Test of the heart.

Englishwitch.
The Incredibles.

Chapter 8- The emergence
Disclaimer- I do not own The Incredibles, it is a Disney/ Pixar animation motion picture.

It was dark when she got home, but Violet stayed out of sight. She drove her invisible vehicle back into the garage before shifting back into sight. She flicked a switch on the wall and her scooter lowered itself down to a pit and a trapdoor slid over to hide it.

Violet pulled off her mask and sighed. It had been a good day with Psychewave, or Richard as she knew him now. But it hadn't solved her problems, she was still miserable about breaking up with Tony, he also knew who she was and could tell anyone at any time.

Violet listened at the garage door, there were unfamiliar sounds in the house, someone who was not family or close friends who knew their secret. Violet shimmered out of sight and cracked the door ajar and slid into the kitchen. She padded silently through to the living room and breathed a silent sigh of relief before shifting back into sight.

Agent Rick Dicker, who used to be the head of the Superhero Relocation Program. He was now in charge of The Department of Superhero Cleanup and Identity Protection. That was the official title, the one used on paper and by the media, everyone else just called it the supers department. It was basically the same job at the same pay, the only thing that was different was the ID he carried with him.

Rick was an old friend of the family, had personally supervises all their relocations when her dad had accidentally slipped up. He had also been at her parents wedding, she'd seen him in photo's.

Rick had been talking with the rest of her family, but stopped and smiled when Violet emerged.
"Take a seat Violet, this will concern you too." His grave tone made Violets good mood fade and she took a seat beside Dash.
"I have told this to the other supers in the city and they are fully informed of the situation. It is about the robot that attacked the city the other day."
"You found out who made it?" Asked Bob. Rick nodded.
"Yes, us. It took a few calls and a favour from the president but we got the information.

"The robot was a classified project, it was a prototype made by a government department. It was stolen more than two weeks ago.

"The robot was supposed to be a long range attack machine. It would be sent into a battlefield and controlled by remote control from a distance. Ensuring maximum success with minimal damage to our allies."

Violet raised her hand to ask a question.
"That robot looked pretty advanced, almost like one of Syndromes machines." She was going to say more, but was interrupted.
"That's because it was." A woman's voice spoke behind her. Violet turned in her seat and stared at the newcomer. The unbelievably thin body, wide eyes and blonde, almost white hair. It was Mirage.

She was walking out of the bathroom. Violet hadn't heard the toilet flush, filthy woman.
"With Syndrome gone the government seized everything he owned. Including the designs for several robots that he never built."

Violet took a glance at her mother, who was looking daggers at Mirage.
"Agent Price here was taken on as a consultant, she would help with the design, construction and testing of the robots." Said Rick. Mirage, or Agent Price as she was now known, made her way round and sat on a chair.
"Whoever stole the Mantis Droid was an electronics expert. Because they not only replaced the receiver, so it would work to a different remote, but also managed to find and remove a tracker that was placed inside one of the legs, making us unable to find it."
"Until it showed up and started smashing downtown." Said Dash. Mirage nodded and looked sad.
"I'm afraid so. Now the machine is back in our custody. We cannot find any evidence to lead us to any suspects. We are here to ask you to keep your eyes and ears open for any news. The only person who could have taken the robot was a super villain the likes of which haven't been seen since Syndrome."

Everyone fell silent at the sound of Syndrome being mentioned, it brought up painful and frightening memories for everyone.
"I think we have to go. We have several more supers to visit and we're on a tight schedule." Rick voiced, sensing it was time to leave. "Before I go, Violet, may I have a word with you in private?" He voiced it like a question, but Violet didn't think she really had a choice. She nodded and went into the kitchen with him.
"I hear from your family that you recently broke up with your boyfriend." He wasn't asking a question, Violet didn't quite know how to respond, so just nodded her head. "A Tony Rydinger. Correct?" Violet nodded again. Rick sighed and pulled a notebook out of his pocket. "I need his address." He said grimly. Violet stared intensely.
"Why?" She demanded. Rick looked grim rubbed at a day's stubble on his chin.
"I need him to sign a secrecy form. He knows who you are and could tell anyone at any time. I need him to sign the official secrets form, he'll face prosecution if he tries to tell anyone."

