Ghosts of Alara

Ghosts of Alara

Energy

The Annual Highland Park Carnival was abuzz with activity and life and colour and fun.

Which was exactly why Ein hated being there.

Ein was a stoic Gothic man. Tall, pale, and perpetually morose. His long straight black hair draped to frame his face, obscuring his left eye. His attire was an ensemble of blacks lined and adorned with metals, and completed by his signature long, dark, robe-sleeved trench coat; the collar of which sat high behind his neck. Amidst the lights and laughs, Ein looked entirely out of place. And, that was because...he was. This was not his sort of event, and normally, he'd never be there if he didn't have to. But, there was one person who could get him to go to such a thing. And, she was right beside him.

The ray of unlimited sunshine bouncing at his right was Rhea. She was short, bubbly, and had an infectious smile permanently bridging her ears. Her hair was blonde with pink and green highlights, and sat in a wispy flip that showed off her pretty face. She wore a cacophony of colours on her cropped top and pleated skirt. And, she could not look more at home amongst the crowds.

For most of the day, Ein watched from the side while Rhea rode rides. He'd participated in a couple of the more skill-oriented games. But, for the most part, he was just there to keep her company and hold her beer while she enjoyed herself. That, and because they both knew never to be too far apart. However, when Rhea saw the big bright new coaster - the announcement of which had been what brought them there, in the first place - Rhea's eyes lit up, and Ein's shut-in concern.

"Just this one. Come on!" Rhea pleaded, playfully.

"You know the risks, Rhea," Ein reminded, solemnly.

"I'll be right there with you, the whole time." She pointed to the seating arrangement as the ride was loaded with its next wave of passengers. "See? We can even hold hands." She turned those big bright eyes on him and put on her best pouty face. Ein simply sighed in defeat, which elicited a satisfied chirp from Rhea.

"One time."

"Gotcha. One time. Come on." She grabbed his arm and tugged him into line.

They waited their turn, with Rhea bouncing in anticipation the whole time. Ein just kinda watched her. He was fascinated by her joy. He listened while she rattled off details about the coaster. He'd already read them, online. And, he didn't care any more , then than he does, now. But, she enjoyed telling him. So, he listened. When it was finally their turn, Rhea squeaked as the gate was opened bolted through like a racehorse, only to stop after just 2 steps and wait to keep pace with Ein. They were seated, the safety bar was lowered and the ride hummed as it raised to its starting position. Then, at the point of no return, Rhea said it.

"Uh-oh."

"If you dragged me onto this thing just to tell me you're scared, I--"

"No, silly. Of course not. No, I gotta pee!"

"Seriously?" there was actually a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Yeah. I can hold it til we get off. No biggie. I'll just go after."

"Ok."

As if to punctuate his acceptance, the ride clicked loudly and launched. Several drops and loops and turns followed. The entire time, Rhea did two things that were inherently characteristic of her:

She screamed in utter joy, and she held Ein's hand.

When the ride ended, the pair rushed to where the bathrooms were. Before going in, Rhea turned to Ein.

"I'll be quick. Promise. Just stay calm, ok?"

Ein only nodded. Then, Rhea was off. While he waited, he tried to ignore his uncomfortable environment. He dismissed the stares from parents shielding their children from the sight of him. The dirty looks from young couples, he let them roll off. He was used to it. Then, a group of jocks strolled by with their girlfriends. In passing, one of them couldn't help himself.

"Halloween's months away, freak!"

"Yeah, go back to your Batcave, Blade!" another chimed in. As they all laughed and walked off, Ein silently seethed. He knew he shouldn't be mad. This was nothing new. And, the insult didn't even make sense. Batman was DC, Blade was Marvel. It was dumb. But, it didn't matter. It got under his skin. And, as the hatred bubbled just under the surface, small sparks of electricity crackled at his fingertips, only barely concealed by his sleeve. He was wrapped up in his irritation so, he didn't notice. And, fortunately, the buzzing was drowned out by the noise around him. As he glared at the backs of the group, the sparks grew, now visible outside his sleeve. He saw nothing but his target. Then, her voice snapped him out of his tunnel vision.

"Ein!" He turned to see Rhea trotting up to him, a muted concern on her face. When she was beside him, she continued, softly. "You're sparking."

He looked at his hand, electricity frantically dancing around it.

"Oh."

"Gimme." She took his hand, and the sparks all redirected toward her own. They absorbed into her skin and traveled along her veins, up to her wrist. She took a sharp excited breath and let out a swift "Whoo!' Then, she snatched her bottle from him and, before she got a chance to sip, accidentally crushed the glass in her hand. Shards pierced her flesh, but she only winced for a moment. Knowing what came next, Ein moved to obscure her from possible onlookers. Her veins continued to glow as the pair watched her rapidly healing skin push the shards out. When the process finished, she took his cheek in her hand and smiled.

