<Episode 19>

“Complicated doesn’t even begin to describe what I just saw,” Jack mom told her. Rachel wasn’t exactly sure were to start explaining what they left out from the previous night. Jack slowly walked up, holding the back of his head. His exposed head she realized. He showed her the inside of the hood to confirm what she was thinking.

“Good thing I kept the foil in my bag,” she muttered as she started rummaging through it.

“It’s not exactly Arnold’s,” he said as he looked around, “but it’s better than nothing.” She looked around too. God only knew how fast Anderson would get another team mobilized. Helen just stared at her son, who was trying not to look too uncomfortable from her gaze.

“They turned you into a…,” she struggled, looking for the right word. “What was the name of that stupid show Richie made you watch? Kamen Rider, that was it.”

“I try not to think about it that much,” he told her.

“And what are you exactly in all of this?”, Helen asked her. “I’m pretty sure you’re not a case worker so don’t try to tell me that again.”

Rachel found the box of foil before she answered, “I’m… I was his mission operator.”

“Mission operator?”, she paced the alley. “And you sent him after those things?”

“We sent him after one side,” she offered.

“And what in the hell does that mean?”

“Mom it’s…. ,”Jack started.

Helen pinched the bridge of her nose and held up the other hand. “So help me if you say complicated I will beat both of you right here and right now.”

Rachel leaned over toward back and whispered, “She really wouldn’t do it, would she?”

“How do you think she kept my uncle and his friends in line,” he answered. Rachel gave in to an urge to take a step back. “Not gonna help you,” he said with a grin. Then he saw the look on his mom face and the grin disappeared as he took a couple of steps back of his own. “I’m done.”

“Too bad I know better,” she sighed. “Can you at least tell me why you’re walking around with foil in that hood now?”

“There’s a tracking chip in my head. According to Rachel it blocks the signal.”

Helen took the foil from her hands. “Give me that jacket. I’ll fix the hood while you two tell me what’s going on.”

“That’s all right,” Jack said quickly. “I’ll just sit in front of you, we really don’t have the time to argue about this.

“Then give me the jacket,” she said firmly and held out a hand. Jack hesitated but he took the jacket off. Her eyes went wide as she saw the scars on his arms. She shot an accusing look toward her but said nothing. Helen sat down on the back bumper of the van and pulled out a length of the foil. “You better start at the beginning.”

Jack sat inside the van in an attempt to block the signal as they told her everything else. The details of Jack’s accident. The Drakan, Anderson and the rebels were a little harder to explain. Fortunately seeing the one Jack fought help things a bit. Helen quietly listened to all of it as she lined the hood and soon handed it back to Jack. As he put it on the guard on the inside started to stir. Jack knocked him back out with a quick punch, “Nighty night.”

“Assaulting a police officer isn’t going to help your situation,” his mom scolded.

He jumped out of the van while double checking the hood saying, “That’s not a cop. He’s one of the guys working for Anderson that we were telling you about.”

“Does he,” she pointed toward the ‘officer’ , “turn into anything then?”

“I don’t think he would have went down that easy if he was one of them.”

“And the… Drakan you threw in that building? The explosion I heard?” Jack looked at the ground. She couldn’t even look her in the eyes. Helen looked very sad as she said, “You did say there were some things you weren’t proud of.” She hugged her son.

“I’m sorry Mom,” he said quietly. “I didn’t want to get you involved in this.”

She pulled back slightly saying, “Don’t be sorry. You’re my boy, you can drag me into just about any mess you get yourself into.” He smiled at the comment. “So, how’s your food situation?”

“I think we got enough to last us few days,” Rachel told her.

Helen nodded. “Do you remember that lot a couple of blocks down?”, she asked Jack. “I’ll meet you there in a half hour with some more food for you.”

“Mom, you don’t have to do that.”

“And,” she went on like he never said anything, “if I don’t see you there in a half hour I will track you down myself. We both know you don’t want that.”

“I’ll be there,” he said. Helen patted him on the arm and went off. Jack looked at the unconscious men around the area. A sour look crossed his face. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“About your Mom?” He nodded, “I’m afraid so.”

***

As they sat waiting in the lot Jack tried not to let the queasy feeling in his stomach take him over. How in the hell was he suppose to ask his Mom what Rachel and him had talked about. Rachel put a supportive hand on his shoulder as they saw her come up. This was going to suck. He got to his feet and gave her a quick hug, “You’re late.”

