Chapter 12

It had been three months.

Things weren't easy, for anyone. 

Cole hated her job, but she refused to quit before finding Nessa. Unfortunately, they had no such luck. They were searching every abandoned building they could get their hands on but without permits their hands were tied. And to admit one of their strongest supers had been kidnapped by the villains was basically admitting defeat. All they could do was sneak around like the very people they wanted to stop. 

Morale was low. 

Cole was sitting in the lounge when Legion approached her. "I've got an idea on how to find Cammie, but we have to move quick. Waya vetoed this idea as soon as I brought it up"

. . .

Swirling. A mix between the past, the present, and was that the future? It didn't look like a good one. I laughed maniacally, not really there. Not really understanding. Some days were good, I could hold a conversation with whoever was in the room, or were they in the room? Other days were bad. All I could do was sit there and scream until my throat bled. But throats don't bleed, Chameleon. Hmm, you may be right. But you may be wrong. Are you insane? That's what I thought. 

Am I insane? I'll ask the person in the room. No answer. Or is that an answer?

I didn't get along well with the recruits from before my group. Rebel, Ang, Rellik, Arctic and Artisto. Arctic thought he was so much better than me because he was inducted a year before me, but I was still on the Senior team so he could stick it.

Why didn't we get along? Was it him, or was it me?

I think it was him. He was haughty. I didn't like how he thought he was all that, he thought he was as cool as Swallow. Swallow who was collapsing on the ground? 

Why did he do that?

I walked over, the others noticing now that our first member was currently face down on the ground. "Swallow?" I asked, pushing his shoulder. He rolled over, and looked like he was sleeping. His eyes shut peacefully, his chest not moving. 

What.

His chest wasn't moving. Panic washed over me and my world started to crumble. "Waya," I called out. "Pull up the news, I think something's wrong but I need to double check."

Then Legion walked into the room. Seeing his best friend lying on the floor was cause for concern, but then he because hysterical when he noticed his lifelong friend wasn't breathing. 

"Swallow." Legion said, the fear creeping into his voice. "Matt buddy come on." He knelt next to me, and started chest compressions. He counted out loud, not noticing the tears dripping down his face. All I could do was stare as this strong person slowly crumbled before me. He leaned down and breathed into Swallow, one breath, two breaths, three breaths, then started chest compressions again. 

"Waya," I snapped. "The news."

He turned on the TV, and we got our answer. 

Genocide.

. . .

I opened the door, mentally preparing preparing myself. "Hey Jacks," I said softly, seeing him sitting by the window. He didn't acknowledge me. I waled into the room, changing the flowers in the pot and tossing the old ones before sitting next to Jacks. He didn't even look at me. 

"How have you been?" I asked, knowing I wasn't going to get an answer. He didn't even know what he was saying anymore. He refused the hospital clothes, not knowing why he wanted to keep his suit on. At least he knew it was important, that it meant something. 

"Forty-two," he mumbled. I looked up, not expecting him to say anything at all.

"That's good," I agreed with him. I had no idea what he meant. "Ace is on ice now, we think it'll preserve her body. Waya couldn't stand to watch her waste away. It seems Mime isn't going to unfreeze her." I rambled slightly, not knowing how to fill the silence. I told him about missions, about new inside jokes. I reminisced with him, thinking back to our glory days. I missed him. 

I wanted to try something. It was horrible, but I wondered if it would work. 

"Peculiar," I whispered. At first I didn't think he had heard me. Then he snapped around to face me and grabbed my head with both his hands. 

"They're closer than you think!" He hissed. His eyes were alight, and he was more alive in this small moment since we found him. "Beware, killer." Ah, so he wasn't really there. Unless I had killed someone, which I didn't think I had. 

. . . 

I was here again, I think. Maybe this was a memory too. I wonder what happens next. The door creaked open, and in walked Aella. "Hey, that's not right," I said leaning forward. "You're dead?" I didn't even know what I was saying anymore, it was like I didn't have control over my mouth. She looked at me, and I couldn't read her expression. There were no words on her face. No story being told. She advanced and I giggled, wondering what she was going to do.

Was I wondering out loud? Who knew. I certainly didn't!

"Cam," she said. 

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" I tilted my head all the way to one side, putting my ear on my shoulder. Could I hear my blood flowing? Maybe if I listened hard enough.

"You need to listen to me," she said. I could barely understand her words. "I just found out who Genocide is. This changes what I previously thought."

"Soup!"

