The New Age - And I Say Rock On

[Asarasa]

"West coast living really agreed with me," Sean countered with a grin for the tiny, spritely young woman. Tiny! She's barely shorter than I was just four days ago. Ten years younger than him, Abel, and Sara, Shannon had barely registered to him as a person back then, just Abel's baby sister, but she seemed to have grown up into a fine young woman. "Don't worry, though, not everybody finishes most of their growing during their school years."

 

Shannon stared up at the statuesque woman her brother's weird friend had become. Sure, there was some envy for the incredible curves, ludicrously long legs, and the elegant cheekbones that any supermodel would wish for, but she figured they must be more trouble than they were worth. "Must be hell finding clothes."

Sean chuckled. "That's going to be true. But knowing how to sew helps."

Sean stared with the others at the passing helicopters, organic resources shifting from audio to visual enhancement. He caught the designations on three of the helicopters, but only two faces. Neither was Teagan. Designations were definitely not those of Taylor AFS. He wasn't up on everything military, but it didn't take a genius to infer the lettering on the helicopters indicated they were from Malmstrom AFB. His eyes went from the helicopters to the horizon, picturing what was in their direction as he looked for any signs of smoke or dust.

"I wonder why birds from Malmstrom are heading towards Taylor?"

 

With atmospheric disturbances causing chaos with communications, and potential satellite downings from the shattering of the Visitor, Sean expected they would be seeing a lot more aircraft overhead taking up the slack from the lack of satellite imagery. From what he had seen in Vancouver and Seattle, along with his travel to Shelly, a conservative estimation of the death toll was at least ten million. Worse case could quadruple that. And that was just from the impacts. The aftermath, with interruptions to infrastructure, emergency responders, medical services, and food and water, could easily double those numbers.

Population displacement could be ten times as high. Much of that would end up being permanent. Most of Seattle would never be resettled. Sean recalled all the refugees he'd seen in Shelly, and on the way there. Montana had the space to accommodate a large number of new residents. What it was lacking was the housing and infrastructure.

He had seen the Visitor falling and knew the world would be changing. But despite what he had endured in Shelly, a part of him had hoped it would be unchanged, escaping the destructing and keeping the bucolic perfection of the past that hadn't actually existed. Sean had seen some of that, sleeves rolled up, the determined set of jaw to rebuild, but Shelly wasn't going to escape changing either, perhaps changing as much as he or Sara or Abel had. Hopefully, Shelly - and they - would retain the core of what they were.

He was glad to have found Sara and Abel here.

"They're going to have to mobilize the army corps of engineers as soon as possible, along with as many servicemen as they can. They're going to need a lot of temporary shelter and associated infrastructure before any real rebuilding can start. And they need to get communications up and running as soon as possible. Lack of information could end up as dangerous as the Visitor in the aftermath."

A faint frown crossed Sean's lips as he located every power station he could recall from working at the DoE as a pen-tester. They had emergency shut-down protocols in place for natural disasters. But one on this scale was unprecedented. Coal and gas could be problematic. But major hydro-electric dams or a nuclear meltdown would have much greater and long term effects. Is the government checking on them? Can I - we - do help? Can't stop a collapsing dam, but I'm pretty sure I could safely shutdown a reactor.

Edited September 23 by Asarasa

[Shameless]

"Who knows really? Or perhaps some of the wildlife like what we've already encountered.  Though the only way they'd know is if they encountered some of their own already, what with the cell networks all shut down"  Abel answered, in a half joking whisper.   "Looks like they're heading to the base."
 

Of course his parents had known he was okay, though he'd not been by since that first night, and in the end only his sister had actually seen him.   Still, the fact they were okay was a great relief for him.   "I'm glad you're all okay too."
 

He looked to Sean.  "Do you think that while Mom and dad are at work, Shannon can stay with your family Sean?  So far nothing bad has happened, but I know it would help my parents' peace of mind.  I know school is currently suspended, and who knows when it will come back."
 

At his question and comment both of Abel and Shannon's parents nodded.  "If it isn't too much trouble, that would take a load off our minds."
 

Abel looked to his dad.  "I wanted to borrow your truck dad, since the car's back too.  Mine is pretty much a write off, and I need a vehicle to keep doing my job."
 

His father nodded, "Of course, Abel, just try not to let this one get blown up.  Tank's full, return it that way if you can."  The joke made Abel smile, and of course the familiar comment about returning it how he got it just made his grin bigger.  It was something Sean had heard more than once growing up, before Abel had his own vehicle, but had his license.  Abel had been the driver for alot of their excursions back then.
 

Abel shrugged his broad shoulders.  "Okay Dad."
 

After getting the keys from his dad, he turned to Sean and Sarah. The Truck in question was a Grey Ford F-350 Lariat 4WD.  Abel had jokingly called it a Land yacht more than once.  "If you want Sean, we can switch to the Truck, better to Accommodate all three of us.  You can park your car here in the garage and we can come back later for it."   
 

It was clear Abel thought it best for the three Altered to stay together, at least for now.

Edited September 23 by Shameless

[Asarasa]

Sean thought it was silly that they were worried about leaving an eighteen year old woman alone. But then, there had been the altered coyote. And Shelly did have an influx of desperate people in a desperate situation. It could easily lead to desperate actions.

"Shannon drive?" Sean asked Abel. Nearly every kid in Shelly got their permit as soon as they could, but it was best to be sure. Abel nodded, then Sean lowered his voice, barely audible such that only Abel and Sara could hear it. "And does she know about you? Us?"

 

"I've told my parents some of it, about me," Abel replied in the same volume.

