by Anne
Disclaimer: The characters of Adam Newman, Megabyte Damon, Kevin Wilson, Ami Jackson, Jade Weston, General William Damon, Colonel Masters, Millie Damon and Caroline Damon belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames Television and Nickelodeon. So do any other names or events linked to the Tomorrow People TV series.
Max Evans, Liz Parker, Maria DeLuca, Michael Guerin, Isabel Evans, Alex Whitman, Kyle Valenti, Sheriff Jim Valenti and Milton belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and WB. All other concepts and events linked to Roswell also belong to them.
The characters of Joe Dawson and James Horton (who appear in name only) belong to Panzer/David, Rysher/Gaumont Television. So do the concepts of immortality, the Watchers and the Hunters.
The characters of Geoff Anderson, Gil Hawkins, Jim Beckett and Simon Trent belong to me and should not be used without permission.
"So Masters has emailed this Trent, whoever he is, all the information he has about the Tomorrow People?"
"I think that's what I just finished saying, Megabyte," commented Adam. "At least that's what I'm presuming from the conversation I overheard in Masters' office."
"So when we escape, it might be a good idea to make a short stop and wipe Masters computer along the way? Once I've ditched this band, I'll do so much damage to the creep's computer he'll wonder what's hit him."
Max looked at Megabyte, wondering exactly what the older boy's powers were. "Won't that take a while though?" he asked. "Wouldn't it better to just worry about getting out of here, and deal with the whole computer problem later?"
Megabyte smirked. "Once I lose the headband, I only need a minute or so and his hard drive will be dust." He frowned. "Doesn't solve the problem of this Trent guy though, but at least it will slow Masters down."
"There should be a record of where he sent the information to though, shouldn't there?" pointed out Adam.
"Yeah, true. I'll get that first, then dust the drive. Shouldn't slow things now by too much."
"Dust?" commented Adam. "Why do I get the feeling you've been watching Buffy again?"
Max felt it was time to put his two cents worth in. "Guys, I don't know if you've noticed but I think the more immediate problem is getting out of here. We can worry about the computer stuff later."
"Sorry, Megabyte tends to get a bit carried away when he gets onto the subject of computers," explained Adam.
"So…" Max paused as he thought he heard something or rather someone. He shook his head, trying to clear it. He noticed both Adam and Megabyte staring at him, concern on their faces.
"Thought I heard…" There it was again. Max looked around the room and blinked. Standing in the corner was Isabel, a very faint Isabel, but still clear enough for him to make out.
"Isabel?"
Masters looked up as General Damon was shown into his office. "Put away your gun, Hawkins," he told the young man in front of him. "General Damon is our guest here, aren't you General?"
Damon looked as though he was trying to contain his anger, though not too successfully as he glared up at his host. "Where's my son?" he demanded. "You'd better not have hurt him or the others, Masters."
Masters tried to smooth over the situation. "Your son and his friends are quite safe for the moment," he said reassuringly. "I'm only trying to do what's best for them, you know."
Damon didn't look very convinced. "So kidnapping them and experimenting on them is for their own good? Masters, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you're crazy."
Masters felt shocked by the other man's comments. He gestured for him to take a seat, and when he refused, waited for Hawkins to convince him to co-operate. "I would have thought that as a parent you would only want what's best for your child. Do you really think that he has a future as one of these…Tomorrow People?" Masters tried hard not to spit the last couple of words out. Even the name these non-humans called themselves made him sick to his stomach. "Don't you want him to able to be normal again?"
"If being normal is being like you, you can keep it." Damon gingerly touched the growing lump on the back of his head as he spoke.
Masters tried to ignore the look his former colleague was giving him. Obviously the man didn't understand what was really going on here. He seemed to be under some illusion that there was nothing wrong with his son, nothing wrong with having these powers. It was up to him, Masters, to put the man right. He had to explain to him that there was still hope for the human race, that they didn't have to become the genetic abnormalities that Megabyte, Adam and the rest of the Tomorrow People had become. Didn't the man understand about the importance of keeping the human race pure, of keeping the gene pool untainted?
"Don't you understand?" he asked Damon. "I've found a way to remove their powers. Without their powers they will be human again, fit to live in the world, share its resources."
"The Tomorrow People are more human than you'll ever be, Masters," replied Damon. "Their powers make them special, they're the future of humanity. They have just as much right to live in this world as the rest of us. What gives you the right to tamper with evolution?"
"What gives me the right?" asked Masters, trying to conceal his shock at Damon's attitude. "At least I'm trying to do the right thing for the human race, which is more than I can say for you. I can't understand how you could wish such a …curse on your own child." He placed a couple of computer print outs in front of his guest.
"Okay, so you've been running blood tests," commented Damon. "And this is supposed to impress me, how?"
