It's Complicated

[Cadence Calloway]

Cadence didn't go to her room to change out of her patrol uniform. She knew that the others would be in the commons leading to the dorms...and she just wasn't ready to deal with them. Not yet. She wasn't used to people not believing her about Crey. Then again, those that she'd told her secret to were already convinced that the mega-corporation was up to no good, or at least if they thought she was buying into some big fat conspiracy theory, they'd at least pretended to believe her. It bothered her the way Kai and Eli had just seemed to buy what Miss Baker had to say. The heat in the locker rooms off the bunker rose sharply as she yanked her uniform off hastily. Was Miss Baker even the woman's name? She'd claimed to be observing the group of teens as some sort of youth hero outreach program, had even claimed that Freedom Corps had assigned her to follow them.

"Yeah right," the teen muttered as she threw her red and gold tights into her locker, grabbed the spare change of clothes she kept there just in case. She gave into the petty urge to slam the locker shut, let the snapping sound ring out in the empty room.

It pissed her off that the woman just...just so easily explained away that Cadence was obviously confused. Yes. She was confused about not just one but two kidnappings? The information she and Kyle had uncovered about Project Pinnacle was obviously fabricated...yes, that would've been the argument given had she mentioned that fact. She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to cry. She wasn't mistaken about what had happened to her! She wasn't some stupid kid swayed by conspiracy theories, or making the story up as some desperate cry for attention. The air in the room shimmered from the heat pouring off her body, even as she tried to rein her powers in.

The others probably thought she was making this stuff up. Maybe that comment over the comms about the Crey MP3 player, the camcorder and phone wasn't just joking or teasing. What if they really did believe the word of that...that woman versus her own? She brought the heel of her hand up to swipe at a tear that had made its way down her cheek. She had to calm down...she could feel herself losing control, could practically feel the scorching heat under her skin, as if the flames she could wield were just begging to be released. Cadence leaned forward, resting her forehead against her locker.

"Just breathe...just breathe..." she said softly, focusing on the words and on her breathing. It took awhile...but eventually, she regained control.

She needed some quiet. The commons would be teeming with activity now...so that was out of the question. The gym would be empty though. There weren't any practices going on at this time of day...which meant no interruptions. What she really wanted was to talk to someone...and she was half ready to send a thought Kyle's way, knowing the young psychic would pick it up. She couldn't just go running back to him with every little problem she had though. He'd done enough over the last year, had pretty much been her knight in shining armor since they first met. Now that they weren't together...well, she just didn't feel right trying to depend on him. For now, she would deal with her problems in quiet.

[Cadence Calloway]

Quickly, in a moment of anger on her part, Cadence had basically told anybody listening to Westbrook's communications that she was a freak. Well...more of a freak than they probably thought she was anyway. For days, Ar had been dropping little comments. Little things about explosions, dropping Crey into the conversation now and again. Etienne had talked to her at length about the problems she'd been having with Ar...and basically said she'd have to do something about it, or else he'd just keep walking all over her. Part of that advice was just to come clean about the secrets in her background.

She hadn't gone into great detail...in fact, she'd blurted it out so quickly, she probably made herself sound like she was crazy or something. She'd owned up to exploding, literally, at her old school. She'd left out a lot of the details about that particular event though. Back then, she'd had a much harder time controlling her powers. She'd been pushed and pushed, until she'd gotten so upset that she couldn't contain her power. She'd hit the doors at a dead run, barely managed to avoid bursting into flames until she got outside. By that point she couldn't stop what was going to happen, and all she'd been able to do was take to the air in the hopes of putting some distance between herself and Steel Canyon High. What happened after she'd exploded was fuzzy still. She remembered excrutiating pain as her body seemed to tear itself apart...and the next minute, she was waking up in Kyle's arms as he flew her way from the school.

