Gaby, Patrick, Scott, Jimmy Duran, and any others you don't recognize are mine.
Violet is... ?
Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; sexual content.
Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one.
Wes drifted back to consciousness painfully, his head spinning and settling back to earth with a thump. Then he realized the thump had been real, that someone had dropped him onto a hard floor. He blinked, his eyes refusing to open more than a crack, the world just a confusing blur, until he began to make out voices.
"Scott, let me go!"
Violet's voice. His eyes opened a little wider. Then he heard a moan of what sounded like pain, or fear, in Gaby's voice. He looked up. The two of them were sitting next to him on either side, hands bound behind their backs. He was lying on the floor on his side, wrists behind him and wearing handcuffs, he realized, ankles tied with rope. His morpher was gone. Jen -- Violet -- was staring at him anxiously.
"Wes, are you all right?" she asked.
"I... I guess so..." The mumble actually turned out coherent. He tried to raise his head, felt it spin again.
"Wha... Where are we?"
"In the secret room. Under the basement." She looked up as a shadow fell over them. "Scott, why are you doing this?" she asked, sounding both frightened and angry.
"I'm sorry, Violet. If it was up to me, I'd let you go."
His twin joined him, staring down at Gaby. "I apologize also, Gaby. What we're doing may not seem right-"
"May not seem right!" She sounded even more angry than Violet. "You let him kidnap me again, you've been keeping Jen here away from her friends, you hurt Wes, you hurt Steve..."
"It was not our choice."
"And now -- now what are you going to do to us?" A sharp edge of fear cracked her voice.
"Don't blame them. They're just doing what I created them to do." A third man was standing there, identical to Scott and Patrick, brown hair and eyes, normal skin, but Wes knew...
"Norman!" he growled, struggling to wriggle into a sitting position.
"Right, took you long enough to figure out what was going on here."
"At the risk of sounding stupid, I don't understand. How come you look normal again?"
Norman smiled. "Easy. I'm a biochemist, among other things, remember, specializing in drug reactions. Silver and Purple 'inherited' my talents and knowledge. It didn't take us long to find a treatment that would reverse my changes in appearance while leaving the rest of my mutation alone. The process was complete only a few days ago."
"Why did you attack Steve Miller?"
"He just got in the way," Norman said casually. "I wanted to see if Rick Quinn had left anything interesting around, after he built that time machine. Miller tried to stop me. His bad luck."
"His good luck Scott and Patrick aren't quite the cold-blooded killers you'd like them to be," Gaby said. Norman shrugged and smiled again.
"I know I'm really Jen Scotts," Violet said bitterly. "I'm not a clone. What did you do to me?"
He glanced at her. "You remember the drug I used on you, the one that put you into a fantasy world?"
"No. I don't remember anything before two months ago!"
With an indifferent shrug and a sly smirk at Wes, Norman went on. "Wes remembers, I'm sure. It seriously disrupted your mind, left you hallucinating and confused. After we escaped the explosion in the silver mine, you started to recover. I used a different drug then, one that suppressed all your memories. Made you much more pleasant."
"I want my mind back the way it was, damn it!"
"Your personality seems to have returned to what it used to be." He took a step closer, looking at her coldly. "You were much better before, so nice and child-like, so sweet and innocent. I could have done whatever I wanted with you then. Should never have let Silver and Purple talk me out of it."
"You bastard..." she snarled.
"So you wiped out her memory and tried to pass her off as a clone," Wes cut in. "And Silver and Purple found a way to disguise themselves as human."
"Yes. A covering that appears to be human skin, false hair. It was easy. Mentally they're already almost human. And it was easy to hack into various computer systems and plant false records for them."
"But why?"
"I needed to disappear for a while. Continue my research, make myself look -- as you said, 'normal', again. Meanwhile, Silver and Purple got legal control over my family fortune long enough to transfer it into Swiss bank accounts."
"Why lie about Violet? Why tell us she was a clone?"
"It wasn't practical to keep her locked up, but if she was discovered, you would have taken her away. It was a precaution, to keep the situation confused, and keep her here."
"What are you going to do with me now?" Violet asked.
"I have plans for you. And some unfinished business..." Norman turned his head to look at Gaby, another chilling smile on his face.
"What do you want with me now?" she asked. "Or do I need to ask?"
"The same thing I've always wanted," he said softly, his eyes running over her.
"I hate you!" she said. "I'll never be with you willingly!"
"Yes, you will." Norman stepped over to her and knelt beside her, reaching to lift a strand of her hair. "You'll love me madly, passionately. And I'll make you very happy. You'll thank me someday."
"No!" Her eyes narrowed. Then she tried to wriggle away from him, her expression becoming fearful. "That's impossible. You wouldn't..."
"Clever girl. That's right. My drugs will change your mind, literally. You'll forget all about that muscle-headed boyfriend of yours, and realize I'm the only man for you."
"No!"
"You'll worship the very ground I walk on."
"Shit." A new voice interrupted them. All of them jumped, staring, Norman hissing in surprise and anger as he whipped around. "You always had a way with a cliché," Eric said, stepping into view, his voice level but vibrating with fury, the Defender in his hand and pointed at Norman. "Just get away from them. Put your hands up."
