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Elseworlds Story: Agent ML1 and the Tempest Organization
By: Zorbak the Ebil Moglin Date: February 21, 2023, 11:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
"If normal people can get so stressed that they can hallucinate
or suffer health problems, how much worse is it when a psychic
suffers that kind of mental strain with the power they command?
The hallicinations within their mind become all too real when
their psychic abilities get involved." - The leader of the
Tempest Organization, General O. Mendai Corvac
Prologue Theme: Suiri (
HTML https://youtu.be/xvODHnpKf8g
)
This story takes place in another section of the multiverse
unknown to many. This story takes place in a world without
supernatural beings, that is much like our own world. This means
no vampires, werewolves, and no known alien species that have
interacted with earth. The only supernatural beings to exist are
Heaven and Hell, as well as the reapers who work for Death.
However, normal humans have no knowledge of this, so they
believe that they are alone in the universe.
That is, until an advanced species of humans emerged from among
humanity. It isn't known how far back this species has lived,
but it is believed that they are at least 500 years old, having
lived in secret for many years. These humans became known as
Celestia-Sapiens, or Celestians. These humans are called many
things: Celestians, Meta-Humans, Mutated Humans, or just usually
called Psychics.
These humans possess powerful psychic abilities, being advanced
enough to be able to manipulate the world around them. Depending
on the psychic, they have varying levels of power. Some have
multiple skills, some have really powerful lesser skills, or
some may learn psychic skills from other psychics. It isn't
currently known how psychics in this world awaken their power,
or how their power is determined by their minds. After study was
done, genetic factors were ruled out in people developing
psychic abilities. It is now known that psychics can be born to
any family, whether they have psychic power or not, and normal
children can be born even to two psychic parents.
Over the years, psychics have increased in numbers, and many
hide their skills to live normal lives among humans. Of course,
there are those that try to use their power to their own
advantage as well, as one might expect. There are many different
kinds of psychics, many of which using their powers for
different things depending on their own wants and goals. There
are a great number of psychics in the world, estimated to be
somewhere between 100 million and 1 billion.
Sometime in the early 2000s, psychics were revealed to the
world, and governments became aware of the existence of
psychics. This came about because psychics had started losing
control of their power with the increased stress of life that
came in the 2000s with the increase of technology and increases
in mental health problems among people. With increases in
depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses, it became
impossible to conceal psychic power as some were unable to keep
their psychic power secret when stress in their life became too
much for them.
However, with the stress in psychics, another problem presented
itself: Rebounding. When a psychic suffers extreme stress, their
psychic power becomes unstable and eventually turns on it's
user. The stress causes hallucinations that can be manifested by
their psychic power, or can cause unexpected reactions in their
psychic power. This event got the name "rebounding" because a
lot of psychics' powers would reflect back on them and damage
them (even if they had been immune to their powers in the past).
Between the increase in psychic rebounds, and the psychics using
their powers against humans and trying to do things like taking
over governments or starting criminal empires, a new
organization in the government was set up that was known as the
Tempest Organization. This group's job was to battle psychics,
and handle psychic rebound cases if there was a danger to those
around them, specifically when the police or military could not
handle certain situations.
Headed by General Oscar Mendai Corvac (Which he shorted to
General O. Mendai to those who know him, or General Corvac to
those he didn't know), the organization worked alongside the
military and police to protect the general population from
psychics.
General Corvac not only had humans working for the organization,
but also had psychics working for the organization as well, as
he used them to battle enemy psychics. The most well known team
was that of Agents ML1 and DR1. Agent ML1, Kindron Darkfire, is
a psychic that is currently the oldest known psychic in the
world, and possesses extremely powerful psychic abilities. In
addition to having multiple psychic abilities, he also has
stronger abilities, which puts him at levels above most
psychics. It is theorized that Kindron Darkfire's psychic power
is among the earliest forms of psychic power, and the most
potent known psychic power to date.
