The Power Stones

(9) The new operative and the plan

Karli felt a horrible aching in her head, she tried to sit up but the pain in her side kept her down. Where am I? She thought to herself. The last thing she remembered was fighting besides her friend for true freedom, Then, Then what happened? She put her hand to her head trying to remember. Then it hit her. She had been shot. Not by the boy, he was good...But by his friend, what was her name? Agent, Bradfild, or something. Her head hurt so much that she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Malcolm was the director at the New York Public hospital and he was expecting an ambulance to come soon with a very special patient. "Where is it, Where is it!" he yelled to no one in particular. He knew the patient was dangerous, but according to his report they had been shot twice in the chest area. His worst fear was that she would gain consciousness and break out. "Ahh, finally" he said when he saw the ambulance coming down the road. His mission was to try and save her life so they could experiment on her to find out how she ticked.

"Open up and let's take her in." He called out to the driver. No response. "Incominte fool!, I said "open up!" Still no response. He decided to check it out, he crept closer and closer to the back of the ambulance. He was so focused on the back he didn't even notice the two unconscious drivers sitting in the front. He reached the back and swung the doors open. "What!" he exclaimed. It was empty, well almost. Nailed onto the back wall was a small plaque. He couldn't believe it, this was their first hiatus in their perfect record in over forty years. He walked into the truck to examine it. All the lights had been smashed so he had to pull out a small hand flashlight. He then read the words on the sign. "Toad?" He said confused.

How long had it been since she passed out she wondered. She tried to sit up and this time felt no more pain. She examined her wounds to find them cleaned and packed up. "You know," said a voice from the corner that made her heart miss a beat, "Not everyone survives a bullet shot, especially two. Karlie did her best to turn to face the figure. It was a tall male with black hair and blue green eyes.

"Who are you?" she questioned, "My name is Todd, I am the director of Toad." "What's Toad?" Todd then told her the whole story of Toad. "So how are you the director, shouldn't that be the son's job?" She asked. "Who is to say that I'm not the sun?" He said in return. "Wait, so you over threw your Mom?" "Not sure if that's the point, but yes." He said looking kind of embarrassed. "But don't worry" He quickly added, "After the dark energy was removed from her she was no longer a threat and we were able to safely relocate her to a remote location." "seems a little harsh, don't you think." "Maybe, Maybe not. We are still cleaning up her messes after all."

"Where are we going?" asked Steve. "To introduce you to your new partner," Said Todd. "Wait, you don't mean... Her" said Steven, a look of worry coming over his face."I highly deter this, she should not be in the field"Said Steven. "Hey, at least give her a chance. I promise you that she is competent. She just needs a good role model." said the director eyeing Steven. "Tell that to the half of the world that followed her, and used her as a role model." muttered Steven. They turned a corner and we're heading toward the rehabilitation rooms. "Sir, with all due respect, she has murdered hundreds, started a worldwide revolution, and kidnapped the senator. How can we trust her to work for us?" "Don't worry, we made sure she would comply." "How" Was all Steven could say. "Why don't you ask her?" And with that Todd opened up the door to room 403 to reveal a young girl sitting in a chair being questioned by one of their therapy agents. "Hello." was all she said.

By the time they reached their quarters Steven had worked up the courage to ask her the question. "Why did you do it?" "Do what, I have done a lot in the nineteen years I have been alive." She said calmly. "Everything, from the murders to the kidnappings. Aren't you laden with guilt at every move?" She spun around at this and glared at him. "I tried to eschew blood. I only killed when it was necessary. '' She said through stained teeth. "And my cause was just. It is still fought for to this day." "And what is your cause?" Steven knew the answer but wanted to see what she said. "Our planet, our future." Like most people Steven agreed with this philosophy, but not her ignoble unjust hateful methods and ways. "There was a better way." Was all Steven said, then he brushed past her and into the room.

Steven waited for Karli to fall asleep before he pulled out her file that he had snagged early that morning. He wanted to make sure that he knew everything about her before he worked with her. "Yow!" Eliamed Steven as a small bead hit him in the chest. "What was that for?" He said rubbing the wound. "What, didn't read about my super strength.''She said, annoyed , crossing her arms. "I was just getting to it." "Steven?" "yes." "You don't trust me... do you." "Trust is something to be earned, and so far that has not happened." Steven put down the file, hopped into his bunt and turned out the light. "Quick question." said Steven, "Shoot." She replied. "It says that your followers had altruism for you, sheltering you, taking bullets for you and for what? For you to leave them all behind." "I didn't leave them. They knew what they signed up for, they did it spontaneously." Karli spent the next few hours reflecting on their conversation before dozing off. It had been one crazy day.

Early the next morning Steven debriefed Karli on their mission. "Our goal is to bring Alex in." "Why, how could she be so important?" "She has a condition for a murder five years ago." So, is she a murder?" "No, a vicTim ." "So she is some random girl who lost her family to a fire, No big deal. Right?" "Wrong, she has turned to crime and is one of the most elusive camille master minds we have ever seen." "According to your file, you lost two VS One to her." Said Karli. "You, you read my file," said Steven, now turning pale. "Ya, funny that it was under your mattress and not where it belongs in the archives." "ya, funny." He snached back his file and left to return it.

"I've got it!" said Steven." "what?" Asked Karli, they had been sifting through all of Alex's AKA Lightfoot's Files to learn what they could. "Every time she goes to rob a place there is always a decoded message that goes out. No one is as good as her without help, so this message must be going to her back out, or man in the chair." "So?" Karli was clearly confused. "So, we can track that back to her base of operations and wait for her there." "naw, too risky" she said, "Plus I've got a better plan." "ok, let's hear it."

Tom had just finished helping Alex with another successful mission. Despite its success she looked disappointed. "Why the glum face?" He asked. Usashly he could read her eyes, but now they were like a deep facility. "Well, the whole goal of this mission was to attract Steven,, , my plan was to confront him about his proposal." "Are you seriously considering it?" "Well, we would be doing some good for once." "but what we are doing is good." Tom said . "Not in their eyes, all they see is some low level art thieves." "Well they don't see the full picture." Said Tom reassuringly." "Ya, I guess you're right." "Hey, there is a small mushroom near your location, maybe try that one." "Ok, thanks." "your welcome." " Tom out, call me when you get there." "will do." With that, Tom hung up and spun his chair around.

Nock Nock Nock, when the door. "Now who could that be?" He said to himself. "Coming!" He walked up to the door and opened it, And two masked figures matched in. Tom recognized the Toad instantly, Toad! "What do you want, Alex isn't here." He said, "You are to come with us." said the first. Tom considered running, but he also knew there was a gun in his desk side draw.(This is how you know they live in America) One of the figures must have realized he planned to run so they pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.

The first figure tried to stop the second but was too late. POP! When the gun and Tom fell over. "What have you done!" yelled Tom . "Tranquilized him." Karli replied calmly, "look." she pointed to the body and sure enough a small dart was sticking out of his arm. "Like I said, I don't kill unless it's necessary. Plus, guns are now obsolete. I like this thing much better." She examined the gun. "Twelve modes, all for different circumstances." She then walked over and flung the body over her shoulders. "Let's go." Steven did not like this karlie, but at the same time he pitied her. With that they marched out to the chopper to fly back to base.