Fortified (10 page)

A
lan knocked
on Cadence's apartment door, hoping she was in for the night. She didn't go out as much in the evening now that she and JD weren't dating. On occasion, she did go to The Apartment to research on nights she wasn't expecting her mother to be home. If that had been the case, she wouldn't have left with JD, though. When he did a scan on his ship of Orlando's house, he didn't find her presence there either.
And her mother doesn't work late every weekend. Sometimes she goes in earlier so she won't have to be there quite as long.
He brushed aside the fact that he knew a lot more about Cadence's schedule than he did the others. It didn't mean anything.

The door opened, thankfully, revealing Cadence and not her mother, because he had yet to meet the woman in person. Talk about awkward.

“I don't want you to come with on the mission,” Alan said, getting straight to the point.

Cadence stared at him through the doorway. “Hi? Come in?”

“Yes,” he said and stepped inside. Then as an afterthought he added, “Hello.”

“You didn't just pop over,” she observed.

“I knew your mother would be returning from work soon… if she was out, I mean. Just in case I was still over, I thought it'd be better to appear visible and normal for a change,” he explained. “I even put on a shirt.” He pointed to the thin, unbearably warm T-shirt he'd bought at a discount store. It was plain and boring, but it served its purpose and that's all that mattered. He wanted to make a good first impression if he happened to meet her mother that evening.

Cadence nodded, slowly. “I noticed.” A soft blush flushed across her dark skin and he loved the combination. Cadence cleared her throat. “So you don't want me to go on the mission? Too dangerous? Something you're not telling us?”

“It's not dangerous,” he said, trying to figure out the best way to tell her. How did he say it was because he was jealous of his best friend? She wouldn't like that.

“Then why?”

“Jaes only invited the team to come because he…” Alan lowered his gaze to his feet, finding it much easier to stare at his shoes than her as he prepared to betray his best friend's trust. “He fancies you. Or as you would say, he's got a crush. He saw it as a good opportunity to mingle with you again. Apparently, he can't get enough of you.”

She shifted between her two feet for a moment before walking over to the kitchen. For a moment, she stood at the sink, clearly thinking hard about something. He wondered if she was flattered or disgusted at the idea of Jaes wanting to date her. “Oh,” she said at last. “I wondered. He's always been kind of strange around me. Now he's making excuses for us to spend time together?” She laughed. “All of a sudden I'm a catch.”

“You've always…” Alan stopped himself. “This development of Drone working with Sprout has made me hesitant as well.”

“Because it means Jaes could be linked to the leak, still.”

“Correct, and if that's the case, things could get ugly, fast. Or, Jaes doesn't realize Drone is working against him, which means it could get even uglier. Drone is one of his charges. I don't think Drone is a double agent, though. Jaes would have told me, right? We're both connected with our other spy. He knows I can keep a secret.” Alan bit his lip. “While Gideon shouldn't have snooped without permission, I'm having a hard time being angry with his results. Am I bad for being more concerned over what might happen if he gets caught instead of the ethical implications of his actions?”

Cadence rubbed at her arms, an expression that always made him nervous. She tended to only do it when she was about to give unwelcome news. “Bad is a strong word. It's a little concerning, yeah. Maybe more, for me, but that's because I'm not a military trained individual in a war.”

“Actually…”

She held up a hand. “No, I'm a volunteer helper in your cause. This war is personal for different reasons. Not the same kind that makes me see the need for extreme measures, though. I've always been taught to value our rights. People are evil when they start to take those away. Selfish. It feels like the easy way out.”

“In a lot of ways, it is. It's also effective,” he said softly. “Normally I wouldn't condone this kind of behavior.”

“So why now?”

“Because I want the war to end.” Then with a shaky breath, “I want to go home. It's starting to feel like a figment of my imagination. About all I can remember is that the cities have bigger buildings, the trees are different colors, and our dogs have six legs. I don't expect you to understand what that's like, but to put it bluntly—it sucks.”

He hated admitting to Cadence he wanted to leave. What if she misinterpreted it as weakness or lack of caring for his charges? For her? She was a big reason for why he planned to stay until the war either ended or moved on from Earth. But if he were being honest, he'd also have to admit he wasn't made for fighting. Good at it, yes, and he was exceptional at being obedient to his superiors. None of it was work he enjoyed. The theory was, if he was good at his job, he'd get more done and his time of service would pass faster. One thing was starting to frighten him more than his fading memory: the longer he stayed on Earth, the more he found himself liking it there—sometimes even more than Altura. When he could relax, he felt a lot more connected with the people, the culture, and it all suited him better than the life he'd left behind.

