Chapter 1: Welcome to the New World

I continue typing, inputting commands and variables into the computer, barely registering the voice coming through my door. "Be there in a minute." My strained voice replies. I hadn't slept. Couldn't. Too many numbers and permutations and possibilities. Scenarios and events, wins and failures. I needed to check and double check and triple check my data. Any errors or discrepancies needed to be worked out and dealt with before moving on.

"ok it should be finished soon"i said as i walked away and went back to the kitchen to finish the breakfast i was making

I felt no sense of time, no passage of how things went along. I kept typing, working, struggling to find the answer that was my only hope of fixing my mistakes. Minutes went past in my haze. An hour next. I never felt any of it, only the need to keep working.

I finally finished cooking the food and got the small table set and sat down and wated.

"Authorisation for deployment confirmed commence Operation Gilded Dawn" The words of the General barked in through the speakers, the sound of wailing alarms echoed throughout the base. The pounding of booted feet sounded as they thundered up the metal ramp heading towards the blacked out, state of the art, stealth UH-60 blackhawk helicopters. Unlike the other stealth blackhawks these where equipped with advanced alien technology, they where tougher, faster and possessed a much better fuel consumption than their counterparts.

Wolf Squad had been on stand by for the last twelve hours, Owl Squad had been mobilised and Zulu was being rerouted for this new objective. The confines of the helicopter was cramped, six fully armoured, equipped and battle hardened soldiers sat within. Two door gunners as well as the the pilot and the copilot it was going to be a long journey to Hudson Bay. Three miles out from the target, the three teams linked up, the helicopters flying low and fast. It would be next to impossible for the UNESD to remain hidden, flying through cramped city streets... The whole plan being developed years ago to evade detection from radar.

The target was a large warehouse, apparently it had been abandoned for the last thirty years... Yet recently someone had moved in or recently as far as the intelligence could gather. The plan was simple, Owl and Zulu would secure the entrance to the warehouse, preventing any retreat or support coming from the land itself, Wolf would deploy near the water's edge to prevent any escape or support coming in from the sea. "Fifteen minutes to target" Came the pilot's voice.

Wolf Lead signalled for equipment check, the rack of weapon bolts and dull thumps of advanced composite body armour momentarily drowned out the roar of rotor blades. The warehouse turned from a distant speck into the large, worn down, tattered building it was. Faded red brick walls, with large cracked glass windows and numerous weeds growing out of the cracks in the wall. The Helicopters rose above the warehouse taking their positions, just as the rappelling ropes cane down figures emerged from the warehouse. "We've got contacts!" Before the gunners could react several of the contacts brought up RPGs and fired. "Oh shit! RPG!" Dragoon One, the helicopter that Wolf Lead managed to evade the rocket salvo, the evasion tossing the squad about inside. Dragoon Three holding Zulu managed to successful dodge the rocket attack as well. Dragoon Two wasn't so lucky, one of the rounds struck home, blasting the tail clean off. The Blackhawk plummeted to the ground, spinning out of control in a ball of fire, cleaving up concrete before coming to a rest.

"Dragoon Two is down I repeat we have just lost Dragoon Two"
"Suppress those guys" The bark of miniguns whipped out, spitting out death, making human bodies dance and flip over backwards.
"LZ is hot"
"We need to abort the mission"
"Negative"
"But sir..."
"Pilot if you do not deploy your squad immediately I will have your court martialed and shot do you understand me?"
"Yes... Stand by Wolf Squad time to hit the ground" Gun fire echoed from the warehouse. It appeared that this was the right place after all. This new threat however, was not to be underestimated, they had already managed to wipe out an entire squad. The pilots elected this time to land rather than risk a rappel, as soon as their landing gear touched the floor, Zulu and Wolf where out on the ground, guns blazing. In both situations, there was little cover and despite having the more advanced kit, both squads found themselves pinned down by the weight of enemy fire.
"Wolf Four" Wolf Lead ordered, glancing at the respective soldier before firing a burst from her rifle. "Rockets up" He nodded in wordless reply before bringing his launcher up. With a whoosh, the missile flew out and struck the corner of the warehouse, it blossomed in bright orange fire, hostile gunfire dying down for a moment, before continuing once more.
"Keep firing just keep firing"
"We've got no cover here Wolf Lead"
"I noticed Wolf Three, maybe you should use your Lmg?"
"What do you think I have been firing?"
"Can't tell your aims so poor"
"Up your's Wolf Five not all of us have sniper rifles"

"Wolf Lead this is Zulu Lead we are suppressed at the entrance, hostiles have at least two HMGs can you assist?" Wolf Lead wanted to assist her comrades but she and her own team where suppressed, unable to advance on the target. It was a simple mission, it would be a cake walk. Why did no one bother to think for a moment that the opposition forces might be a tough nut to crack was currently beyond her. After all if they posed a credible threat to the UNESD, they must be packing some serious hardware.
The two remaining Blackhawks flew passes of the structure, raking it with their miniguns, a missile flew out of one of the windows striking one of the choppers. The craft blossomed in a ball of fire before plummeting into the bay.
"Shit we just lost Dragoon One"
"We need air support!"
"Zulu Lead, this is Wolf Lead over negative on assist, we are pinned at LZ how copy?" She replied firing another burst from her rifle, as Wolf Six took a round in the neck.
"God damn it, Wolf Six is KIA" Wolf Four rolled the body of his comrade over.
"Keep firing Wolf Four he is passed help" Came a stern remark from Wolf Two.
"I.... I read you Wolf Lead, good luck to ya"
"And to you Zulu Lead"

So much for the easy mission of smash and grab. Now it turned into a frantic fire fight for survival that was more than certain to feature on all the news networks.
"Command this is Wolf Lead request air support"
"Negative Wolf Lead request denied we need the intel inside intact"
Well... There goes the easy option of flattening the building, no the original plan of storm, seize and loot was still in effect. If they did not get inside soon, chances where there would be no squads left.
Wolf Four took three rounds in the gut, but kept firing before a round punch through the armour right where the heart should of been. It left a dinner plate sized hole. The enemy most have high powered rifles on top of everything.
"Wolf Four is down"
"Keep firing! Hold them off Wolf! Just hold them off!"
"There are too many we are not going to make it!
"Keep firing don't let up! Kill every single one of these bastards! Every one of them no mercy!"