And when it came to Crey, she'd left out even more details. Doing that would've kept her on the comms for hours, and at the time she certainly hadn't felt inclined to go into that sort of detail. She'd said she had been a test subject. That was just a basic summary. Memory wipe after memory wipe had pretty much stolen whatever chance she had at knowing what her life had been like before. When Crey had tried to reinstate the program last year, she'd been kidnapped...the first time within weeks of being taken in by the Teen Phalanx...the second time not long before she'd left them to join Evolution-X. Both times, she had been to weak to deal with them alone or save herself. Both times someone else had come to her rescue. After the second kidnapping attempt, she and Kyle had risked disciplinary action with Evo as they did everything they could to find out just why Crey had come after her. The information they had uncovered about Project Pinnacle indicated that she and the other test subjects had been tortured at the hands of the mega-corp for years before it all came to an explosive end. To add insult to injury, the corporation had still escaped any legal consequences in regards to the program. People in high places were paid to make the matter go away. The only benefit that had come from all of it was the fact that Crey had left her alone for months now. She could only hope that it would stay that way.

Cadence heard Implex and Boreal Lass call her name. Manticore was getting ready to debrief them. The teen already had an inkling as to what it was about. It was usually Crey's shady dealings, the things that the corporation worked hard at keeping underwraps. She doubted that anything she and the other heroes gathered around Manticore did tonight would make any big difference. Sure...some folks would see jail time, others would be out and on the streets with the help of Crey's legal team. Dealing with their security scared the hell out of her, which was why she was always so anxious to leave when her patrols ended up forcing her to face off with them. Tonight...well...at this point, she needed any sort of distraction. Anything to keep her from thinking about whatever rumors were probably flying back at Westbrook.

Somehow, she didn't think coming clean in the manner she had done so was quite what Etienne had in mind.

[Cadence Calloway]

Nothing...no one had really said a thing about her outburst over the school's communication channel. Cadence wasn't sure if that was out of politeness or if it was in an effort not bring on anymore drama regarding the issue. She wasn't about to complain though. Besides, she'd felt so miserable over the last couple days, she hadn't even thought a lot about it. She'd come down with a wicked cold, and Nurse Jenkins hadn't been much help in trying to get rid of it. The teen wasn't so surprised, as most of the time over the counter meds just didn't seem to work for her. That was why she and her guardian were going up to the House of Heroes satellite today. Samantha Noelani, a woman just barely out of her early twenties, rubbed Cadence's shoulder as they appeared on the telepad.

"Dr. Ellis will get things taken care of," she said quietly. "Few more days and you should be back on your feet."

Cadence started to respond, but a sneeze came forth instead, sending out a fiery plume that would've had Kai cheering. She shivered, groaning a little over her aching head.

"I hope so...this sucks..."

Sam just smiled sympathetically, and the pair made their way to the lab where the diagnostic equipment was located. Cadence shivered as the passed through the high tech filled corridors and into the dimly lit lab. Her stomach fluttered with anxiety, though there wasn't any reason for her to be nervous. Dr. Ellis wasn't going to dissect her, or do anything that would be detrimental to her. It was irrational, and she knew it. She pushed her nerves back as Dr. Ellis emerged from some far corner of the lab.

John Ellis, the CEO and founder of Ellis Industries, had been overseeing Cadence's care since Kyle had introduced her to him over a year ago. The man was a genius, brilliant and Cadence wondered if there was anything he couldn't do. He was the one who had come up with the special treatment for her clothing, her bedding, so that they wouldn't catch fire when she did. She hung back as Sam crossed the distance to take the man's hand, and let her gaze drift to the chamber that held the diagnostic bed. It was...daunting...at least to her. She only half listened to the converation going on between the adults in the room, shivering as she looked the bright white room.

"There's still no cure for the common cold, but I think I can at least come up with something to help with the symptoms, since over-the-counter medications aren't working for her" she heard Doctor Ellis say.

"Thanks, John. I really appreciate this. I know you've been busy lately."

"No need for thanks. Why don't we go ahead and get started. Cadence is shaking like a leaf over there."

Within a few moments, Cadence was on the diagnostic bed wearing a simple hospital gown. The room was cold and sterile, and did nothing to help with the cold chills running through her body. She did her best to lie still, so that the scanner could collect what information was needed. Sam hung back, her tanned skin standing out amid the white walls that surrounded the bed. Dr Ellis stood on the other side, his back turned as he watched information coming back from the sophisticated equipment scroll across one of the many screens in the room.