"Cammie," she knelt down in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders. Wheeeeee!

"Genocide is the Director."

Uh oh spaghetti o. 

. . . 

"Why are we at the hospital I thought we were going to save Nessa." Cole said, just a little annoyed. 

Maybe more than a little. 

It's been three months eight days and 9 hours. 

"There's only one person who's survived the villains, but his mind isn't quite there." Legion explained, looking around before leading the way into the building. Cole didn't ask why he bothered to look around, their suits were drawing attention. The cape felt weird to her, she wasn't used to something so heavy on he shoulders. She did like the flow of it though. 

They marched right up to the front desk. "We're here to see Jacks, please," he sad to the man behind the desk. He looked up for a second and did a double take. 

"Ah," he said, clearly trying to mask whatever he was feeling. "Of course sir, go right ahead."

"Thanks," he said quickly leading the way down the hall to the elevator. "Jacks was inducted with Cammie, and is the only other surviving member of her team." Cole choked on her breath.

"What?"

"Jacks got captured by Peculiar years ago, and when we finally got him back his mind was beyond repair. Cammie used to come visit him every weekend, but, well you know." Avoiding the elephant in the room ever so eloquently, Cole thought drily. 

"And why am I here with you then," Cole wondered out loud. 

"Because," the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. "You can access his memories. Come on."

Cole now understood why Waya vetoed the idea, it was a horrible one. Let's do it!

. . . 

Beware!

JACKS? 

Swirling, falling, swooping, healing. 

Healing.

Healing?

Was she healing, or was she dying.

Again? She'd done dying before, let's try something new. 

Healing it is.

I pushed and pushed and pushed, and then a pop!

My eyes cleared, and I was face to face with Mime. Why is it always her like seriously. I was getting tired of it. I tilted my head to the side, and made weird faces. There is no was I am going insane again that was not fun.

"Chicken noodle soup. I! Want! Chicken! Noodle! Soup!" Mime cracked up, backing up a little.

"Man he is so funny when he's insane. I wonder what I have to say to get him to spill the secrets of the cave."

The cave? The cave. 

"Where's my mommy?" I whined, hoping Mime wouldn't realise that I was playacting. Was I playacting? I didn't know, everything was still fuzzy. I couldn't remember much from before. Just something nagging at my mind, something important. Ah well, nothing I find out here can be of much importance. 

"Mommy's in the basement," Mime cackled. Whatever than meant.

. . . 

"Never again." Cole said, when she had finally regained control over her own mind. She felt weird, like her mind wasn't quite there. She didn't think it would be anymore. She had tried to sift through memories, but couldn't find anything solid. Just a lot of memories with Chameleon and a few people she barely recognised from the Wall of the Fallen. 

"Did you find out anything?" Legion hovered worriedly over Cole. He had watched anxiously as Cole turned into Jacks, then watched as she went rigid. Her eyes had glazed over, and she swayed a little, seemingly in a trance. 

"I never want to access someone's memories again that's what I found out." Cole muttered. She was still trying to settle her mind, her eyes kept switching between the hospital room and the months of torture Jacks had endure. 

She was going to have nightmares. 

"Cole please," Legion begged. He couldn't stand it much longer. Cammie was in trouble and she could have all the answers.

"I didn't see anything, just a concrete room and the villains. This guys mind, it's completely shattered. If they did this to Nessa she might not be able to come back from this." Cole murmured the last part.

"What do you mean by that. If she's gone insane, not even Geronimo could help her. She'll end up in here just like Jacks." 

Cole shook her head. "I don't know what she's told you but she has healing powers, the strongest I've ever come across. She might be able to heal herself, as long as she doesn't let them get to her. But she may already be gone." 

Legion looked out the window, thinking hard for a moment. "You know, she told me her real name is Hestia. Paired with the healing, I think I know who she is."

Cole turned to face Legion, eyes wide. "I know that name! Hestia Whitehead. The Whitehead Clan settled this land, didn't they? The name was mentioned briefly when I was in grade nine. But they were all killed, weren't they?" Cole started to connect some dots, understanding why her shapeshifting friend was so secretive.

That wasn't the only thing Cole found out when she copied Nessa. Her body, it was like it was at war with itself, there was so much inner turmoil, physical turmoil. Cole didn't understand how Nessa could walk let alone fight with all that going on inside. 

"Lightning..." Legion muttered.

Lightning, lightning was an apt description. It was like there was lightning trapped inside Chameleon's body, destroying her from the inside out.