Dark Inheritance
Chapter 22
Warning: Mature themes discussed
The doctors rushed the gurney towards the emergency ward. The boy it carried lay coughing like mad, blood trailing from his lips to his chin. Each cough brought a fresh trail.
"What happened to him?" one of the nurses said.
"He just started coughing and the bleeding won't stop." The doctor answered. "It came out of nowhere."
"Get him to ICU." The group wheeled the poor boy in, his face pale and his breathing becoming more labored.
…
Diana and Kayslee sat in the Belmont house living room. The discussion had been going on for a while. Each side had made their decisions about what to do regarding their situations. Kayslee in particular had been adamant; she knew she might be next.
"Is everything set?" Diana asked.
Kayslee nodded. "Just a few more steps and it should pan out."
"What about Andre?"
"He's doing his own thing, as always. We just have to trust him."
The two girls smiled in understanding. Standing, they embraced and wished each other luck.
…
A lone seagull glided across the bay, carried by the winds toward its destination. As it approached, a young, dark-skinned, well-built young man extended his arm. The bird landed dutifully upon the lad's hand. He brought the creature to eye level and stared into them. Moments later, he had what he needed.
"I see. Thank you, my friend. Be safe now."
The bird spread its wings and took flight. Andre sat upon the cargo crate and looked over at one of the structures: a pair of tall office-style buildings, connected by a skywalk. His ultimate destination.
"The time is coming, my friend. Hold tight."
…
JC sat quietly as he watched the others train with their abilities. Many of the other young inheritors were coming along with their abilities. One conjured a small cyclone that moved at his command. A girl levitated a several metal weights and manipulated them one at a time. It was all very impressive. He only wished their circumstances were different.
He sighed. He'd been here just over a week and things hadn't improved. It was another technique the company used against him. He couldn't train due to his restraint; no one on staff trusted him enough to remove it. Not that he needed the practice. They made him watch the others train, unable to participate, making him feel left out, isolated, alone. He figured they hoped to convince him to behave so that he'd be part of the group.
Fat chance he thought. After everything that had happened, everything they'd done, they still thought he and the others belonged to them. He could see it in the eyes of the lab coats and the guards; looks of smug satisfaction.
From time to time, one of the others looked at him during training and smiled slightly. He nodded in understanding; the group had their own dynamics going on. JC and Judith had worked things out with them, arranged for certain measures to be taken against the company. It turned out that many of them, even the ones being treated well, were getting antsy about their living conditions. JC would've loved to bust them out, but Judith pointed out they needed to be careful, to not tip the company's hand.
They'd started small. Some of the inheritors started innocently asking certain questions. "Can we call our families?" "Can we go outside?" The staff politely brushed aside the questions at first, but over time the others became insistent, wondering what the harm was asking. The staff became more adamant on their stance, starting to reveal their true colors.
The techniques moved on from there. Small-scale sit-ins, some went on subtle hunger strikes, among other types of passive resistance. The trick, Judith said, was to rock the boat without becoming too aggressive. "Best leave that to our captors." She'd said. JC could see her point.
The training session concluded. The others started to head out. JC joined them. One of the boys, a frail-looking kid younger than him, started coughing slightly. As they exited the area, his coughing got more severe, to the point where he doubled over on the ground. JC approached him to help and was horrified to see blood coming out of the boy's mouth.
"Stand aside!" several lab staff ran to the boy and picked him up. The others tried to get close but several guards pushed them back. "Nothing to see here, kids." One of them said stoically.
"But he's hurt!" one of them objected.
"He's fine." The guard responded. "We'll just patch him up."
"He needs more than patching up." JC said glaring at the guard.
"Stay out of this, punk." Another guard sneered. The staff took the kid away, the guards close behind them. JC looked at the others and saw their worried looks. They all understood.
…
Marcus and William looked at the report. It was the third death in the last few weeks. Dr. Alan Howards stood before, a look of guilt on his face. All were silent as they took in the info.
"Do we know what's causing this?" Marcus asked.
Alan shifted uneasily. "Autopsy showed significant breakdown of tissue at the cellular level due to excessive organic degradation. This lead to internal hemorrhaging throughout the circulatory and…"
"In layman's terms, please." William cut in.
