([{"TROUBLE"}])
Chameleon V.O.
"I was brought up in a hick town, and had no real knowledge of some parts of the real world. The existence of mutants was, needless to say, out of my mental range, not to mention, understanding. I was one. That much I realized. And as you will see shortly, My best friend was one. She, too, had to come to terms with being different. Good thing for her she was more accepting than me."
Camera fades in.
Susan is sleeping peacefully as her eyes flutter open. a strange swooshing sound comes from under the covers. Her flesh turns a dark color as she goes straight through the bed. She doesn't seem to notice this. Her body stops it's ghost like behavior when she reaches the floor under her bed. Her body hits the floor under her bed with a slight thud. She is then jolted awake. Instinctively she tries to sit up, only to bump her head on her mattress springs. "OH SHIT!" she swears as her mind still tries to figure out how she got under there. She crawls out from under the bed and stands up.
Camera pans around the room then settles on the door. It is flung open and Vince steps in wearing jeans and a light Greene tea-shirt.
"Hey sweetie, computer is fixed. Again. That was a nasty little bugger too. I had to go in the bios and get rid of it. And let me tell you, that took over half the time right there." He says then stops as he looks at her kinda funny. "Susie, what's wrong?" he asks.
"Vince, I don't know this for sure. but I just thank things got a whole lot weirder around here." She says with a light hint of worry in her voice.
"Yea, you're telling me. I can't touch anything alive or even close to being alive with out it linking with me. At first I kinda liked it. But ya got to understand, it starts to hurt after a while." He says.
Susan interrupts him. NO, not you!" she says with worry now prominent in her voice.
He comes over to the bed and sits down, then pats a spot on the bed beside him. She then walks over to him and then takes her place beside him on the bed.
"OK, you are serious. What's wrong Hun?" He says while draping a arm around her protectively.
"If I tell you, you might call me crazy."
"Susie, after what I've done in the past few hours nothing you will say or do can affect me one way or the other." He says this while snapping his fingers. Kit-Kat then comes running in the room and jumps between them. Vince's hand goes to the back of Kit-Kat's neck and the camera then switches to the cat's point of view. "You called feline hurara?" a female voice says.
"YES. Your master needs you. She's upset. Go to her and comfort her please." Vince directs the cat.
"hurara want me to do what taught me?" the cat enquires.
"No, not now, when I say the word now and snap my fingers, then do it. OK."
"Feline understand." Kit-Kat says. She then starts to purr, and crawls away from Vince and in Susan's lap.
Vince starts to press against his temples. "I thank I'm getting better at this." He says in-between ragged breaths.
"Yeah, but it hurts you. Doesn't it?" Susan says, concern etched on her face.
"Yea, but it's a dull pain. It doesn't get agonizing unless I do it for like 5 minutes or more. If I do it in short bursts the pain is more tolerable." He explains.
"Then y not use it unless you need to?"
Because I can't control it all the time. Some times it's like a reflex. Remember what I told you last night about Ray? That was a reflex. I didn't know he murdered her and the kid. But when I touched him, it just came to me." He starts to explain.
"OK, that's kinda different. Exactly how far can you go when you do the mind thing now?"
"How far do you want me to go. My theory is the mind is like a computer, Now that I've been granted access to it, I can do anything I want. Probably even control it. It's just a matter of knowing ware to look. Last night I didn't know what to look for, but that must have been standing out on his mind. When I touched him I must have picked up on it. After immobilizing him, I simply scanned for what I was looking for, and found it Then I remembered it. Downloaded it on my brain if you want to call it that. Spiced it up a little, then re transmitted it back to his brain. Kinda like a upload to a server. Or updating a file. After that, I showed him a little bit of my art work. And his mind obviously didn't like it, so it overloaded. I thank he'll be ok, if not, then the way I look at it, he gets what he disserves." Vince says.
"You keep comparing it to a computer. Does this mean you can find hidden places like you do on the internet? Could you delete stuff?"
"In theory I suppose so. I never really wanted to. I promised myself a long time ago, if I could ever start hacking again, that I would only do it unless I half to. And now I can link and possibly Hack people's brains. I just don't thank that's right. Invasion of privacy." He says this with a little bit of contempt. He says each instance of the word HACK with disgust.
"So if I had something about myself that I didn't know about, or forgot, or had locked inside of me, could you find it? Memories. Maybe something else that I don't understand?" she says while looking at Vince with a odd expression on her face. "And if I asked you to find something like that could you find it?" she throes in before he starts talking again.
"I suppose so. Y Susie? Is their something that you need to know?" he asks.
"I don't know. I just had something weird happen to me, and I'm not sure how, or what happened." She says this as the phone starts to ring. She reaches over the bed on the night stand and picks up the cordless phone. Then she picks it up and puts it to her ear.
"Hello, yes, yes, he's right here." She says, then hands the phone to Vince.
"HEY. Luke, you never call here. I thought I told you to keep Robin away from Susie." He says with a smile, then listens attentively to the person on the phone for a few minutes. "WHAT?!" he says, his mile quickly turning into a frown, as he fights back tears. "are they ok? OH GOD." He says as tears start welling up in his eyes. How long ago. Forget it, I'll be over their. I'm coming now. Who all saw it. Will you mete me their?" he's obviously now holding back sobs. "no, don't bother. I don't want you or anyone else to know Susan's address. I'll come their myself. Bye Luke." He says then hangs up the phone.
"He never calls here. I told him not to after his son started hitting on me. No one touches the ice queen." She says with a smile, trying to cheer up Vince.
"Susie, the trailer burnt down. No one can find my grandpa, and grandma. They think that they got scorched with the house." He says while holding his head in his hands.
"Holy Shit! Did they say what started the fire?" she asks.
"I don't know, that's y I'm going over their. Now like I was saying it's got its advantages. He says while sniffling. He snaps his fingers and utters the word now. Kit-Kat jumps down from Susan's lap and runs off camera.
"What did you do? I thought you had to be touching something to do that."
"Yes, I do, but that doesn't mean that I didn't teach her a few things while I was linked with her." He says while trying to smile. Kit-Kat comes back in the room rolling two bottles. One is a dr. pepper and the other one is a strawberry flavored Pepsi. Vince reaches down to her as she roles them towards him. His hands brush the back of the cat as he starts to stroke her. We switch to the cat's point of view as we get a magnified look of the bottles to the right, we can see Susan in her slippers and night gown. In fact, if kit-Kat would move her head a little to the right, we probably would get a good look at Susan's under garments. This doesn't happen though. Instead the camera pans left to the hand and arm of Vince and looks up straight into his tear streaked face, right in his eyes. "hurara feed now?"
"Do you ever do anything simply for the satisfaction of making someone happy?"
"Yes, for master, but feline no like hurara much." Kit-Kat replies. She stops purring, noticing the look on his face. "hurara sad?"
"Yes." He responds.
"WHY?" she asks.
Because I might have lost my family. I know we lost our home." He responds, tears starting to form in his eyes again.
"feline sorry. Make hurara better?" she says while pushing the bottles closer to him and rubbing up against his legs as she starts to purr again. "Dark brown is on leg." She says while pushing the dr. pepper against his leg.
"Thanks." Vince says.
"feline go back to master now. She know hurara sad?"
"yea, that's a good idea. Go back to Susie. And thanks again kit-Kat." He says as he breaks the link.
It's through the cat's eyes that we manage to get a clear look at Vince's eyes. We now see why he chooses to ware the shades. His eyes were a dark color at one time. Possibly brown. They aren't any more. They have a grayish whitish tent to them. If this weren't enough, they constantly make involuntary movements. They seem to twitch, and swim around in his head, as if constantly tracking something that should be moving.
Camera pans up with his hand, now clutching the dr. pepper. He takes a big swig, then screws the top back on the bottle. "Gees, Susie, what if they are dead. What am I gonna do now?" He says with tears rolling down his face.
"Well first of all, you could have given me the Dr pepper." She says while reaching down to grab the strawberry Pepsi. "And I know that didn't help, I can't help it Vince. It's my natural reaction to cheer you up. Not that I have ever had to do it before. You act more like Becker than anything. Always either cautious, or grumpy. I've never seen you show emotion before." She says this while doing the same motion that he did to comfort him. Then she pulls him closer allowing him to cry on her shoulder. "Do you want me to drive you their?"
"YES, Please. Not sure if I can trust my since of navigation in this state that I'm in now." He says between sobs.
Susan lets go of him and runs off screen to get her car keys. "UM, Susie, about your keys. Chammie is." he starts to say as a scream from Susan interrupts him.
"VINCE! I thought you got rid of that stupid lizard!"
"But she likes me." He replies louder than normal.
"It's a female?! Do you mind telling her to let go?!" Susan says while running back in the room. The chameleon is firmly attached to the back of her shirt, still pulling at the car keys that she's trying to ring free from the lizard's grasp.
"Sorry, I told her to guard them for you. Unfortunately I never told her who to let pass." He says with a chuckle as he touches the lizard on her back. "it's ok Chammie. You can stop now." He says. the lizard promptly lets go of the keys, making Susan who forgot to stop pulling elbow herself in the face.
"OH!"
"Come on, hop in." Vince says as Chammei hops from the back of Susan's shirt on to his arm. Then crawls downward and inside his jeans pocket. He promptly takes Susan's arm and walks out the door of the bed room. Before the camera fades out we catch a glimpse of kit-Kat staring at the corner of the room. Her fur starts to bristle as she starts to growl.
Camera fades out, then fades in to the interior of Susan's car. The chameleon is hanging on to the back of the head-rest, licking a Popsicle that Vince is holding for her. Every now and then she'll take a bight of it.
SR71's Kick me while I'm high is playing on the radio.
"Feeling better?" Susan asks him.
"Yea. A little. I'm mad now."
"Good, back to normal then." She says with a smile.
"I'm serious Susie. If I find the little fuckers that did this, I'm gonna ring their necks. On second thought they'll be lucky if I DO kill them." He puts stress on the word do.
