Kate throws a glance my way, an eyebrow quirking up. Crap. She can probably sense my desire to keep Artemis hidden. I flip the monitor off and rely on Epic to take care of the rest. The window closes and the shutter rolls down into place.
“Carlos, this is Glacier, she’s the newest member.”
Carlos scrambles up pulling his shirt down and takes his ‘cool’ stance before muttering a ‘hey’ at our newest member. To my utter surprise, she actually smiles at him and does a little wave. I can tell it’s caught Kate off guard too, she gives them both a look before returning to me.
“Amelia, you mind if we talk for a moment?”
“Sure, Carlos can you show Glacier the break room?”
He stands up straight like he’s just been ordered to protect the queen of England, “Of course. Uhm, I guess you probably don’t eat, huh?”
Good one Carlos, stick that foot right in your mouth.
“No,” she shakes her head. “You can call me Monica,” she says. Carlos pulls himself up to join her. I can’t really read her expression, the ice moves exactly as human flesh would, but being partially see-through makes it impossible to read the minutia.
“Well, then maybe I can interest you in a game of foosball?”
“You’re on,” she says as they walk out together.
“Should I be jealous?” Kate asks after the two leave.
“Maybe?” Kate isn’t serious, of course. Carlos, like virtually every other man in her life, crushes hard on her. But as she told me, it isn’t her, it’s her powers. Part of being an empath is everyone feels a connection to her, even if she doesn’t reciprocate. It just so happens my armor protected me when we first met. Our friendship is actually a friendship. It’s why she could teleport to me shortly after we met. Something that normally takes weeks or even months of knowing a person.
“Two things,” Kate says as she slides her shapely bottom onto my desk, “Any progress on Glacier? I know she’s hard to read but she really has built up some hope that you’re the real deal.”
I wheel myself back and spin around to my research station. I have the lab set up in parts. Armor maintenance, utility, and active research. Utility covers Artemis and just about anything I’m actively doing that isn’t the other two. My research station is farthest from the door and the most powerful quantum computer I’ve ever built. After I transferred Epic out of his housing and into the armor I re-purposed his old case as a research machine.
“She’s interesting, that’s for sure. You know about the Tesla waves right? The catch-all name for the other-dimensional energy scientist theorize you supers use?”
“Sure, that’s the thing they figured out after World War Two? Right?”
“Head of the class,” I mutter as I tap a few keys. What I wouldn’t give for a holographic interface like she has on her phone, but I will be damned if I allow any Cat-7 tech in my lab. And that kind of tech is slightly outside my bailiwick. Everything in here is something I’ve built myself or had custom manufactured for my shell company, Mars Tech Global.
“Well when you or any super aren’t actively using your powers your Tesla waves look something like this,” I pull up a scan of Kate from a couple of months back. Epic needed a detailed biometric map of her for security reasons. The image of her body fluctuates in many different colors. With the punch of a key, I highlight the Tesla waves. They’re there, but faint.
“Now, if you use your powers actively,” the faint blue energy turns brilliant and blinding.
“Wow,” Kate says. She slides off the table and leans over my chair to look closer at the monitor. “How did you find this?”
“Epic. He did the math, I just set the parameters.”
“Does anyone else know this?”
“About Tesla waves? Sure, but there isn’t anything noteworthy in it. We can’t quantify the waves, measure their power or anything other than see the effect they have on our bodies’ electromagnetic field.”
“So this isn’t actually the waves we’re looking at.”
I nod, “Yep, this is a magneto scan of your field. As you exert power your field amps up. Think of a battery. Just sitting there it doesn’t really have much going on. But, if you charge it or expend the charge it lights right up.”
She nods, “Damn, I thought you were on to something with this. No Nobel prize for you then.”
“Ha, as if I want one.”
I punch a few more keys and throw up a scan of Glacier I did a few days ago. “What do you see?”
“Uh, I’m not sure. Looks like mine.”
And it does look like hers… “Except it shouldn’t.”
She takes her glasses off, pulling the guest chair up next to mine and sitting down, “I don’t follow.”
A few clicks and I move their EM field to a side by side. “You’re a flesh and bone person, Kate. A perfect person, but a person all the same.”
She shrugs the compliment off, “Hardly perfect.”
“Still, you, me, anyone and everyone has an EM field. Some people naturally have strong ones, some have small ones, but everyone has it.”
“Okay, you’re telling me she’s just like everyone else.”
I wait for her to put it together. She’s not stupid, despite her public persona, she knows what’s what. Her eyes light up as she figures it out. “But she’s not like you or me?”
“Bingo. Ice doesn’t have an EM field. It’s just condensed gas, really. How does she have an EM field if she really is just gas?”
“I don’t suppose you know…”
“Not yet,” I grin, “But you know how much I like puzzles. We have EM fields because we’re physical matter with iron, copper, flesh, and bone. Our brains generate an electrical field that’s relayed through our central nervous system. If I had to guess, I would say Monica’s body is out there, somewhere. Maybe in whatever dimension the ice comes from. If that is the case, then there has to be a way to bring it back. However, that is something I am nowhere near.”
