Ultimate Warriors

by Jaide Fox

  Julien finished the drink and offered it back to Angel. His limbs were tingling, sensation returning much faster now. "How did you convince him?"

  "Anthony touched his mind. After that, Jake wanted to know everyone. I think, he believed we were deceiving him — at first."

  He pushed to sitting, leaning heavily against the console at his back. "He changed sides. I know that much."

  Angel sucked in a ragged breath. "You really know?" She reached down another of the strange containers and drank deeply from it before turning it over to Julien.

  He nodded, taking a drink. If the contents of the containers were what was healing him, the Grellan had medical knowledge far beyond the Calante ability to heal him.

  "How?" She took the container back again and drank then passed it into his hand.

  Julien chuckled. "I’ve made a habit of picking the old man’s mind. A thought here and there. Adrien certainly didn’t expect me to know his true name." He sobered, the moment he learned that true name bringing him back to more important issues. "Tell me about the night my father died."

  Angel nodded. "Jake devoured information, every record we had of the war between the Calante and Grellan. We knew why our originator, Grelda, opposed the Academy, but even we didn’t know the whole tale."

  "What was her reason?"

  "Calan and Thomas lied. The ancient texts did not demand the system they implemented. The powers were not born with a duty to live as slaves."

  Julien drank another mouthful, trying to internalize that concept. "But, we were born special," he protested weakly. What other reason would we have these powers for if not to use them for the good of mankind?

  "An accident of nature. We knew that much, but we needed Jake’s help to locate the ancient texts. We arranged a rather dramatic scene to put the old man off guard. To all appearances, Jake escaped back to the Calante with knowledge of a few old bases that we left new trails in to make the story more convincing."

  Julien motioned for her to continue. The tingling in his arms was subsiding, though his limbs still felt weak, drained.

  "Jake agreed on one condition. When we had our proof, we were to take you and your mother from the city to safety. Your mother— We weren’t in time. I am sorry for that. That is why we came for you. We had a duty. We owed Jake that much."

  "I was a duty?" he asked in disbelief.

  Angel ran her fingertips up his chest, shooting him a look of invitation that he wished he could take her up on.

  "Well, not just a duty," she commented coyly.

  "Good. My father found the texts?"

  She nodded. "He went with us. My parents had the electrical and telekinetic abilities to retrieve the texts. Anthony and I—"

  "Had to get the group in and out."

  "Yes. Jake went in as a witness."

  "What happened?"

  Angel offered her hand. "We knew my parents’ outlay of power would bring the Calante. It did."

  Julien set the drink aside, taking her hand. He opened himself to her thoughts, letting them wash over him. Julien closed his eyes as the memory solidified around him.

  * * * *

  "Hurry," Jake urged, looking toward the doors nervously.

  The woman— Anna reached into a small vault and removed a metal case, handing it to her husband, Sam.

  "Take the charts, too," Sam instructed. "We’ll need them."

  She nodded, grasping a handful of micro discs and storing them in the case he held.

  "Good. Let’s go," Jake commanded in a tense voice, taking the case from Sam. He stalked to Angel’s position, looming over the children. Jake managed a stiff smile. "Time to go."

  Angel screeched as the doors exploded in. A laser pulse lit the air, and the smell of seared flesh burned her nose.

  "Sam," Anna pleaded in a voice choked with tears.

  Jake pushed the case at Angel, as Anna fell to the next volley. "Leave," he ordered, turning away. "Go home."

  Anthony grabbed her hand, starting the reaction and enticing Angel to join him despite her shocked tears.

  "Stop," Jake demanded, trying to wave off the operatives. "There are children here."

  "Stop the children," Adrien instructed coldly. "Shoot them if you have to."

  Jake looked to Angel and Anthony in desperation, throwing himself into the circle on his knees and using his body as a shield.

  The laser fire was eclipsed by the discharge of a conventional weapon. Angel collapsed under Jake, screaming in a combination of pain and terror as the room faded away. Adrien threw the handgun at them with a howl of pure fury.

