Disclaimer: My universe, a modification of the Victorious universe. I only own what I create. The rest, they belong t their original creators. Just a FYI.
Warning, the view shown by some characters are because of who they are, and not necessarily shared by the writer.
:}
Eric parked the car, smiling at Jade as he adjusted the car's position, making sure the car was perfectly placed. "Man, I usually don't get to park here. Not high enough in the company. But guess what? Today, not only do I get to, I get to use a company car to do it." There was a brief, prideful smile. "Then again, I'm really just returning the car, but I'll be getting it back later, to take you home."
"You like to talk." Jade said. "Don't need it."
"Just trying to help out, given that I know, all things considered, you have to be nervous." Eric commented, glancing around as if someone might overhear. "I mean, I barely have the clearance to know about Protect Redemption. I can only imagine how nerve wracking it has to be, knowing that no one has ever successfully completed the program. Not that I'm rooting against you. I didn't get into probation to root against my clients. Mine, or anyone's. No, I want you to succeed. But, problem is, I can take you to the door, but that's about it. From there, you're in the capable hands of the probation officer in charge of the program. With luck, things will work out, and hay, who knows, maybe as they add to the program, they'll need me to do more then transport."
"Thanks for the pep talk." Jade said. "Now I'm only dreading this."
"Come." He motioned. He got out of the car, walking with purpose towards the elevator Banks and stairs, the entrance to the building proper.
Jade followed him, watching as they moved from their underground parking space to the elevators, stopping at a specific elevator. As they got there, Eric pulled out his ID, and used it like a key card, flashing his ID for the sensor, which in turn called the elevator.
Jade waited the minutes it took for the elevator to arrive, getting more and more nervous. But each time the impulse to run appeared, she reminded herself she was doing this because she owed her grandfather. 'Stay calm, it's not gonna be that bad.' She reminded herself. 'Just stay focused. Who needs friends, or a social life, or anything beyond school, if it gets me out of this mess and lets me have the future my grandfather wants for me. Just relax, and focus my mind on what I have to do.' It was getting easier to ignore the pain and focus through on the task at hand, even if, to the pessimistic girl, it felt like a part of her was dying.
The elevator arrived, and to the goth, it felt like she'd been waiting in that garage for hours. She did note that theirs was the only elevator to signal it was going down. Hesitation almost froze her feet, but the young woman was able to force herself to step in and get comfortable. Then the door closed, and she was alone for the ride down, towards the unknown.
After several stories worth of decent, the door opened, and Jade was greeted by four officers in the rumored "Police tech" Battle armor, the powered armor that the Los Angeles police supposedly bought, but found too expensive to deploy. 'So, they're used as guards here? Man, what a waste of money...'
"Follow me." A man dressed in what she assumed was a guards uniform instructed her. He led her down a hall, the walls painted a painful white, to a Plexiglas door.
"Next, we have the strip search." One of the men there informed her.
"Not needed." A female voice said. "Mystic. She doesn't carry a weapon, she is one." The voice belonged to a woman in a police uniform. Caucasian, medium height, average looks, but solid, like she was used to dealing with trouble. "Besides, she's under age, and we don't need a potential lawsuit."
"Not to mention..." Jade started.
"I didn't tell you you could speak." The female officer snapped. "I just don't feel the need to sexually harass you in a clear, Plexiglas room, just for the entertainment of these jerks, when it won't change anything. You're not gonna be smuggling anything in. Hell, for all I know, anything you want, you can just call to you. No, not wasting my time. So, you shut up, come with me, and let me process you."
Jade nodded, following the woman quietly. "I'm gonna go ahead and save us some time, start your prison file." The woman told her.
"I thought..." Jade started.
"I said shut it." The woman snapped. "Now, we're gonna go ahead and get this done, and when Mister Masters calls, you'll be a good girl, listen, and do as he tells you. Got it?"
'I'm doing this for my grandfather. I'm doing this for my grandfather. I'm doing this for my grandfather.' Jade thought hard, feeling the urge to wipe that attitude from this woman's face. 'No, I don't know how powerful those powered armor suits are, and even if I can take them all, grandfather...' She held her tongue.
