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The Western edge of the Taklamaka Desert, at the foothills of the Pamir Mountains Western China Saturday March 7, 2020. 7:54 AM China Standard Time (CST) (6:54 PM on Friday March 6, 2020 in Freedom City, New Jersey) A cold winter's wind swept over the sands of the Taklamaka Desert, shifting some of the sand as it went. A pair of figures walked up a sand dune in the early morning light, the dark shapes of tents and other temporary structures down in an open space below them. Not far to the west, the snow-capped peaks of the Pamir Mountains rouse up into the sky over the dark foothills which lay between the mountains and the desert. <"Why did they say to come out here?"> One of the two men making their way up the sand dune asked in Pashto. The other man in the lead gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. <"They said a member of the Danger family would be arriving with some assistance to take over the search for Doctor Schneider and Doctor Warren. You have heard some of the stories of the Dangers, likely wants to make some sort of dramatic entrance."> The two men crested the rise of the dune and moved out onto a relatively flat expanse of sand amongst the dunes. <"Hopefully we will not have to wait too long."> Those words proved prophetic, as the pair were just starting to look about for some sign of the arrival of the help from Danger International when there was a bright flash of light and a group of individuals appeared a short distance away. The central figure release the hands of the individuals on either side of her and took a step forward. The two men saw an attractive seventeen year old girl dressed in dark khaki cargo pants and a light brown winter parka. She wore a pair of well-worn hiking boots, and her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "Good morning, I am Veronica Danger." The teenager said to the two men with a small smile.

Kingston, Freedom City New Jersey Late Fall 2019, 10:30 PM Since the Terminus Invasion of 2018, much of Kingston had consisted of ruined buildings and empty streets. Only the most minimal efforts to start to rebuild had begun, and mainly along the boarder sections with other North Freedom neighborhoods, leaving the majority of the center of the formerly historic neighborhood still largely abandoned and in shambles. Now, those that frequented the Kingston area were those that wished to be unobserved or otherwise isolated from the more crowded and active sections of Freedom City, while still maintaining a close proximity to the rest of the city. A small figure in a trench coat made its way through one of the empty streets in the heart of Kingston, moving among the shadows with a seeming confidence that there was nothing to fear among the dark ruins. The figured walked for several blocks along the cracked and broken sidewalks, stopping a few times to peer around towards the dark recesses of the nearby buildings. Eventually the figure turned into a dark alleyway and was seemingly swallowed by the darkness within. If anyone had been following the figure, it would have seemed they had vanished into thin air in the alley. However, the figure continued on its journey dozens of feet beneath the cluttered streets, moving along a path through the partially flooded sewer tunnels that ran under Kingston. The figure still moved at a steady pace, perfectly at home in the dark, damp confines of the sewers. After passing through several city blocks of tunnels, the figure came to a bend in a tunnel where a section of wall had collapsed, beyond was a larger open area that appeared to be a half buried subway station. Several tables of various shapes and sizes had been set up along one of the platforms and were covered with a variety of scientific equipment. Another section of the platform had been turned into a makeshift living area, with a bed and some other furniture set up. The entire area was partially lit by several emergency lights that had been placed around the platforms. The result of the makeshift lighting was that there were sections of the platforms that where relatively well lit, while the rest of the station was cast in shadows of various depths. The figure moved onto the platform containing the collection of tables, stopping briefly to look at some of the equipment as it went by, before coming to a mostly empty table. The figure sat a large duffle bag onto this table and began carefully removing various objects from within it. As the figure was focused on its task the almost oppressive silence of the chamber was interrupted by a cold voice from somewhere among the shadows. "Good evening Dr. Seidel." The figure quickly turned away from the table, scanning the illuminated section of the platforms, even as he edged towards some of the nearby shadows. "Who are you?" The man asked, his tone a bit surprise but not necessarily concerned or frightened. "Someone who has spent some time trying to locate you." The voice from the shadows simply replied. The trench coat clad figure identified as Dr. Seidel moved into one of the deep shadows near the collection of tables. "You will soon wish you had not done so." Dr. Seidel responded, his voice deepening and straining slightly as he did so. This was followed by a few pained grunts and groans before the shadows went silent. Then, a large figure could faintly be seen climbing among some of the shadows above the platforms lit by the emergency lights. "So, you can now change your shape at will." Stated the cold voice that again seemed to come from multiple directions at once. "All the more reason you will regret coming down here." Replied a deep, partially hissing voice from the large shape crawling along one of the uppers walls of abandoned station. "Perhaps." Replied the cold voice. "But I believe there is a way we may help one another with mutual goals." The large figures stopped, peering out to scan the darkest areas of around station with yellow reptilian eyes. "I suspect there is little you can offer which I will be interested in." It replied in almost a growl. "I believe we may help one another in striking out against the Second Raven." The cold voice replied from the darkness. There was a long pause as the yellow eyes of the large figure peered out at the shadows around the station platforms. "Go on, you have my interest."

