"Will you calm down!" came a voice from above.

The silent man made a gesture with his hand.

"I know you don't like this," his partner said.

The silent one shook his head and returned his attention to alley. His partner floated down beside him and levitated comfortably with his legs crossed. He was also blond but with straight hair and he wore a pair of eye-glasses. He was dressed in black denim jeans and a button up shirt. He was also shorter than his companion.

"I'm not real thrilled about this one either, Jericho," he said.

Jericho made a series of gestures. It was obvious that he was upset.

"Look pal, I'm sorry," the floating one responded. "We work for the Agency and we don't have a choice here. We do what we're told. It's not like we can leave."

Jericho crossed his arms and released a disgruntled breath.

His partner chuckled. "With your power what did you think the agency was going to have you do anyway?"

Jericho shrugged. Then he nodded his head reluctantly.

"I agree. This isn't what I signed on for either. Still it's a paycheck and a roof over our heads. Plus it beats running from those mutant-hunters all the time."

Jericho glared at his verbal partner and made several more gestures signifying his displeasure with the situation.

"So what?" the partner shrugged. "He's like anyone else. You stare him in the eye and this job is over." He stared at his wristwatch. "It's almost time. I'm going back up. And stop pacing if he thinks you're nervous he might suspect something."

Jericho watched as his friend levitated back up and out of sight. Then he returned his attention to the mouth of the alley and he waited. A few minutes later (although it seemed much longer to Jericho) a voice called through the alley way.

"Is anybody here?" Captain America called out.

"Just come on in," a voice called out from above.

"I received a message that there was a young mutant that was here and in trouble," Cap called out.

"That's right. I'm back here."

Jericho began waving his right hand.

Cap waved back and approached the young man. Jericho lifted his hands indicating that he had no weapons. This did little to settle Cap nerves since he knew he was dealing with a mutant but he didn't know his powers. Still he extended his hand in friendship. Jericho looked guilty as he took Cap's hand into his own. Then their eyes met.

Contact

Jericho disappeared and Cap stood in the alleyway alone.

"All right buddy," his partner crowed. "You did it."

He floated down and patted Cap on the shoulder. Cap lifted his hand and extended the pinky. He then twisted his hand writing a "J" in the air.

"I know it's you. I was watching."

Cap nodded.

"Hey Vance!" he called. "So this is it."

"Looks like it," Vance returned. "The key Cap gave me worked anyway."

"It's going to take a lot of work."

"I think that was the idea," Vance agreed. "Have you heard anything from the other two?"

"Not yet," Connor said. "Cap said they'd be here though."

"He said he'd be here too."

"True," Connor replied. "He probably got tied up with the League again."

"So do you want to wait or start cleaning this place up?"

"Might as well get started," Connor said. "Where do you suggest?"

"We should probably clear out these broken crates and establish our training area."

"We're not going to be able to lift some of those."

"Maybe I can help with that," a timid voice said.

Connor and Vance turned and saw a puny little black boy standing in the doorway.

"Am I in the right place?" he asked. "This is the address that Cap gave me."

"You're in the right spot," Connor replied. "Though I'm not sure how you're going to help with those heavy crates."

"Oh, just let me show you," the boy said.

Elvin Holliday closed his eyes. He concentrated and called upon the rage that he bottled up inside. Then he grew. This wasn't a slow painful grow, it was sudden and immediate. It was almost as if the little boy and a giant man changed places in the wink of an eye. Elvin now stood over 7' tall, heavily muscled, and approaching five hundred pounds.

"You can call me Rage," the giant said.

"I'll call you whatever you want," Robbie Baldwin said as he stepped in behind Rage. "I guess this is the right place," he stated as he looked at the giant and then noticed Vance levitating. "Where's Cap?"

"He's not here yet," Connor said.

"Oh," Robbie replied. "Then I guess introductions are in order."

"Right," Vance agreed. "I'm Justice. I'm a telekinetic."

"Connor Hawke, Martial Artist," Connor informed.

"Rage," Elvin said and he didn't offer any more.

"I'm called Speedball," Robbie said. "I absorb kinetic energy."

"You what?" Vance asked.

Robbie took several steps forward and then took a running leap into the nearby wall. As he struck it he was surrounded by thousands of tiny colorful balls of force and he ricocheted off the wall and across the room.

"I bounce," he replied.

"I could probably build some obstacles out of those old crates," Connor offered. "But I didn't bring any tools with me today."

"That's all right," Vance replied. "We should probably wait on Cap before we do anything else. I wonder what's keeping him."

"You got me," Connor said.

"He should have checked in by now anyway," Vance said. "Even if he did get tangled up with the League."

