Andrew's Enhancement Chapter 1: The Space Station Battles

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Andrew and the rest of the tour group were on their way to the Engineering Deck of the Space Station, via Deck 8: the Observation Deck. Alexander was also coming to the Observation Deck, from Deck 9: the Docking Deck. He suspected that everyone on the Station knew what he looked like, so he couldn?t stay still long enough to find a wall chart to Engineering. He had to hide each time crewmembers walked by.

While Alexander hid, he had plenty of time to think.

I never imagined that Andrew would become so strong! he thought to himself. I am definitely outmatched in size and strength! If I didn?t have luck on my side, I?d be captured by now! I?d better just sabotage the Station so that it crashes and then get out of here! I can?t take on Margaret either; she?s just too powerful! I can?t believe that all my hard work over the past seven years has only let me escape; not destroy them! Hopefully, the Haunted House will soon tell everyone my helicopter is destroyed, ending the search for me! With their sensors damaged from my attacks today, they shouldn?t know that they only got the rear half!

?Attention all personnel!? a voice said over the intercom. ?We have just been informed by Marge?s Haunted House that Alexander?s helicopter was not completely destroyed! Keep a lookout for the cloaked half of his helicopter; which may be trying to dock with this station.?

?Drat!? Alexander cried out in frustration, forgetting not to speak. He didn?t notice that he was entering the Observation Lounge. ?They figured out my plan! But at least they don?t know I?m already on board!?

?But now we do!? Margaret shouted as she and her friends came into the Observation Lounge from the other side. ?Andrew, Steve: get him now!?

Alexander yelped in fright and darted around a corner, pulling a book shelf down on top of the four people following him. But Andrew and Steve knocked the bookcase aside effortlessly, almost hitting Alexander as he ran towards a staircase.

?You?re not getting away this time!? Andrew promised Alexander. ?Come back here, you little grey furball!?

Andrew and Steve ran down the stairs, falling down the lower half courtesy of a trip wire Alexander had left for them.

?That won?t stop us!? Andrew shouted, as he and Steve rolled back to their feet.

At the bottom of the stairs, they ran down a hall, and then turned a corner. They saw a bank of elevators in front of them, one of which was going down to Deck 11. The sign on the wall said: Deck 11: Engineering Level.

?Alexander?s trying to blow up the Station from Engineering!? Thomas shouted, catching up to the four friends. ?I?ll go round up some guards and then take the tour group to the Command Center where they?ll be safe. You go stop Alexander; the stairs are right over there!?

Andrew, Steve, Carrie and Margaret followed his pointing finger, and ran past the Deck 10 sign to another set of stairs at the end of the hall.

?This time I?m not stopping for anything!? Andrew swore to his friends. ?No matter what; Alexander?s going to pay for all the damage he has caused! I don?t care if I get injured again, I?m not letting Alexander get away from us this time!?

?Well we?re off to a great start!? Steve laughed. ?He?ll be at the Engine Room already by the time we get there!?

?The guards should slow him down,? Andrew predicted, hoping he was right. ?Maybe they?ll even stun him, saving us the trouble of fighting him. But I?d like to knock him out myself; that?s part of the reason I?ve worked out so hard over the past seven years!?

At the bottom of the stairs, everyone ran down the hall and then turned into another hall. The second hall had a large double door at the end of it. The sign to the left of the door said: Main Engineering; Propulsion and Navigational Control Systems. Beyond the door, no sounds could be heard.

The four friends stepped close to the door, triggering its sensors. The door slip open and a laser blast hit the control panel on the wall. The door slid shut behind the four friends as they jumped into the room.

?At last,? Alexander said. ?I now have the opportunity to deal with you without any interruptions.?

Behind him, the three guards were unconscious on the floor.

?You may have locked us in, but you?re trapped here with us,? Andrew reminded Alexander, stepping forward threateningly. ?How do you plan to escape now??

?Once I shoot you all, I?ll have no trouble getting out of here!? Alexander snapped. ?You?ve caused me no end of trouble! But I think I?ll let you all die when this station explodes! As for my escape, I know a secret way out!?

