Chameleon's Birth
by Triss Morgan
Part 6 – The Chameleon
It was bound to happen simple because I was enjoying myself too much. Some luckless twist of fate with a situation that screamed cliché the moment it started. But fate doesn't care if it is considered a cliché when it intervenes. So what do you do when fate shoves a situation on you and forces you to choose whether to do good, bad, or nothing knowing that you are the key to changing the outcome of the situation? I would have chosen the option of doing nothing but then fate knew that and made the choice for me. Dirty bastard.
Laura and I had just come out of the club and were walking through a rich neighborhood of businesses on our way to the apartment since it was only a short walk. Both of us were enjoying the cool night air as it blew past us down the street and the conversation had lulled between us as we reflected on the past few days. While passing the door to a building I got the familiar gut feeling again. This one told me something was going to go very wrong, very quickly.
As soon as I had that feeling the door to the building we were currently walking past burst open shoving me behind it and leaving Laura standing alone in front shocked at what was happening. Three men and a woman came from within the building with all of them wearing ski masks and dressed in black. They each had the stereotypical criminal look. I could hear an alarm coming from back inside of the building helping to shatter the serenity of the night. Police sirens a few blocks away were sounding at the same moment and they were becoming louder quickly.
One of the men looked towards the sirens as he shouted a curse. He yelled, "Grab the woman for a hostage. The police are on their way because you stupid people had to trip the damn alarm. Next time one of you decides to sneeze I will gag you and personally leave you for the cops!"
A black sedan came screaming to a halt in front of the sidewalk and the criminals quickly climbed into it while one of them pulled a shocked Laura in with them. Tires soon ripped at the asphalt as the car was accelerated away. All of this happened in just a few seconds, I belatedly noted.
I shook my head to clear it. In the process of being thrown behind the door I unconsciously activated my chameleon ability and the robbers couldn't see me. I pulled myself from the shock I felt and immediately felt rage surging forth because of them taking Laura from me. I would have left them alone but they had to take my only friend in the world with them as a hostage and they would probably kill her once they got away. I wasn't about to betray my newest and best friend I have ever had to the robbers' whims.
I could hear the cops coming closer but they were coming from the direction the criminals were traveling away from. I knew that I needed to do something soon or I would lose Laura.
Picking myself off of the ground I began running in the direction of the getaway car. I was mildly surprised that I was able to run on six inch heels, but that thought was shoved aside as I saw the sedan round the corner then disappear. I was losing them.
Desperately, I jumped up and hung onto the ledge of a window three stories up. I then simultaneously bounded off of the wall and onto the roof of a building next to the road the criminals turned on. Somehow I had lost my heels in the process but didn't care at this point. I was too pissed off to realize the impossibility of what I had just done as I continued to spring from rooftop to rooftop catching up with the car while still maintaining my chameleon effect.
Soon I had come to the rooftop of a building at the next intersection ahead of the sedan. I waited for it trying to time the proper moment to leap from the building as it turned onto a larger and much busier road. They probably thought they could lose any pursuit on this main road with other cars traveling to confuse anyone following. Well, it wasn't going to happen. They had me to deal with and I would not be thrown off the pursuit when my best friend's life was at stake.
I jumped and sailed through the air as I plunged towards the road while several cars traveled being oblivious to the events about to happen. I was only interested with a certain black sedan and it looked like I had judged the jump well as I slammed onto the hood of the car with my feet bowing the hood hitting the engine block hard. Somehow, with my improved agility, balance, and some other ability I used for the roof jumping, I had managed to stay on the hood of the sedan after it leaped up from the pavement from the impact.
"Holy shit! What the hell was that?" I heard one of the men scream from inside the getaway car. The driver was losing control and began swerving around the road. Several cars were being driven off of the road and it was a surprise that we didn't hit one of them in the process.
Still holding onto the hood I heard a woman's sobbing laugher inside of the car followed by "You guys are so screwed". I swear that came out of Laura but didn't have long to think about it as the car slammed grill first into a cement barrier and I was thrown over it while the car skidded along the barrier quickly coming to a stop.
Soaring through the air like a stray thought, I managed to land on my feet then I rushed back towards the car as I heard sirens approaching from behind me. I only had a few short seconds to grab Laura and leave. I didn't want them to see me or find me. My father would love to get a break like that.
One of the men was trying to retrieve himself from the backseat of the car and I helped him along by gripping his arm and pulling him the rest of the way out. I then proceeded to hit the struggling man hard enough to knock him senseless. I then tore open the door to the backseat and saw a flash before a knife entered the area my head had been in a split second earlier. I reached in faster than the knife arm could retreat and yanked a frightened and shocked woman out of the car.
This woman looked up and witnessed my silhouette outlined by a brilliantly lit streetlamp. Her mouth opened to scream but didn't get enough air to accomplish the shriek before I slapped her to the ground causing her head to bounce off of the hard concrete. I frowned and almost panicked at the thought of killing her until I checked and felt a weak pulse along her neck. I breathed easier after that and remembered the original objective of why I was here in the first place.
Looking back in the sedan I saw Laura lying on top of another man with both of them unconscious. I carefully pulled her out of the car and smacked the man in the head as he began to come around.
The police were almost here and people had stopped to get out of their cars to stare at the spectacle taking place with more than a few open mouths in what I thought to be astonishment. Carefully holding Laura, I then had an idea and I extended my chameleon ability around her and saw her blend in with me. Leaving nothing of Laura or me behind, I then ran into an alley followed by a small detour by the hospital to have Laura checked out as ok after many thought-up stories and haggling. Then we proceeded home.
* * *
I was strangely proud as I watched the TV the next morning seeing on most news channels descriptions about last night's ordeal. They talked about a thwarted diamond heist by an unknown figure that bravely stopped the thieves for the police to nab. People who saw the struggle on the road said that this figure was hard to see and blended into the surrounding area. Some described this unknown figure as blending in like the alien in the movie "Predator". To my relief, that name didn't stick since no one died and, to the public, I seemed to accomplish some good by stopping the criminals. I was then dubbed as Chameleon by a melodramatic reporter and officially named Chameleon by all the news organizations by the end of the morning.
Laura was awake and had sat by me during the morning to watch the news announcements with a barely contained smile that threatened to explode into a full grin. I just let her be for a bit as I hugged her and continued to channel surf all the news channels. Finally, Laura couldn't take the silence any more.
"I can't believe my best girlfriend is a super-heroine!" she gushed out while hugging me fiercely. "We need to get you a costume for when you make your appearance in public again. I can be your support, too; the person who works in the background for you." The smile exploded into a full grin threatening to tear her lips apart. I thought that it must have been painful, but she was anything but hurt at the moment. I needed to stop this runaway train before it was too late.
"Whoa, hold on, please! I did that only to save you. I couldn't stand losing you since you are the only friend I have had for years. I was so pissed that I went overboard but it was necessary since I got you back. Stopping the thieves was secondary to saving you," I quickly explained.
"Good. Now that you don't have to worry about me being the hostage you can start stopping criminals and make it your primary goal," she retorted.
I hate to admit but she had me there. Strangely enough I was a little bit excited about becoming a super-heroine, but I needed to figure out my life with my father before that. I knew it was time to tell Laura all of the truth now. I hoped she would understand when I explained to her what happened to me. I didn't want to lose her because of it, but she was my only and best friend and I owed it to her.
Taking a deep breath I held Laura's hands tightly while placing them into my own as I looked intently into her trusting, soft, baby blue eyes.