Jake slid into his seat in history. Yawning, he rested back and watched as the very fine Ms. Vanderberg walked in. He didn't stare.
Oh no, during this time, as she walked in, Jake amused himself by watching the guys stare at her ass...and two of the girls stare at her rack.
Damn, he was glad he dated Stella.

Speaking of Stella, she was hilariously making this entire situation...backwards.
She currently was staring at Chris, her mind making her go in slow...slow motion.

Class proceeded normally......for the other students. With James, he was busy doing his work under the tutelage of not his teacher, but Gestalt, who constantly spoke in his mind and instructed him. Instead of giving him the answers though, the AI was helping its host to learn. Having no complaints, James was more than happy to have Gestalt help him out.

Chris, along with a line of her fellow classmates, were busy running laps around the school field, she garbed in the same training clothes she wore during her sparring session with James. It all seemed mildly pointless to her though, since she already did this on frequent basis outside of school. If anything James would have preferred being here, since......it pained her to say it, but she figured he could use it as a chance to work out with the new leg. He was fine with walking and sparring (sort of anyway) but he had yet to try running. She figured he'd eventually want to get back to it, given his love of freerunning. Besides if it got her out of P.E. and away from the ogling eyes of her classmates, all the better; she knew she was attractive but God did she hate getting that kind of attention.

Sitting in science class, Amy did her best to fight back the squeal of delight and awe as she saw not one but two members of (one of anyway) her favorite band sitting together, two rows down. Despite her initial response, she quickly settled down as she entered her patented 'Amy in Class Mode' and focused on the teacher and what was being taught.

Poor Stella finally looked away from the unobtainable. She sighed and slowed down, wanting the laps to end. It sucked, seeing what she had wanted.
And she felt bad. she was looking at someone else while Jake was her boyfriend...damn she felt horrible.

Jake fell asleep. He was quietly snoozing in the back of class as Ms. Vanderberg looked through everything. Of course, she knew. But she didn't care - Jake always did his homework, and always caught up on reading. It was his best class.

Hard at work. That was Nick. He worked all day, he is the first to get in, and the last to leave. He works without stopping. Like a train, once he gets started, it takes a lot to get him to stop. His coworkers praise him for his work ethic, and his adherence to detail. He always seemed busy with something. He rarely accepted invitations to after work get togethers, because he always seems to have some new idea he wants to test. He never seemed to stop. That's how he wanted them to see him. He didn't want things to be too personal. After all, they didn't know that he'd been missing for 18 years.

Today he sat by the eel tank, looking at the electric hunters, thinking about the results of their latest tests. He stared at the eel tank, and the eels stared back at him. These were unique eels. Genetically modified to emit a greater electrical impulse. Unlike their unmodified counterparts, if these eels bit you, you would die from the electric shock. As an unintended side effect, or maybe because they were bred in captivity, they were also significantly larger than their more natural counterparts. Nick held a particular fascination with them. He sat and watched them swim around the tank, they watched him, as he did them. They were curious as to why this human just watched them, and did nothing to their tank.

As time passed, he walked around the tank, looking in at the eels, and one of them, the largest of them, followed him. In a circle he walked, and in a circle the eel swam. Eventually he touched the cool glass of the tank, and felt a familiar tingle of electricity, so slight that it could be mistaken for almost any neuronal function. electrolocation, the emittance of an electrical field to sense the location of objects. Thats what he thought he was feeling, the electric potential of that field, being so close to the glass. How annoying that must be, to have that while in a tank with other eels that emit the same thing. And how electric the water must be. He wondered, briefly, what would happen if he jumped into the tank. On some level he knew that he would die, but he fantasized about other things happening, like gaining the power to emit electricity on a whim.

He leaned against the tank letting his head rest on the cool glass.

Mike leaned back seemingly bored with the whole science class, unless they were using things that could go boom or blow up, he really did not care. He drummed a steady beat with his fingers on the desk top, not caring how loud he got.
With a sigh Lauren turned and looked at her companion and whispered something inaudible to the rest of the class, yet whatever it was clearly managed to work and Mike stopped drumming.

Lauren found science boring, some parts of it where interesting but still she had to do her best to get an education. Personally the day for her was going to drag until music lesson turned up and then she would be very happy. She might even spill the news about her band's up coming concert. Might... All depends on how the day went really.

The end of class was nearing, and for James the classroom was getting that slight buzz it acquired when it had only a handful of minutes left before the bell rang. Lunch was next, and his stomach was already growling in anticipation of getting some food......even if it was school cafeteria food.

Already in the locker room, Chris was done getting changed and waited along with every other girl in the room for the bell to ring. The workout from before worked up an appetite, and she was already feeling ravenous as the bell rang and she all but shoved people aside as she ran out of the locker room and down to the cafeteria.

For a brief moment Amy considered hanging back to try and talk to Lauren and Mike.....but there was already a small group of fans crowding around them trying to talk to them or get an autograph. Besides, she was hungry and still had the rest of the school year (she hoped anyway) to talk to them. A day wouldn't matter much, so she left to grab lunch.

It took a while to escape the classroom, after signing autographs, the band managed to meet up on the way to the cafeteria. The four of them walked together through the corridors, their fellow students pausing in their movements to see the four celebrities.
After queuing the four of them managed to find a table and sit down. The band conversed among themselves, mostly discussing what classes they shared. Unsurprisingly, they all shared music.
"So... I hope you three haven't got into too much trouble" Lauren cautioned her friends, resting her gaze on Mike. The three of them laughed, before Mike replied. "Hey don't worry I won't get into any fights... At least not for today anyway"
Another bout of laughter. "Well that is a start, you all still good for band practice?" Lauren inquired.
"Of course"
"Yep"
"Count me in"
"Good good" Lauren said with a smile before taking a bite of her lunch.

