Ben was ‘home alone’ again. This was often, in fact, the case. His parents didn’t take him along when they did ‘their thing’. He wasn’t ready yet. Wouldn’t be reliable. Wouldn’t act with conviction. They did leave him an ‘assignment’ however. Research on the various ‘Hero’s’ and their strengths and weaknesses. Not his favorite subject.

The tv drones in the background, a local newscast ...

Ben

He sat in the study with his feet up on the edge of the coffee table, a file in hand. Several others were scatteted about on the couch, each containing information on one of the so-called 'heroes' of the city. His dad expected him to have this information learned by the time that they got home. It was not a good thing to disappoint his father!

The television droned on, the constant background noise of American youth!

The drone changes slightly.

“Dramatic turn of events, as some sort of fight has broken out at the Santech Research labs, Ironside and ... Lady Grey? Haven’t seen her in action in a long while. From witness reports it seems Dark Star may be present as well as his partner in crime ...”

By sheer coincidence, he has just been looking through Lady Grey’s ‘file’.

Ben

The words caught his attention, causing him to forget the folder in his hands as the newcast continued on. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he watched the screen.

He sees, then, from a distant camera lens, his mother, teleporting outside ... and then teleporting agin, seemingly confused, directly into the face of the waiting Golem. And in one swift motion she crumples, like a doll with its strings cut.

Another figure stands nearby, looking intently on the scene, but not seemingly acting.

Ben

His eyes flare open wide and he leans in toward the television.

"No! Mom!" he exclaimed, fear for her safety evident on his face.

The figure leans down, evidently checking her pulse, then rises, nods and turns.

Just in time for the figure of his consumed father to come hurtling out of the building himself. The strange figure of Golem starts bulking at the knees. And then ...

Dark Star starts looking around wildly, confused, concentrating on something which doesn’t seem to exist. Golem straightens, stands up.

The lone figure still stands at a distance, unmoving.

The reporters are silent, for the moment letting the riveting footage stand for itself. How often do you get a direct live shot of a ‘supers contest’ at such close range.

Ben

He is on his feet now, folder falling to the floor where the pages scatter like leaves from a tree.

Eyes watch with disbelief until his father appears and he lets out a shout.

"Get them father!" he said. His father was one of the most powerful people ever. There was no way that they could stand against.....

"What? No.....what are you.....dad......" he says, heart pounding in his chest.

The Lady standing to the side moves in closer, and she raises a hand as if channeling something through it ... and he slumps.

Moments later an alarm goes off right behind Ben. The one that had been set to go off at the house if they ever both went unconscious at the same time.

Ben

A cold pit forms in his stomach as the strongest person he knew folds like a house of cards, Ben's jaw dropping for a few seconds until he is snapped out of his shock by the loud alarm.

It took a few more seconds for reality to sink in but then trained reflexes kicked in and the seventeen year old moved for the hallway where he waved a hand and pulled up the wood encased steel door of the hidden room. Inside was a communications station, arms locker and three backpacks hanging from hooks on the wall. Another door opens to a tunnel that leads down and out.

Ben grabs the go bag that his parents had prepared for him and left the family home.

The tunnel was eerily quiet and has a harsh white lighting, and the clang when the emergency door close behind him sounded like a trap closing. The trip down the tunnel alone with his thoughts seemed to take forever. But finally he found himself deposited in a wooded area by the lake. The light of the full moon filtered in through the trees, and a cold breeze blew through the air. There was a hanging thickness to the atmosphere that perhaps bespoke oncoming rain.

He was well and truly alone.

Ben

The cold breeze had goose bumps rising on his arms as he started to move through the trees, heading northwest away from the house toward a nature preserve. They had a car stored in a garage about five miles from here. He just needed to get to that, then make his way to the safehouse and figure out a way to get his parents free.

It is a long hike alone with himself, and then a long drive, but he finds himself at the ‘bunker’ - and a well equipped one it is, tools, grappling hooks, everything one could need. A secure database, a satellite uplink, and a note.

“Well Ben, looks like you may be on your own now. We’ve given you tools. Go out an make your mark. The world is yours for the plucking. Take it. Squeeze. Bring it to its knees. You are better Than them. Make sure they know it.“

The an Erie quit and time to think. Or perhaps plan?

Ben

He had never thought that this day would come, sitting here in the cool bunker that his dad had built. They had joked about it being their 'doomsday' home. A place to come if the idiots that ran the government ever actually were stupid enough to push the button. But once he had found out his parents secret identities and activities the bunker had made a lot more sense. This was the place where they could regroup if things ever went wrong.

