June 1992Chris walks into the dance studio with Elle and her family. She was practically glowing. They were holding hands and her spark was going crazy. Though he felt a tinge of nervousness. “It’ll be okay, Elle. You’ll do great. Far better than me, anyway.” He pats her hand with his free one. She gives him a wide smile.They walk over and stand next to another family. The rge studio buzzed with new students and their families. A woman comes out from a door marked office. “Welcome, everyone. I’m Mrs. Hamilton. I’ll be your instructor while you are here. Why don’t we go around and introduce ourselves?” There were 12 other students in all. All girls and each one were both nervous and excited to start the css. Then it’s Elle’s turn. Elle tells her how excited she is to be here. Simon greets her, as does Melissa. “Elle’s been excited since she got the flyer for her birthday.”“Great. That’s what I like. Excitement and enthusiasm.” Mrs. Hamilton says, directing her attention to Elle. “Okay, Elle. You can go over with the others, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”Elle hugs her dad and thanks him again for the dance lessons. She’s welcomed and told to thank Chris. She does, with a big hug. No objections taking the credit here.“Is it all right if her brothers and Chris stay here? We’ve been having some…issues with a stalker tely.” Simon talks to Mrs. Hamilton quietly. “And we’d like to keep the four of them together.”“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Not a problem at all. A lot of my students have friends or family stay until they’re done.”Elle goes over to the rest of the students and starts talking. Mrs. Hamilton thanks them all for coming and tells the boys they can have a seat along the wall. She points to some folding chairs.The boys take a seat and watch the first day of dance css. Most of it is a get to know everyone day. The instructor also has everyone show how flexible they are, if have any other physical hobbies: jogging, aerobics, martial arts. Anything so the instructor can get a good feel for their conditioning. She forgot to mention powers practice. Heh!Mrs. Hamilton goes through the weekly routing. First, giving everyone a copy of the schedule. Three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday from four until six. Saturday from ten until one or one-thirty, depending on how everyone is feeling. She goes over and shows some routines they will learn, starting tomorrow.Chris actually gets into it. Finding it fascinating. He looks at Elle, her eyes and all her focus on Mrs. Hamilton.Today’s css doesn’t st that long and they’re out of there in about forty minutes. They leave with enough light left to walk home, and no worries about being ambushed on the way.“So what kind of dancing you hoping to learn? Ballet?” Jerry asks as he mimics one…poorly.Elle busts out ughing. “Yeah, and you can be my partner. You’re a natural. We‘ll get you a tutu and everything.”Jerry stops immediately.“Actually, Jerry has a good question. What kind are you wanting to do?” Chris asks.“Something fun and fast. Maybe, swing. Or fmenco. Something with a lot of energy.”“Or once you get really good, you could make your own up?” Jackson tells her.“Yeah, thanks Jackson.”“And we’ll be there helping you out all the way, Elle.” Chris tells her.“I know.” Elle pulls in closer to him.“Well, we know what kind of dancing they’ll be doing ter.” Jerry comments.Elle lets go of Chris and runs after Jerry, smacking him on the back of the head when she gets close enough.“Does Jerry ever not pick on her?” Chris asks Jackson.“It wouldn’t be any fun otherwise.”Chris and Jackson chase after them. They continue on until they decide to stop by the b.They make it to the b and find their parent until there. They go in the employee entrance thanks to Chris’ card. The others forgot theirs.Chris sees Seth in the break room.“Hey, Seth. What’s going on?” Chris says.“Long time no see. How have you guys been?”“Just come back from my first dance css meeting. It was just a ‘get to know everyone’ day. But it was until cool.” Elle eagerly tells him.Chris can tell she loved it.“Awesome, gonna be a big time dancer, huh?”“I hope.”“Sure you can. I’ll root for ya, all the way.”“Thanks. Hey are the father figures still around?”Chris looks at her. Where’d that come from?“Yep. Check their office.”They do and find their dad’s discussing something.“Oh, hey, kids. Elle, you’re done early?” Her dad asks.“Today was just an orientation type day.”“Ah, I see.” Simon motions to Larry.“Sure, I will.”Chris isn’t sure he likes this.“How would you guys like to go on vacation? Say, Portnd, Maine?”Okay, Chris thinks, he was way off. “Portnd? What’s in Portnd?”“Ports?” Jerry says.“That’s not what I meant.” Though Chris smiles a bit.“There’s a medical science convention there in a few weeks. And we are the guests of honor.”“Whoa!” Chris and the others nearly say in unison.