Chapter 26: Conduit, Not Human
The Beast is 1067 miles from New Marais
Absorb 5 move Blast Cores to power the RFI
Cole and Cassandra walk along the roofs and look down at the people, but the Cemetery came into sight so they jump down from the roof and walk up to the Cemetery gate, Cole pulls the gate open and Cassie walks through the gap, he followed after her and they walk inside, Kuo was sitting on a stone, just lost in her thoughts, Cassie exchanged looks with Cole and they walk up to her. "Kuo." Cole calls out to her, she looks up at him, "Stood up and steps in front of the two.
They were surprised at her new look, Cole and Cassie smile at her, "Well, hey, that is a really new look for you." Cole informs her as he crosses arms and Cassie folds her behind her back. Kuo did the same and smiles smile at them, "Yeah, you like it?" she asks him and Cole looks behind her, "Well, you did forget a cape." he states as he steps back and Cassie shoves his shoulder a little. "But, uh... come on, it's a little extreme don't you think?" he asks her and Cassie shot him a glare, Kuo just shrugs at him. "I'm not an agent anymore. You're looking at the new me, it's a little hard to hide," she tells them, but Cassie was even more worried for her. "Kuo, please be honest with us." Cassie asks her and she looks at her "Kuo, you alright?" he asks her and she nods at them, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine, but it uh, it's kinda cute that you care." she states and touches Cassie's cheek, but Cassie gasp in pain as she felt the cold touch of harsh frostbite.
She turns away from them with her hand on her check as there was a chunk of ice on her cheek, "Cassie!" Cole states as he places his hand on her shoulder and looks at her, Kuo steps behind them, but kept her distance, "I, I'm really sorry I didn't... I don't." Kuo tries to apologize to her and the turns back to her with a glare in his eyes, "You got to learn how to control your powers." he snaps at her, Kuo was hurt by his words, she wanted to say something but nothing came. Cassie looks back at them as the chunk of ice melts away from her check. She then places her hand on Cole's arms and he looks at her, "We were no different from her." she reminds him, he exhales and looks away as Kuo sat down on the steps. "Forget it, it's fine. You just need some time, alright," he tells her as Cassie walks over and sat down next to her. "Believe me if anybody knows what you're going through, it's me and Cassie. Better than anyone." Cole informs her as he steps to the girls. Cassie rolls her eyes and then shook her head as Kuo shook her head and glares up at him. "No you don't MacGrath, you don't know." she snaps as she shot to her feet. "We are not the same. You and Cassandra got your powers in an explosion. It was over in a flash. What they did to me, was slow." she informs him as she steps back and then Cassie stood up. "And we're going to make all those sons of bitches pay, Bertrand included," she states and walks up to her and she places her hand on Kuo's shoulder, making her flinch. "But if we're going to fight him together you have to get in control of your powers!" Cole snaps at her and she glares at him, "Don't yell at me!" she shouts back at him and moves away from Cassie.
She looks back at Kuo and then at Cole giving him the 'WTF' looks, he went to say something. "I don't know how." she whimpers as she looks down at her hands, Cole and Cassie then look at each other and Cassie walks up to her. "But if you're willing to learn, we can teach you. We're experienced at it than you." Cassie tells her as Kuo was just breathing. She then exhales and nods, then looks at her, "Okay. Okay." she agrees with her. Cassie then looks back at Cole, "You're right." Kuo states and then inhales. "When do we start?" she asks and he nods at her. "We're gonna start right now. Let's see what you can do." Cole asks of her, "Well I can fly." she tells them and Cassie looks at her in surprise, "Alright, show us." she tells her as she gave her some space. Kuo runs out onto the grass she then floats in the air and shot forward like a bullet across the Cemetery. Cassie whistles and they ran to her, they jump over the fence and then over the brick wall and walk into the next section of the cemetery and look up at Kuo as she was standing on a tombstone. "It's pretty cool, huh?" she asks them, then flew down to the ground. "Okay. If you're trying to make us jealous. It worked." Cole informs her as Cassie nods her head as she agreed with him.
Kuo exhales and then turns to them, "Some of Wolfe's notes talk about the theory that two Conduits, compatible ones, might be able to combine their powers." she informs them. "Oh, that sounds interesting," Cole states as he remembers doing such thing with Nix. "Didn't we combine our powers once with Nix?" Cassie asks him, Cole went to answers her. "Please stop I do not what to hear anything about that," Kuo asks of him as she gags in disgust. Cassie nods at her "Consider it dropped." she states, then Kuo floats up and shot over to another section of the cemetery, "Stay sharp." she orders them as they ran after her.
