clung to the Doctor's legs. "We all miss you. You remember Montgomery and....Robert?"

The little girl loosened her grip on the woman's legs.

"Yes, you remember Robert, don't you? Well he can be back to his old self, really soon. Are you ready to come home, dear one?"

The child looked at the woman with a hint of recognition in her eyes. She assessed the risk and made her decision.

Cautiously, the little girl stretched her hand to the dead woman.

"Momma..." she said. The psychologist smiled.

Sarah's heart raced as she saw the trio walking towards her that morning. Ted, Corey, and Freddy were carrying bags and cups. Obviously they were supplying breakfast.

Ted and Corey were greeted with kisses and Freddy with a hug. Freddy had a bemused look on her face as she watched her brother and Sarah. Obviously she approved.

"What brings you here?" Sarah asked happily.

"We're taking Bulls' watch. He's not feeling so well." He handed Sarah a danish and coffee.

"How bad is it?" Sarah asked. Ted shrugged.

"I'll go back after breakfast and fix him right up." She took a huge, masculine bite out of the danish. After she realized what she had done, she turned a pretty pink color and chewed more slowly. Her next bite was a dainty one.

Still embarrassed, she looked back towards town.

"I guess I'll go take a look at Bull." She said, still slightly pink from her unladylike behavior, "Uh....bye. I'll be back in a while."

Ted tried to suppress his laughter as he saw her slapping her forehead as she walked away.

Twenty minutes later, Freddy announced that she had to use the bathroom. No longer having the equipment for a clean outdoor urination, she elected to go back to the café.

Sarah was a little surprised to find the door to her room locked. She jiggled the doorknob and quickly produced the key.

"Bull!" She called out, "Oh my god, I'm sorry. Wrong room." She stepped back outside quickly. She had caught a couple in the middle of the act. Confused, she looked at the key again and then at the number of the room, 116. Tentatively, she knocked and stepped back in.

Bull and Debby were in the bed, sheets pulled up to cover themselves. Both of them looked incredibly embarrassed.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"Do we really have to explain it to you?" Debby said, pulling a t-shirt on as she slipped out of bed.

"Headache Bull?" she asked, "I take it you feel better now."

"Uh...yeah." Bull said, "Is that what he told you? I said make up an excuse! Don't go givin' a stupid excuse like that to you."

"So how long...." Sarah was

"Months, more or less." Debby said, slipping out of bed and throwing a t-shirt on. "We..."

"I don't...I....I need to think." Flustered, Sarah slammed the door as she left quickly.

"Then I couldn't wish for better people for either of you." Sarah said to herself as she walked away. "But what's going to happen to me?"

Much to the chagrin of the agent, Bud rented a car. The man looked like a criminal, that was true, but a check of his credit card brought up a red flag on his terminal. It was a 'please this guy at all costs' flag, so he accommodated.

Bud laughed.

"Think we shoulda done this last night?" He asked Tony.

"Then they would be in the motel and we'd be sleeping in the van watching that stupid package." Tony snorted, "Right! Like that would happen." She took a drink from her beer.

Bud slammed on the brakes.

"You asshole!" She yelled at him, "I spilled my beer!"

"Would you look at that?" Bud said, gesturing to the man and child sitting at the freeway off ramp.

"What?" She asked, trying to dry the beer off her shirt.

"Pay dirt." Bud said, "The kid, that guy, they're in that picture book. Real close to the Whisperer."

"All we're s'posed to do is get that package back to the boss." She said reproachfully, "But this is way too easy to pass up."

Freddy wandered back to the freeway. She was somewhat annoyed at the limitations of her new 'plumbing' but wouldn't change back for anything. Becoming a complete woman was just a dream for her before, but now it was reality.

Her heart stuck in her chest at the scene before her.

"Aunt Freddy, help!" Corey shrieked. Some little blond guy was forcing the young child bodily into a running car. Or was it a woman? Her brother was nowhere to be seen. Before she could get there, the car squealed away.

Panting from the exertion, Freddy tried to remember everything about the car. She started to make her way back to the motel as fast as she could.

Cursing her own slowness, she made it there in an agonizing 10 minutes. Bull and Debby saw her as she made her way into the lot and rushed to help her.

Freddy was trying to get into the pickup when they got over to her.

"What's wrong?" Debby asked.

"Car....Corey.....Ted......gone.....kidnapped." Freddy replied breathlessly. Somehow, Debby made sense of this.

"Find Sarah." She told Bull. She turned to Freddy, "I'm driving."

As they pulled away, Bull screamed one more question.

"Which way?"

"West." He heard Freddy yell as they screeched their own tires in pursuit.

