Rating/warnings this chapter: This Fic has been rated in accordance with the approved TTFF Rating System. OK (Oz/Kiwi spelling/grammar etc) PG, Angst, drama.
Author's notes: This fic is part of the 'Tears in Heaven' series. More info and stories in this timeline can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/shadesandechoes It can be read on its own but there are references to previous stories in the arc.
This fic will also be archived at the new Expressions site.
Summary: The new breakout witnesses a grizzly murder, and insists that his new history teacher is responsible. Are things really that simple?
Disclaimer: The Tomorrow People belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV television. Highlander is the property of Panzer/Davis, Rysher/ Gaumount
Televison. Stargate SG1 are owned by Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Products.
Alex MacDonald belongs to me and shouldn't be used without permission.
Thanks to: Big hugs to Megan for her support and beta reading. Also to Sakura for her wonderful eye for typos, beta reading and helpful comments. And Wendy for her suggestions and comments.
Feedback to: anneo @ paradise.net.nz
/Nothing is as easy as it looks
Everything takes longer than you expect
And if anything can go wrong
It will
At the worst possible moment
~ Anon./
March 2000
Chapter One
The man was still there in the far corner of Le Blues Bar, Joe Dawson noticed, after glancing up from the glass he was drying. As if in response the dark haired man looked askance at Joe, and then, as though he knew he was being watched, diverted his stare back to the drink he'd been nursing all evening.
Tapping his fingers against the bar, unconsciously matching the rhythm of the evening's bass guitarist, Joe thought again about the information he'd received about General William Damon. Somehow it didn't seem to match the man who'd sat in the bar observing him for most of the night. One thing about being a Watcher was that it made it easier to recognise when you were being watched yourself.
It made sense, he supposed, that if Damon had been given a copy of the same CD-ROM Joe had, he'd be running the same investigation but in reverse. If the information he'd received about the existence of a race of teleporters was correct, then Damon already knew what was still news to Joe. To many it might seem like something out of a science fiction novel but Joe had spent enough time observing Immortals to believe that anything, even teleporters, could exist.
Sorting through the scenario in his mind, he leaned back on his cane and shook his head. From what he'd heard about Masters, the man responsible for sending the information to Trent, he could understand why he'd have interests in common with the head of the Hunters. Masters had seemed as fanatical as Horton himself had been about the idea of a race that wasn't 'human.'
Damon didn't strike Joe as being in the same league. True, he'd headed the teleporter project for several years before leaving suddenly, but nothing in his life pointed a clear finger at what the personal reasons he'd cited for doing so might be. He was married with two kids; the research on his home life hadn't unearthed anything out of the ordinary. There was nothing out of the ordinary about Damon, period, but all that confirmed was that he'd had plenty of practice hiding behind the charade of Joe Average.
Pouring a drink for another customer, Joe couldn't help but remember how he'd made the error of taking Methos at face value. Joe had spent over a decade believing the guy was no one more extraordinary than Adam Pierson, mild-mannered historian and Watcher. /Bet you had a good laugh over that one, old man./ Joe shook his head again. What took the cake was that the wily old Immortal had managed to make sure he was in charge of the search for himself. It was no wonder he never seemed to get anywhere though the situation would have appealed to his sense of humour, Joe was certain.
Damon glanced at his watch, comparing it with the time on the large clock over the bar. /How long are you going to sit there and observe? How long am I going to sit here and play spectator?/ Joe thought. /One of us is going to have to make a move or it's going to be one hell of a long night./
*******
Alex MacDonald plodded home, taking a shortcut through the sports field of the local college. Mum was going to wonder why he'd cut his music lesson short and was home so early. He grimaced at the memory of going to pieces on that scale for the third time.
Mrs Frazer's concerned voice still rang through his mind. "Alex, are you okay? You usually play better than this."
Blushing, he remembered how he'd muttered his apologies and rabbited on about headaches and late nights. Other people managed to stay up late without feeling as though they hadn't slept for a week, why couldn't he? Alex swung his school bag over his shoulder, shifting it to distribute the weight more evenly, before heading across the field. There should be a law against making kids lug around heavy textbooks, he decided. And another one against teachers torturing students with copious amounts of homework. At least his music teacher had been sympathetic. Letting him leave early had probably been in both their interests. If he were in her shoes he wouldn't have wanted to hear the piano being played that badly for another ten minutes either.
Why couldn't it come as easily to him as it had for Jamie? He loved music as much as his brother did but just didn't seem to have that same flair for it. Everything came easier to his older brother, yet another verification of the long standing suspicion that Jamie seemed to be one of those people fate smiled upon. Alex stumbled and kicked the empty beer can he'd tripped over in a sudden burst of anger. He stared up at the early evening sky, certain that someone, somewhere up there, didn't like him.
Several stray drops of rain landed on his glasses, blurring his vision. /Oh great./ Now he was going to get drowned just to add insult to injury. He pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his lenses, dropping his bag on the ground. It hit a boggy patch slightly off the path he was on, a smell permeating the air after the canvas connected with it, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. Gross. Why couldn't people train their dogs to do their business somewhere else? They'd managed to train Ewan, why couldn't others do the same?
Alex bent down to rescue his bag, wiping the bottom of it with his handkerchief. Mum was going to go ape shit when she saw the state of it. He muttered a few choice words under his breath, pausing after a sound echoed around the large deserted playing field, loud in comparison to the sudden quietness of his surroundings.
/What was that?/ Weird. It sounded like steel against steel.
Stopping to listen again, he soon realised that the noise seemed to be coming from the direction of the creek that ran through the boundary of the school grounds. Alex shrugged. After the day he'd had, what did he have to lose? He might as well live dangerously and check it out.
He replaced his glasses, starting towards the pine trees lining the banks of the creek, reassuring himself with the knowledge that he'd be able to hide behind those trees if necessary. He wandered along the narrow trail, his body on autopilot as he mused about the origin of the noise.
/What the hell?/ Glancing down he noticed he'd walked straight into a small patch of gorse around the boundary of the netball courts. /Aren't the caretakers supposed to get rid of this stuff?/ he groused. Bending to remove the prickles caught on his trousers, he felt the sharp end of one scratch his hand. /Ouch! How worse can this day possibly get?/ So much for trying not to draw attention to himself. At this rate he might as well hang a sign telling everyone in the valley where he was.
Ignoring the thin trail of blood running down his fingers, Alex crept past the courts towards the creek, taking care to stay within the shelter of the trees as the rainfall intensified. He drew nearer to the source of the sound, the voices accompanying it growing in a crescendo of anger.
A shiver of excitement ran through him as he tried to imagine what could be going down. He winced after his headache, which he'd almost forgotten about returned with a vengeance and started to build in intensity.
************
Bill Damon glanced at his watch, before returning his attention to the slowly decreasing drink he'd been nursing for at least a couple of hours. What exactly was he going to say to this Dawson guy now that he'd found him?
Reading over Frank's research, it was obvious that this was the same Joe Dawson who'd been mentioned on the CD taken from Masters' computer before he'd died. The fact that his brother-in-law, no make that deceased brother-in-law, had been James Horton had been the decider. What Bill couldn't work out was why a guy working with someone like Masters would be running a blues bar in Paris.
Watching Dawson behind the bar, he seemed harmless enough. He was older than Bill, his hair and beard streaked with grey, the lines on his face suggesting he'd seen more of his fair share of the not so good side of life, yet not enough to dim the twinkle in his eye. He'd also been through the Vietnam War not entirely unscathed, the loss of his legs corroborated by the cane he'd used to move about the place chatting to one of the musicians. Yes, he looked dangerous, very dangerous. Bill snorted. Why couldn't the bad guys have a sign on them just to make his job easier? He mentally kicked himself, realising how much that sounded like something Marmaduke would say. That saying was true. 'Insanity is hereditary. You catch it from your kids.'
Bill lowered his head to study his drink again after he noticed the man in question glance over his way. /I wonder if he knows I'm watching him,/ he thought. Maybe he was out of practice with surveillance? These days he seemed to spend most of his time chasing after his kids, and cleaning up the messes the Tomorrow People seemed to get themselves into with alarming regularity.
/Hey there's a thought. I could just go up to Dawson and lay my cards on the table./ 'Hi, I'm Bill Damon and my son is a Tomorrow Person. I'd just like to ask you some questions about your involvement with a certain psychotic named Masters.' He smiled. Oh yeah, imagine Marmaduke's reaction to that one. 'Way to go, Dad.'