"Laura, I have some things to tell you about me so you will know my past history…"
* * *
Part 7 – Interview
After explaining to Laura all about whom I had been and what happened to me she surprised me again when she hugged me and said that I was a completely different person from before and she that has grown to love the person dearly.
Sappy, I know, but sometimes the best things in life are just that. Although, I was a bit surprised that she actually believed me. I mean, how many guys get turned into girls everyday because of an… Accident?
Laura put my doubts about her believing me away for good as she told me that it was unusual for her to love like this, but I didn't press for an answer why and what she meant by 'love like this'. We both knew that we had a connection on a deep level. I decided to shrug off everything of my past and turn to the future. But before I could do that I needed to tie up a loose end: my father.
Laura was determined to help me with my father. So she and I agreed that it would be best if I confronted him but on our terms and not his. He would try and kill me, but taking more caution about what we do was a priority since I didn't want to expose Laura to any harm. There was only one person that could help me the most in finding out what was going on. His name was Henry Thompson.
* * *
I scouted around the Henry's apartment building the next night while concealed in my Chameleon effect. We were looking for anyone who could be watching Henry or at least following him before we approached him. We didn't want to risk exposure that got all of us killed from foolishness. After and hour of searching we hadn't found anything suspicious around the apartment. Laura drove around waiting for me to finish and eventually I grew tired after finding nothing. I then jumped into the back of her SUV.
"Nothing," I said after closing the door.
"Let's approach him when he goes to the bar tonight. He is a regular there and always shows up on Thursdays. At least that is what I was able to find out after…" She stopped and changed the line of thought before finishing. "We can then convince him to go somewhere else to talk quietly."
I agreed and so we found ourselves waiting at the bar for Henry. I was dressed up with my hair dyed red and cut short to my shoulders instead of lower back, much to Laura's protesting,. Laura was playing the roll of a horny woman seeking a one-night stand while I received the grand opportunity to sit in the corner talking to some guy who was drunk enough for me to deflect his moves but not sober enough to realize he was being played. I was being very nice, though. I wasn't telling him to bug off.
Henry walked into the bar on time and sat down to order a drink. Laura approached Henry and they started up a conversation with each other talking for a couple of minutes with Laura shamelessly flirting in a touchy feeling way. Eventually, Laura whispered enticingly in his ear and sauntered outside of the bar. A few minutes later Henry followed suit. This was my cue to fake a powder room break and dump the drunk, which I was glad for. He was beginning to try and paw me.
Stepping outside I kept an eye on Henry then found a secluded spot to turn on my Chameleon effect. Once done I trotted down the illuminated sidewalk to catch up with Henry being extra careful to stay quiet which seemed to be another talent I had developed with this body. He soon walked into the hotel room Laura and I rented for the night a couple of blocks away.
Taking up a position across the street near a dank alley, I looked around to see if anyone had followed him. It wasn't hard to spot a single man sitting on a bus stop bench trying inconspicuously to read a newspaper. It wasn't hard to recall this man from the bar since he was the only one with a tan trench coat on who actually brushed off a pair of women. In my book, that was odd but I just blew it away as him being gay.
Turning my attention away from him I scanned the area again and was betting he had backup. My second inspection around the area didn't tell me right off that he had any backup present, but my intuition told me that it was out there. I played it safe and listened to it and thought of how I was going to expose the backup. Since Henry was being watched and they found out that he was in contact with me then he would disappear. I needed answers and that wasn't an option.
Thinking for a moment on how to get expose the backup nothing obvious came to mind. I readjusted my thought process and wondered how I was going to take care of trench coat man. Looking around the scene again, I noticed some of the buildings in the area. I grinned when a thought came to me and decided to kill two birds with a single stone.
Shortly after making a phone call I was waiting by the hotel still hiding when three government vehicles screeched to a stop in front of trench coat man and dark suited men jumped out tackling him to the ground.
Grinning to myself I thought it fortunately for me that there was a government building by the bus stop and any threats of terrorism are taken harshly these days.
Thinking of my second bird I had to pry my eyes away from the scene so I could spot trench coat's backup. She was dressed as hooker. Or at least she gave off the impression of being a hooker but I could see from her anxious reaction as she tried to casually look on to the scene that she was afraid that their cover was blown and wasn't sure what to do now. It seemed that I had a novice to work with. The woman wasn't thinking and was off balance and I moved in quickly before she collected her wits and called in their problem.
She was good. Most likely a black belt in something and probably more than one black belt in different forms too. I had been relying on the element of surprise but somehow I tipped her off that I was behind her as she snatched and threw me over her shoulder faster than my wits could recover from surprise. If I had been any normal human then I would have been out of the fight right after the throw with her follow ups, but I wasn't any normal human and as I was tossed over the play-acting hooker's back, I grabbed her arm tightly, readjusted my balance, landed on my feet, and pulled her over my shoulder. In the middle of the toss she twisted like a cat and managed to send a kick to my head that I dodged but reflexively released her in the process.
The woman, no, girl because she couldn't be more than twenty on a bad day landed lightly on her feet looking in my direction, but it was evident from her face that she was spooked. She started to circle me turning her head ever so slightly side to side. It took me a moment to realize this strange behavior allowed her to pick me out when I wasn't moving. In a moment, I was soon on the defensive.
She rushed me and I reacted out of instinct dodging a kick that was feigned and a knife that appeared out of nowhere followed the feigned kick to jam into my lower right ribs. Gasping in pain I moved my hand in a jab to her windpipe but she moved out of reach and didn't give me time to collect myself before she moved in again with a series of kicks that took my feet from under me. As I was falling I felt that damn knife dig deep into the right side of my chest just below my breast. It was frightening on how good and quick this girl was. I realized that I had been overconfident from the beginning and now I was about to lose because of it.
I finally hit the ground after that thought and knew without looking that the knife was coming down towards the base of my skull to sever my spine and kill me. This girl was taking no chances since I was still putting up a fight after two injuries that would have debilitated any normal human. But it was quite obvious that I wasn't a normal human to this girl. Realization set in that if I failed here Laura and Henry were both dead because of me. That wasn't an option. My father would win. I wouldn't let my best and only friend die because of my selfishness and her willingness to help me with my problems.
Shoving myself forward along the ground I felt the knife dig deep into my back below the right shoulder blade. Before I let the pain register with me I twisted around faster than I thought possible and grabbed the hand on the knife and glimpsed into the wide, frightened eyes of my attacker. She was so young! I thought with remark. But when had I grown up that someone her age seemed so young? She was probably older than me but she looked too innocent and fresh faced to be doing stuff like this. It was clear that this tailing job was just a job to her. It was probably to earn money for school and I was sure she hadn't been expecting to fight and kill out of self-defense. Those thoughts brought the strange sensation of compassion to me. I couldn't kill her even if it was in self-defense. So instead of breaking her neck like I had intended too, I jammed my fist into her solar plexus effectively doubling her over. Then I slapped her hard enough to knock her unconscious.
I stood up on shaky legs while looking down on this girl. Too young, I thought. Way too young. This was probably the first time she had ever looked death or fear in the eyes. I knew for a fact that she would never be the same person after what had happened here tonight. I won't be. Damn my father! He ruined another life and forced another person to lose her innocence and grow up past her age.
After putting the girl into the trash bin alive with her smashed comm gear and a note telling her to change her career, I then strolled into the hotel room Laura and Henry were in after dropping my Chameleon effect trying to look confident despite the bleeding from three separate injuries. After all, to me the glass was half full since I could heal up by tomorrow, I thought ruefully.
