Tim listened to Zoe, then keyed the mic again "That sure don't sound like ar cousin, she right nar always gits in befur curfew. Kin ya work sum magic on all that thar fancy gear ya got, an' find out whar thay might have wandered off ta? Ifin'tn ya do me an Morg har could pickem up. Ya can give 'em a good tounge whippin' once we get em home. Any other idears ya got we'd right like ta hear."

Tim glanced in the rearview mirrors, then over at Morgan. "That ain't good, I figgured that we'd drew the hounds away. Looks as tho sumthin' has happened that I din't figure on. I reckon we outta shake these coon hounds and get ta the cabin, lay low till Zoe comes up with sumthin' fer us ta go on."

As the second bracer slipped from his wrist, Toril's powers were no longer dampened and he a surge of relief rushed over him. He could see the lights below him and the gun fire that had been deflecting off of the steel beam was getting uncomfortably close now. To make matters worse the remaining marine on the ladder had just drawn his sidearm but unable to hold a flashlight at the same time could not readily make the shot due to the darkness.

Cassius had swung into the elevator once more to assist, Yelena. In her weakened condition, suspending herself under the car must have been too taxing for her, considered Toril. It was only then that he realized that there was a hatch at the bottom of the thing. His muscles ached, and he was forced to lower the elevator onto his back as his arms were giving out. The car suddenly fell close to a meter as the elevator settled on Wraiths shoulders. He wanted to scream at them to take the maintenance ladder that went on the outside of the car along the wall, but they had scampered into bloody thing again!

The marine on the ladder, aimed his pistol carefully as he angled himself around the steel beam that had been shielding the meta-human from the gunfire below. Toril turned his strained face to the soldier like a trapped animal awaiting the killing blow, but then he smiled and the marine knew exactly what was going to happen. Quickly he grabbed the service ladder, dropping the pistol in his haste as he pressed his body tightly against it trying to squirm into the small alcove.

Toril praying that Yelena and Cassius had found their way safely to the ladder relieved himself of his burden and fell down the shaft. His body rushed past the marine followed by the elevator just grazing the soldier's back side. Below, the two marines searching the shaft with their lights could hear a rumble then they saw the rapidly descending car preceded by the plummeting form of a large man.

The soldier's screamed and leapt for the doorway as the figure faded into the air like a ghost and the elevator slammed into the ground. One marine managed to make it out while the other was crushed, but the survivor did not get away unscathed, as a shard of debris was embedded in his leg from the explosion.

The remaining marine, a captain, clung to the rungs, thanking his maker that he was able to fit into the alcove of the service ladder when the elevator rushed past. All he wanted to do after that was climb back down and make his report but then his training and sense of duty kicked in. Looking down the shaft he could see no sign of the large man; he had seen him action and knew what Njordhagen was capable of. He expected that he would have survived the fall but perhaps his prolonged exposure to the bracers kept his abilities suppressed, he wasn't sure. Reaching down, and retrieving his spare, side arm from his ankle holster the soldier moved the weapon to a more readily accessible location. He peered upward, searching the blackness to see if the other two remained above him (on the service ladder), or had they fallen to their deaths?

Swinging out from the ladder, Cassius dropped his arm directly below himself. Aiming it at pitch blackness, he fired three rounds before he paused, keeping his gun at the ready. Though he could see nothing, there was the distinct grunt of pain followed by a loud thud as a body landed far below them. Sighing in relief, Cassius swung his arm back and grasped the ladder with his fingertips as he kept his hand wrapped around the gun. Then, looking into the pitch blackness, he paused for a moment to shout to wherever Toril had gone. "Hey dude!" he shouted, "any more?" In spite of his characteristic grin, he was reluctant to hang around too long and after only a few seconds, he began scrambling quickly up the ladder, his movements silent as an alley cat's.
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Zoe paused, narrowing her eyes and thinking for a moment. Then, she seemed to remember that Sean was there and turned her cold, brown eyes onto him. "They're taking a long route," she explained, "but something's wrong with the others. If you want to make yourself useful, you may be headed to Vermont." As she opened her mouth to continue, she suddenly stopped, a faint glint in her eyes as though she'd had a small epiphany. Linking herself again to Tim's radio, she spoke to him. "You said you're being tailed? Even taking an evasive path?" she repeated. When Tim confirmed, she jumped into action, turning to the other computer in front of her and watching as windows and screens seemed to fight for the spotlight.