Sarah was nowhere to be found. Bull started searching the town, the hospital, even the jailhouse. No one had seen her and few people even knew who she was.

"It was a Blue Ford." Freddy said finally. "Corey was screaming!" She started to cry.

There were no cars on the road at all. No sign of the kidnappers at all. About 15 miles up the road there was a small campsite set up, but no vehicles to be seen at all. They continued on.

Sarah was sitting in front of the hotel room when Bull got back. Quickly he explained the urgency of the situation. She disappeared into the room and returned within seconds.

"You drive." She said, getting into the back seat.

"I can't believe you idiots did this with no planning at all." Pete snarled at Tony. She and Tom had swapped vehicles so both could be filled in on the story. Pete frantically dialed the phone.. When they finally picked up the phone he started snapping orders.

"We need transport at the nearest airport ASAP. Thirty minutes? We need it in five!"

Pete pulled the van over and signaled the other car to do the same. He met them carrying the ever present package under his arm.

"Okay, they know what our van looks like." Tom said, "I got that much from him."

"Fine, let them catch the car, but give them a good chase. We'll be at Warwick Airfield. Put 'em in the van. Tom and Bud you go in the car. Tony, you're with me."

Tom let them go into the distance before he started the car again. He started down the highway, staying just below the speed limit

"That's them!" Freddy pointed frantically. Debby pushed the car just a little harder, a little closer to a loss of control. Upon seeing the car approaching fast behind them, Tom floored the accelerator.

"Move it, man." Bud said, turning in his seat to watch the approaching car. Tom noticed that far ahead a cloud of dirt was being thrown in the air in a perpendicular track to the highway. The van was clear of the highway. The plan was working.

"Just keep your face forward, Bull." Sarah said, as she lay flat on the seat. "I don't want you getting any ideas about me." A shirt and jeans flipped up into the passenger seat. Quickly after, Sarah reappeared climbing over the back of the seat.

"Sarah, Debby and I Lov...." he stopped short and stared at her.

She was wearing a cowl mask on her face and what looked like an armored leotard. She started pulling the boots on and tucked a pair of gloves into her belt. Bull kept stealing glances over at her. He was preparing to speak when she stopped him.

"Not one word." She told him seriously, "Or I'll break your neck."

Bull smirked silently as he prodded the car into a faster pursuit.

Debby's driving was aggressive and dangerous. When she finally caught up with the fleeing car she tried to force it off the road.

"Careful!" Freddy complained, "Ted and Corey are in there!"

"Well, I have to stop them." Debby replied, "Any ideas?"

"No."

"Listen, if they are just hurt then Sarah can heal them good as new. But I have to get them to stop!"

"Just try not to hurt them!"

Just as Freddy was saying this, Debby knocked the other car off the road. Ahead of the car was a telephone pole and a huge ditch. Freddy screamed in panic until both cars stopped.

The kidnappers car was pinned between the pole and Freddy's car.

"What now?" Freddy asked, suddenly realizing that they were two unarmed women pursuing criminals.

Surprisingly, it was answered for them. Two men got out of the car, hands up in surrender. One held a set of keys over his head.

"Don't kill us!" they pleaded. Debby and Freddy stared at each other a moment and shrugged.

"I don't recognize them." Freddy said skeptically. They got out of the car.

"Hands on the hood and drop your keys." Debby said authoritatively, her hand in her pocket imitating a gun. They complied.

Freddy started looking in the car. She saw no sign of Ted or Corey. Debby kept an eye on the men and tied their hands behind their backs. They stood on either side of the car facing each other. One was a regular looking businessman and the other looked like some kind of biker-an unlikely pair. Cautiously, Freddy opened the trunk.

"They aren't here." Freddy said, completing her search. Suddenly the biker guy started giggling.

"What's so funny?" Debby demanded.

"The bird has flown, man. The bird has flown." The unkempt man laughed. At these words, the businessman's head snapped up. He stared a warning at his partner.

Freddy and Debby also shared a knowing look.

"The airport." They both said in unison. They jumped in their car and sped back in the direction they came.

"Idiot." Tom said to Bud, who was struggling at his bonds.

A few minutes later, a dust cloud could be seen behind them.

The chase was back on, this time in reverse.

Bull and Sarah sped along the highway, not knowing what they were looking for exactly. Roils of dust clouds were on the horizon. The stirred-up dirt confounded their vision and made them more nervous after each mile.

"Stop the car." Sarah finally said.

"Here?" Bull asked, even as he was doing it.

"This'll do. Get out, I need your help with this one." She stepped out of the car. Sarah felt ridiculous in the outfit but they knew they were going into danger. If they could only find where it was.

