A/N: Thank god I'm back in the MR hype! It's all thanks to the Christmas present (the sixth book, FANG) my wonderful aunt got me! She seems to be the only one who ever actually bothers to read my list, haha. Anyway, I finished this chapter the same night I finished the last one, so hopefully I'll start writing at shorter intervals again! I mean, one of the biggest holidays of the year is over, and I have a couple more days until the next holiday, so I will dominate this! (:D) And remember, criticism and reviews are always welcome!

Angel had finally regained consciousness, and as soon as Diana Jacobson had told her that little bit of information she'd clued Gazzy in on a few minutes before, her first reaction was to read the woman's mind. Angel's telepathy was usually the best polygraph test in the world…except when it came to Jeb. And robots.

And this woman.

Gazzy, Angel thought at her brother, I can't read her mind!

She's really starting to bother me, Gazzy thought back. I swear, if she offers me painkillers one more time…

Painkillers? For the first time since she'd woken up, Angel took a good, hard look at her brother. Immediately, she was shocked that she had somehow managed to not notice those horrible bruises around Gazzy's throat. Oh, my god, Gazzy, are you okay?

A little sore, but I'm actually pretty great. I thought I was supposed to die back there, but I guess my vision was wrong on that part.

For a moment, Angel was silent, taking this information in. Gazzy was looking at her now, and both were completely ignoring whatever Jacobson was trying to say. Angel actually grinned at her older brother, because this came up as the truth on her polygraph test. So, the crisis is averted? You're not going to die? she thought excitedly.

Well, I kinda think being back in the School qualifies as 'crisis,' and who knows when they're going to die, but yes, there's no more worries about that vision. Bane just knocked me out.

"So Bane was the one to do this to you."

The children were startled out of their telepathic conversation, staring at the woman who was now frowning at them. After a moment, the smile returned, and she said, "Yes, in case you're wondering, I can read your minds. As it turns out, some of the DNA-tinkering they did to me was genetic. That's how you wound up with it, Angel."

"'DNA-tinkering'?" Angel asked in confusion.

Jacobson nodded. "You're surprised. I knew you'd be," she said. "It never even crossed your minds that maybe some of the scientists here used to be experiments, much like yourselves, who, much unlike yourselves, gained the trust of the regular scientists and became ones themselves. You'd actually be surprised at how many there are here."

Angel and Gazzy shared a long look before returning their gazes to Jacobson. "So I inherited one of your powers?" Angel asked.

"Actually," Jacobson replied, "you both inherited quite of few of my powers. Telepathy, prescience, underwater respiration…" Her voice trailed of for a second, but then she smirked slightly and continued in a voice identical to Gazzy's, "…mimicry." Then, in her own voice, she went on, "You both actually have your own powers, as well. Like that interesting trick you can do with your intestinal gases, Gazzy, and your extrasensory perception, Angel. It's been fascinating, watching you discover and train with your powers. You've reached the end of your tether on what was programmed into you, and, Angel, you actually reached the end of that when you almost mastered telepathy. It's been proven that new powers can spontaneously form, though. It'd be interesting to see if you've inherited any more of mine, or if you develop any new ones of your own."

Another long look shared between siblings.

"Well," Gazzy said when he looked back at Jacobson, "that was quite a mouthful, wasn't it?"

Jacobson playfully flicked the side of Gazzy's head. "I see you two are recovering. That smart-aleck behavior that you and your friends are infamous for is starting to kick back in."

"I actually have a question," Angel said. "Is our father like you, another mutant who gained the whitecoats' trust?"

A very obvious expression of distaste immediately overcame Jacobson's face. "Not at all. Just another scientist," she replied. "I'd prefer it if you wouldn't speak about your father, though. He was a man I never married, loved, or even liked. Not many liked him actually, not even our director, but he was a brilliant man. I'm surprised I ended up involved with him."

Angel and Gazzy stared at each other. Well, Gazzy thought at her, now we know what our family would've been like had all four of us been completely normal people.

Angel giggled, and Jacobson's smile managed to tweak her lips again for a fleeting second.

"Unfortunately, none of us are normal," she said, "and he sold you two out for money without a second thought."

There was no way Angel or Gazzy could've missed the emphasis she put on 'he.'