Project: MI
Chapter 21

Carrying a data pad, Daria opened the door to the interrogation room, finding Amanda sitting at the table calmly. She exhaled a small sigh and approached her.

“I heard that,” Amanda said, giving Daria pause. Amanda gave her an annoyed face and tilted her head to one side. “No, I didn’t need my powers to hear it. Besides, you know I’m suppressed. It was administered as soon as your people showed up.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you so cautious?”

Daria narrowed her eyes at the other woman. “Don’t act as though you’re my mother,” she said, resuming her approach. Taking a seat, she continued, “You have been charged with a class four act of terrorism and unlawful use of powers.”

Amanda nodded. “What about Kira? Or Ran? Or Romana Pax?”

“Romana Pax is not your concern right now,” Daria replied, taking a seat.

“Daria…”

“I would ask that you not refer to me like that…” Daria said, her tone terse. “…ever.”

“Very well,” Amanda nodded reluctantly. “Director then. I think after what Romana Pax did to my daughter I have every right to know what is happening to them.”

Daria frowned slightly. “They will be subject to an extensive federal investigation. Beyond that, I cannot tell you anything.”

“So I won’t learn anything at all then.”

Daria placed her data pad on the table and leaned forward, folding her hands together. She tossed her head slightly, throwing back a strand of hair that fell over her eyes. “What would you do if I told you anything?”

The two looked at each other for a moment, nothing and everything passing between them, before Daria finally took hold of her pad and touched its screen, causing it to light up and display information. “Ran is going to be committed. Her powers fall below the threat level that would cause an Epsilon Sentinel to execute her, so be thankful for that. Properly suppressed, doctors can help repair whatever damage was done to her. As for Kira…” She brushed her fingers on the screen, changing information being displayed. She looked back up at Amanda. “Her file has not yet been processed. Someone has, interestingly enough, been combing through the net and eliminating any files or images that might incriminate her in today’s events. No one even knows she was caught up in the mess, using her powers, except us, the civilians who saw her, and whoever her ‘benefactor’ is.”

She leaned back a bit before continuing. “They’ve been trying to get through our security as well, but they haven’t succeeded.”

Malcolm… Amanda mused, biting her lower lip. “Are you asking if I know?”

“Do you?”

“Not…until today, just before I rescued Ran.”

Daria brought the tips of her fingers together, tapping them gently against each other. “I believe you didn’t know a lot of things about what your daughter was doing. Perhaps Burton was wrong to force you to keep such a low profile. You might have picked up on it sooner.”

“Her powers…”

“I know about the destructive interference,” Daria said dismissively. “I don’t care.”

“I see… So she’s not telling you anything?”

“No,” Daria admitted. “At least, not yet. She inherited your stubbornness along with your powers.”

“And you’re hoping that someone who cares for her will be more cooperative?”

“Your daughter was in contact with what appears to be a subversive element, and you said you know who it is. Your ‘caring’ about her wellbeing is incidental, though it is convenient. Give me a name, and I can help your daughter. She’ll receive a lesser sentence and fair treatment from our facilities.”

Amanda eyed Daria carefully before speaking. “I have a better idea.”

Daria turned her head to the side slightly, suddenly suspicious. “No, this is the deal you get.”

“You come in here and tell me to give names when I’m worried about Kira? I may have missed what my daughter was up to, but it seems to me that you think your ‘subversive’ is a big deal. I know who you’re dealing with as well. You’ll need every advantage you can get. You may even need me.”

Daria stood up and collected her data pad. She lifted it in front of Amanda indicatively. “There’s a timer on this offer. I can’t keep the story from breaking forever. And you know we have an Epsilon Sentinel in the neighborhood.”

Amanda didn’t say anything as Daria exited the room. Closing the door behind her, she turned toward Kelly, who stood there waiting patiently.

“She said no I take it?”

“You were right,” Daria nodded, grimacing.

“I did say that your bias would blind you. Her psychological profile is quite meticulous on this matter.”

“We’ll see. We still have time.” Daria shook her head in disbelief. “All right. What about our hacker? What’s the progress?”

“His tracks are covered well. We can’t locate him by any means at our disposal. His attacks on our systems are becoming more sophisticated.”

“And the back entries we discovered?”

“Closed and secure for now.”

Thank the gods… She still couldn’t believe that their attacker had gotten so far into their systems without their realizing it. It was a miracle that they discovered them when they did, otherwise all the information regarding Kira’s involvement would have been lost. Not that it would make a conviction or anything else impossible, but it would be…troublesome to say the least. The government didn’t need another martyr on its hands. Especially if the hacker remained on the loose and able to blow the whistle on them. Daria shivered at the thought. The CHC had enough dirty laundry as it was.

