Chapter 11

Proteus took a good look around the room, it was nice. A single bed by the window, the door just left of the bed was the bathroom and to the right of the bed were the I.V. and other medical monitors, opposite the bed was the two-seater couch and off to the far right hung on the wall was the TV. The boy had all the perks.

"Nice, Daddy sprung for all of this and you won't let him up to see you." Tisk, tisk. "What a son. Anyway you have something of mine and I'm here to get it back."

Willie watched in horror as the janitor fell to the floor, leaving nothing but an outline of energy in its place. "Proteus!" Willie scrambled to his feet but there was nowhere to run all he could do was press his body even closer to the window.

Proteus reached out for him and with that first touch, all became clear, but it was too late to warn anyone. Willie could feel the strength of Proteus's mind pushing him aside even after so many battles and the loss of so much cerebral power, the man was still a force, a mental juggernaut so to speak.

"Oh Dear!" gasped William as he became a passenger in his body. William cried out, first in fear, then in anger just to be shoved deeper into the back of his mind.

"Quiet, or when I leave I'll kill you."

Willie stopped his screaming long enough to look around, his mind was like a maze full of doors and each door held a memory and just to look upon a door would ignite the feelings of the memory that hid behind the door.

There has to be a way out of here, Willie opened door after door looking for something, anything that would lead him to the captain's seat of his mind and allow him to reclaim his body.

There deep in the back of his brain was a red door, and as he looked upon it memories after memories flooded in, the kicker was they weren't his.

"Hello Bruce. Did you get my report?"

"Yeah Terry, it was helpful, I figured out what's going on I'll fill you in later but right now I want you to go to the bat cave and get ready for war, oh and Terry feed Ace."

"Where are you?"

"I'm pulling up to mutant high. I have to talk to Emma and Hank. Don't forget to make the calls"

"I won't but who am I calling the JLA, the Titans, fantastic five, Titans East, who?"

"Everyone. Call everyone, I gotta go."

Bruce's limo pulled up in front of the manner, he wished he had better news but that was just a wish. He stood outside for a moment before gathering his will. When Bruce got to the door it opened.

"Pardon me bub!" said a scruffy man with funny hair. The man stopped as he sniffed the air. "Have we met?"

"Maybe in another life."

Funny Bruce thought to himself, that man hasn't change a bit, it's been almost forty years and he looks the same.

"Are you coming in or are you just gonna stand there." smiled a little girl.

Bruce walked and smiled back at the little girl. "Aren't you a little young for high school."

"I'm with my brother silly." She pointed to a teen off to the side that just turned to look at her.

"Molly let the man alone. Sorry she can be a handful sometimes."

"Hi Bruce, C'mon up." Emma was looking over the banister, she watched him give the boy a funny look before he ascended the semi spiral staircase. "What was that look about."

"That kid looks like someone I knew."

Emma looked over the banister again. "Do you know them; they just showed up out of a porthole, poor kids."

"I might, what's his name."

"Slade Wilson."

Bruce nearly dropped his cane, Emma reached for him but Bruce caught himself before he could fall.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Emma I'll have to tell you about them later but right now we have to find Hank."

"He's in the infirmary with Joshua; it's quite a walk so you can tell me on the way."

"Fine, but you're not gonna like it."

One moment Joshua was sitting up in bed talking to Hank about a theoretical process that might restore his wings the next he was doubled over screaming in pain, his mind felt cold and un-complacent. Fear gnawed at him a fear that was and wasn't his.

Jay's head nearly split open with the mental panic. He knew William would have found the link sooner or later, he just didn't think he'd go all Carry about it.

Jay! Jay is that you. Please let it be you.

Willie calm down, it's me are you okay, what's going on?

Proteus got me, I… he's after the power of some gem but I don't have it.

Jay reached out and touched Wills mind and in doing so he touched Proteus's. "God no!" In that moment Jay saw a glimpse of what had happen in the alleyway, somehow during that first fight with Proteus when their powers collided, something in the mind gem was triggered, a failsafe so to speak, all the power was somehow transferred into Joshua and William and now Proteus is going to use will to regain that power. Will whatever you do don't let him find this door, I'll get you out but don't let him find this door.

