Heroes Chapter 8 Reasons Why We Fight
Author's Note: This message goes out to Kali-Nineteen. Your character Carly, I changed her a bit. Instead of 17, she's at least 27 and a few others. I hope that's okay.
Also, this chapter is my Christmas gift to you guys. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Joel, Peter, Future Joel, Future Brandi and Future Lucy
Warehouse
A vortex opens inside an old warehouse. Peter's group all step out and soon the vortex closes. They looked to see people sleeping on cots, watching TV on little TV sets, and passing out food to each other.
"Where are we" Joel asked.
"This is a safe house for people with abilities. They come here for protection and we provide it. James!" Future Brandi cried out.
They quickly set Future Joel down on an empty cot. Suddenly a teenager came running up to them. Peter right away recognized him as James O'Sullivan, the nephew of his girlfriend Caitlin back in Ireland.
"James" Peter asked confused.
"Uncle Pete" James declared happy to see him.
The last time Peter saw James he was saying good-bye to him, Caitlin and Ricky. It was strange seeing him a teenager now. James noticed that Peter was looking at him funny and started to read his mind.
"He's dead" James stated.
"I'm sorry" Peter answered sadly.
James looks heartbroken. From what Joel can tell this James kid and Peter, the future one, were close.
"James, Joel's been hurt. I need you to grab the first aide kit" Brandi told the young man.
James quickly runs off to get it. Brandi sits down next to Future Joel and holds his hand. Future Joel could tell she was worried about him.
"Don't worry, Brand. You're not getting rid of me that easily" Future Joel assured her.
"You're lucky I love you" Brandi pointed out.
"That I am" Future Joel agreed.
Brandi kisses him softly on the lips. Future Joel places a hand on her stomach. He smiles as he feels the baby kick. It was weird seeing himself with a woman he's never met before. They looked happy together. James came back with the kit. Brandi makes room for him and Lucy.
"James, Lucy, take care of Joel. And you two come with me" Brandi told Peter and Joel.
Joel takes one last look at his future self as James and his future step-daughter start to patch him up.
Tommy Jacobs
New Orleans, Present Day
Tommy was in his room doing his history homework.
"Who was the first astronaut to land on the moon" Tommy asked out loud.
"Neil Armstrong" the other Tommy said from his spot in front of the TV.
"Thanks man" Tommy said, writing down the answer.
Tommy had a lot of homework due tomorrow but he also wanted to play the new Prince of Persia he just bought. So he did what he always does in situations like this: clone himself.
Soon the door opens and his sister Ashley comes in.
"Tommy" she scowled as she saw two versions of her brother in the room.
"What" the Tommys asked innocently.
"They invented locks on doors for a reason genius, so that no one can come in and see what you're doing" Ashley pointed out.
"Yeah and they also invented this thing called knocking" Tommy snapped.
Ashley folded her arms across her chest, which meant not to mess with her. Tommy got the hint. He closes his eyes and soon the Tommy that was at his desk disappears. His sister was the only one who knew about his ability. He would hate to think how his grandparents would react to this. Tommy and Ashley have been living with their grandparents since their parents died when he was three.
Ashley just rolled her eyes at her little brother.
"Anyway, Micah's here" Ashley said.
"Cool. Send him up" Tommy said.
She leaves and soon Micah appears.
"Hey" Micah said, entering the room with a newspaper in his hand.
"Hey man" Tommy said.
Tommy remembered when he met Micah. At first he thought he was some goody two shoes that was an easy target to pull pranks on. During P.E. class all the other kids had to run. Micah was in the lead and at the last minute Tommy made a copy of himself and won the race. He thought he was a push over but Micah proved him wrong. He remembered when he went to a 7-11 he tried getting one of the Icee but the machine goes nuts and it sprayed cherry Icee all over his face. That's when he noticed that Micah was nearby.
They got to talking and that's when Tommy found out that Micah had a power too. He could talk to machines. Even his cousin Monica had a power. She was a "copycat", which means that any physical action she sees she can do.