“At any rate, She claims to know who it is that’s trying to hack us. Have someone do a rundown on anyone and everyone she knew or knows…”

“She has an incomplete profile on account of being off the radar for the better part of a century,” Kelly reminded.

“Do it anyway. It might be someone she knew back during the Bronze Age and we’re dealing with what looks like an expert hacker, possibly with a genius level intellect like the Teruo child. There aren’t too many heroi like that so it should help narrow things down.”

“I…don’t think it helps.” Kelly cast an uncertain look at her. “Too many heroi from the Bronze Age were left unaccounted for after the Great War and the Exile periods.”

Daria massaged the bridge of her nose, feeling her head beginning to throb. “Just get it done. I want to have something to present to the higher ups when they ask for a report.” I still need to figure out what I’m going to leave out or if I’m going to leave out anything at all! Lifting her hand to her mouth she resisted the urge to chew on her thumbnail—an old habit from her college days. Realizing this, she dropped her hand and shook it hard, as though to scold it.

If only things were as simple as they were in those old days, she commiserated.

No job was ever simple. That was the thought running through Bruce Kane’s mind as he strode into the hospital’s entrance and quickly recognized Libby Grey—the mother of the heroi known as Jamie Grey—standing at the main desk, being interviewed by a pair of CHC agents and flanked by two local law enforcement officers. Her expression was one of barely-checked distraught. This pleased him and he made his way over to her. As he did so, he picked up their conversation.

“…Companion assigned to him was not on him at the time of the attack,” said one of the agents. “We need to give you fair warning that this won’t look good with the courts…”

“Courts?!” Libby’s eyes became angry daggers and she took a threatening step toward the two agents, being stopped only by a firm grasp on her shoulder by one of the officers. “My son is in that hospital bed with his neck broken!!! And you’re talking about involving the courts?! He was attacked! You have his friend’s statement! You have an entire neighborhood block!”

The two agents exchanged glances. Bruce did not envy them, having to be the bearers of bad news.

“I’m sorry ma’am,” said one of them, an older fellow with salt peppering his otherwise blonde hair. “We’re just following protocol on the matter. His Companion wasn’t on him. Without proper documentation it leaves his story suspect. I don’t mean to imply anything, but that’s just how the law is.”

Bruce could almost feel the anger swelling inside the women like a volcano about to detonate. Clearing his throat upon approach, he announced himself loudly enough to cut into the conversation and draw the attention of those involved in the conversation.

“That will be enough for now, agents.” He nodded to the officers behind Libby respectfully, pulling out his ID and showing it for them to see. “If you would all leave now, I will take care of the remainder of this matter.”

The agents nodded to the officers, recognizing him. “We’ll keep in touch, ma’am.” With that said, the group departed, leaving Bruce alone with Libby.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” he said. “My name is Bruce Kane. I represent a branch of national security connected to the CHC known as the Epsilon Sentinels. You could say that I am the final arbiter of cases such as what your son, Jamie Grey, was involved in.”

“A pleasure I’m sure,” Libby said bitter sarcasm. “I suppose I don’t need to introduce myself, do I?”

“Not in the least. I actually would like to interview you… Or rather hoped for it, although I imagine that this situation will make that a difficult matter.”

Libby regarded him suspiciously. “There’s a choice?”

“It is preferable,” Kane admitted. “But no, it’s not. Not anymore at least. I was in the middle of interviewing your husband when I heard about this…incident. It undoubtedly changes things with his case.”

“Oh gods…” Libby ran a hand over one eye and turned away. “Why is this happening? He just wanted to live a normal life! I wanted him to live a normal life!”

Kane blinked at that.

A far different reaction than the boy’s father… Kane took note of the difference between the two before resuming.

“I assure you, Mrs. Grey, your son will receive justice. There’s no need to be afraid.”

“But that’s what I’m afraid of…” Libby replied with a touch of bitterness, fixing Kane with a dark look. “Are you going to hold that against me?”

Kane did not answer her question. Instead he opted to change the subject. “If we could go see your son now…” he began, only to stop as the lights in the hospital flickered. He felt the back of his neck tingle and information came to him.

Q-Field detected in heroi hospital wing, registering at a particle density of 20 parts per million and rising. Judicial protocol initiating.

Bruce Kane frowned, not liking this development. It seemed that he was going to be among the list of people that Libby Grey was angry with.

As Kane and Libby became closer to the heroi wing, the flickering of the lights intensified, and the staff could be found racing down the halls, accompanied by Guardians as they checked in on various patients.

Particle density increasing to 24 parts per million, Kane thought. Is he going Gamma?