"That's right, Becker is back. Make them beg for their life only to torture them more. That's the Vincent I remember." She says as if she just one the lottery. "Just remember save a piece for me. OK?" She tells him.
"You never cared about my family?"
"I know, but you are a friend Vince. They screwed you over. No one screws over my friends and gets away with it." She says contempt etched in her voice.
"Thanks Susie." He says reaching for his shades. Now what were you telling me before all this happened? What do you want to know? And about yourself I might add?" Vince starts to ask.
"Can we worry about that later? I want to make sure first. Then I'll let ya scan me, or link with me, or whatever you wanna call it. Remind me again, WHY did you give Rainbow over their that Popsicle?" Susan says changing the subject.
"OK, I can see you are uncomfortable about whatever is wrong. So I'm gonna let it slide. Just promise me that if it becomes serious, or if it is serious, you will tell me."
"YES, you know if I thought it was serious I wouldn't hesitate to tell you. Now explain to me WHY you gave that color changer over their one of my Popsicle's?" She says , cutting him off, and with slight irritation in her voice.
"Well, I promised her a reward for keeping your keys safe. She said she wanted fruit, and I didn't see any in your house. Her second choice was sugar, but I didn't want to give her anything to sweet. So we came to a compromise. The fruit flavor and sugar of a Popsicle.
"YES, but WHY did it half to be mine." She wines.
"I could have given her part of your strawberry Pepsi." He says reaching down to grab a bottle that is in-between the seats of the car.
"Don't you dare!" she replies. The stick of the Popsicle comes flying at Susan, only to miss her and hit the side of the window.
"YOU color changing, mutant of a lizard!" she says with aggravation as she reaches over to Vince's shoulder to grab Chammie: Obviously wanting to do more than shake hands. A long, frog like tongue comes out of Chammie's mouth and licks Susan's hand with lightning speed. Susan screams in disgust.
"EWW! That thing licked me!" she says as she makes a face of disgust and wipes her hand frantically on her shirt.
"Serves you right. Be thankful she didn't bight ya." He says with a smile on his face.
"Gross! We'll be their in about 3 more minutes. You sure you'll be ok?" She says that look of disgust still on her face.
"Yea, lets just get through this." He says to himself. "She didn't enjoy your kisses did she?" he says to Chammie, in that baby talk that almost everyone is aware of, and either likes, or hates, or is annoyed by one.
Chameleon V.O.
"For those of you that don't know, The reason y my eyes are that color is because of something called a cataract. For those of you that are Germ phobic, don't worry, it's not contagious. Most of the time it interferes with someone's vision. That wasn't my problem. It wasn't the reason why I went blind. I was always legally blind for as long as I can remember. The cataracts didn't help when I could see. All they succeed to do now is make me look like more of a freak. The fact that my eyes are useless and make involuntary movements by themselves just adds to the weirdness about them. Now that ya know why I ware the shades: for those of you that are gonna become Chameleon freaks... For the record, They were brown. Now they look kind of a grayish color because of the cataracts on them. Little interesting fact though. Because of the cataracts over them, they glow under a black light. Thank about that one for a while. Any ways, the reason that I interrupted this little joyous moment is to show ya something."
"camera zooms out to get a Arial shot of the car and the road behind it. It's only now that we can see the blue sadan following the silver eclipse.
Chameleon V.O.
"That's right, we had a follower. Apparently that gang that I fought that night had a lot of contacts. You see that little gang was part of a organization. Unfortunately I was about to get stuck smack in the middle of something that I didn't even want to be in. Some things are brought upon by force. This was no exception. Although I really didn't thank they had to push me so hard."
Camera continues to follow the two cars as the eclipse turns in-to the driveway of the place that belongs to Vince's Family. The camera continues to follow the sadan. The car that was following them passes right by it. Then turns right back around and parks in a spot near the house.
Cut to the ruins of the house. Vince is standing their slack jawed.
"it's the damndest thing! It's almost like the fire had a mind of it's own. Hot as hell too. You want us to get rid of the mess for you. Free of charge." A man in a uniform says to Vince while they are walking through what used to be the trailer.
"Yeah, but give me a hour or two ok? I want to get a better look around." Vince replies.
"OK, see you in a few. You want me to tell Jeramy to help ya find a place?"
"No, it's ok, I got a place temporally. I'll look for a place in a few days." He says, fighting back tears again.
"If you need help Vince, don't be scared to ask."
"I'm not scared. I just don't need it." Vince says with more composure then before.
"Ok then. Where is your friend?"
"OH, she's ok, she's just probably dealing with this in her own way. Maybe going off to cry or drowned her sorrows in a mc.Flurry or something. Don't worry. I told her to come and get me back after a hour or two." Vince responds.
"Ok, I'm gonna go file my report. You sure you don't want me to stay with you?"
"YES. I AM SURE." Vince says with a tone that nearly snaps the fire marshal's head off. "I'm sorry I just want to be alone with the place for a little while." He says, in his usual calm demeanor.
"Alright, Good luck Vince. I know I can't say anything to make you feel better. but I can at least wish you good luck." The man says with a hand shake and a smile. "Time heals all wounds Vince." He says while walking away, and off camera.
"Great, now to do some of my own investigating." Vince says while he places his hands on his temples. The camera switches to that earie view that we remember from the night before. This time we can't see two much living, or other wise. The only thing that draws the attention of the camera is a animal that seems to be nestled, maybe trapped, in one of the corners that is left of the trailer. Camera switches back to regular view. Vince starts running inside the remains of the burnt house-hold. He clears off part of the rubble that is left of what was once part of a opposite wall, and uncovers a tabby cat that was trapped under it. "Tugar. He says as the cat mews. "Thank god the fire didn't hurt you baby." He says hugging the cat against his chest. With a flash we see Vince's face looking down at us. Those same non functional eyes, still making the involuntary movements.
"Thank god you are here master."
"Tugar, Can you hear me?"
"Master never told feline could do this? How long have master been able to use mind magic?" His pet responds.
"OK, good, did you see anything before the fire?" He questions.
"weight." She says with a inward breath. "You smell like master, but something change? Sick? Mind magic not right. Master shouldn't be able to.. Feline know see things not work? Master never tell me could do Magic? Can master do." she contemplates.
"UMMM, honey, can we discuss this later? I need for you to tell me something." He says interrupting her pondering thoughts.
"OH, of coarse. What master want to know? Master teach feline that?"
"Did you see anyone else here while the fire was burning. Is my family ok?" he says to Tugar, ignoring her last question.
"Yes. Doesn't master mean did feline see hurara that started fire?" She says correcting him.
"You mean someone did start this?" he asks, anger now present in his voice.
"Yes, master. He very queer hurara, Very queer. He use Fire magic to stop life of master's family. Then hurara burn Place where family live. Y hurara do this to us master? Huraras and felines do nothing wrong?" She exclaims with a soft, sad mew.
"I know sweetie. I know. Did you see him?" he says, a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice.
"Yes. hurara try to harm Feline's babies. Feline get good sight at him, Much good Sight."
"OK, great. Will you hold still while I pull the images of him from your head?" Vince asks.
"Master not hurt feline?"
"No, it won't hurt. I am just gonna play it back. Like a TV, or a VCR. OK?." He explains.
"OOOOO, Feline like viewer Things."
"Ok, but I don't thank you are gonna like this one." He says.
Their is a flash of light. The following seen is plaid, which is obviously what happened earlier this morning.
The following seines, are more like quick cuts than a actual seen.
A Man with dark hare, wharing a uniform, that at this point, is not recognizable. Cut away from him and to the door of the trailer. The door is bashed in as he places his hand to the door way. It then blazes up in flame. He then goes around touching certain walls. Which start to glow, then react the same way as the door way did. A fat man walks in to the room, and starts to violently cuss and swear at the man, who is now covered with fire in the uniform. The figure then places his hand on the fat man. The reaction is no different then the burning walls and what is now left of the door way. The fat man screems in agony, then He bursts in to flames. After writhing around on the floor for a few minutes he stops moving. The man in the uniform then holds out his hand. The fire that consumed the fat man floats in the air and hurls itself at a space behind him which is off camera. He walks off screen, but the camera follows him.
Quick cuts.
The Piro Conetic man starts to light up several items in the room. A lamp, a few more walls. A sleeping figure under the covers.
He then comes towards the camera as we here a loud, angry mew. The man then puts his hands on a near by wall that isn't torched, and concentrates. Instead of bursting to flames like we would expect: The wall Chars and blackens. The wall then crumbles and falls on-top of the camera.
Flash back to Vince's face.
"Ok, Feline show Master what Master want to know. Master help find babies?" The voice says, almost begging.
"Of coarse, follow me, and I'll help ya find your kittens." Vince says with a smile.
Chameleon V.O.
"Ok, we all know how he helped her, let me show you something else. Kinda boring to see someone find a bunch of kittens anyway."
Cut to Susan out in the woods. She is having the time of her life, Gliding, nearly weightless. She is in her newly found form, flying through trees, logs, anything that should get in her way does not. She goes through it like air itself. She laughs Gleefully as she finally feels free for the first time.
"OK, that was sweet.!!!" She says to herself. I wonder?" She says while taking the branch of a tree in her hands. If we could see her face, we probably would see her concentrating very hard. With that same strange swooshing sound that we remember from the beginning of this chapter, the blackness of her form glides over the tree, and covers it like a cloud, or fog. That same wooshing sound is heard again, and she returns back to her normal form. The Tree stays the same, Still covered with that same strange black like material. "OK, now lets see if this works?" She says while bending down to pick up a rock. She then takes the rock and hurls it at the tree with the black like cloud surrounding it. The rock goes straight through it and hits the ground on the other side. She snaps her fingers. The cloud dissipates Leaving the tree in it's normal colors. She walks over to it. She bends down to pick up the same rock that she used to throw at the tree before. She picks up the rock, and hurls it at the tree again. This time it strikes the tree and falls to the ground. She walks over to the tree yet again, and once again, picks up the rock. Yes, it's the same rock. As she holds it in her hands, that same noise is heard. The rock then turns black as she jerks her hand back. The rock hovers their in mid air. She reaches for it, but can't grab hold of it. "What the? O, stupid Susan. Change, then it should work." She says with a laugh. Once again, that weird sound is heard as her face, and features become a black, person shaped blear. The rock is snatched out of the air and hurled at the tree. It easily goes through the tree and keeps going. and going. and going. That's right, it's the enigiser rock. Susan gasps, and starts chasing after it. Camera Tracks with her as she follows the phantom rock, through trees, logs, more trees, a few tree limbs, even a old shed. She finally comes out in to a open cotton field. Just when she is about to catch it, a sudden gust of wind lifts her and the phantom rock up in to the air. She screams, half in delight, and half in fright. Camera still tracks with her as she glides upward. She then looks down, From the look on her face, this obviously was a moustache. Camera pans down as we get a good Arial shot of Vince's ruined trailer and most of the surrounding area around it. She screams openly now, obviously now more scared than anything else.