Now he and Micah were best friends.
"Dude, you're not going to believe this" Micah said, handing him the newspaper.
Tommy turns to the page that Micah marked. It read: Woman Hospitalized by Unknown Explosion. The article read about how a woman's laptop just exploded in her face for unknown reasons. The woman was alive but the explosion did serious damaged to her eyes and was now blind. At first he didn't understand why Micah would show him this until he saw the name of the woman.
"Jaina Mason. Isn't she that reporter that stopped by your house yesterday" Tommy asked.
"Yeah. Remember how she was asking questions about me and my mom? Now all of a sudden she's in the hospital. I think someone was trying to kill her" Micah explained.
"Why would anyone want to do that?"
"Think about it. She knows about people like us, who have abilities. Maybe somebody wanted her out of the way. We need to help her" Micah said.
"Are you nuts?! If someone's trying to kill this lady, we need to stay the hell away from her" Tommy protested.
"We need to be heroes" Micah said.
"This isn't a comic book! This is real life. You're not Batman and I'm not Robin. We're just kids" Tommy exclaimed.
"Well, I'm going to help her. Are you in or not" Micah demanded.
Tommy could tell he was being serious. As much as he didn't want to get involve with whatever this reporter lady was into, he knew Micah was going to need his help.
"All right, I'm in. But you owe me" Tommy pointed out.
Janine Morgan
Montville, New Jersey.
Janine was walking down the hallway of her apartment building when she noticed a Mexican woman sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. Janine recognized her. She just moved in almost a week ago.
"Are you all right" Janine asked the woman.
She looked at Janine and gave her a sad smile.
"Yes. I just needed to get out of my apartment for a while" she answered.
"I'm Janine. I live down the hall. Apartment 310" she introduced herself.
"Maya."
"It's nice to meet you."
Maya goes back to her silence.
"Are you sure you're all right" Janine asked Maya again.
Maya looks at her again.
"I've just been thinking."
"About what?"
"I'm thinking about someone, someone I love but he hurt me" Maya answered.
"Ex-boyfriend" Janine guessed.
"Sort of. He said that he was sorry for what he did and I want to trust him again, I do, but…"
"You're afraid."
"Yes."
"You're afraid he'll hurt you again" Janine said.
"I am cursed. My brother is dead because I trusted a stranger, who I thought was an angel, but turned out he was just using me. And now I'm in love with a man, who did terrible things in my name. The men I meet end up leaving me" Maya said sadly. She noticed Janine staring at her. "I'm sorry to bother you with my problems. You probably wouldn't understand."
"Actually, I do. My father left me when I was six. And about a year ago my brother leaves. No warnings. No notes. No good-byes. They just…left. So trust me when I say that I know what you're going through" Janine assured her.
"Does it get easier" Maya asked.
She thought about lying to her, that everything will be all right, but she decided on the truth.
"Honestly, no. It never does. But it helps to talk about it. So if you need someone to talk about, stuff, feel free to stop by" Janine said pointing to her apartment.
Maya smiled at her kind words. She slowly got to her feet but as soon as she was about to thank Janine, she was gone.
Where did she go?
Janine wakes up in the public library, which is way across town. When Janine arrived in the library twenty minutes ago, she forgot to lock the door to her apartment so she astral projected herself over there to save her the trouble of driving back. She didn't like to use her power that often, only in an emergency.
Janine felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She went to check it. It was a text message from her mom. It was just saying that she and her step-dad Jason were having a great time in Spain. It was bad enough that half of her family was gone, the family she had left were too self involved to even notice her. Jason's idea of parenting was buying her a really expensive gift so he won't have to actually talk to her.
Mom sure knows how to pick them.
That's why she moved here from Seattle. She needed to get away from a while, just by on her own. She felt sorry for that Maya girl.
That was proof right there that men are all the same.
They love you and leave you.
Sam Mason
Pinehearst
Sam entered Mohinder's lab at Pinehearst and saw the doctor working on the computer.
