[u]Chapter 9 - Evolution[/u]
Morning came. Josie awoke slowly, and found herself in Vaughn's arms. It felt so warm. She noticed she was fully clothed and so was he—sans shirt—so she was glad they hadn't gotten sweaty. Not now.
She started to slip out of his arms.
"The sun rises and she disappears..." Vaughn commented trying to lighten the mood.
"Are you trying to flatter me?" Josie asked startled he was awake. "Because if you are it could use some work. Unless you're going to serenade me. That always makes a girl impressed."
"Not a chance," he told her.
"Come on, one song," she teased.
"Maybe later," he replied, not to anxious to sing.
Josie slipped out of his arms and bounced over to the containment cell door. "It's probably best nothing much happened last night. You're dad would probably have me dismembered."
"You don't think he kept the security stuff off all night?" Vaughn queried.
Josie stared it him with disbelief for a moment. "You do know your father don't you? Hates me. Wants you to stay away from me. You and I just stayed in a room. Alone. All night. Before I leave for god knows how long. And I—and Josie-two—have made it clear to him how we feel about you... You see where I'm going with this?"
"I guess..." he trailed off. "Listen about last night, when you kissed me, I never felt like that before. Never. It was amazing."
"Not now, Vaughn," Josie said eager to change the subject. "I really can't—"
"Josie Trent? Come with me," a security guard interrupted their discussion.
She glared daggers at him. "I'm busy."
"Come now, Mr. Pearson has requested your presence," he said. "And yours Vaughn."
Morning came all to quickly for the others. The entire night had been spent working on the Mirror-device and keeping an eye on the Mirror-selves. So far, they hadn't gone much further.
"And it's finished!" Marshall said triumphantly.
Lucas nodded giving it the final look over.
"It looks fine, Lucas," Mirror-Vaughn said. "It... Sorry, just got a little dizzy... it looks like it will work fine as long as the wormhole manipulation is stopped when we use it."
Concern filled Corrine's eyes. "You sure you don't want to sit down?"
"I'm fine. I think because Vaughn and I—real Vaughn—had more contact than anyone our specific energy fields wave patterns were able to thrive off each other... and thus, no sickness for me!" He explained.
"No, just more Vaughn-ness," Marshall whispered to Lucas.
Lucas snickered slightly.
"Are you all ready?" John asked impatiently. "We really do need to go soon. Despite our lack of any kind of Josie—"
"You have me. I'm a kind of Josie," Josie2 interrupted.
John glared at her for interrupting. "Let me rephrase that. Any kind of sane Josie... we need to get with the Assembling."
"We're not the Avengers though," Corrine muttered. "I did not just get that reference."
"Anyway, we need a bit more information. Just a bit on what this thing is," John continued.
Josie2 went to laugh, but caught herself. "You don't know? You work for Pearadyne. You're family has history there. You're planning to lead some kind of junior Rogue Squadron down there. And you don't know what you're doing?"
"That's why you're still here," John told her, his tone belying his docile face.
"Are you going to pump me for information?" Josie asked teasingly.
"And I would pump you for what other reason?" John countered sourly. "Oh."
Josie2 gave him a I'm-not-afraid look and licked her lips. "Is there anyone else you want to pump in this room... for information?" She looked at everyone from Marshall to John and back around the room again.
"We are getting so far off track the track is in another time zone," Lucas said interrupting Josie2. "And I don't want any kind of help from you. After what you said."
"But you're stronger for it aren't you?" Josie2 asked. "You've bounced back stronger than ever. Like a Saiya-jin. Ooh, classy."
"You never tire of hearing yourself talk do you?" Lucas asked yawning.
Josie2 was impressed. They were all stronger than she thought they would be. Her plans had had to change to combat the Superiors lack of decision making, but together, they might make an even better distraction. If only she could convince John to leave with the Mirror-people. Or her.
"This is all the information you'll need," Josie said pulling the blueprints out of her bag. "And here's something ever. For your eyes only, Bond."
"What is this—God no..." He trailed off. "Thank you."
She shrugged. "Don't think I'm going to be charitable like that again. I took pity on you."
