by P. S. Power
The door said 3-b on it and he didn't slow at all, hitting it with a kick that worked nearly perfectly, ripping it open with a splintering crash. Then it tried to bounce back into his face as he continued through. He took the force with his left elbow. His nano armor hardening, locking the arm in place for a second, but it repelled the door too, so that worked. Inside the room, which was a nice enough looking place, were three people.
He noticed the Cuban looking man with the handgun first and headed towards him, leading with a stomping kick, since he still had some momentum left. It bounced the man off the wall behind him, which was about eight feet back. He didn't get up. From the sound his head had made he probably wouldn't ever again. It shouldn't have been enough to kill him, but things like that had happened before. Brian walked over and got the gun before either of the other two could.
One of them was screaming at the top of her lungs, and in a foreign language that he couldn't make out at all. He noticed the third person then, a woman that was about his own height, thin and white, with hair that looked to go down her back and a nice tight t-shirt with black jeans on. The shirt said "TCC". Totally Clean Christian. Basically code that said a person was a hard core anti-Infected bigot of the worst sort.
She was also glowing rather prettily. The aura around her was blue at the moment, but held flickers of other colors. If it meant anything he didn't get it, but she was looking worried, not like she was going to attack.
"Don't kill me. Don't kill me! I'm not a threat, just a social worker!" She didn't move except to put her hands out, pleading with him for her life.
"Did you drop that baby from the window?" If she did, social worker or not, he'd probably have to execute her. No one willing to do that could be trusted with any sort of power at all, even if all she did was glow like an extra bright rainbow.
"No! That was Mr. Sardina. I came to help his wife leave, he was abusive towards her and her child, Connie. Connie!" She ran to the window then, and so did the other woman, who he guessed was Mrs. Sardina. They didn't see anything of course.
"She's fine, with the older neighbor woman downstairs." He looked over at the man on the ground and then walked over slowly, taking his pulse. The man didn't seem to have one. In normal circumstances they could have tried CPR but the Christian woman in front was still glowing, meaning she could be a threat.
Instead of fighting with him, both women ran. He followed, not certain they weren't just fleeing him, but they both stopped at the right door and pounded, which got the woman to come back with the little girl. The next few minutes involved no more glowing though and a lot of checking to make sure the kid was fine. She had some bruises, but nothing seemed broken, and while shaken up, there didn't appear to be a concussion or anything.
The woman holding the baby, stood crying, rocking her child gently. The other woman just sat on the ground and dropped her head, crying just as hard.
Finally she sobbed at him, making direct eye contact.
"I'm... screwed. Too many people saw me. My force field stopped the bullets from hitting us, but... No one knows about me. What do I do?" She was breathing fast, looking like she might just pass out, even though no one was threatening her at the moment. Being outted as Infected was a big deal. Maybe bigger for her, as a social worker, than for most. At the very least she was out of a job. No state government would let a known Infected person work for them, no matter how nice and in control they were.
After a bit she calmed down though and just sobbed a few more times.
"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" The words held resignation, as if to say that was the only thing left for her at all.
"Why would I do that? You didn't throw a baby from a window, or anything did you? You just came to help someone that needed it. And did, by the way. I wish I had a cool power like that. Still, I managed to catch Connie out of the air, so what I have worked." He wasn't sure how that had happened, or who's place he'd taken at all. They would have had to be jumping really high or flying at the time though. If that was the case they should have made the catch though. They were in the right spot. Maybe it was that they just couldn't stick the landing as well as he did?
Dharma was there, standing by the woman that had been glowing.
"Bri, she needs help. It's really important. Maybe more important than catching the baby was. I can feel it, here in your head. It's... really weird to tell the truth. I think you need to take her with you when you leave. Or... well, get her a ride back to the base." She took a breath and looked at him hard.
"Also... I'm pretty sure you didn't trade places with anyone Brian. You just... came. Probably why it hurt so much. I... don't think we can just go back. You're going to have to go the hard way. Coach." She smiled about it but didn't explain how she figured that was going to happen.
Sighing he asked if anyone had a phone he could borrow. The glowing woman handed him hers a pretty silver thing that had a bit of wear on it from constant use.
He started to dial the base's toll free number when it flashed up on the screen, along with an extension. There was no name for it at all though. He just hit send, wondering what it was about and willing to risk it, he spoke the connecting numbers. After three rings it picked up, a familiar voice on the other end.
"IPB, Turner. What can I do for you?"
"Hi Marcia, it's Brian. Um, a bit hard to explain at the moment, but I'm stuck in..." He stopped, not really sure where he was at all. Covering the phone with his right hand he looked at the still crying woman in front of him, who looked horrible for someone so pretty and waited. She blinked as if it were a stupid question.
"Miami?"
"Right, I'm stuck in Miami, I seem to have, um, actually teleported somehow. Not taking anyone's place. In case you think that sounds cool, which it does, I'd like to share that it's also incredibly painful. Anyway, I need a flight out of here for me and um, plus one?" He looked at her again, but if she'd mentioned a name he couldn't remember it at all.
"Janice Renfro." There was another quiet sob.
