Chapter III

**Chapter III**

In small loft in the East Village of New York City, in a small loft apt; a young Asian male, no older than 17 year old, tinkers with a smart phone. He wears hoodie, blue jeans and gym shoes that appear quite dirty and worn out. His hair is messy and a book bag with an assortment of snacks, books, gadgets and tools lies by. The phone lays in pieces in front of him on a make shift table of card board and a broke milk crate. He appears homeless as he talks vividly to himself.

Young man: “There, that should stop the issue while simultaneously speeding up your RAM information processing.”

Beeps, whistles and chimes from around him are soon heard lightly.

Young man: “Look, I know you were hurting that’s why I fixed you. Your previous owner was just…shit. How many times did she drop you? Three times?! Psshh.. I would have left after the first….I know, I know… you physically can’t. There…all better.”

Saying, seemingly to himself as he relaxingly puts the phone back together and turns it on and it lights up brightly.

Young Man: “Alright, all better? Good… so you mind if I put you away with the others? We have to rest up for the next mission and….I’m starving. Look I know…you’re knew and don’t know them… but they are cool…trust me.” He says. “Your body? Your body looks fine just a few scratches and dings… okay look I promise when we have the funds I will scavenge you a knew body, ok? But for right now…. Thank you.” Saying as he turns the phone off and places it in his book bag.

He stands up away from the table, after zipping the book bag up and continues to talk opening out loud to himself.

Young man: “Big Sam! Show me what’s on the tube bro!

In front of him a large television turns on with amplified sound to the nearest news station reporting about the weather. As the young man, walks around his loft he passes by stacks of computers, technological parts for various Medias such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets. He grabs a duffel bag full of money, empties it into an even larger duffel bag and zips it close, tossing the empty one to the nearest door. Walking over to his cabinet, while staring mindlessly at the weather report on the news, he removes an instant ramen bowl out the cabinet.

Young man: “Alright Mikey, do your thing. Oh, it’s instant ramen…so hot but not crazy hot. Just got you a new motor so you should be cooking with grease…. I know you don’t… look can you just cook my food please.” The microwave turns on and starts to cook the ramen inside. “Awesome thanks, dude.”

As the young man continues to walk around his loft he grabs a cups from the side of the sink and takes it to his refrigerator.

Young Man: “LG, how’s the water today man? Sweet…Ice too?...Even better. Thanks.” He says as he continues to look at the screen with the news. “Looks like we got some rain coming in soon, will you guys be cool through it? That’s what I like to hear…. Gotta simmer down ‘til things blow over from the last job ok… so will be staying put for a bit.” As the news changes over to news about the Regime. “Big Sam. Mute for me…see if ya can find any new movies on Amazon that don’t suck… meanwhile… I’m gonna get some much needed COD time.”

He says as he turns to sit down near a massive make shift computer with multiple screens, a gaming chair, towers, lights and speakers turn on just past a large king size bed near the rooms center. Seconds later the microwave goes off.

Young man: “My buddy, Mikey, with the food save!”

Back in Michigan, Bren has managed to allude the Iron League and sits invisible on a boat off the docks yard away from the local town just outside the reservation.

Bren: “For two days they searched the area for any other possible fugitives, questioned any citizen they came across and got nothing. They soon closed the reservation off to the public completely. I was worried about them…so when it was calm I decided to go looking for them this morning when it was slow… seemed like the best time with the morning shift changes. The robots and drones made it hard though. Harder to stay off their radar than any others…but they can’t tell the difference between wind and a speedster long as you stay out of site from their detectors…they can’t find ya. I heard commotion of a couple days ago that the bus vanished into thin air…I’m guessing one of my kind were responsible… I don’t know… long as they are safe from these assholes. I’ll rest here tonight… make my way into Canada before sunset.”

Bren sits below deck in a boat, after sneaking onto it to lay low. He curls up with just the cloths on his back, gripping the wedding ring around his neck in his hand as he clothes his eyes. He suddenly startled awake by a noise above from the deck. He uses X-ray vision to see the surface but nothing is there. He stands to get a closer look around the room and startled so much by a voice from behind him he ignites one of his hands in fire on instinct to a woman standing behind him calmly with her hands in the air.

