A Misfit Should Be...

Chapter Nine: Jetta Of The Misfits

“Well, this is it.” Aja pulled her coat more tightly around her, glancing up at the venue with a shiver. “Am I the only one getting chills about this?”

“You’re nervous?” Kimber demanded. “C’mon, Aja, you’re s’posed to be tough!”

“Well, I’ve never dealt with a convicted jewel thief before.” Aja retorted. “Come on. Let’s go blend in with the crowd. If you see him, let me know.” She paused. “Where did you get this picture, by the way?”

“Stormer.” Kimber shrugged. “Hey, aren’t the Stingers playing tonight, too?”

“I think so, but I hope we won’t have to sit through till that starts.” Aja grimaced. “Listening to the Misfits is bad enough.”

“You could have brought Craig. He never minds listening to his sister play.” Kimber pointed out.

“True, but Jerrica asked me not to. She doesn’t want anyone else involved. I think she’s afraid of press involvement. So far she’s kept it dark.” Aja responded. “Look, there’s an empty table at the back. We can hide there, it’s nice and shadowed.”

“We’re going to look like real shady characters.” Kimber laughed. “Okay, I’m coming. You have the picture, right?”

“Of course.” Aja nodded. “But I’m not going to wave it about. That’ll only tip him off.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Kimber looked sheepish. “I didn’t think of that.”

“And that’s why Jerrica sent me with you.” Aja teased.

“Pig.” Kimber swiped at her friend playfully. “I’m not a kid, Aja.”

“Well, maybe.” Aja shrugged, laughing. “Oh, I hope you’re right about tonight. I hope that guy shows. If he doesn’t we haven’t anything to go on, and no hope of raising that kind of ransom money.”

“He’ll be here.” Kimber replied.

“I’m glad you’re so sure.”

“Trust me.” Kimber winked at her friend. “He’ll be here.”

Across the other side of the club, the Misfits were making a completely different sort of entrance. Tipped off by Stormer’s bogus call, the press were all too eager to swarm around the band, each demanding to know what the big ‘secret’ was that Jetta had to tell the world.

Jetta was feeling far more herself that night. She was hopeful that by the time the concert was over her brother would be dealt with and she’d be well away from all suspicion. She answered all the questions with a laugh and a shrug, denying that there was any truth at all in the rumours.

“You must ‘ave a screw loose, yank.” She told one reporter calmly. “If there’s something I’ve got to tell the world, I think I’d know about it, don’t you?”

“Quit bothering us.” Pizzazz put in her bit, shoving the reporter aside. “We’ve more important things to do than listen to you talk garbage.”

“Yeah, too right we do.” Roxy, who was a bit put out at the press attention the sax player seemed to be getting added her bit. “Get lost, will ya?”

Stormer kept quiet. She wasn’t very good at lying, though sometimes needs called for it. She marvelled at how convincing Jetta’s denials were.
“If I didn’t know, I’d say she was telling the truth.” She mused. “I hope she can pull it off for the rest of the night. Rumours start, rumours end…I just hope it’s gotten her brother’s attention.”

She glanced idly across the club, then did a double take as she recognised Kimber at a table at the back. The redhead glanced up and grinned at her, giving her a covert thumbs up sign. Stormer glanced at the reporters, who were still fussing round her band-mates, and then nodded her head, almost imperceptibly. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to let the two Holograms know that things were going according to plan.

Then they were at the door of their dressing room and Pizzazz was firmly shutting the press outside, dropping down into a chair and shooting Jetta an accusing look.

“What’s that about?” she demanded.

“What’s what about?” Jetta feigned innocence.

“The press. What are they suddenly all over you for?”

“Beats me, love.” Jetta shrugged her shoulders in a way that indicated she couldn’t care less about it, either. “Guess they ‘ave to ‘ave some new story to bang out.”

“What’s this about an announcement you gotta make?” Roxy put in her bit. She smiled slightly. “Gonna quit the band publically, Jetta?”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, duckie, but I’m not going anywhere.” Jetta offered Roxy a sweet smile. “I ‘ave no intention of making any announcement. The press ‘ave the wrong end of some stick, that’s all.” She shrugged. “Guess that’s what ‘appens if you listen to anonymous phone calls. That’s what that one guy said it was.”