"Ah, the muscle-headed boyfriend himself, to the rescue." Norman still sounded confident. And in an instant Wes knew why, as Norman's hand moved with the mutant speed he remembered, producing a small but deadly-looking revolver from a pocket and pointing it -- not at Eric.
"Just an ordinary gun," Norman said, grinning. "Wouldn't hurt you, in your Ranger suit. But what about your friends?" The weapon was pressed against Gaby's neck. "Just think how you'd feel, watching the woman you've had so much pleasure with, bleeding to death, gasping her life out... I can withstand your blaster long enough to kill her, and perhaps one of the others."
"And you have the balls to talk about love," Eric snarled, the blaster lowering a fraction. "Would you really hurt her?"
"Perhaps you're right." Norman moved again, lightning fast. Wes blinked, staring into the round, dark hole of the gun's muzzle as it hung in front of his face, aimed between his eyes. "I certainly don't love Wes. But I think you care about him."
"I..." Eric's blaster fell another fraction. "I won't let you take Gaby," he said, his voice strengthening.
Norman smiled again, maliciously. "Then choose. Your friend, or your girl."
"Don't do it, Eric," Wes said. "He'll kill us anyway. Save Jen and Gaby." But Eric continued to hesitate, for a moment too long.
"Enough of this heroic garbage!" Norman snarled, swung the pistol, and struck Wes in the head, knocking him back to the floor. "Boys!" he shouted. Scott and Patrick were leaping forward before the word was complete, slamming into Eric.
He had time for one quick shot, hitting Scott but only stopping him for a moment, before Patrick had him by the wrist and the throat, banging his helmeted head against the wall. Eric brought up his other arm, driving the elbow up under Patrick's chin, and breaking away. Scott was on him, kicking at his arm with deadly accuracy, knocking the Defender out of his grip and sending it skidding across the floor.
Norman dived for it and snatched it up. "Look out!" Gaby screamed as he aimed, laughing, and shot Eric, bringing him to his knees. Another shot, and another, and a blaze of warping light left his demorphed body lying on the floor.
"Damn it!" Norman shouted. The Defender had disappeared when Eric demorphed, just before he could fire again. "Well, maybe it's better this way," he continued after a moment, beginning to smile again. "After I'm done, Gaby'll do anything for me. It'll be amusing to see his own girlfriend kill him."
"Eric. Eric, are you all right?"
The voice dragged him up from darkness, pulling him back to bright light, sounds, pain throbbing through his body.... He tried to sink back into unconsciousness, but another voice called, a woman's voice. Reluctantly he returned to a reality he was quite sure he wouldn't like, squinting as he cracked an eye open.
"Eric? You okay?" The voice was Wes's.
"Just swell. Thanks." He opened his eyes fully and looked around. He was lying on the floor next to Jen, Wes next to her, and Gaby beyond him. She was leaning forward to look at him anxiously, her face bruised. An attempt to move his arms told him he was handcuffed, just like the others, his morpher removed.
"Good, I see you're back. Now we can get going." Norman appeared, standing over him, his voice brisk and cheerful. "First, we'll perform a few little adjustments to Gaby's mind... then she'll be happy to dispose of you when I ask her to."
"You'll never make me hurt anyone!" Gaby exclaimed. "Especially Eric!"
"On the contrary." Norman stepped back to address all of them, smiling victoriously. "The human mind is really a wonderful thing. I've developed all sorts of useful tools for bending it into whatever shape I want. Take Wes." He nodded in Wes's direction. "I turned him against his own partner and best friend. A drug to bring out all his weaknesses, all his fears and insecurities; a few suggestions from me, and he hated Eric. Easy."
His voice sharpened with venom as he spoke directly to Eric. "I wanted you to have the same experience. Would have been interesting to find out what your worst nightmare is. Too bad you'll never get the little present I left you, now." Turning back to Gaby, he went on, "Just as easy to wipe out your mind, remake it the way I want, to make you love me enough to kill your former boyfriend to please me."
"No!"
"And then we'll be together. For always. The way it should be. You'll be all mine." Norman squatted before her. "You don't mind if I have a little sample, do you?" He reached out, squeezing a breast, caressing it slowly as he turned his head to stare at Eric, grinning. She didn't react, only narrowing her eyes as an expression of pure hatred darkened her face. Beside her, Wes struggled against his bonds, growling with impotent fury.
"You sick fuck. Take your hands off her." Eric's voice was quiet, but held all the murderous rage he felt. At that moment he would have cheerfully killed Norman. Perhaps the mutant felt it, he withdrew his hand and stood up.
"Enough fun and games, might as well get on with it," he said. "Silver and Purple will assist..."
The two robots, still completely human in appearance, stepped closer. Eric had been marginally aware of them watching. Now he noticed their faces, rigidly blank and controlled. One of them was looking at Gaby, not at his master. Patrick, instinct told him. The other glanced at Violet, then quickly away, seeming almost furtive. Scott...
