The transport pod rocketed through the tube at a high rate of speed. The bullet shaped pod rode on four rails that lined the round tube. Propelled by forces not visible, it tore down the underground tube before slowing down & coming to a halt within a receiving bay.

As the pod came to a halt, its doors slowly opened to reveal the well-tailored form of Scott Lancaster. His blond hairs perfectly in place, his eyes hid the concern and fear that lay beneath. He was facing a Council Review, a council that may be a bit hostile to him at the moment, yet the same council he hope to one day have rule over. Unfortunately, he only knew the identity of one of the Council members, and that was his immediate superior. The Council protects their identities, so that they can freely intermingle with and infiltrate the ranks of the common agents in their branches. They appear to be one of them, and can act subordinate, yet they can wield tremendous power when they need to. It is rumored among the rank and file that the Council is the founders of the PCU. This is partially true, and they do hold the real power behind the scenes, while letting the Operations Heads actually handle the running of their respective departments. And, he knew all the Operations Heads, as he was one himself.

Lancaster stepped out of the pod and looked towards the exit door he had passed through many times visiting this base. He always hated coming out to this base, as it was so far out of his beaten path. But, the Council preferred to meet out here because it was the most secured PCU facility in the world. It was home of the Alpha Paranormals, those Paranormals whose abilities are greater than average, but also whose abilities disfigure them that they can't possibly blend in with the normals. True, all the Psi had glowing violet eyes, but that could be covered by dark, specially designed shades, but they still looked normal otherwise.

Standing before the door was the smug form of Marilyn Winchester, a.k.a. Sniper, the Operations Head of Covert Operations. Her violet left eye glowed with glee, which was an eerie contrast with the cold, soulless cybernetic red eye. A smile was on her face, which was a rarity for Marilyn, as she usually hid her emotions very well. But then, all higher level individuals in the PCU hid their emotions well; otherwise they would've gotten stomped down to the lower ranks long ago.

"You're unusually gleeful today," Lancaster stated coldly.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing you getting taken down a notch or two after the San Francisco debacle."

Lancaster shook his head.

"Aren't you taking delight a little early. I haven't even made my case before the Council yet."

Marilyn stepped aside as Lancaster walked through the door into the hallway outside. She followed behind him.

"You were clearly in the wrong, taking control of what should've remained our problem and then allowing the Rogues to get away."

Lancaster shook his head again as he stopped before the lift and pressed the call button.

"I acted accordingly and it was your Security Chief that facilitated their escape. I will point that out to the Council."

Lancaster stepped into the lift as the doors opened, with Marilyn following him inside.

"He came highly recommended with a record of loyalty, though parts of his record was strangely classified beyond even my ability to view it."

A blue and white blur flashed through the gap between the closing doors.

"Thanks for holding the elevator, as I would've hated to wait for the next one," a new voice stated.

Lancaster shook his head gravely while Marilyn snickered.

"I hate it when you do that."

The new person, dressed in a blue & white skin-tight outfit, which outlined his trim and fit form, wearing a sky blue visor over his eyes with mopey brown hair topping his head, smiled.

"I know," he stated.

Lancaster rolled his eyes as he spoke, "So, you are here to see me roast as well, John."

John straighten up and in a mock serious voice," It is my duty as the Science Branch Operations Head to attend all Council meetings so I can better implement their policies."

Lancaster sighed as the lift opened into a hallway that led to another doorway. Standing before that doorway was a tall, muscular figure, with deep green reptilian skin and claws for hands. Lancaster's hair flew out of shape as the air rushed by him behind John's departing form. He looked down the hall to see John patting the figure on the back & greeting him. Lancaster shook his head again in disgust. He couldn't stand the Alphas, because they were flawed. Marilyn stepped out of the lift before Lancaster.

"Why thank you, Scott. I appreciate it when you act like a gentleman."

She took off down the hallway as he followed, thinking about how he is going to get even with them all someday.

"Miss, I need to disable your cybernetic eye," a booming voice said.

Marilyn looked up at the reptilian figure and smiled.

"Why, of course Harold. I'm ready."

