Empty Men 3/?
Tapestry, malfam@mindspring.com
Disclaimer: Random, Nga, Leong, Arclight, Pipeline, Val Cooper and Rachel
Summers belong to Marvel. Seizure belongs to me.
Author's Note: http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/zelda/98/dofppage.html has been
updated, and a scratchy image of Executive Alpha has been added. Feel free to go
and laugh. This is basically a chapter on the Executive -- and, if you don't like
reading about the "bad guys," rest assured that the next should be from Rahne's
POV. Once again, thanks to Nute and Redhawk for helping with some of the
minor quirks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Still sure ya wanna wait up for him? It's already ten after one."
"He seemed very uncomfortable when he left. I just want to make sure he's
all right."
"Whatever. Yer turn."
"Very well. Check mate."
Random scowled as his companion smiled smugly, knocking over his king
with a flick of her index finger.
"Why do I even fucking bother?" he muttered as Nga Coy Manh began to
reset the chess pieces.
"Because we cannot find the Scrabble?" she offered, smiling sweetly.
"I wanna go back to Battleship," Random hissed. "At least I had a
*chance* at Battleship."
"Actually," Nga said, tilting her head, "I think I hear a car. That might be
him now." Her silver exoskeleton gleamed in the lamplight as she moved to take a
better look out the window. "Yes, that's the limousine. He looks very tired. He's
limping."
"He always limps," Random pointed out. "He's a gimp."
Nga frowned. "You shouldn't use words like that. He is our leader."
"So? He's still a gimp."
"Well, *I* am going to help him," Nga said, standing up. "You may remain
here and put away the chess pieces. Good night."
"Fuckin' women," Random snorted as Nga disappeared through the
doorway. He stared at the chess set for a moment, then sighed and moved to
follow her.
He could hear her fast, quick steps already echoing down the stairwell by
the time he reached the hall. She really did care about the wimp.
As he took the steps two at a time, Random increased his mass. He disliked
meeting Seizure in his normal state. There might be nothing he could do to
safeguard his mind from the man, but damned if he was above a little physical
intimidation. He was naturally a rather slim young man of medium height, but
nothing could stop him from adding a few pounds of muscle if he felt like it.
He hit the bottom of the stair just as Seizure was entering. His dress-jacket
was slung over one arm, the other firmly wrapped around his crutch. Nga had been
right -- he was limping more than usual, and the expression on his misshapen face
was almost enough to draw sympathy even from Random. Seizure, never attractive
in the first place, looked like an old man.
"Seizure?" Nga said, approaching him hesitantly. "Has something
happened?"
He looked at her blankly for a moment, then shook his head. "No," he
replied, "nothing like that. I've just had a difference of opinion, that's all." And,
perhaps because he saw Random's expression from the shadows of the stairwell,
he added, "I think our jobs might be threatened."
Random moved forwards. Those were the magic words, as far as he was
concerned.
"What, they introduce some kinda new super-soldiers or somethin'?" he
asked as Seizure painfully lowered himself into a nearby chair. The other man
shook his head.
"No, it's not that, exactly, but it does have to do with mutants.
They're...how do I explain it? I saw someone there. Do any of you remember the
Summers girl?"
"What, from our first big gig? Yeah. Thought they stuck her in jeuvy or
something."
"Well, it looks like they brainwashed her instead. They're going to use her,
and mutants like her, for tracking."
"So?" Random snorted. "They got some new bloodhounds. What's that
got to do with us?"
Seizure and Nga stared at him.
"Don't you see?" Nga said, "If they can program mutants to work for
them, why would they need to pay us? We are little more than equipment to them.
If we become outdated, they will be rid of us without a second thought."
"Oh," Random said. "I meant aside from that."
"What I don't understand is why I had to attend," Seizure continued. "It
was as if they wanted me to see it."
"Probably thought it would be funny," Random replied as the idea settled
in. "Hell, what could we do? We're all registered with the government, and it ain't
like you and Nga can hide. I got my own problems. What're we gonna do, threaten
to quit? They know we're fucked."
