Issue 03

It's a regular Friday afternoon at the HAUS and Kara, Jen, Danny and Rayne are leaving class. Rayne is chatting with James a tall handsome soccer player from the class who she really likes. Afterwards James sends over his friend Peter, younger brother of Phillip/Phillipa who chats with Kara and Jen, inviting the whole group to a house party at the Sebastian house the next day on the pretence of James and Rayne getting to spend some time together.

Rayne is very eager to go, and organises a trip for Jen and Kara to the mall for party clothes. Danny goes back to the prop room to rummage for an appropriate costume.

Danny digs out a fancy suit Kara gets a little black dress with Rayne's encouragement. Jen goes for sensible jeans, boots and top combo.

Cal Jericho picks up the girls from the HAUS in his black sedan, and gives Jen a lecture on good behaviour and responsibility, and is obviously a huge fan of Jennifer having friends and getting socialised. Rayne does Jen's hair and makeup as they drive, much to her confusion.

The group arrives at the already jumping party and drop off their coats. Everyone gets a red solo cup of Sprite from Peter and he takes them into the party proper. Kara is eager to get to James, but Rayne tells her to keep it cool. They play some beerSprite pong against James and a friend.

Meanwhile Danny bumps into/eavesdrops on a pair of Young Exemplars at the party. Ken, a nervous giant monster known as Goliath, and Xevv, the incoginto underwater royalty Riptide. Ken is nervous about being stared at, but with Xevv and Danny's help he's encourage to return to party.

Back at the ping pong table Kara gets a little tipsy and while trying to wing for Rayne accidentally ends up flirting with him instead, Rayne storms off in tears. Jen encounters Phillipa, the captain of the Hockey team who sarcastically welcomes back 'Hurricane' Jennifer to the team. They banter, and she mellows a little and explains that there are some important games coming up, and she hopes Jen can hep the team pull out some victories. Jen heads off after Rayne and Kara.

Danny shares some body image wisdom with the Young Exemplars as they start to enjoy the party, and explains that she sees them as real heroes. Ken explains he's there because his cousin goes to the HAUS, and was hoping he'd be able to find some 'normal' people to bond with. Danny dispatches a mean girl with a spilled wine illusion.

At the locked bathroom Jen and Kara hear Rayne sneak out the window, and Jen busts open the door to follow, chasing Rayne round to the back of the house where the pool is. Meanwhile Danny, Ken and Xevv along with the rest of the party guest are summoned to the back where Peter is apparently about to jump into the pool from the roof.

As Peter splashes into the pool a massive spotlight illuminates him from above. The crowd is surprised that it's an alien ship. A very alien figure quickly descends from the ship wielding a scanning device. He is the Alien tracker Farlander. Following him is a massive humanoid figure known as The Huntress. She exclaims "You promised you would get me an instrument!"

. He scurries into the crowd of screaming party attendees and emerges holding Rayne in 2 of his arms. He explains that there are residual readings coming from her, and that this is definitely the place.

Huntress demands that the bearer of great power surrender, or she will destroy everyone here. In confusion Goliath puts himself forward, but is blasted through a patio door by an energy blast. Danny goes to check on him. Kara tries to gather her power, but the combination of alcohol and mental anguish of the evening leaves her reeling, Jen squeezes her arm to keep her standing. James charges at Farlander with a pool rake to try and rescue Rayne, but Claymore grab a hockey stick and leaps into action to protect both from harm, suffering an energy blast from the alien in the attempt. Claymore berates her as Kara jumps into save the dropped Rayne and tells them to run. Claymore has realised the aliens are here for Nihil.

Flare (in disguise) and Goliath gather themselves and charge into Farlander, Jen trips him and allows Goliath to send him reeling, and Flare gathers his tracking device, weathering his blows without harm. Flare destroys the tracking device.

The Huntress grabs Kara and is ready to take her up into the ship, but Claymore collapses the back of the house on top of the gigantic alien which gives the group enough time to flee. Riptide encourages Jen to run, and they help the last few stragglers leave the garden over the fence, along with Phillipa, who Jen returns the damaged hockey stick to with thanks. By the time they look back the alien ship is gone, Riptide informs the team that he called in the event, so hopefully someone from AEGIS or the Exemplars will make sure the ship is properly gone. As Flare tries to figure out if anyone was filming the attack she fails to notice Shade observing from the shadows of a tree.

The team and their new friends regroup in the woods, Rayne and Kara make amends after the events of the evening. The Exemplars compliment the team on how they handled it, and Riptide recognises Claymore from the Troll Takedown in Issue 02. Nihil reveals to them that it was her they were after in a brief display of power. Riptide gives them an Young Exemplars business card, and tells them to pop round anytime.

The team phone Cal for a lift home, and Jen gets ready to explain the events of the evening.