“Well, it’s given us a bunch of publicity, and we’re sold out, so I guess the morons did us a favour for once.” Pizzazz decided with a shrug. “They must be pretty desperate if they’re that stuck for a story that they listen to a crank caller.”

“Yeah.” Roxy nodded. “Losers, the lot of them.” She flipped open her guitar case, beginning to tune her instrument idly. Sometimes she could bribe Stormer to do it for her, but the synth player had been both quiet and preoccupied all evening, and Roxy had assumed she had a song coming on. It was never Roxy’s way to probe deeper than the surface, which in some ways was a pity, else she’d have realised that something more sinister was concerning her bandmate.

The concert began with no hiccups and though she scanned the crowd, Jetta could not see his face. She began to wonder if the false publicity had worked, after all.

The group played right through till the break in their set, and still there had been no sign of him. Jetta began to worry. Was he on to them?

No sooner had she left the stage, however, when she felt a tight grip on her arm and she swung around, her heart in her throat. Well, so it had worked. He was here, and he was angry. Could she convince him that she was innocent? He’d always seen through her lies in the past. But then, she had been Sheila back then, his unquestioning, obedient follower in all that he did. Now she was Jetta, and she stood alone.

“What do you want?” she demanded, injecting as much indignation into her tone as she could muster under the circumstances. “I’m busy, can’t you leave me alone?”

“What ‘ave you been saying, little sister?” Jeremy snarled, pulling her arm tight behind her back as he spoke.
“Saying? Nothing!” Jetta exclaimed. “Don’t you think that I value my own reputation better than that?”

“I’m not buying that. I want to know what’s with all the press. This big secret you’re just dying to reveal to the world. Who have you talked to, Sheila?”

“I don’t know what you mean! I ‘aven’t said anything, let go of me!” Jetta protested, trying to struggle free but he had her held fast and he tightened his grip. “Ow, you’re ‘urting me!”

“Good. Then maybe you’ll remember and think twice before you cross me.” Jeremy’s voice was dangerously low. “For your sake, the press ‘ad better be reporting a lot of poppycock and there better ‘ad be no announcement. Remember, little sister, I can make life very difficult for you if I choose. You’re skatin’ on thin ice.”

“I ain’t going to make any announcement. The press are lying!” Jetta spat back at him. “And I’m not your sister, not any more.” She finally wrenched her arm free, though it still throbbed and she knew it would bruise. “You ‘ear me, Jeremy? You mean nothing to me and I couldn’t care less what ‘appens to you. Oh, I won’t go to the cops, don’t you worry, but I ain’t ‘elpin’ you out. I’m not getting mixed up in a kidnapping.”

“You gave me money and you’ve kept me a secret. You’re already in it, right up to your pretty little neck.” Jeremy smiled a slow, conniving smile, putting his hand up to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear, but she pulled away from him. “I don’t ‘ave enough time to deal with you ‘ow I’d like to before my boat leaves, and that’s a pity, but I won’t forget, Sheila. You can count on that.”

“You’re evil.” Jetta told him in angry tones. “You’ve always been evil. You don’t care about anything but yourself and you never did!”

“An’ I taught you to be just the same way.” Jeremy let out a low, humourless chuckle. “Don’t play with fire, Sheila. You might get burned.”

“Why, you…” Jetta’s brow knitted into a scowl and she brought her stiletto heel down hard on his foot, causing him to utter a curse. “There, that’s what I think of you an’ your threats, Jeremy. Now, if you don’t mind, I ‘ave the second part of a concert to get ready for.” She shot him a scornful look. “At least one of us made a success of ourselves.”
“You’d better watch your mouth, sister dear.” Jeremy retorted, his tones menacing. “It don’t take much to make a success into a failure, so you better watch your back, else you might find you don’t ‘ave a band any more. You got me?”

Jetta tossed her head, turning her back on him and stalking down the corridor towards the dressing room before he could wholly recover from being stamped on. It was empty, and once inside she rolled up the sleeve of her gold hooped top, examining her arm with an involuntary wince.