The three were silent for a moment. Nga, although beautiful in her own
alien way, would never pass for human. Seizure might, but he would always be
ridiculed and outcast for his deformities. Random could almost pass, but he needed
the monthly genetic stabilization treatments the government provided. Merely
quitting had some complications.
"They're still perfecting the process," Seizure said at last, "and it's going
to be a PR nightmare for the Mutant Affairs Committee. We have some time, at
least. I'll talk to Cooper. Maybe she knows what's going on."
Random snorted. "Cooper? Ya gotta be kiddin' me. She's even more
clueless than we are."
"She's our liason. We have to go through the legal channels."
"Talking to her ain't gonna do jack. She's one of them whaddyacallits --
figureheads. She doesn't even sign our paychecks."
"Well, what do you expect me to do?" Seizure snapped, his tired features
suddenly animate with anger. "Not all of us have the option of beating the hell out
of people we don't like! If you have a better idea than going through things the
legal way, then by all means, go *right* ahead." He threw his jacket onto the floor,
as if it were the cause of their problems. In many ways, it was.
"Stop it," Nga snapped as Random opened his mouth for a retort. "We
accomplish nothing by fighting. We will try it Seizure's way. What other choice do
we have?"
Random scratched his chin. "I may know a couple'a people," he replied.
"I'll see if I can work somethin' out. May take a while, though."
"Then we wait," Nga said. "Perhaps it will not even be an issue. Still, we
should tell the others."
Random's lip curled a bit. "Do we have to?"
"They *are* our teammates," Seizure reminded him sourly.
_As if the government would ever get rid of *them,*_ Random thought.
The Executive was divided into two groups: Alpha and Omega. The Alpha team
consisted of himself, Seizure, and Nga, while the Omega group was composed of
Nga's twin brother Leong, the displaced Genoshan magistrate Pipeline (a "gift"
from the Genoshan government), and the mutant-hunter Arclight, who had left a
terrorist group called the Marauders for better pay and job security. While team
Alpha was used for more public missions, Omega had always been involved in
more questionable activities. Unlike their counterparts, Omega's members all
appeared human -- and thus could go where those in Alpha could not. Random
disliked them on principle.
"Who is going to tell them?" Nga inquired. Seizure sighed.
"I will," he said. "Why not? Pipeline should still be awake and online."
"We'll wait for you."
"Thanks."
Seizure hobbled off towards the Comms Room, and Random felt a pang of
sympathy for the man. Whatever else could be said of him, Seizure never shirked
his duties. It was almost enough to make Random respect the man.
"I'm glad I don't have *his* job," Random said aloud.
"As am I," Nga sighed, picking up their leader's crumpled jacket and
smoothing it with slightly shaking hands. "But he did not want it, either. I can see
why, now."
"What's he get outta this, anyway?" Random said, jerking a thumb towards
the direction Seizure had gone. "He don't need stabilization treatments, and he
wasn't coerced. He could leave anytime he wanted."
"To do what?" Nga asked, looking at him oddly. "Who would hire him?
Who would take him in? At least you and I are of sound body -- Seizure cannot
even run."
"Nah, there's gotta be somethin' else," Random said, leaning against the
wall. He fished around in his vest pocket and removed a cigar. "I mean, there's
always a job with the X-Twerps if you're *really* desperate. I bet they've got
something on him."
"If you say so." Nga wrinkled her nose as Random lit his cigar and took a
drag, but continued. "But I do not think Seizure has anything to hide. He is not
that kind of man."
"Yeah? Then what's his real name?"
"..."
"Got ya, didn't I?"
Nga snorted. "Perhaps he is just embarrassed by it, *Marshall.*"
"HEY! I told you that in confidence!"
"Just making a point."
"Fine," Random growled. "But how much do we know about the guy?"
"How much do you know about me?" Nga retorted, placing her hands on
her hips. Random chewed his cigar thoughtfully.
