A/N: So I'm a virgin fanfic writer. This story is already complete. I'm intrigued and excited to see what you all think. If the response is good, then I shall post more chapters. Hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 1

Terry sat alone inside a warehouse. She was backed up against a stack of crates counting the seconds for the next guard to pass. There were three, maybe four on the overhang ahead and six that she counted on the floor. Her goal was in the room adjacent the overhang. He was a mercenary, leader of a small army that took high risk missions for the government. Terry was trying to get to him silently if she could but she knew if things got messy she could handle it.

The guard patrolling her area came closer as she waited in the shadows. He got too close. In less than a second Terry was at his back and administered a quick punch to the side of his head. He was out cold. You couldn't even call it a struggle, the shuffling of their feet made less sound than birds' wings. Unfortunately she was dealing with professionals and there were no birds in this warehouse.

"I think I heard something," one guard said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah pretty sure, I'm gonna check it out. Call it in for me let them know I'm leaving my post."

"Ok."

Terry didn't have time to hide the body; the guard was coming fast as she knew he would. She sprinted around a box straight to where he had come from; at least she knew that post was empty.

The other guard walked up on the body of his fallen comrade and turned just in time to see Terry's shadow streaking off to his old spot. He kept it silent, not raising the alarm yet; they had her right where they wanted. He gave hand signals to his guards on the over hang to keep their eyes on the area approximately thirty yards ahead of him. They in turn signaled for the remaining five floor patrols to start closing the net on that location. The biggest meanest guard got there first. "Hello Girlie," he said as he drew a bead on Terry.

Terry bolted again; she slid into a narrow walkway piled high with boxes. All in all it would have been a safe place to find her bearings except for the next guard pointing a gun at her. She kicked the boxes hard and let them fall on her adversary. Now everyone knew exactly where she was and she only had two guards down.

When she put her head up again it was in a hail of gun fire. She hit the back wall sprinting hard while the remaining eight or so guards began unloading at her. "Well," she thought, "It just got messy."

She made it around the corner of the back wall and stopped suddenly. With any luck they would think she kept going and keep firing their weapons at nothing. When the firing stopped she knew she wasn't lucky.

She had only one option left open to her… She charged them. With bullets whizzing by she flew through the air at the first guard she saw but when their bodies met they didn't collide. Terry jumped into his body! Inside his body she could hear his thoughts, "Get out of my body," he would say, and worse. She could feel him fighting with all his strength but he wasn't strong enough. Terry was too good at this. You see Terry has a gift as do a small percentage of the population. Unique abilities that allow their bodies to do extraordinary things. Terry's ability was being able to take a host body and fight for control of it. Since no one has ever really had to fight for control of his or her own body she almost always won.

Controlling his body she turned him on her attackers and unloaded some gunfire of her own. She had promised herself she wouldn't use powers but circumstances had changed and things were getting out of hand and fast. If she didn't get to the mercenary general soon he would be long gone.

By the time the guards figured out what was going on it was too late for three of them, which meant six down and four to go. Abandoning all sense of loyalty the other guards began firing into their co worker. Terry could feel the bullets slapping into her host body but they didn't affect her. She could host a dead body just as well as a live one so a few bullets weren't going to stop her.

She kept firing into the remaining guards until her guns were dry. Then she ran up to the ladder to the over hang where the last four guards were still shooting at her. She flew up it and ran to the nearest guard, stretched out her hand, touched him and jumped into his body. When she got in her new host body she turned his gun towards her chest, fired two rounds and dispatched the remaining three guards the same way. All that was left now was the general.

She dropped her host body and walked into the general's room. He was still there, smoking a cigar and smiling at her. Without flinching she fired two rounds in his chest. He wiped the blue paint off. "You're getting sloppy," he said, "Only took down two of my men before you went to powers."

Terry's training scenario had ended and she again passed without a scratch. The men began to come in and wipe the paint bullets off their fatigues.

"Yeah you're a cheater," one of the guards got up covered in paint. "If we could figure a way to get you out of us we definitely would have had you this time."

"I agree," Terry said, "Your men are getting better, it was almost a challenge for me."

"Dear, it will never be a challenge for you," the general admitted, "You are the best I have ever seen." Rodriguez had a hint of jealousy in his voice. He and his men didn't have powers but Terry knew no one wanted them more than the man standing in front of her now.

"At this one scenario perhaps," Terry also admitted, "My skills line up perfectly for it. It's the hand to hand I need to work on if you guys are game?"

"Powers or no powers?" asked the guard that she first took as a host. "After that little terminator stunt you put my body through I'll be sore for a week." He was covered in the most paint out of any of his fellow guards. "But if you promise not to use powers I would like a chance to get even with you in hand to hand."

"Terry." The clear dulcet tones of Arthur Thatcher spoke in Theresa's head. If you have a moment I would like to see you in the garden.

"Why not just talk now sir?" Terry asked. She had immersed herself in a training session and was in mid stride. "I'm in the warehouse now training with Rodriguez and some of his men." Rodriguez and his men were staring at Terry wondering why she froze all of a sudden. "Sorry guys," she said, "Arthur is talking to me, give me a minute." They finally caught on that she meant in her head and started talking strategy for the next round.

