Hey guys, here is the next update in a long while. Sorry about that.

Anyway, enjoy the read.

Chapter Fourteen

Training Day

Madison stood there staring at the girl across her. The golden wings were upon the young woman's back as the eyes fixed her with a look that showed a bit of confusion but she didn't say anything for a few moments before turning away from her.

"Not interested," she said.

Madison wasn't going to have that. With her speed she got in front of Eve again, causing the girl to jump back in surprise at what she had just done. She saw Eve glance back toward where she had stood before, then looking at her again.

"How did you…?"

"Super speed," Madison answered.

Eve stared at her, still completely shocked at what she had just done.

"You're one of the Freaks," she said.

"I know," Madison answered her removing the cowl that she was wearing and revealing her face to her. She could see Eve searching her features probably trying to place her as if she had seen her before but there was nothing there at all. Eve turned toward her again.

"I really need your help," she said, approaching Eve.

Eve narrowed her eyes at her.

"You know who I am don't you?" she said.

Madison seems to be surprised at that. The young woman blinked in confusion at the words Eve used before giving a light nod but she didn't notice the feathers taking place above her and hanging in the air like a guillotine.

"Funny," Eve continued, "I have no idea who you are."

She closed her fist and all of the feathers that were in the air above Madison all came down upon the girl who turned her gaze toward them and then, she accessed the Speed Force causing everything around her to slow down but the explosion still managed to get to her because of how close the feather had gotten to her and she moved to the side sliding down and crouching lightly as time flew normally again.

"Wait…I'm not your enemy," Madison called out to her.

But Eve wasn't listening for she aimed her hand straight toward her launching hundred of feathers down toward the girl causing massive explosion to shake the building they were in, the foundation starting to crash around them. Madison looked up toward the fallen debris before turning her gaze toward where Eve was standing but the girl had disappeared.

Madison then speed out of the fallen buildings and came to stop outside again as the building crumbled in front of her. She glanced around herself searching for Lara but it seems that the dark haired girl was gone as well so she simply sighed before making way back toward Zula's home which she simply reached in a few moments.

The young woman approached toward where Zula was seating. The later turned toward her at her arrival, a light smile upon her face as the computer screen in front of her showed the blue prints of the city.

"Hey you're back," Zula said standing up, "What happened with the Demon?"

"She tried to kill me," Madison told her as she passed her.

Zula blinked a little.

"She tried to kill you?" she repeated, "Why?"

Madison shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know…I just hoped that she would listen at least to what I had to say before trying to kill me."

"She could have simply being protecting herself you know," Zula told her.

Madison looked at her.

"Protecting herself?" she repeated, "Protecting herself from what?"

Zula approached her, an uncertain look upon her features.

"Madison," she said, "As far as the world knows, there is nothing on the scale of what you known that is going to happen. They just don't care about it all and I didn't even know anything about this at all until you came to me a few days ago."

Zula sighed before taking a seat across the girl.

"Look, I get it that you need us to end this thing," she said, "and so far, you've been forcing it. I trusted you because you had proof and my future self's message. The others, they don't have that…for all they know you're just a stranger asking for their help and expect them to fall in line…Whatever we were in your future, we are not those people here."

Madison looked down toward the ground in front of her with both of her hands joined together. Future Zula did say something like that before she traveled back through time. The girl let out a sigh.

"Maybe you're right," she said, "How is our guest?"

"Zhou is looking after her at the moment," Zula answered her, I placed her in the basement beneath the house and let me tell you this girl had some really serious criminal history and being the leader of one of the most notorious gang in Forge City doesn't exactly paint her in a favorable light."

Madison nodded, "I couldn't leave her out there to freeze to death."

"I know," Zula told her, "You need her for the future and all that. Look, how about we focus upon one thing at the time. Those people who kidnapped me knew about the R-System and I think if we focus upon those angles we might turn something up and…well, since I have the next few days off of work…how about we start the training you have mentioned."

Madison smiled a little.

"Sure thing."

Alex slowly came around. The girl was lying down upon something soft, a bed from the look of and since she can't feel an I.V. line in her arm, she wasn't at the hospital. The girl's body felt warm compared to the icy cage she had been entrapped the last time she was awake. She pushed herself off the bed, glancing around the place she was in.

There was no window, that what was she first noticed but then she took notice of a table which had a plate of food upon it. She glanced down upon herself, noticing that her clothing was different than what she had remembered meaning someone had changed her clothing while she was unconscious. Alex could feel a little put off at that. As she was seating there, she remembered what happened the last time she was awake…that woman who turned her gang into ice sculptures with just a look. Whatever she had stepped into between the Demon and that woman…that was something that she didn't know at all…

The sound of footsteps drew her attention, and she quickly lied down upon the bed, feigning sleep. The footsteps were heavy meaning it was a man and it creep her out to think that he would have being the one to change her clothing. The footsteps reached the place she was in.

"Huh…still asleep," the male voice murmured.

