෴Raz෴

෴Braithwaite෴

෴Ingrid෴

෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴

Grounded

෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴

His awareness compressed down to unintelligible noise and a claustrophobic sensation of motion. Vibrations, buzzing, whistling, the sense of rising and falling. The feeling of falling was what jolted him awake. Without moving, he carefully opened his sensoria to see what he could learn. The first thing he noticed was his White Fire sense felt dull, blunted. It felt like trying to see without enough light.

In an airplane. Cold mask on my face, air pressure on my skin feels normal, so a pressurized cabin. Something soft pressing on my eyes. I can’t open them. Something attached to my wrists and ankles. Cold and heavy, feels like metal.

Raz allowed his sensoria to open further, allowing his Somatic Restoration and White Fire senses to activate. He was laying in a reasonably comfortable bed, his left arm hurt. For a moment he just lay there in wonder at the magnificent image painted by his White Fire sense, even dulled as it was.

I wonder why it’s called White Fire when it’s obviously just electricity.

[I know you like to have random moments of curiosity at the worst imaginable times, but really? Now?]

What? I’m in a plane, ocean below us, sky above, and what has to be the thermosphere above that, and Van Allen belts way above that. Seems like a fine time for wondering. If they wanted me dead, I’d be dead.

[I still think this is a dangerous plan. Also, I am not sure your assessment of White Fire being ‘just electricity’ is accurate.]

Well, you should root for me. Not to mention, I’m pretty committed at this point.

[I am, and you are. I just think this was perfectly in line with some of your dumber moves.]

It’s done, let it go. In any case, I think I’m going to just call it what it is, it’s—

Raz spent several minutes debating with himself about the merits of various names before deciding to try them on as he went. The stiff, aching feeling in his left arm increased.

So yeah, I’ll get this figured out. Anyway, electrosense and biosense sound cool, I’m going with them.

The creation of static charges by the wind made it clear when viewed with electrosense that the two people sitting somewhere past his head were piloting the plane. He turned his senses to the rest of the plane.

Five people nearby. Two in the cockpit up front, three back here. That one, the woman, has headphones on, some signal in the wire, so listening to something. The other two are just sitting holding objects that barely show up to electrosense and biosense. Wait, no. six people! One is just barely alive.

A targeted probe confirmed his worst fear. Oh no. It’s her. Somehow they got her. If it was just an aspect, she could just release it.

Finally, Raz opened the rest of his sensoria. He’d been growing more cautious about allowing it all the way open. Information rushed in.

He was in a metal-framed bed, strapped down with multiple heavy straps and skin-tight metal wrapping around his ankles and wrists. His left arm lay in an awkward position over the thick nylon webbing. Several screens were attached to the bed. Electrosense showed they were displaying something, but couldn’t give him enough detail to know what. The bed itself was grounded to the plane fuselage, which was positively spewing electrical energy out into the air.

Hmm, I can probably overload that and fry this plane.

But then what? Crash land in the ocean, surrounded by enemies, while strapped down? No way do Hex and I survive that. Bad plan.

He kept sorting through the wave of information coming in. The woman was Ingrid, the men were both Braithwaite. Ingrid had showered about 5 hours ago. She needed to pee. She was going to ovulate in two days.

Didn’t need to know that.

She was scared and trying to hide it. Everything from her pulse and breathing to her skin’s galvanic response, to her muscle micro twitches, showed a barely controlled terror.

No surprise there. She has to know this can’t end well for her.

Both Braithwaite’s were fairly humming with anticipation. Like a kid on Christmas eve or perhaps five minutes before the end of the school day on the last day before summer vacation. Raz could feel a tenuous thread of something just outside his ability to fully sense connecting the two men.

The identical men fiddled with the objects in their hands. They handled the objects like precious objects. Each time he looked at either Ingrid or over at Raz, he became aroused.

Really didn’t need to know that. But, it also tells me he’s looking forward to something, which can’t be good. Can’t sense Fidel. That could be good or bad news.

Raz barely suppressed an instinctive movement when Braithwaite spoke. In the small cabin, it felt like he was speaking directly into his ear.

“Tell me again, my dear. Why did it take you so long to report in?” An undercurrent of accusation shone through the clinical detachment in his voice.

Ingrid’s biomarkers went crazy for a moment before she mastered herself enough to answer. She pulled the headphones off. “I told you already. There wasn’t another chance to use a radio until then.”

Both men slipped the small objects in their hands into a pocket and steepled their fingers. “Yes, so you said. But why was it that you didn’t simply come back with us when we left?”