The three of them, James, Chris and Amy, managed to grab a table in the cafeteria after grabbing lunch (or in Amanda's case, bringing her packed lunch) and sat there, eating while they talked between mouthfuls of food. Most of the conversation was taken up by talk of Lauren and her band, a topic which was only discussed more since their table was the one being crowded around and eyed the most. But soon the conversation ended, when trouble showed up at the table in the form of (one of anyway) the school bully, Dirk Jones. He was a year above James and his friends, taller than them all, and where James was skinny but toned with muscle, Dirk was bulky......but most of it was muscle. Dirk had a reputation around town as being an arrogant, sexist prick who tended to pick on people weaker than him. In fact, every now and then there would be at least one classmate walking into class with a black eye or bloody nose. No one really spoke up though, because Dirk was part of a gang. The school could keep you free of bullying on the grounds sure, but once you were off school grounds.....fair game. Today, Dirk wore a green t-shirt, blue jeans, and something of a smirk on his slightly pudgy face, some acne here and there on his cheeks. "Well hello, 'Manda," he said as he sat down on James' right and opposite Chris and Amy.

Amy shot him a cool glare and said in an impatient tone "What do you want this time Dirk?" He chuckled, leering at her as he leaned on the table with his elbows. "Nothing much, just wanted to know if you'd be my date to upcoming Halloween Dance." She sighed and said "Well that's certainly a new one.....but no Dirk, that's not going to happen." Grinning, giving away the fact he knew what she was going to say he responded with "Why? Is it because you're a freak?" Blinking, James thought for a brief second the comment was aimed at him given his....attachments. But he saw what Dirk was talking about, and it didn't take long for him to hate the guy for it.

It never mattered much to James, since Amy was always a good friend to him. But she was gay and proud of it. And while most of the world had changed a bit in terms of how it viewed homosexuality, the sad fact was that not everyone had changed, and there were still people like Dirk giving people like Amy grief because of who they were. James could already see beneath Chris' calm exterior that she was gearing up for an ass beating on Dirk, but Amy simply sighed and said "Dirk even if I wasn't gay, I'm sure a few minutes with you would still turn me gay." Glaring a bit, Dirk said "Oh come on babe, don't be like that. I'm sure some time with me will wash the dyke right out of you." Before Chris could so much as stand up, James twisted his hips and slammed his left fist into Dirk's face, with enough force to knock him back a bit and out of the chair to the ground. It drew plenty of stares since it was Dirk, the bully, being punched and sent to the floor by James.....someone who was seen as mildly quiet and reserved even before the accident.

Back at his apartment, he reclined on a couch. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking about the past. The echoes of happy memories and of sad memories were in his head. They were lifetimes ago. He was a different person. He remembered the trauma of school, and how his rebellious mind coped with it and remained imaginative, and not just another mindless tax-payer. All the people he met in school, friends, acquaintances, mostly acquaintances. He was never very social in school, he stuck to his work. He did things alone. He had few friends, back in those days, friends he cared for, people he loved. They were a socially awkward bunch, always on the internet, seldom out and about mingling with the rest of humanity. Choosing instead to commit their time to the trivialities of the online community, a community without companionship, a community that sometimes never saw their face. Online, a face meant nothing, online, they were just a username to some people.

He imagined what life would have been like without having such unlimited access to the internet. How they would have been forced to figure out what to do with their time, he imagined they would have had to go outside to mingle. Staying inside and lounging about would have likely been the death of them. He was different from them, however, he had other friends, acquaintances, that went out at night to bars, or clubs. He didn't socialize well at these other places, he would sit and he would drink and enjoy the company, while remaining silent. He was never much of a talker, and often he seemed unapproachable because of his frown. Or the sadness in his eyes.

This sadness is from the constant introspection that goes on in his head. The constant evaluation of actions, of thoughts, of observations. He disliked the community as a whole, and cherished the individual. People go to clubs or bars for multiple reasons, to relax, to have fun, to meet people, for a one night stand, and other things. Some people went to forget, to escape. He went to be reminded that life went on. That no drama, no sadness, no depression, lasted forever. Life did not stop, it did not stop when you fell on your face, it did not stop when your best friend died, it went on. Life was a cruel teacher, but it always gave you the truth, no matter how much it hurt.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about the people he met and the people he knew back in those days. He thought of the girls who he had courted, who had broken his heart. Every time he thought that they were the one, the one he would be with forever, and every time, without fail, the left him. He was too unpredictable, too indecisive, too distant. They left him for varying reasons, they met someone they liked more, or he told them what he knew about them, sometimes he scared them off with what he simply knew. The truth, it seemed to him, was never in his favor. The truth scared off a few of them. When he would learn something true and share it, it didn't bother him, he accepted it, but they didn't think that he would, so they left him. After each heartbreak he would go days without eating, without sleep, in a depression.

Each of these times he would find himself with his friends at a bar, and when they would ask why he was particularly somber that night, he would just say "it's complicated" and they would understand. He never talked about his partners with his friends, he never talked about the girls he had been with. It just wasn't something he talked about. He couldn't explain it, but looking back, it was probably because he feared what they would think. Or he was just an introvert and personal matters dealing with emotion were just not talked about, ever. He was never angry with the girls though, he never blamed them, he only blamed himself, always thinking that things would have been better had he not told the truth, had he not let them know how much he knew. But then he'd be living a lie, and he couldn't do that.

