Freya was the first to regain the power of speech. "Beloved," she said, shakily climbing out of her lawn chair. Her hand was gently extended in a warding expression towards Connor, as if he was a bomb ready to go off at the slightest touch. "Are you well?"

The young man's brow crinkled with visible confusion. "Of course I am." He examined himself, appreciatively flexing an arm. With a smile, he added, "I've never felt better!"

He turned to Dan, resuming his confident stance. "Let's keep going, Newman. I promised you an ass-kicking and I plan to deliver!"

He hadn't, actually, but Dan felt that now wasn't really the time to mention it. Not when Connor was crossingthedistanceBLINK!

Dan reappeared across the yard, both hands held high. "Woah there, buddy!" he called. "

Connor reoriented himself toward's Dan's voice, turning on a dime. It was rather similar to Abby's method of sparring with him, but rather than kicking up huge clods of dirt when breaking his momentum, he seemed to instantly redirect himself. The change was so sudden that Connor was caught off-guard, stumbling forward, nearly falling, as his inertia radically shifted directions.

He caught himself, barely, but fell out of his batttle stance with a confused look. Holding both hands before himself, he muttered, "The hell...?"

"Yeah, that's what we were saying," Dan acknowledged, taking several cautious steps towards his bewildered friend.

"I don't understand," Connor stated, sounding a little lost. "What just happened?"

"You've incarnated a power. You're a natural." Abby's voice cut through the confusion with iron-clad certainty.

"That's not possible." Freya's denial was immediate. Something closely resembling panic crossed over her face, the first time Dan had ever seen her composure break in all the time he'd known her.

"I'm sorry, but that seems to be the only explanation," Abby said carefully, comfortingly. "You saw it yourself. What else could it be?"

"It could've been a trick of the eye!" Freya exclaimed. "Just an optical illusion!"

"Caused by what?" Dan interposed. He gestured to his yard. "It's not like I've set up any mirrors beforehand." He could somewhat understand why she was so deeply in denial, even if he thought she was being hysterical about it. There was a significant social stigma towards Naturals, but surely, after meeting Gregoir, Freya should know that at least some of that dark reputation was overblown.

Freya's mouth opened and closed as she flailed for a plausible excuse.

"I'm a Natural."

Connor's admission made her mouth shut with a click of her perfect teeth. She turned to him, jaw tensing and eyes wild.

"I can feel it, Freya," he continued, still staring at his hands. He slowly tightened them into fists. "I can feel it, inside my limbs. Something... new. Like a muscle I've only just noticed."

She shook her head, her hair whipping back and forth at the motion. "It's not possible."

"It is," Connor denied, his gaze falling on her. He smiled sadly. "I was at the mercy of a mad scientist for hours. Who knows what might have been done to me."

At this, Dan interjected, "You weren't looked at by anyone?"

"I was examined by paramedics," Connor said, keeping that small, sad smile on his face. "Anything beyond that would have placed my family in a difficult position. My identity was never leaked, despite the kidnapping. Officer Gregoir saw to that. But a trip to a specialist might have alerted someone. People would start asking questions. It would be an embarrassment."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"That's—" insane, was what he wanted to say, but there were some things that Dan felt he didn't have the right to comment on as a spectator. A person's family was one of those things. He settled for a simple, "I see."

"That was weeks ago!" Freya picked up right where she had left off, stuck in a state of denial. "Most Naturals incarnated within minutes of exposure! The records are very clear about that!"

"Long incubation periods are not unheard of from victims of artificial exposure," Abby stated quietly.

Freya just continued shaking her head, closing the distance to Connor and wrapping him in a tight embrace. They whispered to each other, their words rapid and hushed.

Dan sidled alongside Abby, quietly asking, "Why is she so afraid?"

Abby turned to him, her own anxiety carefully hidden. "We mentioned it earlier, Danny. Artificial exposure tends to be unstable. No one has ever really made a proper cosmic generator. The Naturals that are produced tend to have powers that are... difficult to handle. Dangerous. To themselves and others."

Dan frowned. "Gregoir seems fine."

