Chapter 3: Mysterious Signals
-Any man can handle adversity. If you truly want to test a man's character, give him power.- Abraham Lincoln
~8~8~8~
Cole, Cassie and Zeke were back on the roof as Cole and Cassie explain everything to him. "…and it drain neuro-electric energy." Cole finishes. "I knew it! All the stuff I've been sayin', every word is true. Government's in cahoots with a secret organization, the Ray Sphere… damn, it all makes sense now." Zeke states as he was a bit excited and realization comes to light. "Calm down. You're gonna hurt yourself." Cole states.
"That Ray Sphere must dish out powers to anyone controlling it." Zeke states then Cassie steps forward, "Then what about me? I wasn't holding it at all. I was just walking back with mom and dad, until… you know." she states and Cole places his hand on her shoulder. "I know that part is still confusing. But you gotta bring it back here." Zeke states.
The two decided to humor him. "Sure, I can use a side-kick." Cole states, placing his arm on Cassie shoulders and leans against her as she giggles a little. "Ah, hell with that. Zeke Jedediah Dunbar is his own man." Zeke states and the look at him as Cole was a bit surprise. "Your middle name is Jedediah?" he asks him. And Zeke nods at him as he was proud of himself. "Yes it is, after my grandfather. Strong man for a man his size. Uh, I don't know where Zeke comes from, but I'm certain-" Zeke starts as he trails off, "You need to take a nap and a bath. Cassie and I have things to do." Cole tells him, Zeke just shrugs his shoulders.
Then the two walk over to the edge and jump down into the alley below them, "I've already got a couple of leads for you; the coordinates have been uploaded into your phone. Give me a call when you're in position." Moya tells them and hung up the phone. Cole sighs and they make their way through the city and they climb up a roof and then dodge the bullets that were fired at them. "Lets take care of them first before we begin?" Cassie asks him, Cole looks at her and nods at him, "You read my mind." he states and the broke off and jump from roof to roof, kicking Reaper ass, collecting blast shards.
They then regroup at a roof and they look around, "All right, now what?" Cole asks her. "I'm picking up some weird interference from a rooftop not far from you. Need to find out it's origin and purpose." Moya answers him, "So what are we looking for?" Cole asks her again, "Not really sure, probably a transmitter of some kind. Call me when you get over there." she states and Cole looks at Cassie, she shrugs at him and they took off for the rooftop. They jump down onto the roof and climb their way up to the water container and then pulls themselves up on top and look at the dish as it was beeping.
"This thing is still working?" Cassie asks as she circles it. "We found it, looks like some portable audio drive is attached to this satellite dish." Cole informs Moya. "See if you can listen to it with your phone." Moya suggests and then Cassie pulls out he drive, handing it to Cole. He takes it from her and places it in his phone. Cassie walks up to listen to the message, but got static instead.
Cole looks at Cassie as she shrugs, "Sounds like a butch of garbage to me." Cole informs Moya. "It's an encrypted message, but I can't break it. Look around and see if you can find another one." she tells him and they both look around. Then they both use their electric sense and found the direction, then they both took off, walking along the power line and then jump on the side of the building and climb up it then ran over to the cooler and climb on top of it and were standing in front of the dish. Cole takes out the drive and places it in his phone, and the same response as before, static.
"You hear that? Same thing as before." Cole informs Moya. "I'm running the signals through a decryption program on this end. I've crack it, but I need another sample. Look around for more of those files." Moya tells them and then hung up, Cassie then uses her electric sense and found the direction, "This way." she states then jumps down from the cooler, Cole looks her way and then followed her.
She then jumps onto the power line and ran across it. A reaper notices her and fires, but she fires back at him and gets him good, but as she jumps onto the roof, she quickly hides behind the vent cooler and Cole then joins her, "Cole, we have a problem." she whispers to him, he looks out and saw that two reapers had a shield, "Aw shit!" he mutters to himself then she turns to him, "Would shockwave work on them?" she asks him and the same idea pops in his head. "That would knock the shield out of the way." he states, she nods and went to try but Cole grips her arm and pulls her back, she looks back at him.
