Fortified (12 page)

A
t first
, Cadence liked the idea of having a night off while the others had to go work. Normally, she'd go to the lab inside of The Apartment and try to search for more answers in her quest to unlock The Doctor's drug. She was so close to a breakthrough. With Jaes's help, they'd been able to recreate a testable version of the drug and would hopefully find a way to learn how it unlocked abilities so well. The second goal was to figure out why it caused some of the teenage testers to die. According to the autopsy reports, it was almost like their bodies began to deteriorate and shut down for no apparent reason. If she could learn why, then she could also come up with some way to counter these affects. An antidote of sorts.

Jaes…
She sighed at the thought of him.
Is the only reason he's so interested in finding a solution because he wants to date me? Does he not care about what's happening to the kids in my school? To all of these innocent people?
If she let herself believe such a thing about him, she'd only find herself disgusted.
I have to keep faith that he only has the best intentions. His having a crush on me is just another coincidence in the matter.

She shook her head and turned on the television, determined to have a good night of relaxing at home.
I will not think about the war. Nope. Tonight is my night off and I've earned it. We all have, especially Alan. I wonder if there's a way to get him to rest more. I'm worried he's working himself too hard. It's only a matter of time before he burns out and gets hurt.
The thought of Alan hurting broke her heart. Cadence only wanted to see him smile.
Because he has an amazing smile. Wow, how can he not know how gorgeous he is? He could be a model and he acts as though he's nothing amazing. Altura is so strange.

When it came to Altura, she had a lot of questions. She almost asked Alan about them, but when he mentioned how much he missed home she wasn't sure if it'd help his homesickness or make it worse to talk about it more.
Doesn't hurt to try. I can ask him. He can always say no if he'd rather not. I should not be thinking about this either. Thinking about him, in general. All it's going to do is lead me to wondering if maybe…
She groaned and flipped through the channels, looking for something to watch and coming up dry. All of the shows she used to love were too far ahead for her to catch up in the storyline, or too stupid for her tastes. Since she gained all of her new intelligence, it was hard for her to find pleasure in the simple entertainment she used to take advantage of.

A text message pulled her out of her funk. She pulled it up, hoping it was from JD telling her everything went fantastically and they were already on their way back. Instead, it was from a new number.

“
G
ot your number from Orly
. Hope you don't mind. Email your notes on MediCenter to me? Alan said you had some. Thanks! Gideon.”

S
he stared at the message
, unsure of her feelings. Giddy having her number seemed dangerous. The guy could have been a spy, and handing out personal information was asking for trouble.
If he wanted to know how to find me, all he'd have to do is hack my phone. Did he actually ask Orlando for my number or is he just saying that to keep me from getting mad?
Why would Alan tell him that she had notes on MediCenter? She didn't, not really. Alan had mentioned she should research the building, but it was low on her list of priorities for the time being. Perhaps she should rethink that…
Especially if Gideon is involved. Someone has to watch him to make sure he's not up to no good.

Cadence bit her lower lip as she returned a message to him.
“Not too many notes. Interested in helping. Want to do it together?”

“Now?”
His reply was instant.

“Why not? Got other plans?”

There was some hesitation before he sent his next reply.
“Tait is meeting with a friend. Thought about listening in. Don't be mad at me.”

If Gideon was one thing, it was honest. Mad wasn't the right word to use to describe her feelings over his admission. Then again, she wasn't sure what she felt in the first place. Confused? Disturbed? A mix of the two?

“Why do you need to listen in?”
she asked.

“I think it's about the war. They're going to a park.”

Cadence rolled her eyes.
It's always a park.
A wide-open space made sense, she supposed. Then there was less chance of a bug being in place rather than at one of their houses. Maybe they'd get more creative for a meeting place in the future. She could think of a bunch more that would be a whole lot better.

With a sigh, she prepared another text. “I'm going to regret this…”

“I'll come with you.”

Gideon's next message took a lot longer to send than she anticipated. He must have been thinking it over rather thoroughly.
“Okay. I'll get you the address.”

“Can you pick me up?”
She hated to ask. Having to rely on him for transportation wasn't ideal. But it would be faster. If things fell south, she had her bus pass on hand. It'd give them more time to talk to each other.
And I have to try harder to trust him. He's not going to hurt me. I have to believe that.

