Fic: No Capes 1/2 (bandom, skippy pairing, PG-13)
Masterpost Here
DECEMBER 1941
Video footage of Pearl Harbor, people running around helping. Placing bandages on the wounded. Video cuts to the sea and people being hauled out of the water.
Announcer: It’s December in the year nineteen forty-one and the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor. It was a dirty, underhanded attack by the Pacific coast and many lives have been lost. America now joins the war effort in sending our troops overseas to join the fight. Both the Japanese and Hitler better watch out, America is on its way.
The video footage now cuts to men arriving on small islands.
Announcer: Our boys are slowly arriving on the islands in the Pacific, ready and able to take on the Japanese. Give the folks a smile and wave boys.
A young boy, looking no older than sixteen, grins in his army uniform, rifle slung over his shoulder and helmet on his head, waves at the camera with a big grin.
Announcer: Thank you boys for protecting us. On the European front, more forces are arriving in England to do battle with Hitler.
The grainy film spanned to show various armed forces arriving, walking down a ramp that was connected to the large boat. They looked young and eager for battle as they looked around at their arrival area.
The film then cut to an area with young men milling about, some were using their bags as pillows to catch some rest. Then they all glanced upwards, as if they heard something.
Announcer: And here comes our newest recruits for the fight against Hitler.
The camera panned to the sky and it showed a man flying in the air, a woman being carried in his arms as they landed on the ground. They were given a wide berth.
Announcer: Mr. Incredible and Elastic Girl, our newest heroes that have complied with the Superhuman Act. Everyone has heard of Superheroes, people with fantastic powers that have currently been working in secret but with the Superhuman Act, they can work with the government to protect and help us take down Hitler. These two brave souls were the first ones to register and have freely given their names. That’s right folks; our superheroes aren’t hiding behind their superhero names. Let’s give a warm welcome to Robert and Ethel Jonas.
Mr. Incredible AKA Robert Jonas and Elastic Girl AKA Ethel Jonas smiled beneath their masks at the group that was slowly approaching them. Mr. Incredible was in some sort of skin-tight suit with an airman’s jacket on, the patch of the United States of America sewn on the side. Elastic Girl had a mask on her face and was also in a skin tight suit with an airman’s jacket on, a skirt with leggings and high heeled boots and the flag of the United States of America was also sewn on the side of the jacket.
Announcer: Give Hitler what for, America!
Present Time
Undisclosed Mountain Area, Montana
Mike was in what his friend Bill would call a snit. A very ugly snit that made him want to jump out of this chopper and see if he could use his powers to float down to the ground. There were only three things wrong with that plan. One, if he jumped and his powers did allow him to float to the ground safely, there was no way that the government was going to let him go. Two, all of his shit that he was allowed to bring was in the chopper, and three, he was afraid of heights.
So he was currently stuck until he hit the ground and could get his bearings on exactly what was going on and what he could do to get out of this.
Ever since the Superhuman Act went live in the forties, any person found with powers were required to serve a compulsory two year term with the government to learn about their powers. During this time, they could become a sponsored Superhero of the government, and then re-enroll and choose to let their identity go live. Or they could opt out and report to the government every six months, showing they were not using their powers for criminal activities and leading an ordinary, normal life.
Either way, he was fucking boned.
The chopper gave a slight jerk in the air and Mike clutched his backpack, his face going white as the government spooks across from him smirked.
Mike really wanted to focus his queasy feeling on them, but that would mean he would have to focus on something other than not throwing up.
Maybe when the chopper finally landed, he'd be lucky and could throw up on one of their shoes and ruin the leather.
Mike wasn’t sure how long they were in the air, but it was long enough for him to name all the different queasy feelings that flipped-flopped through his stomach.
The chopper gave another jolt and Mike really wanted to throw up what he had eaten for breakfast when the machine finally landed, kicking up dust and dirt.
“C’mon kid,” one of the spooks said, grabbing Mike’s large duffle bag. “Welcome to your new home!”
Mike got out shakily and the queasy feeling finally moved up to his throat and he was bending over, sick spilling everywhere. He was happy when some of it landed on the spook that kept smirking at him through the whole flight.
“Ugh,” the guy said, making a face as his partner laughed at his misfortune.
Mike accepted the handkerchief handed to him and he wiped at his mouth. When he went to hand it back, the guy just shook his head and adjusted his shades.
"Keep it and c'mon," the guy in the suit said. "Time for you to meet the Director."
They led him into a facility that was buried deep in the mountains with gleaming with silver corridors and Plexiglas showing off various people working in labs.
"I thought this was where superheroes are trained?" Mike asked as he looked around, trying to take in everything at once.
"Oh, they are," the one holding his bag grinned. "You'll have to wait and see."
Mike glared at him as they were led farther and farther into the mountain before they stopped in front of a clear glass door with 'Director Schechter' written on the front. The rest of the windows had the blinds drawn.
The spook knocked on the door and the door clicked open.
As they entered the room, this Director Schechter person was on the phone, and Mike's first impression was he was short and covered in tattoos.
“Yeah, well, tell Way he better have those new materials ready to go before I cut his funding,” Director Schechter growled into the phone. Whoever was on the other end said something that had the Director grinning. “Glad you’re seeing things my way. Now, I’ll talk to you later, I got a new super to talk to. Later.” He hung his phone and spun so he was facing the three.
“Agent Deleon and Agent Marshall, you can leave,” the Director said with a shooing of his hand.
“Good luck, kid,” Agent Deleon, the one Mike had gotten sick over his shoes gave him a smug grin as Agent Marshall left Mike’s bag by a chair and gave him a smile as he squeezed Mike’s shoulder and they left him alone in the room.
“Michael Carden, please, have a seat,” Director Schechter said, gesturing at the empty seat.
“It’s Mike,” Mike gritted out as he sat down, arms across his chest and glared.
“All right, Mike,” Director Schechter said as he opened a file folder. “You were discovered as a super five days ago.” He blinked, looked at the folder and then looked back up. “Rescuing a cat from a tree?”
Mike glared at him.
“Right, okay,” Director Schechter said, completely blank faced and Mike could feel the amusement rolling off of the older man.
“It’s not funny,” he gritted out.
“And let’s add empathy to the list,” Director Schechter said as he wrote something in the file.
Mike gritted his teeth really wishing he had some sort of fire ability to make Director Schechter go away.
“Now, I understand you don’t want to be here; a lot of supers don’t at first,” Director Schechter began, setting his pen down. “But, we’re here to help and at the end of your two year tour, you can go home if you wish.”
“But in the meantime, I’m just a lab rat,” Mike said, glaring.
Director Schechter frowned. “We do not use the word lab rat here. We’re just here to help you, Mike.”
“Yeah and stick me on a superhero team and send me out into the field to fight bad guys,” Mike muttered.
“Only if you decide to stay after your two years,” Director Schechter gently corrected him.
“I don’t plan to.”
“Good, then you have nothing to worry about then,” he smiled at Mike. “Now, let’s get down to what we expect out of you for the next two years.”
Mike listened with one ear as Director Schechter went over what was expected him: he was expected to live here to study his powers. He could still contact family and friends; he wasn't cut off, he just couldn't go into where he was and what he was doing. And the end of his two years here, he could choose to enlist into the superhero program or he could head home and report to an officer every six months for the rest of his life.
Mike was taking that second option as soon as he could.
"Now, is there anything you didn't understand?" Director Schechter asked as he pushed a contract forward.
"I already know about my powers, why do I have stay here two years?" Mike asked as he grabbed the contract to read.
Director Schechter raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you knew about your powers before your revealing five days ago?"
Mike froze as he kept his eyes glued to the page.
"Ummmm..."
"Because if you knew about your powers before you’re revealing and chose not to report yourself to the nearest recruitment officer, that adds another year to your term," Director Schechter stated, hands clasped together.
Mike looked up at that, startled. “Another year?” he asked in disbelief.
Director Schechter looked sympathetic. “Mike, we can’t have supers running around without registering. I’m not sure you remember, but around the early nineties, there was that little girl who had fire abilities? She didn’t register out of fear, and she set her house on fire, killing her entire family inside. She’s still in a psychiatric ward for supers, still unable to come to terms she killed her family.”
Mike swallowed and glanced at the contract again.
“I’m not saying this to scare you into agreeing this right away, but to have all the facts,” Director Schechter said. “We’re here to help you, not run you off.”
“What if I don’t want any of this?” Mike asked as he looked up, hands tightening around the paper.
Director Schechter reached down and opened a drawer in his desk. He pulled something out and dumped it on his desk.
Mike blinked; it was a metal collar that had a locking mechanism that connected itself to an ugly red plastic oval shape. “A collar?”
“This is your other alternative,” Director Schechter started to explain. “You will wear this collar for the rest of your life, depending on this crutch to control your powers. And it will be visible, everyone will know you’re a super and your life will never be the same again.” He leaned in close. “You can never take it off. It will be with you for the rest of your life.”
“This hunk of metal?” Mike asked in disbelief.
“This hunk of metal is a power-negating collar that will be your leash, crutch, whatever you want to call it for the rest of your life, like I explained,” Director Schechter said, hands clasped together. “This is your opt out of the program and a two year tour. You still report to your registration officer in the area, except every three months instead of six.”
Mike stood up, anger clearly visible on his face and various knick knacks and books were vibrating on their shelves. “This isn’t fair.”
“Mr. Carden, Mike, life isn’t fair,” Director Schechter said firmly. “This is what’s presented on the table. You either take it or you don’t.”
Mike’s hands clenched the paper contract even tighter and his eyes flashed purple. The windows to Director Schechter’s office shattered. His eyes turned back to brown as he turned around startled and looked at the broken glass on the floor.
“You’d be surprised how many times that has happened,” Director Schechter stated dryly.
“Oh, piss off that many people?” Mike asked, feeling shaken by his display of his ability.
Director Schechter looked amused. “You’d be surprised.” He then pointed at Mike’s chair. “Now, how about you sit down and we’ll continue this conversation without powers and like reasonable adults.”
“Yeah, sure,” Mike said, eyes still on the glass on the floor and he sat down.
“First time you broke something that big?” Director Schechter asked in concern.
“Uh-huh,” Mike replied in agreement.
“It’s scary, isn’t it?”
Mike finally turned his attention back to Director Schechter. “What?”
“Losing control of your powers like that,” Director Schechter said as he picked up the collar and placed it back inside the drawer of his desk. “But I hope it was a wake-up call for you and you’ll seriously consider the three year offer.”
“I thought it was two years?”
“Yes, well, there’s still the little matter of you not reporting yourself right away, so three years.”
Mike sighed angrily and started to read his contract more seriously.
Director Schechter grinned, a real smile gracing his face as he watched Mike take his new situation more seriously.
Mike read word for word on the contract and it was very straight forward and outlined his next three years with the government.
He guessed the government had a lot of teenagers come through the program so they made the contract easy to read. History and government classes never really went into when supers got their powers.
Reaching across, Mike was barely aware when his eyes flashed purple once again and a pen flew into his hands. "Thanks," he grunted out and signed on the dotted lines where it was indicated. He held up the contract. "I like the 'sign here' flags."