“I already said!”

Braithwaite shrugged, as though this was of no consequence to him. “Yes, you did. But I’m bored. Entertain me. Tell me again.” a touch of sadistic enjoyment entered his voice as his genteel mask slipped just enough to hear it.

She pulled her arms tight to her body, a defensive sort of self-hug.

“I did everything you said. I took the contingency gas bomb, the one you said to use, and put it in the barracks. I k–I killed the sentries and the machine gunners.”

“No. We both know that’s not true. There were two machine gunners left for our dear departed Fidel to deal with after you left your mission unfinished.”

Blood rushed to her face. Raz couldn't see fine details, like expressions, but she was either embarrassed or angry. Based on the rest of her physical reactions, he was betting on anger. He resisted the urge to move his aching left arm.

“You said my stealth was perfect! I got shot! I barely managed to make a hole in the wall to get out!”

Both Braithwaite’s let out a long sigh together. “Yes, so you say. Conveniently missing is any evidence of this wound.”

Ingrid pulled her feet up onto her chair and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I already told you that! He healed me.” she extended one arm toward where Raz lay.

Both men didn’t even glance at him. Rather, they leaned in toward her. “You don’t even have a mark on you! You expect me to believe that this, boy,” Braithwaite filled the word with contempt, “not only has some kind of weak reflex or reaction enhancing ability, who also has an electrical ability, something we’ve never even seen before.”

Braithwaite shook his head as though to deny it. “Besides all that, you expect me to accept that he also has a world-class healing ability? This boy, who I met a few weeks ago, with no abilities whatsoever?”

She didn't reply, just nodded weakly.

“Let me tell you how all this looks to me,” Braithwaite leaned back in the chair, both bodies moving in perfect sync, “I spend a lot of time, effort, and resources on you, on behalf of our mutual employer. Together we managed to achieve not one, not two, but three distinct abilities! Do you even know how rare that is?”

She shrugged, looking at the floor.

“I myself only recently managed to gain a second ability. If I hadn’t seen our other subject in action, I wouldn’t have even considered such a useful ability was possible. And now I have it!” He let out a long round of maniacal laughter in stereo that echoed through the cabin.

Well, at least he’s weird and creepy all the time. I’d hate to have to add inconsistent to his bio.

The Braithwaite’s looked at Ingrid for a moment after allowing their laughter to die down. Both of them moved to straighten their ties before realizing they weren’t wearing one.

“After all, they say if you want something done right, do it yourself. Now I can,” he chuckled to himself for several seconds before continuing.

“Where was I? Oh yes. After considerable investment in you, your attitude of late has been more than a little lacking. Despite the disappointment of your third ability, technopathy and stealth are still a potent combination for a field operative. Who knows, perhaps your ability to manipulate quartz and silicon may eventually show some value,” He let out a long sigh, “Up till now, the need for on-the-spot judgment calls and thinking outside the box has kept you free of the more, invasive methods of monitoring your actions.”

She gasped, her heartbeat racing even higher.

He fell silent and simply shook his head as though disappointed. “Your recent actions call that trust into question.”

“No! I did what you said!”

“In any case, this lack of judgment, if indeed that is all it was, will still weigh against you. To me, it still looks a lot like taking a chance to vanish, taking all our mutual employers’ investment with you. With that in mi—”

Raz subtly shifted his arm a tiny bit into a more comfortable position. A high-pitched beeping began signaling through the cabin.

Oh, Bugger.

Both Braithwaite’s gaze snapped over at him, his gaze directed at something above him, the screen. “Well, well, it appears at least one of our subjects still has brain waves. I don’t know if you’re awake or if you can hear us. Either way, welcome back to the land of the living. I must confess I was worried I’d gotten your dose wrong. If you’d been overdosed, I’d have missed out on the wonderful opportunity you are.”

To Raz’s chagrin, Braithwaite became even more aroused at whatever thoughts went through him when he looked at the tied-down form before him.

He got up and touched some of the controls on the bed. “This should keep you quiet for a few more hours.”

Raz barely had time to begin to focus on clearing the invading chemical from his bloodstream when a creeping fog began to come over his senses. Dropping into the slow time he pushed the chemical into his larger muscles and had just started to come up with a strategy to deal with it when the drug hit his brain and the world rapidly receded.

෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴

When he woke up again, he was sitting naked in a shiny room.

Because of course, they'd take my clothes. They want to break me down somehow.

