Mach X training

Mach X sat on the roof edge, looking out across the city. There was no point at looking up at the stars; New York made far too much light at night to be able to see much except from the tallest buildings and he wasn't crawling out onto a roof on one of those. Fifteen floors was good enough, in his opinion. The sneak up was easy enough, even with locked doors. The night watchman wandered the halls and fell asleep at a desk on the first floor frequently. All Mach X needed was the empty electrical plant room at the back. He had picked the lock, closed it off behind him and repeated three more times then used the stairs. It was one of the least secure buildings he knew of which was why he chose it.

For looking across the city scape, it was just fine.

Out there he knew crimes were happening as the seedier side of the city awoke and got to work, drugs, smuggling, theft, etc. Until this week he had been an active participant in all that although now he had stopped his ads and made some calls telling folks it was time for a last round. Maybe there would be a few more jobs after this week, but most likely not many more. Jesse seemed a good guy and he was going to take the chance and see what came of it. The chance at college was besides the fact; Jesse needed Mach X as well he thought, even if the older man didn't realize it. And he was going to have his own room which had been a mind-blower in itself! Jesse had told him about the place and it sounded more fantastic then Mach X could imagine, even though he had seen a few apartments elsewhere, but those he had no chance of living in. In addition, his encounter with June had warned him how close he was to being caught and then there was Becca.

Becca. Now there was a problem.

Mach X had known her for years and they had become fast friends. In or out of school she was one of the coolest people he knew and they did get in trouble together in many different parts of the 'safe' side of the city. They shared secrets, had adventures, and did lots of talking. And yesterday she had blown his mind away by waking up his inner hormones which he had ignored for so long and had really done a number on him. The worst part was she didn't seem to realize how much she had gotten to him, only teasingly calling him a 'perv.' She had even taken his revealing of power as cool and a fun idea, not realizing how much it had played a factor in causing his current confusion. After all, he didn't want to lose his best friend in any way, he had no replacements really anyway.

But he was fairly sure you were not supposed to dream up pulling your best friend into a closet to have sex either.

Not the weird twisted sex he had seen through his hands (which was finally fading from his nightmares) nor what the guys talked about in the gym class or the locker room. Most of that stuff was a mix of violence, trickery, and scoring. If he ever had a chance with Becca, certainly no one else would ever hear about it, that was for sure. But yesterday on the surfboard she had made him see her for once in a new light. He had come so close to telling her how beautiful she was, but had wisely bitten his lip instead. And she was, although she probably wouldn't believe him if he did get up the guts to tell her. For years had been around her delighting in her distractions and enjoying the romps and he had never realized as she grew that she was a woman worthy of notice. Their mutual changes had happened so gradually he had woken up yesterday to quite a surprise; her eyes so full of mischief were attractive now, her hair filled with colors he wanted to run a hand through, and her skin was covered with little scars from the past which he found himself wanting to learn the stories from.

Gods, he couldn't believe how stupid he had been all this time. And now he wanted to act like a fool for some reason unexplained and risk losing his friendship with her over... hormones. Softly he banged his head against the roof vent's brick encasement. No, he would get control. 'Yeah right' he thought 'Like you have control over other things so well, like your power.' "Gah...maybe she won't notice and think it's just my power distracting me." Arguing with yourself had one major flaw; you could never win. 'Oh right, she'll never see the sweaty palms and constantly brushing against her arm. No, you're right, she will never notice. Idiot.' Softly he began to bang his head against the brick again with a despairing look, wondering how he was going to get through the next few weeks.

No, he didn't want something momentary. He wanted the long drawn out seduction, the night on the beach in the sand eating and laughing and then that moment of silence before they kissed, when they each knew it was going to happen. He remembered reading about it in english class for one of their assignments (while mostly the kids rolled their eyes and laughed and made inappropriate comments that made everyone laugh more) and it had sounded silly at the time. Now he wasn't so sure. When he thought about her lips and what they must taste like.... Quickly he stood and walked around the roof fast, trying to get his mind back under his control. "Damnit, hell shit mother...." he went on for a few trying to distract himself and gain some measure of control over his mind. He couldn't do it, couldn't. Risking his friendship with her would be too much, he wouldn't be able to stand it. She meant far too much to Mach X to risk it, he'd just have to find a way somehow to stop himself.

Especially since she wasn't interested. She'd cut him off in a second if he did something to make her uncomfortable.


Mach X turned again onto his side, restless with a mind far too busy for sleep. The normal snores from different beds reminded him clearly where he was and why, not a happy thing to remember at any time. The week had been busy as hell, with lots of stuff happening, and several major surprises. Foremost was the discovery there were others who had powers, although far more powerful then his own. Knowing they existed was difficult enough a concept to get his mind wrapped around, more so since he had always thought of himself as a solitary freak, a loner. Ever since he had first discovered that others could not read the world around them he had been different. He had gotten used to playing by himself before he had learned to hide his abilities and it was several orphanages before he got good at it, moved by financial issues at different places. The current situation was one in a long series of different places, fortunately this one near a beach for one. Surfing was one of those few places his ability was fairly quiet as the sand reset itself with the tides and the ocean gave him no reading at all. It was as close to freedom as he got with his skin; he fervently hoped one day he would be able to learn to shut off that particular ability.

A snort in his sleep from Evans in the next bed reminded him again of how different he was from normal kids.

Second with the discovery of others was the discovery there were many of them out there and they were being hunted down. Not a comfortable thought at all. In addition, he had found one on his own, or she had found him, and learned from her clothing's memories the others which she knew about and now he did as well. She was formidable as well and it left him wondering how anyone could jail them all, with so many different skills as it seemed there were. Would they even try to contain his ability or just leave him in a cell if they caught him to read the helplessness and hopeless feelings of those before him? He shuddered and tried turning onto his front side, arms under his pillow cradling it around the side of his face. Mach X had hidden his powers as well for so long because he was afraid of other's reactions and what they might do; it seemed he had been right in that assessment. Being jailed and kept as a freak because he could do something others couldn't, well, it hardly seemed fair for his life to be so full of variation. Through the door top where the glass was, he saw the light approaching and closed his eyes down to slits before the light stopped at the door and he heard the keys being slid into the lock. He closed his eyes as the old man made came in and walked the length of the room, checking all sixty kids were in their beds as was his nighttime routine. He had never wavered in his time in the years Mach X had been here which made him easy to avoid, the old fool. As he left Mach X smiled silently, remembering so many close calls he had had over the years. It was barely eleven and he wouldn't be back again till nearly dawn, plenty of time for Mach X's normal working hours, but not tonight. He had far too much to think about that was for sure. Especially the most shocking event of all this week, the offer.

Jesse's offer to send him to school and take him in with an adoption had been a real shock, enough so Mach X had been astonished and agreed easily, eagerly even. The idea of family, like so many other orphans, was a powerful dream and one in which they all secretly hoped even though they knew the odds were against all of them. And having the dream become actually possible even if only with an offer had been like a ray of sunshine thought the clouds after a decade of storms. But now that he thought about it, he saw lots of problems. Frustrated with his lack of the oblivion of sleep, he rolled back onto his back again, one arm under the pillow under his head (funny enough, he couldn't sleep without having at least one arm under his pillow clutching it, who knew why) and looked up into the darkness of the ceiling. One, it was a trick to get him to tell what his other power was and he had almost fallen for that, it was true. Two, he wanted Mach X under his thumb for easier control and maybe using his knowledge power to Jesse's advantage. it was true he was a reporter so it could be that way, but the man had seemed genuine. Not that Mach X was a good judge of that. Three, he was s secret abuser and was working to get Mach X to deliver himself into a type of slavery, not likely with that open face, but he had seen a lot of nasty things happen in the hood; this one was actually more likely then most things he could dream up, unfortunately.

Fourth, and probably the scariest, the offer would be withdrawn after a week or so as Jesse discovered how expensive kids were and the system for adopting them. Probably half the kids here would have been adopted a decade ago if people didn't have to pay a lot of money to adopt in the first place. There simply were not enough rich people who were willing to take in kids who desperately needed the support of family. And those who had the money always adopted outside the US cause it was cheaper and they thought the kids lived in worse situations. Truthfully, those were better advertised, but it was the kids in the US who ended up with the short end of the stick. To be honest, Mach X had always had clothes and food, not that the food was worth much nor the restrictions and raising pleasant, but he wasn''t set up to die early. Well, not until the orphanage got their full payment for raising them till eighteen and then they would be out on their ear. How many disappeared at that point he wondered sometimes? Kidnappings, prostitution, slavery, etc; there had to be a dozen disappear each year for that alone he assumed. He was sure he had seen Tomas last year in a window of a brothel; the eyes alone had made him flee without finding out more.

