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Description
The afternoon passed by long and slowly for the trio in San Diego.  By the first hour they had discovered just how many bars were on the cage, and the number of ceiling panels in the hanger above.
Shortly after 6 PM, Mrs. Matthews went to the airport and picked up her daughter.  Alex and Pattie went with, although neither of them knew what had happened to Bret or the others.
"So let me understand this.  Nobody knows where Bret is?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"Or Michelle, or Collette.  I had heard they went to San Diego for the day.  Maybe they're stuck in traffic?" Pattie asked, motioning to Alex.
"Wonder how that could be?" Alex asked, also a little suspicious about their whereabouts.  Yes, it had been a warm day down there... but that couldn't mean that they were still cars someplace.
As they waited by the baggage claim, Kris soon walked into the area.   She had already been carrying her carry-on with, and that was all the luggage she needed.  As soon as they saw her, Kris quickly walked over and said hello.
"Hey guys," Kris said, as Mrs. Matthews ran over and smothered her daughter.
"Krissy, Krissy, it's been far too long!  How are you?" Mrs. Matthews cried in her best fretful-mother voice.
Kris slightly backed away, although she wanted to do it a little harder.  "Mom, control yourself!  I'm fine, it's just been nonstop work up there, that's all," she said, revealing her buff biceps.
"Whoa," Pattie and Alex replied.
"Oh, there's more of you here?  Great!  Say, where's my bro?" Kris asked.
"Yeah... where did he say he was going, Alex?" Pattie asked nervously.
"I thought you knew?" Alex asked in a similar tone.
"San Diego, on the way home.  Probably lost in traffic... and in deep trouble," Mrs. Matthews said, taking the cue from Pattie on an excuse.
"Deep trouble?  Oh, you mean from you.  I'm sure he's got a good story... or he'll get it from me.  Don't worry mom, it's okay.  I'm just glad to be home," Kris explained.
"Do you have everything?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"This is it," Kris replied, patting her duffle bag.
"Great, let's go then.  Maybe your brother called home, in case he forgot my number again," Mrs. Matthews said.
"Wouldn't surprise me," Kris replied.
Mrs. Matthews went ahead, as Kris slowed down to talk with Pattie and Alex.  "So, really, where is he?" Kris asked.
"Like we said, somewhere in San Diego.  Haven't heard from him all day... but, he's been talking about seeing you all week," Pattie said.
"Yeah Kris, something might be wrong for him to be missing this," Alex said.
Kris nodded.  "I haven't been taking tai kwan doe for nothing.  This is just the chance I've been looking for to get back into the swing of things down here... oh Mom?" Kris asked, catching up to her mother.
"Yes Kris?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"I'd like to hang out with Pattie and Alex for awhile, did you all drive separate?" Kris asked.
"Yeah, we came in Pattie's car," Alex replied.
"Oh, so you want me to bring your luggage home?  Yeah, I can do that... but I had planned on going out to dinner first, if that's okay.  I want to hear about your work on the oil platforms," Mrs. Matthews explained.
"Oil platforms?" Pattie asked.
"Yes, and no... more of a firefighting job, but I do spend time on an oil platform... tell ya later," Kris said quickly to Pattie.  "Sure, that'd be okay," she said to her mother.
"Wonderful.  Shall we meet at the Ocean Room at the Radisson, then?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"The Ocean Room?  That's a black tie place... probably a little upscale for us, don't you think?" Kris asked.
"Okay... how about the Sandytown Tavern?  Haven't had one of their burgers in awhile," she suggested.
"Um, we're underage," Pattie said.
"You are, I'm not," Kris said.
"Alex, you are, aren't you?" Pattie asked.
"Until next December, yeah," Alex replied.
"Well, you can be there before nine.  Trust me, the burgers there are to die for," Mrs. Matthews said, as she continued towards the parking lot.

After enjoying a good dinner with Mrs. Matthews, they split up.  Mrs. Matthews headed home with Kris's luggage, while Kris, Pattie and Alex headed directly to Chase Labs to try and figure out what had happened to Bret and the others.
Kris nearly beat down the door to the Special Inventions lab after they parked in the tiny lot outside.
"What what... Kris?" Dr. Chase asked, after opening the door.
"Spare me the welcome home talk, doc, what happened to Bret and the others?" Kris asked.
"Well... nice to see you too.  Dr. Bennit told me as soon as I got back to the lab an hour ago... you're not going to like this," he said, as he led them inside and closed the door behind.
"They're in trouble, aren't they?" Pattie asked.
"Oh man, not good," Alex said.
"You're correct, they're not in good shape.  It sounds like Dr. Leo and the Fox captured them," Dr. Chase began.
"Leo!?!  That snake?  And who's this fancy-pants Fox thing?" Kris snapped as they went into Dr. Chase's office.
"Now calm down, calm down.  I'll have no cars in my office, thank you," Dr. Chase said, as he showed them a map that was on his desk.
"What's this?" Alex asked, as Kris snatched the printout from the desk.
"A CCC scan that was taken an hour and a half ago.  Dr. Bennit took it as soon as he heard from Summer, before her signal was lost," Dr. Chase began.  The map revealed the army base, located roughly fifteen miles west of town.  Two markings were on the map, a single triangle, and a square com console in a three-story building.
"Alex, hold this," Kris said, as she handed off the map before her hands turned into wheels.