“What’s going on?” asked Libby, becoming increasingly concerned at the tense atmosphere around them. Somewhere down the hall came an inhuman, almost animal-like scream. At it, Libby nearly dashed forward toward its source, only to be caught by Kane at the last moment. “Let me go!” she snarled. “Jamie…!”

“Mrs. Grey,” he interrupted calmly, “perhaps it would be a good idea for you to return to the main lobby. There is clearly something going on here and it would be a terrible idea for a civilian to remain here.”

As he spoke, he received more information. Particle density rising to 24.5 parts per million… Not a good sign. His Companion Device is sending out a distress call… He frowned mentally. Interesting. The Q-Field is causing some interference, preventing the signal from having much range.

Libby tried to throw Kane’s arm off, but found little luck in the attempt. Kane’s grip remained adamant as ever.

“I’m not going back down there,” she growled. “I… I need to see him.”

Kane took a close look at her face and found himself surprised by the breadth of emotion in her eyes. It was as though a dam had been breached and she came to a sudden realization about something. Whatever it was, it stood out in stark contrast to her husband’s attitude, and indeed what he knew of her personal profile.

This will require further investigation, but for now…

Placing his fingers against Libby’s face, thin strands of golden energy flowed between them and at once Libby became a rag doll in his arms, slumping over. Looking up, he saw a group of Guardian Spheres swiftly approaching. Getting to his feet he held out a hand. In the back of his neck, the thin rod imbedded glowed blue for a moment and the Guardian Spheres announced him.

“Epsilon Sentinel, Bruce Kane,” spoke the lead sphere.

“Round up some nurses and have this woman escorted back to the lobby. Inform the doctors that concerning Jamie Grey they are not to do anything except what I order until I get there. Is that understood?”

“Understood and complied,” said the lead sphere, eye blinking twice in acknowledgement.

“Good,” nodded Kane. One problem solved. “Now this is what I need from the doctors…”

In his mind’s eye, he was still there; still on the ground outside of Justin’s house. He heard the sounds—the sound of someone, Kira he thought, fighting the shadow person. The same shadow person that stole Monster from him. The same one that attacked him and his friends at school.

Don’t be a coward! he shouted mentally at himself. Help her!!!

His body refused to so much as budge. Instead, pain burned along the length of his neck—the only sensation he felt at all—causing him to gasp and choke. Spit bubbled at the corners of his mouth.

Move! Move already! Why won’t you…move?! Jamie raged and shouted in his head, trapped, but still his body refused to move. How long this went on, he had no idea. Here and there a light broke across his vision and he would hear voices speaking about him worriedly… Justin? he wondered. Or was it Justin’s mother? Or perhaps Beth? The voices offered no answers, and often vanished almost as soon as they came, while he stayed here with only the sound of Kira’s battle for company like a bad song stuck on repeat.

Finally, after an unbearable eternity, the sounds stopped and a figure, obscured by the sunlight, stood over him. Growling—or rather choking—Jamie struggled to get up, but still his body refused to cooperate.

“Play with me now,” the figure said, kneeling down toward him, hand outstretched. Jamie shrank—or at least tried to—away from the figure. Light flared around his body and dark curls of smoky shadow began to rise toward the figure, whipping and slashing like angry serpents. The figure pressed its hand against his temple, unmindful of their presence and said something unintelligible. Light burst across Jamie’s vision and in one, fleeting moment before he felt the ground cave away beneath him, words he didn’t expect came unbidden to his lips.

“Brother! There was no brother! I’m not…!”

His eyes snapped open and thunder exploded outward.

The sudden loss of the Companion’s signal was all the warning he had before a massive explosion racked the hospital and Kane felt the floor beneath him give away. The hallway in front of him shattered into chaos and thunder, swallowing several nurses. Fire and smoke swarmed toward him and in response he felt a tingle on the back of his neck. White light washed across his body and the flames passed over him harmlessly. He rose through the smoke, quickly finding safe harbor deep within the hospital, or at least as safe as one could get at the moment. With only a glance he could see the tremendous gaping hole that had been gutted into the building’s side like a horrific, black wound. Smoke spilled into the air, only just allowing the smallest trickles of daylight through, and there were screams everywhere.

In the midst of the smoke, he saw a figure floating in the air, body limp like a doll whose strings had been cut…or someone executed by hanging.

He tightened his fists before taking back to the open air again, floating up toward the figure. As if sensing his approach, the figure turned in his direction. His features drew clearer with every second until, finally, Kane was able to identify him.

“James Grey,” he said without surprise. The boy simply narrowed his eyes dangerously at him and light sprang up around him. Kane felt a tremendous force push against him, but his own Q-Field surrounded him, brushing the force off with almost contemptuous ease.

