Dr. Occult placed his hand on T.J.'s shoulder to steady him. He knew that most people suffered a mild case of vertigo after their first experience of teleportation.

"So," T.J. asked, trying to forget that his stomach was doing its best to climb up his spine, "where are we?"

"There is another who agreed to help. This is where she lives."

She, T.J. thought. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. "She who?"

"Kelli Lockhart. She's the Torpedo's granddaughter."

"What's her story?" T.J. asked. "How did you convince her to join your legacy team?"

"She knows where her grandfather's sub is and says nobody is going to work on it but her. Kelli's pretty good with things like that; she inherited Jim's knack for inventing."

"So she thinks she knows enough about it to keep the sub operational?"

Richard smiled. "She knew enough to graduate with high honors from MIT."

T.J. was impressed, although the visual image in his head was beginning to change from a Power Girl look-a-like to bookworm lab-rat with thick glasses wearing her hair in a bun. "I can't wait to meet her," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Richard ignored T.J.'s comment and walked the few short steps that led to the apartment building's front door.

T.J. fell into step behind Richard.

Occult hit the button for the intercom.

"Who is it?" the sweetest voice T.J. had ever heard asked.

"Richard," his companion answered. "I've got company with me."

"Give me a couple of minutes," the voice responded. "I'm getting dressed."

The visual image reappeared in T.J.'s mind. It was slowly returning to the Power Girl look-a-like, although this time he was having a hard time picturing her in costume. The voice, accompanied by a buzzer, brought him back to reality.

"Quit daydreaming, son. Let's go."

Richard pulled the door open and led the way inside. T.J. followed him up two flights of stairs and to the end of the hall. He raised his hand to knock, but a voice from within told him it was open. Richard turned the knob and pushed the door open. Once inside, they could hear someone moving around in one of the other rooms.

"I'll be right out," the voice called, and, true to her word, within seconds, a young woman walked into the living room.

The image of Power Girl faded completely from T.J.'s mind and was replaced by the girl who stood before him. She was slender without being skinny, curvaceous, yet well proportioned. Her long brown hair fell just below her shoulders and held a hint of natural curl. Her tanned skin appeared soft and flawless. Yet, despite the fact that she had, to him, the perfect build, it was her face that he couldn't help but stare at. Her hazel eyes met his and she gave him absolutely the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

"Since the cat's got his tongue," he heard Richard say, "I'll introduce my companion. This is...."

"Thomas John Dalton." He finally spoke up. "My friends call me T.J."

"It's nice to meet you, T.J., my name is Kelli Lockhart." She shook his hand, confirming what he thought about her soft skin.

"Are you ready?" Richard asked her.

"Just let me grab my keys," she said, "and then we can go."

"Now where are we going?" T.J. wanted to know.

Kelli locked the door behind them and led them to her car, a black '69 Camaro. She unlocked the passenger side first then walked around to the driver's side. T.J. opened the passenger door and crawled into the back seat. Richard got in and closed the door as she fired it up.

"So," T.J. said as they pulled out of the parking lot, "you're grandfather was a mystery man. I bet you were surprised to find that out."

Kelli shook her head. "Not really. I've known for sometime. When I was a little girl, my dad once showed me an old newspaper clipping of Grandfather posing with his sub. From that point on, I wanted to build one of my own. It's what kept me focused all through school. When Dad passed away, his lawyer gave me some papers that had belonged to Grandfather. He told me that he had kept them in his safe for Dad with instructions to pass them on to me in the event of his death."

"What was in the papers the lawyer gave you?" T.J. asked.

"At first, I thought it was just the usual stuff. You know, a copy of the will, deeds, stocks, that sort of stuff. Amid all of that, however, I was surprised, and delighted, to find a copy of Grandfather's blueprints for the sub, and directions on how to find it."

It only took a few minutes for them to reach their destination. As they pulled up and parked beside what appeared to be a deserted warehouse by the river, Dr. Occult spoke. "I could have easily teleported us."

Kelli smiled. "I saw how green around the gills T.J. was when you arrived at my place; no thanks."

The trio got out of the Camaro and Kelli led the way to a side door. Sliding her hand into her hip pocket, she retrieved a single key and fit it into a padlock. Instead of the door opening when she turned the key, a hidden panel on the left wall popped open to reveal a keypad. Kelli entered a short series of numbers and the door slid noiselessly open. She turned the key farther and the panel on the wall closed.

"You boys just going to stand there all day or what?" Kelli asked as she walked into the warehouse.