Harold, grasping a small cylindrical device between his claws, touched the device to Marilyn's cybernetic eyeplate. The red glow in Marilyn's right eye faded into black as Harold pulled the device away from her.

"I will reactivate when you depart," Harold stated.

"I know you will," Marilyn replied, as she stepped through the doorway.

Lancaster walked in behind her, glancing over to give Harold a sneer. It was returned by a cold hard stare from Harold.

The door closed behind Lancaster, and he found himself standing in a dark room illuminated only by four circles of light. He walked over to his circle, glancing briefly over to the circle next to him on the right. Standing at perfect attention was a man wearing the standard PCU uniform, except there was a blue symbol on his shoulderpads, that of the Greek symbol for Omega. He wore a black helmet that had a dark blue visor that covered the man's facial features completely.

Lancaster at least had some respect for Gary Rockwell, known also as Omega. He was a professional soldier, who ran Military Operations like it's supposed to, a highly trained containment unit. He personally oversaw the training of all new recruits and followed all orders to the tee. He took his job seriously and Lancaster liked that about him.

"This Council session is now called to order," a calm, yet distorted voice rang out in the room. All the Council members had their voices masked and distorted during these meetings, so as the Operations Heads can't determine the identity of any of the Council members. The Operations Heads knew the identity of their Council member, but not the identity of any of the other branches Council members. If they did reveal their Council member's identity, their life and anyone they told life would be in forfeit. The Council guarded their privacy greatly. Lancaster knew that the voice who called the meeting to order was his Council member. He can recognize the smug, calm tone he hated so much anywhere.

"We are here to review two serious breaches of security that has happened recently and how to rectify them."

Lancaster's face twisted slightly. Two breaches of security? Was there another one he was unaware of?

"Omega, we will start with your report," the voice continued.

Lancaster turned to look over at Omega, his surprise a bit hard to contain. Omega straightens up a little as he started.

"A few weeks ago, one our trainees escaped from our training camp in Nevada."

"And this trainee was?" asked another voice, this one female he knew, but that was all.

"Alan Castille," Omega responded.

"I recall that name," another voice spoke. "Wasn't he a paranormal? If so, how did he get around the control blocks?"

"He was a Psi, but the glow left him," the female voice responded.

"That doesn't explain how he beat the Control Mechanisms, as they should still be in place. If there is a problem with the Control Mechanisms, I need to get my people…"

"There are instances of Paranormals breaking the Control Mechanisms," Lancaster's superior calmly spoke. "It's very rare, but I can cite several examples, including Kyle Lexington and Deathwind."

"Both of them are still at large," spoke another voice, one that was coldly mechanical.

"Yes, and why aren't you doing anything about capturing them?" the female voice spoke again.

"We are trying to find them, but they are very elusive," the mechanical voice shot back.

"Enough," stated Lancaster's supervisor. "We need to refocus on current issues, not rehash old business."

There was a brief pause before he continued.

"Omega, you may continue."

Omega nodded his head before he proceeded.

"He ambushed one of my operatives, one who was getting ready to leave the base on leave and disguised himself as the operative."

"Disguised?" the mechanical voice, asked.

"He was an actor before he was inducted into the PCU," the female voice responded.

"Thank you. Omega, you may continue," Lancaster's boss interjected.

"My information indicates he then made his way to the Los Angeles area, where he was the Taxi Cab Bandit for awhile."

"Taxi Cab Bandit?" asked the mechanical voice.

"I read about him," stated Lancaster's superior. "He would subdue Taxi Cab drivers, pretend to be the cab driver and take a couple of fares, then take the fare money for himself."

Omega nodded his head.

"That is correct, sir. During one of these fares, he encountered a capture squad attempting to recapture Jordan Jackson."

"And he is," the female voice asked.

"A walking EM Field Generator according to the file I read," said the other male voice.

"Yes, sir," responded Omega. "There was another unknown paranormal who was also on the scene. A big man with rock for skin."

"Where did he come from?" asked the Mechanical voice.

"Our best guess is he was Alan's fare at the time."