"His body broke down from the inside." Alan blurted. "The readings showed that channeling his powers destroyed the tissue until he fell apart from the inside."
Marcus and William were surprised. "How did this happen? His powers were coming along just fine."
"Sir, the same thing happened to the other victims." Alan said, using the most appropriate word he could think of. "Their powers overwhelmed their systems and caused them to die."
"That can't be." Marcus said. "Their godgenes were unlocked. Their powers were natural."
"Not for all of them." Alan insisted. "The vector we used can unlock the godgenes and grant powers. But some of the candidate's genes are too latent. Their powers were never meant to awaken." A fresh rush of guilt built up inside him. "Their bodies were never meant to handle the strain. It's our fault."
Marcus and William thought on this for a moment. They looked at each other and came to some agreement. Alan looked hopeful; maybe the madness would stop finally.
"It seems using regular inheritors isn't sufficient." Marcus said.
"Indeed." William agreed. "We'll need some better candidates."
Alan's hear sank. "What candidates?"
William smiled and tapped some buttons on his console. Five faces appeared on the screen before the three men. The five Nephilim that had been in encountered: JC, Judith, Kayslee, Chelsea, and Andre. "The five legendary Nephilim, reborn." He said proudly. "Their inclusion should bolster our ranks and keep the genetic integrity strong."
It was unbelievable. In spite of what had happened, the madness was going to continue. Alan played a certain card. "That won't work. They've resisted too much."
"Dr. Howards," Marcus said pleasantly. "It's called 'divide and conquer'." He tapped Chelsea's picture. "Miss Harmon is out of the picture, sadly." He moved her picture to the side. "Judith is with us already, and she helped us get JC." He moved their pictures aside. "Andre is in the wind. That leaves Miss Simmons all alone." He enlarged Kayslee's picture. "The family will be nearly complete. That should get us back on track."
…
The group sat in one of the residential lounge areas. Many were scared; the boy's episode had them spooked. JC and Judith attempted to calm them.
"Could that be us?" one of the girls asked.
"It keeps happening!" Another cried. "I don't want to die!"
"Everyone, please." Judith said reassuringly. "We need to stay focused."
"For how long?" a boy asked. He looked at the twins. "You said you could get us out."
"Yeah, what good is our resistance if we die before it works?" another asked.
Judith and JC were at a loss. They wanted to promise the others things would work out, but the deaths of some of the others had everyone afraid. Judith looked at JC. He nodded in response.
"Listen, everyone." He said. "Things are going south faster than we thought. But we can't let that deter us from what we're trying to do. If we act afraid, the company will just use it to keep us in line more than ever."
"He's right." Judith agreed. "If anything, we need to show them that this means we need to be set free. I hate using this as an advantage but things will only get worse if we do otherwise."
"And before you say you want to fight your way out," JC pointed out, "remember there are more of them than us. We need to do this without bloodshed under the circumstances. We don't want to risk anybody else."
"Are just saying that because of that?" another boy pointed to his restraint. "You were more than willing to fight without it. Seems like you've lost your nerve." The statement stung JC. Judith came to his defense.
"If he did, he'd lose and we'd be screwed several times over. We need to be patient." She insisted.
"You don't have a restraint!" one of the girls said. "You're as powerful as your brother! Why can't you do something?"
"I'm still only one person." Judith reminded her. "If we get violent now, everyone here is going to suffer, us more than them." She sighed. "Everyone, please, you need to trust us. We have to stick together."
The others were hesitant but nodded in agreement. Then, the sound of a door opening got their attention. All turned to see a group of guards walk in and start towards the group. As they approached, their focus was on one person.
"JC Reinhardt, would you come with us?" It did not sound like a request.
"What for?" JC asked.
"Just come." The guard took him by the arm and pulled him up. The others started to object but JC waved them off. "It's okay." He said quickly. The guards escorted him out, leaving Judith and the others in silent worry.
…
JC was escorted to the other building. The guards didn't look happy; they stayed close around him, barely giving him any room. Shortly they came to a small meeting room. William and Marcus were there, along with Gail Smith.
"JC, we need to talk." William said.
"About what?" JC asked innocently.
"There have been some concerns as of late." William picked up. "It seems the other inheritors here have picked up some distressing habits."