Marcia apparently heard her and just chuckled a bit.
"This is a red letter week for Team One then. Two new recruits. She's one of ours, already on the books just in case something like this came up. Officially on Team One. Make sure she gets here Ok? Unless you want to take her back with you? I take it that you are still going back? We can probably investigate that mess without you. You can just sit back and babysit the new kids like a normal person. Especially if your power is going to be pulling shit like this. I'd feel more comfortable if you were close Brian. Even if that doesn't make sense."
It did, but it also wasn't happening, instead he pulled the phone away and gestured to Janice. His new buddy it seemed.
"All right, we have a job to do, you can go back to the base or come with me, if you want. I'm trying to avoid the base until it's done, so I don't get locked down, but if you'd really feel more comfortable I guess I can try to escape. It's up to you." He almost added that there was no pressure, but the woman stopped crying at least.
"What?"
Marcia was laughing on the other side of the phone, which wasn't helpful at all. Brian listened to that at a distance and tried to explain again.
"Um, you asked what you should do next, and we have a plan. You can come with me, which means we can get a direct flight back to where I was, or I can take you to the base, which means a lot of potential hassle for me. You seem kind of convinced that you can't just stay here, and you're probably right. So, what do you think? The good option that helps me out or the bad option that doesn't." He nodded big on the word good and shook his head hard enough to make him slightly dizzy on the word no.
Crying or not, afraid of what was going to happen as she had to be, she didn't make him keep working for it.
"The good option?" Her voice was meek, and a little sorrowful.
"There!" He held the mouthpiece back up and started chatting with Marcia again.
"Two tickets then, direct flights ba
ck to Vancouver, Washington. It will work better that way. I'm not going to get a lot of shots at this thing, Marcia. I know that you think what you want is for the best, but I need this. I'm going to see it through no matter what."
That started a conversation that lasted nearly fifteen minutes, during which the police came, which nearly started a firefight, since they wanted to try and handcuff him, even after he announced he was IPB. They claimed that since he didn't have a badge they didn't believe him. It ended with half a dozen cops laying on the ground, disarmed and handcuffed.
"OK. Right now you're all being charged with obstruction of a federal officer on duty. I'm also working on serving a Death Warrant right now and still have two, for people on your force..." He spoke into the phone then.
"Those are still in effect, aren't they Marsh?"
There was a hiss over the phone and a sound that was probably what super-strong teeth made when they ground against each other.
"Yes. God... we don't need this right now. The police force there already thinks we're trying to hassle them on purpose. Crap. Stay on the line, and let me make a call." It was an order, but Brian waited, wondering when the backup would get there. It turned out to be a lot sooner than he thought, with about twenty men getting ready to charge in, wearing riot gear. They didn't let him explain either, just running up and attacking. Helpfully enough a nice golden colored glow surrounded him, which pretty much meant he couldn't be touched for a bit. Janice was standing behind him, one hand on his back, matching him in color.
"Hey, handy!" He smiled back at her over his shoulder. "Now, once again, I'm Brian Yi of the IPB. This is an IPB crime scene. You will all stand down right now, disarm and sit on the ground with your hands up, or else I will be forced to take more violent action, which we all want to avoid. No, I don't have I.D. with me, but that isn't my problem. I suggest you comply now." He smiled, wondering how long it would take for his new friend to get tired. She was gasping a bit already, so it probably wouldn't be too long.
Helpfully one of the guys in armor flipped his face mask-up and walked over, bending over slightly to see him.
"Yeah, this is him. Federal agent, stand down. Stand down. IPB. He's... on our side." The man, who was probably Cuban and not that old didn't seem all that thrilled about the prospect, but people did at least put their weapons up.
It was a start.
Janice let go of her shield, but no on fired at them, so it was back to politics he figured. He pulled the keys from his waistband and tossed them to the man that had recognized him.
"If we aren't going to all be jerks about it then, I guess we can let those guys up now. I don't suppose any of you could call in your Chief... Um, Lincoln? He should remember me."
Soto voce he whispered to Janice then.
"I shot him a couple of times last week."
"What? You shot Jim?" It was a lot more worried sounding than it should have been, especially since he didn't know the man's first name at all.
Janice apparently did.
"Yep. Only in the vest though. He's probably a little bruised, but should be fine. Well, I mean, I don't think I collapsed a lung or anything. He seemed fine when I last saw him."
It seemed he was, because he was already on his way, apparently realizing that if Brian was involved this wasn't going to be all that peaceful. As if that was his fault. It was the police here that tried to illegally detain him. True there was a body upstairs, but they hadn't even asked if he was involved in that. Why they wanted to handcuff him didn't even make sense yet. They were just doing it because they wanted to show how powerful they were. Or because they knew who he was and had decided to hurt him.
The car that pulled up didn't have lights on it, but did have a big star on the door. From behind him his new friend muttered softly.
"Crap. I... do we really have to do this? I couldn't be allowed to just leave the state, could I? No... Instead I have to..." She wasn't talking to him though, so Brian ignored it. That was the polite thing to do after all.
