Chapter 5: Overcharged

Present day

Third- Person

Angel shook off the dizziness shortly after disconnecting herself from Cole's memories. Her eyelids fluttered as she tried to regain a clear line of sight. When she did, she realized that they were still in the closet were they were hiding in, but Cole was nowhere in sight.

She must have been still weak from the memories she viewed because her legs collapsed beneath her as she stood up. The door's handle in the closet began to turn slowly. Angel's heart must have skipped a few beats, and grabbed the nearest broom to defend her. She couldn't read the mind of the person outside so she was naturally scared, but Max taught her better, and composed herself. She was about to strike when Cole burst in. He deftly caught the broom in mid-strike.

"Cole!" She exclaimed. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "Are you okay?"

Cole raised an eyebrow. "A few minutes ago, you would've whacked me silly and left me in the middle of the road." He suggested. Angel shrugged.

"I can't be picky about the people who just saved me."She rubbed her arm absent-mindedly. "You would not know what I have been through these past days. The pain-"She began, but the memory just seemed to bring tears to her eyes.

Cole decided to play nice, and wiped her tears away and forced a smile. "Then I will have to find Max now, and get you back to your family."

She was hesitant, which made Cole frown. "What's wrong?"

"We'll talk about this when we get out of here, can we?" She asked. "I agree." Cole replied, and began to open up his cell phone to the number of James.

"Hey Cole, found her yet?" He asked as soon as the link became clear. The signal in the building was weak, due to the lead structure to block out all communications in the building. Since Cole began weakening the structural integrity with his powers, the signal became strong enough to emit transmissions.

James knows that any transmission could be tracked, and began to use a heavily encrypted signal to communicate with Cole.

"Hey Cole, did you find her yet?"He asked.

"A bit bruised, but alive and conscious."Cole replied. He heard James sigh in relief.

"Alright, I'm calculating…Wait."James said suddenly. Then he began to speak, with much more panic in his tone.

"Cole, a large reinforcement of guards and some mutants, judging from their bio-patterns, are now heading inside the complex. They will enter the main building in 10 minutes. I hope you can get her out of there right now. I hate to stress you, but unless you get your butts outta there, you're screwed."

Cole began to charge up, but realized that in rescuing her, the energy he used in getting there was weakening him.

"No good!" Cole replied. "I need another power supply so that I can successfully teleport me and Angel out of here. Can you locate a nearby electrical substation?"

"I think there is a generator at basement level," James said. "But there was an anomaly. Next to that area, is an unknown area that I couldn't uncover. I know that getting Angel out is priority, but if you can check that area out, we can find out what they are hiding, and maybe, disrupt their plans in the future."He suggested.

"I won't promise anything, but I'll stop by if I can." Cole replied.

He then turned to Angel, who was shakily getting up, and looked at Cole and realized that trouble was coming.

"They're coming here, aren't they?"She asked, and Cole nodded his head, then took her hand and began to run to the basement doors.

"You do realize that going there is a risk?" Angel inquired, and Cole gave a yes as an answer. He knew the girl was a mind-reader, and while it was risky, he let his mind open for her to cooperate with Cole, all the while giving him information about her and her family.

She disliked giving such info to this guy, but if they were to get out of here alive, trust is key to survival.

Conference Hall B, 5 minutes later.

Dr. DeRouge sat in a large chair, in front of an oval table, surrounded by TV screens of the benefactors of the good doctor. He was looking quite stressed.

"Franco, this situation is growing out of control." One Asian executive said.

"I agree," said another, "this Doomsday Group is going to lead us to ruin at this rate. I knew they were making threats, but carrying them out-"he trailed off.

"This is unacceptable." Said the main executive, a Caucasian white man in an Armani suit, who was looking like he tasted some bitter herbs. "While it is true that this group is directly responsible for bringing in new test subjects, their actions jeopardize everything we have worked for. The bombings in France is proof of such catastrophe they are willing to commit, and knows that the media will look for questions, as in "Who is in charge of the group?" or "Who was financing them?" They will look for the perpetrators. So far, the group is taking the blame, but it won't be long until they connect the dots, good doctor."

"Gentlemen, the situation is still salvageable." He reassured Dr. DeRouge. "The test subjects we have-"

"Yes, about that." interrupted the leader. "I have just received reports of explosions, security breach, and escaping subjects from the building you are now in." He said it in such a casual manner, as if he was expecting this. "I would hate to know if that child was going to escape as well."

Franco gritted his teeth. These latest reports of accusations against him were not as different as the last. Only difference, it was still ongoing, and all situations required solutions. Frankly, the good Doctor is only specialized in science, not politics.

But he will not allow such blatant topics ruin his research, so he had to at least try in defending himself.

"Yes, it may be true that the main prize may get away, but contingencies are in place in such an event." He said.