"Thanks, HR thought it would be easier to see where to sign your soul away," Director Schechter lightly joked.
Mike just gave him a flat look, signed the last line and handed the contract and pen back.
“I’ll get this processed right away,” Director Schechter said as he stood up and walked around the desk. Someone stepped through where the window once stood. “Agent Marshall will direct you to your room.”
“No personal tour from you?” Mike snarled, still white faced and slightly shaky.
“Sorry Mike, my pay doesn’t cover personal tours,” Director Schechter smirked at him. “You’ll get your tour tomorrow after some food and rest. The past couple of days have been pretty eventful.”
“C’mon Mike, I’ll show you were the mess hall is and then get you situated in your room,” Agent Marshall explained as he picked up Mike’s duffle. “Your Mom has packed a few of your things and they’ll be here in a few days.”
“She did?” Mike asked as he stood up, grabbing his backpack and large duffle bag.
“Oh yes,” Agent Marshall grinned as he led Mike out of the Director’s office, Director Schechter giving them a grin and wave as he got on the phone to get his windows fixed, again.
~~~
Mike woke slowly, tangled in his sheets. The clock was saying it was 8:30 am and he glared at it. He had to get up, shower and get ready for his tour.
The mess hall and his room weren’t really much, and Agent Marshall assured him that the mountain facility was much larger and cooler, apparently. Whatever that meant.
His new room was nice enough, painted blue walls with wooden floors. A single bed that was way comfier than his one at home. A desk, dresser, night stand, bookshelf and chair placed around the room. And the best part, his own bathroom. He no longer had to fight for his own space with his family.
That thought brought him up short. He wasn’t going to see his family for three years.
Mike understood he could write, phone and even Skype with them, but every conversation would be screened and monitored, to be sure his location wouldn’t slip out. He was a precious commodity now. He wasn’t even sure if a weekend could be arranged so he could see his family and friends. Maybe after the tour today he could see about what could be done.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Mike detangled himself from his bed covers and went to go investigate his new bathroom. He showered, shaved the few bristles that were appearing on his upper lip and changed into a fresh pair of clothes.
He was just slipping his feet into his shoes when there was a knocking on his door.
“Mike? You awake?”
Mike shot a glare at the door as he bent over to tie his shoelaces. “C’mon in, Agent Marshall!”
The door swung open as Agent Marshall appeared. “Hey, you look ready to go.”
“Well, I want to get to know my jail cell for the best places to escape,” Mike replied back as he finished tying his shoelaces and stood up, stretching slightly.
Agent Marshall chuckled. “Well, if you can master some sort of flying trick, you can always take off from the docking bay for your great escape.”
“I’ll make a note of that,” Mike stated dryly as he was led out of his room.
Agent Marshall just grinned and ushered them down the hallways of the mountain complex.
“Is it silver and chrome everywhere?” Mike asked as he glanced around.
“Pretty much. We had a super who could make, shape and bend metal,” Agent Marshall started to explain. “He pretty much built this complex with the help of another super who could move earth.” He gestured around. “It was built in the mid-sixties when the first complex burned down to the ground where it was first located.”
“So, this is a second site, but same name?” Mike asked as they entered the mess hall where it was teaming with people.
“Yep,” Agent Marshall said, popping the ‘p’.
“Speaking of names, is Agent your first name?” Mike asked with a grin.
“Funny, Mike,” Agent Marshall chuckled. “It’s Alex, but people usually call me by my last name because Brian likes to get ‘Alex’s’ to work for him and confuse the hell out of everyone.”
“So Agent DeLeon...”
Agent Alex Marshall grinned. “Is also an Alex.”
“Oh, I am so calling you two Alex One and Alex Two now,” Mike chuckled.
“Oh, DeLeon is going to hate that,” Agent Marshall chuckled along with Mike. “Now, let’s get you some breakfast and get going on a tour of this place for you and then a doctor’s appointment.”
That brought Mike up short. “Director Schechter never said anything about a doctor’s appointment.”
“Well, it’s in your contract,” Marshall said as he led Mike over to the food line. “Plus, we need a baseline of you and your powers so we know the best possible way to help you train.”
Mike glared at Marshall, but didn’t say anything more as the line moved along and he grabbed some breakfast foods and an orange juice. Mike dug into his eggs and toast, ignoring Marshall’s attempts at getting his attention to talk. He didn’t want any type of doctor poking and prodding him.
Breakfast done, Mike put his tray and dishes away where Marshall pointed out. “Do we really have to do this?” he asked as Agent Marshall started the tour.
“Yes, unless you don’t want to know where you’re going,” Marshall lightly teased. “Be lost in these metal halls forever.” He leaned in close. “Word is, some super went missing in the late eighties and was never heard from again.”
Mike snorted. “I’m calling B.S. on your crap.”
Marshall laughed and ruffled Mike's longish hair. "You'll survive here, kid and before you know it, you'll be home."
Mike wasn't sure why, but he felt a little bit happy that someone here had his back, even if the guy was a government spook.
"C'mon, I'll show you the rest of the place before your doctor's appointment."
Mike scowled, good feeling gone.
Marshall was a very good tour guide. He pointed various places out, introduced Mike to a couple of people and showed him a couple of places he could hide if he needed some breathing room away from everyone and the cameras.
Then came the doctor appointment and what little good mood Mike had managed to scrape together during the tour was gone by the time he was put into a gown and told to sit on a bed.
"Isn't there some sort of doctor-patient confidentiality clause or something?" Mike asked as he had a hand behind his back to keep the gown closed up. "Why the fuck are you still here?"
"Ah, temper, temper," Marshall grinned at Mike waving a finger as he sat down in a plastic chair. "And I'm here until the doctor gets here so you don't pull a runner."
Mike glared at him.
Marshall just smirked at him and grabbed a magazine to read.
Mike settled for glaring at him, but when certain jars and containers started to rattle as his eyes flashed purple, he took a few deep breaths to calm down.
Marshall watched in concern as Mike closed his eyes to calm down.
Mike opened his eyes just as the door was knocked on.
"Everyone decent?"
"Hey doc!" Marshall called back.
Mike glared at Marshall as the door opened and the doctor walked in.
The doctor looked homeless to Mike. Long, ratty hair that was mismatch blond and black. His lab coat was covered in various buttons and there was a bright pink stethoscope around his neck.
"Bert!" Marshall declared with a grin. "Didn't know they let you back into the mountain."
"What can I say," 'Bert' grinned at Marshall. He then looked at Mike. "Mike Carden, right?" He held out his hand. "Doctor Bert McCracken."
Mike shook it warily. "So you're the doc who’s going to poke and prod me?"
"I save my vampire tendencies for late at night," Bert said with a wink and grin as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves.
"All right, hands off the back of your robe and let’s see what's the what," Bert grinned at Mike who reluctantly moved his hand from the back of his robe.
"There we go," Bert said as he leaned forward. "Don't worry, I don't bite."
"Unless you ask him nicely," Marshall joked lightly.
Mike jerked back and Bert frowned. "Alex is just joking, Mr. Carden. I just need to get a reading on you."
"You have powers?" Mike asked in surprise.
Bert just grinned. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. We all help out this division of the government for a reason, Mike."
"So what, you're a super and were on a team or something?" Mike asked as he 'ah'd' and Bert checked his throat and then looked at his ears.
Bert just tapped his nose with a grin and pulled his stethoscope away from his neck. "All right, time to check your breathing." He breathed on the circular metal part. "Warming it up."
"Joy," Mike deadpanned at Bert.
Bert easily measured Mike's breathing and then took a step back.
"So doc, am I going to live?" Mike quipped at him.
"Oh, most definitely," Bert grinned back as he grabbed a note pad off the desk. He looked at Marshall. "Okay Alex, time for some private time with my patient."
Marshall gave them both a salute and headed out the door, leaving Mike and Bert in the room.
Bert sat down as he looked at Mike. "So Mike, from the file Director Schechter gave me, he noted you have some Empathy and Telekinesis," he wrote a couple of things down as Mike scowled at him. "Did you get headaches a lot growing up?"
Mike frowned and tried to think back to when he first got his powers. But couldn't think of any headaches. "Uh, no. None that I can think of."
"Heartache? Buzzing along your skin?" Bert asked as he wrote in his notepad.
Mike blinked and remembered those symptoms when his empathy first emerged and his telekinesis. He nodded hesitantly.
Bert nodded and wrote down a few more things.
"As soon as you start to feel any kind of headaches, you let me know immediately," Bert said firmly.
"Why? What do headaches mean?" Mike asked warily. Were there different symptoms for different powers emerging?
"Headaches usually signal telepathy and I think you're a candidate for the big three in mental powers," Bert explained as he wrote a few more notes.
"And you got that just from looking at me?" Mike asked, feeling completely confused. Telepathy? Him?
"Something like that," Bert said mysteriously.
Mike glared at him. He was tired of being left in the dark.
"Let's just say my mind races and over analyzes everything," Bert explained, while not going into too much detail. "And I did a lot of bad things to keep my mind calm. But when this department stepped in and helped me, well, if it weren't for them I wouldn't be here now."
Mike didn't really know what to say to that so he didn't say anything at all.
"Well, I got my base readings from you and we'll have to schedule a separate day to see how your brain works when using your powers," Bert said as he scooted in closer. "Now, just some general questions on how you use your powers."
Mike groaned. He wanted to ignore his powers thank you very much. Look where they brought him. They were nothing but trouble.
Sighing, Mike explained as best as he could: when he was angry, his telekinesis activated, and yes, he knew his eyes went purple. Empathy, he had to be sitting really close to someone or maintain skin contact with them. If he did this too long, it felt like heartburn when he was done.
Bert frowned at that. “Heartburn?”
Mike nodded. “Usually some Tums just took care of it.”
Bert nodded and made some more notes. "Well, I think we're good here. All that's next is getting you set up for classes and what not."
"Training for supers?" Mike stated sarcastically.
"Something like that, but mostly just so you can live with your powers so you don't hurt yourself and others," Bert explained as he set his notebook on the table. "There are also classes for high school and college."
Mike's face fell at that.
"What? Thought we were turning you into a perfect government drone?" Bert asked in an amused tone of voice.
"The thought crossed my mind," Mike said as he crossed his arms.
"Nah, that comes after your tour," Bert laughed as he stood up. "Now, why don't you get changed out of that bed sheet, and I'll let Alex finish your tour."
As soon as the doctor left, Mike changed and left the room. Marshall looked up when he came out. "Good to go?" he asked Mike.
"All he did was check my throat and ears. Did I really have to wear that bed sheet?" Mike asked incredulously.
Marshall snickered and grinned at Mike. "Bert just likes messing with new supers."
"So I didn't have to wear it?" Mike asked incredulously.
"Nope!"
Mike glared, eyes flashing purple and Marshal yelped as he was lifted into the air.
"Oh shit!" Mike cried out as his eyes flashed back to brown and Marshall landed on his butt. "I am so sorry!" he cried out, hurrying over to help Marshall up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Marshall said as rubbed his butt. "Not the first time I've been levitated into the air."
But Mike still looked horrified at what he had done.