Summer 2019 Phoenix Federal Building As he waited for Lady Liberty to arrive, AEGIS Special Agent Jim Johnson stayed out of the sun. It was Phoenix in summertime, 85 degrees at 9 o'clock in the morning, and he was damned if he was going to let the teenage superheroine catch him sweating more than he already was. So he stood just inside the building's glassed-in door, waiting for Lady Liberty to make her appearance. With the channels the government had established in the superhuman community in the last year, it had been easy enough to send the message to Lady Liberty - please come meet with us at such and such a date at such and such a time, so we can discuss a matter of importance to you. He'd always been a fan of Lady Liberty, the kind of heroic legacy he'd hoped to embody himself as an agent of the United States government, and had made a study of the current one's predecessors before taking this particular assignment - straight from the Director, who'd gotten it straight from the President of the United States. He was sincerely looking forward to bettering the life of America's patriotic heroine - and making things run a bit more smoothly for everybody.

April 2019 Outside the Common Room Leaning against the wall, the corridor mostly empty at this time of day, Watchdog's eyes were firmly hidden behind her sunglasses by the time Monica approached, a few minutes after the 'incident' out in the greenhouse. Normally she'd have let the other girl pass, but she picked up on the indications in Lady Liberty's manner that she actually wanted to talk. "Got a problem, Liberty?" she sneered.

Claremont Quad-ish, 3:20PM, April 22nd. This was not planned, but with graduation coming for her she felt a need of closure. Some people she wasn't really possessed of an impetus to correct, insert obvious examples here, obviously. So as she left her class of the day, and seeing Monica on the quad she decided it might as well be now. So she pushed open the door, shoulders her backpack, and leaped out. She hated her powers, the implications of them. What she did, could do, if control slipped. But as they were an option, she took them. They were there, so close to the surface, so easy after all. She soared in a grace leap, as if she could do any other at this point due to muscle memory. She landed on the air, and kept up the jogged, going to circumvent the other teen's path, before she descended enough to drop down in a sudden rush of air, in a crouch. Brushing back that asymmetrical swoop of her hair,, she rose to standing in front of her, and offered a slightly uneasy smile, "So... can we talk?"

Saturday, May 5, 2019 It was not exactly an invitation anybody would expect to receive in 2019. An invitation for the opening of an arcade, "Ectoplasm", in Riverside. Delivered in a letter, which also included a special deal for "those specifically invited". All of that strongly hinted at this being some kind of scam, by somebody who had clearly lived under a rock for the past 20 years. The layout and quality of the invitation, as well as the fact that, judging by the online buzz this "Ectoplasm" was receiving – by legitimate websites and blogs, too, suggested otherwise. And with nothing else going on that weekend, there was little reason not to attend. Whether it was out of genuine interest, out of curiosity, or out of wanting to see just how scammy this actually was. The location was quite nice, not far away from Riverside Park, with the waterfront of the district just about visible down the street. From the looks of the building, the Arcade was built into what previously was a restaurant, something the other restaurants along the street further suggested. Quite a line had formed outside, with everything from teenagers to hipsters to what probably were a few arcade enthusiasts of the first generation, lined up and waiting. Off to the side, not indicated too well but noticeable to anybody with that bit of Claremont-brand perception training, was a second entrance, labelled "invited guests". And about there, the Claremont students also realized that some of their classmates were here…

The Kirby November 10th, 1:30 PM Corinne had passes to a private showing before the public launch. Likely from her father. It didn't matter, really, though. As it was a show of modern Dakanan art, on a day the museum was normally closed, but for an exclusive viewing. Of course, she wasn't the only one with passes. Other people had them and she had been a bit free with handing them out at Claremont, so even some people who weren't really friends with her got some. Since Hannah left she felt a little... lost, and really just delved harder into the dancing. Until the injury, and the setback. But she didn't have much else. And no roommate meant she had no impetus to reach out, apart from stuff for the Orange team. Right now, she was standing there in front of a complicated mixed media sculpture, chewing thoughtfully as she took in the piece that dominated the room with it's abstract representation of... something. She wasn't quite sure what. But it seemed very insistent. She wore a pair of overalls, with her daisy adorned hat, and a big green sweatshirt on under the straps, and a pair of similarly green Doc Martens.

