Yay! First chapter of Lab Rats: Secrets of the Past!
I awoke to find myself lying on cold concrete and I have a terrible headache.
As I begin to move my stiff body, I hear someone chuckle and looking around my eyes land on the one man I'd hoped I would never have to see again.
"Douglas." I hissed through gritted teeth and I made more of an effort to get myself onto my feet. I frowned as I noticed two large metal rings spinning around me. I expected to wake up in the cage with blue lasers.
"Good afternoon, sleeping beauty. Well, actually you don't look that great right now." I gave him the coldest glare I could muster but didn't say anything. I wasn't sure what to say to the deranged man. But he seemed to have enough to say for the both of us. "You're probably wondering how I managed to escape the ice block you froze me in, right? Well, let me introduce you to the man who freed me. Come on out." I'll admit I held my breath as I waited for whoever it was to make an appearance.
In walked the mysterious black clothed figure that had been with Douglas when he captured me. They still wore a mask that looked just as unsettling in the light. It was removed and revealed a man's face that put the mask to shame. He was pale and there were what I think are metallic components on the right side of his face. But I always focus on the eyes of a person and his eyes were the ones of a mad man, even more so than Douglas. They held no mercy and it scared me even though I will never admit it out loud. "Harper, I'd like you to meet Victor Krane." It felt like the wind was knocked out of me when the name left his lips.
"K-Krane?" I stuttered out, and I couldn't hide the shock from realizing who he was. The man - Krane - smirked and it sent a chill down my spine. But I tried to appear more angry than stunned. "You're the one who sent Noah after me." It was more of a statement than a question. Douglas looked between me and Krane, confused.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"None of your concern." Krane shot back without looking at Douglas who huffed, "What matters is we have her. And soon the other three." I gave Douglas an exasperated look.
"Seriously, you're going to try to capture them again? It didn't work the first time and it won't now. They're more powerful than you." Douglas and Krane chuckled darkly.
"Maybe for me. But you four aren't the only bionic humans anymore." Douglas patted his partner's shoulder with a smug smirk, "Krane here has had bionics implanted and can take on all of you." I wasn't at all surprised at this. After all, he implanted bionics in me. Thankfully I didn't have metal sticking out of my skin.
"I hope you at least wanted bionics implanted. Dougy isn't very good at taking other people's opinions into account when he's in mad scientist mode."
"And I'm still in mad scientist mode so you better prepare yourself for a whole lot of hurt." I open my mouth to say he won't go anywhere near me but Krane interjected.
"Not until we have the other three." He said sternly. Douglas rolled his eyes at the man.
"Would it kill you to let me taunt her for fun without you interrupting?" He asked. Krane glared daggers at him and he waved him off dismissively, still annoyed though. "Fine. I need to go contact my big brother anyway and surprise him."
"And what exactly is your plan to capture Adam, Bree, and Chase? You don't have Marcus and I'm not going to be your little secret soldier and double cross them again." Even though it's almost been two months, I still felt guilty over that. I don't think it'll ever go away, at least not completely.
"You'll find out soon enough." Douglas answered mysteriously and he and Krane left me alone.
I spent the next few hours trying to find a way to escape. I quickly found out the rings were made of titanium and they created an impenetrable force field with some sort of energy. One hit with my fist was enough to tell me it wouldn't be easy to get out.
But I know there has to be a way. The force field didn't disable my bionics. I mentally listed all of them.
Superintelligence
Super speed
Super strength
Lightning generation and manipulation
These were my four main ones. Then there were a few smaller abilities like knowing how to work any device and I'm a master programmer. Then there's the bionic hearing.
I wish I had some other bionic abilities that would be useful. If I had the magnetism app and molecular kinesis, I could use both to break the titanium rings. Man, I love my super intelligence. Although, I don't think I've ever used two abilities at the same time. I wonder if it's dangerous to do that.
I thought of blasting the rings with lightning, but I was saving that as a last resort because it was risky. There were a dozen ways that it could go wrong.
Before I can think of anything else, Krane walked in. He at first didn't speak and just chose to stare at me. The way he looked at me gave me creeped me out. I just stared back, not giving him any indication that I was afraid.