Fifth, he was going to lose his Independence. He liked knowing he could take care of himself and work outside the orphanage had been successful in giving him some control over his life. Would all that disappear? Wouldn't Jesse make him stop when he learned about what Mach X was doing for money? Or would he make him just cut back? Hell, just how much control did parents take on children to be real? He had no idea, not a clue. His best friend Becca certainly seemed to have few restraints from her parents, but she was also the only cool girl he knew. So many of the others were make-up fascinated and clothes horses, just counting down the days till they got married and went off to have kids for some guy. he well remembered Becca's long rant on that subject, how girls were owned by their parents until they were given to a boy who would run their lives later as well. She had been rather vocal about that entire discussion and he hesitated to speak at all that time. besides, how would he know he would be any different? Up till now he had figured he was going to end up a criminal living on the streets and taking whatever he could get. Although, remembering the prostitiues' bra and the memories it contained he knew he would never be that abusive, never that cruel. it wasn't his nature for one and for another he had been horrified at what he had learned. On that day he had entirely sided with her on that subject.

For a moment, distracted, he fantasized about her falling in love with him and he whisking them off to... and that was where the dream fell apart. he didn't know what she would want nor what would be better for either of them, not that she had shown an interest in trusting him to save himself much less her.

But if this whole adoption trick, how could he get the best out of it he could? By not trusting and keeping his cards close to his chest? Or by trusting that his friend actually meant well and going along with whatever the new rules would be? It was hard to trust adult to know what was actually right for you, especially after so many failed adults had been his to observe, both in and out of orphanages. How could any kid trust a parent when around every corner was some slimeball waiting to take advantage of other adults and kids alike? Look at the druggies (most barely adults themselves) hooking the innocent early on. The government certainly didn't do much to stop that and how could they anyway when another sprung up to take the place of everyone they arrested or killed. As long as he kept his account hidden (a druggie had helped him set up a false id for the bank) and played the good kid, surely he would learn which way the other shoe would fall and then he could make his own move, right? Being seemingly innocent of what was happening had to be a good disguise for that at the beginning. Not that Jesse would likely fall for it right off, but he might relax his guard enough to let Mach X know what was the trick. If there was one. Which Mach X thought there must be somewhere, this was too good to be true.

An hour later he was still staring at the ceiling, trying to see the sandbag falling at his head.


Dream Sequence:
A ferret wandering. Looks in holes. Drinks from a little stream. Eats a bug. Runs from a snake, swims in across a stream to escape.

The ferret enters an old basement vent. Searches. Finds a collapsed corner blocking a little tunnel. Goes out and drags back part of an old rotten blanket and some bugs. Eats, curls up and sleeps.

Playing in the leaves, throwing them around. Hears noise and climbs up a tree to watch out of sight. Sees old snake coming, flees unseen.

Ferret on a roof beam. Watches humans laughing and eating. When they fell asleep, he scampers down and eats from a plate. Drags off chicken leg to hole.

Ferret wakes in cage, trapped. Carried off to truck and taken away. No exit from cage, panic.



Mach X awoke to darkness, but smelled the mustiness which was the boy's dorm and didn't panic. He was in his bed sprawled as normal along his length, hearing the occasional snore down the row. The beds were pushed up against each other like normal, with just enough space between them to weave between the maze of them to the bathroom which is what he did, staggering in the dark by feel, running his shins against blankets while he rubbed his eyes. He wore only the pj bottoms they gave them, hating the feel of a shirt when he slept; the few times he had tried he had woken with lines across his bodywhich irritated him for hours and he didn't need that, not to mention how bad he slept when they got tangled around him. The cold floor of the community restroom space woke up his feet with images of hours earlier and the naked towel fight he had missed. Wincing at some of the hits some had taken with the wet towel ends (a sharp snap which stung as he remembered) he chuckled at some of the yelps as he made his way to the sinks, not needing lights at all even in the pitch black darkness.

It was funny; he couldn't see his hand in front of him, but the mirror's sight told him how ruffled his hair was and how sleepy he really looked without opening his eyes. He poured water and waited for it to clear of rust for a minute, and then dipped two hands in the frigid water and splashed it in his face, wiping his eyes in particular. It took less then half a second to wake up with that, the icy water making his face burn with reaction at the suddenness. What was left of the dream was already fading, but left him very confused. For some reason it was almost like he was dreaming an old nature show they had to watch in class on the old projection screen, that ancient thing which the school wouldn't replace. Most of his classmates would have fallen asleep about half way through so why was he dreaming about one, although not one he had seen from the animals perspective it was true. He tried to think back over the day and think about animals; nope, no clues there. He knew of ferrets but couldn't remember ever seeing one except in a photo before and it had looked much larger then this one. A baby ferret? Didn't they stay with their mother or something? Or was it like him, lost and alone.

Yeah that was it, it felt right.

And now he couldn't even remember half of what he had just seen, only that it was about a ferret and it had been caught. Which was wrong of course, wild animals should be left alone in their own habitat, not ripped away from all that felt familiar and safe. Would he panic if that happened to him? Of course, anyone would. but where did the ferrets that were sold as pets come from? The wild or were they raised? Not that he knew anything about how animals were raised but he assumed you couldn't use the ferret as a pet around kids. So why take it after all that? He felt a chill as he remembered what one teacher had told them about that naturalist groups which objected because some companies tested on animals their products before giving them to the market to sell. They wouldn't need tame animals if they were just shooting them up with drugs and stuff.

Mach X stepped to the toilet and got one of the paper covers which had been set aside for little Timmy who was allergic to almost everything, poor kid. One of these days he was going to die suddenly and everyone would be sorry but not very surprised either. But the sheets meant Mach X didn't have to read the toilet seat and for that he was truly grateful for little Timmy's allergies. When he was done he stepped back to the mirror and washed his hands before wondering what time it was. There were few windows in the building and fewer clocks, but he had learned to compensate. Stepping back into the dorm he listened this time to what his feet told him which he had ignored earlier. The door had been opened and the night man had checked beds already twice, which meant it must be close to dawn. He glanced at the end of the hall for the one small window he often used to escape this place he had been regulated to and judged the light on it. Dawn couldn't be far away actually, might as well use the hot water now while he could.

Making his way back through the beds, he found his and bent down painfully between the beds trying not to jostle them or make much noise. He grabbed his towel off his locker top and the underwear which he had left out and moved more confidently between the beds back to the restroom. Turning right this time he made his way to the far end showers, the ones where the noise would be least likely to filter out to the sleepers, and chose a stall, hanging his stuff on the hook. Pulling off the bottom he tossed them on the last hook and leaned in, turning on the water careful not to get splashed. While the water ran, he did a few push ups on the floor, a few chin ups on the shower rod (which was set in stone it being a very old building), and a few stretches of his hams against the wall; it helped his bodywake up and was good for him. Now he reached in and felt the water, snatched his hand away, and adjusted the knob; way too freaking hot! It took another six adjustments before it wasn't either totally scalding or freezing cold and when he had settled on mildly uncomfortable he stepped in.

Soap and shampoo were like everything here in bulk and the huge bottles of the liquid stuff were hung on the walls of the stalls. He did his hair first with shampoo, working hard to get a bubble. The stuff was extra cheap and barely did a good job and getting any lather was a challenge, but one he set himself every time to see if a bubble would be possible this time and leaning on the shower wall for sight until he could see one form. Successful in at least one small part of his life, he used the rest of the shampoo on his chest, under arms (as he hoped it cut down the smell at least some), and crotch before going for the soap itself. If he didn't smell clean, he would be sent back before breakfast and that was one huge pain in the butt so he overdid it every time now just to be sure. Did ferrets bath? The question in his mind caught him off guard and he stopped, one foot up on the wall so he could wash his lower legs and leaning forward, halted in mid movement. What an odd thought... But a good one. Did they lick themselves like cats, roll in dirt like horses, or actually get in running water? Puzzled, it was a moment before he gave up and went back to his scrub down before the water started to change again.

And it almost did change to another temp before he got done rinsing, running a finger over his teeth since he had forgotten his toothbrush in the shower again. Cups in a boy's dorm were not to be trusted and keeping them out of sight when you had one was important, one of those little things girls didn't have to think of. Mildly jealous of the freedom not to have to guard your every scrap, Mach X stepped to the curtain side and shut off the water, leaning against the wall while the water rinsed away running down his bodyin a hurry to escape like little ants. He stayed there air drying at least two minutes, feeling it was better for the water to go off somewhere else then into his towel and then got his towel to begin a very thorough rub down of all his parts and places, hating the sticky feeling of clothing on your skin when you could do something about it. Running his hands through his hair since he didn't own a comb, he slipped into the grey underwear and undershirt provided and went out carrying his stuff.

At one point he realized he was leaving wet foot prints and stopped long enough to step on his towel and dry them off before continuing to the dorm, hearing the sounds of people waking up slowly. Quick as a wink he ferreted--- and stopped mentally as he continued on automatic, wondering why that word was in his head again. Was this going to continue all day? If so, maybe he should have had the nickname 'Ferret' instead of 'Ghost' on the street. With a soft laugh, Mach X began to dress for his day, wondering what other oddities might fill it up.