* * *
"What happened to you!" demanded Laura as she rushed forward from her chair to inspect my wounds.
I grimaced as she touched the injury in my chest and added after I yelped out in pain with her probing my side, "Henry, you were being tailed. I took care of both of them. We can't stay here any longer," I managed to grit through my teeth.
Henry looked stunned as he looked me up and down the said, "So it is true. You are or at least, you were Derek Banheist. I knew that project of your fathers wouldn't turn out the way he planned it."
I shot a glare at Laura for spilling the beans before I could get in from outside but she looked unapologetic and concentrated on wrapping my wounds with bandaging she had brought along in her purse. She was a true girl scout in her anticipation of future needs.
"Even though I am incredibly eager to hear what you have to say to me concerning my father," Laura applied pressure to the wound in my side at that moment and I rewarded her with another yelp, but continued before she could do that again, "we need to find a place that is not known by my father."
No convincing was necessary as we piled into the SUV we had outside of the hotel and sped off to the second location that Laura had set up just in case something like this were to happened. We looked for any tails as we took several unnecessary turns in the process. As we traveled no one said anything other than Laura when she directed me to do this or that as she applied more bandages to my wounds causing me to grimace in pain more than a few times and she just tsked at me all the while telling me that I needed to be more careful.
Finally, we arrived at the location and locked ourselves in the motel room and I looked at Henry for the first time since my change. I didn't know him personally before but I had met him as my father was preparing me to take over some of the business. He was now shorter than me with him being 5' 10" and me 6'. He had a full head of hair that was once black but had turned grey in the past few years, and an even pudgier middle than last time I met him. He was once my father's head of security. He knew everything that went on with the company but a couple of years ago he left the company after a private disagreement with my father. My father had told me that old age finally caught up with him and he was receiving a large pension for his faithful service. Only part of that was true I was certain.
"Ok, Henry. Spill it." I glared challenging him to give me a reason to vent my anger. Henry looked at me and sighed.
"Your father is involved with genetic manipulation concerning stem and fetal cells. Right now that is illegal. But that isn't the bad part. The worst part is he has been doing human experimentation in the past couple of years to test DNA and no one has survived. It hurt me but I rationalized it away since everyone that died signed a release waiver. But my conscience finally got to me when I heard of his plans concerning you." He paused for a moment as if remembering something horrible as he looked to the side. He then continued.
"He was going to use the DNA research to change himself so that he would be young again and with added enhancements. Somehow you fit into this picture but I don't know what he had planned for you other than you were not expected to live after your 21st birthday so I can't explain any more."
This time Henry looked up into my eyes as he spoke with a determined expression. "I told him that I wouldn't do it and wanted to retire. He said that what I knew couldn't fall into the wrong hands and if I ever became a risk of talking he would take precautions to prevent it. I laughed at that since I didn't care if I lived anymore after what I had let your father do. But I understood that threat easily enough since I had made it to a few people myself. Oh, how stupid we are until we have our life turned up side down that jolts us from our apathy." A wry grin spread across his face while continuing, "Fortunately, you took out his labs so now he is several years behind in his research. I bet he is screaming bloody murder as he tears his hair out in aggravation. He isn't going to live forever and this problem has shortened his life by a few years." He then became sober. "Unfortunately, he is probably back to square one unless he can get his hands on you dead or alive. If that doesn't happen he will probably kill several more people trying to make himself live forever, but another bet is he won't live long enough to see his research bear fruit again."
He paused again shaking his head. Then added, "Now that I have told you all this, I need to run. You gave me a head start by taking out the people following me, and I suddenly find myself wanting to live a bit longer. Thanks for what you did. Hopefully, that mad man will keel over soon and make this world a better place with his passing."
As Henry finished, he looked relieved that he was able to share what he had kept in for years now. He walked towards the door with a bit more life to his step.
I came out of my reverie and added the question, "Wait! My father is paranoid and always has a backup to his plans. Where is the second lab?"
Stopping at the door, Henry turned around and grinned another wry grin. "It was destroyed in the fire and the third lab was never built because of a zoning issue." Henry opened the door. "Take care, Calypso Morana. That name seems to suit you. I hope that you learn from what has happened to you and change yourself. I never liked you before your current appearance, but perhaps this is your second chance at life." He looked to Laura then back to me.
"I hope to never see or hear of you or your father again."
Soon he was outside the door and the room lay in stillness as if in the eye of a great maelstrom. What he had said to me was still resonating inside my head when Laura finally interrupted. "I think we need a better plan."
I could only nod head in agreement causing my dyed hair to fall in my face.
We soon left the motel for the apartment.
* * *
Part 8 – Chameleon Returns
Laura and I spent the rest of the night in the apartment trying to figure out a plan to neutralize my father. For hours we mulled over many possible scenarios and solutions to keep my father away from me. We knew he knew I was alive. We had to assume that he had a picture of me and he would be looking for me. We also didn't know where my father was located now. He had many different houses and places he stayed at and he was always traveling to take care of business. It was rare that he stayed in one place for more than few days. One plan we came up with though neither of us liked it but still felt it was necessary: we decided to bide our time and try to bait my father into exposing himself to us. I wasn't sure how I was going to convince him to leave me be, but I hoped to have a plan when that time came.
For the bait, we would use Chameleon. I have started calling it "women's intuition" but, when Laura and I decided to carry out our plan, I got a strong impression that this was the right way to proceed.
Laura convinced me that I needed a support character and I relented as long as she promised to stay out of the action. Needless to say, Laura was ecstatic about this and she truly loved the idea of being support for me. She never agreed to stay out of trouble but she showed me how good she was with a gun and, if to emphasis her point, her collection of spy novels. Because of the spy novels, I had to give in. How can you argue with someone who reads spy novels? I highly doubt it had anything to do with me loving the woman and me being unable to say no to her. Since I wasn't exactly keen on picking out women's clothing let alone a costume I gave Laura her first responsibility as support and told her to keep it practical. Oh, woe is me for letting her pick out my costume!
* * *
Two days later a very excited Laura jumped onto my bed when I was half asleep and said she was ready for me to try on my costume. I just groaned and turned back over in bed but she kept talking about how cool she made it and how striking I would be while wearing it. I became intrigued and relented getting out of bed and dragged myself to her bedroom.
There on the bed was my costume, but before I could take in the details Laura had me turn around and she said to strip while she would help me put it on. Thinking twice about that suggestion I blushed and complied. I was waiting patiently until a black thong was hung in front of my face. This startled me and I began to protest.
"Oh, quiet, you! They are practical since you don't want panty lines showing under your costume. Plus, you will have something over it so no one will know," rebuked Laura as if I were a child. I relented again and put it on. It was a weird feeling to have a piece of material stuck between your cheeks and I was fighting the impulse to keep picking it out. Then a thought struck me.
"Hey! What's wrong with panty lines when no one will see them since I will have my Chameleon effect on?" I protested.
Laura looked at me with a reproachful expression. "Will you always have your Chameleon effect on? No? I thought so. So quiet down while I show you the rest of the costume," she stated gleefully.
Next came a black sports bra, but this one was fashioned in a way to provide support but also to show lots of cleavage. I had a nagging impression that I knew where this was going. After struggling with that piece of clothing I manage to get it on and myself situated within the cups. Embarrassment was beyond me now since I was perpetually red. This looked more like a push up bra than a sports bra. My already impressive bosom became almost obscene. Even worse, I was becoming turned on. Jerry Lewis in a thong dancing on Broadway! Whew! Worked everytime.
