Before They Were Fabulous

“Jet?” He asked; aware that rebels often adopted code names to disguise their identity. “Is that your real name?”
“No,” Jet replied simply, turning to place the cup down on the floor.
“Are you a rebel?” Gerard asked cautiously, noting that both his hands and feet were secured to the gurney, with no recollection of how he had got there.

Jet seemed to give the question some thought. He lived with the Rebel Stars and fought with them willingly, but it was the first time he’d ever really considered his status.
“I guess,” he shrugged.
“You don’t say much, do you?” Gerard commented dryly.

Jet sighed; this had been the most he had spoken since that fateful day when he had killed a man for the first time. His shoulders fell and he broke eye contact with Gerard, his expression saying much more than any number of words could.

“Hey,” Gerard said softly. “I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...”

He paused, checking himself; suddenly bewildered over why he was apologising to a rebel who had presumably taken him from the safety of Battery City and held him somewhere in the Zones, fastened to a gurney.

“Wait...! Why am I apologising? You’ve abducted me!” Gerard continued, attributing his strange reaction to a response to whatever drug they must have used on him to take him, although as he grew more animated he became aware of an ache in his jaw too.

Jet’s eyes widened at the sudden outburst and he took two steps back in surprise at both the increase in volume and Gerard’s sudden straining on the straps holding him down.

“What do you want?” Gerard snapped. “Well? What do you want from me?”
“Nothing,” Jet responded, his voice quiet but raising in pitch.

Gerard merely stared in reply, increasingly confused. The boy was pulling a protective response from him and he couldn’t understand why. This odd, practically silent boy was probably not alone. Whoever they were, they had, he assumed from how he felt, drugged him, abducted him and were holding him for some purpose. Either he didn’t know what that purpose was or he was lying. Either way, it didn’t explain why he was so concerned about him. As he thought about it, his rising stress caused another familiar feeling and Gerard’s normally pale face almost greyed. Without even needing to ask, Jet spun around quickly snatching up a grubby, paint-splashed and battered old bucket, holding it up to Gerard’s head. With no time to acknowledge the gesture, Gerard was sick again. Very little came up this time, mostly water, but the retching continued for some time and the pain and exhaustion was showing in Gerard’s eyes as finally his heaving settled and he slumped back on the gurney, breathing heavily with tears pricking at his eyes. His brow smoothed as Jet held a cool damp cloth to it while he wiped Gerard’s mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Jet added, frowning as he saw Gerard’s dampened lashes. “This isn’t going to be easy for you.”

Gerard opened his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to blink away the tears misting his sight. Looking at the now blurry form of Jet, he offered a pained and scared frown.

“What do you want from me?” He repeated, his voice drained and small, the words dragging through his agonised throat.
“Nothing,” Jet shook his head, even the slow bounce of his curls making Gerard feel queasy enough to close his eyes once more. “I’ll get Doc, he’ll explain.”
“Wait,” Gerard opened up his eyes once more. “What’s your real name?”
“I don’t know,” Jet shrugged. “Really,” he added as Gerard’s eyes narrowed with scepticism.

It was too difficult to keep up the expression; Gerard closed his eyes and fell back onto the gurney once more, glad to be semi-reclined, which seemed to help, but still feeling very ill, sore and weary. Hearing Jet leave he waited for the sound of someone returning. The sound appeared within a minute or two, but Gerard was again sleeping long before Death Defying’s arrival.

*

Edward swiped his pass to enter the building only to be greeted by his stressed deputy waving frantically to him, whilst standing amidst several draculoids. Breaking into a run, Edward was at his side in moments.

“Carl? What’s wrong?” Edward feigned surprise. “What are these draculoids doing here?”
“It’s Gerard,” the Deputy replied, his brow deeply furrowed. “He’s gone.”
“What?” Edward asked, sounding alarmed as he glanced once more at the additional security standing nearby. “What’s happened? Rebels?”
“We don’t know, well not really. All we know is Jakob left the building after disabling the security cameras then while I was on my rounds, apparently Gerard just ran out.”
“How?” Edward frowned; this time he didn’t even need to act puzzled.
“Well... he just got in the elevator and...”
“I meant, if it was Jakob, how did he force him to just run out after he’d left?” Edward pressed.
“Korse thinks he’s slipped him something to make him act strange. According to his account he bought some Frammen last week.”
“Frammen? But that’s a BLI regulated drug how did he even get his hands on that? He doesn’t have the authority.”
“He used Korse’s passcode.”