"Well, up to you what you want to reveal, but Shannon's going to suspect something's up. Mom looks like she could be in the same grade as your sister, or the year before. I don't think she'll mind, but I better give her a head's up." Sean looked over to Abel's parents, raising his voice to normal volume. "Jameson, Denise, do you mind if I use your phone to tell my mother to expect company? Dad and Chad are out helping neighbors rebuild or at least setting up temporary fixes, but mom will be home looking after my niece."

Abel's parents gave a start at being addressed by their names, but the woman before them was an adult now, not the feminine adolescent boy they remembered. Denise waved a hand. "Of course not, Sean. Please, and we are very grateful."

Sean stepped back in the house and used the landline. His mom was hesitant at first, but Sean pointed out that she would be able to hide her changes forever and this was a low-stakes situation. And Carolyn was a mother too. Her three children might be exceedingly competent to look after themselves, but she remembered her worry for Sean when he had left at sixteen. She agreed as Sean knew she would.

 

"All set. Catch!" Sean called as he stepped back out of the house, underhanding his keys to Shannon. She bobbled them for a second, but didn't drop them. Sean gave her concise directions to the Cassidy residence, where it had lain in one manner or another since Shelly was founded. "I'll get your bro to drop me off and pick you up later. And if you would, keep quiet about what you see there, Shannon?"

"Whuh?" Shannon said, puzzled, her eyes going from the garish Civic to very tall, implausible man-woman.

"I'm not the only who's changed some since the last time you've seen them."

That didn't make much sense to Shannon, but Sean said it in such a tone that she didn't down her. "I... won't?"

"Thanks, Shannon. Don't scratch the paint. I just got that obnoxious car." Sean rejoined Abel and Sara by the big grey Ford. "Do you guys mind swinging 'round Taylor AFS before getting to your errands? I'm curious 'bout the copters, and Teag hasn't been home since the sky fell. Harder to blow us off in person, I figure."

A small smirk tugged at Sean's lips, and his vivid turquoise eyes sparkled. That was a ridiculous understatement. This Sean was impossible to dismiss out of hand and he seemed well aware of it.

[Shameless]

Abel couldn't help but laugh at Sean's comment, which was good because it was hard not to stare. "No, nobody is ever going to blow you off Sean."   He hugged his parents again and looked to Sean.  "Yeah, I'm good with checking out the base, especially since you haven't heard from your sister."   He couldn't deny wanting to check on family, and figured Sarah wouldn't mind it much either.

"Who knows, we might get a little more information about what's going on  in the wider world this way."   Truth be told he knew he could simply go check.  He was certainly fast enough, but at the same time it was going to raise issues if he was seen going full out, so he was playing it safe.  

 

[Nina]

The trio said their farewells and hopped into the Ford F-350 Lariat, with Abel taking the driver's seat and Sean riding shotgun. Sara crawled into the back seat and stared out the window as they started driving.

 

Before they had even gotten to the end of the driveway, Sara leaned up over the front seatback, her voice hesitant. "I don't know if going to the airstation is a good idea."

 

Sean looked back at Sara while Abel watched her through the rearview mirror. "Why not?" he asked, curious about her sudden change of heart.

 

"I just have a bad feeling about it," Sara replied, her unease palpable.

 

Abel pulled over to the side of the road and turned to face Sara. "What do you mean by that? Is there something you're not telling us?"

 

Sara hesitated before finally admitting, "Abel, people saw us, Sean even worked for them, this is the government.” She sat back and raised her hands and balled them into tight fist. Almost immediately they began to glow with a Bluish-red aura flickering like an intense flame. “We are not normal anymore and just I don't think it's safe for us to go there right now."

 

Abel's eyes widened as he watched the flickering aura surrounding Sara's hands. He hadn’t seen her powers manifest before and was shocked at the display. Sean, too, was surprised by the sudden display of power, but he remained calm.

 

"Sara, it's okay," Sean said gently, reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder. "We'll figure this out together. You're not alone in this."

 

Abel nodded in agreement. "We'll find a way to keep you safe, Sara. Maybe it's best if we avoid the airstation for now. We can come up with another plan."

 

Sara took a deep breath, willing the glowing aura to fade away as she unclenched her fists. "I'm sorry, I just... I'm still trying to understand these new abilities and what they mean for us."

 

"It's okay," Sean reassured her. "We're all in this together."

 

Abel started up the truck again and turned it around, heading back into town.

[SalmonMax]

On 9/22/2024 at 2:23 AM, SalmonMax said:

Roach at Home

 

...

 

Everything happened at once.

 

"LET GO OF ME!"

 

Roach reacted on instinct. A raw, elemental desire for this guy to get away from her.  She looked away from his face to her arm where he was holding her. For once not planning, not sensing, not thinking...but just feeling overwhelming revulsion and a dawning fear. A fear that rebounded into a flash of anger.

 

Then he let her go. There was a startled hup sound and his hand yanked back away from her. Then a crash. A loud crash, like a car had hit the wall. At the same time a wave of dizziness washed over her. She lifted her eyes back forward and her stomach twisted, knotted in her gut. This guy who had grabbed her, assaulted her, was slumped against the refrigerator. The door behind him was dented inward slightly. His eyes were half open, unseeing, and as Roach watched he fell forward bonelessly into a heap on the kitchen linoleum floor.

 

She'd done this. It was nonsensical but the knowledge was there in her head, inarguable. It was true, but how? Fighting her stomach, Roach made her way to that thing that had always confused her about her dad. His love of old things, old technology that had been commonplace when he was young. Classic cars. Cassette tapes and records.

 

And landlines. Oh, he had a cellphone too, but perched on the little breakfast bar between kitchen and dining area was what he called 'the banana phone,' after its slightly curved handset, and yellowish color. Still there after these years.

 

She picked up the handset and was greeted by the buzz of a dialtone. Carefully she stabbed 9, 1 and 1 with a shaking finger.

