* * *
Andy sat on the couch, she should've guessed that after she threw Shalimar to the ground that she was in for it. Her whole body ached from uncomfortable positions Shalimar threw her in. Like Shalimar promised, she gained for control of her ability; lightening her weight so she wouldn't fall too hard, making Shalimar weigh less as well so that Andy could throw her harder into the ground. Sweat beaded on Andy's forehead as she regained steady breaths and slowed her heartbeat down. Her semi-long bangs stuck to the sides of her face, the salty taste made her mouth twitch in disgust.
"Ten minutes and you're down?" Shalimar asked, bringing two water bottles from the refrigerator.
Andy looked up and Shalimar tossed her one. "You beat a fifteen-year-old, don't act so happy."
Shalimar giggled. "You look terrible, maybe you should take a shower before you do anything." She dropped onto the couch and unscrewed the cap.
While Shalimar was taking a sip, Jesse and Brennan walked in and looked down at her. "Have fun?"
"Fun?" Andy raged. "She almost killed me in there ... protectors my---"
"Shal knew exactly what she was doing," Brennan interrupted in Shalimar's defense. "Feline-ferals always know how hard to push their enemies."
Shalimar grinned back at Andy and looked to Jesse who didn't have a smile in his face. She reached up and touched his hand. "You okay, Jess? You kinda left in a hurry."
Before Jesse could answer, Lexa came bustling in, she stopped and motioned for them to follow her to the computers. "Come on," she began. Jesse, Brennan, and Shalimar followed with Andy close behind. She wanted to hear what they found out, it was her future and safety that they were talking about and she just wasn't going to sit by and let them know everything.
"I just talked to the Dominion, the company that's after Andy is called Phoenix Industries," she said as she stepped in front of the computer.
Jesse's brow creased and stepped in front of her. "I'll search it. It's the only thing I can do around here," he mentioned. He clicked-and-clacked around the Internet.
"That's a carpal tunnel case waiting to happen," Andy mentioned. She needed a confidence boost after the butt-kicking she just got, and like normal human beings, she got it from other people's embarrassment.
Jesse passed her an almost hateful glance. His brow creased a second time. "Phoenix isn't a genetic company, it's a space travel research foundation ... like wings of NASA."
"NASA?" Lexa asked incredulously. "How come we haven't heard of it?"
"Because it's not funded by the government like NASA is ... it hasn't been fully recognized," Jesse said matter-of-fact.
"That's just fine," Andy said impatiently. "What about me?"
"Is that all you care about?" Shalimar teased her with a backwards glance.
Andy gave a sarcastic smile. "Ha-ha-ha ... comedian."
Again, Jesse tapped away at the computer, staring intensely at the screen. Lexa peered over his shoulder. "Come on, before she can drive," she joined in with the teasing.
"Is it beat-down Andy-day?" she asked.
Jesse cleared his throat. "Are you done yet?" he asked. When no one spoke, he looked back to the screen. "Anyway, it's called Project "Gravity"---"
"Sounds suspicious," Lexa added.
Jesse looked up. "You know what: you three should go bowling with your impatient-interruptions," he suggested, gesturing to Shalimar, Lexa, and Andy.
Brennan was fed up with the suspense. "What's it say, Jess!"
Jesse, surprised by his friend's exclamation, nervously looked back to the screen. "It's about toying with astronaut's DNA to make them adapt to other planet's source of gravity by alternating their weight."
"If it didn't threaten my freedom, I'd say it was a pretty good idea," Andy replied.
"Uh-huh," Jesse said. "I'm trying to get a location on the project."
Andy thought for a second. "Wait ... my brother Loki's a Gravitative ... how come they didn't come after him?"
Lexa looked back on her memories. "I thought Loki was Chromatic like me?"
"He's both," Andy added before looking at Jesse questioningly.
Jesse rubbed his chin. "Maybe it's because he's both .... if they went under the same DNA mapping as Loki's; the astronaut might get the Chromatic powers as well as the Gravitative. But they don't want more variables in the mix, I bet."
It was all starting to piece together now. Shalimar paced a few steps. "But if they weren't able to get a hold of Andy. The only Gravitative left ..."
"Would be my brother," Andy finished.
Jesse didn't need any more than that, he exited the database. "What prison is Loki in right now?" he asked.
"St. Joseph's Correctional Facility," she corrected.
Jesse searched it. "Top news: Loki Burton Escapes Facility 12:17AM Last Night."
Lexa put a hand on her hip. "Something tells me he didn't escape."
