Young Offenders, Part 3:
Jet peeked out from his half closed eyes around the dim submarine. He was slouched in one of the seats in front of the controls. The older man, Albert, who sat beside him, groaned and clutched his right shoulder.
"Hey, you okay, old man?"
Albert's head snapped up. His face was full of ire. "You don't listen at all! You could have been shot out of the sky and let that girl get hurt!" He snapped in accented English.
"Don't lecture me, Gramps! I don't know the chick, the ankle-biter, or you, sauerkraut! I did what I needed to do!"
The man grabbed the front of Jet's uniform and gave him a chilling look. "I don't give a damn if you risk my life! I was depending on you to cover that girl and the kid. They deserve to live, so wise up, you fucking idiot!"
Jet's ire exploded as he returned a nasty glare to Albert. "Listen! I do what I want, when I want! So don't pick a fight with me!"
The man groaned, clenched his teeth, and slumped forward. Jet looked to see the man's right, metallic fingers twitching. His anger turned to anxiety. He didn't want the guy to blow up or something and take all of them out.
"Hey, Doc! Come look at this guy's hand. I think something's wrong with him." Gilmore came walking up and began tugging up the green sleeve of Albert's uniform. "I don't want him accidentally shooting off his hand, so don't think I give a damn about the rotten bastard!" Jet declared loudly. He wanted it known he wasn't done with this argument.
"Just keep watching that sonar monitor for any blips. I'll take care of 004," Gilmore instructed.
"Sure," Jet grumbled, not even knowing what a sonar was, but disturbed he knew how to work some of this equipment. Didn't the kid say they programed his brain or something? He'd certainly ask for details on that.
He cast furtive glances as Gilmore started unscrewing a small panel on Albert's wrist. He shivered and looked towards the sonar again. He didn't have enough courage, yet, to see if his legs appeared like that. He tried flexing his toes and feeling them. There was nothing there. Just emptiness. His stomach filed with acid as he tried to figure out how to even look at his feet again without wanting to lose his mind.
Francoise stepped out of the warm waves and onto the sandy beach. She was no longer groggy, which lead to a new problem. The bright, dawn light on the Japanese shore was blinding, the crashing waves and screeching gulls destroyed her concentration. The smell of salt air and sea life stung her nose. Her uniform, unlike the males, had a pleated green skirt. She had felt the sea water splash up above her knees on to her bare thighs. All sorts of information about the water came flooding into her head: temperature, salt content, toxin levels.
Ivan stepped beside her and helped guide her up the beach by the elbow. Behind them were Jet and Doctor Gilmore with Albert hoisted between them. Gilmore had explained that Albert's cybernetics hadn't been perfected yet; now he was malfunctioning. On the beach was a middle-aged, Japanese man in thick glasses. His jaunty, friendly wave distracted Francoise and helped ease some of her worry over Albert. It was so nice to see a kindly face after what she'd been through.
"Isaac! Finally! I was afraid you wouldn't be able to get away," the Japanese man called out in English.
"Please, Kozumi, help us get 004 into your lab. Like I said, I think you can help us without bringing attention. You're still working at the University?"
"Yes, come along." The man guided them towards a large, beach house.
Francoise gave a baffled look towards Ivan. "He looks as young as Doctor Gilmore. I figured he'd be more like the other Black Ghost scientists. A lot older. Even your father seemed quite the senior compared to Doctor Gilmore."
"The Black Ghost prefers to employ older, well-established doctors for their endeavors, however, they wanted to try something new. They wanted to see if younger men could be solidly indoctrinated into their beliefs. I have a feeling they'll change their philosophy in the future."
"Young men tend to be idealistic. Jean-Paul is." Francoise drew in a deep breath when the pang of missing her brother hit. She turned to speak to Doctor Gilmore, when Ivan's telepathy chimed in her head.
/Idealism is what Gilmore is struggling with at the moment. He had wanted to help humanity with cybernization. Also, please don't ask to see your brother quite yet, Francoise. We have to worry about getting ourselves stable and strong. Then we'll worry about avoiding the Black Ghost and letting you see your brother. Remember to be sensible; it could put his life in danger if you were to show up. Your better odds are keeping close to us./
/You're right about me seeing him, but I worry about how he's handling everything. It seems like it's been so long. How long has it been?/
/Almost three months./ Ivan projected.
Francoise felt a chill as they entered the Japanese man's home. They were lead to a sophisticated, basement laboratory. Francoise couldn't help clutching Ivan's lean hand in a reflexive, protective gesture as she tugged him back towards her.
/Surely these things hold bad memories for you./ she thought.
/I'm fine, Francoise. I read Professor Kozumi's mind. He has pity for us and wants to help./
"Help get him up here on this bed, my boy," Gilmore ordered Jet. They were able to get Albert resting on the table.
Doctor Gilmore went right to the medicine cabinet. "That's right, Isaac, that vial on the lower shelf is for pain."
"Help me get this blasted uniform off," Doctor Gilmore snarled to Jet.
"I ain't your butler!" he snapped back.
Francoise walked over to the operating table. She helped Gilmore get the green, uniform coat off, peeved that Jet couldn't be bothered. She gasped when she saw a plain, gold band on a chain around the man's neck. She carefully took it off and set it with his red scarf and jacket.
Gilmore gave Albert an injection in his left, fleshy arm, and it wasn't too long before Albert lay unconscious. The two doctors hovered over him, busy with equipment. Jet backed into a dark corner of the room and balled up on the floor. He wrapped his thin arms around his lanky legs, but kept his wary eyes firmly on the bustling doctors. To Francoise, those eyes looked utterly haunted, but they had a wild animal quality in them. Yes, she was sure she disliked Jet a great deal.
"Can I help?" Francoise asked the two doctors.
"Could you bring that sterilized tray over here?" Gilmore asked as he examined Albert's altered arm. France got the tray and stood by in case she could be helpful. Half way through the procedure, Jet and Ivan were sent by Kozumi to the kitchen to eat. They were also urged to get some sleep in a guest room on the second floor. They both obeyed without a word.
"Are you tired, Arnoul-san?" Kozumi asked, in English.
"No, Sir. I'll stay here. He protected me, so the least I can do is help him now."
"Very well."
The procedure went on for the rest of the day. Francoise paid careful attention to everything the doctors did and said. She refused to be shy about asking questions. Acquiring this knowledge helped her feel useful, and it distracted her from her homesickness. Slowly, thoughts of Jean-Paul, Natalie, and her other Parisian friends washed away. Her life as a ballerina faded away to the immediate need in front of her: saving this stranger's life.
"So is that guy going to live or what?" Jet asked Ivan after they reached the top of the staircase.
"I don't know," Ivan answered softly, turning drooping eyes towards him.
"But you can read his mind and stuff, right?"
"Not at this moment. I expended most of my capital energy getting us off Ghost Island." Ivan opened the door to the guest room on the top floor of the house. Jet watched him sit on the edge of the bed. Jet sat on the twin bed that rested across the room from Ivan.
Jet tugged his red scarf off and started to undo the buttons on the top of his green uniform. "Man, I'm burning this thing after I get some sleep."
"You can't. It has special qualities. It can withstand extreme temperature and help take the impact of bullets. They could come in handy later on. After all, don't think they'll stop looking for us," Ivan's icy tone sent a shiver up Jet's spine.
He decided to ignore that. He could handle himself and was just itching to put a hurting on some of those goons. He switched the subject. "Hey, ankle-biter, what you said about capital energy? What's that?"
"Herr Heinrich's modifications weren't perfected. Neither were mine. We both had more extensive surgery done than you and Francoise had. Today's technology wasn't really advanced enough for all of their goals. In my case, I can only use my physic abilities in limited amounts before my brain shuts down."
"Then why do all this in the first place!" Jet clenched his fist and stared at it. He could still feel the sensation as if it were his flesh, but he found his breathing, strength, and speed had all changed. He felt lighter, a lot quicker, too. Still, the choice to become this had been taken away from him. That was something he'd never forget or forgive.
"Some would say our powers are a gift and we should be grateful," Ivan said.
"Your crazy-assed old man? He can take a leap!" Jet's teeth clamped hard on his lower lip as his head jerked up towards Ivan. There was that unnerving, impassive expression Ivan constantly wore. "Grateful? For this? They took away my choice! It was my body until they... they... tore it up and threw it out like trash!" He started to choke up, but he controlled it as much as he could. He said bitterly, "But I guess that's how they see people. Like bits of trash to be used and thrown out." Jet shook his head. "Not me. I'm not going to be used by those bastards! One day... somehow... they're going to be sorry they screwed with me. They'll pay."
There was a brief flash of blue in Ivan's right eye, but it dimmed quickly. "Good. I had a feeling you would say that. You need to stick close to us if you want that chance. Don't go back to New York right now. It could be dangerous if we were to split up."
"I don't know if the cops are looking for me, to tell the truth, but you keep that under your hat from the chick and sauerkraut. I know my parents couldn't give a shit about me, so I won't have them snooping around for me. I've got my own thing going right now. I'll get back with my gang and lay low. If it's like you say, I can outrun the cops, now. Besides, New York is a huge city. I won't be found."