Her teeth chattered a little as she asked, "Can I get up yet? It's freezing in here..."

Ellis frowned as he looked over the data. "Not yet...I know its uncomfortable, but the scan is almost finished..."

Another ten minutes became an hour...and then another hour became two. Scan after scan, the data just didn't seem to be adding up. Whatever was wrong with Cadence, it wasn't just the common cold. Finally, Ellis stopped the procedure altogether.

"Sam, to be honest I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with Cadence," the doctor said finally, once they had all left the lab for the warmer temp in his office. He ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair, and for a moment seemed lost in his own thoughts as he continued. "It's evident that her immune system is responding to something, though."

"To what?" Sam asked.

"I'm not sure...I'd like to keep Cadence up here for observation though, and leave the scanner running for the night."

Cadence cringed, and it was noticeable enough that it drew a concerned look from Ellis.

"Is that really necessary? I mean...its just, there's a lot going on with school..."

"I think it is, Cadence. Whatever this is, it could be very serious. The more data I can get, the better we can treat it, and the sooner you can get back to classes."

She fidgeted in her seat, mulling the matter over in her head. It wasn't just classes she was worried about, although since the end of the winter break she'd been doing well in them. She was more worried about what was going on with Etienne and whatever bad juju the Loa said was coming...

Sam broke the silence. "I'll contact the school, and let them know what's going on. I'll get a list of whatever assignments you have in your classes. Cadence, is there anything you want from the house or from your dorm room?"

She bit her lip. Sam, for the most part, let Cadence call the shots. This was the first time that the woman had actually stepped in and made a decision for her...and she wasn't sure just how happy she was with it. She didn't argue.

"Just my laptop..."

[Cadence Calloway]

Brownies had been left in the commons as Cadence had stated, a nice big batch that would...well, probably wouldn't last long, but hopefully long enough that some of her friends got at least one. She and Sam stepped off the telepad onto the House of Heroes satellite for the second time in just a couple weeks, where Dr. Ellis was waiting for them. Something about the look on his face...it made her nervous. Sure, he always seemed so serious...driven one could say. But there was something different about the man. She gave a worried look to her guardian.

"Sam, Cadence...let's go to my office, shall we?"

A tense quiet settled in as they made their way to Ellis's office, and Cadence fidgeted in her seat. Why was she getting the feeling that she wasn't about to receive good news? Maybe she was just being overly paranoid. After all, her illness had passed quickly...and she felt fine! She'd been back to patrolling in the days since her last visit. No more flaming sneezes, no chills, no achiness. But everything about Dr. Ellis's body language did everything to further her suspicions. The older man said nothing as he brought up a display on a matter, swiping a finger across the touch screen interface.

"I've gone over the data collected last week. At first, I couldn't single out anything that could indicate what was wrong with Cadence. After further analysis though, and comparing with information that was first collected when she enrolled at Evolution-X, I think I may have come up with an answer."

He touched the screen with both of his index fingers, expanding a portion of the output on the screen.

"I think when Crey did their testing, there may have been a mistake made."

Just the mention of the mega corporation had Cadence's on the defensive. She stiffened a moment, something that Sam noticed. The older woman rested her hand on the young teen's, trying to reassure her.

"The information you and Kyle gathered on Project Pinnacle indicated that gene therapy was used to some extent in their experiments. If you look here, this is what Cadence's cellular structure looked like at her initial screening at Evo," he said, and with a finger he indicated a graphic on the screen. "Now...compare that to the cellular structure as of last week..." With a touch of a finger, a similar graphic appeared. "Whatever error that was missed by Project Pinnacle is now being integrated into her system. Its happening on a cellular level, being replicated as cells are reproduced..."

"What can be done about it then?" Sam asked quietly.

"To be honest, I don't know. I don't know what is triggering the release, and until I can pinpoint that, there isn't anything we can do to stop it."

