The woman dissapeared somewhere in the hallways one moment he could hear her footsteps then he heard her curse, then nothing.

Oh great..now another nutcase is out there..apparently part of a group..

Dragon Fist then flew out of the building and back to the roof. He was very concerned for Mirage, especially after what he had sensed from her: the prominent presence of negative chi.

Mirage looked at Rebound quizically.  "You need my help to find the New Age Defenders?" she asked slowly.  These two must have been desperate to come to her.  Dragon Fist had more to do with the kids than Mirage did.  "What do you mean you were framed for murder?"

  The girl looked sort of at her, but Mirage could tell that she wasn't SEEING her.  "Everyone THINKS we did it, but we didn't.  So, we've been framed.  I know you can help us.  If you want to."

Seeing the little gathering taking place on the rooftop, Dragon Fist turned towards it, and then extending his wings and coming in for a soft landing not far from Mirage.

He was hoping that the new armor didn't scare Mirage's new "friends."

Mirage regarded the two for a moment.  Normally she would have questioned anyone thinking that Mirage was the person to approach to find the New Age Defenders, but she was in a good mood.  Her personal boogeyman had been eliminated and after speaking with the NPA, she felt like helping out Rebound and Seer.

"So you need my help to find the New Age Defenders?  Is that all?  I could take you to their headquarters but I don't know if anyone is there at the moment.  Still we can't have you two sleeping on the streets.  Does anyone know that you're here?"

She sensed and heard Dragon Fist landing on the rooftop.  She turned to give him a smile.

"We don't have anyone else, it was just me and my mother before she was killed and, she doesn't have any memories."

Dragon Fist nodded back at Mirage. Though underneath his helmet he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Mirage...I was...concerned. Is everything all right?"

Mirage looked back at Dragon Fist, smiling at him again.  "Everything is fine, darling.  I'm just having a nice little talk with these two.  They're looking for the New Age Defenders." she said.

The femme fatale turned back to Rebound and Seer.  "Just to satisfy my curiousity, what are you hoping that the Defenders will be able to do for you?"

  Seer said softly "We need friends and allies.  We didn't do what we are accused of.  And we don't have anyone else.  We're young."  She sort of turned her head, clearly giving herself a better ear on Dragon Fist, not noticing his armor at all.

Dragon Fist replied "I'm sure that I can speak for my friend Mirage when I say that you can count the two of us as allies."

Mirage looked at Seer and Rebound, lightly tapping her lower lip with a slender finger.  Her discussion with the NPA had her wondering about these youths now.  It wouldn't be right to just leave them to their own devices and they had sought her out asking for help.

She smiled.  "It goes completely against my reputation, but you two can count on Dragon Fist and me as allies.  Now before we go to the Defenders, tell me more about this trouble that you're in.  Why would someone want to  frame you?"

  "To make us serve them, and give us nowhere and nobody else to turn to."  She spoke with her head down, shivering a little.

Dragon Fist looked at the two young people.

"Never doubt your self worth. You both have much to contribute, despite what others have said."

Mirages eyes narrowed slightly.

"Make you serve them?  Who would make you serve them?" She asked slowly.  From the tone of her voice it was clear that she did not like the idea of anyone being forced to serve someone unwillingly.

  She said softly "The builder and the one he served."

"I don't like it when people try to force themselves on others," Dragon Fist added.

"The builder?  Why does that name sound familiar?" Mirage said, looking over at Dragon Fist.  "Wait, he's the guy that was building all those weapons.  He was a technology based bad guy, why would he be going after you?  And I thought that he was working for the Bertellis?  I thought that we'd rid this city of their nonsense.  they better not be coming back or..."

"We'd better talk someplace a little more private.  Take my hand and I'll take you to the Defenders base."

"Sounds like we have some plans to make," Dragon Fist added as he stood next to Mirage.

  She hesitantly offered her hand, and said "Thank you."  She just hoped it didn't trigger any visions.

The boy looks at the girl before looking back at the two superheroes in front of him. "He was originally based in philadelphia, He kidnapped me soon after my powers activated. He was cutting us up, obsessed with what made us tick. She was in there with no memory of who she was or where she came from. We escaped but...when we got to my moms place...her heart was on the mantelpiece. We tracked him down helped the New Age Defenders take him down... When we got back the police were looking for me in conjuction with my mothers murder. We came back to Weston we've been living on the streets since then taking down minor criminals hoping to run into one of the local heroes."

Her heart was on the mantel piece?  Builder and his cronies had just earned themselves a beating.  Mirage frowned for a second, imagining the hurt that she was going to deliver on the man.

"Don't worry yourselves anymore.  We'll take care of you." she said before teleporting them all to the Defenders base.

>>> To the Defenders HQ

>>>>>>>>From The Dragon And The Tiger>>>>>>>

Dragon Fist soared until he reached the rooftops that overlooked the city. It was always a nice view of it from up here. Everything below looked so small, yet the problems that Weston had were always so prevalent.

Crouching down, almost looking like a gargoyle, he then looked across the city. The city of his upbringing.

Dragon Fist continued to look over the city. The city was like a living thing. It had its own aggravations. Its own feelings. Its own likes and dislikes. And inwardly, Dragon Fist wondered: how did it feel about him? Was he doing enough to make a difference? It seemed that every criminal they took down, two or three more took their place.

Like the monster in the myth: The Hydra.

The respite they enjoyed, only briefly, was welcome. Now Lucas had time to maybe take care of some things. Not to mention to check in on his "friendly rival", Aaron Tanaka.

>>>>>>>>>>>To The Tanaka Dojo>>>>>>>>>

Ahh, the rooftops. My favorite part of the city. I could fly as much as my body can carry me and no one from below would think it was me, just another pidgeon. Draco sighed with delight. Yeah, this is the area for me. He looked down at the streets below. Cars like ants drove in the streets below, people like dots walked along, with the occasional stopping at a street vender or conversation. Draco took some steps back and took his hood off. Also the only place where I take my hood off without someone having to attack me, besides the dojo.