But Ben, like so many kids, had thought his parents were paranoid. With their powers there was no way that they could ever be beaten. His dad was one of the most powerful supers around and with mom's fast escape ability...how? Who had that Lady Grey been? He didn't remember her in any of the files that his dad had had him look at. Was she someone new? Or perhaps someone very old. No longer in the game. That kind of made more sense given that she was hanging out with that rusted piece of steel Ironside who had been around since the Jurasic period or something!

Now here he was sitting in the bunker with the piece of paper in his hands. He looked it over again, taking in the words. They were telling him to forget them. To take what was here and go take the world for himself. To forge his own destiny.

"Well yeah, not like I haven't dreamed about getting out on my own. Out of dad's shadow." he muttered, looking around at everything they had provided.

And if it had just been his dad then maybe he could do that. Take his mom and go start somewhere else. But they had mom. He couldn't leave her! She might not be the best mother in the world but she was all that he had.

"Shit...."

He got up and headed over to the database to figure out what information he had to work with. To figure out where they would have them and how to get them back...at least mom...

What he found out is that they would no doubt eventually end up in the Black Hole. Inexperience as he was, he knew that once they were there, they were beyond his grasp. Before that, however, they would be at court. A preliminary session before their appearance before, most likely, Eidolon. He would have a short window, between when they were transferred to the court and then again when they were being transferred back to prison. So perhaps two chances.

Maybe not large ones, but that was what was there. He figured he had maybe a matter of days at this point. After the initial public appearance all proceedings would be in the Black hole, where powers could be suppressed.

Ben

He poured over everything that he found and made some basic plans. They wouldn't be expecting another gravity user since they had dad in custody so tomorrow he would drive toward the courthouse and see what he could find there.

After a restless night's sleep, he showered and dressed in non-descript clothes and pulled a baseball cap low over his features before heading out to the car for the drive into the city for the main courthouse.

The court building was imposing and fairly standard as these things went. The structure itself was relatively new, as it had been constructed with the sorts of defendants that would be in it in mind. There were, of course, a good number of security guards nearby, and at least one he was pretty sure was a super - although he could not identify the one. If he got things right, he should at least be here before their arrival ...

Ben

He parked the car two blocks away in a lot, taking the time stamped ticket from the man in the little booth. Ben pulled his hat down a bit more and shouldered his backpack loaded with several flash bangs, wire cutters and two changes of clothes.

Ben slung his leg over the chair of the outdoor cafe across from the courthouse, ordering a coffee and settled in for his watch. He wasn't sure which of the guards over there was powered but he knew at least one of the was. He breathed deeply, mentally preparing himself for the fight that was to come.

He wasn’t sure, and it was probably paranoia. But he almost felt like someone was watching him. Following him. Stalking him, a distinctly odd feeling.

Ben

He sipped his coffee, ordering a bagel with cream cheese to buy more time without raising any suspicion of loitering.

But that didn't help the prickling of the short hairs on the back of his neck. He stretched his neck, glancing around as if getting rid of a cramp and looked to see if anyone looked away suddenly.

A rather unassuming man is sitting in a car eating a bagel himself. And a woman is sitting with him.

Ben

He averts his eyes from the people in the car, continuing to look around as if he is just out enjoying the morning coffee and people watching.

Could they be cops, keeping an eye out? Makes sense. His parents are big time and he wouldn't be surprised if they don't have snipers around too.

He adjusted his plans for his snatch and grab, waiting....

(Since the images didn’t come through its Mariel and Eric the power nullifier from the staff thread.)

OOC: Okay. Waiting on your action post unless Ben recognizes them from files

(Mariel might almost look vaguely familiar, but then again he can’t put his finger on it. The guy not at all) he sees multiple cars pulling in. It looks like what he was waiting for.

Ben

He pulls out some bills and drop them on the table, sparing a glance at the car with the bagel eater and the woman that looks vaguely familiar.

Once they get his mom or dad out, he plans on teleporting next to them and forming a high gravity donut around them to prevent bullets or intrusion, then grabbing his parent and teleporting away to the top of the restaurant.

Somebody steps out of the car. Several somebodies. His parents not among them, and look right over at him, then point.

The man and lady in the car get up and walk his way.

Ben

Shit! They must have telepaths!

He looks over to the far side of the square, opposite of where he is now and wills himself to teleport there. Ben plans to work his way around to the car and drive away.

He concentrates, and starts to feel the buildup for a teleport, then it suddenly ... stops. The man walking next to the lady is looking at him.

“Ben, right?”

Says the woman.

“Please, don’t run. We won’t hurt you.”

Ben

He looks over at them, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry guys, I gave already to my local church." he said, turning on his heel and moving away.

And she runs .. straight through a pillar and several intervening cars. Literally through them, until she was in front of him.

"You aren't leaving."

He thought he could PROBABLY bowl her over. She's not a very large woman ...

