About 10 hours before Cory's attack on the school, TaeJean finished his work tour. The entire tour took about an hour. He and Ameer rode on a floating platform that followed a path laid out by the same photon bending technology that the later was so fond of. As he was nearing the end, T.J. was excited and full of wonder at the things he saw! His love of learning that he lost in middle school was restored! He finally even learned new information from the Heroic Decade, information beyond the scope of the general public.

The three undergound floors had museums with and vaults for various confiscated technologies, both alien and man made. The two alien factions, known as the Higher Technocracy and Swarm-O-War by humans, left various relics during their breif battle over Earth. T.J. was more interested in the Swarms "technology" though.

Ameer explained: “Their weapons and technology worked just liked Stem powers! Highly specialized and enhanced biological processes. Can you imagine how amazed I was to find this out?! Instead of space vehicles, living hives of various sizes were built around the bodies more sizable organisms. These used various fungi and pants to form living solid components. The outsides of their “ships” were covered in super hardened mineral rich soil that used a combination of bodily fluids as a binding agent, making a bio cement harder than steel! For computing power, the ganglia and central nervous systems of intelligent organisms, as well as other giant organisms we’re placed directly into the fungi. Biochemical feedback from the mycelium and neurons handled and monitored all the ships functions like an AI would! New organisms would continuously be added, essentially updating the system. As far as their fire arms and other such things went, once again we must look Bio-Phenomena, such as electric eels, tarantulas, bombardier beetles, and pistol shrimp.” TaeJean was amazed. This was one lesson he would never drown out or get bored with.

He also learned the High Technocracy. Ameer spoke: "They advanced by absorbing technology and knowledge from various races they came across. Both high tech, primitive, and ruined. They would also mine planets and other space bodies for raw materials. Unlike the Swarm-O-War, which would eventually eat a planet to extinction, they would preserve other life forms. In fact, they would turn all living things they would come across into a cyborg in some manner, even going so far as to take out the central nervous system of creatures and place them into machines. All their cyborg proxies would in fact be more machine then living in the end.”

TJ:“Yooooo it’s so much wild s*** here!” Ameer: “Language!” TJ: “Yes sir!” They walked past a few people in lab coats. T.J. pointed and asked, “So do they have powers too or...?” Ameer: “I like to give the homeless a hand up.” T.J.: “Really?” Ameer: “They all come from different backgrounds. But you really don’t need a degree or such for this type of work.” T.J.:“You shouldn’t need a degree for any type of work.” Ameer raised an eyebrow. “Really?” T.J. nodded and grinned “Yes, really.” Ameer responded, “Even lawyers and doctors?” T.J.: “College is 4 years before those and 4 years specifically for them right?” Ameer: “Give or take, yes.” T.J.: “It should just be those last 4 years. Every job should be trained on the job like in the old days!” Ameer: “I'm not sure how accurate that actually is.”

The two continued to walk and talk as 10 glowing balls of various colors came before them. The lights dimmed, revealing 10 fairies! “Ameer!” the leading fairy said in a demanding voice. T.J. could not tell if they were male or female. They had pink skin, leaf like clothing, and black opaque eyes. The hair was long, jet black, and arranged in bangs. “Is this the new one?! You’ve made a lot of these lately!” “Hello Spark-Spark," Ameer said snidely. "And as you can see, we need to up our military strength, seeing as the ‘Rock’ was stolen.” “We remember,” another fairy chimed in. “We fought the thieves!” “Some of us died!” the fairies continued. “Damned robots! Kill em all!” Spark-Spark: “What number is this one?!” Ameer: “126.” A 5th fairy spoke: “Wow. Just a year ago you had less than 100!” Spark-Spark:“Toooo much!!! Tooo many!!! Conglomerate won’t approve?!” “You have permission!?!?!” the fairies kept yelling. Ameer rolled his eyes.