“Now, ‘ow does he expect me to play the second ‘alf of a concert with a dead arm?” she wondered, a frown on her face. “Damn Jeremy. Damn him!”

“Jetta?”
She swung around, meeting Stormer’s gaze, and grimacing.

“What now?”

“Is he here?”

“Yeah, he’s here.” Jetta looked rueful. “He just gave me a reminder not to cross ‘im.” She indicated her arm, which was beginning to go purple. Stormer’s eyes widened.

“I thought you said that he wouldn’t hurt anyone?” she exclaimed.

“I’m ‘is sister. It’s different.” Jetta replied. “In any case, ‘e isn’t like the guy I grew up with. He’s gotten colder somehow. Maybe…maybe I was wrong. Maybe I don’t know ‘im so well as I thought.”

Stormer looked troubled.

“Kimber and Aja are in the crowd, armed with the picture you gave them.” She said, perching on the table. “They’ll find him, track him down and rescue Dierdra, then it’ll all be over.”

“I ‘ope they know what they’re doin’.” Jetta looked grim, rolling her sleeve back down. “He’s in one ‘ell of a mood, Stormer. I don’t know what ‘e might do.”

“Maybe they need our help.” Stormer suggested. Jetta shook her head.

“I can’t get involved.” She said flatly. “He more or less told me straight that ‘e’d ruin me if I dared open me mouth.”

“But he’s dangerous! Someone might get hurt!” Stormer exclaimed.

“That’s their risk. I’ve done my bit.” Jetta shrugged. “Come on. We ‘ave a concert to finish.”

“But…” Anything else Stormer might have said was abruptly cut off at that moment, as Pizzazz flung open the door, a strange look on her face.

“You guys seen Roxy?” she demanded.

“Roxy? Not since we finished our set.” Stormer shook her head. “Why?”

“I can’t find her anywhere.” Pizzazz scowled. “Oh, brilliant. I bet she got bored and decided to go home or something. That girl has no sense of responsibility.”

“She wouldn’t miss performing!” Stormer protested. “She’s got to be here somewhere!”

Jetta’s eyes widened as she remembered an earlier exchange of words with her brother, and his most recent threats to her that night. Could he overpower rough and tough Roxy enough to incapacitate her – even abduct her? Would he go to those lengths just to send his sister a warning to keep her mouth shut?

“‘Er guitar is still ‘ere.” She observed quietly, indicating the case, which still held its instrument. “She wouldn’t leave without that, or her coat.”

“So she’s got to be somewhere out there.” Stormer concluded. “Did you check the buffet? And the Stingers’ dressing room?”

“Roxy hates the Stingers.” Pizzazz was scornful. “And yeah, I checked the buffet. She’s not here.”

“Then there’s only one place she can be.” Jetta spoke in low tones.

“Where’s that?” Stormer glanced at the British girl in surprise. Jetta looked grim.

“With my brother.” She responded. “Come on.”

***********

“Get your filthy, stinking hands off me, you creep!”
Roxy struggled valiantly against the strong arms that held her but it was no good, she was caught fast. He had taken her unawares, dealing her a sharp blow to the head with something blunt and hard, and by the time she had come to her senses she was well restrained and being bundled into the back of a clapped out old van.
“Shut up.” Her abductor told her in no uncertain tones, and, despite the darkness Roxy recognised his voice as the guy who had been in their dressing room at the last concert. “Else it’ll be the worse for you.”

“You!” she exclaimed. “What do you think you’re doing anyway? Did Jetta put you up to this?”

“What my sister does is none of my concern, so long as she keeps her big mouth shut long enough for me to get out of the country.” Her captor told her coldly. “Now shut up, will you?”

“Your…sister?” Roxy’s eyes opened wide. “Wait a minute, Jetta’s your…” but she got to say no more, for Jeremy had looped a length of grubby material around her head, pulling it tight as a gag. Her eyes bore a furious glint, but she was helpless and she put up no further fight as he locked the door, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting up the engine. At first it stalled and he cursed, thumping the dashboard hard in his frustration. Once Jetta and the others realised that their guitarist was missing there’d be all hell let loose and he didn’t want to be anywhere in sight. Finally the engine roared into life, but those seconds of delay would cost him dear, for at the moment he pulled away Jetta, with an anxious Stormer and a confused Pizzazz in tow burst out onto the parking lot. Jetta recognised her brother in an instant as the van sped off into the distance.

