CHAPTER 3- Secrets to Discover

Monster Island Research Facility Command. Center 12:15 PM

After running a series of diagnostics, Daniel Sheperd breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "G's safely sedated and sleeping like a baby," he said, "that's one problem we don't have to worry about." Joseph Wormwood felt differently about the situation, not because G may stir again but because of what he was observing on a different monitor. "I think we may yet have a problem to take care of," said the older scientist while motioning to the monitor he was watching. Daniel got out of his chair and walked over to see what his colleague was referring to: the escort jeep Kasumi and the GNN team are in returning to the compound. "That's odd," said Daniel," they've only been out for a few hours. Why return so suddenly?" "Maybe it has to do with the same reason you returned to Monster Island so early," replied Joseph sarcastically," maybe that supposed 'psychic' sensed the subject's presence or has even been possessed by it!" Daniel grew irritated very quickly at Joseph's sarcasm, nor could he understand why the more experienced scientist was so skeptical of Kasumi's abilities; however now wasn't the time to debate this. "They'll come here to the main observatory eventually, so we better be ready for them," said Daniel trying to stay professional despite his frustration," make sure to hide all information on G and the G Project-" "You tell me what I already know to do," retorted Joseph. "Then get to it while I keep the news crew busy." "What about Kasumi?" Joseph asked. "She isn't a threat to anyone," said Daniel as he made his way for the door," besides, we've worked with her long enough to know where her loyalties lie." As Dr. Sheperd walked out of the room to meet up with the tour group, Joseph muttered," And I've known you long enough to know when you've been blinded by your feelings." Joseph never liked the younger scientist or the psychic woman. He didn't like Daniel because the younger scientist specialized in genetics and loved working with DNA, hence how the current curator of Monster Island was involved with modifying the DNA computers for the third Mechagodzilla's control and combat systems and his involvement in the G Project. Joseph loved machines, and believed that they were the next and only other step in human evolution. Joseph concluded, through personal research, that mankind has evolved as far as it can biologically, and that the logical next step was to fuse mechanical parts with our bodies to create a newer, better creature. It was one reason why he didn't believe Kasumi to be a true psychic: she was an animal behavioral specialist, meaning to him she may simply be faking the whole psychic routine. If she wasn't faking her abilities, however, then he could be wrong about his theory, and Joseph Wormwood was NEVER wrong!

Kasumi was still shook up from her experience back at Dragon Lake, though she tried not to let the news team notice too much as they made their way through the complex toward the cafeteria. Kasumi hoped that maybe a tour of the interior complex and grabbing a bite to eat would help calm her down, if not that at least get the news team preoccupied in something else. She didn't want them thinking that what happened outside had anything to do with her psychic abilities. Though it was common knowledge that she was gifted with psychic abilities, very few people knew the extent she was able to use her powers. She had easily manipulated Gigan whenever the cyborg would pick on Megalon in such a way that some would consider it mind control, and at times she could read the minds of others. Though she tried not to use her powers like that, there were times where the mind she was sensing was so focused and strong about one thought that there was no way she couldn't pick up on that thought. A prime example would be the presence she felt earlier at the lake; another would be the fact that Peter Carson was thinking about her in a myriad of inappropriate fashions, which was not helping considering the fact that the man was practically hovering over her. Couldn't he think about something else like the monsters he saw earlier today? she thought as they neared the cafeteria. Suddenly the hallway doors opened and Daniel walked through, making his way toward them. Kasumi was surprised that he was back on Monster Island so soon, being that he was supposed to be helping the crew in London with installing an improved generator into Mechagodzilla 3; however she didn't care right then and there. All the young psychic woman was concerned about was that she could finally be with someone she felt she could trust. Without hesitation she ran to him and embraced him, receiving an equally warm embrace from him as well. "It's so good to see you again," she said," but I thought you'd still be in London." Daniel broke the embrace, but not his warm smile. "To make a long story short, I wasn't really needed over there as much as I thought, so I thought I'd better get my butt back here before the higher-ups at HQ start thinking that I'm taking an unscheduled vacation," was his reply. While Kasumi was so overjoyed to see Daniel again, Peter was rather suspicious of the man's story. Just a week before his trip to Monster Island, he received a mysterious phone call about a G-Force project currently being run on Monster Island known only as G Project. Because he had been informed by his superiors that the curator and head of operations on Monster Island Daniel Sheperd would not be on the island until perhaps the last day of filming the documentary, the fact that the young and brilliant scientist was here now made Peter's reporter instincts kick into high gear. Muttering to Rick to start recording he walked up to the scientist, putting himself between Kasumi and Daniel, and said," Peter Carson of Global News Network. Does your return have anything to do with G Project?" Rick was recording with his handheld digital camera as his boss instructed, but he wished right then and there he hadn't listened to him. This is no time to be getting JEALOUS, thought the portly cameraman about his boss Peter, at least don't drag my career down with you! Unlike you, I have a wife and kids to take care of. Peter stared Daniel down, hoping that the scientist would slip up and leave some kind of clue that he was on the right track. Kasumi looked at both of them, thoroughly confused by what was going on. G Project? thought Kasumi, I've never heard of it, but apparently Mr. Carson has. So much so that it's now his primary focus, however that doesn't explain why he thinks Daniel knows anything about it. Daniel blinked in surprise, then shrugged his shoulders. "Never heard of it," he replied to the reporter," I assure you there is no G Project. I don't know what conspiracy theories you've been listening to, but this isn't the X-Files." "Perhaps," Carson said," but the fact still remains that there are rumors of a secret project being conducted on this island. I assume that if there were, you would know about them." "Well, I'm sorry I can't be much help to you," replied Daniel, his tone becoming slightly irritated. That was all Pete needed. "My apologizes then," he simply said, We'll resume the tour of the island later, I'll assume Ms. Omori." "Uh, yeah," she replied, "later. Maybe even tomorrow. I've been overworking myself lately." She said before quickly heading through the hallway doors to get to her quarters, leaving a confused Daniel Sheperd, Peter Carson, and Rick Gandolfini wondering what was going on with her.