The door of the bar opened, interrupting Bill's reverie and a tall well-built man entered, surveying the room. After he located Dawson he stopped, and walked quickly towards the bar. He didn't look very impressed. In fact his expression told Bill that something or someone had annoyed him a great deal.
Time to get a refill on that drink. Bill stood up, noticing the twinge in his back. He was getting too old for this sort of stuff, he decided, figuring that Marmaduke and his friends had a great deal to do with his current lack of wellbeing. His stress levels had sky rocketed over the last few years, taking with it a great deal of his health. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a decent night's sleep. No on second thoughts he could. 1992. The year Megabyte had become a Tomorrow Person. That had also been the year Bill's own peace of mind had disappeared out the window, never to return.
Seating himself on one of the wooden stools at the bar, Bill made sure he was far enough away from Dawson and the new arrival as to not arouse suspicion, but close enough to hear the conversation. He leaned back against the welcome support of the low-backed hard stool, trying to give the impression he was examining his drink with great interest while he wondered how long it would be before he would have to switch to coffee.
The dark haired man, whom he surmised was in his early thirties, maybe older, spoke with a faint Scots brogue, and as Bill's earlier observations proved correct, was as annoyed as hell. "You'd think at his age he'd be a bit more responsible by now wouldn't you?"
Dawson laughed, a deep chuckle which suggested they'd had this conversation, or one similar, in the past. "Pierson? Responsible? Let's face it, Mac, he's probably done this just because he knew he'd get a reaction from you."
/Pierson?/ Bill mentally shook his head. Now there was a name he hadn't expected to hear again. No, it must be a coincidence.
Mac shook his head, pushing back his shoulder length hair with one hand. He then glanced over at Bill, to catch his eye with a friendly smile, before returning to his conversation with the bartender.
/He knows I'm listening,/ thought Bill. /Am I losing it that much that I can't even eavesdrop without being noticed?/ There was something in the Scot's eyes that reminded Bill of someone else, but it was eluding him for the moment. He took another sip of his drink, averted his gaze from the two men, and settled back to listen to Mac tell Dawson the rest of his story.
"I knew it was a mistake giving the old man the key to the barge. I finally get back to Paris and what do I find? Tidy little pyramids made of beer bottles all over /my/ barge. I nearly broke my neck on the way in." He lowered his voice before continuing, and Bill found he was having to strain to hear the rest of the conversation.
"Pyramids made of beer bottles?" Dawson grinned, changing the volume of his voice to match his friend's. "I take it they were empty?"
Mac rolled his eyes. "This is Pierson we're talking about. Of course they were bloody empty. And it's not just a couple of bottles, Joe. It looks as though he's sat on the barge for at least a couple of weeks doing nothing but drink to get the volume of empty bottles I'm talking about here." He took a sip from the bottle in front on him. "I don't suppose you've seen him lately?"
"The last time I saw him was on our trip to Colorado," Dawson answered, shaking his head. "He disappeared shortly afterwards muttering something about prophecies and his peace being gone forever. I haven't seen him since, although it's starting to look as though wherever he went it was via Paris and the barge."
Colorado? Prophecies? What exactly was Dawson involved in? Pierson must be the same Pierson he, Adam and Megabyte had met in Colorado Springs. Adam Pierson a.k.a. Methos. Did Dawson know about Immortals as well as Tomorrow People? /What the hell was going on here?/
"That's what I thought you'd probably say. Knowing the old man, we'll be lucky if we see him again for months, maybe even years." Mac brightened. "Every cloud has its silver lining. If you see him, tell him I want a word. No, on second thoughts, don't. If he shows up, let me know and I'll just…surprise him."
Dawson nodded. "Just make sure I get a ring side seat, because I don't want to miss out on the fun. Oh and Mac? Don't kill him till I've had the chance to get his bartab paid first. That thing is the size of the national debt."
Mac laughed. "Dreams are free, Joe." He glanced at his watch, and draining the rest of his drink, placed the empty bottle on the counter. "I promised to meet Richie at the barge. If you hear anything in the meantime, let me know. Not that I'm really expecting you to, but hey, one can dream."
"Still the eternal optimist, I see," Dawson busied himself tidying up after his friend headed into the Parisian night air.
The bar was almost deserted, Bill noticed. If he waited another ten minutes or so, only he and Dawson would be left in the place. After hearing Pierson's name he'd come to the decision that it was time to stop putting off what had to be done. He had to talk to Dawson and find out what his connection was to Masters.
One thing did puzzle him. Dawson and his friend sounded as though they were on good terms with the five thousand year old immortal. They had also referred to him as the old man, confirming Bill's suspicions that they knew full well who or what he was. Bill owed Pierson, owed him for Megabyte and Adam's lives. If Dawson and Masters had plans against Pierson as well as the kids, they needed to be stopped.
**********
Creeping closer to the loud voices, Alex became aware of a growing dampness spreading into his shoes and up through his trousers. /Oh great. My shoes are leaking and I'm getting covered in mud and grass. Mum's going to be so pleased, not./ He stopped and wiped his glasses on his sweatshirt again, trying to ignore the falling rain growing heavier with each passing minute.
"I warned you I don't like to fight." Alex peered through his hiding place behind a tall pine tree, narrowly avoiding a hanging branch threatening to poke him in one eye, as one of the voices suddenly became louder. /I know that voice./ He edged even closer and saw two men fighting with swords. Swords? Alex, certain he must be seeing things, checked his glasses to make sure they weren't fogged up from the rain.
The tall slim dark haired man who had spoken before disarmed his opponent with one quick flick of his wrist. He placed the sharp point of his weapon against the other man's throat, and smiled slowly. The man seemed almost amused by the situation. Talk about sick.
Alex took a short sharp breath and the man's head came up like an animal sensing its prey. He turned his head in Alex's direction and their eyes met. Mr O'Neill? What was the new history teacher doing out here holding a sword to someone's throat?
A similar look of recognition crossed Mr O'Neill's face and Alex groaned, thinking back to earlier that morning. Not for the first time he regretted bringing attention to himself in class and the embarrassment caused by that stupid theory he'd read by a Dr Jackson about the pyramids being built by aliens. O'Neill had ridiculed his suggestion in front of the class and made him feel like an idiot. It was definitely the last time he was ever going to speak up in public again.
Forget that last thought. If he didn't get out of here, it probably would be that last time he did anything ever again.
The blond heavily built man on the ground started to struggle, bringing his arm up to try and overpower the history teacher. O'Neill shrugged. "If you insist," he said, a note of sarcasm in his voice. To Alex's horror he raised his sword, bringing it down again to cleanly slice off his victim's head.
Oh shit. Oh shit. "Oh shit." O'Neill turned his head towards Alex again and he realised he'd said his last thought out loud.
The man knew who he was.
He had a sword in his hand.
He'd just killed someone.
Alex tried to move but found himself frozen as fear took over. /I've got to get out of here. If I don't, he'll kill me, next. Move it, Alex, move it. You've got to get out of here./ He closed his eyes to shut out the horrific scene in front of him.
Huh? For a moment he felt a weird tingling sensation through his body like a mild electric shock, followed by a strange sense of something he could only describe as dislocation. O'Neill hadn't had any other weapon on him but his sword, had he? /You've been watching way too much science fiction again,/ he thought. Although the situation was weird, it wasn't this weird. Was it?
Come to think of it, the background noises seemed different too, as though his sense of reality had changed subtly. The sound of the surrounding nature and the hum of the cicadas had been replaced by something different, something which seemed to permeate senses other than just the ones he was used to. /Oh for goodness sake,/ he told himself crossly. /Get real./ That last thought hadn't even made sense. Maybe this was his imagination's way of dealing with the danger he was in?
"Please tell me you aren't mucking about with the ship, Megabyte?"
What? Alex opened his eyes after hearing a male voice with a distinctly Australian accent. Two young men were staring at him. One, darkhaired and very slim, and definitely a good few years older than Alex, gave him a friendly smile.
The redhead, whom he was sure he knew from /somewhere/, rose to his feet and grinned, a twinkle in his blue eyes as though he was sharing a private joke with his companion. "Told you I knew what I was doing, Adam."
******
Chapter Two
"Mr Dawson?"
Glancing up at the sound of a strong American accent, Joe saw Damon sitting at the bar. He'd known the man had been listening in on his conversation with MacLeod earlier, and had been waiting for him to approach.
"Yes, that's me. Last time I looked anyway. What can I do to help you? Mr?" Joe noticed the last of the patrons had finally left. /So you were waiting for the place to empty, is that it? Let's see exactly how much you know about what's really going on/.