Finally, the entire screen went black with white text flying across it at light speed. The screen flashed strange lights over Zoe's pale face as the text scrolled in one grayish blur down the monitor until it finally stopped and she closed everything almost as quickly as she'd opened it.

"Keep an eye out," Zoe warned Tim, "and work quickly. I've caused an error in the connection between the satellites they're using to track you. But I wouldn't guarantee more than an hour before they find it and fix it. Severing it completely would be trickier and I want to stay out of cyberspace as much as possible for now. I don't know what Beacon wanted with me, but I need to keep a distance."

"Roger that." Tim said as he punched the accelerator on the Hummer. "Morgan ya best be strappin' in, I think we might have ta do sum four wheelin' right har directly." They had sped along VT7 for 59.6 miles when Tim turned right on to Ossie Rd drove 0.7 miles then made a slight right at E Main St/VT-125, then continued to follow VT-125 for another five miles. He then turned left onto an old logging road and followed it to a shallow river, driving around the bridge and down the embakment, he drove shifted into four wheel drive and drove north through the river.

The flowing water rose to the lower part of the doors on the Hummer as they drove another twenty miles up the river. When they reached what appeared to be a gravel river crossing, Tim steered the Hummer up the embankment to a hunting and fishing cabin, with a satellite dish on the roof, on the river bank. Tim turned the Hummer around and backed it in under a lean two car port. Turned off the engine and looked at Morgan. "Well, it aint much, but it'll give us a place ta hang ar hats fur a spell. This here lean two 'll keep them damned satellites from spotin us. Ain't nobody gone come snoopin round this time a year, septin' maybe the conservation agent, an he's my cousin. He's family, so we ain't got ta worry 'bout him. Ya feel like gittin' outa this har truck and stretchin' yur legs. I'll go an get the generter runnin' an the lectricty on whilst ya get the gub inside. It'll tak a few fur me ta get the water on an the hot water heater to get any water hot, then ya can get a nice hot bath ifin' ya mind ta." Tim then got out of the SUV and walked to a small out building that housed the generator and well pump.

When Cassius reached the top of the ladder a hand reached out to help him up, and he knew right away who it was. Toril easily hoisted the young gun fighter on to cement platform then returned to help Yelena. "Thank you." He said speaking Russian, "That was fast thinking. I am in your debt."

Toril had opened a hatch at the back of the small area and cool blue moon light filtered down over the steel ladder and reflected off of the floor providing enough light to see by. The hatch was not very high, and Toril had to stoop a little when he walked. Across from them over the shaft were the mechanical winches and cables that hoisted the elevator that now sat in a heap of rubble at the bottom.

They all sat down for a moment and shared a well deserved laugh at death, but as Cassius hastened to carry on, Toril raised a staying hand. "Just let me rest a little longer, Cassius. The old body doesn't recover as fast as once did and even in my prime lifting that elevator still would've knocked the wind outta me." Toril then noticed as the young lad's face frowned curiously, and he could read the question he was thinking of in his eyes, "I'm old kid, although I don't look it." he stated as a fact with no hint of vanity, the he explained further, "You see, some people... people like me, believe that some people are born with what is being called a meta-syndrome. A series of traits caused by several mutations, which is why in some meta's they can't find the," Toril raised his hand to make the sign for quotations, "mysterious 'x' gene." He then paused to rub out his shoulder, wincing a little as he rotated it, then groaning he continued, "People like me and I'm guessing Yelena have several mutations, and one of mine that I share with other meta's is the 'longevity gene'. Colonel Petrovsky has it too."

Toril leaned back against a wall, observing Yelena for moment. It felt like old times and though his body ached, he had found the last few days rejuvenating. He turned his attention to Cassius. "You did good down there kid." he complimented, "There are maybe about ten people in the world that could have made that shot and one of them's dead. His name was, Dead-Eye, 'cause usually anything he aimed at ended up... well, you get the idea. He was human like you, but what he could do with a gun made people believe he was a meta. I know the days of capes and masks are gone," he said regrettably, "and it's not your style, but if you're ever looking for a name I know he'd be proud to have someone like you carry it on."

Toril stood up and dug his hands into the small of his back forcing a good stretch. "Well we better get moving before I start getting all teary eyed, talking about the good old days."