“I'll be right there,”
he said. She imagined a sigh went along with the message.

Cadence wrote out a short note for her mom in case she came home from work early. The chances of that happening were highly unlikely, though. She worked long, hard hours on a regular basis. Cadence didn't take advantage of that often, but it did come in handy sometimes.
I won't get in trouble anyway. It's early, not anywhere near curfew. All of my homework is done. This'll be good.
She was going on an adventure.
And that's what I wanted all along, to be included. Why does Jaes have to make everything so complicated?

Things would, no doubt, be complicated for a long time to come.

J
D sat
between Orlando and Angela on a bench while they waited for their meeting with the yellow tribe to begin. He felt like a wall, an all-important buffer, keeping peace between two warring nations. Each one of his comrades fumed and refused to look at the other.
Why did Cadence have to stay behind? I get why Giddy isn't here, but her? Not so much. She'd be so much better at playing peacekeeper than me. Cause I want to be mad too. Jerk hurt my sister, made her cry, but no. I have to pretend to be happy.
He let out a huff, which briefly got Orlando's attention.

Then Orlando gazed off at the trees in front of him and drew a circle in the dirt using his psychic abilities, pretending his finger was some kind of a pen. “Any day now, Alan, really…”

“Got another hot date?” Angela sneered.

Rolling his eyes, Orlando finally looked her way. “No, I'm bored, it's kind of cold, and I'd like to get this over with.”

“You and me both,” JD mumbled. “Not that I don't love nature and all, but there are a lot more bugs out than I thought there would be.”

“Can't say I'm all too fond of nature either.”

A park in the middle of nowhere seemed like a great place to do a trade-off of ancient alien technology, though. Not so many eyes to view the transaction. According to Alan, the yellow tribe had a small base of operations out in the woods. A small shed that connected to the tunnels. Too bad this perfect location was over an hour away from home.

JD would have felt a lot more reassured if he was on familiar ground.
Before we can get there, we have to teleport too. Which is also easier to do from a place where other people can't see us.
So that was where the teens were waiting for their fearless leader. One of the smaller parks, tucked away, only to be taken to a bigger one that was a lot more remote. It didn't sit well with JD, at all.
Not like anything bad is going to happen.
We'll make the drop off, chat a little, and then head on home.

They probably looked ridiculous as well. Sitting in their costumes, waiting for Alan to get them. Another good reason to meet in a more hidden spot. Angela was the most normal of the three. She wore her mask, some tight exercise pants and a matching tank top. No doubt she was cold in the breezy spring night air, but he figured she'd be able to regulate her temperature just fine with her fire. Control over her powers was getting a lot better and her skills were more diverse. Then of course Orlando liked to dress up a lot more than JD ever thought he would. For someone who acted too cool, Orlando got into the superhero gig. Granted, his outfit was also tame with black dress slacks, a white dress shirt, and matching fedora. It amped up his cool factor and made JD seem crazy.

Anything JD did, he went all out, and costumes were not an exception. He had on a t-shirt with a taco on the front, tight black pants, and bright red boxer shorts to go over them. There was a cape as well, of course. Red being the chosen color of the night to make the whole ensemble flow. Angela complained the entire way to the meeting point. Nothing she said changed his mind. And of course, they all had on their masks, so it wasn't like anyone they knew would be able to recognize them anyway.

But the park was quiet and void of people. Probably why Alan had picked that spot to take them from.

Orlando sighed, breaking the overwhelming silence. “I guess I shouldn't complain too much. At least I'm out of the house doing something. There's only so much staying in and doing homework I can take, and that's saying a lot since I actually like homework.”

“You do?” JD peered at his friend. “Are you sure you're human?”

A subtle shiver ran over Orlando's body and when he gazed over at JD, there was a slight hint of fear in his eyes. “I'm just like you.”

“It was a joke,” JD said.
And he didn't give me a wise crack. What's going on? Something crawl up his shorts and die? He's in a mood, even for him.
He shook it off. “But I hear ya. Not a whole lot going on here either. When Alan came by a couple of days ago to give me the details, I was pretty stoked.”

“Embarrassingly so,” Angela added. Those were the first words she'd said not laced with disdain. “He skipped.”

