Chapter 14

"Ready Slate?"

"Actually, there is something we have to talk to you all about first." Slate said looking at Roslyn.

"So what is it?" Adam asked.

"Well, do you happen to know if there's anyone else who's like us in terms of the powers and stuff?" Roslyn asked thinking of the theory Slate came to before explaining where it came from.

"Well there may be a few." Adam said.

"Why do you ask?"

Roslyn explained to him what she told Slate and also what he said he noticed as well.

"Well I will look into that," Adam said.

They both nodded nervously. "Then I'm ready." Slate said.

"Are you sure?"

He looked at everyone's voices and nodded.

"Alright, here we go," Isabella said. She pulled the lever and a Slate V appeared next to him.

"It worked!" The other Slate said. Slate just looked around seemingly having not heard him. "Aren't you excited?" Slate V asked. There was no answer or reaction of any kind. "Hello?" Slate V said waving his hand in front of Slate's face.

Slate saw the hand in front of his face and moved it out of the way. "Was that really necessary? It's very annoying." He asked turning to Slate V.

"Well, you were not listening," Slate V said.

Slate saw his lips move but nothing came through and he chuckled. "I'm sorry but I can't hear a word you're saying."

"You can't?" Isabella asked.

Slate shook his head. "No I cannot."

Roslyn V thought about it. "I guess that makes sense, since he couldn't hear him yet when he was in his head." She chucked. "It is funny though since we all can."

"This is not funny," Slate said.

"He asked, 'Aren't you excited?' then got mad that you weren't listening to him." Roslyn told him.

"Oh, well, I can't hear him," Slate said.

"Well, I'm not sure what to tell you." Roslyn sighed.

"So, now what?" Slate V asked.

"I don't know." Roslyn sighed confusing Slate so she repeated what Slate V said.

"Well, we could remerge until I hear him?" Slate asked.

"If you want. That okay with you?" Roslyn double-checked with Slate V.

"Do I get a choice?"

"Of course you get a choice." Roslyn said putting the question in the answer for Slate's understanding.

"Well, I guess I could wait," He sighed.

"He says he guesses he can wait, you sure you want to?" Roslyn asked Slate.

"Unless there is some other way," Slate said.

"With this group of people, there's always a way." Connor reminded.

"Well maybe..." Adam said.

"Any ideas, Dad?" Roslyn asked.

"We could speed up time'" Adam said.

"Well, of course but should we really go that far?" Roslyn asked skeptically.

"It was just an idea," Adam said.

"Seems risky, I mean, that's probably years." Slate agreed with his cousin/unofficial leader.

"Well then I have no ideas anybody else?" Adam asked.

"Maybe if we had a way to somehow just speed up his development powers wise but nothing else." Felicity said then realized what she basically just suggested. "Not that way though!"

"What way?" Adam asked.

"I'm not going to say that with the Slate's right there." Felicity judged knowing Isabella and Connor don't want him to know yet.

Adam pulled her away from the group "You mean the table?" He asked

"Yes, I just realized that that sounds like what I basically just suggested, even really just pumping him with a little bit of chemicals like what happened to Isa sounds like a horrible idea." Felicity said rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Why? It's like getting a shot," Adam said.

"Well, I guess we could talk to Isa and Connor about the idea. It might be worth a shot."

"Okay, then let's try that," Adam said.

"I'll go get them then, and Slate, too." Adam said. Felicity nodded. He went back to the group.

He came back with all of them including both Slates. Felicity explained the idea to them but I'm too lazy to type it up.

"Well that could work," Isabella said.

The Slates were lost not knowing anything of the original origin of the powers. "What chemicals?"

"The ones that gave us our powers," Isabella said.

"Wait, so, the powers, unique visual appearances, and voice came from foreign chemicals?" Slate asked in surprise.

"For us yes," Adam said.

Slate was unsure of the idea. "It would be just like getting a shot." His mother told him. "I promise."

"Well, okay" He said.

"We'd have to make them then since they all expired, just don't be like Rodney." Isabella said thinking of the video he sent them.

"I won't" Adam said.

"Of course not, and we can make absolutely certain by running it through a simulator." Isabella said confident in her brother but still a loving and worriful mother.

"Of course," Adam said.

"Them let's get to work." Felicity said running her hands together.

"Okay," Adam said blurring away. Isabella and Felicity blurred after them leaving Connor and the Slates alone.

