Karen listened as Emile and Jessica laid out what everyone had worked out.  Apparently, a man named Mitchell wanted to know how to kill us – in case we didn’t follow orders.  Nice, NOT!  He also threatened Nadine’s kids and her husband, and we had to assume both were being watched. The problem we were currently having was deciding whether we should gather information, and reveal it all to the public after making sure Nadine and her family were somewhere safe – or whether we should take care of it ourselves, in house.  It was a tough decision, and by the end of dinner we were still discussing it.

 

                “I still think our second plan is the better one.”  Emile began.  “I find out who’s watching Ms. Potter’s family, and build a dossier on them, while the rest of you guys still do training as normal.  Once we know who’s involved, we move to take them out.”

 

                “I agree with you so far,” Kumar replied.  “But I am leery on the words ‘take them out.’  Do you mean kill them?”

 

                “I mean do whatever it takes to protect us, and Ms. Potter’s family.  It’s not off the table, but I was hoping that we could involve part of our first plan instead.”

               

“You mean going public?”  Jessica asked.  “I’d like to help – and I’d rather do that than have those people ‘have accidents’ – they’ll just hire more people, and Nadine’s family will suffer for it.”

 

“You give a crap about them?”  Cliff asked.

 

“Yeah, of course I give a crap about them!  What kind of person do you think I am?”  She asked in a huff.

 

Cliff was about to answer, when Mal interjected.  “Cliff, enough – we know you and Jessica aren’t big fans of each other, but this sniping isn’t helping.  Work together now and bitch later.”

 

“Good thinking.”  Dom added.

 

“Yeah, okay.”  Cliff replied, not looking very chastened.

 

“We need the dossiers I’m building to act as evidence – because I doubt Jessica’s mind reading will be admissible in court, if it comes to that.  We need to be able to show the people who need to know, who gave the order, who’s paying for the op, and who are the foot-soldiers, and if we can, find evidence of any crimes.  And before we go public with it, we need to help Ms. Potter’s family get somewhere safe.”

 

“I can do that.”  Ben chimed in.  “I can port in, grab them and take them anywhere they want to go.  Definitely somewhere safe.”

 

“Then we get the rest of us to round up the major players in one fell swoop.  Arrest them, and let the people in charge sort it out.”  Emile finished. 

 

“I think the plan will work,” Karen said, “But I think we need some minor changes.”

 

“What?”  Emile asked

 

“I think we need to sit back and do nothing for at least three to four weeks – Mitchell will be expecting Nadine to tell someone, if she is ever going to – and if we act weird in any way, anything out of the normal, he’ll assume we were told and try to hurt her family.  If we sit on this while we train – for a little while – he might be lulled into thinking his plan worked.  Sure, he might get some data on us, but let’s be realistic.  Normal people have no way of dealing with us if we go rogue.  That’s just a fact.  If they can’t have at least a feeling of security, they’ll probably rather remove us than leave us alone.  We’re security risks, plain and simple.  I would never do something like what they’re fearing – and I’ll bet neither would you guys or you wouldn’t be here.  Others might not feel the same way.”

Mal nodded.  “You’re making some sense, Karen.  Go on.”

 

“Thanks Mal.  They need their security blanket.  They need to think they can control us, while we take steps to ensure they cannot.  We can’t put false information into the file – but we can control what we show of our powers when we train.  If everyone operates at 70%-80% of what they really can do, I think we’ll leave a good margin of error to really surprise them, if needed.  Also, Emile, if you can track down where they keep the files on us, we can simply infiltrate and remove them if needed, when we take them down.”

 

“They would really kill us if they can’t control us?”  Jessica asked, looking very upset.

 

“Probably.”  Mal replied.  “A weapon you can’t control is a liability, not an asset.”

 

The rest of the team made uncomfortable sounds of upset and indignation, but we all knew Malcolm was right.  Everyone eventually nodded.

 

“So we’re agreed?  We follow Emile’s plan with Karen’s modification?”  Mal asked.

 

“Emile’s plan where we don’t murder the agents in question.”  Kumar corrected. 

 

“Understood, Kumar.”  Mal answered.

 

“Good.  Now let’s finish dinner, and try to look normal.  Thanks for facilitating this, Jessica.”