“That’s him.” She said darkly. “I bet you anything you like she’s with ‘im. We have to tail him.”

“With who?” Pizzazz demanded as she led the way to the Misfits’ van. “What’s all this about, Jetta? Wanna clue me in? I don’t like being kept in the dark, you know.”

“Just drive, will ya?” Jetta clambered in the back, pulling Stormer with her. “Follow him and I’ll explain as we go. Just don’t let him get out of sight!”

Pizzazz’s mouth set in a petulant frown – she hated being told what to do. But something in the urgency of Jetta’s tone and expression prevented her from raising a protest. Instead she put the key in the ignition and her foot on the accelerator pedal. The van screeched out of the parking lot and in the direction Jeremy had taken. Once she was on the main road, Pizzazz turned a suspicious look on the sax player.

“Okay, so what gives?” she demanded.

“That creep’s taken Roxy hostage.” Jetta slid into the passenger seat, her brow creased in an angry frown. “He took the Starlight brat to shut ‘er up and now he’s taken Roxy to shut me up, too.”

“And he is?” Pizzazz swerved to avoid a group of pedestrians.

“My brother.” Jetta scowled. “Jeremy Burns.”

“The jewel thief?” Pizzazz’s eyes almost dropped out of her head. “That guy on the news is your brother?”

“Yeah.” Jetta nodded. “Worse luck.”

“So what exactly are we doing?” Pizzazz enquired, negotiating a red light without stopping, and ignoring the cacophony of car horns she left in her wake. “And why didn’t you tell us about this? I warned you about holding out on us.”

“He threatened me with bad publicity and more. It wouldn’t ‘ave been pretty for any of us.” Jetta replied. “Now he thinks I’m going to give ‘is game away so he’s taken Roxy to let me know he means business. And we’re going to get ‘er back.”

“He’s got to be stopped before someone really gets hurt.” Stormer added her bit. “Hey, where are we going?”

“Beats me, but this isn’t the kinda place I’d choose to have a house.” Pizzazz grimaced. “Bad neighbourhood or what?” she turned left, then paused. “Hey, where did he go?”

“Straight on, and then right.” Stormer pointed. “Pizzazz, look out for that bike!” she added.

“Ah, he should learn to ride it properly.” Pizzazz shrugged, flicking the indicator on as the cyclist only narrowly missed being mown down. “We ain’t stopping, anyway. Who does this jerk think he is, messing up our concert like that? We’ll show him!”

“I ‘ave a score to settle.” Jetta said grimly.

“So do we. Nobody kidnaps a Misfit and gets away with it.” Pizzazz scowled. “Nobody!”

Jetta glanced at Pizzazz, realising for the first time that maybe the group meant more to the singer than a means to fame and success. And then, as she thought about it, it struck her that Jeremy had been wrong.

He had trained her to be like him, but he had failed. She could cheat and lie and deceive with a clear conscience, she scorned sensitivity and prided herself on her independence and sarcastic wit. But she was a team player. Maybe when she’d first joined the Misfits, that hadn’t been the case, but now she knew that it was. Why else would she risk everything like this to rescue someone who irritated her most of the time? It was crazy, and yet, like Pizzazz, she was furious that her brother had dared to mess with one of her band-mates. She truly was a Misfit, and more, she truly was Jetta now. Not Sheila Burns, always looking out for number one and caring nothing for the fate of those around her, getting into scrapes and not worrying who would take the rap. She had changed, and now she understood how.

A Misfit should be willing to cause trouble, to deceive, to cheat and to mess with people’s minds, both inside and outside the law. A Misfit should scorn affection and sentiment and never let herself appear vulnerable.

But most of all, a Misfit should be a team player, and take care of her own.

“An’ that’s what we’re doing, crazy as it seems.” She told herself. She put a hand on Pizzazz’s shoulder.