Orlando raised an eyebrow. “I worry about you.”

“There is nothing wrong with skipping when I'm happy,” JD protested. “I can't run. I get energetic when good things happen. This is a good thing. It's fine.”

“Which is why you need to defend yourself so strongly,” Orlando teased. “It's okay. I accepted you were strange a long time ago. Embrace it.”

Angela muttered under her breath, “I tell him that too.”

Can't you two kiss and make up already? Maybe not literally, but at least be nicer to each other?
JD wanted to complain, to force them to get along, but telling them what to do would backfire on him big time. Both Orlando and Angela had nasty tempers. Rather than be mad at each other, they'd direct it all onto him.
No thank you. One of them is going to have to put on their big kid undies and apologize first.

Just as Orlando was about to reply, Alan appeared.

“Glad you could all come,” Alan said. “If you could all please hold onto one another, we'll be teleporting to the location of the exchange.”

All three teens stood. With a sigh, JD grabbed hold of both Orlando and Angela. “Okay, let's do this”

With one touch, Alan moved them from one park, to another. Only the second location was much deeper in the woods. There was one lone trail created from the repeated trampling of foliage, but it was definitely off the beaten path and away from where people were supposed to go. Teleportation was always disorienting. Convenient, but not pleasant. JD had to close his eyes, otherwise he'd freak out. Not like there was much to see when teleporting. Just one location turning into another, but it was a lot easier to handle if he didn't watch it shift as they moved. It didn't make him as dizzy either.

There was, however, always a tingling following the transport, and it lingered for a few minutes, sometimes making him numb in his feet or legs. Similar to when his legs fell asleep. Walking wasn't always easy. Alan might not get the sensation anymore, or ever, because he could always move just fine once he was done. JD needed a moment to recover, and he didn't think he was the only one because his sister actually fell backward onto her butt. Orlando was much smoother, of course. He shook out his arms and legs, mindful of his costume.

Once JD had some more feeling in his body, he nodded at Alan. “Ready! Where's Jaes?”

“He's at the shed waiting.” Alan pointed north from where they stood. Off in the distance, JD saw structure made from wood, barely looking like it could stand on its own.

“Looks…not safe,” JD observed.

“A decoy to keep people from investigating it,” Alan explained. “Apparently, the night time visitors here are interesting.”

The teens all exchanged glances and shrugged. Carefully, they moved about the forest floor, mindful of fallen branches, large bushes, and potential poison ivy. That was the last thing JD needed on top of everything else going on.

“This is all you brought?” Jaes asked once they reached the shed. He scrunched up his face, disappointment evident in his eyes.

Alan nodded coolly, seemingly not bothered in the slightest which wasn't like him. In the past, Alan bent over backwards to make his friend happy. JD liked the new confidence. “Do you have the Ilotus?”

Jaes held up the small, shoe sized, golden box. “Of course. Shall we?” He grabbed the door handle of the shed with his free hand. Before he could get it opened, however, a sharp whistle cut through the air followed by a metal dart hitting the door with a solid
thunk
. The dart missed Jaes's hand by an inch. JD couldn't tell if that was intentional or good luck on Jaes's part.

“Hand over the artifact, and no one will get hurt,” a familiar voice said from somewhere in the trees.

JD followed the sound and made out an equally familiar shape about thirty feet away. “Is that…?”

“Drone,” Angela whispered, confirming JD's fears.

He'd been there the day Drone had grandly revealed his true identity. The young man claimed it was to help with solidarity amongst the charges. JD knew better; it was a power play. A way for him to show he wasn't afraid of anyone knowing who he actually was, as well as finding out who everyone else was in the process. Thankfully, JD and his sister were able to get out before their turn came. At the time, something felt off about the guy even if JD couldn't pinpoint what. Now he knew: Drone was a traitor. The shock Jaes wore on his face suggested he'd been blindsided as well—or he was a fantastic actor. Things still weren't adding up yet.

The others were all stunned into silence. JD decided to do what he did best: talk. “Never in a million years will we let you get your hands on it. You fiend!”

“Fiend? And what is up with your monologue?” Orlando brushed some of his black shag from out of his face. “Seriously, you've got to come up with some better dialogue.”

