Two years later…

A phone rings in a high-rise apartment, the lights are out and the occupants are awakened by the noise of the phone. Jeffrey, laying in bed with his wife, Caroline, gets up and answers it while Caroline groans and tries to go back to sleep.

JEFFREY

Phone. Caller Id.

AUTOMATED VOICE

Incoming call from Christian Beck.

JEFFREY

Connect call.

AUTOMATED VOICE

Call connected.

JEFFREY

Chris?

CHRIS

Hey, bro.

JEFFREY

It’s 12:30 in the morning, man…

CHRIS
Yeah, I know. Sorry…did I wake you?

JEFFREY

Nah…Sleep isn’t something I’ve had to worry about for a while…

Can’t say the same for CC, though.

CHRIS

Sorry, CC.

CAROLINE

(groans)

JEFFREY

So what’s up?

CHRIS
I need you to come down to the Tower as soon as possible.
And by "you", I mean "Terran".

JEFFREY

I see….

It’s that important?

CHRIS
Yeah, it’s big. So, I need you to come over as soon as you c—

VOICE

Sorry it took so long.

Had to get changed.

Chris turns and sees Terran standing behind him.

CHRIS

Goddammit!

You almost gave me a heart attack!!!

TERRAN

Heh. Sorry.

CHRIS

No such luck.

TERRAN

What’s going on?

CHRIS
Well, as you know, we haven’t heard anything from the Elemenians since that night two years ago….

TERRAN

Yeah…

CHRIS

Unfortunately, we’ve got new problems.

And this time, it’s from right here on Earth.

TERRAN

??

CHRIS

Come on…I want you to meet someone.

Elsewhere…

Narwal- A city located on an island near the Gulf of Mexico. Population: 2, 500, 000.

All of them with Elemenian heritage. Some purebred, some Earthling hybrids called "Earthians". The city is self-governed and independent of both the United Nations and the Elemenian Empire. However, tensions have begun to rise amongst the populace and the UN….and it seems war is imminent.

In one particular part of town, a young woman, her hair brown with green highlights, tries tutoring a group of children.

BOY

Uh…Ms. Genesis? I need help!

GENESIS

One second.

Genesis walks over to the boy.

GENESIS

Okay, what’s wrong?

BOY
I can’t understand this math equation….

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t…*sniff*

GENESIS
There, there, no need to cry….

(Genesis looks in the book)

Ah, quadratic equations…I can help you.

BOY

But…everyone’s tried to explain it to me, but I just can’t…

GENESIS

Shh…it’s okay.

(places her hand on the boy’s head)

Relax.

Genesis’ eye begins to glow green and an emerald aura surrounds her body. After a moment, the aura leaves her and her eye turns to normal.

GENESIS

Did that help?

BOY

Yeah, I get it now!!

Thanks, Gen!!!

GENESIS

Tee-hee!

No, problem.

Genesis starts to walk away and looks over at another boy…his head down on the table. Smirking, Genesis’ eye begins to glow green again. After a moment, the boy starts to fidget and then lets out a loud yell. Looking around, he’s embarrassed as his classmates all laugh at him.

GENESIS
Embarrassed? Good.

That’ll teach you not to fall asleep.

BOY#2

I…uh…wasn’t asleep.

GENESIS

Yes you were.

BOY #2

How would YOU know?

GENESIS

….

BOY #2

….oh yeah….

GENESIS

When you sleep in MY classroom, I get dibs on your dreams.

Is that understood?

BOY #2

(gulps)

Y-Yes, ma’am.

GENESIS

Good.

Just then, the door slides open and two people walk into room…a tall blonde man with short hair and a regal, formal uniform…..and a woman with long blonde hair in a sexy, luxurious dress.

THUNDER

Gen….we need to speak with you.

Can you step outside for a minute?

GENESIS

Uh, sure.

The three of them step outside the class and close the door so that no one else could speak.

GENESIS
What’s going on?