Sub-basement of Claremont Academy Bayview, Freedom City, New Jersey Tuesday, October 2, 2018; 4:30 PM With the announcement of the intermural teams, the members of the newly formed Green Team had managed to get some time scheduled in the Doom Room to get some training and learning to work together. Veronica Danger was standing in the hallway outside the entrance to the Doom Room, waiting for her fellow teammates. The attractive teenager was not dressed all that different than normal, but she seemed even more prepared for a trek into the jungle or the mountains than normal. She was wearing a pair of dark green cargo pants, her normal well-worn hiking boots and a long sleeved tan shirt which was mostly buttoned up over a brown T-shirt. A pair of half-finger black leather gloves covered each hand and her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She still wore a pair of necklaces with the dozens of small silver charms around her neck, but the chains on which they hung from were heavier than normal. More out of the ordinary was what was on Veronica's belt, as a survival was on one hip, while a pair of climbing axes hung at the other. She wore a small backpack as well. As she waited for the others to arrive, the teenage Danger began leaning from side to side as she worked to limber up for whatever they would face in the Doom Room.

September 4, 2018 Claremont Academy (Fourth Floor, Rita Kord Dorm) Jaycee had suggested they meet people before the assembly. "The first time you meet somebody, you set the tone for the whole rest of your relationship. If I meet them now, when Ah want to and on mah terms, that'll make it easier to stay in control. And Ah gotta stay in control, right?" It was actually one of the most perspicacious things Ashley had ever heard her charge say - and certainly the longest string of words she'd put together since a recently-drained Jaycee had parted company with the bulk of her Secret Service detail at an undisclosed location and headed onto Claremont's campus that weekend. They'd come in early, before any of the other students arrived, and Jaycee had spent most of her time in her room studying and texting to her sisters. And so it was that the "sisters" headed out into the fourth floor hallway, Ashley taking the lead as she would for the next two years. Jesus Christ, she took a moment to think before she took in the scenery. 410 was down at the end of one hall on the fourth floor, with 409 and 411 on either side a little further towards the main staircase. There were backstairs too, of course, and escape hatches that the sophomore students probably weren't going to find out about yet. Ashley was dressed for her part in a leather jacket, denim shirt, and scuffed jeans. She'd told her handlers that the pink dye in her hair cut down on the "look" she was trying to present, but they'd told her it would soften her image. By which they mean not make me look like a lesbian. She contemplatively chewed a toothpick as she scanned the hall, then took a look back at Jaycee as she closed the door behind her. "Judy" Smith didn't look much at all like her First Daughter self - with her long hair loose and hanging down her back, in baggy brown shirt and slacks that had made her make a single small noise at the sight of them, she looked like one of the refugees they were pretending to be. She was smiling the smile of someone who'd had media training, though, as she ran her fingers against the gold cross she wore around her neck. That was new too; a gift from the First Lady that nobody had seen in public yet. "Well?" It was true - Ashley had to lead the way on this one. She headed down the corridor, looking for open doors - or the sounds of activity inside them.