"Damon. General William Damon." Damon reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his identification, throwing a small white card onto the counter top in front of Joe. "I work for an organisation called WorldEx. We're investigating a couple of individuals and I've been led to believe that you might be able to help."
The general looked tired, Joe decided, pouring himself a whisky. He offered one to Damon but the other man shook his head. Moving out from behind the bar, Joe made his way over to one of the small tables, indicating that Damon should follow. "If you want to ask questions, we might as well be comfortable," he explained. "Now, how can I help you?"
"I've been led to believe that you have connections with a Simon Trent," Damon explained, sighing.
Shaking his head, Joe was curious to see what Damon's reaction would be to his answer. "Never heard of him," he lied.
The other man's face was unreadable as he sighed again. "Colonel Charles Masters?"
Joe shook his head.
"James Horton?" Damon wasn't even consulting a list, Joe noticed. He knew his prey extremely well and had done his research. Noticing Damon run his hands though his dark hair in a gesture of frustration, Joe surmised that this was a man very much on edge. Years of watching Immortals had also taught him to read people extremely well.
"My brother-in- law's name was James Horton," replied Joe. There was no point lying about what was on public record for the whole world to see.
"So you're telling me you have never heard of either Trent or Masters?" Damon shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr Dawson, but I don't believe you. What would you say if I told you that I had evidence to the contrary, evidence which linked your name with theirs?"
Joe glanced at his watch. "I'd say that information was incorrect, General Damon. I'm a busy man. Is there anything else you want to know?" Anger crossed Damon's face fleetingly. Good. If the man got angry, he'd get sloppy and then Joe would have a better chance of finding out what exactly was going on.
"Yes, there is and I suspect you know that. Stop playing games - we both know you know these guys." Damon rolled his eyes. "You have no idea what you're dealing with. I'm a busy man too, Dawson; a busy man who hasn't the patience to put up with being given the run around."
Joe decided to push the man a bit more. "Can't you tell me what this is about? How can you expect me to help you if I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Okay. I suppose that's a fair question." Damon paused and Joe guessed he was wondering which piece of information to share. "Do you know what Horton was involved in before he died? After all he was your brother-in-law."
Nodding, Joe decided that maybe if he threw out a tidbit of information to the man, he might bite. "All I know is that he was working on some sort of classified project, a scientific experiment which had gone wrong. He was cleaning up the mess, or words to that effect." Joe frowned after seeing Damon's reaction to information he knew the man already had. But hadn't that been basically what was on the CD? This so-called race of teleporters had been some scientific experiment, nothing more. He pitied the poor lab rats at the receiving end of those experiments. Knowing Horton, they would have been vagrants perhaps, people who wouldn't have been missed. It sounded as though Horton's replacement, Trent, had been continuing his work with the same zealous attitude. Horton might be dead, but unfortunately his name seemed to be living on, as were his twisted ideals.
"Cleaning up the mess? Is that what he called it? I hope you're not trying to tell me you condoned his actions? I hope for your sake you didn't, I truly do."
Damon had turned white and seemed close to losing it. If he pushed the right buttons, this might be the way to find out what exactly the man was involved in. Joe knew it was risky; he'd seen this kind of reaction before. But if they were talking about one of Horton's schemes here there were a lot of lives at stake, not only those poor experiments, but the Game and Immortals as well. The Game had been going far too long for it to be brought to a halt by some maniac's delusions of a threat to mankind that didn't exist.
"And what if I did agree with him?" Joe shrugged. "What's it to you? From what I've heard it was just a scientific experiment gone wrong. Most scientists put down the lab rats when they've finished with them."
The glare that Damon shot his way was one of total contempt. Before Joe knew what was happening the man was on his feet. He was trying to keep his temper under control, that was obvious, but what was equally as obvious was the fact he wasn't succeeding. Now he knew his hunt for Damon's trigger had been successful, Joe wasn't entirely sure it had been a sensible move on his part. None of the research he'd done on Damon had prepared him for a reaction like this.
Suddenly, Joe's chair was knocked out from under him and he hit the floor.
Damon's eyes were burning in anger. "Lab rats? Lab rats?"
"Calm down, Damon," Joe said, trying to reassure the man while he looked around for something to lean on to pull himself into an upright position. Damn these artificial legs. It was times like this when he felt the most defenceless. He glared at Damon, feeling his own anger rise to the surface. "What the hell are you playing at? You can't just come in here, throw things around and still expect to me to answer your questions."
"Calm down?" Damon was so angry, he wasn't to be reasoned with. "You condone Trent and Masters' plan to kill my son and his kind and you expect me to calm down?"
Joe grew cold. What the hell was Damon on about? "Your son?" he asked, his voice little more than a whisper. "My God, I had no idea." Damon's son? No wonder the man was in the state he was. Joe knew how he had felt when his own daughter's life had been threatened. Damon's son was one of these teleporters? But how?
"You had no idea? Masters had them kidnapped, experimented on, nearly killed and you had no idea?"
"The teleporters are kids?" Joe asked, looking up at the angry man leaning over him. "My God," he repeated his earlier statement, knowing the shock he was feeling was mirrored on his face. All that had been on the CD had been facts and figures. No names or indication that it had been anything but a scientific experiment that had gone horribly wrong. "He's been experimenting on kids? I had no idea, I truly had no idea."
******
Megabyte looked at the boy standing in front of himself and Adam. /I knew trying to fix the ship's beacon had been a good idea/, he thought smugly. At least the kid's damp exterior hadn't come from the ocean. The days of unexpected baths were over. He frowned, sensing something brush against his mind as the frequency of the hum from the ship changed momentarily and then returned to normal. [Yeah, okay. Maybe you had something to do with it, too,] he 'pathed. The ship was sure getting temperamental these days, wanting credit for stuff it hadn't even been responsible for.
"He's got a sword," the new arrival sounded almost hysterical, as he glanced between the two Tomorrow People. He was tall, Megabyte noticed, at least four or five years younger than himself or Adam, and probably much the same age he'd been when he'd broken out. He could still remember how disoriented he'd felt, being dangled over that balcony one minute and landing in the sea the next. But then he'd had the advantage of being able to guess what had just happened because of Kev breaking out before him. "He just cut off that man's head with a sword."
An Immortal? Megabyte could sense a similar feeling of surprise from Adam. Unless there were others who did that whole cutting heads off to survive gig, of course it would have to be. What was this kid doing watching a couple of Immortals? "A sword? Are you sure about that, kid?" he asked, leaning back again the column he'd been working on, or mucking about with, as Adam had called it.
"Of course I'm sure. You don't tend to forget your history teacher cutting someone's head off." History teacher? Megabyte grinned. The kid had hardly been a TP five minutes and he'd found trouble. Maybe his dad's theory about trouble magnets wasn't so far out after all.
The new kid stopped suddenly, took off his glasses, and made a show of cleaning them carefully with the edge of his sweatshirt, eyes darting peripherally around the interior of the ship. /He's just realised he's not where he was a few minutes ago./ Took him long enough, but probably seeing the fun beheading had sidetracked him. Poor guy. If this was how he reacted to mild weirdness he'd be cleaning those glasses till he fell over.
He stared at Megabyte, the puzzled expression he'd given him upon arrival turning to one of recognition. "I know you. You're Lisa's friend, Megabyte. I met you that day in the park when Kevin found Ewan." [1] He paused and glanced around again before coming out with the obvious. "Hey, this isn't where I was a few minutes ago." Observant with it too. Megabyte remembered Alex now from their fun day of R&R in New Zealand.
"Got it in one," he grinned back. Alex seemed to be calming down, though the poor kid was still a bit shell-shocked. Megabyte glanced at Adam, looking for some reaction to the mention of Lisa's name. He hadn't talked about what had happened between the two of them after he'd gone after her that day, over a month ago, but only told them he doubted they'd see her again. After feeling the pain coming from their friend, the pain not even his usually strong shields could hide, none of them had pressed for further information.
"How did I get here?" asked Alex. "And more importantly, where's here?" [/I'm dreaming, I must be. I'll wake up in a moment and that guy will be still coming for me with his sword/.]
They'd have to teach the guy some shielding, that was for sure. It was so not a good idea to think that loudly around here. Al could get himself into some serious trouble without even trying. Megabyte smirked, and ignored the glance of disapproval Adam sent his way. Okay, so they'd teach him sooner, rather than later.