Next, there was Agent DR1, Dr. Zelpharia Tolodora, who works
alongside Kindron Darkfire, and works as Kindron's partner and
operator (Someone who monitors a psychic's well being to make
sure psychics in the Tempest Organization don't lose control of
their power. Zelpharia was also the daughter of General Corvac,
from his first marriage. Zelpharia has been studying the psychic
phenomena since she awakened her psychic power, and trying to
learn as much as she can about psychic power. Zelpharia has also
been studying and trying to learn how to help psychics keep
better control of their power, and also acts as the head doctor
of the Tempest Organization.
Our story today takes place during a stressful time, when Russia
and the US has developed ways of using psychics to enhance
technology, and both have been competing in an arms race to
attempt to overtake the other. The two countries have
infiltrated each other, and both seek to find ways to steal the
secrets of the other country in order to further their own
goals. This has led to a war with Russia, in which both
countries have invested in guerrilla tactics to try and defeat
the other rather than engaging in open combat.
On top of this, the Tempest Organization is still recovering
from the betrayal of a previous member named Garton Xeno.
Friends with Kindron Darkfire, Garton Xeno had been introduced
to the Tempest Organization as an agent. Despite not being a
psychic, he seemed very knowledgeable, experienced and had many
ways of taking on psychics through preparation and mind games he
would use to confuse psychics to the point where they couldn't
effectively use their powers on him. Garton Xeno would go on to
help Dr. Tolodora understand the psychology of psychics, due to
Garton Xeno's expertise and doctorate in psychology and
sociology.
However, Garton Xeno revealed his true intentions when he
artificially empowered himself using a formula that allowed him
to gain the psychics of whoever's blood he used by altering his
DNA. After using Kindron Darkfire's blood, Garton betrayed the
organization, and this led to Garton killing many powerful
members of the organization before he was tracked down by
Kindron Darkfire. After a long and grueling battle, Kindron
managed to kill Garton, snapping his neck during their battle.
However, the damage done by Garton to the Tempest Organization
had left the group weakened, with only a few teams having
survived Garton turning on the organization.
While Garton was supposedly killed by Kindron, Kindron had
encountered him twice on missions in the last few weeks with no
real explanation on how Garton survived. It was theorized that
Kindron's power that Garton had injected into him had saved him
by using Kindron's black flame regeneration skills. Theories
stated that Garton's regeneration power may have possibly been
stronger than Kindron's after Garton had modified his DNA to
accept the psychic power of Kindron's blood into himself.
Kindron was now actively looking for Garton, believing that he
was still alive. However, Kindron has also been continuing his
normal missions as well, due to the events going on that have
threatened the US and the Tempest Organization.
Today's story is one of the missions of Agent ML1...
Main Story:
Kindron Vs The Begemot Super Tank Theme: Devils Never Cry Remix
(
HTML https://youtu.be/RjXzv0a009c
)
Kindron Vs Garton Xeno Theme: Cerberus Battle Remix (
HTML https://youtu.be/A43Nl5vbXGc
)
Ending Theme: Conceal Within the Heart (
HTML https://youtu.be/9P6EDk1XGp4
)
Three Weeks Ago.
Kindron: I don't agree with how Tempest handled what happened...
So I'm helping you. Kindron says as he drives out of a prison
with one specific prisoner, Sarah Lauren, who was in the back
seat, ducked down as Kindron drove.
Sarah: So what now? We go on the run together?
Kindron: Something like that. He says as he drives. However,
cops start to come from both the prison and from the police
station to try and capture Kindron and Sarah.
Kindron, scoffing, starts driving to avoid the police, before
turning a corner that the police couldn't turn. Kindron: That
did it... Kindron then snapped his fingers. Invisibility field.
He says, focusing his mind on creating the mentioned
invisibility field. In order to better concentrate and use his
abilities, Kindron would use verbal words to help him visualize
what he wanted to do.
As Kindron sets up the invisibility field, the car became
invisible to those around them as Kindron parked into a narrow
area to allow the police cars to search the area nearby.
Sarah: So what now? She asks Kindron curiously.
Kindron: There's something I need to know. How many agents at
Tempest were compromised by Garton Xeno? He says to Sarah,
staring over at her in the back seat.
Sarah: Why are you asking that now?
Kindron: I need to know who I can trust. If we're going to make
this work, I need someone in Tempest who can keep them off our
tail.
Sarah: What about Zeph? She asks him.