?You?ll tell us what it is right now!? Andrew ordered him, coming forward another few steps. He seemed afraid of the laser pointing at his chest. ?If you don?t cooperate??

?You?ll do what?? Alexander sneered. ?You forget, I?ve got the laser, you idiot!?

?Don?t call me an idiot!? Andrew snarled in fury. ?I?m probably smarter than you on my worst days!?

?If you don?t stop talking, I?ll call you dead!? Alexander warned him, raising the laser until it was pointed right between Andrew?s eyes. "Now, get in the far corner and face the wall, all of you! I have work to do: namely, planning you fiery deaths!?

?I don?t think so,? Andrew said, coming forward another few steps. He was now only a few feet from Alexander and he said, ?Give me the laser.?

?I?ll give you what?s inside this laser first,? Alexander offered. He put his finger on the firing stud and added, ?You?d better not get any closer, or I?ll have to shoot you! Now, get in the corner, right now!?

Andrew glared at Alexander and then turned to leave. Alexander lowered his laser, but then Andrew turned back around and knocked the laser out of his hand. Alexander threw his knife at Andrew, who ducked so that the knife clattered uselessly to the ground. Alexander had no time to brace himself before Andrew tackled him to the ground.

"OOOOFFFF!!!" Alexander gasped, as all the air left his lungs like a deflated balloon.

Steve and Andrew hauled him up effortlessly and marched him over to Margaret.

"Well, you've failed again," Margaret commented to Alexander. "When will you learn that you just can't win?"

"I can win!" Alexander snarled. "Watch this!"

Andrew and Steve yelled out in pain as Alexander slashed his claws along their ribs. They let go of Alexander, and he ran over to the engine console before they could stop him.

"Prepare to die!" Alexander shouted, as he pressed a few buttons on the console. "Im activating the Self Destruct Sequence in the power core! It will go off in ten minutes!"

Alexander pressed a few buttons on the console and a red screen lit up.
"Warning: the Self Destruct sequence had been activated," the computer said. "Power core overload in 10 minutes. There will be no further audio warnings."
"Enjoy your fiery deaths!" Alexander snarled.
He lunged for the far side of the room, where he knew there was a hidden door. Andrew and Steve chased him, so Alexander was forced to turn and defend himself. He fired a stun balst at Steve and threw his knife at Andrew. Steve only fell to his knees; not flat on his face. Andrew twisted aside so that the knife caught him in the ribs; not his chest. He jerked back in pain, but then yanked the knife out without even grimacing. Alexander had turned his back on them, trying to get the door open while he thought they were incapacitated. But then he saw Steve stand up and Andrew coming for him, brandishing the knife.
"Why do you keep coming?" Alexander snapped in frustration, reaching for his belt. "Why can't you just die?"
He threw a bomb at them and then opened the door. As the bomb went off , he escaped through the secret tunnel, using the explosion as cover. The bomb destroyed the door's control panel, which meant the closing door sealed the four friends in the room when it shut.
Andrew and Steve staggered up, waving the smoke away from their faces, and helped Margaret and Carrie stand up. Then they ran for the door and Andrew slapped the panel, not knowing it had been destroyed by the blast. He shook his hand in pain as he touched the burned metal, but didn't grimace or cry out. Instead, he hurled himself at the metal door, denting it with the impact.
"I can get us through there more quickly," Margaret offered, raising her right hand. Andrew stood aside and Margaret used her fire bolts to blast the door to pieces. The four friends shielded their eyes from the blast and then looked to see a gaping hole in the wall. "You three go ahead and get Alexander," Margaret ordered them. "I'll get the other door open, and let the engineers in so they can stop the impending core breach. Then I'll catch up to you."
"Good luck Margaret," Andrew said, as he stepped into the secret corridor.
"You too," Margaret said, waving at him.
Andrew Steve and Carrie ran down the hall, searching for Alexander.
"I see him up ahead!" Andrew yelled in fruy. "Keep up with me; I'm going to crush the life out of that furred freak!"
Carrie and Steve had a hard time keeping up with Andrew; and they were amazed that his muscular bulk didn't slow him down.
Andrew ran around the corner of the hall, only to find Alexander swinging a metal bar at his ehad. Andrew ducked, and Steve caught the blow across his left temple. Steve staggered back, his forehead ripped open, and Carrie tired to catch him. She was flattened by Steve's bulk, as he fell on top of her. They both crashed to the floor and Andrew roared in fury, rushing at Alexander with the knife raised.
"You're going to pay for that, you little grey furball!" Andrew shouted.
Alexnader looked scared, but then he swung the bar at Andrew. Andrew blocked the bar with the knife, and then latched onto the bar with one massive hand. Alexander tried to pull the bar back towards him, and he had to use both hands to do so. But then Andrew used his full strength and hauled Alexander forward until their noses were almost touching.
"Seems like I did a pretty good job; kncoking two perpole down with one blow," Alexander said, trying not to show his fear at Andrew's great strength. "Two for one; that's what I call great service!"
"You're going to need a service when I'm through with you!" Andrew growled, throwing Alexnader across the room with a massive shove. The bar ripped out of his hands, and Andrew raised it threateningly. "By the time I'm through with you, you'll need a funeral Service!"
Alexander hit the wall and slid to the floor; stunned from the force of the impact. Andrew stepped forward with the bar, ready to smash it acorss Alexander's face. Behind him, Steve slowly got to his feet; blood dripping down the side of his face.