“'Ere, he’s slowin’ down. Don’t let ‘im see we’re following ‘im!”

“No problem.” Pizzazz turned the steering wheel sharp right, pulling into a side alley just as Jeremy pulled to a halt not far away. “Okay, everybody out!”

Stormer and Jetta obeyed her command, Stormer feeling more and more apprehensive with each passing moment. Pizzazz led the way, pausing as she reached the corner and then peering round. Slowly she beckoned to her companions, who followed suit.

“There he is.” Pizzazz hissed.

“What’s he doing?” Stormer wondered.

“He’s opening the back…” Jetta paused. “It’s Roxy!” she realised, only just managing to keep her voice down. “Where’s ‘e takin’ her?”

“Inside that dump. Come on.” Pizzazz replied. “Let’s get him!”

“No, wait a minute.” Jetta shook her head. “If he knows we’re on to him he’ll take off. Let ‘im take Roxy inside that place first. Then I say we sabotage ‘is van so ‘e can’t make a getaway.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Stormer nodded. “Then what?”

“Then we show him what it means to insult the Misfits.” Pizzazz scowled. “You had to have a brother who was psycho, didn’t you, Jetta?”

“Don’t blame me! I didn’t ask to be stuck with him!” Jetta protested.

“Please, guys, don’t fight!” Stormer pleaded. “We gotta work together if we’re gonna get Roxy out of there, and we don’t know what’s inside.”

“I guess you’re right.” Pizzazz frowned. “Of course, he could have killed her, for all we know, whilst we’re hanging around here.”

“He’s not a killer. Threats, that’s all.” Jetta replied. “Okay, the coast is clear.”

“Then let’s move.” Pizzazz decided. “C’mon, girls. Lets go get what belongs to us!”