Kindron: I don't know... She's still recovering from what
happened with Garton, and I don't know if she would side with
her father against us. He says flatly.
Sarah stops and thinks. Sarah: I don't know... I doubt I was the
only one the Russians put in to the Tempest Organization. But
they didn't let me know who else they had in the group.
Kindron: Is that so? He says as he leans back in his seat. So
you really don't know?
Sarah: Can't you tell by reading my mind? She says to him
curiously.
Kindron: I could, but the Russians alter the minds of the people
they send in as agents. I learned on a few people I can't trust
what I read in your mind if you're working for them.
Sarah: Come with me then. She says, as she leans forward and
looks to Kindron. We can escape all this. Go somewhere else.
Kindron sighs as he looks over at Sarah. Kindron: I don't think
you're lying... Which makes this a waste of time. He says
bitterly.
Sarah: Wait... What? She says, confused.
Kindron silently snaps his fingers, diffusing the invisbility
field over the seat next to Sarah, which had Zeph there, holding
her gun. He then snaps his fingers, dissolving the invisibility
field around the car, showing that it was not Kindron's car that
was invisible, but the Tempest cop cars that were following them
that were invisible and had them surrounded.
Sarah: Wait what?! She says, surprised, as she processes what
was happening.
Zeph shoots the gun at Sarah, shooting her in the neck. A loud
bang could be heard, louder than a normal gunshot, though only a
tranquilizer was shot, which Sarah starts to feel immediately as
she starts to lose consciousness.
Sarah looks over to Kindron, putting her hand on his shoulder as
she tries to fight the tranquilizer. Sarah: This... was staged?
Kindron: It was. He says simply, as he glares to Sarah. I didn't
want to do this... Not after what happened.
Sarah: I was telling the truth, Kindron... I did... love you...
She says as she loses consciousness, seemingly trying to get
Kindron to act to save her.
Kindron: I know, but what you did was unforgivable. He says as
he gets out of the car, ready to let Sarah go back to prison for
what she had done to him and his friends.
Zeph gets out of the car as well, as the Tempest agents go over
and recover a now unconscious Sarah from the car.
His ears still hurting from the gunshot, Kindron rubs his ears,
trying to ease the pain. Kindron: Why is that gun so freakin'
loud?! He says bitterly.
Zeph: It's a special material. Sorry... It amplifies sound. But
the material needs to be used in order to hold the strength of
sedative it holds to knock out psychics. She explains as they
walk over to one of the cars and get in. It seems this was a
waste of time.
Kindron: I thought this was such a good idea too. He says with a
sigh. I was certain she'd tell me. After everything I did to
convince General Corvac to let me do this, we have nothing to
show for it...
Zeph: Either she couldn't, or she truly doesn't know. She says
with a shrug. Don't worry about Dad. I'll handle any backlash
from him. Though I doubt he'd say anything bad about this one.
We did what we had to do, and I think he respects that you can
do that while still operating within the rules, unlike most
agents who would have probably went rogue for an operation like
this.
Kindron: This isn't a movie. Kindron says to Zeph, before he
starts looking out his window. I just wish she cared enough to
not betray us.
Zeph: Yeah. Me too. She says.
Kindron: I guess both of us have had bad luck with love... He
says, more to himself.
Zeph: Yeah. But at least Sarah did love you. She says quietly.
Kindron: I suppose... Doesn't make it any easier. He says sadly.
Zeph: I agree. She says as she looks out her window.
The two stay silent as the agents come and drive them back to
the Tempest Organization to report their results of the
operation.
Current Day.
It was another incident in the Nevada desert, that was set up by
the Russians.
The Russians had deployed a large super tank, the
Бегемот (Or Begemot,
Russian for Hippopotamus) which was driving through the Nevada
desert.
The tank was very large, large enough that normal rounds
couldn't penetrate the tank. In addition, the tank also had
psychic enhanced weapons, which were stronger than normal
weapons and could track enemies better. The Begemot also had
strong armor, in which many attacks would do less damage due to
the psychic magnetic waves pushed impact waves away from the
tank.
Tracking the Begemot's movement was a lone helicopter, who was
following and shooting at it to try and slow it down before the
military arrived.
Pilot: Backup isn't gonna do much to that thing... It's huge.
