Do You Hear What I Hear?

Justin and Yolanda were in the car with Agent Short as they drove off. "Concealing ourselves and our families is of course one of the best solutions. Would the agency help our families with this. I can arrange for you to talk with Mum and the Yebetycans about this." he volunteered.

Agent Short adjusted his rear view mirror, "I sure there is something we can do to help. Talking with your folks would be good. Direct the way, so that I don't get lost. GPS is a little sketchy up here." He leaned forward and tapped the little screen of the GPS device. It seemed to think that there were in Charleston which wasn't even close. Slumping back in his seat and flipping on the brights, he clicked the radio on.

Yolanda hugged Justin's arm, "This car is nice," she whispered. The soft leather seats and clean smell caught Justin's attention almost as much as the radio's silent news broadcast.

"In Local news, there was an event of some kind at the Meadowbrook mall. It's hard to find details of the events, but there is talk of some gun firing and people getting hurt. Although gangs are not a major problem in the area, it seems that something happened that is rumored to be gang related and police are going to be questioning local youth about the possible problem. The event was quickly over, and though many are shaken up, the Meadowbrook Mall will still be a destination spot for Saturday Night dates. 
 On the West Coast at a convention for comic book fans and sci-fi fans some altercation seems to have spooked the goers at a speech involving superheroes in the modern media. Details are still coming in, but it sounds like Hollywood hype before announcing another franchise to hit the big screen. This reporter hopes that the Flash will finally get his day."

"Yes honey the car is nice" Justin agreed with a smile. Putting his arm around her shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze "It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the press get hold of the smallest piece of an event, and do an autopsy on it. SA do you think it's better to get our families together or talk to them one at a time about what's been happening?"

Short looks in the mirror and asks the turns once on the highway waiting for direction. "I think it's probably better to have everyone together at once. One at a time becomes one of those games where the message gets scrambled before it reaches the end of the line. Though here amongst the hills of West Virginia, it may be safe enough. A small community, lay low, don't do anything like save the world and you could live a long normal life."

An oncoming car forgets to turn off its brights as it races past on the highway. "Geez," Agent Short said shielding his eyes for a moment.

Justin gripped the seatbelt with one hand while checking the door was locked, not that it would prevent a determined entry it was premonition of something was going to happen. He hoped the SA was able to handle anything that may happen. Placing his other arm protectively around Yolanda. "Some of these autoheads couldn't a tinkers about anyone but themselves." he exclaimed as the high beams permeated the cars interior. "I'll text mum and the Yolandas asking if they can meet at our place now" he informed the Agent. Pulling out his blackberry he quickly texted a message to Yolanda's and his parents cc'ing their siblings in the process, to be sure the message got through.

The car passed and Agent Short navigated his way around until at last he came to the Kase's residence. The message had gone through, and most of the Yalefords and all the Kases were at the Kase's place. Mama Kase came out to inspect her son as did Yolanda's father to inspect his daughter. "I'm not sure I understand what's going on here?" Mama Kase said.

Agent Short looked at Justin, "She doesn't know?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Know? What am I supposed to know, Justin? Yolanda?"

Justin looked around "Mr Yaleford, Mum perhaps we should talk inside" he suggested ushering Yolanda inside. Stepping forward he held the door open for them "After you" he prompted

Mother Kase and Mr Yaleford stepped back into the house with Yolanda following afterward and Agent Short urging Justin to go in before him with a stern look. Mama Kase was quickly giving orders to her children and to the Yaleford children. Most everyone had a job of either getting refreshments, sitting quietly, or fetching plates and cups. It was like an incredibly large disfunctional family operating like a hive of ants. Even amidst the chaos, the queen know exactly what needed to happen. Agent Short even got a friendly offer to sit which sounded as much like a command that he obeyed. Justin and Yolanda were placed in the center of everything opposite of the heads of the hive on opposing sofas. Everything was quickly quiet and about Justin having the stage.

Taking Yolanda's hand both to offer and get comfort he looked about the room at each of them "Yesterday something strange started happening to me..." he shot his brothers a knowing look before they could make comment "I'm not quite sure when it actually started but I got a mental image of..." [Justin informs them of as much as he can recall of the events so far] periodically pausing to allow them to grasp what he is saying and make comment, before continuing. When he finished relating the events he looks at the FBI Short. "Agent Short is here to provide information about what we can do and what assistance FBI is willing to offer." he prompts.

