~ X ~ Elite Headquarters - Training Rooms
John, dressed only in gray work pants, hung suspended upside down, knees hooked over a workout ladder. He was doing stomach curls, arms crossed behind his head. As he contracted, the muscles in his belly rippled. Fifty one. Fifty two. Fifty three.
The gym was moderately crowded, mornings being a popular time. Since only physical training was permitted in this area there was a mix of human and TP agents. A health club membership was included in an agent's compensation package but most preferred to take advantage of the convenient location.
The door opened and Jedikiah, one hand on Charlotte's shoulder guiding her, entered. He motioned Elle over from where she was spotting another agent lifting weights.
John stopped mid curl. He heard Jedikiah introduce the girl to Elle, explaining to the woman that he wanted her to oversee the newcomer's physical training.
John dropped his hands to the floor and flipped over to stand. He strode purposely towards the trio. A couple of agents, spotting the grim look on his face, moved to the opposite corner of the room.
Jedikiah calmly greeted him. "Hi John, I was just introducing Charlotte to El—"
"Hey, Jo—"
John spoke over both Charlotte and Jedikiah. "I thought I made it clear I wanted Charlotte to go to school. What is she doing here?"
"Now, John . . ." Jedikiah reached out to put a hand on John's shoulder, only to have him step back. Jedikiah's eyes narrowed briefly before sending a pointed look at Elle.
"Let's let the boys talk alone." Elle sent to Charlotte.
"I don't wanna go to school." Charlotte's face was mutinous. "I wanna train and work with John."
"Let Dr. Price handle it." Elle soothed the little girl as she steered her over to a cross trainer.
"C'mon. Walk with me." Jedikiah spoke in a low quiet voice.
John, after a moment, stepped closer and Jedikiah put a hand on his back prodding him out of the training room and down the hall. He spoke in a reasonable tone. "I've told you before, it's not that easy. Charlotte has no records. No vaccination records. No school records. No legal guardians. I can't just have her go to a school and start attending. There's formalities."
John frowned. "I want her in with kids her age. I want her to have as normal a life as possible."
Jedikiah nodded. "I told you I would work at it. In the meantime let her train. She has to have some potential or she wouldn't have been in the Citadel. Help her develop it."
John looked undecided.
"Why won't you trust me on this?" Jedikiah asked.
"Because she's not important to you." John stopped and faced his mentor. "There is so much going on now, and she's just one more cog to you."
Jedikiah, hands on his hips, suit jacket open and pushed back, shook his head. "She's important to you, John, so that makes her important to me."
They eyed each other for a moment before John reluctantly gave way. Jedikiah smiled and slapped him gently on the cheek. "Let's go back. Elle's a good one to teach her, but you know, if you're not happy you can teach her yourself."
John's lips twisted as he walked next to his mentor. "Conning me into training her, Jed?"
"What? You doubt me?" Jedikiah was all innocence.
"No, I know you," John replied.
They re-entered the training room. Charlotte's eyes sought out John's. He gave a little shrug, and a huge smile wreathed her face.
He returned to his routine, but his mind stayed focused on Charlotte. He could find no fault with Elle's training. She was cognizant of the girl's age and physical status. John could read that she was aware that the girl had spent years caged and needed to be gradually built up.
At one point Elle sent a sarcastic blast. "Relax, mommy! I'm not going to damage your little chick."
Charlotte's suppressed snort indicated the girl had picked up the mental conversation. John ignored the mockery, continuing to monitor the training. At the end of the session John made sure he was waiting for the girl. "Come on. We can grab some lunch."
The girl happily skipped along beside him. As they walked towards a lunch place not too far from headquarters, he glanced at her from time to time. He would catch her hopping over sidewalk cracks, occasionally tiptoeing on patterns, smiling the entire time.
"You're in a good mood," he commented as he opened the door to the small corner restaurant.
"I am," she confirmed.
They slid into a booth, occupying themselves with choosing their selections from the menu.
When the waitress came over, John asked, "What's it gonna be?"
"Lobster macaroni and cheese, a Caesar salad, and a cheeseburger done medium and a chocolate milkshake." Charlotte solemnly placed her order.
The waitress, raising her eyebrows at John and receiving a nod, silently wrote the order down. After the waitress took his selection and left John asked, "Are you sure you can eat all that?"
"Nope," Charlie answered seriously, "but I want to try it." She confided, "I just can't believe I can move around. Go to a restaurant. Order what I want. In case I wake up, and it's all a dream I want to try as much as possible."
John looked around at the people eating lunch, preoccupied with getting back to work on time or what store to go to next and admitted, "I think I know what you mean. It still doesn't always seem real to me either. I still find myself checking to see if I'm being followed."
Charlotte tilted her head sideways, curious. "You remember then?"
"I remember the feeling of being hunted. Of always watching. Having to be ready for anything." John was quiet for a moment and then shook himself out of his introspective mood. "It's you I wanna talk about, not me."