"Hey Mohinder" Sam greeted him.
"Hello Sam" Mohinder said.
Sam moved closer to see what he was working on. He saw a scan of a piece of paper with numbers and figures on it. That must the formula.
He also noticed that was a small wallet sized picture of Maya near the computer. Man, the doctor got it bad for this girl. He was about to say something when he noticed the scales on his hand.
"Holy shit! What happened to your hand" Sam declared.
Mohinder quickly covered his hand but Sam already saw.
"It's spreading. I need to find a way to make this formula work so it will cure me" Mohinder declared.
"What if it doesn't? What if it makes it worse" Sam asked.
"That's a risk I'm going to have to take."
"If you hadn't injected yourself with that stuff in the first place, you wouldn't be in the mess. For someone who's smart, you're being a real dumb-ass. Plus you can't trust the people here. Half of them are criminals and murderers" Sam pointed out.
"Then why are you here, Sam? I'm here because I have nowhere else to go. Why are you staying" Mohinder asked.
Damn! Sam was hoping he wouldn't ask him that. Maya made him promise not to tell him the truth that he was there to 'protect' him.
"I have my reasons. Just be careful, Mohinder" Sam said leaving the doctor to his work.
As soon leaves the lab he hears voices.
"Stop it! You're hurting me!" a voiced cried.
Sam turned a corner and saw Flint, the fire starter, dragging a scared little girl roughly down the hall.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Flint looks up and gives him a cocky smile.
"Hey there, sport. I'm just giving cutie pie here a tour of the building" Flint said.
"Please, help me! These people kidnapped me. Please help" the little girl begged Sam.
"Shut your mouth" Flint tighten his grip on her wrist and she whimpered in pain.
Sam couldn't stand by and watch this jerk hurt an innocent girl. He concentrates and soon his whole body turns to stone. If The Thing from the Fantastic Four had a son, he would probably look like Sam.
"Leave her alone" Sam told Flint.
Flint just smiles and throws the girl against the wall. The girl looked for a way out but Flint and Sam were blocking her only exit so she was stuck.
"You wanna play with the big boys, Rocky?" Flint ignited his hands with fire. "Let's play."
Flint shoots Sam with a couple of fire balls but Sam batted them away like flies. It was a good thing his body was made of stone. Sam grabs Flint by the neck and slams him against the wall. He tightens his grip on Flint and watched as the man choked. Suddenly Sam himself started to choke, like he was suffocating.
Soon he finds himself on the floor, turning back to his original form. He sees Flint and a woman in her late 20s standing over him. The woman was named Carly Daniels. She just joined Pinehearst two days ago. He heard she could control air and gases around her.
"That wasn't very nice Sammy boy" Carly said calmly.
"Stop! Stop it!" the girl yelled from where she was.
They just ignored her.
Sam tries to answer but can't.
Flint and Carly just laughs.
"You're fun to have around" Flint told Carly.
"Thanks" Carly smiled.
Flint looked like he met the psycho girl of his dreams. Suddenly a wind of sand fills the hall. Everyone covers their eyes. Sam was able to breathe again. Soon the sands form into a man in a business suit. Sam stared in shock at the man.
"Dad?!"
Greg Mason ignored his son and turned his attention to Flint and Carly.
"Is there a problem here" Greg asked the two villains.
"No sir. I was just trying to take the girl to her room like you told me to, when this punk got in my face" Flint answered.
"That punk happens to be my son and in the future I would appreciate you would let me know first if you're having problems with him. Same goes for you, Ms. Daniels" Greg said firmly.
The two nodded.
"Now Mr. Gordon, take my son to my office and no more rough housing. Ms. Daniels will take Ms. Summers to her room" Greg said.
"See ya later hot stuff" Carly said to Flint, giving him a wink.
Carly grabs the Summers girl and drags her down the hall. Flint checks out Carly's ass as she leaves.
"Now that is hot" Flint announced.