"See? All better."

Ein let out a sigh of relief and stepped back.

Then, the explosion in the distance had them both looking east...

Ein and Rhea shared a knowing look and ran toward the sound of the blast. After a few paces, they saw a horrifying sight: the Ferris Wheel was about to collapse. The wheel was braced by four massive bipedal legs that stood outside the staging area that served as the entrance ramp. One of the left legs had been blown off, and the wheel was leaning, adding unsustainable stress to the other left leg. And, it was fully loaded with people.

Immediately, Rhea snatched Ein by the shirt and planted a big kiss on him, absorbing streams of electricity that surged into her veins.

"Search and Rescue?" She checked between exhilarated breaths.

"Yeah. Go," He confirmed. Then, with unnatural speed, she bolted off toward the wheel, with him following far behind. Rhea noticed a worker still rotating the wheel, trying to get people off before it fell. She ran to the broken leg, planted her feet firmly, reached up, and caught the giant machine, bracing it. The worker looked on in awe at this unfathomable show of strength.

"Keep going!" She urged.

"You're....really strong..." the worker remarked.

"Yes, and this is very heavy. Please hurry!"

The worker snapped out of it and continued. But, Rhea's strength was giving out. Hurried, she yelled up to the remaining riders.

"Everybody curl up! Tuck your heads!"

Then, she kicked out the other left leg, and guided the roll of the now unsecured wheel away from the crowds before walking it down to a relatively soft landing. As riders climbed out of the fallen wheel and fled, one man stopped briefly to look Rhea in the eye. There was an odd sort of understanding in his face.

"Thank you," He said, shakily.

"Mmhm!" was Rhea's cheery reply.

While Rhea worked and security ushered fleeing people toward exits, Ein examined the broken leg. The scorched edge coupled with the sound that attracted them made one thing obvious: This was no accident. He looked around to try and find the attacker. Then, as if to answer the question on his mind, a projectile flew out from the trees, aimed directly at Rhea. Without hesitation, Ein shot out his hand. Electricity surged down his arm and burst out his fingers, striking the rocket and exploding it before it reached its target. The blast destroyed a nearby stand, but that was already empty, by that point. Then, he turned toward the source of the attack and saw his opponents.

From the trees, 5 robot men marched into the open. They formed a half circle around Ein before the one in center stepped forward and "spoke" through a speaker.

"INHUMAN BEING! SURRENDER NOW, OR BE ELIMINATED!"

Ein looked to Rhea, who joined him at his side. She stepped forward, between Ein and the robots.

"Charge me, baby. I'll ta--"

"You're not gonna punch your way through those, and you know it." Ein stated, solemnly. Rhea whipped around to face him.

"Ein..."

"Just get out of sight We both know what happens next."

With a tear in her eye, she nodded.

"I'll find you."

"I know."

Then, with a kiss - and another small charge - Rhea dashed off. One of the bots moved to intercept her, but Ein fired a bolt that shorted the machine. He turned back toward the other four, lightning surging in his eyes. He widened his stance. Electricity churned and writhed as it poured out from within him.

"Don't touch her." He growled. "Your fight is with me."

The robots all reached up their left arms, the hands of which began to transform into weapons. But, before they could fire, Ein let out a pained roar of rage, and a wave of electrical current rushed out of him in every direction. The lightning ripped through the machines, destroying them and anything else within 10 meters of Ein. It burned trenches into the ground as it surged out from him. Then, as Ein's scream lowered to a breath, the current receded to a crackle. Catching his breath, Ein looked around at the destruction. Then, he took a knee, and waited.

Moments later, Ein saw what he had expected. Six military trucks stormed into the clearing and squads of soldiers poured out of the vehicles, weapons trained on Ein. From the trees, Rhea watched as a man in uniform who looked more distinguished than the other soldiers stepped calmly from his truck and approached Ein. The man signaled toward Ein and two soldiers placed him in handcuffs, while a third snapped a collar around his neck. She looked on as they loaded him into the truck and took off.

Rhea ran off toward the main road. It was lined with trees for miles so, she dashed between the treetops following the caravan as it moved. When the trees gave way to open land, she dropped down and started to chase, on foot. She started to slow to a more human pace but, kept pursuit, only stopping when a car screeched to a stop in front of her, cutting her off. Without missing a beat, she leaped over the car and was going to keep running. But, the driver called out to her.

"You'll run out of power before you catch them. Then, you'll both be dead."

Rhea turned to put a face to the voice. It was the man from the wheel; the one who thanked her.

"I cannot just let them take him. You do not know what they will do to him!" She explained, out of breath.

