"We're still live on the events of the Day of Fire," Simon told viewers, "which certainly seem like they're coming to a close. We've have reliable reports that police and ambulance crews have just been dispatched to the location of the Caduceus Project building."
    "For those of you unfamiliar, the Caduceus Project building has been destroyed twice within the past year. It had been built on the framework of the Yesterday's Tomorrows cryogenic freezing facility, which was destroyed months ago. I have to say that I don't think the property values in that block are going to do well," Holly added.
    "We're cutting back to some people that we're interviewing in the area around where the explosions took place earlier today, police and fire crews have finally cleared the area. Okay, Darcy, go ahead."
    "This is Darcy Jones here. Can you tell us precisely what you think happened?" she asked the man in much-begrimed yellow fire gear standing next to her.
    "Something seemed to have generated some sort of highly destructive energy force that severed several gas lines, cut through several buildings, one man nearly lost a leg," he told her.
    "You say nearly lost a leg?"
    "He had an artificial leg anyway, but it was cut in half just under the knee."
    "So he lost an artificial leg?"
    "We don't really consider that a casualty."
    "What are the odds of that?" she inquired.
    "I'd say very high. Anyway, this force field was generated a couple of times, which as bad as the damage in the area was from the gas explosions that went off, may have actually contained what we understand was the monumental force of a fight between the Revolution and the Wuxia in there earlier."
    "Are you certain that it was the Revolution fighting?"
    He nodded. "We heard stories that another Revolution turned up to help fight, but we think we've managed to piece together that that was actually agents of the Toy Man."
    "You mean the most canny and dangerous opponent the Revolution has ever faced?"
    "That's what I've heard, yes."
    "So he's been involved in the Day of Fire as well?"
    "In the what?"
    "Haven't you been watching WAMT?"
    "I've been out here putting out fires, ma'am," he replied politely.
    "Oh. Good point. I understand the Revolution was here helping out earlier today?"
    "Yeah, just after the two hours in which they vanished—"
    "Were they possibly captured by the Toy Man during that period?"'
    "I wouldn't know, ma'am. What I do know is that Thunderbolt and Needle came back here and gave us a couple hours of help before they moved on to other things, which was invaluable for putting out the primary fires. I have to say that after all of this is over, we're certainly going to be putting both of them up for medals from the Fire Department for helping out during all of this."
    "All right. Thanks for letting us know that, and I'm sure they'll be happy to hear it, now that they've just apparently defeated all the enemies that they're facing today. And now then, back to you in the studio," Darcy concluded.
    "And on that note," Holly picked up the thread, "we understand that the Toy Man, Mr. Peter Paulson or Paul Page, is being held under police guard at the hospital. We have a news crew at the scene...."
    "We understand, doctor, that Mr. Paulson? Page?" The reporter at the hospital was talking to Toy Man's supervising doctor.
    "Ah, Page," he confirmed.
    "Yes—has regained consciousness? Would it be possible for us to talk to him?"
    "I wouldn't recommend it," the doctor sighed, "but he has been requesting a news crew for the last ten minutes."
    "Excuse us for just a moment." She addressed the camera directly. "We're getting a rare opportunity to interview a captured supercriminal while he's still in the hospital." The crew proceeded into the room.
    "So, Mr. Page—"
    "Call me Toy Man," he said, very faintly.
    "Are you trying to have your voice sound all spooky like that?"
    "No, my voice synthesizer is broken," he explained.
    "Do you have anything you'd like to tell our viewers about your stunning defeat by the Revolution earlier today?" she inquired.
    "Yes. I just want to tell them that the Revolution is no doubt a powerful and courageous superteam, and they will certainly see their city through whatever is happening right now. And to let them know that I shall return," he promised. "I will be back. They cannot consider themselves safe from me, not now, not ever."
    "So you're complimenting them, then threatening their lives?"
    "I see no contradiction in that."
    "Do you have a plan that you're planning on attacking the Revolution with when you return?"
    "Of course I do, but it's not one that I will be sharing with you."
    She turned back to the camera. "Already plotting for his next attack on the Revolution, it just goes to show that he is the most tenacious and perhaps cunning foe the Revolution has ever faced. And now back to you in the studio."

    Ring ring. Ring ring.
    "Yes?"
    "Rick, hi. This is Candi."
    "Oh, hi Candi. What's going on?"
    "I don't know if you've been watching the news, but...."
    "Yeah?"
    "Someone just attacked this building," she whispered.
    "Someone just attacked—what building, where are you?"
    "The studio."
    "We can't go anywhere," he said firmly. "We're under strict orders."
    "Can we come to you? It's just me and Tao, we just need—"
    "Tao?"
    One of the other Blood Boards wolf-whistled.
    Rick made his decision. "Get on the T. Take it down to the end of the Orange Line, we'll have someone pick you up there. All right. Yeah, okay. Okay, bye."
    "What are we doing?" one of the others asked.
    "Sensei's girlfriend and the actress, the one who plays Needle on television—"
    "The one with the hooters?"
    He sighed. "Yeah, the one with the hooters. Apparently there was an attack against the studio, and they're looking for protection."
    "So you told them to come here?"
    "We're already protecting people here. If they come here, we can just focus everything, it only makes sense," he shrugged. "You guys, get on your boards, head out there. Meet 'em there, bring 'em here. Um, blindfold them."
    "You want us to blindfold them?" one asked dubiously.
    "Look, if they're blindfolded, the chick with the hooters is gonna have to hold onto your waist while you're flying."
    "Yeah!"
    "It's for everybody's protection. Go. They're gonna be at the end of the Orange Line in probably about half an hour."
    "I'm not too sure about this, Rick," Dawn murmured.
    "I can't do anything else," he replied, frustrated. "He said we can't leave here, we can't leave you. You can't leave here."
    "Yeah, I know... and I think he probably would have done the same thing."
    "What are they saying on the television right now?"
    The television was saying, "We just got another message in, it seems that not everything is over for the day, there has been one more attack. It seems unconnected, but we feel the need to bring it up because it was here at one of the WAMT studios, where they film Boston Common. Apparently there was an attack, several people were injured, and three of the actors have gone missing. We are not certain of their whereabouts at this time." Pictures of Candi Rich, Tao, and Horace Oriflamme appeared on the screen.

| Top |