Character Name: Lady Liberty Power Level: 10/13 (180/199PP) Trade-Offs: +3 Attack / -3 Damage, Unspent Power Points: 19 In Brief: Legacy to the mantle of Lady Liberty tries to live up to the burden she carries with her name. Song: Cilver – I’m America Residence: Claremont University, Freedom City / Phoenix, Arizona Base of Operations: Claremont University, Freedom City / Phoenix, Arizona Catchphrase: - Alternate Identity: Monica Gutiérrez Identity: Public Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador Occupation: Student Affiliations: Claremont Academy Family: Idania (36, Mother), Nora (8, Sister) Personality: Monica is a quiet person. Years and years of being ignored or ridiculed have left their mark on her, she’d much rather sit in her room than interact with people. She’s used to people trying to set up a joke at her expense and mistrustful of most people that approach her because of exactly that reason. Unsurprisingly, she struggles with her self-confidence, something that has lead to her taking regular counselling at Claremont, where for the first time in her life she can actually afford to do so. Her recent rise to media recognition has not helped this at all. After the first interviews, many more requests followed and people started to recognize her on the street. This, together with the burden of having to live up to the name of Lady Liberty has only led to her feeling more insecure. Why did the spirit of liberty choose her, of all people? Monica’s love for the US was not the same as that of her predecessors. She loved her country, but it didn’t love her back, something she’d been made very painfully aware of her entire life. Nevertheless, there are subjects she is passionate about, and certain circumstances will lead to her breaking out of her shell. She is invested in politics, often spending way too much time debating various issues online. Her big passion however, is medicine. For a long time she’s known that she wanted to become a doctor, and she has already accumulated a fair amount of knowledge in preparation for her time after high school. History: Monica came to America when she was 3, crossing the border together with her mother. Her father had been killed by one of the gangs and it was obvious that she and her mother also were in danger. So, her mother grabbed what little money she had and made her way north, towards the USA, towards the land of freedom and the American dream. Monica’s mother does not talk about the journey, and Monica can only assume it was not easy for a woman in her early 20s to travel all the way to the American border and beyond. Monica’s first memories are from Phoenix, where her mother still lives to this day. She grew up with little luxury, two meals a day was something worth celebrating, as her mother continued to work most of the day to make ends meet. Monica’s childhood was rather unspectacular. She was aware of her status as an “illegal” immigrant from early on, with all that it meant, even surrounded by people that, in many ways, were like her. She didn’t understand it, she was just as American than any of her fellow class-mates, yet somehow she wasn’t? Then, there was everything related to herself. Without many people to socialize with due to her not fitting into preconceived notions, she found herself on the internet most of her free time. There, she came across a short article on what it meant to be trans, something she identified with immediately. It changed her life, as she learned that her uncertainties were not unique, that there were people that felt the same way. It changed her life, but it didn’t necessarily make it easier. There were hurdles to overcome, any sort of treatment was far out of grasp monetarily. There was her mother, who’d always been a fairly devout catholic. Monica had heard the horror stories and remained quiet about what she’d learned. And even if she knew it was right, she still had to figure out how it fit into her own system of belief. It didn’t take long for her mother to realize, who, contrary to Monica’s fears, took it (rather) well. As she learned then, her uncle, who’d also died back in El Salvador, had had similar feelings, which he’d only ever told his sister, out of fear of exactly the situation Monica was afraid of. Yet, there still was the school situation. Monica withdrew further than even before, now barely spending time with anybody, her attendance record always skirting the minimum requirement. She still wanted to move forward, she still had aspirations, but she’d rather learn at home than sit in school. She’d learn more studying at home, she told herself. Her life changed again on March 2nd of 2018. At first it seemed like a normal day, Monica was walking to school, happy that Spring Break was almost in reach. As she was walking, she spotted a van, veering out of control, right towards a younger student, also on his way to school. She acted without thinking, running onto the street and knocking him out of the way. The next thing she knew, there was pain and she fought to keep her grip on consciousness. But right then, as she could already feel her life fading from her body, something happened. She regained control of her body and the pain was gone, even if she still crashed into a nearby lamppost. It didn’t hurt her, and as she opened her eyes, she realized that she was surrounded by a comforting glow. She’d never seen any superpowers in person before, but she immediately knew what it meant. Jessica Howe, a young journalist for a local TV station, happened to be walking down the street at the same time. She’d managed to capture everything on camera, from Monica’s action to her sudden recovery. Jessica knew what it meant. She’d long been a fan of the Freedom League’s Lady Liberty, who had, much to the pain of many fans, retired not long ago. As it turned out, the Spirit of Liberty had found its next host, and Jessica had been there to witness it. Before Monica had even fully registered what was going on, before the Paramedics had even arrived on the scene, she was already being interviewed, on live television. The story of the young woman who now was the nation’s newest Lady Liberty spread through the internet like wildfire. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing, within hours the fact the newest Lady Liberty was an undocumented immigrant transwoman was spread around various websites, the harassment began only shortly later. It wasn’t just internet trolls, but also members of conservative media outlets. Monica didn’t know how to react, she’d been thrown into the national spotlight without any preparation. She completely cut herself off from all media and didn’t leave the house, unable to cope with what had suddenly happened. It was only when Beth Walton-Wright, the previous Lady Liberty, showed up at her door a week later that this changed. Beth supported Monica and would help her come to terms with what her new position meant. She also suggested that the young woman would attend Claremont Academy in Freedom City, where she’d receive all the training she could ask for. It was not an easy decision for Monica to make. On one hand, it would be the training she needed, both as the new superhero and as an aspiring doctor. Graduating Claremont would open her much more doors than graduating some inner-city public school. On the other hand, it meant moving across most of the country, away from her mother and sister. Away from her (few) friends, and away from everything she knew, having only left the city a few times during her life so far. In the end it was her mother that decided. She knew that her daughter was better off in Claremont, and while Monica was pondering the decision in her room, her mother signed the necessary documents. Monica would attend Claremont starting summer 2018, in what she’d been told would be “quite the class”. Description: Age: 16 (April 3rd, 2002) Apparent Age: 16 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Hispanic Height: 6’1” / 6’4” when Lady Liberty Weight: 183 lbs. / 190 lbs. when Lady Liberty Eyes: Green Hair: Black Complications: Restraints I – Much like her predecessors, Monica loses her powers when restrained. When she is bound, she cannot draw upon the Spirit of Liberty properly. Other than the previous Lady Liberty, this does not have to mean she cannot access her powers at all, even if she herself is not yet aware of this. While being restrained means that she cannot access the full brunt of her powers, she may still be able to use very weak versions of them. As this is something that she carries with her name, this weakness is very well known, thus people are likely to exploit it. Restraints II – The Spirit of Liberty, historically, has always been weakened by restraints, with the most recent Lady Liberty losing all her power whenever she was tied up in some way. Much like the exact powers of the Spirit, this too has changed with Monica. While physical restraints still limit her, it is not a complete loss. However, in return restraint has taken a more abstract meaning with her. Her powers weaken as her resolve does, the more she doubts herself the weaker they get, up to disappearing completely until she has regained her resolve. Legacy of Liberty – Monica carries a massive burden on her. She has to live up to all previous women empowered by the Spirit of Liberty. They fought in the World Wars, in the Terminus Invasion and during many other occasions. While Monica has the approval of Beth Walton-Wright, the previous, and according to many, greatest Lady Liberty, she still doubts whether or not it is really her power to yield, and she has no idea how she’ll ever live up to what her name demands of her. The large fanbase the name carries with it does not help with this, as many of them have been rather unpleasant about Monica’s newfound powers. Publicity – Monica’s identity is incredibly public, she got interviewed under her real name on TV only moments after getting her power. Monica never got to experience what it meant to have a secret identity, something she regrets very much. With this come the usual problems that are associated with a public identity, something she is very aware (and scared) of. Of course, the fact she is an undocumented immigrant doesn’t exactly improve the situation at all, and she is anxious about what may happen related to that situation now that her – and her family – ‘s status is known around the entire country. The Student Life – First and foremost, Monica is a student, with all that includes. She has an attendance to keep, homework to do and things to study. She also has regular counselling sessions at Claremont, meaning that all in all, she does not get a lot of free time. As she didn’t spend much time at school before coming to Claremont, and said school’s curriculum was not exactly great, she struggles somewhat with keeping up acceptable grades, eating further into her time and confidence. Abilities: 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 8 + 10 = 38PP Strength: 24/14 (+7/2) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 22/16 (+6/3) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 18 (+4) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 20 + 16 = 36PP Initiative: +6 Attack: +13 Melee, +10 Ranged Grapple: +20/15 Defense: +10 (+8 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5/1 Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 7 = 11PP Toughness: +10/3 (6/3 Con, +4) Fortitude: +6/3 (+6/3 Con, +0) Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, +4) Will: +11 (+4 Wis, +7) Skills: 52R = 13PP Bluff 5 +10 Concentration 4 +8 Diplomacy 6 +11 Disguise 4 +9 Intimidate 4 +9 Knowledge (Life Sciences) 5 +7 Language 1 (Spanish [Native], English) Medicine 6 +10 Notice 5 +9 Sense Motive 6 +11 Swim 6 +13/8 Feats: 10PP Attack Focus (Melee) 3 Dodge Focus 2 Improved Grab Improved Initiative Improved Disarm Interpose Move-By Action Powers: 39 + 33 = 72PP The Strength of Freedom (39 PP Container) Enhanced Strength 10 [20PP] Enhanced Constitution 6 [12PP] Protection 4 [4PP] Leaping 3 [3PP] The Light of Liberty (30PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 3) [33PP] BP: Enhanced Extra (Impervious Toughness 7 (up to); Reflective (Ranged [+1]; Extras: Range (Perception)[+2], Affect Others [+1]; Flaws: Duration (Concentration [-1])) [28/30PP] AP: Nullify 10 (Bindings [2/r]; Extras: Range (Perception)) [30PP] AP: Dazzle 10 (Visual [2/r]; Extras: Area (Burst), Selective Attack, Alternate Save (Will [first and second save]) [+0]; Flaws: Range (Touch)) AP: Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Area (Burst), Contagious; Feats: Progression 4 (Area); Flaws: Limited to Hope, Sense Dependent (Visual), Range (Touch [-2]) [9PP] linked to Healing 5 (Extras: Area (Burst), Selective Attack, Action (Standard); Feats: Stabilize, Progression 4 (Area); Flaws: Limited to Others, Sense Dependent (Visual)) [20+9=29/30PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block Attack Range Save Effect Unarmed Touch DC22/17 TGH Damage + Grab Dazzle Touch Area DC20 Will Visual Dazzle (Will Save) Emotion Control Touch Area DC20 Will Contagious Hope (Counter Fear) Totals: Abilities (38) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (13) + Feats (10) + Powers (72) - Drawbacks (0) =180/199 Power Points

