Author's note: Thanks, Lazy Jackit! You're not supposed to know what's happening yet. All will be explained, I promise.

Thanks Tina:: Waves ::

The wearing of Masks

Chapter Four

Cautiously, Jack made his way through the remains of the most recently attacked place in New Tech. It seemed a small thing to do, when across the country cities were burning, but it was all he could do at the moment. No longer red ranger, he no longer had the power to protect any of those places. He didn't even have the power to protect the people he cared about the most. He may not have agreed with all of the rules that SPD regulated its life with, but over the time he'd spent there he'd come to love it regardless, and that someone had seen fit to burn it down, not once but twice, left him with a helpless anger that needed an outlet and this was all he could do. If there was anything left here that could tell him something, this little field trip would have been worth it.

It wasn't even simply the destruction of SPD that ate away at him, although that was most of it, but the newly formed AAS freaked him out as well. There was a connection between their appearance and the burning of the Delta base, he just didn't know what it was - if it was a response to the attack on SPD as they claimed, or if they were using it as a cover for some reason of their own. This place, all that was left of New Tech Observatory, had been the latest target of the AAS and he just wanted to see if there was anything left that could tell him why. Coming up to a door that looked like it had been welded shut by intense heat, he pushed at it experimentally, then shrugged when it didn't budge and walked through anyway.

And of course, the AAS weren't the only other problem either. There was D'MAPA as well, and he didn't trust them as far as Boom could throw them. Private armies didn't sit well with him, let alone private armies under the control of Nathan Petrelli.

Caught up in his thoughts, Jack barely had time to realise he wasn't paying as much attention as he should be, as he walked practically head first into someone else and he jumped back, automatically falling into a defensive stance, ready to attack if he had to. Or not, as it turned out. Sky was staring back at him, also standing ready to attack, and part of Jack's mind was pleased to note that his former second in command hadn't lost as much of his edge as he'd thought. They relaxed at the same time, alert levels dropping slightly.

"Sky? What're you doing here?" he asked, surprise at seeing the former blue ranger making his tone sharper than he'd planned.

Sky's eyes narrowed and he stiffened, withdrawing again. "I could ask you the same thing."

Jack crossed his arms. "Investigating. Seeing if the AAS left anything behind that would tell us something."

"Likewise," was the cool response and he forced himself to relax, defuse the charged atmosphere.

"Well, okay. Two heads are better than one, right? Do this together?" It was a tentative attempt at reaching out and he hoped it wasn't about to be thrown in his face. Sky studied him for a long moment then shrugged, some of the tension leaving him.

"Sure. Why not?"

It wasn't exactly a ringing vote of confidence, but it was a step in the right direction and they moved off along the corridor together, exchanging information and trying to work out how it fitted together. It was almost like old times, Jack thought, as he and Sky fell back into their familiar rhythms of sniping at each other and exchanging casual insults. Despite the circumstances, Jack felt himself smiling. He hadn't realised until now how much he'd missed this. Until he put his foot in it.

A teasing comment about Sky's tendency to play lone wolf and how 'those were the days' and Sky tensed up, pulling back again. "Oh come on," he said. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Sky, I was kidding." But it was too late. Damn Sky and his touchy pride, he thought in frustration.

"You know what? You want to do this by yourself, be my guest. I wouldn't want to get in your way."

"Sky--"

He was talking to thin air, Sky going back the way they'd come, leaving Jack alone in the burnt out ruins of the observatory.

Looking around more warily now that he no longer had Sky watching his back, Jack's eyes widened and relief washed over him at the sight of Bridge crouching down, studying something. It looked like he and Sky weren't the only ones who'd decided to do some unofficial investigating. About to announce his presence to his friend, something held him back, a cold chill slithering down his spine at some undefined sense of wrongness. Stepping back into the shadows, Jack quickly tried to pin down where his unease was coming from - he shouldn't be having his instincts warning him about one of his best friends. But he was, he realised and he couldn't deny it even if he couldn't explain it. Something was off with Bridge.

He peeked back round the corner in time to see Bridge pick something up and it was then he noticed that Bridge wasn't wearing his gloves. It wasn't a simple case of the former green ranger using his abilities to scry the area, the familiar leather gloves were nowhere to be seen; not held in one hand or tucked into a pocket - they just weren't there. Another frisson of unease traveled down Jack's spine. Why wasn't Bridge wearing his gloves?

"You can come out, Jack. I know you're there."

He started in surprise at Bridge's calm statement, then braced himself and stepped into his former team-mates view.

"Didn't want to disturb a master at work," he said lightly and Bridge smiled.

