Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice- Robert Frost, 1916

A few days later of being in Acmetropolis, I was finding it a bit easy to fit in. It wasn't all that much different from 2009 (though I was profusely kidding myself), and if there was something I didn't understand, either Tech or Rev would help me understand it. Ace and Lexi also helped me practice martial arts, since I needed to know how to defend myself in Acmetropolis, and according to them I was a very quick learner. I still call it luck that I managed to flip Ace onto his back! Slam usually followed me around like a lost puppy or something; not that I blame him. I did give him something to worry about concerning me.

My first conscious night in Acmetropolis I was having trouble sleeping, mostly because of my past kept coming to haunt me. I was sitting on my bed crying one minute, the next I was enfolded in Slam's arms. He grunted in English, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. I don't know how, but I found myself telling him about what happened to me, and why I cried myself to sleep all the times. Since that night, he's also been someone I could go to for a private talk, or for a hug: he gives great warm-hearted hugs. Duck...well, he's been treating me more or less like anyone else, only he tends to ogle at me when I'm not looking, which Slam tends to take care of for me. I think he got the point fast enough.

It happened to be the hottest heat-wave Acmetropolis ever had too; triple digits and climbing. But since I grew up in Australia, I was more accustomed to the heat than the others. Case in point when Tech came back from a trip to the electronics store sweating and dehydrated. "Yeesh, you look like you went through a fire pit, Tech." Ace commented.

"Triple degree heat does that to people." I say as I passed the coyote a glass of water and placed a damp cool wash cloth on the back of his neck and another on his forehead. "Thanks Lola." he panted before taking a long drink from the glass.

"How is it that you're not affected by the heat?" Ace asked me as I refilled the empty glass.

"Australia has...had, more like it, a mix climate. It could be rainy one day, desert hot the next. Summer's were especially tough, considering 2009 was still in a drought. So we learned to stay cool in other ways without using so much water." I explained, handing the full glass to Tech then re-damping the wash clothe, "So I guess you could say I was born to handle the heat."

"Lucky." Tech mumbled before taking anther long sip of the water.

"A little tip, if you're dehydrated go take a cold shower." I informed him, "it really helps."

(Tech's Point of view)

One particular day in the heat wave, it suddenly became very chilly, almost artic weather. Rev had gone out to get some pizza, but when he came back it was frozen over. "Brr! Now that's cold!" I stated as I bit into a slice, "Where'd ya get it? Iceland?" I then asked Rev.

"Actually, no." he told me, "I-just-picked-it-up-from-the-pizza-joint-in-downtown-which-I-must-say-is-abnormally-cold-at-this-time-of-year-but-if-you-really-like-the-pizza-they-have-in-Iceland-I-could-go-and-get-some-and-be-back-in-4.2-seconds-but-of-course-that's-just-an-estimation-because-you-really-don't-know-about-traffic" I quickly shoved the pizza slice in my hand into his mouth to stop him from talking anymore. "That was one of those questions that didn't require an answer." I told him as I poked at the frozen pizza. I spied Ace sitting on the floating meditation platform with his sword. "Hey Ace." I called, holding up the frozen pizza. He opened his eyes and grinned.

"On it, Tech." he said before his eyes shot laser beams at the pizza, making it unfrozen and edible.

"Extra crispy." I smiled then looked over my shoulder, "Pizza, Duck?"

"Are you kidding?" he questioned, busy checking himself in a blue cape in the mirror, "I've already had my protein shake. It's vitally important to maintain a superhero physic because you can't be flabby when you're" he paused for a 'dramatic' effect, "The Duck-inator!"

"Yesterday you were calling yourself 'Super Duper Duck'." Ace pointed out to him.

"Yeah, wasn't quite rolling off the tongue." he shrugged, "besides I need a name that will fit on the costume."

"How about....Duck?" Ace offered him. I choked back a snicker before taking a bit out of the pizza as Duck replied a sarcastic 'very funny'. At that point the doors slid open, and a shivering Lola walked in. She was wearing the clothes I found her in, albeit they were clean of blood, and despite the warm hoodie jacket she was wearing, she looked really cold. "Lola, are you ok?" I asked her.