"You teleported, Alex," Adam told him, starting in on the beginners guide to TP lecture. "You're like us. We call ourselves the Tomorrow People. We're the next stage of human evolution. We can teleport, speak telepathically..."
"Do you mean teleport like in Star Trek?" asked Alex, still looking bewildered. Megabyte fought a desire to say something smart and tried to remind himself that he'd been in this position a few years ago. "Or do you mean psychic powers, that sort of thing? Is that how you know my name?"
So the kid watched a bit of science fiction. Always a good sign.
"Speak for yourself, Megabyte," commented Adam, nodding absently in response to Alex's last question. Of course the fact that Jade had told him about that day in minute detail had helped, but why spoil the guy's theory? The way the kid was broadcasting, giving out his name should be the least of his worries. Speaking of which he hadn't exactly 'pathed that last comment Adam had replied to, had he?
"Stop eavesdropping," said Megabyte giving his friend a dig in the ribs after moving over to stand next to him. "Yeah," he told Alex. "Psychic powers. Hey, Adam, are you thinking what I'm thinking about the swords and stuff?"
His brow creasing into a frown, Adam nodded. "Immortals. If an Immortal saw Alex teleport, it's not good, Megabyte. From what Pierson told us, it could be dangerous if Immortals found out about our existence." Understatement much, pal? Of course the Immortal, whoever he was, had seen Alex teleport. Teleporting wasn't something he could have missed. The loud noise and bright light were kinda obvious.
As Adam kept talking, Megabyte felt sorry for the new kid. Not only had he just broken out, but he'd run straight into the whole fun Immortal thing too. Breaking out on its own was enough to take in. "He seemed to think they could see us as a dangerous adversary, a threat to the outcome of their Game. Think, Alex, are you sure the man saw you teleport?"
Alex nodded. "He saw me staring at him after he cut that guy's head off. He's my new history teacher, Mr O'Neill." Alex face turned slightly green, as he remembered what he'd seen.
/Gross/, thought Megabyte, catching the tail end of his thoughts. Shields 101 sooner rather than later, definitely.
O'Neill? Weird that the Immortal would share the same name as...Megabyte frowned, his thoughts interrupted by three light signatures solidifying around them as Jade, Kevin and Ami teleported in.
A broad grin spread across Kevin's face after he glanced around the ship and noticed the newest Tomorrow Person. "Alex!" he exclaimed. "Hi, I'm Kevin. Remember me?"
/If he didn't, he does now, Kev/, thought Megabyte, watching his friend's enthusiasm with amusement.
That day hadn't been one any of them had talked about much, with the whole Lisa angle. Megabyte took another glance in Adam's direction, but the Australian had his shields up and wasn't giving anything away. Not like that was anything new. Poor Adam. Now that Alex was one of them it put a different spin on the situation. Kevin had been sure Lisa was involved with Alex's brother, but with not having the option of knowing for sure, and not wanting to bring up the subject again for Adam, they'd canned the conversation quickly and moved onto other things. It hadn't looked as though they'd ever see Lisa again so there hadn't been any point in pursuing it.
Alex smiled, but said nothing, suddenly growing quiet with the arrival of the others. Kid seemed to either prattle on or lose his tongue. That's what Kev had noticed the first time they'd met, Megabyte remembered. Mr Observant seemed to notice stuff like that, unlike himself of course, or so his friend kept telling him. /Hey, different people notice different things./
Still talking to Alex, Kevin introduced Ami and asked about what had happened. Alex just stood there quietly, watching the others and nodding as Kevin showered him with questions.
Jade glanced over at him, and he could sense the puzzlement coming from her. /Nice perfume/, he thought appreciatively. Jade coughed, and he realised she'd asked him something. "What?" he asked, suddenly aware that she wasn't the only one staring at him.
"What's going on, Megabyte?" she asked. "I was at Ami's when we sensed what must have been Alex's arrival. You guys don't seem too happy about the fact we've got a new Tomorrow Person." He could see her watching him, that way she did when she thought he wasn't paying attention to her. It was weird how no one else seemed to notice how warm it was in here. One of these days he was going to have to play around with the thermostat on the ship. The stupid thing must be playing up again.
"When Alex teleported an Immortal saw him," Adam explained. Megabyte rolled his eyes with that one.
/Make it sound simple, why don't you, Adam?/
"An Immortal?" asked Ami. "You mean like Adam Pierson?" He and Adam had made a point of not using Methos' real name when they'd related the events that had happened at Cheyenne Mountain. [2] They owed the Immortal their lives; it was the least they could do in return. The fewer who knew that Adam Pierson was really Methos, the oldest Immortal, the better.
"No, like the other guys who run around with swords cutting each other's heads off." Megabyte smirked, choosing not to notice the annoyed glare Ami shot his way.
Ami, with her weird interest in Egyptology had asked a lot of questions about the Immortal when he and Adam had returned to Colorado. She'd also perked up when she'd heard they'd met Daniel. He would have thought the run in with Rameses would have done something to slow her interest down in that area, but nope, it was still alive and kicking. Or should that be dead and buried?
Ignoring his reply to Ami's question, Adam nodded. "I think Megabyte and I had better check it out and make sure this guy isn't a threat to us." Right, and what did Adam think they were going to do when they found the guy? Ask him nicely to forget what he'd seen? Megabyte mentally shrugged. Adam was right about one thing, they couldn't not check it out. They'd just have to find out what was going down exactly and play things by ear once they got there.
"Good idea," agreed Ami, "but I'm coming with you. I know how you guys love to get into trouble." She was wearing that 'don't try and talk me out of it expression' Megabyte knew so well. Trouble? Yeah like she didn't. Last he looked she seemed to attract bad guys just as well as the rest of them. Of course telling /her/ that wouldn't be the way to go at the moment. Ami, when she got her mind set on something, wasn't a person to be argued with.
A frown crossed Alex's face after he looked down at his wet shoes, and then behind him. He hadn't even asked about Immortals, but just followed the conversation closely. But then the word Immortal and the whole seeing the beheading was self-explanatory. "Oh great," he exclaimed. "I've left my school bag behind." The frown was quickly replaced by a look of panic. "It's got my name and address in it. You don't think he'd come after me do you?"
Adam nodded. "That's exactly what I'm worried about, Alex." This scenario was becoming more fun by the minute. Adam ran his hand through his dark hair, a gesture that meant he was more worried than he was letting on.
"I'm coming too," said Jade, her gaze meeting Megabyte's.
"No you're not," he said. "No way." As he knew would happen the blonde girl snorted.
"Yeah right, Megabyte. Why not?" Her voice took on that argumentative tone which usually preceded the realisation that she wasn't going to listen to reason. As far as he was concerned she was, this time, whether she liked it or not. Jade brushed her long blonde hair back off her face, her bangs hanging softly around her face, and he let his eyes linger on her momentarily before replying. He wondered if she had any idea just how pretty she was, just what effect she was having on him, standing there with her mouth turning up slightly...Megabyte pulled himself up sharply. "Because it's dangerous, that's why. You can stay here and help Kev give Alex the TP 101 lecture, okay?"
The real reason was because he wouldn't take the chance that something might happen to her. He still remembered all too clearly the anguish he'd felt when he'd nearly lost her a couple of months ago. [3] No way was he taking any chances of it happening again.
"Well if it's so dangerous why are you going then?" Jade didn't look very impressed with his answer, but then what else was new. She didn't seem very impressed by a lot of what he'd done lately, period. Maybe he did overreact, occasionally - he knew that, it was just the way he was. She did the same herself at times. Women never seemed to see it that way for some reason. Maybe it was time he got his act together and had that talk with her he'd been putting off. But not now, with all this other stuff going down.
"Because I'm older and wiser," he replied smugly, catching Adam's expression and choosing to ignore it. He shrugged. What else was he supposed to tell her? They wanted to get to this guy before he legged it didn't they?
"We'll be careful, don't worry." Adam added as they initiated the teleport.
Megabyte hoped they were doing the right thing, not just giving this immortal more reason to tell the rest of his kind about their existence. He remembered Methos' last words to them, as they'd parted ways in Colorado, before the old guy had disappeared for parts unknown. 'Not all Immortals are like me. Think about that before you reveal yourselves to just anyone. I'm not running a babysitting service. Next time you guys are on your own.' He snorted. Babysitting service? Get real. Methos might have been so many thousand years old, but he and the other TPs weren't exactly kids either.
Yeah, this was going to be a fun trip. He could just see it now. Hopefully the guy would be long gone, taking his headless body with him and things could get back to what passed for normal these days.
