20 July: 201

Today is the 201^st day of the year. 10 fun facts about the number 201:

1. 201 Penelope is a large main belt asteroid discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa in 1879. It is named after Penelope, the wife of Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey.

2. 201 in binary (11001001) is the title of an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In it, members of an alien race called the Bynars hijack the Enterprise in space dock.

3. Area code 201 is the area code assigned to northern New Jersey in the United States.

4. 201 is short for 201 Poplar, the jail in Memphis, Tennessee alluded to in many rap songs from Memphis artists.

5. The year 201 was a common year starting on Thursday, known at the time as the Year of the Consulship of Fabianus and Arrius. In this year, Galen, the Greek physician, died.

6. A 201 file is the term used by the U.S. Army for service history files maintained by the government. It is also referred to as the Official Military Personnel File.

7. The sixth episode of the fourteenth season of South Park is entitled “201”. It was also the 201^st episode overall. In it, a superhero-like group of religious figures (The Super Best Friends) team up to save South Park from a group of angry celebrities and their monster introduced in the previous episode, while Eric Cartman learns the true identity of his father.

8. 201 (Northern) Field Hospital is an Army Reserve Field Hospital with its Headquarters in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

9. Event 201 was a tabletop exercise which simulated what would happen if a fictional coronavirus passed to humans via infected pig farms in Brazil with no possibility of a vaccine being available in the first year. It took place in October 2019 and was run by the CHS partnered with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

10. 201 is the course number of basic or entry-level courses at some Canadian universities.

Character birthday

Firebolt, aka Russell Conway, a genetic variant whose powers include flight, shooting firebolts and immunity to heat and fire damage. His powers manifested when he was still a child resulting in accusations of arson and criminal damage. Unicorn of the Freedom League intervened and began training the boy, who in time became a full member of the team. When Target left to pursue a career in politics, he appointed Firebolt the leader. Firebolt works for the fire service as a day job, where his immunity to fire has helped save many lives. He has never wanted to settle down and is known for having a string of girlfriends, leaving them as soon as they show signs of wanting to make things permanent. There was always some chemistry between him and Electric Blue, although she was looking for a long term relationship and married Superwil. The pair did, however, have a one night stand after a particularly gruelling mission. Hence Superwil and Electric Blue’s middle son, Jason (Firefox) is Firebolt’s biological son and has similar powers. It’s thought the villain Incendio may also be Firebolt’s long lost offspring.

Eternal Flame

The Freedom League's numbers have dwindled to three - but leader Unicorn knows his team isn't finished yet. The turning point comes with Russell, a boy with bright red hair and a genetic variant ability to start fires. He's the first of an influx of new members who will take the League into the future. 

Judith and Wil are child prodigies - Judith in physics and electronics, and Wil in medicine. They have another thing in common - they are both genetic variants. And another thing - they both have fiery red hair. They are drawn to one another as their destinies intertwine, but the course of true love doesn't always run smoothly!

Richard is not a variant. He's an Olympic athlete who has picked up useful knowledge from his unusual friends to add to his own natural abilities. A chance encounter with a dying alien throws him into a Freedom League mission in which his skills are put to the ultimate test, along with theirs.

The Freedom League's arch-enemy, the super-villain Obsidian, wants his family fortune all to himself. One person stands in his way - his niece, Fiona. Fiona, devastated by a family tragedy and her failure to get in to her first choice university, is miserable and has few friends. When she realises her brother's death was no accident, and his killer is also after her, she fears it may be too late to gather allies around her and learn how to use her own genetic variant powers.

Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle

Fire in her Blood

A Superhero love story.

Sent away to school to get her away from undesirable company, Agnes finds herself homesick and lonely. A brief connection with Jason Warner leads to the teenage crush to end all teenage crushes. Jason is barely aware Agnes exists, but she plans her whole future around him.

It is only when they meet again as adults that the connection becomes mutual; but before it can develop, Jason makes a discovery which rocks his entire world. He needs time alone, away from everyone, including Agnes. When Jason is finally ready to go back to his old life, Agnes has moved on and he cannot find her.

Agnes is now a single parent to the remarkable Seraphina. The Power League want to harness Seraphina's powers for evil before the Freedom League become aware of her. Agnes has no idea her new colleague and friend is a supervillain with his own agenda, and his willingness to babysit is not as innocent as she thinks. As Incendio starts teaching Seraphina to use her powers, the Freedom League intervene. Little do they know that they have found one of their own.

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