I tap a few more keys and pull up the status of the labs Faraday cage. I’d put one in the whole building but everyone claims they need cell service or some such nonsense. Status is a hundred percent which means our conversation is private. “Okay, shields are up. What is number two?”
She rolls her eyes at my Star Trek reference.
“Your parents. I talked to Dr. Grace, the neurologist in charge of their case.” I try not to flinch but it doesn’t matter when my best friend is an empath. “It isn’t all bad, Amelia,” she says in a much lower voice, putting her hand on my shoulder. “The controls on them are pretty sophisticated, but…,” she gives me a squeeze, “There’s hope. She’s confident at least some of it can be undone.”
Some of it. What if the ‘some’ is just regular stuff? What if they never remember having a daughter? What if—my eyes water and I put my head in my hands leaning over as far as I dare. All this time. All this work. And for what? I have two people back who might as well be strangers.
Think, Amelia! Think. Can a telepath be forced to undo his work? Maybe, but then he could just as likely do more damage, and why not. Sure, I know how to block him—maybe—but not everyone can walk around with a ZPFM powered Faraday cage.
“I take it,” I say between large breaths, “That another telepath couldn’t really undo this, huh? I mean, they could give them controls, but it would never be more than just another manipulation?”
Kate doesn’t answer, I don’t need her to, I already know. The only way I get my parents back is if they remember on their own, or if the person who did this fixes it.
Which begs the question? How much hurt am I going to have to put on them to make it happen?
“Amelia, I don’t like where your feelings are going.”
“It’s okay, I’m okay. Listen, I think I know what we need to do. How do you feel about a little trip to New York?” I fill her in on my plan along with Artemis and my little side trip to Greece, I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. And
if there is one person who will believe it’s Kate.
“For real? Like, he’s a Greek god?” She asks about Sydney.
“No, but he might as well be. You believe me then?”
“Kate, you can’t lie to me. Heck, when I’m the room you can’t even lie to yourself.”
I smile, I knew she would believe me. At least, I hoped.
She leans over and hugs me in a warm embrace, “I will always believe you.”
Ileave Carlos knee deep in Halo. He asked if he could hang out for the day and talk to Epic. I know they’ve spoken in the past about his future, so it isn’t a problem. I adore Carlos, next to Kate and Luke he is my only other real friend. He has no prospects, though. He plays guitar, lives with his folks, and works a lousy nine-to-five. He needs a future of his own making and hopefully Epic can get him squared away.
In the meantime, I’m on my way to Newyork. Flying high above the US in a lazy ark. This has got to be the best part about Arsenal—flying!
Incoming call—Major Force.
My whole world lights up. Okay, second best part.
“Luke!”
“Amelia! Oh, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve only got audio, can you flip on video?”
I navigate through my HUD to the video option and activate it.
“You’re in your armor?”
“Yeah, it’s a long story but I’m actually…” before I spill I check the signal status. Epic encrypts all our communications but there’s always the possibility of a leak. Hmm, maybe I could really launch a comsat with one-hundred percent encryption security—
“Earth to Amelia,” he says with a heart-stopping smile.
“Sorry, I had an idea. Listen, I’m actually on my way to New York to check out a lead on about my investigation. Maybe I could swing by on my way back? I’ve never been to DC.”
“You’ve never been to New York either, is everything okay? You know you don’t have any law enforcement authority outside of the State Of Arizona?”
“I know. This is just a meet and greet at Kate’s old school. Otherwise, I’d inform Nightwatch before going.”
Can I tell him the whole story without endangering him? No. The less he knows the better. I shouldn’t have even told him where I was, but I really want to see him. I need his arms around me. Sigh. That just isn’t going to happen.
“I could have gone commercial but this saves us a couple of days.”
I check the clock, currently, it’s five p.m. in DC. Maybe another half hour to New York, and an hour there… “I could be there in a few hours, grab a late dinner?”
“No can do, sorry. The Governor is in wall-to-wall meetings until we leave. FBI, Homeland, DMHA, the whole bit. There’s some kind of international conference going on and we’re here just for today. We’re scheduled to catch a flight back at seven. Late dinner tonight?”
“Of course, see you then.”
He looks like he wants to say something but then doesn’t. Instead, he smiles and kills the feed.
The rest of the trip I go over what we have so far. Cat-7 is the public face of the Cabal. They probably launder money for them too. If I had to guess, whoever the telepath is, will most likely be the true mastermind. Which means no leaving my lab if I’m not in armor. Who knows what he needs to control me. It could be proximity or touch, just about anything.
If only I had a name. With that, I could wrap this all up. No more looking over my shoulder, and I’d have my parents back for real, just one little name.
The flight doesn’t take long. The sun takes a slow dive behind me as we cross the New York state line. The school is up north, far away from any major city… well, far away for the East Coast. I don’t know how these people stand being so smooshed together.
We’re coming up on the school. I’ve notified their computer and headmistress Mrudani Mistry will be meeting our arrival.
I land just outside the grounds. I imagine they have some kind of air defense and there’s no point in setting it off. The moment my feet touch ground a pop of displaced air sounds next to me and Kate walks past me as if she were there all along. She’s dressed as Domino, mask and all.
