PS238 #9

Sometimes a little extra-curricular education is necessary, especially when the student in question doesn't really have powers to begin with. In a back-up story, Tyler and his friends stop an attempted shoplifting at the local convenience store.

Main Story

Tyler sits on the steps of PS238, writing in his diary and waiting for his ride. He notes that he has been at PS238 for a few months now and can't believe that he is still alive, considering he doesn't have super powers. He laments that his parents put him there in hopes his powers would appear, because it doesn't matter if you're going to have powers someday if a classmate drops a couple hundred pounds of metal on you and you get squished. He notes that his parents never really tell him what they're doing because they don't want him to worry. As he continues to write he is interrupted by Angela and Prospero, who appear from a tunnel that opens up beside Tyler. Angie notes that if an old guy with a beard comes by looking for whoever made a mess in lab twelve, he didn't see them. She also suggests that if he sees a green compound oozing up from the sidewalk he shouldn't touch it. Angie and Prospero wander off to parts unknown as Tyler's ride arrives. It is a car sent by Revenant. Revenant reminds Tyler to use the code phrase he was assigned before getting into the car because you don't want to be getting into cars with the wrong sorts of people.

Tyler hops in the back of the car and chats with Revenant for a bit before discovering that Revenant really isn't in the car, but instead is piloting it remotely via the Omnidrive system. he suggests Tyler buckle up as the system will allow the car to avoid oncoming cars as well as law enforcement agents. Tyler ends up in a vehicle that can do 135 miles per hour on city streets.

Tyler arrives safely, albeit a bit shaken, at his destination, the Super Natural Gymnasium. Revenant instructs him to go inside to the last stall in the bathroom, where a secret door will open for him. He ends up having to sneak past the receptionist because he doesn't have a gym membership.

Revenant welcomes Tyler to his "office", which exists over the top of the gym. He has Tyler put his things in a storage room and instructs Tyler to pick out any equipment he thinks he might need in addition to the mandatory hero costume that Revenant has set up for him. Tyler comes out a bit overdressed for the occasion. Revenant notes that he can't reasonably expect to go out on patrol with all that equipment strapped to him, then notes that was likely Tyler's plan in the first place. Tyler doesn't deny it.

Revenant has Tyler ditch about twenty pounds of the excess gear and then they head out to the top of a building for Tyler's first lesson in getting around town with a grappling hook gauntlet. Revenant shows Tyler how to launch the grappler and how to tell if it is set properly, and then instructs him to go ahead and jump off the building. Tyler notes that he thought the whole idea was to teach him how to not get hurt or killed. Revenant notes that he is proud of Tyler because he exhibits wisdom and common sense beyond his years. He then proceeds to go ahead and push Tyler off the ledge.

As the pair swing across to the other building, Tyler screams and Revenant notes that getting around by grappling hook isn't the fastest mode of transport. He then explains that since a grappler takes up so much space it is best to make it a multi-purpose unit. They attempt a landing on a nearby rooftop. Tyler slams into a flagpole, which hurt a little, but he's glad to be back on solid ground. After Tyler regains his composure, Revenant asks him to bring out his homework - a mystery that they are supposed to solve. Tyler provides him with the picture of the Union of Justice he took from their buried satellite. he notes that he wants to know who his teachers were and why their space station is part of PS238. Revenant thinks they should go meet with someone who has the answers. Tyler is afraid they will have to swing from buildings to get there, to which Revenant explains that their car is below. They hop in and speed to their destination, much to Tyler's chagrin.

When they get there, Revenant shows Tyler how to immediately launch and reel in his grapple line as soon as it hits something. Tyler gets stuck hanging from a gargoyle, to which Revenant notes they'll work on dismounts and using ledges tomorrow. They then swing to the next rooftop over and enter the offices of the Consultant via her skylight. As they drop in, the Consultant asks Revenant if he has an appointment, noting that she has become more popular since his last visit. Revenant notes that the politcos should be concerned that she has a policy of "I sell the secrets you sell me", to which she replies that she thinks that one side thinks the other side doesn't know about her. Tyler, still dangling from his grappler, prods Revenant into asking about his mystery.

Revenant introduces Tyler as "Moon Shadow". He explains this to Tyler by saying he has been listening to a lot of Cat Stevens lately. He hands the consultant the picture of the Union of Justice and asks her to sell them the information on who these people were and what happened to them. She asks Moon Shadow to reel in his line so she can close the skylight. Tyler notes that his grappler appears to be stuck. As they discuss this, the Consultant notices that someone has just swooped into her office and grabbed some sensitive documents from her desk. She asks Revenant and Moon Shadow to retrieve them.

