Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from FF:TSW.
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter was so long in coming. I learned all about the joys of corrupted computer documents thanks to this chapter. I had to re-type the whole thing because it had squares in the place of several paragraphs and, when I tried to repair the original document, the entire computer messed up. I had a hard enough time actually even find a computer that could open the document. Sorry this wasn't worth the wait… And I know some parts aren't as well written as they were before.
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Eight
Conspiracy Theory
Jane fought to stay conscious. It was so hard… All she wanted was to lapse into blissful oblivion, away from the pain. But she wouldn't let herself give in.
She was lying on a cold metal table, a flimsy hospital gown her only clothing. Bandages were wrapped around the multiple places where tissue samples had been drawn from. Tubes bristled from every imaginable place. If she hadn't been dosed with a drug that kept her light-headed and numb, Jane knew she'd be in agony.
Vaguely, she wondered if it were the drug that kept her powers from activating. She'd felt no stirring of the ice within her as she'd watched, with a strange detachment, the scientists perform their tests.
Now the drug was fading, and she could feel every cut, every bruise. She was ashamed and humiliated. If these people ever got within range of her, she'd kill them.
"So, how's the subject, Dr. Kessler?" The words sounded muffled, distant, but Jane recognized Major Boyer's voice. She kept her eyes shut and her body still. If they didn't realize she was awake, they might leave her alone.
"Fascinating," a woman's voice answered. "But… not what I expected."
"You're just disappointed that you were left out of Project Ash. Most other scientists would be thrilled to have something like our subject." He speaks as if I'm an object…
Kessler's voice was bitter. "But they wouldn't have needed to abduct me."
"It's a matter of qualifications," Boyer said harshly. "Now, what did you learn about the woman?"
"She has massive cellular damage. She really was dead for a period of time. Other than that, her body functions normally. It's her spirit that really shows the alterations. She has quite a bit of the green, but it's weaker than expected, sir."
"Hmph," was all Boyer said.
"I'd like to see the other types, study them and see if all the New York citizens exhibit strange traits." Kessler was pleading now. "Send me to New York! I'd be of more use to you there!"
"You know that's not for me to decide," Boyer said absently. "Carry on with your tests; when she's ready, I want you to figure out her powers."
"Yes, sir," Kessler said unhappily. Jane didn't feel sorry for the woman. After all, she was the one who had treated Jane like an experimental animal.
She listened to the sound of the major leaving. She heard Dr. Kessler shuffling about the lab, humming under her breath. She seemed to be alone for the moment.
Big mistake. Jane's body was still woozy and barely responsive, but she was waking up. And she didn't seem to be strapped in.
That wouldn't last too much longer, she was sure. In a few moments, the woman would probably summon the soldiers that would take Jane to wherever the next tests would be conducted.
Jane tensed her body, then rolled off the table to her feet and sprang into action.
Dr. Kessler barely had time to react; she'd turned just in time for her nose to meet Jane's fist. It broke with an audible snap, and Kessler fell backwards. Another blow knocked the scientist unconscious.
Jane ripped the tubes free of her body, ignoring the pain. Now she had to get out of here, before Dr. Kessler's assistants or the soldiers came back.
The door was unlocked, and unguarded. They must have had a lot of faith in her drugs. Or they didn't see her as a threat.
Or, Jane realized as she padded down the hall, her bare feet freezing on the tile, they didn't think she'd be able to escape from a military installation. Damn…
She froze when she heard voices echoing down the hall, then hid in the shadows of the nearest doorway. A pair of soldiers walked by, and she debated jumping them and grabbing their clothes. But they were armed, and she was battered and weary and wearing only a thin hospital gown. She doubted she was very intimidating.
When they passed, Jane continued on. She thought she recognized the cityscape when she passed a window, so at least she was still in Houston.
More footsteps, and Jane crept around a corner. She needed clothing; she was too conspicuous like this! And she knew she'd have to find a way to get past guards eventually-
"Excuse me, miss?" a voice behind her said suspiciously. Damn! She'd been so intent on the soldiers in front of her that she hadn't heard anyone come up behind her.
"Who are you?" The man demanded. He reached for her arm. Jane didn't think; she whirled and landed a blow to the man's solar plexus. Maybe she could take his clothes-
The sound of the man's gasp and his fall attracted the attention of the soldiers she'd been hiding from. Suddenly, she had three armed soldiers coming towards her. Jane sprinted down the corridor, her adrenaline masking her pain while wiping away the last of the drug's dulling effects.
An alarm sounded, and Jane's heart sank. The whole base was going to be looking for her. She wouldn't go back. She wouldn't! She'd rather die first than be subjected to more tests!
Her fear welled up in her, an overwhelming feeling, totally foreign to her. She couldn't go back!
