Not edited, sorry!

*********************************************************************************************

I wouldn't say that Charlie was particularly welcoming. Or Harry for that matter. Both regarded me with suspicion. Erin, on the other hand, she honestly tried to talk and be nice considering the massive gunshot in her stomach and also the fact I may have killed her best friend.

The helicopter hovered in the middle of the road. It hadn't landed so it could make a quick escape. Harry ended up sweeping Erin off her feet when she almost fainted. I had stopped the blood but the pain was still there.  To be honest, I don't even know how she had kept going or how she was alive. Maybe it was a genetically engineered thing? I don't know.

We ran towards the chopper, and to the lady in military gear who confirmed Charlie's number. She gave a little glance at me suspiciously but then turned her attention to helping Harry get Erin on board.

We climbed in and the pilot took off quickly. The woman passed everyone headsets so they could talk. Well, for them anyway. I would just have to listen. Erin had properly passed out now. Another solider had his medical kit out and was trying to treat her frantically.

"Why is she not bleeding?" he asked through the microphone.

"That would be him," Charlie replied, jerking his thumb towards me. I noticed how almost everyone had sat at the other end of the helicopter, away from me. Charlie hovered protectively over Erin.

"He's GE as well?" the second solider said, not looking at me.

"Yeah," Charlie said.

'What's GE?'  I said in Charlie's head, not wanting to scare the soldiers.

"Genetically Engineered," Charlie said with a scowl. "The whole point of my mission in New York was to make contact with Triple's GE's. I did some research and found Erin and Josh. I would have found T11 earlier if I had more time." I shut up after that. Charlie obviously didn't want to talk to me. I didn't blame him, really.

***

Charlie must have said something to soldiers because they blindfolded me halfway through the journey. I felt the chopper land before I was escorted away. By the time they removed the blindfold, I was in a completely different room. When I say a different room, I mean an interrogation room.

I was sat in a wooden chair, tucked underneath a table. There was a mirror in front of me which was quite obviously a window for people on the other side. For some reason, I had a mad urge to make a face just to show that I wasn't scared, but that was ridiculous. Maybe it was Josh's emotions affecting me again.

Suddenly the door opened and a serious looking man of fifty entered, followed by Charlie. The man sat in front of me while Charlie leant on the wall behind him and next to the window.

'How's Erin?'  I asked. If the man was shocked that I could speak in other's minds, he didn't show it.

"She's in surgery," Charlie said. "Not that you really give a damn about her."

'I didn't ask to be the Master's slave,'  I said coldly. 'I didn't ask to have my genes messed with.'

"Yeah, well you did a good job of making the most of it, didn't you?" Charlie growled.

"Enough, Agent Hunt," the man said firmly.

"Yes, General," Charlie said through gritted teeth. The General grunted.

"So, your name is Austin," he said. I nodded. "Huh. So, I'm going to cut to the chase, Austin. Why did you find Erin? Why are you here?"

'Because I want to get out of Triple,' I said as honestly as I could. 'The Master filled me with hate and anger. When I got Josh's emotions, as I'm sure Charlie has already told you that story, I became who I was meant to be. I just want to be free and not be on the wrong side anymore.'

"Good answer," the General said. He stood.

'Wait, is that it?'  I asked.

"You're not the only one who has telepathic powers, Austin," he said. Suddenly he began to morph and change. In just a few seconds, I was staring at a twenty year old man instead of the fat fifty year old just a minute ago. He had ginger hair, sparkling green eyes and millions of freckles. I realised that he had made me see what he wanted me to see.

"As you gave your answer, I looked inside your head," he explained. "You were being honest. I was just distracting you."

"So he's clean then?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, he was telling the truth to you, Agent Hunt," the General said. Charlie nodded but there was a disappointed and angry look on his face. "Please keep your thoughts to yourself, Agent Hunt," the General sighed. He turned to me.

"I'm General Brendan Plumber," he said. "But you will call me General. And yes, I'm a little young to be the general of the United Army but I was the next oldest after the last general died a few weeks ago. I was Triple, yes, and that is how I got my powers. I was their first genetic engineering project when I was five years old. Even though I was powerful, I have some major disadvantages to my powers. And they weren't of any use to them anyway. So they left me to die but, obviously, I didn't." Each sentence answered a question that popped up in my head. He read me like I was nothing. That wasn't something I was used to.

'What disadvantages?'  I asked. The General sighed.

"I knew you'd ask that," he said. He held up his hands, his face relaxing from the tension he'd been carrying since he entered. To my utter shock, his hands faded up to his elbows.

"The more I use my powers," he said. "The more I fade, disappear like I was never there at all." I stared, open mouthed.

"If you are going to stay here, Austin," the General said. "You are going to have to follow some rules. First, don't use your powers on anyone in this facility, no matter the circumstances. I will know if you do. Second, you do as I say, all right? A lot of people are going to be suspicious of you. They all know about what you did to Josh who, may I add, is a kind of a hero around here. People know he sacrificed so much to protect Erin. Just a warning, they won't be all that nice." I nodded. I expected as much.

"All right then," the General said. "I'm going to trust you. To show that I do, you'll follow Agent Hunt to the hospital and we'll get that thing out of your throat. After that, we'll have a little chat about what you know and how you can help. You're the only person, other than Erin, who knows what we're up against."

'Really? You're going to help me after what I did?'

"I believe everyone deserves a second chance," the General said. "You prove yourself, and you'll be free."

***

I sat on the hospital bed, just opposite Erin's. She was still asleep from all the drugs but she was looking a lot healthier other wise. The technology these days was incredible. There wasn't even a scar from the wound.

It had been a long and painful  procedure trying to get the device out of my throat. A couple of times, when  felt the wire scratch my throat, I was sure that it was going to kill me. Eventually, they ease it out and disconnected it.

I had it now, actually. It sat in my palm like it had never been dangerous at all. When it came out, I had this sense of freedom that over flowed me. For the first time since leaving, I really felt like I had escaped the Master. I couldn't talk much at the moment as it still hurt, but I would. I'd learn.

"Austin?" a guard said. I nodded. "Come with me." I followed him out of the hospital ward, my gaze lingering on Erin for a second before I went through the door.

The base was just like any other military base. Grey walls, sombre guards and bustling people. We even passed a hanger full of fighter jets. The guard walked me across some tarmac that lead to the control tower. We rode up the elevator before I stepped into the main room. It was full of screens and people talking into microphones.

But that wasn't what I was worried about.

Up ahead was the largest screen. Charlie, the General and a dozen others were standing in shock, watching it. The feed was coming from a spy they had on the coast. The video was playing as a tsunami hurtled towards land. But it wasn't out of control. It's movements were tactical and direct. The camera zoomed in to the crest of the wave where my fears were confirmed.

Levitating above the water was Josh.

****************************************************************************************

Dun dun daaaaaaaah

Did you guys see that one coming?!?!? I feel very evil for that. Hehehe.

Don't forget to comment and vote! Love y'all!!!