"I'll put you back afterwards. Long arms." Bull's arms stretched. They nearly reached the ground. "Strength." She stared at her own legs.

"Power, speed. Lighter" She said, careful not to take a step. "You have to catch me." She crouched down and jumped. She took off like a rocket. She kept going higher...

And higher...

At ground level the horizon is only 3 miles away. Double that and is raises to four miles. Double again and it is six. When your eye level is at four hundred feet, and the surrounding terrain is relatively flat, you can see for almost 25 miles.

Sarah felt her ascent slowing. She peered over the dust cloud that surrounded them. Whipping her arms in a twisting motion, she started a slow rotation. She found the source. About five miles ahead two cars were speeding towards an airport on a dirt road.

She started to fall.

Without the power of her upward thrust, she was at the mercy of the winds and gravity. She started tumbling. Splaying her arms, she stopped most of the motion and found herself face down to the ground.

"Feet heavier." Her body reoriented to a feet-down position. She directed her fall towards Bull as well as she could. She estimated her weight at nearly fifty pounds; even at that lighter weight she quickly reached terminal velocity. Without a parachute, there was nothing more she could do to slow her fall.

Thirty feet above Bull and aimed inexorably toward him, she shouted.

"Child...lighter." Her size and mass reduced once again. She struggled to keep her now oversize costume covering her. Her boots fell off.

She heard a crack and a scream as she hit Bull at full speed.

"I'm so sorry Bull." She said. Sarah had landed unharmed but Bull's arms popped out of the sockets at the shoulders. He dropped her instantly, screaming.

"Pain, arms, strength." Bull's screaming stopped instantly.

"Adult." Sarah said, "Normal weight."

"They're about five miles behind us." She told him, searching for her other boot. "Heading to an airport." She found it on the roof of the car where it had left a healthy dent.

"Let's go." Bull said.

Pete eyed the horizon. The dust cloud was getting closer. Someone was coming.

"Where is that damn plane?" he started pacing, eying his watch while trying not to drop the package and keep his gun out. Tony kept scanning the horizon. The prisoners were tied up in the van. The little boy kept saying he had to pee.

"Just piss your pants, brat." She told him. She slammed the door of the van. The whining was much quieter with the door closed, Tony thought.

The sound of a jet engine stopped Pete's pacing. The cloud of dust was really close now.

"There!" Tony shouted. Approaching the edge of the runway, a small commuter jet was just about to land.

They gathered the prisoners from their van. Ted and Corey's legs were untied from the van floor. Pete led the child towards the plane and held the securely wrapped package in the other. There was a sound of tires screeching to a halt just as the plane started to taxi towards them.

Several people stood at a nearby hangar and watched the drama.

"Corey!" Freddy yelled as she ran towards them. Tony pulled out her gun to aim at the woman who was sprinting towards them.

"No, you idiot." Pete yelled, turning towards Tony, "Get him in the plane."

He lost his grip on the package. In trying to recover, he lost his grip on the child.

"Run, Corey, run!" Ted shouted. "Go to the buildings!" Tony hit him with her gun. He shut up.

Corey did as he was told, he ran.

Pete recovered the package just before it hit the ground. Dragging a struggling Ted, Pete and Tony started making their way back towards the aircraft. The second car pulled up almost immediately. Debby and Freddy kept inching forward only to stop whenever Tony turned back towards them. Attentive to their goal of freeing Ted, they never noticed the pair coming up to them from behind.

They weren't making much progress.

Danger loomed up at them from behind.

The sirens surprised everyone. Every eye turned to the entrance road where several police cars were speeding towards the scene of the kidnapping.

Debby and Freddy saw their pursuers, they started to run. Tom and Bud caught them quickly and carried them into the plane. Everyone on board, the door closed and the plane started to taxi once again.

From the top of a tall hangar a lone figure dropped sixty feet and landed lightly on the ground.

A blur of black streaked towards the moving plane.

"Tango Delta One Niner, you do not have permission to take off. I repeat..." the radio in the cockpit squawked.

"Turn it off!" Pete yelled at the cockpit. Ted took the opportunity to head butt Tony in the gut and try to make a break for the door.

Bud and Tony jumped him immediately. Bud held him down and Tony held a gun to his head. The plane started bouncing as it gained speed.

They were at 70 knots and accelerating.

A head appeared in the window.

"There's another one. She's trying to get away!" A cop yelled and raised his pistol at the woman in black.

The gunshots happened simultaneously. Tony shot Ted just as the police officer shot Sarah. Sarah saw Ted's head loll forward just as she fell to the ground.

