Chapter 13. Search

The faction of research studied the Metas. What gave them their powers? How do they work? What is the cause? These were the questions they needed answers to when Meta Mammals became a thing. They started with studying their bodies, finding some with certain mutations related to such ability. That helped figuring out how some worked. After that was looking at their DNA, where they discovered the Meta gene. It was something they found in mammals that were Metas and some that would soon become Metas. Looking into this they discovered two types of this gene. Type one was the active type where there were two stages, development where it was akin to growing or waiting for further growth of the Mammal, and the second stage was the active stage where the gene was active and producing its powers. The second type was the carrier type, where the gene was too weak to develop or activate but made the chance of conceiving a Meta that much more possible. They were particularly interested in those with a development stage, testing them and comparing the results to when they awaken their powers. That's when they discovered the side abilities. The increased speed, strength, healing, improved senses, and other things.

They took notes on such things and found a wide range of these abilities but now how to figure out who had what. The Metas themselves didn’t really know but somehow knew the basics of their powers, especially when leading to their active stage. It's as if there was some sort of force or instinct that led to it. They theorized it was since it was part of their DNA that it was the gene itself telling them how it works. Their discovery was what helped the public calm down and be more accepting of them. In other words it was thanks to the Study Faction that Meta Heroes became an official thing.

Jackson and Nailmaker were on their way to the warehouse where Talia was.

“How is she?” Jackson asked.

“Jerry says she's being held at knife point by someone but she nor he can see them,” Mitch responded.

“If she can't, why would he be able to?” Nailmaker questioned.

“He can do a sort of out of body thing with those he connects with. He's saying there taking her somewhere but nothing bad yet has happened. Emphasis on the yet.”

“We’re almost there, can he tell her that?”

“Yeah he can. Peace, what's your ETA?”

“I'm about eight minutes out, I would have been faster but I ran across some robbers! Sorry!” Peacwolf reported, apologizing for the tardiness.

“Don't be sorry, you were just doing your job that's all,” Jackson said.

“Yeah, don't be ashamed to be a hero. Just meet us there!” Nailmaker added.

“Thanks,” Peacewolf responded with gratitude.

Nailmaker turned off the highway exit, going down the street that led to the warehouse while Jackson just flew over it, staying close. The place had a small office on the front but the storage area of it was two stories high, nearly thirty meters long and twelve wide. It was old, the red paint barely even there anymore with its sign completely toppled but the words still there yet some had fallen off.

“We’ve made the place, heading in now!” Jackson reported.

“Ok, we'll keep you updated on Talia,” Reno said.

“If you need backup just ask!” Mitch stated.

“Got ya!” Jackson nodded. He got low, using the X-ray on his visors to see any possible trap. He didn't see any on the door. “Nailmaker, I'm busting through!” He materialized his drill in both hands and flared his jets, ramming his drills through the door, the force and weapons causing a huge hole to be formed, breaking the metal apart. He went low enough so the opening could allow Nailmaker to drive through. He slowed himself, landing while Nailmaker swiveled to the side, screeching to a stop. They observed the area. They expected to see a barren warehouse with some steel shelves but what they instead saw was an inner area with black walls, halls, and surprisingly not so dirty floors, just having some dust. Each door from outside led to a different hallway. “The hell.”

“What is all this?”

“Hey, Mitch, something’s not looking right,” Jackson called in. He got nothing but static. “Mitch?” More static was heard from his ear piece. “Shit.”

“I can’t get no signal,” Nailmaker told him.

“Neither can I.” He floated up, heading to the hole he made. “I'm gonna try and get a signal outside. Go ahead an-” He bumped into nothing. “Oof. What the?” He pressed his hands on the opening, his fingers pressing onto an invisible surface. It was hard but the texture was like a thin layer of fluff, his digits going barely a few centimeters in, not able to go any further.

“What's wrong?”

“It's…some sort of barrier.” He brought his drill out again, ramming it in the invisible wall. The drill barely went deeper than his fingers but it did go farther. It didn't really feel like he was hitting a solid wall. He pulled back. “Huh.”