*****
Chapter Three
Adam glanced around the playing field after he materialised, searching for any sign of what Alex had described. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle - it must have previously been much heavier, judging by how damp Alex had been when he'd arrived at the ship.
His eye caught something brightly coloured lying in the mud next to a patch of gorse, and he walked over to take a closer look. It was a school bag, Alex's schoolbag to be precise, according to the name written on the side.
"There's someone here, guys," Ami said, frowning "I'm picking up on some weird vibes. I think they're coming from over there." She gestured towards the group of pine trees bordering the sports field.
An Immortal? Adam remembered his and Megabyte's initial meeting with Methos back in November as he focused his abilities on the area Ami had indicated.
"Weird," said Megabyte. "That feels just like when we first met the old guy." The sensation was growing stronger the closer they got to where Ami figured was ground zero. Did all Immortals give out the same vibes?
Remembering the name Alex had given his history teacher, Adam felt his suspicions grow.
O'Neill, as in Jack O'Neill; surely if this was who he suspected it probably was, he wouldn't be so arrogant as to use the name of the man in charge of SG1?
A familiar figure glanced up when they approached the bank of the creek behind the group of trees and for some reason Adam didn't feel as surprised as he thought he should be. The Immortal was on his knees, leaning over a body, correction a headless body, and Adam felt the bile rise in his stomach after taking in the scene in front of him.
Methos groaned. "I swear you kids are following me," he said, his tone reflecting his apparent disgust. "Either that, or I'm getting paranoid in my old age."
"I knew it," muttered Megabyte, rolling his eyes. "O'Neill. Kinda obvious wasn't it?" So he hadn't been the only one who had picked up on that interesting coincidence.
"Well the guy is hardly going to be running checks on himself if he wants to find me, is he?" Methos shrugged. "Made perfect sense at the time. Still does, if it hadn't been for you kids. Now I'll have to start again. Have you any idea how time consuming all this changing identities is these days. A thousand years ago, things were so much simpler."
The immortal rose to his feet, turned, and gazed at Ami long and hard with an expression that Adam decided he didn't particularly like. /Stop over reacting/, he told himself. /You're just in protective mode, as usual./ At least protective mode was better than what he'd been feeling earlier when Alex's arrival had brought all his thoughts of Lisa to the surface again. He'd noticed the look Megabyte had given him when her name had been brought up, although he was sure his friend didn't suspect how much he was still hurting from what had happened the night he'd gone after the American girl.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your rather attractive friend? Or are you just going to stand there with your mouths on the ground?" Methos had a way of coming straight to the point.
"Ami, this is Adam Pierson, or Jack O'Neill as I suspect he's calling himself these days."
"Adam Pierson? As in /the/ Adam Pierson?" Ami looked the Immortal up and down, giving him the same once over he'd given her. Adam grinned. Trust Ami to give as well as she got.
"Nope," said Methos, shrugging. "That's my evil twin brother." He bent down and wiped his sword on the grass at his feet.
/God, he's still got the blood from his victim on it,/ thought Adam, noticing the casual action. /These people do this for survival,/ he reminded himself. Survival or not, it wasn't doing much for his peace of mind, let alone the state of his stomach.
"Don't you think it's a bit much following me around the globe?" Methos asked. "I told you in Colorado that I was done with the whole babysitting scenario. Putting a Tomorrow Person in my history class, doesn't that sound rather like overkill?"
"We didn't know he was one of us," Adam protested, trying to avert his eyes from the body Methos was still leaning over.
"You brought up the whole paranoid thing," pointed out Megabyte in his usual tactful manner, his eyes darting around the sports field, looking anywhere but at the body. "I'd stick to that theory if I were you." His normally pale skin seemed to be developing a slightly green tinge to it, a shade Adam was sure was mirrored on his own
The dark-haired Immortal stood, blocking their view of the corpse, his expression softening as though he was remembering something or someone. "This is part of being Immortal," he reminded them. "Don't think for a moment that I enjoy doing this, because I don't. But if it comes down to them or me, I'll take me everytime."
"But you killed him," said Adam. There must have been a choice, surely. There was /always/ a choice when it came to killing. He took a deep breath, trying to keep calm after the smell of the blood hit him. He could feel it permeating through him, almost to the extent of overwhelming his other senses, and the urge to vomit grew stronger the longer they were in the vicinity of the body. Fighting the desire to teleport away right then and there, Adam was convinced this was going to stay in his memory for quite some time. How could Immortals live like this?
"So what did you think I was going to do?" asked Methos, the sarcasm in his voice obvious. "Invite him out to dinner and hope he changed his mind?"
"You could have least talked to him." Adam felt as though he should at least go through the motions, even though he suspected he was wasting his time.
"So you wacked him because you had no choice? Is that it? Yeah right." Megabyte wasn't quite so subtle, no surprise there.
Taking refuge against a nearby tree, Ami's gaze alternated between Methos and her fellow Tomorrow People. Considering the comments she'd made after Colorado about how much she wished she'd met the Immortal she was suspiciously quiet.
[You okay?] Adam 'pathed, feeling concerned.
[As fine as I'm going to be with that in front of me. Thanks, Adam.] Ami was watching Methos closely, waiting for his reply to Megabyte's statement.
"Look, kid."
Adam watched Megabyte's reaction to that title and mentally cringed. /Uh oh./ Methos had just effectively waved a red flag at the bull with that one.
The Immortal continued on, smirking and seemingly unaware of his faux pas. "I'm not like you. The sooner you work that out the better. And here was I actually thinking you were listening to what I told you in Colorado. My mistake." Methos rolled his eyes, an expression of disgust on his face.
"I was kind of busy at the time trying to stop you getting your head cut off,' Megabyte retorted, his voice rising in pitch, as his complexion changed to match the colour of his hair. Adam put his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to calm him down but Megabyte ignored him.
"Oh yes," continued Methos. "That's right. What an idiot - how remiss of me." He threw the Tomorrow Person a look of contempt. "Like I need a couple of kids to help me in that department."
"Me...Pierson..." began Adam, trying to smooth things over.
"Don't waste your breath, Adam," It was hard to miss the sarcasm in Megabyte's voice. "He's a lot older than us. He knows better than we do."
Methos snorted and muttered something in another language which, judging from the tone of the words, didn't sound particularly polite. After glancing around the surrounding field, he then checked his watch. "Taking your time with this one, aren't you guys?" he said under his breath to no one in particular before turning tail and walking across the grass, pointedly ignoring the Tomorrow People.
"Megabyte!" chastised Ami. "That was rude."
"He started it."
/Time to change the subject,/ thought Adam. He knew how this conversation would end or rather not end, and he really wasn't in the mood for it. "Let's go see how Alex is doing," he suggested. "We'll come and talk to Pierson tomorrow when he's calmed down. It must have been a shock for him running into us again like that."
"Right," muttered Megabyte. "Poor guy. He looked so shocked too." The redhead shrugged, then frowned "Guys, slight problem in case you've forgotten." He indicated what was left of Methos' opponent.
Adam nodded. "I'll ring the police anonymously before we go. I can't see Pierson coming back to clean up, after what we've just said to him."
"I wonder what Immortals do with all these headless bodies?" Megabyte voiced Adam's other concern. "I mean it's not as though there's a branch of them who go round doing clean up duty." He grinned. "Who knows? Maybe there's a whole society of people out there who dedicate their life to watching these guys and cleaning up after them."
"That's a sick idea, Megabyte, you know that, right?" Ami didn't seem impressed.
Megabyte shrugged. "No sicker than the whole wacking heads to survive thing."
"I don't know about you, guys," Adam interrupted, "but I just want to get out of here and back to the ship. As soon as I find a phone, we're gone."
Reaching into his jeans pocket, Megabyte pulled out a brightly coloured cellphone and threw it towards his friend. Adam raised an eyebrow and the American grinned in reply. "Dad has this weird idea that he likes to be able to get hold of me. He's gotten even more paranoid since Roswell. Seems to think I'm going to wander off and find trouble." The redhead shrugged. "Can't understand why."
*******
"I had no idea, I truly had no idea." Bill shook himself mentally, suddenly realising what he was doing as Dawson's words echoed in his mind. He took in the shocked expression on the man's face. Dawson had truly believed that the kids were some kind of lab rats, nothing more.