There were four deaths, both accidental and not. The first one Mach X experienced was pretty horrible, not that any death was pretty. In this one he saw the water girl, who seemed to have some odd bodychemistry, was injected with the sedation stuff by the doctor which he told her, so Mach X knew what it was. The man was obviously surprised when she began literally burning up, becoming not only hot to the touch, but her bodyboiling, fluids running from her skin and her heart pounding, until it burst and then she laid there, her eyes sightless as her skin began to shrivel as it dehydrated despite the Doctor's stunned attempts to do... anything. It was obvious it had been an accident, but that didn't stop Mach X from being revolted when the man moved her to a table and began taking her apart with a knife, trying to find the answers he sought. Watching someone be dissected by a rather impersonal man was quite a new disturbing experience for him. And watch it he had to until the bodywas wheeled away out of range thank goodness.

The second death was much more on purpose. It was a young boy, maybe ten years old and he was angry and scared and frightened. He had also been sedated and was managing somehow to burn it off, getting more active in trying to get free. This time the Doctor was wearing some heavy suit and a hood and someone else was there as well. While the Doctor took samples (and Mach X winced big time at the pain he could understand) while whoever the other person was stood over the boy and watched him carefully, a large syringe in his hands. He also had some odd device which kept making clicking sounds as he kept the end pointed at the boy. As he got more frightened, or maybe the pain got to him more, the clicking increased dramatically and a glow came from the boy's eyes. Quickly the Doctor jumped back as the other man (he assumed) jammed the needle into the boy's neck and pressed the plunger all the way down fast. The boy's chest heaved against his restraints as his eyes went back up into his head and the glow cut off as his heart burst in his chest as well, falling back onto the couch quite lifeless. Neither man would approach him until the clicking died down some and then Mach X watched another dissection, more horrible in a way because the boy appeared like any other person. And scarier since he was close to Mach X's age and they seemed to not care one more then any other victim.

The third death was probably counted as a suicide, but it would be hard to say. It was a large man, extra straps from the back of the couch holding him firmly down. The Doctor was being extra careful which told Mach X he was particularly dangerous. The man tried to get the Doctor to respond to his threats his accusations, but he was being cagey and not speaking back to the man's words, only telling him to show his powers. He had gone to get another syringe, obviously intending to force the man to do stuff and when he had gotten closer was when he had struck. With a mighty heave, he threw himself so hard against the straps, the couch had jumped with him and he had come down on the Doctor's foot, jamming his head at the man and plunging the needle directly into his eye and into his brain, killing him instantly as the doctor threw his arm up in pain reaction and the stopped squirted it's cargo directly into the brain itself. The scene made Mach X throw up just seeing it again in his eye, forgetting how powerful the image had been. It again was followed by a dissection, although by now Mach X wasn't nearly as effected by those as he had been. It was still gross as hell.

The fourth was the worst nightmare of all.

Mach X saw the woman strapped down to the couch and knew with sickening sureness this was going to be bad. He saw the Doctor leave the room and another man enter a few moments later. The man had a glint in his eye which was rather frightening and the very first thing he did was walk to the woman and as she started to say something, he shoved a cloth in her mouth and then tied a gag over it. Without wasting any time, he picked up a scalpel from another table and a collection tray bringing them over and began cutting into her middle chest without any kind of drug or warning. She threw herself against the straps which held her firmly, preventing her escape and blood came up out of her chest while the man made the incisions larger and larger cutting through muscle and forcing her ribs aside. It was a truly horrible thing to see and Mach X felt his stomach start to try and dry heave, having already lost the thin fluid his stomach had contained earlier. The worst part is that whatever her power was, she was kept alive with it even through the pain, kept alive while he stuck his hand deeper and deeper inside of her before he began pulling out organs and putting them on the tray while she continued to jerk until he cut some last thing and her bodystopped like a switch cut off.

As soon as it had begin, it was finished, He picked up the tray leaving the scalpel there on her bodyas he got up and walked out with the tray. The quiet that descended just brought his eyes back to her, the gaping hole in her chest wide open. About twenty minutes passed and the Doctor returned and stopped dead in the doorway, his eyes on the corpse with astonishment. He came over unable to believe what he was seeing and after a moment, he quickly took his normal samples and put them in the machine, cursing as he found the thing he sough was already lost information, unable to be returned from a dead corpse. he seemed to be more upset about the lost chance at the information then about the woman who was now no more and it hardened Mach X against the man even more so. The four separate experiences brought home to Mach X that the evolved humans were not considered human to some people, more like rats to be experimented on, taken apart to find out how they ticked. He had to disagree with what Jesse told him, about how he did not fear the Building Twenty-Six people. They represented the thing that Mach X might have feared the most; people who saw him as a freak to be cured or destroyed, never left alone. The few who had left this room in sedation and taken elsewhere he could only pray for, hoping they were not being just killed but maybe imprisoned. Knowing they might be saved after all this unreasonable trageMach X was something he had to believe, to know there was a chance.

It was also one of the only things which might make him become a hero, if a limited focus one...

Feeling a bit lost, Mach X sat in front of the window of his new room, looking out at the sky lit with city lights and the traffic which passed below. Jesse's snores down the hall were not keeping him awake, but his mind was a blur of thought, unable to settle down for sleep. Most people who looked into his room would have found it oddest at night; it's clearly outdoor furniture, photo wall paper of a beach, and sand colored carpet more reminiscent of a beach then a young boy's teenage room. In fact the only thing that looked right for one his age was the picture on the opposite wall, an anime picture of a boy and girl in tight embrace, and the jeans-jacket-socks-shoes-and underwear dropped on the floor next to the closed door. Becca would have snorted seeing them as it was clearly were Mach X had dropped his clothes for the next day instead of being truly a mess since the rest of the floor was spotless, but it was an attempt to be less neat.

And like so many other things in his mind tonight he felt more a failure then someone making progress.

Ever since the night after the kidnapping she had been acting a little off, like she wanted to avoid giving him a chance to tell her something serious again. Her reaction to his declaration of love had been to believe he was dreaming or stressed, although it had been the event which had convinced him not to delay any more telling her how he felt. Or at least he saw it as avoidance, but he hadn't been able to convince himself it was a coincidental thing. Since then he had felt out of sorts and not himself, not sure if he had been refused or was being avoided (at least avoided being alone with that is) despite the fact they still did stuff together all the time. He had not tried a second time since she had been more then a tad obvious about being busy when they were alone. Even when she crashed here for the night she kept him busy talking about other stuff or distracted with things she brought over until he fell asleep after which she would at some point crash as well.

Now, those evenings had stopped completely this week with the introduction of another character in the story, a boy Mach X was fairly sure Becca was completely infatuated with from her past and the key to her future as well. Nate was a total goofball of a guy, impossible to embarrass, loudly dressed in a way that even a blind person could detect, and full of more energy then a barrel of monkeys on speed. Just talking about his return at school had her bouncing in her chair with excitement and Mach X's heart had sunk so low it had surely gone through the floor by now. He had no hope of getting her to listen to him now, even if she had been willing to hear his words she couldn't sit still enough to think serious. And he was surprised how much his heart was dominating his thoughts recently. Rather more painfully then he thought hearts were supposed to feel, but maybe this was that growing up stuff all the adults insisted was so good for you.

Because of his sudden free time as the other two planned band stuff and got reaMach X to out and start playing for audiences again he found himself accepting jobs again, pushing the edge of what he would have done before and for higher rates now as if he wanted the danger to keep himself both distracted and feeling worth while. His clients certainly wanted him around and loved his successful jobs and he found himself beginning to live a bit more for the thrill of risky stuff then normal in his life. Besides his evenings with his new father (who he was coming to love more and more) and his afternoon lessons with Claude who always found ways to push him at working his powers), the jobs had taken on new importance for him. Which was probably not a good thing.

Sitting beside him was a large ammo box, one of those old military cans where he kept special treasures that only he could read. It's lock sat beside it (Becca had been caught several times trying to get inside it to no avail he was happy to note) and the lid was open showing he had been thinking about his childhood which was a bad sign as it was not a happy time of his life. The collection was pretty odd for a boy, including a sock, bra, two toy cars, a half brick, small collection of stones, bus token, rolled up tissues, a couple of cigarette butts, and all of the many other items as well all inside plastic sandwich bags and sealed. At the moment there was a broken half a ruler (only five inches of which were still in existence) lying in front of him on the carpet out of it's bag and his index finger was on it. It was from an old discussion when he was six with one of the nuns he had been the charge of in the LA Orphanage. It was not a time he had been beaten (although there were hundreds of those on the ruler as well, most in ways he didn't 'read' much), but this one memory was about him convincing her about surfing practice. A wistful smile played across his lips as he relieved the moment, remembering how he had begged and pleaded for the time as well as promised such hard work on his grades for her.