Tight, thick cuffs of silver connected his wrists to the copper walls via thick braided silver and copper cables. Similar cuffs ringed his ankles and wrapped around his legs just below the knee. The short cables held both arms high above his head, and didn’t allow his legs much more room than that. They were obviously placed so that he could barely sit, or awkwardly stand. His shoulders already hated it. The room was cold, and otherwise nearly featureless. Across from him was another set of restraints, identical to his, but missing the tight-fitting rings of silver at the end of the cables. On the far end of the copper room was a door that reminded him of submarine movies.

More of a hatch than a door.

He leaned back against the wall, looking for the least uncomfortable position to sit in. Every position was bad. He looked up at his hand and tried to summon the small cutting arc he’d so easily carved metal and stone with. The energy wouldn't coalesce there. Every scrap of electrical energy he could channel was sucked away by the silver cuffs ringing his arms and legs.

He threw his strength against the cables again and again, without perceiving the slightest give or slack in any part of the restraints. Blood ran down his arms from fresh cuts made by the machined edges of the silver rings.

Any ideas? I’m about ready to cut loose with White Fire and see what happens.

[You’re the idea guy around here. I have total faith that you’ll eventually try something ill-advised and we’ll get out.]

Cannot tell if sarcasm…

Raz managed to cross his wrists together and focus his push against one of the cables. It wouldn’t move.

Hows that Might looking? Seems like something I could use right about now.

[ Might first-tier fully assimilated. General strength increased by 200%, General Durability, Speed, Agility increased by 100%]

Why aren’t I any stronger? I don’t feel any stronger. I don’t feel any different at all.

[Nonetheless, you are. In fact, until rank Might Rank 2, Stabilize, is assimilated, you have a moderate risk of self-injury due to strength/durability mismatch. The only way to be stronger at this level would be to go berzerk. That would make you much stronger.]

I’m getting pretty mad, but I have no idea how that works. Fine then, let's fully unlock Stabilize. I’ll probably need it before we’re out of here.

[Error: Insufficient catalyst for this unlock.]

Ugh, I should have topped up after all that healing yesterday. Status.

[Health and Energy 100%]

[Capacity 70/70]

[Catalyst 8*/35]

How much is a full unlock of Stabilize?

[9 units of catalyst.]

Motherf— So close. Fine, probably better to save it, but just so I know, what is in my price range right now?

[Might tree: Harden Rank 3(Locked), Commander Rank 3(Locked), Stabilize Rank 2 (Locked).]

[White Fire tree: Power Core Rank 1, Shatter Strike Rank 3, Insulation 2 Rank 3.]

[Somatic Restoration: Life Support Rank 1, Efficiency 1 Rank 3, Triage Rank——

Bee went silent with a low humming sound in the back of his mind.

[Recommendation. High probability of Free unlock based on overlap with HUD:Triage ability.]

[HUD: Scan Rank 3, Targeting Rank 3, Repair rank 2]

Hmm, that’s a bigger list than I expected. Wish I’d thought of eating one of those catalyst crystals beforehand. Still don’t know what the pearl does.

He tested his arms, then legs against the cables.

It occurs to me that having a metal manipulation ability would be pretty damn handy right about now.

[Assuming that it is indeed silver and copper, then based on Midnight’s tree, you would need to be at least tier two to control these nonferrous metals.]

Ok then, tell me why throwing the door to White Fire wide open and just letting it rip is a bad idea.

[I have nowhere near enough information to answer that either way. However, you have not even tried to use Ionized Path, or the sub-abilities Spark Gap or Quantum Blade. It is worth noting that unlocking another tier of White Fire will have increased the size of that ‘door’ to White Fire, as you think of it.]

Raz looked to the door. No movement, and as far as he could tell, there was no one within the range of his scanning.

It appears we have time. Let's have a rundown on those.

[Ionized Path you already know. It allows you to project White Fire from yourself to targets at a distance. Spark Gap is like a short-range teleport. Quantum Blade (passive) is harder to pin down. The name is, as always, a best-effort translation. Existing notes imply it is some form of penetration enhancement to existing attacks.]

Ok, just making sure I remembered it all. So I guess the ne—

The sound of metal squealing was the only warning before the hatch opened. Braithwaite stepped inside. The door was closed and locked by someone unseen. Raz resisted the urge to try to fry him with everything he had.

Only one of them. Need to kill them both or I’ve just shown my hand. Assuming it even works.

“Hello, again Mr. Owens. I hope you’re finding the accommodations,” he gestured to the copper and silver-lined room, “acceptable.”