He searched the man's face, trying to decide if he could trust him. After a few moments he reached out his hand and helped Dawson to his feet. "I'm sorry," he said, not sure of what exactly to say next. "I'm not sure what came over me." As soon as the words were out, Bill realised how stupid they sounded, even to himself. He'd known full well what had come over him. The thought of someone hurting his kids had pushed him over the edge, just like it had when Masters had tried to kill his son in Roswell. Hell he wouldn't blame Dawson if he threw him out then and there. One lapse of control and that month of research and related work could be heading out the window.
Instead of reacting the way he was expecting, Dawson's expression seemed to soften into something akin to empathy. The man headed back to the bar, and reached behind the counter, bringing out the bottle of whisky he'd offered earlier. This time he didn't ask but instead poured two glasses, brought them back to the table and sat down. "Drink," he told Bill. "I get the feeling you need this even more than I do."
Bill hesitated for a moment, but then pulled up a chair opposite Dawson and gulped down the drink he'd been offered, savouring the taste and warmth of the liquid. Dawson had given him an olive branch of sorts and he'd be a damn fool not to accept it. He needed to find out what exactly Dawson knew about the kids, and what information he had that could be used to help protect them from Trent. Whatever Trent's plans were, it was obvious they weren't anything Bill wanted to hear. Just the fact he'd been working alongside Masters was enough to send a chill running through him.
"So your son is one of these teleporters?" asked Dawson, getting straight to the point.
Nodding, Bill could sense the other man watching; he was waiting for a reaction and an answer. He began to feel calmer as he hunted for the right words to explain without giving too much away. The alcohol was starting to take effect.
"One thing puzzles me," continued Dawson, "and I'm going to be blunt, because I think we need to get our cards on the table. Whether you decide to trust me is up to you, but at least hear me out first."
"Get to the point," Bill said, nodding again, "then we'll think about trust. From where I'm sitting, I haven't seen anything that makes me think we can trust each other yet, but I'm listening."
"The thing that puzzles me," repeated Dawson, "is that if your kid has been experimented on, how did you manage to get him away from Trent and his goons in the first place? With all the research that seems to have been put into this project, why would they just let him and his friends go?"
Something about this man told him he could be trusted but it wasn't his life he was gambling with here. Maybe if he told part of the truth and waited to see how Dawson reacted? "The kids aren't an experiment, Dawson," Bill took a deep breath before continuing. "This is Mother Nature, not science. The teleportation is something that comes naturally to them." He remembered what Adam had told him once. "To them it's as natural as breathing."
"Mother nature?" asked Dawson, a frown creasing his brow. "Do you mean as in freak of nature or evolution?"
"Evolution."
"Okay, that makes sense. It would also be the reason why Trent and the others would perceive them as a threat. I think you and I have a lot more in common than I first thought," Dawson decided, shaking his head.
Bill frowned, wondering what the hell Dawson going on about. It was time to throw out a few of his own questions. Dawson had made a show of getting straight to the point, so would he. "Has this got anything to do with Immortals?"
A look of resignation crossed Dawson's face and he rolled his eyes. "I knew it," he muttered. "What do you know about Immortals?" Dawson shrugged. "If such a thing exists that is."
"You were the one who said we needed to get all our cards on the table. If I tell you about the kids, you have to tell me your secrets too. Works both ways."
"Let's just say that there are people who would like to see Immortals wiped off the face of the planet much the same way as your kid and his friends," Dawson sighed.
"Do you condone that action?" Bill's gaze met Dawson's as he asked the question. It was likely the guy could lie, but for some reason Bill doubted he would. Still, there was no point in taking chances at this stage of the game.
"No I don't. Look, Damon, I haven't spent most of my adult life watching Immortals to have their Game thrown away by some lunatic who perceives a threat that doesn't even exist."
Dawson's mention of the Game wasn't an accident, Bill surmised. He was trying to find out exactly how much he knew about Immortals and the way they lived. Now was the time to match that information with some of his own. "Adam Pierson."
"That answers that one," Dawson said, pouring himself another drink. Seeing Bill's puzzled look he continued. "I noticed you listening to Mac and I talking about him. That's how you knew to ask about Immortals. Usually the only way people know about Immortals is if they've met one. They're very careful about covering their tracks, Pierson in particular."
"Yes, I had kind of noticed that about the guy," Bill smirked. "He's not exactly forthcoming in the information department. Only gives out what he knows is going to annoy the hell out of you."
"Yep that sounds like him," Dawson laughed, taking another swig from his glass. "So where did you have the pleasure of meeting up with him?"
"Colorado."
"Figures," Dawson said, raising one eyebrow. "Does Pierson know about the kids?"
Bill hesitated. He really wanted, really needed to trust the man sitting opposite but the years he'd spent covering up the existence of the Tomorrow People had made him wary. Dawson was direct, he'd give him that, but two could play at that game. "How do you know about Immortals?" he asked his possible ally.
"Touche," Dawson replied with a twinkle in his eye. He took another swig of whisky. "I suppose this trading of information should go both ways if we're going to trust each other."
"Works for me," Bill told Dawson. "You already know about the Tomorrow People. I think it's about time you told me about how /you/ fit into all this." He smiled slowly. "I've come to the conclusion that you aren't working with Trent and his goons. So how come you know all about their plans?"
Dawson grimaced. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, I think. Tomorrow People? Is that what you call the kids?"
Nodding, Bill suddenly realised that he'd given the older man a piece of information he'd been unaware of. "That's what they call themselves," he corrected. He glanced at the clock over the bar for what seemed the tenth time that evening. This was going to be a long night. "Before you tell me about your place in the scheme of things, I have an important question for you."
"Oh?" A look of surprise crossed Dawson's face.
"You wouldn't have any coffee? I don't know about you, but I know I'm going to need some before the night's out."
*******
Chapter Four
Teleportation, telepathy - the whole nine yards.
Alex sat down on one of the benches built into the wall of the ship and glanced out the window at the ebb of swirling waves. Their colour was brighter than he'd seen at home; it was weird to think that they were under the sea. He grinned. Only a short time ago he'd complained about how life was treating him and suddenly he was part of a world he hadn't even known existed.
[We're going to have to teach you some shielding.] He heard Kevin's voice, but at the same time knew the older boy hadn't spoken aloud.
"Shielding?" he asked.
Absently brushing a lock of brown hair out of his eyes, Kevin watched Alex intently for a moment before nodding and switching to speech. "At the moment you're projecting a lot of what you're thinking telepathically. We all use mental shielding, to some degree, in order to have some privacy."
Jade turned from where she'd been staring out the other window. She'd been quiet after the others had left and Megabyte had insisted she stay behind; whatever the relationship between the two, it was clear that she was worried about him.
It was also clear that despite the potential danger, Adam had deemed it necessary to investigate the situation in New Zealand further. He'd taken charge of the situation with an ease that insinuated that the leadership role was one he took on often. Of all the Tomorrow People, Adam was the hardest to gauge. He was friendly, as were all of them, but Alex had a weird feeling that for some reason his presence made the Australian uncomfortable. He shrugged, putting it down to his over active imagination.
"Much as it's fun to eavesdrop sometimes, it's really not good manners. One of these days some of us are going to work that out." A look of annoyance crossed Jade's face as she made the comment and in his mind, Alex could see a very clear picture of Megabyte.
"Where did that come from?" he asked, frowning.
"Sometimes shielding doesn't work as well as it should, even for those of us with more experience." Kevin smirked after Jade's face burned a fiery red. "You accidentally picked up on what Jade was thinking, " he explained. "Don't worry, Alex, you'll get used to it."
Although he didn't feel convinced, Alex nodded. There was no way he going to get used to this anytime soon. He felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder as Kevin moved to sit next to him on the bench. Their eyes met, he thought he saw an expression of something he couldn't quite put his finger on, and then it was gone.
/Empathy perhaps?/
Kevin chuckled. "Empathy," he said, as though it explained everything.
Had he been broadcasting his thoughts again? Alex frowned. How the hell was he going to get the hang of this before he gave away all his secrets? Not that they were that interesting, but they were still his and he'd like to keep them that way.
"Kevin's an empath," Jade said. "He can pick up on how you're feeling. Some of us have an extra power the others don't. Adam calls it an edge power."
/Oh/. Alex felt his cheeks flame.
"Hey," said Kevin quietly, suddenly serious. "Stop panicking. I can teach you how to deal with this. You just need a bit of practice, that's all."
"You reckon..." Alex's voice trailed off. The weird pins and needles sensation he'd felt earlier when the others had teleported had returned. Air crackling around them, the three light signatures appearing to the side of him coalesced into Adam, Megabyte and Ami, and the feeling subsided. Sighing in relief as he noticed Ami was holding his schoolbag, Alex rose to his feet to collect it from her and nodded his thanks.
