Woo, what's it been? Two weeks? A little more? Yikes. Sorry guys! Still getting over being sick, then all that dang schoolwork to catch up on. -_- Also, I wanted to finish Like Father, Like Genetically Engineered Son before writing the next chapter of WDF. Which made it take a little longer. Whoops.

Anyway, how's it going? For those of you who are interested, my Evil Eddy competition is over. Check out my profile to see the winners! Their stories are highly recommended. ;) Erm, sorry I wasn't able to get a Valentine's Day one-shot out yesterday. I wanted to do something with Bree and Sebastian, but I didn't have time.

Aren't libraries wonderful places? I wrote most of this chapter in my local one, which is amazing, by the way. Maybe it's because I live in a house with two younger brothers who never shut up, but I love the peace and quiet of the inside of a library.

This chapter . . . well . . . you could call it filler if you want, I suppose, but I really don't think it is. You find out something very important. Actually, a few important things. But be careful while reading this chapter; I've barely scratched the surface. I think you'll find you have more questions at the end of this than at the beginning.

By the way, you might NOT want to scroll down and read the ending author's note before reading the story. (I know I do sometimes.) Some things may be spoiled for you if you do that. Just a warning. Lots of stuff happens in this chapter; read that first.

Chapter 21 soundtrack: "Seeking the Truth" by Ryoko. I found it months ago by searching for "songs about learning the truth" (don't ask). I think it fits the mood of this chapter perfectly, and it's not too overwhelming.

Who's ready to meet The Sovereign? I have been waiting for you guys to read this chapter since I first came up with this idea (way back in September, I think?). I don't own Lab Rats, and I sincerely hope you enjoy. :)

* * * Chapter 21: Before the Throne * * *

It must've been the morning. I wouldn't know, because there wasn't any way to tell time in our tiny cell. I could've tapped into my internal clock to give me the time down to the millisecond, but I was apprehensive about using my bionic abilities here.

It must've been morning, because Snake and three of his fellow goons came to get us. We put up no fight; Scarlet had warned me it was best to just go along with them—for now, anyway. I made sure to give our captors the most vicious glares I could muster, and I saw Scarlet do the same.

"What do you want with me?" Scarlet asked as Snake jerked her to her feet.

"A little brother-sister talk," he replied evenly. "We haven't had one in years."

"We've never had a decent one."

"And I plan to keep that pattern. As far as I'm concerned, you're not even my sister anymore."

"Promise?"

Snake continued unruffled. "You're a traitor to The Sovereign's empire, and treachery is punishable by death."

"Then why haven't you killed us yet?" I asked. "Or at least her?"

"Thanks a lot," Scarlet hissed.

"Didn't we have this conversation yesterday? You're far too valuable to us alive. But continue in your snarky ways and I will have your head."

I pursed my lips and looked at the ground. Two of the soldiers grabbed me and pulled me out of the cell. Another soldier assisted Snake with Scarlet.

"Take her to The Sovereign," Snake said crisply, "and he will handle her from there."

The soldiers nodded and began marching me out of the prison cell. I looked over my shoulder at Scarlet. She flashed me a grim smile and nodded slightly before turning to let Snake lead her away.

The route was the same as the day before. The soldiers marched me along, not saying a word. I remained silent as well. Once again the road to Restwater tempted me, but I knew, of course, that it would be futile to even try to escape.

The sky was a gloomy grey color, and it looked like it was going to rain. The weather was perfectly matching my mood that day. A chill wind penetrated my light clothing and made me shiver.

I looked up at the large building looming in front of me. My knees felt like jelly as we got closer and closer. The Sovereign was in that building. I was going to see him. The ruler that I had hated with a passion all my life would soon be right in front of me. I drew a shaky breath and tried to look brave.

When we reached the mansion, the soldiers led me down a different hall. Within a matter of minutes we arrived in front of a large pair of doors. The soldiers looked at each other and I believe they smiled. They opened the doors and we walked into the room.

