Despite everything, Kate could not help but be impressed by the monorail, with its stylish 'monopods' skimming briskly along an extensive singular track built high above the jungle canopy, taking its passengers on a winding tour of the island's luscious scenery. She and Syndrome sat opposite each other in one of these monopods – Syndrome, with his arms folded, legs crossed, and a deep frown on his freckled face, was glaring at Kate expectantly, while Kate was not even looking at him. She was staring out through the window, completely lost in her own thoughts as she gazed wistfully at the view whizzing along below her – a wondrous landscape of trees, lagoons and waterfalls.
Kate shed no tears for Mitch, instead she just mourned him silently, sending wishes of peace to his departed soul. While anyone else might have felt deep hatred for Syndrome, Kate's strange nature was such that she was unable to blame him for Mitch's death – she and Mitch had known the risks from the start, and they had been prepared for the consequences of their trespassing. Kate only felt regret for the twist of fate that had swayed her from trusting in her instincts and refusing to let Mitch come with her…
By this time, Kate had drifted into such a deep daydream that she did not notice that Syndrome was speaking to her. He had started to ask her a question, but had then stopped, outraged to discover that she was not even listening to him.
"Hey!" He shouted at Kate. "I'm talking here. Hello?"
With an angry snarl, Syndrome pressed a button on his armrest, and a pair of metal shutters promptly snapped down over the monopod's windows, plunging everything into darkness for a second before the interior lights switched on.
The action was of course completely successful in jolting Kate from her daydream. With a surprised look on her face, she shifted round in her seat to face Syndrome. She seemed surprised at herself more than anything else – it was bad enough that she had let her instincts fail her, and now she letting herself become completely oblivious to what was going on around her?
You're losing it, girl... Kate warned herself grimly. You've got to stay on your toes in this game!
"I'm sorry." Kate said eventually, smiling apologetically. "I'm Kate…Kate Goldin. Um…" Hesitantly, she stuck out her hand. "…Pleased to meet you?"
"Yeah, sure you are…" Syndrome sneered at her, though strangely enough he did take her hand and shake it briefly, before sitting back and regarding Kate with that same accusing glare.
"So, Kate, are you going to explain yourself, or is this going to be a game of Twenty Questions?"
"Right, ok…" Kate murmured to herself as if preparing for a long speech, as she shifted forward in her seat. "Ok. I work for the Society of Paranormal Research and Defence, and…"
"Wait, hold up." Syndrome said suddenly, holding a hand up, curtly motioning Kate to stop talking. "Paranormal? Wait, let me guess – you're here because you think this place is some new Area 51 and I'm harbouring alien space-crafts. That's what's going on, right?" Syndrome began to laugh. "Oh man, and I thought I was a geek…"
Kate frowned angrily at him, irritated by his mocking tone. "The term 'paranormal' extends much further than ghost and aliens, you know." She retorted defensively. "It literally means anything 'not normal'. I specialize in crypto-zoology, but I often get assigned to investigate just about anything that, by today's society, is considered strange or unusual."
Syndrome had stopped laughing now. Now he was watching Kate silently, his brow arched in reluctant curiosity.
"These 'Supers', for example." Kate continued. "Their powers are classified as 'strange and unusual'; 'out of the ordinary' – 'paranormal'. And similarly, you – and all the technology you've got hidden away on this island – are considered to be 'strange and unusual', unfortunately."
Syndrome rubbed his chin thoughtfully, currently unsure of what to make of all this. "Right…So, why are you here, then? Though you could steal a few blueprints or something?"
"No!" Kate no longer looked angry, instead she now looked genuinely hurt by his comment. "Of course not. When I say Paranormal Research and Defence, I really do mean defence. Our society is not some corporation that seeks to control or destroy anything that they don't understand. We fight for the very liberty of people such as yourself! We conduct our investigations purely so that we can learn and understand, and therefore help others to understand, rather than prosecute."
Kate paused, lifting her gaze to stare sadly at Syndrome. "I'm sorry I bugged your aircraft, and sneaked onto your island. But I had to know. We had to at least try to learn something about you, in order for us to help you."
"Yeah? Well I don't need your help!" said Syndrome stubbornly, folding his arms.
"Maybe not in the past, no." Kate replied. "But now that you've been in the city, and people have seen you and have witnessed what you're capable of, you're going to get a lot of unwanted attention. Also…you seem to be in a lot of trouble with the law. I heard about your scuffle with the Incredibles, too." Kate grinned mischievously at Syndrome. "What are you up to, Syndrome? What are your ambitions?"
Syndrome couldn't help but grin back at her. As much as he'd always told himself that he wouldn't be the sort to gloat or 'monologue' about his plans, he had to admit that he did enjoy explaining his schemes to people, whether they were interested or not. And this girl did indeed appear to be genuinely interested – she had actually asked as well. So he told her. Not the whole story, of course, but hopefully enough to satisfy her curiosity.
"Well, let's put it this way – I want to be the greatest super-hero of all time!" He blurted the words out excitedly, his eyes shining with glee. "It's been my only dream my whole life. I was set on being the best – better than all the other Supers put together. But of course, there was just one problem…" Syndrome paused, half expecting Kate to answer for him. But she didn't, so he continued, "I don't have any powers!"
