Disclaimer: I don't own either Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Victorious. I just let them live out their fantasies.
:}
While Jade was on her way to drop Cat off, Andre was walking into his grandmothers home. "Grandma, I'm home!" He called out. "I'm back from my week of training. Learned me some good dance moves."
Andre walked through the living room on the way to his room, worried about what might have happened to his grandmother while he was out. Of course, there were people who were supposed to be watching out for her, but they were all strangers. His grandmother didn't do well with strangers.
"You're Harris, right?" A voice called out. The young musician turned agent found himself reacting on instinct, grabbing cover and reaching for his weapons. "Relax, soldier, I'm an ally." The voice was familiar, someone he'd talked too before.
"Show yourself." Andre called out from his place behind the couch.
"Kitchen, talking with Charlotte here." The voice said. Andre slowly made his way to the kitchen, staying low just in case.
"ANDRE, THERE'S A MAN HERE TO SEE YOU!" His grandmother screamed. "HE HELPED ME DEAL WITH THE MONSTERS THAT INFESTED MY CLOSET."
By this point, Andre had made his way to the kitchen, and could clearly see his grandmother and the man she was talking too. He was an older man, white, middle height, in a dark suit. His entire bearing screamed cop, or teacher. There was something about this man's cool composure that seemed to place Andre's normally paranoid grandmother at ease. Andre also noted his right hand was some kind of prosthetic.
"It was just a few stuffed animals, various colors, that someone must have got at a carnival of some kind. They'd probably stored them in the closet, then forgot." The man said. "Nice to meet you face to face. I'm Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD. I was having some of my people check on Charlotte here, but she needed a calmer presence. So I dropped by from time to time, when I'm in the area."
"Thanks." The musician said as he stood up to his full height. "So, you're the man in charge? You needed to talk to me? Why not just call? You have my number."
"First, like I said, Charlotte takes a special hand. Many of my agents wouldn't know how to handle her requests. But if we're being honest, I'm here because it's time for you to choose. Your resent training, the stuff Steve, Captain America, arranged for you with that SHIELD tech I sent your way, made it clear to us how valuable you could be in the field." The experienced agent told the young man. "You've got good skills, know that sometimes you need to talk things out, and I still don't know exactly what those weapons do."
"It's just sonic stuff." Andre explained. "I'm sure your scientists knew everything they could do before you sent them my way."
"Well, Charlotte here doesn't know, and we're both anxious to hear how they work." Phil said. The older woman stayed unusually quiet, enjoying her tea. "Maybe start by telling us how you were able to make theme work?"
"Not much to tell." Andre said. "I have a hell of an ear for music, and the sonic modulator, the key device of this whole set of tools, is based not only on sound, but on how the sound is used. It's connected to a few small devices that work on sound. Like the sonar unit. It's like the sonar used by the navy. Sends out pings of ultrasonics, but the variances of the echo can tell a lot. I have a dedicated micro-computer that stores what I learn, but I still have to put the initial learning in. The sonars ultra-low frequency changes based on the mass of objects, as well as their composition. That lets me identify whats around me based on a whole lot of data coming in. The computer then stores what I learn, allowing me to tell the difference between a wall, a car, and an elephant. That means I can operate in the dark, or if for some reason I lose use of my sight. Gives me a good idea of whats going on three hundred and sixty degrees around me too. So I can carry smoke, or paint, and use them if I have too, while still being able to fight, or rescue people. Very cool. I can even give each of the people I know about a distinctive sound, based on their unique makeup. And if I can catch the baddies before things go dark, label them based on their unique signature to the ultra-sonic pulses, I'll even be able to see who is or isn't a threat after. That makes this useful all on it's own"
"You mean there's more?" Coulson asked. "And you were able to make that work for you?"
"It takes a really good ear for sound." The musician admitted. "You have to have trained for that for years. It's like being able to hear that one of the secondary violins in an orchestra is off key."