"Three Rogues in the same vicinity is pretty peculiar," the Mechanical voice stated.

"Yes, sir. I can't explain it."

"You may continue, Omega." Lancaster's superior calmly spoke.

"We traced them to the Bonaventure Hotel, where we hit them with a full attack squad."

"What happened next?" asked the Mechanical voice.

"They escaped & we were forced to blow up the top of the Bonaventure Hotel to cover our tracks and rest the blame on a terrorist attack."

Lancaster turned towards Omega dumbfounded, "You are saying they escaped an attack squad and you had to blow up the top of a major hotel!"

"We will be getting to Macys in San Francisco soon enough, Mr. Lancaster," stated Lancaster's superior. "Til then, keep your mouth shut and wait your turn."

Lancaster shot an evil look up into the darkness before returning to his position in the center of his circle of light.

After several hours of explanations by both Omega and Lancaster, dealing with Alan Castille, the Stonewall sisters, and Silent Death, Lancaster winds down his report.

"In conclusion, I believe that the breach of security and the escape of the Stonewall sisters was the result of placing a normal we don't have full control over in charge of security at an important facility."

There was a silence, as the Operations Heads, except for John, looked at each other. Accusations have been fired at all of them, except John, as he was in charge of Science Branch, which had little to do with the discussion, except for the brief discussion on the effectiveness of the Control Mechanisms.

"We are very disappointed in all of you," boomed the voice of Lancaster's superior. "You have spent the last couple of hours firing accusations at each other, blaming each other for what happened. But, you have brought up some interesting points that need to be corrected."

There was a brief pause before he continued.

"You are all going to be under close watch for the next six months. In that time, we want you to develop ways to make sure that these events never happen again. And, we will no longer tolerate one branch interfering in the jobs of another branch, is that clear, Mr. Lancaster?"

"Yes, sir," Lancaster responded, the anger in his voice evident, yet seething just below the surface of his psyche.

"As far as the Rogues currently on the loose, they are no longer any of your concern. We will be organizing a special Task Force, under the Council's direct control, that will be charged with their recapture. We don't want to see any of you anywhere close to these Rogues, understood?"

"Yes, sir," they all responded in unison.

"Then you are dismissed."

Yet Lancaster stood there for a few moments, his fist clenched tight. A minor setback he told himself. He will find a way to get at them. Te Dee and his smug attitude, Marilyn and John, the Stonewall sisters, and most particularly, Silent Death. Yes, he will find a way.

Te Dee stepped out the Council chamber to be faced with a man in a black nightsuit, with a black helmet over his head, carrying a katana at his waist. The man bowed to Te as he fell in step behind him.

"Lancaster hates you more than ever," the man in black stated.

Te smiled.

"Lancaster's weakness is his anger. When things turn against him, he gets angry and blames everyone around him. And when he is angry, he doesn't think clearly, and that gives me the upper hand."

The man in black nodded his head.

"So, you make him angry at you so he will keep making foolish mistakes that allows you to keep him in his place."

"Exactly," stated Te.

There was a moment of silence between them, but one that is borne out of their familiarity with each other.

"I have a job for you, Barry."

The man in black bowed his head again.

"And who do you wish to die now?"

Te shook his head.

"I want you to keep tabs on Jarred Jacoby and the Stonewall sisters. I want to be kept appraised of their progress. Its going to take some time to form, and I will slow it down as much as I can, but this Special Task Force the Council wishes to form will be a test for them, and one that they will fail if they are not prepared."

Barry bowed his head and turned to leave.

"Barry."

Barry stopped and turned back around.

"See if you can arrange that some files on Rogues and suspected Paranormals gets into Mr. Jacoby's hands. I think he could use the help."

Barry bowed again, turned, and walked away. Te Dee watched him go and pondered the future. From this point on, he will be walking a very fine line. And, if the rest of the Council found out what he was doing, that Special Task Force, as well as the Council themselves, would turn against him. After all, if he were found to have betrayed them, they would have no choice but to eliminate him.

Te smiled, as this was exactly the kind of challenge he relishes. The challenges to his survival.