"Actually, I do. And, I can help you get inside in a way that won't get you killed on sight." He waited while she let the idea ruminate. Then, he nodded to the passenger seat. "Get in."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You saved three dozen lives, back there, including mine. Where I'm from, that earns loyalty." He patted the seat. "We ain't got much time, lady."

Hesitantly, Rhea climbed in beside him and he drove off in the direction opposite the caravan. As Rhea stared out the back window, the driver introduced himself.

"I'm Jack."

"Rhea." She spoke to him, but her eyes stayed locked on the road behind her.

Jack drove with haste. As he did, Rhea inquired further into him.

"So, who are you?" Her tone was soft, yet somehow tense. "And, how can you help us?"

He raised an eyebrow at 'us'.

"Highland Park is a small military town. Pretty much everyone here is either in the military, works for it, or is related to one of the two."

"And, which are you?"

"All o'em, technically." He glanced over and caught her dissatisfied look. "I'm an analyst. I study patterns and charts and shit. Used to be a soldier. Two tours over in Syria. Shit I saw there cut me deep. Day I came back, traded my rifle for desktop and never looked back."

He glanced over, again. This time, she got it.

"That wheel had to weigh at least a ton or two. You look to be about 120 pounds, soaking wet. You're one of them evo types, huh?

Rhea nodded. "My body takes in energy; turns it into strength and health. Ein feeds me. And I help him."

"Help him, how?"

"I am more interested in how you will help us. Please, tell me, Mr. Jack."

"Well, like I said, I’m an analyst. Gets me some relatively high clearance. I ain't top brass but, I can open most doors, no problem."

"And, you can use your position to get me to him?"

"That's the plan." As he said this, Jack pulled into a driveway of a small suburban home. "And, that's my house."

He turned off the car and the two of them climbed out. Rhea waited for Jack to walk to the door before she moved. When she caught up, he turned to her, and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Hey listen, keep quiet about what you can do around my wife. Her mind ain't quite open like mine, you get me?"

Rhea nodded, solemnly. She was familiar. At that, Jack turned the key, and opened the door.

Ein tried to get his bearings. The collar was still tight around his neck. And the sack on his head made sure all he saw was black. And, there was very little sound since they'd sat him down. He could hear the buzzing of what he figured was a fluorescent light, above him. Then, he heard the door open and the murmurs and footsteps as someone approached him. Suddenly, the sack was snatched off of his head and the white of the room nearly blinded him. His eyes barely had time to adjust before the questions started.

"Who are you?!" The gruff, grizzly face of the commander slowly came into focus. "And, what is the nature of your power?"

"You catch whoever sent those machines?" Was Ein's calm but mildly sarcastic reply.

At this, the commander jabbed Ein in the chest, causing him to cough hard. He leaned in close enough for Ein to taste the tobacco on his breath. And, through a snarl, he spoke.

"I ask the questions, here, freak."

"Fine. Long as you rinse, first."

The commander chuckled. Then, he back-slapped Ein hard enough to knock him - and the chair he was chained to- onto the tile floor. Ein used his new lower vantage point to take stock of his surroundings. Only one way in or out. No windows. He could make out two men behind the commander. Realized there was at least one more when a pair of hands hoisted him back upright. The commander glared into his eyes.

"Let's try again. Who. Are you?"

"Nobody."

"What is the nature of your power?"

"Ate a battery when I was 2. Guess it never came ou--"

Another slap cut him off, and left his lip bleeding. However, this time, when he was reset, electricity crackled in his eyes.

"You're gonna wanna stop doing that." Ein threatened. But, as he said it, he heard a beeping from the collar. He looked down to see a red flashing light at its center. When he looked back up, the commander wore a big yellow grin.

"You were saying?" The commander watched the hate seep into Ein's eyes and the electricity receded. He stood up and proudly continued. "That there's top of the line. Reads current levels and, if the number gets too high..." He locked eyes with Ein and gestured an explosion, punctuated with a "Poof! Off with your head."

Ein tried his best to relax.

"Don't hit me, again."

The commander raised an eyebrow. "Or what?"

"Or you'll kill me before you get whatever you want from me."

"You willing to die just to keep shut?"

"It's not always up to me."

The commander leaned in, again. "Well, I suggest you coopera--"

"Major Dunning!" The woman's voice was stern, yet small. But, it got that tobacco-laced grill out of Ein's face, fast. Whoever she was, she was important. She was an amber skinned woman of average height. Her dark brown curly hair fell loosely to her shoulders. She wore a lab coat over a floral dress. And, she didn't have on any shoes. "If you are quite done your barbaric interrogation--"

"I'm not." He protested, still facing Ein.

"You are, now." She replied, standing firm, even at a clean foot shorter than him. "Your orders were to contain the subject, not batter him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to examine my patient before you meatheads kill him."

The commander grimaced as he turned to her. "Don't forget who funds your little science project."

