September 6th, 2017

9.38 am, Naval Air Station Key West

Through the looking glass, Director Jones sees beds in disarray, signs of flooding, and multiple items scattered about. However, this wasn’t why he had shouted out. And it wasn’t because of the corpses either. Director Jones’ scream had been directed at 2 M4 semi-automatic assault rifles and 4 Glock 17 handguns floating in midair in the room.

“Why are there floating guns?” Director Jones squeezes out.

“Quake.” Aviator says.

“What?” Quake asks.

“The guns.” Spectrum says.

“Oh! Right!” Quake says.

Quake snaps his fingers and the guns get crushed. This action alerts Wave, Kaori, and Dr. Kabeer Wong, causing them to look around before looking outside the observation glass at the stunned Director Jones. Fire stands beside Director Jones, looking at Kaori.

“What happened to Shade?” Fire asks.

“Oh, you missed it, Chief.” Quake answers, “She transformed right after you left.”

“Well, alright then.” Fire says, then asks Director Jones, “Are you petrified, Old Snake?”

“I think I need a moment to catch up.” Director Jones responds.

“Let’s go in then.” Fire says, leading the men to the now doorless entrance of the ward.

“What happened to the door?” Director Jones asks.

“That was my bad.” Quake says sheepishly.

“He got carried away with his gravity powers.” Aviator says.

“I didn’t know my own strength.” Quake says with a laughing shrug.

“Gravity?” Director Jones asks unsure, “So y’all have powers too?”

“Show him.” Fire says.

Quake points his left hand at a nearby bed, it levitates off the floor by a foot then gradually settles back down. Aviator summons an airball in the palm of his right hand then dissipates it. Spectrum activates a blade of white light in his left hand then cancels it. Wave summons water from the ground with a wave of her right hand then lets it disperse.

“Age regression and powers.” Director Jones says as he sits on a bed, “I definitely need a seat.”

“Are you alright, Kaori?” Fire asks, shifting his attention.

“Yeah.” Kaori answers, “Shade was out earlier because I sensed danger and panicked.”

Chloe, Kaori, and Dr. Wong make their way to the group at the doorless entrance to the ward. They form a circle, with Director Jones being the only one sitting down looking at everyone.

“It was a remarkable transformation.” Dr. Wong says.

“So we’ve all aged backward.” Fire says, then asks, “What did you guys find at the bomb site?”

“A hole with a lot of rubble but Andy and Simon saw more.” Shawn AKA Aviator answers.

“I could feel wreckage within the rubble.” Andy AKA Quake says, “In fact, I believe that was how those bastards gained entry into the floor without anyone really knowing.”

“I concur.” Simon AKA Spectrum says, “Using my xray vision, I guess I will call it that, I saw remnants of some sort of a vessel in a 5 meter radius. But I am unsure why it exploded.”

“Maybe it was on autodestruct.” Wave says.

“Such stealth and secrecy.” Dr. Wong says. “I shudder at the alternative conclusion if everyone had not awoken when they did. It could have been a while until anyone else checked in.”

“Yeah, we got lucky.” Fire says, “Digging their way in while distracting the surface, what a plan.”

“Like in that movie!” Quake says, “From 2009, I think.”

“Alright. Getting into the docks from the ocean, I can get.” Director Jones says, “But tunneling to the clinic, in the middle of the base, with no one feeling anything? Come on.”

“Actually, they also used tunnels in Mexico.” Aviator says.

“That’s how we escaped the missiles which caused that facility to collapse.” Kaori chimes in.

“Yeah, I reckon this Skull Reich has advanced tunneling technology.” Spectrum says.

“We could use local seismometers to verify.” Quake suggests.

“Alright.” Director Jones says as he stands up to join in, “Too many freaky things at once.”

“We need to debrief.” Fire says, “But, if Skull Reich knew exactly how to find the team then…”

“There’s a spy around.” Director Jones says, “Captain Keyes looks like an honorable man.”

“Being in command is too obvious for a leak.” Fire says.

