Dire Secrets
�You wanted to see me?� James Anderson, also known as Cell, leader of the super hero team known and feared as The Guardians, asked as he entered the control room. Standing before him were Kai, under the code name Kismet while in uniform, and second in command of the team; and Zen, most often called Renegade� the name suited him. Kai looked at him, concern plagued her beautiful face, comprised of First Nations and Inuit features. James understood at once what was bothering her when he gazed past her shoulder. It turned out to be the same thing to be bothering all of them as of late.
In the Chamber was a powerless Ace, running through a training program she created for herself since her return. It had her facing Rancor. She had to follow him through an ever-changing maze, and face booby traps that never seemed to be in the same, armed only with a sword. She was obsessed. In the week that she returned she had sustained many minor injuries and had made many trips to the med lab, but always seemed to find her way back to the Chamber, without the safety on. She had been through the program fifty times, and has never succeeded in killing Rancor.
�She�s at it again?� Cell asked with the shake of the head.
�Non, God damn stop. She�s a woman possessed.�
Kai looked at James. �Should we deny her access to the Chamber?�
�No,� Zen answered for him, ignoring the look James gave him, �If you had only seen her in the motel, she was weak and broken. She needs to get this out of her system. Plus, if she�s going to be able to fight with us, she�ll need the training.�
James thought a moment. �Kai, keep an eye on her, have Simon place a permanent safety on all programs that she activates. Someone should go up and check on Ruse. He�s keeping an eye on the media.�
�Woman�s rights again?� Renegade asked looking up from the window.
Cell nodded. �Yeah, the countries outside the Canadian alliance have reduced them again. The way it�s going, pretty soon they won�t be able to vote.�
�Latest reports,� the anchor woman, one of only a few remaining out side of those countries protected by Canada, said with a note of disgust that was unsuccessfully attempted to be covered by the non-chalet ness taught to all in her profession, �Have shown that women have begun to flock to Canada as a way to escape oppression in their home countries. Even Canada has noted the deterioration of the rights held by women. Making our prosecution reaching among the ranks of gays and mutants. Leaving one question on everyone�s mind. �Who really are the humans?��
Ruse and Garret (the latter was cleaning his feathers from his perch) sat in the Den, watching the news like they had since that morning. Ruse who was hanging upside down off the couch shook his head. �This is depressing. I want to watch cartoons now!�
As Garret squawked at him, not liking the loudness of his voice, Ruse�s attention was drawn to the woman who had walked into the adjacent Rec. Room to pick up something of little importance to him. On her forehead was a bandage, with blood seeping through it slightly. �Ace?� He asked nervously, gaining her attention.
Ace stopped the retreat she was about to make to look at Ruse. �What?�
�What happened to your head?�
�Stray knife.� She paused as the doorbell rang. �I�ll get it. Keep monitoring of the news.�
Before she reached the beautiful pine door, the doorbell again rang. �What?� She harped as she jerked the door open, startling the two people behind it. �Mr. and Mrs. Anderson,� she said mildly surprised to see James� parents at the house. �What are you doing here?�
Mrs. Anderson cleared her throat, used to Ace�s brashness. �Hello to you too Ace. Is James home?� She asked as she and her husband entered the country style home.
Ace nodded. �Yeah, the boss-man�s here.� She walked over to the nearest wall panel and pushed the intercom button for the Control Room, where Cell and the others were only minutes before. It took only a moment before Cell�s face appeared on the screen.
�Yes, Ace?� He didn�t look pleased to see her, understandably so, for when she left the Chamber it was with some harsh words once Cell told her that her access to the Chamber would be, like her duty shifts, purely probational.
She raised an eyebrow slightly at his attitude. �Give it up android I don�t like you any more than you like me right now, but that�s besides the point. Your folks are here.�
�What? My parents are here?�
�Do you need your hearing checked? They�re here. So get your ass up here.� With that she shut the monitor off and turned back to the pair behind her with a smirk. �He�ll be right up.�
�Like always Ace, your way with words astounds me.�
Ace laughed slightly. �You know, Mrs. Anderson, I like you. Come on, I don�t think you�ve met the newest Guardian.� With her arms crossed she led the way to the den where Jacob was sitting down. �Jane and Carver Anderson, this is Jacob Marley, or Ruse as he�s called. Ruse, these are Cell�s folks.�
Jacob had a nervous smile on his face as he shook the couple�s hands. Jane then looked back to Ace. �We heard about Hope. Is she alright?�
Two levels below, within the med lab, Hope was sitting on a med-bed with Simon, her doctor and friend, giving her a check up. It was her third that week since the fight with Sniper that had left her questioning her own abilities and control. And for Simon, he had his hands full with her, Ace�s constant injuries and his studies of the latter woman�s DNA for any clue as to her abilities and their re-manifestation, if there was going to be one.
