Written by: Erin Weinstock
Jake almost felt like checking the time on his watch at this point. His mother Freda had been hugging him for he guessed at least three minutes by now. It was understandable he knew, but he had to board the train near by. It would be departing soon and if he missed it, well laying it on her what she had done would be a little hard to do.
Heather coming most of the way out of the boarding door to the waiting California Zephyr, tried her best to get her attention and his. Trying to make herself noticed came as a nuisance to passengers just boarding. To them she was nothing more than blockage in their way. To her they were fellow people in need of transport to elsewhere in the country like she was.
As the female JOY agent tapped her whist in desperation to indicate to Jake to truly make note of the time. Jake noticing her made a face of light mocking to his mother. Freda Anatech noticing him, breaking away from her son commented, "that's immature Jake, you're going to be 18 soon."
After going in to give her one final peck on the cheek, he replied to her with, "my idea and your idea of mature are two different things."
Freda stood her ground as she watched Jake run over to his friend at the train to then board it. Otto couldn't help but shake his head as he watched her fidgeting with her hands. He knew that meant she wanted to further intrude on their boy's traveling plans but knew better than to try the act. The agent's commanding officer Chief Aquino standing beside Otto noticed it as well but took no action. He was well aware of how the Anatech family handled their internal matters and knew everything was working out for the best.
When Freda walked over to the pair of men, she voiced her concerns, "It feels too soon. He should still be with us and Medstar Hospital, and more JOY officers than just his best friend."
Aquino was prepared for what he had felt she'd say and let loose with his thought out speech to her. "Your son insisted on this job, miss. We don't know a lot about this purple spider he spoke of except it's likely connected to Scolex Enterprises as some kind of fringe group. Nutty as a cashew tree made up of wackos. I don't believe the kid encountered some kind of freak that night but I won't deny him investigating these guys."
"But-," was all Freda could think to verbalize in trying to give a retort to the Chief's reasoning before Otto intervened adding.
"They did break into a government building, Freda. That in it's self warrants the matter looked into."
Pouting Freda asked not only her husband, but also Aquino, "well why does this investigation have to take so long? You've given those kids two weeks to try and get to the bottom of this."
"First off traveling by train takes longer then going on plane. Jake needs some time for himself minus us and people like Fricker with his lot & doctors." Otto replied to her, hands now on her shoulders hoping that firm reasoning and him smiling would get through to her about what was taking place.
His gestures didn't work, so mildly ticked off, turning away from him ,she asked, "second off?."
Aquino answered for Otto. "Haven't you ever noticed when your son gets determined to do something, stopping him isn't easy?"
Otto taking initiative added, "likely this lead they're on is resolved minus anything bad happening. Heather is with him and she's vowed to us. Remember that dear? She vowed to us she wouldn't let Jake out of her sight when they're doing mission work with this."
Starting to give in to the men's words but far from voicing that, Freda commented. "First you guys speculate they need to be going to Montana, then Colorado, then California. He's going to be so far away."
Using words he hoped would end the woman's thoughts of unsure fear, Chief Aquino stated, "Ms. Tabin has been briefed on any need Jake might have. Miss. Anatech everything is going to be ok."
Checking to make sure he was in the right train car, Jake looked above the door leading into the cabin he'd just entered. The sign stapled there read 18, he hadn't made a mistake. Looking at his ticket and then to the seats, he then tried to locate Heather. The two of them had become separated shortly after entering the train, though to her case reentering the train.
She having been on the look out for her younger colleague since she'd lost him in the still boarding crowd. With everyone now sitting down in their seats, he wasn't hard to spot at five foot nine height, in his scrunched dyed leather jacket & dark shaded blue jeans. Standing up from her seat, she waved to him so he'd be able to find his assigned seat across from her.
Once noticing her and taking his reserved coach seat of 7a, he asked her, "Did you try to pass through car 16? Am I missing something because I got shooed out like I was a security risk."
Rolling her eyes in almost a sigh she answered him. "Rick Rocker is in there. The rich guy refuses to fly."
"Nothing wrong in flying .. heh, can you imagine if Myron took what he did a step further? I'd have my own set of wings or personal helicopter." Jake replied, attempting to make light of recently established changes to his person and what he thought of air travel.
Heather having spent more time with him recently then she had in a while. Being a good friend in helping him deal with his new alterations. She in thinking apparently he meant to always be grumpy to his new self, was now wrong, told him what was a note of mild surprise to her. "That sounded like some note of approval."
Jake after pausing before answering her said. "Not by much. I wouldn't have approved it"
Looking to him before peering out the window nearest her to observe the train start to move. She uttered sentiment to him, herself and his family & new friends had said to him many times in the last few weeks. "It was done for your own -"
Annoyed by hearing it repeated for lord knew how many times he had heard it now. Jake shot back, "I know! Stop reminding me of that!" Pausing to calm down, he added, "I know you all care about me deeply."
One of the Train's Zephyrettes walking by in noticing what she thought was a discontent passenger, asked. "Is everything ok here?"
"Peaceful," was all Jake could think to say to the uniformed lady in reply.
Nodding to the idea she shouldn't further entertain the thought she was needed to service some need of the youths sitting in seats 8a & 7a, she went away from them. Settling into the idea in his head this trip was finally moving under way. Jake proceeded to ask Heather a question to change subjects.
"Bring anything to read? This is going to be a long trip."
Not showing him her stashed novel, Heather answered, "I bought 'The Outback Ghosts', and you?"
Jake produced a paperback copy of 'Cards on The Table' from his bag which he then waved in front of Heather for her to see. Opening up the book and placing it on his lap. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt & jacket for his left arm. Opening up a panel on the arm revealing one of his gadgets, a document scanner.
Grinning at the lady across from him briefly before turning his attention back to the black book with crumbled card on it's cover & ID words sprawled across it. He opened the Dell print to a random set of pages and scanned in their contents. Without looking at the book after having done the scan he quoted it:
"I can see, of course, that it would be perfectly possible to stab the old boy. After all when you're playing bridge, you're playing bridge. You're not looking around you and noticing what is going on. The only person who's likely to be doing that is Dummy. And in this case," Jake stopped there in reading off the text that was now committed to memory.