Chameleon V.O.
"It's the amazing flying girl." He says with a chuckle. "Poor Susie, She's like me, gotta learn things the hard way." He says with a sigh. "Don't worry, She's fine, ya see, my little Hicks curse as I now call it, brings me vary bad luck, but fortunately for me, it does the exact opposite for my friends. Ya see, after she made the inigiser rock, and got gone with the wind, she finally got brave enough to turn solid again. As luck would have it, their was something to break her fall."
Cut to Vince and Tugar, who is now with her kittens. His hare is ruffled by a gust of wind. He Hears a scream from a Female: who he soon recognizes as Susan. "Susie?!" He yells at the top of his lungs. Camera pans to a near by tree. The camera takes a while to pan up to where Susan is, telling us one of two things, the camera operator is either taking his sweet time, or the tree is very, vary tall. Vince and Tugar run towards the tree. "Susie, that's Kit-Kat's job? What the crap are you doing up their?!" He yells
"Vince, this is no time for your little comments." She says as she looks down at him. "NOW GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!" She yells.
"OK." He says with a chuckle. Are you right under me?"
"No, move over to your right a little." She instructs.
"Ok, this better?" he asks while complying with her instructions.
"yea, perfect. ok, you are right below me. now what?" she asks.
"Ok, now let go."
"WHAT?! No way!"
"Ok, fine then." He says slightly aggravated.
"Ok, promise to trust me?" he says.
"Maybe? WHY?" She says as some unseen force starts to pull on her clothes. "Vince no!"
"Ok, fine, then how do you want me to get you down!" He says with aggravation in his voice.
"Can you come up here and get me?"
"UH.. But I don't wanna float up the tree! I've started using it to much! It will hurt!" he wines.
"Vince, best friends... three years.." She reminds him. "Now get your lazy, scrawny blind ass up here and help me down!" She yells at the top of her lungs.
"ya know, for that, I aut ta just let ya hang their." He says while walking off camera.
"Vince!" She says, then pauses. "Come on, I'm sorry!" she yells. You wouldn't just leave me here?" she looks down, then her hands start to slip. "OH SSHHIITT!" she yells at the top of her lungs as she starts to fall. Some ware between the tree limb and the ground, she stops falling, then gently glides down to the ground. Right when she touches the ground, a hand comes on camera and she grabs it, quickly spinning around to see who it is. Camera switches to a Arial view to include the surrounding scenery. Susan quickly picks up the figure, who we now realize is Vince, and hugs him. "I'm sorry, I knew you wouldn't just let me fall like that." She says, still half way scared. "Thank you." She says with sincerity in her voice.
"UM. Susie, ya know I'm all for affection, especially since it's coming from you." He says. "But would ya mind putting me down, this is very embarrassing." He says while blushing.
Susan giggles. "Sorry." She says with a smile, then gently puts him on the ground.
Camera switches to a close up of Tugar. Her hair starts to bristle as she growls softly. Vince reaches down and picks her up.
"What's wrong baby?" He asks.
Camera switches To a shot that looks as if it's behind Susan and Vince. We see a paw come around and tap the back of Vince's neck.
"MASTER!"
"OH!" Vince says, obviously in pain.
"Vince, what?" Susan asks.
"Tugar's linking with me. I've used it to much, and now it's starting to hurt." He says, his voice filled with pain.
"What's she saying?"
"Hold on and I'll tell ya." He responds.
"Master's see things no work, Master able to use mine?" Tugar asks.
"Yeah, WHY?" He asks.
Master need to se something. Feline guide you, and master see through feline's See things?"
"Yeah, I got to talk to my other friend first ok?" He instructs. "Susie, stay here." He says with a glare.
"She glares back, but stays their anyway. Switch to Tugar's Point of view. "Follow see things." She instructs. Camera pans right, then tracks some scenery for a little while, and stops at another tree. Pan up the tree to reveal someone who looks strikingly like
saber-tooth. "Feline no think Hurara Friendly?"
"Good call." Vince says, sarcasm in his voice.
"Ok, we don't want him to know we saw him, so first thing, stop looking at him. Second, here's what we are gonna do. Walk over that way.." he says, as the camera starts to pan away from the tree. "Over here to the pond." He says while pulling Tugar off his shoulder and placing her near the water's edge. "Camera pans accordingly. Then pans down to the water where we can see several minnows swimming around. "Now you weight here, and pretend like you are watching the fish." He instructs. "Tugar? Tugar?" he asks, clearly aggravated. "WOULD YA STOP WATCHING THE FISH AND LISTEN TO ME?" He says as the camera jumps a few fete and promptly stops looking down in-to the water.
"Feline sorry."
"It's ok. Just listen. Stay here for a few minutes. I'm gonna walk back over their to Susan. He instructs. again. "You stay here, and watch the fish!" he says in a louder tone.
"Feline already say feline's sorry?"
"Yeah, I know, I just had to teas ya a little." He says with a chuckle. "Ok, after that Make sure Susie's safe. Understand?"
"Yes. Feline stay here and watch fish, then join master and female Hurara. Keep Female Hurara safe." She repeats. "Feline curious?" she asks.
"About?" He wonders.
"Other female Hurara. Is she Master's mate?"
Vince laughs. "No Hun, she's not. We thought about trying it, but it just wasn't clicking. She is a friend though. And I don't want anything to happen to her." He explains.
"Feline understand. Feline mete with you after feline catch fish."
"No, just watch them." He instructs.
"But feline hungry?" She wines.
"Ok, fine. catch a fish. But start talking a little after I break the link ok?" he says
"What ever master say." She says, happiness etched in her voice as she starts to purr.
Vince breaks the link with a flash, and the camera switches to a aerial view of him and the pond. He picks up a rock and makes it skip across the water. "Gees, I'm gonna miss this place." He says to himself while picking up another flat stone and repeating the process. Tugar Mews softly as if she's agreeing with him. As he walks back to where Susan is, the camera tracks with him. We catch the edge of a tree limb as we track with him. He Finally stops in-front of Susan. "Susie, I thank we are being watched."
"OK, is that what she wanted to show you?" Susan asks.
"YEA." He responds.
"Ok, do we know him?"
"No." He replies.
"Ok, could you see what he looked like?" She says then blushes at her comment. "Sorry." She starts to apologize.
"NO, actually I could." He starts to explain. The camera lunges downward, and we hear A thud, as if someone hit the ground.
"UM, Vince?" Susan says, trying to get his attention.
"I know I can't see, but."
?Vince!" she says cutting him off.
"What?" he says annoyed.
"Did he look like him?" She says. From the tone in her voice, if you couldn't tell she was scared, you can now.
Camera switches to regular view, Now a shot behind all three of them.
"Crap! Susie, run!? He didn't even need to tell her. She already took off. That swooshing sound is heard again, and she glides smoothly through the mutant who growls and tries to lunge at her. Vince, not realizing that she was ok, through himself at where she was supposed to be, but landed in the mutants hands as he closed them tight around him like a vise-grip. Susie, now behind the figure holding Vince, turned solid again. She drew back with her fist, and let him have it square in the jaw. The mutant screamed, more human than expected, and dropped Vince to the ground, spinning to fight with his new found adversary. Susie, seeing that he was starting to spin around to fight her now, quickly changed forms. The mutant flung his fist into her, only to mete air. Susan chuckles, then turned solid again. Quickly decking him, and then changed back to her ghost like state. This only does more to confuse The obviously not so bright mutant, who draws back and slugs her again. Once again, he meats air. This process rapidly repeats itself. Each time with a different maneuver. A kick to the head, a punch to the stomach, a elbow to the shoulder, even a few slaps to the face. Each maneuver brought a grunt of pain from the mutant, and every now and then a chuckle of laughter to Susie.
"Ok, hold up a sec, and I'll join ya Hun." Vince says while picking himself up and brushing the dust off of his clothes. He rubs the side of his head as if it were in pane.
"That's ok, I thank I'm winning." She says casually with a chuckle. She goes solid again, this time flipping the mutant the bird. He once again lunges for her and surprisingly, connects. As he lifts her in the air, She spits in his eye. With the same whooshing sound, she goes back to ghost form.
"Got ya!" she says over the mutant's screams. "I do believe that I hit a bulls-eye." She says with a chuckle.
"Mental note, remind yourself to scan Susan for other abilities later." He says to himself with a smile and a chuckle. Then he suddenly winces in pain and grabs his temples as he quickly sits down.
The sounds of Susan still gleefully hammering away at their opponent can still be heard as the camera goes out for a wider shot.
Chameleon V.O.
"That's right. My best friend was kicking someone's ass. Doing a good job of it too." He says with pride, followed by a chuckle. "Guess endurance must be another part of her ability that she didn't know about. I didn't know she was a show off either." He says chuckling again. "However, she got quite cocky. That's where she made her moustache. Ya see, tiger boy over their had friends. Vary fast, vary sneaky friends."
His voice fades out as the sounds of Susan beating the stuffing out of the other mutant continues. She finishes the mutant with the usual kick to the crotch followed by a elbow to the face. A scream of pain from the other mutant is heard and a thud as he hits the ground. "OH YEA!" She says becoming solid again and dancing around with happiness. doing everything from cart wheels to a little ballerina act. She screams with delight again. Unfortunately her little joyous occasion is cut off by a real scream from her as something VERRY VERRY Fast comes on camera, grabs her, and runs off with a streak of color.