"On," the two men heard Kelli say a second before rows of overhead lights flared to life, illuminating the warehouse.

A whistle escaped T.J. lips. He glanced at Richard. By the look on his face, he knew that the older man wasn't expecting the scene that was spread out before them.

What appeared to be a riverside warehouse on the outside was actually a state-of-the-art laboratory on the inside. Tables covered with various gadgets and gizmos were scattered throughout. A bank of computers was partitioned away from the rest of the lab in a glass room. The one thing, however, that dominated the visitors' attention was the large, red submarine setting in dry-dock in the middle of the room.

"How can you afford all of this?" T.J. asked as he tried to take everything in.

"Grandfather made quite a few bucks by doing submarine designs for the government a year or two before the war," Kelli answered as she walked over to one of the tables and laid her keys down. "That, plus a few odd projects that I have worked on since college and keeping a tight reign on my finances, has helped me get by."

"Well," T.J. said.

"Yes?" was Dr. Occult's response.

"We've got a souped-up submarine, a costume that can make me invisible, and a headquarters, of sorts. Now what do we do?"

Chapter 2

The cab driver reached up and adjusted his rearview mirror so he could see his passenger's face. Keeping his cigar clamped tightly in his teeth, he spoke with a gruff voice. "Hope you don't mind me askin', but you sure you want to go to this address?" He held up the small slip of paper that his fare had given him upon entering his cab at the airport.

"Is there a problem?" the gentleman in the backseat asked.

"Not really. It's just that this part of town is pretty much deserted."

"Pretty much, but not completely. Actually, I'm meeting a colleague."

The cabby furled his brow.

His passenger wasn't sure if it was because he was thinking, or if he was trying to figure out what a "colleague" was. He finally turned his head and glanced out the window.

After a couple seconds of silence, the cabby spoke, his voice a low whisper. "I ain't doin' nothin' illegal, am I?"

The man in the backseat laughed. "Oh, heavens no. My colleague is a fellow scientist who does research around here. Her work requires her to be near the river."

The cab driver let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged slightly in what the passenger guessed was disappointment.

"Well, Professor, we're here," the cab driver informed his fare as he rolled to a stop in front of a warehouse. "That'll be $15.28."

The back door opened and the gentleman got out. He pulled a twenty from his pocket and started to hand it to the driver. "Hey, wait a minute. How did you know I was a professor?"

"You said your colleague was a fellow scientist, yet you are dressed too neat to spend all of your time in a lab somewhere. I figured that meant that your were still in the scientific field somehow. Since your voice is clear and strong, I figured that you were used to speaking. That only leaves a lecturer or a college professor, and since, like I said, you mentioned a colleague, I guessed you to be a professor."

The professor had him the twenty. "I think you are in the wrong business, my friend."

The cabby shook his head. "Nah, I'm right where I need to be."

The professor stood and watched the cab drive off before walking to the door. He was laughing to himself when he tapped a button mounted on the wall. A few moments later, the door opened and the professor was led inside by an attractive, brown-haired girl.

Less than a minute after the door closed, the cab pulled back up in front of the warehouse. The driver opened his door and climbed out.

"I am definitely where I need to be."

While Kelli was showing her guests around the laboratory, a bell sounded overhead. "Excuse me a moment."

As she walked away, T.J. lightly elbowed his companion. "How's that, Doc. We've got a secret hideout with a doorbell."

Dr. Occult grinned but said nothing.

Kelli returned a couple minutes later followed by a gentleman who seemed to be around the same age as Richard. As she approached, Kelli began to make introductions. "T.J., Richard, this is Professor Richard...."

"Raleigh," Dr. Occult said as he extended his hand. "Son, you look a lot like your father."

"Thank you, Dr. I'll take that as a compliment."

"So," T.J. said as he shook hands with the newcomer, "have you come to join our little legacy team?"

"Not quite," Professor Raleigh smiled.

Naturally curious, T.J. asked, "Don't you have a legacy that you want to carry on?"

"I've been down that road before," the professor said, "with a less than desirable outcome. I thought that I should take my father's place, but I learned that I could do his memory just as proud by being my own man and not his replacement. Besides, I have it on good authority that The Red Bee didn't need my help in gaining respect."

T.J. nodded. "I remember hearing about him. He died during World War II; sacrificed himself to help save some of his fellow heroes."

Professor Raleigh smiled. "Your last name's Dalton, right?"

"Yes."

"You're related to Tom, right?" the professor asked.

"Yes sir."

