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Morning in Goth Haven.
The Blue Steel Memorial Lighthouse on Robinson Island in the harbor.

In the bedroom of the lighthouse lays Fred Harris. He's had a rough night. 4 break-ins', a hold up at a Gulp 'N Go, a way too long fight with a Loborilla & the Ham-Scooter broke down. He didn't get to bed until way after 4.

But it's 8:30 & his alarm went off. Once the alarm stopped, The radio came on.

"Good morning, Goth Haven & all our listeners out there listening in online. It's eight thirty in the morning & a chilly 45 degrees out there. Outside the studios' window there doesn't seem to be a cloud in sky so bundle when you go today."

Fred's left arm reaches over from the bed to turn off the radio. After doing so, the arm retreats back to it's position on the bed. Ten minute later, the radio goes off once more.

"... and she was sentenced to spend five weeks in rehab. Hopefully she was also barred from ever making another crappy movie." The DJ said & then laughed.

"In other entertainment news, Today is the Today. After weeks of planning the annual Jet Starscream Experience Gala is happening tonight!"

There came a groan from the bed. Fred opens his eyes & starred at the cock radio for a few moments. He'd been dreading this day for awhile.He's not a big party person. He's not even sure why he got invited.

Fred sits up in bed & looks at the suit hanging in his closet. It was sent to him by former teammate, Samantha Bonnington. She heard that he got an incite to the Gala & didn't think he had any clothe worthy of the event which was true. It was good that she sent the suit because he wasn't sure what he was going to wear. He had thought about just wearing his Ham-Boy uniform but felt that might be a bit to casual. He was still going to wear the Ham-Cowl since no one would know he was Ham-Boy without it & didn't feel like revealing his secret identity the world.

Fred got out bed & was only half listening to the radio. The DJ went on about the Gala: the prep work that had gone into, who was rumored to show up (he wasn't mentioned) & other stuff. Fred went into the a joining bathroom to get ready for the day. He had a few things to do before the party.

---------------

Also listening to the radio in another part of the city at one of the high rise hotels was Jerry White.

"If you were planning on attending the Gala & haven't had your ticket for a few weeks now. Good look getting one!" The DJ with a chuckle. "Last I checked on Greg's List, tickets for the event have been going for four to eights times their ticket price. Other places online have been reselling the tickets & those places are even more expensive."

Jerry threw one of his shoes at the radio. The shoe hit the side table the radio has on, knocking both over. The radio turned off since it became unplugged from the wall. Jerry grumbled to himself, He had been up for a few hours. He was awoken early that morning because one of his clients had a question. He could have gone back to sleep after he answered her question about Kangaroos. He still not sure why she need to know about that but he had other pressing matters to attend to: He needed a ticket. A ticket to the JSX Gala. So far all his attempts to get one have so far failed. All his Hollywood & Super Hero connections either didn't get invites, had already given them away or wanted way to much for them. He could have paid them but most of his money has been tied into help a client, the same one who called about Kangaroos: Keeley Montgomery.

Jerry needed to get into the Party because of her. That were rumors that Ham-Boy would be there & Jerry needed to talk to him. He hopes that those rumors are truce since he has spent way to much money getting a flight out to Goth Haven, getting a hotel room near the JSX & hopefully getting a ticket in to not meet with the meaty might. Also, He wasn't exactly sure how else to contact him. He tried get some contact info out the Lair Legion but they wouldn't give it to him.

Jerry has only a few more numbers in his little black book. He mentally preps himself for what he's going to say & then dials the number. It rings for a few moments & is picked up.

"Hi. Can I please talk to Mr. Avis please?"

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Near by in the penthouse suite of the Jet Starscream Experience, Jet Starscream is rudely awakened. His butler, Manchester, quickly opened the drapes letting in bright morning sun.

"AHHHH!" He screamed. He also flinched quickly in reaction to the bright light which also caused the bevy of beauties he had in bed with him to wake up also.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Starscream &..." Manchester paused to find the right words. "... Friends. But there are a number of things that need to be done before tonight's festivities."

