Project: Daedalus (Issue #2)

[Agamon]

Jersey Devil seems a bit taken aback from Tyone's response. "Hey, I didn't mean any offense, man. Don't get me wrong, personally, I think what you were doing in the streets of New York was great. But make no mistake, it was vigilantism. You aren't an official keeper of the peace, and not everyone thinks it's a wonderful thing, especially those that try to do things by the book, and you might interfere in that and aren't answerable to anyone for your actions." He shrugs. "All I'm saying is, we're a legit part of the process. And, yeah, we deal with big problems, but I've done my share of rescuing cats from trees, too."

 

[Mimic]

Got to keep my characters straight

Madre del dios, I can't believe you people. these three have bent over backwards trying to help us and when we are offered a chance to help others like us what do you do? Miguel suddenly pipes up as he stands he reverts to his own form.

We complain about our privacy. Miguel form shifts to that of Sarah. Your old life is over chica, I'm sure you did good getting the pushers and thugs from the street but those were just the symptoms not the disease, trust me I know.

Or we complain about not being able to help the little guy. Sarah's form shifts to look like Tryoc. How many of your arrests were thrown out of court because you weren't legit amigo?

"Or we complain of corruption." Tyroc's body shifts to look like Kiro. But when given the chance to stop it all you do is stick our head in the sand and hope it goes away.

What BioGen did to us is unforgivable and I intend to make sure they don't do to someone else what they did to us and really this is the only way its going to happen. Miguel shifts back to his own form and walks over to where Screaming Eagle is standing.

"Got to trust someone sometime, right Chica? I want to help anyway I can but I have to tell you somethings about my past before that." He sighs and pauses a moment to collect his thoughts.

"My name is Miguel, I don't know what my last name is. I believe I was born in Mexico City at least I was orphaned there and I became a statistic and I slipped through the cracks after that I joined some gangs, did some stuff I would rather not talk about. Eventually there was a failed take over attempt in the last gang I was in and I was the fall guy. I heard a rumor that my birth parents were in L.A., so I snuck over the border and started searching. That's when I was grabbed."

Miguel ends his story and looks Eagle square in the eyes. "So do you still want to put me on that list?"

 

[Deva]

"You son of a bitch," Sarah snarls at Miguel. "Just who the hell do you think you are? I have had every inch of my body poked, and prodded, and violated for weeks. I have been injected with God knows what, subjected to tests that would be inhumane to a rat, and taken to the brink of death only to brought back to have it start all over again. We all have, and I know I will spend the rest of my life trying to forget what those bastards did to us!"

Angry tears burn at the corner of her eyes. "I can still feel the restraints on my arms, the needles in my skin, the terror every time they came for one of us or the relief I felt when it wasn't me. I can't even close my eyes without wondering if, when I open them again, I will be back inside that cell.

"To make it worse, when everything is said and done, the entire country is going to know what was done to us. My family, my friends, they're going to have to know that I was put through hell and there is nothing they can do to make it go away. There is nothing anyone can do to make it just go away!

"And now the people that they-" She point to the AF members, "- work for will want to put us on display and exploit the torture we endured and spin it to their advantage for free publicity! I say screw them! I will not let myself be used like that again!"

Her body trembles as she tries to calm herself. "I have every right to want my privacy, to try to get even a fraction of my life back, and if I can have any of it I again I will take it! So don't you dare stand there acting all superior because you have nothing to go back to!"

 

[Agamon]

Miguel ends his story and looks Eagle square in the eyes. "So do you still want to put me on that list?"

Screaming Eagle smiles. "Definitely. Andrew used to run with a gang in his youth, and look how he's turned out...oh, I'm sorry, bad example," she says cracking a grin at Jersey Devil.

"Hardy-har-har," Jersey Devil responds with a smirk and flick of his tail. "Careful, once she gets started, there's no stopping her..."

"And as for your...current status, if you agree to return to Mexico in the interim, if you are selected to join the team, you'll receive a work visa just as the others not native to the U.S. will, and eventually gain citizenship. Sound reasonable?" Eagle says to Miguel.

"You son of a bitch," Sarah snarls at Miguel. "Just who the hell do you think you are? I have had every inch of my body poked, and prodded, and violated for weeks. I have been injected with God knows what, subjected to tests that would be inhumane to a rat, and taken to the brink of death only to brought back to have it start all over again. We all have, and I know I will spend the rest of my life trying to forget what those bastards did to us!"

Angry tears burn at the corner of her eyes. "I can still feel the restraints on my arms, the needles in my skin, the terror every time they came for one of us or the relief I felt when it wasn't me. I can't even close my eyes without wondering if, when I open them again, I will be back inside that cell.

"To make it worse, when everything is said and done, the entire country is going to know what was done to us. My family, my friends, they're going to have to know that I was put through hell and there is nothing they can do to make it go away. There is nothing anyone can do to make it just go away!

"And now the people that they-" She point to the AF members, "- work for will want to put us on display and exploit the torture we endured and spin it to their advantage for free publicity! I say screw them! I will not let myself be used like that again!"

Her body trembles as she tries to calm herself. "I have every right to want my privacy, to try to get even a fraction of my life back, and if I can have any of it I again I will take it! So don't you dare stand there acting all superior because you have nothing to go back to!"

"Sarah...no one's going to make you do what you don't want to. I can't even imagine what you all have gone through over the past two months, and I realize anything but going home must be completely irrellivant to you right now," Eagle says. "Now, adding your names to the list was my idea, well Devil's idea, initially. No one in the government knows what who I'm going to reccomend yet, so no one is trying to exploit you. I'm not even sure when the new team will be formed, but you should have plenty of time to rest and get your life back into some semblance of order. And when the time comes, you can make your decision then. No one else can tell you what is best for you." Screaming Eagle gives Sarah a reassuring smile.

 

[Mimic]

Miguel lets Sarah rage against him, knowing that it was going to come out sooner or later and it was better him then someone else.

Once she is finished Miguel takes a step forward.

It happened to us all Sarah, they tortured everyone of us here as much as they did you, but what I said still stands your old life is over. He says quietly.

You can run and hide, stick your head under the blankets and hope that everything goes away. Your a cop Sarah, you have seen what happens to people that do that, they sink lower and lower into themselves until they disappear. Your stronger then that or are you going to let Biogen win?

Don't let them use you, make Biogen pay for what they did, if we disappear Biogen will sweep this under the rug and you know it.

 

[Calinon]

Madre del dios, I can't believe you people. these three have bent over backwards trying to help us and when we are offered a chance to help others like us what do you do? Miguel suddenly pipes up as he stands he reverts to his own form.

"This comin' from the dude who's been up in Angel's face threatening her nearly non-stop since we got with them..."

Or we complain about not being able to help the little guy. Sarah's form shifts to look like Tryoc. How many of your arrests were thrown out of court because you weren't legit amigo?

"Two, actually, other than the kids who just made bad choices I tried to help go straight. I made myself available to testify in all cases I was a part of. Sixteen very stupid elites are in this place 'cause of me, at least by my count. Not exactly the toughest guys, mind you..."

What BioGen did to us is unforgivable and I intend to make sure they don't do to someone else what they did to us and really this is the only way its going to happen. Miguel shifts back to his own form and walks over to where Screaming Eagle is standing.

"Only way if you dismiss any other possible way," Tyrone says to Aaron with a grin.

Miguel lets Sarah rage against him, knowing that it was going to come out sooner or later and it was better him then someone else.

Once she is finished Miguel takes a step forward.

It happened to us all Sarah, they tortured everyone of us here as much as they did you, but what I said still stands your old life is over. He says quietly.

You can run and hide, stick your head under the blankets and hope that everything goes away. Your a cop Sarah, you have seen what happens to people that do that, they sink lower and lower into themselves until they disappear. Your stronger then that or are you going to let Biogen win?

Don't let them use you, make Biogen pay for what they did, if we disappear Biogen will sweep this under the rug and you know it.

"This'd be a great time for you to shut up," Tyrone says unpleasantly at the sight of Sarah's tears. "Sweet jeezus, you need to foist your opinions on her like that, or do you just like to upset her. The tears make you feel tough? Big? That's real solid," he says coldly. "Maybe wait for a few minutes, then tell her she's wrong to want a normal life again."

Coming up to Sarah he says, "That's just his opinion, Sarah. It doesn't make it right. I'd like a shot at my old life too, but now with my identity public, I'm a bit screwed," he says to Sarah with a bit of a smile. "But it doesn't mean I can't have it back. And this is a complete load of crap to be dumping on us now anyway, two and a half days after we were lab rats," he says loud enough for everyone to hear. "Only gonna cause an argument."

Turning his attention back to Sarah he adds, "I'm going home to New York. You should come stay with my mama for a bit, cool off, keep yourself out of the spotlight. I know she wouldn't mind, and it'd let you relax without worrying about the media. She'll kick their asses proper if they step foot on her property. Hopefully we can get Aaron's parents to let him stay too. I still need my sidekick," he says with a grin to the boy. "And once we've had some time to look at what we are going to do, we can worry about Biogen."

 

[Mimic]

"This comin' from the dude who's been up in Angel's face threatening her nearly non-stop since we got with them..."

True but not only did they save our lives and they actually believed our story and investigated, when others would have done their job and thrown us in jail without a second thought.

"Only way if you dismiss any other possible way," Tyrone says to Aaron with a grin.

What other options are there? Should we picket? Sign a petition? Do you want to sit on the side lines while others bring in those that are responsible?

Turning his attention back to Sarah he adds, "I'm going home to New York. You should come stay with my mama for a bit, cool off, keep yourself out of the spotlight. I know she wouldn't mind, and it'd let you relax without worrying about the media. She'll kick their asses proper if they step foot on her property. Hopefully we can get Aaron's parents to let him stay too. I still need my sidekick," he says with a grin to the boy. "And once we've had some time to look at what we are going to do, we can worry about Biogen."

I'm not saying that we can't have a normal life just that our old lives are over and the sooner we all realise that the better. Right now your friends and loved ones are on the finge of the story, but you move in with your mama, even for a few days your going to have every reporter camped on her front lawn, her whole life is going to be scrutinized in minute detail. Do you really want that to happen to her? And the longer we wait on Biogen the more time they will have to hide information.

 

[Mimic]

"And as for your...current status, if you agree to return to Mexico in the interim, if you are selected to join the team, you'll receive a work visa just as the others not native to the U.S. will, and eventually gain citizenship. Sound reasonable?" Eagle says to Miguel.

Here, there, where ever. Although I could use a few bucks to rent a room until that time.

 

[Elementor]

Aaron seems to beam everytime he is actually mentioned in the conversation. While Miguel is talking to Tyrone and trying to defend his harsh words to Sarah, as has always happened during such stressful social confrontations, Aaron loses control of his powers. Turning into his much heavier earthen form, Aaron crashes to the ground as his chair gives way. "NOW LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO," he hollers at Mimic in a barely controlled rage. Clamboring back to his feet, he runs over by Sarah and Tyrone and halfway hides behind Tyrone's large leather duster.

"It isnt bad enough you have to keep trying to steal our identities, powers and thoughts but now you are trying to make us do stuff we don't want to do or are scared of too??!! I love AF as much as most folks do but when that guy came through the jail wall at me and I couldnt touch him, I was so scared I almost cried. We got bullied into helping to fight the prisoners, and now you are trying to bully us into joining AF too. I hate bullys!! Why are there always bullys!!??" Aaron turns and runs away down the hall tears making muddy streams down his earthen face.

 

[Deva]

With one final scowl at Miguel, Sarah gets up from her chair. She places a hand on Tyrone's arm and smiles up at him weakly, a silent thanks for his support. She jogs after Aaron.

"Hey," She says when she finally catches up to him. "I don't think we were suppose to leave the lobby, but what are they going to do? Arrest us?" She leans against the wall. "Things have been real lousy the last couple of months, huh. But just think, in a few hours we'll be out of here and heading home and it'll be over. Though you have got to come to New York some time for a visit. I know this guy," she gives him a joking smile, "makes the best donuts on the east coast."