 

“My pleasure.  It’s hard – the mental link, I mean - but I think it’s getting a bit easier.  I guess I just needed practice.”

 

We all went back to eating dinner as Jessica let the mental link break, and suddenly we were all alone with our thoughts again. 

 

“Does anyone know where Pepsi is?” I asked.

 

Mal looked upset.  “She was sitting in my lap a few minutes ago?  Sorry Karen – I lost track of her while we were talking.  Want some help looking for her?”

 

I smiled.  “Yes please.  I’m sure she’s safe, but I’d like to find her soon.”

 

“If we see the little girl, we’ll holler.”  Mike replied.

 

“Thanks, guys.”  I said.  “I appreciate it.”

 

Mal and I got up to go look for Pepsi.

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

Pepsi noticed that none of mommy’s friends were watching her – and Mal had even stopped responding to her kisses with pettings!  Now is the perfect time to hide, if I want to confront Jessica!  Pepsi leapt down from Mal’s lap, where she had been sitting, and scooted across the cafeteria and out into the dorm hallways.  Jessica and Ellie’s room was easy to find, because of the odd smell of Ellie’s metal leg and arm, and she scooted under the door, just like she did in mommy’s dorm!  She looked around, and found Jessica’s room pretty quickly, and hid under her bed.  No one ever looks under the bed, she thought.  I’ll surprise her!

 

Pepsi lay down and waited a while.  Then she waited some more.  No one came.  They must still be talking to each other, she thought.  She had been linked to them too, until near the end.  Jessica was pretty tired, and let her drop from the link, but the funny thing was, Pepsi wondered if she could have stayed in the link if she tried to ‘talk’ too.  She felt like she might have a voice – if not a human voice, then a mind voice.  She was pretty sure if anyone could hear a mind voice, it would be Jessica! 

 

Suddenly, she heard sounds approaching, and heard a door open!  Ellie and Jessica returned to their dorm, and were chatting in the kitchenette.  Pepsi cocked her ears so she could listen in.

 

“That was pretty intense, Jess.  Do you think we’ll have to take out Mitchell and his people? I really don’t want to have to do that.”

 

“I don’t know.  I think Emile believes we’ll have to – and I think Malcolm might be having those thoughts – but I didn’t try to read anyone to find out.  It was hard enough just keeping us all linked.”

 

“That sucks.  I don’t want to kill people.  I want to save people.  That’s why I joined – that and the salary.”

 

“I don’t want to kill people, either.  But I didn’t want to stay at home either – and my dad told me if I wanted to move out, either I come here, or he cuts me off financially – completely.  I’m kind of ashamed I accepted for such crappy reasons.  Everyone here wants to be a hero.  I’m only here cause I don’t want to be broke, or at home.”

 

“Home a bad place?”  Ellie asked.

 

“No.  I had everything I could ever want.  No – Dad… when I emerged, he thought it was the greatest thing to ever happen to him.  He had plans about how he was going to use me to read the minds of all his business rivals and learn their secrets, by making me go peeking in their thoughts – and when I said no, he flipped his shit.  He told me either do it, go join the MRT, or get cut off.  I joined the MRT – which I think he never, ever thought I would do, because if he hadn’t given me that ultimatum, I probably never would have.  But some of dad’s friends are really creepy – and I didn’t want to see their thoughts.”

 

“Couldn’t you mind whammy him into thinking you were fine staying at home?  It might have been simpler – if a little skeevy.”

 

Jessica looked a little ashamed.  “I tried.  It didn’t work.  None of my abilities work on my Dad.  I don’t know why.  I feel like I should be getting a ‘so disappointed in you’ look from Mal or Karen right now, for doing it, but I did try.  All of you guys, you’re heroes.  I’m just a spoiled bitch who didn’t get her way and pitched a tantrum.  I don’t deserve to be here.”  Tears started falling down Jessica’s face, and she headed to her room.

 

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Jess!”  Ellie called.

 

“You didn’t, Ellie.  It was just me.”  Jessica went into her room, and closed the door.  She flopped on the bed, and cried for a moment – then calmed herself.

 

“Who’s there?”  She asked.

 

Did she see me? Pepsi thought.  Oh no!  Should I keep hiding?