"I know that ya like sausage and pineapple on yer pizza," he said, "and yer
favorite color is purple. And that the only reason you're here is because you
promised your sister."
Nga blinked. "How did you..?"
"Hey, I got ears, and you ain't exactly the mercenary type. What's the deal
with that, anyway?"
Nga sighed. "Xi'an wanted Leong and I to be safe," she said, crossing her
arms. "She thought that the best way to do this was to have us assist the
government that threatened us. We cannot be persecuted if we are the enforcers."
"Well, looks like she was wrong there," Random said. And, at Nga's
expression, he added hastily, "Not that she coulda known, o' course."
"We still do not know anything for certain," Nga sighed. "Until we get
confirmation, we should continue to do our jobs. It costs us nothing."
"Except time." Random paused, and cleared his throat. "Uh, listen. If it
turns out we are in trouble, and I can get in touch with these people an' arrange a
clean getaway, you're welcome to come with me. And, uh, Seizure too, if he
wants. I'll keep ya safe, so you won't be breakin' yer promise."
Nga's eyes widened. "Do you mean that?"
"Well, yeah. If I'm gonna split I might as well take you guys with me. Ain't
no skin off my nose if you wanna tag along."
She smiled, and for a minute Random felt his heart give an unexpected
lurch. Women didn't smile at him often. At least, not in the good way.
"Random, you--"
CRASH.
"What the fuck was that?" Random yelped as Nga nearly jumped out of her
exoskeleton.
"It came from Comms," she said. She took off in that direction, calling,
"Seizure? Are you all right?"
_Thanks a lot, boss,_ Random thought sourly, but followed her. The
hallways were dark, but the Communication Room's lights were on. Random's
combat boots thudded dully against the tiles, while Nga's small feet beat a swift,
sharp staccato.
"Seizure, are you all right?" Nga repeated as they entered the Comms
Room. Then she gasped.
Seizure was kneeling on the floor, the vid-call monitor's screen in shards
around him. His left hand was bloodied; he rested it on his knees, as if he didn't
even notice it. He didn't seem to hear his teammates enter.
"Those bastards," he was growling to himself as Nga and Random picked
their way around the broken glass. "Those bastards. They knew. They already
knew, and they never told us!"
"Knew what?" Nga asked, kneeling down beside her. The glass rasped
ineffectually against her shelled body.
"About the Hound program!" Seizure said, shaking his head. "Damn it!
God DAMN it!" With one swift, angry sweep of his arm he slammed his crutch
into a nearby chair, throwing it onto its side. Nga tried to calm him down.
"Perhaps they did not have clearance to share the information," she
suggested, placing a restraining arm on his shoulder. He ignored it.
"Bullshit," Random snorted, picking up the fallen chair and sitting in it
backwards. "They knew exactly what they were doin'." _I wouldn't put it past the
twerps to hold out on us just 'cause they wanted to see us squirm when the time
came, either. Well, I ain't givin' them the satisfaction._
"Random's right, Nga," Seizure said, shaking his head. "This is the sort of
thing that could jeopardize our jobs, but Pipeline has just informed me that he's
known about it for a year. A year! Almost as long as the Executive's existed!"
"But they could not have thought it was important, or Leong would have
told me," Nga insisted, standing up. "He is my brother. He would not do anything
he thought might harm me."
"Maybe," Random said doubtfully. These days Leong was running with
Arclight, the Omega's team leader. He'd changed from the boy Random had met
when the Executive had formed, and not in a good way. Too opportunistic, that
one. Too opportunistic by far. And, from the look in Seizure's eyes, he wasn't the
only one who thought so.
"I do not believe you two," Nga said, disgusted. "You're seeing enemies
where there are none. My brother is not evil."
"We're just preparin' for the worst," Random assured her, although even
he could feel the lie in his voice. "I don't wanna be caught with my pants down.
How 'bout you?"
"Trust me, Random, no one wants that," Seizure said, with heavy irony.
He picked himself off the ground slowly, and winced when he tried to move his left
hand.