"Excuse me for saying so, but I didn't think Tom was married," Professor Raleigh said.

"He wasn't. My mother was his niece."

A puzzled look appeared on the professor's face.

T.J. smiled and continued. "Mom married young. My father turned out to be a drunk and a loser. It was the typical situation; he beat her when he was drunk and tried to pretend everything was all right when he was sober. I was still a baby when he died. Mom decided that I wasn't going to have the last name of a drunk, so she retook her maiden name and had my last name changed as well."

"So, why are you here?" Dr. Occult politely interrupted.

"I invited him," Kelli said.

"Kelli and I met a couple years ago when she was working on a project at Metropolis University. I mentioned to her that my father knew a gentleman by the name of Lockhart back during the war and we began to compare notes."

"Right," Kelli continued the story, "and when Dr. Occult contacted me, I thought the son of the Red Bee might be interested."

"I appreciate the offer, but like I said, I've been down that road before."

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but why are you here, then?" T.J. asked.

"I wanted to bring you this." Professor Raleigh reached into the pocket of his overcoat and pulled out what appeared to be a gun of some kind. He handed it to Occult.

"Your father's stinger gun."

"He didn't use it very often, but when he did," the Professor laughed, "the bad guys sure remembered it."

"Are you sure you don't want to hang onto this?" Dr. Occult asked.

"I'm positive. You're looking for legacies; use this to carry on Dad's. Besides, I can't look at it without wondering that if he would have had this with him on his last case, would he still be alive?"

Dr. Occult handed the weapon to T.J. who accepted it as though he had just been asked to hold a baby. "I'll take care of it, I promise."

Professor Raleigh smiled. "I'm sure you will."

While Dr. Occult and Professor Raleigh let their conversation drift back to the good old days and remembrances of the Red Bee, Kelli motioned for T.J. to follow her to one of the worktables. He did so without having to be asked twice.

"Let me see the gun," she said as she held her hand out.

"Why?" he asked as he handed it to her.

"If you intend to use it, and expect me to keep it in proper working order, then I need to know what it does."

T.J. shrugged. "Makes sense to me."

"Amazing," she said as she turned it over and over in her hands. "Did you ever stop to consider the level of genius the early mystery men exhibited?"

"Well, now that you mention it...no."

Kelli shot him the "you're an idiot and not even a funny one" look.

"Sorry," T.J. muttered as he put his head down.

He never saw the quick smile play across Kelli's face.

Without warning, a buzzer sounded causing everyone to jump in surprise. Kelli handed the stinger gun back to T.J. and ran to a monitor. "We've got an intruder."

"I'll say you do."

Professor Raleigh let his mouth drop open. It was the voice of the cab driver.

"I promise you I don't mean any harm," the cabby said as he stepped out from behind the submarine. "I need your help."

"Who are you?" Dr. Occult asked as he stepped forward.

"That's the cab driver who dropped me off here," the professor said.

Slowly, the intruder reached up and grabbed a piece of flesh behind his left ear. As he began to tug, the onlookers were amazed to see his face begin to peel away.

"It's a mask," T.J. said, stating the obvious.

Once the mask was removed, T.J. again stated the obvious. "It's a woman."

Dr. Occult felt a tug on his memory. The face looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. "I...don't I know you?"

"In the good old days, I was called the Witch."

"Of course!" Occult exclaimed. "You were a frequent adversary of King's"

"Yes, but we got past that. We've been married for almost 37 years."

Although it wasn't unheard of for a hero to marry his adversary, Dr. Occult was still caught off guard. "Uh, congratulations."

"Excuse me," T.J. said. "I don't want to sound rude, but why are you here?"

"I need your help."

"How can we help you?" Occult asked.

"My husband has disappeared."

"Shouldn't you go to the police," T.J. asked. "I mean, finding missing persons is part of their job."

The Witch looked at the young man. "The police would need to see a picture of King, and that was one thing my husband was adamant about; he was never to be photographed. He felt that if a photograph was ever taken, and it fell into the hands of one of his enemies, they might figure out his real identity."

"Makes sense to me," Kelli spoke up before T.J. could say anything else.

Suddenly, Dr. Occult's eyes widened. As his dream replayed itself vividly in his mind, everything became clear. He heard T.J. speaking.

"I still don't understand why you came to us. Why not one of the more established groups?"

"Because," Dr. Occult spoke up, "this mission is the reason we are here."

Chapter 3

In all of his years as a costumed adventurer, the man known only to the world as "King" had never felt a pain like that which now racked his body. The bones in his arms and legs stretched and lengthened, while those in his hands, feet, and chest began to reshape themselves altogether. The cartilage in his face began to reshape as well, painfully reproducing along the bridge of his nose and lengthening into the muzzle of a great canine. Muscles kept firm from years of exercise began to expand as well, stretching and tightening wrinkled flesh.

For one brief moment, King had full control of his own mind. And he hated it. With each change, there was always that instant when he was forced to realize what he did in the dark of the night. If his tears would come, he would weep for the innocent lives he had taken.

He had also discovered something else. At this moment, which he dreaded so fiercely, he could feel the supernatural energy surging through his body. Tonight, he was ready for this moment. He had suppressed his anxieties over the deeds he had done, and focused on the power. From his time as an adventurer, he had known individuals who could sense things from the realm of the unexplained, and tonight, he was going to attempt to contact one of those heroes.

King began to feel his skin begin to tingle and knew that the coarse, silver-gray fur was beginning to grow and cover his body, completing his transformation into a werewolf. At the precise moment his mind began to be overcome by the mind of the hunter, his mind screamed out, "I AM KING!"

His final thought was one of hope. Maybe, just maybe, someone heard his call.

Detective Brian Walker of the Charleston P. D. glanced at his calendar. Two more days and he could put the boredom of the desk behind him and get back out on the street where he belonged. It had been a little over three weeks since the shoot-out that had sent a bullet flying close enough to crease his temple.

He would have been back on the street the following day, but the doctors weren't certain everything was all right. They wanted him to stay away from the streets for two months, but he wouldn't hear of it. In the end, they had reached a compromise; he'd ride a desk for one month and then submit to an examination. If the exam showed nothing wrong, then he was away from the desk; if something did show up, then he'd do whatever they told him, no argument. With a sigh, they agreed.

The detective looked at his calendar again. Two more days, and then I'm free.

"Hey, Detective," Brian heard the desk sergeant call.

"Yeah, Pete?"

"We're sending out for something to eat. You want anything?"

Brian thought for a moment. "No, Pete, I'm fine. I could go for another cup of coffee," he said as he stood up.

The detective took three steps before he collapsed to his knees. With his hands on the sides of his head, Brian loosed a scream that drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Within seconds, Pete was at his side along with another officer.

"Detective Walker. Brian." Pete called his name a couple more times.

"Hey, sergeant," the other officer asked as they got Brian into a chair, "what's he saying?"

Pete put his head down next to Brian's mouth. After a moment, he looked up at those who had gathered around to see what was wrong. He shook his head as a tear began to form in the corner of his eye. "He's snapped."

"But what's he saying?"

"He just keeps repeating over and over "I am king, I am king.""

Detective Brian Walker awoke two days later in a dark hospital room. It took him a few minutes for it to sink in where he was. Still woozy, he hit the button on his bed to summon a nurse. When she appeared, two men in white coats accompanied the nurse. Brian recognized the men immediately.

"Well, boys," he said trying to manage a smile, "I guess you were right."

The doctors looked at each other. Finally, one of them spoke. "Maybe, maybe not."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Brian asked.

"We ran some tests," the other doctor said. "Everything came back negative."

Brian was puzzled. "If I'm all right, then what happened?"

"Well," said the first doctor, "we're not really certain what happened."

"Perhaps I can help," came a voice from the door.

As the doctors and nurse turned, a rather tall, well-built man in his middle years entered. The stranger was distinguished looking, despite his attire; a double-breasted brown suit, a brown overcoat, and a white fedora, just like he stepped out of an old Clark Gable movie.

"Permit me to introduce myself." He smiled. "I am Dr. Richard Occult, and I think I can be of some help."

Chapter 4

Something about the man called Dr. Occult made Brian feel he could trust him. Obviously, his own doctors felt the same way or they would have never released him into the man's care. As he finished getting dressed, the man re-entered his hospital room.

"Are you ready?" Occult asked.

"I've just got to sign some papers first, then we can go," Brian told him. "If you want, you can go bring your car around and I'll meet you downstairs when I'm finished."

The man just smiled. "I never said anything about having a car."

"Then, how are we going to get where we are going?"

"You'll see," Dr. Occult said as he turned and walked back out into the hall.

Brian shrugged. As a detective, he felt he should have been more curious about Occult, but, for some reason, he didn't.

One minute, the two men were standing in a hospital elevator, and the next, Brian was fighting off a wave of nausea as he found himself standing in a laboratory of some sort. He felt himself beginning to sink to the floor when two sets of hands grabbed him and helped him remain upright.