Cadence finally spoke up, her voice breaking just slightly. "So...so when I was sick last week...was that...?"

Ellis held his hands up. "I can't be sure."

He tapped a finger at the corner of the screen, and it went dark. "I've done projections, based on what data I have on hand. I'm going to be honest...the prognosis isn't good. If a trigger isn't pinpointed, and a solution found..." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk. "We're looking at a year at best."

The statement hit her like a ton of bricks. A year? A year! Sam spoke sharply to Ellis, and he responded, but their words were lost on her as she tried to cope with the news. Her body heat fluctuated, and she had to consciously focus on bringing everything back in control.

"There's a very real possibility that the rate of reproduction isn't set in stone. What needs to happen, before I can devise any sort of treatment, is see if this rate is constant. I'm already looking into possibilities to help slow it. Sam...Cadence, you have my word on this. I will do everything I can to find the trigger, to stop this."

He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small kit. Inside was what looked like a thick ballpoint pen, sleek with a metallic finish to it. Next to it was a tiny canister.

"Cadence, I want you to use this once a day everyday. It doesn't matter when you do it, so long as its the same time everyday. You'll take a lancet from the canister here, and set it in the pen. It's just a tiny needle prick. The pen will collected a small blood sample, analyze your cellular levels and send the results to me. My hope here is that we can track the rate of reproduction."

He closed the kit's case and slid it toward her. Cadence reached for it, her hands shaking a little as she set it in her lap. She felt...she wasn't sure what she felt right now. Numb, mostly. She rose from her seat.

"I need to go," she said, almost sounding mechanical. "Homework. I've got homework to finish..."

She didn't linger long enough for Ellis to reply, and didn't wait for Sam to follow as she made her way back to the telepad.

[Cadence Calloway]

((With the blessings of Kyle's player....))

Cadence had done her best to act like nothing was wrong. She'd gone on patrol with Bronka and Alice, and while she wasn't one for playful banter when she was doing hero work, she'd been more quiet, more subdued than normal. She just wasn't into it that afternoon, though, and in the end she'd left, claiming she needed to study for a test. She didn't go back to Westbrook though. The numbness was wearing off, and she felt a hard knot forming in her. Bitter. Pissed. And more than that, she was afraid. She hated what she was about to do, but she wanted - no, she needed someone to talk to. She flew away from Brickstown, shifting her flight path to carry her out to Talos Island. She left a scorching contrail behind her as she sent a stray thought out to the person she was closest to in all of Paragon. She sent her thoughts out to Kyle, knowing that despite the fact they were no longer together, he was what she needed right now.

Kyle Carter's head lifted, the applications and school work around him forgotten as he heard Cadence. She'd always been open to him, so he knew the second his mind touched hers that something was wrong. He slid away from his desk and moved to the window in his room. His parents were in the house, and had never been too thrilled that both of their children were mutants. After his sister Laura's timultuous fall from heroine to villain and back, they had been wary of Kyle using his psychic abilities. So instead of walking out of the front door of his home, where he should have felt most welcome, he slid the window open and used his telekinetic abilities to drift outside. He rose high above Founders, before following Cadence's troubled thoughts.

Those thoughts led him to Spanky's Boardwalk, the very pier where they had shared their first kiss. It sent a sharp pain in him. He blamed himself for their breakup, despite the fact he knew Cadence didn't feel that way. And she stood at the end of the pier, looking just as lost and alone as she had back then. The boardwalk was empty due to the weather, save for a few brave fishermen casting their lines a good distance away from where his ex-girlfriend stood. He floated down beside her.

"Cadence, what's-"

She turned to him, threw her arms around his waist and started sobbing. He staggered as at that same instant, her emotions and thoughts slammed into him like a tidal wave. He put his arms around her, tucked her head under his chin.

Cadence, calm down..., he said, his mental voice soothing. She was pumping out so much heat, smoke curled up all around her. His first thoughts were that Crey had made another attempt...but as Cadence calmed down, managed to order her thoughts, he found that it was something much worse than Crey that troubled her. He ignored the heat, the smoke. Even when she'd been covered in flames, his abilities had allowed him to bear them with no ill affect.