He had learned today that his 'father' a true blue-blooded bastard, had two sons, twins by his mother who had died during child birth and her sons gone up for adoption. Jesse had been working today on the address for Mach X's aunt who was somewhere north and had promised to take him to see her. Of course, to have gotten this information Mach X had to make a big decision as well, allowing the man who was his biological father to 'upgrade' one of his oldest models. It was twisted, odd concept, and definitely creepy to know the man who had created him could "improve" his son with a few hours of time and wanted to purely out of pride at his accomplishments. Sitting there with his shirt off with the man's hand on his back, Jesse hovering worried around, was ..... well he couldn't explain how odd it felt. But when he had finally stopped and announced what good health Mach X was in, he had felt....different. Better maybe, but oddly... different as if he could do more things then he had previously imagined.

For one, he smelled different. Not just his feet or his skin, but like he could smell from a distance much clearer like from across a room and tell what he was smelling. He had found that game very intriguing; was this the way a dog tracked? Standing in the doorway of Jesse's room he was able to single out objects in his room and tell which ones had a scent of a woman on them. Bizarre. And, well.... his manhood had definitely grown in size significantly and not by his imagination. Not to mention how much longer he cold stand *ahem* he changed his thoughts again not wanting to think about that particular experiment for awhile. He was sure it all counted as improvements even if he didn't know how yet. Mostly he felt odd and wanted to talk with someone who wasn't an adult, not that he could talk to bee right now but there was no one else he could. He had pretty much an eclectic group of friends and only bee could he really talk too (not that he was sure he should tell her what some of his newly suspected skills were as surely it was wrong to talk to a girl about that stuff).

The other thing was purely a secret and one Jesse hadn't been able to refuse him for wanting, although he was not allowed to get a real tattoo until he was older, somehow having gone through all of this seemed to need a reward of another kind so Mach X had taken a chance and asked the man to give him one over his shoulder back, opposite the black light one already there. It was photo perfect and quite stunning since no needles were required and it really would stand out when he went anywhere with his shirt off, not very likely but still. After all, most of the surfer guys had tattoos anyway, his first one would just be more spectacular then most people's. It was a Ghost Gecko for several reasons. One, his nickname on the street as a thief was Ghost, two geckos were charming cute creatures everyone liked, three they got into places where others could not, and fourth, he had read the totem description in the public library one time and just.... thought it fit him in a way, it seemed right. So he had to look at it in the mirror, so what? He knew it was there, a companion on his shoulder to be company during bad times.

As surely he would have many more of.


Mach X made his way to the edge of the street and held up his hand for a taxi, having to wait a minute or so before one saw him and believed he really wanted one. It wasn't normal of course for Mach X to call a taxi or a teenager to have the money for one, but this time was special. It was an excellent way of dropping Claude's surveillance of him as well which was of major importance to Mach X. The man certainly knew far too much about his life and he wanted some things to be secret. He shifted his backpack and as soon as the taxi pulled up, he slipped through the door making sure to leave no room for another to even attempt entering and said quickly "Extra ten bucks if you go three blocks fast as you feel safe and keep changing roads please while I watch the back." As he said this he tossed a twenty up to the front thru the small plastic hatch.

No one said a driver didn't know when to delay and when to take advantage of the money.

As the taxi moved fast back into traffic, crossing three lanes and turning on the next street with a surge of horns about the man taking over the right of way, Mach X stayed on his knees watching intently behind and seeing nothing which made him think anyone was following nor holding on to the cab in any way. Perfect. With a feeling of satisfaction despite the rapidly turning cab Mach X turned and sat more firmly and said an address to the man for the far side of town. "As soon as you can, please, thanks. You did goo back there," getting a very curious nod from the driver. He shrugged and laughed before answering the man's obvious curiosity. "I have a snooping next door neighbor who is convinced I run drugs somehow. She's kinda off her rocker, but she was trying to follow me. She might as well get more paranoid so she can have something to talk about to her bridge club."

The man laughed and from there the conversation continued into sports results and by the time they pulled into the parking garage and went up to the eighth floor, Mach X felt comfortable the man would only remember the instance with amusement, no suspicions. After all, he was a clean cut young boy who obviously came from a nice and ritzy building (gotta love his power) so nothing wrong there. And his tip when they arrived was in keeping with the look so the man left after seeing Mach X off to the elevator saying something about meeting people. After the man was out of sight, Mach X doubled back to the freight elevator and continued up six more floors with a smile as he changed clothes completely en route. With his power on, he exited and made his way to the roof access picking the lock and quickly moving past the security cameras with his face turned away.

He had several hours still before Jesse would be home and day time jobs were touchy things, workable if you were bold enough in your approach. He crossed over three roofs, all three lower then his approach spot and then took out his rope and lasso. It took four tries to snag the vent access on the fourth roof which was above him, but he got it and slipped into a harness carefully, attaching himself to the rope and then backing up for a run. Across the roof full speed and then jumping gave him the swing momentum to make it over the rail and within jumping distance of the actual roof edge. Grabbing the drain pipe, he managed to hold himself up high enough to adjust his rope and use it like a repeling rope to get his toes on the pipe and pull/walk up enough to grab the ledge of the new roof. It was a struggle to get himself pulled up, but once he fell over the edge he was safe and on target. Catching his breath he checked his watch and saw only about a minute had passed since the taxi.

Forcing himself to get up he went and, staying low, removed his rope and went to a vent near the stair access, undoing the cut off screws he had edited a few days earlier and slipping under the top cover into a fairly small space, but at least he could see out of the slots. Slipping his stuff into his bag and removing his coat and overalls left him in a typical boy's uniform from a private school. Repacking his stuff (except the lockpicks in his sleeve) with a few school books and papers on top, he settled down as best he could to keep an eye open on the roof. The security guards were quick and careful about their approach, obviously warned by phone about a possible intruder on their roof. A careful grid soon found nothing out of place on the roof and they looked over the next one, eventually deciding out loud that the person must have continued. Cussing, they headed back inside, locking the door firmly behind them.

Excellent. So far, so good.

He took the opportunity to pull out his math notebook and continue doing problems while touching his math book. In half an hour he had most of the problems finished when he heard the helicopter approaching. Stashing his work he waited and as it got close, the door reopened and two guards came out, standing in front of the door, eyes covered against the wind. Just before the helicopter touched down, he lifted the cover and slipped out, using the approach to mask his movements to get right behind the stair well. As the helicopter doors opened the security men started forward to meet them and Mach X slipped through the door behind them, turning to the staircase immediately and dashing down six flights. When he stepped out of the stairs and walked down the hall to the left he stopped an employee who was giving him the eye and said "My dad said I could sit in the conference room since no one is scheduled there. Where is it from here?" Sensing homework, the man looked relieved and gave directions as he turned and walked to the corner watching as Mach X went to it and through.

Mach X quickly stripped off the uniform and slipped into his other shirt, leaving his pants off for the moment as he circled the room, touching the table. At the far end he reached out until he found the pressure plate and revealed the safe behind it. After a moment with his hand on it he dialed the combination, reached in and picked out two video discs dropping them in his bag. He closed the bag and pulled his jacket down, conscious this exit was going to be tricky if he didn't get it timed right. A peek out the door saw people. A pause for a moment till it got quiet again and another peek. Coast clear, he exited fast, running as soft as he could down six doors and he heard voices coming from behind just before he found the restroom and darted into the woman's side, slipping into the next from last stall and getting up on the tank after locking it. Stripping off all his clothes except underwear, gloves, and shoes, he pulled a pair of magnet grips out of his back and handcuffed the bag to his ankle. As people came in and entered, he left one hand on the door, watching with his power to make sure everyone had exited before he made his move.

The building had once been a mail office before being revamped. The old blueprints available in the library also showed the remodeling to some degree, the effort of the architect to keep as much of the old design as possible. This included the old mail chutes from the different floors, their dimensions on the paperwork as well. The chute, just at the back corner of the room was narrow, but good enough for his size since no normal sized adult could have fit through it. Climbing up on the door was difficult enough and getting his backpack in there, his feet hanging down. A deep breath or three while he placed the hand holds inside the shaft on either side and then he gripped them and slipped down. By pushing on those grips he slowed his descent, speeding up as he released, but it was far less then a direct fall and for that he was grateful. Four times on the way down he felt tight grips where the shaft had bowed in or been damaged, but he managed to get around these and eventually he came to the bottom which had been sealed off. According to the blueprints, the space under him was where the executive parking was. Balancing his feet on either side he dressed as best he could in overalls shirt and coat and put all his things back in his bag which went back on his back.