They jump up and joins her on the room, but she held her arm out and stops them, "Hold up, Militia." she informs them and they look down at the small squad. "Let's try out Wolfe's theory, combine out powers." Cole said to them, they nodded at him and then Kuo flew out and flew out a frost mist and Cassie ran down to her, "Now." she shouts and Cassie fires at them, activating the cold particles, turning them into icicles, Cole just laughs as she ran up to them, "It's a hickcicle." he jokes and Cassie snorts a little as she thought it was funny. Kuo just smiles and laughs seeing the result. "Our powers do combine." she states with amazement, Cole nods at her, "Oh we're going to have to remember that one," he states and Cassie nods at him as she brushed back her hair. "Let's try something else." Kuo states and thy walk forward. Kuo shot up onto the roofs of the cemetery as she lands behind some Militia as they were firing down at the people. "There's more of them," she states as they jump up and lands on the ground and she sent them flying off the roof. "Shoot!" he shouts and they fired at the men that went flying off the roof and nailing them on the faces. Cassie smirks and she pins them to the ground. "So, Cole, I've been reading over the notes that I dug out of Wolfe's lab, and everything points to a blast core hidden somewhere around here," she informs him as Cassie walks back up to them. "Nice job, Kuo! Where is it at?" he asks her. "Yeah, his notes are intentionally cryptic, but he did have a photograph attached. I've already sent it to your phone." Kuo answers him.
They both pulled out their phones and opens them, seeing the pick as it was a picture of somewhere close. "Thanks, let's, uh, let's look around, maybe we'll find where it was taken," he informs them and they climb up to the roof. Cassie looks down at the photo and was paying attention to the angel of the photo and then she ran to the left and looks at it again, "It's here somewhere, according to the angle of photo." she informs him, Cole smiles and ruffles her head, Cassie giggles and shoves his arm away. "You know what, let's check these coffins. Maybe we can pry open the lids." Kuo informs them as Cassie smooths out her hair. "Not a problem." Cole states and then they jump down and look with the small area. Cole and Cassie used the Kinetic pulse and lifted the lids, but found nothing in them.
Then they came to the last one and Cole lifted the lid from the coffin and Cassie reaches inside. And pulls out a sheet of paper, "Bad news, no Blast Core, but the good news is that we have the next location of the possible Blat Core." she informs them then Cole and Kuo look her over shoulders at the photo. "Wolfe was paranoid, but... considering what happened. I'd say he was justified." Kuo informs them, "Maybe Bertrand wants the blast Core, too. Could be why the Militia's poking around. We better keep looking." Cole informs them, Cassie nods and pockets the photo. "Yeah," Kuo mutters and they climb up onto the roof to witness a fight between the mutants and the Militia. Kuo threw out the mist and Cassie threw in some bombs and they were a butch of hickicicles.
Cole threw some of the grenades down at the mutants and send them flying and Cassie fires at them and then Cole pulls out his Amp and swung it at the Militia, making then fly back. Cassie then did a thunder slam and send all the monsters and Militia flying and Kuo finished then all off. They exhale and then the two women jump down and then Cassie ran through the cemetery with Cole and Kuo behind her. She then jumps onto the wall and looks down at the photo at the angel of the photo, then back up as she found the right one. She then places her photo and stood in front of the coffin, "I found it." she calls out, the two ran over to her and Cole did the kinetic pulse and lifted the coffin lids and threw them to the side. Cassie leans in and pulls out another photo, Cole looks over her shoulder and exhales as it was just a photo, but then Cassie looks over at the pile of body bags and then Cole looks over as well. "What the..." Cole questions, Cassie places the photo away and then the two walk over to the bags "What's with the graveyard, why is it so packed?" Cole asks as Cassie kneels down and looks at the bodies.