Masters tried not to show his exasperation. How this man ever got to the rank of General was beyond him. "Don't you see," he explained, keeping his voice calm and speaking slowly so that Damon could understand. "There's not much difference between their DNA and ours. A slight genetic marker, here…" He indicated to a couple of points on the graph, "and here. Plus another couple of differences here and here. I'm confident that I can reverse those abnormalities given time and restore them to the way they were before they became infected."
"I think the Tomorrow People are quite happy the way they are," pointed out Damon. "Personally, I'm quite happy the way they are too. What gives you right to play God?" He stopped for a moment before continuing. "You said before that you have found a way to remove their powers. What have you done to them? If you've hurt them in any way, I swear I'll kill you myself, with my bare hands if I have to."
Masters sighed. Obviously the whole parenting instinct was still alive and well, even though his son was a freak of nature. It proved one theory though. Love was blind. Totally blind in this case.
Masters lost his train of thought as he realised Damon was still speaking.
"Masters, are you listening to me? Where's my son? I want to see him, now."
"Aren't you forgetting something here General? You're my guest here, not the other way round. Your son is quite safe, as are his friends. It's a shame about the Evans boy though." He shook his head sadly. "His DNA is just so different from ours, so alien. There's no way to save him. Your son and Adam were fortunate that their 'problem' was caught in time, before it advanced to the point where treatment was no longer an option. I regret the fact I didn't learn about the other one in time to save him. He'll just have to be put down before he can cause any permanent problems."
Damon suddenly became silent, giving Masters a look he decided it would be better to ignore.
Masters gestured to the screen on his desk, motioning to Damon to watch as he turned it on and flicked the volume control. Evans was talking to his companions he noticed, catching the end of the conversion.
"It's my sister Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?"
Masters flicked another switch on his desk. "Beckett, get in there, quickly. Evans is using his powers somehow to contact another non-human. Stop him!"
He turned again to Damon. "It looks as though you may get to see your son sooner than you thought." He rose to his feet and headed for the door of his office. "Well, aren't you coming?" he asked.
"Max, are you okay?" Isabel sounded very concerned. She paused, almost as though she was getting information from somewhere or someone. "Adam and Megabyte? Are they okay too?"
"Yeah, we're fine, for the moment. Isabel, how?" Max frowned, ignoring the stares he was getting from his companions. He knew this must be some kind of dreamwalking, but he didn't think Isabel could do this to anyone unless they were asleep.
"Max, what's going on?" Adam wanted to know. The Australian sounded concerned, very concerned.
"It's my sister, Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?"
Adam and Megabyte shook their heads.
"She must be concentrating her effects on me then." That made sense. Max doubted that Isabel would be able to dreamwalk more than one person at a time. After all, he hadn't thought she could do what she was doing now.
Max realised that Isabel was talking again. "Ami and Jade are helping me," she explained. She faded out and then in again. "We'd better be quick, I'm not sure how long we can keep this going. I keep losing you." Isabel continued quickly. "What's stopping Adam and Megabyte from using their powers? Will it affect the others?"
"Masters has fitted these headband things. We're not sure how but they work like a feedback circuit when we try and use our powers."
"Our powers?"
"Yeah, he's convinced I'm a Tomorrow Person, for some reason." Max wasn't going to tell Isabel that he had used his powers in front of Masters. He reasoned that she had enough worries without adding to them.
"Have you got any idea where you are?" Isabel wanted to know.
"I was unconscious when I was brought here but…"
"We're in an old factory on the outskirts of town." Adam interrupted Max. He and Megabyte had been following Max's side of the conversation and he'd obviously worked out what Isabel had been asking.
Before Max could reply, the door to their prison burst open. Beckett was first into the room, a couple of men carrying guns right behind him.
"Shut up. Shut up now." As Beckett pointed his gun at Max, Adam moved in placing himself between the weapon and the young alien.
"Max!" Max heard his sister scream his name as she faded from view, the link broken. He hoped she had heard enough to know where they were being held, but at the same time realised that now she had that information she would probably act on it. His heart sank. Isabel, stay away he thought to himself. It's not worth the risk.
"Now, now, Mr Beckett. I'm sure our young friends have realised that we know they were trying to contact another of their kind." Masters frowned as he entered the room. "Obviously the silencer bands don't work as well as we had hoped. It sounds as though I had better do some more testing after all." He turned and spoke to one of his men out in the hallway. "Show in our other visitor," he ordered. "This is going to be rather interesting, I think."
Max heard a sharp intake of breath from Megabyte as an older dark haired man walked through the door. The two Tomorrow People looked at each other, their expressions grim.
"Say hello to your father, Megabyte," said Colonel Masters. "It's a shame this family reunion is going to be so short isn't it?"
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