"Hey, how are you coping with all of this?" he asks her, she went quiet for a moment and sat in Indian style, "Honestly, I don't know. I mean, I was informed that I absorb my parents into my body and that a few thousand people as well and I…" she states and the felt her eyes tear up.
Cole grips her shoulder and she wipes her tears away, "Why is this happening to us? What did we do to deserve this?" she questions and Cole sighs. "I don't know, but we're gonna find out." he states and she looks at him, "I promise." he tells her, she exhales and nods her head. "Okay. Okay." she mutters and readies herself. "Go!" Cole shouts and the both jump out of cover and fires at the Reapers, the fires back as Cole hit a few. Then Cassie jumps of the roof and sent a shockwave at them, knocking the two guarded Reapers back and the shields out of their hands, she then lands on the roof below and Cole finishes them off.
He then looks down and saw Cassie climb up to the roof where the audio dish was. "You okay?" Cole calls out to her, she turns to him and gave him a thumbs up. Cole smirks then the ran across the power line and was on the roof. "Nice thinking there Tex." he states and lightly bumps her shoulder. "I learn from the best." she states and Cole laughs a little and he walk over to the disk and takes the drive out. Getting more static. "That's the last one." Cole informs Moya.
Cassie walks up to him, "Give me a second – all right, that should do it. I'm uploading decrypting algorithm into your phone. It should let you listen to the messages." Moya informs them and Cole hits the play button.
'I couldn't stop Kessler from detonating the Ray Sphere. Damn thing took out five or six blocks, killed god knows how many. Found the Ray Sphere in the blast crater, next to some kid. Dunno don't know of he's dead or not, didn't have time to check. And to top to top it off, another kid, no older then 15or 16, I didn't know if she was alive or not, but I need to get out of the city. I'm gonna try and hole up somewhere. If anyone is even listening to these things, I need immediate extraction. Please. You got to get me out of here before Kessler finds me.'
The message then stop and Cassie was confused on the person's name. "You understand any of that?" Cole asks Moya. "I don't believe it – That's John. He must have used the dead drops to communicate with his handlers." Moya states and now Cole was confused. "Uh, english?" he asks her.
"It means there are probably more of them scattered through out the city. You should try and find as many as you can; they might tell us where he took the Ray Sphere." Moya informs him. "Find John and the Ray Sphere, and both me and Cassie are out, right?" Cole reminds her. "I know the deal Cole." Moya groans back at him, "Just making sure." Cole states and he hung up, "Cole, do you have any idea who this Kessler is?" Cassie asks him, he looks at her, "Maybe he's the one that started this from what the message John left." he states and then sighs. "Lets split up and see of we can find anymore of these dead drops, the blast shards and maybe kick a reaper or two." he states, "But, now will I communicate with you?" she asks again.
Cole reaches into his pocket and pulls out and pulls out a spare phone, "Here, this should help you, call me if you need any help." he tells her, she looks at him, then straps the phone into her coat and looks at him, "Ready?" he asks and held his fist out to her, she smiles and nods, "Ready." she states and fist bumps him, then they both split up in different directions.
~8~8~8~
Five hours have pass and they two meet back at Zeke's roof and they both sat down, "I'm exhausted, you?" Cassie pants as she leans against the arm, Cole chuckles as he was leaning back against the back. "I'm good, got more juice in me, a few reapers and I could find any Dead drops. You?" he asks her, she giggles, "20 reapers, 15 blast shards, and 13 dead drops." she answers him and he looks at her, "You were counting?" he asks, she raise her head up and shrugs, "I wanted to keep track." she answers him.
He then sat up and looks at her, "Well, lets hear them." he states, she nods and pulls out her phone. Then presses the play button.
'Don't know how long I sat strap to that chair – a least a couple of hours. Finally the bag was removed and this brute of a man stood in front of me. He had to be seven feet tall and four hundred pounds. He told me that he was going to beat me, and if I wanted him to stop, I'd had to do it mentally, with my mind. Then he punched me in the face.'
