Did anyone see "In the Beginning" last week? R.J. Brande makes his animated début. I loved how Cham was cheering for his dad. Brande hasn't been elected Earth President yet and the dude has a Southern accent! Who knew?
Perfection lies in chaos. Chaos is chaos; even if it exists only within the mind. I can't say that I haven't enjoyed breaking your spirit. I will take the last bit of hope from your friends. When they have been broken, they too will die.
No! Not like this!
Chameleon Boy finally worked up the courage to open his eyes and face his opponent. It was one of the drones.
Chameleon Boy's legs had been thrashing about. In a last ditch effort to save himself, he calmed himself as his legs melded together. They morphed into a serpent's tail. Chameleon Boy wrapped the tail around the drone's leg. He jerked and tore its leg off.
It stumbled backwards. Chameleon Boy turned on his side. His lungs contracted for violent fitful gasps of air. He coughed uncontrollably. Each breath made him flinch with pain.
Impressive, Shapeshifter. You are actually tougher than you look.
Chameleon Boy shot up at the sound of the voice. The sudden movement caused a stab of pain to radiate throughout his body. He doubled over and fell to his knees. He leaned over until his head was on the floor. His fingers dug into the floor. His breathing was labored and shallow. He raised his head just in time to see the one-legged drone hopping toward him.
Just before the drone dealt the crushing blow, Chameleon Boy heard a loud cry. Something stabbed it through its torso. Its circuitry sizzled. Chameleon Boy raised an eyebrow in confusion. He looked past the drone and saw his father. Brande's hand had been morphed into a lobster-like claw.
"Reep, finish it! Now!"
Chameleon Boy morphed his hand into a claw like his father's. He clenched his teeth as he fought past the pain.
This is not going to be pretty!
With all his strength he drove the claw into the drone's face. It sizzled some more. They removed their claws as it fell backwards.
Chameleon Boy morphed his hand back. He clutched his chest with one arm. With the other arm, he steadied himself against the wall and tried to hobble to his father. Tears stung his eyes. The pain was just too much. He collapsed and turned on his side. He drew his knees up until he was in a fetal position.
He felt his father's hand rubbing his back.
"Breathe, Son. Focus on healing. Visualize your injuries and use your power to rebuild the damage."
With Brande's gentle coaxing, Chameleon Boy relaxed and focused on healing. He ground his teeth at the crackling sound of his of ribs resetting. As unnerving as the sound was, he found his breathing to be less painful. He sat up reveling in the sensation of his chest expanding and compressing. Breathing never felt so good!
"How do you feel?"
"Still hurts," Chameleon Boy rubbed his chest, "but better."
"It takes practice. You are already an accomplished shapeshifter."
"Accomplished? And how have I used my 'accomplished' abilities? A mouse, a snake tail, and a crab claw! Wait a minute. I thought you couldn't shapeshift."
"This is all I can manage." Brande's claw still hadn't reverted back into a human hand. He focused on it. His face turned red as he strained. Slowly, it became a human hand again. "Ah, there we go. That shock must have allowed me to regain some of my power, but I can't morph as freely as you can."
"You were barely able to move last time I saw you. How did-"
"It's sort of like an old technique called 'playing possum.' I wanted our enemy to think that I was helpless so that he would show himself."
Chameleon Boy slapped his forehead and shook his head. "Dad you gotta stop taking these risks."
"Not to worry. I had this." Brande held up his hand with the back of it facing Chameleon Boy.
"Brainy's flight ring," said Chameleon Boy.
"I can't seem to find that boy's belt. Where did you put it?"
Chameleon Boy suddenly realized that he was empty-handed.
The disk. Brainy's disk! Where is it?
Chameleon Boy frantically patted himself down. Then, his eyes darted every which way as he ran his hands over the surface of the floor.
Oh no, no, no, no! Phantom Girl's gonna kill me!
"Reep? What are you looking for?"
Dad doesn't know Phantom Girl gave me Brainy's backup. I can't tell him. Not now.
"Cham?" A voice called out from behind them.
Chameleon Boy jumped to his feet.
"Ahhh! What?"