Simon shook his head at the woman. �I can�t explain it, dear Hope. You have nothing wrong with you physically.�
�What do you mean?� There were dark circles under her eyes, caused by lack of sleep due to her powers. �There has to be! My powers don�t have anything to do with human minds!�
He placed his hand on her shoulder, lightly, understanding her worry; she had almost killed Sniper according to Renegade�s recount of the event. �That�s not true. You feed off of human thought. They�re what give your sword its protective coating. I believe, as does Sampson, that this is merely a new form of your power emerging.�
She started to cry slightly. �I don�t want to hurt people with my mind. This isn�t what I wanted for my powers. It isn�t what I wanted.�
�Mom, dad!� James called with a smile as he entered the den where Ruse and Ace were waiting with the older pair. �What are you doing here?� He asked as he hugged them both.
Jane smiled widely as her son lifted her off the ground. �Do we need an excuse to visit our son?� She didn�t wait for an answer as she looked at Kai with a warm smile. �Hello dear.� She said softly as she hugged the woman she had grown to love as her own. She then looked to the man standing beside the native. �Renegade, you�re looking well.�
He smiled. �So are you. Where�s Carla?� He was referring to Cell�s little sister who had taken after her father (in the ways of lacking powers) and had fallen completely in love with Renegade. She was the reason for Jane�s distain. For Carla had wished to drop out of university to follow Zen.
�She�s in school,� Carver answered for his wife. He had no ill will towards the perfect man, for he knew how impulsive his daughter could be at times.
�Where you can�t get at her.� Jane added with a half sneer.
Renegade held his hands up innocently. �Hey, I didn�t know she was your daughter when I picked her up. Had I had known I wouldn�t have invited her out. We were just looking for a good time is all.�
�And right now,� Ace said with a raised eyebrow, �You�re looking for a slap upside the head.� She then looked at the entire assembly. �You know that I�m a sucker for family reunions an� all but I got to head back to the Chamber. I do have to train.�
They watched her leave before Carver again focused on his son. �We heard about her powers. How is she?�
James shrugged. �As well as can be expected. But right now I�m more worried about Hope. She hasn�t sleep well in a week.�
�We know. Ace told us.�
Simon had a frown on his face as he saw Ace enter the med lab. He had seen more of her than he wanted to in the last little while, even though he was glad to have her back, he didn�t think that she should be pushing herself as much as she was. �What is it now?� He asked with sigh.
Ace ignored his tone as she looking around slightly. �That A.I. thing that you installed during my time in the crypt told me Hope was down here. Is she still?�
He nodded and gestured behind him to where Hope was sitting in a chair, her head in her hands.
Ace gave him a quick nod before moving to the other woman. �Hey Chickadee.� She greeted as she slid up unto the med table besides Hope�s chair.
Hope looked up with a groggy expression on her tired face. �And what do you want?�
Ace shrugged as she touched the bandage on her forehead. �Cell cut off my access to the Chamber holographic programs, so I�m going to work on hand to hand combat. Since, from what I�ve seen, you�re abilities with the sword hasn�t really improved, I wanted to drag you into the Chamber for a little sword play.�
�Now?�
Ace nodded. �Preferably. Come on, get changed, I�ll meet you there in ten minutes.�
Kai entered the living room where Simon had just joined the others (minus Ace and Hope) and set down the tray on the coffee table before sitting in an empty armchair.
�We have a confession to make,� Carver admitted as he picked up a mug from the tray, �We have a reason for coming here.�
�James,� Jane continued when Carver stopped, �There is something that we should have told you a long time ago. Shortly after the invasion, women, mutants to be exact, were recruited by the aliens. They put the women through a process where their alien DNA, miniscule parts of it, was added into the women�s wombs. So that when they got pregnant their children would also be mutants. Not only that, but their powers would be strengthened. The reason they did this, was because they are planning another invasion, and this time they will have mutants on their side as well. You see each of the children born with alien DNA have� well they have a part of their brain unused to the rest of the mutants that will be activated just before the aliens� return visit. When that happens those mutants will turn against humanity and fight on the sides of the aliens.�
James looked between the mutants on his team before locking eyes with his mother. �Why are you telling me this now? What does that have to do with anything?�
Carver grasped his wife�s hand as he said what he knew she couldn�t. �Because, son, your mother was one of the ones who was taken. You are one of the mutants who will turn upon your friends and allies when the aliens return.�
�Are you sure?� Kai asked, not sure whether or not to believe what they had said.