"N-n-no." she replied through chattering teeth, "It's s-so c-c-cold." she was rubbing her arms with her hands, but it didn't look like it helped. "Psst. Tech." I looked behind me to see Ace holding up a blanket from the couch; he had the same idea I did. He tossed me the blanket which I caught in my hands. I went over to Lola's side and draped the blanket over her shoulders and rubber her arms with my hands. "Feeling better?" I asked.

"A little bit." she smiled sheepishly, "Thanks Tech." I smiled back and led her over to the couch for her to sit down. "I thought you were used to this kinda weather?" Ace asked her.

"I'm used to heat and rain, not ice age temperatures." she answered, her teeth only slightly chattering now. Ace sat beside her to keep her warm while I went back over to the pizza. That girl may be human, but she seemed so much more. The door opened again, this time it was Lexi dancing to some music that came out of her headphones. "Tech, did you order more than one pie?"she asked me as she pulled out the earphones. "No, why?" I chomped through a pizza slice in my mouth.

"Cos Slam is in the house." she answered, gesturing to her glowing ears. But before I got a chance to groan another door opened, and a frozen Slam waddled in. "That's not good." Lola shivered from the couch, just the phone alarm rang. A holographic image of a golden yellow lady appeared in the centre of the room. "Loonatics, we have a problem." she announced.

"You got that right Zadavia." Ace agreed as he wiped a circle in the frosted window to look outside, "I'd say we got a serious problem."

"Who's that?" I looked to my side to see Lola standing beside me.

"Our boss." I answered her quietly, "Zadavia." As if she heard me Zadavia looked in our direction and spotted Lola. "And who is this girl?" she questioned. Lola stiffened slightly then moved herself behind me, obviously scared by Zadavia, which said boss noticed. "It's ok Lola, Zadavia ain't gonna hurt ya." Ace assured the girl then looked to the holographic image, "this is our new friend Lola. She managed to get here from the past."

"The past you say?" Zadavia questioned then looked at Lola thoughtfully, "Interesting. What year in the past?"

"2009." I answered her, "From Australia, apparently." Zadavia continued to look thoughtful at Lola.

"Eh, you were here about a problem?" Duck politely probed her. We all sat around a table with Zadavia's holographic image coming from the middle. I didn't know about the others, but I saw Lola as part of the team already, so I gently tugged on her arm and let her sit in my lap. It would also help her to get warm too. "What's up, Zadavia? Certainly not the temperature." Ace questioned. On the holo-screen, there were numerous images of a really large iceberg that had crashed into the docks.

"So far no body can figure out where this iceberg came from." Zadavia informed us all, "I don't have to tell you what will happen if the temperature keeps dropping."

"I knew it; we're gonna lose cable again." Duck complained to Lexi. Lola groaned quietly and hung her head. I felt her annoyance. "Ok maybe I do have to tell you." Zadavia corrected herself, pointedly at Danger Duck..

"If the temperature keeps dropping, we'll have another ice age." Lola informed him instead, surprising us, "And unlike you guys I don't have fur on my body to keep me warm. Or superpowers."

"When the meteor hit earth, your super powers weren't the only after effect. This iceberg could be related." Zadavia agreed, giving Lola an appreciative nod. Lola just ducked her head in her shoulders and seemed to blush. "I think we can handle one ice berg." Ace assured Zadavia with his usual grin.

"Acmetropolis is counting on you to take care of this. Zadavia out." the holograph image said as it disappeared into the table. "When she goes out, where does she go out?" Lexi asked, "the movies?"

"Tech, we'll need some toys to melt this ice cube." Ace told me. Again with the names!

"Excuse me chief, they're not toys." I informed him testily, "they're hand-crafted precision alloy instruments."

"We'll take those too. But first the toys." Ace stated as he got to his feet. I groaned quietly as they all headed to the laboratory. "It doesn't really matter what they call them, Tech." Lola said as she got off my lap, "all that matters is that they do what you built them to do."

"I know. I just wish they'd call them by the proper names sometimes." I admitted to her as we walked after everyone else.

"No offense, but calling them toys is a bit more handier in a tight situation." Lola grimaced slightly, "if you've only got five seconds before...I don't know- another comet hits earth, you're gonna need to say 'get me the comet destroying toy!' instead of 'get me the comet destroying hand-crafted precision alloy instrument!'" As much as I hate to admit it, she did have a point. "And besides, if the bad guys hear you guys call them toys, they're not likely to take you seriously therefore making it easier on you guys to take them down." Ok I really had to admit it; she had a way of making something seem good about people calling my equipment 'toys'.

