Resistant • Jonathan Kent

xiii. When the lights come on

"What are we dealing with?" Tiana asked and General Hardcastle turned to see that her and Cameron were standing there already, both ready for the information.

"Actually... It is nothing to deal with. We simply wanted information from you." It was a dangerous topic as Tiana looked up at Cameron, who was keeping his emotions off of his face.

"It's about Clark."

"Damn it. We should've known."

"Correction, I should've known about this."

"What information, General?" Cameron asked as he was looking at Hardcastle, while Tiana didn't like the look of some of the soldiers who were holding weapons. "If you wanted information, all you have to do is ask us."

"How long have you known that Superman is alive?" There was no beating around the bush with it as Cameron glanced at Tiana, who shrugged.

"We've only known about his revival for a short week, General. We haven't been in contact with Lois Lane or anybody else, since the death of General Lane." Tiana explained.

"You two had better not be lying to me about this, or--"

"Or what, General?" Cameron asked and he stepped forward and in doing so, he caused General Hardcastle to step backwards in a natural response to it. "What are you going to do to us? Because whatever it is, it can't be any worse than what Anderson did."

Tiana flinched subtly at the mention of Lieutenant Anderson and behind her back now, her hands were clenching into fists as she was trying to resist the urge to shake the entire room.

"We would never go that far." Hardcastle reassured them both, as Tiana was relaxing her hands and they were opened and resting against her sides.

"Then we'll be going, unless you have an actual mission for us." Cameron said icily and Tiana's heartbeat was hammering inside of her chest, her mind was slipping back into the past. Back to when Anderson had taken matters into his own hands and her pain had been the consequence of it.

"No, we don't." Hardcastle admitted and the stink of ozone was beginning to fill the air as Tiana's emotions were beginning to rise. Previously hidden by the sheer stubbornness of the speedster, who refused to let her emotions out in a healthy manner that wasn't resorting just to running.

Tiana's body was beginning to crackle with lightning as the soldiers were backing away from her, while Cameron's gaze was steady as he watched their reactions.

"Then we will be going." Cameron had his "I mean business" tone working overtime and from when Tiana had first met him, she heard the familiar voice and it usually meant that he was more angry than he cared to admit. "There is an incident that we are needed for. Come on." He said and Tiana disappeared quickly, before Cameron followed suit.

Tiana stumbled to a stop in front of the Desert Fortress, it was the first place that she could think of that the DOD wouldn't be able to find her. Tiana felt like somebody was squeezing her lungs as she was on her knees and she was struggling to breathe.

Strapped down onto a table and she screamed in pain, when the scientists were extracting whatever DNA they thought that they needed.