As it turned out, not all would be skipping. Nearly an hour later, only Midas, Rachel, Taro and Nate stepped off a bus in the neighborhood where Overdrive lived.

After a long (and somewhat heated) discussion in B3, it was decided that only part of the SVE club would skip school to attempt to negotiate with Overdrive. Evan and Sam had opted to stay and keep an eye out for White Flame. Willow was absent again because of her brother, but had had the sense to send the team a text so they didn't go searching for her again.

Now, Nate led the way. It was a bit of a rough town, but Nate knew it like the back of his hand; it was his home.

Probably a good thing we kept the group small. Seven students would draw a lot of unwanted attention, Midas thought as he observed the neighborhood. The houses were quite small, some in better repair than others. Chain-link fences lined some of the sidewalk and an occasional smattering of litter was pushed against the fences.

"One of us needs to learn how to drive," Rachel said, stretching her back out after exiting the bus. "I think that driver went over every pothole in the district- And made a few new ones on the way."

"Why don't you learn to drive then," Nate challenged as he led the group to the location Midas had asked him about.

"I'd love to. But my Dad never has time to take me to the DMV," Rachel replied. "I don't even have my learner's permit. What's your excuse?"

Nate frowned. "Insurance. Too expensive for teen drivers. So I'm waiting until I'm eighteen to get my license. Just one more year."

"I only have my temps," Taro chipped in. "I can get the full thing when I turn sixteen next month."

"What about you, Midas?" Rachel asked, absently kicking a pebble along the sidewalk.

"Oh, I have a license," Midas answered, deciding to leave out the fact that it probably wasn't valid (or legal). "No car, though. Not yet."

"Well, aren't we a fine group," Nate muttered. "Looks like we'll all be taking the bus for a while."

They walked along in silence, contemplating their relative immobility until coming upon a large apartment complex. The buildings looked as though they had seen better days.

"Hey, this is Evan's place," Nate said, pointing up at one of the buildings. "We're getting close."

The others glanced over at the complex.

"He lives with his Mom, right?" Rachel said, always eager to talk about others. "I wonder what happened to his dad."

"He's never talked about it," Nate replied.

"Evan's always been pretty quiet," Rachel mused. "Nobody ever really knew him very well. Still, SVE has really gotten him to come out of his shell more."

"You can't go five minute without getting into someone's business, can you?" Midas complained.

    "What? I like to know what's up," Rachel said, refusing to be embarrassed. She elbowed Midas in the ribs. "You could stand to take more of an interest in others too. Get some social skills into that thick skull of yours."

    Taro snickered quietly and Nate hid a smile behind his sleeve.

    "We're coming up on it," Nate said as they reached a railroad track. He turned and led them along the tracks. Rachel followed somewhat hesitantly.

    "Not that I'm worried," Rachel said, walking along the metal rail with her arms outstretched, "But if a train happens to comes along here we'll have enough time to ditch, right?"

    "This track is out of commission," Nate said. "No trains."

    "How do you know?" Rachel asked.

     "Well, for starters, if a train did come, it would run into that," Nate said, pointing at the lone boxcar that sat on the tracks ahead.

    "That's where Overdrive lives," Midas said. "I'm sure of it." Or at least, Insomnium had been sure of it. Midas hated asking the man for help, but he had no other way to find Overdrive. Finn Pierce had been surprisingly eager to give Midas Overdrive's approximate location. Midas wasn't sure exactly where Pierce got all his information, but he figured that reading everyone's minds all the time would result in knowing a great deal of things others wished to keep hidden.

    The group gradually slowed their pace as they neared the car. Nobody was eager to be the first to knock on the sliding door.

    "Remember, this is Overdrive we're dealing with," Midas said to everyone. "I'd be disappointed in her if she didn't have some kind of trap set up for intruders. Pay attention to where you step."

    The others nodded stiffly, none regretting their decision to skip school more than Taro. When he'd agreed to join the SVE Club, this was definitely not what he'd had in mind.

    They reached the boxcar without incident. The structure was covered in graffiti and rust. With nobody else desiring the task, Midas lifted a hand and rapped on the metal door. He waited.

    "Overdrive," he called, knocking some more. All was silent.

    "She's probably out causing chaos," Nate said. "Robbing banks, taking hostages; you know, villain stuff."

    Ignoring him, Midas pulled on the sliding door.  To his surprise, it was unlocked and slid open smoothly.

    "Are you really sure this is the place?" Rachel asked, squinting to see into the dark room.

    "Only one way to find out," Midas said. He hopped up into the boxcar. "Follow me."

    The others obeyed and climbed aboard. Rachel, using her phone as a flashlight, surveyed the area. It was simply furnished, with two twin mattresses in one corner, a desk and a rickety looking chair in the other. One mattress was bare while the other was piled with blankets.

    "Well," Rachel said quietly, "I think someone lives here. Not sure if it's Overdrive, but..."

    "No," Midas said in defeat. "It's not Overdrive. If she lived here, we wouldn't have made it inside."

    The words were barely out of his mouth when the whine of a small motor sounded through the air. Metal scraped against metal as pincered claws, much like a giant arcade game, reached down from the ceiling and grabbed the truants, picking them off one by one and hanging them from the ceiling. They were scarcely able to shout before the lights flicked on and a figure rolled out from under the blankets, wielding a strange looking gun.