Wraith lead the way, and the others knowing now that contact with any normal magnetic metal dampened his powers explained why he never used any weapons, that and he simply hated guns. They stepped out onto the roof top of a five story building and except for a few air conditioning units and some sort of roof shed at the centre (about ten yards away from them), there wasn't much to offer any concealment. Looking around in all directions, it became very clear that they were pretty much at the center of the base, which covered an area of about ten city blocks. They were on the tallest building as well, everything else was much lower and all the lights in the facility were designed with shields to reflect the light downward to make it less noticeable from the air. The lights were dim as well, which would provide some advantages to hiding.

Toril made his way to the structure at the center of the roof top which was most likely just the roof access and put his back to the wall and crouched down while trying to decide what their next move would be. "So, how do we proceed on blowing this taco stand?" he asked the others. "Not that I'd abandon you guys, but even if I wanted to fly out of here, I have little doubt I'd be trying to dodge rockets, and maintaining my wind form for an extended period of time while moving is too strenuous. We need to pick the safest route we can and find away for you two to get through the fence."



The RAID SUV's cruised north along Vermont's Route 7 about a mile behind Tim's hummer. Supervising Agent Birkshire was trying to figure out where, Cowboy was headed and as they passed through Brandon. Observing his habits, Birkshire was sure that Cowboy was driving with a definite destination in mind and to the east of them was the Green Mountain National Forest. He took his eyes off the map and looked east to the tree line where the vast expanse of the forest began then called back his surveillance officer, "Has there been any change to meta's speed?"

The enforcer checked his monitors, "No, sir. He's been very consistent."

"Where is he now?" Requested Birkshire.

"He's just passing by Ferson Road and..." Replied the enforcer then, "Holy shit!" as all hell broke loose. All their satellite feeds went down, and they were completely blind.

"What's going on?" Demanded the Supervisor.

"Sir, we've just lost all sat-comm links." Answered the enforcer nervously.

"All of them?" Questioned Birkshire, and he knew that something was fishy. "How long before we can re-establish connections."

The enforcer stared at the system and didn't even know where to begin. "An hour, sir. Maybe."

"I want everything back on line in twenty minutes!" Commanded the Supervisor.

"Yes, sir." Answered the enforcer with doubt in his voice.

"Dammit." Growled Birkshire, "Someone's helping him. Driver, proceed to East Middlebury then head east, and step on it!"

RAID was already too far behind to catch up with Cowboy so, Birkshire played a hunch that he was heading into the National Forest, it just seemed like his style, but finding him would be a trick. When they reached Route 125, otherwise known as East Main Street, the driver asked where they should head to next. The sat-comm links were still down, and it didn't look like they were going to be restored any time soon. "Drive to Ripton." Birkshire ordered, "We'll stay there until we can re-acquire the meta's location." If they could.

Tim, walked around the small building and opened the propane gas line valve, opened the valve leading the propane powered generator, pressed the start button and the generator fired up quietly. He then turned the pump on to the well and turned the water on to the cabin. Tim walked over to the back of the cabin and into the utility room turning on the main breaker and then each breaker individual. Closing the door to the utility room, Tim returned to the Hummer, opened the back hatch, removed a couple of black duffle bags, closed the hatch and walked into the cabin, sitting the duffle bags down on the floor.

"Sumpthin smells good." he said as he removed a lap top computer, a police scanner and a handheld VHF/UHF secured multi channel radio from one of the duffles. He set the scanner on a table by the door and turned it on. Tim then set the radio and the laptop on the coffee table, infront of the couch, removed his jacket, laying it on the coach. He then pluged it in, connected it to a router that connected to the satellite dish and booted it up. After the computer booted he opened an encrypted server link and opened a secure encryted e-mail account. He typed a message to an encrypted secure email address

"Zorro-
Your cowbirds are in a nest. Thanks for the help, location of rest of flock? Please advise.
Range Rider"

He hit send and the message was routed thru fifteen secure enctypted servers around the world, before finnaly reaching Zoe. Tim then got up and walked over to the table, sat down and said "Damn Morgan ya shur knowd yur way 'round a kitchen."

When Toril thanked her for helping him out, Yelena merely nodded her head. It was the least she could have done for him after all he had done for her. When the large Norwegian stayed Cassius from moving any further she was equally thankful. Her body was still reeling from both the affects from the weapon that had been used on her and the incredible stretching she had forced her body to perform. She was not as limber as she used to be in her youth when she performed in the Olympics for Russia.