Alexander pulled out his laser as he got up slowly.

"Go ahead punk," Andrew sneered, as he lowered the bar. "Shoot; if you think it will do any good."

"Whatever you say," Alexander said, firing the laser.

Andrew jerked back a step and then looked down to see a small burn mark on his chest.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked, smirking.

"It-it was set on Kill!" Alexander stammered, looking down at the laser as if it were defective.

"I guess lasers are no match for seven years of pent-up anger and adrenaline," Andrew realized. "Looks like I can withstand any attack now!"

"Not sure you'll be able to, with that nasty gash in your side," Alexander reminded Andrew. He was mostly trying to convince himself that Andrew's strength would soon fail. "Aren't you starting to feel weak from blood loss?"

"Naw, I've never felt better," Andrew bragged, even as blood dripped down his left side. "I guess that old saying is true, 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' Are you ready to give up now?"

Alexander backed away slowly; terrified as he saw Steve coming forward as well. He noticed that Steve seemed unaffected by his head wound, even with blood still dripping down the left side of his face. Steve wiped the blood off the side of his face and grinned as he felt no pain doing so.

Suddenly Margaret came around the corner and trapped Alexander's arms behind his back. Alexander dropped the laser as she twisted his arm painfully and Andrew picked it up. He handed the weapon to Steve and then stepped forward. Andrew punched Alexander in the stomach, bending him in half. Then Andrew brought his knee up into Alexander's chin, dropping him like a stone. "Your turn Carrie," Andrew said, motioning to the metal bar that Steve had handed her. "Go ahead, give Alexander a good shot across the temple. That will pay him back for what he did to Steve."

?Actually, I?d like the honour of paying him back,? Steve said. He stepped forward and handed the laser to Carrie, taking the metal bar from her as well. ?If you don?t mind, Andrew.?

"Go ahead man," Andrew said, taking the knife out of his pocket. "I have more damage to inflict on Alexander when you're through with him."


Alexander smashed his head back into Margaret's face; breaking her grip on him. Margaret flew backwards into the wall with a loud crash; falling to the floor and banging her head. Andrew and Steve ran forward, roaring in fury with their weapons raised. Alexander threw a bomb at them and they dove to the sides of the room as it exploded. Alexander used the blast as a distraction to escape through the air vent. Andrew and Steve rolled back to their feet and then helped Margaret and Carrie stand up. Andrew steadied Margaret with one massive hand and looked closely at her bruised forehead.

"It looks like you have a nasty bruise there," he informed her.