Joshua what's going on, I don't understand!

Just don't let him find this door damn it!

Okay, but hurry!

"Joshua who are you talking to?" The worry lines that some people get were even more prominent on Hanks face, so much so that if it wasn't blue Joshua would swear that it had lost color.

I was talking to William

Hank shivered bodily. "I really wish you wouldn't do that."

"Oh sorry it's just I was talking that way with."

"It's okay. Anyway you look like something awful happened."

The look Jay gave Hank could dig a grave. "It's about Proteus and I think I know why he's after William."

Hank waited for Jay to continue then realized that Jay wasn't going to, he watched Jay raise his head to look at the door.

"It's ok we're alone."

Jay smiled. "It's not that I just don't want to repeat myself." Moments before he finished talking Bruce and Emma walked in the infirmary.

"So you see Emma, that's how I know him, his alter self; the one from this dimension was a major player for the super-villain side. Of course the Slade Wilson I know is almost seventy and working on the hero's side now but that's another story. Where is this infirmary anyway?"

"Where here."

"Okay now you're just showing off."

"What'd he do now?" inquired Emma.

"Right now that's not important. Dr. McCoy the three of us need to talk."

"Good you're here." interjected Jay knowing that Bruce Wayne fully intended to leave him out of the conversation. Like hell he was going to allow that. This was about him and William and he wasn't just going to sit on the sidelines.

Bruce hated being interrupted, he looked between Jay and Hank "What's he talking about?"

"Jay thinks he might know what Proteus is up to." Said Hank.

"Funny, Bruce and Batman Just managed to put the puzzle together themselves." Emma took the seat next to hank allowing Bruce the remaining seat, the one closest to Jay.

Bruce looked at Joshua, the boy definitely seen better days. "You can go first."

"Thanks." Said Joshua as he cleared his throat. "Proteus is after the power of the mind gem and that power happens to be in me a William."

"That's only the half of it." Said Bruce.

Hanks eyes had grown big. "You're not talking of the Infinity gems are you."

"Yes. He is." Said Emma.

Hank spun to look at Jay. "You mean the power of an Infinity gem is in you right now?"

Jay just nodded as Bruce continued to talk.

"Each person that was robbed had one of the Infinity gems. From what I gathered, a group called the Illuminati del Mort is the root of this problem."

Jay gasped as he spoke. "They have all the Infinity gems!"

"All but one." Bruce corrected. "I'll cut to the meat and potatoes of the matter; we're dealing with a cult. A bunch of religious zealots, predicting the end of days and what needs to be done to save mutant kind. The members of the group believe that the recent population loss of mutants is a sign, a warning that now is the time to save ourselves from the horrors that's to come. There teachings tell them, that to save ourselves we must reunite ourselves. I have no idea what they mean by that but I'm sure it's not good."

"I know what that means." Said Jay. "In a nut shell they're trying to merge this world with its counter parts."

"That can't be." chuckled Hank before he took on a more blanch tone. "The odds of a successful blending of realities are improbable. This would kill trillions of people if it succeeded at best, I, I… I don't even want to think about what would happen should it fail.

"That's why we have to stop them."

Jay watched as Emma's face morphed. He as well as anyone who knew her knew that look. It was a look of determination, that look had a power of its own. Jay often joked that if she willed it she could inspire mountains to move, and now coupled with the raw emotion of those words. She could rise and army.

Jay let that emotion fill him, and with a determination of his own said. "I'm in."

Willie could feel his body moving, hell he could even see what he was doing, but he was powerless to stop it. He watch Proteus Move from the bed, tug on the W.W. letter jeans Terry had got him and a tank-top.

You know kid you could look really hot when you want. Proteus semi spiked his hair, so that it fell in a sort of curl. Looked in the bathroom mirror and stated. "It'll do."

William winced in pain, the burns weren't totally healed and there was still a lot of swelling, and even though Proteus healed most of the damage, the pain was still there.

"Mr. Watts." Called Ramona, his nurse. "You shouldn't be out of bed yet."

Ramona don't, stay away, it's not me, it's... Proteus chuckled as he shoved the nearing nurse aside. The boy was persistent but he was no telepath, though it was amusing to watch him try.