As Revenant and Moon Shadow reach the roof, Revenant recognizes the burglar. It is the Kestrel, a low-level telekinetic and professional burglar. She uses her powers to glide and float to reach the entrances to buildings and to get away. He also notes she uses talons in her gloves, so they need to be careful of that. The pair attempt to swoop down on her from above. Revenant misses the Kestrel as she dodges him, but her dodge carries her right into the path of Moon Shadow's line, which wraps around the both of them. The tension in the line causes both of them to slam into a nearby wall on a rooftop. Kestrel frees herself from the line, which is still attached to the wall. Revenant tells her to hand over the package, but as he does he is attacked from behind by the Highwayman, who phases through a wall. Moon Shadow tries to get the package back, but is taken hostage by Kestrel, who leaps from the rooftop with him under her arm. Unfortunately she forgot that his line was still attached to the upper roof and the pair again slam into the wall below the roof's ledge. The masonry holding the grappler gives way and the pair go plummeting towards the pavement, further tangling them in the grappler's line.

Moon Shadow desperately tries the different gadgets on his belt as they speed towards impact with the sidewalk. One after another the gadgets fail to do anything useful until suddenly Kestrel and Moon Shadow are engulfed in a series of airbags. They impact the pavement with a bounce, alive, but stuck in the airbags. Kestrel uses her claws and teeth to shred their way out and prepares to do serious harm to Moon Shadow. Moon Shadow points one of his gadgets at her, which makes a "bleep" noise and apparently does nothing else. Kestrel makes light of this and as she prepares to tear into Moon Shadow she is zapped from behind by Revenant's stun baton. Moon Shadow notes that it was lucky he found the airbags on his belt, to which Revenant notes that was part of his mandatory equipment, designed to go off if he approached the ground at high speed. As Revenant notes that he has Highwayman tied up, they discover that he has gotten free using his phasing powers. Highwayman then makes his escape with both Kestrel and the records from the Consultant's office.

Revenant and Moon Shadow return to the Consultant's office to deliver the bad news. The Consultant is disappointed in this turn of events. Revenant apologizes to Moon Shadow and notices he is messing with the gadget that was used on Kestrel earlier. He prepares to explain to moon Shadow what the device is when he notices the readings it took. He asks the Consultant if her files on Kestrel are limited, to which she replies yes. The Revenant hands the device to the Consultant, explaining that the unit was designed to "see" through walls using sonar, radar, thermograph, and other means. He also notes that it apparently is able to do fairly detailed medical scans. The scan shows discolored patches on her chest and nose; she's apparently had some "work" done. The Consultant notes that they can use this when she gets in touch with the Kestrel.

The next evening comes and Revenant and Moon Shadow are waiting on a rooftop. The Kestrel meets them there and returns the package she stole, unopened. She calls Revenant a jerk and threatens him if he ever tells anyone about what he knows. Revenant replies that he won't breathe a word, but the Consultant might, considering she sells information for a living. He instructs Kestrel to meet with the Consultant at midnight. Kestrel leaves, again threatening them with pain if the information gets out. Moon Shadow is a bit confused by this turn of events. Revenant notes that Kestrel has had "work" done. Moon Shadow doesn't get the reference. Revenant tries to obliquely explain it, but it's pretty obvious that Moon Shadow still doesn't get it.

The following Monday, Tyler returns to classes at PS238. He greets Ms. Kyle, and she is relieved to find out that his weekend adventures didn't require a visit to the school nurse. Tyler also notes that he's supposed to take shop class with Mr. Clay so he can learn how to fix his equipment. Ms. Kyle asks him if there was anything else. Tyler scans her with his device, looks at the results, and asks her if she's ever had any "work" done. Tyler then finds himself in detention after class, explaining to Zodon that he really doesn't understand why he's there.

Back-Up Story

The local convenience store. The last bastion of after-school hangouts. And the K-Square Convenience Store is where the kids from PS238 go to buy their snacks. We find Kevin Kramer and Ron Peterson looking over the candy. Ron can't decide between Gobstoppers and Bazooka gum. Kevin notes that the Gobstoppers would last a lot longer because the gum's flavor runs out quickly. The jawbreakers could last all day if you suck on them one at a time. Ron didn't know you were supposed to suck on them, and was just chewing them up with his super-strong teeth. Zodon, Suzi, and Tyler come up behind the pair. Suzi explains to Zodon that shopping for candy is fun. Zodon points out that they could take a tip from the mortal who is putting a box of snack cakes in his coat. The super-powered kids want to stop him, but they're not supposed to use their powers in public. They push Tyler to stop him - literally. Kevin moves Tyler over by the thief and says that Tyler has something to say. Tyler tells the boy, who is bigger than him, that he should put the cakes back because he didn't pay for them. The kid looks like he is going to start something with Tyler, but is held back by the presence of the store's clerk, directly behind him. He tosses the box of snack cakes aside and threatens Tyler on his way out of the store, noting that he's seen Tyler at school before. The children (except for Tyler) are elated that they stopped the crime in progress and Tyler even got his own arch-nemesis. Tyler notes that he doesn't even know who the kid is. Zodon tells them that his name is Charles Brigman. He knows this because he has the boy's library card. And wallet. And his lunch money. Zodon picked Charles's pocket as he stormed out of the store. Zodon then proceeds to use the money from Charles's wallet to pay for their snacks. Tyler questions this, to which Zodon notes that none of them know what "accessory after the fact" means, so they should treasure their innocence.