The remaining years if high school were good to Kylie Perkins. She was beautiful, popular, and had an equally
attractive boyfriend in Tyler, whom she loved and who loved her in return. She was nice and kind to her fellow
students, volunteering for school groups like Amnesty International and Model U.N. and was voted valedictorian
when it finally came time to graduate.
Tony and Laura watched her from the sidelines, both enjoying their own civilian lives and happy that Dr.
Mage's plan had apparently worked. Kylie was a new person, a good person, and though the seal on her powers
and memory of them was due to vanish the night of their graduation ceremony both super heroes felt that
disaster had been averted and Kylie would join them in the fight for good.
The appointed day came and the students of Glendale High's graduating class gathered in a banquet hall at the
local community center, laughing and enjoying themselves as their teachers and peers made speeches, nostalgic
videos were shown, and everyone generally had a great time celebrating the end of their public education. The
lights dimmed as a spotlight appeared on the stage. Kylie, clad in her blue graduation gown and cap, climbed
the steps and stood before her peers at the podium. It was time for the valedictorian's speech.
"My fellow graduates," she began, "we've done it. We've waded through the muddy waters of high school and
climbed out mature, responsible young adults on the other side. We've learned about the past, the natural
world, about books and numbers, and about ourselves. From this night on it's the start of the rest of our
lives."
There was a small smattering of applause at Kylie's words and the dark-haired girl smiled. "We can do
anything..." she said but trailed off as a wave of dizziness hit her. "We can... we..." Kylie staggered back,
suddenly pale. "Something... something is wrong..." she mumbled, then collapsed.
As the school principal and some of the adult chaperoned dashed onto the stage to see if she was alright, Tony
sought out Laura in the crowd of students. "The seal is gone," he whispered to her.
"Is that what caused her to faint?" Laura whispered back.
He shrugged. "It may be that the sudden knowledge of what she is overwhelmed her. We'll have to wait and see
when she wakes up." Tony looked toward the stage where Kylie was being carried off, the school secretary
waving a piece of paper over her like a fan. "I think we should go help her."
With a nod, Laura turned to excuse herself from her friends.
---
Meanwhile, in a small house a few blocks away, Barney MacMillan was sitting in front of his computer scrolling
through forums of spoilers and leaked content for the latest game in the Legend of Zorro franchise. He, too,
was graduating from Glendale High that night but unlike most of his peers Barney had chosen to skip the grand
celebration banquet and spend time doing what he wanted to do.
As he typed in his own speculations of what the Quad-Force would be used for this time, he failed to notice
the door to his room slowly open. A dark figure stepped into the dim room lit only by Barney's computer and a
small lava lamp night light near his bed.
"Barney..." hissed a voice. "Barney..."
With a jump and yelp of surprise, Barney swiveled around in his chair. "Wh-what?" he stammered. "Who are you?
What do you want?"
The shadow reached for him. "I need you Barney," it whispered. A cold, gloved finger touched his arm. His skin
tingled from the touch. "Or should I say... Science Master?"
Barney opened his mouth to reply, then stopped. Yes, he thought. He was Science Master, the most brilliant
criminal mastermind in the world! The slightly overweight teenager stood as his body began to shift, the flab
melting away into a resonably fit physique. His rock 'n' roll t-shirt bleached white then grew, splitting
along the front as it lengthened into a white lab coat. His sweat pants became crisp black slacks belted
around his slimming waist with a buckle that looked like a spiral. He grunted as his eyes began to sting.
Silver plastic and dark glass oozed from his lids and eye socket, coating his eyes and shaping into a pair of
cold, industrial goggles made of silver and black, small spirals reflecting light on the lenses.
The shadow reached forward to touch Science Master's bare chest where it appeared from beneath his lab coat.
Slowly a black shirt knit itself together to cover him. The brilliant villain grinned, his hair tusseled, and
looked at the shadow with a new appreciation. Science Master served no one but himself!... and his dark
master.
In a slightly high-pitched, nasal voice, Science Master asked, "What would you have me do?"