It was large. That was the first adjective to pop into my head. The room was as large as a gymnasium, and just as high. It was also dark. Computers lined the walls to my left and right. Some showed camera displays, others various websites. Some showed long lines of complicated code that would've taken even me hours to decipher.

On the opposite side of the room, on a raised platform a foot or so off the floor, was a tall chair. The Sovereign's throne. It was turned nearly all the way around. I could see The Sovereign's right arm and leg, but no more. He was looking out a circular window about as tall as a man, and judging by our position I was guessing he could see most of Restwater through it.

"Leave us." The voice rang out cool and clear, echoing through the room and sending shivers down my spine. The two soldiers bowed and exited, the door closing loudly behind them.

Slowly The Sovereign turned without getting up. The little light coming through the window was blocked by the tall chair, and it was too dark for me to make out his features very well. He had the air of a madman—that I could tell without even knowing the color of his eyes. He was dressed as you would expect a villain to be, in all black yet surprisingly formal clothing. His dark hair was wild, like he just didn't care enough to comb it. That was probably the case.

"Kneel." The command once again echoed through the room. It was powerful and dangerous—like The Sovereign himself.

In that moment I knew I had a choice. Here I was, not more than ten feet away from our "glorious" leader, my mother's old enemy, and the man I had loathed all my life. I had been defying his rules for years. The Sovereign had asked me to kneel. I had a response: "No."

"Fine," The Sovereign said crisply. "Then I will make you." He raised his hand and suddenly I felt a strong force gripping my body. This wasn't like the other day when a soldier had telekinetically gripped my pipe. This was like three men with super-strength pushing me to the floor. I tried to fight it, but soon I found myself on my knees, gasping for breath.

I glared up at him. "If you're bionic, why do you need so many soldiers?" I asked smoothly.

"My bionics are very powerful," he replied, "but I can't be everywhere at once. The soldiers carry out the most basic of tasks. I get to deal with people like you—those who demand my attention because every other method has failed."

"What do you want from me?"

"Your secrets."

"Okay. Sometimes I sing when I'm alone."

The Sovereign scowled. "I meant the secrets about the Defiance."

"I don't know what you're—"

"You can save the theatrics," The Sovereign said, holding up his hand. "We both know that you're part of that abominable rebellion, and this will go a lot quicker and be much less painful if you just admit that."

I swallowed. "I won't admit to anything."

The Sovereign laughed. "Be that way, then." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Have you ever heard of psychokinesis, Aspen?"

"Of course. Also known as telekinesis. Psychokinesis is the alleged ability to move objects by mental effort alone—"

"That's enough," The Sovereign interrupted. "No one likes a verbose know-it-all."

"Judging by your vocabulary, you're quite voluble yourself."

"I'll admit to it. But it's always best to know how to restrain yourself. Now, back to psychokinesis. It's a very, very powerful ability, Aspen Summers. I've had it for many years, and I must say, it makes for great persuasion when used properly."

I suddenly found myself knocked to the ground by an invisible force. I tried to push myself up, but discovered that I was completely immobile. Then I was lifted until I was several feet off the ground. A tight force gripped my throat and closed in, cutting off my oxygen. I spluttered and gasped, clutching at my throat.

"Snake's little poison game yesterday can't even compare to what I could do to you," The Sovereign said. He stood up and walked closer to me, his hand raised. My feet dangled above his head. I took advantage of the opportunity and tried to kick him, but he grabbed my feet with his psychokinesis as well.

"L-Let . . . let . . ." I wheezed. The room began to look distorted and a black cloud came to the edges of my vision.

Without warning I was released and fell a good ten feet to the ground. I groaned as I made contact, pain spreading through me. It didn't feel like any bones had been broken, but I was certainly bruised.

"You'll tell me all you know about the Defiance and those blasted Davenports!" The Sovereign yelled.

I coughed as air returned to my lungs. "D-Don't talk a-a-about the Da-a-avenports that way," I stuttered.