I'm pretty sure tank shells are just gonna tickle it!
He says as he shoots at it and does almost no damage to it at
all.
Co-Polite: The only thing we're doing is putting a few holes in
it to air out the inside. He says with a sigh.
As the Begemot turns it's guns, it seems to aim at the
helicopter with it's machine guns on top of the tank. As it
starts shooting, the helicopter starts dodging to the side,
trying to avoid the guns which were moving faster than normal
mounted guns due to the psychic enhancement.
As the helicopter moves, the main canon turns and aims toward
the helicopter, as though getting ready to fire and destroy it.
The two pilots realize what was happening, as the Begemot gets
ready to fire.
Pilot: Frank... It's been a privilege serving with you. He says,
feeling that they were about to die.
Co-Pilot: Same to you, Bill. He says as he readies himself for
the shot that was likely going to kill them.
However, when the Begemot fires, it doesn't fire at the
helicopter, and the bullet flies past the helicopter.
Pilot: Wait... What? He says as he tries to look behind him as
the shot passes by.
All he could see was a psychic move past him, and move fast
enough to jump off the shell, sending it careening toward the
ground while using the jump to guide his movement as he moved
downward.
The psychic seems to be falling, but guiding himself toward the
Begemot as he lands on it.
Over the helicopter's comms, General Corvac's voice comes on.
Corvac: Gentlemen, this is General O. Mendai Corvac... Thank you
for buying us time to set up. The Tempest Organization is now in
control of this operation. You can stand down. He says over the
comms to the two pilots.
Pilot: They brought in the big guns! He says excitedly, knowing
the Tempest Organization had things handled.
Co-Pilot: Then... Is that... Agent ML1? The legendary psychic? I
doubt anyone could make a jump like that. He says, curious. He
had heard of Kindron Darkfire, but never seen him.
Pilot: That's definitely ML1. Oh... We're in for a show today!
He says as he keeps a safe distance.
Meanwhile, the psychic on the Begemot, now revealed to be
Kindron Darkfire, had started using his telekinesis to rip away
the turrets on the Begemot.
As the Begemot continues speeding across the desert, Kindron
walks on top of the Begemot, firing blasts of lightning at the
men that started coming out of the Begemot to attack him.
Kindron soon makes it to the main cannon, which was now moving
and trying to knock Kindron off.
Kindron: How about we disable you... Crush and bend! He says
(using verbal words to help him concentrate) as he uses both
hands to concentrate his telekinesis to crush the main gun's
canon. He then crushes the barrel of the main gun, and bends it
downward so it could no longer move, as Kindron managed to move
the barrel down into the crevices of the tank to keep the tank
from being unable to move the main gun.
Kindron starts using his telekinesis to tear apart the internal
mechanisms, specifically the ones for movement.
After disabling most of it's movements other than the wheels.
Kindron jumps off the tank, and flies, but still keeps up with
it as it continues speeding away. Now, it seemed more like the
Begemot was on the run rather than speeding towards some goal it
was after.
Kindron: Pop. He says as he crushes one of the wheels in the
treads. The wheel pops out, and falls to the ground, causing the
tank to have to adjust it's driving to keep the missing wheel
from causing the tank treads to pop out.
Kindron: Pop. Pop. Pop. He says a few times as he starts popping
out the wheels on the Begemot. Soon, the tank treads on one side
now break and the remaning wheels on that side were the only
thing driving the tank.
However, on the other side, only one wheel that Kindron
specified had popped out. Kindron looked at the wheel.
Kindron: Pop. He says again, trying to get the wheel to pop out
with his telekinesis. However, it once again ends in failure.
Kindron: What the hell? He says angrily. Pop, damn you! He says
angrily, losing his temper. His anger causes the whole side of
the tank's treads to crush and break, which causes the tank to
stop completely.
Kindron: That was not at all what I was trying to do. He says
with a sigh. But at least I stopped the damn thing.[/b]
He does one last thing, breaking the mechanisms behind the doors
to get off the super tank, since it seemed to also be some kind
of troop carrier.
Kindron: Target secured, General. Weapons and movement are
disabled. This tank is done. He says on his comms, not
mentioning his trouble with his psychic power that he had when
trying to break one of the wheels.