Victoria: “Whoa whoa…chill man… I’m not here to fight… not at all”

Bren: “Who are you? What are you doing here? How’d you find me?”

Victoria: “Little difficult to speak with your hand engulf in flame”

Bren: “Start…talking.” Bren says as he lights up both hands and turns them into a bright blue making them more intensely hot as the flames climb up both arms and his eyes fiery yellow then blue.

Victoria: “Okay okay… My names…I’m Victoria Black. I’m like you I guess…well sorta.”

Bren inches closer to Victoria with his flames starting to heat up the room and melt things around them both.

Victoria: “I’m from New York… I was in the area…your friends…. Your friends… the people at the reservation… they sent me.” She says nervously with sweat coming off her as Bren turns his heat down instantly.

Bren: “They’re…they’re okay? Where are they?!”

Victoria: “Hold on chill…chill… emphasis on that dude….chill. They’re safe alright. I got them out of the road block before the special division police could get them.”

Bren: “Safe… so you know where they are? Take me to them!”

Victoria: “Easy Easy… gladly but..on..on one condition. I’m going to need your assistance with.. something. You give me your word…and I will take you to them.”

Bren: “Take me…or I will pry the location out of your head I SWEAR!!!” Bren says as he extends his finger to a sharp point.”

Victoria whispering to herself in panic: “A little help…please” she says as he eyes glow white and the room fills with energy, temporarily blinding Bren but as he clears his vision he sees the large demon that inhabit Victoria’s body. As shadow it seems but it’s enough to calm Bren down as the energy fades. “Thank you.” Victoria says to herself.

Bren: “What…what was?” He says confusingly.

Victoria: “I’ll explain later… so…your word?”

Bren: “Yea… sure…whatever.”

Victoria places her hands on Bren and the two teleport away in a bright white light, just as the coast guard ascend onto the ship, attracted by all the light and commotion.

Back in New York City, the young male walks with his hoodie up inside a local teen club with his book bag of cell phones after being searched. Giving the security guard the excuse he was trying to sell them earlier because they work they just don’t look good so it’s hard; he even offers to leave them with him if it’s a problem. “Twenty bucks a phone.” He says…sweet deal on some old tech, to which the guard rolls his eyes and lets him not believing he will make a sell with old out dated cell phones as he lets him enter the lough techno music like club.

Young man: “Alright guys,” He says to himself, “You know the plans…. Going to walk the room… play mingle…you guys just do your thing…. Yea that’s right… passwords to phones…look for anything that opens bank accounts, cards, online shopping and download it. Hit a fire wall keep going. Yea I could just touch the phone and tell it to send it to you guys but you honestly think anyone will just hand over their phone to me? We won’t get caught…remember… defcon 1 if that happens ok?” He continues to say to himself while walking around.

He eventually finds himself at the bar to get a coke, standing next to a strange woman with a shaved head, and her cell phone out. She has large earrings on either side and wears a skin tight lace like black dress with fish net stockings and boots to match. With her dark eyes and heavy makeup, holding a drinking her other hand she glares at the young man as he flirts with her friendly. Ignoring him in constant attempts he eventually apologizes for bothering her and leaves.“Freak,” he murmurs under his voice so she can’t hear. As he walks away she calls a number and speaks “Siro, I got’em.”

Back in the upper Peninsula of Michigan Bren arrives several mile away at an old building with Victoria. It’s quiet and no one appears to be in sight for miles.

Bren: “What’s this place?”

Victoria: “It used to be an orphanage… held 200 some odd kids and staff for decades…was abandoned decades ago. My friends and I use to come here and party during spring break before the world went to shit… weird right? Well now strangely enough its home I guess. We will need it for our people for what’s coming next.” She replies as they walk into the abandoned building.

As they walk toward the back Bren begins to see familiar faces who greet him with smiles and friendly gestures of patting on the back, shoulder and waves hello.

Lea: “Bren!” She screams and runs to his arms. “You’re okay!”

Bren can’t help but smile at seeing Lea’s little face. He looks over to Crystal and waves who responds with the same gesture. Bren is soon met by many others from the reservation and greeted with warm arms of thanks and gratitude, Victoria watches from an overhead balcony overlooking the courtyard everyone has made camp in. Bren spots Victoria, excuses himself and follows to meet her but is stopped by Lacy.