The whole thing sounded so cold and brutal that Violet was taken aback for a moment. Finally she shook her head.
"Tony wouldn't tell anyone. I know him. He won't." She sounded so resolute, but Rick had heard it all and stood firm on the subject.
"I know this may be hard. But it needs to be done. Please, I need his address."

Violet stayed silent, she didn't want to tell him. Violet trusted Tony and saw no reason to suspect otherwise. She shook her head and Rick sighed deeply.
"I thought not. We'll just have to call the school, I thought it would be less invasive if you just told me what I needed to know."

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Violet shut herself away in her bedroom. She didn't fee like hanging around with her family and she had some homework to do anyway. She had to write an essay for History, it was due tomorrow and she hadn't even started yet.

ANCIENT ROMAN SOCIETY AND HOW IT HAS INFLUENCED THE MODERN WORLD in a thousand words or more.

Violet put pen to paper and wrote the title, but that was all she managed. Her mind was blank. She flicked on her radio and listened to music, instead she got the news.
"An urgent bulletin has just come in an unknown villain has taken several hostages in the central bank in the financial district. Early reports have speculated that there are at least eight hostages and police have opened negotiations."

Violet glanced at her watch. She could handle that and still have enough time to finish the essay.
"Lets see, fifteen minutes to get to the financial district, twenty to capture the criminal." She grabbed her suite and began to pull it on. "Ten minutes for photo's and people saying thanks, and a final fifteen to get home. Just an hour, I'll have plenty of time."

She pulled on her mask and shimmered out of sight. Sneaking through the house she went to the garage and took off on her scooter.

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The bank was on the corner of the street with five police cars around it. Bars were on the windows and main doors, all of them were probably locked and made of safety glass. The place would be difficult to get into even if there wasn't a madman holding people hostage.

A crowd had gathered but the police had put up barricades to keep them back the road had been left open for more police to arrive. Violet took advantage of this and glided up near the man who was obviously in charge, you could tell by the way the was shouting at everyone else and glancing nervously at the building. Violet shimmered into sight and stepped up behind up.
"Can I help?" She asked. He didn't turn, all he heard was a young girls voice.
"Behind the barricades." He demanded, he turned and jumped in surprise. "Sorry, thought you were one of those good Samaritans over there." He indicated the crowd and pulled Violet to a nearby car.
"Thick concrete wall all around, Bars on the windows, reinforced doors and safety glass. Damn place is a fortress." He pulled out a sheet of paper, blueprints to the bank and pointed to a large circular room.
"We think he's stashed the hostages in the vault. He's only called to say if anyone comes in he'll kill them all."

Violet sighed, this definitely wouldn't be easy. She stared at the blue prints, it didn't make much sense to her. But there was one thing that did make a kind of sense to her. A line running around the building.
"Air vents?" She asked pointing the blueprints. The police chief looked for a moment then nodded. Violet followed the line and saw that there was an opening to the outside. She glanced around the bank and saw a small steel grate embedded into the wall. It would be a tight squeeze, but just maybe…
"I could so easily freak out right now." She muttered, the vent was tight, she had to keep her arms stuck out in front of her and crawl like a worm through the metal tunnel. It was so tight that Violet was beginning to feel claustrophobic. She could just about hear quiet whispers echoing through the metal pipe.
"Stay quiet...safe...dead." Was all she could make out. Violet crawled onward, there was light ahead, an opening. Violet needed to get out, just one second longer than necessary and she would go nuts.

It was inside the vault, seven people, four of them looked like bank staff, the rest were just public. They were sitting on the floor, waiting to be let out.
"He said we'd be fine." Said the bank manager.
"You really think you can believe him?" Said an almost hysterical woman with red eyes and smudged makeup. Her panic was getting to the others and Violet could see that the manager was struggling to keep control.
"We'll be fine, the police will give him what he wants and we'll get out of this."