Lucas tried to get a peek at the sheet by standing on his chair and leaning over. He kept leaning further until he fell straight into John and Josie2.
"Ow, Ow, OW!" Lucas said loudly as he stood up clutching his head.
"You idiot," John and Josie2 snarled in unison.
"It doesn't concern you," John told him. "You're a child, you wouldn't understand."
Josie gave a lop sided smirk and nodded in agreement. "None of you understand what we've been through. Me and Solid Snake here, we've grown above all of you."
"You keep calling him Solid Snake! Why?" Marshall asked confused and sick of hearing it. "Is he a clone like you or something? Or a freakily gifted stealth guy?"
"Neither," John said before Josie2 could open her mouth. "I'm neither and can we please drop this now before the Mirror-people die and Pearadyne kicks our arses. Literally. Now can we please focus on Pearadyne!"
"We've got the Mirror-thing done," Marshall reiterated. "Remember, it took us all night? And now we're all incredibly tired? So, shouldn't we take what we have and head into—"
"No," Lucas said outright. "We need more time. We need... stratagems... and, and... maps and stuff..."
Josie2 muttered something under her breath and threw down some more papers on the table. "I hate this, you're all so... nice and supportive... you know that none of you can pull this off? You're not warriors. You're kittens."
"I resent on the basis that cats suck," Marshall said angrily. He turned to Lucas. "We don't need any of that. We've got what we need. We should go."
"I concur," John said. "The longer we hang around here, the less time we will have to get the Mirror-selves back to their world."
Mirror-Marshall started coughing. "I think we should all go. [i]Now[/i]."
Corrine placed her hand on his shoulder.
He batted it away.
"I can't have this. I want it... but I can't. There's something..." He trailed off shaking his head. "I don't know how to make it up to you."
Corrine held her hand close. "I'm not going back with you?"
He was unsure if this was a question or not. "No. You need to stay here." He glowered at Marshall. You...
Josie was bored. She didn't care how Victor's machine or experiment or whatever he wanted to call it worked. As long as it did. She feigned interest long enough though, and soon enough, they were nearing the end of the setup.
"And that brings us to the first test," Victor said. "Miss Trent."
She swallowed hard.
"Then, it will be your turn," he finished.
She let out a small breath in relief.
Vaughn leaned in close. "You're not afraid are you? Because if you are I'll help you get out of here." He paused slightly. "Last night, just holding you was the best night of my life. Don't forget that."
The words sunk in, and she tensed up. [i]Not now![/i] She though to herself. [i]I don't need this now; it'll make things too hard[/i].
"No, I'm fine," she muttered, quickly moving away from him. "I'm just wondering what will happen. I mean, I know my entire being gets swapped—I go elsewhere and I escape. But, how do we know I won't just be deconstructed on a sub atomic level? I could be reconstructed into any form you father chooses! I'd be his golem. Only not made of clay."
"Josie, that won't happen," Vaughn reassured her, following her willingly. "If he did that, it might put his plan in the zone of not good. He doesn't want that."
Josie didn't say anything. She didn't even look at Vaughn. Despite how much she wanted to be back in his arms and telling him everything.
Josie2 opted to find Mirror-Josie and the Janitor before she came down to find her grisly death waiting for her. John cocked an eyebrow when she said this but didn't say anything. Chances were, someone would die.
They were all dreading what would happened in Pearadyne.
Except John.
He smiled cockily as they entered the building he flashed his security card. Entered with everyone else following with no hassles and then stopped suddenly.
"This is where you get off," he said almost apologetically.
Mirror-Vaughn was the first one to react. "You played us?" He yelled.
Letting the rage take over he grabbed John by the front of the shirt as he pressed down on a remote-button-looking mechanism. Balling his hand into a fist, Mirror-Vaughn thrust it into the side of Vaughn's face, slamming him down onto the ground.
"I'm the best actor in the world," he muttered spitting some blood on the floor as security surrounded them. "What can I say?"
Mirror-Marshall started to run despite John's warnings, and ended up on the ground winded for his trouble. Mirror-Lucas went along peacefully and Mirror-Vaughn had to be torn of the bruised and battered John. The Mirror- selves were quickly restrained and dragged away.