JC remained silent.
"Sit-ins, hunger strikes, overt questioning of our rules – not the kind of behavior we expect from our charges here." William looked disapprovingly at him.
"Sounds like just regular teenage behavior to me." JC quipped.
"Except none of this was happening until you showed up here." Gail pointed out.
"I was brought here against my will." JC said curtly.
"You're here for the same reasons as the others: to fulfill your obligations to the family." Marcus cut it. "And we suspect you're responsible for their behavior as of late."
"They make their own decisions." JC responded.
"As one of the Nephilim, you're supposed to help them make the right decisions." William said. "These actions are in direct contrast to what we need."
JC shrugged.
"Whether you're responsible or not, we need you to help things along." Marcus continued. "On that note, there's a task we'd like you to help with."
"What's that?" JC asked, concerned.
"Our backers want the project to start moving forward more effectively." Marcus said. "New, more powerful candidates would help with that."
JC didn't like where this was going.
"We have you and your sister." William said. "Chelsea Harmon is lost to us." He gave JC a stern look at that remark. "Mr. Hypolite and Miss Simmons are still available. However, they are reluctant to accept our hospitality."
"Which is why," Marcus picked up, "we need to you to convince them to come in peacefully. Help them understand we want to help them."
JC was silent for a moment. The idea that he'd ever help them was absurd. They couldn't be that naïve. "Why would I do that?"
"Well, for two reasons." Marcus started. "First, as some of the more powerful inheritors out there, it's essential that they be given guidance on how to best use their powers for the benefit of us all."
JC stifled a snort at that one.
"Second," Marcus continued, sounding more serious, "is that, one way or another, they're joining us. We'd prefer if they came in without incident. However, we're prepared to use other methods if necessary."
"If you hurt them…"
"We'd rather not." William insisted. "But their abilities are needed more than ever. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. You of all people should know that."
JC still hesitated. Marcus picked up. "JC, we've said from the beginning: your destiny is with us, as is that of your friends. How do you think they'd feel, knowing your selfishness screwed them out of their rightful place?"
JC glared at him. "What do I think? I think they'd never forgive me if I betrayed them. They don't want this any more than I do. Forget it."
The others were quiet for a time. "So, that's you final answer, cousin?" Marcus said. JC kept silent. "Have it your way." He addressed the guards. "Administer the penalty." The guards grabbed JC and dragged him off.
…
They headed down a corridor to an empty room down the hall. Once inside, one guard shoved JC to the floor. Another kicked him in the ribs. "Decided to be difficult, didn't you?" he sneered. Another kicked his back. "Don't understand where your place is?" JC tried to get up but was kicked onto his back. "Guess we have to drive the point home, don't we?" One of them grabbed JC and pulled him to his feet. Holding onto his shirt, he wound up for a punch. As he swung, JC blocked with his left before smashing his right on the guard's face. The guard recoiled from the blow. One grabbed JC from behind as another moved in to attack. JC gave him a double kick to his chest, sending him flying. Gathering his strength, he flipped the guard holding him over his shoulder onto the floor. JC stood and gathered himself as the guards slowly got to their feet.
"Come on, is that all you got?" he taunted.
They looked hesitant to attack him again. JC braced for another set when the door handle rattled. It swung open and Sarah and James Reinhardt came in, looking shocked. "What's going on in here?" Sarah demanded.
"Just reeducating this delinquent." One of the guards explained.
James and Sarah seethed at this. "Stay away from him. That's an order." James stated.
"But the boss said…"
"Back off!" James roared. He looked at JC. "Son, we're sorry, we just found out. Let's get you out –"
"Spare me." JC sneered. With a final look at the guards, he stormed out.
…
He was still sore by the time he made it back to the other building. Several of the other inheritors saw him as he arrived. They looked hesitant, as if they were afraid to look at him. Word must've gotten out that he'd been taken. He shook his head and went back to the common area. The room was empty. One of the TVs played some program the company had set up. JC sat down in one of the single couches.
This was too much. He'd been stuck inside, unable to make any real move against them, and now just narrowly avoided getting roughed up for being disobedient. At this rate, he'd be lucky to get out of this in one piece.