“Want me to try?” She brought her claws out, getting off her bike.

“You can but…this barriers kinda weird…” He felt around the spot, “it's…tough but not all the way solid…like I can't really press any further but what I’m hiting doesn't feel like a wall.”

“Think a Meta made it?”

“No doubt.” He turned to her. “Let's worry about this later. Talia doesn’t have time for us to try and break through.”

Nailmaker nodded, turning to the inner section. “Still doesn't this look odd to you? Never seen a warehouse with an inner area like this.”

“What bothers me more is the walls.” He pointed to the ends of them, the parts that attached to the ground and ceiling look like they were welded there. “Signs of them being welded there, see?”

“Yeah. Let's be careful.”

“Hm.” He nodded. The two went into one of the paths, going on foot, Jackson hovering. The path was pretty straight forward, the area sectioned like a grid. They kept passing the same black walls and corridors, finding nothing different so far. “What are these?”

“I don’t know but they look welded in somehow so they’re definitely new. Also you notice how clean it is? Ain't sparkly but…”

“Yeah…someones been using this place recently, but why?” They got to the end, passing by the last row. “We’re at the end.”

“I counted like fourty of those rooms, four each row. Think anything’s in them? I didn't see an opening but they could be hiding Talia or some secret path to a room.”

“Let me see.” He activated his X-rays. “Hm…I can't see through them. Maybe they're le- Uh!” Once he turned to face her he witnessed a large chain swinging down straight at them. “Look out!” He grabbed her and pulled her back, the whip slamming right down where they once stood.

“The hell?!”

“Damn, I missed.” Said a gruff voice, pulling the chain back to them. From the corner came a seven foot tall buff bear female. Her fur was brown except for her cheeks, her hands, and her legs, the fur there being yellow with black stripes. She had short curly black hair and light black eyes, was muscular, having a four pack stomach, wearing a black top with brown shoulder guards covering her size c chest, the top cutting off above her stomach, large heavy duty black gloves with a white trim and open fingers both having a chain wrapped around them, dark jean shorts with bulky pockets, and large boots with small spikes on the toes.

“Why'd you whip it?” Said someone from the other side. She was a five foot eight inch black sheep with puffy poodle-like red hair and small teal eyes. She wore a white shirt with a small black jacket, dark skinny jeans, and sneakers. She was average weight with a size A chest and had a yellow collar on with a large round gem in the center. She looked at Jackson and Melinda, showcasing the lack of emotion in her eyes.

“Who are you?” Jackson asked.

“That's our question,” Said the bear. “How'd you find our hideout?”

“Hey, Asha, they could be with that one girl Shadow caught,” Said the sheep.

“That lady that came out of nowhere?” Asha questioned.

“Yeah, that one.”

“Alright then, but how'd they find us then? Her signal should’ve been masked once she got her and the boss said those hackers haven’t-”

“Asha. You're talking too much again.”

“Shit, sorry Nina.”

Nina sighed. “It's fine, they shouldn’t have gotten much from that.” She stretched her arms above her head. “You take the cat, I'll take Nailmaker.” She slid her right foot back, held her right arm forward below her chin, balling her hand into a fist, placing the other beside her head.

“Heh,” Asha smirked, turning to Jackson, “alrighty!” She lunged her chains at him.

Jackson jumped up out the way, flying above, about to charge til he noticed her motioning with her hand, the motion going upwards. “Huh?” He heard the rattling of the chain and looked back, seeing the end of the shackle curving tight at him. He dashed to the side, letting it whiff by only to see it change direction, curving back at him. Pulling his fist back, he swiped the chain away, kicking up to knock back the other chain she threw at him, flipping back with the motion, aiming at her and flying into her.