  Angel’s eyes closed as the world spun around her and lights flashed. She groaned as Jake’s body landed over her more forcefully. Angel pushed at him, her shoulder protesting her efforts.

  "Jake," she whispered, pleading for a sign of life that she instinctively knew he wouldn’t provide for her. Angel sobbed in the realization that they were truly alone.

  Anthony looked at her with frantic eyes, pressing at the pain in her chest.

  Angel surveyed their surroundings. At five, Anthony’s control was questionable when he was pressured. He’d short-circuited again. Angel had no clue where they were, but she prayed they were close to headquarters where Sky Child could locate them quickly.

  * * * *

  Julien opened his eyes, touching the scar on her chest lightly. "The bullet."

  Angel nodded. "It would have killed me. Jake saved us both. The laser fire killed him. He didn’t— I don’t think he felt the bullet."

  Julien pulled her to his chest. "Thank you for that."

  "For letting you know that he didn’t suffer?"

  "No. For showing me that he died with honor, that he was a hero, as I’ve always believed he was."

  She nodded. "Are you ready to hear the rest?"

  "Yes. I think I am."

  Angel pushed back then to her feet. She went to a glass cabinet and pulled out a half dozen pieces of faded artwork. Angel brought them to Julien and placed them reverently in his hands.

  "What are these?" Julien asked.

  "The ancient texts."

  He looked at the plastic-wrapped drawings in confusion. "I don’t understand."

  Angel drew the thin books out one at a time, opening them to marked pages.

  Julien read them in growing understanding. "These are—" He pressed a hand to his heart, barely breathing in glee.

  "Children’s books. Fantasy," she assured him. "They were entertainment."

  "Myths about famous Earth heroes," he mused. "The best of their time. Human children read these, didn’t they? I’ve always said that human children should know—"

  "They’re not real," Angel whispered. "These people never existed."

  "But the histories—"

  "Were written by the victors, Julien."

  "But—" He held a book out to her uncertainly. "Here is the first academy run by Dr. Xavier." He set the book aside carefully and picked up another. "Heroes in disguise serving the public under assumed names." Julien rifled through them for the one that touched him the most. He pointed to the quote excitedly. "With great power comes great responsibility," he crowed.

  Angel cupped his face between her hands. "There were never heroes on Earth, Julien. These stories were inventions of writers and artists."

  He shook his head. "It can’t be. How can you know for sure?" he challenged. "You can’t, can you?"

  She rose and helped Julien to his feet, steadying him as she guided him to a door. Angel opened it and led him onto a wide balcony.

  Julien looked out over a blue-green sea in awe. A bright blue sky was littered with fluffy white clouds unlike the pale yellow clouds he was accustomed to. Manicured gardens surrounded the mansion, full of plants he could not recognize.

  "I know all of Suraden," he breathed. "Where are we?"

  Angel took his hands. "We took a chance that all the stories Grelda told were true. We used the charts to find our way home."

  "Home?"
Julien asked, watching the waves crest and crash up on the rocky shoreline.

  "Anthony’s sign language—" She smiled. "He said, ‘Welcome to Earth,’ Julien."

  He reached for the stone railing, collapsing to his knees. Julien gasped for breath, the dizziness intensifying.

  Angel eased him to his back. "Calm down, Julien. You need to sleep this off. I know it’s a shock."

  He grasped her hand, trying to find the words to ask her to stay with him.

  She nodded, holding his hand tight. "I’m not going anywhere."

  Julien nodded, closing his eyes.

  Chapter Nine

  Angel stroked her fingertips over Julien’s chest. It hardly seemed possible that he was really here. She kissed his shoulder, smiling as he draped a hand over her waist.

  Julien buried his face in her hair, and his hand traced her hip. "I’m dreaming," he grumbled.

  "I hope not," she teased.

  "Tell me this isn’t a dream," he begged. "Tell me I’m in bed with you — on Earth. Tell me I’m not crazy."

  Angel circled his cock and stroked him. "Does that feel like a dream?"