She slapped him on the side of the arm, “Watch it young man.” She reached into one the bags she had and pulled out two black motorcycle helmets. “I swung by the house to pick these up. I didn’t see any at the warehouse when I was there. So I figured you could use them” To Rachel she said, “They belong to Ken and me, years ago. It almost seems like forever at this point. Oh I also thought you might want this too.” She handed him a picture. Jack had to bite his lip to make sure he still felt anything. It was a picture himself and Richie, taken about a month before that damn accident.

“Thanks Mom,” he put the photo in a pocket on the front of his jacket. Trying to hide what he was feeling he patted the helmet in his hands. “I don’t know why you’re giving us these. You know my head harder than this thing.”

“And that’s why I have to keep telling you things over and over,” she smiled at him and he returned it. Now if only he felt like smiling at the moment. His mom looked at him funny, she knew what he was feeling, he had no doubt about that. He always had a hard time hiding things from her. She moved a couple of stray hairs out of his face. “It’s all right Jack.” She handed him the other bag she was carrying. “This should last you a couple of weeks. I’m not sure about Rachel but I know you can be a bottomless pit at times.”

“Hey I’ve seen Rachel eat, she can pack it away.” He ducked the empty pop can that was thrown at him, “It was worth it.”

“Was he always like this?”, Rachel asked her.

“Unfortunately, but like I told you I wouldn’t have him any other way.” She hugged him again, “I better get home. I know it’s kinda dangerous for you but try to let me know how you’re doing, huh.” He grabbed her by the arm to stop her.

“Yeah, about that.” This was sooo gonna suck.

“What is it?”

“Well, thanks to some stuff I just recently found out,” his eyes glanced over to Rachel, “you might be in trouble.”

“What Jack is trying to say is,” Rachel spoke up, “Anderson knows about you. We both think there’s a good chance he might use you to get to Jack.”

“No offense honey but that boss of your sounds like a real bastard.”

“He’s a Drakan who sent me after his own kind. Trust me Mom that doesn’t even begin to describe him.”

“No argument there,” Rachel agreed.

“So what am I suppose to do then?”, his mom wondered. “That machine of yours isn’t exactly built for three.”

If this plan didn’t make her knock him out nothing would. “You have to get out of town. It’s the only way they can’t get to you.”

“And how am I suppose to do that without a ton of questions?”, she demanded.

He looked over to Rachel who just shrugged her shoulders, “This part of the plan was your idea.”

“Thanks a lot.” Jack looked at the ground to set himself before facing her again. “You’re gonna have to go to Nick.”

She backed up and held up her hands, “You did not just say that.”

“I know this sounds crazy but it’s the only way.”

“The only way he says,” she said to the sky. “I’ve heard enough from my brother to know Nick doesn’t relocate people for free. And I’m sure as hell not taking any of that money you have on you.”

“I know, I know but listen to me I thought this out.” She shook her head but she was listening. “Go to Nick and tell him that I’m calling in the Ashley incident back from ninety-nine. He’ll know what I’m talking about and it’ll get you to any city in the country.”

“Do I want to know the story behind this Ashley thing?”

“Better if you didn’t.”

“This is what I get for letting Pete in the house,” she mumbled. “Then I guess this is good bye then.”

“I guess,” his voice cracked slightly. He knew this was going to be hard, but nothing like this.

To Rachel surprise his mom went over to hug her. “Take care of my boy, you hear? I just got him back.”

“I will,” she promised.

“And if he gives you any trouble just slap him in back of the head. That always worked for me.”

“I’ll remember that Helen,” she replied with a laugh. Then she hugged him and neither of them wanted to let go.

“Jack I just want you to know, no matter what you’ve done, no matter what you do or what you think you have to do, I’ll love you no matter what.”

“I love you too Mom.”

“I know baby, I know.” She kissed him on the cheek, “Take care of yourself, for my sake at least,” and walked away. A few steps away she turned and said, “You better have told that poor girl thank you.” As she continued on Jack promised himself he was going to find her again, no matter what. Right now he just had another reason to be pissed at Anderson.

Rachel came over while he was wiping a tear from his eye. “Are you going to be all right?”

“Yeah,” he lied. Taking a few moments to get himself under control he asked, “What did she mean I better have thanked you?”

“I’m assuming,” Rachel said, “she meant when I saved your bacon from that Drakan.”

“I should thank you for that? You nearly fried my bacon with those lasers.”