The message then stops and Cassie looks at him, "Any ideas?" she asks him, he rubs his chin. "I need to hear more if to make any." he tells her, she nods and plays another one.
'Released from the Infirmary. Initial assignment is installing and configuring satellite dishes across Empire city. When I asked them what they planned on doing with the dishes, I was told to mind me own business. Because the dishes are relatively isolated and secure. I'll use them for my dead drops.'
The message stops and Cassie scrolls over to the next one.
'For the first thirty minutes of the beating, he focus on my midsections, hitting my square on the ribs. I tried to play along, and squinting my eyes and gave him looks, trying to make it look like I was really doing something with my mind, but that just mad him laugh. After landing three straight blows to my head he bent over and told me to focus, to shape my thoughts and make them real. And if I couldn't do it, he was going to beat me to dead. Then he punched me so damn hard I black out.'
The message stops and Cassie plays the next one.
'Kept in the Infirmary for several days. Had my own room, and other then a nurse, didn't see anyone. I tested the door five times and it was always locked. Checked the IV, and they had me on a steady dose of Dolapheen. So much for their healing abilities.'
The message stops and Cassie plays the next one.
'Was introduce to Kessler today. He had some kind of metal device attached to his right arm, and his face is scarred, probably the results of an accident. One of the other guards told me that Kessler has been the leader of the First Sons for decades, but that he vanishes for long periods of time. Initial impression is that Kessler is a true believer. He has an agenda and he's going to carry it out. We may have to move against him sooner that we initially planned.'
The message stops and Cassie plays the next one.
'Gained access to the primary lab. Audio surveillance will begin within the next 24 hours. I've planned two rewarding devices in the lab, which should provide optimal coverage. I'm also going to attempt to place devices within the cafeteria and other public places.'
The message stops and the next one was played.
'Changed in assignment – I'm now task with protecting a woman named Sasha. She's supposedly researching mind-control techniques. Something with a spray or a gel. My gut tells me she's a honey-pot, so I'll need to be careful around her.'
The message ends and Cassie played the next one.
'Audio of Kessler follows: Test subject #345a is exhibiting signs of progress. The pltultary regions of the brain has grown by 39%, and small muscle regeneration has nearly Instantaneous. I do have some concerns with the lack of proper blood flow to the lower extremities. Oxygen absorption in those areas is off by 3.6%, a rather substantial decrease that could impact the subjects performance. Will need to perform more tests.'
The message with Kessler's recording stops and Cassie hesitated to press play again, "Hearing his voice, it sounds like whatever he's planning, he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants." she states and Cole looks at her. "I know, but we need to focus on ourselves first, okay." Cole tells her, she looks at him and nods, "Okay." she answers and presses the play button.
'Background information. The origins of the First Sons dates back to medieval Europe, exact date unknown. Because they were viewed as witches, or in league with the devil, they were forced to flee to the New World in the 17th century. Once settled in America, the group continued their meetings and experiments, forcing on telekinesis, precognition, and channeling. This is probably apocryphal, but current members claim to be responsible for what happened in Salem in 1692 and '93, and used those events to validate their mentalist abilities.'
The message ended and Cassie scrolls over to the next one. "Okay, this is the last one I could find." she states and plays the message.
'Background information. Membership levels surged after the Civil War, as they sought out people who shared their interested and beliefs. But it was the arrival of Richard Tate in 1892 that resulted in the creation of that we consider the First Sons. Tate's primary goal was to use the technology of the time to unlock "true" power of the mentalists. Tate firmly believed that emerging technologies, particularly the work of Edison, could be use to enhance the group's mental powers.'
The message ends and Cassie looks at Cole. "Okay, so we know this group called the First Sons have been trying to unlock people minds and we knew that Kessler is also trying to do the same thing, but where do we fit in all of this?" Cole questions as Cassie places her phone away. "Maybe he thought we would have mentalist powers." Cassie suggests and Cole nods a little.
"Maybe." he mutters, then he stood up, "If we're going to make sense of all this we need to find the next lead that Moya gave us." Cole states, Cassie nods and stood up as well. Then they jump down from the roof.