"JC!" He turned and saw Judith enter the room. He stood as she ran up and hugged him. "Are you okay?"
He told her what happened. A look of dismay crossed her face. "I'm sorry, I should have stopped them."
"Then we both might've been hurt. Or I'd have gotten it worse."
Judith shook her head. "We can't keep doing this. We need to step things up, work on some kind of plan. Maybe we can –"
"Like what?" JC said. "We're trapped in here, I don't have my powers, and the people here are too well-prepared for any uprising."
Judith nodded in depressed agreement. "That doesn't mean I'm giving up. We'll come up with something, I promise." She buried her face in his shoulder. "We'll get out of here. We all will."
JC held her close. He was still doubtful, but he held on to that small hope.
…
Her mind reached out. Snippets of thoughts flowed around her. Carefully, she singled out the ones she sought; their eager focus on her made them stand out. Concentrating, she wove her own thoughts into theirs, subtly adjusting the message for the recipients. She had to be precise; too much force and they might detect her influence. Moments later, she withdrew; her job was complete.
Kayslee sat back and wiped her brow. Her efforts were wearing her out. She couldn't do it much longer. Fortunately, she didn't have too. The main work was done; just a few slight adjustments remained. All would come together at her next performance.
"Hang tight, everyone. Opportunity will knock soon."
…
A chime sounded. JC woke up reluctantly. His clock said 1 AM. Who's here at this hour? He thought. The door chimed again. He got up and opened the door to his room. Before him stood his father, a concerned look on his face.
"JC come with me." He said quietly.
"Why?" JC said. His patience with his own father was tenuous at best.
"Please, it's important." James urged. JC relented and followed him.
On the way, they ran into Sarah, his mother. Judith was accompanying her, looking as confused as her brother. "Okay, this way." She said. The four went down a side hallway and entered a small room. A table with four chairs was set up. The parents gestured for the kids to take seats on one end while they took the other. The two parents looked uneasy, almost guilty.
"What's this about?" Judith asked.
The parents hesitated. Finally Sarah spoke. "We needed to talk to you privately. There are things going on you need to know about."
"I think we already know the gist." JC said, annoyed. "We're experiments in bringing back powerful beings meant to serve your group. That sum it up?"
Judith nodded. "We know you had us solely for advancing your project. That's why you got married in the first place."
"That was the case at first." James said. "But that wasn't the only reason." He took his wife's hand.
"We were fascinated by the project, and looked forward to contributing to the family's plans." Sarah said. Her face fell. "But, over time, we realized what it would mean for the two of you, how badly it would affect you."
"So we started taking measures against it." James continued.
"How?" JC said, not convinced. "You drugged me on our birthday so I wouldn't interfere."
"I only gave you half the drug they wanted." James admitted. JC was surprised at the confession. "Any less and they would have gotten suspicious."
"We figured you could hold out against it long enough to get away." Sarah said.
JC was surprised. "You expected me to get away? What was the plan after? Did you arrange for the Belmonts to find me?"
"No." James said. "Our plan was to keep you away and try to help you from a distance."
"We couldn't let the family know." Sarah concurred. "It was luck that someone was able to help you."
"Wait." Judith cut in. "Your plan was to interfere afterwards? Why didn't you just refuse in the first place?"
"We were in too deep." Sarah said sadly. "William and the others wanted you for the project. And you know how determined they are. They would have just taken you from us legally and then we'd never see you again."
JC and Judith were stunned. "So your plan was to just keep me away?" JC asked.
"And keep me locked up?" Judith said indignantly.
"In both cases, yes." James answered. "We determined the best way each of you could subvert the project." He looked at his son. "JC, you're the fighter. Locked up, you'd have gone crazy within a week. Outside, however, you'd figure out how to hit them."
"And Judith, honey." Sarah addressed her daughter. "Smart, resourceful, and clever. You easily figured out how this place works, as well as connected with the other inheritors to rally them together. It gave your brother an inside man."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Judith said stoically.
"It's okay." James said. "We knew you were helping your brother out. You two were always so close, we knew you'd manage to work together, even when separated."
"We did what we could on this end." Sarah chimed in. "But we had to be subtle. Marcus and William were suspicious about us from the beginning. That's why I wanted you to be quiet about the wand I was making."
