Chapter 12: Road Trip

After I left with Reeve and Bryce, I had Janet and the others enter the lab and meet up with Changying. While Bryce came into the lab, Janet entered as well and without notice as she went invisible. I noticed when she sent a slight mental wave over to me as to warn me that she was here. She walked up to me and whispered to me, "I'm here, what do you want me to do." I was to busy with the conversation, so I pointed to Reeve and she walked over to him. "Hey Reeve, don't say anything yet. Michal wants me to come up with a plan with you. Do you have any ideas?" She whispered, "Well, I'd say that we go with the situation." He said, that was when I suggested the deal. After that, Reeve and Janet knew what to plan.

So, after Reeve and I left with Bryce. Janet appeared and then tended to the scientist. That's when Changying started to ask questions.

"Who are you?" She asked, "The names Magenta, I'm with Inferno and Argonaut. Me and the other's need to hurry." Janet answered, "Well, okay. But how many of you are there?" Changying asked, "Well, I'm the only girl, and there are three other guys. So in total, six." Janet answered, "Why did he lie to me? He told me that he and Argonaut were the only ones." Changying asked and stated, "Well, that guy who broke into here earlier. He was once Inferno's friend, and something happened. He attacked a city and then was brought to our headquarters where he attacked again and damaged a machine we have there that needs the Sonic Replicator for it to be fixed." Janet explained, "So that's it, but is there anything else I need to know about?" She asked, "No, not really. Other than that he is the son of that hero who saved you, and that guy is sorry for what happened." Janet said, and after that, Changying began to smile as she turned away and then grabbed the Sonic Replicator. She handed it to Janet and said, "Take it, we never really needed it. We have six other prototypes at a separate lab in our California laboratory." That's when every one of my teammates raised a hand and slapped their foreheads. 

With the device in our possession, Janet, Jack, Josh, and Caleb left. They got in the hovercar and then activated the tracking devices and pinned in on me and Reeve's location.

By that time, Reeve, Bryce, and I had already made it over the Pacific Ocean and made our way to our destination. Which, at the time, we didn't know where it was yet. 

While flying, I asked Bryce many times, "Where are you taking us?" He just kept ignoring me the whole time. Meanwhile, the team made it past the ocean as well and made a quick stop at HQ to drop off the device. They immediately left and were back on our tails. 

By that time, we were in a city that we wouldn't have even begun to explore first hand. 

We landed in Las Vegas, NV. And might I tell you, it did not seem that impressing as I always thought it was, but that might be because we were there during the day time. So, whatever. We landed on top of a random casino and made our way in through the roof. We were in a little room that leads into the casino. That's when Bryce told us to take off our costumes while in here, but Reeve and I disagreed. "We rather keep our identities a secret from your leader." I said,  "Fine, be stubborn, I was gonna let you put em back on before you met the boss. I was just thinking those things draw too much attention." Bryce explained, "Still, we'll compromise. We keep the masks on." I suggested, then Reeve and I hit a button on our suits that sucked all of our suits, except our masks, into a backpack container. A neat feature that made changing pretty easy. 

Then he opened a door that leads into the actual casino. 

It looked as a standard casino should look like, we made our way through it. He lead us to the elevator where we were taken to the top floor. That's where we went into a large room that seemed like a sweet. But once we were inside, we put our costumes back on and Bryce clapped his hands. Then the room started to change as everything either went into the floor or changed color. After everything was done changing, a man came out wearing a mask that kinda made him look like Bane. He said, "Aw, hello boys. Welcome to my lair, make yourselves comfortable." And that's what we did as two chairs popped out from the ground. "Okay, question, who are you and why are you doing this?" Reeve asked, "Yeah, my friends and I need answers." I added

"Okay, okay...the thing is, I'm The Big Man. Although I did go by another name, and that name was...Mr. Neutron." He said in a deep impressing voice. Reeve and I looked at each other and we both said simultaneously, "Yeah, we kinda figured." Then I explained, "We all had a hunch it was you from the beginning. Only you could do something like this. We also found your prison cell to be home to a look alike of you. So we put all that we knew and concluded that you were behind it." He didn't seem pleased with our response, so he then grinned and said, "Well fine, you knowing is not important. However, I know you have him with you and you care for him. So, I'll tell you a little secret that only I know. Listen here young boy...I'm the one who shot Mr. Proton." 

Anger was always something that came with mass destruction, even anger that is fresh can be destructive. I just found out the man who put my dad in pain and made my mom cry is also the man who was once my dad's friend. I'm not just angry, I'M FILLED WITH RAGE…

"What was that? Either I'm hearing things, or you're telling me you shot him...the man was once your friend and you were willing to shoot him." I stated, "Precisely, he ruined my plans to become a superhero. So I found evil and became a villain instead, and that lead us to right now." He said with a snarling tone, "Okay, just wanted to clarify. Now...what's stopping me from turning your corpse into ash?" I asked, "Because if you make a scene here, then I'll activate the bomb hidden in the casino and kill everybody here along with you, your partner, your friend, all while I use…" He said after I interrupted him by shooting a fireball at him, knocking him down and knocking a remote out of his pocket. 

"Aww, man...you got me while monologuing. Why do I let this happen?" He yelled out, "Remember this, I did that for my friends. Now explain yourself. Why do you have Bryce? What powers do you have? What is your end goal?" I stated and asked, "Okay...uh...you deserve an explanation...it's just that I'm kinda actually hurt." He said, then he called Bryce over and he stood over Mr. Neutron and had one hand placed on his shoulder. Then a vapor emanated from him and he began to rise to his feet. "So, Bryce does have healing powers!" Reeve said, finally contributing to the conversation again. "Yes...you see, all his powers were once mine. After years of wearing a fabricated power watch, I designed. It became clear that my body could no longer take the toll it created. So I found a suitable candidate to inherit my powers." Mr. Neutron explained while dealing with the burn I gave him, "Yeah...alright...that explains why he has powers. But tell me this! How come we couldn't track Bryce? And is Bryce acting of his own free will, or are you calling the shots and controlling him?" I said and asked, "That's easy, it's one of his powers to not be tracked by anything. And to put the other question bluntly...Yes, I am." He answered, "You see when I gave him the powers, he wanted to use them for his own good doing. That did not sit well with me, so I put a virus in the watch that allows me to control his actions. All while he acts in his little mind of what he's been doing. I would say he's living a life of saving people and seeking justice inside his head, while I have control over his actual body." He explained to us, "Then what's to stop us from taking Bryce away, getting rid of the virus in his watch, then coming back to kick your butt?" Reeve pointed out, "Oh, the virus has become part of him. The only way to free Bryce is either I perish, or I say that he is free to go." He explained, "Then what's to stop us from either making you do that or ending you right here...right now?" Reeve asked, "Yeah, you make a good point. But you wouldn't kill anybody. It's hero one-o-one that a hero does not kill." He explained with a hint of fear under the tone, "Maybe so, but who has to know. Reeve and I could do away with you in an instant. Wither it's me lighting you on fire, or Reeve squashing you with one slap. Your life could be ended and nobody would know. And I am still mad about what you did, so shall we test that theory?" I said as intimidating as I could be, "If I'm being honest right now, that scared me a little. But still, what's the point in killing me when I can help you become better." He said, "Trying to persuade us won't work. We already like what we've got and how can we get better than how we are now?" I stated and asked, "Simple, I take your watches and study them some more. Restore my research on them and make some minor improvements. Have your watches tap into their full power." He explained, "But if we do that, then what stops you from brainwashing us and then control us so we do your bidding?" Reeve stated and asked, "Man you boys are perceptive. Though it isn't an ideal situation, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that I would have done that." He said, "Alright, since you won't let Bryce go, Reeve...do your thing." I said, then Reeve grew his hand and smashed Mr. Neutron and Bryce. They collapsed and were knocked unconscious.

Since they were knocked out, we used our coms to see where the others were. "Hey Janet, can you hear me?" I asked, "Loud and clear, what's up?" She said and asked, "We caught the mastermind. We were right, it was Mr. Neutron. We're gonna take them in but we need the car. How far are you from our location?" I said and asked, "We're already here, we were here the whole time on the roof." She said, "Yeah, now can you hurry up. Not all of us can stand this heat." Caleb said, "Alright, we'll be on our way." I said, then we brought Mr. Neutron and Bryce back to our base.

Then it became time for the...Interrogations