"I SAID got it?" The police woman repeated. "Just fucking nod, so I know I'm not dealing with a total moron."
Jade nodded, once again feeling the urge to rip this building down around these people's ears growing inside her. 'I'm doing this for my grandfather, and because I want the future he wants me to have. Not gonna let some bitch cost me my time in the sun. When I'm done, I can laugh at her and hers. They can all go suck my titties, or whatever, since I don't want them anywhere near me.'
Jade had already been processed when arrested, so most of what she went through was fairly minimal. They saved the cleansing for later, as it wouldn't make any difference as long as she was going home after the processing. Instead, she was told what she could bring with her when she came, just in case she was going to be arrested, as well as walked through the procedure. She even got to keep her own clothes, even as she was assigned a rather plane jumpsuit to wear when in the facilities. It looked like a prison uniform, complete with that glaring orange no one would otherwise wear. Finished with the processing, jade had taken only a moment to change.
"Mister Masters will see you now." A secretary called out, and Jade felt that maybe she might be better off just running, stopping long enough to gather her grandfather before making a break for Mexico.
'Secretary seems nice enough. Then again, I have no idea...' Jade thought as the woman led her into a deeper office. This path led her through a large, open area that seemed to be some kind of training grounds, to another hall, through which was a richly appointed set of rooms, the deepest of which had windows and the appearance that it was high in the air, despite Jade knowing they were deep underground. 'That's movement, meaning they have some kind of closed circuit monitoring system letting them use upper windows to give this office a view."
"Miss West, this will be one of the few times you'll be invited into my office. In the future, all our business will be taken care of out in the training area. But, for now, I like to have each new recruit meet me here, and go over a few things." Mister Masters said.
The man was solid, standing taller then her father, with salt and pepper hair cut military short, and a crisp suit that screamed discipline. His eyes never looked at her so much as through her, taking every measure of the girl with a total lack of approval. Even sitting behind the desk, he was an imposing, unforgiving figure. Jade suspected he didn't like her already. "I just wanted to go over the expectations, the rules, and the demerit system, before we started you off. FYI, it's really easy to get days, weeks, or even years added to your sentence. Even failing to respond fast enough when given an instruction will cost you. So, lets go over the list, as well as your rights." He chuckled. "Actually, you don't have any rights, so lets skip that part..."
The list was long, with Jade discovering why no one ever made it through the program. They controlled ever aspect of her life, having approval of her friends, her associates, even her school. If they decided, they could force her to move schools, in addition to giving her demerits and adding to her sentence. By the time she was done, Jade felt less and less like she was going to make it. 'Keep my head down, let this go, and be the good little bitch they want me to be. I'll make it, then, only then, I'll let the city bun before I raise a finger to help these jerks. Once I'm done...'
"Now then, all we need is a quick assessment of your abilities, and we're done for now." Mister Masters said. "However, we may decide to have you stay here a bit longer, if we feel there's more to learn."
A guard come in and led the goth out of the office and back to the practice room. From there, she was led to one of the side rooms, some kind of firing range, complete with human shaped targets at the end. This was where they were going to test her abilities.
"Now then." A man in a white coat said. Jade had noticed that no one save Mister Masters gave her any names. She was just expected to obey everyone, responding with a "Yes sir" or "Yes ma'am" when a response was required. "This firing range has been reinforced, and can handle light anti-tank weaponry. Why don't you send some kind of attack down the way, towards one of those targets, and we'll see how much power you can muster."
"What kind of attack?" Jade asked.
"What kind do you usually generate?" The man said, and Jade realized she'd spoken back to an authority figure who wasn't trying to add demerits to her.
"I'm a mystic, so I work with all the elements." Jade said. "So, fire?"
"Concrete and reinforced concrete, so that's a good option." The man in the white coat said. "So, just you go right ahead and..."
