Amera woke up with a fright, but she had no idea what from. She spun around, looking around her room wildly, when she heard a noise again. It was rather loud and shocked shouting coming from the lounge. Amera phased out her pyjamas, into her Fantastic suit and blew into the lounge in a matter of seconds. The others were all sitting in the lounge, watching TV. They noticed Amera materialise in front of them, but it didn't nearly faze them as much as what they were watching.
"What's happened?" Amera asked quickly, and Johnny jumped up to speak to her, not wanting to disturb the others.
"It's bad, just like you said. There is some international group that's released some kind of demand video. They want the presidency of the states handed over or they start destroying cities." Johnny explained in hushed tones. Amera quickly paused the live news with a technopathic jolt, and the others all turned to her.
"I just have to see this video …" Amera explained quickly, rewinding the stream. They didn't argue with her, and she replayed the footage. The demanders were all wearing balaclavas, but Amera chuckled a little.
"Ah, idiots…they shouldn't have used such an expensive camera." Amera laughed but the others didn't bother to ask her what she meant. She quickly adjusted the footage, picking up on colours through the knitting of the balaclavas and adjusted so that their real skin became visible. The person talking was a face she recognised, and one she already didn't like.
"It's Nyla, the woman that got the powers! I knew they were up to something." Amera huffed, turning around and switching the TV off in one second.
"We have to start working on some or other plan to stop these people. Start training maybe; I can explain as best I can what you can do with your powers so that when you receive your powers you will have an advantage." Amera sighed, not knowing exactly how she would explain their powers to them. Reed stood up and gestured for everyone to follow him.
"Let's get some fresh air while Amera explains the footage she showed us the other day. Maybe then she can explain how we first manifested these powers." Reed nodded to Amera and they followed Reed to the roof. Once they were out on the deck, they all took seat around the deck dining table and looked to Amera. Amera stayed standing, trying to work out how best to explain to them.
"Well, I think it might work different here than on my planet. You see the radiation changed our bodies over a few days, but with the others' radiation fully manifested, it might change you in a matter of seconds…" Amera started, and they looked all fine surprisingly enough. Amera nodded and carried on with a deep breath.
"We first noticed our powers in times of emotional stress. Reed and Susan first noticed theirs when they were arguing over something at lunch, about two days after the accident. Johnny burst into flames when he was dropped out of a helicopter and onto a skiing slope. I don't know how Ben manifested…he ran away before we could ask. But myself, well, we were averting disaster on Brooklyn Bridge and some of the cameras nearest me started losing footage. After that, they all manifested at once, and it made me pass out for a few minutes. But after that, my powers were fully developed." Amera explained, and the others nodded along as she spoke. She paused for a minute and pointed to her suit, while looking at Reed.
"These suits are made of unstable molecules. That way, they change with us. I think that you should get working on making some for the five of you."
Reed's eyes shot open, looking at Amera with surprise and shock.
"You completed the research on your planet?" He stuttered out, and Amera nodded.
"Well, Reed had some help from some colleagues and decent incentive to do it quickly." Amera remembered back to when they first found out about her and Johnny's powers potential volatility, and when Reed decided to finish his research on unstable molecules. She snapped her head back and looked to the others, and smiled softly.
"I can help you with the theory side of your powers, but once you have them, the use of them is completely up to you. You might not have time to play around with them once you receive the radiation, so that's why the theory is critical. We have to take Victor down as soon as we can."
The others all looked between each other, understanding the seriousness of what they were taking on. Susan looked at Amera and nodded.
"We'll start working with you one on one. I'll go first, whoever else can go after." Susan announced, standing up with Amera. The others all agreed with Susan; Ben stood up and gestured for all the others to do the same.
"We'll go back down into the loft. You guys can work alone and send Susan down when she's got it handled." Ben looked at Amera, and she smiled back up at him.
"Thanks, Ben. That's a good suggestion. See you guys later."
The others headed back down into the loft, leaving Amera and Susan sitting in the marquee at the table. Amera sat down next Susan, and folded her hands on the table.
"Alright, so I had the privilege of being Reed's science partner while we were all still testing our powers, so I have a bit of knowledge of how you control your powers…" Amera started. It went more or less the same with all the others; Amera explained to Reed about his elasticity and the unstable molecules and she explained to Ben about his strength and appearance. Next to last was Maria. Amera sat down with her and started explaining.
"First off, I'd much rather go through the powers with you in actual training, but seen as though we can't do that…I can only ask you to be the last one to receive your powers. Victor seems to be the one controlling the others, and he does have the most volatile powers; so it would only be logical to give his radiation to you. I hope you understand, once this is done, you and I will go through this properly."
"I guess I don't really have a choice. There are five of them, and five of us…one of us have to go last." Maria smiled, and Amera put her hand on her shoulder, making sure it was a little cooler than her normal.
"I think two of us will be too much for anyone to handle anyway, don't you think? You and I can have that one on one tomorrow, the one I promised you; it'll be more fun than just the theory. I get to show off, and you get to watch." Amera joked, and Maria laughed with her. Maria stood up and headed to the stairwell, and within seconds the last one came up, Johnny.
"That was short…did you give her some data download or something?" Johnny smiled and Amera laughed.
"Hey, I can't do it on humans…although it's a brilliant idea for your cell phones."
Johnny was still laughing by the time that he sat down across from Amera. The sun was already going down, and the hazy dusk was made the city skyline orange.
"You're lucky Ben brought you lunch. It's almost dinner time and you haven't even taken a break." Johnny chuckled, putting his hands behind his head.
"I'm lucky Ben's still protective of his parallel cousin." Amera smiled at Johnny, and he quickly looked away, like something else caught his eye. Amera started talking; not paying attention to what Johnny was looking at.
"Your powers aren't too hard to explain, because they're also one of mine. The pyrokinesis is…amazing. You can heat your entire body to the point where your core is plasma so that nothing can physically injure you; you can fly by displacing heat underneath you and even fly hypersonic…" Amera explained. Johnny eventually turned to look at her and listened to all she said. As they were finishing off, Reed came back up the stairwell and walked over to them at the table. Johnny looked a little disgruntled by his reappearance, but he held his tongue.
"Maria told me about keeping her powers for last. I was thinking maybe we could delay my powers and give them to her. That way there can be two sets of your powers, which may be more useful." Reed explained quickly, but Amera shook her head.
"Well, the thing is, each of you has a part to play against Victor; and two sets of my powers aren't as useful as you may think in that situation." Amera explained, and Reed nodded.
"I understand. Sorry to mess around with the plan…dinner will be ready in about an hour when you guys are ready." Reed waved and headed back to the staircase, leaving Johnny and Amera to themselves.
"So do I get a power demonstration again, or is theory all I get?" Johnny joked, and Amera looked back at him.
"Of course. It's the one power I can demonstrate, so I might as well." Amera jumped up, grabbing Johnny's hand and leading him to the Zen garden. After almost an hour of demonstration they headed back downstairs for dinner, leaving the Zen garden with a thin sheet of glass where Amera had stood.