"So, now what?" Connor asked. They both shrugged unsure. "This is awkward," Connor said

"How so?" Slate V asked.

"Two boys both my son and I have nothing to say," Connor said.

"How awkward do you think this must be for me currently being the only one who can't hear him?" Slate asked motioning to Slate V.

"Must be odd," Slate V said.

"You guys sure you want to do this?" Connor asked them both. They both nodded. "Well, being them they should almost be done with it."

"I hope so," Slate said excited.

As if on cue, Isabella appeared with the chemicals finished and tested in a small syringe. "Alright ready Slate and Slate?" She asked as the others appeared.

They both nodded. "We're ready." Slate V said.

"Alright Slate first," Isabella said.

She tapped the air bubbles out and gently inserted the needle into his brachial artery. She took a deep breath and slowly injected the chemicals.

He flinched a little, never liking needles

"I know, Slate. It's almost done." Isabella said noticing the flinch she took the needle out once it had the right dosage.

"Well that was easy," Slate said.

Isabella nodded, "By far the second easiest way behind hereditarily. Slate V's turn now since you have to do both."

"Okay," Slate V shrugged.

Even though they're the same person, Isabella sterilized the needed just to be safe and injected Slate V with his dosage.

"That does sting," He said.

"Sorry." Isabella apologized.

"Now we wait," Adam said.

Slate groaned. "How long?"

"An hour or so," Felicity said.

He sighed impatiently. "Alright, fine."

"Oh you'll survive," Adam V said.

"Yeah, but he wouldn't be him if he was patient." Connor reminded.

"Fair point," Isabella said.

"Still Slate, it's just an hour. Without it and it would have been who knows how many years." Connor reminded his son.

"Well when you put it that way," He said

Isabella looked into her son's eyes and was surprised to notice that though they were still pretty much all black, there was a light grey six point star along where the scalara (whites of the eyes) are supposed to be. "Uh, Adam, Connor," She said pointing.

They noticed as well. Though usually they would give him a reflective surface, Slate V's looked the same so Isabella just turned him to face him.

"That is cool," Slate said.

"Yeah, that happened with me a few times when I was younger." Adam commented.

"It did?" Roslyn asked.

"Yeah, not many but a few, these one's are by far my favorite though." He said pointing to his current eyes.

"Mine too," Felicity said.

He wrapped his arm around her. "They are the ones I had when we got married."

"Getting gross again," Roslyn said.

"Look away again." Felicity told her daughter simply.

Roslyn did look away as they kissed. Adam let go of her. "Alright, it's safe now."

"Thank you," She said.

"So, what do we do now?" Slate asked.

"Prepare for possible pain," Adam V said.

He sighed. "How bad?"

"On a 1 to 10 scale 7," Adam said

"Shot." Slate muttered knowing his uncle's scale all too well even though he doesn't know where the pain tolerance came from.

"Yeah sorry," Adam said.

"Well, at least you warned me." Slate said nervously.

"Still sorry," Adam said.

"It's okay, would have been a nice thing to know before the injection though."

"You did not ask," Adam said.

"Well, it never came to mind as a possibility."

"Really?" Isabella asked.

"No, but in hindsight it should have." Slate said thinking about how they always kept it such a secret saying that they don't want to know.

"Yeah, you should have," Slate V said.

Slate heard a distant echo but he couldn't make out any words. "Wait, I almost heard something there."

"Really?" Slate V asked.

"I can't understand any words though." Slate said.

"Dang it!" Slate V said.

"Just give it time." Felicity V told Slate V.

"I hate waiting!" He sighed.

"Well, you have to get used to it." Felicity V said seriously.

"But mom!" He whined.

'Well… there is the time altering device.' Isabella puzzled in her head but she knew that he needs to learn how to be more patient.

"Sorry your aunt is right," She said.

Both Slates pouted.

"That was hilarious!" Adam said

Slate's arm stated to hurt but not nearly as much as he was worried. "You were tricking me!" He said to Adam.

Adam shrugged, "Expect the worst and you'll never be disappointed right?"

"You just wanted to laugh," Slate said.

He shrugged with a chuckle. "Maybe."

Both Slates huffed. "That was mean." Isabella scolded her brother.

"Yes, but funny," Adam said.

"Alright, I have to admit it was kind of funny." Isabella admitted hesitantly.

"See," Adam V said smiling.

"I still don't appreciate that on my son though." Isabella said seriously.

"Why not your parent we do these things," Adam said.

