by P. S. Power
“I hope you don't plan on fixing me up with her, I like guys, at least I think I do...” She dead panned this so well that he nearly bought it. Hobbs didn't though.
“Nay, tis only that you bear a familial resemblance to the woman. A teammate of mine own. It was not known to me that she was related to Denis here however. I can see it now that it is pointed out. Amazing woman. A true bastion of good in this world.”
“Not known to me either. I... How did I miss that? I mean really... She must be twenty-five or so... Who's child is she? Who's her mother I mean.” He got the father part of it. It made him shudder, but he understood the relationships involved.
Walking over, the weight of the world on her shoulders, Bethy spoke softly.
“She's mine. I... He got me pregnant when I was twelve and we passed her off as Rachel's daughter so that no one would know that I'd given birth if the state ever checked on us. Ten years ago, when Mindy led us out, I grabbed her and made her come with us. She was fifteen.”
Oh. Well fuck then. So... one of the wives when she left? Damn. Not something he'd have ever wished for her at all. Not for anything.
They pooled the money they had left, about three hundred dollars once Bethy pitched in too and drove nearly straight through. It wasn't hard, since three of them could drive. Hobbs could too, in an emergency, but he didn't have a license yet. Cars in his world worked the same way, he assured them, though they ran on Elcampayn energy, not petroleum. He explained that the hand and foot pedals were similar though.
“Elcampayn is one of the seven families. The smallest of them and once the most influential. They are often left off the list though now, since there are only a scant few left. Their bodies produce tremendous energies, but some years ago a process was discovered which allowed the members of that family to be held against their will, their flesh pushed into vast overloads, until they die. Decades of servitude, pure slavery and pain. It isn't a good thing. The Westers say that when the last Elcampayn dies, so does our civilization. If only the governments of the world would see it that way. We are tied to them far more surely than this world is to oil.”
Then Hobbs had to explain everything he'd just said. It took a while. A long while. The world he came from was just that different. His job description sounded like he was half monk, half warrior and almost exactly like Proxy, except that he had to show up at court dates to fight for people's lives. Like a really bad-ass lawyer. Most things were just settled by judges, which they quite sensibly called “Judges”, men and women trained from childhood to be free of bias, so they could make fair and clean rulings. They didn't have juries though. Or actual lawyers. Advocates only came into play when a person claimed innocence and a Judge found against them.
It was their last chance at an appeal.
Depending on the crime and how strongly all involved, an advocate might have to fight as many as twenty people at a time, sometimes unarmed against a mind boggling array of weapons.
No wonder Hobbs was so freaking amazing. He had to be just to make it through his average work week.
The story made for an interesting tale to keep them all awake, how Hobbs had come to protect a charge, a person or persons he wouldn't name even to his friends, lest it be uncovered, from his own home, another world altogether. Denis just accepted that part, the guy was either from a far off place or insane and since he could kick Marcia's butt, Denis really didn't want to challenge the man on his basic beliefs. Besides, everyone else at the base who knew believed him. Good enough for Denis really. If Christian Poures could trust the man, so could he. Besides, they were friends. Kind of. As much as some crazy man that led you through painful and annoying exercises could be.
Ginger asked questions as if a test would be coming on this alternate reality, probing and looking for mistakes or lies probably. After a while she summed it all up pretty nicely. Her voice didn't lilt, it sounded matter of fact and straightforward really. Logical.
“So, the families... Elcampayn makes energy, like generators though, not to shoot out or use as a weapon. Wester is really smart, but like, scary smart? Three hundred IQ's or...”
Hobbs interrupted.
“Closer to six hundred if I understand the system of measurement correctly.”
“OK... Then you have Doyle, all of whom are like super strong and fast? Carlie, the healers and Timberland who see all of the future, whatever that means. But there are seven, who am I missing? That's only five.”