"Make sure they can't escape the containment cells!" John called after security, before he turned his attention to the remaining three. "Sorry, but that had to happen. Just be thankful I didn't smash our little contraption."
"Why?" Lucas asked trying to get his head around it all. "We trusted you. Again. And you just throw it away?"
"Life's a bitch, huh?" He said. "Sorry about the cliché."
John started walking away. "It had to be done. I benefit so much more from having Victor Pearson succeed in his goals than I do from having you succeed. I... I'm aware that I have issues regarding success."
"Good for you," Marshall said as he walked alongside John. He wasn't going to let him get away. "But do you think you could not betray us for a second and listen to what we have to say?"
John thought for a moment as he stopped in front of a door. He slid his card in the slot and opened it. "Uh, no."
"Uh, you're a prick," Lucas said when he motioned for everyone to follow him.
Josie walked up to the receptionist/security guard at the entrance to the restricted area. She slowed down the closer she got to him, with Mirror- Josie close behind her.
"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Pearson," she said. "I have an appointment with him. It was set up by John Angus—he works here—and I was running a little bit late."
He wasn't buying it.
"God, I suck at undercover," Josie2 muttered as she pulled out the M-9 tranquilizer pistol again. "Open the door and let me in. Victor Pearson will want to see me."
The guard didn't move.
Mirror-Josie was bored. She didn't even attempt to hide it. "Why don't you use the security card the Superiors gave you?"
"Because Josie—" Josie2 stopped herself. She'd called her Josie instead of Mirror-Josie, as she'd been calling her since they met.
She tried to ignore what the clone had said. "What about the Janitors? They only disabled yours. And I have his here."
"You stole it from him?"
"Why not? Josie stole who I was," she replied tartly.
"Alright scan it then," Josie2 replied.
Mirror-Josie wiped a tear away subtly as she grabbed the card from her pocket and opened the door. They stepped through and straight into Vaughn.
"It's about time," he said as he took Josie2's hand.
Morning came. Josie awoke slowly, and found herself in Vaughn's arms. It felt so warm. She noticed she was fully clothed and so was he—sans shirt—so she was glad they hadn't gotten sweaty. Not now.
She started to slip out of his arms.
"The sun rises and she disappears..." Vaughn commented trying to lighten the mood.
"Are you trying to flatter me?" Josie asked startled he was awake. "Because if you are it could use some work. Unless you're going to serenade me. That always makes a girl impressed."
"Not a chance," he told her.
"Come on, one song," she teased.
"Maybe later," he replied, not to anxious to sing.
Josie slipped out of his arms and bounced over to the containment cell door. "It's probably best nothing much happened last night. You're dad would probably have me dismembered."
"You don't think he kept the security stuff off all night?" Vaughn queried.
Josie stared it him with disbelief for a moment. "You do know your father don't you? Hates me. Wants you to stay away from me. You and I just stayed in a room. Alone. All night. Before I leave for god knows how long. And I—and Josie-two—have made it clear to him how we feel about you... You see where I'm going with this?"
"I guess..." he trailed off. "Listen about last night, when you kissed me, I never felt like that before. Never. It was amazing."
"Not now, Vaughn," Josie said eager to change the subject. "I really can't—"
"Josie Trent? Come with me," a security guard interrupted their discussion.
She glared daggers at him. "I'm busy."
"Come now, Mr. Pearson has requested your presence," he said. "And yours Vaughn."
Morning came all to quickly for the others. The entire night had been spent working on the Mirror-device and keeping an eye on the Mirror-selves. So far, they hadn't gone much further.
"And it's finished!" Marshall said triumphantly.
Lucas nodded giving it the final look over.
"It looks fine, Lucas," Mirror-Vaughn said. "It... Sorry, just got a little dizzy... it looks like it will work fine as long as the wormhole manipulation is stopped when we use it."
Concern filled Corrine's eyes. "You sure you don't want to sit down?"
