(We open at what would appear to be a huge, ornate stone building with a large, round dome in the center. It's night as everyone emerges from the theater in the dome....including Kathy and Rachel.)

Kathy: Thanks for comin' to the planetarium and dinner with me, Rach. I needed the girl's night out.

Rachel: Any time, Kath. Besides, I'm rather enjoying the night out myself.

Kathy: I'd rather be with you than with any guy...especially the one I was dating. (She stops walking as the lights in the museum dim; shudders) They must be closing for the night. It sure is spooky in here. (Gulps) Rachel, do you hear something?

Rachel: It's just...late, that's all.

Kathy: I hear footsteps....

(That's when the two women see several security guards with their hands up. Two men in black, their faces covered with black masks, hold guns on them.)

Kathy: What's going on?

Burglar #1: (Turns his gun on the ladies) We're just pickin' up a few nice pieces of gemstones and some rare artifacts. And you ladies are gonna have to stick around until we're done.

Kathy: We ain't gonna do any such thing!

Rachel: The heck we are!

Burglar #3: (He runs over to them) The boys got the security system down.

Burglar #4: Ok. You guys start with the gems an' rocks. We'll keep these guys on ice 'till you get out.

Kathy: Are you gonna rub us out?

Burglar #3: Maybe the cops. (Smirks at Kathy) We might take you cuties with us.

Kathy: I ain't goin' nowhere with you!

Rachel: No way, pal.

Burglar #3: Then we're just gonna have to use force. (More burglars come up behind him.) Boys, grab the ladies, then tie up the cops.

Guard #1: If you think you can get away with this...

Burglar #1: (Lets off a shot) Keep talkin', and the next shot might hit somethin' important...like someone's Adam's apple. Boys, take the girls.

Kathy: No! (One yanks her over her shoulder.)

Rachel: *Another grabs her* Get your hands off us!

Burglar #1: Ok, flatfoots. You're goin' down. (He starts shooting...but a blue light blocks the shot before it hits the cop!)

(A spark hits the hand of another burglar. He screams and grabs his hand, dropping the gun.)

*Another burglar gets doused with water.*

(One is blown off his feet and into a wall by a very strong wind that whips across the hall.)

*Another yelps, blowing on his smoking hand.*

(Suddenly, a variety of men in black trousers and tight black shirts with colored trim drop onto the burglars!)

Sach: (He has green piping and a green hood) Score! Hey Du...uh, Wind Man, I just got knocked down ten guys! I got a strike!

Duke: *He has gray piping and matching hood* Show off.

Chuck: *He has white piping and a white hood* Any one want a hot foot? *He points at one guy. The burglar starts hopping around with smoking feet.*

Myron: *He has blue piping with a matching hood* Careful where you aim that fire.

Blinky: (His is red) Yeah. We don't want to set this place on fire! It's a New York landmark, not to mention home to some very rare scientific artifacts.

Kathy: (Her eyes are wide) Who are you guys?

Sach: (He bows before Kathy) Earth Man, lady, at your service! (He shoots two of the burglars while they're down, tying them up with ropes of ivy.)

Burglar #1: (He grabs Kathy and holds a gun to her head) Ok, boys, I don't know how you're doin' what you're doin', but the party's over. I'm gettin' outta here. My boys are already leavin' with the loot. The boss will wanna know about this.

*Danny, in orange piping and matching hood, scrambles his way around behind the burglar holding Kathy. He comes up slowly behind him.*

Burglar #1: (Backs slowly down, gun trained on Kathy) Me an' this cutie is gonna head out. If any of you loonies make one false move, she's gonna get her head blown off.

*Danny makes his move. He grabs the gun from the burglar's hand, then closes his free hand around the guy's wrist tightly.*

Danny: *Pitches his voice a little lower* You need to be nice to the lady, jerk.

Kathy: (Her eyes widen as she stumbles back) Wow!

Burglar #1: Oww...you're hurtin' me....

Danny: And you were gonna do worse to the lady.

Blinky: (Frowns) They aren't doing this on their own. They really do have a boss, though none of them seem to know his real name.

Burglar #1: How did you know that?

Blinky: (Shrugs) I read it in your mind.

Kathy: Who are you guys?

Sach: We're us, that's who we are!