"But now you see why you're here?" Marshall asked as he straightened out his suit. "So things like that don't happen to people you care about."
Mike could only nod. He could've seriously hurt Alex who had been nothing but nice to him since he got here.
Marshall ruffled Mike's hair. "No worries, kid. Now, let's go get your class list, books and you can see the rest of the place while we do that," he grinned. "It's on our way to our destination!"
Mike wanted to groan. He should've dropped Marshall from higher up.
~~~
Mess Hall
"Didja hear? Didja hear? There's a new super in the mountain."
"Knock it off, Selena."
Selena grinned at her brother David and ruffled his hair. "We should go introduce ourselves."
"You can go introduce yourself, I am doing homework," David said firmly, twirling a pen in his hand as he knocked her hand away with his free one.
"You can do homework anytime," Selena complained as she sat next to him. "We're in a cafeteria, let's get the scoop."
"You go scoop, I am not moving away," David said as he fixed her with a glare. "Cook is serving that strawberry cheesecake I love in a couple of hours and I am getting first pick. This is a prime spot to grab while I do my homework."
Selena pouted at him.
"It's going to go straight to your hips," she told him.
David just raised an eyebrow. "It'll be easy to work it off later on."
Selena eyed him. "I hate that about you by the way. I would kill to have your metabolism."
David just smirked at her and went back to his homework, pen twirling between his fingers faster and faster and faster until it was just a blur.
Selena sighed as she looked around the mess hall, wondering who would have the information she wanted.
That's when she saw him. Sitting by himself at a table. She really was in luck that he was gracing his presence with everyone else today.
A smirk worked its way across her face and she practically skipped over to the figure dressed in black. "Kevin Jonas, as I live and breathe." She sat opposite of him.
He looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. "Selena," he greeted her with a curt nod.
"What brings you out of the wood work?" Selena asked, hands clasped in front of her as she leaned forward.
"Handler thought I needed to socialize more," Kevin said with a shrug. He placed a bookmark into his book and closed it. "So here I am."
"Mmhmm," Selena hummed. "World getting too dull and dreary for you?"
Kevin shrugged again.
"Use your words, Kevin," Selena lightly teased him.
"There a reason you came over to talk to me, Selena?" Kevin asked firmly.
"Well, since you've mentioned it," Selena said, grinning as she leaned in closer. "Have you heard anything about the new super that's in the mountain?"
"And what makes you think I know anything?" Kevin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because you like to know everything that is going around," Selena answered back with a grin.
Kevin's mouth quirked into a small grin.
He sat back a little on the bench, scratching the side of his neck as he did so. "Well..."
Selena tried not to smirk at her small victory.
"What I've heard is he's here on a three year tour instead of the usual two. He broke Director Schechter's office windows with his powers and he has two out of three of the big mental powers," Kevin said, ticking off the points with his fingers. "And his first name is Mike.
"Well, that's certainly more than I got," Selena complained as she sighed.
"Oh? And what have you heard?" Kevin asked nonchalantly.
"Just that there was a new super in town," Selena said with a little pout. "You've only been back for like five minutes and you got all that."
"Maybe I'm just that good?" Kevin asked, lips twitching.
Selena poked him lightly on his shoulder. "Brat."
This time, a real smile emerged from Kevin's lips. "Takes one to know one, Sel."
Selena stuck her tongue out at him and smiled. "I haven't seen you smile in a while there, Kev," she said.
Kevin's face immediately shut down.
He picked up his book and stood up. "I'll talk to you later, Selena," he mumbled and walked away swiftly.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Selena muttered to herself as she watched Kevin exit the Mess Hall. She knew where he'd go. The Infirmary to keep an eye on his brothers. She sighed and walked back over to her brother. If anything, she could get cheesecake to cheer herself up in a couple of hours.
~~~
Kevin walked away from the Mess Hall quickly, his head filled with memories and unpleasant reminders.
He needed to get to the Infirmary; he could think there.
The walk was easy to make, the hallways familiar to him as was breathing and Kevin entered the Infirmary.
He made his way over to two beds and sat in a chair at the end of them.
Leaning over, Kevin rubbed their legs through the blankets. "Hey Joe. Hey Nicky. Sorry it's been a while," he said softly. "They had me running all over the place."
And like for the past three years, the two didn't answer, just the sound of the machines replied.
There was a sound in the room and Kevin glanced up to see Bob Bryar.
"Hey," Bob said. "Didn't mean to disturb you, just needed to grab some bandages for some newbies." He showed the boxes in his hands.
Kevin shook his head. "They tried to challenge you?"
Bob shrugged and gave a small grin. "They tried." He glanced at Joe and Nick on the beds. "I'll leave you to them." He gave a gentle pat on Kevin's shoulder.
Kevin nodded and as soon as Bob was gone, he looked back. "Well, before we were interrupted, I was going to tell you, I still haven't found Frankie."
There were no replies or poking his sides or even saying 'we'll find him together'.
"The scientists are still having trouble analyzing the traces of dimensional rift energy," Kevin said with a sigh. "But I know Frankie is alive. He's working as hard as us to get back just as we're trying to get to him," he said firmly.
Kevin sighed wearily as dropped his book at the end of Joe's bed. "I visited our parents last week. I think Mom would like the spot, lots of flowers blooming. Dad would complain about his hay fever acting up."
"I miss you guys," Kevin admitted as he ran a hand over his face. "The docs say you're all healthy and brain scans indicated activity, they just can't figure out why you won't wake up."
He licked his lips. "Not even the extra energy from the, well, you know what happened, you two were there, is harming you."
Silence.
"Please? Wake up?" He whispered at his brothers.
And just like all the other times he asked, they didn't answer him
~~~
Mike felt really, really, really horrible as he helped Marshall limp his way to the Infirmary.
"I am so sorry," he apologized again.
"Hey, this is nothing," Marshall said as they slowly made their way down the hall.
But with him being this close to Agent Marshall, Mike could feel the echo of pain.
It made him feel horrible.
Mike was a picture of misery when they finally made their way into the infirmary.
Marshall looked around and made a noise. "Looks like Bert is off somewhere else."
"Alex?"
Blinking, Marshall looked over his shoulder and then grinned. "Kevin!"
Mike looked as well and saw a guy with curly hair and dressed all in black standing in a doorway.
"I heard through the grapevine that you came back mountainside."
Whoever this person was, it was making Marshall very happy. Mike gave himself a mental shake, trying to keep the feelings back, like he always did, but they soon pushed back at him.
His face broke out into a smile. "Hey!"
Kevin raised an eyebrow at him.
"Think I could get some help here with Agent Marshall while I go find Bert?" Mike asked hopefully, Alex's emotions on his face and influencing his current friendly manner.
Marshall poked him in the arm. "Stop it and bring that wall back up."
"Kind of hard to with me plastered against your side and you giving off really strong happy feelings here," Mike replied cheerfully.
Kevin chuckled and moved forward to help Mike. "Empath?"
"Yup!" Mike answered as they got Marshall sitting on a bad. As soon as Mike let go, his scowl was back in place on his face.
"Aw, there's the grumpy Mike I've come to know," Marshall said with a grin, fingers threatening to pinch Mike's cheeks.
Mike danced back a couple of steps, still glaring at Agent Marshall.
Kevin looked at them amused.
"Kev, any idea when Bert is getting back?" Marshall asked him as he propped his leg up.
"He's off dealing with some idiots in the weight room," Kevin replied. "Newbies tried taking on Bob."
Marshall's eyes widened briefly before he started to laugh. "Seriously? What made them think that was a good idea?"
Kevin just gave a shrug and then looked at the leg. "Did you want me to take a look at that?”
"Please," Marshall asked, sticking his leg out. "Then I can continue the tour."
"You rolled it pretty badly, Alex," Kevin said as his fingers probed the skin, ignoring Marshall's hiss of pain. "Let me wrap it up and I can finish your tour."
Marshall's eyes widened. "Are you sure? I don't want to cut..."
"Its okay, Alex, really," Kevin said as he gently placed Marshall's leg down on the pillow.
Mike just wondered who this guy was that could order Marshall around like this and knew the mountain well enough to finish showing him around.
Mike blinked as Kevin looked at him.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
Mike glanced at Marshall who nodded at him encouragingly. "I'll be fine here. Kevin, I was just showing him the science rooms when this happened," he gestured at his leg.
Kevin nodded and then looked at Mike. “Mike, right?”
"Uh yeah, Kevin, right?" Mike finally said and followed this Kevin person out of the Infirmary reluctantly as Kevin nodded at Mike’s question.
"So, um, been at the mountain long?" Mike asked, trying to fill the silence. Way to be articulate, Carden.
"Whole life," Kevin answered as he led them down the hallways that Mike was slowly learning.
Mike's eyebrows rose at that. "Really?"
Kevin just gave a curt nod as they paused in the science wing of the mountain.
"So, this is where the science classes are held," Kevin started to explain, holding up a hand and pointing at the various doors and where the various sciences were taught.
Mike gave them a cursory glance and then they were off to the next section of the mountain.
It took them nearly an hour before they finally stopped back in front of Mike's room. "And here we are," Kevin commented.
"Home sweet home for the next three years," Mike complained and then looked at Kevin. "Thanks for the tour and sorry for cutting in on whatever it was you were doing."
"I was nearly done anyways," Kevin replied, paused like he was going to say something else but then closed up.
Mike wasn't sure why he said what he said next, but the surprise on Kevin's face was worth it. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Uh, yeah," Kevin said, blinking as he looked at Mike.
"Awesome, since you've lived here your whole life, you can show me the best way to get the good breakfast food and coffee."
To Kevin's surprise, he found himself agreeing to breakfast and coffee as well.
"Great," Mike smiled at him and Kevin hesitantly smiled back. "See you tomorrow then." Mike entered his room, shutting the door behind him.
Kevin blinked as he looked at Mike's door, feeling slightly off kilter. What in the world was that? He wasn't trying to press his powers on me, was he?
Empaths were tricky sometimes. Most of them were closed off so they didn’t feeling anything. Some chose to live off the emotions of others. Bad empaths would press their own emotions on unsuspecting victims to manipulate them.
Kevin didn't think Mike was like that, but he only just met the guy. He could be reading too much into it, but he didn't get this far in life without taking precautions.
He'd see how breakfast would go tomorrow and make his conclusions then.
~~~
The next morning found both Kevin and Mike in the cafeteria, watching chaos unfold. There were super powered teenagers everywhere.
Limbs were stretching out to grab food, various elemental powers, the odd shape shifter and speedster.
"Is it always this chaotic?" Mike asked as he watched in disbelief.
"Oh no," Kevin said and then looked at Mike. "Sometimes it's worse."
Mike looked at the group converging on the cooks and then back at Kevin. "Seriously?"
"Welcome to the mountain," Kevin said without humor and started to wade through the mess.
Mike watched in disbelief as Kevin managed to navigate everything with ease and return with two trays of food and coffee.
"You are magic," Mike said as he took a tray.
"It's all in the hips," Kevin lightly joked back. "Let's find a table."
There was nothing available.
Mike was looking around too. "Can't we just join somewhere and sit at the end?"