Aw man! Sam didn't want to hear about Flint being in heat.
Sam turned his attention to his dad.
"Dad, what are you doing here" Sam demanded.
"I promise I'll explain everything, son. But I need you to wait for me in my office. There's something I need to take care of" Greg said.
Sam didn't want to leave. There were so many questions running through his head. But for now he'll do what his dad said. Sam and Flint leave the hallway. Greg pulls out his cell phone and dialed at number. Sam slowly gets to his feet and stares at his father with disbelief.
"Gideon, it's me. Jaina Mason is alive. You told me she was taken care of. We can't have this woman sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. If you can't do this simple task, I'll get someone else who can. Don't disappoint me" Greg hanged up the phone.
Gideon Tsun
New Orleans, St. Michael's Hospital
Gideon was outside the hospital. He just finished talking to his boss, Greg Mason, and he was not happy. It turned out the blast at Starbucks he set up for the reporter didn't kill her, just made her blind.
Damn! He knew he should have put more juice in that blast.
He goes inside the hospital and goes up to the front desk.
"Can I help you sir" the receptionist asked Gideon.
"Yes. I'm looking for a friend of mine. She was brought in yesterday, her name is Jaina Mason" Gideon said.
The woman types in the name on the computer.
"Jaina Mason room 415, fourth floor. She already has some visitors" she said.
"What visitors" Gideon asked curious.
On the fourth floor of the hospital Micah and Tommy find Jaina's room.
"This is it. Room 415" Micah said.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this" Tommy complained.
"I told you, we have to help her. Besides, I thought you would be happy that we skipped school" Micah said.
"Yeah, but when most kids skip school they're at the mall or the arcade" Tommy pointed out.
"Don't worry. We're not gonna be here long" Micah said entering the room.
Tommy follows him.
They see Jaina lying in bed with her eyes tightly bandaged.
"Jaina" Micah said.
Jaina lifted her head.
"Who's there" Jaina asked, trying to hear where the voice came from.
"It's us, Micah and Tommy" Micah said.
"What are you two doing here, shouldn't you be in school" Jaina asked, sitting up.
"We just wanted to see how you were doing" Micah answered.
"That's sweet of you boys. Aside from being blind, I'll live" she said sadly.
"Look, the real reason we're down here is because Micah thinks what happened to you wasn't an accident" Tommy said.
"What do you mean" Jaina asked.
"Well, what was the last thing you remember? Did anything unusual happened" Micah asked.
"I was at Starbucks. I was just typing down all the information you gave me yesterday on my laptop. Then this Asian man trips in front of my table and I went over to help him up. Then my laptop just blew up in my face" Jaina said.
Micah and Tommy share a look and their thinking the same thing.
"This Asian guy you helped, did you talk to him" Tommy asked.
"It was only small talk. He thanked me for helping him up and then he commented about my laptop…" Jaina trailed off.
Uh oh!
"Did he touch it by any chance" Micah asked.
"Yes. Yes, he did" Jaina answered. She was looking scared. "Boys, I need your help. I need to get out of here."
"I'll grab a wheelchair. Tommy, you help her" Micah announced.
Tommy helps Jaina out of bed.
"Careful" Tommy warned Jaina.
"I'm okay" she assured him.
Micah enters the room with a wheelchair and they help Jaina into it. They checked to see if anybody's in the hall. The coast was clear and they quickly make their way to the elevators, but as soon as the elevator doors open they came face-to-face with Gideon Tsun.
"What do we have here" Gideon asked.
"Boys, it's him" Jaina warned them, as she recognized the voice.
Oh crap!
"It's nice to see you again, Ms. Mason. Of course, I was hoping the next time I would see you it would be at your funeral" Gideon smiled.
"I don't know why you want Jaina dead, but we're not gonna let you hurt her" Micah said bravely.
Gideon just lets out a laugh.
"Look at you boys, trying to be heroes. That's so cute" Gideon said, pinching Tommy's cheek.
