Tyson was making mental notes of each person?s name and power as they went along. Plant manipulation and shapeshifting were odd powers to say the least in his mind. When the shock wave controller, Garrus, mentioned the Cyborg?s name, Ethan Claidt, it made him raise an eyebrow. His last name was something that he?d have to inquire into later. Still he continued to pay attention as the super strong, and apparently magical Tommy introduced himself, and asked a question.
"Actually, why did you come for us? Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it seems like a huge risk for the sake of some people you've even met."
?Because you weren?t they only people in there we needed to save,? Tyson answered, as he indicated towards the lineup of soldiers waiting to get into the changing room. ?The men in the prisoner uniforms are my soldiers. They were captured in a raid of one of my bases and needed to be broken out. The fact that some mysterious people showed up and caused a lot of noise on our Government channels was enough to warrant breaking you out at the same time,? Tyson finished, not exactly telling the complete truth of what happened; but left it close enough that it wouldn?t matter.
As soon he finished the introductions continued. He had given a slight nod to the rhetorical question posed by Brian, before the next person continued. He noted the oddly fitting powers of the couple, Taryn and Levi, and gave them a small brief smile. Tyson had already known about the keyholders, having had to fend off and fight a few of the tough to kill fighter before. But other than that he didn?t know much and was happy that Catherine covered Jason?s question; even if she did abruptly stumble through the answer.
The grating accent and splicing of the English language that followed wasn?t nearly as pleasing. It was recognized right away that this must have been the person Catherine called. At any rate he wasn?t interested in Canadian and the feeling seemed mutual as he was busy being disgusted with himself, so to speak.
[hr]
As the introductions continued, Tyson found himself to be the last one to do so. ?My name is Tyson Bishop. My designation is Sound Check. As you likely already found out earlier, I can manipulate sound waves,? he stated, before continuing after a brief pause. ?I have some questions for you, and I know you have some for myself as well. Let?s talk in someplace private for the time being.?
[hr]
Bishop was on the same page and did indeed have some questions as well. It was only natural to be curious about someone who looked exactly like you, and shared the same name. ?Alright, let?s talk then. Although I have to ask your leader something quick first,? replied Bishop as he turned and walked over to Garrus in the main room. Tyson had followed in tow.
?Sorry if this is a bit personal, but my I ask you who your and your brother?s parents are?? Bishop asked in a polite tone, when he got to Garrus.
The sudden inquiry about who his and Ethan's parents were startled Garrus, but he shrugged it off as just a simple question. "Well my father was Roman Arreos, and my mother is Camille Claidt. Ethan here was adopted by her quite a number of years ago in our universe," Garrus answered simply, hoping that was enough information for alternate Tyson's question.
Bishop simply nodded at the answer and said, ?Thank you.? He quickly turned around and headed for a room off of the main hall. This is something that will need further inquiry. Still it?s well above my head for how to determine the full truth at this point. However, maybe Rent will be more curious about this situation. She can always get truth people know when she wants it.
Before he realized it both Tysons were across the main hall and into a private room off to the side. Bishop locked the door, and they both took a seat across from each other at a table. There was a cold silence between them, as neither of them knew where to start. Finally after a few minutes of silence Bishop spoke up, ?Do you want to know more about my life, or this universe??
?I guess your life. Mine had some fucked up things happen in it. I lost some people I knew and loved to people that I trusted and swore to protect. So I?m really wondering, how did you get to where you are now??
?Well like most people I was raised in this brainwashed society. When I was seventeen, I was stupid and in love. I got the girl who I loved that I loved pregnant. Before she gave birth I had turned eighteen and had graduated from high school. I was going to join the military, like a lot of other people who want to show their patriotism as soon as they can. However having a child made me not want to take a risk with resistance movements so I found a normal job instead.
Things were good for the next two years. My job was stable and my family was healthy. Then fate turned cruel. A peaceful protest was occurring in downtown Washington, but any protest here isn?t considered peaceful. The military opened fire upon the protesters and they ran. My wife?and daughter. They were in the direction that the protesters fled. When they were caught up in stampede they were mistake as protesters and were shot.
The murder of those you love; for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time is a big shock. I was devastated for a few months. In that time it was hard but I took a new look at where I was living. I saw what was driven into as normal for what it really was. I was saddened, I was disgusted, and above all else, I was angry.
