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Casey At the Bat Stuck in his locker, tied and gagged, Tommy kept hearing Alex’s words echoing in his head. “As soon as it gets dark, I’m going to come back and get you . . . I’m going to take you to my master – Asmodeus.” Without his powers, Tommy would be a sitting duck for Asmodeus. He had seen what the demon had done to Alex. Whatever was in store for him was probably much worse. It was so frustrating, being helpless. All he would have to do is say one word, and he'd be free. But he could not see any way out. His teammates – unaware that they were doing the bidding of a demon – had tied his wrists and ankles very tightly. The sock covering his mouth was equally secure. He could barely make a sound, much less say any words. A few minutes after sunset, he heard footsteps approaching. Then he heard Alex’s voice, which was an unpleasant sound even under better crcumstances. “Tom-my,” he called in a mocking singsong tone. “Oh Tom-my. Time for din-ner!” He turned the key in Tommy’s locker and opened the door. Tommy spilled out and landed on the floor with a painful thud. “And you’re the main course!” Alex sneered. Alex took out more rope and tied Tommy’s wrists and ankles together in a hogtie. “I can’t take a chance on you getting away,” he said. “My master would be very angry with me. He's very interested in you.” Tommy groaned into his gag as Alex made the ropes even tighter. He figured he would only get one shot at escape, so he was determined to make it count. Twisting his body, he managed to get his tied hands around one of Alex’s ankles and pulled as hard as he could. Taken by surprise, Alex fell forward, slamming his head into a wooden bench. He lay sprawled on the floor, stunned. He won’t be out for long, Tommy thought. He had to get that gag off and say the magic word before Alex recovered. Tommy tried to catch the gag on a corner of the bench, but the surface was too smooth. Then he remembered he was still wearing his soccer cleats. He could use the spikes on his cleats to pull off his gag! Easier said than done. It took him several precious minutes to work the cleat off his foot. Then he had to maneuver it into a corner, pushing it slowly with his head. Finally he got the shoe into position. Catching his gag on one of the spikes, he worked it loose, then spat out the sock that had been stuffed in his mouth for hours. Flooded with relief, he opened his mouth to say the magic word: “Elys-MMMFFF” Too late! Alex had come around and clamped his hand over Tommy’s mouth at the last possible moment. “My master warned me to keep you quiet,” Alex said. “No magic words.” With his free hand, Alex picked up the socks and gagged Tommy again, even more tightly. “I’ll have to take those shoes as well. You’re not to be trusted.” He pulled off Tommy’s other cleat, then tossed both shoes into his locker. Tommy was beginning to regret having rescued Alex from the demon. Alex brought out a large canvas bag. “This will keep you safe and snug during our trip,” Alex said. He shoved Tommy into the bag and tied it at the top. Tommy felt himself being dragged along the floor, but after a few feet he heard a loud thump, and the movement stopped. Then someone untied the bag and pulled him out. It was Casey – holding an aluminum baseball bat and looking quite pleased with himself. Alex was once again sprawled on the floor, unconscious. “Sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” Casey said. “I figured practice was just running late, but I got worried when it got dark.” “MMFF URFF,” Tommy said in response. “I guess I should take that gag off,” Casey said with a grin. He pulled the sock from Tommy’s mouth. “Thanks,” Tommy said in a hoarse whisper, after spitting out the other sock. His mouth was so dry that he could barely speak. “Just to be on the safe side, I’d better say the word before someone gags me again – Elysium!” Bright blue light filled the room as Tommy was transformed into his super-powered alter ego, the Champion. He looked at Alex. “He’s completely under Asmodeus’s control,” he said. “You’ll have to keep an eye on him while I go after the big guy.” The Champion waved his hand, and Alex’s body levitated into the air, then floated into Tommy’s locker. Casey slammed the locker door shut. “A bit of poetic justice,” the Champion said. “Now he can see how it feels to spend the night in a locker.” Casey picked up his baseball bat. “I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble,” Casey said happily. “This super hero stuff is kind of fun. Much better than conjugating Latin verbs.” “Don’t get too cocky,” the Champion warned. “Just watch Alex. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” The hero flew into the corridor and out an open window. Asmodeus, still in mental contact with Alex’s unconscious mind, was displeased with this turn of events. He was still not strong enough for a direct physical confrontation with the Champion. Butt perhaps such a confrontation would not be necessary. The Champion seemed very attached to this even smaller human, Casey. He was the weak link in the chain. In the locker room, Alex had woken up and was pounding on the door, demanding to be released. Casey just laughed at him. “Are you enjoying being in there with Tommy’s sweaty cleats?” Casey said. “Serves you right for the way you and your obnoxious friends have treated him all these years. And that was before you were being controlled by a demon, so you don’t even have that excuse.” “My master will feast on your soul!” Alex shouted. “Tough talk for a guy stuffed into a locker,” Casey replied. Asmodeus was not at full power, but his magic was strong enough to open a lock. The door swung open and Alex stepped out. Casey lifted his bat. “Stay back,” he said. “Or I’ll clock you again.” Alex grinned. “That bat is not going to protect you, little man,” he said darkly. His hands glowed, and a stream of red flame shot out of his fingers at Casey. The boy was knocked back against the far wall, unconscious. Alex picked up the large canvas bag. “I guess I’ll be getting to use this after all,” he said. He put Casey into the bag and tied it shut. “We’ll see how tough Tommy Tyler is when he finds out we have his little friend.” He dragged the bag out of the locker room and down the hall, on his way to rendezvous with his master.
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