July 4, 2014 Freedom City "Damballah and Erzulie are with us." Cassandra Vale's doctorate was not in medicine, but between one thing and another there were few better doulas than La Sirene - especially for a water birth. Cassandra smiled and took her friend's hand. "Come on, Beth, let's get you in that tub." Despite the growing pains in her lower belly, Beth Walton-Wright was also smiling as Siren, her husband, and her midwife helped her into the tub - specially designed by Daedalus so that a woman strong enough to punch through steel wouldn't damage it while giving birth. After so many years of wanting, of prayers to Liberty and Justice and all the other gods and goddesses she'd known in her long career as a superheroine, she was about to have her baby! - July 4, 2014 Faneuil Hall Hulking and scarred, Steve Murdock stood as an island in the middle of a small sea of VIPs, waiting for the arrival of their very special tour guide. With a red shirt, blue slacks, and a white tie, he perfectly matched the color scheme for the day - right down to the Special Access pass pinned to his shirt. His special glasses gave the city and its crowd of tourists a faint greenish air, one that he knew would soon fade once the tour began. The special holographic technology built into the Archetech tour glasses would give the tourists a chance to see the Boston of 1776 (or at least its construction) overlaid on the Boston of 2014. Normally someone as high-profile as Miss Americana would not be involved in something as small as a tour, but the chance to show her work to tech executives, academics, and journalists alike had been too much for Gina to pass up. Intently he stared at the brochure in his hand, carefully memorizing everywhere they were going on their walking tour to the Common. People on Earth-Prime might take the idea of freedom and revolution for granted, but that was something Steve could never do - people had fought and died for the liberty of others in this city. It was very serious business. I will be here for Miss Americana to see what she has done. And after the tour, I will fly back to Freedom City, and Gina and I will watch the fireworks together. She will be happy today.

