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Chapter 13 The Hounds
The first thing that John noticed when he woke up was that there was a blanket loosely draped over him. He then noticed that Clarice was still sleeping her purple hair covering her face. He smiled then quietly gets up and he places the blanket back on Clarice before leaving. He didn't have to say anything to Zingo because he knew she would be there to watch Clarice. He went back to his room grabbed some fresh clothes and takes a quick shower. When that's done he goes to grabs some breakfast. He takes a seat with small bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee.
He does not look up right away when Sonia comes and sits in front of him. "Hi, Johnny." She says. He looks up and gives a small smile with a nod and goes back to eating. "So, she's back for good?" Sonia asks. John puts the spoonful of oatmeal back in the bowl and looks at her, "Yeah, she is. Like I said it wasn't safe." He says then drinks some of his coffee. "I thought you would be back in a day, was she that hard to find?" Sonia asked. "Sonia you never cared this much about anyone that I brought back why start now?" John asked. "Johnny I was worried. It never took you a few days to find someone." She said.
"I found Clarice it took me 2 hours, but I found her. The rest of that time does not concern you." He says then eats the last of his oatmeal and downs the rest if his coffee. "Then why did you spend the night in her room?" John gets up taking the bowl and the cup over to the sink. "You're going to have to ask Clarice it's not my place say." With that he leaves and goes to talk with Sage. She tells him what had been going on for the past two days. Which wasn't much Lorna was training the teens, Caitlin was teaching the kids, and she and Reed were going through the police files that they had stolen from Baton Rouge.
"What was that?" John asks looking at the monitor.
Sage clicks some keys. "Sentinel Services just hit Perry, they have a 72.6% chance of all being captured." John nods and heads out.
"Shatter." He says as he turns the corner. "We're going to need to talk to the folks in Gainesville, make sure they're ready for more refugees." He says.
Shatter nods, "I'm on it."
John continues on making his way toward the stairs. "Hey, John, can I have a word?" He stops turns to see Reed he nods. "We need to go see my father in Chattanooga. I know it's a risk, but he is our only connection to Trask." Reed says. "You think he'll know something?" John asks. "Maybe, maybe not. We don't have much choice." Reed says with a shrug. John sighs, "The station in Perry just fell. We're going to pick up survivors now. You prep a car, some supplies. We'll leave as soon as I get back." John says as he climbs up the stairs knowing that Reed will get everything ready.
Once he's on the top floor he sees Marcos with two big black bags. "Clarice is getting the cars ready." He says. John takes the bag and swings it over his shoulder. "Clarice?" John asks. "Lorna's not coming, man." Marcos says as he starts to walk away. "Is something wrong?" John asks. "Everything's fine." Marcos says. "Marcos, a problem between you two affects everyone. You're both leaders at this station-" John gets cut off. "She's just not coming, okay?" Marcos says defensively. "All right." John says letting it go for now as they head back downstairs and towards the entrance.
When they get outside John sees Clarice switching the plates and Sonia approach her. "Hey. I know things have been awkward since you got back. I hope there's no hard feelings between us." Sonia says. Is she serious right now? "Well, I'm going to have to disappoint you. I'm only here for one reason: my foster parents were slaughtered by the Sentinel Services and I'm gonna fight back. This is a war. And we're on the same side. It's the only relationship we need." Clarice says as she walks away getting in the passenger side of the car Marcos is going to drive.
Sonia looks slightly hurt then she turns to John. He just shakes his head and gets in the other car. They drive off to the church that Sage had told them to go and pick up survivors. Once they arrive the pastor comes out.
"Grateful you came so quick. Sentinel Services is even coming after us now. So much for sanctuary." The pastor says as they walk to the small barn.
"How many refugees are there?" Marcos asks.
"A dozen fled here when the station in Perry got hit. Plus a few strays." The pastor says.
"Let's load them up." John says. "I just have to hide them in here during services." The pastor says with a grunt as he tries to move the big trashcan. "I got you, Padre." John says as he places his hand on it and it moves away with ease. The pastor looks shocked he then moves to unlock the barn.
"It's all right. These are friends. They'll get you to safety." The pastor says as the mutants start to come out. One of them says 'wow'.
"Toss your stuff in the back, grab a seat, quick as you can. We'll brief you on everything once we get where we're going." Marcos says as he walks over to the back of his car. He pulls out the black bag he brought and places it on the ground. A little boy walks over as Marcos pulls out a teddy bear. "You want to keep it? Here you go." The boy smiles.
Clarice looks at the exchange and smiles, then she looks back in the barn to see a mutant girl with dirty blonde hair and a slightly blue face shy behind a latter. "Hey. You okay? It's all right. Come on. I got you." She says as she holds out her hand for the younger mutant to take. She does and walks with Clarice to the car. John feels his heart flutter a bit at the sight of Clarice and the girl.