“Oh quit your bitching,” she told him. Then she added, “Chipmunk.” He knew he was going to regret the two of them talking last night.

“If your mom’s a gabber you better pray to God I never meet her.”

***

He spent a few minutes that morning to visit Mitchell and offer a few encouraging word before he went into the Mark Two program. Despite being only human he proved his worth in Anderson’s eyes several times over. Mitchell should be very happy with the rank he favored him with. That afternoon he cleared his schedule and with Taylor, Armstrong and Perez, the new assault team temporary commander, drove to a dock on the edge of town Allen apparently owned. Anderson sat quietly in the limo, fortunately none of his fellow passengers were in a talking mood either. Taylor was doing something on his PDA. Armstrong was still engrossed in the other Mark One’s file, he was just as surprised as anybody to learn about its existence. Allen was far more resourceful than anybody gave him credit for. Perez sat there by himself fuming, an hour after he accepted the job they received word they had captured Davidson only to lose him again. Not the best way to start a new position. Anderson himself should have been madder about the situation than what he was. Part of him was particularly pleased with Davidson performance, and that it once again proved he made the right choice. Although he doubted any of his companions would share his point of view.

The building they arrived at was unassuming at first glance. Perez gestured to the men getting out of the car behind them to survey the area. Perez himself doubled checked the clip in the gun before returning it to its holster. Anderson gave an amused look toward Taylor, tying to impress the boss on the first day. They approached the building and a door opened. Perez got in front of them as a man in his fifties and wearing a lab coat walked out. He asked had a metal flask halfway to his lips before he noticed them. “Oh bloody hell,” he muttered with a bit of an accent as he quickly tried to hide the flask.

Anderson recognized him almost immediately, “Dr. Parker? I was under the impression you left the company some time ago.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he grumbled as he came forward. “I’ve been here over a year an a half on that special assignment you gave me.” He put a hand on the balding spot on his head, “Starting to think Allen forgot about my assigned exile. Hey,” he looked at the group, “were is the esteemed Mr. Allen? He usually comes here to scream at the top of his lungs at how slow things are going.”

“Mr. Allen is no longer with the company.”

“Explains why I haven’t seen him in months. What happened?”

Anderson looked him dead in the eyes, “He went against me.”

“Ah,” Parker said while he looked at the group. He looked like he was going to try to run. “Couldn’t happen to a nicer fellow, if you get my drift.”

“Relax Dr. Parker, we’re here to see the test subject.”

“Finally come to check out what I’m doing here.” He shot a look at Armstrong, “Or have you come to see to see how to do it right? If I heard the rumor mill correctly that is.”

“There’s a reason why I’m the one still in the main lab Parker,” Armstrong said with an annoyed look on his face.

“So says the man who needs help.”

“Just remember who’s in charge of Research and Development.”

“Only because you’re a gre…”

“Mr. Perez,” Anderson quickly interrupted their “discussion”, “we’ll be inside the building if we need you.” Perez nodded while shooting a warning look to the scientist. Mitchell was one of the few humans who knew what they really were and he was in no rush to expand that number. When they were alone he said, “Dr. Parker, I assure you your rank had nothing to do with who was made head of…”

“The hell it didn’t!”, Parker exploded. “I stood by and swallowed every IQ test you could come up with that was shoved down my throat. Because who could ever believe a red could be more than just muscles. And the results were the same every time, I’m smarter than anybody you got under that roof of yours. Hell, I make this twit look like Forest freakin’ Gump. But heaven forbid if a green should ever take an order from a red.”

“Sounds like the rebel rhetoric to me,” Armstrong said. Anderson had to admit he had a point.

“They probably appreciate me a bit more than you lot do.” He pulled out a pack of cigarettes out of his coat and lit one up. “Come on then, the guinea pig is this way.”

“Is it wise to be smoking around the test subject and the equipment?”, Taylor asked.

“Probably not,” Parker admitted between puffs. “Not exactly the most optimums of conditions to begin with.” The inside of the building was the exact opposite of R&D. The room was barely lit, small and outside of themselves deserted. A familiar tube of blue liquid was in the center of the room. They all could see a man floating inside of it. Anderson checked out the rest of the room. An operating table was pushed against a wall, a still bloody sheet was on top of it. There were various charts of the human body. Graphs and things written on several chalkboards filled the room. Parker sat on the edge of a very cluttered desk and gestured toward the tube. “Well there he is, Fusion mark one.”

