Disclaimer: Characters, world, anything in or having to do with the TV series SURFACE, doesn't belong to me. However, the idea for this particular fan fiction does. Don't steal and we'll get along just fine.
Summary: What if the creatures dug slower for some reason? Or the mantle (the earth's crust) was a few hundred feet thicker? When would they have generated the displaced water that created the tsunami? And how would it have affected those involved? Miles has managed to escape the mob outside his house but revealed his new abilities in doing so. This time, there is no convenient news broadcast to save him. Nor is there any way to escape the consequences of his accidental actions against the bully at school. Running away is the only way to survive. But where can he run? Who can he trust? And most importantly, how will his body change next?
Italics mean thoughts
Delayed Consequences
Chapter 2: Intersections
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Maybe it was a trick of the light and shadow, but the being before Caitlin looked more like Nim than Miles.
Darkness hid his face; all that could be seen were two bright dots she assumed were the pupils of his eyes. The clothes draped around his thin frame were ragged and barely recognizable as the slacks and undershirt worn by the boys at his high school (1). The rest of the uniform; jacket, polo shirt, shoes, and socks; was gone, most likely ditched to facilitate swimming. Dim lighting made his silhouette look strange but his hands, thrown out towards her to center her attention, made him look downright alien.
At the sight, she knew she'd been correct in her assumptions (2).
"See?" the voice, despite appearances, was definitely Miles'. "I'm a monster."
"Oh Miles…" she stepped forward. "No you're not."
The bright points of his eyes dropped to the floor, unconvinced.
Shocking though his appearance was, his sorrow called out far stronger to her instincts. Before she knew what she'd done, Caitlin closed the distance between them and enveloped him in a tight hug. He jumped slightly at the contact but leaned into it like a lifeline.
"Miles, you are not a monster." Her stern tone, muffled by his shirt, was accentuated by a tightening of her arms. "You're just a little different and if you ask me," she lifted her head to meet his eyes. (Since when are his eyes slitted?) "High school is far scarier then growing claws."
The muscles in his shoulders relaxed perceptively as he suppressed a smile.
"Thanks." She grinned at his embarrassment. "I just…" he let go and stepped back, regarding his modifications with a strange, thoughtful look on his face "I don't know what to do."
"That's not really surprising. In fact, I'd be a little disturbed if you did know what to do in a situation like this."
"Heh. I guess." He lapsed into silence, probably lost in thought, and she took the opportunity to observe him critically from close up.
Physically, he was about the same as always, minus the hands and eyes, except…
"Miles! What happened!"
"W-what?" she was distracted momentarily when his pupils contracted to look at her. "What did I do?"
A quick blink brought her back to the present. "Your cheek is bleeding!"
"Oh." His tone was knowing and embarrassed. "THAT."
"Yeah, THAT. What happened?" a single finger traced the nasty looking cuts. "Did someone from town do this? It looks serious."
"No, I sorta…well," he trailed off until she prompted him. "You sorta well what?"
"Er…eheh..." he mimed lifting his hand and drawing it over the marks.
He did it himself. She suppressed a smile but her voice was amused when she spoke.
"I see. Well, it doesn't matter how you got them, they need to be tended to."
"I'll be fine."
She leveled a glare at him. "Not if infection sets in you won't."
"Nim's-"
"You have no idea how well that works for you." She interrupted. "And it's better to be safe than sorry." Miles didn't respond.
Taking his silence as agreement, she stepped briskly to the door. "I brought some medical supplies with me, just in case, so I'll just go get them and…" stopping at the doorway to glance at the outside, inside, and a flabbergasted Miles, she altered her decision. "Actually, there isn't enough light in here. You'll need to come outside."
"Out? No. Definitely not."
"Come on!"
"What if someone sees me?"
"We're in the middle of nowhere. Who's going to see you?"
"Caitlin please." The fear in his voice brought her to a dead stop. "I don't want anyone to see me."
