RAINBOW CONNECTION
by Newly Human
Synopsis: Logan breaks the bad news to Kaia and more pieces of her past come together. Friendship, intrigue, action, and most importantly… hope.
Timeline: The following takes place in between seasons 1 and 2.
Disclaimer: Dark Angel the series and all it's characters belong to Fox, Cameron/Eglee Productions and other respective owners. I don't mean to infringe so please don't sue. Kaia Kilbourne and the plot are mine.
Authors Note: I feel like the story's getting predictable... Or like a daytime soap. Let me know what you guys think. -- Newly Human
CHAPTER 7
Discovery
"You knew?"
Kaia nodded. "It's why my mother was sick. I had a feeling I was getting worse. And I didn't need my gift to figure it out." She choked on the words, the familiar lump forming in her throat. It seemed like she'd been crying a lot lately.
Logan took her hand and rubbed it reassuringly.
"There's nothing that can be done?"
Kaia smiled sadly at that question. "Not really."
Sensing that there was more to that answer, Logan urged her on. "What do you mean, not really?"
"I've been working on something for the last two years. A combination of drugs that would over-animate the brain, tricking it into thinking that it was doing more work than it actually was." She informed him. "It's not a cure, but it would help ease the effects. It should work, but I haven't tested it yet."
Logan opened his mouth to ask why, but she knew what he was going to say and cut him off.
"The last ingredient I need, Nemacol, is hard to get a hold of." She explained.
"I could ask Eyes Only," Logan offered, "Maybe some of his contacts can help?"
Kaia just shook her head. "According to the government, it doesn't even exist anymore." She paused, then added, "At least, anywhere we can get it."
"But you found it." Logan anticipated.
"I did. Only one facility in the entire country has this stuff." She turned, and looked directly at Logan, knowing that her next words would affect him greatly. "It's a government building, masquerading as a V.A. Hospital, in Gillette, Wyoming."
"Manticore."
Kaia sighed, "It always comes back to Manticore."
Logan thought for a moment. He wasn't expecting to go back there anytime soon. There were too many things about that place that he was trying to forget. And deny.
But right now wasn't about him. "We'll get it." He told Kaia, genuinely determined. "I don't know how yet, but we will."
He gripped his hard firmer on hers and she smiled gratefully.
"How did you get all this information anyway?" Logan asked, the reporter in him getting curious.
"I hacked it." She shrugged.
He was surprised. "You're a 21 year old Doctor, and a brilliant hacker?"
"Logan, I've got an IQ of 293." A sly smile slowly formed on her lips. "I can be whatever I want."
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A few hours later, after Kaia's soreness had subsided, they persuaded Doctor Weller to let her go home. Very reluctantly, and with a lot of spluttering and mumbling, he agreed.
They arrived at Logan's apartment just before nightfall.
"I'm going to go check on Krit," Kaia informed Logan as soon as they were back. She disappeared into the guest bedroom.
Logan immediately moved to the phone and dialled.
"Hey, it's me. We need to meet."
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That night, Kaia had the dream about her mother again. But this time she was aware that it was more than a dream. It was a memory from her past.
Little Kaia watched as Janet Kilbourne took the boy's face in her hands and looked into his eyes. The boy's scrunched up features slowly loosened and before long he had quietened down. He looked almost serene.
"That's a good boy," her mother crooned. "Do you feel better now?"
The boy nodded happily.
As Janet laid the boy down to sleep, her hand went to rub against her temple. Mother was having one of her headaches again, Kaia observed. Just as the pain passed they heard a commotion outside.
Kaia ducked behind a tall trolley full of medical supplies just as her mother emerged from the room. She followed her mother's gaze down the hall to see a large group of men entering the building. Kaia remembered that they reminded her of sector police, but different. More co-ordinated. They all wore black except the man in front. Kaia couldn't quite make out his face, even as he got closer.
As they marched, the man leading the team pointed down various corridors, and they peeled off two at a time. By the time they reached Kaia and her mother there were only three men left in the group. One of them noticed her hiding behind the supplies. She retreated quickly before he could meet her gaze. Kaia sat there, her arms hugging her knees, her heart beating rapidly, afraid to even peek. After a while, the man in black turned away and ignored her.
"Can I help you?" Kaia heard her mother ask.