JC thought for a moment. "The Purifier…"
James nodded. "I had it sent to the Belmonts anonymously. You've made good use of it so far."
"Unfortunately," Sarah said. "JC did his job too well. The company became angry at his interference. We had hoped to avoid having him get stuck here, but the company stepped up its efforts."
The twins were at a loss. These revelations were completely unexpected. "So, let me get this straight…" JC said, his ire rising slowly. "You realized only too late that we would be screwed by the company's project, so your only recourse was to separate us and hope for the best?"
James and Sarah were silent. Judith cut in. "What kind of a plan was that? Do you realize what we've been through?"
"I've been beaten and tortured." JC stated.
"I've been examined and humiliated." Judith said.
Their parents looked apologetically at them. "Kids, we're so sorry for everything." James finally said. "We realize nothing we do will make up for our behavior. We promise, though, we'll make this right somehow."
"I'll tell you how you're going to make this right." JC said, standing up. He held out his right arm with the restraint. "First, you're going to get this off me and give me my powers back. Second, you're going to show me where they've stashed my gear. Finally, you're going to step aside while I tear this place apart looking for Marcus."
"And what do you plan to do once you find him?" Sarah asked.
"I'm going to tear his face off!"
The parents hesitated. "Son, that won't work." James finally said. "They still have plenty of defenses to take you out the moment you launch any attack. And they wouldn't hold back any more." Sarah nodded in agreement.
"So what do we do now?" Judith insisted.
"Keep working on whatever plan you have." Sarah instructed. "We'll keep the heat off you where possible. Just don't tell us what you're doing."
"Given the situation, our options are still limited." James said. "Best to lay low for now."
The twins weren't happy about this, but knew their parents had a point. Judith stood, taking her brother's arm. "It's late, we need to go back." She exited the room, pulling JC with her.
…
Judith pulled her brother back to dorm rooms, but instead of dropping him off at his place, she dragged him to hers and pulled him inside. The room was familiar to him; like his own, most of her original belongings had been moved over, plus some new additions. Judith sat down on her bed as he sat at her desk chair. Both were silent for a while.
"So what do you make of this?" Judith finally asked him.
JC shook his head. "I don't know anymore. If they're telling the truth, it was the dumbest plan I've ever heard."
Judith nodded. "It was only an option because they didn't stop it in the first place. Do you think we can trust them?"
JC was hesitant. "Part of me does, maybe out of old loyalty. But then I think of what they let them do to us."
Judith shuddered. "And what they plan for us." She let that thought sink in. JC got up and walked over to her.
"That won't happen." JC said defiantly. "I won't let them."
Judith looked scared. "You say that but…they're determined. And they'll find a way if given the chance." She stood and took his hands in hers. "If that does happen, if you can't stop them, if they're about to…" she couldn't finish the description. Instead she put his hands around her neck in a choking position. "You do what you have to do." She said, looking him right in the eyes.
JC shook his head in shock. "No, sis. I can't"
"Yes you can!" Judith said pleadingly. "I know you, brother. I know what you're capable of. If push comes to shove, you'll do what's necessary. Promise me you will." JC hesitated. "Promise me!" Judith begged.
JC was speechless. Of course he'd never want to hurt his own sibling. But if the alternative was… "Sis, I promise it won't come to that. I swear." He said finally.
Judith nodded. "Fair enough."
JC nodded. "I should go, it's late." He turned to go. Judith held onto his arm.
"Could you…stay here tonight?" she asked shyly. JC was confused. "It's just…with everything that's happened, even with what they just said…I don't want to be alone. Please."
"Okay." JC said. "You take the bed, I'll take the floor.
"No." Judith said. "I want to sleep holding hands, like we did when we were very young."
This was unusual, even given the turn of events. But JC saw the desperate look in Judith's eyes and couldn't turn her down. The two barely fit onto her bed and held hands. As he turned the lights out he could just barely hear his sister sobbing slightly.
Sis, we'll get out of this he thought. Just be strong.
…
Days later, Marcus and William received a new call from the investors.
"Gentlemen, we've come to a decision." one of the men said.
"In addition to your relative's acts of sabotage," a woman said, "several of your candidates have responded negatively to the vector. The one used to gather them in the first place."