The board members look like they ate bitter goulds until one member actually approved of it much to Franco and the other board members' surprise. He was quite young, about 22 years of age, and his choice of fashion was a reflection of that age, with the same polo and necktie, but they are colored brightly, and he is even wearing shades, with some earphones plugged in his ears.

Joe Karkand was a prodigy, and rose to the top of the business food chain quite quickly. He is often known for gambling in just about every business venture he got himself involved. Though he lost in some, he often won, and became a force to be reckoned with, much to the other board members' displeasure. Mainly though, the main man somehow not only tolerated, but actually encouraged him to take such a path.

"Maybe the good doctor here might be on to something." Mr. Karkand said. "He got us in a good position of take out some of the competitors before this incident occurred. If he has a plan to get us back on track, then let's not throw him to the dogs just yet."He implied.

The main board executive was thinking heavily upon this, and replied. "Mr. Karkand, while your suggestion may plummet this company to ruin, the gambles you have undertaken had bore fruit. Well, Mr. DeRouge, it seems that you have Mr. Karkand to thank for saving your hide."

"Thank you kindly, Mr. Karkand." Franco replied. The young executive simply shrugged.

"I know about your little projects over there in Europe." He said in a deceptively calm voice.

"I may need to remind you that I have some investments there as well. I have seen little failure ever since you were charged as the head project manager there. I know that my faith in you isn't misplaced. But failure simply cannot do. So do try not to screw up again.

"Do not worry, Mr. Karkand. I will not let all the work here goes to waste."

"Now," the main executive began, "the future of Iris Company, my company, will not flourish now, not with those fools in the Doomsday group threatening everything that we have accomplished. So how to deal with them."

The company that Dr. DeRouge was working for was a company that specialized in genetics, just like GenTek or the Institute. While they are currently just one bar down from the main players, the Doomsday Group gave them a whole lot of subjects to experiment on. When the time comes, the Iris Company will take flight, and soon the whole world will beg them to be masters.

Whoever, they had underestimated the Doomsday Group's capacity of madness, and realized that if their plans are to succeed, the group must go.

Dr. DeRouge had an idea, although this may either elevate or destroy him depending on the situation.

"Maybe we can use them further for awhile." Franco said.

"Pardon?" said one of the executives.

"I may have a plan that might work to our advantage, but it is risky. I need you to listen to what I say."

They looked at each other and noticed the worry in the atmosphere, but soon reached an agreement, and the main man nodded his head in return. "Very well, proceed."

Dr. DeRouge smiled. Hopefully, his own agendas aren't discovered in the process.

Basement level, at the same time…

Angel and Cole were moving slowly and quietly. While Cole had neutralized all the guards in the area, some were still in the other buildings working their way to the main complex. James had scrambled up their frequencies to scatter them, but they are now starting to regroup and realize that their communications had been compromised. Now they were heading in groups to the complex, covering all outer exits.

"Alright the generator should be down this hallway," James said. ",right next to that blank spot in the facility. Be careful."

"So, I'll take back to your family after this." Cole suggested, but Angel shook her head. Raising one eyebrow, he asked. "Why?"

"Max has enough on her plate already."She said. "Also, I'm already dead to her already. I don't think it would help if she knew I was alive. These guys are bad enough without Max dealing with her own world-ending problems."

"You expect me to believe you're tough enough without your family?" Cole inquired. Angel made a face. "No matter how much information or strength you have against the enemy, it is all pointless when you do it alone. Trust me; it'll be a big morale booster if you came to them with a smile."

Angel smiled a bit, and then frowned. "I realized while I was in that coma that while Max and Fang grouped up together, the bad guys still succeeded in killing almost everyone. As strong as we are, we are still out of our league." Angel said.

"If we are to truly succeed someone must weaken them from behind, while their attention diverted to Max and Fang, maybe you and I can take them by surprise."

"You know, if this plan involves you being queen of a magical kingdom, I wouldn't be surprised." Cole said sarcastically, Angel glaring at him.

"Look, be serious!" she snapped at him. "We failed at Paris because those bad guys had an ace up their sleeve. For once, I'd like to get the drop on them for once."

"Hmph, I doubt that, not after what I did to get you out." Cole reasoned. "They'll go after us, not Max. Maybe they are preparing to deal with Max, but not now."

"Then maybe we can buy them time for her to prepare and stop them. All the time she gains can make the difference. Our efforts could give her the preparations she needs in taking them down."

"Since when did you decide there was a "we" in this?"Cole asked.

"Since you rescued me."Angel replied wryly. Cole was about to say something when a bullet pinged and ricochet to the right. Instinctively, both kids went to the nearest, largest, toughest piece of cover they could find, and that was a container on a flatbed truck.