Lacy: “Pretty fancy moves back there…”

Bren: “I try…I try not to show off. But thanks.”

Lacy: “God… I thought you were dead... we all did.”

Bren: “But…I’m not. I’m here.”

Lacy: “Yea…for how long though?”

Bren walks away with a somber look and meets Victoria. “So they are ok… all of them… thank you. I know it’s not much but…I can repay you somehow…just let me know.”

Victoria: “Oh you will… right now.”

Bren: “I’m sorry?”

Victoria: “Gave your word remember? I bring you here and you help me, remember?”

Bren: “Right.. yea…what do you need?”

Victoria: “You’re a very powerful man Mr.Turtle… and I need you in many ways” she says look up and down at him. “But there is another who is much more need of your talents than I…right now.”

Bren: “I’m not sure I understand.”

Victoria: “In New York City, there is a young man by the name of Daniel James Hahn… he calls himself Techahn… he can communicate and control machines with a mere thought. He’s been doing it for some time. Started off as petty crimes then blossomed to full blown robbery. Not at gun point or anything but subtly using his devices this generation is so fond of. He doesn’t know it yet but he has made a few enemies and is in great danger. Only you can save him… Right. Now.”

Bren: “New York?” Bren says in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? I couldn’t get there fast enough even if I flew mach 3 or even 4… If he’s in that much trouble why don’t you save him? Why me?”

Victoria: “Because I am needed... here. Besides I’ve seen what you can do. You can copy anyone’s power you meet, right?”

Bren: “It’s a bit more complicated than that actually…. It takes time…time we clearly don’t have.”

Victoria: “Fine…just this once…but I can only get you close. Listen for the sirens.” Her voice echoes as she gently touches his forehead and he vanishes in front of her appearing somewhere in NYC.

In New York City, Hahn runs from the bald woman and two other who have joined them, after being confronted, in the club. As a distraction he sets off the fire alarms, as part of his defcon one escape plan, which works as the crowd begins to stampede their way toward all the exits, allowing Hahn to lose his pursuers and make his way to the roof. The follow and begin chasing him from roof top to roof top. He eludes them with close calls, even manages to blind one with a flashlight from some of the cell phones in his back pack. Police and firemen soon show up to the area of the club behind them, not paying attention to the chase on the roof tops; Hahn soon finds himself cornered on a roof top he can’t jump across.

Bald Woman: “What say you now… ‘freak’ I believe is what you called me?” She says joined with her two fellow pursuers who share a punk rock and gothic look similar to her own, one male and one female.

Hahn: “Look maybe we can work a deal out…I’ve got money, I can get you more just name the price and give me a couple hours.”

Man One: “Money isn’t the problem… you are.”

Man Two: “Break his neck…throw him off… make it look like he jumped?”

Bald Woman: “Yea..but no powers… we don’t want to alert the local authorities.”

As the three chasers inch closer to Hahn they are distracted by a distant noise. As they look up they are caught off guard when Bren slams down on the roof top with a concussive bright blast sending them to the roof top floor. Hahn, dazed from the flash, in the process stumbles over the rooftop side and catches him trying to blindly pull himself up with no strength to do so.

Bren: I gotcha kid! Give me your hand!!

Hahn: Are you with them?!

Bren: Of course not now give me your hand! That commotion will have the Iron league here in minutes!” he says as the sirens from afar draw closer to their location. Hahn grabs his hand; Bren pulls him up and instantly the two super speeds away in a flash.

The three chasers get up seconds later with neither in sight.

Bald Woman: “Shit…” saying as she pulls a cell phone out.

Man One: “8-ball… we got incoming.”

8-Ball: “Damn it!” She says as she makes a couple hand gestures, creates an arch doorway out of nothing and the three pass through moments before droids show up. “Siro, this is 8-Ball… he got away.”

Siro: “Mistress will not take kindly to that news…” saying over the phone as the three walk quickly, hop into a fancy car and drive off.

8-Ball: “I know… but we may have another issue…possibly a new player in town.”

Bren and Hahn arrive in Michigan to a sudden stop several minutes later, Hahn vomits from the motion.