"Maybe I did get carried away," he confessed, shuffling over to a wall for
support, "but I still think it's a threat worth investigating. Nga, please ask Leong
what possessed him to keep this from you. Random, you...look into your contacts,
I don't care. I need some sleep."
"Hold on," Nga said, holding up a hand, "I will fetch the first aid kit and
dress your wound."
"All right." Seizure sighed as she disappeared into the darkness of the
hallway. His face looked thin in the dim light of the Comms room, and as he
attempted to take a seat at the table in the middle of the room Random could see
the pain and fatigue etched on his face.
"How much sleep you been gettin' lately?" Random asked, turning his
chair to face his leader. Seizure snorted.
"Honestly?" he replied. "I don't know. Four, five hours a night what with
all the paperwork and bureaucratic crap I have to deal with. And tomorrow I have
to get up early for the m...never mind. It's not important."
"Yeah, it is. You're gettin' twitchy." Random removed his cigar from his
mouth and blew a ring of smoke into the air. "Bein' a suspicious bastard's fine, but
you're gettin' downright paranoid."
"But you agreed with me."
"That's because *I'm* downright paranoid. An' that's fine for me, because
I ain't leadin' this outfit. But you *are,* an I don't want my boss popping
amphetamines when he's supposed to be makin' an important decision."
Seizure blinked. "How did you..?"
Random rolled his eyes. "Why do you people keep sayin' that every time I
state the friggin' obvious? What do you guys think I am, braindead?"
"No, it's not that, I thought I just..."
"What, kept it a secret? Seizure, you can't even dry-swallow the damn
things. You gotta carry a fuckin' water bottle around with you during missions. By
the way, are *you* braindead? In case you ain't been payin' attention, you're not
in that great a shape anyway."
"Why do you care?" Seizure retorted, massaging his damaged hand. "You
don't nag well, Random."
"Because if you fuck up during a mission, we're the ones that're gonna end
up payin'," Random growled, leaning forward.
Seizure slammed his hand against the tabletop. "Do you think I do it for
fun? I do it to stay awake!"
"So get a friggin' aide de camp or whatever the hell they call those little
bitchboys that do all the grunt work. Voi-friggin'-la. Spare time."
"It's not that simple--"
"Are you two fighting *again?*"
Nga stood in the doorway, the first aid kit under one arm. She looked less
than amused.
"Just havin' a nice civil conversation with the boss," Random said, sliding
back in his seat. She gave him a dubious look, but seemed to take him at his word.
"Let's see your hand," Nga said, sitting down beside Seizure. Mutely, their
leader extended the wounded appendage for her inspection. He endured her
chiding as she applied the iodine and gauze in silence, and after a few minutes
Random thought he had actually fallen asleep.
"Done," Nga said as she finished applying the tape. "It doesn't look as if
you've punctured anything vital, but try not to move it much until it heals."
"I will," Seizure replied, opening his eyes. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I
am going to my room. Thank you, Nga. I'll see you tomorrow."
The two mutants watched their leader limp out in silence. Random growled
and stubbed his cigar out on the tabletop.
"He's really pissing me off," Random said, pushing himself out of his chair.
Nga sighed.
"I am worried about him," she replied. "He seems very irritable lately."
Random wanted to say "Probably because he's on speed half the time," but
held his tongue. Despite his frequent battles with the man, he had to respect
Seizure for trying to do his best for the team. Of course, his best had been pretty
pathetic so far, but at least he cared.
"It's probably stress," he said instead. "He needs to get outta this rat-race."
"As do we all." Nga gathered up the spare dressings and threw them away.
She stretched her arms over her head, yawning. "I think it is time to call it a night.
You?"
"Ah, I got some calls to make," Random said. He reached out and rubbed
her silvery carapace. "Get some sleep, kid."
She smiled faintly. "You too, Marshall."
"Don't *call* me that."
But Nga was already on her way out, laughing softly as she went. Random
shook his head, lips slightly quirked, and started to pick up the broken glass.