My anger and want for revenge was the only thing that kept me alive at that point. So I did what any reasonable person would do. I went and joined the people who felt the same way and did everything that I could to fuck things up for the United America government. Apparently I was pretty good at it as they kept promoting me. That brings me to here and today. Is there anything else that you would like to know??
The story was clearly tough for Bishop to tell. Tears were held back by a hardened face. It was hard for Tyson to tell, if it was harder or easier for Bishop to tell him this; since they were essentially the same person. It only made him feel worse but he did have a few more questions to ask.
?What were the names of your wife and daughter? I?d also like to know, what were your parents were like??
?My wife?s name was Erica and my daughter?s name was Emily. As for my parents, I didn?t know who my father was. My mom never told me and she raised me alone. Her name was Mary-Ann. She worked herself to the bone to provide for me and was disappointed when I had gotten Erica pregnant. Still she was supportive until they Erica and Emily died. After that I had blocked out even her in my sorrow. I regret it but I never went and talked to her again before joining the resistance. Now I can?t contact her or else I will be seriously endangering her life.?
Bishop stopped. A few tears were slowly flowing down his cheeks. It was a tough thing to do. To bring up what pains you, drives you forward, and holds you down in regret. His time to answer was clearly over. He knew it and Tyson knew it so the next thing he said came as no surprise.
?What about yourself??
?I was raised by my father, Johnathon, and never knew my mother. Because my dad was a military official I always grew up on military bases throughout my life. Because I was homeschooled due to constant moving I ended up finishing high school two years early. I signed up for the military with my father?s approval when I was sixteen. After basic training I signed up for an experiment to that was supposed to make soldiers better and allow for a higher survival rating.
Out of the twenty people in my test group I was the only one who survived the experiments. Although it they weren?t the intended results from the experiment, I gained my powers from it. Actually my test group was supposed to be able to use echolocation like a bat, so it was easy to see where they stemmed from. In the end most experiments like the one I was in were failures in the general sense. From an unknown number of experiments, there were only ten survivors.
Then ten of use were put on a team and trained to be the best. Well we became the best and things were good for the next few years. Along the way one of the female members, Eva, and myself fell for each other. Well we found out she was pregnant and we were going to leave after we finished our last two assigned mission. What was never expected was that a few Senators found out that they had some ties to the experiments that gave us our powers.
What was once the strongest sword in the military, the people who cleaned up their dirty laundry, were now a liability. The experiments that made us who we were, broke more laws than could be ignored. If it got out everyone, even those who blindly gave backing or funding, were going to burn for it. Well what does a politician do when their towers are about to fall? Simple they burn and destroy the cause and bury it like it never happened. So to them issuing the order to kill off those who survived and the burn all of the evidence was easy.
The last time I talked to my father he was trying to warn me of the attack. I wasn?t in range of the first several shells to hit us and managed to get away. Someone how our team leader, Daniel Johnson, survived the artillery strike. This wasn?t good news because he wants my head and is convinced that I set everyone else up to die. I can?t really blame him but it still isn?t a pleasant reality.
After that I found out what happened and why. I searched out and found all of the evidence that I could. Then I waited for the hunt on my head to die down. I joined the group I?m with now to gain a public face, even if they don?t actually know mine. With the backing from this group, I know the people who killed my team and the one I love will not be able bury the truth. They won?t be able to stop me as I tear down their political towers and have them dragged off for their crimes.
Beyond that being part of this group can drive one insane. We?ve had more insane and ridiculous things happen since I joined the group, than the rest of my life in total. I don?t expect you to believe the whole dimensional jump thing since I still find it hard to believe myself. Although the bad luck surrounding these people is enough, that I suggest you find someplace else for us soon.
I was also going to ask you about knowing the old members of my team, but I think it?s best if I leave old ghosts be.?
With dry tears on his face Tyson wiped them off and left the table in the room. Sharing his demons with himself was sobering. He had hoped his other self, had felt the same as he unlocked the door and left the room.