But then Kevin spied Selena and David, along with, huh, Bob. "This way," he said instead and ushered them over to the table full of the few friends he had left.
Selena's eyebrows rose in surprise as Kevin and Mike joined them. "Kevin, twice in so many days. I'm beginning to suspect you have a mushy inside past that outer cactus exterior."
Kevin just gave her a look and she grinned as she gestured at the table for them to sit.
They joined.
Selena grinned as she eyed Mike. "Mike, is it?"
Mike looked at her. "Uh yeah. Who're you?"
"Well, I'm Selena," Selena said with a grin, she poked the guy beside her who gave a startled, "Hey!" Her grin went wider. "This is my brother David and the blond bearded Viking on the end is Bob."
Bob just gave a small wave, but was concentrating on layering his hash browns with ketchup.
"And you've met Kevin already, I see," she purred at them, hints of mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Behave, Sel," David warned her.
Mike just looked at Bob. "Viking? Really?"
Bob just gave him a shrug and went back to his hash browns and ketchup. When Mike looked at the others in their small group, they were all looking at him.
"What?" Mike said defensively. "He could be a Viking for all I know. I mean, they train superheroes here." He hunched reflexively.
Selena broke into laughter. "Oh! I like you!"
Mike hunched down more and went to work on his eggs.
"You'll have to forgive her, she still hasn't been house trained," David apologized smoothly.
He then grunted and flinched while Selena smiled sweetly.
"So Mike," Selena began her interrogation. "How'd they nab you in the outside world?"
Mike looked up, mouth full of eggs and swallowed. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because you're shiny and new," Selena answered with a grin as she leaned forward.
"Plus, she's a nosy gossip," David pointed out and Selena nodded in agreement.
"That, too."
Mike looked around for help but Bob was busy building some hybrid made of hash browns and ketchup and Kevin was absorbed in a newspaper he had somehow grabbed.
"Uh," Mike said instead and clamped his lips shut.
Selena just grinned wider. "C'mon, you can tell us. We were all grabbed here, except for Kev there. He sprung fully formed from the mountain side here."
Kevin just looked over the edge of his paper, shook his head and went back to reading it.
"Mike, we're going to find out sooner or later, you might as well tell us sooner," Selena said, almost starting to whine a little.
Mike groaned and then slumped in his seat. Mumbling something under his breath.
"What was that?" Selena asked, leaning in closer to hear.
"I think that was the sound of him giving up," David pointed out with a grin.
Mike blew the bangs out of his face angrily. "I said I rescued a girl's cat out of a tree and the kid reported it to her Mom who is fucking high up in the government."
Bob and Kevin looked up from their food and newspaper while Selena dissolved into giggling.
"Ignore her," David said sympathetically. "Better story than ours."
"I am a fucking cliché, how are your stories any better?" Mike bit out.
"Buried myself alive," Selena said, holding up her hand.
"Was half-way through town without any clothes on before I realized I had super speed," David added, holding up his own hand.
They all looked at Bob who sighed and held up his hand. "Got shit faced drunk and fell off a mountain side and didn't have a scratch on me. Plus, you know, hovering a few inches off the ground."
Then they all looked at Kevin who shrugged. "You heard Sel; I was fully formed from the side of the mountain."
Selena rolled her eyes and answered for Kevin. "Kevin is a mimic."
This time Kevin rolled his eyes. "Sel, if you're going to answer for me, answer correctly." He looked at Mike. "I'm a muscle mimicry, so that basically means I can copy any kind of muscle movements and read body language pretty good."
Mike blinked. "Oh, that sounds pretty cool."
This time it was Kevin's turn to blink. "Uh, thanks."
"He's wowed by the mimic but not my super speed?" David muttered under his breath and then yelped when Selena pinched his side hard. She was looking at the two with interest.
It was the most interactive Selena had seen Kevin be in a while.
She grinned as another plan started to form together in her head. 'Get Kevin Jonas a boyfriend.'
~~~
Five Months Later
Mike sighed as he walked into his power training course. His history class had seriously drained him. Mr. Kelleher didn't even seem like he was into the material today.
He dumped his bag on his desk, noting the room was re-arranged again. "Sean?" he called out. His teacher didn't like to be called by his last name. He said he was old, but not that old, yet.
There was a tap on his shoulder and Mike turned around, startled.
"Yo!" Sean said with a wave and grin.
"Don't do that!" Mike complained at him as he sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. "You always do that!"
"Then you need to be more aware of your surroundings and employ that empathy a bit more," Sean pointed out as he went to go sit down on a plush chair. He pointed at the chair opposite of him.
Mike sat down angrily, crossing his arms across his chest and glared at Sean petulantly.
"Now, now, your face will freeze like that," Sean teased him lightly.
Mike looked away.
"C'mon, today we're going to meditate and see if we can get you floating," Sean said as he laid his arms on the armrest of the chair, fingers and thumbs together.
"I told you Sean, I'm afraid of heights," Mike pointed out, but followed what Sean was doing.
"All fears can be conquered," Sean replied back. "And this is in controlled settings: anything that goes too far, and we can set you right back down."
Mike sighed.
Ignoring the headache that had been building all day, Mike closed his eyes and tried to meditate as he was taught.
But he found his mind wandering to Kevin.
Kevin was an enigma. Mike liked to think they were friends; they had hung out a lot the last five months. But the guy barely gave up any personal information about himself. Mike was suspecting he liked Kevin a lot more than he wanted to admit.
Feeling his empathy rise to the surface, Mike inhaled slowly as it started to wander. He felt it slowly pass by the people he had come to know in the mountain before it entered the Infirmary.
And then he felt it, two people who felt like Kevin but weren't him.
What was this?
And Mike mentally yelped as he was pulled.
Mike's body gave a jerk and his nose started to bleed. Sean's eyes snapped wide open. "Mike!" He hurried forward, eyes wide. "C'mon, kiddo, time to come back." He reached in mentally and yanked hard.
But there was resistance. Wherever Mike was, he was in deep.
"Shit," Sean muttered as he concentrated and followed Mike's trail to bring him back. They needed the infirmary and Bert, quick.
Mike couldn't take this much mental damage much longer.
Finding Mike, Sean grabbed him by the scurf of his mental t-shirt and dragged him back to his body
Sean landed back into his body hard and gasped loudly. "Mike!" He looked at his student and cursed.
Mike was seizing and blood was dripping out of his nose.
"Don't do this to me, kid," Sean muttered as he sent a mental 'help' to Bert.
He got Mike down to the ground, careful to avoid any flailing limbs.
A couple of minutes later, Mike had stopped seizing just as Bert entered the room with a couple of orderlies and a stretcher.
"What happened?" Bert demanded.
Sean explained as best he could as they loaded Mike up on the stretcher. They headed down towards the Infirmary.
"Shit, it sounds like a third power manifesting," Bert bit out as he pulled his long hair into a pony tail. He started barking orders as they entered the Infirmary.
Mike was stripped out of his clothes and put into a gown, various leads hooked up to his head and an IV inserted into his arm.
"He already has two powers," Sean whispered as he hovered. "How can he have a third?"
"Mike is powerful," Bert said as he started to check the readings that were coming out. "I had theorized that he would manifest a third power, but I didn't think it would be this soon."
"Shit, why didn't you tell me," Sean told Bert. "I would've made our sessions go much slower and wouldn't have pushed him as much."
"This is why you should read their files," Bert snapped back as he tried to read what was happening to Mike. "So shit like this doesn't happen."
Sean opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by Kevin's voice.
"Bert! It's Joe and Nick!" he cried frantically.
"Shit, shit, shit," Bert muttered under his breath as he hurried over to where Kevin's brothers were. "I don't get paid enough for this."
When he started reading the results being printed out, Bert frowned and then looked at the results that had come from Mike. "Shit."
"What's wrong with them?" Kevin asked as Joe and Nick twitched on the bed. "They haven't moved in three years! Bert! Please!" he pleaded, but Bert shook his head. "Outside, Kevin."
Kevin could only shake his head no before he was forced out of the Infirmary, the door closing on his face. "Bert!" he cried out and smacked his hand against the door.
"Kevin!"
Kevin looked and saw, Selena coming towards him, David and Bob behind her.
"What's going on? People saw Mike being taken out of his powers class on a stretcher," Selena said breathlessly as she pulled Kevin in for a hug.
"Mike? But, it's Joe and Nick," Kevin said as he clung to Selena. "They were seizing on the bed. What's wrong with Mike?"
"We don't know," David replied. "We heard he collapsed when Sean was teaching him and started seizing."
Kevin's eyes went wide.
Selena and Kevin seemed to come to the same conclusion.
"You don't think Mike's powers went a little haywire, do you?" Selena asked aloud.
"And somehow ended up affecting my brothers," Kevin muttered, hands clenching. He stared at the floor.
David took a step forward. "Hey, Kev. I don't think Mike did it intentionally."
"Intentionally or not, if that was Selena in there, wouldn't you want answers?" Kevin all but snarled at the speedster.
David had no reply for that.
They all ended up waiting for nearly an hour before Bert emerged from the Infirmary.
"Bert? What's going on?" Kevin demanded as he ran up to the weary doctor.
"It's good, but not good," Bert said with a weary sigh.
"Bert, maybe tell us before Kevin goes postal," Bob finally spoke.
"Okay, Mike's telepathy finally activated today and it took him wandering," Bert explained. "Sean is still digging him out of your brother's minds."
Kevin looked horrified. "Why is he in their minds? Get him out!"
"The best we can figure out is, their minds felt familiar to yours," Bert said with a shrug. "Mike's empathy must've recognized the similarities and took him where he felt safest."
"I'm safe?" Kevin asked confused. He hadn't been safe for a long time.
"Familiar most likely," Bert corrected himself. "Now, like I said, Sean is digging him out, but he's going to be confused and disoriented. We might have to put him into an isolation room and a collar on him so his new powers don't overwhelm him."
Everyone looked shocked at that. A collar was not something to be ashamed of, but it was frowned upon with the general populace.
Kevin swallowed and then nodded. "And my brothers?"
"Won't be any worse for wear," Bert said gently. "But look at it this way, maybe Mike found something out that we don't know."
"Doc's got a point, Kev," Bob said. "Telepathy works weird. He might've been able to communicate with them."
For the first time in a while, Kevin allowed himself a tiny bit of hope.
"Bob is right, we just have to wait for Mike to be mentally put back into his own body and we'll see," Bert said and then looked at Kevin. "Kevin, it's going to take at least a few days and I don't want to get your hopes up if Mike says he didn't hear or see anything there. It's a fifty-fifty chance."
"But still a chance," Kevin said firmly, looking at Bert. "And well, my family has had worse odds and come out ahead."
Bert smiled pleased. "True enough."
Appeased by what Bert said, Kevin led the small group away from the Infirmary.
"You're just letting it go?" Selena asked him as they approached the mess hall.
Kevin nodded. "For now. And my powers are more physical than mental. And I trust Bert and Sean, Sel. They'll do what's best for Joe and Nick, as they've always done."
Selena frowned but didn't argue. She just hoped that Kevin could keep it together like that for the next few days.