    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *      *

"There's something strange going on here."
A frown crossed Aja's face as she rested her chin in her hands, her eyes scanning the crowd. "The Misfits took a break twenty minutes ago and the programme says ten. Where are they?"
"Stuffing their faces at the buffet?" Kimber grinned. "You know the Misfits."
"Yeah, unfortunately." Aja pulled a face. "But I don't believe that even the lure of food could keep Pizzazz from the stage." She stood. "Come on. I have a hunch."
"Did you have to get a hunch right now?" Kimber frowned, her tone plaintive. "I just got comfortable!"
"Come on, Kimber!" Aja looked frustrated. "Think of Dierdra, will you?"
"I am. I just would rather think of her sitting here." Kimber retorted, getting to her feet all the same. "Jerrica warned us about being to conspicuous, Aja. I just don't want to blow our cover."
"Well, something's up, and I want to know what." Aja responded, and Kimber recognised all too easily the stubborn glint in her companion's eye. Once she'd made up her mind it was difficult to shift her, and Kimber sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"All right, all right." she conceded. "Where exactly are we going?"
"The Misfit dressing room." Aja replied.
"Oh, like that isn't going to look suspicious." Kimber rolled her eyes. "A friendly interval visit from their biggest rivals. How are you going to explain to them why we're here, huh? Tell them we suddenly lost our taste in music? I promised Stormer that we wouldn't land her in it!"
"Well, if they're there we'll think of something." Aja shrugged. "I don't think that they will be, mind you."
"Well, if they're not on stage, where else would they be?" Kimber demanded.
"That's what I'd like to know." Aja agreed.
"Oh, you're making no sense, Aja!" Kimber frowned. "You know, we should have borrowed Jerrica's jemstar earrings. Then we could have used Synergy to make us look like club workers."
"Nice idea, Kimber." Aja rolled her eyes skywards. "Pity you didn't think of it before we left Starlight Mansion, huh?"
"Well, you didn't think of it, either." Kimber retorted.
"Shh." Aja put a finger to her lips, as they reached the corridor where dressing rooms for the performing bands were located. "Listen."
The door of the Stingers' dressing room was slightly ajar, and the two girls crept up to it, listening carefully, for it was clear that someone inside was decidedly displeased.
"What do you mean, they're not here?" Riot's voice was all too audible.
"What I say. They're gone, Riot. All of them." That was Rapture's voice. "Their dressing room is empty, except for their instruments, and they're not on stage."
"Even their van is gone." put in Minx.
"I don't believe it." Riot was fuming. "Pizzazz would never dream of walking out like this, not on me. Doesn't she realise how important this is? Where are they? When I find them..."
"Who needs those silly Misfits." Minx sounded scornful. "Come on. The fans are here to hear us, anyway, not them. Lets forget those twits and do our set."
"Minx is right." Rapture agreed. "The Misfits are unreliable, but we can't just leave the crowd hanging. You can deal with Pizzazz in the morning, Riot."
"All right." Riot seemed to be reluctant, but he conceded to his companions. "We'll do the concert. But you can bet I'll have words with Pizzazz. How dare she?"
"Quick, in here!" Aja hissed, pulling Kimber into an empty storeroom as the door of the Stingers' dressing room swung open and Riot, with Minx and Rapture in tow, swept down the corridor towards the stage.
"Did you hear what Rapture said?" Kimber demanded, once the band were out of earshot. Aja nodded grimly.
"Where do you suppose they went?"
"Like I said, I don't know." Aja spread her hands. "But I do know that we should have thought twice about trusting the word of any of them."
"I know Stormer, Aja. She isn't like the others." Kimber protested.
"Stormer's still a Misfit, and I suppose when Pizzazz commands she must obey." Aja responded darkly. "I should have seen this before. There's a reward out for this guy, isn't there? I bet they've gone on a little treasure hunt."
"Well, so what so we do?" Kimber demanded. "They must be long gone by now."
"Well, first I think we have to call Jerrica and the others, let them know what's happened." Aja replied. "Then we take the roadster and see if we can't find those doublecrossing creeps. Come on."
"I still don't think that Stormer would have lied to me, whatever you say." Kimber continued her protests, as she trailed after Aja to the nearest phone. "She might do what Pizzazz and the others say, but she knows how worried we are about Dierdra."
"Well, then maybe Jerrica is right and Stormer was duped, too." Aja suggested. "Either way, the Misfits have done a vanishing act and there's been no sign of anyone who even vaguely resembles our jewel theif."
"I suppose you're right." Kimber paused, then, "Ooh, that girl! When I get my hands on her...if she lied to me..."
"Cool out, Kimber! You said that Stormer wouldn't lie to you, or not deliberately." Aja reached for the phone receiver, casting her companion a confused glance. Kimber shook her head, her own expression grim.
"I didn't mean Stormer." she said. "Come on, make the call. We've got a jewel theif to find."