"Command, this is Drab fifteen," said a nearby voice, amplified by the battle mask on his face. "We found the target. She is accompanied with a young boy, possibly 18. Seems to have electricity coming from his hands, so assume he is a hostile. The girl is the primary, capture her!"He commanded.

"Copy Drab Fifteen."Replied a mechanical voice from the radio the leader was carrying.

"Damn!" Letting out a shock grenade combined with electric bolts, he dispatched 5 of them at the same time, but more kept coming and Cole decided to even the odds. Using supercharged pieces of makeshift blast cores by picking up pieces of debris on the ground and charging it, he threw it on the ground and the nearby objects were pulled into it. Eventually, it turned into a humanoid golem, and did this 5 time until 6 metal warriors stood and began attacking the assailants.

"That'll buy us some time, but not forever. We need to get to the generator now."

"Too late Cole," said James on his phone. "I have scans of men in the generator room and are already swarming in reinforcements from a door coming from the emergency exit in there."

"So what now? We're trapped, and as far as I can tell, Angel might get hurt. We need another way out of here."Cole demanded.

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking!"Snapped the younger boy, then clicked his fingers together and said. "Alright, remember that area I told you about? I just scanned it and found nobody going in?"

"How's that gonna help us? As far as I can tell, they might be inside already."

"Not quite. I was finally able to patch into a secret comms link and these guards don't know where the room is. They only know of the generator room, the experimentation room, and the genetics lab here, but that room there is currently blank. I think these guards are being kept outta the loop."

"Alright, so how do we get in an area the guards themselves don't know of?" Cole asked.

"I scanned the outside and found an anomaly front of a storage room near the genetics lab. If you can scan the area, I might be able to find and hack the controls to the room. Hopefully you can get in."

"Fine."Cole said, then grabbed Angel's arm in one hand and threw a rocket-sized electric projectile in the other, sending the nearby guards flying and the rest ducking for cover.

"Let's go!" Then they both ran to the nearby corridor.

Genetics lab

Cole and Angel stopped here to locate the hidden anomaly. Angel already knew what he and James were talking about so she helped him as best she can. They found it and Cole used a static field to locate any electronic devices nearby, and it turns out the whole wall in front of the storage room and quickly found the door.

"How did they not know about this?"Cole wondered.

"Maybe someone is doing something he shouldn't be doing."James offered.

"Or," Angel suggested, "Maybe they're keeping something in."

"What are you-"Cole said but his voice died in his throat.

In front of the duo stood a large circular arc, similar to the machine James used to send them to his dimension, and around the machine, were a bunch of computers and samples. One sample, however, stood out from the rest.

A blast core.

A piece of the disaster that gave Cole his powers, but ended the lives of many in the process, it stood in a pedestal, surrounded by a glass cover, and emanating energy large enough to power half the facilities in the complex.

"What is that doing here?"Cole breathed, while Angel stared at it with two parts fascination, two parts horror, all equal to curiosity.

"Apparently," James explained, "the owner of this little project is the project head manager himself, Dr. Franco DeRouge. It looks like he has been funded by a lotta big companies, but apparently was working with the DG to create some sort of a transportation device capable of spreading their influence across different time periods or perhaps different dimensions."

"I have no bleeding idea where they get these stupid cliché ideas." Cole moaned. "Can't they just settle for destroying the world? It makes it a lot easier to stop them."

"They may have considered failure as a possibility." Angel theorized. "This could be their back-up plan, perhaps?"

"Maybe, but why keep your benefactors in the dark?" James asked.

"Everyone doesn't do anything without a price. I guess this is the Doc's." Cole said.

"Maybe we can use it to help us get outta-"Angel said, when the other samples began to glow in the room and began to light the area up like Christmas lights. "What's going on?"

The radio on Cole's shoulder crackled to life. "Cole! What are you doing in there? Whatever it is, it is attracting the guards and they are heading straight for you, man! Hide now!"Panic steeped the tone of his voice.

"Wait, I think I might turn the tide…" Said Cole, before gripping the Blast Core tightly and began to twist.

"Wait, Cole! We don't know if that's such a good idea. Angel is in the room. Do you think of the consequences of what would happen if she was in the radius of the blast core? She might get hurt, you know."

"They'll do a lot worse to her if I don't try." Cole replied, and soon, the entire room was filled with bright light.

At the same time, the guards burst in and began shouting order when a speaker in the room ordered the men to fall back and get out of the building. Whatever is going on here, it is causing a massive power surge. And soon, it will build up enough energy and will explode violently.

That was the thought that James had when he used the camera in the phone to observe, and theorize the probabilities in the current situation.

Suddenly, a white canister came into contact with Angel, or at least, saw some partial bits of it and suddenly she screamed and enveloped in a white light before the whole scene turned to static, when he saw a large mushroom cloud in the distance. Mina had just met up with James and saw the explosion too.

He stood up shakily and whispered.

"God help us all."

End. Please review.