"Don't worry, you'll be okay in a minute," said a male voice to his right. "I felt the same way the first time the good doctor teleported me."

Sure enough, just as the man had said, Brain began to feel better. Once his head cleared, his first instinct was to get a good look at his surroundings. His suspicions about being in a lab were confirmed immediately. Tables were positioned throughout the room; each covered with tools or electronic equipment. His eyes were then drawn to the large red submarine setting in dry-dock. It was one of the most incredible things he had ever seen.

Then he turned and saw who was standing to his left.

"Hi," she said. "My name's Kelli. Kelli Lockhart."

For a moment, the detective couldn't speak. When his brain finally got his attention, he spoke. "Sorry. I'm still a little woozy. My name's Brian. Detective Brian Walker. I'm pleased to meet you."

"Oh, great," came a voice from his right, the same one he had heard a few moments earlier. "Just what I needed, competition."

Brian turned and saw a young man smiling. The man stuck out his hand. "I'm Thomas John Dalton, but you can call me T.J."

The two shook hands.

The detective looked around and found Occult walking towards him with a cup of coffee. "Here," he said as he had Brian the cup, "this might help settle your nerves."

Brian thanked him and took a sip. "This hits the spot," he said.

"Follow me," Richard said. "I would guess that right about now, you would really appreciate some answers."

The detective nodded as he took another sip of coffee.

Richard, accompanied by Kelli and T.J., led the newcomer to a small office space. The small room already held two occupants, an elderly woman who was sipping coffee of her own, and a gentleman who appeared to be roughly the same age as Occult. The man was just finishing up a telephone conversation.

"That's right," he said to whoever was on the other end. "I should be home in a week; no later than two. Don't worry, I know when classes start again. There's just something here that requires my attention. Okay, I'll talk to you when I get home. I will. Take care, and I'll see you soon. Bye."

"So, Professor," T.J. said with a grin, "I didn't think you were joining our little group."

"I'm not, officially, but I have offered to lend Occult my assistance this one time."

T.J. laughed. "Yeah, sure. This one time."

Dr. Occult smiled. "Detective Brian Walker, let me introduce Professor Richard Raleigh."

He let the two men shake hands before introducing the other guest. "And this is...." Occult paused, unsure of how to introduce a woman who called herself "Witch."

The woman sensed his reluctance and introduced herself. "I am Abigail Standish. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"It's nice to meet you, as well," Brian replied.

"So, Detective," Occult said, "I would imagine you are ready for some information."

"Yes," Brian nodded, "that would be nice. "Who are you, really" and "Where am I" are the first ones to come to mind."

"I'll answer the "where" first. You're still in Charleston. As to who we really are, that's a little bit tougher to explain." Dr. Occult paused. "We are...here to find a friend."

"I'll accept that, for now," Brian said. "Now, why am I here?"

"Believe it or not, that one is somewhat easier to answer. You are here because you posses certain abilities that have begun to manifest."

"What do you mean "abilities"," Brian asked.

"Do you remember the last thing you said before you blacked out in the police station?" Occult asked him.

The detective thought for a moment. "They said that I kept repeating over and over that I was the king. Even I thought that I had lost it when they told me that."

"Yet, the doctors could find no evidence of anything out of sorts with your normal mental state," Dr. Occult told him.

"Doc, you're starting to sound like you have some idea as to what happened to me."

"Do you believe in the supernatural?" Occult asked him.

"With guys like Dr. Fate and the Spectre making the news as far back as I can remember, I would have to say there is certainly enough evidence to. Why?"

"It appears that what you experienced was supernatural in nature," Dr. Occult told him.

"Okay. Please stop the bus; I'd like to get off now," Brian said.

"Sorry," Occult replied, "but I think this is one ride you have to take to the end."

"So, I'm like the Spectre," the detective commented.

"Not hardly," Abigail interjected. "There's isn't anyone like the Spectre."

"Do you remember what you were saying when you collapsed," Dr. Occult asked Brian.

"Not really. They told me that I had become delusional, claiming to be king," Brian said.

"Your exact words were "I am King."

"How do you know?"

"Because, I heard them, as well."

Confusion quickly etched its way across Brian's face. "I'm really lost now."

"What you heard, what we heard, was a call from somewhere else. Since your mind wasn't prepared for the sudden assault, it tried to shut itself down in defense. I, on the other hand, am used to such things and coped a whole lot better. As to why the message said "I am King" is because that was who sent it. King is the one we are looking for, and we need your help to find him."