"We're working on fixing that situation." William insisted.
"That won't be enough at this point." The Mid-Eastern man stated. "We need to move things forward."
"You are to proceed to the next step involving the Nephilim." The one from Asia instructed. "Make any arrangements necessary."
"But it's still too soon…" Marcus started.
"If you won't do what's required for the project," Britain's rep said, "we will find someone who will. You're not the only people interested in them."
Marcus and William nodded. They knew what to do.
…
JC and Judith were escorted to the cafeteria on the residential side. William, Marcus, Gail and their parents were there, awaiting them. The twins were confused. "What's going on?" Judith asked.
"We wanted you two to join us once again." William said. "We understand your lack of trust in the family as of late. I felt that sharing a meal might help smooth things over."
JC was about to launch into a rant that nothing could smooth over what they'd been through when Judith touched his arm. He got the message; he'd made his feelings clear already. He looked towards his parents. "This your idea?"
"It was Marcus who suggested it." Sarah said. "But we were happy to join. We know it's been hard on the both of you."
"Please, sit." Gail said, motioning towards one of the tables. JC and Judith sat on one side while the adults were seated opposite. Wait staff brought out sandwiches with tall glasses filled with drink. JC eyed his sandwich suspiciously; the scene was all too familiar. He looked and saw the adults start with their food. He and Judith exchanged a look. Judith tentatively bit into her sandwich. Nothing happened and she shrugged. JC picked up his and took a test bite. Ham and cheese. It was good, a little too much mayo though. He chewed carefully. No reaction. None of the adults eyed him suspiciously. What's going on? He thought.
"Judith, my dear." William said. "We'd like to talk about your future here."
Judith perked up. "Yes?" she said cautiously.
"You've come a long way with your training." William continued. "Your powers and magic skills are very impressive."
"We believe," Gail said, "that you're ready for the next step."
Both twins stopped eating. JC fixed a glare on the adults.
"Now, there's nothing to be scared of." Marcus said reassuringly. "Our facilities are the best in the world. You'll be in the best care."
"Hold on." James said, looking indignant. "She's still a child. She's not ready."
"She's plenty old enough." Gail cut in. "In the prime of her youth, and at the peak of health."
"Wait." Judith said. "Look, I'm not ready. I just…I can't."
"Judith, what's there to be scared of?" Gail said. "It's a natural process for a woman. We'll be with you every step of the way."
JC was about to stand up and make it clear what 'step' he was about to take when Sarah cut in. "She's our daughter. We feel she should proceed when she's ready. No sooner."
The other adults looked at the parents cautiously. "Well, I supposed you have a point." William concurred. "Such a joyous occasion shouldn't be rushed. Forgive me, Judith."
The adults went back to eating. JC calmed down inside. He reached for his drink – cola – and took a swig to stifle any further outburst. He grimaced; the liquid had a very bitter aftertaste, followed by a tingle that hit his lips, traveling down to his arms, fingers…
Oh hell. He fell over and couldn't move. Judith and their parents stood up in shock. "JC, what happened?" Judith asked.
"Calm down, Judith." Gail said.
"Everything will be okay." William insisted.
Several guards entered the room and approached them. Judith realized what was happening. Summoning her power, she turned to unleash a blast at her family – then a guard clamped a wristband on her right wrist, snuffing out her light in a blink.
"Marcus, what's the meaning of this?" Sarah demanded.
"We're sorry." Marcus said. "Orders came down from the investors. The project is to proceed as planned. We'd hoped to get your daughter to consent but…oh well."
"You son of a…" James growled.
"Now, now, I meant what I said." William said, trying to stay calm. "Your daughter will be given the best of care in a warm, loving environment. There's no need to worry."
"She's a child!" James shouted.
"At her age, her potential can't be wasted." Gail pointed out.
"However, given your feelings on the matter," Marcus said, "we feel it's best you be kept out of it. Our staff can take it from here."
James and Sarah tried to intervene, but more guards showed up and overpowered them, escorting them from the room quickly. Judith was quickly restrained despite her struggles. Marcus walked over to JC's prone form and knelt down, a disappointed look on his face.