"What about Violet? Jen?" Wes asked.
Norman shrugged, with a smile. "I'll take her too, of course. Two months ago I didn't have the drugs perfected, all I could do was remove her memories, and the effect wasn't even complete. This time I'll do the same thing to her as I'm doing with Gaby. Start over, reprogram her into what I want her to be, and make her love me too." He snickered softly. "Don't worry, girls, you won't be jealous. You'll realize a man like me can't be limited to only one woman. And there'll be others, later..."
"No, Norman, you can't do this!" Wes exclaimed, desperation in his voice. "It's -- it's not human!"
"Might I remind you I'm no longer human?"
"That treatment's made you insane," Gaby cried. "You weren't like this before. Even a few months ago. Your own drugs have destroyed your mind."
"Not destroyed it. Made it better. Ordinary morality, ordinary standards, no longer apply to me. I've developed beyond them. Risen above them."
"Scott, Patrick, you can't let him do this," Violet said, her eyes on the two robots, her voice as desperate as Wes's. "You're my friends... Help us..."
"I know Silver and Purple don't approve. But they really have no choice," Norman said matter-of-factly. "Explain it to her, boys."
"It's true," Scott said tonelessly. "Our programming compels us to serve Norman. We must protect him. Help him get what he wants. Do whatever will make him happy."
"But you've disobeyed him! You didn't kill Steve Miller!"
"We have avoided killing anyone, or letting Norman kill, because we don't want any possibility of his being charged with murder, if he is ever apprehended. It's all completely logical."
"What about us?" Wes asked. "He intends to murder me and Eric, now."
"That -- that may be unavoidable. Once he has your women, you would never stop until you have your revenge. Leaving you alive would be dangerous to Norman." The hesitation had been slight, but definite, Eric noted grimly. Logical or not, robots or not, Scott and Patrick didn't want to kill.
Violet tried again. "You're people," she said. "You don't have to do this..."
"I'm sorry," Scott said. "No matter what our personal feelings are, we can't overcome our basic natures. This is the purpose we were created for. This is the meaning of our existence."
"Well, enough of this," Norman said, his tone brisk again. "Purple, bring me the injector."
With another quick look at Gaby, Patrick turned away, walked to a bench at the back of the room, and returned holding an object. He handed it to Norman, who held it up for them to see. It was a small white tube, with a curved handle and trigger on one end.
"This is my version of a needle," Norman explained. "Just press the tip against the skin, pull the trigger, and the drug is injected quickly and almost painlessly. Fast and efficient." He looked down at Gaby.
"It will work in seconds. Your memories will fade -- permanently, unlike the treatment I used with Jen -- leaving your brain a blank slate. Your past will be gone -- parents, childhood, friends... Eric. At that moment, your life as Gabriella Butler will be over forever. Then, we will use a machine which will recondition your mind, giving you the memories and emotions I want you to have, making your personality more... cooperative. And your new life, with me, will start. Don't worry, you'll be happy. You won't have a choice."
He handed the device back to Patrick. "Purple, if you would... I hate needles, even this kind."
"No!" Gaby cried as Patrick knelt in front of her. Wes was struggling again, Violet too. Eric strained against the handcuffs and the ropes binding his ankles.
"Bastard!" he shouted. "You bastard!"
"Patrick, don't do this!" Gaby pleaded. "I know you don't want to... Please... It's like killing me, it's worse, I'll be gone but my body will still be around for him to use..."
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his hand trembling just slightly as he held the device up. Behind him, Norman grinned and Scott stood blank-faced, his fists clenching.
"Eric..." Gaby said, turning to face him. "Eric, I love you. Whatever he makes me do, whatever he makes me say, I love you. I always will, inside, the real me. Remember that!"
"Gaby..." he gasped. "Please, Patrick, please don't..." The robot was hesitating, but then his hands were moving again, gripping her arm and bringing the needle closer. "Wait!" Eric shouted. "Patrick, Scott, think about this... You think Gaby and Jen will make Norman happy? Or killing us? Nothing's going to make him happy... He's a crazy son of a bitch who'll never get what he really wants, because nothing will ever be enough!"
"Eric's right," Wes cried. "Norman's problem isn't us, or finding a woman to love him, it's himself! If you let him do this he'll just go on like this, hurting more people, never happy with what he has..."
Patrick stopped, his hand holding the injector no more than an inch from Gaby's arm. "Happiness comes from inside..." Violet said. "The only way to really help Norman is to change him... Make him different -- so he doesn't want what he can't have..."
Eric held his breath. Patrick looked up, meeting Scott's eyes in one of their silent exchanges.
"Shut up!" Norman snapped impatiently. "You're pathetic. Silver and Purple are mine. They'd never... never..."
But Patrick had risen to his feet and stepped behind him, the needle pressed firmly against Norman's neck. He pulled it away and dropped it. The mutant's eyes widened, his hand came up to touch the injection site, a look of disbelief on his face. Scott stepped forward, and he and Patrick reached to catch their 'brother' as his eyes rolled up and he began to fall, easing him gently to the floor.
TBC...