Hahn: “Dude… a little warning next time!”

Bren: “Sorry… didn’t know you get sick…”

Hahn: “Where…where are we?”

Bren: “In the upper peninsula of Michigan… not far from Canada actually.”

Hahn: “Michigan?! Dude! You did not have my consent to bring me here! This is… this is like kidnapping or something!”

Victoria: “He did it at my request,” she says appearing from the shadows outside the orphanage. “Daniel James Hahn…please to meet you, I’m Victoria Black.”

Hahn: “DJ is fine…or just…Techahn.”

Victoria: “This is my associate Bren Turtle… we…”

Hahn: “Look I don’t care who you guys are honestly…I just want to go home. Thanks for helping me out back there dude, but would really appreciate it if you can take me back or at the very least tell me of the next bus out of here?”

Victoria: “As much as I would like to do so…you’re actually much needed in what’s ahead…for our people I mean.”

Hahn: “Look..I’m just a kid from the east village in new York…whatever this is..I’ve no part in it and don’t want to. Sorry.”

Victoria: “Have you ever heard of the first, DJ?” She asks as he looks confused. “Of course you haven’t what person your age pays any attention to the news. So let me enlighten you; the First is a renegade band of sub-humans bent on making humanity fall to their knees. They steal medicine, drugs, money…not because they need it but because they can. They want to be worshiped as gods and bring the government and all its supporting corporations to its knees.”

Hahn: “I’m all for revolution but that seems a bit harsh…I mean not all humans hate us right?”

Victoria: “Perhaps… but it isn’t that to which you may be concerned… the First well…they don’t like being grouped in with petty crimes such as stealing from ATM’s or cell phones…something you’ve done to cover up what you…do?”

Hahn: “Not sure I know what you’re getting at but I haven’t stolen anything.”

Victoria: “And I suppose the bag of cell phones you have with you..you found them? They have eyes on your apart…it’s how they found you…partially anyway along with a team of psychics and a magicians.”

Hahn: Sighing softly. “Ok so what do you guys want… want to cut a deal…keep this quiet between us? I get you all the money you need and you let me go?”

Victoria: “Actually I want you to keep doing as you are…but for us.”

Hahn: “You’re offering me a job?”

Victoria: “With free room and board too, basically you keep doing as you are..for us… and I keep the first off your back.”

Hahn: “What about the team of psychics or whatever that can find me?”

Victoria: “Let me handle that..come…I’ll show you around.” She says as she begins to walk away from Bren.

Bren: “So I guess this concludes our business?”

Victoria: “Go on inside, I will be there in a few minutes” she continues as Hahn walks toward the building. “I’m sorry conclude?” She says turning toward Bren.

Bren: “I helped you in what you were trying to do…got your guy…so we are even.”

Victoria: “Oh, you’re assuming I just needed the one time assistance? Oh no my friend… this goes much deeper.”

Bren: “Look we had a deal…I’m done okay?” Bren starts to fly away. “Tell the others good bye for me please.”

Victoria: “What if I can sweeten the deal… give you something you desperately want?” She says as Bren floats back down touching the ground.

Bren: “Listen lady…or demon or monster or whatever you are…you’ve got nothing I want. So…”

Victoria: “Except your family; your wife… your son.”

Bren: “Bullshit… I’ve looked…short of time travel there is no way to bring them back alright? So cut the shit!”

Victoria: “You must have wondered by now why your powers can’t…. ‘Synch’ with me? Well that’s because they are divine and outside your limits... your frail physical limits. Trying would kill you.”

Bren: “Again I call BULLSHIT!” he says as he starts to fly away again.

Victoria: “Time travel is possible…” She catches his attention again before he flies away. “All one has to do is navigate through the plains of existence...Reality…life...Death… and all in between… time is a fine line in between all plains of existence here and now…there and then.” Bren lands softly on the ground.

Bren: “When you teleported me to NY… that was time travel?”

Victoria: “Yes… I simply opened a portal in reality itself and pushed you through it…so what if I can do that again… but instead of here and now… I sent you to there and then? All you have to do is stay… do we have a deal?”

Bren: Saying as he grasps his necklace “What… what do I have to do then?”