Violet pushed at the grate and it popped out and landed on the floor with a loud and frightening clang. She slithered out and landed awkwardly on the floor. Everyone jumped up in surprise as she staggered to her feet.
"Hi. I'd like to make a withdrawal please." She smiled. The managed shook her hand gratefully.
"Vanisher, thank god you're here."

Violet nodded and turned to the vault door. Shiny steel, at least six inches thick and seven feet tall. Violet aimed her hands at the door and concentrated hard, thinking of the familiar feeling. A tingle of energy, a surge of power.

There was a dull humming in her ears and she opened her eyes. A shield was raised around a section of the door. Violet gave it a hard kick and a giant circle of metal rolled away from the safe rolled away and left an opening. Violet stepped through into the bank.

There was no one to be seen, but Violet knew that didn't mean the room was empty. She stepped slowly and lightly, trying not to make a sound.
"Stay in there." She whispered to the people in the vault. There was a sound of clicking across the room, like a dogs claws on a marble floor. Violet froze and readied herself to raise a shield.

A creature that looked almost like a large dog stepped from behind a desk into view. Violet knew it wasn't a dog, she had seen enough documentaries to know this was a wolf.
"Nice doggy." She muttered nervously. The wolf growled and bared its long yellow teeth at her. Violet backed off a couple of steps, primal instinct ruling her mind for a second.

The wolf began to swell and grow. Violet didn't know how, but it was happening. The back legs became thick and sturdy, the front ones grew in size and the paws became clawed hands. The body more human and the muscles much larger. Five seconds was all it took, a seven foot werewolf stood in front of Violet. It clenched its fists and flexed its muscles.
"Vanisher I presume." His voice was deep and primal almost like a growl. He glared at her with beastly yellow eyes.

Violet took a deep breath and managed to regain a little of her composure. She knew who this was…sort of. This was a true super villain. A person with super powers who had decided to turn to a life of crime rather than try and help people. No one with super powers had actually turned to a life of evil; most of those who took the name super villain used fancy fighting tricks and technology to gain their power. The possibility of a real super villain happening was only a theory, until now.

Violet gulped deeply and tried to maintain a brave face.
"And you are?" She asked, her voice shaking. The werewolf laughed at her fright and placed a furry, clawed hand and took a slight bow.
"I am the Shifter." He raised his claws and snarled loudly. Violet raised her arms for the inevitable battle.
"One last question. When I win, would you prefer prison, or the zoo?"

There was no further banter exchanged. Shifter charged at her, roaring loudly. Violet summoned up a force field and he was trapped inside the glowing blue sphere.

Shifter roared and bashed, clawed and tackled the field. Violet smirked at his efforts. She could stop bullets with this field, the thrashings of a werewolf was nothing.
"Let me out." He growled thrashing madly.

Violet grabbed a phone, intending to call the police outside and tell them the situation was under control. The second her hands touched the receiver she felt strange. Dizzy, maybe the adrenaline was wearing off. Violet took a seat and tried to dial again. Her head felt light and she rubbed at her temples. What the hell was wrong with her?

A shadow fell across her before Violet could glance up a large furry fist rammed into her chest and threw her out of her seat. She was thrown into a chaotic tumble, head over heals, unable to know up from down, from anything else. Violet didn't even know the wall was coming until she hit it. Then her mind was lost again in a world of pain and chaos.

*********************************

"A couple of broken ribs, possible concussion. Nothing too serious, she was lucky." An unknown male voice. Violet was aware of being within something that was moving.
"I never thought a super would ever need us." A woman's voice, but Violet didn't know who this person was either. The woman was a little further away than the man. What was going on? There was something on her face.
"What are you doing?" Called the female voice, the thing on Violets face moved away.
"Come on? How often are we going to get this opportunity? I just want a look. I'm not going to tell anyone. Are you telling me your not the least bit curious as to what she looks like under the mask?"

The woman did not answer, which didn't fill Violet with confidence. What was going on? She wanted to open her eyes, she wanted to move and kick and scream, but she just couldn't find the energy to even open her eyes.
"Go on, but just a quick look. You have to put that thing back on before we get to the hospital."

