Chapter 4:

Danny:

I was quick to escape the pizza place, mostly because without Gear being there- or even those twins that invited me- it was getting very awkward and uncomfortable very fast. On the bright side, I got to meet Gear's friends. Though we didn't want them to know that we knew each other. If they knew where Gear was from then they could figure out where I'm from and then they would find that news article and then my secret's out- well one of them. I just wanted to start fresh and that included not everyone knowing about my past because it was just that- my past. Though I supposed if Gear did tell them that we knew each other it would be okay- it sure would be easier anyway.

Besides, I was laying low. I shook my head, still what were the odds that the people who nicely invited me to eat with them would happen to be Gear's friends?

I wondered if they were the ones that she spoke to Jazz about. Wait, they had to be the ones that Gear spoke to Jazz about. After all, I doubted that she knew more than one pair of twins. They seemed nicer than she said that they would be.

I walked into my new small house and plopped down on the couch as my thoughts drifted to the heroes of New York. I wondered if they would ever believe that I'm a hero too? If I wasn't on the run from the GiW, would Phantom even end up joining them? I doubted it.

Though at least they kept New York safe, I supposed.

So if New York was safe, did that mean I could go to school? I'm sure Gear could fake some records...

Alex:

I ran my metal arm through my hair, which was currently down. I couldn't help but worry about my best-one of my only-friends. My social circle wasn't very big. It consisted of the Avengers, and not all of them I really liked, only respected, three of the X-Men (Charles,Wolverine, and Beast, but Nightcrawler was pretty fun to prank), and half of the Fantastic Four. Axel was a little more diversified, but I blame that on his muscles, considering the girls come to him before he even so much as looks at them. I had already lost a lot of people I cared about, and watched them suffer, and I didn't want that to happen to Gear. I sighed and flopped on my bed, not really wanting to sleep, but also kind of wanting to. How long had it been? A week? Two weeks? I never slept much. I had extremely vivid nightmares thanks to the skrulls and such. Mainly the Ringleader. I lived through it once, I didn't need to see it again.

I stretched, and before my hyperactive mind could protest, my muscles took over and I fell asleep.

"No! Stop it! You're hurting them, hurt me instead!" I yelled as I watched the five genetic experiments get tortured. They were bloody, and 17's giant rabbit ears were completely lifeless, and I was pretty sure 29 wasn't breathing at all anymore. They had been my babies, and I let them get killed.

"Stop it!" Axel yelled. Ringleader came over to where we were chained against the wall, unable to move, and electrocuted us both. Then she went back and began killing them even more. 29 coughed and I looker at her bloodied and bruised face as she peaked her eye open at me.

"...H...Help..."

It was barely audible, only loud enough for me and Axel to hear, and that was only because we had super hearing. Tears started streaming down my face as Ringleader took her alien knife and slashed her throat.

"She was the runt of the litter and had to go. She was weak. Like you," She said, turning to me. I grit my teeth, ready for anything she threw at me. Except her throwing her knife behind her and embedding it in 25.

"NO! STOP IT, PLEASE!" I shrieked. It wasn't fair that they got hurt, they weren't even two years old yet. Though they looked like they were all ten. It was awful.

"I will not. You need to toughen up, 23. You can't have these things to get attached to. They're worthless freaks. In fact, they were made as a test, just to see how well you would react to them getting hurt. You failed."

My eyes widened. nobody was worthless, no matter their purpose for being made. I felt anger rising in my chest and snapped at her. She quickly dodged and sent a kick with her heeled boots into my stomach.

"No one is worthless. Thinking that is just inhumane."

Ringleader chuckled menacingly.

"Who ever said I was a human?"

Axel:

I sat up out of bed in a giant fur ball of wetness, which was not a fun thing. I got nightmares as often as Alex, but hers were memories. Such unimaginably vivid memories. I looked at my clock, to find that is was only three in the morning. I groaned and got out of bed, heading down to the kitchen.

Despite my normal happy demeanor, I was a freaking whirlwind on the inside. I just put the mask on so my friends wouldn't worry. They've done to much for us already. While S.H.I.E.L.D. had been hunting us when we first escaped, the Avengers took us in without a seconds thought. We denied constantly, not wanting to get to close to any one but each other. We have reasons for dong everything we do, and we did so so that nobody would get hurt because of any stupid choices we made.

I sighed and sat on the edge of my bed, taking off my sticky, sweaty shirt and throwing it into laundry basket. I knew Alex was already out of her room by now, not wanting to talk to anyone, or just looking for a quiet place where she could think because there are three things she can't do very well. She can't express her emotions, she can't think clearly in any room, unless it was very big, and she couldn't sleep in a bed for more than an hour. They were uncomfortable for her.