Corvac: Good work, ML1. Stay with the tank until Agent DR1 gets
there.
Kindron: Confirmed. He says back as he turns off his comms. He
waves to the helicopter as it seems to hover overhead, watching
for threats.
Kindron waits a few minutes. However, his thoughts are
interrupted when a psychic blast hits him and knocks him into
the tank, causing him to dent the tank as he hits it with force.
Kindron recovers quickly, using his dark flame regeneration to
heal the impact damage. Though he was caught off guard, he
recovers quickly and turns to see Garton.
Kindron: Garton! You are alive! He says angrily, the mere
thought of seeing him again.
Garton: Hey, buddy. Been a long time. He says with an almost
sinister smile.
Kindron: This time I'm gonna blast you into oblivion! He says as
he goes to attack. However, Garton seems to easily dodge his
attacks, and then blasts Kindron again to knock him back into
the carrier.
However, this time, Kindron doesn't regenerate, which confuses
Kindron.
Kindron: What the hell? He says as he coughs up blood, and
realizes he wasn't healing.
Garton: What's wrong? Can't use your regeneration? He says with
a smile.
Kindron: What did you do to me? He says, his anger continuing to
boil.
Garton: Oh... Just a little something the Russians cooked up for
me. He says as he holds up his hands, revealing bracelet devices
on his hands. These little boys simulate rebound effects. I can
use rebound effects to interrupt your psychic powers everytime I
hit you. And soon, your own body will start turning on itself.
He explains, almost gleeful to reveal his new devices.
Kindron inhales, and then moves to attack again. He starts
throwing punches and kicks, trying to hit Garton. However,
because Kindron was now acting purely in anger, his movements
were very sloppy, and Garton was able to counter almost every
one and punch him with psychic blasts.
After countering a number of hits, Garton blasts Kindron again,
and then jumps and blasts downward, hitting Kindron while he was
on his knees trying to recover. This causes Kindron to fall to
the ground.
Garton: What's the matter? Not done already, are you?! He says
as he lands and kicks Kindron in the gut with a psychic enhanced
kick, which sends Kindron flying back into the Begemot's side
again.
Garton seems to start firing blasts of energy, blasting Kindron
over and over.
Kindron manages to barely put up a barrier in time, but since he
didn't speak it, the barrier barely holds.
Meanwhile, the helicopter watches.
The pilot, now panicked, gets on the comms. Pilot: General
Corvac... We have a problem. Should we provide support?
Corvac: How bad is it?
Pilot: It looks like ML1 is getting his a*s kicked. But... I
don't know how to describe it...
Corvac: Do not engage. Dr. Tolodora should arrive shortly. He
says over comms.
Meanwhile, Kindron was attacking and being countered again by
Garton, unable to keep up at this point as the injuries were
starting to pile up.
Kindron tries to fire a blast of black flames, but the black
flames rebound and burn his arm and the side of his face.
Kindron, now suffering burns from the rebound of his power,
starts screaming in pain.
Garton: I love these little guys. And I still have some tricks I
never got around to revealing. He says as he motions to his
bracelets. You can't control your power, can you?
Kindron gets up and goes to attack again, this time relying on
martial arts rather than psychic power.
However, Garton seems to kick Kindron's leg he was standing on
while Kindron was trying to kick him, which causes Kindron to
fall back. Garton then kicks Kindron again, causing him to hit
the Begemot again.
Kindron gets up, spitting the blood in his mouth out.
Garton: Come on... What was all that talk the last time we met?
About how you were going to make me suffer for betraying
Zelpharia?
Kindron clenches his hands in anger, causing his nails to dig
into his hands and bleed.
However, Kindron hears a loud shot. Of course, Kindron instantly
recognized the loud shot as Zeph's tranq gun.
Kindron: Still... so... freaking... loud... He says as he falls
to the ground, the tranq in his neck knocking him out. However,
he doesn't seem to have any brain power left after the tranq to
wonder why Zeph shot him instead of Garton.
Garton: Nighty night, buddy. He says as he leans to his right
side to meet Kindron's gaze and waves. Kindron loses
consciousness, thanks to the tranquilizer.
Later.