In that moment, when her fear reached its peak, she felt it: the cold chill that preceded her bursts of power. Fear… Had her fear been what unlocked it? The emotion was one she refused to acknowledge she felt, so she'd never considered it could be the catalyst.
But she wasn't going to think about that now. Instead, she seized upon the powers and, for the first time, felt a sense of control.
With a cry, Jane launched herself at the nearest armored soldier. As her fist neared his chest plate, a rime of ice formed over the metal. When her fist came in contact with it, the plate shattered.
Wow. Where was this power when I was in that bar fight?
Jane didn't try to fight them all. Instead, she battled her way through, her ice taking surprising forms to fit her needs. She was operating totally on instinct, and was stunned to find herself away from the soldiers and almost to the main door.
She was free!
* * *
Neil wondered how the others could sleep. Aki was in her room, and Ryan was sprawled across the couch, snoring. After deciding there was little they could do that late at night, they'd all gone to bed.
Or, in Neil's case, a reclining chair. You'd think the Hilton would have more beds, he'd thought disgustedly. But that wasn't what kept him awake.
Jane… Where was she? Why had the military taken her? They'd debated discussing it with General Ryder, but Aki had been hesitant. The military might cover for its own, she'd argued. Better to take it to the Council.
As if the Council could ever handle things, Neil thought harshly. They certainly couldn't do anything about the voices in his head, or the alien memories that had guided him to the recording box on the Black Boa.
This invader in his head frightened him. He'd seen the other Duos, witnessed their descent into madness. How could he keep insanity at bay? Any why hadn't this other personality even asserted itself?
Maybe he was lucky. Perhaps he'd only gotten memories, and not the actual person. If so, then he was very lucky…
There was a soft sound by the door, and Neil jerked upright. What if the soldiers had come for him and Ryan? He wished he had his weapon and armor, but he'd left them aboard the ship. Stupid, Jane would say.
"Hey, Serge," Neil nudged the sleeper in the ribs, careful not to poke him in his wound. Ryan mumbled and batted his hand away, twisting to face away from Neil
"Ryan," Neil said, more firmly. "I am not your mother, and you don't have to worry about school. Get up! I think someone's at the door."
Ryan came awake so quickly that Neil wondered if he'd been awake already, but intentionally ignoring him. "Let's go check it out."
They crept to the door, and Neil wondered what they'd do if it really was a group of soldiers. Ryan peered out the peephole, then suddenly flashed Neil a broad grin before throwing the door open.
Neil's glad cry of "Jane!" brought Aki running out of her room.
* * *
They were silent as Jane told her story. All the while, her eyes darted about fearfully, and she kept clenching her hands into fists. Aki winced when she saw the split, bruised skin across her knuckles, but Jane refused to let anyone touch them.
"I grabbed a guard's clothes as soon as I was out of the building," Jane said. "After that, it was easy to find out where you were staying. And don't worry… I was careful about who I spoke to."
"Do you think the abducted scientist is Dr. Sid?" Ryan asked Aki.
"Yes," she said grimly. "But… how do they know? From the sound of it, they knew what to expect with Jane. But we only just learned about all of this!"
"They implied they had New York under control," Jane said harshly. "Perhaps some of the soldiers there told them before you came."
"But there weren't any non-New York soldiers there when I found you, were there?" Aki mused. "And yet… they sounded like they knew, and that they were familiar with your powers. We'll have to tell the Council. Could you locate this base again?" Jane nodded.
"And what's Project Ash?" Neil wondered. "Could… could these powers have been popping up for some time, but were covered up by the military?"
"Now you're getting into conspiracy theories," Ryan warned.
"I'm inclined to agree with Neil," Jane said, surprising them all. "They weren't just poking around. They knew what they were doing." She rubbed her arm, her hand dragging up the sleeve and revealing the bandages beneath.
"Jeez, Jane, won't you let someone take care of those?" Neil yelped. Jane dropped the sleeve back over her arm.
"I don't want anybody touching them-" Jane began, but Ryan had pulled her sleeve up again.
"Is it like this all over?" Ryan asked, concerned.
"Yeah," Jane whispered. "They weren't gentle."
Ryan touched one bandage with a gentle fingertip. There was a flash of white light and everyone jumped back in shock. "I didn't do that!" Jane said frantically.
"I did…" Ryan said weakly. "I think. But… what did I do?"
Jane rubbed her arm, then paused when she saw her hand. The bruises and cuts were gone! She unwound one bandage, and gaped at the smooth skin beneath. "The pain! It's gone!"
"All of it?" Aki stared. "It seems as if Jane isn't the only one with powers."
"I healed her?" Ryan stared at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. A slow smile spread across his face. "Well, that's not so bad, is it?"