"That refined." Phil said. "I see. So, I guess you're the man for that equipment."
"Yep." Andre said. "But thats not the only thing keyed to the sonic generator. My bracers can generate focused sounds, but only over a limited distance. Makes my punches that much harder, and can be used to make a nerve strike more effective. Basically, it enhances my abilities in hand to hand, or gives me a bit of distance with it, maybe a couple of yards before it falls off. Just enough to get the edge. Then I have a gun that uses the generator, and they even made it look like a normal gun. High frequency sound wave, a pulse of force that can stun, or kill."
"So the whole thing is a suit of abilities that all rely on the small generator, and your understanding of sounds." The director of SHIELD said. "Interesting. And you've mastered it?"
"I'm getting there." Andre said. He was still on edge, not liking dragging his grandmother, or any member of the Harris side of the family, into SHIELD business. Still, this was Director Coulson, the head of shield. Plus, his grandmother was calm around this man. Or as calm as could be expected. "Need a bit more to make it to code name level, but I'm hoping. Got a couple of more potential gadgets to try out as well"
"Might get there sooner then you think." Coulson said. "The rocket that hit the theater you were performing at, it contained a version of the Terrigen mists. Do you know what that is?"
"No idea." Andre admitted.
"Normally you wouldn't have the clearance to know," Phil started, "But I'm gonna need you sooner then I'd have wanted. So listen closely. I'm assigning you a training officer to help complete your training. I know, usually it takes a while before the cadet is even recommended for this part, but you've been training all your life. I had great respect for Trip, agent Triplet. Also, Captain America himself has endorsed you. That carries a lot of weight. So what I'm about to tell you doesn't get repeated to anyone who lacks clearance, got it?"
"Yes sir." Andre said. 'I should salute, right?' He asked himself. But it was time to listen, focus, cause lives could be on the line.
Coulson continued. "The Terrigen mists was part of experiments done to humans several millenia ago. Thats thousands and thousands of years, in case you didn't know. The ones who were doing it were an alien race known as the Kree. The other part of the experiments was putting some kind of reactive element in the genetics of the humans they tested. That element is still carried in the descendants of those humans, and can still react to the mists. But one thing I must be clear about, these were military experiments, aimed at making weapons. Anyone who had those hidden genes in them would be altered by the mists, given powers and abilities, turned into some kind of weapon."
The director took a breath to give Andre a chance to ask questions. "Now, not everyone exposed to the mists were changed. And unlike the mists on earth, which were grown with a protective alien metal around them, these seem to be purer, thus having no effect on those who weren't born with that genetic alteration. As for who might have the predisposition, it's not that wide spread a group, but affects all races. You follow?"
"Yes sir." Andre said. "So, how rare is this trait? Was anyone in the theater affected?"
"We know about a couple, and have assigned an agent, level five, to watch over them. He'll be arriving withing the next week, and will also be your training officer. He'll have more details on what we're looking for. But some of your classmates were affected, and we also want you to be there just in case." The director said, his voice sounding heavy.
"You want me to spy on them?" Andre asked. "People who could well be my friends, and you want me to spy on them? Maybe take them down if they become a threat?"
"I'm asking you to support the agent we'll be assigning in watching them." Coulson corrected him. "The Inhumans, thats anyone born with this trait, are allies of ours. We expect them to do a fair amount of the policing of there own. However, that doesn't change the fact that Hydra had kidnapped a few of theirs, performing experimentation and disposing of the bodies afterwords. These people will need you to be there for them, to keep an eye out for them, in case someone else discovers their abilities and tries to exploit them." The older man held Andre with his eyes. "Also, so you understand our relationship with the Inhumans, one of my best agents is one of them. Was infected by the mists, and we relied on their people to help the agent learn how to use their abilities. We may have others who get recruited."
"So I'm there to help them?" Andre clarified.