Later, Kindron wakes up, strapped to a table as he wakes up. His
first thought was anger as he remembers being shot with a
tranquilizer.
Zeph, who was on her computer, looks over as Kindron struggles
to break free.
Zeph: Sorry... The restraints were necessary.
Kindron: Why?! Why did you tranq me instead of Garton, dammit?!
He says angrily, trying to break free. You wanted that bastard
dead as much as I did! He says, thinking Zeph had betrayed him.
Zeph: Garton is dead.
Kindron: Did you just happen to miss the fact he was standing in
front of me when you shot me?! He says angrily.
Zeph: Kin. She says as she sighs, using her nickname for
Kindron. Whatever you saw... Or thought you saw, it wasn't real.
Kindron: I know what I saw! He blasted the hell out of me! He
says angrily. He realized he had mostly healed, but still felt
the pain of the attacks he had suffered at Garton's hands.
Zeph: Garton wasn't there. She says sternly.
Kindron stops and looks at Zeph, confused. Her words had made
him stop momentarily, as he waited to hear her next words.
Zeph: Kindron, your powers... They were rebounding. She says to
him, a rare time when she used his full name.
Kindron: Impossible. He says simply. You said I was the most
disciplined psychic you'd ever met. My disciplined mind was
stronger than any other! I've been around longer than any other
psychic! I know how strong I am! Isn't that why you named me
ML1? Missing Link?
Zeph: Even you're not invincible, Kin. Yes, we believe you're
one of the missing links between humanity and the psychic
evolution... But... She says as she sits down again. You may be
strong, but I checked with the helicopter pilots who saw it.
Garton was never there. You were fighting a hallucination.
Kindron looks at Zeph. Kindron: I've seen rebounding...
Experienced it by connecting to the minds of other psychics.
This wasn't that. I know the difference.
Zeph: It's a different experience when it's you directly. But I
confirmed it. Your own powers rebounded.
Kindron: You don't know the full story. He had devices which
caused rebounding to interrupt other psychics powers. And he's
working for the Russians now. He says, thinking. His anger now
mostly turned into thinking about how to explain what happened.
He could have put an invisibility field around himself. Then you
all wouldn't have seen him.
Zeph: But... You forget that I would have still sensed him.
Kindron: Not if he was using some form of psychic power to
suppress himself. I hid from your senses a few times in the
past. Especially if his powers were stronger than mind like you
and General Corvac theorized.
Zeph: Maybe... But Kin. I'm sorry, in this case, your powers
were rebounding. We're pretty certain.
Kindron: How can you be sure? He says to her, not convinced.
Zeph: What Garton did... It was bad. The people he killed, the
things he did, the people he turned against us. She says to him,
trying to find the words to say what she wanted to. You've been
obsessed with trying to weed out the traitors Garton put in, and
trying to undo everything he had done. But some things can't be
undone. And I think you're still suffering because of it. You
feel responsible for what Garton did since you recommended him
for the organization.
Kindron just gets a cold look. Kindron: I hated him for what he
did, yes. But I'm not going to rebound for what he did. There
was only ever one thing he did that I could not forgive.
Zeph: Then you need to confront that, Kin. She says to him. It
could be that one thing that is causing your powers to rebound.
If you don't face it, you may end up manifesting a Garton
phantom... And you know what that would do. She explains to him.
Kindron thinks. He had seen other psychics create phantoms from
their psychic power, usually as a result of powers going out of
control. The phantoms usually then become problems and can only
be taken out by other psychics. Depending on the trauma, some
phantoms could be extremely dangerous, and Kindron was caught
wondering what would happen if Garton, with his power, managed
to manifest as a phantom.
Zeph: If you create a phantom, we may not be able to stop it. We
don't have contingencies strong enough to counter you yet. She
says to Kindron, knowing how powerful Kindron's psychic power
was compared to other psychics and that his power could
overpower most methods the Tempest Organization uses to counter
agents who go out of control.
Kindron stays silent for a moment, looking up at the ceiling.
Kindron: I know... He says, more to himself. He then talks
again, hesitating to say what he wanted to say next. That one
thing? I didn't care about what he did to the organization.
People die every day. I don't feel connected to them. I've been
around and seen so many people get old and die, that I don't
connect with them anymore.