T.J. looked at the creatures. “These are fairies right? They’re cute!” He reached out with a finger as if to tickle one. “Heyyyyy?! Heyyyyyy?! What are you doing?! Don’t touch me!!! We’re Fae! We aren’t cute!”. They were all yelling now! “You’re not strong yet!” “We hunt dragons!! I’ll cut your head off!!!” T.J. reeled back. The Fae flew off. “Sheesh…” Ameer: “Fairies are scary, yes?” T.J.: “They aren’t in a cage?” Ameer responded ,“You haven't seen the living quarters. Very nice. Hotel quality rooms. Every channel, streaming app and movie. I take care of my employees.” T.J.: “They’re employees too?” Ameer: “It’s very hard getting magical creatures back to their realm. It’s a whole song and dance, some times literally. So I pad out Soul Forces numbers with some. Usually the more sapient ones. You’ll meet more!” T.J. looked at the man with a raised eye-brow. “They said some of them died recently?” “We had a break in. You didn’t see it on the news about 3 weeks ago?” Ameer asked. Things clicked for T.J. “Oh. OHHHH!. This ‘Rock’ is what makes me do what I do?” Ameer: “Correct. Any other questions?” TaeJean shook his head.

Ameer then spoke again. "Well I'm going to sleep. You will be staying in the mansion as well. Most of the rooms are empty, except for A, B, C, and S. Just pick whichever one. Good night." Ameer walked off. TaeJean went to the free vending machine to get a quick snack before bed, and some tooth paste and a brush, as well as body wash. He then went to the mansion himself. It wasn't a long walk. As he approached, he felt three energies. The one from the boy he met earlier, and two more he did not yet know. Based on what Ameer told him, these were his future teammates. He ate his snack, brushed his teeth and showered. He went into a deep dream filled sleep. His usual dream happened, but also another. In it he heard a voice repeating the same word: "Keshawna."

Due to being tired, he was sleeping well into midday, when all of a sudden Cherrae came knocking on his door and yelling. “Emergency! Turn the news on!!” T.J. woke up immediately and opened the door. One of Ameer's drones came in. Bending the light around it, it projected the local news channel in a round format. “Just 5 minutes ago, we confirmed a Stem attack being called in at J.D. Johnson High School…. You can see the devastation around me! There’s the smoke and flame! Witnesses said they saw what appeared to be a giant ball of lightning, similar to the one that lit up a warehouse in Atlanta about a day ago!” Suddenly on the screen a ball of lightning came flying from the direction of the school, hitting a news chopper! “Oh my goodness!!” The screen cut!

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T.J. began to get dressed . Cherrae: “Where are you going?” “To whoop his ass! Keshawna and my other classmates are in trouble! Not to mention the teachers and everyone else!” Ameer came in from the hallway: "You know the way, right?” T.J. was wrapping his durag around his head. “Yeah. South on the interstate right?” Ameer: “I have drones in the area already headed there. Not my most advanced types, but they can survey the area and run interference with his energy attacks! I can have a ship flying for you in 6 minutes, and we’d make it there pretty fast. But w both know that’ll be too long! Get to running!” T.J.: “YES SIR!!!”

Cherrae spoke up. “Take this, you might need it.” She handed him a small metallic cylinder. Ameer and T.J. both looked at her like she was crazy. Ameer spoke up. “ARE THOSE….” Cherrae responded, in an audacious matter o fact tone. “Yes, it’s Soul-Tech.” She glanced over at T.J. smiling. “It isn’t for you and you don’t necessarily have to even use it. But if it is expedient, you will find a use for it.” The boy placed the small vial in his jacket pocket, zipped it and began to move. As he headed out the door, first came the wisps of Flare around his hands, fore arms, shoulders, shins, and feet! He took off at blinding speed!

A conical drone pulled up behind TaeJean and spoke in Ameer's voice. “You’re about to do what's called a Spirit Sprint. You don’t want to be out of energy before you fight him! Keep it in Flow for now!! It’s a 30 mile trip. If you’re anything like the average Soul-Borg you should be there in 7 minutes!” “Crap. That only saves 2 minutes! Sorry about this!!” T.J. increased his Conceptual Energy Output, while compressing and concentrating the power within his entire body. The aura from his Flow, came closer to his body and was absorbed into himself. Glow. His entire being began to glow cobalt blue, both body and clothes. And there was a second color. Around the glowing blue “Y” logo on T.J.’s Play Ray jacket, came 5 more lines, and surrounding them, golden lines formed an octagon.“You’re wasting power, but I guess it can’t be helped so, I will give you a tip. At this speed you don’t swing your arms!! Put them behind your back. You’ll be aerodynamic like a car!!” T.J. listened to the barely keeping up drone. After putting his arms behind his back, he sped off.