Rodriguez led a small band of fighters the government used to handle the toughest situations. Since lately the toughest situations had more and more to do with people who had powers the government asked Arthur if they could train at the same facilities.

Training with Rodriguez and his men was the only thing Terry really enjoyed on Arthur's forty acre compound in Oregon. Ever since the acquisition of Headache's powers her fellow teammates had been becoming aloof and the only solace she found was in training. These men didn't care what she looked like, they just wanted to shoot her and she could appreciate that.

"I prefer talking closely sometimes as friends should," he answered.

Terry probed his mind to glean whatever information she could. Years of training in martial arts and as an operative honed skills and habits she would never break. One of which was constantly searching for any edge she could find.

"Please Theresa, I would rather ask you in person," came the leader's casual reprimand. Even though she recently acquired telepathy from Headache Arthur could still catch her probing.

"Sorry Sir," came her quiet yet confident reply. She ended her training session and took a quick shower. As she was blow drying her hair she couldn't help but wonder what Arthur wanted to talk about. They hadn't had too many one on one meetings since he had helped her with her migraines. Not wanting to risk getting caught again she resigned herself to wonder.

You see Theresa, code named Poltergeist, didn't always have the gift of telepathy. As mentioned earlier it was acquired in a battle with a very powerful telepath by the name of Headache. Theresa looked at herself in the mirror. Unfortunately the gift of telepathy wasn't the only thing she received from Headache. She was originally a fair skinned New Englander with deep brown hair and brown eyes. Since she phased into Headache her hair had become black and her skin darker, not quite gray but not totally natural either. The creepiest thing about the transformation was her eyes, they had a faint yellow glow to them now and it made everyone a little bit nervous.

It happened the night they finally tracked Headache down. Arthur, a fine telepath in his own right, though not nearly as powerful as Headache was, took his whole team of "special" operatives to come out against Headache and her abuse of powers. Despite the combined efforts of the team nobody could take her down. Nitro, a gifted man who could cause parts of his body to issue explosions fell first and fast. Arthur's main ability is controlling and reading emotions. This comes in handy during a fight where emotions can boil over and the victor is the one who can keep a cool head. Arthur however lost his cool, when he saw Nitro fall from the sky he tried using his telepathy to attack Headache head on. He lost quickly and with his loss came the loss of the entire team's emotional anchor.

Theresa was scared. In all the times they had been out things had never looked that bleak. Her own power, a rather lackluster one compared to all the others, was the ability to phase into a person and take control, or fight for it. She managed to get close enough to Headache and jumped inside of her. She didn't know what she was doing or what would happen, in all honesty she thought she was going to die. Something happened though; as Terry and Headache fought for control of Headache's power inside their conjoined conscious, they began to fuse. The only reason she came out on top is because she was in control at the time the fusion ended.

After the fight things got real awkward. Apparently Headache gave herself that name for a reason as migraines wracked Terry constantly. Her phasing into people some how was taken a step further and she could now walk through or even poses objects. Her fairer features mingled with the darker features of Headache which is why her hair and skin changed but no one had any conjectures on those odd yellow eyes. During one of her more painful migraines she started hearing voices, the voice of Headache. Eventually Headache resurfaced in her and took over nearly killing the team again until Terry gained control.

It was then that Arthur's one on one sessions with her had begun. She was happy to get away from the rest of the team who were now suspicious and even a little unnerved by her appearance. She was also happy to find a way to end the migraines. With Arthur helping channel her emotions she was able to stop the headaches and the voices. It did not come without a price though, her psychic ability was fractioned and no where near as powerful as it had been with Headache. This was a price Terry was all to willing to pay as accidental probes into the minds of her distrusting teammates was ruining her days. Still though she couldn't help but notice that she was an outcast which prompted her request to change her code name to Outcast. Is that what Arthur wanted to talk about now? Would he ask her to leave? If he thought it would benefit the team then he might. Should she even if he doesn't? She had been contemplating it for some time now.

Terry walked straight through the garden walls, shrubs, and roses until she found Arthur. This would have filled any other team member with anxiety, her, "popping up," like this, but if Arthur was startled he didn't let on. "Ah Terry," he said, "I was hoping you would accompany me on a walk while we talked. Arthur was an aging gentle man but not without some moves still. He went by A in the field and still accompanied his team whenever they went out. He had the slightest trace of an English accent and was impossible not to like; partly due to his power to control emotions and read thoughts but partly due to debonair charm. She acquiesced and stepped along stride.

"I see here you have submitted a request to change your name to Outcast?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Poltergeist fits you so well though," he queried.

"So does Outcast," she said flatly.

"Very well," he said, "maybe it will guilt some of our team into treating you better." Terry was stunned, not only that he gave it but he gave in with a similar motive that she had desired. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about anyways, let's walk shall we."

It was a beautiful day in Medford where the mansion slash compound was located. Not the typical day on which conversations like Terry and Arthur held usually happen. Conversations of this nature usually take place on dark rainy nights, behind locked doors, with very frightened people. There was no rain or locked doors but Arthur did express some fears to Terry.