He always sought the truth, where a fact can change, a truth cannot. He wanted to know the secrets of the universe, the universal truths. He was curious to the point of obsession. When talking about information, he wanted to know everything. He accepted no judgement, no opinion, other than his own. While at the same time, accepting other peoples judgement, and their opinion. He was an enigma, even to himself, at times. He was human. His search for the truth led him down strange and sometimes treacherous paths. Sometimes the truth led him beyond death and back. Truth was stranger than fiction, and sometimes it stares you in the face, and you think the truth is fiction, and the fiction is truth.

This might have been part of the reason he became a scientist, to look for truths in nature. Especially biology, the study of life, or, the study of the living. As literally, the study of life could very well be a more philosophical hobby, as opposed to a career.

As he sat and thought to himself, he dosed off. A black cat, after he had fallen into a deep enough sleep, silently crept into the room, and laid on his stomach.

Stella was about to speak up and say just looking at Dirk made her start going gay, but the sucker punch shocked her...and she grinned. She couldn't stop. Out of everyone to give Dirk a beating, it had to be James? That was new.

Jake chuckled. He had been on his way to Stella's table, when James Falcon Punched Dirk. Setting his try down, he leaned against a table and watched the show.

Standing up and looking down at Dirk, James said in a level voice "I don't like it when people insult my friends. Apologize to her, now." Staring up at him, slightly stunned Dirk growled a moment later and stood up to loom over James. "Since you're a cripple, I'm gonna let that slide. But you better stay out of my way from now on, you and your dyke friend." James seethed and said "Big words coming from some putz who got sucker punched by a crippled. Man I bet you can't even get a straight girlfriend can you, you asshole." That seemed to be the spark Dirk needed; to him, his status was already challenged by the punch James threw at him, and now he was adding (quite literally) insult to injury. It sent him over, and with a howl Dirk lunged at James, surprising him as he wrapped his hands around his throat and started to squeeze.

He could feel his airway being cut-off, the pressure behind Dirk's hands increasing as James realized Dirk intended to kill him, or do serious harm at least. He tried fighting back, punching at Dirk's chest but there was too much bulk and every effort made him use more oxygen. But then the weight that was Dirk vanished, as a fairly familiar sneaker, attached to a strong leg, kicked out and caught Dirk right side of his ribs and sent him flying off James. It was Chris, and she was absolutely livid as she advanced on the fallen Dirk and proceeded to kick the shit out of him, screaming "You don't ever fucking touch my friends, you worthless piece of shit!" James tried getting up but was still struggling to breathe, before the faculty arrived, two security guards running in past the crowd of students with one grabbing Chris and pulling her away, the other checking on James.

Knowing the ferocity of a pissed off woman, Stella took cover as Jake rushed to check on James.
"Hey man. You okay?" He asked as the security guard made his way over. Jake held his hand out.
"She has a mean kick."

"Sir stand back!" the security guard barked as they crouched over James and made sure he was okay. James sucked in a breath, massaging his throat while Chris calmed down and stood still. The man checking James moved over to Dirk, and found he had a broken nose, some bruises that were showing, and had the wind knocked out of him. "Take her to the principal's office, I'll take these two to the nurses office," the one standing by Dirk said, but James said "Sir, it's fine really.....my throat's not that bad." The guard frowned a bit, but when James stood up and breathed easy he sighed and said "Alright....both of them, take them both to the principal and I'll get this one to the nurses' office." Walking over to Chris, James cast a grateful glance at Jake for at least checking to see if he was fine, before the guard escorted he and Chris out of the cafeteria and to Principal Jackson's office.

"Shit hey looks like a fight just started and ended, shame I would not have minded joining in" Mike grumbled.
"Oh yeah? And I am sure your parents would be very proud of you ending up in the principals office on your first day, besides we are celebrities..." Samantha pointed out, finishing her drink before placing the bottle back down.
"So? We can fight it is the right thing to do at times"
"Yes at times violence will draw public attention and it might be unwelcome, negative public opinion"
"Okay jeez Samantha your right just stop" Mike admitted with a heavy sigh, he was always the first among them to get into a fight.

Lauren decided to enter the conversation now. "I guess it is time to leave and all of you don't get into trouble please? For me?"
Thomas chuckled and said. "Lauren you don't have to worry about me well the girls might have to worry about me but I cannot help being such a charming gentleman" He smiled slyly at her, Lauren shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Of course Thomas just don't break too many hearts"
"Hey hey I am a one woman guy any more is bad for my reputation as a gentleman" He protested.
"And since when do you become a gentleman?" Samantha pointed out.
Before an argument could break out between the twins, Lauren spoke up. "Look just don't get into trouble we need all of our time to prepare for our upcoming concert"

Lauren said the latter part too loudly and it drew some attention back to them again. Quietly she added "We need to prepare for it so that means no detentions or getting yourself expelled"
The three of them murmured their various agreements. Lauren smiled at them all, who in turn returned the grin. She cared for them all like family, after all the three of them shared a certain secret... One about their alternate identities and different abilities to normal humans.

"Really? Really James? One day. It took you only one day, to end up back here in my office," Principal Jackson said. Principal Robert Jackson was a bald, middle aged black man of African-American descent, and his voice was.....well, one of pure authority. It was how he got the job, or so a lot of students believed. He had a reputation for being harsh but always fair in whatever punishments he had to dish out. "I didn't mean to attack him Principal Jackson, but he sorta started it." Widening his eyes a little and dropping his jaw in a sense of mock disbelief, the Principal gestured with his hands and said "Sorta? How did 'sorta' start the fight?"

Sighing, James said "Because he came to our table, sat down and started insulting my friend Amanda. Called her a 'dyke' and that was when I lost it." Staring at him for a moment, hands folded before him as his elbows were balanced on the desk, the Principal said "And after that he tackled you to the ground and started to choke you?" Massaging his throat (half for effect and half for it still hurt a little) James said "Yeah, that was when he tried choking me. Next thing I know Chris kicked him off me and started beating the crap out of him."