"They have been fighting against me for years. I will talk about them any way I want! They are headstrong and don't understand progress. Even with the second-youngest gone, they still manage to foil my plans! They are foolish people, especially that girl, Bree. She's an utterly pathetic excuse for a superhuman."

"Don't talk about my mom that way!" My veins turned to ice as soon as The Sovereign's sickening grin slid across his face. I squeezed my eyes shut and mentally cursed myself.

"You have one weakness, Aspen," The Sovereign said almost gleefully, "and that is that you talk too much, and you don't think enough before you say something. That has been your downfall today."

"I-I . . . I . . ." For once in my life, I was at a loss for words. I had made a horrible mistake, and I knew it. Worse, The Sovereign knew it.

"I'm not at all surprised. You look a lot like your mother. You have her persistency and that same defiant glare. Having Bree's daughter here will turn out very well for me, I'm sure."

"You're going to hold me for ransom?" I asked.

"Hmm, I think I have a better idea in mind. If you're her daughter, then surely you're bionic."

My heart skipped a beat. "No!" I lied. "My mom didn't want me to have bionics."

"I'm not an idiot. I'm fairly certain you do . . . a quick scan will prove me right or wrong. We'll get to that in a few minutes. So, Aspen Summers, if your mother is Bree, then you must know who I am."

I squinted. By this time I had crawled back up to my knees, but I did't dare to stand. "What do you mean?"

The Sovereign placed a hand over his heart—or where his heart would be if he had one—and said, "Oh, did she never tell you about me? I'm wounded!"

"She told me that you're an old enemy." I tried to think of what was appropriate to say in response. "She told me that they've been trying to stop you for a long time."

"Very true. But . . . she didn't say anything else?"

"No . . ." I said slowly, trying to figure out what he was hinting at.

The Sovereign smiled gaily. "Well, then it looks like I have the distinct pleasure of telling you myself."

He marched up to me and gripped my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes. I stared back, slightly afraid of what he would say next. He smiled again, then said slowly, "Your mother used to be my sister. I was once known as Chase Davenport."

My heart stopped. My veins turned to ice water. I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Every metaphor you could use to describe surprise, I was feeling. And not only surprise, but disbelief. Sheer, utter disbelief.

"No," I said finally after I had gotten my voice back. At some point during my shocked stupor, The Sovereign had release my chin and leaned back. He watched with an amused expression while I tried to find more words. "No, Chase is dead. You . . . you killed him!"

The Sovereign nodded a bit and said, "I will agree with you on that. Chase Davenport was a wimp and a coward and as soon as I figured out that he wasn't working, I eliminated him. Nonetheless, at one . . . very pathetic point in my life, I did go by that name."

"There's no way." My brain tried to process it, but nothing made sense anymore. "There's no way! My . . . my mom wouldn't lie to me like that."

"I wouldn't be so sure," The Sovereign—Chase—whoever he was!—said. "Bree was never exactly a model of honesty."

"Bree . . . my mom . . . your sister?"

"Not anymore!" The Sovereign snapped. "When the Davenports didn't understand my perfect design for the world, I broke off all ties with them. I haven't gone by Chase Davenport in nearly two decades, and I don't plan to go by that name ever again! They saw me as a threat, and they've been attacking me for years. They're not my family; not anymore." The Sovereign looked almost sad when he said the last sentence, but it must have been my imagination.

"I don't get it," I said softly. "I mean . . . my mom told me about Chase . . . how . . . how did . . . what happened to you?"

"Fate," The Sovereign chuckled. "Destiny. Call it whatever you want, but I found my true purpose in life. Tell me, Aspen, have you ever heard of Victor Krane?"

"My mom told me about him," I replied. "He was their—your—uh . . . he was a bad guy, but he was defeated."

"Did Bree ever tell you how he was defeated?"

"No, she never really went into the details."