She paused, softening slightly. "Miles, I need to look at those gashes and I can't do it in here." Her voice was gentle but firm. "Besides, you can't avoid the sunlight for the rest of your life." She extended a hand toward him. "Come on."
With a fatalistic sigh, he knew he wasn't going to win against her common sense, Miles took her hand and allowed her to lead him out of the boat house.
"So." With a gesture, she indicated he should sit on the edge of the dock as she rummaged through her backpack. "Where's Nim?"
Casting a dubious glance at the rotting wood, Miles took a seat on a boulder nearby before answering. "Not sure. I think he's still by my parents' house. I didn't call for him when I ran and I haven't really looked for him since.
"Why not?" upon finding the first aid kit she drew it out and threw the backpack on the seat of the orange Vespa, her mode of transportation.
"What do you mean? He's always been able to find me before so I'm not really worried and if we're together, the hunters will find us easier."
"Well, he's probably more knowledgeable about your condition than anyone else. In his own way. Tilt your head."
He complied absentmindedly so she could see the injury better.
"I guess so. I could at least figure out how he manages not to destroy everything he touches with his claws. Ow!"
He pulled away from her cotton ball of peroxide, earning an annoyed scowl.
"Hold still!"
"That hurt!"
She gave him a look. "Can't hurt any worse then when your friend threw rubbing alcohol on that bite I've heard so much about."
A sheepish shrug was her answer. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"There. That part is done. Now for the gauze."
"Where did you learn all this stuff? And how do you know what to do?"
"At the aquarium, everyone knows the basics. It's part of orientation. Ya know, in case of emergencies." She raised an eyebrow. "Come to think of it, why don't you know this?"
"I was on probation." Miles fingered the gauze covering as she finished. "I don't know why, but they said that was the reason I didn't go through a full orientation. Your dad probably didn't plan to allow me near anything dangerous."
"That's odd."
"Yeah."
Wait, she works at the aquarium and today is Thursday. Why isn't she at work? (3)
"Speaking of work, why aren't you at the aquarium?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "Trying to get rid of me?"
"Wha-? No! Of course not!" she brushed off his frantic apologies with a laugh.
"Relax! I was just kidding. I have a half hour break between school and work. I talked to Phil before classes this morning and have been checking various places during my periods of free time."
"So you only have a half hour?"
She was his only human contact and he was despondent to see her go.
"Actually, I should probably get going." Her reluctance was obvious. "Will you be okay?" As was her concern.
"I'll be fine."
She gazed at him for a long minute before nodding abruptly and standing to go.
"Caitlin, wait!"
"Hm?"
Miles bit his lip indecisively.
"I want my parents to know I'm okay. I mean- I don't want to see them, they'd just scream, but…could you…tell them for me?"
This time it was Caitlin's turn to be uncertain. Talking to his parents would say she knew where Miles was and that she'd gone looking for him against the orders or her father and the police. In other words, she'd be in major trouble.
"Is it okay if I tell your sister and let her tell them? I don't think she'll get me in as much trouble as they would. She's not as high profile at the moment."
"Yeah, that's fine." He clambered to his feet. "Thanks. For everything."
She grinned. He was blushing again. "No problem." Leaning forward, Caitlin kissed Miles gently on the lips, backing away with an impish smile before he could respond.
"See you later!"
As Miles' surprised brain was processing what had happened, she left.
"Yeah. Later."
He didn't even realize he was grinning.
Caitlin sped down the road, just barely within the speed limit.
She'd found him and he was alright. Despite everything and against all odds, he was alive, in one piece, and free.
And he's still Miles. Everyone was saying he turned into a monster yesterday night but he didn't. He just reacted with instinctual fear.
What Caitlin had not told Miles was that as the day wore on and the number of possible hiding places had diminished, she'd begun to lose hope. Many of the places had been swarming with men carrying both rifles and tranquilizer guns. Only two out of the thirteen places Phil gave her hadn't been touched and one was where she'd found him.