Zeph looks over at Kindron curiously. Zeph: Then what was so bad
that was worse than all the people he killed? She says, part
curious, but part worried about how detached Kindron was from
the lives of the people around him.
Kindron: It was what he did to you... That was the one thing I
couldn't forgive. He says. You loved him, and he betrayed you
for it. That was the one thing he did that hurt worse than
anything else. I don't think anything about him was ever real.
Zeph sighs. Zeph: What he did to me was bad. But... I'm also not
gonna play the victim. Don't feel guilty for what happened. None
of us were prepared for what happened.
Kindron: I should have been. What good are psychic powers if
they can't protect the people you care about? He says bitterly.
While he didn't seem to want to talk about it, it was obvious he
was trying to get rid of the guilt he felt, hoping it would help
him figure out the situation around whether or not Garton had
actually been fighting him or not.
Zeph: You can't save everyone. Garton fooled both of us. And my
telepathic mind reading is much stronger than yours. If he could
fool me, then you were not going to sense his true thoughts.
Kindron: Maybe not... But it is obvious now that I have to
become stronger. He says, determined now to keep fighting.
Zeph: Kin... I'm not going to be your excuse for you to do
something stupid. She says sternly. If you want to protect me,
then fine. But don't sit here and become something you're not.
You may not realize it, but you do care about people. You have
always protected this organization, and I don't believe for an
instant you don't care about the deaths of everyone Garton
killed. She says to him, scolding him. She then gets serious.
You're angry... But I don't want to see you lose control. Not
like Delsin did... I couldn't watch that again.
Kindron: I know. He says to himself. He leans back and thinks.
It could have been a rebound. I was having trouble with my power
before Garton showed up. But... I also cannot accept that my
power would rebound that easily. He says, while thinking to
himself.
Had Garton really been there? Kindron could created an
invisibility field around himself if he had been in Garton's
place that kept him from other's vision and senses. Invisibility
field and rebounding devices? But at the same time, Kindron knew
he had felt guilty about how Garton had betrayed one of his
closest friends, and rebounding explained the trouble he had
with his power before-hand.
It was a mystery, one that Kindron was determined to solve. Was
Garton a phantom haunting him? Or is Garton still alive and
working for the Russians?
Not long later.
General Corvac: How is he? She asks Zeph as she comes into his
office.
Zeph sighs. Zeph: Well, I think he'll get better. But this
incident has led to something else.
General Corvac: Our strongest psychic rebounded. That's pretty
bad already.
Zeph: Yes, but while I was analyzing Kin's blood, I found
something else. She hands the paperwork to Corvac. He had Pavlov
3 in his system.
Corvac stops dead in his tracks at the mention, and looks to
Zeph. Corvac: You're sure?
Zeph: Yes. It's my formula. There's no way to replicate it
considering you'd not only have to imagine psychic genetic
manipulation the way I do, but you would also have to bend the
laws of chemistry and physics to make it the way I did.
Corvac: But how was he infected with it?
Zeph: It was the tank. The tank had it laced into the
mechanisms. When Kindron took apart the tank, the toxin was
released into the air.
Corvac: And then, he breathed it in. He sighs. This complicates
things.
Zeph: A lot.
Corvac: I had Garton's body dug up. He says turning to Zeph, who
was now looking at Corvac with curiosity and an almost
frustrated expression that Corvac hadn't discussed it with her
first.
Zeph: Why? She asks, trying to keep her emotions from flaring.
Corvac: After Kindron said he saw him at Tampa, and then again
in the attack in Austin, I had to. And Zeph... His body was
gone. He's not in his grave. Someone either dug him up, or he...
He says, not finishing.
Zeph: Or he's still alive. She says, finishing Corvac's sentence
as she thinks. Kin mentioned the Garton phantom had rebounding
devices... Kin almost convinced me that he had been fighting
Garton. I don't know what to think. If there was no rebounding,
then that explains the irregularities in the Pavlov 3 reaction.
She says, looking at her results.
Corvac: What do you mean? He asks Zeph curiously.