~~~
Part 2// Masterpost
DECEMBER 1941
Video footage of Pearl Harbor, people running around helping. Placing bandages on the wounded. Video cuts to the sea and people being hauled out of the water.
Announcer: It’s December in the year nineteen forty-one and the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor. It was a dirty, underhanded attack by the Pacific coast and many lives have been lost. America now joins the war effort in sending our troops overseas to join the fight. Both the Japanese and Hitler better watch out, America is on its way.
The video footage now cuts to men arriving on small islands.
Announcer: Our boys are slowly arriving on the islands in the Pacific, ready and able to take on the Japanese. Give the folks a smile and wave boys.
A young boy, looking no older than sixteen, grins in his army uniform, rifle slung over his shoulder and helmet on his head, waves at the camera with a big grin.
Announcer: Thank you boys for protecting us. On the European front, more forces are arriving in England to do battle with Hitler.
The grainy film spanned to show various armed forces arriving, walking down a ramp that was connected to the large boat. They looked young and eager for battle as they looked around at their arrival area.
The film then cut to an area with young men milling about, some were using their bags as pillows to catch some rest. Then they all glanced upwards, as if they heard something.
Announcer: And here comes our newest recruits for the fight against Hitler.
The camera panned to the sky and it showed a man flying in the air, a woman being carried in his arms as they landed on the ground. They were given a wide berth.
Announcer: Mr. Incredible and Elastic Girl, our newest heroes that have complied with the Superhuman Act. Everyone has heard of Superheroes, people with fantastic powers that have currently been working in secret but with the Superhuman Act, they can work with the government to protect and help us take down Hitler. These two brave souls were the first ones to register and have freely given their names. That’s right folks; our superheroes aren’t hiding behind their superhero names. Let’s give a warm welcome to Robert and Ethel Jonas.
Mr. Incredible AKA Robert Jonas and Elastic Girl AKA Ethel Jonas smiled beneath their masks at the group that was slowly approaching them. Mr. Incredible was in some sort of skin-tight suit with an airman’s jacket on, the patch of the United States of America sewn on the side. Elastic Girl had a mask on her face and was also in a skin tight suit with an airman’s jacket on, a skirt with leggings and high heeled boots and the flag of the United States of America was also sewn on the side of the jacket.
Announcer: Give Hitler what for, America!
Present Time
Undisclosed Mountain Area, Montana
Mike was in what his friend Bill would call a snit. A very ugly snit that made him want to jump out of this chopper and see if he could use his powers to float down to the ground. There were only three things wrong with that plan. One, if he jumped and his powers did allow him to float to the ground safely, there was no way that the government was going to let him go. Two, all of his shit that he was allowed to bring was in the chopper, and three, he was afraid of heights.
So he was currently stuck until he hit the ground and could get his bearings on exactly what was going on and what he could do to get out of this.
Ever since the Superhuman Act went live in the forties, any person found with powers were required to serve a compulsory two year term with the government to learn about their powers. During this time, they could become a sponsored Superhero of the government, and then re-enroll and choose to let their identity go live. Or they could opt out and report to the government every six months, showing they were not using their powers for criminal activities and leading an ordinary, normal life.
Either way, he was fucking boned.
The chopper gave a slight jerk in the air and Mike clutched his backpack, his face going white as the government spooks across from him smirked.
Mike really wanted to focus his queasy feeling on them, but that would mean he would have to focus on something other than not throwing up.
Maybe when the chopper finally landed, he'd be lucky and could throw up on one of their shoes and ruin the leather.
Mike wasn’t sure how long they were in the air, but it was long enough for him to name all the different queasy feelings that flipped-flopped through his stomach.
The chopper gave another jolt and Mike really wanted to throw up what he had eaten for breakfast when the machine finally landed, kicking up dust and dirt.
“C’mon kid,” one of the spooks said, grabbing Mike’s large duffle bag. “Welcome to your new home!”
Mike got out shakily and the queasy feeling finally moved up to his throat and he was bending over, sick spilling everywhere. He was happy when some of it landed on the spook that kept smirking at him through the whole flight.
“Ugh,” the guy said, making a face as his partner laughed at his misfortune.
Mike accepted the handkerchief handed to him and he wiped at his mouth. When he went to hand it back, the guy just shook his head and adjusted his shades.
"Keep it and c'mon," the guy in the suit said. "Time for you to meet the Director."
They led him into a facility that was buried deep in the mountains with gleaming with silver corridors and Plexiglas showing off various people working in labs.
"I thought this was where superheroes are trained?" Mike asked as he looked around, trying to take in everything at once.
"Oh, they are," the one holding his bag grinned. "You'll have to wait and see."
Mike glared at him as they were led farther and farther into the mountain before they stopped in front of a clear glass door with 'Director Schechter' written on the front. The rest of the windows had the blinds drawn.
The spook knocked on the door and the door clicked open.
As they entered the room, this Director Schechter person was on the phone, and Mike's first impression was he was short and covered in tattoos.
“Yeah, well, tell Way he better have those new materials ready to go before I cut his funding,” Director Schechter growled into the phone. Whoever was on the other end said something that had the Director grinning. “Glad you’re seeing things my way. Now, I’ll talk to you later, I got a new super to talk to. Later.” He hung his phone and spun so he was facing the three.
“Agent Deleon and Agent Marshall, you can leave,” the Director said with a shooing of his hand.
“Good luck, kid,” Agent Deleon, the one Mike had gotten sick over his shoes gave him a smug grin as Agent Marshall left Mike’s bag by a chair and gave him a smile as he squeezed Mike’s shoulder and they left him alone in the room.
“Michael Carden, please, have a seat,” Director Schechter said, gesturing at the empty seat.
“It’s Mike,” Mike gritted out as he sat down, arms across his chest and glared.
“All right, Mike,” Director Schechter said as he opened a file folder. “You were discovered as a super five days ago.” He blinked, looked at the folder and then looked back up. “Rescuing a cat from a tree?”
Mike glared at him.
“Right, okay,” Director Schechter said, completely blank faced and Mike could feel the amusement rolling off of the older man.
“It’s not funny,” he gritted out.
“And let’s add empathy to the list,” Director Schechter said as he wrote something in the file.
Mike gritted his teeth really wishing he had some sort of fire ability to make Director Schechter go away.
“Now, I understand you don’t want to be here; a lot of supers don’t at first,” Director Schechter began, setting his pen down. “But, we’re here to help and at the end of your two year tour, you can go home if you wish.”
“But in the meantime, I’m just a lab rat,” Mike said, glaring.
Director Schechter frowned. “We do not use the word lab rat here. We’re just here to help you, Mike.”
“Yeah and stick me on a superhero team and send me out into the field to fight bad guys,” Mike muttered.
“Only if you decide to stay after your two years,” Director Schechter gently corrected him.
“I don’t plan to.”
“Good, then you have nothing to worry about then,” he smiled at Mike. “Now, let’s get down to what we expect out of you for the next two years.”
Mike listened with one ear as Director Schechter went over what was expected him: he was expected to live here to study his powers. He could still contact family and friends; he wasn't cut off, he just couldn't go into where he was and what he was doing. And the end of his two years here, he could choose to enlist into the superhero program or he could head home and report to an officer every six months for the rest of his life.
Mike was taking that second option as soon as he could.
"Now, is there anything you didn't understand?" Director Schechter asked as he pushed a contract forward.
"I already know about my powers, why do I have stay here two years?" Mike asked as he grabbed the contract to read.
Director Schechter raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you knew about your powers before your revealing five days ago?"
Mike froze as he kept his eyes glued to the page.
"Ummmm..."
"Because if you knew about your powers before you’re revealing and chose not to report yourself to the nearest recruitment officer, that adds another year to your term," Director Schechter stated, hands clasped together.
Mike looked up at that, startled. “Another year?” he asked in disbelief.
Director Schechter looked sympathetic. “Mike, we can’t have supers running around without registering. I’m not sure you remember, but around the early nineties, there was that little girl who had fire abilities? She didn’t register out of fear, and she set her house on fire, killing her entire family inside. She’s still in a psychiatric ward for supers, still unable to come to terms she killed her family.”
Mike swallowed and glanced at the contract again.
“I’m not saying this to scare you into agreeing this right away, but to have all the facts,” Director Schechter said. “We’re here to help you, not run you off.”
“What if I don’t want any of this?” Mike asked as he looked up, hands tightening around the paper.
Director Schechter reached down and opened a drawer in his desk. He pulled something out and dumped it on his desk.
Mike blinked; it was a metal collar that had a locking mechanism that connected itself to an ugly red plastic oval shape. “A collar?”
“This is your other alternative,” Director Schechter started to explain. “You will wear this collar for the rest of your life, depending on this crutch to control your powers. And it will be visible, everyone will know you’re a super and your life will never be the same again.” He leaned in close. “You can never take it off. It will be with you for the rest of your life.”
“This hunk of metal?” Mike asked in disbelief.
“This hunk of metal is a power-negating collar that will be your leash, crutch, whatever you want to call it for the rest of your life, like I explained,” Director Schechter said, hands clasped together. “This is your opt out of the program and a two year tour. You still report to your registration officer in the area, except every three months instead of six.”
Mike stood up, anger clearly visible on his face and various knick knacks and books were vibrating on their shelves. “This isn’t fair.”
“Mr. Carden, Mike, life isn’t fair,” Director Schechter said firmly. “This is what’s presented on the table. You either take it or you don’t.”
Mike’s hands clenched the paper contract even tighter and his eyes flashed purple. The windows to Director Schechter’s office shattered. His eyes turned back to brown as he turned around startled and looked at the broken glass on the floor.
“You’d be surprised how many times that has happened,” Director Schechter stated dryly.
“Oh, piss off that many people?” Mike asked, feeling shaken by his display of his ability.
Director Schechter looked amused. “You’d be surprised.” He then pointed at Mike’s chair. “Now, how about you sit down and we’ll continue this conversation without powers and like reasonable adults.”
“Yeah, sure,” Mike said, eyes still on the glass on the floor and he sat down.
“First time you broke something that big?” Director Schechter asked in concern.
“Uh-huh,” Mike replied in agreement.
“It’s scary, isn’t it?”
Mike finally turned his attention back to Director Schechter. “What?”
“Losing control of your powers like that,” Director Schechter said as he picked up the collar and placed it back inside the drawer of his desk. “But I hope it was a wake-up call for you and you’ll seriously consider the three year offer.”
“I thought it was two years?”
“Yes, well, there’s still the little matter of you not reporting yourself right away, so three years.”
Mike sighed angrily and started to read his contract more seriously.
Director Schechter grinned, a real smile gracing his face as he watched Mike take his new situation more seriously.
Mike read word for word on the contract and it was very straight forward and outlined his next three years with the government.
He guessed the government had a lot of teenagers come through the program so they made the contract easy to read. History and government classes never really went into when supers got their powers.
Reaching across, Mike was barely aware when his eyes flashed purple once again and a pen flew into his hands. "Thanks," he grunted out and signed on the dotted lines where it was indicated. He held up the contract. "I like the 'sign here' flags."
