Sanctuary – The Shape Shifter
Henry sat in the front seat of the SUV barely able to keep track of the blinking dot on his pads screen. Kate's driving didn't have much grace and his flinging from side to side despite the security of his seatbelt proved that. "Slow down!" Henry shouted at Kate. "Shut up! You to the tech I'll do the driving" Kate snapped. "Left! Left!" He shouted as the car screeched onto cobblestone paved road. "I said Left!" He yelled as Kate went right. Rolling her eyes she began to turn the vehicle around. As she backed up Henry held up his hand "Stop. It changed course, keep going straight." Annoyed, Kate pulled around and got back on the previous course.
"Learn to read dork." She whispered under her breath as Magnus spoke over the com. " Did you get the shape shifter?" Kate and Henry looked at each other as they noticed a wall directly ahead. "Dead end!" Kate screeched as she slammed her hands on the steering wheel. "This can't be right." Henry said as his hands moved swiftly over his pad. "According to the aerial map this wall shouldn't be here. " Henry stepped out of car. "Will and I are on our way." Magnus informed. Kate acknowledged and then joined Henry.
Henry was feeling the wall. "Seems solid." He continued running his fingers on the stone. "Let's see how solid it is." Kate stepped forward gun drawn. "Whoa!" Henry swiftly moved back as she fired the first shot. "Where'd the bullet go?" Henry gazed in amazement as the bullet disappeared "Well, that's interesting." A voice came from behind. It was Magnus. She and Will stepped forward also to examine the wall. "To the touch it is solid, but then a bullet goes straight through?" Will questioned looking at Magnus. She continued feeling the wall. "Henry," She commanded. "Check for heat signatures. Henry learned not questions Magnus strange requests. He looked at the information and his jaw dropped. "This wall is registering as alive?" He said with question in his voice.
" Guys!" Kate was trying to get their attention. "Seriously, guys, look at this." She pointed toward an area in the wall that seemed to shifting. They all stepped back and were shocked to see a red liquid draining from the wall. "I guess the bullet didn't go straight through." Will said as the wall began to take the form of a young woman. The young woman appeared to be in her mid twenties; she had black short raven hair and was built attractively. She buckled over clutching her stomach. Blood was running quickly pooling on the ground. Will caught her as she fell. "Let's get her back to Sanctuary quickly." Magnus said as Will scooped up the girl.
"How'd it go?" Kate asked standing outside the viewing window into the recovery room. Magnus walked over placing a hand on her shoulder. "Well, the bullet missed her major organs, she should be fine." Magnus smiled "She'll be awake soon, can you ask Will to be there. I think we need to know what her mental state is. Kate nodded and went to find Will.
She opened her tri-colored eyes and saw sterile walls, and a man's face. "Hi, I'm Will." She was terrified. She sat up and then shrunk back in pain. "Be careful, try to rest. Do you have a name?" He smiled as he laid his hand on her shoulder. She didn't mind. "Azna, I'm Azna." She gazed around the room, and noticed the two way glass. "Who's that?" She asked looking directly at the glass. Will looked not understanding what she meant. "It's just us in here." He responded. "We are in the room. I am asking who is in that room out there. The man standing watching us is holding some sort of device." Henry stood in the observation room surprised to see the girl looking directly at him. Will smiled. "Henry turned on the light so we can see you." As the light came on the girl smiled. "You didn't have to turn the light on; I could see him just fine. I just wanted to know who he was."
"Well that was interesting." Will said as he walked into Magnus office. "She could see straight through the two way glass." Magnus smiled "not just the two way glass Will. I finished studying the scans I took. Did you notice her eyes?" Will nodded "Yes they were tri colored." Magnus pulled up a scan on the screen of the computer. "Her eyes are unlike anything I have ever seen. They appear to have morphing properties. She can manipulate light and the density in objects to make them transparent." Will laughed "You mean she has X-Ray Vision?" Just then Kate walked in "Like she can see us all naked?" She laughed as she sat down on the couch and put her feet up. "It's a bit more complicated than that." Magnus said as she began to explain again. Kate held up her hand "I'll just take your word for it." Will turned to Magnus. "So what is she?" Magnus shook her head "I'm not sure, she is unlike any shapes shifter I have seen, but hopefully once she trusts us we can find out more about her."