As they reached the roof top she stayed low and peered over the edge of the building to get a look at their surroundings. Like Toril Yelena noticed how the light was deflected downward and dimmed. They had their stuff together to hide their presence from prying eyes at night, that’s for sure.

When Toril sat back against the wall, Yelena shed the uniform that he had placed on her body. Extremely self conscious of her appearance, she quickly morphed into the usual illusion she wore now that they were out of the tunnel and in plain site of each other. Sitting beside Toril, she took a moment to catch her breath.



Remembering what Toril had said about the longevity gene, she finally broke her silence and explained a little about herself. It was the first time she had talked to anyone about herself outside the tight knit group she had been with for so long.

“I was born in 1953……if I not have blue skin, this is what I look like. Must keep real self concealed for fear retribution by citizens and capture by RAID only to be deported again. I NOT be deported….ever again.”

She held Toril and Cassius’ gaze for a moment before she moved away to study their surroundings again as she peered over the edge of the building. With the lights dimmed and the darkness of night surrounding them, Yelena looked around and saw an abandoned Humvee. Whistling softly to get their attention, she motioned for Toril and Cassius to join her. Keeping her eyes trained on the Humvee and surrounding area as she spoke quietly as she p ointed out the Humvee.

“Why not hide in plain sight?”

When Toril and Cassius peered over the edge of the building and saw the building, Yelena morphed into a uniformed marine and spoke in a very masculine voice.



“Unless you have a better plan, sir.”

Cassius grinned at Wraith's suggestion to his becoming a masked adventurer. "Dude," he replied, his bruised face lighting up with his usual crooked grin, "I gotta name. Hangin' around a buncha metas, they started callin me 'Sapien' when we were out in the field." There wasa pause before he added, "ya know, like Homo Sapien but like, Homo was like, totally not gonna cut it, ya get my drift?" Looking out at the base spread out before them, he let out a sigh and muttered, "dude, I could like, totally use some serious flaming tabacco right now." Daring to let his muscles relax even a bit, he laid the gun, still in his hand, against the cement and narrowed his one seeing eye in thought. The other had gone completely black and was nearly swollen shut. "Serious conundrum, dude..." he muttered, eyeing the security still holding them into the base.

He looked up however when Yelena motioned them over. Peering over the side, he saw the Humvee and raised his eyebrows. When Yelena spoke in the manly voice beside them, he grinned again and nodded. "Excellent..."
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As soon as the e-mail reached Zoe, she composed a quick reply, momentarily shutting off her travels through Beacon's system. The e-mail's path would be severed as soon as Tim received it and he would have to open a brand new one in order to reply. The letter read in her characteristic cold tone:
Found partner. Have cousin's planned destination. Don't know if stayed put. Big friend set to be in same place. 2 Helen Kellers with same name. Not sure which is which but have an idea one is original.

As the e-mail appeared, Zoe reached out to the radio scanner Tim had set up and let her voice whisper through static out into the kitchen. "Cowboy, read your e-mail." As soon as he had confirmed that he had, she read out what she had discovered on where Beacon had at least recorded holding Cassius and Yelena. "I think the big guy was with Yelena in the cell that was supposed to be Dominic's. Only thing is, they have probably broken out and could be wandering around the facility still. All I have is where they are supposed to be. As for the deaf-blind kid. His name was Shawn something but there are 2 Shawns on record. One is Sean Hastings which is in the 5th sector. The other though is Shawn Powell with a codename "Demon." Considering what I sawof him that would be appropriate. He's being held in a coma awaiting transfer to RAID. I think that is probably him. I've been watching the news. Some Feds from RAID were found dead by some kind of poison or acidic burns they are almost positive was a meta. Knowing Beacon, they wouldn't want to hold on to someone unpredictable like that but this is assuming they know what he can do... and what he can't. LIke I said, that's just my speculation but you should be able to go from there."

Toril had almost burst out laughing when Cassius mentioned the longer version of his nickname. "Sapien, eh? Well you're young, names change. Anyway, if we get through this I have something you might be interested in." he mentioned, then Yelena slinked over next to them. He was surprised to learn that he and Yelena were about the same age. She also vowed never again to be deported before stateing her plan and transformed into the perfect semblance of a jar-head. Toril was impressed and a little creeped out but he completely agreed with Cassius, "Yes, 'excellent' indeed."