“But, wait? What about our stalker people? Won’t they get access to the b then, with us gone?” Jackson asks.“Already thought of that. Larry called Detective Moore about security at the b and he said it shouldn’t be a problem. But he was gonna check in on a few things first. Probably just legal stuff.” Simon tells them.“Plus. I’m downloading all our research and what the Director was so kind in leaving us, to disk right now.” Larry says looking at his computer. “Then they’re going in a safe deposit box at the bank.”Chris looks over and hears the drive running, now that he’s paying attention to it. And good idea with the safe deposit box. “But, dad. What if this is a setup?”“I thought the same thing too, Chris. Which is why we both called some colleagues of ours. Some of them got the same invite. Don’t worry, we checked it out. They have these all the time.”“When is it?” Elle asks, a touch of worry resounds.Simon takes the invitation. “July tenth, through the thirteenth. Friday through Monday.”“You should only miss one day from dance css, right?” Simon asks.“I’m sure Mrs. Hamilton won’t mind. Being that we’re the guests of honor. They probably just want to see you walk around and stuff.” Jackson says, snickering toward the end.“Yay, won’t that be fun.” Elle rolls her eyes.“And now, introducing Elle! The amazing ‘walking’ girl. See how she walks.” Jerry, sounding like a side show host.Smack!“Jerry, be nice to your sister, or she‘ll just keep smacking you.” Simon scolds him, even though he’s ughing.Smack!“It won’t be anything like that.” Larry assures them. “Look, we have plenty of time until then. By that time, I’m sure all of this stalker stuff will be done.”Chris sure hopes so.“Oh, yeah. Elle. The night before the actual conference is a formal dinner…with dancing. Maybe we can see some of your moves?”“Really.” Elle’s eyes light up.“Yup. So make sure you study hard.”“You bet. Maybe Jerry could come to css and at least watch how to dance, so he doesn’t step on anyone’s toes while he’s there.” Elle jokes.Jerry narrows his eyes at her.

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  Garcia lies on the massage table while Autumn works on his back with oil. Stinger comes in and reports.“Julia will live, sir.” Stinger says.Garcia turns his head. “Good.” He wouldn’t mind torturing her again. “Make sure she makes a full recovery.”“Yes, sir.” Stinger then turns and leaves.Garcia reaches over and takes the invitation off the nightstand. He reads it over again. Perfect. He actually had forgotten about the conference. Headlined by TalCorp. What a perfect time to find out how he did it.Suki comes in. “Sir, you have a phone call.” She holds out the phone for him.He takes it and answers.“Senor Garcia. Good to hear your voice again.” Mr. Starinski says.He wasn’t expecting Vdimir to call. “Vdimir, this is a surprise. Good to hear from you.”“I thought I might surprise you. Well, I have another surprise. I’m coming to the conference in Portnd.”That was a surprise. “I assume you’re coming to see the miracle girl for yourself?”“Indeed. I want to see this cybernetic enhancement.” Starinski carefully pronounces cybernetic. “It has intrigued me. I want to know the secret.”“And I as well. I have a pn to infiltrate the b where the data and the nano-wire device are located. But it won’t be easy. The kids have been spotted around the facility more frequently, and the police have focused their attention on TalCorp. A direct battle with a group of elementals would be detrimental right now.”“Well, I trust you to get the schematics and data for the procedure.”“You can rest assured, however I choose to retrieve the data, you can trust that you will be the first person I share it with.”“Thank you, my friend. I must go for now. But I will talk to you again, closer to the date of the conference.”“Until then. Adios.”“Do svidanya.”Garcia hands the phone back to Suki. She leaves. He sighs and flips over. Autumn oils his front and continues her massage.“Sir, may I ask a question?” Autumn asks.“What is it?”“How many of us will come with you to Portnd?”“Probably all of you. Once we’re done there, we may just go home. I’m not sure yet.”“I understand.”He ys back and closes his eyes as Autumn works lower. He has to decide which option to take, attack the facility now, with all the authorities and elemental defense. Or wait until the conference and attack them while they’re surrounded by weak fool scientists. Plus, if Starinski is as predictable as he always is, he’ll bring at least two of his henchmen along with him. Probably the master fireballer, Ravis and either Ravis’ men or his ‘student’, Tailon. Garcia wonders if Vdimir even trains him like he says. Hell, Garcia has taught him more than Starinski probably ever will.Autumn stops to take off her lingerie and climb on top of Garcia, having worked him up. Garcia sighs. Plenty of time to think about that ter.