"What the f." he says, finally realizing what happened. "Susie!" he yells. "SHIT." He says with defeat. He reaches in his write genes pocket, then draws his hand back out. "Chammie? Perfect." He says with a sigh.
"Chameleon V.O.
"Great, my best friend was captured by god knows who. and to top it all off, my little pet was gone. One important thing to note here. If someone who is bigger and stronger than you is knocked out." He says. "Don't do anything to wake them up!" He spouts in a louder tone.
A growl is heard from the previously KOED. mutant as he rises to his fete and grabs Vince by the neck. With a satisfying grunt from the mutant, and a strangled sound from Vince, he lifts him up in the air, and presses him to his body in a bare-hug like death grip. While pressing Vince up against a tree with his one hand, he reaches down to his belt and presses a button. "I got the other. If I'm not back to the car in 10 minutes, go with out me." The mutant says, in a rough, scratchy voice. He then lets go of the button and grabs Vince in that same vise like death grip. "Don't worry, you will be joining your friend soon enough." He says with a evil laugh.
Vince v.o. add echo.
"I don't thank so."
The mutant then lets go of Vince with one hand and grabs his head in pain, screaming for all he's worth.
Vince V.o. add echo.
"You made the moustache of touching me. That means I can touch you."
With a final agonizing scream from both of them, Vince and the mutant fall on-to their backs. Vince continues screaming as the other mutant's eyes glaze over, then close shut.
Chameleon V.O.
"You thank I would be used to the pain that it causes me by now wouldn't ya? You would be supprized. In my opinion.. Pane is good. It lets you know you are still alive. But this wasn't pain. This was agony. This was torture. What I was experiencing then could not be called pain. It was to strong. To debilitating."
Camera pans down to where the two adversaries lay. There is a thin line of blood in-between them. Camera Slowly pans over them, and stops at Vince's face. Blood is running freely from his nose: staining his shirt. It's trickling from his ears also. Still screaming in agony: his eyes fill with tears. They, at first, look normal, but quickly change to flowing droplets of blood.
Chameleon v.o.
"I learned a lot about the brain in those few seconds. Everything from the central nervous system, to where the memories were stored. It's amazing what you can figure out with the right motivation. I reckon someone holding you in the air while choking the life out of you is just as good a motivation as any. Certainly speeds up the process a little. I must apologize though. I should have warned those people that are a little squeamish about that. Don't worry, I'll be ok. While I was busy trying not to pass out, I got an idea." He says. "and believe me, this one was a good one. It's amazing, really. The things that will fill your head while you are trying to get your mind off searing pain isn't it." He says with a snicker.
Camera fades out, then fades back in.
Close up shots of hands and items.
A hand dragging a wheelbarrow, a hand lifting up a coil of rope. A person in genes running through a dark, closed in space. As we follow the pare of legs we see the person bend over every now and then to reach off camera to grab some objects. A few are long and shiny. Every now and then the light will glint off a object as well. As this person grabs these objects, we here a clang, like meddle on meddle as they are tossed back in to something yet unseen to us. Camera stays their for a second as the person runs by it. As that person passes the camera, we now recognize the figure as Vince, pulling the wheelbarrow behind him. It is full of various assorted items. We catch glimpses of knives, a sword, some rope, some cloth, and various other objects that appear to be covered up by the cloth.
Cut to outside. The sun shines on the face of the mutant that tried to capture Susan and Vince. Ok, correction. Susan kicked his ass, someone else captured her, and tried to capture Vince. Either way, the animal like mutant is starting to open his eyes. One thing that is important to mention here. His face is up side down. A electronic metallic sound wakes him up. He promptly screams in terror. Camera pans up his furry body to reveal that he's strapped to some kind of segmented rail. Continue to pan up till the face of Vince is revealed. He hasn't changed his shirt. The blood stains are still present. We now realize where the metallic sound is coming from. Vince has a huge electric knife sharpener, and is busy sharpening knives. He then takes out a sword with various symbols on it and runs it through the sharpener as well. He's grinning as he lets his new found enemy scream in terror. He continues to sharpen his sword and knife collection. After testing the sharpness of some of them, he then picks up a dagger and ties a piece of string to it. "Keep screaming, you're making my job a lot easier." Vince says, unusually calm. He draws back his hand that is now clutching the dagger and lets it fly. Camera tracks with the flying object as it flies by, barely missing the mutant and imbedding itself in a near-by tree. A short scream from the mutant is heard, followed by silence. Vince looks down cast. "Damnet I wanted to do a little target practice. I'll be honest with you tiger boy. This is the secant time I've tortured someone. My sister doesn't count." He says with a laugh. While he is talking he is also reeling his dagger back in by what we can now see is fishing line. As the camera backs up for a wider shot. we now realize that we are at least two stories in the air. Could be higher. Vince takes out a small sword and lets it glint in the sunlight.
Everything that Vince says in this seen is in a vary calm demeanor. So calm in fact, that it almost scares you. Imagine how the poor mutant feels.
"Now. since you had the stupidity to try to capture me. I'll explain this in words that even you can understand." He says while thrusting the sword in the mutant's face. "Sword sharp." He says as he snaps his fingers to get his attention. "Now look up here, to your right." Vince says while cleanly slicing through a section of the railing. "Let me do this again, just to make sure you get the idea." He repeats his action, this time on the other side of the segment that he sliced away. He makes another slice, this time under the segments previously sliced. "Now watch this." He says while kicking at the bored. The bored, being sliced away by the blade of his sword, does a free fall: till it falls off camera. Then a thud is heard. The mutant gasps. "That's right, now you are catching on." You will join that bored if you don't tell me where my friend is." He says, that calm, almost scary tone still in his voice.
"Do you know what they will do to me if I tell you?"
"Do you know what I will do to you if you won't tell me?" He says correcting the mutant. Tell you what. I will let you live, if you tell me. That sounds fare. Right? And as a added bonus, I will go along with whatever story you give them."
"Y don't you just suck it from my brain like the boss says you can?" He asks.
"Because. I am in pain right now. If I was to use it, it would hurt me. Besides, torturing you is much more fun, don't you think?" Vince explains.
"Fuck you!" the mutant yells.
"Fine then, have it your way." Vince then brandishes the sword, then shoves it in the mutant's face again. "Then you will die." He says while brandishing the sword again, this time making a long,
half-circular motion with it, from his right to his left. This severs the segmented links that the mutant's tied to and he plummets towards the ground. As he falls to the ground screaming, he suddenly feels a yank as he is jerked back up, and tossed on to the floor ad Vince's fete. Camera zooms away to reveal that he was attached to fishing line and was being reeled in with a fishing pole by Vince. The mutant now realizing he has a second chance to live, starts panting with fear.
Chameleon v.o.
"Come on, you know I wasn't gonna kill him. Besides, I caught myself a singer, I knew that. and I didn't wanna throw him back just yet."
"Ok, I am going to give you one more chance." Vince says while kneeling down and holding the sword to his throat. "Tell me where she is." He says still calm, this time vary slowly pronouncing every word.
"There is a hospital near here." The mutant explains in-between ragged breaths. It's just a cover up though. It is actually a hospital. But there is a secret access to a underground complex. your friend is their somewhere. Now can you UN-tie me?" he says clearly aggravated.
"no, if I do that you will try the same thing you did before. I don't really feel like getting captured today ok." Vince responds as he starts to walk away.
"Weight, you aren't just going to leave me here?"
"that's the general idea. Don't worry, someone. or something will find you.. Eventually." He says as he walks even further.
"Hold on a second."
"What?" Vince responds.
"What would you have done if I didn't tell you?"
"I would have left you here for a few days, or how ever long it took me to get over my little mutant power brown out. That way it would not hurt me. Then I would come back here, and torture you like you wouldn't believe." He says while walking back to him and dropping something on his chest.
The mutant shutters in terror as the camera zooms on to a tight shot of his chest. We now realize that the reason y he is scared is because there is a spider on his chest. It is slowly making it's way up to his neck. Zoom out to include Vince in the shot. He is smiling as he puts his finger to his lips.
"SSSSHHHH. Stay still. Be quiet ok. This is a spider, a black widow to be precise. It has very deathly poison. And it is also very painful poison I might add." He uncovers his mouth to reveal that he's grinning.
"You told it not to bight me right?" the mutant asks: his voice barely above a whisper.
"Maybe." He says in that same tone that would crepe anyone out by now. "Now you stay right their and maybe it won't bight you." He says with a laugh. Vince walks off camera, still laughing demonically. Tugar comes on camera and looks at the mutant, still laying their, as still as a rock. She licks her lips. The mutant shutters.
"No Tugar,. He's not food. yet." Vince says as he laughs even louder. His demonic laughter quickly turns to a cackle. We can barely hear it now as he walks farther and farther away. The mutant screams as the camera fades out.
Fade in to Vince walking by a road, he walks their for a long time, then he walks by some houses.
Fade out, then back in.
That same silver bee that we should recognize at the beginning of the story is their, pan down to see the chameleon in that same pose as we last saw him. And yes he is still dangling from that wire. This time he's drinking a can of coke.
He waves at the camera.
"Yep, it's a dog eat dog world out their. I still don't see why they had to push me so hard. If they would have asked me nicely I might have considered their offer. Snow balls chance now. I still don't know what they wanted with Susie. Maybe to get to me, maybe they wanted her to. Your guess at this point was just about as good as mine. I did know three things for sure though. I had to find her, and get her back. Some how, some way. My powers had to be involved in this. Not to mention my new identity. And when I found the little bastard that killed my family and burned down our trailer." he says while tossing the coke can in the air.
"THEY WERE GONNA PAY."
He says, vengeance etched in his voice.: as the can hovers in mid air. Then it starts to crush itself. He breaths out slowly as the can falls down to the city below. He then takes out another coke, [this time it's in a bottle] and screws off the cap. He raises the bottle to his lips as the camera fades out.