"Long as you don't forget why you do." She countered, with a smile on her face and her eyelids fluttering.

The commander conceded and nodded to his man to move Ein. A soldier released his wrist cuffs and took him by the arm, firmly. The woman merely scowled at the soldier until he released his grip. Then, she offered Ein her hand. He took it, and she walked him out the door, leaving the commander and his soldiers behind and livid.

Back at Jack's house, Rhea sat at a small table and waited in the basement for Jack. He was smoothing things over with his wife so, she took the time to explore the room. There were tools and some old boxes. There were car parts and what looked like the remains of a stove. There was a refrigerator, a washer, and a dryer. And, there was a steel safe, tucked in the corner. She was curious, as always, and wanted to inspect it. But she overheard Jack and his wife discussing upstairs and decided it was rude to pry, especially if he was trying to help. She could only barely make out the conversation but, she could tell he was trying to convince her he wasn't doing something illegal or illicit - which she knew was a lie. She heard him start down the stairs and tried to look natural as she ran back to her chair.

"I take it, you ain't the sneaky type." He mused

Rhea realized she'd been caught and sighed with a shy smile. "No. Ein is the clever one. I am the strong one."

"I feel like that goes for more than your arms."

Her smile widened. "It does. I protect him."

"From what?"

"From him."

Jack simply stared for a moment. After a brief silence, he walked over to the fridge and pulled out two beers.

"Beer?"

"No, thank you."

Jack put one back and popped open the other. Then, he walked over to the safe and looked over his shoulder. She caught on and made a show of looking away, turning her back to him. Satisfied, he entered the combination and opened the safe. He pulled out a large rolled paper and walked over to the table. When he unrolled the paper, they revealed blueprints for a military building.

"Ein is here?" The hope in her voice warmed his heart.

"They probably took him in for questioning. Do that with any captive. But, your boy...he's special. Like you. So, the doc probably took him, by now." He pointed to a room on the floor plan B1 "So, if I'm right, Ein is here."

"Then, what do we need to do to get to him?"

Jack leaned back and smirked. "Depends."

She tilted her head, curiously. He continued.

"How close you need to be to get strong, again?"

Back at the facility, Ein was sat in an examination room similar to one from a hospital. The woman walked over to the door and shut it. When she turned back to Ein, he spoke.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Dr. Carmen Ghia. I'm a biochemist and physician." Then, she flashed a sneaky smile. "I'm also sort of a botanist. But, that's more of a personal hobby, know what I mean?" She winked and he chuckled to himself.

"Secret's safe with me."

"Oh, it's no secret." She said, almost defiantly. "They just don't bother me about it cause, they know I'm the only one who can do my work."

"About that. I take it from this whole setup that you study evos like me. Look into our bodies and see what makes us tick?"

She heard the disdain in his voice. So, she softened hers. "I look at what makes you special. And, I try to teach the bulldogs out there how to better adapt to you."

"Data which, in turn, they use to hunt us."

Dr. Ghia's eyes lowered, in shame. "I took on the project to help your kind. But, ever since the attacks, all they want are weapons or bodies."

Ein tapped her arm and she looked at him. "So, which am I to be?"

Dr. Ghia sighed. "It's better on their side than against them. At least, for now."

Ein contemplated for a moment. Then, he decided to take the chance.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you're on my side. Tell me I can trust you."

She looked for what felt like minutes. He was asking more than he said. And, she knew she would be agreeing to something serious. But, in that moment, she didn't care, anymore. He was a prisoner, here. But, he was the only one who wasn't afraid.

"I am on your side." She said, with conviction. "You can trust me."

He watched her as she spoke. He studied her eyes. Then, satisfied, he replied.

"Then, when she gets here, make sure she can reach me."

"Who?" Confusion warped Dr. Ghia's face.

He laid back on the bed and smiled as he spoke, fully pleased with himself.

"The answer to both our problems."

"Ok so, you understand the plan?" Jack felt like he was planning a covert op with a 12-year-old.

"Yup!" Rhea felt like a raging river behind a dam of cardboard. Her colourful hair was dyed black and she wore a dark dress that belonged to Jack's older daughter. "We are ready to go, now?"

Jack sighed. "I'm so going to jail," he muttered as he opened the door to the yard. "Come on. let's go save your boyfriend."

Rhea nearly bounded out the door. "Oh, you are doing so much more than that!"

And, with another sigh and a lingering look at his basement, Jack closed the door and followed Rhea to the car.

Ein laid calmly on the bed while Dr. Ghia prepared a syringe. She tapped the vial twice and gave it a little squirt. Then, she approached Ein.

"Ok now, you're gonna feel a little prick--"

"Heh!" He chuckled.

"Shut it!" She said, humourously. "A little SHARP POINT..." she waited while he beamed an immature smile. "...followed by a cold sensation, ok?"