"Look out," Pattie said, as Kris pushed her way into the main lab area before kneeling to the floor.  Kris's body stretched out, as her feet became wheels while her lower body morphed into the rear of a Camero.  Next, her mid section and chest changed, before her head and upper body morphed out into the front, completing her transformation into Tracker.
"Ahh... haven't done that in awhile... feels as good as old times," Tracker said, as she activated her tracking system.
"You haven't changed in awhile?" Alex asked.
"Can't on the rig.  Tough thing to do, being around burning slag and runoff.  But that doesn't mean I haven't all together," Tracker replied, as she scanned to the edge of her display.  Nothing.
"Anything, Track?" Pattie asked, as she looked inside the passenger side.
"Damn.... no, I can't quite reach San Diego.  That was on the east side, wasn't it?  Some kind of army base?" Tracker asked.
"Something like that, at least that's what Summer was saying.  Sounds pretty bad, having all three of them caught," Dr. Chase said.
"That's awful," Pattie said.
"Wait, three of them?" Tracker asked.
"Yes, Bret, Michelle, and Collette," Dr. Chase said.
"Collette?  What is that two-timing Specter doing in all this?" Tracker cried, as her engine revved up into the higher levels.
"Easy, easy!" Alex said.
"She's reformed!  All she wants to do now is find her father," Pattie said.
"Yeah right.  And I want to find mine... oh wait, he's dead.  Problem solved," Tracker said.
"Tracker...." Pattie began.
"Save it, Pats.  You may think that traitor is all clean and reformed, but I'll bet ya she's behind this.  It's in her character," Tracker said.
"Tracker, she was over here the other day.  And I must say, I sensed nothing like that from her," Dr. Chase explained.
"That's because she's a pathetic liar," Tracker said, as she ejected her cellphone from her glove compartment.  "Pats, hook that up to my communicator," Tracker ordered.  Pattie plugged the 12-volt adapter into the lighter, and the phone came to life as it began to dial the Matthew's residence.
"How...?" Pattie began.
"Tell ya later... Mom?  It's me Kris," Tracker said.
"Krissy, darling... are you, Pattie and Alex having fun?  Will you be home later tonight?" Mrs. Matthews asked upon answering the phone.
"A blast, Mom... so much fun that in fact, I think I might even stay over with Pattie tonight.  I hope you don't mind," Tracker said.
"Well, you're a grown woman now, but I hope I can see you at least once while you're here for the week," Mrs. Matthews replied.
"Don't worry, you will.  As soon as Wednesday rolls around, I'm all yours," Tracker said.
"Well, if you need to come by for your baggage, I'll be here.  And I haven't changed the locks or anything, so come home anytime," she replied.
"I will Mom, love you," Tracker said.
"You too, Krissy.  Bye now," Mrs. Matthews said, and Tracker turned the phone off.  She then ejected the power plug, which bounced onto the driver's seat next to the cellphone.
"Now then, who's coming with?" Tracker asked, as she  revved her engine.
"Tracker, you don't know what you're getting into... you haven't heard anything about Fox... Dr. Leo..." Dr. Chase began.
"I've heard enough, doc.  This Fox thing... whatever it is... has my brother and best friend... and I guess a third captive, who may or may not wish to help out," Tracker began.
"Tracker, you don't know that-" Pattie began.
"Pattie, enough.  I say again, who's coming with me?" Tracker asked.
Alex pulled Pattie out of the passenger seat.  "I volunteer," Alex said.
"Hey, I'm coming too," Pattie said.
"I think I get ya, Alex... Pats, you try to get a hold of Gregory and Shelly.  We might need some backup on this, just as a precaution," Tracker said.
"I can get you his number in no time," Dr. Chase said.
Pattie was about to climb back in, but stopped herself.  "Send my love for Bret, Alex," Pattie said, hugging him tightly.
"I will," Alex replied.
"I'll find him for ya, Pats.  And if I can't, you can know that Fox'll get what's coming to 'im," Tracker said.
"Uh, Tracker, it's a her," Dr. Chase said.
"Whatever, whatever, she's getting it up the tailpipe," Tracker said as Alex climbed into the driver's seat, after moving the cellphone aside.  Tracker then spun around and was about to Turbo Thrust through the garage door, when Pattie quickly hit the button, allowing Tracker to narrowly go outside and towards the freeway to San Diego.
"She wouldn't have gotten very far had that been closed," Dr. Chase said.
"I doubt she'd care, doc.  Got that number of Gregory's?" Pattie asked.
"I do, it's in my rolodex.  But do me a favor, and wait to call him until we hear from them," Dr. Chase said.
"Knowing Kris, we might not hear from her until Bret's been found," Pattie said.
"Hmm... well, we'll give her 24 hours, then.  At that time, I'll see if I can't get him down here.  If it comes to that, I'm not sure what we'll be able to do," Dr. Chase said.
Pattie nodded.

Tracker and Alex were flying down I-5 towards San Diego in record time.  So fast, that she had become a target for nearly every Highway Patrol officer in the tri-county area.
"Uh... Tracker?" Alex asked, as he glanced over his shoulder to see a dozen patrol cars in the rear window.
"I know, Alex.  I'll lose them before we get close to the base, all right?" Tracker asked.
Alex winced as he spotted a spike strip get tossed across the road up ahead.