Everyone seemed to be staring, including Yolanda. It was quiet and the Agent Short seemed to be waiting for it. Suddenly both of Justin's twin brothers started laughing. Edward was the first to be able to speak, "This is too much Justin. What a joke this is. You got everyone here good. Surely there is some other bit of news or whatever. Why would you bring us all together. Did you propose or something or maybe you are going to propose. For this laugh, I'll even foot some money to help you get a better ring. Yolanda deserves something nice to have to put up with you."

Yolanda though a part of the story obviously didn't fully understand it all. She was quiet but she knew what she had seen and believed. Agent Short cleared his throat, "I can assure you all this is no joke. The FBI is working on a program to protect people like Justin and hopefully to put their abilities to good use serving our country and our world. Right now the policies and programs are still in their infancy. Mostly our efforts will be at making sure that you are not bothered so that you can lead normal lives. Justin may need to be sequestered somewhere. Obviously bringing someone back to life is a big deal, not to mention the other abilities that he says to have demonstrated. I understand your reluctance to accept this part of life, but we, the government, are trying not to alarm the general public just yet. We'd appreciate it if you could keep this under wraps as much as possible. Really don't say anything at all."

Mama Kase wasn't laughing, and her astounded look had turned to one of dubiousness. "Justin, honey, tell me this isn't a joke of some kind, or tell me it is a joke and then give the real reason why you'd bring us all here."

Justin looked about the room at his and Yolanda's family, and shrugged. Rising from the chair he stepped towards the window and looked about. On the floor he spotted a dead fly. Turning to his brothers, "If you think this is a prank, one of you pick the fly up and put it in my hand."  he challenged stepping away from the dead bug and holding out his hand for all to see, that it was empty. "Or any cotps that is intact which you can find." he amended

The room got quiet and Philip looked queerly at Justin.  He shrugged and went to the window sill and looked for a second.  He flicked a couple of things into his hand and examined them then walked back to Edward to examine.  He showed them around for a moment and everyone who wanted was able to have a look at the two bugs in his hand.  A withered up pillbug and a dead fly.  "Go on, Justin," he said holding out his hand for Justin to see. 

Agent Short was standing nearby looking a little interested as well.  "Bring them back to life why don't you?"  Justin had a brief glimpse of himself through his brother's eyes.  The image was superimposed over his own vision but then was gone again.  "Well," Philip said almost confrontational.  It was a challenge and Justin could feel it.

"Could he bring back Mr. Flopsy?" he heard one of the smaller children say.

Justin gave his head a slight shake to clear the image he just had and wondered if he could do what he claimed at will or if it were a random type of.... of condition. Holding his hand out so as not to crush the insects he stood waiting for something to happen and hoping that he didn't have to will whatever it was that happened to happen.

It's... It's Alive!

Philip dumps the carcasses into Justin's hand and stared closely at the little dead insects.  There was the brief sound of rushing water in Justin's ears and the fly buzzed in his hand tickling his palm and causing an involuntary flinch.  The bugs fell to the ground but the fly never made it.

"It moved!" Philip said.

"No way, he flinched and you just thought it moved.  Now we'll never find the fly," Ed said.

"But there's were the rollipolli fell!" Henry said pointing.  "I watched it fall from his hand.  That's it!  Look!"  The small bug carcass on the floor, started to twist and turn and flipped itself over and then tried to crawl away.  Justin felt the fly go past him and looked up on the curio cabinet.  His mother followed Justin's eyes.

"And there is the fly.  I try not to let them live in my house.  And I know there wasn't one in here beforehand."  Justin's youngest brothers snatched up the pillbug and took turns holding it in there hands.  The pillbug stayed curled up in its defensive ball.  Others in the room were staring with their mouths wide.  Yolanda's younger brothers stayed back away with her youngest sisters.  Agent Short's phone buzzed and he flipped it open and stared at the screen while this was happening.

Justin crossed the room to sit on a sofa, watching and listening to as much as he could considering how he felt. He wondered what was going as a myriad of possibilities flashed through his mind. How was he going to keep this from the world at large, what would it do to the families. He knew there would be those that would stop at nothing to get him to use him for their own ends, and this impacts on to everyone in the room.

Justin's back itched a little. Agent Short said, "Unbelievable," but he wasn't referring to the miracle that Justin had performed. "I'll get Agent Showalter immediately."

Mister Yaleford was the first to approach Justin, "Justin, son." He gripped Justin on the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "This must be something strange to you. It is for all of us. If you feel the same inside as you did before this weirdness started happening then everyone will do their best to make you feel as normal as you can. You let us know what you would like to have happen."

"And let me know as well," Agent Short said. "I've got to get Agent Showalter pronto and and head north. If you want to put your Lazurus effect there to good use, someone has been murdered and probably by the same folks who did the job down here. If we want to catch them, it would be ideal to interrogate someone who died by their hands."

Justin looked up taking in the scene "Thank you Mr Yalesford. I'd appreciate that" he replied giving the man a grateful smile. Moving to a point which enabled him to simultaneously see and judge the reactions of both Yolandas father and his mother ,he lowering his head in thought.  "As I've already indicated; without assistance and suitable protection, form a well budget government body, for everyone here. I feel use of any abilities of this kind would result in far too much anxiety and concern over their safety to be of any practical use." he reiterated raising his head to gauge their action.

Agent Short looked at Justin and the others, he exhaled heavily and held up a finger, "Give me a second."  Agent Short stepped outside and closed the door behind him.  While his conversation may have been muffled for the others in attendance who stared with concern, Justin could hear it clearly.

"No, I'm not on the road yet.  Look, I need to know how far along the program is for witness protection of those involved with supers."

"I know this is not the time, but we've got one who can bring the dead back to life."

"Yes, but do you think you'd like to talk to Leon's victim?  Or do you think that he's left someone alive?"

"I don't know.  You want this, then we've got to move a bunch of people. 12, 14, whole damn town, not quite."

"Kid's got a girlfriend.  It's the Brady bunch."

"Okay, Where?"

"That won't work."

"Pretty much,"  The words seems to fade away as Mama Kase rubs Justin on the shoulder. 

"Honey, have you heard a single word I've said?  If you want to help someone, we'll be fine.  Ain't hardly no one that can find us up here in the mountains anyway."

"Besides," Phil says, "what if there is a bad guy somewhere that can just think of your location and BAM, he knows right where you are at.  We can go all deliverance on his ass if he shows up."

"Language, Philip," Mama Kase says.

Justin looked up at his mother and smiled "Sorry mum I was listening to Agent Shorts conversation." he informed. "Sounds like he's trying to arrange for witness protection or something like that." Cringing at the thought of an expected chastisement on eavesdropping.

Looking about sheepishly he fixed his brother with a grimace "Guess I'll have to think up some way of getting about without being to conspicuous, like merging into a crowd. The idea of someone simply thinking were we are and popping in on us all, isn't half as creepy as someone being able to zap us to them any time they wanted. I reckon these are just a few of things for the FBI to think about trying to preventing, especially now with all these changes and all."

"You have to think, Justin, when a new department head or new policy gets shoved into the workplace it takes a while for the meme to work it's way fully into the office. This idea," she paused trying to reconcile it in her own mind. She glanced at her other children. "This idea for the FBI, our government, whoever, that people have something above and beyond is going to take some getting used to. I mean, they probably still don't know what to do, like requirements gathering... I'm not sure I know what I mean. Don't get caught up in what those games you playtest or what the movies portray. Mostly it's a benign world. You shouldn't worry too much about us. If these folks need some help," Mama Kase takes a deep breath and gives Justin a hug.

"Mr Flopsy?" one of the smaller children says. "Justin, can you bring Flopsy back to life?" One of Yolanda's younger sisters. Although Mr. Flopsy was the Yalefords, Mr. Flopsy turned up more times than not at the Kase residence for various reasons. His resting place, made last year, was in a shallow grave in the back yard that though mostly forgotten, still caused all the children to step somewhere else when playing. Agent Short was still on the phone.

Justin nodded in understanding and hug his mother back. With an arm over her shoulder he tilted his head towards his sisters "Would you like me to try" he asked "Mind it may be a bit on the nose and I'm not sure about bodily reconstruction, so far I've only used it on bodies that are intact. Perhaps this is a good enough subject to test that on mind Mr Flopsy will need a fair bit of cleaning up" he added.

Though somewhat macabre, the Yalefords and the Kases both had a fair mind of curiosity in the subject at hand.  Bringing things back from the dead was the stuff of Lazurus and Sunday School.  "This won't make it a bunny zombie would it?" One of Yolanda's sisters asked.

"Would a zombie bunny, only eat bunny brains?" Phiip added.

"It would eat anything.  You remember 28 days later where the rats were fleeing en masse?"

"Were those really zombies?"

"Kids," Mama Kase said exasperated by the zombie talk.  Edward grabbed a shovel and dug deep in the spot making sure to not lop off a head or limb.  When the ground was interred, Agent Short had shown up.  The box was pulled from the ground or rather what was left of it.  It had rotted away mostly and the remains of Mr. Flopsy were a bag of bones, some flesh and a minimal amount of connective tissue.

"This is worse than the zombie movies," one of the youngest Yaleford's said.

"How many times have I said the age limit on horror movies?" Mr Yaleford sighed.

Justin moved beside the FBI agent. "Agent Short this is sure to test the effects of this gift. Should I give it a try... On the off chance something goes wrong, would you say shooting whatever the remains becomes, if it's not fully formed, be of any help" he asks quietly.

Agent Short looked a little concerned but cocked his head to one side and pulled  out his gun, "You're ball game, kid.  I'm ready."

Justin reached down to the remains of the rabbit and it felt like a rushing of water, a Niagara Falls while standing near the base where the water was slamming downward.  Before Justin's eyes, the bones twitched and everyone took a step backwards.  The blood that pooled outward looked just like a Hollywood movie effect.  Pooling outward at first and then drawn back into the bones where it wrapped itself up around the bones knitting them tightly together. 

Justin's back itched like it was about ready to burst into flames but he couldn't move.  He was riveted in a way different than everyone else.  He was caught in the transformation going on before him.  The muscles and tendons formed and bones regrew.  The organs and veins and viscera formed around the twitching pulsating form.  Someone vomited nearby, but Justin couldn't take his eyes off the tiny creature forming from it's remains.

The flesh was the last to form.  The tiny rabbit seemed to want to cry out in that way that they sometimes do.  It sounds like the scream of a small child, but it made no noise except in Justin's head.  The return to life was not a normal part of life, not like this.  The rabbit bald and frail, thin and pink, twitched and turned to sit up on its haunches.  Hair grew rapidly all over the little rabbit, It was a light brown with white spots along one side and one ear.  Finally the process was done and Justin drew in a deep breath and fell backwards onto his bottom.

Wisdom Comes with Experience, not Age
It felt different this fall, like there was something different about him.  The water stopped but the echo of that sound rang in his ears.  He heard his mother say, "My God."  She was looking at Justin,  Justin's back itched like a thousand ants had just tapped dance death into his flesh.  The children were looking at both Justin and Mr. Flopsy.  Mr. Flopsy hopped forward without fear as though nothing had ever happened and sniffed at Justin's shoes and then went up to his hands.  Hands that looked perceptively older, as old as Mr. Yalefords.

'There was something different, about that. It was like violating of the natural way of things, and just look at my hands', quickly raising one to his face to feel his cheek. Turning to the closest person, "Does My face look any different."

Justin's face felt rough, and the angles beneath his fingers, though his, seemed somehow different. Philip was beside him, helping him up. "Justin," he said, unsure. Justin could almost feel Philip's hesitation. How do you break the news to someone that nothing is normal? Justin perhaps could feel the answer coming as well, Philip said in a quiet voice as though if he said it soft enough, no one would notice that truth he was about to speak, "You look as old as Mom."

Though serious as death in meaning and tone, Mama Kase immediately broke the tension. "Philip! I'm not that old, and I certainly don't feel it with you kids keeping me going like this. I need to sit down."

Mr. Yaleford was quick to step in, "What she means Justin is that while you for some reason look like you've aged up to about our years, that... Surely you have some way to go back to your normal age?" Mr. Yaleford looked concerned. Everyone looked concerned except for Mr. Flopsy. With his new lease on life, he was happily folding down one of his ears to give it a proper cleaning.

"I'm thinking, maybe," Agent Short said, "that you'll not be bringing anything else back to life. If you want to stick around here, on behalf of the FBI, we'll understand. I can maybe see if anyone has come across someone who can de-age with some moral integrity. I'm going to have to call Agent Showalter though to let her know what's going on here." He pulls out his phone and waits to dial.

Justin's joints ached, which was an after-effect that provided an glimpse of what his mother and Mr Yalesford physically experienced. Crossing the room he cast a sidelong glance into the hall mirror. Momentarily surprised at the image, that looked back at him. It was as if his father stood there watching the others. "Interesting residual by-product" he declared wondered about the difference between this effort and the other rejuvenation. Could this effect be a result of over exertion, concern, location or such. "Considerably more research into this would not only be helpful to me but it would provide valuable in instances where a similar ability were to manifest in others"

Agent Short looked a little stunned, but quickly recovered, "um, uh, yeah, research.  So, then you still want to take a trip?  Say north?" 

The small kids were busy playing with Mr. Flopsy who seemed to pick up right where he left off with bunny binkies and finding a few sparse blades of grass here and there much tastier than the others.  Yolanda and Edward were nowhere to be seen.  Philip looked at Justin from the doorway stunned.  Mama Kase and Mr. Yaleford were sitting on the couch just staring.  Mama Kase looked like she might be about ready to pass out.

Justin rubbed his forehead then moved over to him mum slipping an arm around her waist "Surely I don't look that bad. Sure I look like dad but so will the others. Besides this could be a temporary condition and I'll soon be my usual cheeky self in no time."

"It's just a lot to handle. I think I'll definitely be going to church this Sunday though. Bringing creatures back from the dead wasn't the natural order of things until I saw it with my own eyes." Mama Kase offers a weak smile to Justin.

"If you are coming along, then now is the time," Agent Short not wanting to press the issue, but applying some urgency in his voice.

"Certainly Agent Short," Quickly bidding Mr Yalesford, his siblings, mother and Yolands a hasty farewell he joined the Agent in the car. Positioning himself so he could watching them as long as he could as the vehicle moved off. When he couldn't see them or the house any more he turned to look at the road ahead. "Well than that's that I suppose." Shooting a side-glance at the FBI operative "Well now Agent Short will I be needing to bring pickup anything along the way. Will I be going through an recruit training process, to get acclimatise me with the Bureau Standards"

"I'm afraid that any kind of on site training will have to wait. We'll go and pick up Agent Showalter and the others and we are going north. Agent Showalter has a tablet PC that can download documents that will give you some information but otherwise the Bureau is handling supers differently than those operatives like myself who are normals. What write-ups have been written and discussed so far are that your unique talents will be taken into consideration regarding the live cases and the cold cases. The Bureau only has a handful of supers at its disposal. The addition of yourself and Sergeant Jennings will be great assets in the prevention of criminal activity in the world."

Justin gave a shrug "I recon the Agency will be having to create a lot of on the fly procedures. Just think, Agent Short, you'll be able to initiate practices that'll impact on... On the whole of everything, envisage the flow on effect, first the few operatives then the specific unit, branch, department, agency, government, nation, world. How cool is that..."  He grinned, "So were we headed?"

"We will rendezvous with Agent Showalter and Sergeant Jennings and Jahck Wolfe. Then we go north to the Boston Mass area. That's where we'll pick up the trail of the killers that you saw at the bakery. Leon and his cohorts." Agent Short had a sort of boyish excitement in his voice. He was on the hunt and had the upper hand. And not only that, despite having no super powers to speak of, he was part of the super team. "It's going to take some time to reach Boston. You'll probably want to try and catch some Z's sometime in the middle of the night."

Justin looked at his watch noting the time. It'd take some time to drive the 501 miles between Morgantown West Virginia and Boston Mass. He slipped the Xperia from his coat pocket thumbed some messages, to Yolanda and his mum, checked for any that were recent. "Do you think Mr Wolfe will actually come, it didn't sound like he was very interested when we left earlier. Hey I just remember something about Miss Fiona Morrissey, she works in a diner and there was something about her that was different. Seeing how there's suddenly been three of us within 10-15 miles of each other, who have somehow changed, do you think she could also be one... "

Justin's voice is deeper, noticeably different.  The transition up in years had made him sound more like his father.  Agent Short looked in the rear view mirror at Justin, "There's another super in the region?  I wish we'd known beforehand.  We could have gone to talk to her.  Right now, our mission is to head north, but we can probably send someone to talk to her."

There weren't any texts from his family.  Justin could close his eyes and see Yolanda, almost hear her.  She was crying in the bathroom, Philip was there at the doorway, "I'm sure he'll be alright Yolanda.  The FBI will find someone or someway to return him to his normal age.  That's what they do."

"Did you see him?  I know you saw him, what am I saying.  How strange."

"I know.  I wasn't sure if I was looking at my brother, or at my father.  I suppose I'll look in the mirror someday and wonder who I'm looking at, myself or my father.  This is all very new to all of us.  I know he cares about you."  Philip paused while Yolanda's phone buzzed.  She looked at it.  A text message.

"It's from Justin," she said.

"See, he cares.  Next time you see him, he'll be normal looking."

"But what else does all this mean?  I remember being hurt at the mall and I thought I died.  I think I did die.  He brought me back to life.  It didn't make him grow 30 years."

Philip sighed, "I... I don't know."

"I don't really want to see anyone right now.  I have to think."

"Alright." Philip looked in the mirror as he was walking out of the bathroom.  Justin could see himself and Philip paused and peered a little closer.  Justin's eyes shot open and he was in the back of the FBI car traveling to meet with the others at some motel.

Wow Justin exclaimed at the snippets he just experienced. Absently rubbing his forehead he certainly was experiencing a lot of changes over the two days. Thing was their side effects could be quite drastic, perhaps even fatal. He certainly didn't want a repeat of the rabbit restoration to age him into senility. Shooting Short a sideways glance. he hoped his comment wasn't that obvious.