"Yeah."

But, before she had a chance to administer, The Commander and two of his men burst through the door.

"A'ight, doc. Nicey-nice time is over. He's mine, now!" Boomed Major Dunning.

"I've not even begun the extrac--"

He held a dossier up disrespectfully close to her face, cutting her off.

"Orders from on high. This one's considered a high threat." He saw the doubt as she glanced at Ein. Ein only looked away, solemnly. "Apparently, your little patient here has gotten around. Caused a good deal of damage, along the way."

As he said this, Dr. Ghia flipped through pages of the dossier. As she did, horror spread further and further across her face. At one photo, she held her hand over her mouth and looked away, shoving the dossier back at Dunning. He took it with that yellow grin, and nodded for his men to take Ein. Dr. Ghia merely hung her head as they passed her and snatched up Ein. She didn't protest.

And, neither did he.

The men tugged Ein out the door. He glanced back, just briefly, at Dr. Ghia. But, she didn't look up. She didn't face him. Then, after dropping the dossier on Dr. Ghia’s desk, Dunning exited, and the door was slammed behind him.

Ein was tossed into a chair mounted within a device that had massive tubular slots for his arms and legs. A bundle of wires poured out of each slot, as well as the back of the chair, and into what looked like a giant bulb. Ein took one look at it and guessed what it was for.

"That ain't gonna work. Least, not the way you want it to."

Dunning grabbed the collar still on Ein's neck and yanked him forward.

"You shut your mouth, freak. Your kind don't belong in this world. And, after what you've done, you're lucky you're not a stain on my boot. Only reason you're still alive is cause the Brass wants to make a battery out o' you." He leaned in closer. "So, I ain't gonna kill you. But, I'ma make you wish I did."

He punctuated the sentence by slamming Ein back into the chair. Then, he turned and gestured for a soldier who was at a console across the room to start the machine. The soldier slid a fader up slightly and Ein screamed in pain as electricity was ripped from his body and into the device. The giant bulb slowly lit up at the bottom, climbing higher as more power was pulled.

As this went on, another soldier approached Dunning. He whispered something in his hear and confusion hit Dunning's face. He turned and pointed to the soldier at the console.

"Keep going!" He ordered. "But, keep the scum alive!"

Then, he and the other soldier left.

At the front of the compound, Jack pulled Rhea with one hand by a zip tie that bound her wrists. He kept his other hand pressed firmly at her back. He walked up to the first security door and swiped his card to open it. Rhea struggled a bit, but never broke free. Jack glanced at the camera over his shoulder as he pulled Rhea into an elevator.

When the elevator doors opened on their floor, Dunning and his man could be seen approaching from the other end of the hall. Jack gave Rhea a hard tug and spoke.

"Caught this one sniffing around the crime scene. Claims to have important info on the subject. The terrorist from the Fair."

Dunning sneered as he looked her over. He moved uncomfortably close and sniffed. Then, he grinned. "Least this one's more fun to look at." He locked his eyes on hers and she cringed. "And, what's your trick, freak?"

Rhea put on her best little shy girl voice. "When I touch another evo, I can see their memories. I can find out where they have been. I can also find out how they learned to control their power." She put a pout on and looked up at Dunning. "But, it only works on evos. And, I have to touch them."

"Commander," Jack interjected. "There were reports of a colourful female subject with the terrorist at the fair. Witnesses claim she was super strong." He nodded to Rhea. "Maybe this one can help us find her."

Dunning considered. "Why should we trust you?"

"I did not ask to be evo. I do not like being seen as a monster. I only want to help the world." She looked Dunning square in the eye. "I want to get rid of all the monsters."

Dunning waved toward his soldier. Take her to the other freak. Jack started to push Rhea toward the soldier. But, Dunning put a stiff hand on his chest.

"Where are you going?"

"Been a long time since the war. Hate to say it but, I miss the screams." He wore his best evil grin as he leaned into Dunning's ear. "And, you and I both know you're having a blast with your new toy." He stood back. "Lemme walk her in. For old time's sake."

Dunning smiled and nodded for him to go. Then, he followed as Jack escorted her down the hall. All the while, Jack's hand never left her spine.

Jack and the soldier escorted Rhea to Dr. Ghia's lab, with Major Dunning close behind. Once inside, Jack sat Rhea down in a chair, pushing her down hard and pressing her back against the rest. Dr. Ghia shot him a confused look and the face he sent back said there was more to the story. She turned to and studied Rhea's face. Rhea's eyes darted about, nervously. By the door, Dunning watched with pride.

"Keep an eye on that one. I'm gonna go check on the terrorist. I'll send a man for her, when I'm ready."

"Yes, sir." Jack calmly replied. He watched as they left the room. He waited until they were out of sight. Then, he turned to Rhea.