"You asked why they changed us even when things weren't perfected yet. We are the experiments. We are to be used as models so they can see the drawbacks and then find others to do this to. Don't you see? It's designed to be an endless cycle of research. We just happened to be the first generation."
Jet flopped back on the bed and covered his eyes with his right arm. "It's not my job to save the whole world, kid. I have to look out for myself and give them some pay back. That's it. I'm grateful to that guy and that girl down there, but I can't help them."
"You're afraid to help them. They remind you too much of what you just went through at the hands of the Black Ghost, and you fear them. You fear it's too much for you to handle, and you'll be that same weak child at your parents' mercy."
Jet propped up his elbows and glared at Ivan. "I ain't scared of nothing! Not my folks, not those Black Ghost guys, and... certainly not you, the chick, and sauerkraut... So... just shut up or else!"
"Fine." Ivan settled back on his bed and shut his eyes. "Just keep in mind, I know why you ended up kidnapped by the Black Ghost. I've seen all of your dreams, and I know what you've done. It would behoove you to consider my proposal and stay away from New York."
Jet felt the color drain from face. He sank back on his bed and shook his head. He detested how that kid could always see through him, especially since he had spent years constructing his image and developing a strong front. He didn't want to think about how it was crumbing. Each day was getting harder to hold his anger in check, even before these Black Ghost goons had gotten a hold of him.
He'd found a goal to distract himself: get back to New York one day, no matter what, and leave this entire ugly nightmare behind him. He held up his hands and remembered all the blood from that boy in the rival gang. He clenched his fists and decided he had no choice. For now, he'd do what the ankle-biter said, and that was galling.
Francoise quickly dressed in a plaid skirt and cream blouse; it was furnished by one of the sisters of a student of Doctor Kozumi's who was fond of western-styled clothing. She glanced around the small guest room to ensure she had left everything as neat as possible.
She scooped up Jean-Paul's gold pocket watch off the nightstand before heading downstairs. It fit nicely in the skirt's pocket as she remembered his admonishment; it was only a loan to ensure she made her practices on time. Francoise knew it meant a great deal to him; the pocket watch and the biplane were the only trace left of their war-hero father, a Second World War pilot.
She ran her finger along the edge of the watch, vowing to return it to Jean-Paul before the week was finished. She reached the kitchen and was yanked back to reality. Her three male compatriots, she was starting to think of them in those terms, in spite of the unfamiliarity still existing, sat at the table with the two thirty-something-year-old doctors. All were sipping coffee, except Ivan.
"Good morning, Arnoul-san. Did you sleep well?" Kozumi asked, waving to the empty chair beside him.
"Yes, Sir. Thank you for the clothes. I appreciate them."
"I'm sorry I couldn't get more, but we have to be careful about our approach. In another week I can probably get everyone some more clothing."
"Don't bother, Doctor. We should be leaving your house soon, but it would be wise to stay in Tokyo," Ivan said. Francoise suppressed a slight shudder. His voice was too authoritative for fourteen.
"What? You didn't tell me you wanted to leave," Gilmore chimed in, looking surprised. "We need to be careful about the Black Ghost. They have spies in the police, port authorities, and passport offices. It'll take us..."
"No, Doctor, you won't be staying in Tokyo with us. You'll have to go back." Ivan picked up a small apple and bit it. Francoise didn't like it when Ivan got into one of his modes where he seemed to be looking at everything with a machine logic rather than using his heart. It was as if his heart were stunted, something small and ignored.
"Yeah! It's not like we can trust you," Jet sneered at Gilmore, slapping his hand against the table's surface. Francoise gave him a sharp look, but no rebuke. And Jet, well, he had no idea when to stop running his mouth, to her irritation. The American irked her endlessly! Over the last two weeks at Kozumi's beach house she had discovered that, indeed, she loathed him.
Ivan glanced at Jet and shook his head. "I've read Gilmore's mind throughly. He has no secrets." Francoise noticed a faint, blue glow from Ivan's right eye. Then Jet's face flushed, his eyes filled with rancor towards Ivan as he crossed his arms. Whatever Ivan had projected into Jet's mind kept his jaw clenched tight.
"Anyway, you four need me! What about..." Gilmore started.
"Doctor, we need you more within the Black Ghost, as a double agent. You could be invaluable to us. I can modify your memories so they'll have the impression that I hypnotized and kidnapped you."
"But I don't understand! I feel horrible that my research harmed you. All of you."
Francoise watched Gilmore give Albert a shamefaced glance. The middle-aged doctor cleared his throat, shook his head, and turned his face towards Ivan with a scowl.
Gilmore continued, "You'll need me to care for you. It's not like you can go to the hospital if something goes wrong. I mean, we've got Herr Heinrich stable, but it doesn't mean things can't go wrong."