GODDESS

The United Nations refused to acknowledge the demands we made in the ultimatum we sent. So now, we’ve got no other options than to proceed with Phase 2.

GENESIS

Damn…

What total IDIOTS.

THUNDER

Yeah. So that means we’re gonna have to make the hit tonight.

The Kindred will be forced to make action.

GENESIS

Okay.

What do I do?

THUNDER

You’re going to stay here and keep watch.

GENESIS

What??!

Oh, come on….this is the first assignment we’ve had since I became part of the Kindred.

You’re telling me I have to sit this out?

THUNDER

You’re still too green.

This is a VERY important mission.

In fact, we’ve even had to call in some OUTSIDE help.

GENESIS

And you don’t want the ROOKIE messing it up, huh?

THUNDER

Gen….

GODDESS

Try to understand, Gen…this mission is a matter of life and death.

We need to be sure we can work as a unit. We can’t afford to make mistakes.

Besides…as the only on the team besides me, you can warn everyone if there’s a sudden attack.

GENESIS

Well….I suppose…

THUNDER

(puts his hand on her cheek)

Thank you, Gen.

Thunder and Goddess start to walk away, leaving Genesis…who kicks the ground, upset.

In EarthNet Tower, Terran and Chris enter a conference room where a man in a suit and tie sits, guarded by two soldiers.

TERRAN

Wait….

I know you….

You’re the Vice President of the UN….Dominic Calabrese!

CALABRESE

Yes, you are quite correct, Mr…..Terran.

An honor to meet you.

TERRAN

That’s just…."Terran".

CALABRESE
As you wish.

CHRIS

(sits in chair)

Vice President Calabrese has come to us for help.

TERRAN
Oh?

CALABRESE

Tell me, Terran…do you know what "Earthians" are?

TERRAN

Yeah…it’s a word used to describe people who are part-Ele, part- Earthling.

But…what is this about?

CALABRESE

Years ago, the government ran….tests….

TERRAN

Tests? What kinds of "tests"….

CALABRESE

We were looking to…."engineer" human beings that possess the powers of Elemenians, but whose DNA, when tested, would seem remarkably "normal".

TERRAN

!!

CHRIS

Yeah…I thought you might like to hear that.

TERRAN

Are you saying…I was part of this experiment?

CALABRESE

Honestly? We don’t know. Your abilities go above and beyond anything our experiments produced. However, it IS far too similar to be a mere coincidence.

TERRAN

But….

Wait…you said you needed my "help". What for?

CALABRESE

(sighs)

Ten years ago, there was an….incident.

TERRAN

Incident?

You mean some of your "experiments" escaped.

CALABRESE

Yes. Of course, this is nothing new. We have escapees all the time…most of them are recaptured immediately.

But these escapees…they were different from the others…smarter.

TERRAN

Who are they?

CALABRESE

They’re known as the Kindred. An elite group of Earthian soldiers….not bearing allegiance to the UN or the Empire. They’re wild cards.

TERRAN

I’ve heard of them.

CALABRESE

Yes…I figured you would have.

TERRAN

You still haven’t told me what you need my "help" for.

CALABRESE

At this very moment, a train carrying one of the most lethal and potent diseases known to man is heading towards a biohazard lab to be neutralized.

We need you to make sure it gets there.

Two hours later, Terran flies high in the air, keeping an eye on the hovertrain…but making sure that he stays out of sight. In his ear is a small transmitter and two-way radio.

TERRAN

I don’t like this…

CHRIS

What?

TERRAN

That Calabrese guy’s hiding something. I could practically see the slime dripping off of him.

CHRIS

Heh. Yeah, but he’s our first solid lead in two years.

TERRAN

Yeah. I was seriously getting sick of the menial crap.

This gives me a chance to do something worthwhile.

On the train, two guards turn as Goddess, dressed in a tight, white leather outfit with fishnetting, walks up to them.

GUARD

Hold it! Who are you?!

GODDESS

****Hey there, lovers.****

The guards stop, entranced by her words.