Chameleon V.O.
"I was brought up in a hick town, and had no real knowledge of some parts of the real world. The existence of mutants was, needless to say, out of my mental range, not to mention, understanding. I was one. That much I realized. And as you will see shortly, My best friend was one. She, too, had to come to terms with being different. Good thing for her she was more accepting than me."
Camera fades in.
Susan is sleeping peacefully as her eyes flutter open. a strange swooshing sound comes from under the covers. Her flesh turns a dark color as she goes straight through the bed. She doesn't seem to notice this. Her body stops it's ghost like behavior when she reaches the floor under her bed. Her body hits the floor under her bed with a slight thud. She is then jolted awake. Instinctively she tries to sit up, only to bump her head on her mattress springs. "OH SHIT!" she swears as her mind still tries to figure out how she got under there. She crawls out from under the bed and stands up.
Camera pans around the room then settles on the door. It is flung open and Vince steps in wearing jeans and a light Greene tea-shirt.
"Hey sweetie, computer is fixed. Again. That was a nasty little bugger too. I had to go in the bios and get rid of it. And let me tell you, that took over half the time right there." He says then stops as he looks at her kinda funny. "Susie, what's wrong?" he asks.
"Vince, I don't know this for sure. but I just thank things got a whole lot weirder around here." She says with a light hint of worry in her voice.
"Yea, you're telling me. I can't touch anything alive or even close to being alive with out it linking with me. At first I kinda liked it. But ya got to understand, it starts to hurt after a while." He says.
Susan interrupts him. NO, not you!" she says with worry now prominent in her voice.
He comes over to the bed and sits down, then pats a spot on the bed beside him. She then walks over to him and then takes her place beside him on the bed.
"OK, you are serious. What's wrong Hun?" He says while draping a arm around her protectively.
"If I tell you, you might call me crazy."
"Susie, after what I've done in the past few hours nothing you will say or do can affect me one way or the other." He says this while snapping his fingers. Kit-Kat then comes running in the room and jumps between them. Vince's hand goes to the back of Kit-Kat's neck and the camera then switches to the cat's point of view. "You called feline hurara?" a female voice says.
"YES. Your master needs you. She's upset. Go to her and comfort her please." Vince directs the cat.
"hurara want me to do what taught me?" the cat enquires.
"No, not now, when I say the word now and snap my fingers, then do it. OK."
"Feline understand." Kit-Kat says. She then starts to purr, and crawls away from Vince and in Susan's lap.
Vince starts to press against his temples. "I thank I'm getting better at this." He says in-between ragged breaths.
"Yeah, but it hurts you. Doesn't it?" Susan says, concern etched on her face.
"Yea, but it's a dull pain. It doesn't get agonizing unless I do it for like 5 minutes or more. If I do it in short bursts the pain is more tolerable." He explains.
"Then y not use it unless you need to?"
Because I can't control it all the time. Some times it's like a reflex. Remember what I told you last night about Ray? That was a reflex. I didn't know he murdered her and the kid. But when I touched him, it just came to me." He starts to explain.
"OK, that's kinda different. Exactly how far can you go when you do the mind thing now?"
"How far do you want me to go. My theory is the mind is like a computer, Now that I've been granted access to it, I can do anything I want. Probably even control it. It's just a matter of knowing ware to look. Last night I didn't know what to look for, but that must have been standing out on his mind. When I touched him I must have picked up on it. After immobilizing him, I simply scanned for what I was looking for, and found it Then I remembered it. Downloaded it on my brain if you want to call it that. Spiced it up a little, then re transmitted it back to his brain. Kinda like a upload to a server. Or updating a file. After that, I showed him a little bit of my art work. And his mind obviously didn't like it, so it overloaded. I thank he'll be ok, if not, then the way I look at it, he gets what he disserves." Vince says.
"You keep comparing it to a computer. Does this mean you can find hidden places like you do on the internet? Could you delete stuff?"
"In theory I suppose so. I never really wanted to. I promised myself a long time ago, if I could ever start hacking again, that I would only do it unless I half to. And now I can link and possibly Hack people's brains. I just don't thank that's right. Invasion of privacy." He says this with a little bit of contempt. He says each instance of the word HACK with disgust.
"So if I had something about myself that I didn't know about, or forgot, or had locked inside of me, could you find it? Memories. Maybe something else that I don't understand?" she says while looking at Vince with a odd expression on her face. "And if I asked you to find something like that could you find it?" she throes in before he starts talking again.
"I suppose so. Y Susie? Is their something that you need to know?" he asks.
"I don't know. I just had something weird happen to me, and I'm not sure how, or what happened." She says this as the phone starts to ring. She reaches over the bed on the night stand and picks up the cordless phone. Then she picks it up and puts it to her ear.
"Hello, yes, yes, he's right here." She says, then hands the phone to Vince.
"HEY. Luke, you never call here. I thought I told you to keep Robin away from Susie." He says with a smile, then listens attentively to the person on the phone for a few minutes. "WHAT?!" he says, his mile quickly turning into a frown, as he fights back tears. "are they ok? OH GOD." He says as tears start welling up in his eyes. How long ago. Forget it, I'll be over their. I'm coming now. Who all saw it. Will you mete me their?" he's obviously now holding back sobs. "no, don't bother. I don't want you or anyone else to know Susan's address. I'll come their myself. Bye Luke." He says then hangs up the phone.
"He never calls here. I told him not to after his son started hitting on me. No one touches the ice queen." She says with a smile, trying to cheer up Vince.
"Susie, the trailer burnt down. No one can find my grandpa, and grandma. They think that they got scorched with the house." He says while holding his head in his hands.
"Holy Shit! Did they say what started the fire?" she asks.
"I don't know, that's y I'm going over their. Now like I was saying it's got its advantages. He says while sniffling. He snaps his fingers and utters the word now. Kit-Kat jumps down from Susan's lap and runs off camera.
"What did you do? I thought you had to be touching something to do that."
"Yes, I do, but that doesn't mean that I didn't teach her a few things while I was linked with her." He says while trying to smile. Kit-Kat comes back in the room rolling two bottles. One is a dr. pepper and the other one is a strawberry flavored Pepsi. Vince reaches down to her as she roles them towards him. His hands brush the back of the cat as he starts to stroke her. We switch to the cat's point of view as we get a magnified look of the bottles to the right, we can see Susan in her slippers and night gown. In fact, if kit-Kat would move her head a little to the right, we probably would get a good look at Susan's under garments. This doesn't happen though. Instead the camera pans left to the hand and arm of Vince and looks up straight into his tear streaked face, right in his eyes. "hurara feed now?"
"Do you ever do anything simply for the satisfaction of making someone happy?"
"Yes, for master, but feline no like hurara much." Kit-Kat replies. She stops purring, noticing the look on his face. "hurara sad?"
"Yes." He responds.
"WHY?" she asks.
Because I might have lost my family. I know we lost our home." He responds, tears starting to form in his eyes again.
"feline sorry. Make hurara better?" she says while pushing the bottles closer to him and rubbing up against his legs as she starts to purr again. "Dark brown is on leg." She says while pushing the dr. pepper against his leg.
"Thanks." Vince says.
"feline go back to master now. She know hurara sad?"
"yea, that's a good idea. Go back to Susie. And thanks again kit-Kat." He says as he breaks the link.
It's through the cat's eyes that we manage to get a clear look at Vince's eyes. We now see why he chooses to ware the shades. His eyes were a dark color at one time. Possibly brown. They aren't any more. They have a grayish whitish tent to them. If this weren't enough, they constantly make involuntary movements. They seem to twitch, and swim around in his head, as if constantly tracking something that should be moving.
Camera pans up with his hand, now clutching the dr. pepper. He takes a big swig, then screws the top back on the bottle. "Gees, Susie, what if they are dead. What am I gonna do now?" He says with tears rolling down his face.
"Well first of all, you could have given me the Dr pepper." She says while reaching down to grab the strawberry Pepsi. "And I know that didn't help, I can't help it Vince. It's my natural reaction to cheer you up. Not that I have ever had to do it before. You act more like Becker than anything. Always either cautious, or grumpy. I've never seen you show emotion before." She says this while doing the same motion that he did to comfort him. Then she pulls him closer allowing him to cry on her shoulder. "Do you want me to drive you their?"
"YES, Please. Not sure if I can trust my since of navigation in this state that I'm in now." He says between sobs.
Susan lets go of him and runs off screen to get her car keys. "UM, Susie, about your keys. Chammie is." he starts to say as a scream from Susan interrupts him.
"VINCE! I thought you got rid of that stupid lizard!"
"But she likes me." He replies louder than normal.
"It's a female?! Do you mind telling her to let go?!" Susan says while running back in the room. The chameleon is firmly attached to the back of her shirt, still pulling at the car keys that she's trying to ring free from the lizard's grasp.
"Sorry, I told her to guard them for you. Unfortunately I never told her who to let pass." He says with a chuckle as he touches the lizard on her back. "it's ok Chammie. You can stop now." He says. the lizard promptly lets go of the keys, making Susan who forgot to stop pulling elbow herself in the face.
"OH!"
"Come on, hop in." Vince says as Chammei hops from the back of Susan's shirt on to his arm. Then crawls downward and inside his jeans pocket. He promptly takes Susan's arm and walks out the door of the bed room. Before the camera fades out we catch a glimpse of kit-Kat staring at the corner of the room. Her fur starts to bristle as she starts to growl.
Camera fades out, then fades in to the interior of Susan's car. The chameleon is hanging on to the back of the head-rest, licking a Popsicle that Vince is holding for her. Every now and then she'll take a bight of it.
SR71's Kick me while I'm high is playing on the radio.
"Feeling better?" Susan asks him.
"Yea. A little. I'm mad now."
"Good, back to normal then." She says with a smile.
"I'm serious Susie. If I find the little fuckers that did this, I'm gonna ring their necks. On second thought they'll be lucky if I DO kill them." He puts stress on the word do.
"That's right, Becker is back. Make them beg for their life only to torture them more. That's the Vincent I remember." She says as if she just one the lottery. "Just remember save a piece for me. OK?" She tells him.