?No problem,? Margaret said, raising her hand to her forehead. A blue glow spread from her fingers and the bruise vanished. ?There we go; I?m all healed now. Would you like me to do the same thing for you?? She looked carefully at Andrew?s left side, which was completely red with blood. ?It doesn?t look like it?s bleeding anymore, but it still looks like you?ve lost a lot of blood!"

?I feel so much stronger that I ever have!? Andrew said, amazed at his resistance to pain. ?My injury doesn?t hurt at all!?

?Neither does my head wound,? Steve said, wiping the blood off his forehead. ?How can that be??

?Maybe you?re both so mad that your increased adrenaline blocks the pain,? Margaret guessed, walking over to the open air vent. ?It looks like Alexander escaped through here. Would you mind helping me up there, Andrew? It doesn?t look like there are any doors in this room that lead in that direction.?

?No problem Margaret,? Andrew said, coming over and lifting her up effortlessly. He turned to Carrie, missing Margaret?s look of amazement at his awesome strength. ?You?re next Carrie.?

?Fine with me,? Carrie said, handing the laser to Steve. She stepped forward and said, ?Be very gentle with me Andrew; you obviously have much greater strength than normal in your current state!?

?Don?t worry Carrie,? Andrew said, putting his massive hands around her waist. He lifted her gently into the air vent and added, ?The only person I won?t be gentle with is Alexander! I?ll crush him like a bug!?

?I believe you,? Carrie said, standing up in the air duct. ?If laser blasts don?t hurt you, you?re probably strong enough to snap his neck with one twist!?

?I could snap his neck in an instant,? Andrew agreed, smiling at the thought. ?But it wouldn?t be as much fun as pounding him into a bloody pulp!? His face turned red with anger, making Margaret and Carrie step back from him in fear. Andrew noticed their looks of fear and took a deep breath to calm down. ?Don?t worry though; I?ll control myself. I don?t want to kill him; robbing others of the pleasure of locking him up!?

?Good plan,? Steve said, handing Andrew the laser and the metal bar.

?Do you want a hand up there as well Steve?? Andrew asked him, anxious to see if he could lift Steve effortlessly.

?Naw man, I?ll use one of mine,? Steve said, stepping up to the bottom of the vent, which was seven feet high. He jumped up, grabbed onto the floor of the vent with one hand, and hauled himself up with minimal effort. ?See, I told you I could use one of my hands man!?

?Good job man,? Andrew commended him, handing the laser and the metal bar up to Steve. ?I?ll have to think of a way to beat that! Stand by!?

Andrew jogged over to the other end of the room. Margaret shook her head; amazed that Andrew and Steve were still competing with each other in a dangerous situation.

?Maybe their competition with each other keeps them from focusing too much on the danger they?re in,? Margaret said to Carrie.

They both stepped back as Andrew sprinted across the room towards them. He jumped up when he got to the air vent and landed right beside them. Andrew made sure to land in a crouch so that he wouldn?t knock himself out on the ceiling of the air duct.

?See Steve; I told you I?d think of a way to beat your strength demonstration!? Andrew gloated, standing up again. ?How was that??

?That was incredible man!? Steve congratulated Andrew; proud of his big friend.

?Thanks man,? Andrew said, grinning as they all walked down the seven foot high air duct. ?These air ducts must double as emergency evacuation routes; that?s why we can stand up in them.?

?That?s exactly right Andrew,? Margaret said. ?Fortunately, the engineers got the core breach stopped, so everyone else doesn?t have to use these routes for their intended purpose. The engineers used a flat rectangular device to open the jammed doors. They pried to doors open before I could and stopped the core breach with three minutes left.?

?That?s good,? Steve said, breathing a sigh of relief. ?That give us one less thing to worry about.?

?How long will this go on?? Carrie asked. ?I mean, how much longer will we be chasing Alexander??

?Not long,? Margaret replied. ?We?ll either catch him, kill him, or he?ll be scared off and won?t return.?