"Hey, I need to talk to you." John notices a blonde with short hair say. "What is it?" He asks his senses alert now. "I'm a telepath. I can sense thoughts, if I'm close enough, and I've been getting some very weird thoughts from one of the others." The blonde says looking in the direction of the potential threat. "That big guy there?" John asks. "Not him, her." They look again the big guy has moved out of the way and a thin woman in grey shirt with a backpack. The telepath moves away.
John walks over to the woman and asks, "Excuse me. Ma'am? What's your name?" She looks but does not acknowledge him. "Hey." John says as he gently grabs her wrist and that's when he sees the tattoo the same one that Pulse has. Before he can say anything else he gets kicked in the stomach and launched to the trashcan making a huge dent in it. This mutant then punches the telepath in the gut and kicks some guy back in the barn.
"Everybody get down." Marcos says. The mutant then yanks the telepath over the hood of the car and she falls on the little boy with the teddy bear. Something snapped. John tries to punch her twice, but he misses while she gets several hits in and then kicks him in the gut he falls back and she hits him in the gut again before going after someone else. She pushes some woman and she falls back and hits the tree.
"Can you get me above her?" John asks Clarice. She nods, "Go." He runs, while Marcos fires off his lasers he traps the mutant. Clarice kneels and opens a big portal John jumps on the car then through the portal. He comes out the other and punches the mutant in the face then he restrains her using his legs to trap her and his arm locks with hers keeping her in place. She struggles against him, "Stop." He says.
"Stay down." Marcos says to the others who are still behind the car. The boy is in pain the telepath and other woman look him over. Marcos and Clarice both approach John. "So, what do we do with her?" Marcos asks.
John looks at Clarice, "Call HQ tell them to lock the cell doors and do nothing till we get back." She nods and grabs her burner to make the call. "Marcos check her bag. We need to know what else she had in store for us." He nods and goes to grab the bag.
"They are locking the cell as we speak. Now what?" John releases the mutant legs but keeps a strong grip on her arm and they both stand. "Now you open a portal to the cell and I'll toss her in." Clarice nods and opens the portal to the cell in HQ. John tosses her him and the portal closes. "Let's get back to HQ." They walk back to the cars after Marcos shows John and Clarice what was in her bag. They quickly get everyone in the cars and dash back to HQ without being caught. Once they got back they asked Shatter, Lauren, and Andy to take them to Caitlin to get checked out.
The trio met up with Sonia, Reed, Sage, and Lorna outside of the cell. "Is there a reason that she's in there?" Reed asks.
"She's a hound." Clarice simply says.
"So, she was sent as a spy?" Dreamer asks.
"Something between a spy and a suicide bomber. She had a beacon in her bag she could've activated when we brought her in. It would've sent Sentinel Services right to our front door. She had weapons, too." Marcos says.
"Yeah, it sounds like the station in Perry was hit by another one of these, uh, things." Lorna says looking at the mutant in the cell as she walks a bit closer.
"If Sentinel Services is planting these things out there, we may need to stop taking in refugees." Sage says.
John shakes his head, "You don't turn your back on desperate people because one of them might be dangerous." He then looks over at Reed who's sitting in a chair. "Reed. We should get on the road. Try and figure out whatever we can from your dad before it's too late." Reed nods and gets up. "Yeah."
"Hey, what about Little Miss Vicious?" Lorna asks.
"We got to get what we can out of her. See if you can figure out who she is." John says he turns to Marcos and Lorna. "Do you think you can handle this?" He asks them.
"Yeah." Marcos says.
"We'll be fine." Lorna says with her arms crossed. John gives a slight nod then walks away with Reed in tow. John goes to grab some water and food while Reed goes to talk to his family. They leave after that.
A few hours later Clarice left the group to help give out blankets and supplies to the new group for refugees since they may be staying for a while. Not that she minded she had just climbed the stairs to the upper level and as she turned she saw the little mutant girl sitting on a couch her expression blank. Clarice walked over and took a seat.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asks a bit loudly. The young mutant flinches. Clarice sighs, "My name's Clarice. What's your name?" Clarice asks. "It's Norah." The mutant girl says quietly. "Norah. That's a pretty name." Clarice says. "It was pretty rough back there. I know. Do you want to talk about it?" Norah shakes her head. "If you change your mind, my bunk's right down there." Clarice says as she points diagonally to where her bunk is. "Okay." Norah says. "Here. In case you get cold." Clarice says as she places a blanket on the seat and then she gets up and walks ways to give out the rest.
Clarice returns to her room after she's finished her task and just thinks about John and if he and Reed made it to where they were going without being caught. She shakes her head. That's just the memory that Sonia put in your head that's not real. But what if he does really want you back? He went out of his way to find you again and he was here all last night? No, he probably wanted to make sure I didn't run away again. Clarice rolls her eyes at the thought, but she has some hope that they can start over. She decides to go upstairs to get something to eat.