“Where is the rest of your staff Dr. Parker?”, Anderson asked not looking at him but at the person in the tube. He recognized this one from that night. Definitely in better shape now than he was back then.

“You’ve already seen him.”

“You did all that surgery by yourself?”

“Even I’m not that daft,” Parker sounded insulted. “Allen was able to sneak in some of your precious R&D boys and girl when I needed them.

“Who?”, Armstrong demanded.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Parker answered with a devilish grin.

Armstrong started to say something but held his tongue. Instead he put his briefcase on the table, pulled out a red folder marked “confidential” and slapped it on the desk. “Since you’ve been out of the loop you obviously don’t know about the improvements we made to the system.”

“Yes,” Anderson added, “we come a long way since the program started.”

Parker took the file and leafed through it. “So there is another Fusion already out there,” he muttered. A few moments later he put the file down and crossed his arms. “Impressive.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Armstrong said, but his tone said otherwise. “I think you’ll agree we can implements these upgrades in a matter of weeks.”

“No need,” the man said suddenly, “I already put them in.”

“Wha… ,” Taylor sputtered, “how… ?”

“I believe Mr. Taylor is trying to ask how you accomplished these improvements and when?”, Anderson said for him.

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out,” he finally flicked some of the ash off the end of the cigarette and letting it drop to the floor. “Hell, any half wit could see it. I put them into this bloke a few month after I got him.” Armstrong was at a loss for words. People under him already knew about the upgrades he came up with before Davidson run in with Allen. Anderson made a mental note not to go near R&D until the fire died down.

Still, he might as well get to the point of why they came. “So when will the subject be ready Dr. Parker? Since you are so far ahead of the curve and all.”

“Not anytime soon. The bloke was barely alive in that oversized fish tank when I got my hands on him. The boy was a mess, it’s a miracle he survived this long. Especially in this mess, seeing how I’m all alone and all that.”

“Consider that changed Dr. Parker.” Armstrong clasps his hands behind his back. Starting today you will have a proper staff to order around.” Armstrong looked betrayed but he didn’t personally care if he was or not. “I just have one condition.”

Parker expression soured and he muttered, “Knew it was too good to be true. So what’s this condition?”

“According to the file this one’s armor is still the default gray. I liked that changed to blue.” Parker raised an eyebrow.

“Is that all?”

“Do we have a deal Dr. Parker?”

“I’d be stupid to say no then, wouldn’t I?”

***

This was the moment she had been dreading for the past week. She was asked to come to the “war” room as some called it. Chris hated that name, but he recognized the need for it. Melissa stood outside the door for a few moments. The faint scent of Drakan blood came from the room. Thanks to Anderson’s assassin she was marked with that scent too. Her scent would have joined with her bodyguard’s if it wasn’t for the Drakan Killer. Melissa’s thoughts darkened, if it wasn’t for the Drakan Killer she wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.

Setting her resolve she opened the door. The other cell leaders looked at her, faces betraying nothing. Their emotions on the other hand was a different story. For a brief moment she felt several flashes of pride, disgust and annoyance. The biggest source of the latter came from Jason standing in the corner over there. His eyes narrowed as she looked at him. She never did trust that one, and she never saw what her brother saw in him either. There was an empty chair, Chris’s chair she had no doubt about that. Reluctantly she took the chair. “Melissa,” one of the older men said, he name wasn’t coming to her at the moment, “Thank you for joining us.” She didn’t know what to say so she just nodded. He understood her discomfort and got to the point. “The council has decided, unanimously,” he looked at a couple of the others like he was daring them to say something, “that you should be the one who should take over for Christopher.” Well there it was and she hasn’t imploded yet.

“I’ll try to fill the post to the best of my abilities.” He was satisfied with her reply. How in the hell was she suppose to fill the position that belonged to her brother? Fortunately this particular meeting was kept rather short. They basically they updated each other what their cell had been doing over the past week. She guessed they didn’t want to bore the new figure head with details, how very kind of them. After about an hour everyone started to leave. “Lance,” a blond headed man her and her brother knew for years turned and came her way. There was nobody in that room she trusted more than him.

“What is it Melissa?”, he asked, his voice filled with concern.

“You might have guessed Chris told some of the things that went on in here. I’m embarrassed to say I never really paid that much attention, I’d figured this wouldn’t be happening.” She took a deep breath before continuing, “I was hoping you would get me up to speed on things.”

Lance gave her a warm smile and sat in the chair next to her, “Of course. You might want to get comfortable this going to take awhile.”