Edward stood upright, almost leaning back and shaking began his head. Kanslokal was one thing, but Frammen was altogether a different animal.

“When it’s mixed with caffeine it causes aggressive behaviour and paranoia,” Carl explained.
“I know,” Edward sighed. “And it’s really potent. So Gerard is out there somewhere hopped up on Frammen? Have you organised a search party?”
“Korse has taken charge, he thinks Jakob’s got him.”
“Why?” Edward frowned. The man was a P.A.. He had investigated him himself, there were no rebel leanings in his history, nor any financial issues.
“It looks like his investments tanked and he was broke. Korse’s tech team found an encrypted email from some crime lord offering to buy the Ways for ten million carbons.”
“What about Mikey? Is he safe?” Edward asked suddenly concerned for the younger brother.
“He’s in the apartment with Frankie. There are dracs in the elevators and outside the doors too.”
“Good,” he nodded. “Good work,” he added patting Carl on the shoulder. “If you hear from Korse, let me know. If you hear anything, let me know. I’m going up to check on them.” He added as he headed briskly to the express elevator.

*

“You did all that?” Mikey’s eyes widened as he sat beside Frankie, astonished by the summary of the younger boy’s speed and ingenuity with the computer. “How did you get Korse’s passcode?”
“Oh, I’ve had that for ages,” he beamed a grin at Mikey, almost preening himself at the admiration shown him. “How do you think I have any money?”

Mikey stared blankly and shook his head, waiting for him to continue.

“I set myself up as my own guardian,” Frankie’s grin appeared to grow ever wider. “I used his passcode to authorise it, but redirected it to a fake account so he doesn’t get any messages about it. They pay the fees directly into my bank account. Being a guardian pays really well! It won’t be long before I’m as rich as you guys!” He laughed.
“Rich?” Mikey laughed. “We don’t see any of that money! If we say we want something, they’ll usually get it for us, but...” he paused to pull out the linings of his pockets, “...we don’t actually have any money.”
“Like royalty,” Frankie smirked. “It just wouldn’t do for a Way to jingle.”

As they laughed together, Frankie’s faded quickly as he noticed the elevator on the move again.

“Oh, here we go,” he nodded. “Put your concerned brother head on.”

Mikey turned to look at the rising numbers on the display; the elevator would soon arrive. In an instant, he was ready with a deeply troubled expression that Frankie thought worthy of an award. As the doors opened to reveal Edward, Mikey looked past him to see if he was accompanied. Seeing only the draculoid, he held his expression until the doors closed once more then allowing it to soften.

“Is Gee okay?” He asked with concern.

Edward frowned; he felt certain that his investigation had given him the answers he needed. How could he now tell Mikey that his brother was very possibly even more ill than he first thought?

“Mikey,” he sighed. “Frankie, sit down, I’ve just heard some very disturbing news.”

Mikey’s eyes widened and he glanced at Frankie briefly; the pair wore the same worried expression. Taking a seat on the couch, the boys looked up expectantly as Edward remained standing.

“Boys, I’ve let you down.”

At the sight of Mikey almost starting to hyperventilate, Edward cut in again quickly.

“Gerard will be fine,” he raised his hands in a calming gesture. “I just didn’t realise the extent of Jakob’s involvement in what was happening to him. Neither did I truly appreciate what he was giving him. I believed it to be Kanslokal...”

Edward paused, confused as both boys broke into a grin.

“What’s going on?” He eyed them suspiciously but with a half-formed smile crossing his lips.
“You mean the Frammen that Jakob ordered?” Frankie raised an amused eyebrow.
“How do you...” Edward broke off as he saw the laptop still lying on the table. “You did all that? The Frammen, Korse’s passcode, the email?”
“And wiped the footage,” Frankie replied with a smug smile.
“And made it look like Jakob did it?” Edward asked with a frown. “I know he’s been dosing Gerard, but it was on Korse’s orders. You know he’s going to kill him, don’t you?”

Frankie folded his arms and his features hardened.

