One

Leaning back in the soft chair, a small drink in hand, was a perfect night in for Bass and he was more than happy to listen to Miles as told them of the events in the forest. "But if there were no pendants, where did the music come from?", Aaron quipped, gazing at everyone in the room. Miles shrugged and turned to Ivy whose attention was fixed on the fireplace, "Who knows. We didn't find a pendant on him and the amplifiers don't go that far".

Bass cocked his head and fixed his sites onto Ivy, "So I guess we'll never know". He heard her sigh and shake her head, "You are probably wrong about the amplifier. That is the only explanation". She turned to face them and shrugged, "What I do know is that I am exhausted". Ivy nodded at the group and left the room, clearly not in the mood to celebrate with everyone. Charlie and Miles looked at each other, both knowing Ivy was holding something back. And they intended to find out what it was.

Two

"Are you certain of what you saw and heard Charlie?", her Mother asked firmly, her voice filled with concern. The young girl nodded, "There is no way I was imagining it Mom. Music, the thing was playing music and Ivy seemed pretty upset about it". She gave her Mother a questioning gaze, "Why?".

Rachael shook her head and gave Charlie a half hearted smile, "Nothing Charlie", she sighed. "It was probably just the amplifier". Something in her Mothers tone told her that she wasn't being honest and Charlie was determined to find out what she was hiding.

Three

It was early in the morning when Bass had gone to see Ivy. He had been unable to shake the feeling that something wasn't right and this was confirmed when he saw Miles standing at her door. "You too huh?", he quipped, moving towards Miles. "She just isn't herself is she?", he sighed, stopping at the door beside the man he once called friend. Miles stared at the door and shook his head, "Something Jared said to her is bothering me and I need to know what he meant".

The door flung open and a less than impressed Ivy stood before them, "So how about you come in so I can tell you".

Four

The two men standing before her were the most important ones in her life and Ivy had always felt a pang of guilt at the secret she had kept hidden for so long. She moved over to the large window that overlooked the town and sighed, "I have always been up front with you both about everything. Everything except for one thing". She turned back to face them and leaned against the wall, "Now is not the time for secrets. I have something to tell you both, something you can never tell anyone".

Her eyes drifted over to the small ipod and she motioned towards it, "Pick it up", she murmured, returning her gaze to outside the window. Miles strode over and picked the small device up, "Neither of you have a pendant on, do you?". The two men murmured no. "And the amplifier is at the edge of the town, too far away to affect the power".

Bass sighed and nodded, "You're the one who didn't want it too close".

"Have you noticed the lack of anything that runs on power in this town?", Ivy sighed.

"It did strike me as a little odd", Miles looked down at the small ipod in his hand, "Most places kept things, you know, just in case the power came back".

"That is not why we did that here", Ivy held her hand out, "Give me the ipod Miles". Miles moved towards her and carefully handed the small device to her.

"I longed to hear music so much after the blackout", she stared at the ipod in her small hand, "and all along". Ivy stopped talking and pressed the play button on the ipod. At first nothing happened and the two men thought she had finally lost the plot. Then a song began to play, making them both quickly stand up. Ivy turned back to face them, there shocked expressions making her smile, "No more secrets. I swear".

Five

1 year 6 months before the blackout

There was a mix of civilians, government employees and military personnel in the small room and all of their attentions were fixed on the tall man at the front of the room. None of them could believe what they had just heard and the silence met by his presentation was deafening. "Any questions?", he queried, staring out at the people before him.

"I have several", Ivy called from the back. The man motioned for her to come forward and he gave one of those seated at the front a thin smile.

"Are you saying you want to implant some device into us that will act as a locator beacon?". Ivy didn't wait to reach the front before beginning. She wanted answers and didn't have time to wait. The man nodded, "What else do they do", Ivy paused and tilted her head, "I forgot your name, sorry".

"Randall. My name is Randall".