"You never cared about my family?"
"I know, but you are a friend Vince. They screwed you over. No one screws over my friends and gets away with it." She says contempt etched in her voice.
"Thanks Susie." He says reaching for his shades. Now what were you telling me before all this happened? What do you want to know? And about yourself I might add?" Vince starts to ask.
"Can we worry about that later? I want to make sure first. Then I'll let ya scan me, or link with me, or whatever you wanna call it. Remind me again, WHY did you give Rainbow over their that Popsicle?" Susan says changing the subject.
"OK, I can see you are uncomfortable about whatever is wrong. So I'm gonna let it slide. Just promise me that if it becomes serious, or if it is serious, you will tell me."
"YES, you know if I thought it was serious I wouldn't hesitate to tell you. Now explain to me WHY you gave that color changer over their one of my Popsicle's?" She says , cutting him off, and with slight irritation in her voice.
"Well, I promised her a reward for keeping your keys safe. She said she wanted fruit, and I didn't see any in your house. Her second choice was sugar, but I didn't want to give her anything to sweet. So we came to a compromise. The fruit flavor and sugar of a Popsicle.
"YES, but WHY did it half to be mine." She wines.
"I could have given her part of your strawberry Pepsi." He says reaching down to grab a bottle that is in-between the seats of the car.
"Don't you dare!" she replies. The stick of the Popsicle comes flying at Susan, only to miss her and hit the side of the window.
"YOU color changing, mutant of a lizard!" she says with aggravation as she reaches over to Vince's shoulder to grab Chammie: Obviously wanting to do more than shake hands. A long, frog like tongue comes out of Chammie's mouth and licks Susan's hand with lightning speed. Susan screams in disgust.
"EWW! That thing licked me!" she says as she makes a face of disgust and wipes her hand frantically on her shirt.
"Serves you right. Be thankful she didn't bight ya." He says with a smile on his face.
"Gross! We'll be their in about 3 more minutes. You sure you'll be ok?" She says that look of disgust still on her face.
"Yea, lets just get through this." He says to himself. "She didn't enjoy your kisses did she?" he says to Chammie, in that baby talk that almost everyone is aware of, and either likes, or hates, or is annoyed by one.
Chameleon V.O.
"For those of you that don't know, The reason y my eyes are that color is because of something called a cataract. For those of you that are Germ phobic, don't worry, it's not contagious. Most of the time it interferes with someone's vision. That wasn't my problem. It wasn't the reason why I went blind. I was always legally blind for as long as I can remember. The cataracts didn't help when I could see. All they succeed to do now is make me look like more of a freak. The fact that my eyes are useless and make involuntary movements by themselves just adds to the weirdness about them. Now that ya know why I ware the shades: for those of you that are gonna become Chameleon freaks... For the record, They were brown. Now they look kind of a grayish color because of the cataracts on them. Little interesting fact though. Because of the cataracts over them, they glow under a black light. Thank about that one for a while. Any ways, the reason that I interrupted this little joyous moment is to show ya something."
"camera zooms out to get a Arial shot of the car and the road behind it. It's only now that we can see the blue sadan following the silver eclipse.
Chameleon V.O.
"That's right, we had a follower. Apparently that gang that I fought that night had a lot of contacts. You see that little gang was part of a organization. Unfortunately I was about to get stuck smack in the middle of something that I didn't even want to be in. Some things are brought upon by force. This was no exception. Although I really didn't thank they had to push me so hard."
Camera continues to follow the two cars as the eclipse turns in-to the driveway of the place that belongs to Vince's Family. The camera continues to follow the sadan. The car that was following them passes right by it. Then turns right back around and parks in a spot near the house.
Cut to the ruins of the house. Vince is standing their slack jawed.
"it's the damndest thing! It's almost like the fire had a mind of it's own. Hot as hell too. You want us to get rid of the mess for you. Free of charge." A man in a uniform says to Vince while they are walking through what used to be the trailer.
"Yeah, but give me a hour or two ok? I want to get a better look around." Vince replies.
"OK, see you in a few. You want me to tell Jeramy to help ya find a place?"
"No, it's ok, I got a place temporally. I'll look for a place in a few days." He says, fighting back tears again.
"If you need help Vince, don't be scared to ask."
"I'm not scared. I just don't need it." Vince says with more composure then before.
"Ok then. Where is your friend?"
"OH, she's ok, she's just probably dealing with this in her own way. Maybe going off to cry or drowned her sorrows in a mc.Flurry or something. Don't worry. I told her to come and get me back after a hour or two." Vince responds.
"Ok, I'm gonna go file my report. You sure you don't want me to stay with you?"
"YES. I AM SURE." Vince says with a tone that nearly snaps the fire marshal's head off. "I'm sorry I just want to be alone with the place for a little while." He says, in his usual calm demeanor.
"Alright, Good luck Vince. I know I can't say anything to make you feel better. but I can at least wish you good luck." The man says with a hand shake and a smile. "Time heals all wounds Vince." He says while walking away, and off camera.
"Great, now to do some of my own investigating." Vince says while he places his hands on his temples. The camera switches to that earie view that we remember from the night before. This time we can't see two much living, or other wise. The only thing that draws the attention of the camera is a animal that seems to be nestled, maybe trapped, in one of the corners that is left of the trailer. Camera switches back to regular view. Vince starts running inside the remains of the burnt house-hold. He clears off part of the rubble that is left of what was once part of a opposite wall, and uncovers a tabby cat that was trapped under it. "Tugar. He says as the cat mews. "Thank god the fire didn't hurt you baby." He says hugging the cat against his chest. With a flash we see Vince's face looking down at us. Those same non functional eyes, still making the involuntary movements.
"Thank god you are here master."
"Tugar, Can you hear me?"
"Master never told feline could do this? How long have master been able to use mind magic?" His pet responds.
"OK, good, did you see anything before the fire?" He questions.
"weight." She says with a inward breath. "You smell like master, but something change? Sick? Mind magic not right. Master shouldn't be able to.. Feline know see things not work? Master never tell me could do Magic? Can master do." she contemplates.
"UMMM, honey, can we discuss this later? I need for you to tell me something." He says interrupting her pondering thoughts.
"OH, of coarse. What master want to know? Master teach feline that?"
"Did you see anyone else here while the fire was burning. Is my family ok?" he says to Tugar, ignoring her last question.
"Yes. Doesn't master mean did feline see hurara that started fire?" She says correcting him.
"You mean someone did start this?" he asks, anger now present in his voice.
"Yes, master. He very queer hurara, Very queer. He use Fire magic to stop life of master's family. Then hurara burn Place where family live. Y hurara do this to us master? Huraras and felines do nothing wrong?" She exclaims with a soft, sad mew.
"I know sweetie. I know. Did you see him?" he says, a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice.
"Yes. hurara try to harm Feline's babies. Feline get good sight at him, Much good Sight."
"OK, great. Will you hold still while I pull the images of him from your head?" Vince asks.
"Master not hurt feline?"
"No, it won't hurt. I am just gonna play it back. Like a TV, or a VCR. OK?." He explains.
"OOOOO, Feline like viewer Things."
"Ok, but I don't thank you are gonna like this one." He says.
Their is a flash of light. The following seen is plaid, which is obviously what happened earlier this morning.
The following seines, are more like quick cuts than a actual seen.
A Man with dark hare, wharing a uniform, that at this point, is not recognizable. Cut away from him and to the door of the trailer. The door is bashed in as he places his hand to the door way. It then blazes up in flame. He then goes around touching certain walls. Which start to glow, then react the same way as the door way did. A fat man walks in to the room, and starts to violently cuss and swear at the man, who is now covered with fire in the uniform. The figure then places his hand on the fat man. The reaction is no different then the burning walls and what is now left of the door way. The fat man screems in agony, then He bursts in to flames. After writhing around on the floor for a few minutes he stops moving. The man in the uniform then holds out his hand. The fire that consumed the fat man floats in the air and hurls itself at a space behind him which is off camera. He walks off screen, but the camera follows him.
Quick cuts.
The Piro Conetic man starts to light up several items in the room. A lamp, a few more walls. A sleeping figure under the covers.
He then comes towards the camera as we here a loud, angry mew. The man then puts his hands on a near by wall that isn't torched, and concentrates. Instead of bursting to flames like we would expect: The wall Chars and blackens. The wall then crumbles and falls on-top of the camera.
Flash back to Vince's face.
"Ok, Feline show Master what Master want to know. Master help find babies?" The voice says, almost begging.
"Of coarse, follow me, and I'll help ya find your kittens." Vince says with a smile.
Chameleon V.O.
"Ok, we all know how he helped her, let me show you something else. Kinda boring to see someone find a bunch of kittens anyway."
Cut to Susan out in the woods. She is having the time of her life, Gliding, nearly weightless. She is in her newly found form, flying through trees, logs, anything that should get in her way does not. She goes through it like air itself. She laughs Gleefully as she finally feels free for the first time.
"OK, that was sweet.!!!" She says to herself. I wonder?" She says while taking the branch of a tree in her hands. If we could see her face, we probably would see her concentrating very hard. With that same strange swooshing sound that we remember from the beginning of this chapter, the blackness of her form glides over the tree, and covers it like a cloud, or fog. That same wooshing sound is heard again, and she returns back to her normal form. The Tree stays the same, Still covered with that same strange black like material. "OK, now lets see if this works?" She says while bending down to pick up a rock. She then takes the rock and hurls it at the tree with the black like cloud surrounding it. The rock goes straight through it and hits the ground on the other side. She snaps her fingers. The cloud dissipates Leaving the tree in it's normal colors. She walks over to it. She bends down to pick up the same rock that she used to throw at the tree before. She picks up the rock, and hurls it at the tree again. This time it strikes the tree and falls to the ground. She walks over to the tree yet again, and once again, picks up the rock. Yes, it's the same rock. As she holds it in her hands, that same noise is heard. The rock then turns black as she jerks her hand back. The rock hovers their in mid air. She reaches for it, but can't grab hold of it. "What the? O, stupid Susan. Change, then it should work." She says with a laugh. Once again, that weird sound is heard as her face, and features become a black, person shaped blear. The rock is snatched out of the air and hurled at the tree. It easily goes through the tree and keeps going. and going. and going. That's right, it's the enigiser rock. Susan gasps, and starts chasing after it. Camera Tracks with her as she follows the phantom rock, through trees, logs, more trees, a few tree limbs, even a old shed. She finally comes out in to a open cotton field. Just when she is about to catch it, a sudden gust of wind lifts her and the phantom rock up in to the air. She screams, half in delight, and half in fright. Camera still tracks with her as she glides upward. She then looks down, From the look on her face, this obviously was a moustache. Camera pans down as we get a good Arial shot of Vince's ruined trailer and most of the surrounding area around it. She screams openly now, obviously now more scared than anything else.