“I can always count on you,” JD said quietly, hoping the banter was distracting enough for one of the more powerful team members to make a move.

Orlando was one of them, and once again, he didn't disappoint. “So this is the infamous Drone I've heard so much about, huh? I'd love to see what all the fuss is.”

A soft, unamused snort left Drone's lips and another dart came sailing through the air. Rolling his eyes, in true Orlando fashion, he lifted up a hand and the dart bounced off of an invisible psychic shield halfway through its journey.

“If that's your only trick, I'm disappointed,” he said.

Drone pointed to Orlando. “This one is mine, so I can show him all of my…tricks.”

“Ooh, how ominous and scary.” Orlando wiggled his fingers in front of him as if he were casting some sort of spell.

Jaes finally found his voice. “What…what are you doing, Drone? Who ordered this attack?”

“I did,” Drone said, moving toward them.

Instinctively, JD tensed up and moved in front of his sister, knowing full well he couldn't protect her but willing to try. It put her, Orlando, and himself in a cluster of sorts. Sticking together was going to be their best defense. Drone couldn't have been working alone. His comrades had to be hiding somewhere in the trees.

Jaes reached for the shed door and upon opening it came face to face with an older man whom JD pegged to be around fifty. The guy had sandy blond hair, blue grey eyes, and a build all too similar to Alan's. If not for the difference in age, they could have been twins. Or perhaps Alan's future self came back in time to help save the day.

Only Alan didn't have time travel capabilities, and he recognized the man standing in front of him as well. “Father? What are you doing here?”

“I'm here to acquire the Ilotus,” the man said in an eerily calm way. He offered out his hand. “Please, hand it over. I'll make sure it's returned to the right hands.”

Jaes was about to do just that, but Alan placed a hand on his friend's chest. Shaking his head, Alan forced them both back a step. “We're supposed to be meeting with Kimantkel. She said specifically to meet here and…Aren't you supposed to be on the other side of the planet with the rest of your ship?”

“We moved locations for the time being and were given different orders,” his father stated.

“I just spoke to your commander earlier,” Jaes said, his voice shaking. “During our daily conference call. He said you were still stationed over China and had no intentions of moving given the conflict getting more complicated over in that part of the world.” He paused. “He and Sir Orioltogorthan are the only commanders who knew about our plan for today.”

Everyone stood still, as if time itself had stopped. The leaves rustling in the wind were the only indication that the world was in fact still moving forward. Drone charged toward the group, Alan's father made a grab for the Ilotus, and all chaos broke loose.

Angela was the first to respond to the attack, shooting fire toward Drone. She singed his clothes as the fireball barreled to his left and struck a tree, splitting it in half. The sound of the branches crashing to the ground was deafening. Someone shouted, but JD couldn't make out who. With Drone distracting everyone, Alan's father and Jaes were in a tug of war over the golden artifact. Each had a hand on the device, using the other to fling whatever powers they contained at the other. A blast of ice erupted from Jaes, but Alan's father was able to deflect it with ease by putting up a small shield made from electricity. The two were so evenly matched and moving so fast it was hard to see who was in control of which element of attack.

Then JD risked a glance at Alan. All he did was stare at the man who raised him in complete and utter shock. Slowly, his face turned into a snarl of disgust. Just as he was going to launch an attack of his own, a crack of lightning landed right at his feet, sending him flying backward into the trees at full force. At first, JD thought the blast came from his father, but not too far in the distance was a girl with auburn curls blowing away smoke from her fingers. She didn't have a mask. Neither did Drone for that matter. Her gaze landed on JD, and she smirked, snapping her fingers together to kindle more electricity between them.

JD didn't need to think it over. He ran forward, toward Jaes and the shed, closing the space between him and her leader. At least he hoped Alan's father was the man in charge of this treachery—for his safety's sake. Of course his friends would be hurting, but there wasn't time to think about that. He had to use his logic to stay alive. This girl wouldn't dare attack so close to one of her teammates or the Ilotus, would she?

Luck seemed to be on his side as another lightning bolt sailed over his head, destroying another tree. He lowered his head, angled his shoulder just right, and with all of his body weight, slammed into Alan's father, knocking the man into the shed. The Ilotus flew through the air, over his and Jaes's head, landing in a pile of dead leaves and long grass.