The sun was only just coming up, and Pete found himself in the
kitchen, dressed in a black track suit and drinking a cup of coffee from
a pot that someone else had already made. 'Wonder who else is up this
early?' he thought.
"Good morning, Pete," Rhane smiled up at him as the green
nightie clad girl reached for the coffee pot, "Dani makes great coffee,
doesn't she?"
"Hmm," Pete agreed as he took a slurp, "good coffee." The black
haired Englishman hesitated for a moment, "How's the powers situation
with you?"
"I'm back at full strength," Rhane reassured him, the little
redhead smiling gently.
Pete shrugged slightly as he explained, "I didn't want to ask in
front of the others, just in case it was bad news."
"Thanks," Rhane smiled. She poured another cup, making it up the
way she knew Dani liked it, "I'll see you later, all right?"
"See you," he smiled. Rhane was almost like a happy puppy as she
trotted off carrying the cups of coffee for her lover and her. Pete took
his own cup with him as he stepped outside, drinking and enjoying the
crisp morning air.
A few minutes later the figure shimmered slightly, almost
looking like he was materializing from the fog before him. The costume
he wore was white, a red shield on his chest, hood and cape floating
around him. On the shield itself was a golden lion, rearing up in
battle. The man settled on the rough ground not far from Pete.
"I'd still like to know how you even managed to contact me," the
man finally said.
"Albion," Pete nodded a greeting.
Once a mystical champion who had fought for Britain during both
the first and second world wars, Albion had dropped out of sight many
years ago. Now an old man, Albion's powers had recently been restored to
him, granting him the ability to become a young man once again.
With a wry smile Pete said, "I'm still friends with Brian
Braddock, who helped with the Knights of Pendragon, of which you are a
member."
"Of course," the man smiled wryly. Albion fixed him with an
intense gaze, "I'm sorry to say I must decline membership in Excalibur."
Pete didn't look too terribly devastated, somehow. "I really
wasn't expecting you to," he admitted, "but I thought I should make you
the offer."
Albion actually smiled slightly, "Then thank you, for
remembering an old man." Without a sound he disappeared into the mists,
a silent shadow disappearing, but his final words lingered, "I will be
there, if there is a real need."
"Thanks," Pete raised his cup in salute. He stood there a while,
enjoying the peace while finishing off his cup of coffee. Somehow, he
rather suspected that he wasn't going to have such moments all that
often.
BOOM!
The thunder crack split the air, and Pete jumped in surprise,
his coffee spilling on the ground even as the hot blades formed from his
fingers instinctively. With a laugh Britannia soared on by, clearly
enjoying the power of light.
"This is great!" the woman laughed happily, the mist rippling
from the sonic boom Britannia had just generated.
Pete took a moment to calm down, not to mention letting his
heart recover from the shock. He really wanted to yell something rude at
her, but the black garbed woman was having such a good time he just
couldn't seem to manage it.
'Must be getting soft in my old age,' Pete thought, and with a
soft sigh he headed in, to get some more coffee and maybe something to
eat.
"Mornin' Pete," Rachel mumbled, her red hair standing up, messy
from sleep. She looked around the small kitchen, latching onto the
coffee happily, completely unconcerned that she was wearing T-shirt,
panties, and nothing else.
Trying not to look at her too hard Pete got another coffee and
retreated to the monitor room. He had to think about how to approach his
next recruit, and drinking it in there would help keep him out of
trouble, hopefully.
Pete got halfway through it when there was a knock at the door.
Lisa stood with her costume helmet under her arm, her short blonde hair
plastered down from wearing it. She smiled cautiously, "Could I ask you
something?"
"Come on in," Pete gestured her to one of the seats at the
table.
Lisa took a seat, setting the helm down beside her. Athletic,
with a clearly capable manner, a top agent of STRIKE and WHO before they
decided to cut her loose. With an engaging smile she said, "I rather
like the idea of the team living on the island, but there's one little
problem."
"Yes?" Pete raised an eyebrow, drinking a bit before putting the
cup back down.
Lisa actually blushed a bit as she confessed, "I have a
girlfriend, and I'd really rather not have us living in separate
places."
"I assume WHO had her checked out?" Pete asked curiously.
"Hm," Lisa nodded glumly. "Just having a girlfriend was enough
to make the Minister give me the boot, even though she checked out
clean," she scowled.
"Well, I don't see any problem," Pete shrugged.
"Thanks," Lisa reached out to shake his hand firmly, "I'll call
her, let her know she can come out to the island in the next few days."
Picking up her helmet off the table she turned and left, whistling to
herself cheerfully.
Pete watched her go, remembering the last time he had a
girlfriend, then shook his head. 'Time to get to work,' he thought,
finishing off his coffee and then picking up the phone. He tapped the
number in, then smiled wryly as a maid picked up the phone. "Could I
speak with Lady Crighton, please? It's a matter of some urgency," he
smiled.
A few minutes later in his room Pete finished changing into one
of his black suits with tie. He strode out and went down a few doors,
tapping on one. "Kate, you in there?"
"Come in," her oddly distorted voice answered.
Pete opened up the door, stepped inside then froze in surprise.
Kate's metallic body sat there limply on the bed, slumped over like a
puppet with it's strings cut. It was an odd gray color, almost as if the
life that animated it had been entirely removed. Just above the robotic
shell a glowing blob floated, shining with rainbow lights.
"Kate?" Pete asked weakly.
"Sorry," the lob answered, then the rainbow lights seemed to
flow into the body on the bed. It jerked, twitched a few times, then the
eyes opened up. Somehow it changed, the life returning to the metallic
form. "Just stretching my legs, or something," Kate smiled.
"I keep forgetting that you're an energy being,:" Pete admitted.
He shook himself, "Do you think you could transport me to the Crighton
residence?"
"No problem," Kate got up off the bed, stretching a bit. They
walked out together as she curiously asked, "So who are you leaving in
charge?"
"Since I'm taking you with me," Pete shrugged, "Dani Moonstar."
Kate raised an elegant metal eyebrow, "I take it I'm your second
in command?"
"You're one of the most experienced team members," Pete
shrugged. He looked over at her curiously, "You mind?"
"I'm complimented," Kate answered with a smile.
Letting the others know he was leaving and that Dani was in
charge while he was gone went pretty well, though he did notice a slight
frown on Lisa's face. 'Guess I'll have to keep an eye on that, too,' he
thought wryly.
"Ready?" Kate smiled before rising up into the air, the rainbow
lights within her forming the teleportational portal. Pete leapt
through, Kate followed, and the portal faded to nothingness.
The manor house that the two of them walked up to was an old
English home, the kind of place that gets passed down through the
generations and almost becomes one of the family, much like a grouchy
great aunt. The doorbell rang deep and low, the sort of sound you feel
in your bones.
"Why do I feel like a bit player in a drama off the telly?" Kate
asked, safely disguised beneath the illusion of her previous human form.
Pete's lips quirked a bit, but he didn't have time to answer
before the door swung open. The young woman looked like she was in her
teens, the only thing off being her pure white hair. "Lady Crighton,"
Pete smiled, "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice..."
Before Pete could finish the sentence the woman grabbed him,
slamming him up against the wall before he could even blink. "I do not
care for people like you," Jacqueline Crighton said simply, "who use
hints and insinuations to secure a meeting with me."
Kate looked ready to jump in, and Pete waved a hand to let her
know it was all right. "My apologies," he said calmly, "but you aren't
an easy woman to contact."
Jacqueline met his eyes, her gaze intent. "All right," she
reluctantly loosened her grip on his collar, "then let's talk."
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