Hey everyone! Don't go into shock now, yes I AM alive still. Just to make something perfectly clear: Carmen's profile in the last chapter was four years out of date, so she's 18 and 5'4". Ok? Ok.
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It had been twenty-eight hours since Lain was awakened into the 'real world'. She was fully dressed and was showed her own room. Terra stayed with her the whole time trying to get her to speak, mainly small talk. As time went by Terra became weary and doubtful that Lain even knew how to speak or react to anything. Rubbing her eyes, Terra stood up and went to get Slade. He said he would help. She looked back at Lain, who was sitting on the bed with her back against the headboard. Her icy blue eyes were completely focused on Terra's movement. Kind of creepy really.
"Um, I'm going to go get Slade. Ok Lain? I'll be right back," Lain said nothing in response. Her wolf-like eyes sent a shiver up Terra's spine and back down again. After closing the door behind her, Terra made her way for Slade's quarters. She knocked three times and waited.
"Yes?"
"I need your help with Lain, um, sir," Terra poked her head in. Slade was seated at a desk looking over files and motioned her to come in.
"What's the problem?" He asked, setting the files down to face his apprentice. Terra approached, slightly timidly, towards her master.
"I can't get her to talk. I've been nice to her but she hasn't said a word. It's like she doesn't understand,"
"Which is perfectly natural. Lain doesn't know anything beyond her own thoughts. We predicted something like this," Slade paused and closed his eyes in thought. "Bring her here. I have something that may help," Terra bowed before she exited. She hurried back to Lain's room down the hall. She opened the door quickly with the understanding that Slade did not like to be kept waiting.
"I'm back Lain. Lain?" Terra looked around the room, but she couldn't see Lain anywhere. The sound of the door shutting behind her made Terra jump. (AN: it's fun to scare my cat like that.) She spun around to see Lain standing in front of the door with her hands cupped together. "Don't do that. What were you doing behind the door?" She opened up her hands to reveal a tiny gray moth. It walked across the palm of Lain's hand before it fluttered away. "Oh, well, Slade wants to see you Lain. Come on," Terra walked out the door and glanced behind her to make sure Lain was following. They walked down the hall silently. Terra knocked three times and waited for Slade to call her in. She looked behind at Lain, who was busy looking around the hallway.
"Come in Terra," She opened the door and grabbed Lain by the wrist leading her in. Slade sat in his chair as he watched Terra approach with Lain closely following. "Hello Lain. I'm glad you're here," Lain met his eyes when he began to speak to her. "I have something for you Lain. Come," Slade stood up and walked over to his desk. Lain glanced at Terra, who motioned her to follow. She walked over to Slade and stood a few feet behind him. "Come closer child. I'm not going to bite you," Lain stood by Slade's side and waited for her next instructions. "Lain, you are going to become one of my elite fighters. I plan to make you my second strongest. My first is Terra," Slade gestured in the direction of his apprentice, who smiled. "My second will be you," He waited for that to sink in. "Unfortunately, communication is a very important key required in that position. I think you can understand what we're saying, but we can't hear your thoughts Lain. You remain silent to use. Nod if you understand," Lain looked down in thought, before she realized and nodded. "Good. Terra you need to see this too," Obediently, Terra walked over and stood beside Lain. "Now, what I have here is a special communication band. This will enable you to reply using your thoughts," The device was rather thin for its description. The light shone off its sliver structure brilliantly. Slade slid the band under Lain's bangs and secured behind her head at the top of her neck. (A/N: I don't know the scientific name and neither does my mom)
"Does it work?" Terra asked. Lain touched the band on her head. Slade waited anxiously for Lain to 'speak'. The bands creation was a long and expensive one.
"How do you take it off?" Lain asked. Her lips didn't move but her voice was heard. (A/N: Think of Mewtwo) Lain's 'voice' was quiet and lethargic in a way. Slade smiled beneath his mask. The device worked! He moved Lain's hand along the band.
"There's a small sensor here that will unlatch the band if pressure is applied. The same concept if you want to secure it again," Slade informed.
"Oh." Lain took the band off and put it back on.
"Now Lain, you and Terra are going to be partners in my plans so you must learn to cooperate and trust each other. There are three other members who will be assisting you from time to time. You'll meet them later. Terra was going to be the one to train you combat wise, but our time is too limited and you need to pass a successful course test before the end of the day. We're going to take a small short cut and down load fighting skills into your brain. Your body was designed for it before hand, so I think you'll do just fine," Slade walked over to the door. "Follow me," The three of them walked down the hallway to a large room. It was quite similar to the laboratory where Lain was born, but the equipment was different and the lighting was brighter. In the center of the room was a large cylinder-type container. Giant wires were attached to the top of the cylinder to the wall. The scientists bowed when Slade entered.
"Master Slade," a middle-aged woman with short brown hair approached and bowed. "Everything is ready, as you requested,"
"Excellent. Lain, this is the one who designed your communication band," The woman smiled at Lain.
"Hello," Lain said quietly.
"I'm glad the device is working for you. This way please," They walked pass the many scientists and stood before the container. "This is the down loader. Lain, please step inside." Lain looked back at Terra, who looked up at Slade. He nodded. Lain stepped inside of the down loader, reluctantly. The doors closed quickly. Terra looked up at Slade again.
"Will she be ok?"
"She'll be find Terra. The machine has been tested previously," The woman sat down at a computer connected to the down loader.
"Well sir, what style do you what her to learn?" Slade looked at his apprentice.
"Since you don't get to train her like I said before you get to pick her style Terra," She blinked.
"Oh, um, I don't know. Kung fu?" Terra said sheepishly. The woman typed franticly on the keyboard.
"Kung fu it is then," Inside the down loader, Lain began to get nervous. The down loader began to hum deeply as a circular ring moved up and down, scanning Lain's body structure on the monitor of the woman's computer. She put a headset on. "Lain, a helmet will be coming down momentarily. I need you to stand up-right and completely still,"
"Ok," she replied. Sure enough, a helmet came down over her entire head. Lain felt a certain tugging feeling inside of her mind as the Kung fu fighting style was down loaded into her brain, movement were memorized by her muscles. Outside the down loader the woman took off her head set.
"She be ready in one hour, sir," she smiled confidently.
"Good," Slade replied. "I want the training course ready before hand. Also, I what the HIVE present. They need to meet the new recruit as well,"
"Yes, sir," the woman bowed respectfully. Slade walked out of the room. Terra jogged to catch up with him.
"So, that's it. In an hour she'll know Kung fu?" Terra asked concerned.
"She'll know the basics. After that she'll accompany you on some missions to gain more experience. Eventually, she'll be ready to be your full-time partner," he explained.
"Oh. I know we need Carmen, but how will we get her to side with us? From the files you've shown me, she's pretty close to the Titans already. Cyborg especially, he won't let her go with out a fight,"
"You're quite right Terra, but you missed something. Not all of the Titans approve of Carmen, and that conflict will be the seed for a very deep cut of betrayal. Lain is our trump card. We'll need her to be ready when the time to strike comes," Slade narrowed his eyes as they walked down the hall.
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There I finally got my chapter 27 up. This was very difficult to complete because my brain was fix on other fandoms. Just a question:
Which chapter have you liked the best so far? Personally.