Nina was swiftly punching at Melinda, the poodle dodging and blocking the attacks. Every time she blocked she felt an odd sensation on contact. She scratched at Nina to force her back, twisting her nails together to form a small shield, growing out the nails on her other hand, making sure they were sharp. She went on the offense, swiping her claws at Nina, aiming where it won't be fatal but still trying to cause damage. She managed to get a few small cuts in, using her makeshift shield to block her counter attacks. She blocked a particularly hard punch, one that Nina tried to push through but Melinda’s guard was too sturdy, the Meta hero about to claw at her arm. The sound of a small snap alerted her and she looked to her nail shield, seeing it start to lose some of its color and crack from where her fist was. Melinda quickly shoved her away, thrusting her claw at her middle, cutting some of her shirt, missing her. She examined her shield. Because of her ability her nails were exceptionally strong and it wasn't like her strikes were weak but to already cause a crack in her nails was concerning.

“Surprised?” Nina smirked, notincing Melinda’s concern. “I know you got some tough ass nails but I'm not the best match for you.”

“Why’s that?” Melinda asked.

“You think I'd tell you?” She heard Asha cry out in pain and looked to the side.

Jackson had struck his fist into Asha’s stomach, in his Smashpoint stance. Asha growled and swung at him. He quickly switched Counterpoint stance, pushing and dodging away from her fists, jumping up to palm strike her face, jumping back from her claws, staying in Counterpoint,

Nina looked with interest. “A martial artist?” She brought her attention back to Nailmaker when she closed in, nearly scratching her face, ducking under the next swipe, upercuting at her shield, following up with a right hook which caused further cracks.

“Shit!” Melinda stepped back, a bit ticked at her shield continuing to break. She grew her claws out, twisting them together to make a new shape, making a big bulky hammer, placing the handle in her pits to break it off so she could wield it. She charged at Nina, swinging her hammer.

Nina had a disadvantage when it came to reach because of that, the hammer being bulky but not quite short. She could deal with it but it'd hurt her in the process, having blocked a strike and feeling it bruise her arms. She was more focused on something else. “Asha!”

“Yeah!?” Asha yelled out, rotating her hands while throwing both chains, them going in loops, pincering Jackson and grinding into his gauntlets that he used to guard.

“Switch with me!”

“Huh!?” She motioned back, the ends coming around right behind Jackson. He bent down letting them go above, reaching up to grab them, managing to halt their movements. Doing so made the entirety of the shackles drop and stop their movements. “Why should we!? She asked while wrapping the links around her arms, pulling back to yank Jackson to her. Jackson flew right into her, going with the motion and nearly into her fist when she shot it forward, only for him to fly over and twist the chains around her, pulling back, straining them on her body and pulling her arms across her. She tried to pull them back but he was putting up a good fight thanks to his jets. “N-nevermind let's switch!”

“Good!” Nina ran from Melinda and went straight for Jackson, leaping to kick at him.

Jackson saw her coming and let go to back away from the kick, landing on the ground.

Asha with her new found freedom went right after Melinda, lunging her chain at the poodle.

Nina closed in on Jackson, sweeping at his legs, prompting him to jump and swing his foot at her face. She blocked it and attempted to punch at his middle, only for Jackson to push it away and thrust his palm at her chest, knocking her back. She couldn't help but smile though. “So what style is that?” She asked.

“Huh?” Jackson tilted his head.

“Your martial arts.”

“Uh…Point style.”

“Heh. Interesting. Let's see if I can beat it!” She charged in.

“Any luck?” Life Witch asked. She was still at the house in front of the now lifeless computer. Mitch and Reno had already found the IP address and current area so they stopped the upload and got rid of the bugs.

“Nothing. We lost the signal as soon as they entered,” Mitch responded.

“Peacewolf’s arriving though and from what Jerry’s telling us, they haven't hurt Talia yet,” Reno added.

“Guys?” Peacewolf radioed in.

“Speak of the Mammal. What's up Peace?” Mitch asked.

“I'm at the place and I see someone’s broken through, Nailmakers bike being inside, but there's…some sort of barrier in the way.”

“What do you see?”

“Some sort of…crates? They look like they're welded in though so maybe just walls? I don’t know, it’s like some inner section.”

“Think you can break that barrier?”

“I can try.”

“Mitch, since we got their IP address, let's try and hack it,” Reno suggested, “We might be able to get in contact if we get into their servers.”

