Sadness and rage
"Maya…" Ai just held Maya as the girl cried. "It is okay."
"No, its not." Maya sobbed into Ai's shoulder, totally distraught. "What have I done?" She begged.
"Maya." Ai hugged the girl gently. "I think what has happened can be fixed." She looked a question and Jian and Cathi who both nodded. "But to do that, you have to let me go."
"I can't." Maya sobbed. "I have tried! I can't!" Ai stared at Maya and then at the other three in the room, but everyone had expressions of confusion on their faces.
"Okay." Ai said very slowly. "That is new." She gave Maya another squeeze. "Why not?"
"I don't know!" Maya sobbed. "I have been trying! It is rude for me to hold to your mind like I have! I didn't mean to!" She begged Ai tearfully. "Oh, my teachers are going to be so mad at me!"
"Maya." Ai tried to soothe the girl even as Jian and Cathi both tensed. "It is okay. Whatever happened, we can fix. I am not gone." Her face fell, but she still pitched her tone to soothe. "My body died. I knew it was going to. That said? I am not gone and I don't think they will let me vanish now."
"Got that right." Cathi muttered and then quirked a grin at Jian when Ai's sister growled a warning at her.
"Okay." Ai ignored the byplay to focus on Maya who was still sobbing. "Maya, what happened was bad, but it was mostly my fault. Not yours. You woke up to feeling my heart stop and my mind vanish." Maya nodded in Ai's arms and Ai made a face. "You reacted badly. That is totally understandable. But, you need to let go of me so we can fix this."
"I am trying!" Maya pleaded. "I can't!"
"Am I holding you somehow?" Ai muttered even as Sam stepped forward to place his hand on Maya's shoulder. "Is it something I did? Something Yǎtíng did?"
"I don't think so." Maya replied even as Cathi and Jian shared a confused look. "It isn't a binding or a collar or anything I know!" She buried her face further into Ai's shoulder.
"EXALT collared you." Ai said very softly, rage rising before being squashed under her training. "Bastards."
"They... I…" Maya swallowed hard, but couldn't seem to stop crying. "Jane Kelly stopped them, but they… I… I did so many bad things."
"Maya! Stop!" Ai said firmly. "Whatever they did is on them. If they controlled you, it is on them, not you. Whatever they did they paid for!"
"I…" Maya paused and then gasped. "The feel… I know that feel!" When she stared up at Ai, her eyes held wonder and betrayal? "You make me feel like they did!" AI stiffened as she felt humor from somewhere! No, not just humor! Anticipation? Something bad was about to- Maya gave a gasp as Ai threw the girl away from herself!
"I AM NOT EXALT!" Ai screamed as Maya flew through the air to be caught by Cathi who had moved so fast that it seemed she had teleported! But then Ai's world turned blue.
"Well, this sucks." The voice was not one Ai knew and she tried to turn to face the speaker, but her body wasn't obeying her. Wait! DID she know the voice? It was familiar. Male. Strong. Angry, but not angry with Ai. Controlled. "That brown armored bitch was right. You are too strong willed for your own good."
A hand touched Ai's scalp from behind her and power sang into her. It felt heavenly, but she fought it back. The voice made a clucking sound.
"Come on, girl. Don't be stupid." The other had just a hint of exasperation in his tone. "You can't win here. All it will do is hurt you."
"I won't let you hurt her!" Ai snapped and the power flow slowed and then stopped. But then, something gathered around her mind and a soft haze started to settle in. Ai fought it. Mind control! Gentler than the last attempt, but no less dangerous.
"I don't want to hurt her." The other said quietly. "I never did. That idiot Donald died far too quickly. X-Com may still be stupid, clueless fools like always, but that woman Jane Kelly is impressive to say the least. I don't know if I could have done as well in making it hurt for so long and I have seen a lot of ways to do that. He deserved that and so much more for what he did to Maya. The others? Well, to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs."
"Leave! Them! Alone!" Ai managed through whatever was gripping her mind now. She called on her training and the haze was forced back again.
"You mean leave them to X-Com or the Elders? No." The other retorted. "So many want these weapons. To use them, study them, whatever."