In the lab, I handed everyone a small circular disc. Lola just watched everyone else; I think she was having doubts about what it could do. "The Retro Fire Master Blaster." I announced to everyone as I handed the last to Rev, "Hold it in the palm of your hand, squeeze twice and" I was cut off when Rev tried his, and a gun appeared around his right arm. "Cool!" he cried and pointed it at an invisible enemy. "Whoa careful, Rev! Wouldn't want to fry Lola by mistake." Lexi teased him, "Although hiding behind Tech has it's advantages." I was about to question her when I glanced over my shoulder and saw Lola peeking over at Rev. "Don't-worry-Lola-I-wouldn't-even-dream-of-firing-anything-at-you." Rev assured her. "I know, but accidents can happen." she replied in a tiny voice. Slam was fiddling with his when he accidently dropped it and stood on it, making the Master Blaster form on his foot instead. It fired off, sending him rocketing around the room and off the walls like a ping-pong ball. Lola gave a cry as he barreled towards us but I acted quickly enough to pull her out of the way. My back hit the edge of the desk beside me while I pressed Lola against my body to keep her out of the war path. "Uncurl your toes!" I shouted to Slam as he rocketed about, "Uncurl your toes!" he did so and landed on the ground, the gun reverting to its circular disk form. "You gotta love the toys." Lexi smiled to Ace.

"Time to crush some ice." Ace replied in agreement, "Let's jet."

"Uh-that-would-mean-letting-go-of-Lola-Tech." Rev pointed out to me. I remembered that Lola was still pressed against my body. "Might as well bring Lola with us." Ace pointed out, "As we're thawing the ice cube out there she can get the frozen people out of the way." Bring Lola out into possible danger? Was he crazy?! What if something was frozen inside of that ice berg, and if we thaw it out she could be in danger since she has no powers! Apparently the thought was written all over my face. "Uh, Tech?" Lola asked quietly, and a bit breathlessly, "gut...crushing...not pleasant."

"Sorry!" I winced and let her go quickly. She gasped and stumbled slightly but Rev caught her before she fell to the floor. "Ok, I think I need to work up some decent body fat." Lola groaned as she rubbed her side, "and by decent I mean a lot."

"Either that or Tech is stronger than he looks." Ace joked. We all raced to get our jet packs on and head outside. I was a little uneasy about letting Lola go out, but if Ace said she could be helpful then I had to trust his judgement. "You can come with me, Lola." I told her as I pulled her closer to my body again, "just wrap your arms around my neck and hang tight."

"But not so tight to cut your circulation off, right?" she questioned as she did what I told her to do. It felt so...different, having her close to my body again. I could feel my heart jumping about wildly inside my chest. I started up the jet pack and launched myself into the air, Lola gasping in fright and tightening her grip around me. Her face was hidden in my shoulder; I guess she didn't like heights.

As we flew through the air toward the ice berg, I could hear Rev talking. "Would-you-look-at-that-thing?! It's-gotta-be-the-biggest-iceberg-I've-ever-seen-and-I've-seen-some-doozees-do-you-think-we-should-have-put-more-juice-in-the-blaster-not-that-I-doubt-your-expertise-or-anything-but-that-is-one-giant"

"Rev, watch where you're talking!" Ace alerted him. Rev concentrated on his flying and pulled up in time not to hit the giant ice berg.

"Ok, what wise guy moved Mount Everest?" I asked as he hovered in the air beside me.

"Do I need to answer that?" I heard Lola whine into my shoulder. I felt sorry for the girl. I quickly lowered myself to the ground and gently set Lola's feet down first. "It's ok Lola, you can look again." I told her gently. She slowly pulled away and unwrapped her arms from around my neck. "Just stay here and if there's any people we un-freeze, get them out of here." I instructed her, "Ok with all that?"