Jade gathered all the power she could, feeling the energy building inside her. As it swelled, she briefly contemplated not showing them everything, deciding she could hold back just a bit, as long as she remembered how much she held back. 'I'll go about eighty percent of maximum, just to impress this guy. Maybe it'll help the others treat me with just a bit more respect.'
Jade felt the energy bursting out of her, releasing the fire in a single breath, a long line of flame burning through the air, frying the oxygen between her and the target. As the fire slammed into the target, incinerating it and it's neighbors, the flame rebounded off the back wall and stared to work it's way back along the long, thin firing range, heating the concrete, raising the temperature in the enclosed area, casting a bright reddish glow throughout the entire testing area. A good hundred feet of the hundred and fifty now glowed from the heat penetrating into the walls.
Jade smiled as she watched the automated air circulation system struggle to clear the smoke and flame from the firing range. They weren't built to handle the heat, and struggled to work. The systems barely managed to keep it from getting more then uncomfortably warm where Jade was standing. Seconds passed as the fire continued to burn, crackling in it's merry dance even though there just wasn't much for it to burn. But at that heat, almost anything that could burn, would burn.
The man in the white coat just watched, showing no surprise, just a cold analyzing of the impact of her power. "And how often can you generate that kind of effect?" He asked.
"Initially, maybe four times." Jade said. "I'd need a second or two to build the power, then out it goes. However, after that, I'd need a recharge. I can do less, maybe half as much, with no preparation, and probably a lot more often."
"Okay." The man said. "I'd love to examine the other limits of your abilities, but the firing range is gonna need some time to cool down, and maybe some maintenance. Also, I think we'll want to make sure we have some precautions in place before we continue with these tests. But, this was very informative." He maintained his cool, detached air, even as his words hinted at how impressed he'd been by her spell.
He led her out to the training area, and had her move weights with her mind, using her magics as a form of telekinesis. Jade impressed, even as she further restricted herself, feeling she'd proven herself enough. 'Let them think I'm mostly elemental. That way, I can get out of here once I know it's hopeless. Until then, as long as there's hope, I don't have to show them everything.'
"So, how is it that you managed not to kill or seriously injure a single police officer or civilian during your battle with Blue Steel and the Constable?" The researcher asked.
"Didn't want to leave a bunch of dead bodies." Jade said with a shrug. "The police, they were just doing their job. Sides, the police will look for you forever if you kill one of their own."
Mister Masters had been watching her through the closed circuit television, and was more then impressed by her abilities. In fact, he was edging on worried, which for him was a step past scared. He'd already decided she was far too powerful to have running around, interacting with the world. Girl was a flight risk, especially given the program he had planned for her. However, as he prepared to head out and order her restrained, pausing only long enough to put on his own body armor and grab a handgun in case he needed it, his phone rang. Masters wanted to ignore the call, head out and deal with this girl, but he knew any call coming down there was potently important, so it was better to just deal with the call now. Later, he'd hate having made that decision. "Yes, this is senior probation officer Masters."
"Mike, this is chief probation officer Richards. I just wanted to share the good news. We have a mystic willing to act as mentor to the Black Dahlia." The superior probation officer said.
"We won't be needing a mentor." Masters replied, his voice neutral. "We're trying to break her down, and a mentor would just send the wrong message."
"Yes, but this request comes from one of the mayors chief donors, who happens to be a former street hero. Guy used to go by the name Mister Cadabra." The Chief Probation officer clarified. "Mister Cadabra recommended someone, and as a favor to the Mayer, and to the Governor, we're gonna go ahead and have her working with this guy. Seems his recommendations carried weight, especially given we're getting one of his apprentices as her mentor. And, get this, we don't even have to worry about this new guys clearance, cause back when this guy was known as Abra, he was allowed all kinds of places."
"Great, Abra." Masters groaned. "That guy was a joke." His hand held his head as he worried that this man would damage his carefully crafted plan to destroy the girls fee will and rebuild her under the police's total control, what to him was the only safe way to deal with someone this powerful.
"He also has a busy schedule, and will only be able to drop by occasionally." Mister Richards added. "But not to worry, he works at Hollywood Arts, and can mentor her there."