Tapestry, malfam@mindspring.com
Disclaimer: Random, Nga, Leong, Arclight, Pipeline, Val Cooper and Rachel
Summers belong to Marvel. Seizure belongs to me.
Author's Note: http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/zelda/98/dofppage.html has been
updated, and a scratchy image of Executive Alpha has been added. Feel free to go
and laugh. This is basically a chapter on the Executive -- and, if you don't like
reading about the "bad guys," rest assured that the next should be from Rahne's
POV. Once again, thanks to Nute and Redhawk for helping with some of the
minor quirks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Still sure ya wanna wait up for him? It's already ten after one."
"He seemed very uncomfortable when he left. I just want to make sure he's
all right."
"Whatever. Yer turn."
"Very well. Check mate."
Random scowled as his companion smiled smugly, knocking over his king
with a flick of her index finger.
"Why do I even fucking bother?" he muttered as Nga Coy Manh began to
reset the chess pieces.
"Because we cannot find the Scrabble?" she offered, smiling sweetly.
"I wanna go back to Battleship," Random hissed. "At least I had a
*chance* at Battleship."
"Actually," Nga said, tilting her head, "I think I hear a car. That might be
him now." Her silver exoskeleton gleamed in the lamplight as she moved to take a
better look out the window. "Yes, that's the limousine. He looks very tired. He's
limping."
"He always limps," Random pointed out. "He's a gimp."
Nga frowned. "You shouldn't use words like that. He is our leader."
"So? He's still a gimp."
"Well, *I* am going to help him," Nga said, standing up. "You may remain
here and put away the chess pieces. Good night."
"Fuckin' women," Random snorted as Nga disappeared through the
doorway. He stared at the chess set for a moment, then sighed and moved to
follow her.
He could hear her fast, quick steps already echoing down the stairwell by
the time he reached the hall. She really did care about the wimp.
As he took the steps two at a time, Random increased his mass. He disliked
meeting Seizure in his normal state. There might be nothing he could do to
safeguard his mind from the man, but damned if he was above a little physical
intimidation. He was naturally a rather slim young man of medium height, but
nothing could stop him from adding a few pounds of muscle if he felt like it.
He hit the bottom of the stair just as Seizure was entering. His dress-jacket
was slung over one arm, the other firmly wrapped around his crutch. Nga had been
right -- he was limping more than usual, and the expression on his misshapen face
was almost enough to draw sympathy even from Random. Seizure, never attractive
in the first place, looked like an old man.
"Seizure?" Nga said, approaching him hesitantly. "Has something
happened?"
He looked at her blankly for a moment, then shook his head. "No," he
replied, "nothing like that. I've just had a difference of opinion, that's all." And,
perhaps because he saw Random's expression from the shadows of the stairwell,
he added, "I think our jobs might be threatened."
Random moved forwards. Those were the magic words, as far as he was
concerned.
"What, they introduce some kinda new super-soldiers or somethin'?" he
asked as Seizure painfully lowered himself into a nearby chair. The other man
shook his head.
"No, it's not that, exactly, but it does have to do with mutants.
They're...how do I explain it? I saw someone there. Do any of you remember the
Summers girl?"
"What, from our first big gig? Yeah. Thought they stuck her in jeuvy or
something."
"Well, it looks like they brainwashed her instead. They're going to use her,
and mutants like her, for tracking."
"So?" Random snorted. "They got some new bloodhounds. What's that
got to do with us?"
Seizure and Nga stared at him.
"Don't you see?" Nga said, "If they can program mutants to work for
them, why would they need to pay us? We are little more than equipment to them.
If we become outdated, they will be rid of us without a second thought."
"Oh," Random said. "I meant aside from that."
"What I don't understand is why I had to attend," Seizure continued. "It
was as if they wanted me to see it."
"Probably thought it would be funny," Random replied as the idea settled
in. "Hell, what could we do? We're all registered with the government, and it ain't
like you and Nga can hide. I got my own problems. What're we gonna do, threaten
to quit? They know we're fucked."