GODDESS

****Look at you two, big, strong men.****

****You like me, don’t you?****

GUARDS

Y-Yes…

GODDESS
****You WANT me, don’t you?****

GUARDS
Y-Yes…

GODDESS
****Well, then….****

****Why don’t you show me just what those big guns of yours can do?****

GUARDS
Y-Yes…

The two guards turn their guns on one another and fire. Both drop to the ground, dead.

GODDESS

(on radio) Car 4…secure.

THUNDER

Good work, Goddess.

(Thunder turns to a mysterious woman…lurking in the shadows.)

Everything’s going according to plan.

MYSTERY WOMAN

Good. But don’t get overconfident.

Things always have a chance of going wrong.

THUNDER

Well…that’s what you’re here for isn’t it?

MYSTERY WOMAN

Quite true.

Elsewhere on the ship, three guards float in water, drowned. However, the water stands in mid-air, with nothing but air around it. Impossibly, a cube of water floats in the middle of the room. Next to it, a woman with slicked black hair waves her hand, and the water disperses, spilling onto the floor.

CASCADE

Car 2 secure.

On another car, a huge, hulking man, covered in metal, twists a guard’s head around backwards.

METALM

Car 3 secure

THUNDER

Good. Now, it’s up to me.

Back outside, Terran continues flying along as if nothing’s happened…oblivious to what’s been happening inside.

CHRIS

Now, be careful.

You’re kinda rusty at this.

TERRAN

Oh, please.

It’s like riding a bi—

Waaait a minute….

Terran’s vision changes to infrared.

TERRAN

I see four.…no FIVE people that suddenly appeared on the train out of nowhere.

But…I didn’t even see them BOARD the thing.

CHRIS

What?

TERRAN

Yeah…

There’s something seriously wrong here…

The guards have been taken out…probably dead.

CHRIS

Damn!

TERRAN

This is it. I’m going in.

I’m going into silent mode.

CHRIS

Right.
Don’t go getting yourself killed.

TERRAN
Yes, Mother.

Thunder electrocutes the train’s conductor and the two guards protecting him. Then, he takes the controls and stops the train.

THUNDER

That does it, boys and girls.

Let’s move. We’re on a timetable.

In the other cars of the train, the Kindred members start to load canisters from the train onto a hovercraft. Metalm carries on of the canisters to the craft and puts it on, but the next moment, feels a tap on his shoulder.

TERRAN

Hey there. Nice night, isn’t it?

Terran punches Metalm so hard, he bursts through the side of the train and hits a tree, breaking it.

THUNDER

Metalm…Metalm come in!!!

Something’s wrong.

MYSTERY WOMAN

Told you so.

Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.

Terran heads into another part of the train cautiously. The next instant, however, a blob of water covers his head. He struggles to get it off, but his hands slip through it…unable to get a grip.

CASCADE

Well, well…if it isn’t the "super-soldier".

We’ve heard about how powerful you are.

But power doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t breathe.

Nighty-night, sugar.

The next moment, Terran smiles at her.

CASCADE

What?

Terran turns hands into sand…which absorb the water.

TERRAN

Who needs to breathe?

I just couldn’t see.

Terran fires a blast at her, knocking her across the room.

TERRAN

This is easier than I—

Just then, he feels a powerful blast in his back. The force of it knocking him through the roof of the train and up into the air. He stops and turns around, baffled.

TERRAN

What the hell was THAT?

Nothing’s EVER hit me that hard.

Terran turns and sees a red-haired woman fly up from the roof of the train and come face-to-face with him.

WOMAN

You survived it?

Then I suggest you consider that last shot a warning.

It was the only one you’ll get.

Terran looks closely at her face. As he does, memories start to flood back into him…of the night his parents died. Of when he fought an Elemenian soldier and forced her to remove her helmet. That soldier had red-hair…and the same face as this one.

TERRAN

You….

….It’s YOU!!!!!!!

YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!!!!!!!!

End of Chapter One

Next Act: http://www.geocities.com/fortunasaga/TF2a.htm