"So Randall", Ivy stopped just at the first row of seats, "What else does this device do? Where will you implant it and why us?".

Randall offered Ivy a polite nod, "Well Sergeant Jackson, we implant it just behind your earlobe. It's a quick procedure and no one will ever know it is there". He paused and motioned to the screen behind him, an image of a small, rice shaped device on it. "You were selected at random by a computer programme, there is no other reason than that". He offered Ivy a thin smile, "Is that enough information?".

"You have not said what else it does", Ivy hissed, taking several steps closer, "What else does it do?".

Randall stared defiantly at her and Ivy saw something in his eyes that sent a shiver running down her spine. "Nothing else", he sneered, "Just helps us locate you should the need arise". Ivy huffed loudly, not convinced that Randall was being honest with her. Her every instinct told her to leave, to take no part in the experiment. It was her orders that stopped her. Ivy had always followed her commands and today would be no exception.

"Fine", she hissed, giving him a look of contempt, "but if I find out you are lying, you had better run for your life".

Six

6 months later

As that familiar figure emerged from the shadows, all of Ivys concerns melted away. She had seen photos of Miles' brother before and knew that he was a good man. Although that didn't explain why he had called her requesting a meeting. "You came", he stammered, his eyes darting nervously around the empty carpark, "I thought you wouldn't". Ivy offered him a warm smile, "I figured I would kick your butt if you were a threat", she eyed him up and down, "But you are not".

"Still", she sighed, moving towards him, "I do not see why you would want to see me. Is this about Miles?". Ben shook his head, "No, no, no. This is important Ivy. It's about your implant". Ivy moved forward again, making Ben instantly nervous, "What about it?". Ben raised his hands and glanced around nervously, "There's nothing wrong with it. Its just", he paused and sighed, "Ivy, Randall lied about what it can do. That implant acts like a shield and power source".

Ivy raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, "A shield? What the hell do I need a shield for?". Ben shifted uncomfortably and turned his gaze to the ground, "There are these things in the air that, if activated, have the ability to remove all power. Imagine it, no lights, cars, televisions, factories or missiles. Everything we know would change". He took a cautious step towards her, "The implants are one of the few things that would not be affected by them".

"And the power generating, how does that work?", Ivy relaxed her stance, now more curious than concerned. "It means that, while the rest of the world is without power, anything within a 10 foot radius of you would function". Ivy pulled her phone from her pocket, "So you are saying that everyones phones would stop, but mine would still function?". Ben nodded, "Yours and the other 20 people who have the implants would have the same ability. But Ivy", his brow furrowed, "You can tell anyone! I'm risking everything by telling you and if anyone should find out, the consequences would be dire".

"Come on Ben, people would think I was nuts if I said anything. I just have to ask you something". Ivy walked to him and placed her small hand on his shoulder, "Why are you telling me this?". Ben looked down at the small woman before him and sighed. What he was about to tell her was meant to be top secret and his family would pay if anyone discovered he had revealed it to Ivy. "Soon those small nanits will be activated and all power on Earth will cease. Don't panic, the planned activation about a year away and I will keep you up to date". He leaned closer to her, his eyes darting around nervously, "You need to prepare yourself Ivy. Get your family here, get them to safety".

"Do the others know this?", Ivy queried, giving Ben a questioning gaze. He shook his head, "Not until it is time, then we will tell them. If they knew". Ben paused, closing his eyes, "Randall would find out. And we don't want that to happen". He opened his eyes, desperate to tell her the most important part of information, but too scared to do it. He had already crossed the line and felt nervous enough as it was. Could he find the strength to tell her everything?

"What is it you are not telling me?", Ivy asked softly.

"If I tell you, you have to promise me you will watch over Miles. No matter what". Ivy nodded, "Of course I will Ben. He is like family to me". Ben sighed and took a deep breath, "All the implants act like a homing system, tying all their recipients together until the time comes when they are united". His expression grew serious, "And it will be an entirely different implant that will call them, acting like a beacon of light in the darkness".