“Hmm.” Director Jones says then asks, “What are you suggesting?”

“We use outsiders to lock down this area while we investigate.” Fire says.

“So that’s why you want to bring in your mentee.” Director Jones catches on.

“I trust him.” Fire adds, “And the probability of a spy being with a visitor is low.”

“What should I tell Captain Keyes?” Director Jones asks.

“Underground explosion, unstable area, yada yada.” Quake suggests.

“Then he would have every reason to get involved.” Director Jones says.

“Just need someone with higher authority…” Fire begins to say when he gets interrupted.

“Hold on.” Director Jones says as he checks his ringing phone, “It’s the FBI Director.”

“What might he want?” Fire asks.

“I was updating the President through him.” Director Jones says, “He could still be with her.”

Director Jones picks up the call, raising the phone to his left ear since his AirPods were out.

“Director Jones.” Director Jones says.

“At long last.” FBI Director Don Bridges says, “The President asked me to get in touch with you.”

“Yeah, I’m at the scene.” Director Jones says, “Situation is under control.”

“That’s good.” Director Bridges says, “The President is on a call but I might be able to get you-.”

“No need. There’s a lot to unpack and digest.” Director Jones says, interrupting Bridges.

“So we’ll have a full debrief at say 11 am?” Director Jones says as he looks at Fire.

Fire nods.

“Yeah, debrief at 11.” Director Jones says, “The President can call me then, she’ll want to sit in.”

“Debrief at 11 am.” Director Bridges says, “I will relay the message.”

“In the meantime, we need her to call on the C.O. of this base, Captain Mark Keyes, to authorize a special lockdown.” Director Jones says.

“Special lockdown?” Director Bridges asks, “What do you mean?”

“There’s an information leak.” Director Jones says, “For the sake of National Security, I’m requesting that Captain Keyes pull back his people from the base clinic. General Beggingson of the USMC is currently around with some Marines. His Marines can temporarily secure the area.”

“Are you asking to have the clinic locked down during an ongoing crisis?” Director Bridges asks, “All because you suspect an information leak?”

“Not the entire clinic, just the basement floors which are already empty.” Director Jones clarifies, “And yes. A mighty big leak with far reaching National Security implications.”

“That’s a mighty big insinuation, Jones.” Director Bridges says, “And still a mighty big ask.”

“Well I’m the one asking.” Director Jones says, “Relay the message.”

“Alright.” Director Bridges says, “Anything else?”

“Good for now.” Director Jones says as he ends the call, “Director Jones out.”

“Let’s hope that works.” Fire says.

“Yeah.” Director Jones says as he puts away his phone, “So what now?”

“We’ve this entire floor, correct?” Fire asks.

“Yeah.” Director Jones answers, “And the next few floors above are empty.”

“Then as soon as Beggingson arrives, we’ll sort out logistics.” Fire says as he reaches for his right ear, “I also knocked out and tied up an insurgent by Blazes. Ah, shit.”

“What?” Director Jones asks.

“I had one of their ear pieces in my ear.” Fire says, “Must’ve dropped it running here.”

“Well, damn.” Director Jones says, “In any case, General Beggingson’s marines should be on the scene so you can ask him to hold that insurgent.”

“Alright.” Fire says.

“I sense movement.” Quake says.

“It’s probably Beggingson.” Fire says, “He likes to be early so Jones and I will go meet him.”

“It’s not even 10 am yet.” Director Jones says, “What a long day this is shaping up to be.”

“Indeed.” Fire says, “In the meantime, everyone relocate to the next room over.”

“What about the corpses?” Dr. Wong asks as he eyes the deceased masked men.

“I count six corpses.” Fire says thoughtfully.

“Go on...” Director Jones says.

“Skull Reich attacked this base to accomplish two things, killing us and retrieving their hard drives.” Fire says, “They failed. But, how many people did they endanger to get to us?”

“So what are you suggesting?” Director Jones asks, “That you fake your deaths?”