"I see," the Principal said. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and looked at the boy. "James I understand this past month has been hell for you. And believe me, I've had an eye on Dirk ever since I heard rumors about his activities, so I know he's no innocent but be that as it may you were the one that threw the first physical punch, verbal assaults aside. However, I'm going to go easy on you today, since this is your first day back from the hospital. But that doesn't mean no punishment: you still started the fight after being provoked, so you are suspended from school for the remainder of this week, along with your friend Christina. But make no mistake here James: if either of you get into a fight again, it won't be suspension. You will be expelled." Well it wasn't like James never lived under threat of punishment before, so this wasn't so bad. Being given permission, he left the office to wait outside with Chris in the waiting area since her dad was called to come pick them up.

As they both sat next to eachother, Chris slapped James lightly on the back of the head and he said "What was that for?" She sniffed and said "Not remembering your training pendejo. Today was exactly why I've been teaching you, so I don't have to come in on my white stallion and save you." Neither one knew why.....but it got them both giggling like crazy, sitting there in the office as they had a fit of giggles that lasted for a bit before James calmed down and removed his tablet to type something out, sending a message through the student directory. It was a fun little feature that allowed students to talk to each other, at the cost of anonymity since the same feature was linked to the directory and a student's ID, which meant any message was sent under a students name. So no insults could be traded without people knowing who you were, which was fine for James. He figured he might as well browse through the names, see if she was there and send a small apology or explanation.

James Connor wrote:

Hey Lauren, doubt you'll get this or even open this. It's James and figured that in the event you remember me at all, wanted to say sorry I won't be around this week since....well, you'll hear soon enough, but I got into a fight with someone who insulted a friend, and got myself suspended. Doubt this matters much, but just wanted to cover the possibility you start wondering where I am.

Pressing send, James hoped he wasn't making a minor fool out of himself. But.....he felt it was rude to not at least give some kind of explanation.

Lauren had been making her way to another class, hopefully the final one of the day at least when her tablet made a soft beep. As she still had time to kill before the next lesson was due to start, she stopped, opened her bag and got the tablet out. She was a little surprised to see that James had messaged her, the first message from someone who she did not already know from before coming to this school. She gathered that most people where for now still too chicken to actually try messaging her.

She read the message quickly, faintly surprised that James had gotten into a fight. Lauren wrote a quick reply to him.

Lauren: wrote:

Hey James, glad to hear that you made it out in one piece. Try not to get into any more fights, they generally aren't a good habit. I will miss you in English, hope to see you back soon. Also... If you would like to hang out some time feel free to give me a message or a call or whatever really works. :)

James Connor wrote:

Sure thing on both counts. Good luck in class. Also don't let the fight discourage you, the school isn't so bad.

By the time James was done, Michael--Chris' dad--walked into the office, and looked at the two of them. The look he gave shut them both up fairly quick, and he signed them both out before taking them out of school. He didn't say a word until they were all in his car. "Okay I'm just gonna say it: damn proud of you both." James and Chris blinked in surprise, to which Michael chuckled as he pulled out of the parking space. "Your Principal informed me you got into a fight with a bully and that you were helping someone out. I may not be an advocate of violence, but from what I was told.....you did the right thing." The drive home wasn't a long one, and a few minutes later they pulled into the driveway. "However you're still suspended. I want all your homework done, and that includes the homework your teachers will be sending to your tablets." Both James and Chris groaned at the fact they were still getting work. "Now I still have to go back to work, and coming here means I have to stay back a little later this time but it's not that big a deal. Order pizza, and stay out of trouble."

"Sure thing dad," Chris said as she got out of the car, James following suit. "We'll be good," James said as Michael pulled out and left them to get into the house on their own.

Lauren wrote:

Thanks and cool I am free in the evening tonight and then probably Sunday, though I will be tired from Saturday. That is going to be one busy day for me and the rest of the band. Well I gotta dash to lesson talk to you when school's done for the day. Don't get into any more fights on the way home :P

With that sent she slid the tablet back into her bag and made her way to her next lesson.

After getting inside the house, the first thing Chris did was stop James and give him a close look over, checking on his neck. "Chris," James said in irritation, "I'm fine, no need to-" She cut him off though, saying "Shush you; no one gets choked and is just fine." However try as she might, she couldn't see a hint of bruising around his neck, and she stepped back with a "huh" of bewilderment. "Strange....guess he wasn't choking you as bad as I thought." That you're doing Gestalt? James mentally asked.

Of course. We did not wish for you to continue feeling discomfort.

I appreciate it, but from now on......don't keep the bruises intact, but definitely keep the coloration the same. Otherwise people will give me funny looks and ask questions. "That or Dirk really was a wimp," James said, and the two of them chuckled. Heading to the tv, Chris grabbed the remote and turned on the television. The current channel was the BBN news network, and on screen was a female reporter, and next to her head was shown....well, James in his armored form, outside the bank from yesterday.

"And we're back with this week's top story: Heroes in New York. That's right ladies and gentlemen, it would seem the fantasy world of comics is becoming our reality, as not one but two separate individuals performed heroic acts across Brooklyn yesterday." The image then shrank to make room for one more image, this one of a police dash-cam showing an armored figure in flight during a car chase. "So far no other information is known about these individuals, the only encounters being with police officers. However, police have yet to comment on these details short of a statement given by Police Commissioner Morgan, in which he stated that 'no matter the deeds done, these individuals took the law into their own hands and are to be considered vigilantes wanted by the Law.' The statement shows some merit, since one of the heroes, the one who stopped the bank robbery, in fact resisted arrest and did damage to police property...." the reporter trailed off, or rather James tuned her out as he absorbed the facts. He was wanted by the law.......shit. And to make things....well, weirder, was that there was someone else out there in a suit of armor that could fly. No doubt things were getting strange, but that was when the news turned to a different story.

"We now go to breaking news. Reports of gunfire and explosions have been reported in the Brooklyn harbor area, centered around the warehouse district. Police have been called to the scene, but so far there have been no new details as of yet."