"You ok? I wasn't too rough, was I?"

Rhea giggled "Even without my power, I am very strong girl. I can take a few bumps."

Dr. Ghia looked sure of herself. "You're the girl he mentioned. Said you were coming to help."

"I always find him, no matter what." Her face shifted from pride to concern as the thought hit her. "Ein is...ok?"

"He's alive. Knowing Dunning and his toys, he's probably suffering, by now."

Suspicion washed over Jack's face. "You don't look too bothered by that."

"Jack, you and I know I don't approve of Dunning's methods, or share his views. But, that guy in there..." She nodded toward the door. "That one might actually be dangerous"

Rhea shot to her feet. "He is not dangerous!" she stated, firmly. "Not when he is treated the right way."

Dr. Ghia turned to her desk. "Look, I know Jack. Honest man. So, I see you in here with him with that doughey-eyed face barely selling this ruse you two are pulling on the commander and, I’m inclined to believe you're a good person." As she spoke, she pulled out the dossier and tossed it on a table near Rhea. "Convince me he is, too."

Rhea scanned curiously through the photos. They depicted scenes of carnage and destruction. Burned buildings set the backdrop for wounded bystanders and charred corpses. And, in nearly every photo, Ein stood, poised in aggression like an agent of chaos. However, where Dr. Ghia's face, upon seeing these, had shown horror, Rhea's conveyed understanding.

"These...are only the endings." She said softly. "They do not tell the whole story."

"Then, tell us." Jack pressed.

"Please." Dr. Ghia added.

"Everywhere we go, they come. The metal men. Robots. We try to live a peaceful life, sometimes helping people. But, they always come. And, they always attack. Every time, Ein protects me. The metal men always separate us. And, they go after him. Whenever we are separated, he loses control. That is when you see these things." She jabbed her finger into one of the photos.

"Ein is not evil. He is in pain. And, he is scared. And, he is very dark, yes. But, he does not want to hurt the people. But, because of his power, the people are afraid of him and the metal men attack him. They try to control him. But, they do not understand."

Rhea's voice raised as she continued. Her words sharpened as she spoke them. "But, he does not need your machines to contain him. And, he does not need your chemicals to sedate him. And, he does not need your approval to make him ok. He needs ME!"

She paused to catch her breath.

"He needs me. And, I need him."

Jack stared in awe at the passionate speech. Dr. Ghia wiped the tear from her eye and steadied her tone. "How so?"

"My power, my real power, is to take electrical energy and turn into strength. I can do it with machines but, it breaks them. Ein makes energy all the time. He can't keep it all in. We work together. He keeps me strong. I keep him stable."

After a few moments of silence, Dr. Ghia spoke, softly.

"I believe you." She gathered up the photos and put them away. "Tell me how I can help."

"All I need to do is touch him. Then, I will free him and we will leave."

"Yeah, about that." Jack interjected. "Wonder what's taking old jughead Dunnging so long." He glanced at the door. "What's he doing?"

In the chamber, Ein shrieked in pain. Electricity ripped through him as Dunning watched with a smile. The mysterious bulb reached half full when the machine suddenly stopped. Angered, Dunning whipped his head around to his man.

"Who the hell told you to stop?!"

"It's the machine. It can't handle the voltage, non-stop. Keeps overloading and shutting down."

Dunning snatched him up by his shirt. "You said this thing could carry enough juice to power a small town!"

"Yes but, it can't take it all at once. And, he's putting out at least twice that."

"Then, fix it!"

"I can re-calibrate it but, that'll take some time."

Dunning turned to the soldier. "Cut him loose. Let's bring him to the girl." The soldier obliged and Dunning turned back to the worker. "You got until I'm back to have a better answer." Ein was dragged to face Dunning, who grabbed him by his hair. "Time to dig out your secrets, freak." Dunning mushed Ein away and exited.

Ein let his hair hang low over his face as the soldier moved him. He needed to hide his smile.

Dr. Ghia tapped away at her computer while Rhea twiddled her thumbs and Jack glanced at his watch. He nodded to Rhea.

"How long you two been a thing?"

"Ten years," Rhea replied. "He saved me. People with guns. That was the first time we moved."

"Yeah. Speaking of you moving..." Dr. Ghia chimed in. "Something in one of those pictures caught my eye."

"Lemme see?" Jack asked. Dr. Ghia pulled the photos back out and handed them to him. She pointed to a structure in the background of one.

"Can't quite place it but, that building looks familiar."

Jack looked for only a second before he saw it. "That's the Taj."

"The real one, right? Not the Vegas remake."

"Yeah, yeah. That's Dheli."

Rhea perked up. "Yes. India. We went to see a festival, there."

Jack scrunched his face and looked closer at other photos.

"Can you tell where the rest of these are?"

"Mmmmm..." Rhea scanned. "That one is from the Cherry Blossom Festival, in Japan. I remember ‘cause I was sad about the trees burning." She pointed to a tree in the background. "See?" She slid out another photo. "Ooh! And, this one was all the way in Africa. It was a carnival in a place called....Ango..."

"Angola." Jack finished, for her. "And, I'm willing to bet this one was at the Lovebox festival, in London, wasn't it?"

"YES! Yes, that was very fun!" Rhea exclaimed before her mood soured. "At least, until the metal men came."

Dr. Ghia started to catch on. "London. Angola. Dheli. Aren't those--"

The sounds of heavy footsteps made her cut herself off. Jack tried to gather the photos but, Dunning practically kicked the door in, two soldiers in tow. He noticed them all in a huddle and immediately put it together.

"Lock down the terrorist. And, the girl. Keep'em apart."

Surprise hit all 3 of their faces as Ein was bolted to a chair with steel clamps. Dr. Ghia tried to protest as a soldier pushed past her to Rhea.

"What? Why?"

"Because, he knows we figured it out." Jack answered. He turned to Dunning. "The sites in these photos are all a stone's throw away from test sites for your sentry project."

Dr. Ghia glared at Dunning while, behind them, the soldier restrained Rhea. "You told me those were for search and rescue."

"They were." Dunning smirked as he confessed. "Search for freaks like these, and rescue the world from them."

"You attacked public, highly populated areas."

"Had to flush'em out, somehow."

"People died."

"Men die in war, all the time. Difference is, they have a chance. A fair shot. Men vs men. These...abominations tip the scales. So, I needed to test a new class of weapon; tip it back." He gestured toward Ein with his thumb. "I been hunting this one for a while. Never could hold him long in those shoddy foreign prisons. And, with all the red tape, I couldn’t get into anything useful. But, the girl here likes a fair. So, I called a friend. Had one come here. Biggest I could find."

"The Fair was bait." Jack noted.

"And, the fish bit." Dunning confirmed.

Ein seethed from beneath his hair.

Rhea sneered at Dunning. "You are a monster."

Dunning grinned at Rhea. "And, you are gonna be fun to pick apart."

Then, Jack reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small remote and went to press the button. But, a soldier grabbed his wrist and he dropped it. Rhea lunged for it but Dunning kicked her out of reach. Ein roared when he saw that. Dunning looked to Ein for just a moment, and Dr. Ghia used that moment to grab the remote. With no idea what it was, she pressed the button. Just then, Rhea yelped in pain.

Everyone looked over to see what had happened. On her back, a small circle of blue light pulsed as sparks burned through her top. Rhea took a deep satisfied breath and broke free of her restraints. She rushed toward Dunning but, both soldiers moved to intercept. Rhea fought them and easily knocked them aside. Dunning made for the door and fled as Rhea reached Ein.

"I told you I would find you."

"Every time."

She ripped the restraints from his arms and, when he stood, they embraced hard. She reached for the collar but, he drew back.

"It's some kind of bomb. Might set it off."

"I'll deal with that." Dr. Ghia offered. "Not my area but, I helped in the planning." She looked to Rhea. "Go get him. I'll free Ein."

Rhea nodded and ran off. Jack followed her.

"I think I know where he's going. Follow me."

Rhea and Jack ran to the elevator. But, when he tried to call it with his card, the panel read [ACCESS DENIED]. He scoffed and pulled Rhea toward the stairs. "This way."

After several flights down, they moved through a series of corridors before finding Dunning entering a chamber on the other end of a room that was virtually empty, save for the dozen robots standing between him and the pair. Rhea stood in front of Jack as Dunning addressed them

"I waited years for the right moment! Been wanting to bust this baby out for a long time!" Dunning pressed a series of buttons and the robots sprang to life. "Capture the female. Kill the male." The robots began to move forward.

Rhea hoisted Jack onto her shoulders and darted for the door. She dashed and dodged as the robots attacked with bladed arms. She raced up the stairs with the robots close behind, ripping a part of the handrail off as she did. When she was back on the floor where they started, she closed the door behind her and put Jack down. Then, she took the segment of rail and jammed it in the door latch, just as a robot smashed into it.

"I will lead them outside." Rhea ordered as another smash dented the door. "Get Ein to me."

Jack nodded and ran off. He'd barely gotten out of sight when the robots broke through. Rhea grabbed one by the leg and yanked it off its feet, tripping the one behind it. She punched a third in a weak point on its neck. It disabled the robot, but severely injured her hand. She narrowly dodged a stab as she held her hand in pain. Then, she ran to a window and crashed through it, with the robots following behind.

Ein and Dr. Ghia charged into the room where Ein had been held. The worker jumped back, startled. Ein snatched up the worker and held a scalpel to his throat, then tilted his head toward Dr, Ghia.