"As long as I don't have to fly again." She nodded. I gave her a reassuring smile before taking a step back and flew back up into the air to join the others again. "All right, snow cones for everyone." Ace instructed everyone as we fanned out in a circle around the iceberg top, "Set your blasters to thaw." everyone activated their blaster and began firing a continuos beam of heat at the ice berg, but it didn't seem to do very much. "Ok cease fire! Cease fire!" Ace ordered everyone as we each shut our weapons off. "How could my Retro Fire master Blasters not work?" I asked myself as my invention shrank back into disc size again. "No worries Tech, there's always plan B." Ace assured me as he flew down to street level. We all followed him and landed on the ground. Lola came out of hiding and came over to my side. "So what now?" she asked us all, rubbing her arms again. Darn, I should've made her wear a warmer jacket; close proximity to the iceberg must be affecting her. "Plan B." I answered simply, stepping closer to her and wrapping my arms around her body and kept her close, "I think I'll regret this, but I'm going to let Lexi take you shopping after this is done: you need decent winter clothes." I informed her.

"No argument there." Lola replied, shivering slightly.

"You're on, Slam buddy." Ace declared, as our strongman began spinning as fast as a tornado. Lola flinched in shock and tried backing away. "Easy there, Lola." I gently assured her, "Slam's in complete control over it." She whimpered quietly as we watched him zoomed around the iceberg. "Hoo, what did this guy have for breakfast, huh?" Ace asked as the ice melted and the temperature rose. As the temperature rose, the ice encasing the humans nearby began to melt, setting them free. "Glorified zamboni." Duck complained, "Chipping ice isn't a super power. Quacking is a superpower. Observe." He crouched down a little before activating his powers. With a flash of light he disappeared from in front of us to inside the iceberg. "You can stop observing now." he grunted weakly. The sight made Lola giggle to herself. "Yeah, he gets like that a lot." I told her as we watched the ice melt. Duck was released from the iceberg, and the temperature continued to climb to about 78 degrees. "Good guys; 1 mother nature; nutin'." Ace declared as the last of the ice melted away. Slam was on the ground, getting his breath back. "Hang on, Ace." Lexi informed him, her sonic hearing at work, "Mother nature might be done, but I'm picking something up."

"Perhaps a high pitched dog whistle?" Duck asked sarcastically as the remaining iceberg started to hiss, belching out masses of steam and breaking apart. We all moved a safe distance away as the falling ice caused small waves to flow past us. Lola gave a small gasp as the water bumped into us, nearly knocking us both over, if it wasn't for Slam standing behind us. The mist parted to reveal an impressive looking silhouette of a...ship? Everyone let out an astonished gasp before a small door opened in the ships hull, revealing a few giant something's. They came rushing out and jumped down before us. "Boy are you guys lost?" Ace inquired sarcastically.

"They're not what I think they are, are they?" Lola asked me quietly, holding onto me just that little bit tighter. Another of the giant robot things landed in front of us, an looked different from the others. I'm guessing this was the leader of them. "I'm going to say 'yes, they are what you think they are', Lola." I told her quietly as I pushed her behind me. What we had in front of us were a bunch of robotic vikings. "what's up, doc?" Ace inquired the leader.

"I am Gunnar." the white armored Viking robot declared himself.

"Gunnar what? Go to a Viking convention at the Civic Centre?" Ace cracked as a joke.

"No. We are here to take over your world." the white Viking Gunnar declared.

"You know, you frosted flakes might as well go back to where you came from, cos this is a 'no invasion' zone." Ace joked again. He was always like this, taunting the enemy before taking them down.

"We will conquer your world by any means necessary!" Gunnar thundered

"No, you won't." Ace told him.

"Yes, we will." Gunnar declared

"No, you won't!" Ace.

"Yes, we will!" Gunnar.

"Yes, you will." Ace said smugly.

"No we won't conquer your world!" Gunnar growled angrily. Lola giggled a little bit behind me; obviously it was amusing for her to see Ace outsmarting a robot with words. Well, she had a point.

"Have it your way." Ace told him.

"Ooh I'll enjoy crushing you rabbit!"Gunnar declared angrily, bring his sword over his head then bringing down where Ace was standing. Our fearless leader just jumped out of the way in time.

