Consuming Fire

Chapter 27

The screen went black and all through the communications room, whispers and mumbles of confusion and panic erupted.

"A nationwide call?" Zac gaped. "Turn ourselves in like criminals? What the hell is this?"

"They can't do that, it's unlawful!" Eli exclaimed.

"They're scared of us," said Chevie.

"Yeah, because you pretty much assaulted a plane of FBI agents," said Jenny. "We were going with them peacefully to show them that we mean no harm!"

"By we, you mean me," said Zac.

"This is insane, now the whole world is going to know about people with superpowers," said Jenny with a shake of her head.

"You're right," said Eli. "For a top secret agency, they're not subtle at all."

The young Asian boy began talking in a sharp Korean accent.

"No, there's nothing we can do," Mark answered him.

"Who are you guys anyway?" asked Zac.

"My name is Mark," said the man. "I'm a certified doctor and I've been living here with my wife for five years now. We lost our daughter to this ICE institution you and Chevie came from and we've been trying to get her back ever since."

"Your daughter, eh?" said Zac with one eyebrow raised.

"Yes. Our son died just after Imogen was born. She is all we have."

"Immi is your daughter?"

Jenny's heart broke at the look of wonder in Mark's eyes. "Y ... you know her?"

"Of course!" said Zac cheerfully. "She's the cutest little ginger I've ever seen."

Mark blinked through tears in his eyes and leaned closer to Zac. "Where is she now?"

"She's safe," said Zac. "I can't tell you anything more."

Mark glanced at the Captain, but he held up a hand and the conversation was done. Mark didn't appear to think so, but he held his tongue.

"And who are you?" Zac asked the Asian boy.

"Mi-Kyung Wasushee," said Mark. "He doesn't speak English."

Zac peered at Mark through narrowed eyes. "Makka-Wakka-Sushi?"

"No," said Mark, "it's Mi-Kyung Wasu-"

"I'm sorry, all I hear is Sushi," Zac shrugged and glanced at Eli and Jenny. "Is anyone else hearing Sushi?"

Eli tried to hold back a fit of laughter, probably afraid of the murderous look on Mi-Kyung's face. He muttered something again to Mark, and Jenny was sure it contained several swear words.

"Call him Yung," said Mark with a smirk.

"Be careful though," said Chevie with a smile on his face, pretending he was discussing something else. "If he gets too mad, he goes major kung-fu on people."

"I could take him," said Zac as he appraised Yung.

"I don't think so. Martial arts is his superpower."

"What?" Eli and Zac gaped.

Chevie nodded.

"Do you guys have superpowers?" Eli asked Ace and Illya, who were silently watching.

"I can transform into animals," said Illya. "Ace doesn't have a power."

"Aw, mate!" said Zac in an Aussie accent. "Ya lucked out!"

A menacing glare appeared on Ace's rugged face and immediately, Zac's grin fell.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Back to the topic," grumbled the Captain impatiently, "Now we have a major global crisis on our hands. The FBI are hunting us down."

"I don't think they're 'hunting us down'. They're asking us to turn ourselves in, hoping one of us will know where Wolfe is," said Chevie.

"They won't come here though, will they?" asked Mark.

"No," said the Captain. "To the outside world, we are merely a fan group."

"Yeah," said Zac, "and none of my friends would come out of hiding for the FBI. They don't even have cable in-"

Jenny elbowed him to keep quiet. She didn't want these people knowing about the others at the cabin, especially when Joshua might not have rescued Hunter yet.

"I think I have a way to know what the FBI are up to."

"We're already monitoring their systems, Chevie," said the Captain. "It's as far as we can go."

"Not quite. We have Zac."

Zac's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean – ohh. You want me to spy on the FBI?"

"Are you crazy-"

"I'll do it." He grinned proudly and turned to Jenny. "Relax, I'm a professional."

"The FBI know my face after the attack," said Chevie. "My identity has been compromised. Plus, we lost our inside man when the FBI made all the cuts. Only Zac can do it. Captain? Thoughts?"

Their leader paused for a quick moment before sighing and giving the nod of approval. "Get the techs to pull up an agent's file. I want intel on this man, and I want a detailed analysis of your plan of action. Only send him in if it's for something important."

"Yes sir," he grinned.

Zac's face suddenly went very pale.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Jenny asked him. "This is a pretty risky mission."

Zac adjusted his pants and lifted his chin up. "I'll do anything to keep the others safe. We're not just battling an evil scientist anymore; we're battling to keep our secret a secret. No one can know, right?"

"Right," said Chevie. "Now follow me."