"Thanks, HR thought it would be easier to see where to sign your soul away," Director Schechter lightly joked.
Mike just gave him a flat look, signed the last line and handed the contract and pen back.
“I’ll get this processed right away,” Director Schechter said as he stood up and walked around the desk. Someone stepped through where the window once stood. “Agent Marshall will direct you to your room.”
“No personal tour from you?” Mike snarled, still white faced and slightly shaky.
“Sorry Mike, my pay doesn’t cover personal tours,” Director Schechter smirked at him. “You’ll get your tour tomorrow after some food and rest. The past couple of days have been pretty eventful.”
“C’mon Mike, I’ll show you were the mess hall is and then get you situated in your room,” Agent Marshall explained as he picked up Mike’s duffle. “Your Mom has packed a few of your things and they’ll be here in a few days.”
“She did?” Mike asked as he stood up, grabbing his backpack and large duffle bag.
“Oh yes,” Agent Marshall grinned as he led Mike out of the Director’s office, Director Schechter giving them a grin and wave as he got on the phone to get his windows fixed, again.
~~~
Mike woke slowly, tangled in his sheets. The clock was saying it was 8:30 am and he glared at it. He had to get up, shower and get ready for his tour.
The mess hall and his room weren’t really much, and Agent Marshall assured him that the mountain facility was much larger and cooler, apparently. Whatever that meant.
His new room was nice enough, painted blue walls with wooden floors. A single bed that was way comfier than his one at home. A desk, dresser, night stand, bookshelf and chair placed around the room. And the best part, his own bathroom. He no longer had to fight for his own space with his family.
That thought brought him up short. He wasn’t going to see his family for three years.
Mike understood he could write, phone and even Skype with them, but every conversation would be screened and monitored, to be sure his location wouldn’t slip out. He was a precious commodity now. He wasn’t even sure if a weekend could be arranged so he could see his family and friends. Maybe after the tour today he could see about what could be done.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Mike detangled himself from his bed covers and went to go investigate his new bathroom. He showered, shaved the few bristles that were appearing on his upper lip and changed into a fresh pair of clothes.
He was just slipping his feet into his shoes when there was a knocking on his door.
“Mike? You awake?”
Mike shot a glare at the door as he bent over to tie his shoelaces. “C’mon in, Agent Marshall!”
The door swung open as Agent Marshall appeared. “Hey, you look ready to go.”
“Well, I want to get to know my jail cell for the best places to escape,” Mike replied back as he finished tying his shoelaces and stood up, stretching slightly.
Agent Marshall chuckled. “Well, if you can master some sort of flying trick, you can always take off from the docking bay for your great escape.”
“I’ll make a note of that,” Mike stated dryly as he was led out of his room.
Agent Marshall just grinned and ushered them down the hallways of the mountain complex.
“Is it silver and chrome everywhere?” Mike asked as he glanced around.
“Pretty much. We had a super who could make, shape and bend metal,” Agent Marshall started to explain. “He pretty much built this complex with the help of another super who could move earth.” He gestured around. “It was built in the mid-sixties when the first complex burned down to the ground where it was first located.”
“So, this is a second site, but same name?” Mike asked as they entered the mess hall where it was teaming with people.
“Yep,” Agent Marshall said, popping the ‘p’.
“Speaking of names, is Agent your first name?” Mike asked with a grin.
“Funny, Mike,” Agent Marshall chuckled. “It’s Alex, but people usually call me by my last name because Brian likes to get ‘Alex’s’ to work for him and confuse the hell out of everyone.”
“So Agent DeLeon...”
Agent Alex Marshall grinned. “Is also an Alex.”
“Oh, I am so calling you two Alex One and Alex Two now,” Mike chuckled.
“Oh, DeLeon is going to hate that,” Agent Marshall chuckled along with Mike. “Now, let’s get you some breakfast and get going on a tour of this place for you and then a doctor’s appointment.”
That brought Mike up short. “Director Schechter never said anything about a doctor’s appointment.”
“Well, it’s in your contract,” Marshall said as he led Mike over to the food line. “Plus, we need a baseline of you and your powers so we know the best possible way to help you train.”
Mike glared at Marshall, but didn’t say anything more as the line moved along and he grabbed some breakfast foods and an orange juice. Mike dug into his eggs and toast, ignoring Marshall’s attempts at getting his attention to talk. He didn’t want any type of doctor poking and prodding him.
Breakfast done, Mike put his tray and dishes away where Marshall pointed out. “Do we really have to do this?” he asked as Agent Marshall started the tour.
“Yes, unless you don’t want to know where you’re going,” Marshall lightly teased. “Be lost in these metal halls forever.” He leaned in close. “Word is, some super went missing in the late eighties and was never heard from again.”
Mike snorted. “I’m calling B.S. on your crap.”
Marshall laughed and ruffled Mike's longish hair. "You'll survive here, kid and before you know it, you'll be home."
Mike wasn't sure why, but he felt a little bit happy that someone here had his back, even if the guy was a government spook.
"C'mon, I'll show you the rest of the place before your doctor's appointment."
Mike scowled, good feeling gone.
Marshall was a very good tour guide. He pointed various places out, introduced Mike to a couple of people and showed him a couple of places he could hide if he needed some breathing room away from everyone and the cameras.
Then came the doctor appointment and what little good mood Mike had managed to scrape together during the tour was gone by the time he was put into a gown and told to sit on a bed.
"Isn't there some sort of doctor-patient confidentiality clause or something?" Mike asked as he had a hand behind his back to keep the gown closed up. "Why the fuck are you still here?"
"Ah, temper, temper," Marshall grinned at Mike waving a finger as he sat down in a plastic chair. "And I'm here until the doctor gets here so you don't pull a runner."
Mike glared at him.
Marshall just smirked at him and grabbed a magazine to read.
Mike settled for glaring at him, but when certain jars and containers started to rattle as his eyes flashed purple, he took a few deep breaths to calm down.
Marshall watched in concern as Mike closed his eyes to calm down.
Mike opened his eyes just as the door was knocked on.
"Everyone decent?"
"Hey doc!" Marshall called back.
Mike glared at Marshall as the door opened and the doctor walked in.
The doctor looked homeless to Mike. Long, ratty hair that was mismatch blond and black. His lab coat was covered in various buttons and there was a bright pink stethoscope around his neck.
"Bert!" Marshall declared with a grin. "Didn't know they let you back into the mountain."
"What can I say," 'Bert' grinned at Marshall. He then looked at Mike. "Mike Carden, right?" He held out his hand. "Doctor Bert McCracken."
Mike shook it warily. "So you're the doc who’s going to poke and prod me?"
"I save my vampire tendencies for late at night," Bert said with a wink and grin as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves.
"All right, hands off the back of your robe and let’s see what's the what," Bert grinned at Mike who reluctantly moved his hand from the back of his robe.
"There we go," Bert said as he leaned forward. "Don't worry, I don't bite."
"Unless you ask him nicely," Marshall joked lightly.
Mike jerked back and Bert frowned. "Alex is just joking, Mr. Carden. I just need to get a reading on you."
"You have powers?" Mike asked in surprise.
Bert just grinned. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. We all help out this division of the government for a reason, Mike."
"So what, you're a super and were on a team or something?" Mike asked as he 'ah'd' and Bert checked his throat and then looked at his ears.
Bert just tapped his nose with a grin and pulled his stethoscope away from his neck. "All right, time to check your breathing." He breathed on the circular metal part. "Warming it up."
"Joy," Mike deadpanned at Bert.
Bert easily measured Mike's breathing and then took a step back.
"So doc, am I going to live?" Mike quipped at him.
"Oh, most definitely," Bert grinned back as he grabbed a note pad off the desk. He looked at Marshall. "Okay Alex, time for some private time with my patient."
Marshall gave them both a salute and headed out the door, leaving Mike and Bert in the room.
Bert sat down as he looked at Mike. "So Mike, from the file Director Schechter gave me, he noted you have some Empathy and Telekinesis," he wrote a couple of things down as Mike scowled at him. "Did you get headaches a lot growing up?"
Mike frowned and tried to think back to when he first got his powers. But couldn't think of any headaches. "Uh, no. None that I can think of."
"Heartache? Buzzing along your skin?" Bert asked as he wrote in his notepad.
Mike blinked and remembered those symptoms when his empathy first emerged and his telekinesis. He nodded hesitantly.
Bert nodded and wrote down a few more things.
"As soon as you start to feel any kind of headaches, you let me know immediately," Bert said firmly.
"Why? What do headaches mean?" Mike asked warily. Were there different symptoms for different powers emerging?
"Headaches usually signal telepathy and I think you're a candidate for the big three in mental powers," Bert explained as he wrote a few more notes.
"And you got that just from looking at me?" Mike asked, feeling completely confused. Telepathy? Him?
"Something like that," Bert said mysteriously.
Mike glared at him. He was tired of being left in the dark.
"Let's just say my mind races and over analyzes everything," Bert explained, while not going into too much detail. "And I did a lot of bad things to keep my mind calm. But when this department stepped in and helped me, well, if it weren't for them I wouldn't be here now."
Mike didn't really know what to say to that so he didn't say anything at all.
"Well, I got my base readings from you and we'll have to schedule a separate day to see how your brain works when using your powers," Bert said as he scooted in closer. "Now, just some general questions on how you use your powers."
Mike groaned. He wanted to ignore his powers thank you very much. Look where they brought him. They were nothing but trouble.
Sighing, Mike explained as best as he could: when he was angry, his telekinesis activated, and yes, he knew his eyes went purple. Empathy, he had to be sitting really close to someone or maintain skin contact with them. If he did this too long, it felt like heartburn when he was done.
Bert frowned at that. “Heartburn?”
Mike nodded. “Usually some Tums just took care of it.”
Bert nodded and made some more notes. "Well, I think we're good here. All that's next is getting you set up for classes and what not."
"Training for supers?" Mike stated sarcastically.
"Something like that, but mostly just so you can live with your powers so you don't hurt yourself and others," Bert explained as he set his notebook on the table. "There are also classes for high school and college."
Mike's face fell at that.
"What? Thought we were turning you into a perfect government drone?" Bert asked in an amused tone of voice.
"The thought crossed my mind," Mike said as he crossed his arms.
"Nah, that comes after your tour," Bert laughed as he stood up. "Now, why don't you get changed out of that bed sheet, and I'll let Alex finish your tour."
As soon as the doctor left, Mike changed and left the room. Marshall looked up when he came out. "Good to go?" he asked Mike.
"All he did was check my throat and ears. Did I really have to wear that bed sheet?" Mike asked incredulously.
Marshall snickered and grinned at Mike. "Bert just likes messing with new supers."
"So I didn't have to wear it?" Mike asked incredulously.
"Nope!"
Mike glared, eyes flashing purple and Marshal yelped as he was lifted into the air.
"Oh shit!" Mike cried out as his eyes flashed back to brown and Marshall landed on his butt. "I am so sorry!" he cried out, hurrying over to help Marshall up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Marshall said as rubbed his butt. "Not the first time I've been levitated into the air."
But Mike still looked horrified at what he had done.
