Disclaimer: Still not mine
Author's Note: Sorry this story is taking so long to finish. I'm still working out parts of the plot, trying to make it make some sort of warped sense. This story isn't even near being completed. sigh
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Six
Wild Power
Their arrival was uneventful, with no one there to even meet Aki as she disembarked from the Black Boa, Neil and Ryan behind her. Jane had chosen to remain aboard the ship until she knew what was happening, and Aki permitted it. After all, if she had dangerous powers, Aki didn't think she'd want to risk hurting anyone, either.
"I spent some of the worst years of my life in Houston," Neil reminisced. "So much pain and torture…"
"It was called 'basic training,'" Ryan snorted. "We all had it at HMA, remember?"
"Yeah, but did you ever have to do extra exercises because of little mishaps? One time, I had to run twenty laps because my mashed potatoes somehow flew out of my spoon towards the senior cadet."
Aki suppressed a grin at Neil's light-hearted banter. He was trying hard to pretend their world hadn't been turned upside down. She admired his ability to be humorous in a grim situation. Perhaps he was the only reason his fellow squad members hadn't lost their sanity.
"'Somehow' flew out of your spoon?" Ryan said, his eyes rolling. "And I'm sure you never meant to steal that Quatro, either."
"Borrowed, Serge. I borrowed it." Neil pouted, then realizing it was a wasted effort, grinned sheepishly.
Aki wondered at the story behind this, then resolved to ask about it later. "We have to find the Council," she said as they entered the military complex. She intended to speak with General Ryder first, to see if he knew anything about Dr. Sid. Why was he too busy to speak to her? Why hadn't her tried to contact her?
"Then why are we going this way? The Council chamber's not in the military building, is it?" Neil asked.
Aki explained that she wanted to bring the general, something she'd never thought she'd ever say about a Council meeting. After all, New York would need military protection, if not evacuation, and hopefully Ryder would see that.
She quickly led them to Ryder's office. Aki had a high security clearance, and she was allowed to go right in to see the general. Ryan and Neil seemed suddenly nervous; Ryan had placed a hand over his hidden chest wound, while Neil twitched constantly. She didn't blame them. They were about to make their first contact with the outside world, beside herself.
Aki gave them an encouraging smile as she stepped into Ryder's office.
Unlike the dark, gloomy atmosphere of Hein's office, General Ryder's space was well lit, and decorated with cozy touches that Hein's sterile office had lacked. Much of the friendly feeling came from the man himself; General Ryder greeted Aki warmly and asked her to be seated. Ryan and Neil followed suit, seating themselves a little behind Aki, as if seeking protection.
"So it seems your trip to New York was worthwhile after all," General Ryder said as he took his own seat.
Aki started. "You… believe me?"
"Why would you lie, Doctor?" Ryder asked sardonically. "There's little to gain from making up such a wild story."
"Then help me convince the Council!" Aki said, delighted by this unexpected ally. And here she'd thought all high-ranked military men were heartless!
"They do believe you," the general said. "Sighting the living Phantoms you described made them believe the rest of what you told them must also be true."
"So they'll help, sir?" Ryan asked.
The general waved his hand dismissively. "No need to. I received a communication from Chicago; it seems they decided to help New York and are sending out units to secure the city."
"That's wonderful!" Aki grinned. Finally, something was being done! "Now we need to contact Dr. Sid so he can investigate-"
General Ryder's face clouded. "You mean, you haven't told him?"
"I couldn't reach him," Aki said, suddenly alarmed by the general's change in manner.
"Neither could I. I thought perhaps you had told him and he'd already left…" General Ryder shook his head. "Well, he's probably just busy. Or perhaps he was sidetracked by some of this spontaneous plant growth." He took in Aki's frightened expression and gave her a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't worry, Doctor. He's a scientist, and he's being guarded by some of my best men. He'll turn up soon."
Aki's hands clasped each other tightly in concern. After all, it did seem like she was worrying over nothing. And General Ryder was right; Dr. Sid's curiosity could be the reason he was unavailable.
But Ryder had implied he hadn't reached any of his men, either… What if there had been an accident since she'd contacted the men with Dr. Sid? What if they'd met up with a Meta Phantom? They'd had no warning…
Ryan rose and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Don't worry," he murmured. Then he turned to salute General Ryder.
Neil, however, was still seated, a strange expression on his face and his gaze fixed on the general. General Ryder finally noticed this scrutiny and turned to face Neil.
His face became puzzled. "Do I know you?" the general asked Neil.
Neil blinked, seeming to break out of his trance-like state. "Yes. I served under you. I was one of the men you transferred to New York when it was thought you were going to take over for General Worthington."
Was it Aki's imagination, or did General Ryder's jaw clench at the mention of New York? "Oh?" was all Ryder said.