“He will be there in 3 minutes at this point. Still, he’s probably gonna tire himself out! U.N.S.E.A is on the way too!!” Ameer said. “Why’d you give him a vial?!” Cherrae was annoyed with his tone. “Early experiences in this line of work shape responses to later stimuli. Think. He has been given a very devastating power. We don’t want him to feel powerlessness early on, and failing to protect a loved one is the ultimate form of powerlessness. In a few months time, he would be vastly stronger than he is now. Yet he would still feel powerless. You should know what that can drive a man to do. In fact you should know better than anyone! So, just in case, I gave him a potential out, and you a potential new soldier. And I hope he does not have to use it. We need no more suffering among children.” Ameer calmed down. He realized his wife was right. However, letting an inexperienced Soul-Borg walk around with an extra vial of Spirit Agitating Nanites was not a good risk to take, at all. Then he remember his original plan.

In a room in the Asian boy sat on his bed, meditating. Incense burned in his room and his goldfish aquarium continuously made the relaxing sound of flowing water. A message suddenly played on a speaker “Ryu-Tora!! Gear up, you got work to do!” It was Ameer, and it sounded urgent. The boy got dressed, putting on blue jeans and an all black hoodie, quite similar to the one TaeJean wore before the explosion. He tied his long black hair back in a pony tail. He grabbed his katana. He stepped out of his room, and a girl with long flowing red hair and freckles greeted him. In an Irish accent she said “Saw the news. You’re going to help the new kid right?” "I would assume so. I felt him leave," The Japanese boy responded. “I think I should come with you! Haven’t had any field action,” the girl said. “You’ll slow me down Siobhán, ” Ryu-Tora replied. “And you’re new as well. It’s only been a month.” Siobhán: “You’re new too!!” Ryu: “I’ve had my powers three times as long as you and Miguel.” Siobhán: “That’s not even half a year!!” Suddenly one of Ameers conical drones came it, projecting a hologram. “Ryu, hurry up!! It’s an emergency!! When I call you come!!” Ryu-Tora headed outside. Siobhán turned towards the hologram of Ameer. “And when will I get to do something?” Ameer: “Soon! Damn, you kids are impatient!” “Tcccch. Yeah whatever.” The girl walked off, headed back to her quarters.

“There you are!,” Ameer said as he saw Ryu: “So the new kids school is in danger?” Ameer: “Ah. I see Siobhán thought to inform you and not just distract you. I’m sorry I snapped on her earlier. Anyway yes. Look at this map. This is where you’re headed.” The screen showed T.J. and the location of the school. “I don’t know how strong your energy sensing is, but you should be able to find your way with both T.J. and the electric delinquent there.” “Electric?” Ryu replied. Ameer: “Yes. Easy work right? We need you to rush however. This girl here,” Ameer pointed to Keshawna on screen. “She is T.J.’s best friend. Here’s a vial, with the needle already attached. I trust you know what to do with it? T.J. already has one, but he may be in battle. Your job is to back him up, and if you see this girl critically injured, make her a Soul-Borg and bring her back here. If she is uninjured or in a survivable state, leave her be. And no matter what happens make sure you all get back here without being captured by U.N.S.E.A! Also, T.J. caused a bunch of cracks to car glass on the highway when he went running!! Can you try not to cause anymore? That’s it, now go!!”

Ryu nodded. Then instantly entered a state of Flow. He disappeared from sight, causing a burst of wind!

One of the many drones in the area showed a satellite perspective. A fast moving dot showed up on the city map. “He should be there in 1 minute! How far out is U.N.S.E.A?!” A lab attendant responded over the drones comms. “3 minutes!!” Ameer once again became frustrated. “Damn it, I should have asked for the ETA first!!” Cherrae: “It’s ok, have faith in those boys!” Ameer: “They may have magic, but their success is up to chance! Even if they aren’t captured by U.N.S.E.A, they could still be seen!” Cherrae responded “We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now let them work.”