"But now you see why you're here?" Marshall asked as he straightened out his suit. "So things like that don't happen to people you care about."
Mike could only nod. He could've seriously hurt Alex who had been nothing but nice to him since he got here.
Marshall ruffled Mike's hair. "No worries, kid. Now, let's go get your class list, books and you can see the rest of the place while we do that," he grinned. "It's on our way to our destination!"
Mike wanted to groan. He should've dropped Marshall from higher up.
~~~
Mess Hall
"Didja hear? Didja hear? There's a new super in the mountain."
"Knock it off, Selena."
Selena grinned at her brother David and ruffled his hair. "We should go introduce ourselves."
"You can go introduce yourself, I am doing homework," David said firmly, twirling a pen in his hand as he knocked her hand away with his free one.
"You can do homework anytime," Selena complained as she sat next to him. "We're in a cafeteria, let's get the scoop."
"You go scoop, I am not moving away," David said as he fixed her with a glare. "Cook is serving that strawberry cheesecake I love in a couple of hours and I am getting first pick. This is a prime spot to grab while I do my homework."
Selena pouted at him.
"It's going to go straight to your hips," she told him.
David just raised an eyebrow. "It'll be easy to work it off later on."
Selena eyed him. "I hate that about you by the way. I would kill to have your metabolism."
David just smirked at her and went back to his homework, pen twirling between his fingers faster and faster and faster until it was just a blur.
Selena sighed as she looked around the mess hall, wondering who would have the information she wanted.
That's when she saw him. Sitting by himself at a table. She really was in luck that he was gracing his presence with everyone else today.
A smirk worked its way across her face and she practically skipped over to the figure dressed in black. "Kevin Jonas, as I live and breathe." She sat opposite of him.
He looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. "Selena," he greeted her with a curt nod.
"What brings you out of the wood work?" Selena asked, hands clasped in front of her as she leaned forward.
"Handler thought I needed to socialize more," Kevin said with a shrug. He placed a bookmark into his book and closed it. "So here I am."
"Mmhmm," Selena hummed. "World getting too dull and dreary for you?"
Kevin shrugged again.
"Use your words, Kevin," Selena lightly teased him.
"There a reason you came over to talk to me, Selena?" Kevin asked firmly.
"Well, since you've mentioned it," Selena said, grinning as she leaned in closer. "Have you heard anything about the new super that's in the mountain?"
"And what makes you think I know anything?" Kevin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because you like to know everything that is going around," Selena answered back with a grin.
Kevin's mouth quirked into a small grin.
He sat back a little on the bench, scratching the side of his neck as he did so. "Well..."
Selena tried not to smirk at her small victory.
"What I've heard is he's here on a three year tour instead of the usual two. He broke Director Schechter's office windows with his powers and he has two out of three of the big mental powers," Kevin said, ticking off the points with his fingers. "And his first name is Mike.
"Well, that's certainly more than I got," Selena complained as she sighed.
"Oh? And what have you heard?" Kevin asked nonchalantly.
"Just that there was a new super in town," Selena said with a little pout. "You've only been back for like five minutes and you got all that."
"Maybe I'm just that good?" Kevin asked, lips twitching.
Selena poked him lightly on his shoulder. "Brat."
This time, a real smile emerged from Kevin's lips. "Takes one to know one, Sel."
Selena stuck her tongue out at him and smiled. "I haven't seen you smile in a while there, Kev," she said.
Kevin's face immediately shut down.
He picked up his book and stood up. "I'll talk to you later, Selena," he mumbled and walked away swiftly.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Selena muttered to herself as she watched Kevin exit the Mess Hall. She knew where he'd go. The Infirmary to keep an eye on his brothers. She sighed and walked back over to her brother. If anything, she could get cheesecake to cheer herself up in a couple of hours.
~~~
Kevin walked away from the Mess Hall quickly, his head filled with memories and unpleasant reminders.
He needed to get to the Infirmary; he could think there.
The walk was easy to make, the hallways familiar to him as was breathing and Kevin entered the Infirmary.
He made his way over to two beds and sat in a chair at the end of them.
Leaning over, Kevin rubbed their legs through the blankets. "Hey Joe. Hey Nicky. Sorry it's been a while," he said softly. "They had me running all over the place."
And like for the past three years, the two didn't answer, just the sound of the machines replied.
There was a sound in the room and Kevin glanced up to see Bob Bryar.
"Hey," Bob said. "Didn't mean to disturb you, just needed to grab some bandages for some newbies." He showed the boxes in his hands.
Kevin shook his head. "They tried to challenge you?"
Bob shrugged and gave a small grin. "They tried." He glanced at Joe and Nick on the beds. "I'll leave you to them." He gave a gentle pat on Kevin's shoulder.
Kevin nodded and as soon as Bob was gone, he looked back. "Well, before we were interrupted, I was going to tell you, I still haven't found Frankie."
There were no replies or poking his sides or even saying 'we'll find him together'.
"The scientists are still having trouble analyzing the traces of dimensional rift energy," Kevin said with a sigh. "But I know Frankie is alive. He's working as hard as us to get back just as we're trying to get to him," he said firmly.
Kevin sighed wearily as dropped his book at the end of Joe's bed. "I visited our parents last week. I think Mom would like the spot, lots of flowers blooming. Dad would complain about his hay fever acting up."
"I miss you guys," Kevin admitted as he ran a hand over his face. "The docs say you're all healthy and brain scans indicated activity, they just can't figure out why you won't wake up."
He licked his lips. "Not even the extra energy from the, well, you know what happened, you two were there, is harming you."
Silence.
"Please? Wake up?" He whispered at his brothers.
And just like all the other times he asked, they didn't answer him
~~~
Mike felt really, really, really horrible as he helped Marshall limp his way to the Infirmary.
"I am so sorry," he apologized again.
"Hey, this is nothing," Marshall said as they slowly made their way down the hall.
But with him being this close to Agent Marshall, Mike could feel the echo of pain.
It made him feel horrible.
Mike was a picture of misery when they finally made their way into the infirmary.
Marshall looked around and made a noise. "Looks like Bert is off somewhere else."
"Alex?"
Blinking, Marshall looked over his shoulder and then grinned. "Kevin!"
Mike looked as well and saw a guy with curly hair and dressed all in black standing in a doorway.
"I heard through the grapevine that you came back mountainside."
Whoever this person was, it was making Marshall very happy. Mike gave himself a mental shake, trying to keep the feelings back, like he always did, but they soon pushed back at him.
His face broke out into a smile. "Hey!"
Kevin raised an eyebrow at him.
"Think I could get some help here with Agent Marshall while I go find Bert?" Mike asked hopefully, Alex's emotions on his face and influencing his current friendly manner.
Marshall poked him in the arm. "Stop it and bring that wall back up."
"Kind of hard to with me plastered against your side and you giving off really strong happy feelings here," Mike replied cheerfully.
Kevin chuckled and moved forward to help Mike. "Empath?"
"Yup!" Mike answered as they got Marshall sitting on a bad. As soon as Mike let go, his scowl was back in place on his face.
"Aw, there's the grumpy Mike I've come to know," Marshall said with a grin, fingers threatening to pinch Mike's cheeks.
Mike danced back a couple of steps, still glaring at Agent Marshall.
Kevin looked at them amused.
"Kev, any idea when Bert is getting back?" Marshall asked him as he propped his leg up.
"He's off dealing with some idiots in the weight room," Kevin replied. "Newbies tried taking on Bob."
Marshall's eyes widened briefly before he started to laugh. "Seriously? What made them think that was a good idea?"
Kevin just gave a shrug and then looked at the leg. "Did you want me to take a look at that?”
"Please," Marshall asked, sticking his leg out. "Then I can continue the tour."
"You rolled it pretty badly, Alex," Kevin said as his fingers probed the skin, ignoring Marshall's hiss of pain. "Let me wrap it up and I can finish your tour."
Marshall's eyes widened. "Are you sure? I don't want to cut..."
"Its okay, Alex, really," Kevin said as he gently placed Marshall's leg down on the pillow.
Mike just wondered who this guy was that could order Marshall around like this and knew the mountain well enough to finish showing him around.
Mike blinked as Kevin looked at him.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
Mike glanced at Marshall who nodded at him encouragingly. "I'll be fine here. Kevin, I was just showing him the science rooms when this happened," he gestured at his leg.
Kevin nodded and then looked at Mike. “Mike, right?”
"Uh yeah, Kevin, right?" Mike finally said and followed this Kevin person out of the Infirmary reluctantly as Kevin nodded at Mike’s question.
"So, um, been at the mountain long?" Mike asked, trying to fill the silence. Way to be articulate, Carden.
"Whole life," Kevin answered as he led them down the hallways that Mike was slowly learning.
Mike's eyebrows rose at that. "Really?"
Kevin just gave a curt nod as they paused in the science wing of the mountain.
"So, this is where the science classes are held," Kevin started to explain, holding up a hand and pointing at the various doors and where the various sciences were taught.
Mike gave them a cursory glance and then they were off to the next section of the mountain.
It took them nearly an hour before they finally stopped back in front of Mike's room. "And here we are," Kevin commented.
"Home sweet home for the next three years," Mike complained and then looked at Kevin. "Thanks for the tour and sorry for cutting in on whatever it was you were doing."
"I was nearly done anyways," Kevin replied, paused like he was going to say something else but then closed up.
Mike wasn't sure why he said what he said next, but the surprise on Kevin's face was worth it. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Uh, yeah," Kevin said, blinking as he looked at Mike.
"Awesome, since you've lived here your whole life, you can show me the best way to get the good breakfast food and coffee."
To Kevin's surprise, he found himself agreeing to breakfast and coffee as well.
"Great," Mike smiled at him and Kevin hesitantly smiled back. "See you tomorrow then." Mike entered his room, shutting the door behind him.
Kevin blinked as he looked at Mike's door, feeling slightly off kilter. What in the world was that? He wasn't trying to press his powers on me, was he?
Empaths were tricky sometimes. Most of them were closed off so they didn’t feeling anything. Some chose to live off the emotions of others. Bad empaths would press their own emotions on unsuspecting victims to manipulate them.
Kevin didn't think Mike was like that, but he only just met the guy. He could be reading too much into it, but he didn't get this far in life without taking precautions.
He'd see how breakfast would go tomorrow and make his conclusions then.
~~~
The next morning found both Kevin and Mike in the cafeteria, watching chaos unfold. There were super powered teenagers everywhere.
Limbs were stretching out to grab food, various elemental powers, the odd shape shifter and speedster.
"Is it always this chaotic?" Mike asked as he watched in disbelief.
"Oh no," Kevin said and then looked at Mike. "Sometimes it's worse."
Mike looked at the group converging on the cooks and then back at Kevin. "Seriously?"
"Welcome to the mountain," Kevin said without humor and started to wade through the mess.
Mike watched in disbelief as Kevin managed to navigate everything with ease and return with two trays of food and coffee.
"You are magic," Mike said as he took a tray.
"It's all in the hips," Kevin lightly joked back. "Let's find a table."
There was nothing available.
Mike was looking around too. "Can't we just join somewhere and sit at the end?"
But then Kevin spied Selena and David, along with, huh, Bob. "This way," he said instead and ushered them over to the table full of the few friends he had left.
Selena's eyebrows rose in surprise as Kevin and Mike joined them. "Kevin, twice in so many days. I'm beginning to suspect you have a mushy inside past that outer cactus exterior."
Kevin just gave her a look and she grinned as she gestured at the table for them to sit.
They joined.
Selena grinned as she eyed Mike. "Mike, is it?"
Mike looked at her. "Uh yeah. Who're you?"
"Well, I'm Selena," Selena said with a grin, she poked the guy beside her who gave a startled, "Hey!" Her grin went wider. "This is my brother David and the blond bearded Viking on the end is Bob."
Bob just gave a small wave, but was concentrating on layering his hash browns with ketchup.
"And you've met Kevin already, I see," she purred at them, hints of mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Behave, Sel," David warned her.
Mike just looked at Bob. "Viking? Really?"
Bob just gave him a shrug and went back to his hash browns and ketchup. When Mike looked at the others in their small group, they were all looking at him.
"What?" Mike said defensively. "He could be a Viking for all I know. I mean, they train superheroes here." He hunched reflexively.
Selena broke into laughter. "Oh! I like you!"
Mike hunched down more and went to work on his eggs.
"You'll have to forgive her, she still hasn't been house trained," David apologized smoothly.
He then grunted and flinched while Selena smiled sweetly.
"So Mike," Selena began her interrogation. "How'd they nab you in the outside world?"
Mike looked up, mouth full of eggs and swallowed. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because you're shiny and new," Selena answered with a grin as she leaned forward.
"Plus, she's a nosy gossip," David pointed out and Selena nodded in agreement.
"That, too."
Mike looked around for help but Bob was busy building some hybrid made of hash browns and ketchup and Kevin was absorbed in a newspaper he had somehow grabbed.
"Uh," Mike said instead and clamped his lips shut.
Selena just grinned wider. "C'mon, you can tell us. We were all grabbed here, except for Kev there. He sprung fully formed from the mountain side here."
Kevin just looked over the edge of his paper, shook his head and went back to reading it.
"Mike, we're going to find out sooner or later, you might as well tell us sooner," Selena said, almost starting to whine a little.
Mike groaned and then slumped in his seat. Mumbling something under his breath.
"What was that?" Selena asked, leaning in closer to hear.
"I think that was the sound of him giving up," David pointed out with a grin.
Mike blew the bangs out of his face angrily. "I said I rescued a girl's cat out of a tree and the kid reported it to her Mom who is fucking high up in the government."
Bob and Kevin looked up from their food and newspaper while Selena dissolved into giggling.
"Ignore her," David said sympathetically. "Better story than ours."
"I am a fucking cliché, how are your stories any better?" Mike bit out.
"Buried myself alive," Selena said, holding up her hand.
"Was half-way through town without any clothes on before I realized I had super speed," David added, holding up his own hand.
They all looked at Bob who sighed and held up his hand. "Got shit faced drunk and fell off a mountain side and didn't have a scratch on me. Plus, you know, hovering a few inches off the ground."
Then they all looked at Kevin who shrugged. "You heard Sel; I was fully formed from the side of the mountain."
Selena rolled her eyes and answered for Kevin. "Kevin is a mimic."
This time Kevin rolled his eyes. "Sel, if you're going to answer for me, answer correctly." He looked at Mike. "I'm a muscle mimicry, so that basically means I can copy any kind of muscle movements and read body language pretty good."
Mike blinked. "Oh, that sounds pretty cool."
This time it was Kevin's turn to blink. "Uh, thanks."
"He's wowed by the mimic but not my super speed?" David muttered under his breath and then yelped when Selena pinched his side hard. She was looking at the two with interest.
It was the most interactive Selena had seen Kevin be in a while.
She grinned as another plan started to form together in her head. 'Get Kevin Jonas a boyfriend.'
~~~
Five Months Later
Mike sighed as he walked into his power training course. His history class had seriously drained him. Mr. Kelleher didn't even seem like he was into the material today.
He dumped his bag on his desk, noting the room was re-arranged again. "Sean?" he called out. His teacher didn't like to be called by his last name. He said he was old, but not that old, yet.
There was a tap on his shoulder and Mike turned around, startled.
"Yo!" Sean said with a wave and grin.
"Don't do that!" Mike complained at him as he sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. "You always do that!"
"Then you need to be more aware of your surroundings and employ that empathy a bit more," Sean pointed out as he went to go sit down on a plush chair. He pointed at the chair opposite of him.
Mike sat down angrily, crossing his arms across his chest and glared at Sean petulantly.
"Now, now, your face will freeze like that," Sean teased him lightly.
Mike looked away.
"C'mon, today we're going to meditate and see if we can get you floating," Sean said as he laid his arms on the armrest of the chair, fingers and thumbs together.
"I told you Sean, I'm afraid of heights," Mike pointed out, but followed what Sean was doing.
"All fears can be conquered," Sean replied back. "And this is in controlled settings: anything that goes too far, and we can set you right back down."
Mike sighed.
Ignoring the headache that had been building all day, Mike closed his eyes and tried to meditate as he was taught.
But he found his mind wandering to Kevin.
Kevin was an enigma. Mike liked to think they were friends; they had hung out a lot the last five months. But the guy barely gave up any personal information about himself. Mike was suspecting he liked Kevin a lot more than he wanted to admit.
Feeling his empathy rise to the surface, Mike inhaled slowly as it started to wander. He felt it slowly pass by the people he had come to know in the mountain before it entered the Infirmary.
And then he felt it, two people who felt like Kevin but weren't him.
What was this?
And Mike mentally yelped as he was pulled.
Mike's body gave a jerk and his nose started to bleed. Sean's eyes snapped wide open. "Mike!" He hurried forward, eyes wide. "C'mon, kiddo, time to come back." He reached in mentally and yanked hard.
But there was resistance. Wherever Mike was, he was in deep.
"Shit," Sean muttered as he concentrated and followed Mike's trail to bring him back. They needed the infirmary and Bert, quick.
Mike couldn't take this much mental damage much longer.
Finding Mike, Sean grabbed him by the scurf of his mental t-shirt and dragged him back to his body
Sean landed back into his body hard and gasped loudly. "Mike!" He looked at his student and cursed.
Mike was seizing and blood was dripping out of his nose.
"Don't do this to me, kid," Sean muttered as he sent a mental 'help' to Bert.
He got Mike down to the ground, careful to avoid any flailing limbs.
A couple of minutes later, Mike had stopped seizing just as Bert entered the room with a couple of orderlies and a stretcher.
"What happened?" Bert demanded.
Sean explained as best he could as they loaded Mike up on the stretcher. They headed down towards the Infirmary.
"Shit, it sounds like a third power manifesting," Bert bit out as he pulled his long hair into a pony tail. He started barking orders as they entered the Infirmary.
Mike was stripped out of his clothes and put into a gown, various leads hooked up to his head and an IV inserted into his arm.
"He already has two powers," Sean whispered as he hovered. "How can he have a third?"
"Mike is powerful," Bert said as he started to check the readings that were coming out. "I had theorized that he would manifest a third power, but I didn't think it would be this soon."
"Shit, why didn't you tell me," Sean told Bert. "I would've made our sessions go much slower and wouldn't have pushed him as much."
"This is why you should read their files," Bert snapped back as he tried to read what was happening to Mike. "So shit like this doesn't happen."
Sean opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by Kevin's voice.
"Bert! It's Joe and Nick!" he cried frantically.
"Shit, shit, shit," Bert muttered under his breath as he hurried over to where Kevin's brothers were. "I don't get paid enough for this."
When he started reading the results being printed out, Bert frowned and then looked at the results that had come from Mike. "Shit."
"What's wrong with them?" Kevin asked as Joe and Nick twitched on the bed. "They haven't moved in three years! Bert! Please!" he pleaded, but Bert shook his head. "Outside, Kevin."
Kevin could only shake his head no before he was forced out of the Infirmary, the door closing on his face. "Bert!" he cried out and smacked his hand against the door.
"Kevin!"
Kevin looked and saw, Selena coming towards him, David and Bob behind her.
"What's going on? People saw Mike being taken out of his powers class on a stretcher," Selena said breathlessly as she pulled Kevin in for a hug.
"Mike? But, it's Joe and Nick," Kevin said as he clung to Selena. "They were seizing on the bed. What's wrong with Mike?"
"We don't know," David replied. "We heard he collapsed when Sean was teaching him and started seizing."
Kevin's eyes went wide.
Selena and Kevin seemed to come to the same conclusion.
"You don't think Mike's powers went a little haywire, do you?" Selena asked aloud.
"And somehow ended up affecting my brothers," Kevin muttered, hands clenching. He stared at the floor.
David took a step forward. "Hey, Kev. I don't think Mike did it intentionally."
"Intentionally or not, if that was Selena in there, wouldn't you want answers?" Kevin all but snarled at the speedster.
David had no reply for that.
They all ended up waiting for nearly an hour before Bert emerged from the Infirmary.
"Bert? What's going on?" Kevin demanded as he ran up to the weary doctor.
"It's good, but not good," Bert said with a weary sigh.
"Bert, maybe tell us before Kevin goes postal," Bob finally spoke.
"Okay, Mike's telepathy finally activated today and it took him wandering," Bert explained. "Sean is still digging him out of your brother's minds."
Kevin looked horrified. "Why is he in their minds? Get him out!"
"The best we can figure out is, their minds felt familiar to yours," Bert said with a shrug. "Mike's empathy must've recognized the similarities and took him where he felt safest."
"I'm safe?" Kevin asked confused. He hadn't been safe for a long time.
"Familiar most likely," Bert corrected himself. "Now, like I said, Sean is digging him out, but he's going to be confused and disoriented. We might have to put him into an isolation room and a collar on him so his new powers don't overwhelm him."
Everyone looked shocked at that. A collar was not something to be ashamed of, but it was frowned upon with the general populace.
Kevin swallowed and then nodded. "And my brothers?"
"Won't be any worse for wear," Bert said gently. "But look at it this way, maybe Mike found something out that we don't know."
"Doc's got a point, Kev," Bob said. "Telepathy works weird. He might've been able to communicate with them."
For the first time in a while, Kevin allowed himself a tiny bit of hope.
"Bob is right, we just have to wait for Mike to be mentally put back into his own body and we'll see," Bert said and then looked at Kevin. "Kevin, it's going to take at least a few days and I don't want to get your hopes up if Mike says he didn't hear or see anything there. It's a fifty-fifty chance."
"But still a chance," Kevin said firmly, looking at Bert. "And well, my family has had worse odds and come out ahead."
Bert smiled pleased. "True enough."
Appeased by what Bert said, Kevin led the small group away from the Infirmary.
"You're just letting it go?" Selena asked him as they approached the mess hall.
Kevin nodded. "For now. And my powers are more physical than mental. And I trust Bert and Sean, Sel. They'll do what's best for Joe and Nick, as they've always done."
Selena frowned but didn't argue. She just hoped that Kevin could keep it together like that for the next few days.
~~~
Part 2// Masterpost