The rest of the school day dragged for Lauren until finally the bell rang and school was out. By some lucky means probably by simply walking fast she was able to escape being caught by a crowd of fans wanting to befriend her or an autograph... Sometimes they wanted both.
Her car was waiting for her and she climbed in swiftly. There would probably be just enough time to get back home, shower, do her homework, have a quick bite to eat and then band practice from seven-ish till about 11ish.

Just a normal day really, still it was important for the band as a whole to perfect their latest songs so that they where ready for the up coming concert. Lauren would not allow for any mistakes to happen, everyone had worked so hard on this so it was vital that everything was up to scratch and ready.

It was a while after they arrived home, that James decided he needed to step out. Before James left to take a walk--something Chris was seemingly okay with--he took a moment to download onto his phone the same school application that was on his tablet. It seemed......pointless at first, but he had a thought or two. Leaving the house and walking down the street he found a secluded, private area where he changed into his other skin, the nanites coating everything like usual. Gestalt spoke up then.

James, if you would like we have an idea on how to increase your traversal capabilities. We were studying the biology of most of your planet's fauna, and found two interesting points of evolution that we may be able to mimic.

In his head, James saw from the machines images of a Chameleon using their tongue to snag bugs, and then there were tiny stingers in use by Jellyfish. The stingers were all curled up in their pods, springs coiled up in a fashion almost like the tongues of the reptiles. Replacing those images, was another that looked more like a simulation, of James' hands coated in nanites. They started to balloon slightly from a massive build up of nanites compressing themselves, before shooting out in a single direction. Whoa.....what is that?

Basically, we compress ourselves around your hands and then explode outward into a whip or cable at great speed, the tip of this line being able to latch onto an object and pull you in, or vice versa.

Nice....what's the range?

Depends on how much of us we compress there. Theoretically, it could reach 100 feet however to do that, the resulting bulk would slow you down. What we can do for certain, is roughly 20 to 30 feet.

Well, it was better than nothing, and would be more than adequate anyway. Leaving his hiding spot and breaking into a run, James gave the machines permission to do what they suggested and spotted a decent sized building, punching the air up and in front of him. He noticed then that his right hand had become a bulbous ending on his arm, before it exploded outward in a single fast moving stream, a cable that latched onto the edge of the roof before the nanites started retracting themselves and pulling him up. This is amazing! he thought as he soared upwards and hauled himself over the roof. Standing there for a bit, alone and with the rest of the area open to him, he took a moment to remember why he downloaded the app earlier, and opened it up. Well, opened it up was one way to think about it, which for him was in fact what he did: he thought about it, the app opening before his eyes through the HUD the nanites displayed for him over his eyes. After giving his name and ID, he browsed for a moment before finding the name he was looking for, and sending a message.

James Connor wrote:

So, enjoy your first day of school?

The fire fight was still on going but at least with the arrival of the police the area had been secured fully. The clever use of a swat team had allowed for Zulu to advance closer to the building but even so they still had been unable to breach it, even with added fire support. Their sole remaining helicopter on station had been forced to withdraw following severe damage... Meanwhile Wolf Squad had actually managed to fight their way into the building through the use of smoke grenades and excessive use of rockets and grenade launchers.

Inside however it was even worse, shelves filled with boxes and crates stood in neat rows, a few toppled, boxes had been piled up to make barricades, everywhere bullets flashed back and forth. It was pure madness, the UNESD had not faced such a brutal fight for sometime and it showed. Clearly their opponent was better trained than they thought and clearly better funded, judging by some of the weapons and body armour on the slain foes. Personally Wolf Lead would have liked to waste the building with an airstrike yet command ruled out that option, they wanted the building intact, they wanted whatever they where defending. However would their be any left? After all the enemy had successfully pinned them down for several hours. Still, now that they where in... Surely it would be only a matter of time till victory. It was noisy, cramped and Wolf Squad shot at everything that moved, shoot first ask the questions later policy.

//

Lauren heard her tablet beep and took it out of her bag, she logged on and found that James had messaged her.

Lauren wrote:

Yeah it was good, your education system is different to the one back in England so that will take some getting used to. Music was the best class as expected I mean it is what I kinda do for a living so I have got to enjoy it and be awesome at it.

It was going to take some getting used to, but James ran across the rooftop, jumped and used the nano grappling hook (what other name was there at this point?) all while mentally chatting with Lauren. If anything it showed at how much he could concentrate on at once.

James Connor wrote:

Hah, figured. Guess you'll be getting top marks in that class then eh?

Deciding to check and see on this explosion mess he saw on the news, James headed in the direction of the docks, Gestalt painting a trail for him to follow.

Lauren wrote:

Haha of course. Oh you and a couple of your buddies are welcome to come to band practice if you are like? Also a heads up if you want to tell a couple of fans about our up coming concert.

She smiled as she sent that, she could not wait for the concert it would be good. No not good, great.

//

"Wolf Lead sitrep"
"Inside the warehouse, heavily engaged over Command" Wolf Lead replied blind firing her rifle round the corner. "Go keep hitting them!"
"Time till area secured?"
"Unknown request reinforcements"
"Negative you will secure the site with Zulu for data retrieval, execute any combatants who surrender"
"But Command..."
"You have your orders Wolf Lead now can Wolf Squad carry them out?"
Sighing Wolf Lead muttered a reply of "Yes over"
"Then get it done" With that Command was gone.

"Wolf Lead did Command just tell us to go Fuck ourselves?"
"Basically yeah, no prisoners ladies and gentlemen we are on our own, time for some pay back"
"Zulu Two to Wolf Lead over"
"Copy Zulu Two"
"Be advised Zulu Lead is KIA, we have sustained heavy casualties request that you take out hostile HMG teams on the second floor they have us pinned down, allied forces are to be considered wiped out"
"I read you Zulu Two, Wolf Squad's got your back" Wolf Lead pulled the pin out of her last grenade and tossed it round a corner, a few seconds later it detonated bringing forth a trio of agonised screams. "Wolf Squad Wolf three and five keep them suppressed, two your on me we are going to save Zulu" Wolf Lead did not wait to hear their replies to her plan, they had to move and move fast or a lot more members of the UNESD where going to die today.