Bishop had relocked the door after Tyson left. He had reassembled himself and was focusing again. It seemed things were bad for everywhere. His gut told him that the man he was just with was telling the truth. It wasn?t any official confirmation but it was good enough for him. With so many people with powers appearing out of nowhere, it was too much for the time being. Plus if what they were saying about being from another dimension was true, he knew someone who should at least be interested.
With that he pulled out his cellphone from a pocket and dialed a number. He didn?t speak when the phone was answered as an encryption can between the lines. Even after it cleared there was a silence as we waited for the challenge.
Serdar Koryo was not enjoying his night. Between catching the flu that was affecting half the refugees coming in, and the attempted hit on his boss earlier his day was not going well. 'At least we won't 'ave to go back to zee import base for quite a time,' he thought, a smirk forming on his face at the idea. The smile vanished as a cell phone started to vibrate and ring loudly in his coat pocket; the phone being hastily brought out. Serdar looked at the number on the screen, cursing under his breath as he recognized the number and opened it up.
"F-P. Cherbourg. Verde," Serdar practically yelled into the phone, the loud electronic music of the club making it hard to be heard.
?Six-W. Cambridge. Libra,? Bishop replied loudly, as he got an earful of loud music with the challenge. ?I would like to speak with your boss, if she is available.?
"When is it anything different?" Serdar muttered under his breath, curious as to what this call was for. It was not his business to know, though he was usually told about it anyways. While he was his boss' head of security, he was also one of her oldest friends. The two had met many years ago back when they were in mandatory military training, and they had stayed friends since then.
"She is. It will be but a moment," Serdar told Tyson, covering the phone with his hand as he made his way to his boss. He was never very far from her, always having to keep an eye out for potential danger. She could fend for herself pretty well, but a bullet was faster than words. He walked past a few people who were done talking to his boss and making their way down the stairs, waiting until they were down before tapping her on the shoulder.
"Second Lieutenant Tyson Bishop on the phone for you," Serdar told her loudly, handing over the phone before stepping back.
"'Ello there Second Lieutenant. I was not thinking I'd be hearing from you anytime soon," Renee-Thierry Claidt said into the phone after Serdar had given it to her, taking a sip from her drink and looking over to the dance floor below, "To what do I owe the pleasure for this call?"
?And hello to you Renee. I can understand the sentiment of not talking very often. You?d almost expect that a resistance officer, and a weapons supplier would talk more than once in a blue moon. Now this rare occurrence is happening because of some people, who happened to cause a lot of confusion today. It seems they appeared out of nowhere and were captured by the United America government. Now I?ll skip past a lot of trivial details and just thank you for the helicopters, which helped break them out of the prison that they were taken to.
Of course you are currently wondering what the hell this has to do with you, and why I am wasting your time. Well I?ve had a chance to talk with them and they are a pretty interesting group. The majority of them have powers that no one to my knowledge processes on this planet. One of them is a keyholder, which is strange upon itself. But I think the real topper, is that two of them claim to be your siblings.
Now you are still wondering why I?m wasting your time with this. Well the strange thing is that not only do they not appear to be lying, but they claim that they are from a vastly different dimension. What?s worse is that I?m starting to believe them. Now even if that isn?t true, I know that having several people with a wide variety of powers under you control would be a tempting thought. You are also the best at determining whether someone?s full of shit, so I was hoping that you would take them off our hands,? Bishop stopped talking. He must be sounding insane to a very important sponsor. He was putting his rank and future on the line for people he hadn?t even known for a few hours. He very well was insane in some right.
Renee was not entirely sure what to make of Tyson's spiel. She glanced over at her head of security to see if this was some type of joke, the blank look on his face showing he was not in on the joke if this was the case. Her interest was certainly peaked when Tyson mentioned that two claimed to be related to her, and that they were supposedly from a completely separate dimension from her own. "This is quite some story you've got 'ere Tyson. Part of me thinks that this is an elaborate joke, or just you trying to make small talk with me again. 'Owever all of me is quite curious about these people that you've broken out of prison. On that note, you are welcome for the 'elicopters," she told him, a dull ache in her right leg telling her that her night would be over sooner than she wished.
She looked back over to Serdar and told him that they'd be leaving after the call before continuing, "My father informed me of an odd flux of energy that 'appened earlier today, it seems we might 'ave found the reason for that. If I take these interesting people off of your 'ands, do I get anything in return?"