Henry walked into the small room that was surprisingly empty. He pulled out his talkie to raise alarm when he heard a voice behind him. "You don't need to do that. I'm still here." He quickly turned around almost dropping the plate of food he was holding. "Do you always sneak up on people like that?" He said as he placed the food on a small table beside the bed. She laughed and sat on the chair by the glass window. "Only to the people I like." Henry was trying to ignore the fact that this abnormal was flirting with him, but he had to admit he enjoyed it. "You really should eat something, Magnus you're …" Azna held her hand up in protest. Just then there was cold breeze rushed through the room, and Azna's eyes glazed over. She rose from the chair and then pounced on Henry. They fell against the wall, his strength on hers. He held her firmly against the wall. His face began to change. Azna stopped fighting his grip. Her eyes returned to her normal color and she submitted. Henry let go and backed away heading for the door. "Wait!" Azna yelled as he began to leave. He ignored her leaving the room in hurry.
Henry locked himself in his room for the rest of night. He had to learn to control his changing, but it was growing increasingly difficult. There was a knock at his door. "Henry are you alright?" Magnus said getting no reply. She sighed and walked down to the isolation room to see their new guest. Henry hadn't lost control since he was attacked by his best friend's husband, and that took him being stabbed. There was something about this girl that made him lose control.
Magnus stared at the girl, but something wasn't the same. "I know your there, but I suggest you don't come in." The girl flashed eyes of red toward Magnus. Magnus opened the door and entered. Magnus cautiously walked toward her. As Magnus drew closer Azna body language changed. She turned to face her foe, eyes red and fiery. She met Elizabeth's gaze and lunged forward. Magnus was thrown back and knock unconscious.
"Magnus! Are you all right?" Will shouted at her as he knelt by her not moving body. "Yes I 'm fine." She said as she slowly rose to her feet smoothing out the wrinkles in her shirt. "What's the report?" Magnus asked as she and Will began to exit the room. "Somehow she's either made her way out of the building or she's hiding." They entered the lift and headed for Magnus office. Henry's voice could be heard over the com. "Will we have a problem. I need you and Dr. Magnus down her right now." Will and Magnus exchanged glances and changed the lifts direction. They walked toward the tech room and noticed that Sally was distressed. "Henry what's going on with Sally?" Will asked as he began to hover over Henry's shoulder. "I have no idea; all I know is that we have bigger fish to fry. These are the heat scans that I took back in the alley, and these are the scans from isolation room."
Magnus leaned in with her aw-ah smile spread across her face. "They don't match." She said as Henry nodded. He continued "Here's the scan from when I entered the room and then when Dr. Magnus did." Magnus and Will made eye contact. "Does this mean what I think it does?" Will asked with a half knowing smile, "I believe it does." Magnus and Will rushed out Henry got his net pad and tagged along. "What exactly does this mean? Kate asked as she joined the group walking down the hallway toward the isolation room armed and ready. Magnus smiled "It means we not only have a shape shifter on our hands, but what is called a possessor. It is a symbiotic being that attaches to a host. Sometimes these beings are evil and use the host for bad. In this case I believe the possessor was the one that attacked me." Kate looked confused and Magnus didn't have time to explain. "I'll explain more later, Henry which heat signature is still in the isolation room?" Henry moved his fingers swiftly over the pad "The one that matched the wall in alley." Magnus nodded "Kate put your gun away. We won't need it." Kate rolled her eyes and protested "Yeah right I keep it out until we know for sure."
Magnus was the first to enter the room. She spoke in soft voice like that of the mother she used to be. "Azna? We know that you're in here. I know you didn't attack me, we won't hurt you" There was silence. Magnus looked over her shoulder "Henry?" He glanced down at his pad and nodded. She continued "I know that you're frightened, but it will be ok. All of us are going to put our weapons away." Two of them did and Magnus glanced at Kate. Kate shook her head in rebellion. "Ok correction Will and I will put our guns down." Again there was silence, but then Will noticed the chair that was lying on its side by the wall moving. "Magnus the chair." Will whispered. As he said the words the chaired morphed into a tall dark headed girl with tri color eyes. She looked at Magnus with sheepishness. "I'm truly very sorry. I didn't mean to let him in I didn't." She barely said as tears began to flow. Magnus walked up to the girl and embraced her.