Despite knowing of the new ability her friend had, Heather still felt a little shocked seeing and hearing it put to use. Commenting about the witnessed action, she said, "you're never going to have to go to school again you know? Second, wouldn't you rather just read a book like a norm - uh, read a book instead of committing it all to memory without having put your eyes on it?"
Twisting his mouth Jake replied, "you say I should welcome my new gifts Katy."
Feeling the need to clarify quickly the meaning of her muddled words, Heather shot at him, "not to you, in you, but I hear Myron is planning on giving you something special for Christmas."
Trying to sink back as far as he could into his seat, Jake replied, "I think I can guess it. I still say what he and his buddies did to that dog is wrong." Thinking more & pausing to then reposition himself to leaning forward at her, he continued to then say, "also you just called him Myron and not Dabble or Mr. Fricker, he's finally starting to get to you isn't he?"
Defensive in the blink of an eye, Heather replied in a raised voice, "there is no attraction between us, or at least me to him!"
When Jake laughed at her flash reaction to his observation, she grabbed a pillow from beneath her seat and offered him more of a reaction, this one physical. "Would you like me to hit you with this?"
As Jake got up from his seat, Heather questioned him. "Where are you going?
"To get something," Jake replied sounding coy about it.
In moving towards the back of the cabin to it's exit, a passenger took hold of him to get his attention. "We're in motion now it's not safe to move around right now," the man voiced in concern for the boy's welfare.
Tolerating the intervention to a point but shaking off the words, Jake stated," "I don't care." Before removing his jacket from the person's grip and moving on.
Walking up to he guessed the male terming would be "Zephyret," at the train car's exit. Whispering to the employee, Jake requested what hung above the door, a sprig of mistletoe. "Just a clip please?"
Eyeing the teen, the crew man stated, "it's decoration for the train."
A tactic he rarely employed mainly because he'd been scolded for doing so. Parents and on high superior officers not present, here it was ok to try. "Government business."
Still feeling weary about the kid before him the man asked, "mistletoe is government business?"
"When it's best put to use with an agent of one of it's organizations, who needs it. Come on, it's just a little fun." Jake verbally poked to the Amtrak crew member.
Not really in the full mood of what Jake was conveying in his. The Zephyret then asked, "give mistletoe to a government agent?"
Jumping in status to his words, yet another thing discouraged when non-official business was taking place, Jake added, "I'm one too."
Sighing in giving up, removing the tiny sprig of the mistletoe and handing it to the agent, he voiced, "sure you are, sure she is. Just don't tell anyone I did this."
Thanking the man and walking back to his seat was, this time not interrupted. Before sitting down and leaning over Heather, an uncomfortable position to both of them. Jake started messing with the hair high up on the back of her head. All he could actually reach unless he tried to fiddle with her hair bangs. Trying to add in his gained prize to her appearance wasn't an easy one.
"Jake what are you doing?!" Heather fretted at him, lightly trying to get him to stop what he was doing to her.
"Adding a little green to that red hair of yours. Green always compliments red you know." He said, replying to her and finishing his work at the same time.
Just before he sat back down, grinning at her, she had already started trying to remove the addition he had added into her hair. Commenting about why he'd done the act, he said, "Keep it in there. Present for Myron too."
Now untangled enough from her carrot mussed hair, Heather looked at the mistletoe joke that had been dealt upon her before flicking it into the aisle. Tilting her head up a little, looking at him, she retorted to Jake. "I am sure one day I'll have a come back for that."
The train sped through the countryside pass snow covered fields with the evening settling in and come in the distance signs of life beyond the fast moving machine with it's passengers & cargo. The evening Jake wished it could settle in a little faster, or at least for that matter something to look at better outside. A town too far off to get a good look at and even if he could get closer look at it, the point? Unless and he doubted it, the train had reason to stop in it, it wouldn't be much more of a blur like most everything out the window came too.
Heather snapped him out of his frustrated with boredom state by asking him, "dinner Jake?"
"The dinning car is open?" Jake asked in reply, still looking out the window.
"It's past five thirty, I don't think they start serving food late on these things," she answered him.
Not taking his attention away from the window, he told her, "planes you know what is happening. They just bring you your meal."
Straightening & getting up from her seat to stand beside Jake, in a matter almost playful, Heather asked him, "do you want me to carry you to the dinning car?"
Glaring at his partner, he complied. Not to the whim of being carried. Heather knew in advance such a gesture done to him would only get more griping and resistance in reply. His acceptance to request came way to easiest solution. Getting up and following his colleague whether he really felt like doing so or not.
Getting saved from Heather Tabin's insistence came as a good and bad thing. The expectancy of food to come had started his hunger turning. Delay to that? He wasn't sure how much of a bad thing to see it. He didn't have to move to her beckoning. They could wait. They had to wait. The train's star passenger was passing through their car. His body guards, groupies? Jake would have to look up that nugget of information on musicians. They were blocking people back, making sure no one could enter the aisle while they beloved employer moved to get beyond the crowd of people native to the train car he was in.
"Jerk," was all Heather could think to say as she got pushed back into the lining of seats she'd recently started to leave from.
"I thought you liked his music?" Jake questioned her, wondering at why she'd say such a thing given music taste.
"New Kids, Whitesnake, Europe, Salt and Pepper, not him. Jake where'd you ever get the impression I liked his music?" She questioned him back, miffed at Jake for having assumed such was her musical taste.
"Maybe with a list like that." Jake let out in a low voice verging on laughter, hitting her in the side while stating his thoughts.
To the crowd already mostly rolling their eyes at their interruption, loyal body guards, groupies, paid fans, to whatever appointed status held, games between friends aren't always viewed as what they are. "Please don't fight for autographs. Mr. Rocker will be signing albums and photos later in car 16."
"Bite me," were the only words Jake Anatech could think to say to his & Heather's misinterpreted punching.
Considering the lack of any more want of attention from the celebrity's entourage, them not hearing the words spoken in low voice worked to their advantage. The pair of JOY agents heard nothing more put in their direction after that point. The musician's flock of bootlickers and their king shortly there after gone into car 19.
A clear path now stood between the pair of JOY agents and dinner. A not clear path lay in front of the train, unknown to it's engineer. A massive machine the size of a bus, technology only known to a few, none very much wanted to acknowledge politely. This experimental device created by Scolex Enterprises now was being put to it's test of design much to the tongue in cheek disappointment of it's creators. Fully camouflaged and acting like a form of storage unit for a gang of goons. It was about to be destroyed in it's front end.
Inside the train in car 21 Jake and Heather took in the spread of what was being offered up for that evening's meal. It was Jake admitted, better than what he'd expect on a plane. Biscuits replacing peanuts. Both of them feeling grateful they didn't have to share their meal in sight of the rock star. Neither of them wanted to hear of the him making proclamations about himself and seeing others around their own age act foolishly around him because of said proclamations. The guy after having grabbed his plate had been escorted from the cabin and back to car 16. Heather eyed Jake's plate before they sat down at the nearest empty table.
"We aren't on a mission exactly. You had better choices up there." She said pointing a thumb back towards the serving stations along the back wall of the room.
"Take advantage when you can, cake hurts no one." He replied cutting off a piece of the dessert with his fork.
It didn't even make it to his mouth. Suddenly the whole car shook with a jolt forward. Fork dropped, people dropped that were standing at the time. Fine china shattered and the fully lit area started to have it's lights sputter acting like they weren't sure if they wanted to stay on or not.
"What just happened!?" Heather asked still gripping the table they were sitting at.
"You think I know?! Best guess the train just hit something! I - I don't hear it's motion anymore!" Jake sharply answered his friend's question.
Calming down after a few long breaths, standing up Heather looked to Jake and said. "We are JOY agents. It's our job now to calm down the other passengers and get down the the bottom of this, Jake."
After getting up and following the lead given by , Jake trying to look like he truly held authority to those around him, shouted into the dinning car, "Is anyone hurt?"
Answers from various people in the crowd of fellow passengers came fast. Nothing sounded too serious of what they replied back to him with. A hurting ankle, likely a sprain. Cuts, be them minor since they'd come from pressing against by mistake broken porcelain plates. Aching in sides & limbs, just the result of falling and banging into tables, chairs, and of course the floor.
Heather decided to investigate how well a mother was handling the accident. The other woman cuddling her child, burying into her inter shoulder crying about the situation. Looking around the car at the rest of the people present, Jake couldn't see anyone else who looked in need of comforting. The man who had the likely sprain started to shoo off the teen, when Jake had looked again in his direction. The man had guessed and right, the 17 soon to be 18 year old wanted to try and tend to him. He didn't want the attention. Jake could respect that even if the other person needed help. Clearly they felt they could still handle what was wrong solo.
That begged a new question. Solo, would Heather allow Jake that much? They weren't in California yet. No where near the potential danger they seeking out to encounter. Mysterious deadly creatures surely weren't lurking about here.
He asked her, "what happened to the train. Are you ok with me going off to question the staff not here? I doubt Chief Aquino would see anything wrong in that. The danger has clearly passed at this point. We've lived through it and besides, neither of us knows how the passengers outside the dinning car are faring."
Lights still flickering, Heather turned her attention away from the older woman and child, to answer him. "Approved, go on ahead and report back to me anything relevant."
Looking around the train car again, Heather then continued with, "I'm sure we aren't the only ones wondering what exactly happened.
Given his senior officer's go ahead, Jake went forward with the plan which in turn actually had him go backwards from car 21 to car 20. This one wasn't as well off as the dinning car had looked after the event of the crash, recovery was hopefully starting from. It was barren of passengers which the cyborg was grateful for. That meant no one here could be hurt. What made it worse than the dinning car was it's complete lack of lighting, and suitcases stored in the overhead compartments laying all over the floor from where they'd fallen from. Plus one more thing. The car was slanting to the side ever so slightly. Train car 20 was not all the way connected to the track any more.
Wanting to balance in his walking all the way and press forward in good sight of what lay before him considering the abundance of suitcases strewn about. Jake took a moment to activate two of his new additions to himself, gadgets installed into him. His electromagnets located in his hands and feet, for getting a better grip on the shifted floor. Added to that a tiny flashlight in his left ring finger.
Activating them is something he'd had to do run throughs with Myron back at JOY numerous times. The fat man had insisted the juvenile learn to do these things almost blindfolded. Jake had wished they weren't installed the way they were. Needing manual input by touching one eighth sized buttons right above the scanner built into his left arm. The artificially induced nerve conduction now running through the arm felt weird, and he was sure eventually he'd get used to it. After all now he could feel the arm. What he didn't like about this were the tiny buttons when he pressed them because of this. Indenting flesh with metal intermixed in shape, a circle was too weird for him at this point of adjusting to his new mish-mash of a body.
When the electromagnets activated Jake soon realized there was a small fault in his logic of using them where he was. Yes, the whole train was made of metal except the smooth surfaces covered in plastic, fabric, and glass meant for people to truly touch. But that was the problem, it was too much metal and his ability to affix himself to it through his magnets caused an issue he had not faced back in Washington DC. He was cemented to the floor, his whole body lunged forward and down, hands before him stuck to the surface underlying him. Awkwardly on all fours and thinking as embarrassing as it felt at least no one saw him in this state.
In hearing metal creaking overhead, Jake tried to turn his head as much as he could to see where it was coming from. More problems with the train? If that were the case he knew his trouble might soon be worse than it already was. With the car he was in already tilted. What if it was on it's way to turning over to it's side, or completely upside down?! His electromagnets whether they were truly cause for embarrassment or not. Soon him being fixed to the floor of the train car, safe from tumbling with it, might soon save his life.
Knowing still the life saving hiccup he found himself in was an issue, he did the only thing he knew he must do. Call for his friend and partner to try and help him out of this mess minus her becoming wrongfully entangled in it. With hearing the creaking growing faster in a winding sound, Jake prepared himself to shout out for Heather, hoping she wouldn't be entering the car just as it rolled over.
Sounds starting to come from his mouth he stopped himself from continuing with listen to the new sounds he heard. They caught him off guard and quickly told him he had been wrong about car 20 ready to roll fully on to it's side or upside down. With the winding & creaking sound gone and hearing movements clearly not belonging to the California Zephyr he was grounded to. He realized in a snap the noises belonged to the over head hatch meant to be used by people to escape the train in emergencies.
Was what was going on even worse than feared? If that was the case at least people were coming to help out those in need. At just thinking of those in need he then remembered he was now one of them. Agent Heather was the only person that while likely she'd laugh at him, he still felt better about her discovering his predicament than anyone else. He groaned to himself closing his eyes as he heard the sounds of people coming into the cabin with him.
He opened an eye when in surprise he heard none of them questioning him if he needed help or how the hell he'd gotten fixed to the floor by all limbs. The people were ignoring him and what Jake had a hard to fathoming now is even with his flashlight on and dim moon light shining through the windows of the train. He could barely make out people were even around him at all. They seemed to be wearing some form of camo over their whole bodies except parts of their faces and ears.
Having encountered military numerous times in his life and having seen still a good amount of news reports showing soldiers in action. He now wondered who they served in realizing they could be with any branch of the US military. He knew even his new friend nicknamed dabble because of how much time he spent fooling around with machines and various sciences, would be in awe of what these guys had on them.
The camo suits by commands issued by control boxes fixed to them, the people kept adjusting at what came across to him as every twenty to thirty seconds apart. Were changing to match their surroundings. The suits made them blend into the cabin area in a chameleon way that almost made them invisible. Fascinated by the technology he was watching in action, Jake then snapped himself out of the bedazzled daze he was in. They he felt likely were not up to any good.
Trying his best to part hands from floor. After struggling with this act for what felt like too much time spent. Which meant to Jake the time it took for the potential criminals to exit the train car to head to the next one up from him, number 19. He broke his right hand free, truly the only one needed for the next warranted action. To then with it tap the button on his left forearm that controlled his electromagnets. Still not an easy task to accomplish with freed hand, in reaching for the controls to make the adjustment, he had to keep it from jerking down back to the floor.
The thought did go through his head to just follow after them to discover what they were up to. No harm, and then the unpleasantness of reality dawned on him. Whether he wanted to push forward with this task or not. Doing it solo was not in the cards for him. He had to get Heather in on the action. No one would ever forgive him otherwise if yet again he got hurt. Lord knew he thought the result that would have on his body if again the worst happened to him. His imagined predicament stated it to as such:
. Get knocked out.
. Bleed or get broken bones or even now in addition, broken circuits.
. Get rushed to whatever the nearest hospital is.
. Heather delivers the news and gives his parents heart attacks. Likely his mother and then father.
. New people work on his bruised body.
. Wa-lah! A second head, tail, three new fingers on each hand, and he'd be able to talk with gerbils fluently.
Coming back into the dinning car, Jake noticed Heather's position almost immediately. She was standing up now, apparently waiting for him to greet her with news of discovery. Jake noticing the pair of mother & daughter she'd been helping comfort were doing well, went to his partner to relay what that was exactly, and what he then wanted her to do.
"I agree car 20 is in danger right now. Likely it's not any better back in 18. That might be completely on it's side along with the rest of the train beyond it. But Jake these people you're describing. Blending into the environment like chameleons through some kind of technology. That sounds tad on the side of fantasy. Are you sure about what you saw? True, people could have come into the cabin through the roof access, but why? What could they possibly want?" Heather retorted at him.
"Don't deny me like everyone else is. I know what I saw. Second, we've all heard of train robberies, Heather. This is nothing new." Jake snapped back at her, going into controlled sarcasm towards the end of his commenting.
"I wasn't talking about what happened a few weeks ago. I might not have seen what happened, but I believe you about it." Heather defended herself verbally, looking sorrowful at Jake while saying the words.
Shaking his head, Jake continued, "That, ah I know you're just being a good friend with that. I'm not fine with you not truly believing me about the attack. But please believe me with this. These people are on board the train right now. We need to find out what they're doing here! Likely they have something to do with what's happened!"
Pointing towards the door he'd just come through a short time ago. His voice having raised higher and higher as he'd finished making his statement. Both Jake and Heather had it dawn on them, their chat was now at the attention of everyone in sight.
Sometimes training can go right out the door depending upon situation. This was one of those moments. Both JOY agents had been taught how to deal with such things as speaking with officials they didn't deal with regularly. How to deal with press agents and how to deal with others of similar ranking but worked for other helpful organizations. The common man was in there too. They just felt unprepared for that currently.
Heather smiled to the crowd and gave them a thumbs up while side stepping carefully towards the door leading to car 20. Jake knowing he was at the root of what was happening to the public at hand took a different approach. Following his lady friend in a louder than normal voice he told them. "Everything is being taken care of, no worries!"
No longer facing the fellow passengers, and murmuring to himself he added, "your fine, I'm fine, not nervous, Katy's trying."
Meeting with Tabin back in car 20, Jake felt warm accomplishment come over him when he noticed her looking at the opened roof access hatch. Confirmation to part of his story to her. That feeling of pride mixed with joy went away with her next actions.
Pointing up to it she asked him, "you have electromagnets in you right? You can just go up the wall and out through the access. You can see what the train hit if that's the case."
If the lighting in the cabin had been better, she would have seen him lose some of the color from his face. Replying with the best words he could think to use to cover up his new mix of emotions. Embarrassment with fear, he said, "the whole train is metal. I can't do it."
Puzzled at what felt like an oxymoron coming from Jake as to why gadgets built into him meant for doing such things as this, would fail to do the job, she continued, "that would be a plus. What's wrong?"
Blushing and not wanting to reveal his reasoning, Jake attempted to goose step around the issue by replying. "Too much metal is damaging to me in such contact."
"Not according to Mr. Fricker. I'm well aware of your new abilities, strengths and weaknesses." She stated back to him, wondering why he'd say what felt like a lie.
"And just how would you know so much about them? What did he show you blueprints or tech specs. over what he put in me?" Jake shot back at her speaking lightly sarcastic in the act.
"Over coffee at Clifton Cafe, he wanted to talk with me in depth. This wandered into talk about you." Feeling sheepish for no reason other than that of the know of the why behind the further words to her answer, she went on to add, "he wouldn't stop talking and I tried to be polite. So yeah, I know everything about your gadgets."
Feeling almost backed into a metaphorical corner, Jake decided stubbornness and different logic to the matter they were dealing with was the only way this matter could be dealt with better. Countering his partner, he told her, "Myron can get carried away with himself in odd directions. Heck, I'm proof of that! You can't take everything he says to heart. Ok, drop this now, the train hit something! We should be more concerned with the people in camo! What they're doing on board!?"