I shook my head, trying to clear my horrible thoughts as I headed down to the kitchen. They I found Alex in her pajamas. But, since we had the fur, we didn't really need to sleep in a lot of clothing so as a result, all she had on was some underwear and a big baggy shirt. She snorted.

"Are those...Captain America boxers?"

I looked down and shrugged.

"Jan bought them for me. Anyway..."

She nodded, knowing exactly what I was talking about. We had this little mental link that let us send images to each other that let us get the point across, but every now and then, we shared a nightmare.

"Do...Do you ever think we could have done more? For them I mean. I..."

I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. We had got so powerless that day, and it haunted us every secnd of our lives.

"I...I honestly don't know. I...I'm sorry."

She punched me in my arm with her metal one.

"Quit getting sappy and shuffle the cards. I'll make some coffee or something."

I nodded, smiling sightly, and went into the living room. We played for a while before it was late/early enough that we knew it was likely Gear was awake. Though for all we knew, she could've been awake for as long as we've been. We just needed to make sure, however, because it was clear that we made her uncomfortable with the questions.

We owed her an apology.

Third Person:

When the twins reached Gear's house, they were fully dressed and back into their more human appearance. However, when the door opened they found that Gear wasn't as fully dressed. She stood there with purple messy bed head, her yellow-tinted goggles lay loosely around her neck, her pale eyes were slowly dropping, and she wore only her metallic bracelet that went from her elbow to her wrist, a baggy blue shirt, and purple and black striped underwear. Axel slightly avoided his gaze as Alex shook her head. Gear didn't even bat an eye as she let the twins in with a yawn.

"Not that I don't appreciate the friendly visits, but what are you doing here so early?"

"It's eleven o'clock," Alex pointed out.

"It's early to me," Gear shrugged, "I don't exactly go to bed early."

"What time did you go to bed," Axel asked curiously with a quirked eyebrow.

"I don't know... Pfft... Like ten in the morning? Nine, maybe?"

Looks like she got about as much sleep as us, the twins thought as Gear rubbed at her eyes.

"So, do you guys want breakfast or anything?"

"No thanks," Axel and Alex declined as they took a seat on her sofa.

Gear headed to the kitchen, not bothering to get dressed, and poured herself a cup of milk.

"Good, I'm terrible cook," Gear said as she sat down, "So what's up?"

"We wanted to apologize," Alex said through gritted teeth.

Gear whistled,

"Woah, an apology- that's new."

"We know you'll tell us everything when you're ready," Axel said.

"Good," Gear nodded, "But...Honestly, you guys should know...Damn I hope he's okay with this."

She ran a hand through her already messy hair,

"Look, I lied, okay? I do know that homeless kid. His name is Danny. He's like a little brother to me, okay?"

"Okay."

"He... His older sister, Jasmine... She was my best friend. She was the only one who understood all my tech talk- well, not really, but she understood better than most. We even planned on going to Harvard, Oxford, or Yale together- we were both accepted to all of them."

"What happened," Axel asked gently.

"Not my story tell," Gear shrugged, "Jazz is dead now, but as for why and who else went with her- that's Danny's story, not mine."

Just then her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller I.D. and frowned slightly.

"I gotta take this. Be back in a few."

The twins shrugged and Alex stood and went into the kitchen.

"Bring me a Pepsi!" he called.

She nodded and started aiding the fridge, unable to keep herself from overhearing Gear's conversation.

"Hey, Double D, what's up?

"Nothing much, but uh...Gear?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me into school? Like fake records and everything?"

"Dude, you know I can, but why?"

"I...I uh- just feel like I need to do this. Besides, it was you who said I needed to lay low. Especially Since the Guys in White-"

"-Yeah, I'll make some. Any particular school you were wanting?"

"Uh, I don't know. Midtown High, I guess?"

"Alright. It'll be done by tomorrow. You'll start next Monday."

"Okay. And Gear?"

"Yo."

"Thanks."

"No problem, Danny Dude. Just hang in there."

Alex heard her click her cell phone off and quickly grabbed the drinks and went back to the living room, where Axel was examining the wood of the coffee table. She rolled her eyes and pressed the soda to the back of his neck. He didn't even flinch as he took it from her hands with a thanks.

Though she couldn't help but wonder about Gear and Danny's conversation- just who are the Guys in White?

"What took so long?"

"Later."

He could tell how serious her voice was, so he just nodded.