OOC

It was a quiet Memorial Day weekend around Freedom City, one quiet enough that many of Freedom City's superheroes (including its teenage contingent) went out of town to visit their families over the weekend, or go elsewhere with their families to enjoy the long weekend. Claremont Academy was hosting a barbecue for the kids who had no place to go, but there were plenty of other things to do in and around campus. Until, that is, the emergency alert went off: it rang first for the members of Young Freedom, jangling through the communicators they all carried, but then it began beeping frantically all across campus. This was a school emergency, requiring the attention of many of the teenage heroes at Claremont who weren't affiliated with Young Freedom. The Freedom Leaguer Siren had been visiting campus for the holiday, perhaps to visit her old friend Duncan Summers, and she quickly took charge of the emergency. "Everyone who can help, follow me! If you can't get yourself quickly, find a teleporter, flier, or speedster, and follow the distress call." She took out her League transponder and fiddled with it quickly, her scientist's fingers moving fast over the hand-sized piece of high technology. "If you have to get there on your own, use League coordinates 08401-08406. That'll put you in Ashton, right at...oh, by the loa, it's Rick Lucas' house." Siren had been on the old Freedom League; the ageless beauty had been there since the 1960s. She knew Rick Lucas, the former mascot-cum-junior member of the Silver Age League, and of course his son, Claremont student Mark Lucas, very well indeed. "Quickly now!"