 

I didn't kill him I didn't kill him I didn't kill him was running through her head, and the slight movement of his breathing confirmed that diagnosis...but he looked bad.

 

Her mind kept poking at the hole too. The hole in her memory or perception where she'd done whatever she'd done. Rochelle was more focused on that than talking to the dispatcher that picked up. She told him the address, that a man was injured and unconscious in the kitchen after attacking her. Breathing. Blunt trauma injury. But under the hole was a memory that felt like it was from a dream. She'd had a dream like this in fact. A confusing, phantasmagorical dream of being sandwiched in fluctuating fields of energy. Awake now, and aware, the vague visual metaphor she made for it was that moment in the movie The Matrix, when the main character was able to see the 'truth' of his virtual world; seeing it as a construct of computer code all around him instead of as a construct of light and substance.

 

This was like that. Her perception of that invisible world thrummed on under her threshold of consciousness...but she found she could dig it up if she tried. It was dizzying and confusing; a world of chaos. Both too large and too small to make sense out of. But on opening herself to it, she could adjust it. Create new interactions, or...maybe just 'encourage' existing ones to suit her design. What the fuck did all this even mean?

 

The paramedics arrived.

 

She went with them to the hospital, still dazed.

 

=======------------=======

 

Roach was at the hospital for about twenty minutes before her uncle got there. She'd given the staff his number as contact info, given that her dad wasn't at home and the only lead she had on him was that he might be staying at his brother's house. Then there'd been a medical exam which had determined, to no surprise, that she was fine.

 

Arthur McKendrick was taller than her dad, slimmer across the shoulders but a bit more generous in his midsection. He had thinning dark brown hair and piercing hazel eyes. When he came in a nurse was leading him, smiling at him. He had his charm turned on, easygoing, confident and effortlessly sincere. It was how he'd done so well selling cars for a living. He thanked her graciously and sent her on her way. When Arthur turned back into the room to face Rochelle, his smile had faded just a little. Still friendly, but no longer playing parasocial games.

 

"Rochelle," he said. "Thank God you're all right. Your dad's been out of his mind with worrying."

 

Roach couldn't not pull that apart as she heard it. "Where is he then? Why didn't he come?"

 

He winced just slightly and sat down on the bed. "I convinced him not to. He's just taken his medication, and he'll need to take it easy for a little while. And we're just a few minutes away so he wouldn't gain much time coming himself." There was just a moment's pause, and he stepped in to shift the subject. "Your mom..."

 

Now it was her turn to grimace slightly. Roach looked away and shook her head, not responding.

 

"Shit. I'm sorry, kiddo. She deserved better. You both did." Arthur sucked a breath in, like he was imagining taking a drag on a cigarette he didn't have. "Fucking meteors. Right when things are coming together, you think you're safe...rocks from space."

 

He looked at her with concern. "How are you holding up?"

 

Roach was quiet, then asked, "How did you know I was coming?"

 

Her uncle lifted an eyebrow. "Huh?"

 

"You had your...employee...watching dad's house. I assume because you expected me and mom to show up there. Where else would we go? But that means..."

 

"Heh, don't overheat. What it means is that I hoped. I didn't know anything, but I hoped that you two pulled through. When the first trains started rolling in, I had people watching the station...but that was a no go. Too big a mess, too many people. So I put someone at his place, figuring that'd make finding you much easier."

 

Rochelle watched him carefully. She was noticing more these days, MUCH more, but her uncle was a slick talker. She wasn't sure she'd be able to tell if he was lying, or being evasive. But his reasoning was sound.

 

"What was his deal anyway? Why was he in dad's place?"

 

Arthur shook his head. "No idea. And believe me, once I get you home I'm coming back out here to ask him that myself. His instructions were very clear. Keep a watch out for you, and/or your mom. That's it."

 

She absorbed that and looked away. It was a perfectly reasonable statement that matched all the available facts. But it felt weird thinking that he'd just casually disobeyed Arthur's orders and robbed her dad's place. Was that even what he'd been doing? Stealing things? He hadn't been carrying anything like a sack or container. Maybe just freeloading? What was the point of that though? It wasn't like her dad lived a life of luxury.

 

Her uncle hesitated, then said, "Hey. You used to work with your dad in the garage right?"

 

Roach glanced back at him and nodded.

 

"You think you could help me out with something? I've been running the place while he's...recovering, and there's a bit of a rough spot I hit. You can come with me to the lot tomorrow, and we'll go to the garage after lunch. It won't take long. Besides, it'll give you a chance to meet the staff, see the place again. Been awhile, right?" He grinned.

 

Once again, a vague feeling that something felt off washed over her, like a cloud over the moon. Again, nothing super weird about the request.  Just felt a little off. And she wanted to know why.

 

"Sure," Roach agreed. Then she added, "I'm...sorry, I'm not very talky right now. It's been kind of a hell of a day. Your...uh...your guy there. He going to be okay?"

 

The question made a little ball of dread knot up in her belly, but her uncle just smiled and waved a hand placatingly.

 

"Yeah, he'll be fine. No broken bones or anything, just a doozy of a concussion. They're going to keep him under observation overnight. Not gonna lie, I'm more than a little curious about how you messed him up like that."

 

Rochelle improvised quickly. "It wasn't entirely me. When he grabbed me I dropped the jar I took out of the fridge. I didn't even see it'd rolled behind him, but when I pushed him away he stepped right on it and..." She gestured, smacking one hand into the other.

 

Arthur nodded, looking fascinated. "Well shit. Physics and karma, working together. I, uh...I saw the police report you filled out. Goes without saying his ass is grass, just so you know. And if he took anything, rest assured I will find out and get it back."