"I'm sorry," she exclaimed, her words hitching on a sob. "I didn't know who else to talk to."

Kyle closed his eyes. He knew who she was referring to. He wanted nothing more than to just hold her, tell her it was going to be okay, that he'd be there for her. The dynamics of their relationship had changed though. They were friends...and as a friend he would always be there for her. He wouldn't cross that line, take advantage of her while she was at a low. "If...if its as bad as Dr. Ellis is saying, you're going to have to tell somebody. Your friends are going to notice..."

"I'm scared..."

"I know, but it will be alright. Things are looking bad now...but Dr. Ellis will find an answer. He never gave up on Laura...never gave up on me. He's not going to give up on you. In the meantime...you know I'm here." He swallowed...and managed to add. "And I'm sure if you let them know...if they're real friends, they'd be there too."

As usual, Kyle knew just what to say and how to say it. It took her awhile to work her emotions out, and he didn't budge. She needed to work this out. This wasn't something he could solve for her, even though he wanted nothing more than to do just that. Once the tremors had stopped, he pulled her back so he could look her in the eyes. They were red and puffy, and he thumbed away a few stubborn tears away from her cheek.

"You should tell them, when you're ready. What about Andie and Liz? Do you want to-"

She shook her head. "No...I mean...yeah, I'll tell them...just...just not yet." Cadence regarded him in silence for a few moments...and she remembered how close they had been. There was a part of her that would always love Kyle. He had been her knight in shining armor...her first love...her first a lot of things. And for that reason alone, he would always hold a place in her heart. She smiled a little. "Thanks...I needed this..."

It pained him...because he wanted to do so much more...but in the end, he simply replied, "I know."

[Cadence Calloway]

Cadence did well the rest of the afternoon. She'd smiled, she'd made jokes. If it had looked like she had been crying, it had been easily explained away by saying she had been watching a chick flick. Not just any chick flick, but the mother of all chick flicks: An Affair to Remember. If anybody had seen through the lie, they certainly didn't call her on it. She had plenty to keep her distracted when Lorne brought in a new student. After the demo in the bunker was over, Sydney had left with his folks, and everybody had gone back to the common room. As it grew later, she was finding it more and more difficult to act like nothing was wrong. Etienne had noticed it, and as some of the students started heading off to their rooms, he suggested that they head out to their spot in Gemini Park.

She'd been too interested in just getting out of the room before Ar had a chance to start his normal routine, she didn't take the time to go upstairs and change out of her uniform into something warmer. It made for a long trip out to Galaxy City, to say the least. While Etienne made his way across the log with ease, Cadence had to carefully pick her way along its length so she wouldn't slip and fall in the water. He smiled her way as he sat down.

"You ain' usual sit up here on de tree like dis, 'moiselle."

Cadence Calloway sat down, trying not to snag her skirt in the process. "Should've changed first," she mumbled. She looked over at Etienne, trying to manage a smile. "Feeling a little brave about it I guess?"

He shrugged. "Ain' too many folk can wear de uniform and do it fine, 'moiselle. What bodering you?"

"Just...a lot on my mind," she said a little absently.

"You know, de only way to ease de burden of de mind is to share it with family and friend."

Cadence turned her head a little looking out over the water, making it difficult to read her expression. Hadn't Kyle suggested the same thing? The heat fluctuated around them, her powers fueled by the jumble of emotions running through her.

Etienne didn't have to note the rise and fall in the temperature around them to know his friend was upset. "You know me, 'moiselle. If you ain' ready, I ain' going push it. But you better say someting 'fore you die inside."

He waited patiently for her reply, giving her the chance to decide on her own whether to share her troubles or not. Finally, after awhile she broke the silence. "...remember when I was sick last week? Dr Ellis had me stay overnight for observation. I went to see him today, said he had results from some tests."

"It some serious stuff, den?"

"Its...really hard to explain. But...its not good..."

Etienne gave Cadence a minute, then asked, "What so hard? What be de problem?"