10:35 PM

The next several hours went by rather slowly once the news team decided to hold off the tour until tomorrow; however they did get to explore some of the interior of the base and it facilities to pass some time before calling it quits for the night. While Peter and Rick were bickering in their quarters, Kasumi and Daniel met up in the observatory. She wanted to talk to him about her recent nightmares and the encounter she had earlier that day. "Something wrong Kasumi," asked Daniel as he held her in his arms, her back against his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. "I'm not sure what's going on lately," she began," for a while now I've had nightmares, growing in intensity four times this week alone. But now it seems I may have encountered the source of these nightmares." At this Daniel became rigid, fearing that maybe she had felt G's presence. "I think it attacked me, or at least lashed out at whatever seemed close enough for it to reach, earlier today when we were by the lake," she continued, lifting her head up to look at him," I don't know what it is, and that's what scares me about it. And yet..." Daniel looked back down at her, seeing the fear and confusion in her eyes and wishing he could do something about it. "Do you know the exact time at which this recent encounter occurred?" he asked, hoping it had nothing to do with Subject G. Kasumi seemed slightly confused at the question. "Somewhere between eleven-thirty and noon, why?" she said," do you know something about it?" Daniel blinked again in surprise, then said," I just wanted to know if that was the reason why you stopped the tour so early, that's all." Kasumi didn't buy the excuse this time. "Something IS going on here, isn't there?" she asked while breaking his embrace and backing away," you know what's happening to me, why I'm experiencing these nightmares, don't you?" "Don't get paranoid about it. I was just asking a simple-" Kasumi cut Daniel off before he could finish his sentence. "DON'T PATRONIZE ME!!!" she yelled," I've been lied to enough times to know when someone's hiding something from me. I just never expected you would hide something from me." "Kasumi, if I could tell you I would without hesitation!" Daniel replied," besides, you've got secrets you've hidden from ME so don't go pointing fingers at me like some child!!!" He was under a great deal of stress, which was why Daniel went as far as he did; however he wished he could take it back. He expected her to be angry with him, but he didn't expect Kasumi to slap him across the face, which she did. Before he could fully process what had happened, Daniel found himself standing outside the observatory door, the doors shut and locked. Realizing that Kasumi had used her powers to force him out, he turned to leave when he heard something coming from inside. He pressed his ear against the door, and heard weeping coming from inside the room. I went too far, he thought, What's happening here isn't Kasumi's fault, and what I said was inexcusable. I know she's hasn't had an easy life, considering her gifts and the difficulties she's had controlling them. Heck, when I first met her she was afraid to be within a table's length from me, so I know she has her reasons for not opening up to hardly anyone. "How did things get so out of control here?" he groaned as he left Kasumi to heal, and hoping he could apologize to her later.

After several minutes Kasumi finally wiped her tears from her face. She had never used her powers in such an aggressive manner since college, and even then she did it only because she had been physically provoked. She knew Daniel was under a lot of stress, and that he was right to a degree, but the fact still remained that he hurt her. And right now she wasn't ready to forgive him. "G Project," she said," somehow what's happened to me has something to so with what this G Project is." She walked over to a computer console and began typing on the keyboard. If he can't tell me what G Project is, then I'll find out myself, she thought. She scanned through several files, each one leading to a dead end. Then, about a half an hour later, she found something that caught her eye. "Subject G status?" she wondered, "this maybe it." She tried to access it, but it required a password. She cursed silently, then thought of something. Maybe Daniel or Joseph know the code, she thought. While she didn't like trespassing another person's mind, Kasumi wasn't planning on digging into anyone most private secrets. She began to seek out Daniel's mind, but then something caught her attention. "Someone's coming in!" she whispered to herself as she spun around toward the door.....