"I think we do need Doctor Gilmore with us. We don't even know everything that's been done to us," Francoise said, getting a sense of trepidation.
Jet shot her a dirty look. "You stick with him, if you want."
"We stay together. We have no choice," Ivan said.
Jet opened his mouth, but Albert interrupted with an uplifted finger. "No. Mademoiselle Arnoul should go back to her brother, back to her life. She should have the opportunity to recover as much of her life as she can. You can go back to the United States once we get her back to where she belongs."
"Even if I wanted to go back to the Big Apple, there could be problems for me. And it's not your business why!" Jet gritted his teeth, ruefully shook his head, and started to fiddle with a silver, Zippo lighter on the table. "God knows I wish I could and just live my life again."
"Then somewhere else like Australia or England? We'll figure it out after we get Mademoiselle Francoise home," Albert said.
"Separated from each other won't be safe for any of us," Ivan countered. He met Francoise's aqua eyes. "The Black Ghost will be searching for us. We've cost them a lot of time and money. They won't let us go easily." Ivan turned his head towards the German man. "No doubt they'll search for us where we would naturally go, Herr Heinrich. There is strength in numbers. You shouldn't let your experiences taint your logic."
"Then Jean-Paul is in danger!" Francoise blurted out, startled at the thought of being pursued. "So is Natalie and everyone I know. I can't just stay here." Francoise unconsciously flinched from Albert's right, metallic hand when he went to pat her hand in comfort. Her face blazed hot to see a moment of hurt and embarrassment cross the man's face. She clenched her hands in her lap and stared at them.
"My idea is to keep on the move until the Black Ghost stops searching for us as vigorously. Doctor Gilmore needs to go there and pass us information. I can create a system within the doctor's mind where I can channel into him at anytime. Meanwhile, he will act as a Black Ghost researcher and not even suspect he's the one that helped us."
"But... I... I just can't go back. What they do is monstrous!"
"It's the only way I know to keep track of them right now. Besides, you can also commit sabotage and help to prevent this from happening to other people. Please, Doctor Gilmore. Be sensible about the situation. Erika Gamo still has the potential ability to track me."
"Your mother may be back at the facility, now that you're gone. She's very powerful. Are you sure you can alter my mind enough to fool her? And your father won't just let you go. He's invested his life's research into your brain."
"I'm aware of the danger. I'm also aware that you'll be in the greatest danger, being next to them. We have no alternatives. I ask that you please help us."
Dr. Gilmore let out a huge sigh and nodded his head. His expression went from passionate to grave. "I owe this to all four of you. I still do have friends in the Black Ghost, other scientists that I could persuade, in time, to be sympathetic to your cause. They may rebel, too."
"Ivan makes a lot of sense," Albert said, crossing his arms. "The doctor should go back, but I think we need to split up, for safety. It'll be harder for them to track us. There is no reason we can't travel to France, carefully, and check on Mademoiselle Arnoul's brother."
"Yeah, but..." Jet sputtered. He crossed his arms and sulked. "I don't want to go to France."
Albert gave him a small frown. "You struck me as an adventurous sort of fellow. Besides, you implied you couldn't go back to New York for some reason." Jet was quiet for several seconds as Albert's frown turned to a smug, lop-sided grin. "Where else do you have to go?"
"Alright, alright, but the kid comes with us." Jet hitched his thumb at Ivan. "He's got some spooky things going on with him. It'll come in useful if we run into those bastards."
"I wouldn't dream of leaving him behind," Albert said.
"And don't think because of this...! Because of what happened... that I trust you. Or the chick. Or even the ankle-biter." Jet's voice was softer, more of a grumble, as he picked up his coffee and gave Albert a scrutinizing look. "Any of you could be working for them secretly and just following the rest of us."
"Your suspicious mind must hide a guilty conscious," Albert answered smoothly. "You are the only non-European among us, after all."
Jet's fiery glare opposed Albert's cool, self-satisfied expression. Francoise bolted out of her chair. Their attention focused on her. "You are two, pig-headed men! We have to stick together until we get to Paris! Throwing insults at one another is not helping."
She was pleased to see both of them had the good sense to be shamefaced. "She's right," Ivan continued. "All we have is each other, now. Our bodies are changed so that we can never rejoin normal society. Don't you understand? Not any one of us can ever go back. Not truly."
Francoise could tell some of the tension had ebbed as Ivan stood as well. What he said pained her a great deal and created all sorts of anxious thoughts. She so desperately wanted to prove Ivan wrong.
Ivan announced, "It's settled. I'll manipulate Dr. Gilmore's mind tomorrow morning. Then you lead us where you want, Herr Heinrich. I have no objections going towards France so long as it's together."
To be continued.