The three were silent for a moment. Nga, although beautiful in her own
alien way, would never pass for human. Seizure might, but he would always be
ridiculed and outcast for his deformities. Random could almost pass, but he needed
the monthly genetic stabilization treatments the government provided. Merely
quitting had some complications.
"They're still perfecting the process," Seizure said at last, "and it's going
to be a PR nightmare for the Mutant Affairs Committee. We have some time, at
least. I'll talk to Cooper. Maybe she knows what's going on."
Random snorted. "Cooper? Ya gotta be kiddin' me. She's even more
clueless than we are."
"She's our liason. We have to go through the legal channels."
"Talking to her ain't gonna do jack. She's one of them whaddyacallits --
figureheads. She doesn't even sign our paychecks."
"Well, what do you expect me to do?" Seizure snapped, his tired features
suddenly animate with anger. "Not all of us have the option of beating the hell out
of people we don't like! If you have a better idea than going through things the
legal way, then by all means, go *right* ahead." He threw his jacket onto the floor,
as if it were the cause of their problems. In many ways, it was.
"Stop it," Nga snapped as Random opened his mouth for a retort. "We
accomplish nothing by fighting. We will try it Seizure's way. What other choice do
we have?"
Random scratched his chin. "I may know a couple'a people," he replied.
"I'll see if I can work somethin' out. May take a while, though."
"Then we wait," Nga said. "Perhaps it will not even be an issue. Still, we
should tell the others."
Random's lip curled a bit. "Do we have to?"
"They *are* our teammates," Seizure reminded him sourly.
_As if the government would ever get rid of *them,*_ Random thought.
The Executive was divided into two groups: Alpha and Omega. The Alpha team
consisted of himself, Seizure, and Nga, while the Omega group was composed of
Nga's twin brother Leong, the displaced Genoshan magistrate Pipeline (a "gift"
from the Genoshan government), and the mutant-hunter Arclight, who had left a
terrorist group called the Marauders for better pay and job security. While team
Alpha was used for more public missions, Omega had always been involved in
more questionable activities. Unlike their counterparts, Omega's members all
appeared human -- and thus could go where those in Alpha could not. Random
disliked them on principle.
"Who is going to tell them?" Nga inquired. Seizure sighed.
"I will," he said. "Why not? Pipeline should still be awake and online."
"We'll wait for you."
"Thanks."
Seizure hobbled off towards the Comms Room, and Random felt a pang of
sympathy for the man. Whatever else could be said of him, Seizure never shirked
his duties. It was almost enough to make Random respect the man.
"I'm glad I don't have *his* job," Random said aloud.
"As am I," Nga sighed, picking up their leader's crumpled jacket and
smoothing it with slightly shaking hands. "But he did not want it, either. I can see
why, now."
"What's he get outta this, anyway?" Random said, jerking a thumb towards
the direction Seizure had gone. "He don't need stabilization treatments, and he
wasn't coerced. He could leave anytime he wanted."
"To do what?" Nga asked, looking at him oddly. "Who would hire him?
Who would take him in? At least you and I are of sound body -- Seizure cannot
even run."
"Nah, there's gotta be somethin' else," Random said, leaning against the
wall. He fished around in his vest pocket and removed a cigar. "I mean, there's
always a job with the X-Twerps if you're *really* desperate. I bet they've got
something on him."
"If you say so." Nga wrinkled her nose as Random lit his cigar and took a
drag, but continued. "But I do not think Seizure has anything to hide. He is not
that kind of man."
"Yeah? Then what's his real name?"
"..."
"Got ya, didn't I?"
Nga snorted. "Perhaps he is just embarrassed by it, *Marshall.*"
"HEY! I told you that in confidence!"
"Just making a point."
"Fine," Random growled. "But how much do we know about the guy?"
"How much do you know about me?" Nga retorted, placing her hands on
her hips. Random chewed his cigar thoughtfully.