The warm thing, which Violet guessed was a hand, returned to her face and now she knew it was reaching for her mask, trying to peal it off. Violet panicked, summoning up all the strength she cried out.
"No" In barely a whisper, but she was heard.
"Stop, she's coming round." The woman again. The hand moved away and Violet knew she was safe.

*************************

Her eyes slowly flickered open and she found herself staring at a white ceiling. A strong smell of disinfectant in the air and a dull pain in her chest and head.

Violet sat up, slowly because it hurt to move, and gazed around. She was in a hospital. A private room with blinds drawn over all the windows, not only the ones looking into the hall, but the ones looking outside too. She rubbed her head and found relief in the fact her mask was still on her face. She was dressed in a hospital gown but her suit lay folded on a chair next to her bed. Three small tears, just a couple of centimetres long, were on the chest. She would have to go to Ms. Mode and get a patch job.

Violet pressed the buzzer to call the nurse. There was a commotion in the hallway, a lot of shouts and bright flashes of light. The door opened and Violet saw at least a dozen photographers trying to get a snapshot of her while the nurse, a doctor and Rick Dicker rushed inside.

The lady doctor took Violets char from the bedside and handed it to Rick.
"There you are sir, the last of the records that Vanisher was ever in this hospital." She then turned to Violet and smiled.
"How are you feeling dear?" She asked sweetly. Violet rubbed her head.
"My head and chest hurt a little." She winced.
"A broken rib and some minor trauma, nothing too serious." Said Rick, looking at the chart. "Do you feel fit enough to travel?"

Violet could see she had no real choice in the matter, not that she minded, she didn't like hospitals anyway. She got out of the bed and after some slight unsteadiness, she found herself fit enough to walk. The only problem was the reporters in the hallway looking for the story. But Rick seemed to know what to do.
"I have a plan. If you go invisible, everything will be fine, just stay close to me."

Violet managed to shift into invisibility, and became a floating hospital gown, which was promptly dropped to the floor. There was the noise of barefoot slapping the tiled floor and then the suit disappeared from the chair. Rick approached the door.
"Can I get the suit on first?" her disembodied voice asked angrily. Rick sighed and nodded. They waited in silence for five minutes before Violet said she was ready.

Rick stepped out into the hallway, Violet practically on his back. The reporters camera's flashed brightly and they shot hundreds f questions at once at him. Like the professional he was, he simple held up his hands and waited for silence.
"The government and The Department of Superhero Cleanup and Identity Protection, would like to issue the following statement." HE cleared his throat and began. "At 7.04 pm, the superhero Vanisher, did indeed engage in the rescue of seven hostages at the central city bank. At 7.15 pm, Vanisher received injuries which were only minor. I am afraid, gentlemen you have been here too long. Vanisher left the hospital almost thirty minutes ago with nothing more than a few cuts and bruises. Thank you." He nodded his head, to the reporters it was a sign the interview was over. To Violet it was the signal that she should start moving.

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The drive back home was filled far from restful. Violet found that she had been unconscious for over an hour. Add to that, the time it would take to get home, explain all of this again to her family; she wouldn't have enough time to do her essay and still get enough sleep for school tomorrow.
"Do you know anything about the villain that attacked you?" Inquired Rick. Violet sensed it would be the first of many questions.
"He said his name was Shifter. Mr. Dicker, he was a super villain." She told him. Rick nodded his head as he committed this to memory.
"What did he use, explosives, gadgets, martial arts?"

He thought violet just meant a common super villain. She took a deep breath before trying again.
"He was a *Super* villain." She said slower, and placing more emphasis on the word Super. Rick was confused for several seconds, then he gasped and almost swerved into a tree.
"That's impossible." He said fearfully after he regained control of the car. "A super turning villain is only a theory."
"Was only a theory." Corrected Violet. "This guy had shape shifting powers. He's a super alright."

Rick sighed, a deeply troubled sigh, as though the weight of the world was coming down onto his shoulders.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day when a super turned evil. You know what this means?" Violet shook her head, so he continued. "A super can be tempted to evil, anything is possible. God help us."

To be continued.