"Calm down. It's just me," said Phantom Girl. "Our intruder has been giving us the slip. He's been one step ahead of us. Timber Wolf is still tracking him down."
Phantom Girl walked closer to Chameleon Boy.
She knows! She knows!
His pulse raced. He tried to steady his breathing, and he wiped his sweaty palms on the seat of his uniform. She reached out her hand. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. Expecting a physical onslaught, he gasped when Phantom Girl rubbed a bump on his forehead. That's where Chameleon Boy had hit the wall.
"Oh, Cham, what happened?"
It was pointless to pretend at this point. He decided to tell Phantom Girl that he lost Brainiac 5's backup disk.
"Brainy…" Chameleon Boy trailed off.
Tell her about the disk, Idiot! His mind willed him to confess, but the words died on his lips.
Phantom Girl thought that he was inquiring about what happened to Brainiac 5. She lowered her head.
"He was…damaged."
"How badly?" Brande asked.
She shook her head as if trying to understand the senselessness of their intruder's brutality. Phantom Girl didn't really want to get into the details and decided to sidestep the question.
"Truthfully, Sir, I've seen him take much worse. However, he can't repair himself without drawing power for the ship. Knowing Brainy, he's not going to do that. We're at 16 percent and falling. Parts of the ship are already dark. Soon, Brainiac 5 and the minicruiser will be completely drained. The ship will lose power, and all life support systems will fail. Our rings will protect us from the cold vacuum of space, but who knows how long we will be stranded."
"Brainy said that he got a distress signal through, right? Help is coming, isn't it?" Chameleon Boy asked.
"We just have to hold out until then." She spoke into her flight ring. "You got something Timber Wolf?"
"I can't pinpoint our intruder. It's like he's everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He's teleporting from place to place in the ship."
Chameleon Boy clenched his fists in a futile effort to keep from trembling.
Why don't you tell her that you lost your friend's disk, Shapeshifter.
Without warning Chameleon Boy grabbed Phantom Girl by the lapel.
"Cham, what-"
"I can't take it anymore! I don't care if you and Timber Wolf think I'm crazy! I've been hearing a voice!"
"I know. He and I have been hearing it too."
They heard the voice too? Why haven't they said anything? Chameleon Boy just looked at his teammate in disbelief. He didn't know whether to be relieved or perturbed.
"Did you hear what it just said?"
She shook her head.
"It seems that this person is selective in what we hear and what we don't hear," said Brande. "He's been telling me…things about myself and about my past."
I believe that this has gone on long enough. Allow me to personally make your acquaintances.
"Tell me you two just heard that!"
Phantom Girl and Brande nodded.
"He must have been speaking to us individually up until now. Now, he's broadcasting," said Brande.
"Phantom Girl, come in. I found him. He's in the cockpit."
"Where are you?"
"Standing outside the cockpit."
"Maintain your position. Do not engage!"
"Understood."
Phantom Girl motioned to Brande.
"It's good to see you up and about, Mr. President. Maybe you should stay in the here in the cabinet."
I do not wish to fight you just yet. Your Earth President will be safe for the time being.
"You heard the man, Phantom Girl. By damn, I'm going with you!"
"Alright. You should get Brainy's belt, just to be safe."
"That's just it. I don't know where it is. That shield disrupter thing of yours is missing too."
Phantom Girl's brows furrowed. "I don't like the sound of that. Still, we have to move foward. Timber Wolf, meet us outside the cockpit."
"Understood."
As they made their way to the cockpit, Chameleon Boy walked behind Brande and Phantom Girl dragging his feet.
The disk. Oh, man! Brainy, I'm sorry. Maybe I can still find it.
"Reep! What are you doing? Quit lagging behind!" Brande looked over his shoulder.
"O-okay."
The three found Timber Wolf standing by the doorway. He looked to Phantom Girl and waited for her orders. She took a deep breath.
"Hope he doesn't run away from us this time," she said.
No, Child. I have eagerly anticipated this.
Phantom Girl nodded to the others. "Alright, here goes nothing."
Look for Chapter 5 to go up tomorrow or the day after. See ya then, Lord willing.