What are they planning to do with him if they do catch him? They wouldn't treat him like they did Nim, would they? Food deprivation, cages, needle biopsies… she shuddered, nauseous and horrified at the very thought. No, Dad would never do that. Would he? I mean, I never expected him to do those things to Nim either.
The honk of a car horn drew her out of the alarming thoughts. A slate grey compact car, maybe a Toyota (4), going the opposite direction was slowing down and lowering a window to speak to her. Curious, she stopped.
"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you but do you know if there's a company called Iderdex somewhere nearby?"
"Um, sure." Caitlin gazed at the fidgeting woman with undisguised curiosity. Wilmingon rarely got strangers and as far as she knew Iderdex was all but abandoned. "If you keep going straight past the next two right turnoffs and take the third, Iderdex is about a quarter of a mile down."
"Thanks."
"Sure."
The woman either didn't notice or didn't care that Caitlin was staring because with a vague, distracted smile, she hit the gas and sped off at 20 mph over the speed limit.
Well that was weird.
Caitlin mused about the encounter until she made it to the aquarium. At the sight of it, she stopped cold.
There were three big black vans blocking the parking lot, the kind usually associated with the government or bad guys in sci-fi TV shows.
Printed in big, bold letters on the side of each was one word: IDERDEX.
"Caitlin!"
"Dad! What's going on? Why are you out here?"
Her father strode over from where he appeared to have been conversing with the driver of one of the vans.
"Sweetheart, I want you to go home. The aquarium is closed today."
"But-."
"No buts, I'll see you later but I might be home after midnight. These men are going to help up with our … problem."
A jolt of panic made her stiffen and stare at him in horror. He didn't notice. He didn't even look at her.
"So be a good girl, alright? See you later."
"B-bye dad."
It took less then a minute to turn the Vespa around. Going home wasn't an option. Warning Miles was high priority, although where he'd be able to stay unnoticed was anyone's guess, but first she would speak to his sister. That's what he'd wanted and she knew how worried his family must be.
But how would she get Savannah away from her parents?
It wasn't a problem.
Savannah had isolated herself, standing on the edge of the family dock. Every few minutes, she rang a bell over the water, near the surface. When she'd started it had most likely been desperate and hopeful but now it just sounded bleak and sad.
She's trying to call to Miles. Or maybe to Nim and through association Miles. I'm fairly certain that's the same bell Phil said they used to train Nim.
Caitlin waited until she was at the edge of the dock to speak. If worst came to worst, she could just jump on the Vespa and take off.
"Savannah?"
The older girl's head jerked and she turned slightly, revealing dried tear tracks and a surprising lack of make up.
She's in mourning. I wonder if she even knows they haven't caught him yet?
"Who are you?"
"I'm…well, I know Miles."
THAT got Savannah's full attention. Dawning lit in her eyes after several moments of scrutiny. "You're that sophomore he had a crush on. The one that works at the aquarium. But why are you here? In case you haven't heard, Miles is gone." She turned back to the ocean.
"That's sort of why I'm here."
"Did they catch him?"
"No. He's alright."
Savannah laughed dryly, obviously disbelieving. "Thanks for the opinion, but-."
"You don't understand. He's okay."
Something about Caitlin's tone conveyed the true meaning of her words.
Savannah stiffened then turned, painful hope blossoming in her eyes.
"You mean you know where he is?"
The younger girl didn't answer but she didn't need to.
"Where is he? That little…if he kept us worrying for no reason…"
Message delivered, Caitlin replaced her helmet and swung a leg over her vehicle.
"Wait! What are you doing?"
"Could you tell your parents?"
Savannah halted in front of the bike and arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Why can't you?"
"I'm in enough trouble as it is if I'm caught. I know your parents would try to call my dad or something and that can't happen. If anyone finds out where he is, even you or your parents, he'll be captured or killed."
"We wouldn't hurt him!"
"Not on purpose but if I told you, you'd want to see him and I can guarantee you're going to be followed if you leave the house."
She didn't have a response for that one.
"Will you tell your parents?"
