Back at N-Tek Kat had just finished telling Forge that Jason Naught and Miles Dredd had managed to escape again when Berto burst into the Communications Room. They turned around and were surprised to see the look on his face.
"What's going on?" Forge asked as the young scientist took a breath.
"It's Jessie. She's awake." He told them and Forge smiled.
"That's great news. So why is it you don't look happy?" Kat asked him as Berto fiddled with his wrist computer.
"There's something wrong with her. I tried to talk to her but she won't respond. It's like she's in shock or something." Berto told them, motioning them to follow him. By the time they arrived in the Medical Bay, I was sitting on a couch staring straight at the far wall.
"Any response?" Berto asked Shock who was hovering nearby.
"She just sits there. I tried talking to her but it's like she doesn't even know I'm there." He answered and Kat walked over to me. Taking a penlight from her pocket she shined the light in my face. When I didn't look up or even acknowledge her presence, Kat reached over and took my wrist. Instantly alert I jerked my arm away and moved as far away as possible from her, my eyes wide. Trying to help Shock flew towards me, only for me to recoil even further. Losing my balance I almost fell and Berto moved forward, reaching out to help me and I slapped at his hand, afraid. Looking confused and a little hurt, Berto stepped back.
"What's wrong with her?" Shock asked as Berto looked on.
"She's in shock. It might be from earlier, when Miles Dredd siphoned her Turbo energy and from battling the Ultimate Elementor." Kat explained as I looked down at the floor.
"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Berto asked and I looked up, trying to work out why everyone was so interested in me.
"Just let Jessie rest and kept monitoring her for any improvement." Kat said as Berto looked over at me again.
"Can I stay with her?" He asked. With a nod, Kat asked Forge what their next course of action should be.
"Since Miles Dredd and Jason Naught managed to get away, I'm not sure. Right now I think we should make it our top priority to find out where they are." Forge said. Looking on Shock asked what he could do to help. "Help Jessie get back on her feet."
"Will do." Shock said. When Kat and Forge left, Shock flew over to Berto and tapped him on the shoulder. "What should we do?" He asked Berto who shrugged.
"I don't know. I'm used to fixing computers and not people. I wish I knew how we could help her." Berto said. Meanwhile I was looking from one side of the room to the other, trying to work out where I was. Before I had a chance to ask Berto was standing in front of me. Unable to help it, I moved away from him and ended up falling to the floor. Instantly he was kneeling in front of me and I tried to move away again, only to find my back against the couch. Not giving up, Berto moved forward until he was almost nose to nose with me.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered as he placed a hand on my arm. Confused, I let him help me to my feet. "I wish I knew how to help." Berto sighed, letting go of my arm. To his disbelief I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. After a moment he wrapped his arms around me. We stayed like for this for several minutes until I began to feel woozy again. The strength going out of my legs I would have fallen had Berto not noticed my arms go limp and caught me in his arms. Moving me back to the couch, he asked if I was okay.
"Hmm…so dizzy. Just wanna sleep." I mumbled and despite himself, Berto grinned.
"Sure. I'll leave you alone." He said and turned to leave, only to have me grab his hand. He turned back and I stared up at him.
"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" I asked him and Berto smiled back at me. Kneeling beside me, he stayed at my side. Not long afterwards my eyes closed and I fell asleep, my hand slipping from Berto's. Standing up he turned the light off as he left the room.
"Is she going to be okay?" Shock asked him, following behind the scientist.
"I really don't know. I guess we have to wait until she wakes up. At least she seems a lot calmer than before. "Berto said as he headed for his lab. "I should probably get back to helping the others find Dredd and Naught. Want to help?" He asked Shock who nodded. Not wanting to let anyone know just how worried he still was about Jessie, Berto decided to focus on something else in the meantime.
Later, back at N-Tek, Berto had just finished reattaching C.Y.T.R.O's arm with the help of Shock when Forge walked in.
"Berto, have you seen Jessie?" He asked and Berto paled, dropping the wrench he was holding.
"Where is she?" He asked and Forge shrugged as Shock flew down and retrieved the wrench. Without a word Berto rushed out, leaving Forge to wonder what had gotten the teenager so worked up.
"Has she gone missing?" Shock asked, dropping the wrench on the table and flying over to Forge.
"I was checking the monitors and one second she was there, the next she'd vanished into thin air." Forge explained as he and Shock went after Berto.