“It'll be difficult to do remotely. Life Witch can you bring the computer back to life? I think that may be able to-” Mitch started.

*rrr*

“Hold on…” Life Witch stopped him, hearing something.

“Something wrong?”

*whrrrr*

“I…hear something.”

“What?”

*whrrrrr*

Life Witch rushed outside, going to the front yard. Once she exited she witnessed a large trailer sized hovercraft plane flying above, slowly descending. “Ah damnit,” Life Witch cursed.

“What is that?” Reno asked, hearing the sound.

The back hatch of the craft opened and out came a large group of silver Fangbots and a few-mini helicopter machines that were round, red, and with small mechanical arms sticking its side and a mini gun below, the front part of it having a camera like eye.

“Company.” She pressed the dial on her staff and from the front of the nozzle came out a sharp blade edge.

“Need back up?” Peacewolf asked.

“No. You focus on getting back in that place, Mitch and Reno you try and get into those servers, see what's going over there. I'll handle these things.” She spun her staff around her hands like a pro, readying for combat. The machines took the first move, rushing up to her, making it known that she’s the target. A green light enveloped her hand and she waved it out front, an opaque wave of her power touching and absorbing into the first three in the Fangbots in the front. “Attack them!” She commanded. They stopped and turned, attacking the ones behind them. A few slipped past and she met with them, jabbing her bladed staff through one, impaling it through its chest, swinging to the side to cut out of it and into another, managing to cut off its arm.

A copter took aim at her, firing on her. By jumping to the side she avoided the first round of shots, avoiding the swings of the other Fangbots. She grabbed the arm of one, managing to miss its cut, pulling it around to shield herself from the bullets. Another copter came around to her open side, preparing to fill her with holes. She grabbed her hat, tugging on it to have the rim open up, exposing its razor sharp knives hidden inside, throwing the hat, slicing through its side, effectively disabling it, catching the hat back on its return. A Bot came at her side but one that she had given life to had swooped in to tackle it, protecting her, allowing her a chance to focus on the one she was guarding against since the shield she was using was nearly destroyed, throwing her hat in a curve, embedding it into its side, causing it to fall. With its firing ceased she was able to turn her attention to the ones now coming at her.

One of her living bots came beside her, it was slightly damaged with a few gashes in its body but it gave her a look that said, “Im with you!” since it couldn’t speak. They rushed to the ones coming at them, the bot taking the lead, taking the brunt of their attacks but still able to attack back, giving Life Witch a few openings. They were able to sync well because her power had that kind of effect from those she gave life to, it being akin to a mother and her child in a sort. She felt a life end, looking back to see one of the Fangbots she imbued her power with get taken out, also sensing the life of the one with her start to fade due to taking the most of the hits. Taking back the life she gave, she thrusted her staff through it and one it was locked with, looking around for another she could bring life to and add to her side. She thought maybe she could take the rest out herself with the last one, seeing about twelve left not including the mini-copters. She rushed to them, ready to meet with them.

Nail Maker had used her hammer to hit away Asha’s chains, hitting them in the middle, realizing doing so stops their movements completely. She had made another structure, making a curved item. She threw it at Asha, the arc missing her completely, she didn't even dodge.

“You missed!” Asha taunted, pulling her chains back for another attempt, about to do a heavy thrust as Melinda rushed in. The item thrown collided with the back of her head. “DACK!” She was thrown off by it and once her head leaned down, Melinda had her opening, thrusting her nail hammer right into her face.

“Boomerang,” She knocked Asha out with a final wack to the head, “Bitch!”

Jackson was parrying and dodging Nina’s attacks, her punches being sharp and strong but not strong nor fast enough to hit him.

“Your moves are pretty good!” Nina complimented, sweating.

“Thanks! Yours,” He pushed his palm at her stomach, “wasn't so,” a striking hand to the head which disoriented her, “bad,” he twisted around, flaring one of his jets to increase momentum, “either!” He sent a hard spin kick to the side of her head.

“GAHG!” Nina’s world began to get blurry and she was losing stability in her body, but she managed to say one thing. “Thanks…let’s…spar…again.” She fell with a smile, losing consciousness.