"Why are you here, Jack?"

He shrugged. "Lookin' around. Trying to figure out who did this."

"The AAS."

"You know that for sure?"

There was another smile from Bridge, one that was incredibly unnerving. It practically screamed 'I know something you don't know.' "This is me, Jack."

Jack held up his hands in a placating gesture as he restudied the room. "Good point."

"Am I making you nervous, Jack?" Bridge asked, tone amused and Jack whipped his head back round to stare at the younger man. He had a lot of experience at hiding when he was uneasy or nervous; on the streets any sign of weakness made you a target so he'd learned a long time ago to keep those feelings well hidden. For Bridge to know he was uneasy about him… he had to be reading him.

"You reading me, Bridge?" he asked casually, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the nearest stable wall.

"You didn't answer my question," was the neutral response.

"And you're not answering mine. I think that makes us even, don't you, Bridge?" For the first time in two plus years, Jack was wary about having an ESPer as a close friend. He'd long gotten over his concerns about Bridge reading his mind but now all those fears came flooding back. He no longer knew, deep down, that Bridge would respect his privacy and stay out of his head and he didn't know how to deal with that. Except by putting as much distance between them as possible.

"You haven't wanted that kind of distance for a long time, Jack."

That clinched it. "Damn it, Bridge! Stay out of my head!"

Bridge shrugged. "Sorry."

Yeah, I'll bet, Jack thought, all of his instincts telling him to run while he still could. "Why are you here, Bridge?" he asked. There was no way he was here for the same reasons he and Sky had been.

"Cleaning up some mess," was the careless reply and Jack froze.

"You're part of the AAS," he whispered, not quite believing it. Or maybe believing it all too well.

Bridge laughed. "I am the AAS, Jack. I set it up."

Jack shook his head reflexively in denial. "Bridge, why? Why would you do that?"

"Because Earth needs us, that's why. We're vulnerable right now, Jack, you know that. When SPD fell it left us open to all kinds of invasion. The mandate of the AAS is to make sure Earth isn't defenceless."

"All the anti-alien rhetoric, that was you? Bridge, you can't place all of Earth's problems on non-Terrans. It doesn't work that way."

"Not all of our problems, Jack, don't be so naïve. But our main problems revolve around aliens who think Earth is an easy target - that's always been part of our history and your own experiences should tell you that."

"Oh?" Jack crossed his arms across his chest. "Enlighten me."

"You were red ranger, Jack. You know how many crimes we stopped that were due to alien criminals, all the way from Gruumm and Broodwing downwards."

"That's because we were space police. New Tech PD handled human crime. And not all aliens are like that, Bridge. Kat? Cruger? You including them in all your anti-alien propaganda?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack. Of course not. I'm not targeting all aliens, just the evil ones."

"And who decides which are evil and which aren't? You?"

Bridge shrugged. "Who better?"

Jack couldn't take anymore. It was like it wasn't Bridge standing in front of him, but a Wootox-like impostor; someone who wore the face of his friend but in reality was a darkness that wanted only to destroy. He straightened from his relaxed lean against the wall. "Okay, I've heard enough. What's wrong with you, Bridge? Are you even listening to yourself? This isn't you, man."

"Well, perhaps you don't know me as well as you thought."

Jack scowled. He was tired of hearing that. He did know his team, damn it. He just wished they'd stop changing on him. Who would it be next? Syd? Z? He shuddered. God, he hoped not. Although, he thought uneasily, he hadn't seen either of the girls for a few days and that wasn't like them. Well, not like Z, anyway. He moved towards the door, not even bothering to pretend he wasn't, Bridge watching him in what looked like amusement. Indulgence maybe. He probably didn't see him as a threat. Well, that showed what he knew. "This isn't over, Bridge," he warned. "I can't just stand by and let you do this."

Bridge shrugged. "There's nothing you can do, Jack. You're only one."

For now, Jack amended silently as he turned and left the room. He was only one for now. He needed to find Sky. Maybe he'd have better luck talking sense into his former roommate.

"Sky won't believe you," came the confident statement, the words floating after him, quiet with the distance he'd put between himself and Bridge. Ignoring the walls, Jack made his way out as fast as he could, no longer caring if Bridge knew he'd spooked him, and set off in the direction of Sky's apartment. The argument they'd had didn't matter anymore, Sky needed to know this. If there was anyone capable of making Bridge see sense it would be him. Sky had to believe him. He had to.