“I didn’t think it wasn’t.”

***

Emily sat in her darken room and cleared her thoughts. A feeling that was rattling her bones told her something major was going to happen. If she was lucky the fates would give her a hint on what that was. She felt like she moved so she opened her eyes. The setting surprised her slightly, the Arena. Emily realized what she was seeing, Christopher’s encounter with the Drakan Killer. There was the Drakan made of metal that she warned him about so long ago standing at one part of the arena. At the other was Christopher and one of his bodyguards. Silently she watched as the Killer pole vaulted over the group of Drakan that Melissa had sent to protect her brother. She watched as the Killer jumped up and aimed its’ right foot at him. She could not turn away as Christopher tossed his bodyguard to the side and took the blow.

The Killer turned and ran as Christopher flew back and exploded. It broke through and leaped toward a staff that was lying on the ground and turned ready for another attack. The other surrounded Christopher’s body and heralded him to the afterlife. Emily studied the Killer. Strong feeling were coming from him, almost like a floodgate suddenly broke inside him. Confusion, hurt, sadness and surprisingly enough guilt. It … he turned to leave then they came in. The troopers dressed in black surrounded the upper level of the Arena and open fired. Ignoring the massacre around her she studied the Killer. Those feelings that was coming from him disappeared, replaced by different ones. Betrayal, anger…hate, pure hatred came from him in waves. He was as sickened by this event as she was. He ran up the stairs and grabbed the closest trooper. Something was said and the Killer looked back into the Arena as another wave of anger and hate came from him. He took it out on several of the troopers as he made his way out again.

Emily closed her eyes as she felt herself move again. This wasn’t what she was expecting but it gave her some insight into the Killer now and it gave her much to think about. She opened her eyes again, but realized she wasn’t in her room. Well she was and she wasn’t. It was her room, she recognized everything in here. But it wasn’t because she was looking at herself and a young man she had never seen before. Emily knelt down to get a good look at him. He had brown hair and a light complexion. His brown eyes barely had the spark of life in them, like something dark and evil slowly took it from him. She looked at the rest of him, gym shoes, a black T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Nothing at all that made him stand out, well except those scars covering his arms. A light of realization hit her. This was the real face of the Drakan Killer. He was in the same room as her.

She looked at herself, she didn’t look afraid. In fact she almost looked concerned for the young man. But why was he here, this event never happened. But she wasn’t seeing something from the past was she? Fate always did throw you a curve ball when you looked for answers. But when was this going to happen? Emily opened her eyes again and was alone. She tried to absorb what fate decided showed her. Emily knew she had an idea about what was going to happen. And nobody, particularly Melissa was going to be happy about it.

***

Jack should have woken up Rachel a few hours ago to take over for guard duty. But if he had to be honest with himself he didn’t want to fall asleep. From finding out about Anderson and the adrenaline of being on the run for the first couple of days the nightmare went away. Then they came back right after in full force. Of course his waking hours weren’t much better. Like before he started seeing the Drakan he killed. Right now he watched as the red rabbit, Molly that’s what Max said her name was, walk up and sit right in front of him. All she did was stare at him, just stare. Jack closed his eyes and muttered, “You’re not there,” over and over again. When he opened them she was gone.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead he pulled the picture out of his pocket for the hundredth time. There they were, smiling like a couple of idiots holding two fingers behind the other ones head. For the hundredth time he felt his heart sink faster than he thought was humanly possible. That man was his best friend, they do just about anything for each other no questions asked. But after all this time, ever since he woke up in that room at World Inc., he never found out were Richie was buried. God, what kind a friend was he? Was that why Richie always held him down in the nightmare?

A pair of headlight that stopped in front of the tunnel they were hiding in broke through his self pity and got his attention. Jack put the picture back and got to his feet with Rachel waking up from the lights, “What the hell?” A man with gray hair wearing coverall and a ball cap stood in front of the lights. He looked at them and then at a paper in his hands.

“You’re the ones I’m looking for all right. Of course I could smell that before I even looked at this.” Great another Drakan. Jack started to put his left arm up. “Whoa!,” he shouted putting up both hands. “Down boy, heel! I didn’t come to fight.” Jack kept his arm part of the way up just in case as Rachel came up behind him.

“Who are you,” she demanded, “and what do you want?”

“Name’s Dustin,” he raised his ball cap slightly, “but folks tend to call me Dusty. And right now, I’m the closest thing in the world you two got for a friend.”