"I know that ya like sausage and pineapple on yer pizza," he said, "and yer
favorite color is purple. And that the only reason you're here is because you
promised your sister."
Nga blinked. "How did you..?"
"Hey, I got ears, and you ain't exactly the mercenary type. What's the deal
with that, anyway?"
Nga sighed. "Xi'an wanted Leong and I to be safe," she said, crossing her
arms. "She thought that the best way to do this was to have us assist the
government that threatened us. We cannot be persecuted if we are the enforcers."
"Well, looks like she was wrong there," Random said. And, at Nga's
expression, he added hastily, "Not that she coulda known, o' course."
"We still do not know anything for certain," Nga sighed. "Until we get
confirmation, we should continue to do our jobs. It costs us nothing."
"Except time." Random paused, and cleared his throat. "Uh, listen. If it
turns out we are in trouble, and I can get in touch with these people an' arrange a
clean getaway, you're welcome to come with me. And, uh, Seizure too, if he
wants. I'll keep ya safe, so you won't be breakin' yer promise."
Nga's eyes widened. "Do you mean that?"
"Well, yeah. If I'm gonna split I might as well take you guys with me. Ain't
no skin off my nose if you wanna tag along."
She smiled, and for a minute Random felt his heart give an unexpected
lurch. Women didn't smile at him often. At least, not in the good way.
"Random, you--"
CRASH.
"What the fuck was that?" Random yelped as Nga nearly jumped out of her
exoskeleton.
"It came from Comms," she said. She took off in that direction, calling,
"Seizure? Are you all right?"
_Thanks a lot, boss,_ Random thought sourly, but followed her. The
hallways were dark, but the Communication Room's lights were on. Random's
combat boots thudded dully against the tiles, while Nga's small feet beat a swift,
sharp staccato.
"Seizure, are you all right?" Nga repeated as they entered the Comms
Room. Then she gasped.
Seizure was kneeling on the floor, the vid-call monitor's screen in shards
around him. His left hand was bloodied; he rested it on his knees, as if he didn't
even notice it. He didn't seem to hear his teammates enter.
"Those bastards," he was growling to himself as Nga and Random picked
their way around the broken glass. "Those bastards. They knew. They already
knew, and they never told us!"
"Knew what?" Nga asked, kneeling down beside her. The glass rasped
ineffectually against her shelled body.
"About the Hound program!" Seizure said, shaking his head. "Damn it!
God DAMN it!" With one swift, angry sweep of his arm he slammed his crutch
into a nearby chair, throwing it onto its side. Nga tried to calm him down.
"Perhaps they did not have clearance to share the information," she
suggested, placing a restraining arm on his shoulder. He ignored it.
"Bullshit," Random snorted, picking up the fallen chair and sitting in it
backwards. "They knew exactly what they were doin'." _I wouldn't put it past the
twerps to hold out on us just 'cause they wanted to see us squirm when the time
came, either. Well, I ain't givin' them the satisfaction._
"Random's right, Nga," Seizure said, shaking his head. "This is the sort of
thing that could jeopardize our jobs, but Pipeline has just informed me that he's
known about it for a year. A year! Almost as long as the Executive's existed!"
"But they could not have thought it was important, or Leong would have
told me," Nga insisted, standing up. "He is my brother. He would not do anything
he thought might harm me."
"Maybe," Random said doubtfully. These days Leong was running with
Arclight, the Omega's team leader. He'd changed from the boy Random had met
when the Executive had formed, and not in a good way. Too opportunistic, that
one. Too opportunistic by far. And, from the look in Seizure's eyes, he wasn't the
only one who thought so.
"I do not believe you two," Nga said, disgusted. "You're seeing enemies
where there are none. My brother is not evil."
"We're just preparin' for the worst," Random assured her, although even
he could feel the lie in his voice. "I don't wanna be caught with my pants down.
How 'bout you?"
"Trust me, Random, no one wants that," Seizure said, with heavy irony.
He picked himself off the ground slowly, and winced when he tried to move his left
hand.