Jane nodded as tears ran down her cheeks. �Yes. I couldn�t tell you before because it never seemed right, you all were so pre-occupied with terrestrial threats, that I didn�t want to draw your attention to the extra terrestrial ones. But I can�t hide it any longer. Not with your telepathy growing to the extent it is.�
James looked at her, shaken. �How much has this affected my abilities?�
She shrugged. �I don�t know. But seeing as only one or your parents are mutant I�m not sure that you should be as powerful as you are. The scary thing is, James, that when the aliens take over your powers will increase. You may not be able to stop yourself from killing your friends. Only the most powerful mutants in the world will be able to defeat you, those like you and the army of aliens.�
Kai looked at Simon. �And right now one of those very mutant has lost her powers, maybe permanently.�
Hope entered the Chamber six minutes after Ace left the med lab. She was wearing a work out uniform and held in her hand her katana. She looked at the other woman, already there and wearing a workout uniform herself. She too was holding a sword; only hers was of Celtic design. �You know,� she said without enthusiasm, �I didn�t know you could use a sword.�
�There are lots of things about me that you don�t know.�
�Point taken.� She got into her customary stance, ready to receive Ace�s first blow.
It came swiftly and quickly, yet Hope was quick to parry it and return it with one of her own. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out and echoed against the cold walls of the chamber and the smell of the sparks that the two resistant surfaces created filled the noses of each of the women, both immersed in the match. They couldn�t help but wonder if forgotten skill or an unperfected technique would be triumphant. It was the skill. Hope, caught by a move she had never seen, had her katana deflected from her hands. She swore under her breath as Ace�s blade touched her throat lightly, like Hope, Ace was breathing hard.
�Good match,� she said with her eyebrow raised. �Shall we try again?�
Hope, wanting to learn some of the moves used by the ungraceful Ace, nodded. �Yeah. But this time, try to be a little smoother with your cuts. You�ll hurt your wrists if you don�t.�
Those on the main level sat in silence, not knowing what else to say. It was a dank silence but it was also one that they didn�t know how to break free of for twenty long minutes. Their salvation of sorts came when Simon�s COM link went off.
�Hello,� he greeted uncomfortably as the picture came on. On his watches face was the tired features of Hope, still in her workout uniform.
Hope swallowed hard. �Um� where�s the disinfectant?�
�Why?�
She shrugged, not wanting to come clean, but knowing that she must. �No real reason, except that well, Ace�ssidewhenshehurtittheotherdaywasreopenedinourmatch. Nothing major.� She attempted a false smile.
Simon sighed all too accustomed to Hope�s rushed tone in times of panic and embarrassing situations. �I�ll be right down.�
Simon shook his head as he entered the Med Lab. Sitting on a med bed with the top half of her workout uniform dangling about her waist leaving only a sports bra to cover her skin was Ace, holding a bandage over the bleeding area of her side. Not that far off, was Hope, who, with sweat mixing in with the blood that seeped from the duel cuts on her shoulder and stomach, was looking into a cupboard for the disinfectant she had been asking for. �What happened?� He asked in a tired, fed up tone.
Ace nodded in Hope�s direction. �She caught me in a lucky blow. I�d be more worry about her though, after I sliced her shoulder and stomach she wiped out; hit her head.�
�Ace,� Simon started lecturing as he took the bottle of disinfectant from Hope, �You really got to be more careful. You can�t be as reckless as before. Your body can�t take it. If you lose too much blood, there isn�t anyone who can give you a transfusion; I don�t even know if you have a determined blood type right now.�
Ace rolled her eyes. �I�m not made of glass, you know, I won�t break.�
�You�re not powered by the elements anymore either, meaning that you are made of flesh and bone, just like the rest of us. You can break. And the way you�re going you will. Ace, I didn�t want to have to do this but I�m cutting off your access to the Chamber totally. Only Sampson, James and myself will be able to let you in so we can supervise you properly. Until you learn your limit you�ll only need a good gym program to get you into shape. If you want I will make a program for you, that will work the muscles that need it the most, or I�m sure that Renegade would be more than willing to act as your personal trainer.�
She clenched her teeth as she listened to what Simon had to say. She didn�t like it one bit. Having to rely on anyone. She looked at Simon closely, her teal eyes on fire. �Are you done?�
He nodded as he tucked in the fabric of a new bandage. �Yeah. Take it easy this time.� He advised as she hopped off the table and stalked out of the Med Lab.