James Connor wrote:

Upcoming concert? Cool. And I'd tell them about the invite, but an invite's no good if there's no location to come to.

He finally arrived at the area of the shootout, difficult to miss as it was. Helicopters were everywhere, and in the street below there were already police working out of mobile command centers and mobilizing for more attacks. James went over them, using his cables to get across the street to the warehouse on the other side, breaking into a run as the tethers trailed behind him and came back. Which building Gestalt? he asked.

The one directly ahead. There's a window ahead of you, second floor: jump and you'll break through.

At the end of the roof, he jumped and used the tethers again for both hands, shooting them out to either side of the window to anchor and direct himself before pulling in and shooting through the glass, landing in a roll and stopping.....to find himself in full view of someone holding a weapon. "Uh.....hi there," he said in his constantly shifting voice.

Lauren wrote:

Well it is mostly round my house band practice so if you want to come round sometime feel free. As for the location of the concert well check out the posters we have put up and our webpage. Hopefully Thomas has finished putting up the webpage anyway. How are you holding up? Feeling any better?"

Wolf Lead rolled backwards when something crashed through the ceiling and landed in front of her. She brought her rifle up, it looked alien.
"Holy shit Wolf Lead I think that's an alien"
Normally Wolf Lead would have been sarcastic at a remark like that.
"Come in Wolf Squad did you say alien?"
Wolf Two confirmed it to command.
Wolf Lead with her heart pounding, spoke to the alien. "Friend or foe?"
"Wolf Squad this is command, new objective, secure the NHT no matter what the cost, dead or alive"

"Oi! I'm not an alien......okay not all of me is alien," James said before he saw the gun, and said "Uh.....that's a big gun." There was more gunfire to distract him, and he looked around, before back at the first person he saw. "You guys don't look like police, so main question: you friendlier than the other guys in here?"

James Connor wrote:

Well sure, but I don't know where you live.

Lauren wrote:

That your way of trying to get my address? I cannot exactly post that via this messaging system or the entire school will be outside my house, my mom wouldn't like that.

Wolf Lead clenched her jaw making a choice. "Okay fine your not an alien and we are friendlier than these bunch"
"Wolf Lead secure the alien"
"Command this is Wolf Lead over, confirm it is not a NHT"
"Confirm, secure the alien technology it cannot be allowed to remain outside of our control"
"I am afraid we will have to ask for you to surrender your alien technology immediately" Wolf Lead ordered without any hesitation, both her and Wolf Two's rifles came up.

"Well.....what do you say we cross that bridge when, AFTER THE GUYS SHOOTING AT US ARE TAKEN CARE OF?" James shouted before he stood up and turned away from them and ran into the firefight. There was someone coming in his direction, not dressed like the pair he left back behind, and holding his own weapon. He brought it up to bear and fired it at James, who brought his left arm up to form a shield, nanites spreading and expanding out to block the heavy rounds. He waited for a break in the fire, before moving the shield out of the way to shoot his right hand forward, the fist formed into the ball for the tether.

The tether shot out and grabbed the gunner, and with a jerk James yanked him over to him and knocked him down with the shield.

James Connor wrote:

Well.....then here: 718-236-3005. My cell-number, so feel free to text and I promise I won't tell everyone else.

Lauren wrote:

Are you sure this isn't just a way of your's to get my number? I'll text you in a bit then with my address and the time of the practice if you want to come over. The offer is there after all.

"All callsigns be advised we are being assisted by a non-UNESD asset, after operation is complete asset is to be captured"
"Wolf Lead you are going against..." She did not hear the rest of the message, she turned off her radio, after all you could only fight one war at a time. Turning to face Wolf Two she smiled and said. "Follow me we've still got to silence those machineguns and save Zulu" With that the pair of them rushed off, running and gunning, they did not have much choice in the matter, Zulu Squad needed rescuing immediately.

This time, James wasn't able to respond to Lauren's message as he needed to fully concentrate on the firefight at hand. The warehouse he was in was large and in two levels, the ground level he was on filled with rows of shelves and boxes and crates. There were more gunmen dressed similarly to the one James took out, some taking cover behind the rows and others moving on the above levels, firing from their vantage points. A few rounds hit James, and he was surprised to find that while the armor did stop them, they did however dent the suit where they struck, something he felt in the form of sharp sensations due to the kinetic energy behind the rounds.

Heavier rounds than the ones used by the bank robbers from yesterday. Find cover, we will reform on the surface for plates.

Following his advice, James took cover behind a crate and felt the nanites move again over the suit, forming up over his chest, back, arms and legs to form small plates of condensed nanites. Then, not wanting to be stuck in one spot he moved into action, running from behind the crate as both hands formed into large sledgehammers. He overtook the nearest bad guy, first by swinging his fist in a low arc to take out his legs before hitting them in the chest as they fell to their knees, knocking them down. The hammerheads then morphed back into the tethers, shooting out to grab another gunner and instead of pulling them to James, he instead pulled himself to the guy to dropkick them, legs out and straightened. They collided, with the one getting hit sent soaring back into a crate, sliding to the floor as they were stunned. It gave James some time to actually respond to Lauren's message.

James wrote:

I assure you, I'm not doing this to get your number for some nefarious purpose. If it makes you feel better, just have one of your friends do it.

Lauren wrote:

I'm teasing I'll text you everything that you need to know James, I am just not going to post it all online, besides I prefer texting to talking over things like this and old school traditional phone calls.

Wolf Lead and Wolf Two stacked up against a door, beyond it there was the machine gunners. Raising her left hand she used a count down on her fingers, then the door was kicked open by Wolf Two and the pair of them opened fire, their fingers pressing down the triggers until their guns clicked dry.
The enemy machineguns fell silent, their crews dead.
"Zulu Squad this is Wolf Lead the machineguns are down"
"Solid copy Wolf Lead we are oscar mike"

James wrote:

Can't tell where the sarcasm begins and the sincerity ends. Besides, what's wrong with talking to someone face to face?