Both of them were quiet for a moment before Cadence spoke. “I do understand, more than you think. When I try and remember my dad, it becomes more difficult the more time that goes by. He died when I was little. I miss him. A lot.”

“I'm sorry,” Alan whispered, wishing he hadn't trudged up such dark memories in her.

Cadence waved a hand in front of her face. “Don't be. There are still strong moments I've been able to hold onto. I'm sure you have them too. Hold onto them. Hold onto the things that make you more like us, Alan. They're special. They make more of a difference than being the good soldier your ship wants you to be. Not to say you should disobey orders, exactly. Just…keep hold of the things that make you human…er…”

“I'm human,” he mumbled. “Being from another planet doesn't change my DNA.”

“Remember that too.” She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Sit down and relax for a while. You look tired.”

Because I am tired.
He did as she asked and sat on her living room couch. “Will you stay home, or are you going to insist on coming along?”

“On the mission?” She laughed. “You're pretty hung up on that. Why?”

He shifted in his seat, not sure how much he wanted to confess just yet. “I'd rather not have a distraction for Jaes. Besides, he needs to learn he can't manipulate situations for his personal benefit. If he wants to pursue something with you, he should do so in a normal way. Flowers, candies, dates, that sort of thing.”

A soft smile spread across her lips. “It means a lot to have you say that, you know.”

“It does?” he asked, a bit confused. If anything, he thought it made his attraction obvious and he came across as jealous and possessive: two things he knew girls did not like.

Cadence nodded. “Yes, because it means you respect me. Because you're right, he shouldn't do those kinds of things. I mean, I'm flattered, but I'd rather keep my personal life and work separate. And I'd like…” She bit her lip.

“Go on,” he encouraged, wanting to know everything she felt. Perhaps it'd give him some kind of clue.

“I'd like to know I'm cared about for who I am, not because of what I do for the team. Jaes knows a little about me, but now that you've pointed out his crush…it all makes sense. The way he puts me on a pedestal when we talk. It's an infatuation, and it's something he has for a person I'm not sure I'll ever be. Does that make sense?” Her dark eyes met his own, and he had to avert his gaze before he lost all of his words.

Slowly, he nodded. “Yes, actually, it does make sense rather perfectly. I think I did that to Alona. Put her on a pedestal, worshipped the ground she walked on. I used to laugh when she said I didn't know who she was. Now I see why that it was actually her who laughed at me.” He clenched his hands into fists at the memories, which were now becoming more and more bitter in his mind. “It was a mistake that hurt me just as much as it must have hurt her.”

Once again, they were both quiet and he wondered if perhaps he'd said too much. Another thing he knew about girls was that it wasn't a good idea to talk about ex-fiancées with them either.
Now she'll probably think I'm still hung up on Alona. Perhaps I am. I'm not sure. Feelings and love are so confusing.
He was about to break the silence, but Cadence did before he got the chance.

“To ease your mind, I'll stay home while you go out on the field. There's plenty of other things I can do here, anyway, that'll be more useful and—”

“You could also enjoy a night off to yourself,” he offered. “I've been told working all the time is not healthy for anyone.” He winked, hoping to lighten the mood.

It must have worked because she laughed. “Okay, a night off then. I won't even think about you. I mean…what you're doing…of course I'll think about you…er…” She pressed her lips together. “Do you want to stay for a while so you can relax in peace? I remember you saying the ship can be kind of chaotic sometimes. How there's always someone looking for you to do something or talk about another thing.”

“Yes, I could for an hour or so,” he said. “Thank you.”

He sat on her couch trying to take a piece of his own advice: just be normal for a change.

“
J
D
, seriously, you take longer than I do in the shower, this is ridiculous! You know this is the only bathroom with a bathtub,” Angela shouted at him through the bathroom door.

He ignored his bratty little sister and finished shaving. “I thought you did all of your grooming in the morning?”

“Not when I have to wake up extra early for cheer! When those days happen, like tomorrow, I take a bubble bath before bed. It helps me de-stress and it's an important part of my night. You've been in there for, like, an hour. I'm not joking.”

He rolled his eyes.
You, my dear, sweet, diva sister, are one to talk.
Normally, he'd say so out loud for all to hear, but he didn't want to ruin his good mood. Instead, he cleaned up the sink and opened up the door to head out.

Angela barged past him, making sure to give him a good shove out in the process. “Finally!”

“Sorry, I have a hot date,” he said.
Okay, not really, but I can dream.

“I don't want to know!” His sister shut the door in his face.

“Nope, you never do,” he said to himself as he went to his room to gather up his things. In the past, their conversation would have gotten a lot more heated. Angela had a tendency to make mountains out of very small hills. She'd been a lot more pleasant to be around, lately. He certainly understood her better, so he didn't push as many of her buttons as often as he used to. Whatever the reason, they got along well enough to the point where he was actually starting to enjoy her company. The protective big brother in him didn't like her involvement in the whole Altura mess, but he had to focus on the positives. Changing her mind sure wasn't going to happen. When she set her mind on something, she kept it there.

Sad that it took aliens using Earth as a battlefield for their war to get the two of them to be friendly toward one another. He briefly wondered if when she said “cheer” she actually meant their upcoming mission, and if the thought of going into action was the thing stressing her out.
Maybe I should stay home and let her vent. Nah, she's got Cadence to do that with. She has her way of dealing with stress and I have mine.

With a shrug, he grabbed his wallet and cellphone. Who was he to question the ways of fate? He and his sister got along now, and that was all that mattered. Not to mention, she was proving to be a valuable asset to their small team of teenage super heroes.
At least one of us can contribute, seeing as I'm the only person on the team who didn't get a super power.

Ever since he could remember, JD had always dreamed of being a hero, of flying high or having super strength. Then Alan crashed through the ceiling of the local mall and offered him, the school loner Orlando, and his best friend Cadence, the opportunity to gain supernatural powers. Orlando, of course, got the most powerful ability—telekinesis. When it came to Orlando, he had the best of everything, so JD wasn't surprised in the slightest. Cadence on the other hand gained unnatural amounts of intelligence. Not flashy or aggressive, but useful all the same. Then there was JD who couldn't do anything. So when Angela was experimented on by the enemy and acquired the ability to create fire, that was the icing on the cake of JD's pity party.

His friends claimed he was valuable, but he had a hard time seeing how. Which was part of why he was glad to have a night out where he didn't have to think about the Alturan war or all of his personal shortcomings. For one evening, he planned on being relatively normal. A study session with a classmate wasn't the most fun way to get out of the house, but he'd take what he could get. He grabbed his notebook and headed out of his room, running into a towel clad Angela on the way.

“Look out! I'm kind of naked here!” She squealed.

“You're covered,” he said. “Maybe you shouldn't bolt out of the bathroom door next time.”

She snorted, brushing past him, running toward her room. “I forgot my bubble bath and I don't want to waste water.”

“How considerate of you,” he teased. “Can't chat, gotta go.”

“Right, your hot date,” she said, shooting him a dark glare.

JD frowned. “It's not a date, just going to drop off some notes. Okay?”

“You're so…” her voice trailed off as she disappeared into her bedroom.

He walked into the kitchen. “Mom, is it cool if I take one of the cars for a little while?”

“On a school night?” she asked, bending down to put a bandage on his younger brother's knee. “Stop hitting, Marisela,” she told the four-year-old boy before sending him off. She returned her attention to JD. “I'm not sure I like the idea of you going out. You seem to be doing that a lot lately. Don't you have homework?”

“Did it in study hall,” he said. “Besides, it shouldn't take too long. Just dropping something off for a friend and I might get a snack on the way home. I promise I won't be gone all night. Please? It's important. She could fail the semester. You wouldn't want me to have that on my conscience would you?”

She frowned. “One hour, and then I need you back here. I'm glad you and your sister are doing more outside of the house. Just don't forget to spend some time with me too.” His mother planted a kiss on his forehead. “Drive safe, I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.” He kissed her cheek and grabbed the keys to the family sedan. “One hour. Not one minute later. Promise!”

“Text me when you pick your snack. I might be interested in one too.” She winked. “Maybe Angela, even. I'll even let you use your emergency credit card to pay for it.”

“Deal!” JD headed out the door. Once in the car, he made his way to the corner of Industrial Boulevard and Seventh Street. The sun was already down. Lighting was dim over the warehouse district, making the area seem much larger and intimidating than it was in the daytime. What really got him was the lack of activity. Once business hours were over, the place seemed void of life.

He found a parking spot on the street and waited on the hood of his car for his friend, Miranda, to show up. A tall, lean, masculine figure in a long overcoat approached him. Whoever this guy was, he put off a lot of bad vibes.
Perhaps I should wait inside of the car. He looks like some kind of drug dealer.
Before JD could do anything, the man pulled out a small metallic circle. A blinding green light flashed from its center and JD was overcome with peaceful euphoria. All at once he was left feeling pleasantly numb and the most relaxed he'd been in ages.

“Amazing how well this works,” the man remarked, looking down at his device. He put it into his coat pocket. “Do you remember who I am?”

“Yes, Doctor,” JD said without hesitation. Every word and action seemed to be automatic. He had no control over his body as he carefully got off the hood of the car to meet the man on the sidewalk.

The man nodded. “Good. Are you ready to continue with our experiments, as was our agreement for letting your sister free?”

“Yes, Doctor.” He paused. “But I have to be home in an hour.”

“I'll be sure to keep this session brief.” He waved a hand in front of JD's face. “When I snap my fingers one time, you'll enter into a hypnotic trance, as per usual. When I clap my hands twice, you'll wake up and not remember anything except what?”

“That I dropped off my notes for Miranda,” JD said. “And that I need a snack.”

A large grin spread across the man's face. “Good. Are you ready?”

“Yes, Doctor.” In the back of his mind, JD knew he should have fought the man, tried to run away, anything to get out of the latest experiments that were about to be performed on his body. He still had no control over his actions, lost in whatever spell had been placed on him via The Doctor's mind tricks.
I'm a man of my word. I told him he could do this to me. Angela's life depended on it.

The Doctor snapped his fingers.

“
I
can't meet
you on Wednesday,” JD said, staring up at the fluorescent light hanging above him. The Doctor milled about around him, getting together a number of supplies for whatever experiment would be performed tonight.

JD must have told him the wrong thing, because The Doctor slammed a hand onto a metal table. “When we made this agreement, the deal was you would come when I called you no matter what. You do not get the privilege of telling me when you can and can't meet.”

“It's going to be suspicious if I drop everything in the middle of a mission to come here,” JD protested.

For a long time, The Doctor didn't reply. He shuffled through his papers, tapped a pen on his desk, and let out a number of heavy sighs. “What kind of mission is it?”

“You know I can't say.” That would be giving away a secret of his tribe, a betrayal. It also broke their agreement.

The man growled and threw his pen against the wall. “It seems to me you're trying to take too much control over this situation. Perhaps, I should go against my part of the bargain, drag your sister back here, and continue my research using
her
instead. Because if I'm being honest, I think she'd be a whole lot more useful to me anyway! She has powers, she has a formula of my drug I can use, and I doubt she'll give me as much attitude.”

“Ha, you don't know her well then.” JD snickered. “And let's be honest. You like that I'm a puzzle, and you're just dying to solve me.”

“I am, but I do need the version of the drug your sister has. It's perfect. It works; there are no side effects; I need it. Perhaps you can get me a sample of her blood?” The Doctor waved his hand in front of him. “We'll discuss this after we figure out what your powers are.”

JD clutched the edges of the table where he lay. “You promised to leave her alone, man. What other things have you gone back on that we agreed on?”

“Nothing,” the man seethed. He glared down at JD. “But I will if you fail to do what
you
said.”

“I have to help my team. I work for them before you. That's never going to change. I will be going on this mission. Deal with it. I'm warning you in advance so we can schedule around it. Pretty courteous if you ask me.”

The Doctor breathed deeply for a few seconds. “Yes, and I think I can spin this to my advantage. Change of plan. I'm going to put something inside of you.”

“Uh…” JD didn't like the sound of that. For the most part, the tests performed on him were simple scans, nothing invasive. That he was aware of, at least. Because he hated shots, and anything painful in general.

“It's an implant.” He held up a small black device that was the size of a grain of rice. “The only thing it will do is take note of a number of stats in your body while you work. Hormones, temperature, etc. What I'm hoping is to find out how you're impacted when you use your ability. There is something not right about you, and we're going to find out what it is. Perhaps what you do is just too subtle to be noticed by eyes alone. It's a start at least. You'll need to give me a full account of the action, of course.”

Just as JD was about to argue, The Doctor continued, holding up a hand. “If I don't know what is going on when your body changes, it won't do any good to record the data. All I'm asking for is action. Think you can handle that? No secrets, no details on the purpose.”

“Fine.” JD reluctantly agreed, but only because he couldn't find a good argument against The Doctor's request. A description of any possible fight wouldn't give anything away, right?
Not like we'll be getting into any trouble. The whole thing is supposed to be low key. Give up the artifact, go home, maybe learn some things about another culture.

The Doctor nodded, satisfied. “I don't have any local anesthetic available at the moment, so I apologize, this is probably going to hurt, significantly. Try not to poke at it too much for a few hours.” He laughed. “I'll put it in your program.” Then he snapped his fingers, and JD blacked out.

When JD woke up again, he was in his car hungry and happy to be finished with his latest study session.

“Mom better want Mexican, cause I'm totally jonesing for some now,” he mumbled as he fired off a text.