 

On that, Roach was abruptly certain he was being completely serious, but that weird aura persisted. That he was being truthful, but that there were hidden levels of truth to what he was saying.

 

He offered a hand to help her up, and she stood up without taking it. "Ready to go?" he asked jovially. "He's gonna be out of his mind with relief on seeing you."

 

They went out of the examination room together to check her out and head to the parking lot.

 

A long day indeed.

[Nina]

Abel, Sean, and Sara arrived at the hardware store in Abel's father's pick-up truck. As they queued up in line, people couldn't help but stare at Abel, barely giving any attention to Sean and Sara. Although no one said anything directly, there were whispers among the townspeople. It seemed that almost everyone had heard about how Abel had saved people like a superhero, and those who hadn't heard were quickly informed. One by one, the townsfolk stepped aside to allow Abel and his two female companions to go ahead of them. Some shook his hand as he walked past, while others reached out to touch his arm, shoulder, or back in awe.

 

They quickly shopped inside the store, aware of the continued stares from the other customers. When they went to pay, Henry, the long-time proprietor, was hesitant to accept their payment. After loading their purchases into the truck, they pulled away and drove a few blocks before stopping on the side of the street.

 

"That was strange," Sean said, looking at his longtime friend Abel. "I've gotten used to people staring at me now, but those people didn't even acknowledge me."

 

Sara sat in the back silently.

 

Abel opened his mouth to say something but shook his head and put the truck into gear, driving back to his trailer. It only took them a few minutes to unload with Abel and Sara carrying heavy weights that seemed impossible for their size. Once finished, Abel covered everything with a tarp and headed back to the truck.

 

"I don't want to keep the truck; my dad might need it. I'm going to McKendrick's to see if they have anything useful on the lot. I can drive you to your parents' place first if you want, Sean."

 

Sean looked from Abel to Sara and felt a tension in the air. He shook his head and replied, "No, I'll come with you. I want to see if there's anything there better than that little thing I have been driving."

 

The three got back into the truck and drove back into town.

 

 

As they pulled into McKendrick's Auto Emporium, Sean couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. The family-owned dealership had first opened in 1952 as a Ford dealership, and for the next two decades, it was the go-to place for people looking to buy their trucks or cars in northern Montana.

 

In the late 1970s, however, the gas crisis and economic downturn took its toll on the business, and the dealership was forced to shut its doors. But in the early 1980s, it made a comeback, not as a Ford dealership but as a used car dealer. It seemed like a better fit for the struggling economy of the area.

 

Exiting Abel's truck, Sean took a moment to survey the lot filled with aged yet impeccably kept vehicles. He noticed Arthur McKendrick, the third generation proprietor, making his way towards them. Sara joined Sean as they stood beside the truck, while Abel rounded the front of the vehicle.

 

"Abel! Good to see you back at McKendrick's," Arthur greeted them with a warm smile, his eyes twinkling with familiarity.

 

Abel returned the smile, his usual easy charm on full display. "Hello Mr. McKendrick."

 

Arthur's gaze shifted to Sean and Sara, his eyes widening imperceptibly before returning to their usual friendliness. "Well, you know you're always welcome here. And who might this lovely young lady be?" he asked, extending a hand towards Sean.

 

“Sean Cassidy,” Abel said, “the Cassidy’s son.”

 

Arthur’s grin twitched, but he shook Seans hand firmly. "Nice to meet you, Sean. I'm Arthur McKendrick," he replied, his tone polite but with a hint of curiosity. He then turned his attention to Sara, who had stayed quiet by Sean's side. "Sara Hutchins…” He said barely hiding his distaste. Arthur nodded, his expression thoughtful as he looked at the trio. "Well, welcome back to McKendrick’s Auto Emporium. It's good to see Abel bringing some visitors around here." He gestured towards the lot of vehicles. "Feel free to look around and let me know if anything catches your eye."

 

With that, Arthur excused himself to attend to other customers, leaving the trio alone to browse the selection of cars and trucks.

 

As Sean, Sara, and Abel roamed through the rows of vehicles, Sean couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air ever since they had been at Abel’s trailer. Sara walked close to Sean, her eyes scanning the cars meticulously.

 

"So, what are we looking for?" Sara asked, breaking the tense silence between them.

 

Abel shrugged. "Just browsing, really. I need a reliable truck.”

 

As they inspected what was up for sale, a young girl came out of the garage across the street and watched them for a couple of minutes before crossing the street and approaching them.

[Shameless]

Abel for his part, was looking at the trucks, knowing that his cover was pretty well blown.  He'd outed himself by helping people the way he had, but he couldn't really feel regret for it.   They'd needed help, and his potential future discomfort weighed against a life, well that was an easy decision to make.   For the first time in a long while, he'd felt a sense of accomplishment, validation for how he lived, after the divorce and coming home.   The way the people had reacted had felt strange, he didn't do what he did for accolades, but because he thought it right.  It didn't necessarily feel bad, but he wasn't used to it.  He'd been polite when around everyone, much as he'd always been, but inside, it was fair to say it had weirded him out.   

He'd found another Ford truck, but not the same as his Father's.  He called over to Sarah, and Sean.  "What do you think about this one? It's a 2014 F150 extended cab, V8, 4WD, 68k miles. Looks like it will meet all the needs I've got..."  It was then that he noticed someone, a younger woman, was watching them from across the street.  He didn't really do anything to indicate he'd noticed, but since she was coming to them, he figured they'd find out what was up soon enough.

Edited September 27 by Shameless

[Asarasa]

Perusing the vehicles, Sean reflected on the changes in himself. Not the purely physical ones, of which he was entirely too much aware, but the psychological ones. His physical and mental capabilities had been dialed up to twelve, but it appeared in several ways, so had personality and psychological traits. There was a physiological component to his increased libido and the unreasoning rage at seeing the woman being attack, but that was only part of it. Before, he had drawn attention most of the time, but now he enjoyed it. 

Sean was incredibly strong. He hadn't found out his precise limits yet, but rough calculations suggested he could quadruple weightlifting world records. But strength of that caliber was still on a human scale. Sara and Abel were orders of magnitude stronger. Sean wasn't jealous, he'd gotten hard and watched with open admiration as how easily they had unloaded the truck. On the other hand, he'd been... irritated at practically being ignored at the hardware store when the other customers had gawked at Abel.

He had started therapy at thirteen and had continued for ten years afterward. It seemed he'd have to be his own therapist now and engage in rigorous self-analysis to understand how he - and perhaps others who have been altered as well, like Sara and Abel - were changing, in the psychological arena, and work at mitigating any negative attributes that arose.

"Looks like a good find," Sean commented as a faint frown flickered across his lips as he glanced at Arthur McKendrick's retreating back.

 

Very few reacted so... blasé when finding out he was a man, even less now, despite him being a foot taller and much more athletically built. It was even rarer here in Montana, compared to, say, California, especially in someone who appeared to have an issue with Sara's orientation. The threads of tension and suspicion were building, but the tapestry hadn't resolved yet.

"I had an electric Mustang I liked, but it got totaled in the flood. That Civic I have is such a dudebro's car, but what I could get on short notice." Sean cocked a hip, drawing attention to his long and strong legs. "I need something with more leg room. And if I'm gonna be back here for a while, I'd like something with more ground clearance and cargo room." His lips twitched in a grin at the practical and pleasurable uses for the extra space. He had ideas about possible modifications too, and a larger base would help in installing them. "A SUV or a truck, I suppose. Electric would be nice, but isn't necessary, and I doubt I'll find a Rivian here. Hope I can get a good deal on trading in the Civic."

Moving down the line of vehicles, Sean caught sight of the girl coming across the street from the garage. He hadn't seen her before, but there was something vaguely familiar about her. He hadn't gotten his first car at the McKendrick Auto Emporium - he'd gotten his Grand Cherokee Trailhawk at a police auction in Helena - but had been by the garage a few times as an adolescent with his dad. He'd seen a little girl there once or twice. This young woman could be that girl twelve or thirteen years older, and held a familial resemblance to McKendrick.

The young woman had the look and manner of a refugee, but her gait suggested she'd resided in Shelly before. Sean had gotten good at reading body language - a necessity when deciding what and when to reveal about himself where it could be dangerous to do so - and was much better now. There was something about the set of her slight shoulders, the brightness of her eyes that suggested the young woman was dealing with more than just the loss and great catastrophe everyone had to endure.

As was Sara. He'd been sensing something since the trailer, and he didn't think it was just distrust of the government. At least, not only that. He leaned in closer to Sara under the pretext at getting a better look at a RAM TRX that looked promising, despite the garish yellow colour, and slipped a consoling hand around her waist.

"You've had problems with Arthur McKendrick before?" Sean asked softly, easing in to what was really bothering her. "I noticed how he had looked at you. We can go elsewhere, if he's making you uncomfortable." He couldn't discount that Sara had developed some manner of heightened sensitivity or perception, even if she was unaware of it. "I can find a vehicle somewhere else, even if we have to go down to Great Falls."

[SalmonMax]

Roach crossed the street from her dad's old garage to her uncle's used car lot. In her hand was the item he'd needed her to find; a file cabinet key. She slipped that hand into her pocket though, already deciding not to hand it over before she could talk to her dad in more detail. Arthur was her uncle, and hadn't mistreated her or anything, but sometimes a crisis brought out the worst in people. If it was fine, she could always hand it over later. If she handed it over, it was too late to take it back.

 

Surprisingly there were customers in the lot though. They looked larger than life, like movie stars or something. Two women and a man. His arm was around the smaller of the two women as they talked and inspected a truck. The taller woman definitely looked like a celebrity. Flaming red hair, knockout figure, a walking talking self-esteem sink for anyone else who might aspire to look like that. Gorgeous too, obviously...it was a little funny though, she kinda looked...

 

She felt her memory lurch and for a moment was reliving in perfect detail a moment from several years back, when she'd been trying to earn money to help out. She'd taken jobs around the neighborhood, and one of them...

 

Well shit, that's Teegan's sister. Or rather...brother.

 

Really leaning into it, wasn't he? Though it'd been a few years since Roach had babysat for Teegan. Maybe...Sean was it? Yeah...maybe Sean had changed their mind.

 

Rochelle broke into a smirk as she came over to the truck and gestured at it.

 

"Welcome to Shelly, strangers!" she said in her best Montana accent. "This ol' truck's a workhorse, I'll tell you what. Perfect for any job you'll put her to! Now...what am I gonna hafta do to have you drive her off the lot today?"

[Nina]

Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado...

 

Janice was sitting in the dark, fatigue was wearing hard on her. She was in a small room just off the corridor that lead into the command center, is had a few chairs and a couple of cots for napping. She hadn’t dared lay on either, sleep would come and then the nightmares.

 

The door opened a crack letting in a band of fluorescent light, “Dr. Rivera?” The voice belonged to staff sergeant Kress, the young Airforce NCO who had appointed himself her aide and caretaker.

 

“I’m awake Kyle.”

 

“Major Doyle is on the phone asking for you. He’s at Taylor Air Station.”

 

Janice took a deep breath and stood, “I’ll be right there.”

 

 

Major Doyle was in charge of the team Malmstrom sent to Taylor to get the old Early Warning Radars back on line to make the emergency satellite launches possible. Janice walked in to the bustling control room and pausd to watch her people work at a hundred different problems. She picked up the phone.