When he was reaMach X, with hat pulled down over his face as much as possible, he began to jump repeatedly in the same place over and over. After a couple of thumps he heard a creak and encouraged he continued jumping higher. A few landings later he heard a snapping noise and as he came down again everything went bust. In a rupture of noise, dust, plaster, splintered wood, and gravity, he came down full force into the convertible top of a luxury car, a huge cloud of dust and plaster covering everything around him and filling the car. The alarm went off and he scrambled as best he could to get out, managing to get about four feet to the wall when he heard shouts approaching fast. Darting around the corner in the garage he quickly realized there was only one way out besides the garage and he rolled under another car, a large commercial Humvee. For the next fifteen minutes people investigated and exclaimed and then someone made the decision to get the vehicles out of the garage.


The issue was pretty big. He could hold on and try to ride out of the garage under the humvee or he could ty and stand in all his dust covered mess out of the garage hoping no one noticed. While his power was good, that one might be too much to expect. Tricky. As two other cars were moved out he debated and decided to rick the power rather then a car which was more dangerous. However, before he could move footsteps came up to the humvee and started it up. He made the best of it, got hold with his gloves into the under carriage and then quickly replaced his hands as he learned where the hot spots and parts mostly got hit in movement. As the thing started he was fairly terrified, adrenaline running through his veins as he lifted himself, struggling to wrap himself to the undercarriage and not be slammed, shaken loose, and killed.

The next few minutes of movement were rib shaking and time slowed down; bumps, rattling of the vehicle, the terrifyingly loud sounds assaulting his ears, and a particularly bad moment when the driver ran a curb. That had been over almost before he realized it even though time was slowed down for him in this stage of edginess. An eternity of quick thinking, holding on for dear life, and flashes of the ground he wished he had never been that close to was over in less then thirty seconds as the vehicle was parked a short distance away. Bleeding, burned in a few spots, and all his body trembling, Mach X curled up on the ground for a moment, barely able to move he was so shaken up. It was a good five minutes before he pulled himself out and sat up, still shaking and afraid to move too much as he began trying to beat the worst of the dust and stuff off of himself. It was another ten before he felt he might make his move and got up sneaking out and walking away casually with his power up and a stumble in his step.

A public restroom was used long enough to change clothes and run water across his face. A few cuts had stopped bleeding and some he pressed his shirt against; he would catch hell from Jesse when he saw it unless he got rid of the shirt, but oh well it happened. From there, he made his way to the Bus station and to the lockers in the east side entrance. There he pulled out a suitcase and took it with him from locker 325 and went to the Library like a normal person. There he picked a corner in the stacks back to the wall and hooked up the laptop in the case to the power and used the Library's wifi to pull up his three email accounts, checking each for messages, responding to a few, and giving progress reports on jobs currently going. He didn't have to watch the discs to know what all was on them, but he knew what they were and what they entailed. He sent that information to the client and made arrangements for an exchange of payment for discs.

With that done he closed everything back in the case and sat there for a few minutes thinking about the week, trying not to think about what had happened today. While he had learned to copy and paste memories to objects, he couldn't get rid of his own, partly because that wouldn't let him be who he was. Impressions from other places he could give away, but not his own, something which was both good and bad as his nightmares could attest to. Last nights had been bad enough with no Bee around to break him out of it, but his next was probably going to feature the Humvee and he didn't need any more of those. When Bee fell asleep at his place (sometime actually knocking him off the bed, but he could deal with that) just having her there was enough to stop nightmares and it was one of the few times she showed how much she really cared about him. As a friend that is.

A spark of an idea occurred to him and he stood, taking his things with him as he went to the computer and looked up the books suddenly on his mind in the Library. Sherlock Holmes collection was first along with a book called the Mysterious Island which he hadn't read in years. And someone was talking about it one day and he looked up the series by Lindsey Davis based in Rome out of curiosity. It made sense to him that he work on engineering and detective skills; both could become very important with his power in the future. And with the decisions about what he should stuMach X for college, this....clicked. He also looked up a book on engineers as career information wondering if this might fit him better then he expected. He headed for home, stopping in the Library lobby to place a call to Rebecca saying "Hey Rebecca, it's Mach X. I have a Sherlock Holmes book from the library I was hoping you could help me with. I think it will help me a lot actually so whenever you have time let me know. I could really use your special touch on this subject. Talk to you later."

He left for home bruised and battered, but happy with his decisions and looking forward to a long bath to try and scrub up and hide the damage from the day before Jesse got home.


Mach X Bryan stood in the shower, rinsing off the last of the shampoo and soap and feeling better for being all clean. While he wasn't OCD about it, he really didn't care for being all dirty and unusual for most of the boy's in the orphanage he had had daily showers. Now that he could take his time without having to think about others entering the shower with him he felt relaxed and took the time to make sure he felt clean all over, even between his toes. Thus when he turned off the shower his mind was thinking about his body with very different thoughts then the average boy had. He stood there and rubbed his hair dry with a towel noting now that he thought about it that it dried a lot faster then earlier in the year and he was fairly sure he knew why.

His father.

When the man had upgraded him had he slipped in a few extra's Mach X hadn't know about? Probably now that he thought about it. Stepping out of the shower and relishing the fact he didn't have to read the floor with his feet he stepped in front of the mirror and dropped his towel, turning so he could see over his shoulder the spot where the invisible tattoo lay under the surface. His skeleton, his muscles, his skin, his organs -- all of them were on the blueprint that his father had decided on all those years ago. Hell, his brain and even his privates the man had planned out and it made him shiver to think of anyone who had that kind of power over the future. How long would those genes he had put in there be dominant again? Didn't he say something like thirty generations?

So... His children's children's children would still be looking at themselves in the mirror knowing they were designed, planned, built on the power by their ancestor, only their actual appearance varying based on their mothers. How freaky was that, to know you were part of a new race in fact, a spin off on Homo sapiens? Slowing converting the rest generation by generation as the genes were spread to other family lines like a conquering host taking nations like Alexander did. Better even since no one would really object; the changes were hidden inside and extremely advanced, safe from most genetic diseases and long lived. Smarter, faster, more adapted, and if his father was anything to judge off of Mach X's body was going to be fertile as hell too. He severely doubted the man missed some little detail like that. And out there were thousands of others who didn't even know they were designed and set up to convert the world.

And he knew his own mind; he wanted a family with a deep longing from his own orphanage experience. He wanted to adopt for every kid he had himself out of a sheer need to keep as many kids out of that hell hole of a depression as possible. But was it right to have kids when he knew he was part of a plan, an invasion? Mach X scratched himself as he stood there, turning to look for anything that reminded him of what little he had seen of his biological father and fearing he saw too much under the skin. He didn't want to advance his father's plans, but he felt the desire deep in his soul, stronger then even the urge to do the deed itself in all it's pleasures he was sure. How much of that was genetic and how much of it was purely his own experience, his own oaths on what he swore he would do for his own children?

Deep thoughts for any young man indeed.

When his father had laid his hands on him after making his promise to both Jesse and himself, he had felt the warmth and laziness creep through his body. It wouldn't bee too paranoid to imagine the man also laced a 'back door code' into his mind as well letting him take over resistance easily so he could adjust and tinker. There was no way around that except two: outlive him and avoid him touching Mach X till Max died. Mind you, the third option of having him killed somehow was more then the young nearly-pacifist would consider really. How many genetic siblings did Mach X have in a way, certainly thousands from the man's attitude, probably all over the world and impossible to track down really. His work was in progress and fairly unstoppable at this point whether his goals (whatever the hell they were) were reached or not. But the real question which bothered Mach X was more basic then that.

Would he throw away his own chance at happiness and a real life just to make a gesture. Cause that was all it could be with so many others unknowing. Even if a thousand of them were killed, it could hardly put a dent in the project, only slow it slightly. So that was no option really nor was telling anyone so it could be tracked. It would only take one person to realize the scope, panic, and cry about getting people rounded up and kept away from everyone else. There was no way Mach X could be part of that! But wasn't that what Building 26 had been attempting to do in a way to the specials? They fought them like a war really, capturing and interrogating and killing. And speaking of which, wouldn't Max have made sure to boost the potential for specials in all his kid's DNA? So in a way, this was a secret and silent take over by specials going through the next several generations, each taking over many others genetic lines through sheer enjoyment of sex?

That was another uncomfortable thought to mutter over.

Morally, he was stuck in a bad spot really; damned if he did and damned if he didn't. It wasn't as if Max could stretch his life to be able to control thousands of children he had already admitted no control over his kids. So what was the advantage, the purpose, the final plan? Was there any way to find out? Probably not at all really. All Mach X had was conjecture, not worth the time to ponder over really. Unless....could he get a hold on the man's phone or computer? See if he had ever managed to write down any clues.... That might be a plan. As much as he never wanted to see the man again nor get near him again -- he was a bit too creepy, knowing he wanted to get a hand on you and re-adjust parts of your bodyin little ways. Another shiver ran down his body and he reached for the towel now feeling a touch of chill and wrapped it around himself, brushing his hair out before it got too dry. He would need to not only track him down, but find a way to distract him somehow and how the hell could he do that?

