Runaway Garde
Part one
Nine stretched out on the couch. They had just finished another meeting and he was waiting for round two. Lexa came back first.
"Now that they're gone I have some reports to show you that will certainly interest you."
"Oh?" Nine inquired, looking up at her.
Lexa sat down next to him and opened her laptop. "Yeah, maybe it'll remind you of the old days minus the Mogs." She smiled knowingly, typing away on the keyboard.
"Mogs?" Malcolm asked curiously, walking in.
"There's this girl who has been running all over the United States giving Earth Garde a run for their money. They've nicknamed her Athena. For this girl is incredibly smart." Lexa explained simply.
"Well to evade Earth Garde you don't need that much intelligence." Nine commented dryly.
Lexa shook her head and chuckled.
"So what's the story with this girl then?" Malcolm asked, sitting down in a chair.
"She was discovered a little over a year ago in rural northeastern Pennsylvania. Grew up on a farm with a mother, stepfather, and grandparents. She just turned 15 last week. Her birth name is Charlotte Robert Warner. She's five foot six inches, 124 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes. It was revealed that she has telekinesis." Lexa looked up for a response before continuing. When she got nothing she looked back down at her screen.
"She was sent to a processing center in Susquehanna. There her parents signed the paperwork but during the physical, the girl broke free. She demonstrated super strength, super speed, and then invisibility. She's been on the run ever since with multiple identities and appearances. Evading capture each time with all sorts of tricks. Reports say she's showed everything from stone vision to flying to controlling lights." Lexa finished before looking up at them.
"You don't think," Nine started, giving Malcolm a knowing look.
"Impossible. It's the rarest of all." Malcolm pointed out, pushing his glasses up.
"Care to share gentlemen?" Lexa inquired, dark eyes locked on them.
"How much of these reports are truthful?" Malcolm questioned.
Lexa shrugged. "I can't say."
"So she could have it?" Nine uncertainly spoke, looking at Malcolm expectantly.
"Ximic the rarest legacy out there. Only Four has it." Malcolm answered sternly. "I thought this legacy didn't repeat itself. That it's like one out of zillion chances of developing it. And anyways it's a final legacy isn't it? So that assumes EG found a fully developed HG who is only fifteen." He looked at Lexa expectantly.
"Wonderful. I love a challenge. Pittacus Lore 2.0 bring it on." Nine cracked his knuckles.
"But maybe she's got something else," Lexa suggested simply. "Also your assuming that because I am Loric I understand everything there is to know about legacies. Lorien tends to do what it pleases." .
"The description fits Ximic, but it doesn't sound right. So should we fight fire with fire?" Malcolm asked, looking at Nine.
"Send Johnny after her?" Nine smiled, his eyes lit up with mischief.
"She's evaded all of Earth Garde for a year now. Sending Four after her I don't think will help." Lexa replied.
"Not alone obviously. Who do you take me for?" Nine scoffed.
"Send the Garde at her. You're all used to flying under the radar and escaping government agents." Malcolm answered.
"Four, Six, Seven, and Ten?" Lexa questioned.
"John, Six, Marina, and Ella." Nine nodded.
"We can handle getting three of them but Malcolm you'll have to call your son. Six hasn't been responding to me." Lexa added.
"Probably debating the next country to-" Nine's quip was cut off by Malcolm loudly clearing his throat.
"Earth Garde know we know this?" Nine questioned casually. Lexa shrugged.
"Awesome I love doing things under people's noses. Let's get the gang together." Nine clapped his hands together enthusiastically.
She probably should've been offended that they interrupted her breakfast. She barely had enough time to grab her backpack before dodging them. They shot her glass of orange juice before she sent every knife in the kitchen at them all at once. That had them distracted so she got out the back door.
Curses they surrounded her again.
"Love to stay and chat but I have better things to do." She taunted.
In a flash, she was gone. At least that's what they would think. Where would she pop up next was a better question? Nothing like evading a team of agents to wake you up in the morning. But they were both safe. No one would catch them and she would protect her family. Not those people who just willingly signed her away without a second thought.
It took a week to get them all to the Academy. They were meeting up in Nine's office with Malcolm and Lexa.
"So you think there's another one with Ximic out there?" John started casually.
"It fits all the reports we've been getting about her." Malcolm sighed. Still not convinced that it was true..
"But she would need to have experienced others legacies to mimic them." John pointed out. "Just like I had to."
"I doubt there's many Garde she's come into contact with in the middle of nowhere." Six remarked.
"Maybe it's something similar to Ximic? Could she be tricking the officials?" Marina suggested.
"That'd be a new one," Malcolm commented. "But we are discovering new legacies everyday. So not surprising if it is a new legacy."
"But how do you think she's evading capture so easily? She must not be using regular forms of travel." Six inquired.
Malcolm gave Nine a knowing look.
Ella gave them a look.
"Get out of my brain Ella." Nine remarked, giving the preteen an annoyed look.
"Tell them then." She gave an innocent smile.
John raised an eyebrow. "What's ya got professor?"
"There was an incident a few months ago where some students escaped and went on an adventure of their own. They discovered this girl who can create Loralite. She works for other people but that's how she and her partner bounced across the globe." Nine explained tersely.
"Could she be flying?" Six suggested completely ignoring Nine.
"Or teleporting?" Marina added.
"Didn't Eight need Loralite to teleport?" Ella inquired.