"Given her power, we were considering pulling her from that school." Masters informed the man.
"And breaking the deal we made?" The chief asked. "What would the judge say? Too many eyes, with too many politically powerful friends, are watching us right now. That means we're long past the time when we could get away with that crap. No, we play this one diplomatically. Black Dahlia will be mentored by Mister Abra." There was a chuckle. "That's his new code name, by the way."
"Sir, I must object." Masters said. "I've seen what she's capable of, and we're gonna need total control to break her down…."
"Then you wait for her to do something wrong." Richards said. "We cover our asses here, so we can get what needs to be done dealt with while still following the rules. Look, I know you can work withing the rules, and if something goes wrong, she acts out, we'll have plenty of others to blame, okay?"
Masters gave a quiet "Okay" before hanging up the phone. Even agitated as he was, he prided himself on control, so he didn't slam the phone, just hung it up while wishing short sighted fools didn't keep interfering with his plans. It was time to make adjustments to his plan. The quiet buildup of his rage was enough to set the man in motion. Storming out of his office, past his secretary, he gave the image of an impatient man with somewhere to be.
Seconds later, Mister Masters arrived where Jade was finishing a few last tests. "No, I never did learn how to form protective barriers." Jade said, having mostly used shaped elemental forces to protect herself in the past. "I do know how to temporarily magically armor clothes. Not dumb enough to go out there unprotected. Not as hard as the good guys hit."
'And the walls you used in your fight with Blue steel?" The lab coat asked.
"Just shaped elemental forces." Jade replied. "Lost a LOT of potential protection in the act, but it's what I had."
The police woman from before had shown up, flanked by all four of the power armored police officers. They seemed ready to do something, all tensing for what may well be a hard fight. "So, we done here?" Jade asked, an evil smile on her face.
"Unfortunately, we're worried about how powerful you are." The probation officer said. "But, we don't have to worry about any of that, not since Mister Abra will now be acting as your mentor, as well as vouching for your behavior at school. So, as soon as mister Smith here is done..."
"Doctor Smith." The man in the lab coat corrected him.
"As soon as Doctor Smith here is done, you can go." Masters finished, and he seemed almost in pain to be letting her go.
Jade didn't wait long, taking her excuse to leave. She'd already been there longer then they'd promised, and she had the feeling they wanted her there longer. 'Probably in a prison uniform.' She though as she danced impatiently, waiting for the door to open with her ride to the surface. She'd practically broken records changing, and was impatient to put this place behind her, even if only for today. The elevator took it's sweet time arriving, and when it opened, Blue Steel was standing there.
"So, Dahlia, looks like your ready to head home." The police hero said, sounding almost causal.
Jade looked at the hero, suspicion flaring. "Just finished."
"Yea, must be." He hemmed. "Look, I know Masters can demand a lot of time sometimes. Honestly, I thought you'd still be here, testing."
"I kinda fried the monitoring equipment in the testing range." Jade said, sounding kinda proud. "So, after I found out that Mister Abra is gonna be my mentor, I was told I could go, and stay at Hollywood Arts."
"Oh, you're staying at Hollywood Arts?" Blue Steel said, managing to hide most of his disappointment. "And apparently, Abra is now Mister Abra?"
"Yea." Jade said. "Look, I need to find out if my ride's still here."
"Yea, he had to go." Blue Steel said. "So I volunteered to drive you. Wait here for a bit, while I check in with Mister Masters. I'll be right back."
Jade waited as the hero walked over to check in with her probation officer. It felt like another hour, but was probably just moments later, she saw the two men talking. Calling upon an air spirit to help her extend her own awareness out, she listened in. 'I mean, I'll bet their talking about me anyways.'
"So, not taking her out of Hollywood Arts?" The hero asked.
"Mister Abra works at Hollywood Arts, so can better mentor her there." Masters spat, even though It was obvious his disdain wasn't for the hero before him. "I was ordered to do this by the Chief Probation officer. Man coddles his charges too much. It takes a strong hand to guide a criminal back to the side of law. And when most don't make it, that's because they're flawed, lawless individuals who don't care for law and order. You have to break them."