"See if this is cute" Tommy snapped.
Suddenly two copies of Tommy appeared and tackled Gideon into the elevator. The Tommys had Gideon pinned to the floor. Another Tommy appeared on top of him and started punching him in the face. Micah used his techno powers and shut down the elevator, trapping Gideon inside.
"What's happening" Jaina asked.
"I locked him in the elevator" Micah said.
"Yeah, but it won't keep him in there for long" Tommy declared.
"We're going to have to take the stairs" Micah said.
"But you're on the fourth floor" Jaina pointed out.
"We don't have a choice. Just stay close to us" Micah told Jaina.
Micah and Tommy quickly help Jaina out of the wheelchair. They quickly make their way toward the stairway and quickly climbed down as fast as they could. The elevators exploded open and Gideon steps out, looking very pissed.
Joel, Four Years in the Future
Joel was sitting down on one of the cots, just looking around at the people in the safe house. He was so amazed that there were so many people with abilities in the future. Brandi told him and Peter what she knew but made sure not to tell them too much for fear it might change the past and make things worse. Someone created a formula that could powers to anyone. That's why the future is so messed up. They were playing god when they had no right to. Future Peter and his little group wanted to change all that but another group wants to stop them.
The one that killed Future Peter was Peter's niece Claire. Apparently she could regenerate. Brandi told him that Claire blamed them for the death of her friend Luke. The red head who also tried to kill them was Patty. This Patty girl seemed to hate his future self's guts. He'll have to ask himself later. And the Asian guy with the glass eye was Gideon Tsun. He could make things explode by touching them and from what he learned about the guy, he's mainly doing this because he likes to blow shit up.
He watched as Brandi talked to Matt Parkman. Matt Parkman came in a few hours ago with his daughters, Molly and Daniella. Matt's wife, Daphne, died not too long ago. The Parkman family came here for protection in case someone would come after them. Molly was playing her baby sister, while Lucy and James watched. Daniella was the cutest little thing. To think, he's going to have a little boy or girl of his very own.
Joel looked at the clock, it was five after three. Peter left an hour ago and hasn't come back yet. He was looking for someone named Sylar. According to him, Sylar had a power that could help Peter save them but he left in a hurry before Joel could really talk to him.
He decided to see how his future self was doing.
Man, it was weird hearing him say that.
Future Joel was sitting up in his cot, loading a gun.
"Hey" Future Joel greeted him.
"Hey, how you doing" Joel asked himself.
"I'm doing okay. What about you?"
"I'm fine, mostly" Joel said.
"It's a lot to take in huh?"
Joel nodded. He looked over to see Lucy laughing at something that James boy said.
"Are those dating" Joel asked himself.
"No, but it's obvious they like each other. James is lucky that I like him, otherwise I have teleported him in the middle of the desert for even looking at Lucy the wrong way" Future Joel pointed.
"Where's his family?"
"Dead. James parents were killed by some of our enemies. James' Uncle Ricky died trying to protect him from an attack by a shadow man. Then Caitlin, Future Peter's girlfriend and James aunt, was killed by Claire, and now Peter. We're all he has left" Future Joel said sadly.
Joel felt sorry for the kid, losing his family like that. Speaking of family...he was so busy in the future, running for his life and meeting the people who will play a big part in his life, he forgot to ask…
"Where's Rob" Joel asked.
Future Joel looks sad and heartbroken. He didn't like where this was going.
"Where's Rob? Where's my brother? He's not dead, is he" Joel asked worried.
"No. Rob is alive, but…"
"But what?! Where the bloody hell is he" Joel demanded.
Future Joel looks at his younger self, determination written on his face. He didn't want to tell him, but he knew himself well enough to know that he wasn't going to back off until he got his answer.
"Gilmore Psychiatric Hospital" Future Joel answered.
"Psychiatric Hospital? Why would he…"
"Look, I can't tell you. You have to see for yourself. You want to know how I became this way? When you see Rob, you'll know why" Future Joel said.