Next came the unitard: It was all black with a teal green V that started at the neck and traveled down to the crotch and then up and along the back to the neck again. It was sleeveless but had an oval of skin exposed on my chest displaying my impressive cleavage.
"Is the skin display really necessary?" I pleaded.
"Yes, you don't want people concentrating on your face now do we?" She pointed out logically and I couldn't shoot that comment down since she did have a point.
Next came black, knee high boots. Those things had five-inch heels! How is that considered practical? This costume was becoming more and more a teenager's wet dream.
"Ok, now I need to put my foot down on this one… um, figuratively speaking," I whined.
She just smirked and said, "You handled those six-inch heels very well the night you rescued me although you lost them while you were jumping around. Those were ninety-dollar shoes you lost by the way. You have an impressive sense of balance and you were able to walk and run around on them the first time you wore them. That isn't normal in the least, but if you have the skill… use it," she smiled merrily. "Plus, these are spiked heels and they can be used as weapons, AND they will keep peoples eyes off of your face when you are not in your Chameleon effect. Be glad I didn't get you six-inches again."
She must have thought through all of my possible protests over the past couple of days. She was making sense, except the shoes argument, but I still had reservations. I just resigned myself to the inevitable pulled on some elbow length black gloves that left my skin exposed from my shoulder to lower bicep. They fit me very well. "Like a glove" I snickered to myself. I needed to find out who her tailor was.
Next came a black mask that covered from my nose to the top of my forehead with it just touching my ears. It left my eyes exposed but no skin around them showed unless I had closed my eyes. The coolest thing about the mask was the catch and release. Somehow, when the mask was in place Laura pushed and held a hidden button on the side of the mask and I then felt it stick to me but it was more like pressure was being placed on that part of my face. It held even when I applied a fair amount of pressure to pull it off. Laura showed me the button to catch and release it. All I could do was breath out a "cool".
Laura rummaged around in a box for a moment then she pulled out a belt. This belt was dark brown nearly black. She wrapped it around my waist and then clipped a sheath to the side of the belt around my right thigh. The costume was actually becoming more acceptable to me.
Two days earlier, Laura asked me what I wanted for weapons. I told her that I used to play around with daggers when I was younger. She shook her head and I knew she was thinking that her snub-nosed revolver was better than daggers but she didn't say anything.
Looking at the sheath I saw that this was a bit more than a dagger. It was a wakizashi. I drew it out and it had a fifteen-inch blade with a ten-inch black and gold handle attached. I looked questioningly to Laura and she took it from me then did something to the handle that made a blade eight inches long pop out the bottom. She then somehow disconnected the bottom half of the handle leaving five inches for both weapons. I was truly amazed. She demonstrated how to extend the blade while attached then how to disconnect and connect the handle again. She mentioned that her uncle went to Japan a while back and bought this wakizashi and learned how to use it. Laura told me that she would teach me how to use it properly so I wouldn't cut myself more than the bad guys. Gee, thanks, I thought. Notwithstanding her jest I was hooked and reverently put the wakizashi back into its sheath.
I inspected the rest of the belt seeing compact pockets going around it and most of them were empty but some had high strength flexible wire, hooks, some plastic ties I could use for cuffs, and a few other things I didn't recognize a purpose for.
Laura then grabbed my hair and put it in a black clasp that tied it in a fold to the nape of my neck. The red in my hair from the disguise had washed out by now but it was still shoulder length.
Laura gently grabbed my arm and pulled me in front of the full-length mirror next to the closet.
Wow! I was stunned at how I looked. In the mirror there was a babe that looked ready to kick ass and take names. I appeared every bit the comic book super heroine, especially with the fantastic figure I had. I was then distracted as I felt my nipples tightening up.
Jerry Lewis in a thong dancing on Broadway! Jerry Lewis in a thong dancing on Broadway! Whew! Took me two times to extinguish that spark. It didn't take me long to realize the trouble I would be in if the bad guys flashed a full-length mirror in front of me.
I turned on my Chameleon effect to see the results. I couldn't quite see me, but if I moved slightly then I could pick out my outline. I turned it back off and Laura put something in my left ear.
"For the com system I have setup between us. As long as I am within 20 miles of you, I can communicate or track you through the earpiece. State of the art, long battery life, and highly encrypted with some scrambler thingy built in to keep people from locating you, besides me of course. I read up on it when I was putting together your costume." She paused for a minute looking very proud of her work as she inspected me from top to bottom making little adjustments here and there. I could tell that she was very pleased with herself, and I was glad that she was pleased. Then she smirked and added, "You look so damn hot, I am so jealous! Perhaps you could drop your Chameleon effect to distract the criminals, as last-ditch move? I am sure it would be very effective." She grinned at her own joke while I just shook my head back and forth. She looked me in the eye and said semi-seriously, "But it is well worth being your friend so I can help you out." Another grin spread her lips wide. "You are, after all, my life size Barbie Doll for me to play dress up with."
I couldn't help but beam at her as I wrapped her in a hug. "Thanks, Laura. I am amazed that you were able to get so much done after two days." I pulled her back and looked seriously into her eyes. "But I am not a doll."
She just laughed rolling her eyes as she walked away from me.
"And you ARE the best friend anyone could possibly wish for." I rebuked as I pinched her rear causing her to jump. I was feeling adventurous.
* * *
Laura and I spent the next several days training and testing out the equipment. It didn't take me long to become proficient enough with the wakizashi to block anything short of a bullet from what Laura could throw at me while cutting and stabbing precise lines into targets moving or standing still. I seem to have a natural aptitude for this. But I surmised it to be another side effect of my change.
Laura and I soon had the communications system worked out. She would be by a police radio and computer connection, which she told me not to ask how she got, to monitor the bands and information to pass it along to me. If she needed to, she could hop into a non-descript van she bought under an alias and follow or drive me to any location we needed.
We decided it best to make our base of operations away from the apartment in a part of town that had several abandoned warehouses. It took all day to move in quietly but we soon had it up with a good system of security. Those spy novels Laura reads were coming in handy she claimed. I was certainly impressed so far.
Eventually, after a week of setup and training, we felt confident enough to go out as Chameleon. Although, Laura told me that she would need to start doing some orders for her clients again during the day since she had put them off for two weeks now. She suggested that I go out and find a job to take up some time when I felt ready. I agreed and obtained a full identification for Calypso Morana through some of the people I met during college. It was fun seeing how amazed they were that a babe came to them for help, but it was amusing in a guy-who-turned-into-a-man kind of way.
* * *
Laura sat in the command center while I was roaming outside dressed as Chameleon with my effect turned on reflecting about all that I have done since the accident and how it has changed me. It was easy to admit after much reflecting that I have certainly matured and improved for the better on most if not all accounts. If I had a chance, I wouldn't go back to being the old me. This body was much healthier than my last body. It was fun and had many perks that outweighed the disadvantages. I was beginning to like the new life and especially the new friend I met in it: Laura Stevens.
She confused me at times but she was so simple and straightforward in many of her ways that she was very refreshing and endearing. There was certainly a good deal of attachment that I felt for her. There were times and situations where I was confused on what way I loved her. I concluded that I was very lucky to have Laura and going back to the old me... well it just wouldn't be who I considered who I was now and I would risk losing Laura. That was not an option. As if she knew I was thinking about her, Laura interrupted my mulling.