"On second thought, I think we've got the right place," Midas said. He was hung by his shoulders and unable to move his arms. Rachel hung the same way, while Evan had been grabbed from his torso and Taro had somehow been picked up by his legs and dangled upside down.

Overdrive aimed the gun at them. "Don't move."

Midas did his best to hold his hands up. "Overdrive, we're here to talk. Can you put the gun down?"

Overdrive squinted at Midas, a look of recognition passing over her face. "Dynamidas," she chuckled, setting the gun on the bed. "What brings you to my humble home?"

     "I need a favor," Midas answered.

Taro watched Overdrive move towards them. This was the first time he had seen her in person and not just on the news. Even without her advanced suit, she was a stunning sight. Despite having just rolled out of bed, wearing a t-shirt and some sweatpants, her bright eyes, more visible now that she wore no mask, were wide awake and her golden blonde hair looked no worse for wear. Taro nearly pinched himself. The media always reported on her cunning and fierceness, but were they aware that she looked like an angel?

Overdrive crossed her arms and smirked up at Midas and the others. "You realize I have you in my clutches. I can do whatever I please. You're in no position to bargain, honey."

"You and I both know that's not true," Midas said. "If I'd come for a fight, your tinderbox of a house would be up in smoke already."

"Point taken," Overdrive said. "So what do you want? And who are the rejects? Shouldn't you guys be in school?"

"We skipped today," Rachel retorted.

Overdrive tutted and shook her head. "You shouldn't skip school, you know. An education is priceless, and a lot of people can't get one. You guys are lucky."

"Save the lecture," Nate said. "Can you put us down?"

    "I'll think about it," Overdrive said. Her attention turned to Taro, who still stared at her intently. "What are you looking at?"

Taro stammered, finding that words evaded him. His face was beet red, but if it was from embarrassment or hanging upside down nobody could be sure. "You look different when your not on the TV," Taro heard himself blurt out.

Overdrive scowled at him. "Different how?"

Taro shook his head, laughing nervously. "It's nothing. Forget I said anything."

Overdrive cocked her head in disbelief. She approached Taro, her fists curled. "Listen, when I ask a question you answer me. Different how?" Her voice was quiet but sharp as a knife.

Taro winced and shut his eyes, bracing himself for a possible hit. "It's a good different," he assured her, nodding vigorously.

"And you're not just saying that?" Overdrive asked, toying with him now.

"Yes! I mean- No!" Taro stammered, his eyes flying open.

"I'm not sure I'm convinced," Overdrive said, blowing off her knuckles.

"Yes, I mean it's a good different," Taro said. "You're human just like everyone else. It's good to know. We can see your eyes now..." Taro trailed off, studying her expression and trying to decide if she was going to punch him or not.

Overdrive's demeanor softened for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise. Then the moment was over and she frowned. "Hm," was all she said, stepping away from Taro. She faced Midas. "State your business, would you?"

"We need your help breaking into ISH," Midas said bluntly.

Overdrive raised an eyebrow. "You don't expect me to join this stupid team of yours, do you?"

"Nope. This is a one-time thing," Midas said. "We need a diversion to bring the supers to the front of the school."

"And I'm to be the diversion," Overdrive said.

"Exactly," Midas said.

Overdrive crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. "I don't want anything to do with this," she decided.

"Whoa, wait," Rachel interrupted. "I thought you had a bone to pick with ISH. Wouldn't this be a sort of revenge thing for you?"

"I don't do revenge," Overdrive said, turning towards the desk in the corner and tinkering with some machine parts. "Only the weak waste time on revenge."

"You don't want to see ISH suffer even a little?" Rachel pleaded.

"ISH will get what's coming to them," Overdrive said somewhat resignedly. "Playing good versus evil isn't on my agenda at the moment."

"Then what is?" Midas asked. "Money?"

Overdrive shrugged, refusing to face them. "Gotta pay the bills. If I don't work, my brother can't go to school. And without an education, he'll just end up like me. He deserves at least a chance at a normal life," she said. She turned around, her eyes burning. "I don't have time to waste on your class project."

"Wait, Overdrive-" Midas began.

Overdrive pressed a button, releasing everyone from the claws. They landed on the floor with a collective thud. "You all should leave now," she said, looking none of them in the eye.

Nate shrugged. "Couldn't have said it better myself. Let's beat it, guys."

Defeated, the team headed for the exit under the watchful eye of Overdrive. Taro was the last to exit. At the doorway he paused and turned around.

"Hey, uh... Overdrive?" he said.

"What do you want?" Overdrive snapped.

"Look, it's probably none of my business, but it looks like you care a lot about your brother," Taro began. Overdrive said nothing. "A girl on our team- Willow- she has a brother too. And he's really sick. ISH has a cure that might work on him, but they won't give it to anyone. That's why Willow is helping us."

"What does it matter?" Overdrive muttered.

"It matters because you're both fighting for someone you love," Taro answered. "You said you wanted your brother to have a chance at a normal life. That's what Willow wants for her brother too. Doesn't her brother have as much right to a chance as yours?"

Overdrive stared at him, her mouth half open.

Taro shook his head. "I gotta go."

He hopped down from the boxcar. Overdrive watched him leave. With a heavy heart, she slumped into the chair and stared at the ceiling. Taro had made a strong argument, but her mind was set. There was no way she was going to help them. No way at all.