"Terry the age of crash and grab techniques are over. I have always tried to be as discrete in our operations as possible but even I am sometimes guilty of forcing an all too delicate issue. I am afraid to say that our mishaps have become almost cliché. How many times have we entered a situation without knowing the environment? Without contingency plans? Without even knowing the full scope of our adversaries abilities or motives?"

"But," Terry interrupted, "How many times has it worked? We're all still here, your dream is not destroyed."

"Firstly we are not all still here," Arthur corrected. "To count the fallen would be a long and painful list but you understand. Secondly the fact that our ideology has prevailed, which is I am sure to what you were referring, thus far is a testament to our skill and unfortunately some luck. Relying on skill and luck alone is not responsible and will one day prove to be our undoing. We need ground work, surveillance, intelligence on our side. It's a technological age and we need to adapt."

"But Sir, we can't sit idly by gathering intel while Humanities Catalyst runs amuck?" The group of special people Terry referred to are called Humanities Catalyst and they believe that humans are being born with powers to adapt to upcoming climate changes and unforeseen disasters. They view ordinary humans as weak and outdated and are doing their part to spark a war between the regular humans and the gifted ones.

"No," he answered, "We can't, but think of the government as much as I hate the comparison. When Rule breakers and dissidents act up the government acts to bring them down, but in all likelihood a government agency such as the C.I.A. has been watching those involved for quite some time."

Terry thought silently for some time. "You want me to join a new intelligence team?" She asked.

"No," Arthur said, "I would like you to lead a new intelligence team."

This took Terry quite off guard. "I don't think so," she sounded unsure and stunned.

"Think it over," Arthur said, "I think you would be perfect."

"Surely there must be others, with more leadership experience." Terry was growing more confused with each name that came to mind. She could herself quickly dismiss them as a weaker candidate but she tried them anyways. "Bill, Thomas, Tiberius." All three of these men were with Arthur for a long time now and had leadership roles they could draw from.

"Bill and Thomas are needed here. Tiberius is given to bouts of alcoholism and depression especially after Headache killed one of the youngsters I put him in charge of. Besides, I would like the cool rationale of a female to take this post."

"What about Sissy, she can lead?"

"Sissy did make my short list. She can hide in shadows which could lend itself useful, she was a thief for the better part of her life which also is a plus. She, however, has connections with the streets that I need here. If I can find people like us before they give themselves over to a life of crime… I feel that is the Lord's work."

"Echo could do it, she has been with you from the start."

"Her gift isn't exactly what I call discrete. She also would like a break from saving the world. She is in Europe now and has a life, she may be there for a while." He interrupted himself, "You are the best choice Terry and you know it. You were trained in martial arts, you can walk through walls, and you are one of the world's most powerful telepaths."

"Used to be," she corrected.

"Most importantly you want to save lives," he added, " and I promise you that you will do that if you accept."

"Who would I answer to?"

"No one."

"Not even you?"

"I would expect you to fill me in but will not demand it of you."

"I would just take liberties with the rights of others unchecked?"

"Your conscience is with you and your discretion. I don't believe you would go further than others are now, and if people never know you are watching then they won't be upset."

"It doesn't make it right."

"What makes it wrong?"

Terry was stunned, she couldn't believe she was considering this but it all seemed to fit. "My team?"

"One is being assembled now."

"Facilities and resources?"

Lady has started assembling finances and two very special young children are taking care of your facilities. The building is already purchased and located in Seattle."

"And will I get anyone to help me run the team?"

"Ultimately your second is your choice. I would like you to consider a young woman who has expressed an interest in taking her role here more seriously."

"Who?"

Laurie Smith, and I would think her a valuable asset. She is dedicated and passionate. With her powers finding new applications often."

Laurie was one of the first young ones they had received at the compound. She had to be almost twenty now and was eager to leave the babysitter which was formally Tiberius, and join the ranks of active operatives. Her gift was strange though and hard to tell where it stopped. She could change her skin into different substances but was often sporadic and in the beginning only worked with one metal, rubber, and a porous rock that kept breaking. Theresa had heard that Laurie had been able to change to a plastic and replicate looks of others as a shape shifter which could be useful.

"What's our cover?"

"There isn't one, the building is a defunct law firm and no one notices it."

The idea was growing on Terry and she was feeling in the mood to do something impetuous. "I'll do it," she agreed. She could feel the excitement mounting. "And it will give me a chance to start new, without people looking at me like a freak."

"Terry, please don't be rash, I felt you would say yes but just do it for the right reasons."

"You're right sir or course." But beneath the surface she was brimming. Not since she had been cured from her headaches had she felt this new.

She promised Arthur she would sleep on it but they both already knew what her answer would be. So it was no surprise the next day when she contacted him mentally and asked to begin.

"Have you decided on a second in command?" He asked her.

"I trust your judgment sir. If you think Laurie is ready then let's explore that."

"I think that is a wise decision. Could you come to my office and we can ask her together?