Vance walked over to his gym bag and pulled out his communicator.

"Wow," Robbie said. "You have a Justice League communicator."

"Actually, I have an Avengers League communicator," Vance answered. "I was supposed to give it back today. Cap was bringing us all JLA communicators today."

Vance raised the communicator. "Cap, come in. This is Justice calling Captain America. Come in, Cap."

Vance waited for a minute. "Nothing." He hissed. "Let me check in with the League."

"This is Justice calling JLA headquarters."

A friendly voice broke the static. "This is JLA headquarters. This is the Captain speaking."

"Captain America!" Vance said.

"No. Captain Marvel," was the reply.

"Oh," Vance said. "I'm looking for Captain America. Was he called away on a League emergency?"

"No," Captain Marvel said. "It's been pretty quiet here for a change."

"Has Captain America checked in lately?"

"No," Captain Marvel informed him. "But he said he might not. He's supposed to be training that group of kids today."

Vance grimaced at the word 'kid.' "This is one of those kids," he said. "He never showed up."

"And he hasn't contacted you?"

"No."

"That's odd."

"Yes, it is," Vance agreed.

"Let me check the daily log and make a few calls and I'll call you back." Captain Marvel suggested.

"Okay," Vance said. "Justice out."

"Stand down," one of the officers commanded as he reached toward the wall for the telephone. "Tell M.O.D.O.K. that we have a package for him."

"You do good work," M.O.D.O.K. said. "Mr?"

"Chase," the floating boy said. "Danny Chase and that's my partner, Jericho. He'd wave but he's a little tied up at the moment."

M.O.D.O.K. smiled maliciously.

"Is he secure now?" Danny asked.

A scientist nodded as he checked the restraints.

"Okay, Jericho, you can come out now."

Suddenly Jericho appeared standing in front of Cap. He collapsed.

"This really takes a lot out of him," Danny explained.

"Understandably." M.O.D.O.K. said.

"What is going on?" Cap demanded.

"Don't worry, Captain America." M.O.D.O.K. said "You will not be a guest here for very long. As soon as my power is returned I have big plans for you."

Danny Chase cleared his throat.

"Oh yes." M.O.D.O.K. replied. "Where are my manners? There is still the matter of payment. The Agency might frown on me forgetting payment. Not to worry though. A.I.M. always pays its debts. Unlike others I know. Be sure to tell your Administrator I will be happy to work with him any time."

"I'll do that," Danny said.

"Go ahead, Captain," Vance replied.

"The last report we received from Captain America was this morning."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"Yes," Captain Marvel answered. "He received a message that a young mutant was in trouble and wanted to speak to him. He left an address where he was supposed to meet him."

"Okay," Vance said. "Send it and we'll go check it out."

"While your doing that, I'll scan and see if the locator device in his communicator is still functioning."

"Sounds good," Vance said. "Justice out."

Vance looked over at Connor. "Did you bring your quarterstaff?"

"Of course," Connor said.

"Let's get suited up then."

"Can we come?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah, can we?" Elvin echoed.

"I think it would be best if you did," Vance replied. "This may be a training exercise that Cap has cooked up."

"Do you really think so?" Elvin asked.

"No," Vance responded, "I don't."

"Nothing," Vance said. "No sign of a struggle. No sign of Cap."

"Someone was pacing here," Connor offered as he stared at the ground.

"Hey, Justice," Speedball asked. "Have you been in this alley, today."

"No. Why?"

"Well," Speedball explained. "When you float around like that a trail of colors follows you."

"Are you saying that my telekinesis leaves behind a residual trail that you can see?"

"If that means that a stream of colors follows you while you're floating . . . then . . . yeah," Speedball replied.

"What about it?"

"There's another one in this alley," Speedball said. "It's very faint and a slightly different color then yours but it's here."

"Does it leave the alley?" Connor asked.

"That way," Speedball replied.

"Go ahead, Captain," Vance whispered.

"We've located Cap," Captain Marvel said. "He's in a building outside of town. According to out records it's owned by A.I.M."

"That would explain all of the A.I.M. guards running around," Vance replied.

"What?" Captain Marvel asked.

"We're way ahead of you, sir," Vance explained. "We're standing outside that building now. We're about to go in."

"Stand down," Captain Marvel ordered. "This is League jurisdiction."

"I can't do that," Vance replied. "Justice out."

Vance disabled his communicator and turned to look at his three companions. "This is your last chance to back out, guys," he said.

"Are you kidding?" Speedball replied.

"I'm in," Rage grunted.

Vance turned to Connor.

"Do you really have to ask?" he said with a smile.

"Then let's do it," Vance replied and he took to the air.