"Oh yeah, like that's ever gonna happen." Ace stated sarcastically before bring out his sword and started to attack Gunnar. "Ok this is definitely a new one for me." Lola commented as we watched those two fight each other. "Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet." Lexi assured her as Ace jumped down again in front of us. "I could keep this up all day." He stated to Gunnar. Give him half the chance, he probably would. "Taste my cold steel." Gunnar declared as he pressed a button on his sword, which began to glow a white electric sort of light. At this point in my life, I would like to make it known that I have a very bad feeling about this. "Time to chill out, bunny!" Gunnar roared as he pointed his sword at us all, and the white light turned into a beam. "I don't think so!" Ace defied and his laser eyes went to work. Both beams met in the middle causing an explosion of yellow light before the two fighters moved in closer. "Ok, when I thought super heroes, this was not what I had in mind." Lola told me.

"Please tell me you weren't thinking about Clark Kent's Superman?" I asked her.

"No I thinking more...ok, I was thinking Clark Kent's Superman." she admitted quietly.

"Hammers of frost!" two of the other Vikings roared as the war-type hammers began glowing too. They struck the ground with them, causing it to freeze over! The ice covered the ground underneath Ace's feet, making him slip and slid into us, but he didn't give up on his eyes-to-sword fight with Gunnar. "Their weapons seem to be charged with sub-zero hypothermal liquid solidification energy, that when fired can freeze" I started to explain when Ace cut across me.

"Yeah I got that part figured out." Then the rest of the Vikings fired their weapons at us with the freezing energy. We all exclaimed in shock, Lola a bit louder than the rest of us. I pulled her in front of me and tried shielding her as best as I could, but eventually the ice covered us all.

Well we would've been trapped in that ice dome forever if it hadn't bee for Slam using his powers to break the ice. "Cold! So very, very cold!" Lola whimpered as she (and the rest of us) shivered then gave a surprised shout when she tripped over nothing and landed on her backside on the ice, "Ow."

"Are-you-ok-Lola-you're-not-hurt-anywhere-are-you-cos-that-was-some-slip-up-you-just-had-are-you-sure-you-haven't bruised-anything" Rev immediately asked her as he and I helped her to stand back up again. "I'm ok Rev." Lola assured him, "I'm fi-whoa!" she once again fell down, only this time she slid a few feet. Duck and Ace were trying not to laugh, which resulted in Lexi hitting them upside the backside of their heads. "I think you'd better keep off your feet for a while." I told Lola as Slam easily picked her up in his arms. "I think I need to learn how to ice skate again." She said as Slam gently set her on her feet again. This time she was wise enough to hold onto his arm to keep steady. We all started walking the direction the Vikings had gone in, and Lola was getting better and standing up on the ice by skating along. "It's been ages since I've been skating on ice." She commented as she turned around and skated backwards so she could see us, "I haven't done this since I was 10."

"So that would mean you're?" I asked her. We never did ask her age.

"I'm 17." she answered, turning around again.

"Hey-you're-the-same-age-as-me-and-Duck!" Rev commented happily, "Lexi-and-Slam-are-18-while-Tech-and-Ace-are-the-oldest-at-19." Lola gave a small whistle before leaping into the air whilst spinning. I held me breath hoping she didn't slip down again, but I relaxed when she landed on the ground elegantly on one foot. "Whoo, you're good." Lexi commented her as she skated back towards us, the rest of us applauding her lightly.

"Thanks Lexi." she smiled, just as a familiar phone alert rang.

"Sounds like Zadavia's ring." Ace commented as we walked over to the phone on the side of the road. Rather than have her try another ice-skating trick, I took Lola's hand in mine and dragged her over, which she had no problem about. Lexi pressed a button on the phone key pad before asking 'hello?'.

"I guess you know by now these are no ordinary Vikings." Zadavia commented as her holographic image appeared. "Yeah, they didn't even sound Scandinavian." Ace agreed.

"I believe the iceberg slipped in through one of the inter-dimensional portals that opened up after the meteor hit. These mutant techno Vikings must have been frozen inside during an ice storm in their own dimension, but that they're here in Acmetropolis and awake"

"No offense but I heard it already." Lola commented as she politely interrupted Zadavia, "now that the Vikings are awake and here, they're going to freeze everything over to make it easier for them to conquer."

"Precisely, but right now you have bigger problems." Zadavia commented just as a giant ice ball landed on the phone booth, smashing it to pieces and knocking everyone onto their backs.

"Ow. Ok, I think I bruised my tailbone this time." Lola whined. Despite landing on me? I'm the one with the bruised back!