"If necessary." The director said. "Look, son, I know how scary this situation can be. I worked with the Avengers project, getting it off the ground. I know what the Hulk can do. I've seen it with my own eyes. Our job isn't to restrict them any more then needed, just make sure that allowances are made that allow them to live as normal lives as possible. With luck, you'll never be asked to do anything involving them. I can't guarantee that an asset as valuable as you won't be used, nor can I say for sure that you'll never find yourself going up against one of your friends. I'm just saying we're doing everything we can to prevent that from happening."
The musician gave a heavy sigh. "All right, who am I watching." Dre asked, feeling his stomach turn.
"Not telling unless you agree to my rules." Coulson said. "I want to be sure they get to live as normal a life as possible. They can be in show business, be stars, but not because of their powers. We clear?"
"Crystal." Andre said. "But I need to know who I'm watching, cause I'm not sure I could put down one of my friends."
"I'm not asking you too." Phil reassured the young man. "I'm asking you to back up the agent we assign. You may even wind up helping them. I have a strong investment in letting the Inhumans control their own. We understand each other?"
"Yea, we do." Andre said. "I think I understand, Sir"
"Good, cause I still don't like telling you their names." Coulson replied. "I'm only doing this because the agent we've selected, is rather one of two finalists, with one being selected as soon as possible. But until we make that selection the advisory counsel felt that we need an agent in place." The experienced agent hesitated, making sure Andre was ready. "The Inhumans we know about are Katrina and Victoria Vega, as well as Erwin Sikowitz."
Andre felt his stomach drop to his feet. "Tori's one of my best friends." He said. "And Sikowitz is my favorite teacher." Then looking at the senior agent, adding, "What can they do?" Dred pushed his stomach even further into the ground. 'My friends are freaks.' He worried.
"Sikowitz is the interesting one." Coulson said, not bothering to worry about Charlotte being their. "He can read the abilities of others. Presumably that mostly works with the inhumans, but it may work with others with unusual or enhanced abilities. As for the Vega sisters, I know, but I'm not supposed to. I'll leave it to you to find out."
"Got it." Andre said, feeling his world continue to spin out of control. "Anything about any of the other of my friends? Is Sinjin really a mad scientist? Can Robbie do something? What about Jade?"
"Don't know." Phil said. "Maybe Sikwoitz does, or maybe the agent we assign will find out. We will just have to wait and see how this plays itself out."
"Great." Andre said. "You're not worried that grandma might give things away?"
"Nahh," The top SHIELD agent said. "Charlotte here is better at keeping secrets then most people." With that, the director got up to go. "I have other business in the area, something to check out. As your training is completed, and you gain additional security clearance, we'll let you know."
"I'm just auxiliary, right?" Andre asked as he showed the other man out. "No badge?"
"Your a cadet now." Coulson said. "Complete your training, listed to your training officer. I suspect you'll make level one before you know it. And if your given a code name, or put on a special team, you might even slip outside the whole level system. But for now, no badge." With that, the experienced agent left.
"HAY ANDRE!" The older woman screamed. "ALIENS ARE INFECTING THE WORLD! WE NEED MORE BUTTER!"
"True that." The young man said. Then he sighed. 'Please don't let Jade be one of those Inhumans.' A cold chill went down his spine.
Robbie arrived home with no particular fanfare. His sister was waiting for him, but that was because she'd intended for him to watch her butterflies while she went and had fun with her friends. His father's only reaction was disdain. "You were gone? I should have noticed the lack of failure in and around this house." Robbie just shrugged and walked past.
It wasn't like his father, or mother, cared that much about him. His sister cared. She just didn't know how to show it. Not in a family where you had to earn whatever affection they might ration out. No, she was as cold as the others. Only her pets were allowed to see her warmth. Robbie, even Rex, had been concerned at how the girl was slowly losing that warmth to the cold of the family.
Robbie thought about calling his grandmother, talking to her. She loved him. She tried setting him up with Jewish girls, girls he never really liked, but that was out of love. 'Jewish girls and Rabbi's, they meddle.' He told himself. It was bittersweet.