"You see, Aspen, people used to view Krane as a major threat. He did many things that some—including me at the time—thought were bad. People thought he was the most powerful bionic in the world. Then I killed him, and proved them wrong."

"You killed Krane?"

"Yes. It was an action I regretted later on, though I regretted it for the wrong reasons. Eventually, in a state of utter remorse, I went through some of Victor Krane's files. I discovered his plans . . . and his reasoning behind what he did. Finally I understood. Krane had a vision of a perfect world: one where everyone would live in peace. Adam, Bree, and I hindered that vision. I was determined to right my mistakes and fulfill Krane's dream."

"By taking over the world?"

"Yes. One ruler, one mind, one peace."

"This isn't the way to peace!"

"I wouldn't expect a child like you to understand."

"I don't know, I'm pretty smart."

"So am I, but it still took me four years to comprehend and accept Krane's desires. Now that I have, I've not once regretted it."

"The world has."

The Sovereign squinted. "Those who rebel are the problem. If you were to settle down and attempt to live a peaceful life, no violence would be necessary."

"That's not happening."

"Then the massacres continue. I shouldn't expect you to understand. The world is so full of potential. For nineteen years I've been trying to reach that potential, and I've never quite made it. If I were to get rid of the Defiance, I'd be one step closer. The Davenports don't understand. They never did. I tried to get Adam and Bree to see the revelations I had, but they were too stubborn. It's their loss."

"You'll never defeat the Defiance."

"If I find out that you are bionic," The Sovereign hissed, "I'll be that much closer. Come with me, Aspen, and we'll see just how useful you are to me."

"I'm not going anywhere. You can't make me," I protested.

The Sovereign threw back his head and laughed. He reached up his hand and my whole body moved upward unwillingly until I was in a standing position. "Have you forgotten already? I can."

For crying out loud, goodness', pete's, and heaven's sakes! YES! Oh my word, yes, okay? YES! *looks at people who haven't read the chapter yet* (Go back now, before it's too late.) YES! The Sovereign was Chase! All right? Happy now? (And that, ladies and gents, is how you pull off a plot twist. *tips hat*)

Hold up! Chase doesn't have psychokinesis. And he killed Krane? How did that happen? Why did Bree lie to Aspen? What's going on? Is The Sovereign lying? (I almost feel like I shouldn't be asking you guys questions in this chapter, since I'm sure you have a billion for me, most of which fall along the lines of the questions above.)

1. Who wants to murder me right now? Anyone? I'm sure you're all mad I kept the truth from you all this time. *snickers*

2. Was it shocking to learn his true identity? Or am I going to get an inbox full of reviews that say, "I KNEW IT!" Because that would be disappointing. -_- (Also, please be honest!)

3. Now for the doozy . . . is he lying? Did The Sovereign say that just to get a rise out of her? Or was he really Chase?

MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul: I prefer not to get the episodes off of there, but I suppose it is an option. Thanks!

HawiianChick12: Hmm, I've never heard that song, but sounds like it fits!

Pizzalover123: Bad guys always get justice, don't they? ;) I'll try! Thanks for the input! :D

TheMichiganWriter: I know, right? DX I'm so sad it's gone. Oh, yikes. Yeah, I probably can't scare you then. O.o Yup, here he is! And maybe I should give you some kind of award for guessing who he was. ;) I pulled an "I am your father" on you guys. I'm so sorry. XD And thanks! I'm feeling much better now.

Labgirl2001: Bree doesn't know yet, but they might soon. ;) It was great, wasn't it? And thanks!

