THE INSIDERS (ePub)

Street kids, alone, unloved, and unwanted, band together. One by one, they find each other and become a family mosaic of personalities, a gang with one positive twist: They hate drugs, dealers, and violence.

Life seems good until a fatal accident strikes. At the point of death, a mysterious being, The Face, captures them and slips them into an underground dimension.

They awake confused and confined. Under control of their rescuer, they labor in caves, trying to figure out the agenda of The Face, who brooks no backsliding, but feeds them well and trains them. They learn, growing strong and smart until one day The Face declares they are ready to move from servitude to leadership. The Face gives each gifts, what ordinary humans call superpowers, and returns them to their original dimension as 'The Insiders'.

They awake to discover their physical bodies have been maintained on life support by a rogue general in a secret government lab. The general wants control of their powers at any expense- including their lives.

As The Insiders learn about their new abilities, they discover their original talents enhanced.

. Picker walks through walls and can transport others with him. A prison's nightmare, few barriers can stop his molecules from sliding through.

. Motor twists physics, allowing him to manipulate mechanical devices. Tied into the internet and power grids, he can manipulate machines like they're remote control toy cars.

. Bat forms shields and barriers, aiding Insider's defense with protective bubbles. Adversaries find it hard to bring a guy down when attacks bounce off.

. Babe mesmerizes and influences, able to persuade outsiders to aid their mission. When looks and charm fail, she turns on her hypnotic eyes that few can resist.

. Ears can literally hear a pin drop- a hundred miles away. His super-hearing interprets languages and intercepts radio signals. Bad guys don't talk about him behind his back.

. Lookout's supervision sees through solids and into the distance. Closing the bathroom door doesn't help with this guy, not that he'd peek.

. Chief, narrator and nucleus of his Insiders cadre, becomes a strong leader with second sight and an ability to sense others in trouble. He'll go to any length to protect the others.

Together The Insiders act as one, tasked to save innocents and ultimately save the planet. Only their skills and dedication stand against dark forces who selfishly risk destroying mankind. As Earth's clock ticks down, its survival hangs in the balance.