Feeling helpless, Berto was rushing around N-Tek trying to find his friend. I shouldn't have left her on her own, he thought to himself as he ran along the corridor. Checking the Medical bay first, in case Jessie had returned, he then tried the Communication Room, the hanger and finally his lab. Finding no sign of his missing friend, Berto began to panic.
"Why did I leave you alone?" He said aloud and suddenly jumped when he felt someone collide with him. Spinning around he found nothing there. "Okay this isn't funny." He muttered and was shocked when he heard a voice.
"Tell me about it." Said someone right beside him and it dawned on him that it was Jessie.
"Jessie? Is that you? Where are you?" Berto asked and felt a light tap on his shoulder.
"Right here. Can't you see me?" I asked and when he shook his head, I frowned. "This just keeps getting better and better..." I grumbled. Afraid I took hold of Berto's hand and didn't let go.
"Hold on to me and I'll get you back to my lab." Berto said and I nodded, only to remember that he couldn't see me and squeezed his hand instead. Tugging my hand, he started for the lab. Once we got back he told me to stand in front of his computer. When I did, I tapped my hand on the keyboard to tell him where I was. With a nod he used his computer to call everyone into his lab. After they arrived Forge asked if Berto had found Jessie yet.
"Yes and no." Berto said and Forge raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"And what does that mean exactly?" He asked. This time I spoke up, startling everyone except Berto of course.
"He means that I'm here just not visible for some strange reason." I told them and Shock flew towards me.
"How did this happen?" Shock asked, moving one of his arms around and almost poking me in the eye. Flinching I took hold of his arm and he stared at me. "Can I help in some way?"
"I'm not sure how. Hang on, I have an idea. Try linking up with me." I said and a question mark appeared on Shock's face.
"I could if I knew where you were." He replied and I grabbed the wrench from off the table nearby. Holding it up I pointed to the spot on my chest where Shock usually linked to me. Understanding Shock moved closer and managed to attach himself to me. Like before we linked up and once again I felt his voice in my head. "Wow now this is a problem. Maybe I can figure something out." He said and moments later, with the usual burst of green light, I wasn't invisible anymore.
"Thanks Shock. I thought I was gonna be stuck like that." I smiled as Shock detached again. "That wasn't fun."
"Glad we can see you again. Why were you invisible in the first place?" Forge asked me and I shrugged.
"Beats me. I woke up like this." I answered as I stretched. That's when Shock came up with a solution.
"I think I know. It seems you subconsciously tapped into another Turbo power when you were still in shock." Shock explained and Berto rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
"At least now we know what happened. I just hope I don't accidentally tap into my new 'Ninja' mode without meaning to." I remarked, earning a laugh from all present. Now that I was safe and struggling off any attempts to send me back to the Medical Bay for a checkup, everyone except Berto and Shock left me. As soon as they were gone I rubbed at my eyes. Seeing the exhaustion etched on my face, Berto grabbed a chair from inside his lab and slid it over to me.
"You look dead on your feet." Berto asked as he helped me into it. Grateful I smiled up at him and asked what had happened to Max and Steel. "They went home a short time after we got back to N-Tek. Molly was probably wondering where they were."
It took me a moment to work out who he meant then it dawned on me; obviously Max's mom. It was then I started wondering where my home was and if my mum knew I was missing. Noticing the change in my mood, Berto asked me what the matter was. With a sigh I told him why I was feeling down.
"I guess I'm a little homesick. Thinking about Max going home to his mom made me think about mine." I replied. That's when I felt his hand on my shoulder.
"For now think of N-Tek as your home." Berto said and I reached up and placed my hand over his. Looking down at me, our eyes locked. We stared at each other for the longest time until Shock interrupted by asking what we were doing. Blushing furiously Berto and I removed our hands as Shock watched on, curious. Standing up Berto asked if I need anything and I asked if it was possible to get a drink of water. "Sure I'll be right back." With that he left me with Shock.
"Why were you and Berto holding hands?" Shock asked me and I shook my head.
"I don't really know. I guess I was feeling homesick and he was trying to comfort me." I replied as Shock hovered next to me.
"Interesting. So why did both your faces turn red? Is that what normal happens?" Shock asked and I couldn't come up with a plausible explanation for that, blushing again. "Alright fine, I sorta have a crush on him. Are you happy now?" I admitted and Shock asked what a 'crush' was. Just as I finished explaining Berto happened to walk in holding a cup in his hands.
"Berto do you know that Jessie…?" Shock began and I grabbed him, clamping my hand over his face to prevent him for finishing. Raising an eyebrow Berto asked me just what Shock was talking about.
"I have no idea." I replied.