The main gate is manned by a single guard whose startled expression has me laughing in my suit. He opens the door to the booth, hand on his sidearm before his eyes go wide.
“Kate?”
“Perry!” She squeals running over to him and throwing her arms around the guard. Now that I have a second I realize he’s much older than I thought, at least in his fifties. He’s a big man with salt and pepper hair. His uniform is well-kept and he wears it well, despite the spare tire around his waist.
“What are you doing here? We haven’t seen you in ages.”
She casts her eyes down at the ground, “Sorry Perry. Things in Arizona have been hopping. I really do miss you and the rest of the staff.”
He shakes his head, pulling her into another hug, “There there, no worries dear. It’s our nature in life. You were a true joy to have around, this school is lesser for having you leave. Let me get the gate and I’ll walk you up to the lobby.”
The old gate whirs open and we slip through. Kate chats with him as we make our way up the road. It isn’t long to the main building, just long enough for me to scan the grounds. Security is high, lots of cameras, motion sensors, walls and other electronic snoopers. Not a lot of people, though. Maybe it’s just because it’s late in the day?
Perry opens the main door and ushers us in. The lobby feels like an old house more than a school. Couches and sofas are scattered throughout the room, lots of windows shower us in fading natural light.
“I was sorry to hear about Mr. Kana,” she tells the guard. He stiffens for a second before patting her hand.
“Me too. Well, I’ve got to get back to the gate. Don’t stay away so long next time.”
“Of course, it was good to see you.”
He closes the door behind him leaving just me and Kate in the room.
“Feel anything out of the ordinary?” I ask her. She glances around the room, her eyes lingering on every couch, every painting.
“I don’t know if it is just I’ve been gone for so long, or what, but something feels off.”
“You can defend yourself, right? From,” I twirl my fingers in the air next to my head.
She smirks, “Yes, I can. I may not be a telepath but I don’t need to be for defense. A strong mind is a strong mind.”
A faux wooden panel opens and a slim woman in a black suit jacket and skirt walks out. She has her hair in a bun, thick-rimmed black glasses adorn her dark-skinned face. She reminds me of every teacher I’ve ever had. Not that I had many.
“Ms. Petrenelli, a pleasure to have one of our Alumni back with us.” She shakes Kate’s hand with a warm smile and then turns to me, “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure?”
“I’m Arsenal,” I say holding out my armored palm. An awkward shake later and we’re walking through the door into her office.
“What brings a former pupil here Ms. Petrenelli?”
Kate sits in front of the large desk but the chairs are too small for me. I end up standing behind her. The office is nice enough, faux leather furniture, lots of bookshelf space. The pictures on the walls look like former pupils, whole classes of them. Fifty or sixty years worth of students. Epic scans them all, identifying Kate for me. I can’t believe the girl in the photo is the same person before me. The girl looks hollow. Dressed in clothes far too large for her. With dark makeup and a hood pulled tight around her face.
“I want to get in touch with Mr. Kana’s family, pay my respects?” Kate asks.
I ignore their conversation as I focus on my HUD. “Epic?” I flip through my active sensors. “Is it me or is there hardly anyone here?” I’d thought as much walking up the drive but now that we’re in the building I can’t detect more than a dozen people.
He takes over, switching between modes and adjusting settings to be as sensitive as possible. After a moment my HUD re
turns to normal.
There are twelve people on the grounds. They have beds for ten times that. Based on location and patterns I would say almost all of those people are employees. As far as I can tell, they have no students. Which isn’t what their public database says.
“Well, that isn’t right. I was hoping to avoid this but… oh well, hack their computer. Let’s get everything we can.”
Working. Their firewall is remarkably primitive and—
“What?”
Beyond the base operating system and the usual things you would expect to find, their computers are blank. No files, no data. Just as they were out of the box. We would need access to a data port for me to find anything deeper.
“Excuse me?” I interrupt, raising my hand. “I need to use the little girl's room…”
Both women look at me before the headmistress answers, “Out the door, down the hall, third door on the right. Now, Ms. Petrenelli, I’m afraid I can’t divulge information—”
I lose track of the conversation when the door closes behind me.
“Okay, I don’t really need the bathroom. Do a magnetic scan and find me the hardlines.”
A wireframe outline of the room replaces my visuals as Epic searches out magnetic fields.
Behind the lobby front desk is an Ethernet port.
The desk is empty, no notepads, no telephone, only a computer terminal with one of the useless computers set up to look like it’s functional. Kneeling down, I see the port. I don’t have time for fancy. The drywall crumbles as I grab the port, crush it and pull. The suit comes into direct contact with the wire, giving us access.
I’m in. The network server is offline. However, they didn’t unplug it. Powering on…
“Take your time. I don’t look conspicuous at all crouched under the desk.”
The servers are wiped. I don’t think they degaussed or deleted the hard drives more than a few times. Copying sectors now.
Loud muffled voices come from the office. I can’t make out what she’s saying but I can certainly tell Kate is upset. This close to the floor I notice something I didn’t coming in. There’s a fine layer of dust covering the ground. No one has stood or sat behind this desk in a very long time.
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