"Are you crazy?" Sky demanded, after he'd poured out the story. "This is Bridge we're talking about here, he sees the best in everyone and you're trying to tell me he's part of an anti-alien group blowing places up?" Sky sounded incredulous and Jack supposed he couldn't really blame him. If anyone had been telling him this he'd have thought they were nuts, but he'd hoped Sky would at least listen, not just dismiss him out of hand. "Are you even listening to yourself?"

Jack flinched as his words from earlier got thrown back in his face. "Look, I know how it sounds," he said, "and if I hadn't seen it for myself I'd say the same thing you are. But there's something wrong with him, Sky. He's not the Bridge we know and he was all but bragging about setting up the AAS. Hell, as far as he's concerned he is the AAS. Does that sound like Bridge to you?"

Sky shook his head, but not in response to the question as Jack had hoped. "You know what I think?" he said, arms folded and his expression the unreadable mask Jack was so familiar with, eyes studying him intently. "I think you're feeling helpless and trying to conjure up a crisis you can deal with. Although why you'd pick on Bridge of all people I have no idea."

Jack growled faintly. There were times when he had to strongly resist the urge to strangle his former second in command. Now being an excellent case in point. "Sky, for once in your life, can you just listen to me? There is something wrong with Bridge and we need to figure out what so we can fix it. We take the AAS out of the equation, maybe everything will start calming down a little."

"See? This is my point," Sky said, finger flicking out to point in his direction and Jack wondered when exactly Sky had started picking up his mannerisms. "You're overcompensating, trying to save the world all by yourself. When did you get a martyr complex, Jack?"

"I do not have a martyr complex," Jack snapped. "What I have is a friend and sister I haven't seen for over a week when I should at least have heard something. I have another friend who's cutting himself off from the rest of us, oh and that's not mentioning all of my now dead friends from the base and the places hit by the AAS. And on top of that, the last member of my team is freaking creepy and trying to wipe every single alien off the face of the planet. So yeah, I want to do something to try and get things back to normal before the entire world goes straight to hell, but I can't do that on my own." He looked away from the unreadable expression even as it flickered slightly. "Sky, I need you. I can't do this on my own."

"Wait," Sky said quietly and Jack looked back hopefully.

"Yeah?"

"You haven't heard from the girls?" Not quite what Jack had been hoping for, it was at least a step in the right direction. Sky's expression was concerned, unease settling on the previously impassive features.

"No. And I should at least have heard from Z by now." Please let this work, he thought desperately as Sky wavered. Please.

Sky sighed quietly, posture relaxing and some of the tension drained out of the room. Yes, Jack thought in relief. He'd got through, now all they needed to do was--

"I still think you're wrong about Bridge."

--go over this again. "Sky--"

"I'm serious, Jack. I don't know where you got that idea from and I'm not even going to consider it. Bridge is the last person who would do something like setting up the AAS." Jack opened his mouth, only for Sky to carry on talking over any protests he might have made. "But I will keep an eye out for Syd and Z; you're right in that you should have heard something."

"Sky, Bridge isn't the same. You need to see for yourself."

"Jack, stop it. There is no way I'll believe that Bridge is involved in anything like ethnic cleansing. Deal with it."

"You know what? Fine. Just don't come crying to me when you find out how wrong you were." Jack turned on his heel and left, coming to an abrupt halt when he was safely out of view of Sky's apartment and slumping against the wall. He'd done far too much storming out of there for his liking over the past ten days and it needed to stop. He closed his eyes and scrunched the balls of his hands into his eyes before letting them fall, trying not to give in to the despair threatening to overwhelm him. Bridge had known he'd get this reaction, he'd had to. He'd sounded too sure to be bluffing and Bridge had a lousy poker face anyway. So either Bridge had gotten to Sky before he had, or he simply knew his former roommate that well. In the end he settled on Bridge just knowing Sky that well - they'd been roommates for four years or so, after that kind of time you were bound to pick up a few things. Well okay. If that was how it was going to be…

He straightened up decisively, resolve outweighing his previous sense of hopelessness. If this was the war they'd been preparing for then they needed to be ready, needed all the resources they could get and whether Sky would admit it or not he was as much a part of this as everyone else, but if he joined the AAS, if Bridge convinced him he was doing the right thing… No, he decided firmly. That wasn't going to happen. So far Sky was neutral, but if he saw for himself what had happened, what was happening, he'd change his mind. He had to, there was no other choice. But for that to happen, Jack knew he'd have to change tactics. Appealing to Sky's loyalty wouldn't work, not with Bridge doing the same and having better luck, so he'd have to do this another way.

As Jack left yet again, Sky sighed in frustration as he turned away from the door, shaking his head in pure disbelief. What was wrong with Jack? Bridge? Leader of the AAS? The idea was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.