 

“I can sense you.  Under the bed.”  Jessica said, sitting up.  “Pepsi?  Is that you?”

 

Dammit! I’m caught again!  Pepsi cursed, meowing.  She crawled out from under the bed, and mewed at Jessica.  I came to talk, she tried to say with her mouth, but only mews came out.  She tried again with her mind voice.  *I wanted to talk to you.*  It was tiring, but she think Jess heard her.

 

“Holy shit!”  Jessica exclaimed.  *Hi, kitty.  What are you doing here?*

 

*At first I was mad, cause you made mommy cry.  Then mommy told me to leave you alone.  I just want to know why you made her cry.  Why did you hurt her?*

 

*I… I was hurting a lot myself, Pepsi.  I was being a bitch and wallowing in self pity, and did a shitty thing, thinking if I pissed her off, she’d leave me alone – and I would be all alone, like I thought I deserved to be.*  Jessica looked very sad relating this.  *I was a real spoiled bitch before I emerged, and now I know how everyone really thinks about me, and I can’t fool myself that people like me.  I’m a giant cunt to everyone, and everyone hates me with good reason.  At least, that’s how I felt.  I want to have friends.  I don’t want to be a bitch, but how can I stop being me?  How can I change everything I have been?*

 

*Duh.* Pepsi said.  *You make a choice.  You say ‘I’m not going to be mean anymore.’ – and you do it.  You stop being mean, and you start trying to be nice as much as you can.  You decide to not make people cry, and instead make them smile.  And if you can’t make them smile, you can at least not make them cry.  If you do that, I think everyone will see who you are becoming and you’ll have the friends you want.*

 

“It’s not that easy.”  Jessica said, crying a little.  “I’m not like Karen.”

 

*Mommy wasn’t always like she is now.  She decided to try and live better than she had, and she worked at it really hard.  She cried a lot too, and she failed a lot too – but she kept trying.  You just need to keep trying too.*  Pepsi nuzzled Jessica’s leg, and gave her a Headbutt of Protection.  *You hurt mommy cause you were hurting too.  If mommy knew, she’d try to be your friend even harder.*

 

“I don’t want pity friends!” Jessica exclaimed. 

 

*It wouldn’t be.  She honestly would want to help you.  Can I help you?*  Pepsi kissed Jessica’s foot, above the ankle strap.  *I give good cuddles.*

 

*Why would you want to help me?* Jessica asked.

 

*Because I don’t like it when people cry.  There’s been too much crying already.  I want people happy.*

 

“I don’t like crying either, Pepsi.”  Jess whispered.  “I could try being a friend.”

 

*Good.  Now we’re friends!*  Pepsi thought, and jumped onto Jessica’s bed.  *Just promise you try to be nice instead of mean.  I think it will help you.*

 

*I’ll try.*  Jessica replied, smiling.  *Can I pet you?*

 

*Yeah!*  Pepsi rolled over on her back and showed Jessica her belly. 

 

A few minutes later, Jessica discovered Pepsi’s murder button, and yelled in pain!  “Ouch!  Pepsi!”

 

*Sorry, Jessica.  I couldn’t help myself.  I’m sorry.*  Pepsi thought.  Maybe sorry-not sorry a little too, she thought to herself. 

 

“Argh!  I think I need a band-aid!”  Jess got up and went to her bathroom to bandage her cat scratch, leaving Pepsi alone for a moment, basking in satisfaction on the bed.

 

Finally!  Someone touched my Murder Button!  Pepsi gloated.  I might be her friend, but I didn’t say I forgot how she hurt mommy.  Now we’re even!

 

Jessica came back in the room, wearing a new addition – a Snoopy and Woodstock bandaid on one of her fingers.  “You did this, you little monster.”  Jess said, smiling.

 

*Yup. Sorry.  Can I go home to mommy.  All this talking makes my head hurt.*

 

“It makes my head hurt too sometimes, Pepsi.  Sure, I’ll give you a lift home, if you promise not to claw me again.”

 

*Deal.*  Pepsi curled up in a ball, and waited for Jessica to gently pick her up. 

 

Jess sighed.  My only friend is a cat who talks, she thought.  I guess that’s one more friend than I had yesterday.  I guess that’s a win.  She gently picked up Pepsi, and started to take her back to Karen’s dorm.