Without falling back into his power again.


Mach X felt the cold hand of panic on his heart.

It was not a good day by any means. It had been okay at school and all, normal day and when he left Nate and Bee were planning an indoor use of bottle rockets they had uncovered somewhere. it seemed a good time to flee the area so he had come directly home instead of the normal delay. And that had been great because Rebbecca had left him a message that she was needing him at some address for a surprise. That had been a hurried shower and everything before dashing to the bus to make the corner in the inadequate twenty minutes he had promised her. He even remembered to take along his present for her and when she surprised him by telling him it was date time he had a flash of pride there was something nearby he could take her to see she might find cool. That had, unfortunately and fortunately both, turned into an accidental discovery, a flight of panic, and now here he was having met her mother and was sleeping on her mother's couch before they had even had a true first date.

Hoping that would not be a trend, after she and her mother had gone to bed, Mach X found himself still wide awake, unable to sleep but not just because of the discovery, but because of other things which strangely came together in his mind. First off was the meeting with the detective just a few days ago. Finding out Donovan knew his address had been something more then a touch frightening and he had let Jesse know almost immediately afterwards. They had talked about getting a second place and moving stuff there so they could go back and forth safely and now it loomed as a real possibility. The man had also mentioned he was looking for a killer known as Vendetta and had questioned Mach X on his knowledge of what had happened to him in the kidnapping. Bee was Mach X's lifelong friend and he hadn't had a chance to warn her what was happening; Jesse had promised to drop by her school in the morning to talk with her, but she was in the file as well as one of his few contacts when he was an orphan.

Mach X still had a crush on her really, but she had already told him no to going out. It was clear they were the best of friends (although Nate stole far more of her attention some days), but he worried now that he had time to think everything through that she might also be a target if the man was looking for his niece and Mach X. In addition, somewhere out there was Max and his twin as well, neither knowing where the other was and his twin not even knowing about Mach X's existence. Were they not in just as much danger if Donovan was that intent on following up? The responsibilities for people he cared about (well okay, he only kept tabs on Max since he was both a mystery and someone to fear) were beginning to weight on his shoulders really, the worry wart that he was. Even this house was too much to expect -- he had found traces of Donovan having been here before. Surely the man would think this was a possibility even if they might only be in transit. They would have to think of somewhere else to go as well to keep off the man's radar. The aunt he had never met? That would be certainly unexpected and he did have the money for the tickets.

On that odd thought he wondered if Rebbecca had a passport.

Mach X kept his in a secret pouch around his neck daily. With a father like Jesse, any second you might be harrowing off somewhere foreign at the drop of a hat. LA (which was pretty foreign to other people not on the West Coast), Italy, Hawaii were some examples of where he had found himself. Who knew what the next day would reveal? The house was silent around him, but the outside city noise continued unabated; traffic, dogs barking, sirens in the distance, brake squeals and horns blaring. a bit of streetlight covered the window curtain making it glow through onto the floor -- no moon would ever be seen inside a city really, not with all the lights at night. Sitting up (wearing his jeans basically and no shirt or shoes and socks) he stretched once and then walked over, standing outside the pool of light and looking through the material of the curtain. Nothing caught his eye, pinged his conscious that anyone was watching. Without revealing himself Mach X touch a finger from the side to the window and scanned for anyone near, seeing no one had checked out the house in the last few hours.

Relieved he went to the couch table and picked up the glass and went to refill it in the bathroom. Returning he sat and drank, realizing his jeans were too tight for sleeping in. He stripped down to his underwear and looked at the lines on his flesh from where they had been, feeling the painful button which had cut into him along the belt line. He drank and sat there cross legged, wondering if he should worry about anything else yet. Like, if Jesse disappeared or even Bee, would he leave Rebbecca here to be safe and rush back? How could he keep her safe and look for another as only his power could really track? What about Claude who knew nothing about this entire thing yet? He didn't have a way of reaching his teacher either. This whole situation was just showing how little he could do, could affect and that was really bad. Despite the fact he was still legally a kid at age seventeen, Mach X (who mentally was around twenty and baby-faced enough to look sixteen) took on an adult's weight of responsibility and took it up seriously. Clearly he needed to make better plans for the future if stuff like this was going to happen. His bag had two sewn in pockets in the liner hiding his lockpicks and a few tools, part of his job of course. And he had another shirt, jacket, and hat (all reversible) as part of his power, but other then that he had little for an emergency.

Unforgivable. Especially when he had been telling Rebbecca about being prepared. Quietly he got up and went to the phone (Rebbecca's phone in it's charger on the counter) and took a picture of the couch back and the table. Sending it to Jesse's phone Mach X then dialed Jesse's number knowing his father would get the message in a few hours when he got up. Asking for the emergency pack in his room and a few changes (in exchange for the pack he had now sitting on the table), he told Jesse he loved him and that he had better damn well stay safe out there on his own, then hung up before he got fearful sounding. Replacing the phone he sat back down on the couch and feeling better for having done something even if it was three am, and took the items of clothing out of the pack putting them on his shoes before closing the pack and put it back on the table, obvious. Then he lay down and pulled the quilt back up over his full length on the couch (wrapping himself a bit like a mummy) and tried to relax his mind at least some. He slept soon and the nightmares got hold of him, causing him to tremble and struggle a bit in the quilt until someone silently laid an arm across his chest and whispered soothing words in his ear. He unconsciously recognized the voice and relaxed, falling into sleep for real for the first time that night.


Once the others went to bed, Mach X sat on the bed in the dark thinking, unable to get certain things out of his mind. Some of them were simple ones like the fact she had blushed when he stood as if sight of him made her think embarrassing things. The idea that a girl might be actually attracted to him was a wonderful and scary feeling both, more good then bad. He smiled to himself at that thought, pleased. Another one was that she had seen him in a bad situation and her first instinct had been to help him, get him out of it and then made the decision to stay and protect him further. He was sad he had missed the sensation of her lying against him, but the tingle in his hand when he had taken hers downstairs told him he certainly would not have been able to sleep once he had realized it. He had been careful not to touch her by accident or purpose either one since she knew his power, not wanting her to think he was reading too much out of her very clothes.

He was very careful about those same powers in this room as well. But a part of him wondered if he would see pictures of her as a child here... Hesitantly, he uncrossed his legs and put his feet flat on the floor and reached out, scanning back for her and found a memory of her in the room from before the accident, wrestling one of her brothers who was cheerfully laughing and trying not to be too quick to end it. For several minutes he sat there unmoving, witnessing what it was like to be siblings, feeling those memories touch a place deep inside him as a tear rolled down his face. So much lost, both Rebbecca and himself really. She had lost her brothers, he had been denied his childhood, separated from birth from the one family member he should have been kept near, his brother. While he couldn't put a face on his brother's image, the wrestling, good natured teasing, the feeling of belonging hit a deep deep spot in Mach X's soul, a desire for family he still felt very much denied. Even though Jesse was a wonder and he couldn't have wished for a better dad, the loss of his family had hurt him like most orphaned kids at an early age.

Learning he had a brother and his mother had not deserted him but died giving him life...well that just made the feelings of guilt even more huge, the loss all the greater. It was as if it had been his fault and his brother had been taken away in punishment. Mach X could only hope he had had a better life, gotten a family to belong to, but the urge to find him grew deeper in his mind, a real need. Maybe when he got to meet his aunt it would help more, give him something to cling to for a past, but at this moment he felt nothing but an aching need. There was nothing else that could fill that urge, even if he and Rebbecca got much closer. Ah, Rebbecca! The look in her eyes said that she was quite pleased with him, needed his presence around. Mach X felt a good swelling of his heart for the thought of her needing him around. It gave him a sense of self worth that helped a lot with the empty feelings inside him. And now that his unconscious had apparently decided she was more then acceptable he had the feeling they were on the edge of something big, something huge. Was he in love? He thought he must be really; he had feelings of protecting her not just because she was a bystander or an innocent during a war. No, more like he wanted to protect her enough he would throw himself at Donovon while she escaped or let himself be killed to get her away safely from the monster which pursued.

Mach X wanted to lie on a sofa with her in his arms and just be comforted by her presence, feel the reassurance someone cared so much to let him into their life. Sure, she was a girl and pretty and therefore as a teenage boy with rampant testosterone she was more then just wanted and desired, but there was a part of Mach X who was different. Unlike most boys his age, he was very careful with another person's privacy, their personal space. it wasn't her obvious attraction which caught his eyes, but the life in her eyes to begin with. You could see the life in her, the wit and intelligence there and the animation alone was enough to convince Mach X the flutter in his stomach was purely because he had fallen for her without realizing it. Heck, she had dealt with the 'experiential' part of his biology very well, been angry at Mach X's father on his behalf as well. And when there was trouble and she found herself with powers, she had come to him directly. In fact, Bee he had adored for years because of her personality and her looks. he had tried many times to advance the cause of sleeping with her through a sheer fascination with what a force of nature she was and he still cared very deeply for her, but now he was wondering if he had been kept from that cup for a much deeper relationship with Rebbecca, one which could last a lifetime.