That night the Anderson�s stayed at the Guardian�s HQ, after having car trouble. Which Renegade promised to have fixed by the morning. So, while Kai and Ruse settled in for bed, Simon hunkered down in the Control Room to deny Ace�s entrance to the Chamber and Renegade sat in the garage working on a faulty spark plug James and his father sat out in the front porch, not knowing quite what to say.
�So,� James said with a sigh filled with understanding and somberness, �I�m a freak in a freak�s world.�
Carver shrugged. �That�s one way of looking at it son. But there are others. You are an individual in the throngs of original people. And there are perks too son.�
�What? Being able to turn against my friends? I know them; they wouldn�t be able to strike at me Dad, even to save the world. Only two out of the seven could do it. And Renegade doesn�t have the strength to defeat me and right now Ace doesn�t have the power.�
�You will never end up like her son.� Carver said gently, knowing in a way that only fathers have with understanding what the root of his son�s troubles were. �Like Ace. You won�t end up bitter and alone. Your powers won�t cut you off, even with the alien DNA.�
James shook his head. �I don�t know. I can feel my telepathy growing every day; it takes all my strength to hold it back. One of these days I will lose control, one of these days I will be just like Ace.�
Carver shook his head. �No you won�t. Because, unlike her, you are willing to accept help, you are willing to let people near you. It�s because of that that I know you�ll beat this thing with the aliens, and it�s because of that that I am so proud of you.�
James smiled at his father. �I�m proud of you too Dad.�
�Why?�
�It�s not easy raising kids. Especially when one of them is mutant but you and mom did it. And if you haven�t noticed Carla and I turned out great, minor personality problems aside, because of you guys. I love you dad.�
�I love you too son.�
Garret squawked quietly as he led Jane up to the attic where Hope was sitting on the sill of the attic�s front window with tears silently streaming down her face. Garret, with a final squawk, settled upon the banister of the stairs, leaving Jane to move to the lost woman, while being overpowered with her sadness.
�Hope,� she said softly, announcing her presence to the crying mutant before sitting beside her, �Are you alright?�
Hope shook her head, her black silky hair flinging into her face with every violent movement. �No, I don�t think I am.�
She smiled despite herself as she pictured Hope as Carla a few years back. She pulled Hope to her in a way that she perfected in her years of being a mother. �What is it Hope?�
�I�m going insane. Of that I�m sure.�
�No more than I did when I discovered the offensive uses for my powers.�
�What offensive uses?� Hope asked as she sniffled back some newly formed tears.
Jane sighed. �When I was younger than you are, about Jacob�s age I suppose. I was in school, and I got a very bad mark on a test that I had studied for, for so long. I even didn�t use my telepathy to take the answers from others. I got very angry and I struck out with my mind; I touched my teachers, sent the thought of dying. He dropped to the floor clutching his chest. He had a heart attack. I thought it merely coincidence until I found out that he was in perfect health. I pulled back, dropped out of school and every time my powers got out of my control I freaked.�
�What did you do? To gain back your sanity?�
�Well, I learned what my powers were capable of and what I was able to control and then I learned, very slowly, how to hold back the urges to strike out. I was never crazy Hope, merely scared. Like you are. But you are lucky as well, for unlike myself you have help. Simon and Sampson will help you through the only methods guaranteed to work. Faith, trust and trial and error. But mostly trust and faith.�
Meanwhile another mutant seeking a moment to reflect over the problems that affected her powers, or in her case, the lack there of, was standing at the cliff that saw most of her other problems off into the wind. Around her shoulders was a blanket; to keep out the winter cold that at one time wouldn�t have bothered her. Ace sighed; she hadn�t been out at what many considered her spot for a long time. Her attention was drawn from the waves that pounded mercilessly against the sand below to something that was foreign in the small amount of snow that covered the grass. She moved to it quietly and with trembling fingers, ones feeling the effects of the cold for the first time since they became void of their distinguishing prints, wiped away the thin coating of late night snow to reveal the writing on the stone surface beneath. It was a plaque, one placed there in remembrance of the very person who read the words that were etched in the cold memorial. �In Remembrance Of Ace. The woman who caught our attentions with her powers and captured our hearts with her undying spirit. You�ll live within our souls forever.�
She sighed, as she stood up, unable to look at the plaque further, and turned back to the sea with a welling sense of emptiness. They all seemed to know who she was, and what made her her. She wished she held the same knowledge. For until she knew that until the one who had placed her into her own personal hell was dead or her powers were restored she didn�t know who she was, or where she belonged.