He passed where his mother was sitting with his sister. The older woman was talking to the girl about how important it was for her to achieve something. "Anything, really." The woman said. "Your father works hard to keep us in the level of luxury we have, and it would be wrong to not thank him by being..." She just glanced at Robbie. In his pack, Rex tensed. The wave of hurt amplified the hatred the puppet felt for most of humanity.
Robbie wanted to call his grandfather, tell the old man about his trip. He'd gone to the holy land, stood in Jerusalem. Robbie'd seen many of the holy pilgrimage sights, and it was all on his uncles dime. But the boy didn't say a word, allowing Rex to have more influence on him.
The entire flight back, the puppet had reminded Robbie how his grandfather, the supposed Kabbalic scholar, had abandoned interest in him once the boy failed to progress. "He's just like everyone in your family. You earn love. What have you ever done to deserve love? I mean, it's clear to see why Cat doesn't want to go out wit you. She likes you, but even she can see your a failure just waiting to happen."
Rex now wore a clay crown, painted to look more regal. It was a piece of the original golem. It didn't give Rex more power, like he'd hoped, but it did allow him, them, far more range, while opening more of Robbie's power for his own use. The only way Rex could use this new power was to coerce Robbie into supporting whatever the mad puppet wanted to do, combining their efforts to greater effect. It was also the reason Rex had no desire to talk to Robbie's grandfather.
The old man was a dabbler, but even a dabbled knew far more then Rex ever wanted Robbie to know about the worlds and powers of the mystic. 'At least he failed to become what his own grandfather was.' Rex assured himself. The puppet was extra grateful that Robbie's family connection to the world of the spirits had given it the ability to grow, becoming stronger, all under the eye of a man who should have taken his own training seriously. One exorcist, like Jesus was rumored to have been, and the Golum spirit in Robbie would have been bound, redirected to power the boys own mystic training. Instead of bring there for the boy, the old man had given him to the malevolent spirit, merged with Robbie's own self hatred.
Robbie had plenty of time the entire trip home to nurse his hatred, his loneliness, even his dislike for his uncle. The older man had brought Robbie there in hopes the boys abilities could help him recover some treasure before the expedition they were on had a chance to find it. Then, instead of belonging to the state, it would have been salvage, belonging to him. Rex had agreed, sparing the mans life when it had the chance to kill him just to keep Robbie feeling powerless. The puppet recovered a piece of the original golem from the already found artifacts, made it into a crown with the Hebrew symbol for life on the inside, and the greedy man got a small fortune. As far as the spirit was concerned, it had paid for the crown. Now it deserved the power they were going to have.
The walk from the bus stop wasn't that bad, so Robbie was able to calm down from the anger he'd been feeling. How his family wouldn't even acknowledge that he'd gone on a pilgrimage, and welcomed him home. They didn't even bother to pick him up at the airport. But now that he was home, he saw movement in his peripheral vision. It was where he stored Goonter. 'There's nothing there. I got rid of that puppet. Rex is the only puppet in my life.'
Rex knew Robbie had rejected that spirit, the helpful, kind part of himself that wanted to be a hero. But it also knew the damned puppet had absorbed a bit of the original spirit of the golem, the spirit that was a guardian. It was able to reconstruct itself too, and with the growth of Robbie's power, probably moved itself back here. 'No matter. It's no where near strong enough to stop me now.' Rex laughed.
While visiting Jerusalem, Robbie had also learned that his family was made up of a long line of mystics and exorcists. Fee's for the services they'd preformed had made the family rich, but the money was all in a trust, managed by mystics from around the world. It paid them regularly, enough for all kinds of interesting toys, like his sisters rare butterfly's or his so called "car of tomorrow." It didn't, however, give them enough to live high on and still have those interesting toys. So his family lived in a lower middle class duplex, while everyone had expensive hobbies.