Annoyed at Jake's insistence to not investigate a prominent matter of the moment. Having her order to him being snapped at to the idea of being overwritten. Heather glared at the other JOY agent, but knew he still had a point.
It did in fact sound to her like more fantasy. People with clothes on that could blend into the environment by the tapping of a few commands into a controlling device fixed into them. Technology driven fabric, nonsense. But then again four weeks ago she would have thought the idea of a cyborg to be nothing more than science fiction. She knew now and facing her, her friend of all people, fiction could be easily replaced by sound reality.
People in techno-chameleon suits she conceded with doubt still twinging had to be on board the California Zephyr. But what could they possibly be doing? Surely they likely stood to blame for what had happened to the train. Was this act playing out to be truly some kind of high-tech done robbery? What could be on board the train worth stealing? She voiced as much to him. Not her receding doubt about the camouflaged men. Just that likely they were to blame for the train's predicament. Likely what they were doing on board it, added with what could be worth stealing.
"I think it's predictable what everyone has on board in their luggage is mundane. With likely one exception among us," Jake pointed out to her.
Heather slapped her head when it struck her who he was referring to. Shaking her head as she voiced with confidence the answer, "I've been trying to push that guy out of my head since we boarded this train."
"You even said he was rich. They're all rich Heather. Any rock star you can name." Jake motioned around himself while replying, in a show of light frustration.
Noticing her friend's oddly found attitude, she questioned him as they started carefully moving forward through the cabin towards car 19. "It bothers you the guy has money?"
Opening the door that held the needed connection to the 19th train car, Jake answered her with, "no, it's just that it didn't dawn on others a guy like him would need protection past his lemming entourage. As much as I don't like the idea, if he has any important connections outside the music world people like us would have been tapped to ensure nothing bad happened to him."
"Life is unfair Jake."
Making a face Heather couldn't see since she was now ahead of him, Jake spoke his mind again and almost sighing replied. "You're preaching to a well seasoned choir here."
While Mr. Rocker looked from stance like he was ready to defend himself, in truth he wasn't. The strange people moving about his for this trip personal train car, the one only meant for him and his staff, were unnerving him. Some of his staff had tried to interfere with the working thieves and all they'd gotten in turn were darts that knocked out the helping hands, sometimes causing the interfering party to make horrified pained faces, before falling. Poison? The rest of his loyal traveling company at seeing that simply fled the scene not wanting to discover if that were so.
He had thought to do that himself strongly. What prevented him from this was knowing what he'd likely be losing if he did. The thought did hit the green haired musician if he encouraged them to take him to. To essentially kidnap him, he'd still be able to keep his money and expensive belongings. What stopped that line of thinking was remembering these people probably couldn't be well reasoned with, very likely even if willingly captured and taken away somewhere, they wouldn't treat him well.
Holding his favorite guitar by it's neck like a weapon he kept glancing between the strange men and the stringed instrument. By just gripping it in such a manner as he was, he wondered if he was putting the prized object to harm minus the thieves trying to get their hands on it first. One of a kind the handcrafted B.C Rich had been given to him by his manager at the start of his professional career and damn anyone but him who ever attempted to even breathe on it.
He started to raise it over his head, not thinking when he noticed the movement of more bodies entering the train car. The impulsive action stopped the moment he noticed the pair entering the room he was in, looked normal. Sighing, he lowered the six stringed instrument smiling at them mildly with relief. These people he felt grateful, weren't of the strange type currently robbing him.
"Watch out for the weirdies." Rocker told Jake and Heather, his eyes wide with the rest of his face showing a look of dumbfounded panic.
Heather acknowledged the musician's words raising a hand to gesture as much, before looking off to find Jake further into the train car. The positioning they were all being faced with was much worse now than it was when they'd been near the back of the train. Car 20 maybe were the first signs stood that the vehicle was off the track to a degree. Here down in car 16 it was very clear the train wasn't touching the track at all. Car 16 was completely on it's side.
When the pair were on route to the car, luck had shown it's self present for most of the Zephyr's passengers. Most of them had been in the dinning car when the accident had occurred. Those who had not been in the dinning car either weren't hurt at all by the event, hurt too a degree that the JOY agents limited medical training told them how to deal with, and people the pair wished they could help but couldn't.
Here in the cabin to car 16 about half it's lighting was present, the toppled out baggage wasn't as bad as it had been in cars 20 through 17. An easy bet because only one person was truly using the space for the time being. As Heather took in Jake carefully moving on the tilted surface, still showing refusal to do an act she knew could help him. She finally noticed what the rock star did and what she had only halfhearted believed the other teen about. People blending almost into the environment of the cabin. She joined Rocker in stunned shock as she looked on at them.
Having been aware of the men in advance, Jake wasn't feeling as surprised by them as he first had. Now he felt he had a slightly better grip on things happening even if one aspect of them was weighing heavily on his mind. Tapping the shoulder of the nearest one to him, Jake commented to the suited man. "I can see you are in the process of trying to rob mister pop star. But could you please stop? Would you?"
The suited man Jake had spoken to in reaction turned around to eye the JOY agent before tapping a control pad filled with buttons on his techno-camo. It was the same pad Jake had noticed him and the others tapping at when he'd first seen them. It controlled the chameleon ability the outfit had. Seeing the working of the controls didn't bother the youth. What bothered him was seeing that the suit's reaction to the new commands it was being fed, weren't now trying to disguise the person better. Now to the result of the punched in new commands, the suit in both of it's gloves over the palms had started to extrude small metal tubes with holes in them which could easily, Jake guessed, shoot some form of projectile at him.
"I have a weapon too sir. Please don't take further action or I'll be using it on you." Jake said uneasily, hoping the suited man couldn't hear in tone what he was feeling.
"Sure you do kid." The suited man said by reply before taking aim at Jake.
In quick reaction realizing what likely was soon going to take place, Jake grabbed the man's arm with half concealed weaponized hand and tossed it down, and with added reflex tried to get him into a hold position. Defensive training was a seasonal course he'd been taking with JOY ever since he had joined the organization. It told him among other things how to restrain another in under fifteen seconds. Something not in his training was how to deal with awkward flooring when doing the act. Back in the GYM area where the lessons were held were gym mats. Here it was curving wall and close seating. Both men hit what once had been the roof with it's over head baggage compartment.