Andy sat on the couch, she should've guessed that after she threw Shalimar to the ground that she was in for it. Her whole body ached from uncomfortable positions Shalimar threw her in. Like Shalimar promised, she gained for control of her ability; lightening her weight so she wouldn't fall too hard, making Shalimar weigh less as well so that Andy could throw her harder into the ground. Sweat beaded on Andy's forehead as she regained steady breaths and slowed her heartbeat down. Her semi-long bangs stuck to the sides of her face, the salty taste made her mouth twitch in disgust.
"Ten minutes and you're down?" Shalimar asked, bringing two water bottles from the refrigerator.
Andy looked up and Shalimar tossed her one. "You beat a fifteen-year-old, don't act so happy."
Shalimar giggled. "You look terrible, maybe you should take a shower before you do anything." She dropped onto the couch and unscrewed the cap.
While Shalimar was taking a sip, Jesse and Brennan walked in and looked down at her. "Have fun?"
"Fun?" Andy raged. "She almost killed me in there ... protectors my---"
"Shal knew exactly what she was doing," Brennan interrupted in Shalimar's defense. "Feline-ferals always know how hard to push their enemies."
Shalimar grinned back at Andy and looked to Jesse who didn't have a smile in his face. She reached up and touched his hand. "You okay, Jess? You kinda left in a hurry."
Before Jesse could answer, Lexa came bustling in, she stopped and motioned for them to follow her to the computers. "Come on," she began. Jesse, Brennan, and Shalimar followed with Andy close behind. She wanted to hear what they found out, it was her future and safety that they were talking about and she just wasn't going to sit by and let them know everything.
"I just talked to the Dominion, the company that's after Andy is called Phoenix Industries," she said as she stepped in front of the computer.
Jesse's brow creased and stepped in front of her. "I'll search it. It's the only thing I can do around here," he mentioned. He clicked-and-clacked around the Internet.
"That's a carpal tunnel case waiting to happen," Andy mentioned. She needed a confidence boost after the butt-kicking she just got, and like normal human beings, she got it from other people's embarrassment.
Jesse passed her an almost hateful glance. His brow creased a second time. "Phoenix isn't a genetic company, it's a space travel research foundation ... like wings of NASA."
"NASA?" Lexa asked incredulously. "How come we haven't heard of it?"
"Because it's not funded by the government like NASA is ... it hasn't been fully recognized," Jesse said matter-of-fact.
"That's just fine," Andy said impatiently. "What about me?"
"Is that all you care about?" Shalimar teased her with a backwards glance.
Andy gave a sarcastic smile. "Ha-ha-ha ... comedian."
Again, Jesse tapped away at the computer, staring intensely at the screen. Lexa peered over his shoulder. "Come on, before she can drive," she joined in with the teasing.
"Is it beat-down Andy-day?" she asked.
Jesse cleared his throat. "Are you done yet?" he asked. When no one spoke, he looked back to the screen. "Anyway, it's called Project "Gravity"---"
"Sounds suspicious," Lexa added.
Jesse looked up. "You know what: you three should go bowling with your impatient-interruptions," he suggested, gesturing to Shalimar, Lexa, and Andy.
Brennan was fed up with the suspense. "What's it say, Jess!"
Jesse, surprised by his friend's exclamation, nervously looked back to the screen. "It's about toying with astronaut's DNA to make them adapt to other planet's source of gravity by alternating their weight."
"If it didn't threaten my freedom, I'd say it was a pretty good idea," Andy replied.
"Uh-huh," Jesse said. "I'm trying to get a location on the project."
Andy thought for a second. "Wait ... my brother Loki's a Gravitative ... how come they didn't come after him?"
Lexa looked back on her memories. "I thought Loki was Chromatic like me?"
"He's both," Andy added before looking at Jesse questioningly.
Jesse rubbed his chin. "Maybe it's because he's both .... if they went under the same DNA mapping as Loki's; the astronaut might get the Chromatic powers as well as the Gravitative. But they don't want more variables in the mix, I bet."
It was all starting to piece together now. Shalimar paced a few steps. "But if they weren't able to get a hold of Andy. The only Gravitative left ..."
"Would be my brother," Andy finished.
Jesse didn't need any more than that, he exited the database. "What prison is Loki in right now?" he asked.
"St. Joseph's Correctional Facility," she corrected.
Jesse searched it. "Top news: Loki Burton Escapes Facility 12:17AM Last Night."
Lexa put a hand on her hip. "Something tells me he didn't escape."