Meanwhile in Chattanooga, Tennessee...
"It's just up here." Reed says as they continue to walk in the light rain. "Your father runs an antique store? Thought he was a scientist." John says as they get closer to the shop. "He took it over when he retired. He's big on living in the past. That's it." Reed says as she points to the red shop just across the street. They make their way over and head inside.
John closes the door after them. They both look to see an older man working a wind-up box. He looks up and says, "Reed."
Reed says, "Hello." with a nod and walks a bit closer.
"I never thought I'd see you again." His father says.
"Well, I'm here. We need to talk."
Back at the Mutant Underground...
Clarice comes back downstairs and she sees that Norah has moved and Zingo is with her. Clarice smiles. "She likes you. You know, Zingo She's pretty particular about the people she likes." As she says that she takes a seat beside Norah. "She likes me, too. You know why? It's 'cause we're special." Norah looks up at Clarice when she says that. "We are. There's a lot of folks in here that just walk around, you can't even tell they're mutants. But not us. I got my eyes, my ears, you have your skin, and Zingo here is covered in fur." With that she begins to scratch Zingo behind the ears "You're covered all in hair, aren't you, Zingo? Yeah." Clarice smiles when she sees Norah smiling too. Then her expression turns serious.
"How'd you end up here? I mean, at the church." Clarice asks. "Mama D and I were making dinner-" Norah starts, but Clarice cuts her off. "Mama D? Norah, were you at the foster home on Burnhill Road?" She asks. "Yes. The men with the guns they came. I wanted to help. Every time I go to bed, I see them." Norah says as her eyes start to water. Clarice pulls her into a hug and rubs her back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Clarice says as she continues to hold her.
Back in Tennessee...
Reed's father had made his way past both of them and towards the door to flip the sign over to 'Closed'. "You should have called. I would have told you not to waste your time. Who is this?" His father asks.
"My name's John Proudstar. Thunderbird." John introduces himself to the man.
"Ah, Thunderbird. Very heroic." Otto says sarcastically.
"He's with the Mutant Underground. They've been helping my family." Reed explains.
Otto nods. "Is that so? The men from Sentinel Services came by. They seemed to think they were a terrorist organization."
"We're not terrorist, sir." John says.
"No, no. Of course not. Freedom fighters, I'm sure." Otto says.
"We're not here to have a political debate." Reed says then sighs. "Did you hear what happened?"
"At the school? Yes. They told me about it when they interrogated me." Otto says.
"What'd you tell them?" John asks.
"That I never met my grandchildren and haven't spoken to my son in years. In other words, the truth." Otto's expression turned cold. "We need to talk to you about your work at Trask." Reed says. "My work at Trask was classified." Otto states. "I'm your son." Reed says. "Son or not, it's a crime to reveal classified intelligence. It's also a crime to harbor a fugitive. I assume they covered this in law school." Otto says not giving in. "My kids are being hunted by Sentinel Services." Reed says frustrated.
"This has nothing to do with me. I have nothing to say." Otto says shaking his head. "You said for years that Trask was just a defense contractor." Reed says. "Trask no longer exists. I don't have any-" Otto is cut off. "It opened up again! And they are doing anti-mutant research. Now, you worked there for 30 years. And it just turns out that your grandchildren happen to be mutants. Do you expect me to believe that that's a coincidence?" Reed asks as he moves closer to his father.
"They're experimenting on mutants. My own best friend was turned, somehow. He's working for Sentinel Services." John says as he too gets a bit closer.
"Dad, I need you." Reed pleads.
Otto nods, "Come. Upstairs." he says and then heads up himself.
"It's alright. Go." John says as he nods his head in the direction of the stairs. Reed nods and goes up while John stays down as the lookout. He spent at least three hours downstairs thinking about Clarice and how Marcos and Lorna's interrogation was going. He browsed the shop to staying away from the windows but he looked at all of the antics.
Then his senses picked up multiple vehicles coming this way he races up the steps and to the room that Reed and Otto were sitting in. "Reed! There's cars outside. I think it's Sentinel Services." John says. Both men stand while John edges toward the window. Just as he thought, it is Sentinel Services and they have Pulse with them. John can't feel his powers. "The mutant down there, that's my friend, the one they turned. He can suppress powers." John says.
"Is there another way out of here?" Reed asks.
"Only the stairs." Otto says.
John shakes his head, "No, we can't fight our way out, not with Pulse down there. They can cut me down same as you."
"I'll go down." Otto says.
Reed shakes his head, "You can't."
"Maybe I can do something. I told you, our family is different. I'm sorry, Reed. For everything. Tell your mother, will you? Take care of Lauren and Andy. Protect them, son. Protect the world from them." With that Otto gives Reed a final hug then quickly leaves the and heads downstairs.