"He's the exception, not the rule," Abby whispered, leaning into him. Dan idly wrapped his arm around her waist, the pair of them keeping a respectful distance as their friends slowly rebuilt their composure.

"Think about it," she continued under her breath. "Gregoir's been an officer for over a decade, but hasn't advanced at all in rank. He clearly has the combat capability to be on a SPEAR Team, but instead he drives a squad car without a partner."

Dan hadn't ever thought about it that way. It recast some of the pitying looks people were giving him before his ride-along in a new, unpleasant light.

"That's not right."

"It is what it is," Abby replied with a shrug. "It's not nice, but there's a legitimate need for caution when dealing with Naturals of any kind. At least at first. Even grandma would agree with that. Besides, you've seen for yourself how much leeway he's given. I don't think he is mistreated."

"Just limited. He can only rise so high," Dan completed her thought. "Politics." He sneered at the word. It felt like Gregoir was a show dog, a charity case. The token Natural. It made his skin crawl.

Abby ran her hand across his own. "Don't get angry at something you can't control, Danny. Not now, at least." She nodded across the yard. "Our friends need us."

With a nod of agreement, he made his way to Connor and Freya. The pair looked up at his approach. Connor, paradoxically, looked miserable yet optimistic about his sudden change of circumstance.

"So what's the verdict?" Dan asked, coming to a stop beside them.

"I'll need to consult my family," Connor said with a grimace. "My father will likely want to concoct some kind of cover—" He paused, and the unpleasant expression on his face deepened. "I probably shouldn't finish that sentence."

By all means, finish it, Dan thought. Maybe Connor's dad could recommend a decent hacker. Dan was in the market for a new identity.

Connor suddenly laughed. "It seems that I won't be needing your assistance after all," he said, wiping a finger at the corner of his eye. "I was hoping for advice on what upgrade I should choose. That clearly won't be an issue anymore."

"I can still help," Dan offered. Thinking back to his first days with his power, he added, "If you want, we can test out what you can do."

Connor reeled back, aghast. "I realize you have no experience with natural powers, Newman"—Abby turned an incredibly inappropriate laugh into a coughing fit—"but that is hideously unsafe!" He gestured towards himself. "The only reason I'm even allowing you to approach, is that I can feel my power, within myself. It's not active at present, and I'm unwilling to change that until I'm in an appropriate environment. Who knows what might happen!"

Dan frowned at Connor's words. "It's a part of you, now. That isn't gonna change. You can't be afraid of it."

Connor flushed red, and opened his mouth, but Abby beat him to the punch.

"Not the time, Danny," she said, pulling him backwards. "Really not the time."

"Ah." Dan winced at his own presumptuousness. She was right, of course. Nothing he said would matter to Graham right now. Not while this experience was fresh. Not while he was tarnished by his culture's fear and his family's shame. He had spoken out of concern, trying to pass along the lessons he'd learned with his own power, but that wasn't what the boy needed to hear.

"What I meant to say, was that I'm sure your family will help you safely explore your powers," Dan amended. "You were using them against me instinctively, and I'm just fine. I'm sure it won't take you long at all to get used to them, and back to form."

Connor perked up at that. "You're right, Newman. Obviously, my genius extends to more than schoolwork."

"Sure." That was one way of interpreting it. He was glad the younger man was still capable of being himself, though, despite everything that had happened. It was a refreshing change from the doom and gloom and worry that had overtaken the little gathering.

He was still concerned, though, as was Abby, which was why she asked if Connor was safe to drive home.

"Probably not," he admitted. "I'm unsure as to how this power will react when I'm moving at high speeds. It's probably best not to test that while on the freeway, nor with Freya beside me."

It was actually an excellent point, which lead to another, vigorous round of debate of what exactly to do next. Ideas flew by freely, names were thrown out, everyone from Gregoir to Anastasia, until finally a solution was settled upon.

Calls were made, words were exchanged, and once again Dan found himself hosting an unwelcome visitor in his house. This time, in the form of Connor's Uncle, SPEAR Team leader Cornelius Graham.

Joy.