As the compartment on impact of the suited man and Jake opened to show it's contents. The thief chuckled at the action that had been taken against him. While being effective in preventing him from harming the boy, it showed the younger man as far from being a threat.
"Strong weapon!" He laughed now returning his positioning to take aim at Jake again. "Here let me show you what Dinactox does! Pass you out or kill you. That all depends on how that scrawny body of yours takes to it!" He continued, a look of demented pleasure showing over what was revealed on his face.
Jake kicked him in the gut before stomping down the weapon ready gloved hand. Pressing down on the nail of his left pointer finger, prompting a mechanical release to take place with the nail button having pressure on it. The JOY agent revealed a laser once hidden in the tip of the finger.
"This is a strong weapon! It hasn't been tested yet on anything living! Do you want to see what it can do first!?" The officer called agent snapped at the suited man.
The reaction was not what the cyborg had been expecting. The other man was smiling at him. Figuring out why he'd do such a thing in the face of danger wasn't hard. He was not alone, but then again neither was the government officer.
Heather now stood behind a second techno-camo wearing man in front of her. A damaged mildly nice looking guitar in her hands. The only one she'd been able to get a hold of without threat of harm being done to her by it's owner. She, a normally a very professional in nature at handling her job woman, didn't make light of her work often when on duty. Now she was showing otherwise to that, she too looked to have reason to be cheerful. She was venting anger in multiple ways and just being in action, in the thick of this confrontation having the upper hand made her feel great.
"Turn around with your hands up or your going to get wood splinters in the back of your head!" She demanded of the person she was standing behind.
"Scolex doesn't pay me enough to deal with squirts like you but I'm going to make an exception to that now!" The suited person in front of Heather exclaimed as he jammed his right elbow into her in a backwards motion. The blow pushing her away to make her hold herself for a second in recovery before she regained her composure and swung the drum of the practice instrument at her attacker.
Splinters of wood didn't break off on the side of his face, but fallen to the floor, she noticed where his face was visible, bruising on him was starting fast. She had knocked him out, she just hoped not for good as she bent down to check his vitals. Noticing she really had only done such a simple act, this presented a temporary dilemma Jake aimed to fix. Discovering why this was all taking place.
Except for one of the thieves, six in total. The one Jake was holding at laser point was the only one that could be questioned over motivation for what had taken place. Why the rest of them couldn't be questioned is as follows:
. The first in trying to attack the redhead had made the fatal mistake of how she chose to position her weapon ready gloved hand. It was faced towards her body when starting the lunge at the JOY agent without even knowing the danger presented in the hand with it's micro-sized dart guns, the weapons facing inwards in this started attack. Heather with great force pushed away the tech-camo clothed woman, force feeding her, her own toxin. When the woman dropped Heather wondered if the increased workouts she'd been doing lately had given her more strength then she thought they had.
. The second one faced didn't resort to readying their toxic pins for firing. That one, a man the came across from what little could be seen of his face as the oldest of the group, tried to use advanced fighting moves on the young lady. Due to the fact he was engaging his full attention on the opposing woman. He didn't notice the target of his thieving acts showing he had some backbone. Feeling unsure of his actions but ready to try them anyway. Rick Rocker slammed his Harmony electric into the side of the man, that had an unintended side effect but one helping the radio star and government employee. After the hit to one side it had made the man slam into another object. One of the train cars nice wooden framed seats. Both Tabin and Rocker could hear a cracking noise with the impact. Broken ribs they'd both decided. The man clearly couldn't be questioned very coherently now.
Rocker stunned by his own action in it's full implications, staring at his damaged guitar, sideways handed it to the 19 year old dame. These worrisome implications more came from tabloid type fears, than reality. The thoughts of, 'golden record maker goes insane and beats up old man' and 'MTV the list of who is who now of yesterday and why that is'.
. The third one a younger man in reverse of the stressing musician, decided to show that underneath his mean persona criminal exterior, he didn't really have a backbone. He ran away and in showing his nature, everyone present also saw how well he thought out the rest of his actions. When he had decided to take off, he'd forgotten to take with him the bag of loot he had been collecting.
. The fourth one was a woman that looked like she was not in the best of shape for fighting. This factor of health made her start to program her weaponized glove for firing. She knew she couldn't fend off the mystery girl or what she had thought to be a helpless target, with normal combat. She in her state of poor shape really enjoyed using her mini-darts. Getting the chance to use them was something her would be prey other lady wouldn't let her see happen.
Slamming the newly gained guitar in grip, Heather let it crash on to the control pad on the woman's suit. When the suited woman screamed holding her arm in pain, two things were learned then about her. One, she had not been able to input the whole of the needed command coding for prized weapon activate when the control panel was destroyed. Two, she didn't speak English. Now while no understanding of what she was saying was needed to catch the fact Heather had apparently broken the lady's arm. Understanding her in an interrogation would be needed if the younger woman wanted answers.
The man noticing he was now the only Scolex employee that could be spoken to by these two. Glared at them, ready to make what he was sure to come next not easy for them. He knew they like him likely wanted something but unlike him, doubted it was what the wealthy train passenger had brought on board with him. Still questions of his own boiled within his head he wanted answers to. His glare now had double meaning about the present conflict in all that surrounded it.
Jake in well acknowledging his status to the suited angered man, took the initiative in starting the questioning almost growling out his words. "You guys fall far outside being normal criminals, so explain first who you are?"
"Criminals of the highest order, freak." The suited man replied to the young man in front of him.
The statement was meant be vague, it was also meant to be cutting. He while wanting to give the teen a hard time also wished to insult the kid into revealing his own secrets. The exposed weapon that had been concealed in his pointer finger was proof he had interesting things of his own to say, if prompted correctly.
Trained not to take somethings personally and being used to a lifetime of not being like everyone else, allowed Jake to continue on not taking the offense to heart. Using his right arm that with the exception of what laid beneath it's skin, the electromagnet in it's palm not currently in use and the hair thin wires that ran from it to the controlling mechanisms elsewhere in his body. The JOY agent used it to press the man further against the ceiling he'd already been lying against to a degree.