"I don't think we have to worry about the Immortal," Adam explained. "It turns out that your Mr O'Neill was no other than our old friend, Adam Pierson." His complexion seemed greyer than it had been, and Alex shuddered, remembering the body. Kevin had explained to him about their inability to kill, but he was sure that seeing a decapitated corpse would have been difficult to cope with for anyone, Tomorrow Person or not.
"I doubt he thinks that way after what Megabyte said to him," said Ami, in her clipped English accent. She glared at the American, and waved her arms to accentuate her annoyance, the action causing her hair, which was braided into a multitude of small dark plaits, to swing about her face.
One American, three Brits, an Australian and now him. /We're certainly a multi-national group/, Alex decided. It was scary to think they were the only ones of their species on the planet.
"Hey," replied Megabyte. "Be nice. Besides he started it. I told you that already."
Alex stifled a grin. The interplay between the two reminded him of his twin brother and sister when they got into one of their discussions. "Adam Pierson?" he asked. This day was getting weirder, if that was really possible.
Leaning back against the wall of the ship, Adam nodded. "Megabyte and I met him late last year."
Alex decided that he'd ask Kevin for the details later. For now, he was having enough problems getting his head around the idea that he was a Tomorrow Person without adding the complications of Immortals to the mix.
"So are there are other Tomorrow People?" he asked instead, thinking back to his earlier thoughts. Surely there couldn't be only the six of them?
The atmosphere in the ship grew quiet and Alex wondered if he'd asked something he shouldn't have. He glanced out the view port of the ship, noticing for the first time the raised symbols on the walls. The reflection from the central column bathed them in an eerie glow and Alex shivered. The constant hum he'd been aware of since his arrival seemed to change in intensity for a moment, shifting to match the sudden silence.
Okay, so that hadn't been a good question for some reason. He tried another tact in an attempt to make amends for whatever he'd just done. "Funny how I met you guys about a month ago. Does that happen often before someone breaks out?" /Hang on a moment./ Alex felt pieces of a puzzle slide into place. "You guys know Lisa. Is Lisa one of you?"
Megabyte and Kevin exchanged a look before the American moved to stand closer to Jade.
Finally Kevin broke the silence. "One of us, Alex," he corrected quietly. "You're a Tomorrow Person too, now." He glanced at Adam and Alex saw his concern echoed on the faces of the faces of the others. What the hell was going on?
"Lisa is one of us," confirmed Adam, and Alex could feel what he guessed was his telepathic awareness of him diminish. Was this what happened when a Tomorrow Person strengthened their mental shields? Adam continued, his voice totally lacking in emotion, "but she'd rather not be."
He was upset by Lisa's decision. That had to be it. As their unofficial leader, he probably took his responsibilities very seriously; it wouldn't have been easy letting her walk away from them.
/How could someone rather not be a Tomorrow Person?/
Lisa had been on edge for quite a while after seeing Kevin that day in the Forest Park, as had Jamie. Alex hadn't asked, after all it was none of his business but he'd felt concerned for both of them. Jamie didn't like it when Lisa distanced herself from him; he knew his brother well enough to read the signs. He doubted she'd told him about this either; not if it were something she was trying to ignore herself.
/How could someone rather not be a Tomorrow Person?/ He repeated the question in his own mind, realising that it led to other questions, questions which now affected him.
/Who is supposed to know about the Tomorrow People? I don't like keeping secrets but surely it can't be a good idea to let too many people know that we exist?/
"Got it in one, kid," Megabyte told him. Damn, he'd been broadcasting again. The sooner he learnt about this shielding the better. "There are too many psycho bad guys out there who'd love to get their hands on us. Some have already tried." Megabyte squeezed Jade's hand and Alex remembered the way she'd introduced herself as his girlfriend, despite the protestations to the contrary.
"What about our families?" he asked, Megabyte's words sending a shiver through him. He'd been so worried about controlling his powers that he hadn't given a thought to the danger having those powers might involve.
"I'd get used to the idea yourself first, Alex," Kevin suggested, "and worry about who needs to know later." The other boy gave him a sad smile. "One step at a time, and hope it's the right one..."
******
"So how do Trent and his band of merry men fit into the Watcher scenario?" asked Damon. "You guys watch Immortals but don't interfere, right?" Although he appeared to be taking the concept of the Watchers in his stride, his previous ignorance of their existence confirmed Joe's suspicions that Methos, acting true to form, had only shared as much information as he'd had to. "Did Trent lose his copy of the guidebook or did something happen to make him decide not to follow the party line?
"We refer to Trent's organisation as Hunters," Joe told him, before taking another swig of coffee. "The title's self explanatory. They used to be Watchers but then under the leadership of my late brother-in-law, James Horton, decided that Immortals were a threat to the human race and needed to be wiped out."
"Because of the Game or because they aren't what you might term human?" Damon frowned as he took a moment to study the ring on his left hand. His tone, when he finally spoke, echoed his earlier disgust. "Like the Tomorrow People aren't human."
"Got it in one," Joe confirmed. Not only did they have a common problem, but a common goal. They were each, in their own way, trying to protect those they cared about from the same enemy.
"It sounds to me," Damon said slowly, "that we should be pooling our resources against this threat. We both have secrets to hide and people to protect, and you have access to resources I could use and vice versa. I'd like to think I could trust you, Dawson, I really would. I've been practically on my own with this one for a long time, and I could sure do with someone to share the load with."
Noticing again just how tired Damon seemed, Joe held his hand out in a gesture of friendship. "My friends call me Joe," he said, "And don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Even if I need the Watchers' help, I can't see any reason why I need to tell them the whole truth. There's no way I'm prepared to let the Hunters go after a bunch of kids. I don't like them going after Immortals either, but at least they have a fairer chance of defending themselves than these kids do."
Damon hesitated for a moment and then reached over the table to accept Joe's offer. "The name's Bill," he told Joe. His initial look of relief grew sombre. "The Tomorrow People can't defend themselves...how the hell can these Hunters justify wiping out a race which can't even kill to protect themselves?" Joe's eyes widened. This was a piece of information he hadn't known. Bill continued, watching Joe carefully. "As my son keeps trying to tell me, having these powers has its downside too. I'm not convinced being unable to kill is bad thing, but he's having problems coming to terms with it." An expression of pain crossed his features momentarily before disappearing.
"Okay," said Joe, sensing that it was time to move on. "How many people if any, in your organisation, know about the Tomorrow People and who can you trust?"
"Frank, my aide. That's about it, really though it's beyond me why more people haven't found out by now considering the trouble they've teleported themselves into lately. They seem to attract psycho bad guys like a magnet. I'm spending more and more time trying to cover their tracks and that's what worries me, Joe." He took another swig of coffee. "It's only a matter of time before I slip up and leave a trail for the wrong people."
"Gil Hawkins has been working undercover for me in Masters' organisation. He's the one who got me the copy of the CD I'm sure you used to track me down." Joe paused. Damn. He muttered something rude under his breath as realisation hit home. "He never told me that the Tomorrow People were kids; it's information he should have been aware of."
"He's in his twenties, with bleached blond hair?" Bill asked.
Joe nodded.
"The guy was listening to the fun discussion I had with Masters. We talked about the non-killing and the fact they were kids and it would have been loud and clear that one of them is my son." Bill put down his cup, his face grim. "It sounds as though this guy is working undercover, alright, but as a double agent."
It was the only thing that made sense. Those details shouldn't have been omitted, especially given the information Bill had just shared. The details that Hawkins had conveniently forgotten to share were those which would have tipped the scale in the Tomorrow People's favour. The way the CD had read, it had looked as though the whole teleporter angle had been an experiment gone wrong, nothing more. There was certainly nothing there to suggest that the next stage of evolution had arrived. This put a completely different spin on things.
"Okay," he told Bill. "It sounds as though there isn't anyone we can trust on either side apart from this Frank of yours. And Methos, if the old guy ever shows his face again." Joe paused, frowning as he wondered if he was getting sloppy in his old age. Did Bill know Pierson was really Methos? Hell, if he and Bill were going to work together they had to share all their information or this would be a waste of time.
"So he's been able to disappear so well that even your Watchers can't track him? " Bill rolled his eyes. "Do they even know he's Immortal? From what he told us, it wouldn't surprise me if very few people knew that Methos was any more than a myth."