AllAmericanSlurp: Thankies! I do try. :3 Oh, Snake, you've got an admirer! Slurp . . . you're a strange person. Hmm, I don't think I'll do that, but feel free to shower your hate anyway! :D Grandma Rose, Exoskeleton vs. Grandma. One of my favs. Rose is great. XD (And I'm not talking about myself . . .) By the way, I feel like I owe you an apology for what I said in our PMs a while back. I kinda panicked. The Sovereign, while technically my own original creation, is/was Chase. So I'm sorry for tricking you like that. I've been feeling bad for months. Can you forgive me?

ungerlover: (chapter 17) It's totally fine! Yeah, I get the whole structure thing. (chapter 18) I understand what you're saying. If The Sovereign gets her back, that could mean bad things! Maybe that's my plan . . . XD Ooh, butterflies! I totally should've done that. Next time, next time. ;) (chapter 19) I'm glad you liked it so much! Good vs. evil will always be fun to observe. Ooh, that sounds like a fun game! :D (chapter 20) I know, RIGHT? Wasn't it great?! And I love that song too. ;) Hmm, it could've been, I suppose. Who knows? Haha, glad I could make you nervous! (Which sounds bad, but . . . you know what I mean!) Um, well, sort of. It's more of a course I take. If you want I could PM you and tell you more, but I'd rather not talk about it here, where anyone can read. But I trust you. ;) I'm so glad you like it! It really means a lot to me! And thanks for taking the time to catch up on those reviews. I really loved reading your feedback! :D

PurpleNicole531: I know, right? DX Well, StarStruck and Geek Charming are still on there, but Lab Rats was taken off. Maybe they'll put it back? Maybe? Aren't they? Haha, oh, Horace! XD Thank you for mimicking him! Made my day! It was so great. Yup, The Sovereign's past. Including his real identity. Thanks!

Amazingmonkey: Thank you so much! Well, he is The Sovereign's son! You'll find out more about him as time goes on, don't worry! I have lots planned with his character.

tennisgirl77: Yeah, I know. :( It's a real bummer. But it's not really Netflix's fault; it's Disney's for not giving them the right. Thanks for reviewing!

ThatCrazyGal7580: Thanks! Yeah, I guess that's true. I might have to.

Kickin' It Fan: There will be some! Included a few in this chapter; hoped you liked them!

LrLover444: Interesting guesses, but sorry, no. :( Hmm, well, I'd love to, but I don't know the name of your forum. If you told me I would be happy to check it out. I'm not sure how to get an invite code (probably somewhere in the "forum" tab on your profile), but if you send it to writers they can enter it and become a moderator on the forum. Thanks for reviewing!

countrygirl1997: I hate to break it to you, but shouting at me to update really doesn't make me update any faster. But I'm glad you liked it! (I think.)

PrincessSparkleKitty: It's fine. :) Took me a while to update, anyway. XD Oh boy, and Marcus has joined in on the fun too! :D It's a whole big party! Oh, no problem, Adam. The giraffes are very friendly. I hope it comes back too. :( Bye, Adam, Marcus, and PrincessSparkleKitty! Thanks!

ShyMusic: That's okay; I'm late too. XD Haha, I'm actually really flattered that you called her your Aspen. I hope that means you like her! Well, yeah, Scarlet does have an incredible ego, but this a pretty dire situation. Trust me, she's not happy about admitting it. XD Good and evil isn't always so black and white, unfortunately. Oh-ho-ho, wow. XD Got a little crush on April, do we, Chase? Well, I wrote her just for you! (Gosh, it's been a long time since I read that story.) Subject G was/is an amazing series. One of my favorites! Thanks for the great review, Shy and Chase! :D

Wow, long note. Sorry. Got a lot to reply to since it's been so long. XD But thanks for all the great reviews!

By the way, it turns out that Lab Rats is on Amazon. It does cost money, but it's completely off Netflix now and I'd really rather not go to YouTube. Hopefully my parents will let me buy it. I managed to finish the second season the day before they took it off. But I don't want that to be the end!

Now I patiently await the angry reviews of Chase fans. Or the thousands of "I knew it!" responses, which would be very sad. I genuinely hope that I pulled off that plot twist well. Maybe I shocked at least one person? Whatever. I'll find out soon. See you later for Chapter 22: A Quick Scan and a Plan, which hopefully won't take as long to update. Bye!