But the money was also supposed to be just in case one or more of them were somehow infused with something from the Yetzirah, the close by astral of the Tree of life, or otherwise was blessed with powers or abilities that would be hard to explain. This was the mystic worlds, the true magics, as opposed to the alien entities that were often mistaken for gods.
Not that Robbie knew anything about that world. His own grandfather had forgotten to learn most of it, feeling that he'd lacked the aptitude for magics. Instead, the family had allowed itself to forget. This was what helped Rex become the first golen in the families long history to have free reign over the host. Of course, it wouldn't be the first to cause misery or destruction, just the first to have the power to do that over the desires of the host. But Rex wasn't worried. The demented puppet was slowly corrupting Robbie, even as it pulled at his hatred of how his family treated him. Hatred of the bullies who picked on him. So much hatred to feed the spirit of Rex Powers, the coolest bully of them all.
And Rex, he could be persuasive. He whispered into Robbie's thoughts how, with this power, he could make any girl his. "Just think," Rex would say so that only Robbie could hear him, "You could take Cat, and bury anyone who tried to get in your way. With our powers, we could make the world our bitch. Wouldn't you like to be one of the guys giving out the beatings, instead of fearing what Trina might do to you?"
Robbie could only nod along as he looked around his room. Then, with his thoughts, he reached out to the small bag of rocks he'd gathered along the way. Rex watched as the boy slowly pulled them out, one by one, and shaped them into the form of men. Small stone men, each the size of an army man, walking around the floor. Slowly, Robbie merged them, one by one, until they were one figure about the size of a ken doll. Then he moved his ken sized rock man to his bags, and had it use it's strength to pull the bag to the base of his cabinet.
Rob watched as the rock man put away what it could of his belongings. It was a start. But Robbie could move a lot more weight then that. He didn't know it, but the enhancements Rex wanted were giving Robbie a greater share of the power he'd ceded to Rex so long ago. Even on his own, he could move a lot more now. Almost a hundred pounds. Rex could move so much more, and if he got Robbie to support what he was doing, he'd be even stronger.
And as Robbie watched his rock men move at his command, he envisioned the time when he would be able to use this kind of power to avenge himself on everyone who'd ever hurt him, or humiliated him. 'Cat will be mine, and who knows, maybe Trina as well. I might even get Tori.' Dark thoughts danced in Robbie's head, fueled by Rex's desire for power.
"Tomorrow, at school, is going to be interesting." Robbie told Rex. The puppet just laughed.
"Just be careful of Jade." The puppet cautioned. "We have no idea how much power she has."
"If she gets in the way, we'll have one of our new friends deal with her." Robbie said, high on power.
"Unless she's got the power to stop that." Rex cautioned. 'Jade can hurt me. She might be able to stop the rock men we use. Best to wait, play normal for a bit, find out what she can do. If we're discovered, we play hero. Sides, I want someone else to take the risks, find out what Jade can do. After, once I know we can crush her, I'll take great pleasure in making her my bitch.' Secure in it's plan, the demented puppet spoke again. "Robbie, I may need you to help me with some rituals."
"What rituals?" The puppeteer asked.
"Just something to give the thugs we hire a little extra." Rex said. 'I can't channel spells, but Rob can. But we need to do this carefully. Too much, and he might realize how much power he has. But we can't call on anything else, cause I want him week, and I'm not gonna be a slave to no one, not ever again. But to sacrifice our power, just for a short while, we should be able to make a few short term servants. Then we can test how strong Jade really is.' Rex looked at Robbie. "Just do what I tell you to, read what I tell you to read. We need some stuff from your grandfather. Take me with you when you visit. Then, we need to find us some patsies."
:}
So now the gangs all home. I'm guessing Rex is turning into a bad guy of some sort. The real question is, will I remember Goonter later on?
Okay, I know there are those of you wondering when things will heat up, and I can say I don't know. Give it time, and wait. I'm guessing, sooner or later, things will happen. Until then, review. It lets me know what you're thinking.