"No!" Sarah screamed, another bullet entered her leg. "Head wound!" She yelled at the plane, thinking only of Ted. She looked at her own injuries. The police were racing up to her, guns aimed at her from the windows.

"Bullet wound." She screamed at the window of the plane, not knowing if it would be enough. Ted might be dead already.

Her raw fury was apparent even through the half mask she wore. She stood.

"Hold it right there!" The bullhorn blared. The sound of multiple weapons cocking was intimidating. She walked towards them.

"This is your last chance. Drop to the ground or we open fire!"

"Blind." Sarah said. "You killed him. You stupid, incompetent..." A police officer groped for his radio. "Mute." She said.

All the chatter between the police officers stopped.

In the distance she saw Corey wandering around by the hangar. Bull was pulling into the airfield.

At a normal person's pace she ran to Corey, leaving the police to their fate.

"Are you okay?" Sarah said, removing her mask. The child was scared.

"Sarah!" Corey flung his arms around her neck. Bull pulled up to them.

"What about them?" Bull asked, gesturing to the silent group of police officers who were groping their way around the airstrip.

"Who cares?" Sarah said. She held Corey on her lap as she got into the car.

She held the small boy against her chest and cried, perhaps her first real tears of mourning since the loss of her family.

Safely airborne, the small jet started flying exceptionally low. The pilot secured the transponder and concentrated on not crashing.

Essentially invisible to air traffic control, they proceeded with the plan.

The co-pilot pulled a circuit breaker and the skin of the plane containing its unique identifiers simply fell off. The crying in the passenger compartment was getting very annoying. The co-pilot closed the door.

Within 20 minutes, the small passenger plane was coming in for a landing on a small road. A black van pulled up to the door. A man in a suit similar to Pete's stepped out and held out his hand.

"I'll take the package from here." He said.

"Like hell." Pete said, tucking the package under his arm. He climbed into the van and waved the plane away. The first man got back into the van and sat at the drivers seat. Pete's shirt was stained with blood and his face had barely any color to it.

"What happened back there?" The driver asked.

What the hell am I risking my life for? Pete thought.

Pete felt he had nothing left to lose. He grabbed a pocketknife and cut the package open. He snorted and dumped the contents on the floor.

Packing peanuts and fishing weights.

"A mistake." Pete said, "Just drive."

Epilogue

The local police were more interested in finding out what happened to their men than about the abandoned vehicle left at the airport. Since six officers had been blinded and could no longer speak, every available hand was on patrol.

It was janitors that inspected the van.

Pete's black van was towed to an impound lot. Three men entered the vehicle, casually looking for some clue as to the identity of the kidnappers and maybe as to who got kidnapped. Most of the van was full of garbage, and what kind of clue was garbage?

The most likely victim was the owner of the pickup, also found abandoned at the airport. But there was no motive for that whatsoever.

The luggage area behind the seats was packed with fast food wrappers and various pieces of tourist junk. One of the fast food wrappers stuck to the carpet.

"This is gross." He said, tugging on the stuck bag. A moldy soda spilled on the carpet where he was working. As he tugged a little harder and section of floorboard came up with a good-sized chunk of carpet. The remaining trash and souvenirs flew into the lot, scattering all over the floor with a smelly crash.

"Screw it!" the man said, "There's no clues here! I'm going to wash up."

His partner brought a snow shovel and scooped all the trash into a large dumpster.

No one noticed the beat up brass lamp as it clanged against the side of the dumpster.

No one cared.

Casper led Robert into the building, holding his tiny hand. They looked to be the perfect mother and daughter. Robert maintained his 'child-act' even when they were alone in the back of the limousine. Now the man in a child's body was strangely silent.

He entered his office and sat at his desk, the very same desk that Robert had appropriated all those months ago. Robert climbed onto the couch.

"Robert? Are you all right?"

"Yes Mommy." Robert said, absentmindedly preening his doll.

"Then stop this. Do you want to get back to your normal form or not? I know I do." She sat at the desk and lit a cigar.

"Yes, Mommy....Casper." Robert said, trying to maintain an adult frame of mind. He still held his doll and had an overwhelming desire to put his thumb in his mouth.

"That's my boy." Casper said. Roberts' attention had wandered. He was busy scolding his doll for wetting the diaper he had started to change. Casper shook his head, "My dear boy."

Sarah sat in the backseat of the car while Bull drove. She no longer wore her costume for fear of scaring Corey more.

A phone call to Z had shown that the plane had dropped off the face of the planet. For right now, all she was concerned with was the small child asleep in her lap.

Bull pointedly stared forward. He hadn't said a word to her since the airport.

He was still angry about the police.

Sarah didn't care.

End Part 8