"Face it," he told himself in the dark, unable to even consider sleeping, "she has power, smarts and intelligence which are two different things, talent, beauty, and even cool parents, but you are hooked because she cares about you. You might as well just give up and let yourself fall entirely for her, you've not got a chance if she decides the answer is yes." For some odd reasoning, this made him grin in the dark, tho he could detect a lightness around the curtain which suggested dawn was coming on strong. he closed his eyes as he sat there and looked again through the memories, his mind's eyes turned entirely on the little girl and noting not just how cute she was, but the lines in her face which she would show him today, the adult in her coming to the fore. it wasn't hard to see her personality in those moments, the joy in her face with her brothers and how much more serious she had become since then. Had he caused her to lighten up some or was that his imagination? In that moment Mach X decided to make sure he kept her as happy as he could to keep the worries out of her face so she could remain as perfect as he thought she was now, a flower toughened by the weather, sparkling in it's own radiance when given the right amount of sunshine.

He did not miss the fact he wanted her success more then he wanted his own. Being there for Rebbecca took on an entirely different meaning. When a soft knock came at his door later in the morning he was sitting there dressed for the day, all his things in his bag just in case, and he got up swiftly to open the door, the sun in his own eyes of a different kind them physical...


Mach X sat there on the couch in Rebecca's house waiting for the women to return, thinking about what he had just learned. It was heavy thinking, very heavy thinking. Mach X had just learned his father had found a girlfriend he sounded serious about. This wouldn't be normally an issue, but he had found out through the girlfriend rather then his father. She had been straightforward, not beating around the bush about it, but she hadn't really bragged or anything either. It was a good approach and she had treated his question with respect, tho one of them had been difficult for her.

Very interesting.

As an orphan Mach X had often dreamed about what his mom and dad were like, how they would be found out one day. As a teenager he had eventually decided they were both dead and had been half right as well. Getting to know Jesse...well he had been cool, a young reporter bachelor, making his way along and using Mach X has a information source on the neighborhood. When he had mentioned possibly adopting Mach X, it had been a surprise which had turned to joy fairly quickly. It was an affirmation on the fact Mach X was a worthy human being, someone worth spending time with. It had changed the way he looked at the world and the delight he felt when he thought about Jesse was like joy at seeing the sunshine after a winter of darkness. It had changed his life, literally.

Everything Jesse had done since then had been a good move for Mach X and it hadn't taken him long to feel real love for the man who probably could have been an older brother, but instead was becoming someone Mach X looked up to, learned from, and respected as well. Then when he got kidnapped and after that hour of agony on the couch strapped down by the evil Doctor who was hurting Mach X to learn how he ticked, the image of Jesse busting through the door would remain one of the few truly admirable images in his mind. Jesse was simply the best thing that had ever happened to Mach X's whole life and he felt very protective over what he thought of proudly now as 'my dad.'

He smiled again just thinking about him. He had no idea his eyes really lit up just thinking about him.

Courtney seemed smart and organized, willing to open her mind up and listen to you as if you really knew something, not like a lot of adults who only half paid attention to you. When Mach X told her something she didn't treat him like a kid, but a person and he liked that. Courtney and Jesse. Jesse and Courtney. If Jesse really was interested in her then so far from what he had seen Mach X approved. She might not have a power, but that was hardly necessary; the Special's family life could be easily opened up for someone who was special for other reasons. What would he have done if Rebecca had turned out to not have powers? Would he still feel the same way?

Oooo, good question. Rebecca was smart, organized, clear headed, very pretty and over all someone he wanted very much to see respect from in her eyes. The fact she had powers was just icing on the cake; the fact her uncle was insane and dangerous was unfortunate, but he never held that against her. She was someone worth being with, period. Would he marry her if he had a chance? It was a little early to think that way, but yeah, Mach X was beginning to think that she would make a h3ll of a partner, someone he could trust and love with all his heart. And she liked him, something he never thought a girl would ever do to be honest. Rebecca as a normal. Oh gosh yes, he would have felt even more protective over her; after all Nathan had focused on her more probably because of Mach X's interest.

He had little trouble believing that he had gotten others in danger because of who he was. Mach X's error was in thinking that he was the main problem and that he himself was someone others would feel protective about as well. He didn't see himself as anyone special, just another kid who had less then everyone else despite the fact Claude, Jesse, Bee, and now Rebecca all sought to tell him otherwise. Until he proved it to himself, he couldn't understand why they might think that to begin with. Mach X shook his head at himself as these thoughts became his focus so he could get back on track.

Courtney.

If Jesse and Courtney became serious, could he see her as his mom? Even if she really would be a step-mom it would take time, experience to see what she was really like. But a small part of him felt that it if made Jesse happy then Mach X would manage even if he disliked her which so far he did not. For the first time in his life as well he could begin to appreciate what having family was like too as he thought of Jesse and him, then added Courtney and Rebecca. Then he of course had to add Rebecca's parents and heck, Bee was like the wild sister in his life which probably meant he had to accept even Nate the crazy psychedelic mushroom dressed like a boy. And of course Claude was like having a second father around or the traveling uncle you looked forward to seeing again each time he showed up... Then there was the aunt of his and somewhere out there his long lost twin brother.

Instead of having one or two people in his life he was starting to see a crowd, some you liked and some you put up with, but all of them becoming more precious to him over time. And all of them tied together in a way by love. Well, maybe some of it was just from Mach X's side of things, but still. Was this what other kids grew up with, taking for granted that there were people around who cared for them far beyond strangers or people you just met at school? How could you take that for granted, get used to it? Mach X found himself looking over each connection in a new light, seeing each person in a different light and liking what he saw. A crazy and bizarre family, some of whom would probably object to being included, but still there anyway.

Oh yeah. He could totally get used to this idea of family. A smile was still on his lips when he heard the door open and the light of his eyes came in with a smile for him as well....


The woman opened the door, her look one of guarded curiosity. Seeing a pair of teenagers on her front doorstep obviously took her back a bit as well as a gloved woman behind them with a baby who chose to sit on the porch in a chair, smiling back at her. "Um, hi there, Ma'am, My name's Mach X Bryan and this is Rebecca Donovan. We called about speaking to you for a little bit..." He waved at gemini, their cover story worked out in the car on the way. "Mrs Salinger is our transportation and little Isaac is a little fussy. Is it okay if she sits out here?" The woman nodded, a bit taken aback by the strangers descending on her like this. She motioned for them to come in making a few polite phrases and inside they met her boyfriend, a very friendly man named Henry Thackwood.

The couple had a hard time taking what happened after this once Mach X began to explain the whole story.

It was a long story starting with Mach X talking about his orphan days and then his adoption. They made pleased noises of course when he talked about Jesse; it was clear Mach X loved Jesse very much and it was a good match. Rebecca had given him a squeeze on the leg then as she sat beside him; she knew the hardest part was coming up. It was when he described their meeting with Max that the first signs of strain showed in her face as realization struck home. He described what Jesse had found out about his mother's death after the twins birth and all the movement and travel before that had happened which brought the woman to tears, her boyfriend quite concerned. All those years she had thought her parents and sister had dropped her, ignored her and instead it had been out of protection. She had always thought her sister had been getting all the trips to make her more special, never having been told about the kids.

And afterwards her father and sister were dead and she was left to put the pieces back together.

Finding out after all those years that she had nephews (one still missing of course) was mixed; she felt a need to make up for all the years and yet they were complete strangers to her. As Mach X asked questions about his mother, curious about who she was and what kind of person she had been to be taken in by Max and his tricks, she searched him for signs of her sister and, finding them, clung to them with her eyes. It was a very neccessary meeting with tough questions on both sides, but despite a lot of crying (tears of release and sorrow both) and a few hugs (which were very clingy) they all felt so much better afterwards as if a huge weight had been taken off their souls and minds. They exchanged addresses, found out a name from her she might have given his brother (Mach X was named after one of her best friends in high school; odds were good her other best bud was his brother's inspiration), and generally parted on much closer terms.

Life transforming? On both sides.

For the second time in a week, Mach X felt the odd feeling of realization he really did have family, ignoring Max's interference. He had an aunt, cousins he had seen pictures of (a picture of his aunt was in his pocket now and they had taken several of her and him together), and somewhere out there a brother to find as well! He could feel his heart swell and this time Rebecca sat in the back seat with him, holding him close while he wept with relief, not afraid in the slightest to show the emotions which leaked out of him. The fears and stress from his natural worry about the impression he would make, the one chance he had all came out now that it was over and he had succeeded. The few words he had were rambling and half-thought out, but just before they got back to the hotel that evening he had suddenly pulled himself up and given her a kiss of gratitude and thankfulness which had been quite intoxicating. He was on an emotional high as they had supper and kept repeating things like "You saw when I told her about the death" and "I think cousin Isa looks a lot like me" and other parts which didn't need an answer beyond yes.