*Danny gives the burglar he holds what would seem to be a light shove, but the burglar goes flying into the wall and is knocked unconscious.*

Kathy: Oh my... (She turns to Danny, her eyes wide) How did you do that?

Danny: *Shrugs* I just gave him a shove.

Rachel: *Rejoins Kathy* Kath, are you okay?

Kathy: (She sighs) I'm just fine Rach. How about you?

Rachel: I'm fine.

Danny: I must run, ladies. *Kisses the back of Kathy’s hand, smiles at her, then goes to rejoin the others*

Rachel: *Grinning widely* What was THAT?

Sach: (He kisses both the ladies' hands) Farewell, girls! We've gotta go. We're busy, you know. We're the Elemental Men, and we've got a lot of people to rescue tonight!

Chuck: *Goes to Rachel* It's been a pleasure helping you, ladies. *kisses her hand*

Kathy: (Grins at Rachel) He likes you, too.

*Chuck smiles, then goes to join the others.*

Rachel: *Sighs* Yeah...

Blinky: (Mutters to Duke) Ok, Duke, blow us out of here. We have to catch the subway and go looking for more bad-guys to capture, and Chuck needs to work on a couple of new stories.

Kathy: Wait! (She runs to Danny) How will we know where to find you if we need you again?

Danny: *Smiles* Just speak. I'll hear you.

Kathy: But.... (Suddenly, there's another wild, whipping wind. When it subsides, all of the guys are gone. Kathy and Rachel are alone. The burglars are bound in ropes of ivy and clinging vines.)

Rachel: Wow...

Kathy: I guess the guards went to get the cops. (She frowns) Who were those guys? Their voices were REALLY familiar.

Rachel: They did seem really familiar, but I can't figure it out.

Kathy: The one who kissed my hand... (sighs) he was amazin'. He took out that burglar like he weighed nuthin'!

Rachel: He certainly made it look easy. The one who kissed my hand seemed to have fun giving those rotten burglars hot feet.

Kathy: Yeah. Those guys are my kind of superheroes. They were actually havin' fun, not like Superman or somethin'.

Rachel: They made it look so easy.

Kathy: (As several men in police uniforms come in) Here comes the cops!

Officer #1: Hello, ladies. One of the guards here called us. (Frowns) He mentioned something about men who could shoot fire and make wind and read minds...

Kathy: I know it sounds weird, but we saw it too. Right, Rach?

Rachel: We sure did! They stopped these criminals!

Kathy: You should have seen it! One of them slammed a burglar right into the wall!

Officer #1: Did he, now? Well, whomever they are, they did us a service. Would you ladies like to come downtown with us to make your statements?

Kathy: (Nods) Yeah. (Turns to Rachel) We could at least identify these guys' voices and their heights.

Rachel: Certainly we can.

*We fade as the ladies follow after a few officers to head for the police station. We fade in on the boys' apartment at the boarding house much later that night. Everyone but Chuck is flopped on the couch or in a chair, while the typewriter clacks merrily away in Chuck's office.*

Sach: (Takes off his hood) Whew, I'm pooped!

Blinky: It was certainly a successful night.

Duke: Yeah, it was.

Myron: *Grins* I can't get over finding the girls at the museum.

Danny: *Smiles sadly* And I can't even tell Kathy that was me.

Myron: No... but it seems that she's now eyeing someone whom she assumes isn't you.

Danny: Yeah...

Sach: Yeah! Now she can't yell at you for doin' the same thing anymore!

Duke: If she knew that was him.

Sach: She won't. Ain't nobody gonna find out. Who's gonna try followin' us on the subway in the middle of the night?

Duke: So it won't work. Dan's still in the doghouse.

*Danny sighs long and loud as he leans back in the couch, resting his head to stare at the ceiling.*

Sach: Yeah, but we're gonna be in all the papers by tomorrow. And when Dan finds out that Kathy's got a crush on...well, the guy she thinks isn't him, he can call her on it.

Danny: *Without moving; throws his arms out at his sides* But I know it's ME! I can't do that to her!

*Myron ducks Danny's flailing arm.*

Duke: It's a nice thought, Sach, but it isn't fair to Kathy. It's kinda like that famous flyer who had a stand in take his place at a party, but then returned early and took the place of the impostor. His wife thought she'd spent the night in the arms of the impostor.