"I didn't get the last part. What other bigger problems?" Duck asked as we all sat up gingerly. Lola answered with a loud gasp. "Look out!" she screamed and pushed Rev and I out of the way on an incoming ice ball.

"If their trail leads into the city, what are they doing back on their boat?" Lexi questioned as we all stared at the three Vikings on the ship, manning the dragon-head ice cannon. "Maybe they didn't want to miss the dinner show, Gunnar on Ice." Ace declared, "let's jet!"

"Right!" Duck agreed, but when he tried to start up the engines on the jet pack, it just fizzled out.

"I may not be a techno-know-it-all, but something's telling me that the ice short-circuited the jet packs." Lola stated as she gingerly poked mine.

"Not to worry. Got a back-up plan, Tech?" Ace asked me.

"I'm glad you asked." I answered as I pulled out a remote control from my pocket and clicked a button and six black motorcycles sped towards us. "Great; if it isn't flying, it's driving." Lola gulped.

"Let's show these Vikings how to fly." Ace ordered as everyone jumped onto a bike and sped off. I got on the last one and turned to Lola. "Jump on Lola." I told her. She grimaced but did as I said, wrapping her arms around my waist tightly and pressing her chest into my back. "You do know how to ride this, right?" she asked me.

"Ride it? I designed it!" I laughed before pouring on the speed and chasing after the others, hearing Lola shriek over the wind as the motorbike transformed and turned into a flying air bike. We all flew around the ship, the dragon head cannon firing spitballs at us. "So let me guess, we're just waiting for it to stop firing at us?!" Lola asked over the roaring winds.

"Pretty much." I answered her, then internally cheered when they ran out of ammunition to fire at us. We all heard Ace ordering for us to unite, so I turned the bike around and followed after them into a cloud bank. "what in the world?" Lola simply asked before we all came back out of the cloud bank, but this time on a ship made from the bikes combined. "Tech, you've outdone yourself." Ace commented.

"You can say it. I'm a genius." I smiled as I piloted the ship.

"How about I say you're an amazing genius of a coyote and leave it at that?" Lola questioned me with a fond smile. "I can live with that." I smile back..

"Launch the torpedo!" Ace ordered. I pressed the middle orange button, releasing a single torpedo at the Viking's ship. "So long Ice geeks! Ha!" Duck laughed. But before the torpedo even got close enough to hitting the Viking ship it rose out of the water and started to fly. "Oh come on! That is so totally typical!" Lola exclaimed, "can't these guys come up with something original?"

"It won't be for long." I said as I pressed another button on the dashboard in front of me, setting the ship into flying mode. "Tech, you are the anthropomorphic man!" Lola laughed as the ship sailed through the air after the Vikings. After taking down their ship we landed beside the broken vessel and went on board. "With their ship down, do you think the big freeze is over, Tech?" Ace asked me as I examined one of the partially destroyed Viking bodies. The power drained from the body and reverted back into the helmet. "Guess that's where the power comes from; the horns on their helmets." Lola observed out loud from over my shoulder. Rev did a check check of the ship in case there were any other Vikings onboard. "Ok, this is just me throwing an idea here, but what if this was a distraction for us while Gunnar and the other Vikings went somewhere else?" Lola questioned out loud.

"If you're right, I'll personally pay for any clothes you happen to like on your shopping trip with Lexi." I offered. Rev fired up his in-built GSP system, and just like Lola guessed the remaining Vikings were headed to the planetary power grid. "that's not good. If they freeze the city's power core" I started when Lola grimaced.

"Let me guess, the whole planet gets frostbite?" she questioned then sighed heavily, "this is becoming a cliché. No offense, but it is."

"I don't blame you." Lexi agreed, "we so need a shopping trip after this." then she flashed me a sly grin, "which Tech has kindly offered to pay for." I couldn't help but grimace slightly. Who knows what sort of trouble I had gotten myself into now.

After flying to the power grid we got ready to go inside. Well, all but one. Since Lola didn't have any superpowers, letting her come inside with us seemed a bit on the suicidal side. "Lola, maybe you'd better sit this one out." Ace told her, "It could get pretty hairy in there."

"Look who's talking." She chuckled warmly, "relax, Ace. I can handle it."

"Are you sure?" Lexi asked.