"It's not that... it's....!" Alex cried, as Tracker ran over them, griping in pain as she crossed them.
"Urrgh... there," Tracker said, as she activated a special section on her instrument panel.  Alex watched as it displayed something to re-inflate the tires.
Tracker's wheels re-inflated, and they continued to drive on.
"There, done," Tracker said.
"Where... hey, how many new tricks do you have now, anyways?" Alex asked.
"A friend of mine, who knows about my little secret, has made a few modifications.  With a few changes to my CCC system, I can tap into cellphones, as long as they're connected to the power system.  I also have the run-flat ability, which essentially keeps my wheels running.  They sting a bit, but it'll be no worse than a scratch when I change back.  That's mostly the bulk of what I can do now... aside from my expert evasion skills, that I worked on my off days," Tracker explained.
"Quite a friend you have there," Alex said.
"Yeah, he was a traffic cop who worked at a police training facility, and offered to take me through it.  There are cops in Los Angeles who have failed it, where I made it in the top 99%," Tracker said.
"Wow," Alex replied.
Tracker continued to drive as the several police cruisers broke off from the main pursuit.  The base came into sight on her console.
"Tracker, now would be a good time to lose them," Alex said.
"Alex, relax!  I know that.  Let's see... there's a spot," Tracker said, as she leapt off the road at an approach, that led into the endless hills.  Now it became an off-road chase.
"Yeow!" Alex cried as they hit a rock in the field.
"Yeah, agreed... how many cops are left?" Tracker asked.
Alex turned around to check, seeing that nearly two-thirds of the police officers had either crashed into the ditch, or one another at the point of the approach.
"We're better than we were, I guess," he replied.
"It's a start... now to lose the rest of them," Tracker said, as she spotted a small cave in the distance near some foothills.  She drove around it, and then over it, and tried to elude the cars away from it at first.
"Any behind us?" Tracker asked, as she tried to focus on her mirrors.
"No, I don't think so," Alex replied.
"In we go!" Tracker said, and then skidded into the deep cavern.  She turned on her lights and drove further in, but didn't get much further when the cool shade took over.
"That's it," Tracker said, as she began to revert into Kris.  Her legs and body reformed, leaving both her and Alex alone in the cave.
"Now what?" Alex asked.
"Now we stay here for a few minutes, just outside of the light, and wait.  If all goes well, they'll head back into the hills, or give up," Kris replied.
"How long?" Alex asked, a little nervous.
"I don't know... twenty minutes?  Don't you like the dark?" Kris asked.
"I don't mind the dark.  This is darker than that," Alex said, unable to see his hand in front of his face.
Kris took out a flashlight from her pocket, and lit it up.  "Happy now?" she asked, turning it over so it acted like a candle.
"Better.  But be sure to cover it if you hear anything," he said.
"No problem," Kris replied.

Back at the stowage facility, Michelle and Collette were avoiding each other like the plague as Kitsune finally arrived and turned off the sprinkler system.  She had brought with her three armed guards.
“All of you, on your feet.”  She began turning off the additional security alarms and activated the controls for the door.
“What’s going on now?” Michelle asked.
“No questions!  Single file, head towards that exit.  Move!”
Collette gave Kitsune a mean stare.  Kitsune only responded with an equally imposing glance.  “You made your choice, viper.  Keep walking.”
The guards with the assault rifles guided the three changers towards the exits.  Then they crossed an open airfield, perhaps one that had been built in the forties as additional runways for the war effort.  Needless to say the facility was in a state of disrepair.
“Don’t stop walking!  Keep walking straight across to the next hanger.”  She turned to the guards.  “If they start to transform, shoot ‘em.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Michelle was shaking as she thought only cool thoughts for the next few moments.  Fortunately, they were inside and out of the sun a few moments later as they entered a command center inside of yet another long hanger.  Computer servers, tracking equipment, scanners and all manner of telecommunications filled the room so much that even the thinnest scientist would have a hard time moving about all the equipment.
Near the center, in a veritable captain’s chair, sat Leo.  Control panels and equipment ran with dozens of cables to other components around the room, all leading to an opening near the center where a familiar laser emitter stood high above the rest of the technology.
Kitsune directed them towards a large circle, perhaps twenty feet in diameter, near the doorway.
“Well?  It’s not the Special Invention Lab, but it’s almost like home, right?” Leo asked.
“Hardly,” Bret replied quietly.
“It’s so nice of you three to join me.  Now the question is how to decide the best way to parade my new spokespeople for the Molecular Transfer Ray... or whether or not to just remove your engines and go about it that way.  The options are endless!”
“A slideshow, Leo?  That’s the best you could come up with?” Collette asked.
“That’s just the beginning, my dear!  I’ve been working on many new formulas... and you three will make wonderful guinea pigs!”
“Don’t call me a pig, Leo!  You’re nothing but a monster!” Michelle gasped.
He chuckled quietly to himself, before pressing a button on a panel to his left.  A cold laser emerged from the ceiling above them, striking both her, Collette, and Bret with freezing cold energy.  They huddled together once the beam ceased.  A second laser fired, and all of them stiffened up with crippling energy.
“Can’t... move!” Bret said.
“And you need to calm down!  I won’t have vehicles inside of my lab!  Well, unless I am in charge of their appearance... Kitsune, fit them each with the necessary test patch.”