Leave her alone, asshole. Shouted Willie but that didn't stop Proteus.

Gee that's original

Proteus grabbed Ramona by the neckline and sent her flying across the hall. Willie knew he didn't have that kind of strength. Proteus must have thrown in a little mutant power behind his push.

"Guards, Guards!" call the nurse as she looked back to call to the retreating boy. "Mr. Watts you're not cleared to leave the hospital, Mr. Watts… Guards!"

Proteus ignored the nurse and stepped into the elevator. He wished he could do something about the surveillance cameras. He flexed long dead techno-pathic muscles, to show as a testament to what he'd lost and was surprised when a surge raced through him.

Proteus smiled with glee both inwardly and out. Now this is a pleasant surprise, William buddy, you've been keeping a secret!

Get the hell out of my body.

Calm down I'm just trying to be nice, you know I could make this enjoyable.

Willie watched as all the doors and steps faded away to be replaced by a semi messy room. He knew this room, it was his room.

"Hey Willie."

William turned to see Terry sprawled across his bed, exposed as the day he was born. Will stiffened in more ways than one. He watched Terry stroll slowly from the bed, his heart quickening as his lover came to stand in front of him. "And your boyfriend standing with a dumb founded expression while he stares at your naked body, priceless."

Will couldn't help but lean into Terry's body as he pulled him forward, he grew even harder as he felt his flesh press against Terry's and when did he get naked he thought, oh right this is a dream. No not a dream a nightmare. Willie pushed against the fine chest.

"Stop, you're not Terry."

"What." Smiled the doppelganger as he stepped closer with each word. "I look like Terry; I feel like Terry, I smell like Terry." Willie was pressed bodily against a wall. Where it came from he had no idea but it was there. So was the arm that hooked around him and the hand at the back of his head that comfortably curled in his hair to pull him forward for a demanding kiss. The kiss was broken with a soft kiss and a whisper of. "I must be Terry."

"Mmm Terry." moaned Willie, wait not Terry, that's not terry. Stupid teenage hormones, chided Will to himself as he fought to gather the remains of his scattered brain. "Get the fuck off of me, for that matter get the fuck out!"

"C'mon baby you know you want it."

"Yeah but from the real Terry not a Proteus replication of Terry."

The visage of Terry disappeared leaving a tall, lithe, cherry blond headed man in his place.

"Proteus!"

Proteus smiled at the way Willie pronounced his name, it wasn't as full of disgust as he would have thought. "In the flesh, kind of." He brushed his hand along Will's cheek. "You like."

"You just surprised me that's all, and I don't like."

"Really!" Proteus pulled Will into a deep kiss and ignored Will's muffled protest or the feeble attempts to brake free. The sound of the elevator door opening brought Proteus back to the real world. I'll have to play with you later Luv. Checking his watch as he walked out of the elevator, Proteus extended a bit more of his techno-pathic powers and took down the cameras in the lobby.

Proteus pulled out the Vid-Cam. From his pocket as he walk to the nearest car, waving his hand in front of it the door opened. "Boy I missed this power."

"Hello Prim, I got it."

"Good come to the meeting place."

"Fine."

Emma, Hank and Bruce all looked at Jay with mixed emotions, but it was Emma who spoke first.

"Jay, I know you want to help but it's not possible for you to do any good in your condition."

"You know she's right your wounds are still to extensive. You have three fractured ribs and a hair fracture on your spine, not to mention the wounds where your wings were and those still haven't healed yet. If you focused too much power on something other then maintaining your strength you could..."

"I get it, and I'm willing to take that risk."

"But I'm not; it doesn't sit right with me letting a teen go into a battle like this."

Jay turned his attentions to Bruce. "That makes you a hypocrite Mr. Wayne, and who said you get to call the shots for me."

Bruce quickly guarded his thoughts, was it possible that Joshua knew about Terry, was the boy reading his mind. From what Emma said the mind gem bestowed limitless mental powers but one must first know how to use those powers. If the boy already knew how to use those powers then he could easily get pass the psionic chip.

"What's he talking about?" asked Hank.