"Heads up. We have a robbery in progress downtown at the museum. It was just called in and it's only a few blocks from you. The thieves are supposed to be armed and dangerous since there is a report of one guard being shot."
I nodded out of habit then transmitted, "On my way. Keep me updated. I can be there in 2 minutes."
"Kick some butt, hot stuff!" Laura encouraged playfully.
Stars were painted in the sky and twilight was past as I took off bounding from rooftop to rooftop feeling like I was in a Matrix/Spiderman movie since I was somehow able to temporarily 'stick' to walls or ledges as well. Seeing as I was going to be the hero I was feeling pretty good about myself given that good always triumphs. My cynical side reared its head then and I snorted because this isn't a story about good and bad. This is real life!
Landing on the side of the museum it was readily apparent that I was here before the police. It was quiet… too quiet if you get my meaning in the over-used cliché.
I couldn't hear or see anything for a moment as I looked into a window that overlooked the main lobby. Then I heard a few words spoken and saw a couple of men in dark clothing coming out of a room with one holding a gagged woman with her hands bound in front of her. It didn't take me long to process the hostage situation and I quickly moved towards a side door on the building. It was suspiciously unlocked leading me into the interior of the museum that would have been dark for any normal human but not for the Chameleon. I silently moved through the interior to cut off the thieves when Laura piped in.
"Police are two minutes away and they haven't been able to get a hold of the second guard that called in the report. Plus, there is another report with museum curators working late tonight."
"I know. There is at least one here who is bound and gagged as a hostage with two thieves. I haven't heard anything more to suggest other people in the building," I whispered back.
"Ok, be careful. The description of one of the thieves by the guard identified him as Gustov Hagar. Very dangerous and has never been linked legally to any theft yet. Until tonight it seems. So he is probably desperate and that is why he is taking the hostage."
I thanked Laura and continued on while debating whether I should make a grand entrance or just get the job done. I decided to be practical. Plus, they had a hostage and I needed the element of surprise to get her away from them.
Quickly, I saw them as they moved swiftly through another large room carrying a black bag while pulling along the helpless hostage. I drew myself alongside of one pillar and waited for them to walk by holding my breath afraid to give myself away.
Quiet descended on the spacious, dark room as the thieves stopped for a reason unknown to me. They might have heard me. I paused a bit longer readying myself to move and engage them before they reached the pillar if I had to. Breathing punctuated the silence of the room for another moment. Then one of them spoke.
"Did you hear that? Sounded like someone else is in here."
"I zink I saw somezing. But I don't hear anyzing."
The silence became almost deafening in the shadowy room. I was about to move away from the pillar when it was broken again by a beeping of some kind.
"Come on. Zee time for zee escape is aht haund. Zis vitch is going to keep us alive if zee police show before."
As they hurried by me I grabbed the hostage from in between them cutting the rope the first guy was holding with the wakizashi and I exerted my Chameleon effect over the freed hostage. Swiftly, I lifted her over my shoulder and like a ghost ran towards the outside door and through it leaving behind two stunned thieves cursing and looking around for their lost hostage.
"Bloody hell!"
"Zee ghosts are about!"
Ignoring them for later, I exited the building and sat the hostage down in front for the police to handle. I then slipped back into the side door ready to deal with the thieves.
At first I couldn't find them then I listened carefully and heard their labored breathing and feet as they headed up in another direction away from the door I reentered. What were they up to? I wondered. They are moving up the floors. There was only one way to find out. I followed them.
"Police are less than a minute away," Laura updated me. I was amazed that it had only been a minute since the last update. Seemed much longer.
As I hurried up the stairs I heard a thump thump in the background. I stopped and listened trying to place the sound. It was getting louder and closer. I soon grasped that it was a helicopter.
"Support, did the police have a helicopter coming to help out?"
"No, just cars from what I have heard on the radio. Why?"
I cursed and added, "I just found out how these guys plan on getting away."
After saying that I ran full out towards the roof since I could hear the helicopter landing by then and little feet were running towards it. I still had another flight of stairs and probably several doors to get on top of the roof. I wasn't going to make it. Then I spotted the skylight and remembered that I had some concussion discs in my belt I added a few days ago when Laura offered them to me.
I fished out a couple not knowing how many it would take to blow through the thick glass, activated them and threw them closing my eyes to block out the flash. A bright burst with an explosion took place resulting with shattered glass tinkling downward. I opened my eyes the next second and jump hard enough to sail through the skylight and onto the roof.
Turning around towards the helicopter I saw the two thieves standing there staring disbelieving my way. Before they had time to recover I rushed them pulling my wakizashi in the process. On instinct it seemed, both men began drawing weapons from their clothing but I sliced through the guns rendering them useless. Having enhanced strength behind a razor sharp, carbon alloyed, steel blade is pretty cool since you can cut through most things pretty easily. Even tempered gunmetal. In a blink, I sheathed the wakizashi then proceeded to slap each thief senseless. Didn't want to kill them since I was supposed to be the good guy and let justice sentence them.
I loud whirling noise attracted my immediate attention back to the helicopter. The pilot seemed to have decided it was best if he cut his losses now. I was determined to add to that cut as I pulled out a concussion disc and ran towards the helicopter. I activated and threw the disc towards the rotary engine and forgot to take into account the chaotic currents resulting from the whirling blades as the disc passed underneath them and was thrown around only to be sucked up into one of the blades causing detonation. Rotary blades and concussion blast immediately battered me back head over heels along the rooftop. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt seriously other than a few scrapes and bruises I was bound to develop. I carefully dragged my sore body back up and looked on to the pilot and saw that he was still alive judging from the raising and lowering of his chest.
As I finished tying up the thieves I heard the police screech to a stop in front of the museum. Why the slow response time? It must have been a two for one deal at the local donut shop. Knowing that that was my cue to leave, I jumped off the building and onto the next all the while relishing the good feeling I had from what Laura and I accomplished tonight.
"Thanks, Support. We did very well as a team tonight."
"Welcome, Chameleon. Calling it a night?"
"Yes. I am bruised and ready to rest up after a good first day."
"Ok, see you at CC soon. Support out."
"Thanks. Chameleon out."
* * *
Part 9 – Public Appearance
The media was abuzz with the news about Chameleon and the thief the next day. What really set them off were the tapes from the security system someone had leaked out five minutes after they were retrieved by the police. They showed my moving outline a few times and the hostage disappearing in what seemed like thin air with barely a blur. With the tapes out as proof, everyone was amazed with the descriptions given by the police and the hostage. The police tried to be clinical and not show any amazement but they were very impressed that Chameleon was able to take down a person like Gustov and it showed in many of their interviews by rabid reporters. I couldn't help but preen a little bit. One cop even mentioned that he would love to have the Chameleon "come down to the station so he could shake his hand". I was amused that they thought I was a guy and many other people assumed the same thing. Even the hostage didn't know any better and seemed to be awed and more than a little infatuated with Chameleon judging by her dreamy smile and innuendos. Ok, I admit she wasn't that dreamy eyed over me but I can dream can't I?
More than a few of the news organizations brought in 'specialists' to be interviewed and Laura and I got a big kick out of some of the things these 'specialists' were speculating about. One claimed that judging by all the UFO sightings that have happened in the past month in Siberia that he wasn't surprised when one of the friendly aliens decided to take up the cause of justice. Another attributed this to some lost soul that was caught up in the Three-mile Island Accident and is forever cursed without a body. The one that I liked the most was a scientist claiming that I was a projection from the subconscious minds of all humanity here to save us from sins and ourselves. I think he read too much Freud when he was in school.