"The Warland group?"
Surprised at hearing the name of the town his employer's base of operations worked in. The area the hollowed out mountain named Everfrost resided in. The suited man forgot about his goal of making it hard for the youth to extract information from him. The surprise given by Jake's knowledge as limited sounding as it came across. Made the man say the proper name of who he worked for. "Scolex Enterprises, kid."
"I know the name I just don't like it. Ever consider something that sounds better? Like the Warland group?" Jake wasn't kidding the older man with what he was voicing. It was genuine and he'd been thinking about it off and on since he'd first heard of Scolex Enterprises.
Anger building more, the tech-camo suited man in drawn out speech, answered Jake's query, "We don't want to offend where we mainly reside and are proud to follow the son of the great great renowned godfather, mister Stanford Scolex."
Heather being aware Jake might not drop vocalizing his thoughts about the felon's employer's name, took over her partner's questioning of the man. "Why steal from some guy jamming in the top forty?"
"I'm not just any guy rocking the top forty! I am rock! Three albums golden in the last five years! More hits on the charts then anyone I bet you've ever listened to missy babe and lizard man!" Rocker shouted coming forward waving a finger at the suited man and two JOY agents. The musician enraged at Heather's seemingly informal way of stating who he was. Ego overtaking his vanishing fear of what had been taking place around him.
Being unsure what to make of Rocker's ending words, she questioned them, "lizard man?"
"I think the guy meant lizard man in his color changing chameleon-like clothes." Jake replied, feeling sure that's what the nickname implied.
"This shit I'm wearing ain't cheap and it's experimental. We need money to make our gear better." After explaining why the attempted robbery had taken place. The suited man put his attention back on to Jake's laser exposed finger. Continuing to talk, he now posed his own question, "and speaking of experimental, what the hell is that? I called you freak because it looks to be a part of you but I doubt that. What kind of glove is it?"
Annoyed and not wanting to explain his augmented body, Jake answered him. "Something not as faulty as what you're wearing. You Warland guys were making adjustments to those suits of yours every few seconds. What kind of camo is that?! Bogus experimental if you ask me."
"Scolex Enterprises," the suited man said through gritted teeth.
Talking to herself but caught by the company around her, Heather commented, "and me without any handcuffs."
"We don't normally carry handcuffs, Katy." Jake replied to her, feeling that she should have known better than to say such a thing.
Moving away a little and sounding exasperated she stated, "JOY should let us have them on hand if needed," sighing she then added, "just call me Darryl. Jake I'm aware of what is."
"Darlene sounds better," Jake said in reply.
To say her thoughts about Anatech's joking with her and without actually voicing them, Heather twisted her lips and glared at him in annoyance. They had a problem here and he was making light of it more than she was. Looking around herself it struck her neither of them had asked the man working for Scolex Enterprises about a matter that was an oversight on their part in not asking about it earlier. But an oversight that probably could be forgiven if she was right about it.
Hoping the question wouldn't make her look foolish like the comment about the handcuffs had, she went forward in asking, "you people caused this to happen to the train didn't you?" Words said as motioning took place, Heather waved a hand around the turned over cabin to indicate what she was talking about.
Now the suited man simply gave up any thoughts he had about giving them a hard time answering their questions. His hands couldn't be more red unless they actually got painted that way. Replying to the accomplice to the boy in front of him, he answered, "yes, same kind of tech me and my buddies have, but bigger."
"The train hit something disguised, that would explain it." After making the statement, Jake paused and added smiling at the Scolex employee, "that may work when standing still but not on people. You guys aren't that easy to spot but not impossible."
Wanting to feel in some way useful again beyond what was now regret of using and lending his practice Harmony electric to act as a club against the criminals. Rocker offered the only thing he could to help them all, or at least the people present who were on the right side of the law. The offer being getting those that could do more, correctly deal with the tech-camo clad men and women.
Agreement took place to let the musician break out his phone to call the local cops to the scene. Jake marveled in amusement at the cellular phone. Size of a brick, the JOY agent felt glad is new friend Myron hadn't installed one into him. Because if the Swedish bio-technology innovator had, Jake was sure a few weeks back upon waking up in Medstar Hospital, he would have noticed some significant chunk of his body replaced to accommodate it.
Rocker calling the police at this point prompted faster action to response from them than expected. This matter of them showing up in the span of a few minutes could have been foreseen given the derailed state of the train. With all the commotion going on around them, some provoked by them. They'd forgotten the large commercial passenger vehicle where it was lolled on to it's side off track surely had attracted the attention of local rescue workers & law enforcement to survey the scene.
After car 16 had the local police enter it to take in what had taken place in it, to judge how to further proceed with the matter at hand. Once every one law abiding had been questioned and once non-professional behavior was done with from an officer wanting an autograph. Rick Rocker upon deciding a pause could be taken before calling his agent, that the people that had come to his aid, the girl and to say the least, very unique boy. Deserved some form of reward for their actions.
"I'm good nothing needed," Heather exclaimed, waving him off politely.
Miffed but not totally soured by having his gratitude being turned down. Rocker asked Jake what he felt had a sure fire answer to it that in turn would give him a little satisfaction to doing a generous act. "So, who's you favorite musician of all time young ass kicker?"
"John Coltrane," Jake answered grinning slyly.
"Ok," Rocker replied, drooping his expression but still keeping some optimism about dealing with the JOY agent. He then located a large chest labeled boldly, 'Promotional M.S' the M and the S, standing for media & sales. Opening it and after rummaging through it for a few seconds, he found what it was he was after. The found object now on route to Jake in the musician's hand was a tape of his latest album, 'Neon Lit Sky'. Sealed up and ready for sale, this copy would be a present to the young man.
"Oh, it's ok. You don't have to." Came Jake's answer as he tried to politely turn it down.
In not wanting another turn down completely and feeling just a little perplexed about why that might even happen. Rocker pressed it into Jake's hand insisting, "I have plenty of these. It's no sweat, and hey you might just like it."
Caving in Jake smiled and unwrapped the cassette from it's packaging, eyeing it. Rocker noticing the odd youth looking over the tape, the boy reading what music tracks it contained. Thought maybe a second offer should be made to the kid. "You need a tape player for that? I could hook you up with one of those too."