"Maybe I did get carried away," he confessed, shuffling over to a wall for
support, "but I still think it's a threat worth investigating. Nga, please ask Leong
what possessed him to keep this from you. Random, you...look into your contacts,
I don't care. I need some sleep."
"Hold on," Nga said, holding up a hand, "I will fetch the first aid kit and
dress your wound."
"All right." Seizure sighed as she disappeared into the darkness of the
hallway. His face looked thin in the dim light of the Comms room, and as he
attempted to take a seat at the table in the middle of the room Random could see
the pain and fatigue etched on his face.
"How much sleep you been gettin' lately?" Random asked, turning his
chair to face his leader. Seizure snorted.
"Honestly?" he replied. "I don't know. Four, five hours a night what with
all the paperwork and bureaucratic crap I have to deal with. And tomorrow I have
to get up early for the m...never mind. It's not important."
"Yeah, it is. You're gettin' twitchy." Random removed his cigar from his
mouth and blew a ring of smoke into the air. "Bein' a suspicious bastard's fine, but
you're gettin' downright paranoid."
"But you agreed with me."
"That's because *I'm* downright paranoid. An' that's fine for me, because
I ain't leadin' this outfit. But you *are,* an I don't want my boss popping
amphetamines when he's supposed to be makin' an important decision."
Seizure blinked. "How did you..?"
Random rolled his eyes. "Why do you people keep sayin' that every time I
state the friggin' obvious? What do you guys think I am, braindead?"
"No, it's not that, I thought I just..."
"What, kept it a secret? Seizure, you can't even dry-swallow the damn
things. You gotta carry a fuckin' water bottle around with you during missions. By
the way, are *you* braindead? In case you ain't been payin' attention, you're not
in that great a shape anyway."
"Why do you care?" Seizure retorted, massaging his damaged hand. "You
don't nag well, Random."
"Because if you fuck up during a mission, we're the ones that're gonna end
up payin'," Random growled, leaning forward.
Seizure slammed his hand against the tabletop. "Do you think I do it for
fun? I do it to stay awake!"
"So get a friggin' aide de camp or whatever the hell they call those little
bitchboys that do all the grunt work. Voi-friggin'-la. Spare time."
"It's not that simple--"
"Are you two fighting *again?*"
Nga stood in the doorway, the first aid kit under one arm. She looked less
than amused.
"Just havin' a nice civil conversation with the boss," Random said, sliding
back in his seat. She gave him a dubious look, but seemed to take him at his word.
"Let's see your hand," Nga said, sitting down beside Seizure. Mutely, their
leader extended the wounded appendage for her inspection. He endured her
chiding as she applied the iodine and gauze in silence, and after a few minutes
Random thought he had actually fallen asleep.
"Done," Nga said as she finished applying the tape. "It doesn't look as if
you've punctured anything vital, but try not to move it much until it heals."
"I will," Seizure replied, opening his eyes. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I
am going to my room. Thank you, Nga. I'll see you tomorrow."
The two mutants watched their leader limp out in silence. Random growled
and stubbed his cigar out on the tabletop.
"He's really pissing me off," Random said, pushing himself out of his chair.
Nga sighed.
"I am worried about him," she replied. "He seems very irritable lately."
Random wanted to say "Probably because he's on speed half the time," but
held his tongue. Despite his frequent battles with the man, he had to respect
Seizure for trying to do his best for the team. Of course, his best had been pretty
pathetic so far, but at least he cared.
"It's probably stress," he said instead. "He needs to get outta this rat-race."
"As do we all." Nga gathered up the spare dressings and threw them away.
She stretched her arms over her head, yawning. "I think it is time to call it a night.
You?"
"Ah, I got some calls to make," Random said. He reached out and rubbed
her silvery carapace. "Get some sleep, kid."
She smiled faintly. "You too, Marshall."
"Don't *call* me that."
But Nga was already on her way out, laughing softly as she went. Random
shook his head, lips slightly quirked, and started to pick up the broken glass.