Afterward, Laura and I kicked back in her workshop creating some custom designed furniture for her clients. I was amazed with what she was able to design and build from her machines and by hand. She did try and teach me to do some things but I was nowhere near the level of ability and talent that she was at.
Both of us went out to a restaurant, late afternoon, before the night's activities arrived, and enjoyed a great meal and conversation. After, we took off to our apartment to grab a few things and then to the CC via the non-descript van making sure we were not followed of course. I was still paranoid.
Before the sun had set there was a call over the police band concerning a child stuck hanging from a balcony on a high rise. Without losing a beat, I quickly donned my mask and rushed towards the scene that was partway across town. Laura decided to test out the van tonight and follow me there but at a much slower pace due to traffic. Five minutes later, I was on top of the high-rise looking down at a five-year-old child hanging by the cord of the window blinds wrapped around his wrist with a surprising amount of calmness from a window.
I started climbing down the smooth, glass surface of the fifty-story building towards the child when the fire department showed up along with the police. With the child hanging down from the bottom of the window by five feet and no windows below, it was going to be hard to get him down from there. Anyone grabbing the blind's cord would risk it coming undone and the child falling to his death, but I continued down thinking that I could help by levering the child up to the police. Just as the police arrived at the window, one of them must have bumped the blinds because the cord started to unwrap.
Time seemed to slow as I looked at the child who was beginning to fall towards the solid concrete below. Without thinking I launched myself from the side of the building covering the last story separating me from the child while catching the child before he could fall away from me. Comprehension set in and told me that I was in trouble seeing as I wasn't close enough to the building to grab it and had only forty-four stories left to the ground before we stained the sidewalk. I had fallen from seven story buildings before without injury, but this was different. My mind shut off as another ten stories quickly passed leaving thirty-four until death for both the child and I.
Suddenly, I realized that I had a belt with wire and hooks. Within a second I had found a wire with a hook and I quickly tossed it towards a passing window, hoping my luck was running high.
Fifteen stories left and it caught but I didn't have a good grip on the wire with only one hand and the other hand holding the child who was screaming excessively in my left ear. The noise wasn't helping our situation and the wire was passing through my hand as I was trying to grip it.
Four stories left and my right hand was burning up with the friction. Then I found the end of the wire. Thanks to Laura for thinking ahead I now found myself almost split in two as the belt gripped me with the attached end of the wire slowing my fall as it stretched out to eventually stop my descent.
A minute passed as the child and I hung one story from the ground with the child still screaming before I could collect my shattered nerves long enough to release the wire from the belt. Another handy feature Laura added was the quick release. We fell but I was more than able to softly land on the ground.
Looking around I saw many people, police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel staring towards me with open mouths and amazement written on their faces. I still had on the Chameleon effect so I knew they couldn't see me, but what they could see was a crying child suspended in the air somehow. My heart broke for the child as I hugged him rocking him back and forth as he cried for a few moments before calming down a bit.
"Brandon! Brandon!" shouted a shrill voice over the crowd and I saw who had to be his mother since they looked so much alike rushing my way. Without thinking, I walked towards the running mother and dropped my Chameleon effect in the process. She was barely fazed since she was concerned only for her baby. Carefully, I handed the frightened, crying child to his mother and he gripped her with a grip that I doubt death could break. She was crying over her child but looked up at me and with a gracious smile and said, "Thank you for saving my baby".
"You're welcome," I responded while returning the smile and warm feeling inside.
Then the vultures, um, I mean the media, police, and everyone else that thought they had business with me rushed me while talking all at once. Questions left and right were thrown at me without pause. Microphones were shoved in my face while people began to push me towards one direction than another. Some boasted that they knew me. Other wanted to know my name. One cop started to read me my rights. Then someone pinched my butt.
I had had enough. Turning on my effect, I then leaped out of the crowd and bound away from the swarming masses of humanity.
* * *
"You did good, girl!" Laura pronounced as soon as she saw me in the apartment. "Although, that fall scared me like no other and it was broadcast on live TV too." She then sat down hugging me in the process.
"I would have pissed myself if I wasn't so scared. But it was well worth it since the child would have died without me. I would do it again, but without vultures included at the end." I responded glumly. "What a way for me to present myself and I didn't even say a word other than 'you're welcome'."
Pausing a second I asked, "Do you know what finally made my decision to leave?" Laura shook her head no. "Some damn person pinched my butt!" I shouted out exasperated while looking like I would kill someone.
Laura put her hand to her mouth and looked away from me while her shoulders began shaking. Oh, she had better not be laughing at me. This was a serious matter! I just glared at her and then she risked a glance at me. That was all it took as I could see tears begin streaming from her eyes. She started choking and fell to the ground taking huge gasping breaths that released into howling laughter. Damn! I thought as I because giggling. Giggling of all things! She was too infectious. I couldn't help myself and I started to belly laugh and was soon howling along with her both of us in tears.
Following several minutes of mirth we finally calmed down enough to talk again. We decided to see what was on the news and turned on the TV. It was on every channel. It was amazing what saving a falling child from certain death did to my reputation. Everyone loved me. Women were praising me for the heroic save and the maternal convictions I showed as a woman super heroine. I thought about that a moment and decided that any decent person would have done what I had done.
Guys were fawning over my image, and I dared to admit I was flattered by that until I realized that I was going to be the wet dream of every male for the next year. Oh, joy! I am sure that my father has enough bait to come after me now.
* * *
Part 10 – Hook, Line, Sinker, and Fisher
Following the first public appearance of Chameleon, many people and news agencies offered rewards for any information leading to my identity. I didn't like this approach now that much of the city was looking for me under every rock, and various women that looked like me or not even close to me have been kidnapped, assaulted, accused, and so on. I needed to put a stop to this but couldn't think how. So I asked Laura.
"Have a press conference," she stated matter-of-factly.
"What? Why would I want to have a press conference?" I asked obviously not getting it.
"So you can give everyone what they want or at least certain people that is. They have yet to hear your voice other than the two words you said to that mother. So talk to them and answer some questions but set boundaries and rules to the questioning. Plus, you can tell them to respect your identity and stop the rewards so women who look like you or even those who don't will stop being harassed by the reward seekers." Laura finished while looking at me as if I should have thought of this before her.
"Laura, I am glad I have you around to screw my head back on when I need it," I said as I stuck my tongue out at her. She reciprocated in kind and continued working on her furniture while smiling.
* * *
Calling a press conference isn't as easy as I had thought. I tried the direct way by calling the news stations but they wouldn't put me through not believing me.
So I thought a direct appearance in person would be best, but that wasn't a fun experience. I got mobbed by the vultures. I tried to tell them that I will only answer questions at this time and location, but some of them think they have special liberties. I was afraid that I would have to bash some skulls in to get out of the news buildings. I did learn one thing, and that is to NEVER meet with newsies on their turf.
Eventually the day arrived and high noon was near. The park square was packed full of cameras, news people, technicians, and the curious. I told Laura that she should stay away from the location since only the news people knew of this meeting and not the general public. She relented but grudgingly. I just reminded her that it would be on live TV and she could get a front row seat that way. She brightened but said it wasn't the same. I promised to give her the full story from my point of view when I got back. Pecking me on the lips, which surprised me considerably, she told me to be careful and went back to her work. I had the sneaking suspicion that she might follow me anyways, but shrugged it off since I had some things to attend too.