Charlotte frowned. "I like what I'm doing. I wanna be around you. I like training."
"I don't want this for you." John was firm. "We need to find family for you. Get you back to a normal life."
Charlie's face darkened. "My parents are dead. I don't remember anyone else. Don't send me away!"
John felt a mental stirring from her, an agitation that did not bode well if it grew in strength. The table she was resting her hands on shook, rattling the salt and pepper and condiments.
He reached over and gently covered her hand with his. "Calm, Charlie. Stay in control."
She made a visible effort to compose herself. "Why don't you want me to be with you?" Her voice quavered clearly showing how hurt she was.
"It's not that. I don't want you to lead the kind of life I've had. I want you to know that you belong to someone." He hesitated a moment. "That you have a family, a home."
"My home is with you." Charlie leaned forward, hands clenching the edge of the table.
"What kind of life can you have with me?" John asked.
"I can feel safe," she answered, "or at least as safe as we'll ever be."
Now it was her turn to grab his hand. She flooded him with emotions. The overwhelming sense of helplessness. The panicky feeling of not having any control. The endless days of monotony interspersed with seemingly hours of torment when she was experimented on. Days blending together, broken only by terror at the sight of the white coated men coming to take a subject. The deep soul searing shame at her relief when someone from another cage was chosen. Her despair when it was her. The last straw was Julian capturing her so easily. "I never want to feel that way again. I never want to be weak. I want to be strong. I want to fight back."
Their food came, John's grilled cheese sandwich looking tiny in comparison to the many dishes set in front of the much smaller girl.
John picked up his sandwich and hungrily bit into it. As he chewed he noticed that Charlotte wasn't eating. He looked at her downturned mouth and hunched shoulders and felt guilty for ruining her pleasure.
"Hey, you're with me, and if you're not going to eat that stuff then I will." He made a show of narrowing his eyes and looking around before snatching a French fry.
His silliness brought a tiny smile to her lips, but the food remained untouched.
"I won't force you away if you don't want to go."
She beamed, her good mood restored, digging into her food with gusto.
They returned to Elite headquarters, heading for the training rooms reserved for the paranormal. Jedikiah, talking with Jack, noted their entry out of the corner of his eye. He made no comment, his small satisfied smile saying it all.
John brought Charlotte over to one of the senior agents, Alan, who was taking his turn training the novices. He introduced the girl and then stood back, arms folded, watching. Elle wandered over to stand next to him. When he ignored her she moved closer, invading his personal space. She finally turned to stand between him and the trainees. She spoke to him, while he looked around her.
Charlotte was puzzled by their body language and maneuvered herself to where she could listen. It wasn't that difficult since Elle made no attempt to lower her voice. Charlotte, waiting her turn, overheard a remark the woman made.
She frowned and blurted out, "John already has a bed. He doesn't have to share one."
Several suppressed snorts and outright laughter from Alan greeted her statement. Elle looked startled while John sighed deeply and shot an annoyed look at the woman, muttering, "Great! Just great."
Jedikiah and Jack exchanged amused glances, Jack slapping his hand on his thigh. Charlotte first looked confused and then blushed bright red as she realized the significance of what she had unknowingly butted in on. As the heat rose in her cheeks, her mental agitation mirrored her increasing embarrassment. Mortified, feeling she was an object of mockery, she struck out mentally.
The snickers soon turned to expressions of pain as her mental shriek rose. The other trainees fell to the floor, curled up in a fetal position, while the stronger, more experienced clasped their hands to their heads, wincing.
"Charlie, no! Stop!" John was able to block the mental scream and approach the agitated girl. "They are not making fun of you. They're laughing at me and Elle." John sent waves of soothing thoughts.
As Charlotte calmed down the TP gradually dropped their hands from their heads and straightened up. Several regarded the girl with a new found respect. Elle said out loud what many were thinking, "Damn, girl. I wouldn't wanna be on your bad side!"
Jedikiah had hung onto a wall trying to stay on his feet. He overcame the lingering headache Charlotte had given him to rather unsteadily walk over to where the girl stood, wrapped in John's arms.
"Have you always been able to do that?"
"I'm getting stronger." Charlotte shamefacedly admitted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mea—I lost control." She hung her head.
Jedikiah placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Don't be sorry. It's a gift. You just need to learn how to rule it, not let it rule you." He looked up to meet John's eyes and ordered, "You need to work with her."
There was a silent contest of wills, every TP in the room feeling the tension, before John yielded with a slight nod. Charlotte looked up to see an expression of triumph on Jedikiah's face. She twisted in John's arms to see resignation on his face.
A deep sense of satisfaction filled her, completely overshadowing her previous discomfort. She had impressed the boss. He would guarantee her a place in this organization. She would be on the winning side. She would be allowed to stay with John.
When they left at the end of the day she wore a mischievous look that filled John with foreboding. She held it in until she got home and then burst through the door chanting in a sing song voice, "John has a girlfriend. John has a girlfriend!"