"They are not weapons! They are kids!" Ai snarled and threw the haze off her mind for a moment, her rage forces in the other's mind back for a moment. She did not fool herself. Such would not last. She was no psi and he clearly was. "MY AND ALLEY'S KIDS!" Something changed and Ai found herself on her feet, spinning to face her antagonist. Ai came to a sudden halt as she stared at the very old man who had been standing behind the couch. "You?"
This was the man who had briefed Ai on the dangers of temporal travel! Who had warned her against causing too many temporal or psionic ripples in the fabric of reality. He had given his name as 'Carter', no first name. He was very old for a human, that was clear just looking at him, but the man stood straight. Unbent despite all the years visible on what could be seen of his face. Like a good little soldier, Ai had accepted his identification which had seemed genuine, but now… Things were different! His attire caused images to flood into her mind from somewhere outside it along with a healthy dose of fear. The pinstripe pants, white shirt and red tie were all normal business dress in this time and had even been seen in Ai's time, if with very different materials. It was the red and orange mouth and nose covering bandana-like mask that garnered fear from whatever was with Ai's mind. Maya? 'Carter' hadn't been wearing the mask when he had 'briefed' Ai but she knew him even with it on.
"I am not your enemy, Nightstalker Ai." The other said quietly. Why did she think he should be wearing an old style fedora hat and a backpack? EXALT didn't wear those. Ai had read a bit about them in her own history and the fear from other mind that touched hers was interspersed with horrific images and feelings. Yes, Maya's mind had to still be linked to Ai's. Ai sent reassurance to the other, but had no way of knowing if it got to her, since the soldier wasn't a psi. "I never was."
"Funny." Ai snorted, but there was little humor in it. "In the TV show, Cobra was the 'ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world'. In this day and age? It was you guys!" She shook her head and then deliberately crossed her arms. "Whatever you are selling, EXALT, I am not buying. Get lost."
"I am not selling anything." The other did not move. Odd. He had to have the advantage here, since he had frozen the area around Ai or something. If not, Ai assumed that both Jian and Cathi would have done something by now. Indeed, Cathi was still reacting from catching Maya, so frozen or no… Cathi was moving, but so very slowly. The man tilted his head as if scrutinizing Ai and then nodded. "You see far more than most. No psi powers, but that is a good thing."
"Yeah, easier to control people without them, right?" Ai didn't bother to hide the derision in her tone. She knew she could not fight this guy, but she was rapidly ceasing to care! "Go away, asshole! And leave Maya alone! Sensing you in my mind is going to hurt her just as bad as what you scum did before!"
"Donald had no right to do that!" The man wasn't faking his sudden rage. Ai had faced inter-dimensional aliens straight out of nightmare who had seemed less angry that him, but he controlled himself quickly.
"Why not?" Ai demanded. "The strong take from the weak. EXALT is strong, right? Why not destroy a little girl's soul to make her a weapon?"
"It wasn't meant to be a weapon and she was not supposed to be touched." The other said, calming further but still, so angry. "That ship was meant to be an escape vessel. Earth was lost. We all knew that. We would have rebuilt, come back stronger and taken our world back."
"And again, all it cost was a little girl's soul!" Ai snapped. "What is your point, EXALT? You don't care about lives or souls any more than early 21st century US politicians did!"
"You know better than that." Was this evil man chiding her? "Politicians are like cockroaches or mold. They serve a useful function as little as most of us like them." Was he trying to make a joke? If so, it fell flat. "Even the worst of politicians had feelings and seeing Maya like that would make even the most jaded and cynical of the ones I knew pause. Maybe not for long or for any decent reasons, but they would pause. I fully agree that what happened to Maya was bad. If anything? I wanted that moron Donald to suffer more!" Again, rage flared, but he squashed it with the skill of long practice. He shook his head again. "Look, I know you won't trust me, but I will not hurt Maya or Mina. I wanted to help Maya. I can't. You can."
"I am a soldier, not a healer." Ai snapped. "And I certainly will not touch her if you have touched me!"
"Touching is not needed, Nightstalker." He tapped his head in an odd way. Almost as if he meant to touch the brim of a hat? "Be yourself."
Then he was gone!
"What the fu-" Ai started and then went still as the world glowed bright green!
"Ai?" Jian was staring at her in shock and fear as Maya cried in Cathi's arms. Sam was utterly still where he stood as Jian's power swept the room. "You phased right out of this reality for a moment! What just happened?"
"I don't know."