Syndrome slumped back in his seat, frowning, staring off into space as if seeing some haunting memory being played out in his mind's eye. "Of course, I personally never actually saw this as a problem. The Supers, on the other hand, did – they reckoned hero-work was too dangerous for 'normal' people. I hated how they thought they were better than everyone else just because of their stupid powers. I had something better, though – I could invent. I am the master of technology!" Syndrome chuckled softly to himself and pointed to his rocket-boots. "I invented these when I was ten years old!"
Kate, who had been watching Syndrome attentively, nodded slowly. "An achievement not to be sniffed at…"
"Yeah…Well you'd think so, wouldn't you…" Syndrome grumbled, his eyes still holding that faraway look. "So anyway, I sold my inventions, and I got rich. I bought this island, and I set up this base. And now…well…I suppose you could say that now I'm seeking to bring the Supers down a notch by proving to the world that you don't need super-powers to be Super. And the only way I can prove that is by becoming the best. And, believe me, I'll do whatever it takes."
"I don't doubt it." Said Kate solemnly, studying Syndrome's face. What he had told her explained a lot, but it didn't explain everything, not by a long shot. Kate could tell, just by the look in the man's eyes when he spoke, that the situation went far deeper than what he was saying.
It seemed to Kate that Syndrome had purposefully left out the darker side of his story. The reasons why he had been listed as a crazed criminal genius – not a super-hero at all, but a super-villain – had been left unexplained. But she didn't dare pry any further. Something told her that she'd find out the whole story soon enough.
The two of them fell into silence after that, but barely a minute had passed before the monopod suddenly came to a sharp halt.
"Well, Kate, this is your stop." Syndrome announced casually as the monopod's hatch slid open, revealing that they were no longer outside, but in a sort of monopod station – the pod that Syndrome and Kate had been travelling in now sat as part of a whole circle of identical carriages, spaced neatly around a huge, metallic room.
A little disorientated, Kate stepped out of the monopod and glanced around. Again she regretted causing Syndrome to close the shutters over the monopod's windows during their journey, for now she still had no idea of where this base was located.
Hearing footsteps, Kate turned to see a single guard marching into the station. Syndrome, meanwhile, stayed sitting in the monopod as he continued,
"This guard will take you to your room. And don't bother trying anything funny – you won't get very far."
And with that, Syndrome sat back in his seat, looking away from Kate and the guard in a dismissive manner as the monopod's hatch snapped shut. Automatically, the circle of metal flooring beneath the pod slid back, and the pod was lowered slowly back into the tunnel, before shooting off out of sight.
"Alright miss, let's go." The guard ordered gruffly, needlessly prodding Kate's back with the rifle he was carrying.
Kate frowned as she was roughly jolted by the impatient guard, but she held her temper and started to walk, with the guard following closely behind her.
The captive and her escort headed out of the station and down to the end of a long corridor, where an elevator was situated. Like everything else Kate had seen so far, it was metallic in texture and lit with a cold blue light, and moved with the fluid efficiency of vastly superior technology.
As the elevator began its swift ascent, Kate kept her head low but her eyes trained slyly on the guard standing next to her. The guard was not looking at her – just staring blankly at the elevator doors, standing as still as a statue. Mischievous against all odds, Kate lightly pondered the possibility that this guard was in fact a robot of some sort, and was sorely tempted to do something to try and make him laugh. She never got the chance, however, as the elevator came to a sudden halt. The doors slid back, revealing…
Kate gawped at the sight that met her eyes, and practically fell out of the elevator. This was to be her prison cell? It was nicer than most hotels she'd stayed in! The spacey room she had just stepped into did indeed resemble a hotel suite, except that it was far more sleek and stylish, with distinctly modernist furnishings and a light, airy atmosphere. To the left stood a comfortable-looking bed, and at the far end a wide balcony overlooked a spectacular view of the ocean. The balcony, Kate noticed, had been closed off with a thick pane of glass.
"To prevent escape, you are barred from the balcony until further notice." The guard said flatly, answering Kate's thoughts. "You will remain confined to this room until Syndrome sends for you."
Kate turned to face the guard as he stepped back into the elevator.
"Welcome to Nomanisan." The guard uttered with a smirk, before the doors closed and he was gone from sight.
Kate listened as the sound of the descending elevator faded away, then stepped up to the door and started fiddling with the control-panel on the wall, pressing the various buttons. Nothing responded. Locked, of course. Just checking.
With a heavy sigh, Kate turned away from the door to observe her new living quarters.
If this is prison, I should get captured more often…Kate thought to herself with a smile as she wondered over to sit down on the bed. It was only then that she realised now exhausted she was, and suddenly all she wanted to do was lie down on the comfy bed and rest.
Surely a short nap couldn't hurt – it would probably be ages before Syndrome even remembered she was here, anyway.
With that possibility of a long wait in mind, Kate gladly flopped down onto the bed, and was asleep within moments.