?He?d better be scared if he knows what?s good for him!? Andrew snapped, flexing his massive biceps. ?I?ll be sure to show him my guns are just as lethal as those with bullets!?

?You could choke him out with those massive arms of yours,? Margaret realized. ?Then he?d be unconscious for hours; giving us plenty of time to lock him away.?

?Not to worry; we won?t let him get away!? Andrew promised her. ?He?ll have to kill us to get away!?

?He already tried that with the laser,? Margaret reminded him. ?And it had no effect; even set on Kill!?

?That was amazing!? Andrew yelled; really excited by his resistance to pain. ?I never thought that my surging adrenaline would make me so strong!?

?It?s not a big surprise,? Margaret informed him, as they turned a corner into another air duct. ?Not only does it make you much stronger than normal, but it blocks all your pain receptors as well! Now there is something else that has the same effect.?

?PCP,? Andrew realized. ?Fortunately I?m not on drugs! The coach tests all of us regularly, especially me since I?m so big and strong!?

?You?ll need that strength to survive your next encounter with Alexander,? Margaret promised him. ?Are you sure you don?t want me to heal your injuries??

?Naw, I?m fine,? Andrew bragged, grinning at how he felt no pain. ?I feel stronger than I ever have, and I feel no pain at all.? He touched his bloody left side and held up his red fingers. ?See, no pain! I?m a muscle monster; nothing can stop me!?

?I?m beginning to believe you,? Margaret informed him. ?I guess what they say is true, ?It?s not bragging if you can back it up.? You certainly proved that today.?

?You mean how I always talked about pounding Alexander into pulp?? Andrew asked. ?And now I?ve actually done what I promised I?d do??

?That?s right,? Margaret confirmed. ?I?m very proud of all of you. Now we?ve got Alexander running for his life. I guess I don?t have to worry about your injuries slowing you down.?

?The more injured I get, the more I?m determined not to let them stop me,? Andrew informed her. ?It?s like it fuels my rage, stirring up my adrenaline and blocking all the pain I might otherwise feel.?

?That?s good, because we don?t want your injuries slowing you down,? Margaret informed him. ?Your blood loss will catch up to eventually, but hopefully not until Alexander?s gone. You haven?t stopped pushing yourselves since you got injured, but you two are our only hope. Even with my magic, I don?t have the physical strength to stop Alexander in hand-to-hand combat. Carrie would be more suited to that, having played hockey for many years. But with your football skills, you two are the best ones to defeat Alexander face to face.?

?Don?t worry Margaret,? Steve assured her, as the end of the tunnel came into view. ?Andrew and I will do whatever it takes to keep our injuries from slowing us down. Ah, here?s another grate.?

Steve tugged at the grate, but it seemed to be screwed to the wall. He pulled as hard as he could but couldn?t snap the screws.

?You don?t mind if I try, do you Steve?? Andrew asked, stepping forward.

?Give it a shot man,? Steve advised him, motioning to the grate. ?Show us the power of those 24 inch biceps of yours!?

Andrew stepped forward, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself. Then he grabbed the grate in his massive hands and yanked back hard. The screws didn?t snap, but the entire grate and part of the concrete wall ripped away.

?They must build these screws to last,? Andrew realized, shaking the grate to release the concrete bits. He missed the amazed look of his friends and began bashing the concrete with his bare hands, breaking it into tiny chunks that he could rip off the grate. ?There, that?s better,? Andrew said, turning to face his friends. ?How?s that??

As he saw their amazed looks, Andrew didn?t know that there was a bomb hidden above the air duct exit. When the bomb went off, Andrew hurled himself forward, knocking everyone down. He shielded them from the blast as burning bits of metal fell onto his back; totally destroying his t-shirt. Andrew ducked his head as the fireball raced down the air duct, which channeled the blast. Andrew stood up once the blast had passed and then helped the others up.

?Are you guys okay?? Andrew asked his friends, concerned that they had been hurt.

?No we?re not; thanks to you,? Margaret assured him. ?Are you injured Andrew??