“Give me a reason why he shouldn’t.”
“I just did,” Edward replied bluntly.
“Fine!” Frankie snapped, leaning forward and grabbing the laptop.
“Wait, what are you going to do?”
“I...” Frankie sighed. “I did consider that and I built in a layer to make it seem that the computer was hacked by someone outside of Battery City. I just have to enable it. It’ll look like they just logged out clumsily and the tech team will pick it up.”
“Are you sure?” Edward pressed.
“The way I’ve set it up, they’d have to be blind not to see it!”
“Thank you.”
“For what? He’s going to kill him anyway,” Frankie complained as he set the laptop back down on the table.
“Why do you think that?” Edward tipped his head to the right, unsure of the boy’s logic.
“Because that’s what Korse does when someone screws up and it could lead right back to him. You’ll find Jakob, sure, but he’ll be dead when you find him.”

Edward inhaled deeply at the words; Frankie was probably right. Whether it was Jakob’s fault or not, overdose of Kanslokal or not, Korse would not want an investigation that might well lead back to him. He was far too ambitious to risk it and far too clever to allow it. It did, however, pain him to hear the words from one who had long since lost his boyhood innocence at the hands of BLI.

“So,” Mikey began again, breaking the silence. “Is Gee going to be okay?”
“He is,” Edward nodded. “It’s going to be really hard for him. He’ll have severe withdrawal symptoms but he’s in good hands.”

Choosing not to tell the boys about how it was necessary to bind and gag him for the journey, to secure him to a gurney and his desperate struggles to escape, Edward felt somewhat guilty about his statement but the less they knew the better.

“When will he be back?” Mikey asked quietly but firmly.
“I don’t know,” Edward replied honestly. “I’m guessing a week, maybe two?”
“Two weeks!” Mikey gasped as only now did he take in the seriousness of the addiction. “Why didn’t you do something earlier?”

There were so many reasons - his investigation was a solo effort for security and it had taken some time to discover what was happening, mostly because in the early stages Gerard had seemed perfectly well. It had only been when he started to withdraw that Edward had grown suspicious. Was it worth explaining? Mikey was missing his brother and Frankie, his friend. They were young and scared, and that fear was behind the question more than anything else.

“I’m sorry, Mikey. I’ll make sure he’s okay and that it doesn’t happen again though. I promise.”

Mikey sighed; there really wasn’t much else he could do.

*

“Hey, Jet?”

Death Defying called to the thirteen year old boy as he passed his office. Stopping and looking in, Jet saw the man waving to him to come in.

“Come in, come in!” Death continued to motion with his hand.
“Sir?” Jet replied respectfully as he walked in.

Death Defying smiled sympathetically at the boy.

“Sit down, Jet.”

Taking a seat, the boy found it difficult to maintain eye contact with the doctor.

“It’s good to hear you talking again.” He paused as the room hung in silence for a few moments. “I know Flex’ll be happy to know. He’s been really worried about you.”
“I’m sorry,” Jet choked out quietly.
“No,” Death replied with a surprisingly defeated tone, drawing Jet’s concerned glance. “I let you down, Jet. I didn’t teach you why I wanted you to do what I asked. You’re a bright boy and your instincts where good about that vantage point.”
“You didn’t let me down,” Jet interrupted, almost tripping on his words as he speeded up as he spoke. “I let you down! You were nearly ghosted because of me!”
“And I wasn’t because of you,” he replied solemnly. “And that’s where I let you down. You were too young to be forced into a position where you had to kill and I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t let you... I couldn’t!” Jet stammered.

Death Defying wheeled out from the opposite side of the desk and drew up alongside Jet.

“You did what you had to do and I’m grateful, of course I am, but it took it’s toll on you.”
“I... I’ve never... I mean... I can’t...” Jet struggled to find the right words before finally settling on the blunt statement. “I killed him.”

Death frowned as the words emerged from Jet’s lips strangled and pained. There was nothing he could say in reply as he watched the tears begin to roll down Jet’s cheeks. Leaning forward, Death Defying motioned Jet to move closer. At first hesitating, Jet finally accepted the offer of comfort as he broke into heart-wrenching sobs.

“It’s okay, Jet,” Death whispered as he stroked the boy’s hair soothingly. “We’ve all been there.”

Notes

————

And, on that note - Merry Christmas :P

Hey, lovely readers, I hope you enjoyed this chapter - if that’s the right word for it. I’m sorry things are a bit gloomy at the moment but I’m sure Korse will liven things up no end :D

Thanks for reading!!
Sas xx