Myron: I thought that was a movie?

Sach: (Mutters) I never did like that movie.

*Danny mutters something that sounds like "Everyone's a critic."*

Blinky: I'm wondering if we should develop some kind of transportation. We can't keep taking the subway. We're lucky we were killed tonight, or at the very least, mugged. The jalopy would probably be too well-known...and she's not what you would call reliable in any case.

Duke: It's a fair enough thought. *Frowns* I wonder how long we'll have these powers? I can't imagine that it'd be such a great idea for some of us to go the rest of our lives with these powers.

Danny: *Raises a hand* I agree.

*Danny suddenly raises his head, an odd look on his face. He seems to be listening to something the others can't hear.*

Duke: *Raises an eyebrow* Dan?

Danny: I hear Kathy. She's... *his eyes widen* writing in her journal! *clamps his hands over his ears* Ooohh, no! I can't listen!

Blinky: (Raises an eyebrow) She doesn't even live in this building!

Sach: Yeah! She lives across the street and a block down!

Danny: *Whimpering, hands still over his ears* I can't take this!

Sach: Maybe you ought to wear earmuffs, Dan.

Duke: Sach and Blinky, we're gonna need that ray gun of yours working again as soon as possible. You get me?

Blinky: (Nods) Yeah. I understand what you're saying. We can't stay like this forever.

Sach: But in the mean time, can we keep fightin' bad guys? I had fun tonight!

Duke: Yes, Sach, but only to a certain extent. I'm afraid we might've stayed out too long tonight.

Sach: (Yawns) Yeah, I am kind of tired.

Blinky: (Shakes his head) I can read it in his mind. He means that someone may have seen us and put two and two together.

Sach: Two what?

Duke: *To Sach, sarcastically* Five, Sach. *rolls his eyes* The longer we stay out, the more likely someone will recognize us. It was bad enough we found Kathy and Rachel.

Sach: They didn't recognize us!

Blinky: They're not stupid, Sach. I wouldn't be surprised if they already figured it out.

Duke: I'd be surprised if at least one of them DIDN'T have some idea.

Sach: Yeah, but they won't tell anyone!

Blinky: The fewer people know about us, the better. We may already have put Ma in danger by tellin' her.

Myron: That's right. If any crime boss finds out she has relations with us... *makes a face*

Blinky: Remember Lex Luthor and the Joker?

Duke: Exactly. As fictional as they are, there are true real-life counterparts that I don't want to meet.

Sach: It ain't like we haven't handled guys like that before!

Blinky: I haven't!

Duke: Just because some of us have, it doesn't mean that we should or want to.

Sach: (Makes a face) You have a point, Duke. I've had enough people try to cut my brain open to see how it works already.

Duke: Yeah, as curious as I am, I wouldn't try it, Sach. It isn't worth the effort.

Myron: Hey, *jerks a thumb at Danny* get a load of this. He's asleep!

Sach: Well, he's had a long day.

Duke: *Shakes his head* I think his powers wore him out.

Sach: (Yawns) I could use some shut-eye myself. We'll get Danny up for his job in the mornin'.

Myron: Yeah, I could fall asleep right here.

Sach: (He yawns and leans over) Night, guys. (He just manages to get up and drag himself to his room. Once he's beyond the calico curtain, we hear a thump and heavy snoring.)

Blinky: (Sighs) I share the room with him. I'll get him into bed. Good night, everyone!

Duke: Night, Blinky. Good luck moving him.

Blinky: (Sighs) Thanks. (He heads for his room.)

Myron: The typewriter's stopped. Chuck must be in bed or nearly there. Might as well head that way, myself. Night, Duke.

Duke: Night, Myron. *Nods, then Myron heads for the room he shares with Chuck. Duke sighs and looks towards Danny, still leaned back on the couch* How do things get so weird? I think I already understand why Slip wanted his ranch. It's either that, or a looney bin. *shrugs* At least I'll have good company in the looney bin. *Pulls an old throw blanket from the back of the couch and tosses it over Danny; turns the light off then returns to his chair, pulling another throw blanket over himself and settles in as we fade out on the darkened room.*