"I'm Corporal Neil Fleming, sir," Neil said, his voice suddenly nervous.
"Fleming," the general muttered. "Well, you probably regret the posting in New York, don't you?" The general's face was suddenly calculating. "Are these two of the New York… survivors?" Ryder asked.
Aki nodded. "Hmm," the general continued. "I'd like a full report on these two."
"Yes, sir," Aki said.
"You're dismissed," General Ryder said quietly. Ryan and Neil snapped a salute, which the general crisply returned, then fled out the door. As Aki followed, she noticed the general's gaze seemed to linger after the others.
Is he frightened of them? If that's the normal reaction, this will be harder than I thought.
* * *
The metal corridors echoed loudly under Jane's booted feet. The hollow ringing drowned out her gloomy thoughts, for which she was grateful. She was alone in the Black Boa's silent hulk, away from the innocent people she could hurt.
Hurt… Jane's body was honed to be a weapon. She knew she could kill another if she had to with just her bare hands. But this… The ice was uncontrollable. She was like a child with a gun, likely to hurt herself or someone she held dear. She didn't want to hurt Neil again…
Perhaps, Jane thought, I can learn to control it. If this is a weapon, then I should be able to learn to use it. Though what use summoning ice could be… Then again, I've seen what it can do against a Phantom, or another human. This can't be just some wild power!
Jane oriented herself to the cargo hold, where she knew she'd have a lot of space. Standing in the middle of the ship's largest room, she closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. How do I control this? It's triggered mostly by emotions. Not always, but it's a start.
With that in mind, she tried to summon her anger. She sat back and thought about her fallen comrades, as well as her own tragic end. She thought back to every time she had been accused of getting high marks at the HMA because her father was a general. She tried to remember every incident that had ever made her angry, from the time her brothers had teased her for being the only girl in the family, to that time when Neil had stolen her underwear and strung it up in the mess hall.
And she felt nothing. No ice formed at her fingertips, no icy breath of wind running down her spine as it had the last time.
Dammit! Would it never come at her call? Was she doomed to spend the rest of her life hiding herself from the world? She lashed out one hand angrily –
-and a spear of ice tore its way through the thick metal wall before her.
Jane stared, stunned. A long, thin javelin of ice had just punched its way through six inches of metal wall. She walked cautiously up to it, noticing how the shivering length had cut through the wall like a knife through butter. A formidable weapon indeed!
But why had it come now? She'd been angry earlier, and it hadn't come. Did it only come when she least wanted it to?
Jane released her breath with a hiss. Dr. Sid had better get back here and figure this out!
A soft sound snapped Jane out of her reverie, and her battle instincts kicked in. Someone was in the main passage leading to the cargo hold, the furtiveness of the footsteps suggesting the newcomers weren't Ryan and the others. Jane held her breath and listened.
Two of them, both likely to be wearing armor to judge from the heaviness of their steps. Tsk, she thought. One shouldn't wear armor when sneaking up on a Deep Eyes soldier.
Carefully, her own steps light, she concealed herself in the shadows. Anyone coming aboard the Black Boa in armor couldn't be a welcome guest. But why would anybody sneak aboard the ship?
Jane ducked as the lights from their helmets swept the walls. They're in full battle gear? Perhaps there had been a Phantom alert, and all the ships were being searched.
Or maybe they didn't want to be recognized.
One of the figures held up a gloved hand, revealing a small wrist computer. "Over there," came the soldier's voice, garbled through his thick helmet.
He'd just gestured in her direction. Which meant he was there for her. How had they known she was here? If the Council or Dr. Ross had wanted her, there wouldn't be this stealthy invasion.
Jane quickly thought through her options. She couldn't stay here; their portable computer could find life forms, which also meant that sneaking out wasn't an option, because they could still track her.
Oh, well. Jane had always preferred the direct approach, anyway. As the two soldiers approached, Jane sprang from her hiding place. Her leap brought her crashing into one of the soldiers, who fell with a cry. The other drew his gun, and Jane whirled, catching his arm and twisting it. The gun fired, the bullet burying itself in the bulkhead.
"You fool, we need her alive!" the first soldier yelled as he climbed to his feet.
Jane sprinted down the corridor, making her way to one of the ship's hatches. She was a sitting duck inside the ship, and wanted to get out and get lost in a crowd.
She found a hatch easily enough, and sprang out of the door, dropping several feet and rolling to break her fall. She quickly scrambled to her feet, only to be knocked off them again by a blow to her stomach. She fell to her knees, gasping.
"Most impressive, Corporal," a voice said coolly. "You really are quite a specimen, aren't you?"
From her crouching position, Jane could just see several pairs of armored boots around her. She was surrounded.
To Be Continued…