"I'm truly sorry about this, cousin." He said, sounding genuinely sorry. "But everyone knows you'd never allow this to happen. We can't have that. Your sister has a duty to fulfill. We'd hoped you'd want to be part of it too, but it's clear that won't happen. It's best to put you somewhere you can't cause any harm…and no harm can come to you. You'll just sleep for a little while. Surely there are worse alternatives." He stood and approached Judith. "Now my dear, if you'll just come with us…"
Judith spat right in his face, fixing him with a death glare. Marcus calmly wiped his face as Judith was taken from the room. JC remained immobilized as several guards picked him up and carried him away in another direction – and to a destination unknown.
…
The group waited by the van outside the theater. One man sat in the driver's seat, the other two, one man, one woman, waited by the side door. They were dressed in dark suits with sunglasses, looking like a security detail.
"Are we all clear on the plan?" The woman said over her earpiece. "Once the show is over, the asset is to be escorted to the vehicle and head directly to the airport. Use whatever means necessary to secure her cooperation."
The others sounded their agreement. "Too bad…she won't be performing for a long time. She'll be way too busy." The one next to her quipped.
"I think she'll get used to it." The woman said. "After all, what young woman wouldn't want to live in Paris?"
…
Kayslee sat at her dressing room table, rubbing her temples. Her stalkers' eagerness was detectable even inside the building. She'd latched onto those feelings and conveyed her own, subtle suggestions. With any luck, the plan would work. It had to. "It's showtime." She said finally.
…
JC was brought to one of the lowest levels of the building, through a room with several terminals, into one with a large, metallic table in the middle. Inside it was hollowed out, like a shallow casket. The guards lay him down in the table, staring at the ceiling. The scientists quickly stripped off his garments, leaving him in only his boxers. One of the scientists saw his silver zodiac pendant and took it for himself. His arms were strapped at the wrists, not that he could move anyways. Above him a heavy metal lid hung suspended by pulleys and wires. Large runes were carved into the underside were he could see. His understanding of the old language spelled it out: Imprisonment.
…
Kayslee stepped out onto the stage, the audience going wild. Raising the mike, she launched into one of the most intense performances of her life. Her power, specially practiced for this moment, poured out from her, pulsing though the speakers.
Her would-be captors heard the concert start. The woman smiled; she remembered one of the staff who was a big fan. She put in a call to them that the concert was on.
…
The scientists adjusted the instruments in the lab. Power began to flow into the lid above JC. The runes began to glow. "Ten minutes until power is optimal. Then we commence containment." One of them said.
"Pity." Said one of the others. "So young. If only he'd been smart about his powers. Guess he'll reconsider once he wakes up, whenever that is." She looked over at another colleague. "Benson, stop staring at the monitor." Benson acknowledged and came over, leaving the monitor, and the concert it displayed, on. The music began to get louder.
…
Kayslee's power reached its crescendo. The waves flowed from her without restraint, overwhelming the concert hall's systems. Her body began to falter. No! I can't stop now! This is for my friend! She pushed herself further.
Outside, the capture team felt the power through their earpieces. The intensity began to affect them. They tried to pull them out but it was too late. A surge went through their inner ears and brought them down. They collapsed where they stood.
…
The lab equipment began to spark. A power surge was overwhelming the system.
"What's happening?"
"It's the concert! Shut off the monitor!" But it was too late. A final pulse and the equipment shut down. At the same time, JC's wristband began to vibrate and spark. It burst as the emergency lights came on.
…
"Let me go!" Judith screamed. They had taken her to the other building, heading for one of the medical labs. Her nightmare was coming true; she was caught, fully restrained, with no one coming to help. Seeing JC incapacitated filled her with dread.
"Please be calm my dear." Gail tried to calm her. "You're about to experience the wonders of motherhood. And the others will welcome you."
"I don't want that!" Judith yelled, trying to kick at her captors. Suddenly a surge went through the building, causing the lights to shake and flicker. The building shook. The walls shifted. In the distance some pops and booms could be heard. The adults stopped and looked confused.
"Sir!" Kai Lung and Hasan Pagan, the two goons who worked for the company, ran up to them. "Are you alright?"
Marcus nodded. He went over to a nearby wall phone and pressed a button. "What's going on?" he demanded.