 

“This is Rivera.”

 

“Hello Dr. Rivera, I am Major Doyle out of Malmstrom. My team and I are up here at Taylor Air Station to get the…”

 

“I know why you are there Major, I am the one who had you sent.” She glances at the clock, it read 12:22 pm. “What’s the problem, Major? You can’t have been on site more than a couple of hours.”

 

Dole bit back the sharp retort he wanted to make, “Yes ma’am. We are still assessing the Radars, but that’s not why I called.”

 

Janice rubbed the bridge of her nose,”Then why?”

 

“They have one here ma’am, one of the Altered. An NCO by the name of Teagan Cassidy. She’s a PJ, a Pararescue.”

 

“I know what a PJ is.” Janice barked sharply into the phone. She paused and took a deep breath, “I’m sorry Major, I’m just exhausted.

 

"Don't worry, ma'am. They've taken her to Medical Quarantine, and she's behaving normally and cooperating with the doctors. I was told to report any interactions with individuals exhibiting unusual traits. The situation has been escalated to your attention."

 

Rivera’s mind was reeling. This was the first real proof that the rumors and wild reports were true. “What traits is she displaying?”

 

“Best for you to see yourself ma’am, I am send you two pictures one is a picture from one of her team's training sessions taking six weeks ago, the other I took myself about half an hour ago. Should be coming through to your Command E-mail.”

 

Janice put the major on hold. She then went to a computer terminal and accessed her email. She quickly located the new message and opened the attached files. After closely examining the two photos for a minute, she printed them out. Once they were freshly printed, she carefully studied them in detail.

 

In the first picture, a striking woman in her late twenties or early thirties posed confidently. She stood tall, her muscles taut and defined beneath her green tank top and camo fatigue pants, paired with sturdy combat boots. The photo appeared to have been taken right after her training session ended, as a glistening layer of sweat coated her skin. She exuded strength and determination, ready for whatever challenge came her.

 

Janice's eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at the second photo. Though it was of the same woman, she looked like a completely different person. The muscles that had already been defined in the first picture were now even more prominent and seemed to bulge out of her skin, creating an intimidating sight. Her face had transformed as well, her features becoming more angular and fierce. And those piercing green eyes seemed to glare right through the camera, exuding a sense of power and ferocity. Janice couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear and awe at the transformation before her.

 

She picked up the phone, “You still there Major?”

 

“I’m still here ma’am.”

 

“Ok as soon as we hang up I will dispatch a science team to Taylor. It will probably take the rest of the day to get them there. In the meantime, Sgt Cassidy needs to be treated carefully and remain in quarantine. You and your team need to get to work on those radars. That is your priority.”

 

“Understood ma’am.”

 

Janice hung up and looked for Kyle who was standing a few yards away. “Kyle, I need coffee and something to eat. And get Dr. Lerner up here. We have one.

 

 

[Shameless]

Abel chuckled.  "Strangers?  We're all from here, though we've been away for awhile."  
 

He looked at the young woman, she obviously wasn't more than twenty.  "As to what it will take for me to buy this truck that depends on what the final price is, and what if any, sort of warranty I can get on it."   
 

He smiled.  "Though I think it best that I discuss all of that with someone who can actually legally sell me the vehicle."

[Nina]

Sara took the opportunity of Rochelle’s interruption to step away. Away from Abel, away from Sean, and Away from Rochelle. She remembered Rochelle even though she had just been a little girl when Sara had last seen her.

 

She wandered off, her eyes scanning the vehicles listlessly until they landed on an old Ford Mustang that had seen better days. Memories of the past started flooding back as she remembered being behind the wheel of a similar model, the wind in her hair as she raced carefree down the highway. But those times were long gone now, replaced by the weight of responsibility and the burden of their newfound abilities.

 

Lost in thought, Sara didn't notice Sean's approach until he was standing right beside her. His presence brought her back to the present, and she offered him a small smile before turning her attention back to the vehicle.

 

"You okay?" Sean asked, his voice gentle.

 

Sara hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, just... reminiscing."

 

Sean followed her gaze to the Mustang and let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, memories, huh? I get it." He then leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."

 

Sara's eyes flicked over to him, a swirl of emotions evident within them. He was close, but not the person she remembered. As she gazed at Sean, she couldn't see the same sweet and troubled boy from her past. Instead, with her heightened senses, she saw a seductive woman who stirred something inside her. "It's all so complicated, Sean. Sometimes I wish we could go back to how things were before... before everything changed." She gestured vaguely towards their surroundings, encompassing not just their current location, but also the transformations in their lives that had occurred.

[Asarasa]

McKendrick Auto Emporium...

 

Sean admired the young woman's audacity, whether or not she was related to Arthur McKendrick, or even worked at the Auto Emporium. Especially if she didn't. He wondered how much she was willing to push it. He arched a bemused brow at Abel.

"That's quite a pitch, miss," Sean said, returning Rochelle's smirk, amusement in his voice and broadening his own accent that had been dimmed from ten years out of state. "Tell you what, show me the paperwork that you'll be getting the commission on Abel's truck, and I'll see you'll get the commission on my buy too."

 

Sean flashed Rochelle a wink and dipped his head in a small nod, awarding her a point for her chutzpah and challenging her to win another before he followed Sara down the row of used vehicles.

~~+~~+~~+~~+~~+~~+~~+~~+~~

 

Holding his hands behind his back, Sean leaned back against a Power Wagon as he followed Sara's hands and looked back in time, a wistful curve to his lips. He had had a life here in Shelly. He had had life outside Shelly, too. And he had a life a now. Change was a constant. But He and Sara and Abel, and his family too - had been apart for a long time. They were only catching snapshots of their lives, and not seeing the steady progress of change, of evolution, they had experienced.