The man in the back seat, wedged slightly into the corner spoke carefully, as if alerted to something about the girl next to him. Denis felt this more than anything. Not simple attraction either, a dark sense or maybe something portentous rose from behind him. Bethy had the passenger seat in the front of the little wood paneled looking vehicle. They were all bundled up in layers, since the weather had gone cold suddenly. They could have made the trip in one day except that they had to make a big detour toward the south to avoid going over the Rockies with the snow coming.
Hobbs smiled gently, “Wyrdcraft, who bend space and time to their will, it was with the aid of one of their kind that I arrived here, and Diapolos. They... Really there's no good way to describe what they do. They bend living creatures and make them into new things. I've long wondered if all the families did not start with those of that line, making the rest in turn. If so, they do not do so openly now or admit to such.”
Amazingly, beaten up ticket trap or not, no one tried to pull them over for the whole trip. No police came and subtly threatened to shoot any of them out behind the tree line and in fact, they barely saw a police presence at all. The joys of anonymity. The next time they went on a road trip, the little riot group had to take something without government plates, he decided. Even if they had to take up a collection to buy something.
They hit snow the morning of the second day and had to drive incredibly slow for the last two hundred miles, barely hitting thirty most of the time. Ginger had insurance, but couldn't afford studded tires or chains and everything they had went to food and gas.
They pulled up to the front gate at about seven at night, with him driving and Hobbs in the passenger seat. Of course the dapper red-head next to him didn't look like Hobbs, he looked like a respectable, but very fit, business man and Denis didn't look like himself either, he looked like a church pastor from Indiana.
He had his ID though. Hobbs didn't, but it was enough to get them all let in. Thankfully as paranoid as they were here now, the gate guards hadn't turned into Nazis yet. Standing around arguing with them for hours would have sucked. Plus, they really needed Bethany and Ginger to take them seriously. Being hassled at their own front gate wouldn't inspire a lot of confidence. They drove to the new parking lot on the right side of the main building away from the air strip. There was about eight inches of snow on the ground, early for here, but not impossible at all. Climate change and all that.
It was funny to listen to the right wing try to claim that global warming either wasn't happening at all, was all due to the sun or on alternate Fridays, was all a plot by a few scientists to pad their resumes, pocket books or maybe get big cars and that the whole thing was a scam. After all, he'd heard it argued, if it was cold this week here, how could the world be warmer anywhere?
Denis was kind of surprised they hadn't found a way to blame the Infected for it yet. Some fire spreading person out melting the North Pole or something? He'd have used that to make fun of them, the losers that couldn't see that their own habits were ripping the world apart, but didn't. It would be too easy for them to take that up and run with it.
Funny, wasn't it, that the people that feared the Infected most also denied that the climate had shifted? Then again a lot of them still believed the world was flat most likely. Morons weren't hard to control and big oil had their hooks in pretty tight. Plus there had been studies that showed that conservatives became that way because they were highly fear reactive as a rule. Worse, most of them didn't get that they were doing what they were just
because they were cowards. That figured though. If they were too afraid to deal with any one part of reality, it made sense for them to do the same in all other areas too. It was consistent.
Denis and Hobbs took all the bags, since the others were guests if nothing else. Besides, the odds of anyone attacking right now were marginal. They'd at least wait for them all to get inside, where it was decently warm before beating them down. Denis didn't want to complain, but his scrotum had apparently decided to move in next to his spleen for warmth.
“Fuck, what is it, five degrees out here?” Denis looked at Hobbs who merely focused on his task it seemed. Right. Focus and don't be a little whiner. He gave it a try, which didn't make it warmer, but did shut him up, so maybe it was worth doing?
They walked carefully, the drive had been plowed, but the snow between them and the door was still as it had fallen, broken only by two lonely pairs of footprints. Very large footprints. Huge really. At the front door they found who's. Hobbs smiled up at her.
“Lauren girl! Good to see you! Is all well here?” Hobbs sounded genuinely happy to see the giant armored form that stood in the snow. She'd been there long enough it had collected on the broad black space that made up her shoulders, leaving a frosting of white, some of it melting and running down her chest and probably back. There was no blinking, her eyes huge and black, like sunglasses sitting in a blank mask.
If it weren't for the fact that she was pretty nice as far as Denis could tell, she'd make a great character for one of those horror movies where the evil Infected monster wantonly killed dozens of teenagers in the woods. Usually because they were jealous about all the sex they weren't getting. That or their first modes just made them want to slaughter people. It was the lack of visible emotion. No matter how hard you looked, nothing showed. No anger or fear, just a steady sameness. Until she spoke. Then you could hear the pain in her voice.
“I'm fine.” She said, sounding so sad and lonely that it was pretty darn clear she simply wasn't doing well at all. Not really. “It's just a first mode thing. Loneliness is a bitch. I'll be alright. I was just watching the snow and realized that I had no one to share it with and never will now. Same old same old, you know the drill.”
Oddly Denis kind of did. Not from his first mode, but the months of endless isolation, not knowing if it would ever end. Wondering if the only way out would be death. Hoping but not trusting in anything. The only difference being that Level, Lauren here, knew for a fact it wouldn't end. That it would always be just like this. A feeling so deep and constant that nothing could save her from it. Not even being with other people. Crud. Greed wasn't that hard to take compared to that.
“Oh...” Denis said, not knowing if what came to mind would be a good idea or not. He could ask though, right? The few times he'd kicked greed's ass had really made him feel better after all.
“Um, hey, would you like to feel something else for a while? I can do that.”
The black eyes stared at him and nodded after a bit.
“Anything, pain even, or anger. I just don't want to be alone forever.” The weeping that came sounded horrible. Worse, the sadness was mixed with the isolation she felt too, she couldn't even hide from it for a few minutes. Not that way.
He waved her ahead of them, “alright, you have to stay in view and I won't be able to do this all the time, it takes work, so remember that.” He thought for a minute and then realized that what was needed here wouldn't be passion or pleasure, not even joy. Just peace. Kind of like what Beth had produced earlier, only about a thousand times stronger. It had to be strong to overwhelm her first mode. When the human tank walking in front of them got inside the door, he hit her and made a point of burying the loneliness totally, making the feeling of calm and steadiness so powerful that nothing else could exist within her at all for a while. She turned and clapped her hands, joyful thuds that sounded a bit like someone striking two cement blocks together.
“Thank you. This is so much better! I haven't felt free of the loneliness for so long. Years. Even just to have a few moments, knowing I have to go back... it's totally worth it.” When they all got in the elevator opened as if planned and Director Moore, Brian Yi and Karen got out, walking over with confused but friendly smiles on their faces.
That part wasn't exactly true, Denis didn't think. Really, Karen just looked happy and friendly, like a girl that really wanted to sell you a time share or get your butt into the seat of a new car. Professional and a little forced, but hard to tell, given her utter compassion it could have been real with her. Brian looked forced too, his face seemed darker, as if he'd just gotten back from killing someone again. The Director, he seemed a bit baffled by the whole thing.
Well, who wouldn't be?
They'd gone to get information and find out if they could prevent an attack at the planned riot or stop a terrorist action. “Demonstration” the bigots called it. Then Hobbs and him come back with a couple of chicks? Yeah. Strange to say the least.
All of this caused him to lose his hold on Lauren and she slipped back to normal, but she just thanked him again, sounding less sad now. She still had snow melting on her shoulders.
“Thanks, that really helped.” She told him, ignoring everyone else for the time being.
Denis smiled softly and shrugged, getting what had to be going on in her head for once. It was over now. That she'd had her moment of freedom and that was all she could expect.
“It's not like I don't live here you know. If you need me I'm around. Only, let's make appointments for it or something. Maybe we could run together or something. I have to run anyway and focusing on using my ability at the same time...” He looked at Hobbs who simply beamed.
“Aye! That fits with the next section of things nicely. Let's say ten in the morning on days when other demands don't take you away Denis? In the gym on fourteen to start? Our Lady Lauren can go first, then we can add and subtract others to present a challenge for you. That plus the increased meditation should be a good start. Along with the greater amount of distance run that I have planned for you.”
Great, even more work. Still, if he was going to be doing something similar anyway, why not help out a giant suit of armor? You never knew when a class five being your friend could come in handy. The Director looked at him funny again, so he explained. For some reason the minds eyes got wide and then he smiled himself.
“Wonderful. If it's not an imposition, perhaps we could send a few others to those sessions as well? A bit of relief from their first modes would be a lovely thing for some here, even if only for a few hours a week.” The man smiled at the other women and held out his right hand to Bethy first.
“Kevin Moore. Director of the IPB.” He said, the implication being that someone needed to introduce the women pretty quick.
“These are... Well, the long story is why they're here and it actually wraps into a whole lot of other things, you'll want to talk to us in private soon. Possibly outside... in fact, snow or not, outside. For now... Well... um... Bethany Yoder is the mother of one of our operatives on team two. Kerry Yoder? This is her sister Ginger. Both Infected. The rest is... Important, and we need to get Kerry in on this as well as... Charlot Chambers. The rest-”
“It's well enough said. This is important and the Director no fool. We need only arrange for the meeting in safety. Shall I go and summon the Lady Kerry?” Hobbs turned to the Director and waited on orders properly, but seemed so dammed relaxed about the whole thing. Ginger and Bethy didn't want him to leave, wary of the strangers that had come, but they did want to see Kerry.
Once Hobbs left, at a quick walk, headed straight to the elevators, Brian held out his hand to the new women as well. He had a smile on his face, a genuine one that was a lot warmer now that there had been mention of the women being related to someone at the base. That meant they were probably friendlies. Plus they were Infected.
So Denis hadn't started importing bigots yet.
“Kerry's a friend of mine, of all of us really.
She's doing great work on Mark's baking show. “Steinberg and friends”. She's actually in the show too, so you should watch it and tell all your friends. I know that he's pleased with her work. Mark, I mean. She agreed to help back me up not so long ago if the police attacked me. Denis actually took care of it, but it was good to know she was there to lend a hand just in case. You should be very proud of her.” The – Infected or not – didn't get said, but it practically poured off the man, dressed in a team three exercise uniform with black long johns on underneath. It looked a little funny, but warm, and given the temperature outside, who could blame him? Maybe a pair could be bought in the store on base. Not that Denis had any money at all. Right. Well, he wanted some anyway.
He'd have to remember to ask Brian where to get them and maybe if he could arrange for it to happen. They were friends, right? So asking wouldn't hurt.
Then he focused on the moment, hard, and after about ten seconds didn't care about that anymore. It really was like magic.
Being the Director, old, and not wanting to be uncomfortable, Moore got several agents to bundle up and go out past the edge of the property to set up an emergency tent big enough for about ten people to sleep in.
It wasn't some marvel of science or anything, just a thick cloth tent that they set up a propane heater in. It took a while because the agents had to come back and get shovels so they could clear the snow to the ground. They worked fast though, like losing even a minute would cost someone a life. Probably a big part of why they always seemed so good at their jobs. The agents just didn't hold anything back when it came to work. Pure focus on the job at hand, like their lives depended on it. Or at least like someone's did, if not their own.
Probably because it was often just the truth. It might even be in this case, he realized.
They sat on benches in the lobby, since Hobbs pointed out that going anywhere would just slow down what they needed to do before he left. The man never cared for comfort. Not that Denis had seen. Not his own and not that of anyone else if there was something to be done at the moment. Really, only the current situation had probably kept him from dragging Denis outside to meditate. That and the growing windstorm. Snow had started to blow hard about the same time the elevators opened and Kerry walked out with the man himself.