"Positive." The human girl nodded, "I've been through worse scraps that what you guys found me in, and although I'm not a Rev, I can still run pretty fast."

"Well..."Ace looked undecided.

"Oh stop fussing over me already: we have a city to save." Lola told him as she pushed us in the back towards the door, "and by 'we' I mean 'you guys with a little help from me', deal?"

"Guess-that-answers-your-question." Rev commented. Once inside and our presence known to the remaining Vikings, so began the fight. I made sure to keep Lola next to me at all times, and keeping out of the war path. "Listen Tech, we gotta turn the tables on these guys!" Ace called to me.

"One word!" Lola offered, ducking a Viking's ice beam, "Reprogram!"

"Just keep them busy!" I told Ace, running to a side and scooping up a dismembered Viking helmet, "Lola with me!" She reached out and grasped my hand and ran after me. We made it to the side wall where I began to re-wire the Vikings helmet, Lola passing me the tools I might need.

"Not to be impatient, but could you go a little faster please?" she asked me after three minutes.

"You can't rush brilliance." I told her, in the middle of welding something.

"Not even if I ask you not to bother paying for any clothes I'm not likely to buy in the shopping trip with Lexi?" she questions, "I have a limited sense of fashion, and the only clothes I get are second-"

"Got it!" I announced and plug the helmet into a power socket just as Gunnar landed against the power grid itself. The power from Gunnar's helmet arced across the room and at me.

Great, living electricity conductor yet again.

As the power ran through my body, I was vaguely aware that the power was returning to the grid. After it was all done, I felt myself melt to the ground, quite literally. "Ah Tech, I was about to let them have it." I heard Duck complain. Did he really think I enjoyed playing living conductor or something?!

"Hey, where is Tech?" Lola asked, "wasn't he just here a second ago?"

"Ugh. Talk about taking one for the team." I groaned, catching their attention. The helmet was lifted off me, and Lola tried to stifle a scream. "Oh my god Tech, what happened?!" she asked in a panic.

"Relax Lola, I'm fine." I assured her before regenerating myself. She stared at me in complete shock.

"Yeah-its-one-of-his-powers-Molecular-Regeneration-he's-practically-indestructible-and-immortal." Rev explained to her, "why-do-you-like-upset?" That question caught me off guard, just like the sudden impact to my front. Whoever it was just wrapped their arms around my neck and leaned as close as they could against my body. "God, Tech. Don't scare me like that." Lola's quiet voice ordered me softly as she mumbled into my shoulder. I felt...I don't know, guilty somehow. I guess I should've told Lola I could regenerate myself before hand so she wouldn't get frightened. Seeing as that she needed comfort, and I was getting the 'do-something-to-make-her-feel-better' glare from both Lexi and Slam, I just wrapped my arms around Lola's waist and held her closer to me. 'Was is this feeling I'm getting?' I asked myself as I rested my chin on top of her head, gently swaying her from side to side to calm her.

Back at Loonatics headquarters everyone was doing their own thing. Ace was meditating again, Lexi was sitting in a beanbag reading a magazine. Duck as usual was in front of a mirror practising superhero poses and choosing a name again. Lola was sitting in the other bean bag, and I was sitting in between her legs with a pizza box next to me. She didn't say anything much as she ran her hands through my hair, which felt really relaxing. I placed a small gadget in the middle of the pizza box; all it did was cut the pizza into slices before offering one to me. "Want a slice, Lola?" I asked.

"No thank you." she replied, going back to running her fingers through my hair again. As if on cue, Slam burst into the room, having smelt the pizza. But before he got to close I flicked the gadget from the pizza box at Slam, which basically clamped his mouth shut, and just in time too: Zadavia was calling. "Loonatics, I just had to personally say to each and every one of you, job well done. The ice age is averted, the mutant techno Vikings destroyed and Acmetropolis is safe. Thanks to you, Ace, Rev, Lexi, Slam, Tech." And missing out on Duck. "And you, Lola." Zadavia said to her, "I hope you enjoy Acmetropolis. I have seen into your past." Lola just cringed slightly. "And I hereby recognize you as an official member of the Loonatics." Zadavia added, "Zadavia out." the holographic image disappeared, leaving opened mouthed Lola in the wake. "Nice look." I teased her, "Welcome to the team, Lola."