  His hand tightened on her hip. "Too early to tell," he groaned. "I have a lot of vivid dreams about you."

  "Do you?"

  "Mmm." Julien trailed his lips down her cheek. "So real."

  Angel nuzzled his lips. "Would you like it to be real?" she whispered.

  "Yes." Julien nipped at her lips.

  "You are on Earth. You are free. You are in bed with me." She drew his hand to her breast. "Naked."

  "Please tell me this isn’t something you’ve done before."

  Angel furrowed her brow. "Slept with a man?"

  He shook his head, looking sheepish.

  "Oh. No. Sleeping with me isn’t part of the service." Angel bit back a laugh at that.

  Julien pulled her to his body. "What about me?"

  She guided him to her core, tugging Julien over her. "This is not a dream."

  "I hope not." Julien hesitated. "I’ve wanted you for so long."

  "I know."

  Julien’s mouth covered hers, his hands exploring her body. Angel pushed her pelvis to his in invitation, and his fingers eased inside her. His mouth became more urgent and his fingers more insistent, driving her toward the edge.

  "Now, Julien," she pleaded.

  His hand retreated, and he seated his cock in her, meeting her eyes and filling Angel in a single thrust. Julien shivered as Angel cried out. She grasped his buttocks, guiding him deeper as she wrapped her legs around his hips.

  "Oh gods," he breathed. "I should—"

  Angel shook her head. "No. You shouldn’t. It’s taken care of. Do you trust me?"

  He took her hard and fast in lieu of a verbal answer. Julien clasped her hips to his own as his movements all but lifted her from the bed, capturing her nipple in his mouth.

  She wound her hands in his hair, her body exploding in pleasure. Ripples of awareness radiated from her breasts downward, echoing and intensifying as they reached the length of him thrusting into her.

  Julien pulled lightly at the first nipple and moved to the other, his suckling as slow and thorough as his pistoning hips were fevered. The ripples spread until her entire body pulsed in time with his ministrations, matching his thrusts then slowing to keep time with his mouth. The sensations swung back and forth wildly in a maddening cycle. Her muscles tensed as Angel fought back the inevitable. He sucked hard as she lost the battle.

  The ripples ignited into a flame-thrower jet of searing heat as Angel molded every inch of her body to him. She threw her head back and screamed out his name, every muscle relaxing at once. It was like the jump, the intense sensation coupled with a disconcerting disassociation at the height of her pleasure.

  Julien released her breast, capturing her mouth as he tensed. Wave after wave of his heat filled her, and Julien’s mouth left hers, his eyes closed and his breathing ragged as his climax wore on. "Angel," he pleaded.

  "Yes," she urged him.

  He shouted her name, his cock pulsing inside her. Julien pressed his forehead to hers, shivering, while his fingers stroking a nipple. "Tell me this is real," he whispered.

  "How much more real can I make it?"

  "Marry me. Let me tell you about my life. Let me give you my innermost self."

  Angel stroked his cheek, wanting to laugh in the joy bubbling up. "We have discussions we have to have first," she soothed him.

  He met her eyes, his face serious, earnest, pleading with her. "I want as many children as you’ll give me," he assured her. "I don’t like these escapades to Suraden, but I won’t try to stop you or talk you out of them. What you are doing is important," he rushed on.

  She put a hand over his mouth, stilling his flow of words. Angel cocked her head, scowling at the sound of the Earth-style jet helos. "No. We have to attend to the formalities. Get dressed. We have company."

  * * * *

  Julien watched the people streaming into the conference room in unease. There were so many — a council of men and women. He shifted nervously, suddenly worried that he was on trial. Were these his jailers for war crimes on Suraden?

  Angel took his hand. "It isn’t an inquiry," she assured him. "You were raised by the wrong side on Suraden. You are not a criminal for doing your duty."

  He nodded slowly, blushing. Julien reminded himself that he trusted Angel and squeezed her hand.

  A dark-haired human with a sprinkling of gray at the temples reached a hand out to Julien over the table.