An hours later
"…. so then Maya calmed down, released her hold on me and then I woke up back in my bed." Ai finished her explanation even as Alley swept her with scans again. "Alley, I am okay."
"No, you are not." Alley was very upset, but not with Ai. Everyone made it abundantly clear that no one was upset with her but everyone was upset. For good reason! She had just died and been brought back! Ai didn't hurt anywhere, but she was very tired and didn't want to move. Even if she had? She might not have dared. No one had weapons out, but it was a close thing. The nest were all present and they were all upset. Who could blame them? EXALT was evil. As evil in this reality as Cobra had been in the TV show that had inspired Alley to make her army. Thankfully, Alley's version was less nasty for the sake of it.
"Alley is right. There is damage to your heart, Ai." Marina said flatly from where she was working medical gear. The team medic was more of a full blown doctor these days, but still did her duty to the nest. "She cannot heal this. She is exhausted after her far too long day and then this craziness." That was sour enough that Alley flipped the medic off, but Marina ignored it. "The damage is not bad. I can fix it, but not instantly. Alley, don't you dare!" She warned when Alley started to gather power. "I will have Arisha sit on you!" More than one of the nest chuckled as Arisha swelled a bit, ready to move to stop Alley from exhausting herself further and Alley pouted dramatically, but then nodded and banished her power. She wasn't stupid and it had been a long, tiring day even for her. "I can fix this and frankly? You need some downtime, Ai." Marina turned a stern look at Ai who frowned, but then sighed and gave in. "Then we can start your therapy."
"Great." Ai muttered, not even close to under her breath. "More therapy. Just what I needed." Her long suffering tone had smiles emerge for a moment of a few of the faces that surrounded her bed, but everyone was on edge. "But Alley? If Jian cannot see this… How can we fight something that can hide from her?"
Everyone in the nest had been briefed on Ai and her sister, but even here and now, secrecy would be maintained. Safer that way. Fewer ripples.
"We do not." Alley said flatly and Ai stared at her. "Ai, your fighting days are done. Accept that now or you are going nowhere near the kids again." The Viper was calm, but her tone brooked no argument. Ai knew it was true.
"I…" Ai swallowed hard and then slumped on her bed. No one had let her move from her bed afters he had woken here and the small bunkroom was filled to overflowing with the nest. "It is hard. I saw that guy and I felt Maya's fear and- I know, Alley." Ai said sadly. "But it is so ingrained in me. I felt a threat to Maya and I reacted."
"Yeah." Alley said softly and then slid a bit closer to Ai. "You are doing very well, Ai. This reality bending crap is mind boggling at the best of times. Add something like EXALT into it and all hell breaks loose. I better let Jane know. She will not be happy." At that, several people in Ai's field of view winced.
"She thought she buried the last of those scum. No, she won't be happy." Ai agreed. "It is so weird though. You are sure he didn't put controls in me?" She asked Alley who nodded. "Jian looked and then that other odd woman did…" She was careful not to name Cathi, who knew what might happen if she did? "...and they found nothing, but no one is perfect, not even them."
"Especially not them to hear them talk. Some of their mistakes… Ugh!" Alley moaned and Ai nodded. "I sense nothing, Arisha senses nothing. We will have others look tomorrow, after you wake." Alley moved up close, her eyes so sad and filled with compassion as Ai wrestled with herself. "Ai, you need to sleep now. Real sleep. Marina?" Alley did not have to make it a command. Marina nodded and turned to her gear.
"He was so odd, Alley." Ai complained as Marina readied a sedative. "I have seen so many faces of evil. Human and otherwise. He was EXALT. They were all about taking power and subjugating humanity. I remember that from my studies. He was not a nice person." She said as Marina beckoned for an arm. Ai held it out dutifully. The medic was deft, Ai barely felt a sting and then warm lassitude swept through her. "But he seemed to be honestly raging at that Donald scum."
"How do you know that name?" Alley asked, curious. "That is not in any histories and I would not have told you that."
"He said... No, he spat it as of it was the name of the guy who hurt Maya and her kin. He was so mad at that guy." Ai said weakly and struggled against the sedative but it soothed her even as she did. "I… I think…"
"No. No. Later." Alley soothed the Nightstalker gently and Ai relaxed even as she realized she had tensed. "Sleep now. Questions later. Maya is still linked to your mind and I am worried about undoing it. For now? Rest. With Marina's magic, you won't dream."