Back in Magnus office Will and Henry were trying to track the other heat signature. Magnus and Henry sat across from Azna as Kate stood by the door with a gun resting at her side. The girl's eyes didn't meet theirs as "The big guy" As will so fondly called him poured tea for them. The girl whispered "Thank you." And gazed up briefly with a smile "I am very sorry for attacking you Henry, she began, I was trying to get you where I could tell you he was there, but you were stronger than I expected and I didn't realize you were an abnormal." Henry grinned an uncomfortable smile. She continued "I hope I didn't distress you." She looked at him seeking forgiveness. Henry smiled "Its fine, no harm done."
"Magnus look at this." Will motioned for her to look at the screen. Magnus had a grim look on her face. She sat back down next to Azna. "How did your Master get into the sanctuary?" The girl placed her tea on the table her hands were shaking. Henry watched as her eyes turned a shade of pale blue. She sat looking at the table she looked at Magnus she began slowly " He was.. Her voice trailed off. Magnus placed an arm around the timid girl. " He was inside of me." She lifted up her blouse to reveal a sack attached to her side. " He lives here, but his soul travels." Will walked over and stood above Henry. "Henry can you pull up the heat signature from when you were in the observation room" Promptly he switched to the bio scans "Oh god." Henry gasped. Kate walked over gun still in hand "What?" Magnus looked at the girl once more "How long has he been your possessor ?" Kate was still confused. "What is a possessor? Someone want to clue me in?" Will sighed. Azna continued " A possessor is a symbiotic being that has infected my people for decades. We are a race of shape shifters and these beings use us for their biding." Magnus chimed in " The reason we are reading two heat signatures is because the possessors soul is running free." Azna nodded "He left me to avoid capture, but now he's angry at me and looking for a new host."
Azna's eyes still the pale blue began to drop tears " Its been three years . " She whispered. Henry felt for her and also felt guilty for not getting her message, he was curious though why she was not afraid of him. Azna looked up at Henry and noticed his eye piercing at her. " I have no reason to be afraid of a lykin." She said. "What? Magnus asked. They all were looking at her mystified. Henry gasped. She put her head down "Forgive me I did not mean to intrude on you." "You're telepathic?" Magnus inquired. The girl nodded. Then a rush of wind came through the room.
Her eyes still the pale blue, but her voice was low and echoing. Kate raised her gun. They all stepped back and drew their weapons. "What does the heat signature show Henry?" Will shouted in hast. Henry's hands went over his pad at lightning speed. "It's not showing any new heat signature." Right than the girl's body dropped to the floor and was convulsing. Everyone went to her aid except Kate. The convulsion ceased and Magnus looked up with alarm. "Kate?" She spoke with care. Kate looked at her and her eyes became a pale blue. "I must say I like this body." A low echoing voice stated.
"Henry get Azna out of here, we can't let him possess her again. And put the EM field on high only in this room. That will prevent him from jumping out of Kate." Henry scooped up Azna. They kept their guns drawn and walked swiftly out of the room. Kate's possessor spoke "you can run." There was laugh and then silence as they closed the door.
"What are we going to do?" Will and Magnus began to discuss options. Henry was holding Azna in his arms. He stroked her hair gently. For some reason he felt this connection with a stranger. He didn't understand the pull she had on him. She slowly began to open her eyes. They were back to their tri color beauty. " Hi there." Henry said still stroking her hair. "What are you doing? " She asked with a little giggle. He nervously stopped his stoking and stuttered a little. She smiled and rolled her head into his chest " I don't mind" she whispered as she closed her eyes once more. Magnus looked at Henry "Get her down to tech room with you. We need you down there." "Ok right away." He said awkwardly. He looked down at Azna "Can you walk?" She smiled "Reluctantly yes." She rose with his hand on hers and they headed for the lift.
Magnus looked at Will "How are we going to get him out of her?" Will asked. Magnus smiled "We get him into someone or something else. Come on." They went off. Meanwhile Kate and the shape shifter were having an interesting conversation in her head. "What do you want" Kate asked pressingly " I want my slave back." The shadow in her mind answered "You have no powers that are of use to me. I want my slave back."
Henry and Azna were met by Will and Magnus. " Do you have anything?" Will asked. "No" Is all he said. Magnus looked at Sally. "What is wrong?" Magnus asked as she placed her hand on the glass. "She knows." Was all Azna said before she drove into the center pool. "What is she doing?" Magnus shouted as they all three looked in amazement. Sally had swum away from the glass and was out of sight. "Go get a wet suit Will, and get her out of there before she drowns." Magnus ordered.
