Summary of last chapter:

Tabby and Elizabeth led a group of children, including a number of Daredevil Girl Supporters, into a bathroom with a window opening to the back of the school.

The student, Billy, joined Tabby as she crawled out the window to survey the surroundings. There they met the good vampire, Jerry, who was evacuating people from the school.

Action shifted to Nancy Jordan and her colleague, Victor Brewer, who were in the auditorium keeping an eye on the the witches.

The doors to the outside of the auditorium burst open, and a host of good supernatural beings poured inside. Victor asked Nancy what she wanted to do, and she said "fight."


The story continues in the auditorium:

One of the witch sisters, Anastasia, caught sight of Nancy and charged, wand held high. "Die, Daredevil Girl."

Nancy dropped to the ground and rolled toward her adversary, deftly cutting her feet out from under her. She grabbed Anastasia by the collar and rolled her up into a ball, pinning her with her body.

"Victor, grab something to tie her up."

"Sure, that should be easy." Victor's sarcasm went unnoticed as Nancy continued to struggle with the witch.

In spite of his cynicism, Victor searched the stage until he found a rope dangling from a thick maroon curtain. He gave it a firm tug, but was disappointed when it remained attached.

"Victor, please hurry!"

Victor dropped the cord and returned to the struggling women. He grabbed hold and dragged them both across the floor. In a few swift movements, he separated Anastasia and fastened her to the cord.

"Nice," Nancy said, standing up and smoothing her rumpled clothes.

Anastasia spat at Nancy and muttered obscenities under her breath.

"You want me to gag her?" Victor asked.

"No, she's no danger without her wand. Let her stew."

Victor shrugged, then turned when he heard thundering feet hit the stage. A fierce snarl heralded the newcomer as a werewolf... his stench confirmed it.

Victor lunged at the beast before he could gain his balance. They tumbled together onto the floor at the base of the steps, leaving an echoing thump in their wake.

Nancy crept closer to look, then halted as she felt a powerful presence overshadow her. She turned to see a tall, muscular man with smooth olive-skin standing behind. His countenance was proud and regal, and a smile graced his timeless face.

"Akie! When did you get here?"

"Not long ago," the mummy said, embracing her. "I heard you were in a bit of a mess, and you know how much I love an adventure. Are you Girls ever going to stay out of trouble?"

"Apparently not," Nancy said. "Good to have you here."

"I'm not alone."

Nancy looked out into the battle and noticed many unusual warriors. Among them were quite a few dressed in ancient Egyptian attire. They were all enormously large and fierce.

"Those aren't..."

"Mummies? Yeah," Akie said, "but they were reanimated according to Emory Settler's specifications. I'll tell you all about it when we can talk. Anyway, some of history's greatest soldiers are out there fighting for you."

"Thank you, but do they know how to handle modern weapons?"

"Of course, but they're forced to use antiquated warfare. Apparently, there's some bizarre supernatural code that doesn't allow the use of effective firearms. Go figure."

"Yeah, go figure. Thanks for showing up, my friend. I was just talking about you yesterday."

"So I heard. Good subject, you know?"

"The best."

"I'll thank you for it later, but we need to get you out of here. You're ill equipped for this fight, Daredevil Girl. Toy bows and pellet guns won't work this time."

"I can't leave without my friends and students, Akie."

"I know how you feel, but their missions are beyond your control. Bruce is on the other side of the school freeing hostages and shuttling them to an old friend of yours, Jerry. Tabby and Elizabeth just joined them with students of their own, and Becky is with a team diffusing a bomb."

"And you know this how?"

"Cell phones, my dear. Useful things we didn't have back in ancient Egypt, but I'm kind of liking them."

"Glad to see you're adjusting so well to modern technology. Have you heard from my mother and sister on your cell phone?"

"Not from them, but about them. They're safely outside the danger zone... now would you, please, follow me?"

"Just as soon as we rescue Victor. He's fighting a werewolf at the base of the steps."

"Yeah, I saw him. Give me a second."

Akie walked over to the edge of the stage and reached down to pull on Victor's arm. He popped up like a toy scarab.