"To our own kids, I wouldn't and don't to Roslyn."

"Isa he isn't hurt shouldn't that be a good thing?"

Isabella sighed. "I guess but you scared him."

"Well that was not the intention," Adam said.

"Then what was the intention?" Slate asked.

"To freak you out and teach you not to believe what you're told blindly," Adam said. Slate sighed. "Sorry," Adam said.

"I guess it's okay."

"Still sorry," Adam said.

"Any changes?" Slate V asked hoping for a reaction.

"Wait, I heard that a little," Slate said.

"Could you make anything out?" Felicity V asked.

"A little he sounded distant," Slate said.

"Any idea what he said?" Felicity V asked.

"Something about changes?"

They all nodded. "He asked if there were any changes, with you I'm guessing." Felicity explained.

"Well, a little," Slate said.

"What about besides the voice." Adam asked figuring he'd get what he meant.

"My arms feel weird,"

"That's a good sign." Isabella said.

"It is?" He asked.

"Yeah, did you really think it would just affect the progress on hearing him?" Isabella asked motioning to Slate V.

"No, but tingling arms," Slate shrugged.

"It will be gone soon." Isabella shrugged. "Your legs will tingle at some random times though."

"Okay, why?" Slate asked.

"Only once the powers are actually in but, it's basically your super-speed wanting to be used." Felicity explained. "That's just its only way to let you know."

"It goes away after I run right?"

Everyone with the powers nodded. "And it's not very bad at all, just odd feeling." Felicity promised.

"Sounds fun!" He said.

"They are." Felicity smiled.

"Yeah," Isabella agreed.

"Are they hard to control though?" Slate asked.

"At first yes," Felicity said.

"Would you guys help with that then?" Slate asked.

"Of course we would," Isabella said. "No running him into the wall though." She told Adam and Felicity seriously.

"I won't," Adam said.

Slate was surprised. "You normally do?"

"Not on purpose," Adam said honestly.

"Well…" Felicity said guiltily, "sometimes."

"Only to me," Adam said.

"… Well… actually to Isabella, too. She admitted hoping he won't get mad. "Not Roslyn though."

"So not you," Adam said to Slate.

"You'll probably accidentally though." Felicity added. "That's why you learn in a heavily padded room."

"Okay," Slate said now nervous.

"It doesn't hurt." Isabella promised.

"Yeah, at least you won't have to learn everything the way I did. Regular walls usually end you up unconscious in the medical wing for a while." Felicity said. "But I was the first one so there was no other option for me than learning everything the hard way."

"Yeah, but walls really hurt," Adam said.

"Not the padded ones though, do they?" Felicity asked.

"No those are soft," Adam said.

"Good, I never got the luxury of having them to train with so I don't know myself."

"So, go run into one," Adam said. Felicity shrugged and actually blurred off. "I was joking," Adam said chasing after her.

"That's no fun." Felicity pouted like a little kid.

"Fine go ahead," Adam sighted. Felicity blurred to the training room and into a padded wall.

"That is soft!" She said.

Adam chuckled helping his wife up. "I told you, I'm honestly surprised you tried though."

"I had too and we need to have a bed made out of that stuff!" She said.

"Sure, I don't see why not." Adam smiled liking the idea.

"Hurray!" She said.

"Now that's the girl I married." Adam said kissing her.

"I love you," She said between kisses since Roslyn was not in the training room.

"I love you, too." He said holding her close. "I still have a supposedly 'normal' family to scope out, though."

"Now?" She asked.

"Well, it would probably be best to get done soon at least." Adam said but it was still between kisses.

"Well, I guess I could wait," she sighed between kisses.

"You could come with if you'd like." Adam offered.

"Okay, but you owe me alone time," she said.

"Sounds good to me," He smiled as they separated.

"Good, because I will hold you to that," She said.

"Should we go now then?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, we should," she said.

"May I?" He asked with his arms out.

"You may," She said jumping into his arms.

Adam blurred them to Eric's house remembering from when he took him back home.

"Ready?" He asked

Felcity nodded as he set her down. "Ready."

Adam knocked on the door 's mother answered just like with Slate and Roslyn. "May I help you?" She asked.

"Hi, I'm Adam and this is Felicity we're Roslyn's parents," Adam said.

"Oh yeah, she was here earlier, it's very nice to meet you guys, I'm Alyssa." She said offering her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Alyssa," Fleicity said shaking her hand.