Zeph: Well... She says as she takes a breath. Remember when we
put the device on Kindron neck that monitors his mind and
psychic output? I was looking at his brain waves and psychic
output from the rebounding. They were all normal. His brain
waves weren't affected. Pavlov 3 should have affected his normal
triggers for using psychic power, which would have been visible
on the monitoring. Psychics use the same triggers all the time,
and Pavlov 3 activates those triggers when they aren't using
psychic power, tricking the mind into thinking their psychic
power is active when it's not. That's how we have it set up to
take out a psychic when we finally start using it. She explains.
Corvac: What does that mean exactly?
Zeph: Well. There are two possible explanations. First, and the
more unlikely, is that he wasn't rebounding, and Garton really
was there. Kindron mentioned Garton has rebounding devices to
simulate psychic rebounding. And Kindron made a good point that
an invisibility field probably would have been an easy way for
Garton to be there without anyone knowing. Especially since
Kindron and Garton could probably determine who is and isn't
affected by the invisibility field.
Corvac: Possible... And the second?
Zeph: The second, which is more likely, is that Kindron
developed a resistance to Pavlov 3. He mentioned seeing Garton
twice before, but we didn't start monitoring his waves until
after the second sighting. This was the first time Garton
engaged Kindron in combat. I think his psychic power has reacted
more violently to it as a result of trying to fight it off. He
said he had trouble with his power before Garton showed up. I
think Pavlov 3 caused it, but then Kindron's body reacted to it
and caused the hallucination in response.
Corvac: Assuming he's gaining a resistance, what now?
Zeph: We have to stop him from becoming exposed to it any
further, especially if the Russians are trying to use it
tactically. If he's been exposed three times, his body is likely
developing resistance, and soon, he'll be able to counter it
completely. If that happens, Pavlov 3 will be useless on him,
and if he is rebounding, it will take teams of psychics just to
counter his psychic power. Or... we can try and make a new
Pavlov formula.
Corvac: We're not ready to move on to Pavlov 4 yet. For now, we
keep this under wraps. Don't tell Kindron yet. We need more
information.
Zeph: He's going to find out eventually, you know. And he's not
going to be happy we didn't tell him.
Corvac: I know. But this is necessary. If he loses control, he
could cause severe damage. His psychic waves could affect entire
states if they get out of control.
Zeph: I think we should tell him, though. He does understand
measures are necessary to prevent his power from going out of
control.
Corvac: I will tell him. Just not until I have something
concrete to tell him. He says to her, he then reaches for his
phone. He then sighs as he starts dialing. I'd better tell
Maxine and Sam that I'm going to be late to dinner tonight... He
says, realizing he was going to have to stay late going over
everything.
Zeph: What are the chances Maxine is also working late? Usually
pretty high. She says jokingly.
Corvac: That she does... She's the only woman as dedicated to
work as I am. He says with a shrug. Since Maxine was head of
Special Forces, she had almost as much work as Corvac did that
the two rarely ever saw each other despite being married.
Zeph: Well... I'm going to go over everything again. Because now
I don't know what to think. She says as she gets ready to head
back to her office. She stops at the door though, and turns back
to Corvac. Just don't forget to call Maxine tonight. Or she
might strangle you. She says jokingly.
Corvac couldn't help but laugh in response. Corvac: Or she'll
get Sam to kick me in the nuts again. He says jokingly.
End.
Somewhere in the world.
In a base in the frozen wastelands of Russia, General Sergei
Dragunov and General Viktor Zukovsky go to the head of the
military, General Ivan Van Ilyich. As they go in, Dragunov hands
Ivan the report silently.
Viktor: Plans went as expected. We confirmed that ML1's powers
rebounded temporarily.
Ivan: Good. The rebounding will raise questions, and doubt will
set in among them about what really happened. He says as he
looks over the report.
Viktor: What happens if they figure out our plan? He asks
curiously.
Ivan: It's already too late for them to stop us. He says with a
smile as he looks at Viktor and Dragunov. Agent V is already in
place. The Zeus project will not stop. He smiles. Maya is ready
to carry out the next phase, thanks to our... beloved associate.
Viktor: What about Garton Xeno? Reports are starting to
circulate he might be alive.
Ivan: Xeno is dead... But his work lives on. He says with a
sinister smile, obviously hiding something.
Story End.
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