Azna swam to the deep part of the tank. Meanwhile Henry had discovered something. " oh not good not good." Magnus was hovering over his shoulder " What? What did you find?" " My pad took a scan of Kate right when he body jumped. See there his energy was depleted. Then look at the scan from after he was inside her?" " It depleted more." Magnus realized " It's a symbiosis." Henry said. Magnus continued " He can only be bonded to one host, and that host to him. If he stays in Kate to long." "They'll both die." Henry interjected. At that moment Sally was at the glass in her hand was a limp body of a young girl. "Henry look." They gazed at the glass window, then Henry glanced at the camera in Magnus office. " Kate's dying." They looked as they saw her body convulsing. Magnus got Will on com "Will never mind the suit get up to Kate now."
Will rushed to the office he slammed the door over and knelt over Kate's body. " Magnus she's still breathing." " Henry is there a heat signature?" Magnus asked Henry tapped on the screen and then did it once more. " Only Kate's." Henry then looked at Sally in the window still clasping onto Azna. Then he saw the attachment on her side. " Magnus look." They both walked up to the window and saw as the creature on her stomach detached and drifted away. Then sally tapped vigorously on the class. "We have to get her out of there." Henry without stopping dove into the water. He reached Azna and brought her out of the water. Her body was limp he laid her dripping body across the floor. He began CPR. "Magnus walked over. " Henry she's gone." He continued without let up. Finally, he stopped he sat above her body defeated. He placed her head into his chest and stroked her hair as he had done before.
Magnus decided to do an autopsy on her body to try and understand how a shape shifter had a possessor and how the possessor was killed. She looked down at the naked girls body and turned all the scanners. She was preparing to cut when there was a beep on the monitor. A heat signature was coming from the body. Magnus stepped back in shock when she began to breath. She opened her eyes which were now black. " Azna?" Magnus said as she rang the alarm for back up. "Doctor Magnus? She said "Azna?" Will came into the room as did Kate. " What the..?" Kate began. "Did it work? Is he dead?" Will was disturbed by the pitch black eyes staring at them. "Yeah he's dead and so were you." Kate said.
" I was in hibernation. Sally helped me access some of my lateen abilities. It's a lot to explain, but obviously it was not without cost." "What do you mean?" Will asked. Magnus was examining her as he asked. "She's Blind Will." Azna laughed "Completely!" she chimed in. "Now that I'm alive again can I have some clothes and eat/ I can explain everything you need to know doctor Magnus about me and my people."
Azna began her story: possessors were known as spirit beings to her people. They had the ability to jump from host to host as long the fluid sack remained attached to one main host. The possessor would go back to this host to regenerate and then continue the cycle once more. Her people were a race of shape shifters until the plague came and wiped out most of her tribe. With her people gone she had volunteered to be possessed in order to find some meaning in her life. It had obviously back fired, and the soul creature had been using her powers for bad. The only way for the sack to be removed from a host is for that host to die. This causes a depletion of oxygen which kills the growth. For some reason Azna and Sally had semi- telepathic connections that enabled Sally to know what needed to be done. Sally accessed parts of her mind that had been dormant. Once activated it allowed her to use her power of hibernation to "die." Once her story was finished she decided to rest. Magnus noted everything that was shared and went back to her office to continue research.
Will found Henry in the lab working on some new ray gun contraption " I thought you want to know. Azna is not dead." Henry dropped what he was doing and stared in disbelief. "Don't ask me how Magnus got that low down." Henry rushed past him and headed for the recover rooms. He entered. "Hello is someone there?" Is all she said. He looked at her pitch black eyes and was taken aback. " Its Henry." She smiled " Sorry I can't see you as well as I used to." She joked. Henry laughed then felt naive for bring her flowers, and a book. "Um.." He stuttered. Azna smiled " Did you bring me something?" She held put her hands to grasped whatever the gifts maybe. " Flowers? Wonderful. I' m allergic." Henry apologized " I'm sorry, I didn't know.." She laughed " I'm joking, can't help it. They smell wonderful thank you. What else?" He paused " Nothing.. I mean a book, but .." She interrupted " But I can't see it to read." Henry felt like an idiot, a complete idiot. She continued " But I can still hear, so I guess you'll just have to stay and read it to me." She smiled an adoring smile. Henry laughed at himself and pulled a chair next to the bed.
To be continued…