"Doctor Janet Kilbourne." The leader said. It wasn't a question. There was nothing voluntary about it.
"Yes," Janet replied cautiously "That would be me."
"I'd like you to come with us, Doctor." He requested, but everything he said sounded like an order.
"What is this about?" Janet asked. She wasn't ready to give herself up yet.
The man paused, realising that everyone in the ward was listening to their conversation. "We might be able to help in your current situation," He said carefully, "Concerning your health." He didn't want to create a scene if he didn't have to.
Kaia, so engrossed in the exchange she was overhearing, didn't see her father approach her.
"Kaia," he whispered, signalling for her to get up off the floor. Together they stepped out from behind the supply shelf.
"What's going on here?" Kaia's father asked.
Before the lead man could reply, her mother cut in, "It's alright Greg."
She looked at him meaningfully, knowing exactly what had to be done. Greg shook his head at her. He couldn't believe that this was the only way. He didn't understand the situation. But Janet did. These men were going to take her and it didn't matter how. She smiled at her husband reassuringly, and then at her daughter's wide clueless eyes.
Her mother addressed the man. "Let's go."
The man also turned to Kaia's father, and then to Kaia herself, considering whether or not to take them too. When he recognised the look of fear on Greg Kilbourne's face, he decided.
"Take care of your daughter, Dr Kilbourne." He said to Kaia's father, heavy with implications.
Greg was tearing silently and the whole ward was buzzing with talk while Kaia watched her mother lead the men out of the building.
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Kaia woke in a sweat. Not from the dream - not entirely - but because she was hot. Kaia felt her forehead gingerly. She was burning up. She kicked the bedspread aside and climbed out of Logan's bed. He had insisted she use it, since Krit was still recuperating in the guestroom. After much perseverance on Logan's part, she agreed.
Kaia glanced at the bedside clock as she crossed the room to the adjoining bathroom. It read 12:13 AM. She poured herself a glass of water from the tap and gulped it eagerly. The glass was almost empty when a noise from the living room stopped her. Just outside the door, she could hear the low mumbling of two people talking. Kaia moved a little closer.
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"Nemacol." Logan spoke softly so as not to wake Kaia, Krit or Syl. "Ever heard of it?"
Lydecker stopped his pacing. He had come to Logan's apartment thinking that Logan had some information on the mystery girl. He wasn't expecting this.
"It's a stimulant," Lydecker supplied, cautious of where Logan was going with this. "For the brain."
"Any idea where we can get some?" Logan asked. He just wanted to know what Lydecker's answer would be.
"Why are you so interested?" Lydecker asked back. Avoidance. Typical.
Logan decided to tell Lydecker the truth. He'd need to know the whole story eventually, in order to help them.
"Kaia has a brain condition. Nemacol will help, but surprise, surprise only Manticore holds it." Logan didn't try to hide his bitterness at the mention of Manticore.
Lydecker nodded. He preferred it when he was addressed directly. No games.
"What did Manticore use it for?" Logan asked.
"Tests on a research subject." Lydecker answered. "The results of which were key in the designs of several new X series'."
"Right…" Logan wasn't interested. It was obvious that Lydecker was proud of that achievement, but recently for some reason, everything about Manticore sickened him. "Will you help us get it?"
"What did you say her name was?" Lydecker asked distractedly.
"Kaia," Logan narrowed his eyes, wondering what Lydecker was thinking. "Kaia Kilbourne."
"Kaia… Kilbourne…" Lydecker mused. The name was familiar.
"As in… Janet Kilbourne." A voice spoke suddenly.
They turned to see Kaia standing in the doorway of Logan's room.
Lydecker's face had remained unchanged, but Kaia, being Kaia, knew what he was thinking.
"You shouldn't be up, Kaia," Logan chided lightly. He was only trying to care for her. "The doctor said you needed sleep."
"You should get some rest." Lydecker suggested, but it sounded more like an order.
Everything he said sounded like an order.
"You didn't remember me." Kaia said, ignoring his words, "That's ok, because at first I didn't remember you either."
"Kaia?" Logan sensed the tension in the air.
Kaia stepped right up to Lydecker. Her small figure in no way matched up to Lydecker's solid frame, but her stare was pure ice.
"You took my mother."
Author's Note: Geez, how much more can one girl handle? The answer: It's going to be A LOT. Next chapter coming very soon -- Newly Human
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