The werewolf he was fighting reared like he was going to attack, but dropped to the floor when the king of the mummies landed a sledge-like punch to the top of his shaggy head.

"Thanks," Victor said, sounding less grateful than he should have.

"I apologize for rescuing you while you had the upper hand, but we need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Who are you?"

"Pharaoh Akhenaten the Second."

"I heard about you," Victor said, flinching at the name. "Are you on our side?"

"Completely."

"Nancy, do you trust him?"

"Yes, come on."

Victor nodded and took Nancy by the hand. Akie motioned them to follow backstage where he had an escape route planned.

A sudden burst of shrieks halted their progress and echoed throughout the auditorium. The witches were calling to each other.

A foul gust of wind whipped around Nancy and her companions as the three remaining sisters flew on stage and landed beside them.

"Not going anywhere are you, Nancy darling?" Gelada asked. "Our party has just gotten started, and you're the guest of honor. It would be rude to leave early."

"It was getting dull," Nancy quipped.

"Really?" Gelada said, motioning for her sister, Melba, to untie Anastasia from the curtain. "But, my dear, it won't be for long. I really must insist you stay."

"And I insist she goes," Akie said, stepping in-between the two.

"Now, King Akhenaten," Gelada said, "this fight isn't between you and me. Take your little rag boys and leave. I promise to find you a kingdom to rule once we take over. Leave these filthy humans to me."

"Sorry, sweetheart, but these humans are my friends, and so your quarrel is with me."

"If you insist," Gelada said, rushing him with her wand held high.

Akie stepped deftly to the side, threw a foot out and let Gelada fall to the floor with a thunk. Nancy followed by grabbing her by the back of the hair with one hand and driving her arm behind her back with the other. Her old boss was effectively immobilized.

A flicker of movement from Anastasia sent Victor back into action. He jumped on the witch sister, knocking her back to the ground.

Akie grabbed Matilda in one strong arm, and Melba in the other.

In a matter of seconds, the Daredevil team had managed to incapacitate the entire witch family.

"Call your troops off, Gelada," Akie said, his massive arms threatening to choke the two sisters he held.

"Kill them, I don't care."

Melba tried to shriek in defiance, but couldn't get enough air. Matilda just gaped open mouthed.

"Aren't you a nice sister?" Nancy said.

"No worse than you," Gelada retorted, "and speaking of sisters, where's yours? Have you lost her again?"

"Don't worry about Sally, just do what Akie says and call off your werewolves."

"Or what? Are you going to break my neck? I don't think so, Nancy. You're much too nice."

"Don't confuse nice with weak."

"Okay, you win. You're some sort of ninja warrior," Gelada mocked, "but we have a problem. The remote to a bomb I have planted in the boiler room is in my dress pocket. I think I felt the button click when Akie tripped me. I need to press the abort button, or we're all going to die."

Akie nodded at Nancy, so she let the witch out of the hold. Gelada reached into her pocket and pulled out a remote. It looked a lot like a cell phone with one central button. They all glanced at the screen and, to their collective relief, discovered the the mechanism had not been engaged.

"Let me have that," Akie demanded in his usual imperial tone.

Gelada held the remote as though to hand it over to Akie, then dropped it inches from his huge hand. When everyone looked down, she pulled out a wand from another pocket and pointed it at Akie's chest.

"Did you learn nothing from Cleopatra, you Egyptian fool? Never trust a beautiful woman."

With that, a huge burst of fire shot from her wand, knocking Akie backward and into a crowd of slathering werewolves. A second blast took Nancy to the ground.

Through a haze of pain, she watched the four witches run to the back of the stage and open a door on the floor.

"Goodbye, fools. You now have five minutes to live. Have a happy life." Gelada cackled and held up the remote she had retrieved from the floor.

Dramatically, she pressed the button that began the countdown on the bomb. Nancy heard a latch snap shut. The sisters had gone to the bomb shelter alone, leaving all of their supporters behind.

"Victor, where are you?" Nancy called out, but there was no reply.