Jet looked over in Manchester's direction. At the moment all Jet saw was a dark blob in the middle of bright area. After a few seconds his eyes focused & he could see Manchester for the most part. "What happening tonight?"

Manchester sighed & then said. "Your Gala, sir."

"That's tonight?"

"Yes, sir."

Jet hops out of bed which caused one woman to fall of the bed on on to the floor.

Jet looked down at her. "Sorry, Betty."

"It's Bunny." the woman on the floor said.

"Whatever."

Jet then got on his robe & strode out of the room leaving Manchester, as always, deal with the ladies. It was one of the parts of this job he hated.

"So... let's get you ladies all dressed. Those of you who are dancers for the Gala tonight. Could you please report to the dance prep area we have set up downstairs."

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In another high rise building, a man is sulking. He is sitting in a high back leather chair. He is seated before a wall of monitors. Each monitor is showing a different television channel. One of the monitors had a report on the JSX Gala. He flung his glass of wine at it. The glass broke at it hit the monitor.

Today is a day he been dreading for months. He had though that he wouldn't have to put up with this event anymore. It's been years since the last JSX gala. He was pleased when the event was stopped.

He was now in the process of getting the the whole JSX shut down forever but he attempts to do so have been stopped. He needs to take a more direct approach.

He glances over at the battle suit near by & smiles.

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The Leiber Building.
The Goth Haven Times offices.

Editor-in-Chief Edgar St.Croi walked over to the the desk of Roland Stone.

"Stone!" St. Croi said.

"Yes?" Stone said as he turned around to face his boss.

"Are you taking me up on the offer? I have plenty of other reporters that would love to go. I need your answer now since the event is taking place tonight."

"You know I don't do things like this. You should send Grant, he's your entertainment reporter." Stone said as he motioned toward another desk.

The man sitting at that desk leaned back in his chair to make eye contact the two of them. He smiled at the two of them. He didn't get an smiles back. He then lean back & went back to what he was doing before.

"Yeah. Grant's fine if I wanted a fluff piece but your my go to Super Hero guy."

"Anti-Super Hero guy." Stone corrected. Stone is mostly known for his variously Anti-Super Hero editorials.

"Your still my Super Hero guy. You want the ticket?" St. Croi said as he took the invite out of his coat pocket & shows it to Stone.

"If I go can I turn in whatever type of article I want?"

St. Croi thought about it for a moment & then "Sure."

"Ok. I'll go." Stone said as he took the invite from St. Croi's hand.

"But your also taking Janey Olsen with you."

"What?" Stone & then looked over at the teenage girl sitting by the copy machine. She had just looked up from the magazine she had been reading & caught Rolland's look at her. She didn't like so she went back to her magazine. Now, Stone had the face of Keeley Montgomery looking back at him.

"Yes. We'll need pictures of the event."

"Why can't I take Parker?"

"Mr. Peterson is covering an event over in Gothametropolis York."

"Why can't Olsen go there & I get Parker?"

"Olsen is underage, doesn't have a way of getting there & back. Plus, what Parker is covering is a bit too adult for her. If you don't want to work with Olsen, I get someone who can & have them cover the event."

Stone could see that Grant had been listening on the conversation & was about to pounce on the chance to be that other reporter.

"Ok. I'll take Olsen. But I don't have to babysit her, do I?"

"No. Just give her a ride to the event & back." St. Croi said. Then, he sternly said "Do. Not. Leave. Without. Her!"

There was a few moments of the silence between the two of them.

"You got me, Stone?"

"Yes."

"Good." St. Croi said as turn & yelled. "OLSEN!"

The girl threw down the magazine, picked up a backpack that was almost to large for her & ran over the the two of them.

"Yeah, Chief?" She saids with a big smile on her face.

St. Croi flinched a bit at the comment. "You & Mr. Stone will be covering the JSX Gala tonight."