With an annoyed huff, Savannah nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
Caitlin smiles and shook her head. "Thank Miles. He's the one who asked me to come."
She left Savannah standing in deep thought next to the dock, probably deciding how to break the news to her parents.
For Caitlin it was time to return to the boathouse.
Something was going on and she had an ominous feeling that whatever it was involved Miles and could in no way be considered pleasant.
TBC?
Review!
Well, I got more than five reviews and this was just rattling around in my head trying to escape so I decided to let it out. Normally updates don't come this fast. (often they depend on how many reviews I get though).
Oh, and I'm not sure if Caitlin is a sophomore or a freshman but I know Miles is a freshman and I'm fairly certain someone in the series, when they first met each other, said she was older by a little bit.
I'm not overly happy with this chapter but I'm still getting over my writers block so I consider it passable. Bleh.
Let me know what you think.
And I just could not resist putting in that crack about black cars XD. And has anyone figured out who the woman is? (no offense, but you'd have to be pretty blind not to)
Also, this isn't really going to be a romance. There might be a few hints, like the kiss, that Miles and Caitlin are interested in each other taking it a bit further but I'm not going to focus on it more then necessary.
For a recap on what just happened in the previous episode (not chapter, before that, the tv episode where Miles attacked Greg): Miles woke up on the beach after leading the creatures away and exhibited some 'creature' aspects. After talking to Caitlin, he went home to see his parents who have finally noticed something is up with him (their observation skills are sorely lacking) and then went to school where he got in a fight with Savannah's former boyfriend. During the fight, he uses personally generated electricity (like Nim) to knock Greg out and hurts him badly which results in the police showing up at his house which further results in him getting pulled out of his house by an angry mob led by Greg's dad. Now, in the series, that is when the radio goes off with the tsunami warning and everyone forgets about Miles in favor of saving their own hides. In my fan fiction, the tsunami is delayed (for as of yet unknown reasons) and the story goes on from there.
Now, while this is all happening with Miles and co. Rich and Laura are interrogating Lee about his boss and the film reel they found. They decide he must be a clone and leave him tied up in a hotel room after accidentally revealing their location and learning of a facility called 'Iderdex' in Wilmington that is somehow tied in with everything. After leaving the hotel, the two part ways. Rich goes to Wilmington and breaks into Iderdex but doesn't count on security and is captured after managing to make a quick call to Laura about his discoveries. Laura goes to see her son but her ex husband calls Lee and his pals in the black cars to come and get her. Lee asks her some questions (mostly about the man on the film; he didn't know about the guy either), listens to her conversation with Rich, and then lets her go without hurting her (he shoots the wall to fake her death). She takes off to go find Rich.
Don't ask me how they manage to cross the nation is less than an hour or two because the time frame just doesn't make sense. Neither does the fact that they still have the money considering it was given to them by the blond lady (the disillusioned scientist) who was caught by Lee and who is either dead or miserably unavailable.
Ummm…yeah. Any mistakes, please let me know.
And forgive my moodiness. It's almost midnight and I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm grumpy. XD
Oh, and someone asked me if I knew the show was canceled. Yeah, I know. That's actually one of the reasons I'm writing this. It was an interesting idea (even if I don't like the writers; the actors and special effects (like Nim) carried the show) and it deserves to be preserved. Plus, who knows? Maybe scifi will pick it up or someone will start a survey that generates enough interest for them to put it back up.
(1) I went back through the final episodes the find exactly what he was wearing. Hopefully, I'll manage to write in a change of clothes for him soon. I can't imagine him getting far like that.
(2) From the previous chapter about his new mutation (or whatever you want to call it)
(3) I have no idea what day of the week it was when he attacked Greg and I couldn't find it on the recording. All I know is that it was a school day because the whole incident happened at school. If anyone knows the actual day, please let me know and I'll fix it.
(4) Creative liberties. They never actually showed the brand of the car (I checked that one too) so I just chose one. I don't own it btw, Toyota owns Toyota.
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