Ben

"Unless you plan on abducting a minor, get the hell out of my way lady." he said, jinking around her to continue on his way.

Something messed with his teleport so it was likely that his gravity powers wouldn't work as well. He moved his hand to the side pocket on his backpack and unzipped it, reaching inside. There was more than one way to get away.

Mariel

“The proper word is ‘detain’. That is when it’s a legal restraint.”

He hears a clattering as his backpack seems to empty without ever being opened.

“Look. You have a choice here. If we detain you, it will go much better than if the others after you do.”

She holds up a radio.

“Jitterbug. Might need you after all.”

Ben

"Detaining me means you have to catch me in the act of a crime or have a legal warrant. Do you have either of those? No, I don't think so." he said, backing away from her. "I have done nothing wrong so you have no legal ground to detain me."

“Unfortunately in this case, you failed to account for subsection 21a of the expanded law regarding metahumans. It sucks that it’s there, but it is.”

She says quietly.

“There is already a warrant for your apprehension. Not for prison. But apprehension nonetheless.”

Ben

"I know that you think that you are just doing your job but until I do something wrong I refuse to acknowledge your unconstitutional subsection." he said and made a break right at full speed. If he can get far enough away from them he should be able to use his abilities and get the heck out of here!

Thank god for all the running practice coach Larson required!

... and he runs straight into what seems an immovable wall. And it hurts. Quite a bit.

A rather squirrelly looking man is leaning against a car, with a mask and a green cloak, holding up one hand.

“Stop”

Ben

He rebounds off of the unseen wall, falling flat on his butt and cracking his head on the sidewalk.

Ben groans and lifts a hand to his head, vision blurring for a moment from the knock on the skull.

"Not cool."

Quickly, two things happen. The first is that a bracelet is snapped around his wrist. The second is that he feels a hand on his head and soothing coolness washing over as his vision clears.

Mariel
She speaks quietly.

“I’m sorry Ben. I really am. I’ve been there. I got better. Eventually.”

She sighs.

Ben

By the time that the ringing in his head stops he is cuffed but at least his head feels better.

"What kind of government arrests children for the accident of their birth. I believe that I am owed a phone call? Our attorneys are in need of a very large settlement." he said, resting his elbows on his bent knees as he sits on the sidewalk.

Mariel is kneeling down next to him, hands on her knees.

“Yeah. Don’t blame you. I tried that one too. Didn’t work well. Spent plenty of time banging my head against the wall though.”

Ben

"I don't spend my time banging my head on a wall. That is what the expensive lawyers are for. And please stop trying the good cop, bad cop routine."

“Yup. That too. There are a few problems. Many of the expensive lawyers have also been arrested. Unfortunately connections to organized crime are still illegal. The second problem is just how much of that money is actually yours and how much was taken from others. I think it’s quite likely accounts are being frozen. Look. I know bluster is a useful thing. It gets you through the day. But it really isn’t going to help you here.“

Ben

He looks the older woman in the eyes, trying to keep his bravado in place. Father always told him that you never showed fear or doubt when facing an opponent, in business or in life.

"You aren't dealing with a psychopath like Nyx or something now. All legal precautions were taken. Funds in accounts outside of your juresdiction. Prepaid legal fees to firms that are pristine in view of the law. Now, do I get my phone call or do you reveal that this is all an illegal arrest? Either way, we might as well take this to the police station."

OOC: Let me know if any news media is there

“Yes, you can have a call. But I have a feeling that you are going to find out much more about your father - and mother - than you ever wanted to know. I don’t envy you.”

She pauses.

“Your education was quite good, but it seems you have neglected certain areas of law. Once we are in the car, you can have your phone. I suspect you aren’t going to like what they have to tell you. I have documents for you that you can send them on exactly what is going on. I will send them to you.”

She pauses.

“It isn’t precisely an arrest.”

Ben

He got to his feet and looked around for a moment.

"You might want to have someone clean up the things from the backpack before some kid gets hold of one of the flash bangs and hurts themselves." he said, ignoring her so-called words of wisdom.

“Yes, they are being taken into account.”

She give him a tilted look.

“You are in for quite the education. Hopefully it will not be too painful.”

She motions with one arm.

“This way, Ben.”

Ben

"Pain is not an unknown friend." he said, following the older woman. His eyes continued to look around for the others.

“ain’t that the truth, kiddo.”

She shrugs.

“Ain’t that just a damn truth.”

Ben

He continued to follow her. Ben had a phone call to make.

He wondered what his parents would think of his failure. They had advised himto leave them behind and go out on his own. Father would probably be disappointed at his emotional choice to attempt to rescue them and definitely be disgusted at his lack of success.

On the trip he made his phone call and ... the lawyers were actually rather unhelpful, in that they indeed seemed to think that everything was, at least legally, above board. They would keep looking for a loophole or something to exploit but so far, they could find nothing.