"Change and experience make us who were are. And I think the ten years away have made more of an impact on us than the four days since the Visitor fell." Sean gave a wry chuckle. "In some ways," he amended. "But I think we needed to be away before we came back, if that makes sense."

He looked down at Sara beside him, heightened senses picking the subtle physical changes in Sara, his self-awareness making his own physical and physiological alterations much more obvious, but only time and proximity would reveal how much they changed on the inside. His own emotions were a jumble, but the only real regret he felt was not visiting Shelly earlier.

 

"I almost got married, y'know," Sean admitted, and when Sara looked up at him in surprise, he snorted at the memory. "Total mistake. I don't know about going back." He sighed, eyes sliding to mere slits. Even if it prevented the Visitor falling, I don't know if I'd be noble enough to give up all... this. "But there are things I wish I could have done differently. We can do things differently this time, do things better, make them better."

[Nina]

Taylor Air Station outside Shelly Montana...

 

Teagan took a sip from her water bottle and glanced at the Ipad they had given her to stay in touch with her PJ team. On the screen, she saw her Jump Partner, Staff Sgt Ben Sykes, who had recently shaved his head. He looked angry. "This is bullshit, Teagan. No one else on this base is being isolated like you are."

 

"Ben, it's just a precaution," Teagan reassured him as she placed her water bottle back down.

 

"Does it hurt?" Ben asked, his scowl deepening.

 

"Hurt? No," Teagan paused and shook her head, "Actually, I feel amazing. And I'm so strong now; I could probably carry the log all by myself. That's how powerful I feel."

 

"I don't like this Teag," Ben said, his voice laced with concern. "You shouldn't be locked up like some kind of experiment."

 

Teagan sighed, understanding Ben's worry. She herself felt a mix of emotions - excitement at the newfound strength coursing through her veins, fear of the unknown changes happening within her body, and frustration at being confined in the sterile quarantine room.

 

"Ben, I know it seems strange, but I trust the Doctors and the team here. They're just trying to figure out what's happening to me," Teagan replied, trying to sound reassuring.

 

"I get it, Teag. Just promise me you'll be careful. Don't let them treat you like a lab rat," Ben said firmly.

 

Teagan smiled at the screen, grateful for Ben's unwavering support. "I promise, Ben. I'll make sure they treat me right. I need to ask you a favor."

 

Ben leaned in closer to the screen, his concern evident in his eyes. "Anything, Teag. You name it."

 

Teagan took a deep breath before continuing, "They wouldn’t let me contact Chad. I need you to get word to him. Let him know I’m okay.”

 

[SalmonMax]

"Legal?" Roach chortled gleefully. "Paperwork?? Ain't nothing happening on this lot that's legal...mister Cassidy."

 

She grinned and dropped Sean a conspiratorial wink. "Lemme know if I got them there pronouns wrong though. It has been a spell since I seen you last, and the years...if I may say so...have been kind."

 

Clutching the key a little tighter, she decided to wrap up this little bit of dinner theater.

 

"Anyway, I'd better get inside now. Someone'll be out to shoehorn ya into one of these old junkers. Smiley day to ya."

[Asarasa]

"Took 'em a while, but the years indeed ended up kind in the end," Sean replied with an enigmatic smile of his own as the girl began to saunter off.

 

His gorgeous, turquoise eyes narrowed slightly. The girl spoke as if she knew him, but he was sure he had never met her before. That wasn't impossible, he did - or at least had - have an online presence and a more than modest YouTube and Twitch channels, but still, the girl intimated that it was more than that. 

"And feel free to use whichever pronouns you like. I ain't so fragile 'bout 'em." Definitely not anymore. "Hold up a sec. You know me, girl, can we at least get your name? Since you've been so helpful and all."

[SalmonMax]

"Oh, you don't know my name," the girl said, glancing back over her shoulder. "The name you're after is Teagan."

 

"That's where I saw you. She even told me your name once, the first time I was over."

 

She stopped then and half-turned back.

 

"Saw a photo as well. She explained your situation...very basic terms of course. Pretty interesting. Not nearly as interesting as how your skeleton changed though. No signs of surgery but your hips to height ratio is different now. Fat distribution, different."

 

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she mentally 'clicked through' different wavelengths of light, analyzing what she saw.

 

"There's also something very weird about your muscles. Huh."

Edited October 6 by SalmonMax

[Shameless]

Abel knew enough to recognize that none of that was generally the sort of things people said, and he looked at Roach, then the others.   Ignoring her comments about legality and the quality of the vehicles, he addressed the rest.    "You can see all of that about Sean?"    

It wasn't so much that he was on guard, but now he was less concerned with the truck.  He was already quickly coming to the conclusion that this young woman was also like them.  

"What else can you tell?"

[SalmonMax]

From Sean's perspective, most of what the girl said could be seen through simple observation, if you were clever about it. But the noticing the difference in his muscle composition and efficiency, however vague, was something else. He, Abel, and Sara, and his mother weren't the only ones altered by the coming of the Visitor.

 

"Milk does a body good," Sean countered, his grin widening. "And I know Teagan's name. Wouldn't mind knowing yours."

 

"Mmhmm," the girl replied vaguely. "Hold that thought."

 

Her eyes focused on Abel, raking him from head to toe. She lifted an eyebrow.

 

"Your muscles have the same heat spikes his have," she said after a second. "Distributed a little differently. I...think that has to be like spike strength versus twitch strength. Sean's twitch is faster than yours. But YOUUU...have some kinda..."

 

Roach came back over, now not looking at Abel, but around him. She put a hand out, waving it through the air about a foot away from Abel's arm.

 

"...crazy magnetic field going on right now? Like you've got a fusion reactor stuffed into your ribcage. Except you obviously don't because THAT would be a giant thermal spike. Also, you're not breathing right."