?No I don?t think so,? Andrew replied. He pointed to the burn strips of his t-shirt on the floor and said, ?But I think the blast destroyed my t-shirt.?

?Let me check you back,? Margaret ordered him, turning him around slowly. She gasped in shock and then said, ?It looks like some of the burned metal chunks got stuck in your back Andrew!?

?I thought I might have felt something hit me there,? Andrew said. ?But I still don?t feel any pain. And I think I know why: I?m too mad! That fur ball?s going to regret this!?

Margaret had been carefully pulling the metal bits out of his back as he spoke. She was amazed that he felt no pain, but then she realized that his rage was even more powerful than her healing spells. So she decided not to use her magic to heal him.

?I got all the metal out of you Andrew,? Margaret informed him, turning him back around to face her. ?I used my magic to make sure the wounds wouldn?t get infected.?

?But you didn?t actually heal them, did you?? Andrew asked her.

?No I didn?t,? Margaret replied, as Andrew jumped down out of the air duct. ?Are you so hyped up on adrenaline that you can?t even tell the wounds are still there??

?I guess I must be,? Andrew realized, helping Margaret down from the air duct. ?I still don?t feel any pain.? He turned to look around the room and said, ?Hey, we?re in the escape pod room! I wonder where Alexander is.?

Andrew turned to help Carrie down when Margaret yelled, ?Look out behind you!?

Andrew turned around quickly and saw Alexander rushing towards him. Andrew grinned and flung the knife at Alexander. It caught him in the left side, sending him reeling. Steve jumped down from the air duct and fired the laser. It caught Alexander in the chest and knocked him off his feet. Alexander crashed into the wall with a dull thud and slid slowly down to the floor.

?I guess that takes care of Alexander,? Andrew realized. He helped Carrie down from the air duct and added, ?I told you we?d make him pay! Time to finish the job!?

He shook off Margaret?s restraining arm and headed towards Alexander, with Steve right beside him. Alexander yelled in pain as he yanked the knife out of his right side, but then he began to stand up. He threw the knife at Andrew?s chest, but Andrew caught it by the handle in mid-air.

"You can't compete with all the moves my father taught me!" Andrew snarled in fury. "You'd better give up now!"

"No way!" Alexander yelled, getting back to his feet slowly. "I'll never give up! You won't keep me from escaping either! I'll come back and defeat you all next time!" "That'll be your mistake!" Andrew roared, knocking Alexander back down with a tackle. The knife flew out of Alexander's hand and Steve picked caught it by the handle. "You're finished Alexander!" Andrew yelled in fury. "I'll make sure of that!"

Alexander struggled up again, but Andrew pinned him to the wall with one hand. Alexander tried to twist free, but Andrew?s iron grip was way too strong. So Alexander went limp, hoping Andrew would back off. Andrew straightened up and Alexander pushed him back into Steve. The two huge men rammed into each other, but they didn?t fall. Then they hurled themselves at Alexander as he tried to get an escape pod door open. Andrew wrapped his massive hands around Alexander?s throat and squeezed. Steve flattened Alexander with a flying tackle, smashing him flat. Alexander would have fallen to the ground, gasping for air, but Andrew?s iron grip held him upright: effortlessly! Andrew released one hand from Alexander?s neck and then slid him up the wall with the other. Andrew grinned at how easy it was to lift Alexander?s limp body: with just one arm!

?Now it?s time to make him pay,? Andrew decided. He balled his free hand into a fist and added, ?Too bad he won?t be awake to feel this!?

Andrew punched Alexander in the jaw, sending him sliding up the wall with the force of the blow. Andrew pulled him back down effortlessly and then punched Alexander again. The second blow sent Alexander sliding even further up the wall and Andrew pulled him back down again. Andrew punched him a few more times, making blood drip from Alexander?s forehead, nose and mouth.

?Stop!? Margaret shouted. ?You?ll kill him!?

Andrew looked over at her and his evil grin faded as Margaret stared at him.

?Sorry about that,? he apologized. ?I guess I got a little caught up in revenge now. But I?m calmer now. Look at Alexander and you?ll see why.?