“Yes, Dr. Leo,” Kitsune replied.  She went over to a table and picked up three patches that resembled nicotine patches, but were equipped with a computer chip and a small antennae.  Carrying them on a tray, she approached the three stunned people.  A guard approached each one, and slid up their left sleeves.  Kitsune then applied a sticky goo to each victim’s arm, and then placed the patch on top.
“All set, doc,” she replied as she brought the tray back to the table.
“You’re helping the wrong person, Kit!  Leo will eventually be doing this same stuff to you!” Michelle cried.
Kitsune huffed quietly to herself, but turned back to the doctor.  “The subject Michelle seems to have volunteered to go first, Dr. Leo.”
Leo nodded.  “Are we reading her vitals?  Temperature, genetic activity?”
A hereto unforeseen team of scientists near the far wall of the room monitored several pieces of equipment, apparently to which the patches were sending their data.  Each had a readout of the person, their temperature, their heartbeat, and a status bar indicating genetic or nervous system activity.  Perhaps it was scanning for changes in a person’s DNA in real-time, if such a thing could be measured.
“She’s at base level.  Heartbeat is rising, temperature is at an steady 96.3 degrees.”
“Nerves are incapacitated and recovering at 5% a second.”
“I think you’re obviously cold, Michelle.  Give her the serum.”
“Serum?” Michelle asked nervously.  But she could not move from her spread eagle position.
Kitsune arrived with a syringe.  Pulling Michelle’s sleeve away from her right arm, she applied a bit of lotion before jabbing the needle into Michelle’s flesh.
“Unngh... you’ll never make it as a doctor’s assistant, Kit....”
“I just did.  10 ccs delivered, Dr. Leo.”
Leo spun in his chair to face his medical team.  “Has the serum spread evenly?”
“One moment... entering the bloodstream...”
“Detecting genetic activity... genomes are excited.  Yes, she’s ready.”
“Genomes... transformation genomes?” Bret asked.
“Silence!” Kitsune ordered.
“Preparing for temperature spike... isolating subject M... three two one fire.”
A heat beam emitted from the ceiling, striking Michelle in the back.
“Unngh... that’s warm...” she moaned quietly.
“Temperature rising to 96.9... 97, 97. 3... 97.8... 98.6...98.9...”
“Disengage the heat ray,” Leo ordered.  The red laser beam shut itself off.
“Genetic activity starting.  Genomes are swelling.”
Michelle’s hands turned into tires.
  “Transformation has matrixed.”
Her feet transformed as well... but that was where the transformation subsided.
“Temperature is steady at 98.9 degrees... genomes are swollen, but neural activity is in still mode.”
“Heart rate has increased, but is maintaining at base rate genome activity.”
“Any neural activity spreading to the extremities?  Lower body and hips?” Leo asked.
A researcher typed several commands into a keyboard as Michelle slowly teared up.
“Negative, serum X942 has subsided any neural commands to host’s network of genomes.  All genome activity has been halted, although partial transformation in metacarpals and metatarsals has occurred and is currently maintained.”
“Serum X943 shall require alteration to the metatarsal and metacarpal regions.  Make a note, Dr. Nelson?”
“Made, Dr. Leo.”
“And the subject?” Leo asked.
“Suggest hypothesis of reduction in temperature.”
Leo nodded.  “Make it so.”
Collette’s mind marveled at how Leo was enjoying playing captain, but chose not to agitate him any further.
“Firing in three, two, one... now.”  A cold beam emerged from the ceiling, again striking Michelle in the back.
“Temperature falling rapidly... we’re at 96.9 again... 95.7... 95.2.”
“That’ll do.  Stop laser activity,” Leo replied.
The beam shut off.
“Genome activity?”
“The message is being sent... neurons in full transit...”
Michelle’s hands and feet slowly reverted to hands and tennis shoes.
“Message received.  Transformation has annexed.”
“Neural activity at 35%.  Disruption laser must be wearing off.”
“Guards, bring subject M to the holding area.  Bond her, and keep guard with a cold ray if necessary,” Leo ordered.
“You bastards...” Michelle moaned softly as two guards picked her up by the shoulders, dragging her feet to a room near the end of the hanger.
“Prep subject B.  Prepare another dose of X942, as well as sample X11C,” Leo ordered.
“Yes, Dr. Leo,” Kitsune replied.
“Preparing another disruption laser blast.  Three...two...one...”
Bret’s mind spun as he wondered what this serum would test.

Tracker had just finished transforming outside of the cavern.  There was no sign of police cruisers.
Alex climbed into her passenger seat and activated her sensors.
“Anything, Alex?” Tracker asked.
“Nothing... just the radio scanner.  I wish we had thought to bring Dr. Chase’s portable GPS scanners,” he replied.
“I doubt they’d help us any... they can scan for vehicles, but not for people.  We’ll just have to wing it, I guess.”  She started her engine.
“What do you mean, wing it?” Alex asked.
“You’ll see when we get there,” Tracker replied.
“Wait, wait... I’ve got an idea, but it’ll take something cold.”
“Oh?  I don’t have a cold beam, you know,” Tracker said.
“But I’ll have to ask the doc... is there still a nitroglycerin lab in town?”
“Nitroglycerin?  You know better than I do, Mr. Dynatech!”
He picked up his cellphone.  “It’s on the edge of town... Dr. Chase bought the materials for the cold ray there!  Maybe I can call in a favor.”

Description
The afternoon passed by long and slowly for the trio in San Diego.  By the first hour they had discovered just how many bars were on the cage, and the number of ceiling panels in the hanger above.
Shortly after 6 PM, Mrs. Matthews went to the airport and picked up her daughter.  Alex and Pattie went with, although neither of them knew what had happened to Bret or the others.
"So let me understand this.  Nobody knows where Bret is?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"Or Michelle, or Collette.  I had heard they went to San Diego for the day.  Maybe they're stuck in traffic?" Pattie asked, motioning to Alex.
"Wonder how that could be?" Alex asked, also a little suspicious about their whereabouts.  Yes, it had been a warm day down there... but that couldn't mean that they were still cars someplace.
As they waited by the baggage claim, Kris soon walked into the area.   She had already been carrying her carry-on with, and that was all the luggage she needed.  As soon as they saw her, Kris quickly walked over and said hello.
"Hey guys," Kris said, as Mrs. Matthews ran over and smothered her daughter.
"Krissy, Krissy, it's been far too long!  How are you?" Mrs. Matthews cried in her best fretful-mother voice.
Kris slightly backed away, although she wanted to do it a little harder.  "Mom, control yourself!  I'm fine, it's just been nonstop work up there, that's all," she said, revealing her buff biceps.
"Whoa," Pattie and Alex replied.
"Oh, there's more of you here?  Great!  Say, where's my bro?" Kris asked.
"Yeah... where did he say he was going, Alex?" Pattie asked nervously.
"I thought you knew?" Alex asked in a similar tone.
"San Diego, on the way home.  Probably lost in traffic... and in deep trouble," Mrs. Matthews said, taking the cue from Pattie on an excuse.
"Deep trouble?  Oh, you mean from you.  I'm sure he's got a good story... or he'll get it from me.  Don't worry mom, it's okay.  I'm just glad to be home," Kris explained.
"Do you have everything?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"This is it," Kris replied, patting her duffle bag.
"Great, let's go then.  Maybe your brother called home, in case he forgot my number again," Mrs. Matthews said.
"Wouldn't surprise me," Kris replied.
Mrs. Matthews went ahead, as Kris slowed down to talk with Pattie and Alex.  "So, really, where is he?" Kris asked.
"Like we said, somewhere in San Diego.  Haven't heard from him all day... but, he's been talking about seeing you all week," Pattie said.
"Yeah Kris, something might be wrong for him to be missing this," Alex said.
Kris nodded.  "I haven't been taking tai kwan doe for nothing.  This is just the chance I've been looking for to get back into the swing of things down here... oh Mom?" Kris asked, catching up to her mother.
"Yes Kris?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"I'd like to hang out with Pattie and Alex for awhile, did you all drive separate?" Kris asked.
"Yeah, we came in Pattie's car," Alex replied.
"Oh, so you want me to bring your luggage home?  Yeah, I can do that... but I had planned on going out to dinner first, if that's okay.  I want to hear about your work on the oil platforms," Mrs. Matthews explained.
"Oil platforms?" Pattie asked.
"Yes, and no... more of a firefighting job, but I do spend time on an oil platform... tell ya later," Kris said quickly to Pattie.  "Sure, that'd be okay," she said to her mother.
"Wonderful.  Shall we meet at the Ocean Room at the Radisson, then?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"The Ocean Room?  That's a black tie place... probably a little upscale for us, don't you think?" Kris asked.
"Okay... how about the Sandytown Tavern?  Haven't had one of their burgers in awhile," she suggested.
"Um, we're underage," Pattie said.
"You are, I'm not," Kris said.
"Alex, you are, aren't you?" Pattie asked.
"Until next December, yeah," Alex replied.
"Well, you can be there before nine.  Trust me, the burgers there are to die for," Mrs. Matthews said, as she continued towards the parking lot.

After enjoying a good dinner with Mrs. Matthews, they split up.  Mrs. Matthews headed home with Kris's luggage, while Kris, Pattie and Alex headed directly to Chase Labs to try and figure out what had happened to Bret and the others.
Kris nearly beat down the door to the Special Inventions lab after they parked in the tiny lot outside.
"What what... Kris?" Dr. Chase asked, after opening the door.
"Spare me the welcome home talk, doc, what happened to Bret and the others?" Kris asked.
"Well... nice to see you too.  Dr. Bennit told me as soon as I got back to the lab an hour ago... you're not going to like this," he said, as he led them inside and closed the door behind.
"They're in trouble, aren't they?" Pattie asked.
"Oh man, not good," Alex said.
"You're correct, they're not in good shape.  It sounds like Dr. Leo and the Fox captured them," Dr. Chase began.
"Leo!?!  That snake?  And who's this fancy-pants Fox thing?" Kris snapped as they went into Dr. Chase's office.
"Now calm down, calm down.  I'll have no cars in my office, thank you," Dr. Chase said, as he showed them a map that was on his desk.
"What's this?" Alex asked, as Kris snatched the printout from the desk.
"A CCC scan that was taken an hour and a half ago.  Dr. Bennit took it as soon as he heard from Summer, before her signal was lost," Dr. Chase began.  The map revealed the army base, located roughly fifteen miles west of town.  Two markings were on the map, a single triangle, and a square com console in a three-story building.
"Alex, hold this," Kris said, as she handed off the map before her hands turned into wheels.
"Look out," Pattie said, as Kris pushed her way into the main lab area before kneeling to the floor.  Kris's body stretched out, as her feet became wheels while her lower body morphed into the rear of a Camero.  Next, her mid section and chest changed, before her head and upper body morphed out into the front, completing her transformation into Tracker.
"Ahh... haven't done that in awhile... feels as good as old times," Tracker said, as she activated her tracking system.
"You haven't changed in awhile?" Alex asked.
"Can't on the rig.  Tough thing to do, being around burning slag and runoff.  But that doesn't mean I haven't all together," Tracker replied, as she scanned to the edge of her display.  Nothing.
"Anything, Track?" Pattie asked, as she looked inside the passenger side.
"Damn.... no, I can't quite reach San Diego.  That was on the east side, wasn't it?  Some kind of army base?" Tracker asked.
"Something like that, at least that's what Summer was saying.  Sounds pretty bad, having all three of them caught," Dr. Chase said.
"That's awful," Pattie said.
"Wait, three of them?" Tracker asked.
"Yes, Bret, Michelle, and Collette," Dr. Chase said.
"Collette?  What is that two-timing Specter doing in all this?" Tracker cried, as her engine revved up into the higher levels.
"Easy, easy!" Alex said.
"She's reformed!  All she wants to do now is find her father," Pattie said.
"Yeah right.  And I want to find mine... oh wait, he's dead.  Problem solved," Tracker said.
"Tracker...." Pattie began.
"Save it, Pats.  You may think that traitor is all clean and reformed, but I'll bet ya she's behind this.  It's in her character," Tracker said.
"Tracker, she was over here the other day.  And I must say, I sensed nothing like that from her," Dr. Chase explained.
"That's because she's a pathetic liar," Tracker said, as she ejected her cellphone from her glove compartment.  "Pats, hook that up to my communicator," Tracker ordered.  Pattie plugged the 12-volt adapter into the lighter, and the phone came to life as it began to dial the Matthew's residence.
"How...?" Pattie began.
"Tell ya later... Mom?  It's me Kris," Tracker said.
"Krissy, darling... are you, Pattie and Alex having fun?  Will you be home later tonight?" Mrs. Matthews asked upon answering the phone.
"A blast, Mom... so much fun that in fact, I think I might even stay over with Pattie tonight.  I hope you don't mind," Tracker said.
"Well, you're a grown woman now, but I hope I can see you at least once while you're here for the week," Mrs. Matthews replied.
"Don't worry, you will.  As soon as Wednesday rolls around, I'm all yours," Tracker said.
"Well, if you need to come by for your baggage, I'll be here.  And I haven't changed the locks or anything, so come home anytime," she replied.
"I will Mom, love you," Tracker said.
"You too, Krissy.  Bye now," Mrs. Matthews said, and Tracker turned the phone off.  She then ejected the power plug, which bounced onto the driver's seat next to the cellphone.
"Now then, who's coming with?" Tracker asked, as she  revved her engine.
"Tracker, you don't know what you're getting into... you haven't heard anything about Fox... Dr. Leo..." Dr. Chase began.
"I've heard enough, doc.  This Fox thing... whatever it is... has my brother and best friend... and I guess a third captive, who may or may not wish to help out," Tracker began.
"Tracker, you don't know that-" Pattie began.
"Pattie, enough.  I say again, who's coming with me?" Tracker asked.
Alex pulled Pattie out of the passenger seat.  "I volunteer," Alex said.
"Hey, I'm coming too," Pattie said.
"I think I get ya, Alex... Pats, you try to get a hold of Gregory and Shelly.  We might need some backup on this, just as a precaution," Tracker said.
"I can get you his number in no time," Dr. Chase said.
Pattie was about to climb back in, but stopped herself.  "Send my love for Bret, Alex," Pattie said, hugging him tightly.
"I will," Alex replied.
"I'll find him for ya, Pats.  And if I can't, you can know that Fox'll get what's coming to 'im," Tracker said.
"Uh, Tracker, it's a her," Dr. Chase said.
"Whatever, whatever, she's getting it up the tailpipe," Tracker said as Alex climbed into the driver's seat, after moving the cellphone aside.  Tracker then spun around and was about to Turbo Thrust through the garage door, when Pattie quickly hit the button, allowing Tracker to narrowly go outside and towards the freeway to San Diego.
"She wouldn't have gotten very far had that been closed," Dr. Chase said.
"I doubt she'd care, doc.  Got that number of Gregory's?" Pattie asked.
"I do, it's in my rolodex.  But do me a favor, and wait to call him until we hear from them," Dr. Chase said.
"Knowing Kris, we might not hear from her until Bret's been found," Pattie said.
"Hmm... well, we'll give her 24 hours, then.  At that time, I'll see if I can't get him down here.  If it comes to that, I'm not sure what we'll be able to do," Dr. Chase said.
Pattie nodded.

Tracker and Alex were flying down I-5 towards San Diego in record time.  So fast, that she had become a target for nearly every Highway Patrol officer in the tri-county area.
"Uh... Tracker?" Alex asked, as he glanced over his shoulder to see a dozen patrol cars in the rear window.
"I know, Alex.  I'll lose them before we get close to the base, all right?" Tracker asked.
Alex winced as he spotted a spike strip get tossed across the road up ahead.
"It's not that... it's....!" Alex cried, as Tracker ran over them, griping in pain as she crossed them.
"Urrgh... there," Tracker said, as she activated a special section on her instrument panel.  Alex watched as it displayed something to re-inflate the tires.
Tracker's wheels re-inflated, and they continued to drive on.
"There, done," Tracker said.
"Where... hey, how many new tricks do you have now, anyways?" Alex asked.
"A friend of mine, who knows about my little secret, has made a few modifications.  With a few changes to my CCC system, I can tap into cellphones, as long as they're connected to the power system.  I also have the run-flat ability, which essentially keeps my wheels running.  They sting a bit, but it'll be no worse than a scratch when I change back.  That's mostly the bulk of what I can do now... aside from my expert evasion skills, that I worked on my off days," Tracker explained.
"Quite a friend you have there," Alex said.
"Yeah, he was a traffic cop who worked at a police training facility, and offered to take me through it.  There are cops in Los Angeles who have failed it, where I made it in the top 99%," Tracker said.
"Wow," Alex replied.
Tracker continued to drive as the several police cruisers broke off from the main pursuit.  The base came into sight on her console.
"Tracker, now would be a good time to lose them," Alex said.
"Alex, relax!  I know that.  Let's see... there's a spot," Tracker said, as she leapt off the road at an approach, that led into the endless hills.  Now it became an off-road chase.
"Yeow!" Alex cried as they hit a rock in the field.
"Yeah, agreed... how many cops are left?" Tracker asked.
Alex turned around to check, seeing that nearly two-thirds of the police officers had either crashed into the ditch, or one another at the point of the approach.
"We're better than we were, I guess," he replied.
"It's a start... now to lose the rest of them," Tracker said, as she spotted a small cave in the distance near some foothills.  She drove around it, and then over it, and tried to elude the cars away from it at first.
"Any behind us?" Tracker asked, as she tried to focus on her mirrors.
"No, I don't think so," Alex replied.
"In we go!" Tracker said, and then skidded into the deep cavern.  She turned on her lights and drove further in, but didn't get much further when the cool shade took over.
"That's it," Tracker said, as she began to revert into Kris.  Her legs and body reformed, leaving both her and Alex alone in the cave.
"Now what?" Alex asked.
"Now we stay here for a few minutes, just outside of the light, and wait.  If all goes well, they'll head back into the hills, or give up," Kris replied.
"How long?" Alex asked, a little nervous.
"I don't know... twenty minutes?  Don't you like the dark?" Kris asked.
"I don't mind the dark.  This is darker than that," Alex said, unable to see his hand in front of his face.
Kris took out a flashlight from her pocket, and lit it up.  "Happy now?" she asked, turning it over so it acted like a candle.
"Better.  But be sure to cover it if you hear anything," he said.
"No problem," Kris replied.

Back at the stowage facility, Michelle and Collette were avoiding each other like the plague as Kitsune finally arrived and turned off the sprinkler system.  She had brought with her three armed guards.
“All of you, on your feet.”  She began turning off the additional security alarms and activated the controls for the door.
“What’s going on now?” Michelle asked.
“No questions!  Single file, head towards that exit.  Move!”
Collette gave Kitsune a mean stare.  Kitsune only responded with an equally imposing glance.  “You made your choice, viper.  Keep walking.”
The guards with the assault rifles guided the three changers towards the exits.  Then they crossed an open airfield, perhaps one that had been built in the forties as additional runways for the war effort.  Needless to say the facility was in a state of disrepair.
“Don’t stop walking!  Keep walking straight across to the next hanger.”  She turned to the guards.  “If they start to transform, shoot ‘em.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Michelle was shaking as she thought only cool thoughts for the next few moments.  Fortunately, they were inside and out of the sun a few moments later as they entered a command center inside of yet another long hanger.  Computer servers, tracking equipment, scanners and all manner of telecommunications filled the room so much that even the thinnest scientist would have a hard time moving about all the equipment.
Near the center, in a veritable captain’s chair, sat Leo.  Control panels and equipment ran with dozens of cables to other components around the room, all leading to an opening near the center where a familiar laser emitter stood high above the rest of the technology.
Kitsune directed them towards a large circle, perhaps twenty feet in diameter, near the doorway.
“Well?  It’s not the Special Invention Lab, but it’s almost like home, right?” Leo asked.
“Hardly,” Bret replied quietly.
“It’s so nice of you three to join me.  Now the question is how to decide the best way to parade my new spokespeople for the Molecular Transfer Ray... or whether or not to just remove your engines and go about it that way.  The options are endless!”
“A slideshow, Leo?  That’s the best you could come up with?” Collette asked.
“That’s just the beginning, my dear!  I’ve been working on many new formulas... and you three will make wonderful guinea pigs!”
“Don’t call me a pig, Leo!  You’re nothing but a monster!” Michelle gasped.
He chuckled quietly to himself, before pressing a button on a panel to his left.  A cold laser emerged from the ceiling above them, striking both her, Collette, and Bret with freezing cold energy.  They huddled together once the beam ceased.  A second laser fired, and all of them stiffened up with crippling energy.
“Can’t... move!” Bret said.
“And you need to calm down!  I won’t have vehicles inside of my lab!  Well, unless I am in charge of their appearance... Kitsune, fit them each with the necessary test patch.”
“Yes, Dr. Leo,” Kitsune replied.  She went over to a table and picked up three patches that resembled nicotine patches, but were equipped with a computer chip and a small antennae.  Carrying them on a tray, she approached the three stunned people.  A guard approached each one, and slid up their left sleeves.  Kitsune then applied a sticky goo to each victim’s arm, and then placed the patch on top.
“All set, doc,” she replied as she brought the tray back to the table.
“You’re helping the wrong person, Kit!  Leo will eventually be doing this same stuff to you!” Michelle cried.
Kitsune huffed quietly to herself, but turned back to the doctor.  “The subject Michelle seems to have volunteered to go first, Dr. Leo.”
Leo nodded.  “Are we reading her vitals?  Temperature, genetic activity?”
A hereto unforeseen team of scientists near the far wall of the room monitored several pieces of equipment, apparently to which the patches were sending their data.  Each had a readout of the person, their temperature, their heartbeat, and a status bar indicating genetic or nervous system activity.  Perhaps it was scanning for changes in a person’s DNA in real-time, if such a thing could be measured.
“She’s at base level.  Heartbeat is rising, temperature is at an steady 96.3 degrees.”
“Nerves are incapacitated and recovering at 5% a second.”
“I think you’re obviously cold, Michelle.  Give her the serum.”
“Serum?” Michelle asked nervously.  But she could not move from her spread eagle position.
Kitsune arrived with a syringe.  Pulling Michelle’s sleeve away from her right arm, she applied a bit of lotion before jabbing the needle into Michelle’s flesh.
“Unngh... you’ll never make it as a doctor’s assistant, Kit....”
“I just did.  10 ccs delivered, Dr. Leo.”
Leo spun in his chair to face his medical team.  “Has the serum spread evenly?”
“One moment... entering the bloodstream...”
“Detecting genetic activity... genomes are excited.  Yes, she’s ready.”
“Genomes... transformation genomes?” Bret asked.
“Silence!” Kitsune ordered.
“Preparing for temperature spike... isolating subject M... three two one fire.”
A heat beam emitted from the ceiling, striking Michelle in the back.
“Unngh... that’s warm...” she moaned quietly.
“Temperature rising to 96.9... 97, 97. 3... 97.8... 98.6...98.9...”
“Disengage the heat ray,” Leo ordered.  The red laser beam shut itself off.
“Genetic activity starting.  Genomes are swelling.”
Michelle’s hands turned into tires.
  “Transformation has matrixed.”
Her feet transformed as well... but that was where the transformation subsided.
“Temperature is steady at 98.9 degrees... genomes are swollen, but neural activity is in still mode.”
“Heart rate has increased, but is maintaining at base rate genome activity.”
“Any neural activity spreading to the extremities?  Lower body and hips?” Leo asked.
A researcher typed several commands into a keyboard as Michelle slowly teared up.
“Negative, serum X942 has subsided any neural commands to host’s network of genomes.  All genome activity has been halted, although partial transformation in metacarpals and metatarsals has occurred and is currently maintained.”
“Serum X943 shall require alteration to the metatarsal and metacarpal regions.  Make a note, Dr. Nelson?”
“Made, Dr. Leo.”
“And the subject?” Leo asked.
“Suggest hypothesis of reduction in temperature.”
Leo nodded.  “Make it so.”
Collette’s mind marveled at how Leo was enjoying playing captain, but chose not to agitate him any further.
“Firing in three, two, one... now.”  A cold beam emerged from the ceiling, again striking Michelle in the back.
“Temperature falling rapidly... we’re at 96.9 again... 95.7... 95.2.”
“That’ll do.  Stop laser activity,” Leo replied.
The beam shut off.
“Genome activity?”
“The message is being sent... neurons in full transit...”
Michelle’s hands and feet slowly reverted to hands and tennis shoes.
“Message received.  Transformation has annexed.”
“Neural activity at 35%.  Disruption laser must be wearing off.”
“Guards, bring subject M to the holding area.  Bond her, and keep guard with a cold ray if necessary,” Leo ordered.
“You bastards...” Michelle moaned softly as two guards picked her up by the shoulders, dragging her feet to a room near the end of the hanger.
“Prep subject B.  Prepare another dose of X942, as well as sample X11C,” Leo ordered.
“Yes, Dr. Leo,” Kitsune replied.
“Preparing another disruption laser blast.  Three...two...one...”
Bret’s mind spun as he wondered what this serum would test.

Tracker had just finished transforming outside of the cavern.  There was no sign of police cruisers.
Alex climbed into her passenger seat and activated her sensors.
“Anything, Alex?” Tracker asked.
“Nothing... just the radio scanner.  I wish we had thought to bring Dr. Chase’s portable GPS scanners,” he replied.
“I doubt they’d help us any... they can scan for vehicles, but not for people.  We’ll just have to wing it, I guess.”  She started her engine.
“What do you mean, wing it?” Alex asked.
“You’ll see when we get there,” Tracker replied.
“Wait, wait... I’ve got an idea, but it’ll take something cold.”
“Oh?  I don’t have a cold beam, you know,” Tracker said.
“But I’ll have to ask the doc... is there still a nitroglycerin lab in town?”
“Nitroglycerin?  You know better than I do, Mr. Dynatech!”
He picked up his cellphone.  “It’s on the edge of town... Dr. Chase bought the materials for the cold ray there!  Maybe I can call in a favor.”