John and Reed head into the hallway quietly and wait. Reed tries to get closer he whispers, "We have to go down there." John shakes his head and whispers back, "We can't. It's suicide. Reed, we have people depending on us. The station. Your kids." They hear some commotion. Reed asks, "What's happening?" John shakes his head. "I don't know, I-" He gasps.
-gunshots-
"No. No. No!" Reed says as he tries to get passed John to get downstairs. An explosion goes off and it knocks them both to the floor. When they get up John is holding his head with heavy breaths. Reed goes to the wind to see them leaving.
"Come on!" John says and they both race downstairs to find Otto on the floor with two bullet holes in his chest. Reed stays with his Dad and John goes outside to see Pulse on the ground. "Gus?" He says.
"Sorry." Gus says but it's weak.
"I am to, brother. I'm gonna make them pay for what they did to you." Gus grips his old friends hand for a few seconds before it goes limp. Pulse is gone, John closes his eyes.
"We should go." Reed says. John nods as the both hear sirens in the distance. John grabs Gus and gets him in the car he helps Reed get his father and they take off out of town to find a proper place to bury them.
Back at the Underground HQ...
Clarice makes her way outside seeing that Sonia had gone out that way a few hours ago. "Those, don't look so good." She says and Sonia turns around from 'gardening'. "Look about what I said before-" Clarice starts, but Sonia cuts her off. "No, you were right I shouldn't have done what I did. And once it was done I should have told you. It wasn't fair to keep using you like that, war or not." Clarice nods, "I need a favor. And you're the only one that can help."
"What is it?" Sonia asks. "There's a new kid that came in. A refugee. She had the same foster parents as me. When I got sick and my portals went crazy, I kept trying to portal back there, and that's how they found them. She watched them die, and now she can't stop dreaming about it. It's all my fault. I can't take those memories away from her. But you can." Clarice says. "Okay." Sonia says and they both head back inside.
Norah is in the same place that Clarice left her with Zingo at her side. After they explain what they are about to do and ask. Norah gives them a nod and Sonia does her thing. Pink smoke swirls around Norah and soon the memory is gone, and Sonia replaced it with a happier ending. Once it's done she leaves and Clarice walks Norah back up to that couch with Zingo right behind them. Sonia come by with a bowl of Mac 'n' Cheese handing it to her. After Norah eats Clarice takes the bowl and wraps the blanket around the young mutant. She then takes the bowl back to the eating area and gives Sonia a nod before she leaves.
Just outside of Georgia...
John and Reed have just finished digging holes for both Gus and Otto. They place them both in gently and then cover them up. Reed places a photo of him and his family on Otto's and John sprinkles some more dirt on Gus's they sit there in silence for a while then they get back on the rode heading home.
Once they get back to the Mutant Underground they go their separate ways, Reed to his family and John is going up, but he stops when he senses Sonia moving around in his room he shakes his head he does not have time for this. So, he goes to Clarice rather than up to deal with Sonia.
"John? What are you doing here?" Clarice asks as she sits on her bed. "I um." For the second time the fearless leader is lost for words. Clarice sees his face better and instantly gets up and gives him a hug. "Talk to me John." Clarice says and releases him but holds his hand sand leads him to her bed. She sits and so does he. "We found Reed's dad and then Sentinel Services came with Pulse and the shot Reed's dad who turned out to be a mutant and Pulse got caught in the blast and they just left him there like he was nothing." Clarice hugs him again. "John I'm sorry I know you wanted to try and help him." John nods into her shoulder.
"I can't stop thinking that if I had just grabbed him when we rescued Lorna and Reed maybe he would be here." John says. "John, we don't know what could've happened. It was too risky and what if he had a tracker in him? You did the right thing John, don't let the guilt take hold like I have." Clarice says as she rubs his back. "Thank you." John says as he pulls back but keeps his arms around her. "For what?" She asks. "You know for what Clarice." John says. She blushes and looks down.
John lifts her chin up to look her in the eyes then he leans in, at the last second, she turns away he kisses her cheek. "I think it might be too soon." She says. John nods, "Your right." He's about to get up. "Let's take this one day at a time, I don't want to rush this." Clarice says. He smiles. "Sure." She smiles back. "Come on you hide in here tonight." John chuckles and they lay side by side on her bed and fall asleep tired from their long day. They don't notice a blue-eyed mutant watching them.
Oh my gosh what is up with Esme? (Well those of us who watch the show know;) How did you guys like this chapter? I know ThunderBlink is a slow burn right now, but I promise you they will heat up again just not yet. Can you guys believe we have to wait until September 25th to get some more of that Gifted goodness? If you haven't already don't forget to Favorite and Follow! I enjoy hearing from you! Until next time...