Margaret looked and saw that Alexander was lying in a crumbled heap at Andrew?s feet. Andrew stood over him with his arms crossed, looking like a gladiator who had just conquered his opponent. Andrew stepped back as Margaret came up to him.

?If you could hold him above your head for a moment, I?ll do the rest,? Margaret said.

?No problem,? Andrew said, hauling Alexander up with one massive hand. He grinned as he hoisted Alexander above his head effortlessly. ?Go ahead Margaret.?

Margaret held up her hands and released white ice streams from her fingers: freezing Alexander solid.

?If you stand him up against the wall, I?ll trap him against it,? Margaret told Andrew.

?Whatever you say,? Andrew said agreeably.

He slammed Alexander into the wall with crushing force, shattering the ice into fragments that scattered everywhere. The three people behind him shielded their eyes, but Andrew?s bulk blocked most of the fragments. Andrew casually brushed the ice fragments off his skin, not noticing that some of the fragments had broken off inside him. But then, his body heat would make the ice melt away anyway, and the resulting water would clean the wounds.

?You didn?t have to slam him against the wall so hard,? Margaret admonished Andrew. ?You sent ice fragments flying everywhere! And you could have shattered every bone in his body!?

?Don?t tell me you?re getting soft Margaret!? Andrew scoffed at her. ?After all he?s done to us, I?d think you?d be glad to see Alexander suffer!?

?I just want him to be imprisoned for his crimes,? Margaret informed Andrew. ?Since he imprisoned all of us before, it seems only fair. Don?t forget, all his attempts to kill us have failed. So even though you could snap his neck with overwhelming ease, you?d be committing murder if you did! You wouldn?t want to go to jail, would you??

?No I would not,? Andrew agreed. He stepped back from Alexander?s crumpled body and walked over to Carrie. ?Are you okay?? he asked her, rubbing her face softly. ?You?ve taken a lot of punishment in this battle with Alexander.?

?Not as much as you have,? Carrie said, marveling at the sudden change in Andrew?s attitude. ?Are you sure you don?t feel any pain at all??

?I?m so strong I bet I couldn?t feel it if someone dropped at ton of bricks on me!? Andrew bragged.

He hugged her gently and said, ?I hope I didn?t scare you; being so rough with Alexander.?

Carrie hugged Andrew back and said, ?No you don?t scare me Andrew. I think it?s because you?re so gentle with me! It?s amazing how you change when you?re around me! You just finished pounding Alexander into pulp, and then you hug me as if nothing happened!?

?What can I say?? Andrew said, shrugging. ?My attitude changes depending on who I?m with.?

?Thank goodness for that,? Margaret said, as she formed handcuffs out of the metal wall with her magic. She had to use both hands to hold Alexander against the wall, but she finally got him secured to the wall. ?You have no idea how scary you are when you?re mad Andrew. No offense, but I hope that you?re superhuman strength fades when Alexander is locked up.?

?I hope that doesn?t happen!? Andrew stated emphatically. ?I want my superhuman strength to remain with me! Then I can be stronger than anyone else at my school! I?ll have no trouble getting into the NFL then!?

?That is a very worthy goal,? Margaret said approvingly. ?In the meantime though, I have a slightly more ordinary task to ask of you and Steve.?

?What would that be?? Andrew asked, hoping it involved more violence against Alexander.

?Stay here and guard Alexander while Carrie and I go get Commander Marge,? Margaret ordered Andrew. ?We?ll be back in a few minutes.?

?It will be our pleasure,? Andrew assured her, holding the knife and the laser in his hands. ?He?ll regret it if he tries to move one inch!?

?Thanks Andrew,? Margaret said, smiling as she headed down the hall.

Carrie gave Andrew one last hug and then she followed Margaret down the hall. Andrew?s gentle smile changed into a scary look of determination as he turned back to look at Alexander. Steve caught Andrew?s angry look and then looked away; scared of the intensity in Andrew?s eyes. He stood quietly beside Andrew as they waited patiently for Alexander to wake up.