*** Author’s note: I’m absolutely overwhelmed by the positive response from y’all here on BC. I’ve always had a serious lack of self-confidence when it comes to my own writing. Thank you so much! Hugs to all of you who read and enjoyed Issue One. ***

*** At the end of Issue One, Archie had been handcuffed to his hospital bed by an agent of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. What happens next? Will Archie be arrested? Will Pap and Archie make it to Washington? Will Agent Rick Manship realize that most people call him Dick? Read on fearless reader! ***

Pap started in, “Are you out of your god-damned mind?” Did I mention that Pap was a Drill Instructor when he was in the Corps? I think everyone on this floor of the hospital knows now.

Agent Manship fired right back, “I knew he was a mutant when he graduated high school at thirteen! There’s no way I’m letting him go this time! Simmons! Nelson!” Two more DMA agents came to the doorway.

The woman, and from her clothing I’m guessing she’s my doctor, joins in. “You may be a Federal agent, but I want to check on my patient.” Agent Manship and Pap both stopped and turned to her. “Is there going to be a problem with me checking my patient?”

“You give him a shot of Inhibitor and I don’t care what you do.” Inhibitor, as you can guess, is a drug that stops superpowers from working. It does something to your brain chemically to stop most powers from working. It has to be specifically calibrated to the genetic code of the recipient, otherwise I think people like Agent Dick would be shooting people like me with darts loaded with it.

“Not an option here, Agent. According to the blood tests we ran yesterday, my patient has no active metagenes.” Ha. Suck on that, Agent Dick.

I didn’t think Agent Dick could get any redder in the face, “Wha… No. I don’t care what your results show, until one of my people can validate those results, they don’t mean anything!” At Pap’s rolling eyes he went on, “Oh he’s just a kid. He can’t be one of those kinds of mutants. Here’s what I’ve got to say about that. Colorado Springs. Rochester. Gary. Austin. Four cities destroyed by teenage children with powers they couldn’t control. I mean, let’s take a kid, full of teenage hormones, and give that kid the abilities of, oh… say Major Victory.” The Major was retired now. It’s not politically sound to have a nuclear powered superhero running around. Not in today’s world. Waving his hands, Agent Dick kept going, “In just those four cities, thousands dead, billions in damages. That’s why we have laws about kids with metagenes. You don’t like it? I don’t give a damn!”

Both the doctor and Pap were taken back, and everyone in earshot was staring now. It was true. Markus Samuelson, 14 years old, he was taking HGH and steroids to try and get physically larger for football. He was desperate to escape his family and situation in general. Markus came from an abusive home. James, Markus’ father tended to beat Markus when he got upset, which was often. One night, Markus had enough of his father using him as a punching bag, and so did Markus’ metagene. Two days, sixty-thousand lives and over a billion dollars in damage later it ended. Markus Samuelson committed suicide by super when he tried to use his brand new volcanic powers to open a super-volcano under what was left of the Region. Too much rage, frustration and power turned Markus Samuelson into a monster. One story of several. And, why people like me now have friends like Agent Dick.

The doctor started to say something and paused for a moment, “Okay. I need to check my patient. What do you need at this point?” Her voice was calmer than before, Agent Dick did have a point. Besides the one on top of his head.

“Enough blood for the metagene test, and a verified unbroken chain of custody for the blood sample up to and including the test.”

She nodded, “After I check my patient, I’ll have the blood drawn.”

“Good. Agent Nelson here will assist your tech.” The doctor nodded again. “Simmons, go with the doctor here, you’re guarding the boy.”

Pap just stood there, still stunned by Agent Dick’s outburst. He knew those things could happen. He just didn’t believe it could be me. He looked over at me, “Archie, I’m gonna go get those sandwiches. You’ll be okay?”

I nodded as the doctor and Agent Simmons came into the room and closed the door. As the doctor checked my chart and the monitors, Agent Simmons put her back against the wall next to the door. She opened her jacket, unsnapped her holster and then left her hand on her sidearm.

I know why things are the way they are. I do. I get it. Doesn’t mean I still don’t hate it.

While the doctor was checking things, I looked down at the handcuff. Part of me just wants to cry, the other part wishes I could turn in to someone like Dame Power. Tall, beautiful to the point where Miss Universe is the ugly friend, fly, super-strong, throw energy bolts, and invulnerable. Sigh. No. Not me. I got fugly genes. Just enough to make me a freak and to kill me, not enough to make me worthwhile.

“Okay, so now that we’ve got things a little quieter, let me take a look at you.” She smiled and shook my hand, “I’m Dr. Kirby. I just want to listen to your heart and lungs. Is that okay with you?” I nodded. She put on her stethoscope, “Now before you ask, yes. I did put this in the freezer before bringing it with me.” Her smile was a little contagious. I’m jealous of her awesome ponytail. It’s tied off to her right side, long and flowing. Ow.