"I've waited so long to finally meet you, Harper." Krane finally said, then he tilted his head and smirked. "Or should I call you Mia." For the second time, this man made me forget how to breathe. That name. I've only heard it from when Leo and I ended up in the parallel universe. I hadn't forgotten about it, but it'd been stored away in my memory and I hadn't brought it back out due to being preoccupied with being a double agent and all. But how does he know it?
"Where did you get that name?" I asked slowly.
"Oh, Douglas hasn't told you."
"Answer the question." I demanded, though I'm not sure I really want him to.
"I knew your parents." He said simply. My eyes widened and now for the third time it felt like the wind was knocked out of me.
"My-My parents?" I stuttered out, wondering if I heard him right. "How-"
"We used to work together, and were good friends. In fact, I was with them the day you were born." My eyes narrowed.
"You're making this up." Krane chuckled as if I just told a joke. He walked closer toward my prison and circled around it as he spoke again.
"It's funny, most people think that villains are liars. But in reality, it's the so-called good people of the world who lie." Krane stopped in front of me to make sure he held my attention, which he unfortunately did, while continuing, "Like when Mr. Davenport lied about being your friend's true father. Or when he said your bionic chip couldn't be removed." I turned my head but could still see him from the corner of my eye, so I saw him tilt his head while studying me, "Makes you question who you can really trust, doesn't it?"
"Davenport lied to protect them." I told him without looking in his direction.
"And what's his reason for lying to you?" He pressed, and I forced myself to look him in the eye, keeping my features emotionless. He was playing mind games with me and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of losing it.
"He wouldn't lie unless he had a good reason to." I said, repeating what Chase had told me. I said it mostly to reassure myself, but it didn't and Krane knew this.
"And you really believe that?" He asked curiously. I opened my mouth but nothing came out, and Krane smirked with amusement. I just glared daggers at him.
I was thankful to see Douglas for once. He rushed into the room and it looked like he was going somewhere.
"I'll be back." He informed Krane, me, or the both of us I don't know. "Chase activated his GPS signal and I'm gonna get to them before Donny does." I hated the flutter in my stomach upon hearing the youngest Davenport's name but my attention was solely on Douglas's now. I started firing questions.
"Why would Chase have his GPS signal disabled in the first place? And why would they not be with Davenport?" Douglas became annoyed.
"You know, you didn't ask this many questions when I captured you the first time." I ignored his comment and grit my teeth.
"What did you do, Douglas?" He smirked, which made my blood boil.
"Like I said, you'll find out soon."
Once I was left alone, I started brainstorming ideas for escaping. I was getting really frustrated because I couldn't think of anything.
"Ugh, why couldn't Douglas have given me more useful bionics? Wow, never thought I'd say that. And now I'm talking to myself." I groaned again and looked at the titanium rings. The idea of blasting them with my lightning came back and it was risky, but that might be the solution. It's the only thing I can think of at this point. And I'm desperate.
After taking a deep breath, I raised my right hand and electricity began to crackle. For the first try I won't do a super powerful blast, just in case something goes wrong. I haven't used this bionic ability because of how dangerous it can be.
Once I generate what I think is enough, I take another deep breath and let the electricity leave my hands.
Before I could even begin to wonder if this was a good idea, the lightning bounced off the force field and struck me on my right shoulder. The electricity went through my body and I fell to my hands and knees. Everything faded in and out for a few moments but thankfully didn't pass out.
"Ok-bad idea." I said to myself as I waited for the pain to subside. Thank goodness no one was around to see that.
As much as I hated the idea, the only thing I could do now was wait for Adam, Bree, and Chase to get here.
Now all I could think about was what Krane told me earlier. About my parents. And how he supposedly knew them. I wasn't as focused on whether he was telling the truth as much as I was just shook up from them being mentioned. That's always how it's been. I avoided the topic most of the time because, honestly there wasn't much to say about them. All I know is that I was given up as a baby with no name. Whoever ran the first orphanage I was in gave me the name Harper, after the author of their favorite book.
The fact that Krane used the name I had in the parallel universe can't just be a coincidence. Obviously it must be my given name, but for some reason when I was given up they kept it a secret. Which leads to another question. Why?
My head began to hurt as a bazillion other questions filled my mind.
I shouldn't ask myself if things can get any worse because everytime I do, something else happens. So instead I wonder, how many secrets are there that I don't know about myself and my past?