Discovery
Merc leaned against the wall. She had been dancing for hours now. She had taken off her shirt and was now down to wearing a tank top. She was beginning to wish that she had a pair of shorts. The pants were nice but were starting to feel really hot against her skin.
Wow she's got an amazing body.
Merc jumped and turned around, spotting a few people standing by the doorway.
Geez what I wouldn't do…
Holy shit, she's looking this way.
A few people looked away from her but Merc could see that none of them had spoken. So why on earth did she hear them talking? She looked at the stereo and let it play for a few more seconds before reaching out to turn it off. The switch on it moved by herself and Merc jumped back.
Oh my god what the hell was that?
"Out of my way." Merc said, rushing past the people. She wasn't sure if they moved by themselves or she made them move…somehow. She rushed through the halls.
Whoa, what's the matter with her?
Merc groaned and slapped her hands over her ears, stopping for a moment.
"Now picture that…but everywhere!" Johnny said. Merc looked around, hearing him. "It was…everywhere. What?"
"Oh thank god." Merc said, running around the corner to find Reed and Sue looking at Johnny who had a pink parka wrapped around his waist. "Guys! I'm hearing people in my head and I am SO not liking it." She smiled slightly. "It's kinda cool but I can't make it stop!" Her smile was gone. "What is going on?"
Wow…she really should wear tank tops more often. Check out that body on…my best friend!! Johnny Thought
"Shut up!" Merc said, crossing her arms over her chest. "When you're dancing for hours you…what?" She noticed Reed and Sue looking at her.
"The cloud has fundamentally altered our DNA." Reed said in a deadpan tone.
"Cool!" Johnny said.
"You're crazy." Merc said. She looked around. "Umm…where's my uncle?" They all looked at each other then headed off to Ben's room. Johnny kept snapping his fingers, making his one finger burst into flame.
"Johnny." Sue said. Johnny ignored her, watching his finger.
This is so cool. Johnny thought
Merc glanced at him.
"Johnny stop." Sue said. Johnny still ignored her. "Damn it, Johnny. Stop!"
"Ok." Johnny said.
"Ok? God!" Sue said.
"God!" Johnny said, copying her.
"Ben, are you there?" Reed asked, knocking on Ben's door. "Sue do you have the combination?"
"Yeah." Sue said, going to the number pad next to the door and punching in codes.
"Uncle Ben?" Merc called through the door. She stood on her tiptoes to see over Reed's head as he looked through the little window. "What the hell is going on in there?" She could see the blankets moving as if Ben was rolling around but the shape under it was a lot bigger then her uncle.
"Hey, does someone have a key for these doors?" Johnny called, looking down the hall.
"Uncle Ben! Open the door!" Merc called. She suddenly winced and backed away, bent over slightly with her hand on her head.
"Damn…Merc you ok?" Johnny asked.
"Somethings wrong with him." Merc said. She whimpered slightly, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to block out the pain.
"That's gross." Johnny said, suddenly. Merc opened her eyes in time to see Reed pulling his hand out from under the door.
"Ew." She said. There was a bang from inside the room and all of them ran in. "Uncle Ben?" There was a hole in the wall.
"Look, look, look!" Johnny said, rushing over to the hole, still clutching the parka around his waist. Merc followed him, put her hand on his shoulder, and looked down at the woods. They saw a huge orange looking rock type thing running away. "What is that thing?"
"I think that thing is Ben." Reed said.
"Oh god." Merc said. Johnny put his free arm around her shoulders.
"What's going on here?" Victor asked, coming out of no where as usual. Everyone looked at him. Sue approached him.
"Victor, are you feeling alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Victor said. "Just a little banged up." Merc looked at him carefully. What the hell happened?
"My uncle did this." Merc said.
"Ben did this?" Victor asked. Merc nodded.
"He's had some kind of…reaction to exposure from the cloud." Reed said.
"We all have different symptoms." Sue said. "Victor, I'm sorry I…
"Just find him." Victor said, leaving.
"Jerk." Merc muttered.
"Anybody know where the big guy's going?" Johnny asked. Merc and Reed looked at each other.
"He's going home." They said together.
"We have to go after him." Merc said.
"It's too late now, Merc." Reed said.
"But…" Merc said.
"We'll go bright and early tomorrow." Reed said. She has to get some sleep. She doesn't look too good.
"I'm fine!" Merc said.
"I…didn't say anything." Reed said.
"Well…you thought it." Merc said. "Ok I know I always wanted to be telepathic but this is just nuts."
Tell me about it. Reed, Sue and Johnny all thought.
"Ok you all just thought that at the same time." Merc said.
"This is gonna drive me insane." Johnny said.
"It's gonna drive you insane?" Merc asked. "How do you think I feel? I'm hearing all of this!" She whined.
"We should at least try to sleep." Reed said. "Merc please. You know he'll be mad if you don't."
"Ok I'm not like that anymore!" Merc said. "Thanks to Pyro here." She reluctantly went back to the room she had been in before.
She didn't sleep and after an hour or so, the door opened.
"Guess you can't sleep either, huh?" Reed asked.
"Nope." Merc said, sitting up. Reed sat on a chair. "I'm betting Johnny's gonna be in here next."
"Why do you think that?" Reed asked. Merc gave him a look that he couldn't see in the dark. She shook her head and held a pillow against her stomach, resting her chin on it.
Half an hour later, Johnny entered the room and was surprised to see Reed sitting there.
"Guess I'm not the only one." He said.
"Join the club." Merc said. Johnny sat next to her on the bed and Merc leaned against him. "What are we going to do?"
"I'll give Debbie a call when we get near enough." Reed said. "Then…" The door opened again.
"Hey Sue." They all said.
"So this is where you all are." Sue said, coming into the room.
"Yeah…I'm Miss Popularity." Merc said. She yawned.
Poor kid. She really should get some sleep. Johnny thought. Merc rolled her eyes. Somehow, she did wind up falling asleep.