She used the stethoscope to listen to my heart and lungs, and I shivered. Those things are always cold, but I did smile.

After checking me over, Dr. Kirby sat down on the bed next to me. “Your grandfather told me about your medical history. I’m so sorry.” She squeezed my hand. “Now on a scale from zero to ten, zero being no discomfort and ten being…”

“Four. I can focus past it, but it’s still there. “ It’s always there. For about the last six months, I’ve had constant pain. It gets better, it gets worse. It never goes away.

“And yesterday?”

“Nine.”

“Not ten?” She seemed surprised.

“Nine. I’ve hurt worse.” I closed my eyes. Then I lose it. I don’t know why, but I’m crying and I can’t stop. Dr. Kirby hugs me. I clutch her tight and just sob into her shoulder. “I’m tired of hurting. It never stops.” It takes a while before I get back under control. “I’m sorry.” Then I notice where she’s looking. During her examination of me, I kept fiddling with my tablet so my hands had something to do. The screen was on, and it was still on the webpage for my TG group. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! She knows! I quickly turn the tablet screen off.

She hugs me tight for a moment. “Hey. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. Okay?” She glances directly at the tablet then back to me. “Okay?” I nod. “Okay?” I nod again. “If I was your age with what you’re going through, I don’t know if I could deal with it.” She stops to wipe a couple of tears away from her own eyes. “I won’t even pretend I know what it’s like.”

She squeezes my hand, and changes the subject. “So what are you taking for pain management?”

I’m drying my own eyes using my bed sheet. “Hydromorphone. 32 mg a day. The docs back home told me I could take it whenever I need it.” They do that when you don't have a lot of time left.

“And, I’m on a few other meds. Levothyroxin, Lisinopril, Glimeperide and Temodar. I should fricking rattle when I walk.” I’m diabetic, and I don’t have a thyroid anymore. Plus the heart problem bonus program. But that’s all related to the thyroid cancer. Putting on all the weight brought on the diabetes and heart stuff.

“Archie.” She paused, gathering her thoughts, “I think you should talk to someone about all of this. A professional.”

I look down at my little tablet, my fingers almost white from gripping it, “Why. It won’t change anything.” I keep stuffing the anger and frustration down this hole in the back of my head. Oh Fuck. I feel like I’m gonna break. I feel like I’m standing at the bottom of a dam that’s about to break.

Dr. Kirby gets up from the bed. I think she knew I was about to lose it worse than before. “Archie, I’m going to give you some recommendations I’d like you to follow once you leave here, okay?”

I nodded. “A nurse and the other agent will be in here in just a moment to draw the blood for the metagene test.”

She went to the door, nodded at Agent Simmons and left. As the door opened, I could hear Pap and Agent Manship still going at it.

I looked at Agent Simmons. We locked eyes for a long moment. She gave me a small smile and a wink as she took her hand off her gun. I smiled back, and mouthed a silent thank you.

I curled up into a little ball and tried to get myself back under control. I don’t know how long I lay there. Every now and then I’d pull on the handcuff. I had almost fallen asleep.

Then the door to my room swung open and a very sharply dressed black woman came into my room. “You must be Archie. Get dressed, it’s time to go.” She looked late thirties/early forties, dressed in a custom tailored suit. Extremely classy, from her pixie cut to her handmade leather flats.

Agent Simmons turned to her, “Ma’am, I’m going to need you to…”

“Agent, this is Aegis Court business. Your presence is no longer required here.” The newcomer held out a card to Agent Simmons, who checked the card, nodded and left the room.

I watched Agent Simmons leave, and then focused on the woman who sat down on my bed next to me. “Hi?”

She laughed, “Hi Archie. I’m Beth. I haven’t seen you since you were little.” Beth had a Julia Roberts type of smile, she lit the room up. “So, first things first. I’m an old friend of your Mom’s. You have her eyes, you know.”

I just stared at her. This was Bethany MacTaggart. Yeah, the Bethany MacTaggart. Got her first doctorate at 13, made her first billion at 20. The original Seneschal. The woman who turned down a vice-presidential nomination because she wasn’t willing to compromise on her politics. The Government liaison for the Aegis Court. That Bethany MacTaggart. Which means she’s at least 10 years older than she looks. Sigh. And she makes it look effortless.

She laughed again, “Archie, let’s get you out of here.”

I pulled on the handcuff. “I don’t think they want me to leave yet. Me and my fugly genes.”

“They don’t get to have a say anymore. Here.” She tossed me a card as she went to the door. “Get ready, Archie. We’re wheels up in ten.”

I looked at the card. It was an Aegis Court ID. It was mine. Listed me as an Intern.

I don’t know what to think about this.

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