  Julien hesitated, looking at the offered hand curiously. "You realize what I am?" he asked.

  Angel laughed heartily. "Tyler has met powers before, even psychics. He is our liaison."

  Julien shook the man’s hand, letting a myriad of information wash over him. He smiled at the man’s honest, open nature. "What kind of liaison, Mr. Meadows?"

  The man chuckled as he took his seat. "Tyler will be fine. Would you like me to call you Mr. Cross?"

  Julien shuddered. "To tell the truth, I’m still trying to get used to someone using my true name. I haven’t been called—" He took a calming breath, trying to still the panic rising in him. "You— You all know my true name, don’t you?"

  Tyler poured a glass of the sweet water they drank on Earth, clear-colored and without the heavy mineral taste of Suraden water. He passed it to Julien.

  "Yes. We know all about you. I realize this is hard on you. Most superheroes that come through know the truth before they agree. They come to terms with the idea of themselves as a part of society before they make the jump. Do you prefer to be called Soulchaser until you adjust?" he offered.

  Julien swallowed a sour lump, shaking his head. He took a drink of the water. Julien could drink nothing but Earth water for the rest of his life — unless Cola was available. "No. Not that. Julien — will be fine. Thank you." He furrowed his brow. "Superheroes?"

  Angel touched his cheek. "The fantasy powers were known as superheroes. It is a hard idea for the Earth-born humans to shed."

  Tyler darkened. "I apologize."

  Julien laughed weakly. "Don’t. I have to learn these things if Earth will be my home. Now, what sort of liaison are you, Tyler?"

  He nodded. "I am the liaison between the Suraden-born powers and the United Federation of Peoples. We arrange your move into society."

  "Arrange? Am I— Am I in service to your political hierarchy?" he asked nervously.

  "Only if you wish to be. We may ask your help, but you are never required to take an assignment." Tyler rustled a stack of papers in front of him, pulling out a yellow one and scanning his eyes down it. "I see that you worked murder tracking."

  Julien nodded once, curtly, forcing his muscles to ease. Not that, he begged silently. How many years would they want him to serve in that capacity?

  "Three years in hell," Tyler spat in disgust, throwing the paper back on the pile. "That was one of the reasons the Federation granted immediate shelter to the refug
ees from Suraden. Forcing sensitives to live that."

  "Tyler," Angel soothed him.

  He nodded then met Julien’s eyes. "It is my pleasure to tell you that you are free to refuse any case we ask your help on. We won’t ask unless we have a serial killer that may strike again or there is a strong possibility of recovering the victim alive, but we understand what we are asking. If you cannot face it again, you cannot."

  Julien fought for a decent breath. "If I don’t track, what am I expected to do?"

  Tyler smiled. "What would you like to do? What would you choose to do?" He waved a hand as if to still a flood of words that were not forthcoming. "Don’t limit yourself to your powers. There are programs providing job education and degree programs. You can pursue any job you wish, and we can help you decide on a job."

  Julien looked to Angel, dizzy and lost in the concept. He’d dreamed for years about the things he would do if he were free to do them, but they all seemed frivolous when the choice was a reality.

  Angel nodded. "You don’t have to choose today," she assured him. "You have all the time you need."

  Julien nodded, wishing Jennifer had this choice — now, before she forgot what she really hoped for. He sucked in his breath as an idea assaulted him, the only thing beside Angel that had made him happy in years.

  "What is it?" Angel asked.

  "Children," he whispered. "I want to help troubled children, children who have problems."

  She nodded, smiling. "You’re thinking of Sealife," she guessed.

  "Jennifer. How—"

  Angel handed him a small pouch. "This is yours."

  Julien opened it, dumping his father’s medals and the micro discs of family photos into his hand.

  "You had to leave everything behind," she explained.

  "You have someone inside the Academy." But, who?

  Angel nodded. "We agreed to bring him through once we had you. He ransacked your quarters for your most prized possessions after you left the Academy. He had hours to store them in the tower quarters before we came for you."

  "Who is it? Who do I have to thank for this?"