To Be Continued… Barring Computer Failure Or Termination At My Hands…
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter was so long in coming. I learned all about the joys of corrupted computer documents thanks to this chapter. I had to re-type the whole thing because it had squares in the place of several paragraphs and, when I tried to repair the original document, the entire computer messed up. I had a hard enough time actually even find a computer that could open the document. Sorry this wasn't worth the wait… And I know some parts aren't as well written as they were before.
OUT OF THE ASHES
Chapter Eight
Conspiracy Theory
Jane fought to stay conscious. It was so hard… All she wanted was to lapse into blissful oblivion, away from the pain. But she wouldn't let herself give in.
She was lying on a cold metal table, a flimsy hospital gown her only clothing. Bandages were wrapped around the multiple places where tissue samples had been drawn from. Tubes bristled from every imaginable place. If she hadn't been dosed with a drug that kept her light-headed and numb, Jane knew she'd be in agony.
Vaguely, she wondered if it were the drug that kept her powers from activating. She'd felt no stirring of the ice within her as she'd watched, with a strange detachment, the scientists perform their tests.
Now the drug was fading, and she could feel every cut, every bruise. She was ashamed and humiliated. If these people ever got within range of her, she'd kill them.
"So, how's the subject, Dr. Kessler?" The words sounded muffled, distant, but Jane recognized Major Boyer's voice. She kept her eyes shut and her body still. If they didn't realize she was awake, they might leave her alone.
"Fascinating," a woman's voice answered. "But… not what I expected."
"You're just disappointed that you were left out of Project Ash. Most other scientists would be thrilled to have something like our subject." He speaks as if I'm an object…
Kessler's voice was bitter. "But they wouldn't have needed to abduct me."
"It's a matter of qualifications," Boyer said harshly. "Now, what did you learn about the woman?"
"She has massive cellular damage. She really was dead for a period of time. Other than that, her body functions normally. It's her spirit that really shows the alterations. She has quite a bit of the green, but it's weaker than expected, sir."
"Hmph," was all Boyer said.
"I'd like to see the other types, study them and see if all the New York citizens exhibit strange traits." Kessler was pleading now. "Send me to New York! I'd be of more use to you there!"
"You know that's not for me to decide," Boyer said absently. "Carry on with your tests; when she's ready, I want you to figure out her powers."
"Yes, sir," Kessler said unhappily. Jane didn't feel sorry for the woman. After all, she was the one who had treated Jane like an experimental animal.
She listened to the sound of the major leaving. She heard Dr. Kessler shuffling about the lab, humming under her breath. She seemed to be alone for the moment.
Big mistake. Jane's body was still woozy and barely responsive, but she was waking up. And she didn't seem to be strapped in.
That wouldn't last too much longer, she was sure. In a few moments, the woman would probably summon the soldiers that would take Jane to wherever the next tests would be conducted.
Jane tensed her body, then rolled off the table to her feet and sprang into action.
Dr. Kessler barely had time to react; she'd turned just in time for her nose to meet Jane's fist. It broke with an audible snap, and Kessler fell backwards. Another blow knocked the scientist unconscious.
Jane ripped the tubes free of her body, ignoring the pain. Now she had to get out of here, before Dr. Kessler's assistants or the soldiers came back.
The door was unlocked, and unguarded. They must have had a lot of faith in her drugs. Or they didn't see her as a threat.
Or, Jane realized as she padded down the hall, her bare feet freezing on the tile, they didn't think she'd be able to escape from a military installation. Damn…
She froze when she heard voices echoing down the hall, then hid in the shadows of the nearest doorway. A pair of soldiers walked by, and she debated jumping them and grabbing their clothes. But they were armed, and she was battered and weary and wearing only a thin hospital gown. She doubted she was very intimidating.
When they passed, Jane continued on. She thought she recognized the cityscape when she passed a window, so at least she was still in Houston.
More footsteps, and Jane crept around a corner. She needed clothing; she was too conspicuous like this! And she knew she'd have to find a way to get past guards eventually-
"Excuse me, miss?" a voice behind her said suspiciously. Damn! She'd been so intent on the soldiers in front of her that she hadn't heard anyone come up behind her.
"Who are you?" The man demanded. He reached for her arm. Jane didn't think; she whirled and landed a blow to the man's solar plexus. Maybe she could take his clothes-
The sound of the man's gasp and his fall attracted the attention of the soldiers she'd been hiding from. Suddenly, she had three armed soldiers coming towards her. Jane sprinted down the corridor, her adrenaline masking her pain while wiping away the last of the drug's dulling effects.
An alarm sounded, and Jane's heart sank. The whole base was going to be looking for her. She wouldn't go back. She wouldn't! She'd rather die first than be subjected to more tests!
Her fear welled up in her, an overwhelming feeling, totally foreign to her. She couldn't go back!