?A Black Market Devil like any other. Even when curious you want more out of a deal. I guess with a story this ridiculous, asking for something extra is justified. The only thing I really have to offer is the services of myself and my soldiers.
This wouldn?t be much except I know, that you have valuable things that need to be transported, retrieved, or stolen in my fair land. I also know mercenaries and organized crime syndicates aren?t the most reliable with such tasks. Now our resistance group doesn?t normally deal with such jobs, however I?m willing to go blind to that fact a few times,? Tyson was leaving his offer in the air. He knew she would likely pry for something more, but he was willing to hope that this would appease her.
The offer was mulled over in Renee's head a few times before she decided that she could get something better than that. "You drive a 'ard bargain there Tyson. It is almost worth it, but with my other work reaching a deadline that I 'ave yet to meet and the fact that I might 'ave to bring in other people to help verify the truth...it just isn't worth it to me just yet. Is there anything else you can offer?" she asked with a grin on her face, finishing off her drink and putting on her coat to leave.
The greed of some beasts is unknown. ?I have a good idea of what you are looking for, but I?d rather hear the request come from yourself,? Tyson replied. He actually had a few vague ideas. None of them were pleasing for himself. It was looking like the warnings about Renee were correct, ?asking for a favour, was selling your body and soul.?
The grin widened on Renee's face as Tyson's reply reached her ears, the poor man not knowing exactly what was in store if he accepted the terms. "One, along with everything that you 'ave previously offered I want you to personally oversee the collection of an A.A. mech that the U.A. 'ave 'oled up in one of their many secret armories. Two, should I need someone broken out of a U.A. prison cell I want you to be the one that gets them out. I was contemplating adding another term, but I think that this is fair enough," Renee responded as she was escorted down the stairs of the club by Serdar.
The request was a lot more forgiving than he had imaged. This was generally more pleasing to Bishop, but forgiving wasn?t the same thing as easy. ?I?ll accept the terms before you change your mind about the third term. My only request to the terms is of course any information that you have in regards to the location mech, and the prisoners that you want broken out,? Tyson replied to her offer. His request was reasonable. Turning it down was just shooting him in the foot; with him doing the manual labour.
"I shall throw you a bone and wait until after you send the group before giving you the mech information. The prisoner one doesn't need to be fulfilled yet; it's simply a precaution. I think we 'ave a deal 'ere Tyson. I look forward to seeing these people, and I'll be sure to take good care of them should they prove to be truthful," Renee replied, lighting a cigarette as she left the loud club and walked out onto the quieter street.
?Of course. Of course. I?ll take the bone, and I wouldn?t expect anything less from you. I?ll contact you again after they leave, so you know when to expect their arrival,? Tyson paused as heard the music fade away in the background. He could pick up that she was leaving a club. ?Have a save trip home, and good night?s sleep Rent.?
'That fucking nickname. I'll never 'ear the end of it,' Renee thought, clenching her jaw when she heard Tyson say it. "Thank you Second Lieutenant Bishop. I look forward to seeing this group of people. 'Ave them be sent over as soon as you can, and I'll keep you up to date on them and the information for the other terms," she told him, hanging up the phone and handing it back to Serdar. "We'll be going back to the Cherbourg base tomorrow. There is a group of interest being sent over," she informed him, the curse she got as a reply from him making her laugh, "It is not so bad. This may in fact be one of the more interesting things to 'appen in quite a long time."
As the dial tone sounded a small smile crept across Bishop?s face. Knowing that he got to her with that nickname, was almost worth the slave labour he had to agree to. After making sure that no signs of fallen tears were on his face, Bishop exited the room. Things were going to get more complicated for him, but something about this strange arrival gave him hope that a shift in the Resistance?s favour was soon to come.
After exiting the room Bishop walked over to Catherine. "I was just in contact with Renee-Thierry Claidt. She would like to meet the mysterious group we just broke out of prison as soon as possible. Since turning down her request is above our heads, when we get to your base we'll have to fly them to her at the first possible chance. I know that this is sudden and will be putting an increased workload on you, but at this point there is nothing we can do," Tyson announced to Catherine, doing a good job of concealing the half truths and whole lies of the situation.