The detective cocked his head to the side slightly. "But, if you heard him, too, then why do you need me?"

"Because the test results of yours that I saw lead me to believe that you might be able to trace King's mental cry back to its source. Will you help us?" Once he had finished speaking, Dr. Occult walked over to a window that looked out at the lab.

"I would be glad to help," Brian told them, "but I don't know if I can."

Dr. Occult turned around. "I can help you help us."

"How do you propose to do that?"

Dr. Richard Occult looked at the detective and spoke one word. "Hypnosis."

Chapter 5

"Detective Brian Walker, if you can hear me, raise your right hand."

Slowly, the sleeping man did as he was told. Dr. Occult nodded to himself in satisfaction. He was surprised at how easy the young man had slipped into the trance; he took it as a sign of trust.

"All right, Brian, let's begin. I want you to picture yourself standing at the beginning of a small stream. Do you see the stream?"

When Brian nodded, Occult continued. "This stream is your gift, your power. Let your mind follow the stream to its destination. Can you see where it is going? Good. Now, I want you to step into the stream. Feel it flowing around you...over you...through you. Quit walking and let the stream carry you. How are you feeling now, Brian?"

"It's exhilarating," the sleeping man responded.

"Do you feel the power?"

Brian nodded.

"You're doing fine. Just let me know when you reach your destination."

"Man, this is weird," T.J. said.

Kelli turned in the direction of the voice. "What do you mean "weird"?"

"I don't know. Just being invisible, I guess," he told her.

"So," Kelli asked, "have you decided on a codename?"

"I hadn't really decided, yet." T.J. went silent.

"Don't do that," Kelli told him, "I can't keep track of where you are when you quit talking."

"I think that's the idea," Professor Raleigh laughed.

Abigail gave the man a wink. "He's probably...oh, what's the phrase your generation uses...oh, yes, he's probably checking you out."

Oh, man, T.J. thought to himself. It's a good thing they can't see me. He quickly, and quietly, walked from behind Kelli and over near the sub.

"He better not be," Kelli laughed.

"I'm over here at the sub trying to think up a good name," T.J. defended himself.

Abigail and Richard began to laugh. "And which is redder?" the woman asked. "You or the submarine?"

"Okay," Kelli smiled, "leave him alone. I, for one, believe him." With that, she turned her back to the sub and walked to one of the tables covered with electronics, adding a little extra wiggle as she went.

The invisible T.J. groaned to himself as the older couple laughed even harder.

Brian found himself completely immersed in the power. As panic began to set in, from far away, he heard Dr. Occult's voice calling to him.

"You need to calm down," Richard told him.

"The stream has become a river; it's threatening to carry me away," Brian responded, his voice filled with apprehension.

"The river is only responding to your state of mind. If you can calm yourself, then the river will do the same."

Richard watched as the young man took a couple deep breaths. "The river should now be calm. Can you see your destination?"

"I see a glow in the distance. It's like seeing the sun rising over the ocean."

Amazing, Richard thought. It appears our friend has quite a bit of potential. "Let us try a little experiment, shall we?"

"Are you sure I'm ready?"

Dr. Occult smiled. "You have already shown that you can control your abilities by calming the river which represents your power. I think you are already."

"If you say so," Brian replied. "What do you want me to do?"

"Remember the sound of King's voice. Can you hear it? Good. Now, I want you to place your hand above the water in your mind. Slap the water and watch the ripples flow away from you."

"What next?"

"Let your mind flow outward with the ripples and concentrate on King's voice. If this works, we should be able to get a better idea as to his location."

Brian took another deep breath. "Here goes."

"Well," Kelli asked as T.J. appeared before her. "Have you thought of a name?"

"The only thing I could come up with was "The Hood"," T.J. told her. "I know it doesn't sound very flashy."

"I like the name," Abigail said as she and the professor joined the two young people. "It is simple. Things are becoming too complicated nowadays, anyway. Keep simple what you can, it will make life easier."

As the four stood talking, Dr. Occult opened the office door and walked out, followed closely by Brian. By the look in his eyes, they could tell that Brian was seeing something other than them.

"Let's plan our next step," Occult told them. "We know where King is."

Chapter 6

Dr. Occult whispered an incantation and held up the Symbol of the Seven. A beam of sunlight burst forth and bathed the werewolf that lay writhing in agony before him. The sun's light overpowered the moon's hold over the creature and it quickly reverted back to human form. At Professor Raleigh's command, thousands of fleas began hopping from the unconscious man.