Shaking his head lightly in the fashion of saying no and saying as much, Jake then continued and said. "I have that covered to the extreme."
As Jake unbuttoned his shirt, Rocker just stared at what he was looking at. He knew it was rude to stare but couldn't help it. He'd never seen anything like it before. Flesh toned metal paneling covering the chest of the guy standing in front of him. It looked unreal and yet seemed very much a part of the body of the kid.
When the JOY agent proceeded to open a panel of his chest plating, located on to the right of where his augmented heart was. Rocker began to feel more uneasy about what he was seeing and light headed to boot. Then when the teen pressed it into himself, this showing that the panel had in fact been the outer covering of a tape player. The radio star, causing new attention to be brought to him. Came by way in the form of a stretcher made available from the rescue workers present, in needing to be taken away himself.
The Amtrak bus used to replace the downed California Zephyr, now with departed passengers sitting in it's LA station. When it had been running, didn't make nearly as much noise as the construction workers busy on the job they had on the upturned earth & work debris littered Burbank lot they were transforming. It was nerve racking and looking over paperwork he had to review, Doctor Kein Hunter half wondered why he had even agreed to what was going on around him. The aluminum sided box home he'd been living in on site for the last month and a half did next to nothing to shelter his ears from what was taking place.
Looking out it's quote un quote living room window, raising a hand above his eyes and squinting at the sight outside, he tried to find a defined source to what he was hearing. Chalking up everything going on around him as everyday grunt construction work was irresponsible of him. After all he was the man behind what they were working on, making a new and more improved headquarters for the organization he had founded. RAGE, he felt here had a much better chance succeeding in it's efforts. California after all had a reputation as being home to people that were more open minded then in other states. Colorado he had once thought to have people of the same type but where he'd started his work there, Grand Valley he discovered after a few years trying to work there, it had been a poor choice of location. Towns nestled in between Rocky Mountain peaks had little for resources in them. They also offered little for coming into contact with native cryptids to the area as well.
Finally spotting a bulldozer using it's track link assembly to clime up the chasm that was being created from the what would be the lower levels of part of the complex. Kein saw it dump a newly excavated load of rock, tar sand, and everyday dirt at a growing pile a short distance from the hole. True, it was noisy but necessarily, even the earthen mound being created would one day serve a purpose. Broken down of course, his men and otherwise beings had been told to shift through it for anything that could be used by RAGE later. Some people he knew in the organization might give their eyeteeth for found rare minerals that could be inside it.
Taking in the sight and also noticing a few yards from it a truck that looked to be dropping off more building supplies, Dr. Hunter shook his head at it all. This change of location had not been entirely his decision. His wife where ever she was at that moment, had coaxed him into it once he'd brought up the subject.
Looking at the pile of paperwork in his grip to then give another glance at the window, he gave up on trying to do what was needed in peace. Out of habit of years living in the virtual middle of a state known for it's winter climate. Kein grabbed not his normal thick material sports business jacket but a windbreaker one off a coat rack by the door, he insisted make the move and not be thrown out before that happened.
Once he had donned the light jacket on himself and rolled the pile of papers into pipe form. Hunter headed out of his shack house as he commonly called it to leave his workers to their business and head to Brace Canyon Park. Quiet for the most part, the prospect of doing his work there brightened his current attitude. Almost ready to cross West Olive Street from the lot under construction, he got stopped. Not by physical force but verbal. Not even that demanding sounding for that matter too.
Turning around he spotted his wife Sybil, he noticed her waving to him in requesting his attention. How he'd missed noticing her earlier was nearly a mystery. The woman had an uncanny talent for showing up where he'd least expect her to be. Now it was mingling among the construction that had been taking place around them. Not something he associated her with strongly. Normally she would only do that if she felt it was absolutely needed. Such as changes she thought should be made to the blueprints the men were following or at midnight blessing objects stationed on site then. This summoning of him he was now complying with seemed to be some kind of social matter.
Quickly striding over to where she was standing he couldn't help but notice two new faces with her. A pair of what were they, teens? What could she be doing around them? Sybil never really took an interest in something unless it could benefit herself or him, which he was glad did happen on some occasion. A couple interested in what they were doing or not human? That was always a possibility in their line of work. That thought shouldn't have made him feel hesitant about greeting them but it did. The boy out of the pair didn't look interested in being sociable.
"Well thwaitesia, who have we here?" Kein asked steps away from the trio. Placing his tube of papers under arm before rubbing his hands together to then extend one to the nearest of the unknown visitors.
Taking his hand in a shake, Heather asked him, "thwaitesia?"
"She's my pretty little spider, miss?" Dr. Hunter proclaimed with curiosity burning about who he was dealing with.
"Tabin," Heather replied in removing her hand from his, in the greeting she'd just been given.
Looking to Sybil, Kein questioned her, "new friends?"
"Oh, I should hope so! These two are just a buzz with questions about RAGE! Isn't that nice? They don't seem to want to mock us. Not at all darling." Sybil Hunter replied bursting with enthusiasm.
Jake moved away from her when in she had been answering her husband's question, she had tried to pull him into the hug Heather hadn't been able to escape from. The boy preventing his wife from the tight embrace she now held his companion in made him ask the next important question on his mind. "The lady's boyfriend I assume? Your name is?"
With his right hand, Jake after hesitation took Dr. Hunter's outstretched hand in his. Looking the older man straight in the eye he answered, "Jake Anatech, and she is not my girlfriend. She is my partner. Yes, we do have some questions for you about RAGE."
In a flash removing herself from Heather, Sybil clapped her hands in front of her. Motioning to them all to follow her. She started to move backwards and in short heels no less. Heather observing the feat wondered if the other woman could maybe teach her to do what she thought impossible over such an uneven surface.
"Come with me all of you! I have some newly imported tea I bet we could all gather around for this nice informative chat! Kein, whatever that is under your arm it can wait. We have new friends here!" Miss. Hunter beamed, saying with vivid delight at the group, at the tail end of her statement focusing her attention on her husband.
Dr. Hunter almost carelessly dropped his papers with the thought of what was coming next. Brace Canyon Park would now have to wait, he thought as he started after them. What mattered to the trio at this point in time couldn't be avoided.
An end, a beginning.