I was on a building just on the outside of the square overlooking it and the park taking in all the details. I got a gut feeling that something wasn't right but I promised myself I would be careful. I climbed down slowly then walked my way up the street and onto the side walk entering the square.
Unexpectedly, a black van came screeching to a halt behind me and the side door was thrown open revealing hooded men with something that looked like night vision goggles on there head. They were aiming several guns on me and I realized that my effect wasn't affecting them and dropped it without thinking while preparing to fight or run.
Split second decision said it would be safer for the crowd if I ran. So I turned and began running but felt several needles pierce me in the back. Tranquilizers, I thought right away. I managed to get a few more steps but stumbled to my knees. I looked up seeing many of the news people and their cameras turning around watching me. It seemed to happen in slow motion as I fell forward but I didn't hit the ground as rough hands grabbed hold of me yanking me back into the van with the door closing and me losing consciousness soon afterwards.
* * *
I slowly woke back up as I smelled something that would bring even the dead awake. I tried to bolt upright but was restrained somehow. Damn, I thought. I was disoriented but quickly remember the darts in the park.
Cold metal seemed to grace my backside all up and down it. Oh, how I hoped that I was still dressed, but it felt like I certainly wasn't dressed or at least not as dressed as I would have hoped since I could only feel my thong wedging my cheeks and the comforting hold of my sports bra.
"I see that you are awake now. Good because I want you conscious for this," said a familiar voice and my mind cleared completely that instant for me to realize that it was my father.
"Where am I?" I asked without expecting a real answer but to only buy time for me to think.
"Underground."
Gee, thanks Mr. Helpful, I thought sardonically. I paused for a minute. He wasn't saying anything more so I thought I would ask another question hoping to get him talking. I didn't want to see what he was planning and wished for a small delay.
Hoping my father still had his melodramatic streak I asked a simple question and let him interpret it.
"Why?"
My father sounded like he snorted as he said, "Don't you know yet? Surely my only child who I have been preparing all my life would have figured it out by now," he said laughing with no humor present. Madness was lurking beneath the surface and it was scaring me.
"Something involving me being your closest relative that meant my death," I responded hesitantly.
"Well, I guess that would put it cleanly but you messed everything up when you destroyed my labs. They had been on the verge of a breakthrough with DNA reconstruction for many years but they needed a boost." I sensed a long monologue approaching and I began using it to think of some kind of escape.
"When they started the project 20 years ago, they originally worked with my DNA. So in theory, they could change me to what I wanted, but only once. Since the research was centered on my DNA it would take a good 10 years to adapt the research to changing anyone else's DNA… with them living that is.
"For the breakthrough the scientists said they needed to watch the virus work on me but I would die since they had to make it 'efficient' they claimed before I could survive the change. They eventually admitted to me that my son would be a close enough match to my DNA to allow the breakthrough. I would be lying if I told you I had to think on that decision but I didn't want to die of old age so I started a plan just over a year ago to get you into position to disappear. It would have worked but you were late for the 'inspection' and that damn Mr. Andrews let the lab be destroyed through his incompetence. Somehow you were infected and I realized this when we couldn't find enough of you to constitute your death. We also found chemicals mixed with your blood suggesting that you have been infected with a full change. So we had to look for a new you. It wasn't easy because of your new form."
He paused a moment to murmur something to somebody then continued, "Walters and Greenburg shouldn't have been playing around on my time and money seemingly as you resulted from it. I must say, though, that I am impressed and wish they were still alive to work more miracles, but I just have some poor excuse of a lab assistant who was on vacation and only your body to work with. I don't know how you survived the virus when you should not have, but you won't live for much longer. I suspect that I wasn't being given the full details of how far along the project really was, but those liars are dead now."
Again he paused and spoke to someone then continued, "I should have been the one to change and survive, not you. You were an accident that will be rectified. Hmmm," he paused ominously, "I have always considered incest obscene but I have been having second thoughts for that past few hours while looking at you. I think that I might indulge a bit and let you live just a bit longer so you can do… other things and perhaps if you are good enough I will keep you around once I have what I want."
He was leering openly by then sending shivers down my spine at the thought of another rape, but knew that he was just trying to get a reaction, which he accomplished judging by his laugh. I know for a fact that my dad hasn't been sexually active since I was conceived. He considered it a weakness and didn't like to be left in compromising situations.
During the long speech and explanation I had been feeling around for any way to get out but thanks to dear old paranoid pop, he made sure that the restraints were full, titanium, and restrained every part of my body including my toes and fingers. But I still had an ace up my sleeve. I still have Laura.
"Oh, and that girl Laura showed up about 30 minutes ago but that ear piece you were wearing tipped us off and we expected her arrival." Damn! I almost cried. "I don't think I will even give you the chance to say goodbye to her… can't risk it. The only reason I am talking to you now is because I want to crush you for nearly destroying my chances of immortality. I must congratulate you on your super heroine character, though. If I wasn't so angry with you and didn't need your body, I would have left you alone since you were finally contributing to society. Such a shame that I had such a wasteful son, but now I have a beautiful and contributing daughter that only has one use to me... lab rat and death."
And he kept jabbering. On and on he droned as I heard the lab technician begin fiddling around with equipment in this windowless hole in the ground. I was feeling very helpless now. Almost as helpless as when I was raped. Laura was in trouble because of me too. Those thoughts were enough to bring unbidden tears to my eyes. I needed to stop blubbering and think damnit! I managed to calm myself again and start thinking of any way I could get out of this prison… alive.
I thought about myself and my body that was designed by comic book Dungeons & Dragons addicts. If I was a comic book Dungeons & Dragons addict what would I have included in a comic book persona? Super strength? Check. Super fast? Check. Super healing? Check. Super abilities? Check. Super intelligence? … I guess you can't be perfect in everything. I am only an enhanced human and every hero has his or her flaws. But this wasn't a comic book and these nerds would have wanted to build the ultimate super heroine within the laws of physics.
The chameleon effect doesn't seem to pertain to the laws of physics now that I thought about it. Wait a minute. The energy I felt when my abilities were unlocked during the rape. Is it still there? I looked and looked then suddenly found it flowing throughout my body once I knew what to look for. Could I channel the energy giving me a long ranged weapon, I thought? What geek would create a comic book super heroine without a long ranged weapon? Not me and none that I could think of.
Looking over at my father out the side of my eyes I could see that he had stopped babbling and was whispering to the lab technician who would probably die the moment he changed my father. I looked back inside of myself and began to manipulate my super power to see what I could do with it. I channeled it to my fingers and somehow released it blowing the restraints on them and attracting the attention of my father and the lab technician. Realizing that I only had mere seconds before they could get to me, I desperately grabbed all the energy I could and sent it like a wave outside of my skin. Restraints and the table blew out from around me and I was launched into the air but quickly recovered and landed easily. I saw my father running out the door like the coward he was while the lab technician looked at the tranquilizer gun that had been shoved in his hands. I swiftly back handed him and was surprised when his neck snapped. I had forgotten to watch my strength.
Nausea overwhelmed me and not just because I had killed another human being. I was exceedingly tired and had little strength left. I fell to the floor and dry heaved for a short moment, but recovered quickly in desperation as I remember my father, Laura, and what he would do to her to keep me in line.
I stood up weakly and moved through the door. It appeared that I was underground but I couldn't see any other doors and this was the end of the hall. I turned on my Chameleon effect and noticed that it was really hard to keep it up since I felt so exhausted. I must have used up most of my energy when I blew apart the titanium table and restraints.