"Very few people do," confirmed Joe. "I suspect it's the reason he's managed to survive so long." He paused. "This is going to be harder than we thought. We need to find out what exactly Trent is up to, how Hawkins fits into all this, and what the hell we can do to stop them."
"Oh is that all?" asked Bill, the sarcasm in his voice obvious, as he took another swig of coffee. He grimaced. "It sounds like the story of my life, at least for the past few years. Do you have kids, Joe?"
Half-guessing what was coming next, Joe nodded.
"I've read all the parenting books, including the ones on raising teenagers - though I suspect my kids would be surprised to hear me admit to it - but I've yet to find a chapter on how to deal with your kid being a member of a new species." The corners of Bill's mouth twitched. "There needs to be a parents' guide available for raising a Tomorrow Person," he sighed, "and another on how to deal with the psycho bad guys as the kids like to refer to them."
"And another called /Watching Immortals Made Easy/."
"Same books, different titles?" Bill chuckled.
Joe grinned. "You learn fast. I'll make you a deal, I'll find you a copy, if you find me a copy."
"Done." Bill paused. "And thank you."
******
Epilogue
Listening to Alex and Kevin's conversation, Jade couldn't help but smile at the way in which Kevin had taken the younger boy under his wing. Kevin seemed to have an almost nurturing side to him at times; she wondered if it went hand and hand with his empathic abilities.
"I'm going to head off, guys," Ami told them. "Mum wanted me to help with tea tonight, and I'd better not be late. You know how she worries if I am."
Jade nodded, glad that her mother was more laid back in her attitude towards Tomorrow People related matters than Mrs Jackson. Although Ami's mother was nice enough, she had a way with words that Jade hoped never to be on the receiving end of.
"I'm going to make tracks too," Adam said, adjusting the pile of textbooks he'd collected from the corner of the console room, under one arm. He'd been burying himself in his books even more than usual since his return from seeing Lisa. "I have an exam in the morning." He closed his eyes and teleported out just as Ami did the same.
"How exactly do I get home, again?" Alex asked, shuffling his feet and staring at the space where Adam had just been.
The poor guy certainly had a lot to learn about being a Tomorrow Person. /Shields first/, Jade thought, stifling a giggle, and then blushed when she remembered how she'd accidentally broadcasted her own thoughts of Megabyte.
Kevin smiled before breaking into what Megabyte liked to term a shit-eating grin. He was finding this whole situation very amusing for some reason. "Just concentrate and think about where you want to go, Alex. Follow what I do. It will be easier that way, at least till you get the hang of it."
Although it didn't appear that Kevin's words had done much to reassure him, Alex nodded. "I'll see you guys later, then." He closed his eyes and he and Kevin disappeared in a flash of white light.
"It's a good thing for the kid that I fixed the beacon," Megabyte remarked with a smirk. He paused for a moment before turning to give her a smile and Jade realised that they were alone for the first time in weeks. Bending to pick up her jacket from the floor she could feel his eyes following her every movement."I'm glad you didn't come with us, Jade." Megabyte said
quietly, so quietly that it surprised her. "That body wasn't fun. Not fun at all."
A trickle of surprise ran through her. "Megabyte, I didn't know you cared."
"Of course I care, Jade," he protested, his face contorting into a momentarily expression of pain. "I know I don't say stuff like that much, but it doesn't mean I don't care."
He bent down and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. She glanced up at him, and was surprised by the emotion reflected in his eyes as they met her own. Unsure of what to do or say, she began struggling to her feet only to find a pair of strong arms wrapped around her as he lowered them both to the floor.
Hoping and wanting their closeness to be real, Jade leaned into his embrace. Blue light reflected off the side of the hold of the ship to bask Megabyte's hair in an eerie glow as she tilted her head to look up at him again. "Megabyte?" she asked, sure that it must be a dream, a fantasy born out of her own desires.
"That's me," he grinned back at her. "Don't worry Jade, this is real." Megabyte pretended to look hurt. "Don't you think I'm capable of this stuff? I am, you know. It's just that..."
Jade placed a finger on his lips. "It's okay, Megabyte, I know what you were about to say. I understand, really I do."
He kissed her finger gently and she sighed. /Maybe you should go and see dead bodies more often if this is what they do to you./
"Jade! Kill the moment much? I thought it was guys who were supposed to come out with comments like that!" Megabyte retorted with that lop-sided grin she loved so much. He'd been eavesdropping on her thoughts again. But this time, for some reason, she didn't care.
Pulling her closer, his lips brushed against her own, tentatively at first and then...
The loud popping sound was followed by an embarrassed cough. Jade opened her eyes in annoyance, the atmosphere that had been building between them broken in a single frustrating moment.
"Hiya, Al. Forget something?" Megabyte rose to his feet, having already moved away from her before he spoke. Jade gave Alex a glare. She'd been waiting so long for this moment and he'd
ruined it.
"Hey, Jade, there's always next time," Megabyte whispered. He grinned at her, a half smirk forming on his lips before he turned his attention to the new arrival.
"My schoolbag." Looking down at his shoes, Alex took a moment to examine them in detail, before shifting his eyes towards the view from the ship's window.
"Here's your bag, Alex," Jade forced herself to remain polite as she bent to retrieve it. She wrinkled her nose. "What's that smell?"
"I, er, dropped it in something earlier. Sorry, " Alex mumbled, his cheeks burning a fiery red. Taking the bag, he quickly checked the contents. "It's still there and in one piece. Cool."
"It?" asked Megabyte.
"I borrowed a computer game from my friend, Ryan. If I lost it he'd kill me," Alex explained.
"Computer game?" Megabyte visibly perked up.
Damn. Of all the things to bring up he had to choose computer games. Jade sighed, knowing that she had lost any chance of rekindling the moment.
Pulling the disc from his bag, Alex handed it to Megabyte. Jade edged closer to see which game would be responsible for ruining her evening.
"Cool!" exclaimed Megabyte. "I've got the game for the sequel."
"You've seen the sequel then? Cool." Adjusting his glasses, Alex dropped his bag to the floor. "I thought it was better than the original."
"Nah," Megabyte shook his head. "The original was better. Nothing can compare with the Eiffel Tower scene."
/You have got to be kidding./ Jade's heart sunk as she read the title.
/Attack of the Killer Cucumbers.
Oh great./ The perfect ending to what /should/ have been the perfect day.
******
Letting himself in the front door of his home, Bill paused after hearing voices coming from the direction of the living room. As Caroline and Millie were away visiting friends, it had to be Megabyte - home for once instead of out getting into trouble as usual.
He hung his coat on the hook by the door and yawned. He was getting too old for the all nighter he and Joe had pulled before he'd caught the flight home from Paris. A few years ago he could have handled the lack of sleep but not now. Although it would be easy to blame his inability to cope on any number of things, he suspected the culprit was more than likely the recent activities of Megabyte and his friends.
"How was I to know that touching that switch would make the screen blow up?"
Bill frowned at the unfamiliar voice. The door was open so he gave the room a quick glance. Jade was sitting on the couch, her face screwed into an expression of disgust, although her gaze was focused on Megabyte. His son was rolling his eyes in response to what had been presumably said by the third person in the room, a boy Bill had never seen before.
He coughed and all three turned to look at him. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend, Marmaduke?" The boy sitting on Megabyte's other side grinned and Bill noticed that he was a few years younger than Jade, let alone his son. Fifteen, maybe sixteen at the most, though his height and build were deceiving.
"Hey Dad," acknowledged Megabyte, eyes glazing over for a minute as he shot Jade a filthy look. "This is Alex. Alex, this is General Damon, my dad."
Giving a tiny smirk, Alex glanced at Jade before rising to shake Bill's hand. "Pleased to meet you," he said, in an accent Bill couldn't quite place. "I'm from New Zealand," the boy continued as though the question had been spoke aloud.
"You're a long way from home, Alex," Bill sighed as realisation struck. Not only had Alex answered his unspoken question but the look he'd given Jade suggested a reaction to a conversation Bill hadn't been privy to.
"Ummm, Dad..." began Megabyte. Whenever his son started a sentence with that, it was a sign that Bill wasn't going to like what followed. "There's something I need to tell you about Alex..."
END
[1] In the previous story, 'Where The Winds Blow'
[2] Refers to events in the first story in the 'Tears in Heaven' series, 'The Medusa Stone'.
[3] Story three - 'All That Glitters.' Yes, I'm planning on referencing the previous stories in the arc, in this chapter, as they all tie together in the series...eventually.