Chameleon V.O.
"It's the amazing flying girl." He says with a chuckle. "Poor Susie, She's like me, gotta learn things the hard way." He says with a sigh. "Don't worry, She's fine, ya see, my little Hicks curse as I now call it, brings me vary bad luck, but fortunately for me, it does the exact opposite for my friends. Ya see, after she made the inigiser rock, and got gone with the wind, she finally got brave enough to turn solid again. As luck would have it, their was something to break her fall."
Cut to Vince and Tugar, who is now with her kittens. His hare is ruffled by a gust of wind. He Hears a scream from a Female: who he soon recognizes as Susan. "Susie?!" He yells at the top of his lungs. Camera pans to a near by tree. The camera takes a while to pan up to where Susan is, telling us one of two things, the camera operator is either taking his sweet time, or the tree is very, vary tall. Vince and Tugar run towards the tree. "Susie, that's Kit-Kat's job? What the crap are you doing up their?!" He yells
"Vince, this is no time for your little comments." She says as she looks down at him. "NOW GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!" She yells.
"OK." He says with a chuckle. Are you right under me?"
"No, move over to your right a little." She instructs.
"Ok, this better?" he asks while complying with her instructions.
"yea, perfect. ok, you are right below me. now what?" she asks.
"Ok, now let go."
"WHAT?! No way!"
"Ok, fine then." He says slightly aggravated.
"Ok, promise to trust me?" he says.
"Maybe? WHY?" She says as some unseen force starts to pull on her clothes. "Vince no!"
"Ok, fine, then how do you want me to get you down!" He says with aggravation in his voice.
"Can you come up here and get me?"
"UH.. But I don't wanna float up the tree! I've started using it to much! It will hurt!" he wines.
"Vince, best friends... three years.." She reminds him. "Now get your lazy, scrawny blind ass up here and help me down!" She yells at the top of her lungs.
"ya know, for that, I aut ta just let ya hang their." He says while walking off camera.
"Vince!" She says, then pauses. "Come on, I'm sorry!" she yells. You wouldn't just leave me here?" she looks down, then her hands start to slip. "OH SSHHIITT!" she yells at the top of her lungs as she starts to fall. Some ware between the tree limb and the ground, she stops falling, then gently glides down to the ground. Right when she touches the ground, a hand comes on camera and she grabs it, quickly spinning around to see who it is. Camera switches to a Arial view to include the surrounding scenery. Susan quickly picks up the figure, who we now realize is Vince, and hugs him. "I'm sorry, I knew you wouldn't just let me fall like that." She says, still half way scared. "Thank you." She says with sincerity in her voice.
"UM. Susie, ya know I'm all for affection, especially since it's coming from you." He says. "But would ya mind putting me down, this is very embarrassing." He says while blushing.
Susan giggles. "Sorry." She says with a smile, then gently puts him on the ground.
Camera switches to a close up of Tugar. Her hair starts to bristle as she growls softly. Vince reaches down and picks her up.
"What's wrong baby?" He asks.
Camera switches To a shot that looks as if it's behind Susan and Vince. We see a paw come around and tap the back of Vince's neck.
"MASTER!"
"OH!" Vince says, obviously in pain.
"Vince, what?" Susan asks.
"Tugar's linking with me. I've used it to much, and now it's starting to hurt." He says, his voice filled with pain.
"What's she saying?"
"Hold on and I'll tell ya." He responds.
"Master's see things no work, Master able to use mine?" Tugar asks.
"Yeah, WHY?" He asks.
Master need to se something. Feline guide you, and master see through feline's See things?"
"Yeah, I got to talk to my other friend first ok?" He instructs. "Susie, stay here." He says with a glare.
"She glares back, but stays their anyway. Switch to Tugar's Point of view. "Follow see things." She instructs. Camera pans right, then tracks some scenery for a little while, and stops at another tree. Pan up the tree to reveal someone who looks strikingly like
saber-tooth. "Feline no think Hurara Friendly?"
"Good call." Vince says, sarcasm in his voice.
"Ok, we don't want him to know we saw him, so first thing, stop looking at him. Second, here's what we are gonna do. Walk over that way.." he says, as the camera starts to pan away from the tree. "Over here to the pond." He says while pulling Tugar off his shoulder and placing her near the water's edge. "Camera pans accordingly. Then pans down to the water where we can see several minnows swimming around. "Now you weight here, and pretend like you are watching the fish." He instructs. "Tugar? Tugar?" he asks, clearly aggravated. "WOULD YA STOP WATCHING THE FISH AND LISTEN TO ME?" He says as the camera jumps a few fete and promptly stops looking down in-to the water.
"Feline sorry."
"It's ok. Just listen. Stay here for a few minutes. I'm gonna walk back over their to Susan. He instructs. again. "You stay here, and watch the fish!" he says in a louder tone.
"Feline already say feline's sorry?"
"Yeah, I know, I just had to teas ya a little." He says with a chuckle. "Ok, after that Make sure Susie's safe. Understand?"
"Yes. Feline stay here and watch fish, then join master and female Hurara. Keep Female Hurara safe." She repeats. "Feline curious?" she asks.
"About?" He wonders.
"Other female Hurara. Is she Master's mate?"
Vince laughs. "No Hun, she's not. We thought about trying it, but it just wasn't clicking. She is a friend though. And I don't want anything to happen to her." He explains.
"Feline understand. Feline mete with you after feline catch fish."
"No, just watch them." He instructs.
"But feline hungry?" She wines.
"Ok, fine. catch a fish. But start talking a little after I break the link ok?" he says
"What ever master say." She says, happiness etched in her voice as she starts to purr.
Vince breaks the link with a flash, and the camera switches to a aerial view of him and the pond. He picks up a rock and makes it skip across the water. "Gees, I'm gonna miss this place." He says to himself while picking up another flat stone and repeating the process. Tugar Mews softly as if she's agreeing with him. As he walks back to where Susan is, the camera tracks with him. We catch the edge of a tree limb as we track with him. He Finally stops in-front of Susan. "Susie, I thank we are being watched."
"OK, is that what she wanted to show you?" Susan asks.
"YEA." He responds.
"Ok, do we know him?"
"No." He replies.
"Ok, could you see what he looked like?" She says then blushes at her comment. "Sorry." She starts to apologize.
"NO, actually I could." He starts to explain. The camera lunges downward, and we hear A thud, as if someone hit the ground.
"UM, Vince?" Susan says, trying to get his attention.
"I know I can't see, but."
?Vince!" she says cutting him off.
"What?" he says annoyed.
"Did he look like him?" She says. From the tone in her voice, if you couldn't tell she was scared, you can now.
Camera switches to regular view, Now a shot behind all three of them.
"Crap! Susie, run!? He didn't even need to tell her. She already took off. That swooshing sound is heard again, and she glides smoothly through the mutant who growls and tries to lunge at her. Vince, not realizing that she was ok, through himself at where she was supposed to be, but landed in the mutants hands as he closed them tight around him like a vise-grip. Susie, now behind the figure holding Vince, turned solid again. She drew back with her fist, and let him have it square in the jaw. The mutant screamed, more human than expected, and dropped Vince to the ground, spinning to fight with his new found adversary. Susie, seeing that he was starting to spin around to fight her now, quickly changed forms. The mutant flung his fist into her, only to mete air. Susan chuckles, then turned solid again. Quickly decking him, and then changed back to her ghost like state. This only does more to confuse The obviously not so bright mutant, who draws back and slugs her again. Once again, he meats air. This process rapidly repeats itself. Each time with a different maneuver. A kick to the head, a punch to the stomach, a elbow to the shoulder, even a few slaps to the face. Each maneuver brought a grunt of pain from the mutant, and every now and then a chuckle of laughter to Susie.
"Ok, hold up a sec, and I'll join ya Hun." Vince says while picking himself up and brushing the dust off of his clothes. He rubs the side of his head as if it were in pane.
"That's ok, I thank I'm winning." She says casually with a chuckle. She goes solid again, this time flipping the mutant the bird. He once again lunges for her and surprisingly, connects. As he lifts her in the air, She spits in his eye. With the same whooshing sound, she goes back to ghost form.
"Got ya!" she says over the mutant's screams. "I do believe that I hit a bulls-eye." She says with a chuckle.
"Mental note, remind yourself to scan Susan for other abilities later." He says to himself with a smile and a chuckle. Then he suddenly winces in pain and grabs his temples as he quickly sits down.
The sounds of Susan still gleefully hammering away at their opponent can still be heard as the camera goes out for a wider shot.
Chameleon V.O.
"That's right. My best friend was kicking someone's ass. Doing a good job of it too." He says with pride, followed by a chuckle. "Guess endurance must be another part of her ability that she didn't know about. I didn't know she was a show off either." He says chuckling again. "However, she got quite cocky. That's where she made her moustache. Ya see, tiger boy over their had friends. Vary fast, vary sneaky friends."
His voice fades out as the sounds of Susan beating the stuffing out of the other mutant continues. She finishes the mutant with the usual kick to the crotch followed by a elbow to the face. A scream of pain from the other mutant is heard and a thud as he hits the ground. "OH YEA!" She says becoming solid again and dancing around with happiness. doing everything from cart wheels to a little ballerina act. She screams with delight again. Unfortunately her little joyous occasion is cut off by a real scream from her as something VERRY VERRY Fast comes on camera, grabs her, and runs off with a streak of color.