Jade cringed. 'That's what this is? No chance to redeem myself? Just breaking my spirit like a fucking horse? But the best horses are never broken, just trained in a way that keeps their spirit strong. Wait, am I just a fucking workhorse to them?'
Jade missed the look of discomfort that crossed Blue Steels face, just for a moment, before his heart hardened. "Our job is to take all that power and turn it away from crime." The hero said. "If, after this is done, she keeps the identity of Black Dahlia or not, doesn't mater, just as long as she's not using her magics to cause damage, steal, or otherwise break the law."
"I'll never let THAT be a threat." Masters assured the hero. "If it comes to it, one of us will put her down. But the odds are against us now, because of fucking Abra. Jerk, just because he was Mister Cadabra's sidekick, way back, doesn't make him an expert on reforming criminals."
"I met him once, years ago." Blue Steel said. "Back when I was the Constable. Cadabra was a decent street hero, who put the needs of the masses ahead of his own. I recall that Abra was an impressionable young men, majorly weird, who was learning Cadabra's magics. I can't imagine that kid would be a good role model. I mean, besides, I can't let him take over as the training hero, cause he's retired. They both gave up the business over a decade ago." He shook his head. "However, maybe it's a good thing we have him as her mentor. Given how little we know about magic, we'll need someone who knows their chiz if we have a hope of reaching her."
"Again, we're not trying to reach her" Masters reminded the hero. "She's a criminal, and as such deserves no sympathy. No, we crush her spirit, make her bend to our will, and then tell her what to do. It's the only way to allow anyone with a sketchy past to have any real power. Now then, maybe you can talk to the mayor, get him to agree to my approach for this training?"
"We both know the mayor's not gonna wanna break the deal until we have proof that she can't follow the program." Blue Steel said. "So we play this straight."
"Don't you children go to Hollywood arts?" Masters asked, shifting tactics. "Part of the Blue Generation Initiative?"
'Fuck...!' Jade thought, as she continued to listen. 'Steel has kids at Hollywood Arts. Man, now he'll never trust me. I mean, I'm a gank there sometimes, but that's only cause, to be popular, admired, you kinda have to be. No one respects the weak.'
"Yea, and Jade being there with them does concern me." Blue steel said. "But we have resources there. We can contain her, if prepared. Also, she wants to be a filmmaker, so she's not likely to risk the school. Now, the other students..."
"Oh, I quite agree." Masters said. "And a filmmaker? Really? No, she'll do whatever we tell her to, because she's a criminal, and criminals cannot be trusted to make their own decisions."
"We made a deal, with her and her grandfather..." Blue Steel tried. Even his hardened, worried heart wasn't into the way this man wanted to do things. Only his desire to protect his family kept him from asking for someone, anyone else, to run her retraining. Yet his face stayed straight, hard and unemotional. A perfect poker face under his mask and clear face plate.
"And we both know she'll never keep her end of it." Masters cut in. "But, for you, I'll give her a shot. Just, expect me to have my special guards watching her during the training. I've already told her she has to earn being allowed the privilege of being your sidekick. Lets see if she can do it." Jade didn't like the tone in the mans voice.
'Grandfather, I don't think this man wants me to succeed.' She thought. 'What do I do? I mean, I get Blue Steel. He has kids at Hollywood arts. But he also sounds like he kinda believes in me. Maybe. Or maybe he's just looking for an excuse to put me down...' The thought of dying didn't much appeal to her at that moment.
:}
So, anyone got a guess as to why no one has ever succeeded I n this program? Hard line isn't always wrong, as long as it's fair. Does Masters come across as a fair, understanding man? And what do you think Jade will do now that she knows the plans they have for her. Also, is there a way out of this problem for our girl? Thinking any chance she has at a happy life might have everything to do with those eyes now watching her. Finally, what powers might Tori have? Hoping to cover that in the next couple of chapters.