He was just wrapped up in the joy of the evening and everything was beautiful, inside and out. It was one of those healing moments where so many mysteries and fears could finally be put to rest, no longer worries but transformed into potentials, no longer negative. Even Jesse's acceptance of him took on a new light as he really started to believe he had real worth, that people could love him just because of who he was (even tho people had been telling him this over and over, it somehow struck home all over again.


Aslan was an amazing...person. Mach X had seen too much with his touch on the couch to think of him as a creature or an animal. No. There was...he couldn't think of the right word, an almost majesty about the Lion while at the same time he was everyone's guardian, your best possible friend, the one person you knew you could trust with even your innermost thoughts. Mach X had never know anyone or anything he could do that with. He had never even had a stuffed animal to share thoughts with back in the orphanage! From a very early age he had learned he was different, his powers separating him from others automatically. There was no closest friends, there was no opening up -- Mach X had to learn how to deal with everything he thought on his own, by himself.

Listening to him, Aslan made no comment, letting him pour out his worries as if he knew Mach X just needed to talk more then anything else and let him talk till his throat was nearly sore from talking. His few responses showed Mach X he wasn't thinking through all of his situations carefully enough. He came to realize that he didn't need to confront his father to stop him. IN truth, Mach X only needed to be himself and he was sure to not fall into the trap of bringing his father's plans into action. The praise which was in Aslan's voice made Mach X's ears burn over that point till he surrendered and admitted people had told him before he was a good person. He needed more confidence in himself, make his own decisions and stand up for what he wanted.

He wanted family, He wanted Rebecca. He wanted children. Everything else was secondary. If he had to follow Rebecca across the world, he would live in a slum in africa to be with her if she let him. Had she realized yet how special she was to him, how much he adored her inner strength? They could survive her uncle to build a life together and he would stop being scared. All her uncle could do was kill him; she could transform his very life into the dreams he had always hoped for. That was more then worth fighting for, it was necessary for him to be able to be his own self, to be a man. The monster her uncle was would be a temporary thing; people who lived on the dark side of things always reached sticky ends. And the pay off of out living him was a lifetime with someone he could truly respect and trust in.

There was so much potential for them, so many possible futures to rejoice in, to embrace if he could stop thinking about the bad stuff, turn it into an asset instead of allowing it to hamper him as he had been. The Mach X who stood up at the end of that hour was a different Mach X in several ways, more confidence in his eyes and more purpose in his mind. And to think, all of this because his girlfriend's (his smile increased a tad more just thinking that word) power increased and sent him into some random world, probably one she had been reading about. The land was....very different, but pleasant once you stopped freaking about animals talking. You just had to adjust to the fact that, for instance, the couch was made by someone with hooves instead of feet and the royals who had used it were little kids.

Bizarre.

In some ways it was cool, as if someone decided to invert the normal fairy tales and go at things from another angle. On the other hand evil was very real power here and could literally freeze the world. Not such a happy thought to run across to be honest. Armor and swords were the way of power here when you didn't use magic and remembered there were no humans. Still, having a minotaur for a general and centaurs for soldiers out there was something he'd feel safer leaving behind in a book. Heck, if she kept developing power like this he was going to have to start asking her for a reading list! Which meant more homework, but was it really homework when he was doing it outside of school? Like, to help himself understand what she was talking about and doing more often? Was the book about a war between animals on both sides, evil versus good, or about something else and the war was the ending?

It was with these thoughts that he found himself waking up on a bed in a hotel room, next to a sobbing and probably panicked Rebecca who had no idea how to reverse what she had done. Rebecca, the woman who had already told him she thought he was a great person, who had told him she would love to date someone like him, who had told him she loved him... It was about time he returned that sentiment wasn't it? And not in words since those held only so much meaning; he needed to show her how much he loved her in his actions and how he cared for her. After all, she had already helped him with his own issues and had even accepted the fact she was dating a person created and developed by another human being for some purpose unknown. How amazing was that she didn't just get away from him, but then continued to grow closer?

Oh he was hooked but good...


There were many feelings mixed into Mach X's feelings about Rebecca. It would be hard to classify them all, but he had tried once or twice when he had awoken to a sleepy boy, awakened by a nightmare and in need of being held. There was fear, fear of the unknown not just being attacked or being more a target for death by her insane uncle. The idea of the future with her sounded wonderful, but he had the same qualms anyone else did about taking those steps into true adulthood. Second was anger, anger that someone as wonderful as she had proven to be had to live a life fearful of her uncle or always wary because of him. Having family was a good thing, a desirable thing and Donovan had ruined that for Rebecca, tried to destroy what family was supposed to be. Supportive, loving, guidance, and above all, close. Those were the people you were supposed to be able to trust with everything, hide in their arms from the world.

Another emotion was jealousy.

No matter she had lost her father early on for awhile, she had parents, a family life she could at least have as part of her life, the part her personality was set on, used as a comfortable base. She had history with that, something he was still learning how to build on, though he loved Jesse like he was his true father. Jealous because even up till recently she had known that network of family supporting each other without restriction, even if her uncle was scary motherfo. Greed, because he wanted her for himself, to keep for him and his family, have her at every gathering so people saw her as his and would brag about his catch to others, know he had been successful in finding a good and wonderful wife. Jesse would have no worries about Mach X's future or the boys with such a sensible, solid minded girl at his side. Greed that he would have such an awesome partner to raise his boys with side by side, give them what they deserved, a future free of domination and hideous politics like their future was.

Desire for her as the one person he trusted more then Jesse, would put his soul on the line for in an instant, a treasure beyond compare in his eyes to any dollar amount you could imagine. There was not enough gold on the planet to tempt him away form her. Desire for her scent was in his nose even when she wasn't there, her bodyin his mind's eyes. He wanted her, badly, to explore, learn about, to delve into like he had with no other female at any time. He wanted her and her future children to be his, to see her eyes in his children, know they had the most beautiful woman around as their mommy, his partner, his love. She was strength, she was love, she was trust, and she was without a doubt all he wanted in this world, more then anything else in this life.

And his kids picked up on his feelings about her and wanted her with their daddy too, for him to feel complete even if it wasn't their mommy originally. There was something compelling about your own progeny wanting to push a girl at you, even if they didn't realize what getting laid was really all about. But they did want you happy, whole, and all together there for them and knew when you weren't entirely. He needed Rebecca on that level as well, keeping him intact and balanced in life, a second set of thoughts to bounce things off of, someone else to care for on the level he needed to feel as if he really had a family of his own. He had gained parents and children, both sides of the whole, but not the middle. She would be the center of his life, his core, the glue that helped hold him together.

And top it all off, she was sexy as hell.

When she first began to think about and express the idea of getting that last step from dating to marriage, his heartbeat not just quickened, his entire body soared. The ultimate step, the ultimate goal! Mach X's desire for a family had always been deep in his mind, a needful step as for any orphan to feel that sense of being accepted by another for who you were, not just because you were their family. Their wedding night would bring many things together in his soul, give him the acceptance he needed to keep himself on track, to really live. And she would chose him because he made her happy. she knew he would give her what she needed too? Oh gods, he would give her everything he had, do anything he could to make her happy, slavishly attached to the girl who made his heart soar, his toes curl!

Another emotion was love, but then again he had been showing her that for some time now. He showed it in his acceptance of her, letting her into his life without pressure, no hurrying to become one with him. He let her see him with his kids, had let her know about them early on, shared with her his worries, his fears, his pain. There was no aspect of his life he kept her out of, even letting her fall asleep with him on the couch in her mother's place or his bed at home (with the boys there of course not realizing they were the chaperones in a way). Mach X made sure she saw all parts of his life, got the in depth view of who and what he is, was, partly because of her. She had changed his world by being Rebecca, given him an insight into what she could be for him and what he could be for her.

Finally there was sorrow.

Mach X knew his life had been extended, stretched by his genetic father, the old bastard with the plot for the future of his species, though he like everyone else did not realize how big that plan was. He felt sorrow because he didn't and could not trust the man, his evil not hidden from Mach X who saw the manipulation of the randomness of human potential in his blood-father's eyes. His time with Rebecca was precious, so much more because he believed he would out live her eventually, out pace what her body could manage. He sorrowed for the lost time already, the moments stolen from him by Death, the ultimate controller of all life. Death alone gave humans the spark which caused their drive, got them the impetus to live to the fullest. He needed every second he could with Rebecca whether married or not because they were all precious. He didn't tell her he saved every day with her in a memory, stashed in a precious silver ball in the floor of his room, hidden away.

It was the most precious thing he owned, this glimpse into the majesty which she was and brought to his life because she represented the most amazing emotion of all.

Hope.