"What the f." he says, finally realizing what happened. "Susie!" he yells. "SHIT." He says with defeat. He reaches in his write genes pocket, then draws his hand back out. "Chammie? Perfect." He says with a sigh.
"Chameleon V.O.
"Great, my best friend was captured by god knows who. and to top it all off, my little pet was gone. One important thing to note here. If someone who is bigger and stronger than you is knocked out." He says. "Don't do anything to wake them up!" He spouts in a louder tone.
A growl is heard from the previously KOED. mutant as he rises to his fete and grabs Vince by the neck. With a satisfying grunt from the mutant, and a strangled sound from Vince, he lifts him up in the air, and presses him to his body in a bare-hug like death grip. While pressing Vince up against a tree with his one hand, he reaches down to his belt and presses a button. "I got the other. If I'm not back to the car in 10 minutes, go with out me." The mutant says, in a rough, scratchy voice. He then lets go of the button and grabs Vince in that same vise like death grip. "Don't worry, you will be joining your friend soon enough." He says with a evil laugh.
Vince v.o. add echo.
"I don't thank so."
The mutant then lets go of Vince with one hand and grabs his head in pain, screaming for all he's worth.
Vince V.o. add echo.
"You made the moustache of touching me. That means I can touch you."
With a final agonizing scream from both of them, Vince and the mutant fall on-to their backs. Vince continues screaming as the other mutant's eyes glaze over, then close shut.
Chameleon V.O.
"You thank I would be used to the pain that it causes me by now wouldn't ya? You would be supprized. In my opinion.. Pane is good. It lets you know you are still alive. But this wasn't pain. This was agony. This was torture. What I was experiencing then could not be called pain. It was to strong. To debilitating."
Camera pans down to where the two adversaries lay. There is a thin line of blood in-between them. Camera Slowly pans over them, and stops at Vince's face. Blood is running freely from his nose: staining his shirt. It's trickling from his ears also. Still screaming in agony: his eyes fill with tears. They, at first, look normal, but quickly change to flowing droplets of blood.
Chameleon v.o.
"I learned a lot about the brain in those few seconds. Everything from the central nervous system, to where the memories were stored. It's amazing what you can figure out with the right motivation. I reckon someone holding you in the air while choking the life out of you is just as good a motivation as any. Certainly speeds up the process a little. I must apologize though. I should have warned those people that are a little squeamish about that. Don't worry, I'll be ok. While I was busy trying not to pass out, I got an idea." He says. "and believe me, this one was a good one. It's amazing, really. The things that will fill your head while you are trying to get your mind off searing pain isn't it." He says with a snicker.
Camera fades out, then fades back in.
Close up shots of hands and items.
A hand dragging a wheelbarrow, a hand lifting up a coil of rope. A person in genes running through a dark, closed in space. As we follow the pare of legs we see the person bend over every now and then to reach off camera to grab some objects. A few are long and shiny. Every now and then the light will glint off a object as well. As this person grabs these objects, we here a clang, like meddle on meddle as they are tossed back in to something yet unseen to us. Camera stays their for a second as the person runs by it. As that person passes the camera, we now recognize the figure as Vince, pulling the wheelbarrow behind him. It is full of various assorted items. We catch glimpses of knives, a sword, some rope, some cloth, and various other objects that appear to be covered up by the cloth.
Cut to outside. The sun shines on the face of the mutant that tried to capture Susan and Vince. Ok, correction. Susan kicked his ass, someone else captured her, and tried to capture Vince. Either way, the animal like mutant is starting to open his eyes. One thing that is important to mention here. His face is up side down. A electronic metallic sound wakes him up. He promptly screams in terror. Camera pans up his furry body to reveal that he's strapped to some kind of segmented rail. Continue to pan up till the face of Vince is revealed. He hasn't changed his shirt. The blood stains are still present. We now realize where the metallic sound is coming from. Vince has a huge electric knife sharpener, and is busy sharpening knives. He then takes out a sword with various symbols on it and runs it through the sharpener as well. He's grinning as he lets his new found enemy scream in terror. He continues to sharpen his sword and knife collection. After testing the sharpness of some of them, he then picks up a dagger and ties a piece of string to it. "Keep screaming, you're making my job a lot easier." Vince says, unusually calm. He draws back his hand that is now clutching the dagger and lets it fly. Camera tracks with the flying object as it flies by, barely missing the mutant and imbedding itself in a near-by tree. A short scream from the mutant is heard, followed by silence. Vince looks down cast. "Damnet I wanted to do a little target practice. I'll be honest with you tiger boy. This is the secant time I've tortured someone. My sister doesn't count." He says with a laugh. While he is talking he is also reeling his dagger back in by what we can now see is fishing line. As the camera backs up for a wider shot. we now realize that we are at least two stories in the air. Could be higher. Vince takes out a small sword and lets it glint in the sunlight.
Everything that Vince says in this seen is in a vary calm demeanor. So calm in fact, that it almost scares you. Imagine how the poor mutant feels.
"Now. since you had the stupidity to try to capture me. I'll explain this in words that even you can understand." He says while thrusting the sword in the mutant's face. "Sword sharp." He says as he snaps his fingers to get his attention. "Now look up here, to your right." Vince says while cleanly slicing through a section of the railing. "Let me do this again, just to make sure you get the idea." He repeats his action, this time on the other side of the segment that he sliced away. He makes another slice, this time under the segments previously sliced. "Now watch this." He says while kicking at the bored. The bored, being sliced away by the blade of his sword, does a free fall: till it falls off camera. Then a thud is heard. The mutant gasps. "That's right, now you are catching on." You will join that bored if you don't tell me where my friend is." He says, that calm, almost scary tone still in his voice.
"Do you know what they will do to me if I tell you?"
"Do you know what I will do to you if you won't tell me?" He says correcting the mutant. Tell you what. I will let you live, if you tell me. That sounds fare. Right? And as a added bonus, I will go along with whatever story you give them."
"Y don't you just suck it from my brain like the boss says you can?" He asks.
"Because. I am in pain right now. If I was to use it, it would hurt me. Besides, torturing you is much more fun, don't you think?" Vince explains.
"Fuck you!" the mutant yells.
"Fine then, have it your way." Vince then brandishes the sword, then shoves it in the mutant's face again. "Then you will die." He says while brandishing the sword again, this time making a long,
half-circular motion with it, from his right to his left. This severs the segmented links that the mutant's tied to and he plummets towards the ground. As he falls to the ground screaming, he suddenly feels a yank as he is jerked back up, and tossed on to the floor ad Vince's fete. Camera zooms away to reveal that he was attached to fishing line and was being reeled in with a fishing pole by Vince. The mutant now realizing he has a second chance to live, starts panting with fear.
Chameleon v.o.
"Come on, you know I wasn't gonna kill him. Besides, I caught myself a singer, I knew that. and I didn't wanna throw him back just yet."
"Ok, I am going to give you one more chance." Vince says while kneeling down and holding the sword to his throat. "Tell me where she is." He says still calm, this time vary slowly pronouncing every word.
"There is a hospital near here." The mutant explains in-between ragged breaths. It's just a cover up though. It is actually a hospital. But there is a secret access to a underground complex. your friend is their somewhere. Now can you UN-tie me?" he says clearly aggravated.
"no, if I do that you will try the same thing you did before. I don't really feel like getting captured today ok." Vince responds as he starts to walk away.
"Weight, you aren't just going to leave me here?"
"that's the general idea. Don't worry, someone. or something will find you.. Eventually." He says as he walks even further.
"Hold on a second."
"What?" Vince responds.
"What would you have done if I didn't tell you?"
"I would have left you here for a few days, or how ever long it took me to get over my little mutant power brown out. That way it would not hurt me. Then I would come back here, and torture you like you wouldn't believe." He says while walking back to him and dropping something on his chest.
The mutant shutters in terror as the camera zooms on to a tight shot of his chest. We now realize that the reason y he is scared is because there is a spider on his chest. It is slowly making it's way up to his neck. Zoom out to include Vince in the shot. He is smiling as he puts his finger to his lips.
"SSSSHHHH. Stay still. Be quiet ok. This is a spider, a black widow to be precise. It has very deathly poison. And it is also very painful poison I might add." He uncovers his mouth to reveal that he's grinning.
"You told it not to bight me right?" the mutant asks: his voice barely above a whisper.
"Maybe." He says in that same tone that would crepe anyone out by now. "Now you stay right their and maybe it won't bight you." He says with a laugh. Vince walks off camera, still laughing demonically. Tugar comes on camera and looks at the mutant, still laying their, as still as a rock. She licks her lips. The mutant shutters.
"No Tugar,. He's not food. yet." Vince says as he laughs even louder. His demonic laughter quickly turns to a cackle. We can barely hear it now as he walks farther and farther away. The mutant screams as the camera fades out.
Fade in to Vince walking by a road, he walks their for a long time, then he walks by some houses.
Fade out, then back in.
That same silver bee that we should recognize at the beginning of the story is their, pan down to see the chameleon in that same pose as we last saw him. And yes he is still dangling from that wire. This time he's drinking a can of coke.
He waves at the camera.
"Yep, it's a dog eat dog world out their. I still don't see why they had to push me so hard. If they would have asked me nicely I might have considered their offer. Snow balls chance now. I still don't know what they wanted with Susie. Maybe to get to me, maybe they wanted her to. Your guess at this point was just about as good as mine. I did know three things for sure though. I had to find her, and get her back. Some how, some way. My powers had to be involved in this. Not to mention my new identity. And when I found the little bastard that killed my family and burned down our trailer." he says while tossing the coke can in the air.
"THEY WERE GONNA PAY."
He says, vengeance etched in his voice.: as the can hovers in mid air. Then it starts to crush itself. He breaths out slowly as the can falls down to the city below. He then takes out another coke, [this time it's in a bottle] and screws off the cap. He raises the bottle to his lips as the camera fades out.
