Breanna stared at the overhead screen, "Is this real? Someone tell me it's not real. Surely this is fake."

"Would love to tell you it is, but we believe this footage is real," Calla murmured, "I'm sorry, Bre, we know you want to get to Europe, but with this happening in our own backyard..." Calla paused as Iris strolled past, muttering, "so to speak", "we thought it better to show you now. Personally, I'm not sure we can go and ignore this."

"It's okay, Calla," Breanna sighed, trying to wrap her mind around the scene she saw before her, "I want everyone in the tech room."

Breanna glanced in Calla's direction noting the nod of acknowledgement as she pushed a green button. A pre-recorded message played throughout the base.

"Nice, that's new," Breanna grinned, "we are progressing."

"We need our abilities out there," Calla shrugged, pointing at the screen, "it doesn't make sense to use them unnecessarily."

The tech room doors opened as groups entered, dripping in weapons. They quickly gathered around the war table.

"What's up, Bre?" Valencia called over the hum of voices.

"Thanks for getting here quickly," Breanna said, looking over the watchful group, "everyone is aware we are preparing to hit a facility in Europe," Breanna said. "There has been ... a situation," she said, pointing at the footage starting at the beginning of the loop again.

Faces turned in unison, watching the screen. Mixed reactions exploded, filling the room. Over the gasps, exclamations and sounds of horror, Breanna watched Craig's narrowing eyes and sharpening attention.

"Craig," Breanna murmured, "what do you think?"

"Think of that?" he frowned.

Breanna nodded, "Do we ignore it and go to Europe or address this before going to Europe?"

Craig moved toward the screen, watching the carnage reported on the national news.

"Is this real?" he asked Calla.

She nodded. Craig sighed heavily. Watching horrifying lightning bolts flying from a masked man walking through a downtown area. Something felt familiar about him, how he walked, the lightning coming from his fingertips and balls of fire from his palms.

"Craig, do you know him?" David asked.

"I'm…" Craig frowned, watching the movements on the screen, "I'm not sure."

"Do we ignore this?" Breanna asked again.

"Why is it my decision?" Craig frowned, "when did it all start that one person chooses for the rest of us?"

"It hasn't," Breanna said, "I know what I want to do and say, but it's not just up to me."

"If this is real and happening, there is no way we can ignore it," Craig said, "we need to address this situation, and we need to do it now."

Breanna nodded, "Fair enough. Who has the skill set to defend and attack against that kind of ability?"

David moved forward, "Val, can you estimate the level of his ability?"

"I can tell if I'm in the vicinity, not from the other side of the screen," she said. "But by looking at how this guy is using that ability, at least a level five, maybe six," Valencia said, "can't say for sure. The fact that the clip is nearly a minute and he's not tiring tells me it's fairly well-developed and advanced. The way he is delivering those bolts and balls ... definitely used it before."

Two thumps and an appearance of mist told of Jasmine's arrival, but she was not alone; Nigel appeared next to her, "Birgit energy ... please."

Birgit / Valencia moved forward, resting her hand on Jasmine's shoulder while Nigel moved toward the screen, his horrified expression noticed.

"Nigel," Craig said, "you know who that is?"

"I don't know his real name, only as experiment 732," Nigel said, "I ran into him a few times in Darcia's Facility."

"How strong is he?" Breanna asked as her eyes narrowed on the man.

"Possibly a level 5. With this kind of ability, levels are irrelevant," Nigel shrugged, "I take it you were asking for those with defence or offence abilities to go against this."

Breanna nodded.

"I have one of those abilities," Nigel said.

"One," Breanna frowned, "how many abilities are required to go up against this?"

"At least three or four," Nigel said, "a light thrower, a dome maker, an energy seeker and a wall maker."

Silence fell. Nigel looked around at the confused expressions.

"What?" Nigel asked between Craig and Breanna, "did I say something you didn't understand?"

"A whole lot of words we don't understand," Craig said, "what are all those names you just said?"

"You're kidding ... right?" Nigel looked at each person, "no one here knows what you are?"

Heads shook.

"We have an idea of what we can do," Tania said, "but we are still surprised from time to time."

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Wow," Nigel cleared his throat, blinking rapidly, "a light thrower can do several things but ultimately expand or "shoot" energy."

"Like Craig did the other day," Iris said.

"What did Craig do?" Nigel asked.

Calla pulled up a body cam section of footage, drawing a long low whistle from Nigel.

"Yep," Nigel nodded, "like Craig" he turned to Craig then, "you'll need to dial it right back."

"A dome maker is someone who can put a protective dome over people and things," Nigel said, "an energy seeker can draw energy away. A wall maker can make an impenetrable wall and can push high energy levels away from an area or box it in."

"We have all of those," David nodded.

"Nigel," Breanna said, watching the man, "as David said, we have all those abilities in our group. You don't need to come with us. Jasmine can take you back."

"Are you sure you have all of them?" Nigel asked, his voice changing to a husky drawl.

"Craig is a light thrower," Iris said, "David is a dome maker, "Birgit is an energy seeker and ..."

"Simon and I are wall makers," Breanna interrupted.

"Then you need to get out there and stop him," Nigel said, "the idea which usually works is to contain and deactivate. The only thing strong enough to harm him is what he produces."

"David may be a dome maker," Iris said, "but mostly, he lets whatever is inside out. I don't know if he would be able to keep the inside stuff … inside."

"Shall we try it out," Nigel whispered to David, who extended his hand to a still-talking Iris creating a dome.