Alex stayed as relaxed as possible, keeping her breathing deep like she was still sleeping and she heard the footsteps get closer to her and she can feel her own heart hammering in her chest, wanting to now what the creep was going to do to her but nothing ever did. She heard something clinking.

"Damn…food is cold," the voice said, "Got to warm it again…I wonder if Zula actually have a microwave down here…knowing her…she probably does."

A sigh.

"Let's get it warm again," the voice said before moving away from it.

The footsteps retreated again and faded away. Alex opened her eyes from where she was lying down and pulled herself out of the bed. She turned her attention toward her hand and activated her powers and to her relief, the black shadows started to appear around her hands again. Whatever that woman had done to her seems to have passed from that small device. Feeling her confidence grow from the sight of her powers again, Alex got herself out of bed and started searching for her clothes. It didn't take long for they were all folded upon a chair nearby.

She approached it and picked up the note that was written upon it.

Washed them up for you to clean out the blood from them. I know you're confused at where you are right now but you'll be safe from the police or whoever is looking for you. I promise to explain everything when I return so ask Zhou any questions or if you want to know where the bathroom or anything else is.

Hope you like beacons and pancakes

Zula Ashe

Alex stared at the name, feeling her eyes widen in shock. She would have been an idiot to not know that name. Everyone in Forge City knew the name of the inventor of the X-series device that are practically everywhere around the world. But how did the multi millionaire that was Zula Ashe was involved in all of this? Was she in the woman's home?

Alex shook her head of the thoughts and dressed herself. When she was done, she left the bed behind and found a small corridor which was probably where the man had gone. She followed it and then she reached a large open area that was filled with a lot of mechanical objects and even a few cars around. It looked like she had stepped into a garage slash workshop and it seems that one of the vehicle was mission.

Looking at the cars, Alex remembers seeing them upon magazines and knew that they were in the million dollars worth. She couldn't help the small shake of her head at the expensive vehicles in front of her and then a beeping sound of a microwave drew her eyes toward another direction finding the young man there humming lightly as he was waiting for the food.

As she approached the man spoke.

"So you finally decided to stop feigning sleep eh?"

Alex froze. He turned toward her, a bored look upon his face.

"You…You knew I was awake?"

"I was in the Army you know," the man said, "I notice your body tensing a little when I was beside your bed….but waking up in an unfamiliar environment, I can understand the caution…thought you don't have anything to worry about here."

Alex stared at him.

"Y…You…who are you?"

"The name's Zhou," he said, "Here…this is for you by the way."

He placed the plate upon one of the table that wasn't covered in junk. Alex walked forward slowly. The food smelled good and she was feeling hungry.

"I…Is this is really Zula Ashe's home?" she asked.

"The basement will be more like it," the man, Zhou answered, "Don't worry you'll be safe down here at least until Zula and her friend come back from their training. They'll explain everything to you then."

"What's stopping me from leaving right now?" Alex said, her hands starting to leak darkness.

She noticed the man looked down at the hand for a few seconds. He wasn't as surprised as she had expected. He the met her eyes, and then picked up a cup that was filled with juice and placed it beside her plate.

"Nothing actually, but with the cops completely blocking off the zone that was iced over last night and you being who you are, you won't have far to go" he said, "But you'll be surprised to know that you're not the first of your kind that I've met."

Alex thinks back on the Demon and that Ice Lady that killed everyone she knew. She still can't figure out why Zula Ashe of all people was involved. Alex stopped using her power and then took a seat in front of her food.

"You said something like training?" Alex said, "What would Zula Ashe had to be training for?"

Zhou only chuckled.

Meanwhile

Ashe Industries Warehouse

Zula Ashe was standing in the middle of the warehouse dressed in a shirt and jeans. She looked at her companion, who was simply standing across her with both of her arms crossed over her chest.

"Alright," Madison said, "We're going to start your training by getting you comfortable with you using your powers. So…did you ever actually use your power yet?"

Zula nodded.

"Yeah, a few times actually," she said, "It mostly happen when I'm either alone or surprised. I kind of accidentally froze over my bathroom one time."

Madison nodded.

"Then you know how to use them then," she said, "Do you remember the feeling you had?"

Zula looked down for a few moments before nodding.

"I want you to draw upon that feeling," Madison continued, "I want you to let it completely overtake you but I also want you to keep control over your emotions. Considering your powers are a mental one compared to my physical one, your emotions are more likely to make it go out of control."

"Alright," Zula said.

"Go ahead," Madison told her.

Zula took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew the feeling that Madison was talking about. It was something that she always felt in the back of her mind, like a shadow that was always there but never noticed. She could feel herself drawing upon it and then that same strange feeling was coming over her body, and it was like something that she had always ignored had come into light and that feeling was becoming stronger and stronger…

Across her, Madison was looking at the young woman and could already see the shift in the wind around the other woman. She can see little particle of dust rising from around her feet and her clothing was starting to ruffle from a wind that was coming from around her own body.

"Good," she said, "I want you to hang on that feeling and open your eyes."

Zula did so looking around herself for a few moments.