Joel wanted answers but he wasn't going to get it from himself. Besides, it was time for him to really test out his powers. He took a deep breath and started to think about the place he wants to go.
Gilmore Psychiatric Hospital. Gilmore Psychiatric Hospital.
Soon he can feel himself disappearing and then finds him outside. Joel looks at the sign that said Gilmore Psychiatric Hospital.
He did it! It actually worked.
He entered the building, looking for his brother. He only took three steps when a nurse walked up to him.
"Mr. Copper, what a nice surprise. I didn't know you were coming to see Rob today" she said sweetly.
"Oh. Um, well, I had some free time and I thought I would stop by" Joel quickly said.
"Well, I know Rob will be very happy to see you. Come with me" the nurse said, leading him down the hallway.
He looked at the patients that passed him in the hall. Most of them looked like they were lost in their own little world. The nurse brings him to the very last door down the hall. She opens the door and lets Joel in. She closes the door behind Joel. Joel was in a big padded room with paintings all over the walls, just like in Rob's apartment back in his time. He sees a lone figure in the corner of the room with his back to him.
"I knew you would come" the voice said softly.
"Rob" Joel asked carefully.
He turned around and Joel was able to see his brother more clearly and wish he didn't. Rob's arms were covered and with cuts and burns, but that's not the scary part. Rob's eyes were milk white.
Rob, what happened to you?
Back in the present
Rob Copper was in his apartment staring at the painting he did for Parkman. It showed Rob and his brother, Joel, in a padded room. In the painting it showed a calendar in the background that read 2012.
I'm going to end up in a mental hospital in the future?
Matt couldn't stay, he said he had to go home but he left his cell phone number in case he needed Rob's help with anything else.
What else does the future have in store for them?
Virgil Barnaby
Manchester, England
Virgil teleported inside a mansion and headed for the kitchen.
"Anyone home" Virgil called out.
Suddenly an apple floats toward him. Suddenly a shaggy looking man appears with the apple in his hand.
"Thanks Claude" Virgil said, taking the apple.
"Where have you been" Claude asked.
"Out."
"Doing what?"
"What's the matter? Don't you trust me" Virgil demanded.
"I'm just making sure you're staying out of trouble" Claude explained.
"What are you worrying about? I'll just teleport somewhere else and you're the invisible man. Besides, everyone could sod off for all I care" Virgil snapped.
"Hey! Watch the attitude. This is my house and you'll show me some respect. You would be living on the streets if it wasn't for me" Claude said.
Virgil has been living on his own for four years. Always moving, never staying in one place. Almost a year ago, he was found by Claude Raines the invisible man, who apparently knew all about him and wanted to help him. After days of Claude following him around all the time, Virgil finally accepted his offer and moved into his place. He never would have guessed that this homeless looking man was rich.
"Yeah, I know" Virgil said.
Claude nodded.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it" Virgil said.
He opens the door to see a man in his mid 40s standing outside with a suitcase in his hand.
"Can I help you" Virgil asked.
"Yes, I'm looking for Claude Raines" he answered.
"Who's asking" Virgil asked.
"Freddy, is that you?!"
Soon Virgil was pushed aside as Claude walks up to the man and hugs him.
"I haven't seen you ages, how are you" Claude asked Freddy.
"Not so good. The Duncan bastard fired me" he answered.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"I need your help."
"Is it about the girl?"
"Yes. I think something is going to happen to her" Freddy said.
Virgil could tell he was really worried about this so-called girl.
"Come in" Claude said, letting him inside.
"Freddy, I want you to meet someone. This is Virgil Barnaby. I'm letting him stay here until he gets back on his feet. Virgil, this is my cousin, Fredrick Masters" Claude introduced the two.
"Hello" Virgil said.
"Hello" Freddy answered back.
Preview:
Sam Mason
Greg Mason
Tommy Jacobs
Gideon Tsun
Jaina Mason
Brandi Summers
Garvis Frell
Christina Santos
Carly Daniels