"Something attacked the buildings main power grid." Someone answered. "Main power is out in several areas. Some structural damage detected. Security systems have been compromised."
"Is the building still secure?" William cut in.
"Negative. The ECM system is shot. We're totally exposed!"
Marcus gritted his teeth. "Get security to cover any areas they can." He turned towards the others. "Kai, you and Gail head over to the residential building and cover the other candidates. Hasan, go with my father and check out the rest of this building." He looked at Judith. "I think we need a change of scenery, my dear."
…
The last surge of power left Kayslee. She smiled, knowing she had done all she could. Good luck, JC she thought. It's up to you now. She collapsed on stage, a smile on her face.
…
Strength surged into JC's body. His mind cleared, allowing him to focus. The part of him that had been asleep all this time was awake at last. He looked at the lid hanging above him; the runes had gone dark. He looked around at the others, all scrambling about the equipment. He looked down at himself, clad in his boxers, and confirmed; the band was gone.
"Halt!" A guard approached him from the right. JC pulled at the table restraint. The guard reached him just as it snapped. In a quick motion he grabbed the guard's face and slammed it into the table. The guard dropped. Another pull and his left side was free. He got up and jumped from the table, eyeing the remaining occupants evilly.
"Look out!" one of them yelled. It was too late. JC raced forward and attacked. He punched one scientist out before backhanding another into the wall. He brought his arm down on a third as he tried to run. The final one bee lined for the door. JC ran up grabbed him, turning him around to face him.
"I'd say you should have killed me when you had the chance," he snarled. "but a chance is something you never really had." He looked down; his pendant was around the man's neck. "That's mine!" JC growled, yanking it off the man. A solid punch to the face put him down. JC looked about the rest of the room. He saw the monitor off to the side. A figure lay still on a stage, a smile on her face.
Kayslee. He walked over and looked at it sadly. He grabbed the monitor and flung it against the wall, smashing it. I'll make this count, I swear. He headed over to the door and pushed the button to leave.
One the other side was a small setup room. Sitting on the bench was a familiar sight: His bag of holding. They must've been planning on sealing that away as well. He dug through it; his gear was all intact, including the Purifier. And even better than that: A set of his old outfit. He pulled on a grey muscle shirt, blue cargo pants, his socks and boots, and tactical gloves. The final piece was the best: His mask, as intimidating as ever. Brushing it off, he slipped it on; it fit just as well as before. A thought crossed his mind. He held out his hand and focused. In a flash, his ancestor's sword was once again in his hand. "Welcome back old friend." He said with a smile. Now, he felt like himself again. Finally, he dug out his phone, dialing a familiar number. "Diana?"
"JC!" she sounded relieved. "Are you okay? Kayslee…"
"I saw." He replied. "No time for that now. Can you lock on to my location?"
Diana was silent for a moment. "Got it. You're…you're in the bay area along the edge."
"Good job." JC answered, glad for the info. "Contact Detective Johnson and tell him to send in the troops immediately."
"Understood. Do you need us to come get you?"
"They have Judith." He said gravely. "I'll contact you when I have an update."
"Alright. And JC – stay safe." She hung up.
It was time to go.
…
JC walked through a corridor-like room lined with monitors and equipment. Scientists raced about trying to operate the systems, shouting orders. When JC walked by them, they stopped and backed away. Any condescension they once had for him was replaced by terror. He stalked past them towards the door on the end, barely acknowledging them. A display indicated it was locked, a keycard required to open it. He looked to the side at the scientist sitting at a terminal, a look a fear on his face. A keycard hung from his neck. JC reached down and took it, pulling it along with the man towards the door. With a beep the monitor changed and the door opened. He turned back to the others and pulled the scientist off his feet, glaring at him through his mask.
"I want you people gone!" He said, barely restraining his rage. "I want you out of this building, I'm taking over! And if you ever fu –"
"Please, we'll leave!" One of them begged. JC dropped the man and headed out the door. The room led to an elevator. Inside, the display indicated he was on the bottom floor. As he rode it up, he thought about what had just transpired. They had Judith. They intended to breed her. And tried to lock him away to prevent him from stopping it.
"Well, I'm not locked up." He said, seething. "I'm back, and I'm done playing around. And that's something they're going to regret – In spades!"
~To be continued