Note:
Sorry about the delay, readers. College is in full swing for me this semester has been crazy busy. I really enjoyed this chapter and I think it brings a lot of the plot elements together cohesively and sets the stage for a much bigger story to come.
The focus isn't on sex this time around, but I threw in a couple of quickies in there to tide you over ;)
Remember to vote and give feedback!
I love writing this stuff, so more will come for sure!
CHAPTER 7
"Do you understand, now? Why we must stay away from that prison?" Giovanni sounded a little like a parent chastising a child.
Rob did understand. The stone ring...prison... housed Evil itself and the control the prison had over It was tenuous at best. All someone had to do was give into the temptations It promised, and it would be free once again.
Again.
Rob had sat and listened as Giovanni told the story of the ring while they sat in the Lab. It all seemed unreal to Rob; even after all the time he had spent with the Corps.
"Yes, Sir, I understand perfectly."
"Good. Meet in the conference room in one hour with your plan of attack. We have no time to waste." Giovanni left Rob with his thoughts.
Rob had heard the name Slade a number of times before this night. He was one of the founding members of the Corps and he was also the one that almost brought it to its end. In Rob's mind, Slade had been the "bad guy", but until now he had no idea how much weight that title carried with it.
Slade was the embodiment of Evil. A scum so foul that Rob was sure all the world's problems could be solved if only he could be erased from existence. Even as someone with no memories, Rob knew that he had never met or heard of anyone as sadistic as Slade. And to think he was working with Trapjaw somehow...
"Rob?" It was Nurse Sweet, looking like she had just woken up.
"Hey." Rob jerked himself out of his reverie and gave her a warm smile.
"You never came to bed." She took a seat across from him.
"Yeh, I'm sorry. I was up all night working on an attack plan. Then I had an...incident." Rob didn't think he was ready to tell Nurse Sweet about his encounter with the stone ring.
Luckily she didn't prod, "Well, I hope your time was well spent. The rest of the Corps is rested and ready for action."
The fact that Nurse Sweet was willing to give Rob his space and let him live independently outside their relationship made him glad he had her in his life. From the beginning of his ordeal, it had been her who had always been by his side. At first she was cold and aloof, but as their relationship progressed he could see her icy demeanor melting away, revealing a warm heart underneath.
"What?" she laughed.
Apparently Rob had been staring at her, "Nothing. Let's go to the Conference Room."
"Ok then..." Nurse Sweet gave him a funny look and then led them out of the Lab.
Someone had picked up the files that Rob had dropped. Noticing him looking around, Nurse Sweet said "They're in the Conference Room."
"Thanks." He said, and they continued along in silence. Despite Nurse Sweet's presence, Rob did not feel like talking. He had a sense of foreboding that he couldn't shake and the weight of Giovanni's story still lay heavy on his heart.
When the pair reached the Conference Room, Giovanni and a few others were already seated at the large table. While the others talked quietly among themselves, Giovanni was busy reviewing the files Rob had made up.
"I have to talk to Gio." Rob told Nurse Sweet.
She nodded and took a seat next to a boy no older than 14 with baggy clothes and jeans with holes in the knees. Echo, Rob remembered. The mysterious boy from the streets could project images onto the minds of anyone in his vicinity. His powers were still developing and their full potential was still far from being discovered.
Also seated at the table was an aging man with long, curly grey hair. He wore a black t-shirt with a white lightning bolt that stretched over his still impressively muscled chest and arms. Across his shoulders was a matching black cape. This was Nimbus, with the ability to control static electricity and to fly on air currents that he manipulated. As is, his powers were average at best, but with a few modifications, Rob could make them extraordinary.
The remaining two members present were Turbo and the ice-queen, Sublime. They were chatting like old friends about the past. It reminded Rob that he was still an outsider to this group, and had a lot to prove before he was completely accepted.
Giovanni looked up as Rob walked over to him.
"Interesting ideas." he said.
"Thanks." Rob sat down next to him, "If we strike early we can make this work."
"Rob, I really appreciate this. I know you're still new here, and you still have questions, but you're willing to put yourself at risk for people you barely know. That's admirable."
Rob smiled and glanced at Nurse Sweet, who was talking amiably with Echo about something. "I'm doing it for them."
Giovanni nodded knowingly, "Still, you're more of a man than most, Doctor."
They sat in silence from then on until everyone else had arrived. It was nearly midnight, but since everyone had spent the day resting and recharging, they were all alert and attentive.
Giovanni spoke loudly once everyone was seated, "The time has come to plan our strike. The events of the other night will not be repeated. We will hit them back first, and hard."
A murmur of agreement went around the table.
Giovanni continued, "Now I know some of you don't trust him, but the Good Doctor has developed a plan of attack."
Silence. No one wanted to speak against Rob; not after the angry speech Giovanni had given at their last meeting.
"Thanks, Giovanni." Rob said as he stood. He held up the files and said, "I have here a detailed report of each of your histories and abilities. Some of you have seen a lot of action, some not any. Some are old, and others young. At first glance, you all look like a motley group of weirdoes who have nothing in common besides the fact that you're weird."