It was clear half a minute later when the Chief, who looked like he was moving decently well to Brian, got to them, staring at the woman behind him, hand going to his side arm.
"Jan? What are you doing here?" It was a little sharp, but probably not meant to be mean. Just a bit worried.
Brian slipped in front of her anyway, protecting her with his body, just in case her force field wasn't recharged yet. Then as the man seemed to get that he was being a little too forceful, he pulled his hand from the weapon slowly and looked around, trying to figure it out.
It wasn't that hard, so Brian gave them a thumbnail of events.
"Domestic situation gone wrong. Wife and baby were leaving, husband decided to toss the baby from a third story window and shoot the wife and the social worker. Operative Renfro used her talent to protect them both and I got here in time to catch the baby. She's fine by the way. I killed the husband while subduing him. A Mr. Sardina."
Then, almost as if Brian hadn't spoken at all Lincoln walked around Brian and started questioning Janice as if she were a suspect. Or more to the point, as if she were suspected of infidelity, rather than a crime. The boys in blue actually managed to control the crime scene well enough and one of them came over with a pad and pencil to ask him and Janice questions. That got the Chief to stop grilling her at least.
Finally Brian just stared at the man, who positively glared back at him. This from a guy that hadn't done that even after he'd shot him. It was more than a little weird.
He spread his hands and gestured to include the Chief and Janice.
"What am I missing here?"
Jan swallowed, still seeming worried, though she didn't need to be. These guys weren't going to hurt them. He wouldn't allow it. Not that they were trying anymore. Apparently they figured their angry looking leader would handle it.
"We... used to date. I broke up with him... Because... you know." She looked away, arms crossed over her chest, looking cold even in the warms of the day.
It made sense though, and Brian did get it.
"Because you were Infected and didn't know how he'd deal with it if you told him. Especially since he's a cop and they're notorious bigots. Given the men on his force and how they keep attacking me I guess I can see that."
Then the Chief went ballistic enough a couple of his men pulled weapons. It was mainly just about 'that' being the reason she'd broken it all off, as if the man would care about her being Infected. It was good to hear, but not exactly helpful to Brian in the moment, since the men still acted like they wanted to shoot him personally.
"Say, if you're cool with it then, could you help us out? We need to get Janice packed up and all that, as well as getting her and I on a cross country flight as soon as possible. I'm actually on assignment right now and kind of AWOL. Not literally, but I have things to get to."
Then they had to explain that Miss Renfro was actually a full operative already and had been for a week. How that had happened none of them knew except Marcia and while she told the Chief, that didn't include them for some reason, and the man didn't bother to share the information with him at all. It did get help for them, which included a few men to get them to the airport in time. He didn't have anything on him at all, no I.D. or cash, but the tickets were waiting with two IPB Agents in black at the airport. It still took two hours to get on the flight after he was cleared, because the government couldn't change the laws of physics and the plane simply wasn't in yet.
As Dharma had suggested it might be, it was coach.
After they sat down he held out his hand to shake, getting a slightly wary look from the woman.
"Brian Yi. Code name Proxy. First modality self-sacrifice. I, generally at least, take the place of people about to die. This time it didn't happen that way. I don't know what it means, but I have a sense that it might be important and not just exactly be a new power."
She did take the hand and didn't let go for a while.
"How do I answer that
? I'm Janice. I don't have a code name and um, well, I know what a first mode is. I guess I just really don't like conflict? Is that OK? I can make force fields in different colors. They stop different things. Physical forces and energies, depending what color they are." She looked around and then leaned in as if to keep what she said secret. "I know who you are. It's why I was begging for my life. I thought you'd come to kill me. I'm Infected, so..."
He nodded.
"I don't kill people for being Infected. Just for trying to hurt people. It's just that a lot of Infected people have problems that way. I don't single them out or anything. Mr. Sardina didn't seem Infected as far as I could tell, for instance."
For the rest of the flight they ended up having a very similar conversation to the one he and Lancaster had with Doug the day before. A lot of it was about the facility itself and how most of the people were just people, like anyone else.
"So you know, you won't love everyone, but most of our people aren't monsters or anything. Only the one really... and you know, we try to let the little things that people can't help slide, if possible. It's an actual, seriously in the code, rule. Especially if it's related to first mode garbage. That isn't always easy, but we all try. It helps to keep the peace." He looked at her chest for a minute, considering things, then realized she was blushing.
"I'm just looking at the breasts, I promise, not the horribly embarrassing shirt over them. We... should get you something at the airport when we land." He'd meant it as a joke, but apparently the shirt really had been her concern, because she turned even more red.
"I did it for camouflage. You know, I figured that if I looked like one of the haters, they'd ignore me. I guess it's trying too hard, isn't it? I keep ending up in conversations about how evil the Infected are." She looked away for a while and then back as if she was going to tell a joke, a tiny smile on her face.
"So... Does your girlfriend know that you go around checking out other women like that? Kind of bold, don't you think?"
For the first time in a while Brian felt something he thought might be totally dead. His sense of humor stirred from within, a creature of immense size that was still just a bit sleepy and slow.