Fallen Star Issue 5

"So you're full time in that body now?" I asked the Director.

"I always was" he said slowly considering his words "I had my brain moved to this in the 60's, I just chose to look more...human, because I didn't think the world would have taken the fact that my massive telepathic powers had destroyed my body. This thing I 'wear' is just a shell I carry the nutrients for my brain inside, if it wan't for my telekenisis, I wouldn't be able to move. But that's not what you want to talk about is it?"

"No, do you think this will work?"

"It should, but it won't be the same as before, but that's still not what you want to talk about."

I looked at him and even though his eyes look robotic I could feel his warmth so I spoke "How come..." I took a deep breath "How come you haven't asked me why?"

"Just like I wear this frame, I figured you'd tell me when you were ready to tell me?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"You were like an Uncle, a big brother and a father rolled into one and when I started...I thought 'just this last time' but the next day, I was at it again."

"Jessie, I understand, but wha I don't understand is why you didn't come here. I mean there was nothing we could have done as far as your powers were concerened, but you were....are family and always welcomed."

"Thank you, now tell me what this does?"

"Well your powers weren't actually taken away, the access to your power was."

"Ok, I know you are trying to dumb it down for me, but you need to dumb it down just a little more....my powers....?"

"Simple version then, you still have the car, you just don't have the keys."

"Better...go on please."

"The energy that took away your powers just blocked your ability to control quantum energy..."

"Losing me here."

"Be patient. You thought you had super strength, super speed, invunerability and your force blast, but what you actually had was an ability to draw quantum energy into your body and fuse it with your atomic structure, super charging your body, your ability to fly was actually you pushing the quanta in your body in the direction you wanted to go, the same with the strength and so on. Your force blast was the outward pushing of the quanta energy out of your body in a concentrated form. Why do you think, your strength decreased after a larger blast, the larger the blast the more quanta you drew out of your body, the longer the time for your body to draw it back in."

"So you can give me back the keys?"

"Yes and no. You see the only ones affected by the power neutralizer were the ones who used this quanta energy, some had limited access and they could only manipulate it in certain ways, such as stopping atoms or speeding them up....freezing and heat. What I will do is try to graft a mechanism that will allow you access to the quanta again, just not the same levels as you naturally could before."

"What's the catch?"

"You're going to have to wear a special suit and the effect will probably on last a few minutes at a time, the money it cost to recharge the suit is enormous so you'll be in debt to..."

"I don't care! Where do I sign?"

"Hold on Julie. This isn't like before. You'll take a codename, have to answer to the Council and you won't be able to reveal your identit.."

"I don't give a crap, I just want to find the bastard who killed Janet..."

"No one must know, just myself and the members of the Council...no one, not your parents, your siblings..."

"I get it, I get it...it's not like they'll even talk to me. I tried to call my brother after his car accident a couple of weeks ago and he still refuses to speak to me..."

"We know and we also know how close you want to be with your twin, but even he can't know. We'll be watching and if you tell anyone or anyone finds out, it all ends, do you understand?"

It takes me awhile to process it all. Before when I had powers I looked down on everyone and when they were taken away they looked down on me. My twin, James never had abilities like me and he tried to comfort me and the things I called him were just cruel. I remember the hurt in his eyes. My mother called to tell me he almost died an accident and I wanted so badly to tell him sorry, but even in his half awake state he refused to speak to me. This one chance to make things right could make things right between him and me but...

"Ok, I understand" I said as I stood up "When do we begin?"

TO BE CONTINUED