"Have we found him yet?" Hood asked as he slid the pistol that he had dubbed "Red Bee" after its creator into its holster.

Abigail Standish stepped forward and looked at the body. Her shoulders sagged a bit as she shook her head. "No, this isn't him either."

Detective Walker ran his hand through his hair. "The "scent" seemed so strong this time. I was almost certain this was him."

"Don't be too upset," Occult told him. "This just means that King has obviously had fairly close contact with this gentleman recently."

"Yeah, Tracker," Hood told him, "if it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't be as close to finding him as we are."

Brian turned and looked at T.J. "What did you call me?"

T.J. pulled his hood back and grinned. "Tracker. I figured that you needed a codename since we were in the field."

"And you decided on "Tracker"."

"Well, we could call you Manhunter," T.J. said.

"No thanks."

"What about Ghost Detective?"

Occult gave T.J. a funny look. "I believe that name is taken."

"Come on, Doc. How often to you go by that name?"

Brian held his hands up to silence his friend. "Let's stick with "Tracker" for now."

"Excuse me for interrupting," Professor Raleigh said, "but shouldn't we get out prisoner back to the Torpedo before he wakes up?"

Dr. Occult produced two pairs of silver manacles. Tracker rolled the man over and secured his hands behind his back while Hood snapped the second pair of manacle around the man's ankles.

"All secure," Tracker said.

"Good," Occult replied. "Let's get back to the Torpedo.

Kelli crawled out from under one of the Torpedo's consoles and wiped her hands on a handkerchief. She walked over and plopped down in the pilot's seat. After flipping a switch marked "Aux. Pwr.", she reached over and pushed a button marked "Sensors". A small screen flickered to life only to display static.

"Shoot," Kelli said, as she stood up and walked over to where her toolbox set. "The problem must be external."

After sorting through her tools and grabbing only what she needed, Kelli opened the hatch and climbed out. Making her way to the front of the hybrid sub, she began to loosen a panel so she could check the wiring.

"I knew it," she said triumphantly. "Here's the culprit."

Grasping a loose wire with her fingers, she asked it, "Do you know how aggravating you are?"

Kelli took care of the minor repair, unaware that an intruder had climbed through the Torpedo's open hatch. She was retightening the panel as her companions approached.

"Still no luck, huh?" She wiped her hands off and put a comforting arm around Abigail. "Don't worry, we'll find him."

Abigail gave her a weak smile. "I know, dear."

Kelli looked at the burden T.J and Brian were carrying. "I guess this means we've got another "passenger"?" She looked at Occult. "You realize that the old Torpedo would have never been able to hold all us."

Occult smiled. "I know. You've done an excellent job improving on your grandfather's designs."

"The boys have our guest secured," Professor Raleigh said as he approached Dr. Occult and the two women.

Before anyone could respond, they heard a scream and turned to see Brian lying on the ground holding his head. T.J. was at his side trying to calm him down.

"Brian," Occult said as he rushed to the man's side, "what's wrong?"

"The...pain..." was all the detective could say.

"Focus on my voice," the older man told him. When Brian didn't reply, he continued. "Picture the river. Brian, listen to me. Can you see the river?"

"Flood..."

"You can still control it," Occult reassured him. "Picture a dam between you and the flood. Can you hear me, Brian? Focus on what I have told you."

The others gathered around, anxious to see if their friend was going to be all right.

After a couple moments, Brian sat up although he still was holding his head. Occult laid his hand on the detective's shoulder.

"How do you feel?"

Brian looked up. "Doc, have you ever been kicked in the head by a mule?"

The older man smiled. "I can't say that I have."

Brian struggled to stand. "Neither have I, but I have a pretty good idea what it might feel like."

T.J. took his friend by the arm to help steady him. "What happened?"

"He's here," Brian said, "and he's fighting to regain control of himself."

Professor Raleigh began to look around. "Define "here"."

"He's in the area."

"Everyone keep a sharp eye out," Dr. Occult told them.

Kelli headed for the hatch. "I'll do a sweep of the perimeter with the sensors," she told them. "Hopefully."

The others spread out and began to search the area. A scream from inside the Torpedo brought everyone running. Hood was the first one aboard. A mental command activated his chemically treated costume and he faded from view.

Inside the Torpedo, Kelli turned and found herself face to face with a gray-muzzled werewolf. Instinctively, she screamed. Slowly, she backed away, only to feel high-backed pilot's seat pressing against her back.

The creature began to advance, then stopped and spun around. As it sniffed the air, Hood slowly materialized. With the grace of a professional gunslinger, he drew the Red Bee and fired.

The werewolf staggered back and growled.

Hood took a step back. "Okay, I'm out of ideas."

"Shoot it again," Kelli told him.

"In case you missed it," Hood replied as he took another step back, "that really didn't seem to impress it the first time I shot it."

Kelli gave him a "please, for me" look, so Hood fired again.

With a savage howl the creature leaped at Hood - and was hit by a blast of pure sunlight focused through the Symbol of the Seven. An aged, unconscious man fell into Hood's arms.

Abigail pushed past Dr. Occult and rushed to the old man's side. "It's him," she cried. "It's King."

As tears of joy streamed down the old woman's face, Kelli tapped a button on the console and a section of the wall opened to reveal a cot. Occult thanked her.

"Hood, you and... Tracker put King on the cot," he told the two men.

Gently, the two men did as they were told.

"Dr. Occult?"

"Yes, Richard?" responded as he turned to Professor Raleigh.

"I was wondering what we are going to do with King, and the gentlemen we have secured, when they wake up? Won't they still be werewolves?"

"I have thought about that," Occult said. "If we can keep them sedated, it will give me a chance to find a way to cure them."

"I guess I got here just in time, then," came a voice from just outside the open hatch.

Everyone turned to see a costumed figure entering the Torpedo. "Boy, this sure brings back memories," Hourman said as he looked around. "Evening gentlemen, and ladies."

"Oh, wow," was all Hood could say.

"Hourman," Occult said as he extended his hand, "it's been a while."

"Too long."

The man in yellow and black turned to Kelli. "You must be the one responsible for this...flying sub."

"We call it the Red Torpedo, after my grandfather."

Hourman cocked his head slightly. "I didn't know he...never mind. Jim would be very proud of what you've done with his designs." He turned to Hood.

"I know The Invisible Hood didn't have any family, so who might you be, young man?"

T.J. pulled his hood back. "I'm T.J. Dalton, sir, glad to meet you."

"Tom's grandson?" Hourman asked.

"Great-nephew, actually."

The hero next turned to Brian. "And whose legacy might you be carrying on?"

"No one's. I'm just here to help." He shook the hero's hand. "I'm Detective Brian Walker."

Hourman turned to Abigail. "So you're the Witch."

"Guilty, as charged," she smiled. "You look pretty good, considering your age."

Hourman flashed her a grin. "By-product of our line of work. So, this is King," he said looking at the man asleep on the cot. "Funny, he's not what I expected."

"He gets that a lot," Abigail laughed.

The Man-of-the-Hour turned to see Richard Raleigh waiting patiently. The professor held out his hand.

The smile left Hourman's face as he took Richard's hand in his. "You don't know how long I have dreaded this moment," he said.

"Excuse me," Professor Raleigh said.

"I am so sorry," Hourman told him. "If I could have just broke free a few seconds earlier, Blitzkrieg wouldn't have...your dad wouldn't...I'm so sorry."

Richard was silent for several moments. "My father was a hero," he said at length. "If he hadn't done what he did, Blitzkrieg would have probably murdered all of you."

"All these years, I have been afraid you hated me. I couldn't bear the thoughts of facing you."

Richard placed his hand on the hero's shoulder. "For the longest time, I did hate you. I hated all heroes, for that matter. Then I found out, from a very trustworthy source, how much my father was respected. Now, I'm just glad his life meant something and he died for what he believed in."

Hourman embraced the son of his fallen friend. "Despite my shame, the Red Bee has always been my personal hero."

After a moment, the two men stepped back.

Dr. Occult spoke. "So, how did you know we would be here?"

"Ah, yes," Hourman said, suddenly remembering the reason he was here. "You can thank Dr. Fate for that. And for this," he added as he pulled a book from beneath his cloak.

Occult took the book and flipped through it. "This is a book of arcane incantations."

"He said there was something in there that would remove the "taint of the wolf" from those you encountered."

"But how did he know..." Dr. Occult began.

"He said that the Symbol of the Seven has a rather unique energy signature," Hourman answered the partially asked question. "He put two and two together and figured that you had the werewolf situation under control."

Dr. Occult smiled at Abigail. "I think I found what Fate was talking about. Your husband should be right as rain in no time."

"How can we thank you?" Hood asked.

Hourman looked around the Torpedo. "Well, it's a long way home, and I could use a ride."