In that moment, when her fear reached its peak, she felt it: the cold chill that preceded her bursts of power. Fear… Had her fear been what unlocked it? The emotion was one she refused to acknowledge she felt, so she'd never considered it could be the catalyst.
But she wasn't going to think about that now. Instead, she seized upon the powers and, for the first time, felt a sense of control.
With a cry, Jane launched herself at the nearest armored soldier. As her fist neared his chest plate, a rime of ice formed over the metal. When her fist came in contact with it, the plate shattered.
Wow. Where was this power when I was in that bar fight?
Jane didn't try to fight them all. Instead, she battled her way through, her ice taking surprising forms to fit her needs. She was operating totally on instinct, and was stunned to find herself away from the soldiers and almost to the main door.
She was free!
* * *
Neil wondered how the others could sleep. Aki was in her room, and Ryan was sprawled across the couch, snoring. After deciding there was little they could do that late at night, they'd all gone to bed.
Or, in Neil's case, a reclining chair. You'd think the Hilton would have more beds, he'd thought disgustedly. But that wasn't what kept him awake.
Jane… Where was she? Why had the military taken her? They'd debated discussing it with General Ryder, but Aki had been hesitant. The military might cover for its own, she'd argued. Better to take it to the Council.
As if the Council could ever handle things, Neil thought harshly. They certainly couldn't do anything about the voices in his head, or the alien memories that had guided him to the recording box on the Black Boa.
This invader in his head frightened him. He'd seen the other Duos, witnessed their descent into madness. How could he keep insanity at bay? Any why hadn't this other personality even asserted itself?
Maybe he was lucky. Perhaps he'd only gotten memories, and not the actual person. If so, then he was very lucky…
There was a soft sound by the door, and Neil jerked upright. What if the soldiers had come for him and Ryan? He wished he had his weapon and armor, but he'd left them aboard the ship. Stupid, Jane would say.
"Hey, Serge," Neil nudged the sleeper in the ribs, careful not to poke him in his wound. Ryan mumbled and batted his hand away, twisting to face away from Neil
"Ryan," Neil said, more firmly. "I am not your mother, and you don't have to worry about school. Get up! I think someone's at the door."
Ryan came awake so quickly that Neil wondered if he'd been awake already, but intentionally ignoring him. "Let's go check it out."
They crept to the door, and Neil wondered what they'd do if it really was a group of soldiers. Ryan peered out the peephole, then suddenly flashed Neil a broad grin before throwing the door open.
Neil's glad cry of "Jane!" brought Aki running out of her room.
* * *
They were silent as Jane told her story. All the while, her eyes darted about fearfully, and she kept clenching her hands into fists. Aki winced when she saw the split, bruised skin across her knuckles, but Jane refused to let anyone touch them.
"I grabbed a guard's clothes as soon as I was out of the building," Jane said. "After that, it was easy to find out where you were staying. And don't worry… I was careful about who I spoke to."
"Do you think the abducted scientist is Dr. Sid?" Ryan asked Aki.
"Yes," she said grimly. "But… how do they know? From the sound of it, they knew what to expect with Jane. But we only just learned about all of this!"
"They implied they had New York under control," Jane said harshly. "Perhaps some of the soldiers there told them before you came."
"But there weren't any non-New York soldiers there when I found you, were there?" Aki mused. "And yet… they sounded like they knew, and that they were familiar with your powers. We'll have to tell the Council. Could you locate this base again?" Jane nodded.
"And what's Project Ash?" Neil wondered. "Could… could these powers have been popping up for some time, but were covered up by the military?"
"Now you're getting into conspiracy theories," Ryan warned.
"I'm inclined to agree with Neil," Jane said, surprising them all. "They weren't just poking around. They knew what they were doing." She rubbed her arm, her hand dragging up the sleeve and revealing the bandages beneath.
"Jeez, Jane, won't you let someone take care of those?" Neil yelped. Jane dropped the sleeve back over her arm.
"I don't want anybody touching them-" Jane began, but Ryan had pulled her sleeve up again.
"Is it like this all over?" Ryan asked, concerned.
"Yeah," Jane whispered. "They weren't gentle."
Ryan touched one bandage with a gentle fingertip. There was a flash of white light and everyone jumped back in shock. "I didn't do that!" Jane said frantically.
"I did…" Ryan said weakly. "I think. But… what did I do?"
Jane rubbed her arm, then paused when she saw her hand. The bruises and cuts were gone! She unwound one bandage, and gaped at the smooth skin beneath. "The pain! It's gone!"
"All of it?" Aki stared. "It seems as if Jane isn't the only one with powers."
"I healed her?" Ryan stared at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. A slow smile spread across his face. "Well, that's not so bad, is it?"
To Be Continued… Barring Computer Failure Or Termination At My Hands…