I quietly moved down the hall looking for any doors to open. A door slammed shut and locks were engaged and I concluded that the only door out of here just closed behind my father. I moved quickly and came upon this door that was solid steel. It looked like my luck was about to turn, but then I remembered that I still had my stuff back in the hole called a lab.
I went back for it, gathered it up, and moved back to the locked door. I found the concussion discs but I think they would do me more damage in this enclosed space than good. I searched a few more pockets desperately knowing that Laura's survival depended on every spent minute. Then I saw a present from my dear, precious Laura inside. I was beginning to wonder what kind of job her dad did for a living to provide his daughter with all the knowledge she had with explosives.
After sticking the C-4 on the lock of the door and lighting the fuse I ran down the hall and just made it to the end when a loud boom reverberated down the hall that seemed to shatter all my senses along with the door. Upon collecting myself from the ground my ears were still ringing but fortunately I was able to channel energy into them causing the ringing to stop and my ears to work again. But it caused me to lose my Chameleon effect and I about fell over dry heaving again. Oh, well, I thought. Time for the direct approach and I hope my appearance is enough to cause them to hesitate.
I rushed back down the hall carrying my stuff and noticed that I used too much C-4 since the door, the entire frame, and most of the hallway was missing. I found the remains of the 'welcoming committee' under what was left of the door across the room. They would have been compliments of my good old dad, but Laura's thoughtfulness and my lack of moderation triumphed.
There were stairs going up and since they were the only visible means of escape I stepped around the carnage and followed them up. Coming to the top I saw my father rushing through the door while dragging Laura behind him. I was seething and ready to take vengeance on him for hurting Laura. I blew through the door and caught my father facing me with a knife to the throat of my beautiful Laura. She was trying to act brave but tears were streaming down her face and she already had a black eye and bruises covering her face. Oh, I was going to make him pay dearly for these offenses.
"Come to kill dear old dad? I don't think so. I will slit her throat if you take one more step towards me. Did you kill the lab technician or is he still alive since he is the only one left who could start the DNA restructuring? Oh, I can see by your face that he is dead. Pity, really. I have nothing else to live for. You are or were my only child but if someone were to compare DNA we would be as far from matching as two humans could get now."
He continued to blabber on, since this was his greatest weakness, and I tried to think of some way to get Laura away from him. I could see none. He had the knife pressed so hard to her throat I could see a droplet of red falling down her slender throat. This wasn't good at all. I looked into Laura's eyes and could see sheer terror and something else. Hope. Hope to stop him from slitting her throat. Hope that her best friend would be the heroine that she made her to be and save the day. Hope to laugh one more time with me as I adjusting to being a woman. That look was breaking me apart but I had to focus. There had to be some way before my father talked himself into killing Laura.
"Didn't you hear me?" My father asked.
"What?" answering with confusion and fear lacing my voice.
"I asked you why I should spare your friend Laura. Now answer me before I decide to just kill her!" He demanded while tensing up.
I couldn't think of anything else but the truth as the words escaped my lips, "Because I love her."
I realized I had just fed my father's vileness as comprehension crossed his scowling features upon revelation of my love.
"So, my son or shall I say daughter has finally learned how to love." He laughed a laugh that chilled me to the bone. He wasn't sane anymore. No, he was something completely opposite. He continued he speech after managing to contain that chilling laugh.
"You get to learn how to lose someone you love the most like I did when you killed my wife during birth! Why she insisted on carrying you to full term I will never understand. The doctor told her that she was high risk if she carried you to full term. Nooooo, she had to have you. I insisted she give you up, but she would always get angry at me for suggesting that. I knew…" his voiced drifted off as tears rolled down his cheeks as if remembering something else. "I knew that she was going to die because the doctor let slip the odds of thirty to one against her living." His voice firmed up in that mania again. "I should have made her have the abortion then have her tubes tied for her own good1 But we decided to have a c-section but you came out too fast and ripped her apart on the way! You killed my love! It was you who destroyed the only thing I had left in life! I don't want to die, but you are the one that has killed me too! I wanted to live forever, and you had to screw that up!"
All the time he was talking I kept feeling stab after stab of pain shot into my gut. No one ever told me about my mother and how she died. I was told to forget about it then provided a distraction. Damnit! Why did he have to tell me now? I looked at Laura for inspiration or any help and comfort she could provide. She looked into my teary eyes and I could see her willingness through her own tears to help me with anything she possibly could.
Somehow we connected that moment and she told me that it wasn't my fault my mother died for me. That was the greatest love that could ever be given and she gave her life willingly to me and would have wanted me to live my life to the fullest for her. I silently agreed with Laura and turned my attention back to my father. I wasn't about to let him ruin more lives today or ever again.
He was weeping but weeping the cry of the insane. All the guilt and hatred that had built over the past twenty years to this point exploded out of him. He looked miserable but willing to end his life and everyone else's around him. I had to act fast now before he takes his insanity out on Laura!
"Now you will lose the one you love and I will watch you as it happens!" my father said and time slowed down as I perceived the bunching of his forearm muscles in preparation to move the blade across Laura's throat.
NO! I won't let this happen! I pulled every bit of energy that I had left in me and focused it all into my eyes. I gave everything I had in me and I shaped the energy into twin shards of raging death. Then I shot the energy shards out of my eyes and into the eyes of my father.
* * *
Part 11 - Beauty
The next thing I knew I was opening my eyes and looking into Laura's face. I could still see the black eye and bruises marring her beautiful, wonderful face. I noticed a slight red line across her throat and a scab forming on the left side. Her swollen lips twitched up in a smile. She was so gorgeous. I felt a wide smile crossing my lips at that thought. She then bent down and kissed me lightly on my lips then smoothly brushed them back and forth ever so slowly almost tickling me in the process. She then lingered with them just touching for a moment before bring her head back up while brushing a strand of blonde hair back behind her ear so she could stare back into my eyes with her shining, blue orbs.
"Promise to warn me before you glare at me so I can put on a blindfold," she commented wryly.
That brought me back to reality and I tried to sit up but found I had very little strength to use. I managed but with Laura's help. Soon as I was propped up I looked at the dead corpse of my father staring up into the sky. His eye sockets were completely burnt out and ash filled them. I should have felt remorse, nausea, and anger but only a touch of those emotions were present. But they were quickly fading to relief and sadness of how this had to be.
An overwhelming feeling that it was all finally over filled me up after a moment. I could now live the life I wanted without having to worry about my father killing me or hurting my loved ones. I was feeling better about what I had done since there was no other way to protect Laura. It was finally over. It was time to start out again with this new life and enjoy the freedom and friendships associated with it. It was time to live.
Looking at Laura with the best debonair smile I could manage plastered on my face I said, "It appears that he had to lie down for a bit after gazing on my killer looks."
Laura just groaned rolling her eyes upward with her head shaking. She looked like she was in obvious pain because of that poor joke.
"Hey, you should have appreciated that line especially since you are the big James Bond addict!" I added defensively.
She continued to shake her head while reaching down and helping me stand up on my own two feet. Then she said in a sultry voice next to my ear, "Come on, James. Let us see about exchanging our DNA for research and compare notes back at my place. It is more comfortable than this dreary hideout."
I cracked up laughing on that one and she joined in. Then we sauntered into the sunset hoping to find a ride back into town.
Is the insane father really dead? Will Chameleon ever find the time to put her clothing back on before she enters a public place in her thong? Does Laura know how saucy she really is? Find out next time in the adventures of… CHAMELEON!!!!!!
The End… for now?
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