The moment it was sent, James shot his tethers to the railing above him, pulling him upwards to the walkways above where he landed between two of the gunmen there. Neither one fired, despite bringing their guns up since in their mind the rounds had as much risk of hitting their partners as they did of hitting James. Using the moment, he rushed towards the one behind him and they decided to fire anyway, though James formed his shield again and became nothing short of a battering ram, plowing into the man and sending them stumbling back. He could feel rounds pepper his back as he dropped the shield and kicked the man over the railing, sending them falling onto one of the shelves below, and James turned to face the man still shooting at him.

Lauren wrote:

Not sarcasm or sincerity just plain teasing James Razz Nothings wrong with talking face to face, where do you want to meet up then if you do? Bare in mind however you know this place better than I do, having lived here longer.

"Be advised all callsigns at least ten hostiles left and we have secured some intel over"
"Solid copy Wolf Five, we are oscar mike to your location"
"This is Zulu Two we've taken a prisoner, moving to Wolf Five's position guns almost dry"
"Confirm do the best that you can, anyone got eyes on the asset?"
"Negative"
Nope sorry I don't see him"
"We've got nothing"
Damn, well at least they will have secured the remains of the instillation soon and have access to whatever information and technology was stored here.. Or what little remained.

James wrote:

Hmm.....Prospect Park? Nice place, public so no need to worry about me trying a kidnapping at all. Maybe at the corner of Prospect Park Southwest and Parkside Avenue?

"Ahhhhhh!" James yelled in challenge as he ran towards the last guy on the walkway, not giving them a chance to reload before slamming into their chest like a football player and taking them over the side. They didn't fall long, landing on top of one of the rows with a loud metal clang of impact. James was fine but the other guy had the wind knocked out of them, and his status as a threat was ended the moment James stomped on his legs with his machine augmented strength. He didn't snap through anything, but he did break both legs with wet snaps and cries of pain from the man.

Lauren wrote:

Oh yes because that is a good idea kidnapping me xD. Sure I think I know where that is. What time then?

Now that both Squads where in, or what was left of them where inside the structure the fight ended rapidly. Especially with the aid from an unexpected source, but the problem remained in securing the facility and now with the added objective of securing the asset.
Neither squad really had the stomach or the ammunition for another fight, this one had gone on for several hours too long already.

Wolf Lead turned her radio back on. "Command objective secured, Zulu has taken a prisoner over"
"Copy Wolf Lead and if you dare turn your radio off again you will be tried and shot"
"Understood sir"
"Craft are inbound with reinforcements to secure the site and extract Zulu and Wolf Squads, prepare for extraction... And make damn sure you have secured the asset no one is permitted to use alien technology without our say so"
Taking a deep breath Wolf Lead muttered. "I copy Command, it will be done"

James wrote:

Uh, how about in an hour? Need to finish something and it will take me a bit to get there.

"Whoo!" James yelled as he pumped his fist into the air. "Who's the best? Come on, let me here it, let me here it!" Walking away from the unconscious gunman, James did a mock impersonation of a pro-wrestler, looking up as if at a crowd.

Lauren wrote:

Yeah that works for me I need to finish up something too, see ya in an hour then.

"Target located, upper floor on the walkway"
"Confirm I see it"
"In position"
"All units hold fire, wait for reinforcements"
"But command said to..."
"I know what they said to do but we don't have the fire power or the numbers to deal with it"
"It's just one guy"
"In a bullet proof suit, secure the facility and try to convince him to stay or part with his equipment"
"I copy I suppose that makes sense"

James wrote:

Alright, take care. Bye

"Huh, is it over already?" James asked as he noticed how quiet it was. "Hey, friendly people! You still alive?" he yelled out. Gestalt, switch filters.

To?

Alternate between thermal and backscatter, I want to know where they are....if they're alive of course. And like that, his vision changed, everything becoming shades of gray and bright white as his vision changed to thermal, looking for signs of anyone else through the haze of smoke, before it changed to backscatter and he spotted someone. "I see you there!" he said, pointing in their direction.

Lauren wrote:

You too, bye

"Yeah we are alive, just sweeping the place for survivors and securing the information on site" Came a reply from one of the members of Zulu. Every so often a single shot would ring out from within the facility as the squads went about eliminating all trace of their opposition. They only needed the one prisoner the rest, needed to be taken care of.
Besides... These guys where responsible for the deaths of many good friends and comrades, they deserved no mercy, that and they where a threat to human survival. The UNESD was never kind to those that where a threat to humanity's future.

"Wait wait wait," James said as he realized shots were being fired into some of the guys he knocked out. "Are you killing them? Thought you were here to arrest them?"

"We have our orders, it would be wise for you to not interfere in the work of the UNESD" Wolf Lead replied making her way over towards him.
"Now I am going to say this once hand over your alien technology and leave the area this will be your one and only warning" She did not have the stomach to fight again, she was exhausted like the rest of the squads but, they could at least try the democratic approach.

"Yeah.....about that. I can't actually hand it over since we're.....kinda attached," James said as he looked at the armored figure, who judging by the voice was a woman. "And what the hell is the UNESD? Guessing you're not cops since you're killing unarmed and literally defenseless people.....which by the way I should stop you from doing that."

"We have authorisation to do so of which you lack the clearance to know about" Wolf Lead answered. "Now I have to ask you one more time to surrender the technology because your not allowed to have access to alien technology" Wolf lead replied. "These guys are a threat to humanity and like all threats to humanity they need to be wiped out you are not part of the UNESD..."

"And like I said before, I can't hand him over to you because we are literally attached," James said sternly, not liking these guys in the least now. "Now that said.....I should probably get going, not so nice meeting ya."