Eventually, after some time, a car trip, time for him to talk on the phone with his lawyers ... he found himself alone in an interview room, momentarily./

Ben

"Keep working on it. Hire a media consultant if necessary to put pressure on them. Get it done!"

He sat in the back of the car on the rest of the trip, examining the bracelet on his wrist and bidding his time to see just what these people had in mind.

Eventually he found himself sitting in an interview room at a table, hands folded together as he waited.

A lady in a grey cloak walks in, sits, and then look s at him, imitating his post almost exactly.

"Well Ben. It looks like your have a bit of a Dilemma. I suspect you don't fully appreciate how much of one at this point./"

She says mildly.

"Still, I'm here at your service, so to speak. I'm here to tell you what is going on. What is what, what is to be. But questions. I am sure you have them."

Ben

He sits up a bit more as a person enters who is obviously more in charge then the last two.

"I do indeed but could I have your name first so that I can address you properly?"

"Well. If you go by super hero standards, I'm Lady Grey. Actuality, I'm Mary. use each or either as you prefer. They tend to call me in for superpowered minors. I have a bit of a specialty in that field one could say.""

Ben

"Very well then Lady Grey, I do have some questions just to clarify my position please. This subsection 21b, what does it entail? Under what authority am I being detained and for what duration?"

"There are some things you don't know about your parents. The first is that they were tried, and convicted, before you were born. It only took some time to track them down and figure out who they were. Those crimes Ben. Those crimes were serious ones. Very serious ones. We are not, Ben, talking grand larceny. We are not talking Theft. We are talking premeditated murder."

She says evenly, then holds up her hand.

"I know that you won't want to believe that. However ...it is on the books. The crimes involved have a lifetime sentence."

She looks at him patiently, waiting for his questions.

Ben

He frowned slightly, one hand rubbing his chin.

"No, it doesn't totally surprise me that my father could be capable of killing someone to advance his goals. My father can be a rather ruthless person. I have more trouble believing that of my mother. Murder doesn't seem to be in her. I mean I could understand her killing someone in defense. Especially of her family."

She nods, evidently tracking him seriously.

"I understand that. However, at the time she as much as admitted it. And there is also the matter of vdeo evidence, which is pretty tight."

She auses.

"However, we are not here to relitigate that case, I didn't prosecutor it, not did I participate in the sentencing. What I am going to is are you aware what happens when both parents are incarcerated to a lifetime sentence?"

Ben

"No, obviously not. Please continue." he said, motioning for her to keep going.

Grey:

"It touches on matters of Custody. In this case, the revocation of theirs. You also have no close relatives and despite their thoroughness in other matters, it seems they have assigned no godparents. Your custody is being reassigned. You being what you are, a foster home frankly couldn't handle you. I think we are both aware of this.""

Ben

"True, plus at 17 I wouldn't be there long enough to justify a placement. You could allow me to be declared an immancipated minor but I am sure that takes time. You can't place me in prison as I have not committed any serious crime. I suppose I could return to boarding school until I graduate or turn 18." he offered.

"Unfortunately, for those like us, it does not work that way."

She says gently.

"When we arrive, I can make available to you all of the relevant books of law. However, for the moment, you are where you are. Do you, for now, accept this?"

Ben

"I don't seem to have much choice in the matter at this moment. I assume that this bracelet is some kind of power dampener? While I am stronger and tougher from training in high G, I doubt that I would be a physical match for some of the Supers here. Where ever this is."

"So I am effectively your prisoner. At least until my lawyers find a way out or in nine months when I turn 18."

"THat is not strictly the case, but then again, I will not try to explain that to you here. I will make the materials available to you to study yourself. In the meantime, I do hope you take advantage of the things that are being offered. They should not lightly be turned aside. Will you at least approach things with an open mind?"

Ben

"Do not expect me to be happy at being detained against my will, but I don't plan on causing trouble and giving you an excuse to use the law against me further." he said with a shrug.

Grey:

"Not asking for happiness, just a mind open to opportunities. Fair?"

Ben

"My father, you remember the murderer, always told me to take advantage of any opportunities life presents you. So now what?"

"Now, I am going to take you to the campus. We can arrange to have belongings brought to you if applicable. Come up with a list. Most of it likely won't be a problem other than obvious things."

Ben

"So my father's gravity death ray of ultimate destruction is out then?" he said with a faint grin, getting up to follow her.

"Yup. I'm afraid death rays are only available to graduates. And implicit in the acquisition is good behavior. Once we are in the facility proper we should be able to remove the bracelet. There are safeguards against teleportation.""

Ben

"Well that sucks. I like teleporting. It is a very cool way to get around." he said with a sigh. "I guess anti-gravity will have to do."