Kuo just steps up to them, "You didn't know?" she asks and Cassie looks at her. "It's a... it's the same plague that you dealt with in Empire City, only it's more lethal now." she states and Cassie gasps in shock and looks back at the bags "It works it's way all the way down the coast. So it was only a matter of time before it hit New Marais. Now it's raging out of control. So many people are sick or dead already. There are more bodies then people can bury." Kuo informs them as she rubs her arm. Cole looks at her in shock as Cassie stood back up, "Wow... maybe the Beast isn't the worst thing could happen to this town." he states. Cassie exhales and pulls out the photo. "So?" Cole asks as he looks over her shoulder. Kuo walks up to them and looks over Cassie's shoulder as well. "It's a Celtic grave," Cassie mutters and Cole looks at her, confused. "It's buried within a circle to keep evil spirits and demons out." she informs him, and he lets out an 'oh' she then places the photo away and they ran down the isle. "Wait, something is strange, I'm, I'm feeling... I don't know." Kuo mutters the two stop and looked at her.
Cassie looks back at the fight that was happening ahead and then she saw some of the ice soldiers as they were fighting the Militia. "Those guys escaped Bertrand's lab the same time you did. They've got powers just like you!" Cole informs her as they look in at the fight, "I felt them before I even saw them." Kuo informs them. "They never had the gene, to begin with. Your body is reacting from being near them like how an ant feels when the queen ant dies." Cassie informs them and they shot looks down at her, "Right, wrong metaphor. Sorry." she mutters and then they step into the fight and fired at them. "Oh god! That's why they did it to me. Bertrand must of a way of transferring powers!" Kuo states as it clicks in her minds. The ice soldiers jump away and the three then were left with finishing off the Militia. So they split up and then took them right out, Kuo shot them in the air and Cole nails them right in the face as Cassie pulls out her whip and then cracks it, making Electricity fly and send them flying back and smack against the wall.
Cole and Kuo finished off the two Militia on the roof as Cassie then ran to the tomb and looks at the vault. The two then jump down and joins her as she walks up closer and reaches for the handle. But then something crawls right under her and she jumps back and Cole catches her. "Whoa," he mutters as their eyes followed it and out pops a Reaver. "Oh boy," he mutters, pushing Cassie back onto her feet and they shook out their limps.
Then pod like eggs pop out of the ground and Cassie pulls lose her whip and cracks it breaking the pods and Cole fires grenades out to it, trying to make it land under it and a few of them did so and it wounds the Hive Lord, Cassie then jumps over it, flicking her whip and then she wraps it around it's neck and then pulls it's head back, exposing the belly, "Now!" she calls out to them and Cole nods at her, "Together!" Cole states, Kuo nods at him and they combine their powers and fired at it, making the Hive lord squeal and squirm, trying to break free of grip, it threw Cassie off a few times, but she was able to hold her ground. But it reels its head for threw Cassie forward. Kuo jumps up and catches her. Then they looked at each other and combine their powers and turns the hive lord into a hivicicle.
She then lands on her and sets Cassie down on her feet as well, they were all panting and then laughed a little. "I'm telling you, Kuo, the three of us, working together: unstoppable," Cole said to them as he pulls out his Amp and then swung it, breaking the ice and scatters the hive lord into pieces. Then Cole walks back to the vault and opens it. Cassie then joins her and they look inside, seeing the glow. Cassie smirks and then reaches in pulling out two Blast Cores. "Ha. Ha. Hello beautiful." Cole states as he closes the vault and Cassie handed him one. They both high fived and places the cores away and looks at Kuo, "So, that, was not so bad. Using powers." Kuo states as she laughs a little and looks down at the power the brightens in her hand. "I'll tell ya, Kuo, you got a bright future as a deviant freak." Cole jokes with her and she smiles at him. "Thanks for your help. I feel... better." she tells them. Cassie walks up to her and places her hand on her shoulder, "Hey, I get it. It's not easy using them at first, but with time, you'll get more and better at it, I can promise you that." she informs her.
Kuo smiles at her and places her hand on top of her, without giving her an accidental cold blast. "Thank you." she tells her and Cassie nods at her and she looks back at Cole, "Well, I'll see you around, Coach," she said to them, Cassie then pulls back her hand and steps back, Kuo then floats up into the air and then shot away.
Cassie giggled as she ran her hand over her mouth. "You good?" Cole asks her, she looks at him and nods, "Yeah, yeah. I'm good. I just wish I had an upgrade that can make fly like that you know." she states, Cole nods at her and pats her back. "I know, I know." he mutters at her, then the phone went off and he answers it, "Hey, man, bring those blast cores no by, and we'll try them out," Zeke said over the phone, Cole hung up and they both looked at each other. Then they took off from the Cemetery.