"So what are we going to do about handsome here." Said Toril, referring to Cassius' swollen face. "I think I can probably pull of the charade, but that mug is going to raise some questions should we run into any other marines. You better keep your hat down as much as possible — 'Sapien'." Toril chuckled a little when he used the nickname, not that he didn't think it suited him, but just to jostle the kid and ease the tension of the situation.

Toril looked around and didn't see anyone in the immediate vicinity. "Well no time like the present. Let's go." he said, and the big man grabbed Yelena and Cassius around their waists, hefted them off the ground and leapt over the edge of the building. His flying power could carry his own body weight and allow some maneuverability, and even though he could not ascend with much extra weight he could still lightly descend while burdened. Yelena and Cassius could feel winds swirling around them as they plummeted the five stories at ankle breaking speed, then at the last story of the descent it felt as if they landed upon a soft cushion of force and the wave of air, like a splash in water, fanned out as they lightly touched down on pavement. "Hope one of you knows how to hot-wire a car." said Toril as he casually walked over to the humvee trying to look the part of a marine.

Yelena wasn’t prepared for the sudden close contact with Toril when he wrapped an arm around her waist and hefted her up over the edge of the building and then plummeted to the ground with he and Cassius. While she trusted Wraith’s ability with his powers she had never been a benefactor of his abilities before now and to say the least, she was a little unnerved. When she felt the wave of air push out around them and they landed gently to the ground, she wasted no time in separating herself from Toril and rushing over to the Humvee hot on Toril’s heels. While she was still in the guise of the marine, her voice was her own for right now.

“No need. Military vehicles equipped with push starts in case of hostile situation.”

Grabbing a hold of the drivers door handle just as Toril was reaching for it, the male marine with the feminine voice gave the large Norwegian a smile.

“Niet. I drive. You navigate. And make sure junior keeps out of sight. Da?”

Before the meta could answer Yelena had the door opened and slipped behind the wheel and fired up the engine. As soon as Toril and Cassius got in she put the vehicle in gear and took off. Her speed wasn’t all that fast but she wasn’t wasting time either.

It didn’t take long before they came to their first check point. Fortunately it was night and therefore the lighting wouldn’t be that great and if she knew the military, they put their most inexperienced personnel on guard duty in the middle of the night. As they pulled up to the gate, she slowed the Humvee and brought it to a stop. Right away the marine came to attention and saluted then held it. Yelena was confused at first but then she realized she must have used an officers uniform to morph into. Giving a quick salute she gave the marine the command he was hoping for.

“At ease marine.”

As the marine dropped his hand he peered intot he Humvee to get a better look at who was in the vehicle with the officer he just saluted.

“Yes sir. Where are you headed, sir?”

“That’s classified information, marine. I could tell you but then I would have to kill you. And since I don’t want to kill you and you don’t want to be dead, I’ll pretend you didn’t ask me that.”

The marine swallowed hard.

“But…sir…I’m required to see every ones credentials before I let them p-pass.”

Yelena as the marine officer gave the young marine a hard look.

“Are you deaf? Didn’t you just hear what I said? Now I’m ordering you to open this gate and let me pass or I’ll make sure you’re cleaning shit from field latrines in the desert for the rest of your miserable commitment. Have you ever cleaned a field latrine, marine? Do you know how much they smell? Do you want to find out? Or would you rather spend some time in the brig? I can arrange that you know. Insubordination doesn’t look good on your record, marine.”

The young marine was visibly shaken and he couldn’t say yes sir or no sir fast enough. By the time Yelena got done chewing him out he was more then happy to open the gate and let her pass without daring to ask another question or inquire as to her purpose for being there. Yelena waited until they were a few feet away from the gate before she said anything to her passengers.

“We not be so lucky next time. We need to be prepared for more hostile greeting at next check point.”

Looking in the rear view mirror of the Humvee, she asked the all important question.

“You still have ammo, Dominick?”

Toril just sat cooly in the passenger seat. He was a master of not being seen, not hiding in the open so he just left the masquerade in the hands of Yelena. This is what she did best and experience had taught him to let those in the know, take the lead. At the present he was just enjoying the ride, he hoped they wouldn't have to fight their way out, but he prepared himself for one.

At all the perimeter check points, the guards had just received new orders sent by the Colonel himself: