At that moment, the woman woke
up, and her confusion was evident to everyone. “What happened?” she asked,
trying to sit up but not able to because of Natalie. “Why can’t I move? What’s
going on? Where-”
Matt put his hand up to quiet
her. “What’s your name?” He spoke gently, trying to calm her down.
“Laura,” she whispered and
stopped struggling against Natalie’s hold.
“What’s the last thing you
remember, Laura?”
“I-I remember running away from
the police, and then there was a man. He had red eyes, and I was so scared of
everything. Then…” Laura stopped and started crying. Natalie turned away and
let her go so she could sit up. “I was so scared,” she sobbed, “I was so scared
of everything. There was nothing but the fear, and the anger, and I couldn’t
stop it. I don’t know what happened, but I’m so sorry if I hurt the wrong
people.” She looked up at Matt, tears streaming down her face. “I just wanted
to help.”
Matt stood up and looked up
Steve. The big man was shaking his head, unclear what to do. Meanwhile Natalie
had a look of rage on her face. “Snake Eyes,” she growled, her fist clenching
up.
“We need to take her in,” Steve
said at last. “She’s killed people, and hurt many good men.”
“They’ll throw her in a cell,”
Matt said, avoiding eye contact with the others.
Steve was silent for a moment.
“Maybe,” he said at last, “but what’s the alternative? We can’t let her go
without knowing she won’t start killing again.” Steve gave Laura a stern look.
“Even if it was in good intention.”
Everybody was quiet, each trying
to work something out. Finally Matt spoke up. “What if I take her? I can help
her learn to control her powers and make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone.”
“Sure, we’ll hand over a known
killer to an unlicensed metahuman. The GMA will have no problems with that.”
Natalie was sarcastic, but Matt was being serious.
“And if I become licensed?” The
heroes of Frontier looked surprised.
“I still don’t think they would
be happy about this,” Steve replied.
“But they’d be happy to have
me,” Matt countered. “I’ll go for my license, and in exchange they’ll let me
take her under my wing.”
“What the hell’s so special
about her?” Marian had been quiet this whole time, but a jealous spark ignited
despite her best to keep it in.
“She saved my life. You don’t
understand what it felt like to have that darkness weighing on your mind. To
slowly lose yourself and feel something else start to take control. I owe her a
chance at redemption for that, at least.”
Steve was still unsure how to
handle this situation. On one hand, this was the chance to get Matt licensed,
and Ken wanted that badly. On the other, it meant letting a dangerous metahuman
leave. Despite the fact that Snake Eyes was manipulating her, Steve was still
very unsure of this woman’s loyalties.
“Let’s discuss it with General
Bridge,” Steve said at last. “I’m sure he’ll want to meet you as well, Matt.”
Matt gave a laugh, followed by a
sigh. “Of course he does. Well first we should get Laura checked out by a
doctor.”
At the mention of a doctor,
Steve froze. He ran to the closest table and tore a page of notes off, scanning
it frantically.
“Steve what’s wrong?” Natalie
asked, floating over towards him.
“Good God,” Steve gasped, the
page of notes falling to the ground as he stood there stunned. “I knew I
recognized this handwriting,” he whispered at last. “This lab belongs to Dr.
Lopnol.”
The
next day, Steve and Matt were sitting in Kenneth Bridge’s office. The afternoon
sun was streaming through the glass wall behind Ken, who was finishing up
reading the latest doctor’s report for Laura. Finally he turned away from the
monitor and looked steadily at Matt.
Matt
wasn’t unnerved by Ken. His father had told him all he needed to know, and Matt
was prepared for anything Ken could throw at him. He sat there meeting Ken’s
stare, confident he’ll get his way. Steve was a little more nervous, not for
himself, but for Matt and Laura’s sake. There was no reason Ken couldn’t demand
Matt be arrested since he was unlicensed. In fact that only reason he hadn’t
been arrested this whole time was due to his helping Frontier and his father’s
prestige and history with the GMA. Still, that pull would only work for so
long, and Ken was on his last nerve with Matt.
“So
let me get this straight. You, an unlicensed metahuman, want us to hand over a
guilty serial killer so you can help her control her powers?”
Matt
nodded, “That is correct. But I’d like to add that I did fill out the paperwork
to become licensed, and I do not foresee any issues getting my license.”
Ken
didn’t even blink. “So because you’re doing what you’re legally supposed to do,
I’m supposed to break the law?”
“I’m
not sure how this is breaking the law, sir.”
“According
to the law, she needs to be tried and sentenced according to her crimes of murder
in the first degree and attempted murder of police officers. The latter part
might get waived due to the doctor’s statements of evident mental manipulation,
but the first dozen or so killings were her own doing.”
“So
go ahead and try her,” Matt countered, “she’s not denying she killed them. She
did it for what she believed was a good reason. She’ll still be found guilty of
murder, sure, and sentenced to a punishment equal to the crime. Which will most
likely be a cell, among actual cold-heart killers and madmen. Doing so will
only push her further down the dark road she’s already started on.”
Ken
was quiet, so Matt continued. “I’m not asking to acquit her of the charges. I’m
asking for a chance to be her punishment.”
Both
Steve and Ken were surprised at the wording. “And what exactly do you mean by
that?”
“I
didn’t just wake up one morning able to do what I can do. The level of control,
and in extension power, was due to years of brutal training. I didn’t let up at
all, and subjected myself to a rigorous schedule. Training under me is not easy
at all, but the results can’t be ignored. Both Brian and Jasmine, although each
having issues that drove them to villainy, were incredibly powerful. Their
powers were curses to them beforehand, but I helped them gain a degree of
control. Ask Brian how difficult it was, and I guarantee he will tell horror
stories of what I put him through.”
Steve
coughed, “Matt, you’re not helping your case bringing those two up.”
Matt
looked at Ken, “Did Laura pass all her psyche evaluations or not?”
Ken
glanced at the screen and scrolled down a bit. “Yes,” he said grudgingly.
“Neither
Brian nor Jasmine would have passed those tests. So yes, shame on me for not
evaluating their mental state more, but I have no say in Laura’s mental health.
The GMA’s doctors and telepaths have checked and she’s mentally clean.”
“As
clean as a killer can be,” Steve replied grimly. He did not like this idea, but
Matt did bring up an interesting point or two.
“Exactly,”
Matt said, “so she has no desire to be a threat. I got the impression she wants
to redeem herself. Throwing her in jail isn’t giving her that option. Remember
also, she saved the good guys a whole heap of trouble by ridding me of the
shadow energy. There’s no telling how much damage I could have done if I had
been taken by the darkness. She deserves a chance at redemption, and I will
gladly be the drill instructor she needs to get her life back on track.”
Ken
tapped his finger on the desk for a full minute. He then pressed the intercom
button on his phone. “We’re going to need some lunch in here, please.” Ken
clicked the intercom off and looked at Steve and Matt. “It’s going to be a long
afternoon, gentlemen. Steve, I want your input on everything, no holding back.
And Matt,” Ken pointed at Matt, his finger as straight as a blade, “Your father
was an invaluable asset to the GMA. If this is how the GMA begins their
relationship with you, so be it. But I want answers to all the mysteries you
have given us over the years.”
Matt
smirked and spread his hands. “You win, sir. But then I get to help Laura?”
Ken
hesitated for a moment before giving a curt nod. “Then you get to help the
girl.”
Later
that evening, the door to Laura’s holding room opened, and she looked up. Matt
stood in the doorway with a small bag. “Here’s something to wear” he said
putting the bag down on a chair. “Figured you’d want to put some actual clothes
on before we leave instead of the white hospital gown.”
Laura
hesitated, taking the bag and raising an eyebrow at Matt. “I’m free to go?”
“Oh
no, you were tried and found guilty of a whole bunch of murders,” Matt gave a
friendly smile as he stepped out the room to give Laura her privacy, “I’m here
to help you redeem yourself.”
After
Matt left, Steve hung back. “That was an enlightening meeting,” he said with a
grin. “I think you did the right thing, Ken.”
Ken
shuffled the signed papers on his desk while he spoke. “I damn well hope so,
Steve. But now that one issue is settled we can concentrate on the bigger
fish.”
Steve
nodded with a frown. “Dr. Lopnol.”
“Unfortunately
the good doctor took sabbatical leave a few days ago,” Ken explained, “and his
computer is perfectly clean. We’re gathering all the information we can, but it
will take time. He has all the advantage over us Steve. We’re flying blind and
have no idea what we’re up against.”
“We’ll
get him eventually, Ken,” Steve said confidently. “Once Tony is back up and
running, he can help beautifully with reconnaissance, and the rest of Frontier
is at your disposal. With the entire GMA after him, Dr. Lopnol can’t hide for
long.”
Ken
nodded, but seemed unsure of that fact. “I feel as if this will get much worse
before it gets better Steve. Keep an eye out for anything, and stay safe.
There’s no telling what that madman has in store for us.”
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