"I'm fine. I think because Vaughn and I—real Vaughn—had more contact than anyone our specific energy fields wave patterns were able to thrive off each other... and thus, no sickness for me!" He explained.
"No, just more Vaughn-ness," Marshall whispered to Lucas.
Lucas snickered slightly.
"Are you all ready?" John asked impatiently. "We really do need to go soon. Despite our lack of any kind of Josie—"
"You have me. I'm a kind of Josie," Josie2 interrupted.
John glared at her for interrupting. "Let me rephrase that. Any kind of sane Josie... we need to get with the Assembling."
"We're not the Avengers though," Corrine muttered. "I did not just get that reference."
"Anyway, we need a bit more information. Just a bit on what this thing is," John continued.
Josie2 went to laugh, but caught herself. "You don't know? You work for Pearadyne. You're family has history there. You're planning to lead some kind of junior Rogue Squadron down there. And you don't know what you're doing?"
"That's why you're still here," John told her, his tone belying his docile face.
"Are you going to pump me for information?" Josie asked teasingly.
"And I would pump you for what other reason?" John countered sourly. "Oh."
Josie2 gave him a I'm-not-afraid look and licked her lips. "Is there anyone else you want to pump in this room... for information?" She looked at everyone from Marshall to John and back around the room again.
"We are getting so far off track the track is in another time zone," Lucas said interrupting Josie2. "And I don't want any kind of help from you. After what you said."
"But you're stronger for it aren't you?" Josie2 asked. "You've bounced back stronger than ever. Like a Saiya-jin. Ooh, classy."
"You never tire of hearing yourself talk do you?" Lucas asked yawning.
Josie2 was impressed. They were all stronger than she thought they would be. Her plans had had to change to combat the Superiors lack of decision making, but together, they might make an even better distraction. If only she could convince John to leave with the Mirror-people. Or her.
"This is all the information you'll need," Josie said pulling the blueprints out of her bag. "And here's something ever. For your eyes only, Bond."
"What is this—God no..." He trailed off. "Thank you."
She shrugged. "Don't think I'm going to be charitable like that again. I took pity on you."
Lucas tried to get a peek at the sheet by standing on his chair and leaning over. He kept leaning further until he fell straight into John and Josie2.
"Ow, Ow, OW!" Lucas said loudly as he stood up clutching his head.
"You idiot," John and Josie2 snarled in unison.
"It doesn't concern you," John told him. "You're a child, you wouldn't understand."
Josie gave a lop sided smirk and nodded in agreement. "None of you understand what we've been through. Me and Solid Snake here, we've grown above all of you."
"You keep calling him Solid Snake! Why?" Marshall asked confused and sick of hearing it. "Is he a clone like you or something? Or a freakily gifted stealth guy?"
"Neither," John said before Josie2 could open her mouth. "I'm neither and can we please drop this now before the Mirror-people die and Pearadyne kicks our arses. Literally. Now can we please focus on Pearadyne!"
"We've got the Mirror-thing done," Marshall reiterated. "Remember, it took us all night? And now we're all incredibly tired? So, shouldn't we take what we have and head into—"
"No," Lucas said outright. "We need more time. We need... stratagems... and, and... maps and stuff..."
Josie2 muttered something under her breath and threw down some more papers on the table. "I hate this, you're all so... nice and supportive... you know that none of you can pull this off? You're not warriors. You're kittens."
"I resent on the basis that cats suck," Marshall said angrily. He turned to Lucas. "We don't need any of that. We've got what we need. We should go."
"I concur," John said. "The longer we hang around here, the less time we will have to get the Mirror-selves back to their world."
Mirror-Marshall started coughing. "I think we should all go. [i]Now[/i]."
Corrine placed her hand on his shoulder.
He batted it away.
"I can't have this. I want it... but I can't. There's something..." He trailed off shaking his head. "I don't know how to make it up to you."
Corrine held her hand close. "I'm not going back with you?"
He was unsure if this was a question or not. "No. You need to stay here." He glowered at Marshall. You...
Josie was bored. She didn't care how Victor's machine or experiment or whatever he wanted to call it worked. As long as it did. She feigned interest long enough though, and soon enough, they were nearing the end of the setup.