"An implant that lies just behind your earlobe". Ivy placed her hand behind her ear and shook her head, "Why would you want us all together?"

"Ivy, it's a worst case scenario plan. When the power goes out, the world will go crazy. If there was a war, how would we defend our country? With sticks and stones or, with an army led by someone who can control power?". It was clear Ivy felt overwhelmed and was struggling to come to terms with everything she had just heard.

"What the hell made you pick me?". Ben smiled found himself staring into those brilliant green eyes, "Two reasons. I knew your husband and he told me everything about you. That and", his eyes filled with emotion, "Miles thinks the world of you".

"And if you can impress him, you must be fairly spectacular".

Seven

Present Day

"You knew about the blackout?", Bass growled, "And never told us?". Ivy walked over to him and knelt down, locking her cool green eyes on his.

"Bass, I was ordered never to tell a soul and it was not until after the blackout I realised Ben was not lying to me". She placed her hand on his, "And, I just could not risk it. Imagine what would have happened if you and Miles had known". Ivy sighed and dropped her head, "You do not need to though, because it is happening right now". She looked back up at him, her brow furrowed, "Helicopters Bass. You used choppers to slaughter people".

Bass knew there was no point in debating with Ivy, experience had taught him as much. "And, Randall threatened those I cared about", she gripped his hand tightly and turned to face Miles, "He did that to everyone who received implants".

Miles nodded, "You made the right decision Ivy", he shot Bass a firm gaze, "No matter what anyone says". He moved closer to her, "You said it wasn't until after the blackout you realised Ben was telling the truth about the implant. What happened?".

"When I left the airport the night of the blackout I had tucked my phone into my pocket and not really paid any attention to it". She toyed with one of the buttons on her top, "I just threw it in my bag and forgot about it. Right up until the day it rang". Bass satup bolt right and shot Miles a confused look, "It rang?!".

"Trust me, it was the last thing I had expected and I was more than surprised when it happened. But not as surprised as when I answered the call".

"Who the hell was it Ivy?", Miles asked firmly.

"They never said their name, but they told me they were one of the recipients and", she paused, running her hand through her dark hair. "And they said they were going to find the others to bring them here". Ivy slowly stood up, moving back to the window, "I asked him why he would do that". Both men in the room were now standing, eager to hear the rest of the story.

"For the war", Ivy sighed, "He said that soon the invaders would come and I would need all the help I could get".

"That's over 9 years ago!", Bass hissed, "And, unless I've missed something, there hasn't been an invasion".

Ivy nodded, casting a thoughtful gaze out the window, "That did occur to me. The more years that passed, the more I started to think he was wrong or", she paused and closed her eyes, "Dead".

Bass felt a pang of guilt at his tone towards Ivy and walked over to her, "I shouldn't have snapped at you". He placed his hand on her back, "It's just a hell of alot to take in".

"Try living with it every day Bass. That is even worse".

Eight

Had Aaron heard Rachel correctly? For a moment all he could do was stand there, his eyes wide as he struggled to process what she had said.

"People had pendants implanted into their bodies?", he whispered.

Rachel nodded, "They had no idea at the time, but yes Aaron, they did". She moved closer to him, "You are the only person I can trust with this information Aaron. You can't tell anyone".

"Do the Neutrals know General Jackson has one?", Aaron glanced towards the door, not wanting anyone to walk in on their conversation.

"I honestly don't know, but we can't say anything. Aaron, imagine what would happen if someone knew. They could use it to their advantage".

"But she hasn't", Aaron shook his head. "If she knows she has the ability to turn on power, why hasn't she used it?".

Rachels eyes lit up and she smiled, "She's a good person Aaron, that's why. And that's why she was picked to receive the lead implant". Rachel s smile broadened, "Ivy doesn't know it, but she's one of the most important people of our time".