“I wondered how long it would take you to come to stink up the place. Been busy workshopping your opening line? It still needs work.” Raz countered.

Braithwaite shook his head and finger in time. “Uh uh ah. Rudeness will get you nowhere. You’ve got quite a mouth on you for someone in your position.”

He fell silent, staring down at Raz as though studying an insect that didn’t behave as he expected.

Raz shrugged, as much as he could in the heavy bonds. “Well, go on, do your little creepy routine where you save the worst part for right before you leave,” he faked a yawn, “Maybe send in the real boss next time.”

Braithwaite raised his hand to backhand Raz across the face. He aborted the movement halfway through.

“You’re trying to provoke me. I wonder why. Well, I’ll have ample opportunity to punish you soon enough. Without risking whatever you think my laying a hand on you will accomplish.” The scientist took a few steps back and smiled cheerily down at his prisoner. “I’ll find out why you were provoking me then too.”

Raz didn’t reply, just watched his captor and took in all he could about the man.

“I assume you’ve already discovered that your electrical ability is of no use here. Don’t worry, you’re quite well-grounded. No matter how strong your ability is, you’ll never be able to generate enough of a charge for us to worry about.”

I wouldn’t be so sure.

Raz shrugged again, unwilling to engage in any dialog that wouldn’t gain him anything.

You’re wrong about one thing though. I haven’t tried to kill you yet.

Braithwaite dropped into a squat, his lab coat brushing against the copper floor. From here he looked Raz in the eye. “Indulge me, what ability did you end up with back when you were my guest before?”

“Your guest!? Are you stupid? Do you actually think those people you kidnapped, tortured, and killed were your guests?” Raz blurted out before thinking.

“Of course. It helps that ‘guest’ means whatever I want it to mean.” Leon replied with a shrug.

Raz shook his head. “That is not how language works. Now, can we get on with it? Move things along till you do your creepy exit bit?”

Braithwaite’s smile hardened into a tight, flat expression. “Fine. If that’s how you want to play this.”

He went to the door and knocked. A moment later the door opened. “Bring her in.”

No. Don’t you dare bring her into this. I’ll kill you.

A hooded female prisoner was shoved through the door. Despite the hood, it was clear that this was Ingrid. Raz relaxed slightly at this realization. Braithwaite caught her and dragged her over to the other restraints. There he yanked her sleeves up to expose shackles, then hooked each one onto the corresponding cable.

Am I meant to think this is Nona? What kind of leverage does he think he’ll get with a traitorous bitch like her?

Braithwaite stood over the hooded woman like a magician about to reveal his grand finale.

Raz yawned, for real this time. “You cannot seriously think this will work. You’ve already tried the fellow prisoner interrogation method. If it’s leverage you’re after, you’ll need to do better than someone who betrayed me the first chance she got.”

Leon nodded, then smiled. “Well, let's just call this an experiment. If you have any ideas about blasting your way out of here, you’ll have to be willing to fry this pretty young thing.” He pulled the hood off her, revealing a blinking, red-eyed Ingrid to look around the room in speechless terror.

He went to the door and knocked. Once it opened, he passed halfway through it, he paused, and then looked back at them both. “And of course, if not, then you’ll get a firsthand show when I give Ms. Lochee a version seven behavioral modification chip.”

He’s getting a little predictable.

“Nooo! Please no!” she shrieked and begged at the top of her lungs as the door closed. When the door clanked closed, she took a single look at Raz, then collapsed into hopeless tears.

Eventually, she calmed down and finally seemed to notice him for real. “Why are you naked?”

He shrugged as best he could in the restraints. “Oh that’s just the dress code around here. Why aren’t you naked? Backstabbers get better treatment around here?”

She replied, trying to explain. Raz ignored her, already thinking about how to get out. He placed Friendly Fire markers on them both. Then waited a moment for the ability to refresh and added a second marker to each of them.

You’re not off the hook, but I don’t want your death to be an accident.

He slowly, deliberately, cracked open the gate to White Fire. He monitored his own senses and kept an eye on her. She didn’t seem to notice a thing, too consumed with her blubbering to be aware of much else.

Bit by bit he pulled the door open until a storm of energy flowed around him. The feeling on his skin slowly went from an itch to a cramp to the edge of pain, even with the innate resistance to White Fire conferred by the ability, and Friendly Fire. The electricity was sucked into the shackles and walls, where it seemed to vanish. At the most energy, he could channel without pain,

White Fire feels infinite. I guess I’m about to find out.