The sudden silence brought giggles from the others. Breanna nodded at David. Something about Nigel's insistence on going out there bothered her.

"Let her breathe," she said to David, "we will need to coordinate downtown. David is our Dome Maker. Jasmine and Birgit are our Energy Seekers. Simon, you'll be our Wall Maker, but I'm going with to make walls two is better than one. That leaves Craig and his unknown ability to be the Light Thrower."

"We will need others as well," Craig said, "we don't know who this guy has got waiting in the wings."

"That is why you'll need to take a team to seek out civilians," Nigel said. "The only time someone like him is out doing ..." he pointed at the screen, "that ... is when there is a cluster of children in the area. Either way, they could be with their parents or not, he is trying to make them angry to show themselves, and they need to get out of there before being discovered."

"Would you know where to find them?" Breanna signalled for everyone to get ready.

"Perhaps, but that is a large area," Nigel said, looking at the screen.

"Bre, Birgit and I will go with," Valencia said, "Birgit and Jasmine will be there drawing energy. If we find anyone and cannot get them out by truck, at least we can get them out by other means."

"You will be able to find them, Val," Breanna nodded, "alert Tina that she may be required to drive them out to a safe house."

Valencia nodded, heading off to gear up. Nigel looked after her with a strange expression on his face.

"Nigel," Breanna watched the tiny changes happening on the man's face, "everything okay?"

"Why do I see two people?" he asked, looking Valencia to Breanna.

"You see two people? Clearly? "Breanna frowned, "not one?"

Nigel shook his head as though he were trying to clear it before nodding.

"At least we know what one of your abilities is," Breanna smiled, "do you still want to come with?"

"If you're going to need Tina," Nigel said, attentively looking around the tech room, "perhaps I should stay with the children. They will need someone they know."

"Fair enough," Breanna said, noting the change again, "Jasmine, please take him back."

Breanna waited until Jasmine and Nigel had disappeared before turning toward the far side of the tech room, noting it was invisible.

"Thanks, Simon," Breanna smiled as the area became visible, "why did you only allow him to see a section of the room?"

"Instinct," Simon said, "if he can see both Birgit and Valencia, what else do you think he can "see"?"

"I know," Breanna sighed, "it worries me, there is more than one person in that body, and he was taking in everything. Something is off about him, very off. We'll need to watch him ask Frank to do the first shift at the safe house, and I'll see you out there."

"On it," Simon said, "watch your back out there; he may be setting us up."

"He is, but I'm not sure for what ..." Breanna continued, mumbling. "I wonder if he knows what Tina went through or if he was sent to "console" her to ensure she toed the line," Breanna said, scowling. "If he was part of what she went through ..." Breanna shook her head, "I think he will regret it."

He had found them. Madden had spoken of the various levels tried for cloning. Tina was the last before Darcia disappeared; now he knew she was dead.

"You do know it was me who woke in time to see Valencia and Birgit," a sarcastic voice spoke in his head, "up to now, you didn't even know they referred to two people in one body."

"That is not an ability I have," Nigel said, looking around, "keep it down. We don't want everyone to know what we are doing here."

"You should have thought about that before you ignored my counsel," a low husky voice drawled in his head, "going in to capture those children ... on your own ... was not very smart."

"Especially when I told you non-friendlies were in the area," a fourth mellow voice said, "you never listen to any of us."

"We have an assignment," Nigel mumbled, "we need to complete it."

"Fortunately for you, the assignment is here," the fifth voice said.

"Do I need to find a room for all of you?" Tina asked.

Nigel froze before looking over his shoulder. Damn, how much had she heard?

Turning, he smiled widely at Tina, "No, we're... good."

"Glad to hear it," Tina nodded, "how many are there?"

"Don't' know what you're talking about, just me talking to me," Nigel turned, "have a good trip out there," quickly walking away from the narrowing gaze behind him.

Tina watched him disappear before connecting with her sisters, "What do you think?"

"Checks all the blocks," Iris murmured through her mind, "Daisy, Calla?"

"Displays all the characteristics for a multifunctioning personality enhancement," Daisy murmured, "Calla, what did you find?"

"I found information in Darcia's files for a five-in-one enhancement," Calla murmured. "It started ... with us ... but it would seem after a few attempts ... oh my," Calla gasped, "Nigel volunteered for the enhancement and follow-up procedures."

"What does that mean?" Tina whispered, "was he threatened or manipulated into doing it?"

"No, Tina," Calla said, "there is a note here that Nigel always wanted the procedure done to himself. He wanted all the personalities in one body, something like Valencia. Whereas her split was unintentional, Nigel wanted his to be intentional and in one body for easy concealment."

Tina felt her blood run cold, "We need to find out why? Why did he want the procedure? Why was he around those children? Were injuries supposed to be that bad because he was attacking those kids, or were they accidental?"

"All good questions," Frank smiled, "you're needed for extraction duty. Don't worry, I have first shift ... plus I have a team that won't allow harm to come to those kids."

"Thanks, Frank," Tina smiled, "whatever you do ... don't trust Nigel."

"Oh, I don't," Frank grinned, "he won't get away with whatever it is he is trying."

"I don't know what that is," Tina sighed, "but I know you'll do everything you can to keep them safe. Got to go."

Concealed a short distance from the pair, Nigel soft swore. Frank didn't let anything get by him, and he had been hoping to get close to the children, but with a protection detail, he would have to find another way.