"I fear… my dreams…" Ai said sadly as her eyes shut of their own accord.
Not tonight, you won't. That was not aloud. Alley's soft mental voice eased Ai into sleep and she was smiling as Arisha hummed a lullaby. She really did love them.
Wait…
Was someone rocking her? Ai didn't dare look.
The nest
Alley slumped as the poor girl finally fell asleep in the Viper's arms. Whatever else Ai was, she was only six years old and most of her life had been a horrible war. It was amazing she was a sane as she was!
"We will stay with her." Marina said quietly. Arisha nodded and looked at the rest of the nest who nodded back. Nothing else needed to be said. If Ai did become a danger, Arisha and Marina would 'handle' it. Hopefully without killing the girl, but if need be? Ai would understand. Now, Sam and Maya? They might be harder to explain such to, but the nest understood all about such hidden traps.
"I am going back to bed." Alley said with a nod and carefully did not react as several of the others relaxed. She had jerked right out of sleep at Maya's scream when Ai had died. And now? Maya was even more of a mess. Alley started for the door and her glare dared anyone to shadow her on the short trip back to her quarters. No one else was allowed in those quarters but Alley's bonded partner Jane and Jane was far away doing some uber secret X-Com stuff. A good thing. When Jane heard about this? Things would break! Alley just hoped they could break the news away from the base. The kids had enough to deal with emotionally. Luckily, Jane understood that. That was one reason she was gone so much. She loved the kids, but worried her emotions had or might hurt them. No matter how much Alley or others reassured her, Jane still worried. A good mother figure in so… many…
Alley came to a sudden stop just inside her quarters as she saw an impossibility standing there. The woman in X-Com armor could not be here! Not only was this the most secure spot in the entire base, secured by both X-Com and the nest, but she couldn't be here because she was dead!
"Oh crap!" Alley said with a heartfelt sigh. "Jenni… of all the… What now?" She begged as she slid towards her bed.
"'Oh crap' is right, Alley." Jenni Parker, call sign Hazard, had died in the final assault on the Elder's hidden fortress. But here she stood. Not in the flesh, or all kinds of alarms would be sounding. She was probably just in Alley's mind. "I… You know I keep tabs on Maya and Mina. I worry about them. I do my best not to cause ripples while I do."
"You being here will cause one!" Alley said with a groan as she slid to her 'bed'. Not that it was a human style bed. More a rounded pole with protrusions she could curl up easily on. Padded and warm for her to sleep on, she often needed the comfort. She did right now. She was very tired and it was catching up to her. She didn't remember all of what had happened, but Alley did know she had met this woman. Somehow, Alley had met Jane Kelly's first partner and lover even after she wad dead. "Jenni! You know better!"
"I do, but I have information you do not that may help or may harm." Jenni said softly. "I sent this projection to tell you that the man who just accosted Ai is known to me."
"To you." Alley said softly as she curled up.
"I knew him, yes. I saw what happened to Maya. All of it. I listened in when you talked to Ai. In Maya's mind, linked to Ai's, I heard his voice talking to Ai. It was a shock, because yes, I knew him. He said his name was William." Jenni was fading from sight slowly. "Lizbeth will deliver a packet in the morning…" She made a face. "Later this morning." She corrected herself grimly after a look at the chrono shining 0145. "I thought William was dead. We all did."
"Just tell me." Alley muttered as she forced herself to relax.
"No." Jenni was gone now, but her voice remained. "You need sleep too, Matron. I don't think he will hurt the girls again." 'I hope not!' was a barely audible mutter.
"Why wouldn't he?" Alley murmured. "Not like a member of EXALT is their dad or anything."
"Pleasant dreams, Alley." Then the other was gone, but was that grief, loss, rage or sorrow in Jenni's tone?
"Tomorrow." Alley muttered even as her deepest, darkest secret made an exclamation of shock that faded with Alley's awareness. Easer was not happy, but soothed Alley as was the tiny alien's wont whenever Alley overextended, which she had again. "Gotta get some sleep."
Then Alley knew no more. Easer made sure that Alley would not hear the mutters about 'deadbeats' and 'evil scum'. Tomorrow, there would be loud noises. For now? Alley needed rest and would get it.