Jay could see that he guessed right by the slight twinge at the corners of Bruce's mouth. So terry was Batman. He knew something was up by how the kid fought and the fact that Mr. Wayne just happen to know bat man, not to mention that William subconsciously put the pieces together. Jay quickly covered. "He knows Batman right, well batman has had minors working with him nearly his entire crime fighting career, I take it Mr. Wayne wasn't oppose to that." Jay looked Bruce stern in the eyes, daring him to lie.

"I was."

Jay was flabbergasted. He lied. Outright lied.

"Now I think we should let the boy rest and continue this elsewhere, our talk seems to be getting him worked up."

Emma and Hank agreed and stood to leave the room.

Jay spoke just loud enough for Bruce to hear. "You lied."

Bruce thought loudly just to see if the boy could read his mind. I knew you wouldn't tell when you covered for me, so yes I lied.

Jay could hear him but he wasn't about to let Mr. Wayne know that. He simply got out of the bed, grabbed a few ace bandages and whispered to Bruce. "If Terry's going, I'm going."

Hank was about to ask Jay a question but before he could get the words out. Jay shouted. "To my room."

Emma tried to get a read on him but Jay was completely blocked. "What did he say?"

"I'd rather not repeat it."

Terry had made all the calls Bruce asked him to, the word was out; now all he had to do was wait. It's not they had any leads.

Ring! Ring!

Terry looked at the vid-com. It was the hospital. "Hello Mr. McGinnis I'm calling to find out if you have any means of reaching a Jenny Watts would you."

"No, why?"

"I'm sorry I'm not at liberty to say."

"Well I have Mr. Watts number if it's about Will."

"Sorry but that won't do, Mr. Watts is incapable of making suitable choices at this time and Jenny is the next of ken, you wouldn't happen to know any of his other kinfolk would ya."

"Umm no, can you just tell me if he's ok."

"Sorry dear, I can't, I could lose my job HIPPA and all but if you think of someone you let us know ok Hun."

Terry hung up. "Thanks for nothing." He picked up his vid-com again.

"Hey Max, I need a favor."

"What kind of favor McGinnis, cause last time I did you a favor, you…"

"Max! This is important, something's happening to Willie and they won't tell me what happen. They called me looking for his next of ken and before you ask. Yes. I couldn't find her, and his mom is dead."

"So dads out of the picture, the aunt is missing, and a cadaver won't do, got it. So what do you want from me."

"I need you to hack into the hospital files."

"Terry! I could go to jail for doing that, and I don't have a fast enough computer to do that and I'd need an encrypted line."

"What if I told you I know someone who does, would you do it."

"Terry I don't know."

"Max I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"Okay fine, where is this super computer anyway."

"Mr. Wayne's house, how fast can you get here?"

"From my place twenty minutes."

"Maxine, hurry!"

"It really must be important."

Terry hung up

"Have you got anything?"

"You asked me that five seconds ago."

"Well have you?"

"For the last time Terry no this takes. Got it." Max looked at the screen as it read access granted. "Oh crap, sorry Terry this isn't the administration files it's the security files."

Max was about to sign out when terry stopped her. "Computer zoom in on room six B. Look, isn't that Wills dad."

"Yeah it is. I guess he got sick or something."

"Max do you think you can get Willie's room"

"Well we're already in the system so it's just a matter of telling the super computer what to look for. What's his room number?"

"5.C."

Max hit a few buttons and there was Wills room but know Will.

"Max!" Terry clenched his fist fighting back the all too real fear that he might have lost Will forever. "He's not in his room." Terry paced back and forth he couldn't stay still.

"He's not in the hospital."

"Oh no!"

"No Terry not that, he's really not in the hospital, is says here that he was illegally discharged."

Terry gave her a blank look. "So he walked out."

"yeah, but look this is weird, the janitor was in his room and then he passed out after that the cameras got all blurry, it looks like a funky light show."

"That's no light show that's Proteus."

Terry and max turned to find Joshua standing behind them.

"How the hell did he…"

Jay smiled at Max as he looked into her eyes. "Teleported, Now…" sleep and forget.

"Get…. In…. hheeerrre."

Terry watch max slump over. "What did you do to her?"

"She'll be fine; she'll wakeup thinking this was all a funky dream."

TBC