"No. He was just more accurate when he used it for long-distance." Marina answered.
"So she's probably teleporting every time she's caught." Six finished. "Haphazardly teleporting."
"Well want your good news?" Lexa questioned suddenly, dark eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked up from her laptop.
"What?" Nine asked curiously, leaning over to read her screen.
"The human Garde Athena just evaded capture in Belmont, Michigan. Used telekinesis and then went poof." Lexa read aloud.
Malcolm got up and went to the map to mark the city.
"There seems to be no method to her relocating. She just pops up anywhere in the country. Never the same place twice." Malcolm explained. "Which would make sense with the haphazard teleportation idea."
"So we get to go find her before Earth Garde puts a bullet in her skull." Sam quipped. He had been quiet the whole time.
"She hasn't killed anyone. She's just the thorn in their side. The one they can't catch." Nine chuckled. "I don't think they like to kill potential new toys."
"Then why are we here?" Six questioned. "If EG has this? They are likely to get testy if we start doing their job." She remarked with a mischievous look.
"Because I want her here before others can get their hands on her." He sighed. "Also I never knew you cared about what EG thought?" He smirked. "If I remember correctly they offered you my position first and you told them to take a hike, off a cliff."
Six rolled her hazel eyes at his commentary.
"Like those religious nuts I met in South Dakota?" John inquired.
"Worse." Nine replied. "There is a much bigger and badder wolf than the Harvesters."
"Religious nuts?" Six and Marina both questioned.
"I had to rescue a human Garde from people that were trying to kill her because she's the devil incarcerate." John bluntly explained.
"Nice," Sam commented dryly.
Six just rolled her eyes.
"So where are we starting?" Four asked.
"How about Belmont Michigan. That's the last spot she was. I'll get you the address." Lexa offered.
"Sounds like a plan." Marina shrugged.
Rosemary Heights, New York was where she landed. The bundle of material pressed hard to her chest and her backpack secured on her back. First thing first. Supplies then shelter. She felt movement in her wad of material and pulled away a section to reveal a small pale face. She was getting worse. If only she knew how to help the girl. Maybe she'd manage to get her to a hospital before long. She was still working on making new paperwork for her. She adjusted her grip on the girl and walked into a Walmart and headed into the pharmacy department. She only needed two items. Some hair dye and children's Tylenol. Then she'd find a house and work her magic. She managed to secure them a house under an assumed identity. Once she tucked the little girl into bed and gave her some Tylenol for the fever she set to work. Flipped the bathroom lights on and dumped her Walmart bag on the counter. She grabbed the box and ripped it open. This would be what? Fifth time? Sixth? They'd never managed to stay in the same place for more than six weeks. Like a second nature, she started mixing the chemicals together. Goodbye Avery Elizabeth. Hello, Sarah Stevens. She frowned at her reflection in the mirror and set to work. This was still a better life than beforehand. Once the deed was done she washed it out and grabbed the next package. With a sigh, she ripped it open. What should she do this time? Once she finished and cleaned everything off she started working on new papers. How long until they found her this time? Two? Three weeks? Maybe five? They were relentless.
"Well, this is pointless." Sam sighed, shoulders slumping.
"Haven't found anything?" John asked curiously. He peeked around the corner to where Sam was going through the tech set up in the basement.
"She must have some serious security measures. The whole system has been wiped or corrupted I still can't decide which."
"Why not talk tech to tech?" John suggested. He saw a look of irritation come across the boy's face. Before either could continue they heard Six.
"John! Can you come up here?" She called from upstairs.
"I'll give you and the hardware some alone time." John teased. Sam rolled his eyes but smirked. John laughed and went upstairs.
She wasn't on the main level but standing on the second level stairwell. She turned around and disappeared off to the left of the second landing. He followed her into the bathroom.
"What'd ya discover?" He questioned, looking around.
Six picked up a small garbage can and placed it on the counter. "Look familiar?"
It was obviously weeks old but John knew what the only garbage in the can was. Hair dye and hair.
"Looks like the garbage of a fugitive." He commented. "Rookie mistake, leaving the hair in the garbage." He remarked
"An art we are all very familiar with aren't we?" Six smirked.
"We don't live like that anymore Six." John reminded.
"Alright, you two stop reminiscing and come see this," Marina told them. She had an amused look on her face as she stood in the doorway.
"Get out of here." Six laughed.
John rolled his eyes at her. Six put the garbage can back and followed them out.
"I know there are three bedrooms here and one girl but the two upstairs both looked lived in," Marina explained, gesturing to two doorways.
"Could we actually be looking for two?" John suggested.
"That might make it more believable for the stunts she's pulled," Marina added. "We're hunting two HGs and not one. Lines up with the unstable legacy reports."
"But all the reports including the original capture of her said she was it." Six pointed out with a scowl.
"How do you think Ella is doing at the Academy with Nine?" John asked with a sigh.
"Relax. She's fine." Six reassured. "Besides she's with Nine."
"She's probably having loads of fun with Nine and the other children there." Marina chuckled. "Maybe even pining over Nine." She smirked
"Where's Sam?" Six inquired.
"Having a heart to heart with the tech in the basement." John answered.
"Yeah, we came to a great disagreement. Let's go back to the hotel and report to Nine." Sam spoke from the stairwell. He sounded annoyed.
"I never thought I'd hear those words in the same sentence. Report to and Nine." Six quipped.
Four laughed.
"Neither did I."