Q-Particle count is at thirty parts per million. He’s just testing me…

“Why don’t you come down to ground level, so we can talk about this,” he said calmly. “You have lost control of your powers. We need to get you treated.”

The look in Jamie’s eyes—darker and much older—told him that he would not be reasoned with.

“I know what you did to me!” Jamie shouted. The light began to swim up his body, centering around his neck. The rigid collar around it ripped away and was dropped like garbage. His head rose and there came a loud snap. Red flushed the length of his neck, and flesh swelled as he gritted his teeth. Kane’s eyes widened in mild surprise.

Self-regeneration with telekinesis administered assistance to reset the injury. That is…not what I expected. He’s instinctively using his powers…

“What did we do to you?” he prompted, floating closer. Jamie raised one hand and at once Kane froze in place.

“Don’t come near me!” he growled, the swelling in his neck rapidly subsiding as the regeneration finished its work. “Everyone wants something from me and I’m sick of it!” His mouth twisted into a snarl. “You people should have let me stay dead.”

Kane was about to say something when a Guardian laser struck Jamie in the shoulder. With his inexperience mangled by the unexpected attack, his Q-Field winked out of existence and he plummeted to the streets below. Kane felt the telekinetic hold on his body vanish and he quickly raced after the falling youth, grabbing hold of him before he impacted the ground…only to be struck by his Q-Field augmented fist a fraction of a second after doing so. Kane smashed into the remains of a parked car, barely holding onto his own Q-Field. Disentangling himself from the ruins he massaged his jaw, testing his teeth with his tongue.

I’m lucky he wasn’t able to charge that one up fast enough; otherwise he could have taken my head off. He sighted James staggering to his feet, his hospital gown swaying slightly. His eyes were red and he looked confused. A swarm of Guardians were rapidly surrounding him and began to emit a vibrating hum. Kane nodded. They were attempting to deploy a net in the hopes of deactivating his powers, and if successful all but the most experienced heroi couldn’t break free. The problem with that however involved the time required to do so—eight seconds—and if there was even the slightest disruption—such as one of them being destroyed—then the net was useless. All too often Guardians simply did not have the time or the terrain to safely use it on their target.

In an attempt keep the boy chained the Guardians began firing on him. Lasers lanced out, connecting with Jamie’s skin, causing him to shout and raise a hand in response.

Kane’s Q-Field flashed and at once he was there, grabbing hold of his wrists and changing their target to his currently invulnerable body. His suit exploded, sending black and white burning tatters flying through the air, but Kane’s body remained unharmed. Roaring angrily, Jamie’s eyes turned black and he head butted the man, slamming into his sternum. Kane grunted in pain, feeling his ribs flex into his organs and he bowed slightly, pavement cracking from his attempt to remain rooted. He refused to let go and tightened his grip. His strength…! It nearly overpowered his invulnerability. He didn’t think he could contain the boy any further. The net…!

Another cry and this time the boy kicked, leaping up and stabbing his legs into the man’s stomach. Kane let go this time to prevent being skewered and in the next instant pain exploded across his shoulder as he clipped a concrete column at the hospital’s main entrance before crashing through the wall leading to the waiting area. He rolled with the blow and was back on his feet within a second. Pain throbbed in his body, but as near as he could tell he was still in good condition without injury.

As for Jamie, he was on the ground now, a field of crimson energy surrounding him, the chords of his neck standing out prominently as he let out a strangled howl. Bending down, his Q-Field flickered chaotically before finally exploding outward, catching the Guardians and shattering them. The crimson field collapsed, leaving Jamie to do likewise, hitting the ground with a heavy crack. He lay there, unmoving. With a quick flicker, Kane was by his side. Kneeling down he reached for his neck, checking his pulse.

Weak, but still there. He looked around him at the wreckage of the streets and the hospital. This…complicates matters.

“So strong… Too strong,” he whispered under his breath, retracting his hand. Massaging it briefly, he reached forward once more. His fingers pressed against Jamie’s face, and at once black lines fanned out across his skin and began to spread like wildfire, causing Jamie’s head to jerk as he gasped, light flashing around his body. The ground shook quaked violently, nearly causing Kane to lose his balance before dying down. Kane withdrew his hand from Jamie’s face and sighed heavily as the boy’s head went slack, his eyes open but unseeing. Black veins ran the entire length of his body. That would change in time though. Feeling suddenly dirty, Kane wiped his hands fastidiously against each other

“It appears,” he said in a quiet voice, “that we are going to have to start all over again.”

Maybe next time we’ll have better luck…

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