"Cool!" She said excitedly. Then she asked. "He won't forget me like he did last time, will he?"

"He promised to not do that, didn't you?" St. Croi said as he gave a look at Stone.

"No. Not if don't get in my way & do everything I tell you to do."

"Yes, Mr. Stone." Olsen said as gave him a military salute.

---------------

Down by the waterfront in an unmarked warehouse....

"Ok. Tonight is the night." Robert Crunch, the Evil Captain Crunch, said to the group all seated around a table.

They are the Disgruntles & have plans for tonight.

"We are all..." He said & then looked at the group & then said. "Most of us are going out on a mission tonight."

"Who isn't coming with us?" Amantha "Amy" Leonard, Kitty Boom Boom, asked.

"Grammar & Miss Poliduski are not coming with us." Peter Cox D.D.S., Doctor Peacock, said.

"Yes. We need to blend in with with the other wait staff at the Gala. Grammar is humanoid in shape but can't pass as a human so he would still stick out." Crunch said as he referenced the member of the team who was humanoid in shape but looked to be a jumbled bunch of words & letters with eyes.

"Why isn't Auntie Freeze coming? She could blend in?" Amy asked.

"Well... just look at her." Crunch said as he pointed to the elderly woman seated at the table. She was asleep.

"We can't keep her awake for long & when she is awake there is little we can do to control her. She wouldn't make it five minutes as a waitress."

Just then she woke up. "What? What's happening now?"

"Nothing, Ivana. Go back to sleep." Grammar said.

She then went back to sleep.

"Grammar will stay here & take care of her while we go out on the mission."

"I heard a rumor Ham-Boy will be there." Amy said.

"I also heard that." Crunch said, he had a sly smile on his face.

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Goth Haven City Hall.
The Mayor's Office.

"What's the the docket today?" Mayor J. Thomas Macklinberg asked his assistant Mary Alice.

"Not much. Just a few committee meetings, you have a press event at a elementary school at 3. Tonight is the JSX Gala."

"Good. Good."

"Who is expected at the Gala?"

"Most of the usuals guests. There is a rumor that is going around that Ham-Boy will be in attendance. If he is we might be able to talk to about the Ham-Boy Museum idea."

"We haven't been able to contact him?"

"No, sir. We don't know where he lives & out attempt at getting the Lair Legion to tell us where he lives have gotten us no where."

"Is my good suit ready?"

"Yes, sir. Will Mrs. Macklinberg be joining us tonight?"

"No. No. She is out of town. It will just be us two."

"Alright. It's a date." Mary Alice said with a smile.

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TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2!

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FOOTNOTES:

- What is a Loborilla? I could tell you but I'll save what it is & who made it for a later story.

- Samantha Bonnington is the super hero known as Fashion Accessory & a young model who was gifted by the Hooded Hood with the ability to transmute any fabric to other fabric. She & Ham-Boy were fellow members of the Lair Legion Juniors until HB graduated from the program.

- Fred Harris has 3 jobs. One being Ham-Boy (which doesn't pay all that well). Job #2 is the lighthouse keeper at the Blue Steel Memorial Lighthouse. This provides him with some money & place to live. The Ham-Boy home base known as The Meat Locker is under the lighthouse. Job #3 is as the one of the In-Store DJs' for the Goth Haven location of Wally-World.

- Who is Blue Steel & why do they have a lighthouse named for them? There is a story here but that will have to be told another time.

- Jerry White is a hollywood agent who we're only seen to to have one client: Keely Montgomery. He is attempting to get Ham-Boy to date his client. Why? Well, we will see why in an issue or two. There is a reason & it's good one!

- Mr. Avis is Roni Y. Avis, the multi-billionaire who claims to be the innovator of electronic spam. He has built an empire out of pyramid schemes and other junk mail. Now why Jerry thinks that Mr. Avis has an ticket is yet to be seen.

- Who is the mystery bald headed man who hates Jet Starscream? We'll find out in Part 2!