"Try to use your power now," Madison told her.

Zula nodded again and raised her hand and flames sparked into existence right above her palm causing her to jump back in shock at the flames that were brought to existence right in front of her. The flame instantly died out.

"Woah," she said, "Did you just…?"

Madison nodded at her.

"Yeah," she said, "Now let's try again."

The training day continued like this for a few hours as Zula continued test her power and she managed to only create the fire and wind around her like a rings of light around her body. Zula stared down at the flames around her body and the wind that was spinning in currents around her form.

"This is good progress," Madison told her, "You're really a natural at this."

Zula stared at the flames that were in the air in front of her.

"You know…this is going to sound strange but…it feels like I always knew how to do this," she said.

Madison stayed silent at that as she stared at Zula who closed her hands into a fist and closing her eyes. When she reopened them, both of her eyes were glowing blue and the ground around her cracked with the sudden increase of power causing the speedster to step back a little in surprise. She knew what power Zula just went and unleashed and she couldn't believe how quickly that the girl was picking up her training.

I guess…the reincarnation thing really is true, she thought.

"I…I can feel the earth," Zula spoke, but her voice was like an echo as if two voices were speaking at once, "I can feel the wind dancing in the sky…I can hear the ocean…I…I can feel so many things…"

"Hey Zula," Madison said, "You're not ready for that yet…"

But Zula didn't seem to have heard her. The girl winced a little as the wind around her continue to rise even higher pushing everything that was close to her away and even piece of the ground around her feet had started to crack and rise around her as the glow started to appear around her body…

"Zula…stop it," Madison yelled at her.

"I…I can't…," Zula gasped, "It's…too…much…"

"It's your power Zula," Madison called out to her, "You're the one in control and not your power. You've opened the tap letting out the flood, and you can close it…You can do it."

Zula tightened her hands into fist as she gritted her teeth before the ground cracked around herself and she fell down upon the ground in a crouch, the rocks that were floating alongside her fell back down. The glow in her eyes as well as the one that was around her body disappeared as well and Madison was at her side in a flash.

"Hey, you're okay?"

Zula nodded.

"I…I think so," she said, "I…It's like I could feel the entire planet…that was intense."

"I'd expect it to be," Madison said, helping her up, "I didn't think you'd be able to tap into that on your fist day thought."

Zula glanced at her, "You know what it was."

"Yes," Madison said, "I only saw you used it once thought and you collapsed an entire mountain with it."

Zula was wide eyed at that.

"A mountain?" she said, "Wow…"

Madison didn't seem to share in her enthusiasm.

"So…do you want to continue," she asked.

Zula nodded.

"Yeah," she said, "And by way…that advice you gave me…it's pretty good."

Madison smiled wistfully.

"Learned it from my own teacher."

Year 2039

She was zipping through the area at full speed, the golden lightning following her movements before coming to a stop and with her hand, she launched the lightning forward, the golden blast aiming straight toward the target in front of her but it missed completely.

"Damn it,"

"Again,"

The young woman turned toward the woman in the wheelchair. Zula Ashe had her glasses on as she was seating down with her laptop on as she was still calculating. The young woman glanced at her.

"I have been trying that thing for hours now," Madison said, "I can't go any faster than that."

Zula removed her glasses letting out a sigh.

"You can, you're just not trying enough," she said.

Madison looked at her scandalized.

"Not trying enough?" she repeated, "I'm at my best speed."

"You're going at an average speed of 466mph," Zula said, "When you first gotten your power that level was 300mph. Your speed had increased in the past five months. You signed up to fight in this war and if you think for one second that this level of speed is going to keep you alive out there, then you're dead wrong."

"But I can't go any faster,"

"Saying that is only going to make it come true," Zula argued.

Madison looked at her. Zula let out a sigh and wheeled herself closer toward the speedster that stood across her.

"Look," she said, "That power of yours is something that is limitless. The energy you create I'm still trying to analyze what exactly it is but even I am having difficulties narrowing it down. You said that you can't go faster…me I say that you haven't even seen what you can truly do."

Madison looked at her.

"Why are you pushing me so hard?" she asked, "Is it because of the war?"

"Partially," Zula told her, "Let's take a break for today…meet me at the same time tomorrow."

Madison nodded at her.

"Okay."

Zula turned her wheelchair around and made her way toward the exit of the room but she came to a stop at the entrance.

"Madison," she said, "One last piece of advice. Only one person can decide how to use your power and that is you. You're the one that is control of it. That pool within yourself had just opened a little bit. You just have to open it a little more. Remember, you are the one in control not your power. If you put it in your mind that you can't go any faster…then you won't. However, If you start to believe the opposite then…there is no limit to what level of speed you can achieve."

Madison stared at the woman in the wheelchair as she disappeared beyond the corridor. The girl looked down at her hand for a few moments before standing up again and somehow, a small smile worked its' way upon her lips.

A little words of encouragement from a mentor...echoed through times...

Hope you have enjoyed this little update.

Next Time: Dinner with Lies

Jacques0 out.

R&R