Supernatural

60

APRIL — HELIOPOLIS HOTEL — 9:21 PM

"So, when are we doing this?" Pepper asked, munching on a bag of chips as she lounged on one of the chairs in their two bed hotel room.

"Soon," Morgan answered. "We'll have to make a plan, and figure out how to control what's going on with my powers."

"Yeah, speaking of, your teammates didn't give you any hints to what was wrong with you?" Pepper replied, curiously.

"No, they just injected me with something Siphon called the antidote," she said, shrugging. "They must have put something in me when I was at the lab to prevent my powers from acting out on their own. Maybe it happens to everybody."

"Well, Rylie had never been to the lab before," Joey pointed out, "and I don't think he ever had any troubles with controlling his abilities."

"Great, so it's probably just me."

"On the bright side, if they did give it to you at the lab, we can steal some on our way out," Pepper suggested. "Then you'll be back to normal."

"Sounds good," Morgan said. "So we have to get those medicines, make sure we have enough teleporters to get out of there, and make sure we have a healer. Plus Alexis."

"Man, I haven't seen the mini-Garner in so long," Pepper muttered.

"If this works out, you'll be seeing her soon," Joey said, smiling. His leg had completely healed since the incident hours previous. The only evidence it had happened was a small blood stain on the floor that they covered with a rug.

His smile, however, seemed forced. Morgan frowned, then turned to Pepper. "Do you want to order us some food?"

Pepper seemed to realize Morgan wanted time alone with Joey, and nodded slowly. "I'll just go to the pizza place across the street."

Pepper took a key and left the room, leaving them alone. Morgan didn't hesitate to get straight to the point. "Are you going to be ok with going back in there?"

"I..." He began, then sighed. "I don't know. I was in there for two years, Morgan. Two years of fucking mental and physical torture every day, barely keeping myself sane. The only thing that kept me from getting completely brainwashed was my high power level, since they're not too interested in anyone over ten. And Casper, too, in those few months we had together..." He swallowed. "That place is the root of every nightmare and every bad memory. I don't know if I'm ready to face it."

"I understand, Joey," she said, comfortingly. "I'll be right by our side, I swear—"

"No, you know what? You don't understand," he snapped. "You're stronger, Morgan. You've always been freaking stronger. The rest of us can't handle this kind of stuff. You did the impossible and came through the ASTs still with a fragment of yourself, that was just enough to bring yourself back. Like, fuck, Morgan," he ran a hand through his dark hair. "My life's been hell, and it can all be traced back to that place. You're going to be able to live after this. But I don't know if I can."

"What does that mean, Joey?" Morgan asked, carefully.

"It means this has royally screwed me up, and I'm not going to be able to forget, just like most of those kids in there." He looked back up at her. "I'm not going to hurt myself, if that's what you're concerned about. But if all turns out well and we get to live free... Just because we win the war doesn't mean we don't lose everything in the process."

"It will get better," she assured. "And if it doesn't, I'll be right there forcing it along."

He smiled, and chuckled a little. "What about you? Are you sure you can do it, too?"

She looked out the window and took a deep breath. "Honestly?" She paused. "I'm pissed. They took everything away from me and all those kids and teenagers. We deserve better, and we're breaking them out, just as we're going to do the same to all the other four camps. Then, we're going to fight back hard, and they won't be able to keep supernaturals quiet anymore." She gave him a look of pure determination. "Maybe we will lose. But we will make ourselves known to everyone, whether they like it or not. And when people know, we'll get our way. Probably not in our lifetime, but eventually.

"Knowing that, I'm going to walk through those doors and shut down the camp without thinking about what happened. We can't change our past, but can change our future. This is closure. No more nightmares after this," she said, as if ordering herself.

"You can't just shut that door down," he said, almost amused. "It's not that easy."

She grinned. "Watch me."

"Finest pizza Palmyra can offer," Pepper announced as she walked through the door carrying a pizza box. "Or at least, the closest pizza. Let's dig in, guys. We've got a big day of planning tomorrow."

APRIL — PENNSINGTON — 11:28 AM

"So how big is it?" Tyler asked, poking his head up from the back seat to where Monica and Marcus were.

"Bigger than Glider Headquarters," Monica replied, keeping her eyes on the road as she drove. "It'll hold a lot of kids. We can get some bunkbeds in there and it'll be perfect."

"And these bunkbeds and mattresses are coming from..." Tyler trailed off, waiting for her to finish it.

"Salvation Army and Goodwill, stores like that; yard sales; friends donating—"

"Donating?" Rylie spoke up, bonking into Tyler's head as he leaned to the middle from the back to be seen. "What exactly did you tell them?"

"That we were opening up an orphanage..." Monica said, hesitantly. "Which, I know, is morally wrong, but it's kind of like an orphanage! Only at the end, we'll find their parents." She turned the corner. "And here we are!"

Monica pulled in beside a large warehouse, which was at least double the size of Glider HQ, as promised. The only difference was that it looked pretty abandoned. Liveable, yes, but utterly dead.

Monica lead them over to the door, held up a key excitedly and put it in the slot. After some jiggling around, it finally unlocked and she lead them inside. Marcus flicked on the lights, and one at a time, the lights boomed on.

The room was enormous, yes, but completely empty and dirty. "It'll take some work," Monica admitted, "but I think it'll turn out perfect."