“Ok, we need to find Talia!”

“You go on ahead,” Melinda said, taking out some cuffs in her back pocket, “I’ll lock these two up before they try anything later.”

“Got ya!” He hesitated a bit, looking back to the welded crates, thinking to ask Nail Maker to take a look but shaking his head, knowing they could just do it later. He flew forward, going deeper into the abandoned warehouse. As he flew in he examined his gear, noticing a bit of rust on his gauntlets, contemplating on replacing them but ultimately deciding not to since it would seem a bit suspicious. As he entered the back area he was faced with an assortment of halls all going to either offices or other facilities. The lights in the area were different, having a full moon type glow. He looked around, wondering where he should go. He suddenly felt a strange sensation in his body followed by what felt like someone else's presence.

“Take the left!” Jerry said, a silhouette of him appearing before Jackson.

“Ah!” Jackson nearly jumped back in shock. “Jerry!? How did-!?”

“I was able to tether to you since you were close! I'll show you where she is!”

“Lead the way!”

Jerry showed him the way, taking him down the hall to the left.

“She ok?” Jackson asked.

“She's fine. She was tied up in this room.” He stopped them at a filing room.

“Alright, any traps?” Jerry shook his head, prompting Jackson to back up. “Ok!” He flew in and kicked the door down. “Talia!”

Talia sat in the middle of an empty room, her arms bound behind the seat and her mouth taped. She looked at Jackson with a sigh of relief, glad he was able to find her.

“I got ya!” He came around back, materializing his sword but with a shorter blade, cutting off the rope that bound her. “You ok?”

Talia removed the tape from her mouth. “I’m fine, luckily you got here before they could attempt to torture me.”

“That's good. What happened?”

“When I dived out someone got to me from behind. Jerry couldn't see them even out of body so it's safe to assume she has some type of invisibility power, think it's light related.” She brushed herself off while standing and explaining.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well part of her was also invisible as she was being held and once she got in here she was fully visible,” Jerry explained.

“You think those lights outside have something to do with it?”

“That's what I'm thinking. She had a friend with her and said friend was the one who announced your arrival. That's when she got to talking with someone on the phone but I couldn't hear her though,” Talia added

“She left the room?”

Talia shook her head. “That friend of hers blew around and then the sound just got muffled from where they stood. Once she finished talking she left.”

“I couldn't hear them either. I can only receive sound from who I'm tethered to,” Jerry explained.

“Couldn’t you have connected to them?” Jackson asked.

Jerry shaked his head no. “Whenever I connect to someone they feel my presence so doing so would have alerted her no doubt and since my connection can be forcefully cut I didn't want to risk losing Talia.”

“I see. Could they have gotten far?”

“I followed them. They took a ride out but I managed to get a license plate, also saw them take a drive from another room, you might also find what's jamming our signal there too.”

“Can you show me where?”

A four foot tall light brown cat with short black stripes on her thighs and calf and a tan tip at her tail was riding on a bike with a short three foot eight inch tall black spotted fox. The cat wore a hood, her long red hair with light red ends flowing smoothly out the edge, and had a pair of ripped leggings and black boots. The fox wore a similar black hood and had a pair of jeans on with white sneakers.

“So who you gonna hook us up with this time?” The cat asked someone on the phone.

“Actually with how things were moving I think you two would be fine to guard this next area on your own,” Said the one on the phone.

“You sure? If we get raided again I can't guarantee just us two can guard your cargo.”

“It'll be fine, I doubt they'll find this next one so quickly. Still make sure no one's following you.”

“We are. We'll contact you once we get there.”

“Thank you, mom says the same. Bye now.” He hung up.

“Momma’s boy,” She snickered, putting her phone away.

“They say anything about how long it'll be before the cargo gets there?” The fox asked.

“Half a day maybe, they're gonna have Shark Pound’s crew go in and you know how they can be.”

“Jet Roller is part of that crew right?”

“Yeah and two of those heroes are the reason she’s locked up, so they might make this personal.”

“Sounds like fun.” He said sarcastically, continuing to drive.

End.