"Him?" He checked.

"Him." She confirmed.

Ein locked eyes with the worker. "The collar. Now."

Shaking in his boots, the worker reached for a button on the console that said [RELEASE]. He pressed it, and the collar fell off, deactivated. Ein smiled.

"Good boy."

Outside, Rhea knelt down and tried to focus. The power from the shock was waning and her hand was still broken. The robots quickly surrounded her, forming a half circle behind her. Then, the ground before her opened to reveal a hatch. From it, rising up on a platform, was a 9 foot tall weaponized mech suit. And, Dunning was its pilot. Rhea looked around in fear as the machines surrounded her. Then, lightning rained from the sky.

Bolts of electricity ripped through half of the robots, while the other half narrowly dodged. Dunning and Rhea both looked up as Ein, surging with electricity, coat flaring in the air, jumped from the floor above. He landed just beside Rhea. Current poured into her, charging her up as her hand quickly healed. Then, she stood at his side, and they faced Dunning. The remaining robots joined his side and awaited orders.

"You freaks shouldn't exist.!" Dunning shouted through his suit's transmitter. "You're nothing but unholy monsters."

"No!" Rhea yelled. "You are the monster!"

"And, this time," Ein added. "We're putting you down, for good."

Dunning's face went flat.

"Fuck it. Kill'em both."

The robots charged forward. Ein let out a stream of lightning that tore 3 of them to bits. But, as it approached Dunning, panels opened on his suit's arms and absorbed the energy. The power ran down channels in the arms before illuminating a cannon in its chest. Rhea threw Ein out of the way and dodged just as a massive beam fired, barely missing them.

Dr. Ghia and Jack looked on from the window.

Rhea and Ein shared a look. They both knew what to do.

"Storm Flower." They said, simultaneously. Then, Rhea took a 3-point stance as Ein charged up. A tether of electricity that linked the two as they readied.

"STOP HIM!" Dunning hollered. The last few bots rushed for Ein, but Rhea dashed toward them. She jumped onto one, ripping its head off before leaping to another. She landed on its back and punched a hole in it. The skin from her arm was shredded, but healed just as quickly. Ein held firm as the last bot went straight for him. It lunged its blade right at his face. But, just a mere inch before making contact, Rhea gripped the blade and, slicing her own hand in the process, snapped it off before using it to eviscerate its owner.

While Rhea healed from her wounds, Dunning dashed in and kicked her across the field. Ein fired a bolt but, like last time, Dunning absorbed it and immediately charged the cannon. He braced to fire and Ein ducked just below the radius of the beam. When, the blast ended, Dunning rached out a hand toward Ein. He grabbed Ein by the throat and held him off his feet.

"Hell of a performance, freak. But the show's over."

Just then, Rhea jumped onto the arm holding Ein and, with all her might, ripped the absorption panels off. Dunning spun around and backslapped Rhea with the good arm. But, when he looked back at his opponent, Ein was smiling.

"Gotcha."

Electricity roared out of Ein and into the suit. It destroyed the arm and burned the left side of Dunning's face, sending him reeling back and causing him to drop Ein. Dunning fell to a knee. And, Ein rose to his feet.

"You hate us so much, you tried to mimic us." Ein called out. He shot a single bolt out and blew away one of the legs.

"Her absorption and strength. My charge and discharge."

Another bolt took the other leg.

"Tried to turn what made us special into a tool for your advantage."

Dunning reached with his good arm to brace for the next shot, but Rhea leapt up and smashed it in.

"But, unlike you, we don't rely on tricks and toys to make us who we are. What we are."

Rhea ripped the face shield off, fully exposing Dunning. She leaned in close to pick up where Ein left off.

"Because, we are proud to be ourselves. And, we will always be stronger than you."

Ein walked up, his fist surging with electricity. But, Rhea placed her hand on his chest and stopped him. They locked eyes and the serenity in hers calmed the rage in his. She held her gaze on Ein while she addressed Dunning.

"Because, our true strength comes from something that you will never understand."

She pulled Dunning out of the suit and dropped him to the ground, away from it. Then, she held Ein's hand as they stood over him.

"Love."

Dunning grimaced. Then, when soldiers moved in with guns in hand and surrounded the scene, he smirked. Until he saw them part for Dr. Ghia and Jack. His eyes darted about as his own soldiers trained their guns on him. Two of them pulled him to his feet and placed him in cuffs. One of them explained the situation.

"You're under arrest for destruction and misuse of government property, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and about a dozen international crimes."

Dunning scowled as Jack and Dr. Ghia stood with Ein and Rhea.

"You choose those...things over your own kind?"

Dr. Ghia stepped forward. She got right in Dunning's face.

"Those two are more human than you'll ever be."

And, with that, Major Dunning was carted off to prison.