"Anything in particular you two came for?" Alyssa asked but seemed slightly hesitant to let them in.

"Yes we wanted to talk to you and your husband," Adam said.

"Um... okay..." She stepped aside seeming very hesitant on the idea. "Come on in."

"Is everything okay?" Adam asked.

"Um... yeah... just fine... honey!" She called after her husband. "We have vistors!"

"I will be there in a second," He called back.

"Alright..." Alyssa said and Adam and Felicity came in.

"Sorry to intrude," Adam said.

"It's no trouble at all." She said with a nervous smile that said otherwise.

"Are you sure?"

"Um... honey! You almost ready?"

"I'm coming!" He called.

A man a little bit younger than Adam and Felicity came down the stairs stoping halfway at the sight of Adam. "No way. Adam? Is that really you?" He asked confusing Felicity.

Adam was just as coonfused. "Yes, but I'm sorry your name escapes me," He said.

"Nolan Gram, you saved me and my younger brother, Kyle, twelve years ago." He reminded slowly finishing coming down the stairs. They noticed his irises were a dark purple and glob shaped instead of circular.

"Oh yeah, now I remember," Adam said carefully.

"So, what brings you here than?" He asked kindly.

"Well, your son is close friends with my daughter," Adam said.

"Oh yeah, Roslyn, Eric had mentioned her quite a number of times, sorry to hear about what happened though." Nolan said taking a seat.

"It's alright I am taking care of that," Adam said.

"That's good then," He smiled before turning to Felicity and asking, "and who might you be?"

"I'm Felicity, Adam's wife." She said.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Felicity." He said offering his hand which he shook. "You both obviously met my wife, Alyssa, she really is a nice girl, she can just get paranoid at time."

"Yes, I'm sorry," She said. "About being so panicy when you got here," She said

Adam and Felicity both shrugged. "It's okay." Felicity said. "This does explain why according to Roslyn, Eric didn't seem surprised when he saw her use her powers, though."

"Oh she has powers?" Alyssa asked.

They both nodded, "They only just came in a few months ago." Felicity explained.

"Then there's a chance Eric might get them." Alyssa concluded softly.

"Yes there is if you or your husband have developed them," Adam said.

"She doesn't but I do." Nolan answered.

"You do?" Adam asked. Nolan got up and disappeared to the other side of the room. "Impressive,"

"Very, we can't make any guarantees on if he will get them though since I have the powers to so Roslyn might have just gotten them from me during pregnancy." Felicity added.

"Still it gives odds that he might, and that leads me to an offer," Adam said carefully.

"Which is?" Nolan asked.

"I wanted to train each of you in more precise control of your powers," Adam said.

"You'd do that?" Nolan asked.

"Of course," Adam said.

"That sounds perfect." Nolan smiled.

"Good you would be amazed what you can do," Adam said.

"Could I come to see?" Alyssa asked.

"Sure why not is Connor home?" Adam asked

Alyssa nodded. "Eric! Can you come down please?"

"Coming mom!" He called

He bounded down the stairs and was surprised to find Roslyn's parents there. "Oh, hello again, what brings you two here?"

"We wanted to talk to you and your parents," Adam said.

"Alright, what is it?" Eric said taking a seat.

"It's about powers," Adam said.

"Oh, you know about that?" Eric asked awkwardly.

"Yes, and I wanted to know why you did not tell us," Adam said.

"I had told him never to tell anyone." Alyssa said taking the blame.

"Well yes I can see why, but I mean after he saw out powers," Adam said.

"Well, I definately considered it at that point, but I wasn't sure and was going to ask." Eric said.

"Oh right sorry," Adam said.

"It's okay, I probably should have." Eric admitted.

"It's okay," Adam said.

"Anything else?" Eric asked.

"Yes, you are all coming back with us," Adam said.

"Really?" He asked his parents.

"Yes really we'll come back home tonight," Alyssa said.

"Alright, are we going now then?" Eric asked.

"If you are all ready," Adam said.

Nolan checked and they nodded. "Yes, we're ready."

"Okay, let's go then," Adam said. Nolan took his wife and son and they were off.

They stopped at the front gate. "Welcome to The Manor." Adam said opening the gate.

"Wow!" Was all Nolan could say.

"Yeah, it is very impressive. Wait till you see the inside, but no wandering." He warned seriously as he looked back. "You will stay with Feliss or I at all times."

"Yes sir," They all said.

"Then follow me." He said heading in. They followed gazing in amazement.