    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"So, what's the plan?"
Pizzazz shot Jetta an enquiring glance, as the three Misfits crept into the old derelict building, trying to keep as quiet as possible, for they had no desire to alert Jeremy to their presence. Jetta shrugged her shoulders.
"What plan?" she returned. Pizzazz rolled her eyes.
"Oh, great. Brilliant, Jetta. Bring us in here and don't have a plan." she retorted, keeping her tones muted. Jetta shrugged again.
"Well, this wasn't exactly 'ow I envisaged tonight goin'." she replied.
Stormer shivered.
"This place is creepy." she murmured. "What do you suppose it is, exactly?"
"Who cares?" Pizzazz replied. "A factory, probably, but it's a dump now." She froze. "Shh! I hear something!"
The three girls paused, listening. Pizzazz had been right, there was definitely something going on up ahead. Some kind of argument. 
Pizzazz smirked.
"That sounds like our Roxy." she hissed. "Come on. Lets surprise the creep."
"Well, he'd be surprised all right." Jetta smiled slightly. "You sure that jumping in on him is the best plan?"
"You got a better idea?" Pizzazz demanded. Jetta frowned.
"No." she admitted.
"Then shut up. I've got the brains in this band." Pizzazz snapped. "Now, come on!"
As they continued along the dim corridor the voices became louder. It was more than a little apparent that Roxy was both unhurt and indignant at being treated in such a way.
"Let me out of here, you jerk!" she exclaimed, just as the three other Misfits reached the door, pausing to listen to the exchange. "What do you want with me, anyway? You think that you can get away with this?"
"Yes." Jeremy replied evenly. "There's noone to hear you scream, Roxy, so be a good little girl and pipe down, will you? Take a lesson from your little friend Dierdra here, and shut your mouth. Otherwise I'll have no choice but to gag you again."
"Dierdra!" From her hiding place, Stormer let out a tiny gasp. "So this is where he's keeping her!"
"Your family are just great, Jetta, you know that?" Pizzazz sent the sax player a glare. Jetta grimaced.
"For once, Pizzazz, I agree with you completely." she replied. "They ain't exactly my ideal choice of relatives, any of 'em."
"Are you really Jetta's brother?" Roxy, oblivious to the fact help was close at hand demanded of her captor as she struggled in vain against her bonds. "Wow, what great company she keeps!"
"Sure, she's my sister." Jeremy agreed. "And she's nothing but trouble for me, too. You have her to thank for being here like this, my dear, because she didn't think I was serious about making her pay if she betrayed me. This is my way of telling her I mean what I say...and she's not stupid. She'll get the message." he leered at his captive, who scowled. "Don't think she'll come flying to your rescue. My sister cares too much about what this whole set-up could do to her and her reputation to worry herself about you. I trained her well."
"Oh, is that so, Jeremy?"
Jeremy swung around in surprise, seeing his sister standing in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest and a grim expression on her clever face. "Maybe you underestimated me, eh?"
"Or overestimated you." Jeremy's eyes narrowed. "You're a fool, Sheila, getting involved. You think that you can overpower me, all by yourself? And you're willing to risk everything you have just to get even with me?"
"I came to get Roxy. You ruined our concert." Jetta replied calmly, ignoring the stunned expression on the bass player's face. "And I'm not as dumb as you think I am, Jeremy."
"No?" Jeremy stepped away from the restrained Roxy, approaching his sister with a dangerous look on his face. "You're looking pretty dumb from where I'm standin'. What makes you think you 'aven't misjudged the situation?"
"She means, creep, that she isn't alone." Pizzazz saw her cue and made her entrance, pulling a nervy Stormer with her. "She brought a few friends along for the ride." Her eyes glinted. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it isn't very good manners to kidnap someone in the middle of their concert?"
"Yeah, and...and we want Roxy back." Stormer summoned her courage, adding her bit.
Jeremy looked taken aback for an instant. Then a smile crossed his features.
"Oh you do, do you?" he asked. "And what are three girls going to do about it, hmm?"
Pizzazz's green eyes narrowed.
"Maybe we could show you." she responded darkly, grabbing hold of the nearest thing - a broken metal pipe - and wielding it dangerously. "Word of warning, creep. I don't miss."
Despite himself, Jeremy took a step backwards. He had underestimated his sister's band as much as he'd underestimated her morals.
While he was distracted, Stormer hurried to free a terrified and fascinated Dierdra from her bonds, and Jetta crouched down to do the same for Roxy.
The guitarist shot her band-mate a strange look.
"What gives?" she demanded. "How come you came to help me?"
"Don't harp on it." Jetta snapped. "You're a Misfit and it's kinda 'ard to finish a set without our bass player."
Roxy did not reply, but for once she had appreciated the feeling behind Jetta's dismissive tones. She sat quietly whilst her companion loosed the last of her restraints and then stretched her limbs.
"That feels better." she observed. "C'mon. Let's give Pizzazz a hand with this jerk."
"You think she needs any help?" Stormer came to join them, eying the game of cat and mouse that Pizzazz and the hapless Jeremy seemed to be playing out.
"Never hurts." Jetta grinned. "C'mon, girls. Lets get 'im!"
 
 

Chapter One: The Fight
Chapter Two: Starlight Mansion
Chapter Three: Jeremy
Chapter Four: The Reward
Chapter Five: Where Is Dierdra?
Chapter Six: At The Concert
Chapter Seven: Stormer...and Jetta
Chapter Eight: Kimber's Plan
Chapter Ten: Conclusion

(The Misfits and Holograms and other animated Jem characters are copyrighted to Hasbro Inc. All characters who do not appear in Jem episodes are my own creation. This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley (2001)