Brave New World: Stargirl

Chapter 11

This chapter will contain a big twist for the story and it's one that I and I'm guessing several other people wish happened in the show and if you read some of the earlier chapters of this story closely, you might notice a few hints I'd planted to this earlier on.

Courtney, Yolanda and Beth were in awe as Pat led them through the old JSA headquarters.

"This place is incredible." Yolanda said, momentarily distracted from the deadly claws on her hands.

"You should've seen it when it was still in use." Pat said, thinking back to the old days and he could almost swear he could still hear the sounds of his former teammates talking in the base.

"You okay Pat?" Courtney asked her stepfather.

"Yeah, just being here brings back old memories." Pat said and Courtney nodded.

"So, why did you bring us here?" Yolanda asked.

"Because Yolanda, this is the only place I can think of that might be able to help you learn to control those claws, since until we can figure out how you got them in the first place, I doubt we'll be able to remove them." Pat said.

"What makes you think that anything here can help me?" Yolanda asked.

"Because one of the members of the JSA used a similar method as their weapon. He trained here and I have a feeling that gear could be very helpful to you." Pat said as they entered the meeting room.

"Are these the members of the JSA?" Beth asked as they looked around the walls at the posters surrounding the room.

"Yep. Starman, Hourman, Dr. Midnite, Dr. Fate, the Flash, the first one, Johnny Thunder, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern and finally, the one we're here for, Wildcat." Pat said as he led them to the wildcat memorial he'd set up.

"Who was Wildcat?" Courtney asked.

"He was a boxer named Ted Grant." Pat said.

"Wait, you knew Ted Grant?" Yolanda asked.

"Yeah, why?" Pat asked.

"He's like my idol. I'm a huge fan of his. I know that he died before I was born, but still, I've seen his fights on the internet. I know everything about his career. Or well, his boxing career." Yolanda said.

"Then I guess it's appropriate that we're using his gear to train you in how to use your claws." Pat said, right as they heard a hoot.

"Is that a real owl?" Beth asked as she walked over to the Dr. Midnite memorial.

"Yeah, that's Hootie, Dr. Midnite's sidekick. After every mission, he'd always fly to Dr. Midnite's arm." Pat said.

"Does he know that Dr. Midnite is dead?" Courtney asked.

"No, because everytime I come here, he's still exactly where he was the last time I left. He's still waiting for Dr. Midnite to come home. Honestly, one of the main reasons I come back here is to make sure he gets food, since I know for a fact that Charles would never forgive me if I let Hootie starve to death." Pat said.

"Who's Charles?" Beth asked.

"That's Dr. Midnite's real name. Or it was. Dr. Charles McNider. He was a brilliant doctor who lost his sight fighting a mob. He built those goggles as a means of helping him restore his vision and in a way, they did help him see again." Pat said as to his surprise, Hootie flew off his perch and onto Beth's arm.

"Aw, he's so cute." Beth said.

"I haven't seen him leave that perch in years." Pat said.

"Maybe Hootie is kind of like the Cosmic Staff. Going dormant for years until he finally found someone worthy of taking up the mantle of his previous owner." Courtney said.

"It's possible." Pat admitted.

"Sounds like we're forming a new JSA." Yolanda said and Pat sighed.

"I know the three of you are likely going to do this regardless of what I say about it, so before we go any further, I need to be sure that you're truly prepared to take the risks. Being a superhero, it's not all fun and games. It's very dangerous work and if you don't take it seriously, you'll get killed." Pat said.

"Actually, I'm thinking that I might stay back and use the goggles to take on a more technical position." Beth said as Hootie flew back to his perch before she reached for the goggles and put them on.

"Booting up. It is so good to be operational again. Good afternoon." a voice said.

"Whoa, who said that?" Beth asked.

"Who said what?" Pat asked.

"I hear some kind of guy's voice in these things." Beth said.

"I am the AI version of Dr. Charles McNider." the voice said.

"Wow, he says that he's Dr. Midnite." Beth said.

"Sounds like Charles uploaded a backup into his goggles so that he could pass them on someday." Pat said.

"Stripesy is correct." Chuck said.

"What should I call you?" Beth asked.

"Whatever is easiest for you. And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" the AI asked.

"Uh, Beth Chapel." Beth said.

"Beth Chapel. Born May 15th, 2004 at Omaha General Hospital to Dr. Bridget Chapel, currently a thoracic surgeon at the Blue Valley Medical Center, and James Michael Chapel, a salesman for The American Dream. Beth Chapel has a 4.4 weighted GPA, four point zero, unweighted. She's the founder and only member of the Blue Valley High student teachers appreciation club." The AI said.

"Wait, do you know me?" Beth asked.

"More like I have access to every database there is. I know a great deal about everyone my sensors are detecting. Pat Dugan, formerly known as Stripesy, Starman's sidekick and former member of the JSA, currently the owner and only employee at the Pit Stop auto shop in Blue Valley, married to Barbara Whitmore, father of Michael Dugan and stepfather of Courtney Whitmore." the AI said.

"Okay, this thing knows a lot about you Pat." Beth said.

"And not just him." The goggles said as Beth turned to face Courtney.

"Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore. Daughter of Barbara Whitmore and Sylvester Pemberton, aka Starman." Chuck said.

"Whoa, Courtney, these goggles are saying that you're Starman's daughter." Beth said, shocking both her and Pat.

"What?" Pat said.

"No, that's not possible, my mom said that my dad's name was Sam Kurtis and that he was there when I was born." Courtney said.

"Well Chuck, is it okay if I call you that Chuck?" Beth asked.

"Of course." Chuck said.

"Well Chuck is saying that your dad was Starman." Beth said.

"Sylvester never had a daughter." Pat said.

"Or maybe he had one and didn't know it or just chose not to tell you about her for her protection." Yolanda said.

"I need to go talk to mom. I think she has some explaining to do." Courtney said.

"Look, I get that this is big, but I'm not leaving here until these claws retract." Yolanda reminded them of why they'd come here.

"Chuck, got a solution for that?" Beth asked.

"While not the same as Ted Grant was with his gloves, I believe that it is simply a matter of will. She just needs to focus on her claws retracting and they should." Chuck said and Beth relayed that information to Yolanda, who tried it and sure enough, her claws retracted back into her hands.

"I guess it will take some getting used to and practice to figure it out." Yolanda said.

"Now that we've gotten that sorted out, I think mom owes me a conversation." Courtney said and none of them could deny that since they needed to return home quickly anyways.