 

She grins and shakes her head.

 

"You know, right now I'd USUALLY have decided...with that massive asteroid impact...you three were probably aliens in human disguise. Buuuuuut...yeah, no. You three were close to an impact point, but just far enough away you didn't die. Right?"

 

"Anyway. Welcome to el lugar del negocio de McKendrick." She spread her arms, encompassing the car lot. "I'm Rochelle. I would be your guide on this wild and crazy ride, except I'm ON the ride and my uncle will be out in about three seconds to stop me from costing him your sale. So. Yeah."

 

Sure enough, behind her, a man was coming out the door from the dealership, a slightly panicked expression on his face.

Edited October 6 by SalmonMax

[Shameless]

Abel laughed, and then smiled at her.  "So you do have a name."     

He shrugged.  "You really think none of these are worth buying?  Is there anything here that is?"  he asked teasingly.  She was like them, at least in some part, and he looked over to where Arthur was coming towards them.  "I don't mind making you the same offer as Sean did, you help me get something good and will do what I want, I'll make sure you get the credit and commission on the sale."

[SalmonMax]

Rochelle shrugged.

 

"I mean, the guy owns a car lot and a mechanic's garage. So he has a certain incentive to create ongoing customers, you know? The cars on the lot that I've looked at have a pretty consistent set of problems that are likely to tip over from regular usage within a month or two of...when that usage starts. The kind of thing that wouldn't be likely to go wrong in a test ride, but after a few weeks of regular driving...oh no, I need a mechanic now. Didn't we get a coupon from the dealer for one...?"

 

"But, y'know, if you can do the work yourself, then it's all fine. A few bucks on parts and boom, you're good. And his prices are actually kind of decent because the actual car purchase is supposed to just be the beginning."

 

She was precocious, choosing words and phrases that very deliberately did not sound childish, and as such might have seemed a little out of place coming from a teenager. This much could be gleaned from subtle cues; it wasn't how she normally talked. Or maybe it hadn't been until recently?

Edited October 6 by SalmonMax

[Nina]

Somewhere over Wyoming or Montana at 1,200 feet...

 

The helicopter was incredibly loud and uncomfortably cramped. Dr. Trent Lerner, a leading geneticist for NASA and one of the top five experts in the world, absolutely despised flying. He found planes dreadful enough, but helicopters were a whole new level of torture. Despite his achievements and awards as a young man - receiving a Nobel prize in medicine at twenty-seven and another at thirty-two - he remained modest and unassuming with his clean-cut appearance, light brown hair, and wire-rimmed glasses. His drive to be at the forefront of space medicine had brought him to join the NASA team, and now, thanks to the Visitor from space, he was about to embark on the most incredible journey any geneticist could imagine: unraveling the mysteries of the Altered - those who had been transformed by the Visitor's impact into superhumans with extraordinary abilities. It sounded like something out of a Marvel movie.

 

 

Trent sat therein the bucking Super Stallion, staring at the photos of Sergeant Cassidy. It had been only a few days since the rumors and stories had started seeping in and today they had been told that they had a specimen. He couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as he looked at the photos again.

 

"I can't think that way," he thought to himself, "she isn't a specimen, she is a human being."

 

Trent had a clear understanding that it fell on his shoulders to study her genetic composition and make sense of the changes caused by the Visitor's impact. He was aware of the potential for groundbreaking medical advancements that could benefit all of humanity. He was also aware of the potential threat.

 

After refueling at Warren AFB in Wyoming, they were only two hours away from the small Air Station in Montana where Sergeant Cassidy was stationed. Trent scanned through her file once more. She was Pararescue, married but kept her maiden name. No biological children, but she had a stepdaughter. He flipped to the end of her file, where there was limited information about Cassidy's family history. From what he read, her mother, father,  were still alive and in Shelly Montana the cloasest town to Taylor AFS, a younger brother, and sister were listed but status unknown. But what caught his attention was her brother's rare genetic conditions: de la Chapelle and Aromatase Excess Syndromes. Nothing listed  on any of the others including Teagan.  Intrigued, he made a note to obtain a more detailed report on Sean, Cassidy's brother.

 

[Shameless]

"I see."  there was a certain disappointment in his voice.  "Things have really gone downhill since I bought my first truck here twelve years ago then."  Back then the truck he'd bought had the hell driven out of it, and so long as he'd done the most basic maintenance, the truck had lasted him well into his college years, until he'd gotten a new one after graduating.

 

[Asarasa]

"Fortunately, we know a good mechanic," Sean said with a smirk, a small toss of her head, and a rich chuckle as she saw Arthur rushing towards them. "Since you know Teagan, Rochelle you should swing by sometime. I'm sure Alice misses you. And I'd like to talk with you about this and that. About the Visitor and how close we each were to any impacts and the like."

Rochelle's body language was anomalous at best. All the words and terms she had used were correct, but didn't seem natural coming from her mouth. Sean remembered how people had looked at him when he talked about computers at her age. It was like she had put on an intelligence or thesaurus filter. If you could see the girl before and after, you could tell the difference.

It was intriguing. Most of the alterations Sean had come across had been largely physical in nature, whether readily visible, as in his and his mother's cases, in some respects, or more discrete. There was clearly different scales of mutation. He was very curious about the full nature of Rochelle's changes. He had observed various - and drastic - levels of improved strength and health as being common, but he couldn't tell if Rochelle had gained the same from mere sight.

"Ah, Mr. McKendrick, your young saleswoman here has a gifted tongue," Sean said with good cheer as the older man puffed up to them. "Seems like you're going to make two sales today, if I like what I find on that Ram TRX and you give me fair trade-in for a tricked out Civic."