"And that brings us to the first test," Victor said. "Miss Trent."
She swallowed hard.
"Then, it will be your turn," he finished.
She let out a small breath in relief.
Vaughn leaned in close. "You're not afraid are you? Because if you are I'll help you get out of here." He paused slightly. "Last night, just holding you was the best night of my life. Don't forget that."
The words sunk in, and she tensed up. [i]Not now![/i] She though to herself. [i]I don't need this now; it'll make things too hard[/i].
"No, I'm fine," she muttered, quickly moving away from him. "I'm just wondering what will happen. I mean, I know my entire being gets swapped—I go elsewhere and I escape. But, how do we know I won't just be deconstructed on a sub atomic level? I could be reconstructed into any form you father chooses! I'd be his golem. Only not made of clay."
"Josie, that won't happen," Vaughn reassured her, following her willingly. "If he did that, it might put his plan in the zone of not good. He doesn't want that."
Josie didn't say anything. She didn't even look at Vaughn. Despite how much she wanted to be back in his arms and telling him everything.
Josie2 opted to find Mirror-Josie and the Janitor before she came down to find her grisly death waiting for her. John cocked an eyebrow when she said this but didn't say anything. Chances were, someone would die.
They were all dreading what would happened in Pearadyne.
Except John.
He smiled cockily as they entered the building he flashed his security card. Entered with everyone else following with no hassles and then stopped suddenly.
"This is where you get off," he said almost apologetically.
Mirror-Vaughn was the first one to react. "You played us?" He yelled.
Letting the rage take over he grabbed John by the front of the shirt as he pressed down on a remote-button-looking mechanism. Balling his hand into a fist, Mirror-Vaughn thrust it into the side of Vaughn's face, slamming him down onto the ground.
"I'm the best actor in the world," he muttered spitting some blood on the floor as security surrounded them. "What can I say?"
Mirror-Marshall started to run despite John's warnings, and ended up on the ground winded for his trouble. Mirror-Lucas went along peacefully and Mirror-Vaughn had to be torn of the bruised and battered John. The Mirror- selves were quickly restrained and dragged away.
"Make sure they can't escape the containment cells!" John called after security, before he turned his attention to the remaining three. "Sorry, but that had to happen. Just be thankful I didn't smash our little contraption."
"Why?" Lucas asked trying to get his head around it all. "We trusted you. Again. And you just throw it away?"
"Life's a bitch, huh?" He said. "Sorry about the cliché."
John started walking away. "It had to be done. I benefit so much more from having Victor Pearson succeed in his goals than I do from having you succeed. I... I'm aware that I have issues regarding success."
"Good for you," Marshall said as he walked alongside John. He wasn't going to let him get away. "But do you think you could not betray us for a second and listen to what we have to say?"
John thought for a moment as he stopped in front of a door. He slid his card in the slot and opened it. "Uh, no."
"Uh, you're a prick," Lucas said when he motioned for everyone to follow him.
Josie walked up to the receptionist/security guard at the entrance to the restricted area. She slowed down the closer she got to him, with Mirror- Josie close behind her.
"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Pearson," she said. "I have an appointment with him. It was set up by John Angus—he works here—and I was running a little bit late."
He wasn't buying it.
"God, I suck at undercover," Josie2 muttered as she pulled out the M-9 tranquilizer pistol again. "Open the door and let me in. Victor Pearson will want to see me."
The guard didn't move.
Mirror-Josie was bored. She didn't even attempt to hide it. "Why don't you use the security card the Superiors gave you?"
"Because Josie—" Josie2 stopped herself. She'd called her Josie instead of Mirror-Josie, as she'd been calling her since they met.
She tried to ignore what the clone had said. "What about the Janitors? They only disabled yours. And I have his here."
"You stole it from him?"
"Why not? Josie stole who I was," she replied tartly.
"Alright scan it then," Josie2 replied.
Mirror-Josie wiped a tear away subtly as she grabbed the card from her pocket and opened the door. They stepped through and straight into Vaughn.
"It's about time," he said as he took Josie2's hand.