Cadence bowed her head a little as she sniffed. She'd only had the one crying jag earlier, when she'd been with Kyle out in Talos. The tears were coming back though, and she tried blinking them away. "Something Crey did with their experiments...it's screwed something up," she replied, using simple terms since she wouldn't be able to explain what Dr. Ellis had said even if she tried. "Dr. Ellis doesn't know how to fix it," she added, her voice breaking with each word as the tears started to fall.

"How bad?"

Smoke began to curl up off of her body as her shoulders shook. "A year," she managed with a bit of a half sob. "At best a year."

Etienne nodded. He didn't seem fazed by the prospect. "A year a long time for living, 'moiselle. Dis doctor friend of yours going be looking? And, if you like, we can try to find de answer from Crey, non?"

She looked over at Etienne, tears streaming down her face. "What if he doesn't find it in time?" She sobbed again. "Most of the scientists who worked on Project Pinnacle are gone...dead or in hiding...Crey won't be any help."

She sounded just...lost. He turned and looked into Cadence's eyes, exuding calm and understanding. "If he don' find it in time, den you got to be able to say dis year was de best of your life, 'moiselle. And Crey keep record, non? I tought all de White Man obsessed wit record. We just got to get to dem."

"...I'm scared," she said quietly, admitting it for the second time that day.

Etienne nodded, then smiled softly. "Me, too, 'moiselle. Fear be part of life. So be joie. It ain' good to pretent it ain' dere. But you ain' alone. Dat all dat matter, non?"

She sniffed as she swiped the back of her hand at her tears. More just seem to keep falling in their place. It was stupid, she thought to herself. She shouldn't be crying like this, should she? She'd already bawled all over Kyle, and here she was, pretty much crying a river right in front of Etienne. "I'm sorry for dumping this on you," she said a little bitterly, that bitterness aimed at herself. "You've got problems of your own."

He chuckled. "You ain' dumping noting on me, 'moiselle. I tink I know pretty well what de fear of deat like. You know what I mean. Beside, you sharing my burden, I share yours. Dat de Houghan way."

"Still makes me feel like a jerk...a stupid weepy jerk for adding to everything." She managed a smile through the tears. "Thanks though..."

He shook his head. "No, non. Not a jerk. 'Dis what life like back home, 'moiselle. Dere no burden one person has dat we ain' all share." He grinned. "I ain' can argue 'bout de weepy part, dough."

She brushed at her tears again even as she returned the grin. "Weepy part is right," she said, her voice breaking again. She shook her hands in frustration. "Just can't stop though. Between you and Kyle, I should be feeling better about this."

"It a shock. Dat take some time to get over. And crying necessary, I know dat. You know what I mean when I say dat, too. Give it a spell, but always remember, if it go bad, and dis is what you got, make it de best. 'Sides. You being a hero, non? Everyting you do be dangerous. Ain' noting keeping it from being over anytime you go do good, right?"

She nodded, gave a bit of hiccup, and replied, "I know...I mean...I never actually have that in my head when I go into something like that." She sniffed, and added, "But yeah, I know there's a chance that I might not come back."

"Den dis be just your next fight for good. Just like every oder one, you ain' got to go into dis fight alone, neider," he said confidently.

So...why did she feel so alone then? Kyle was there, though she felt so guilty for leaning on him like she had earlier. So was Etienne, and she felt pretty positive that if she told Andie and any of the others they would be there too. But in the end, despite all her friends...she felt like she was alone. It brought to mind the Loa she had ridden sidecar with when Etienne had gone hunting for the one responsible for the attack in the dorms. Even while surrounded in a city full of people and other Loa, it had felt so utterly alone...painfully so.

"I feel pretty alone right now...which...okay, maybe doesn't make sense since you're here and all," she said finally, though towards the end she started to ramble.

"Feeling alone got noting to do wit proximity, 'moiselle. You tell me what you need to feel like you ain' alone no more, and I do it. Fair?"

She swiped the heel of her hand across her cheeks again, trying to figure out just what she needed. Honestly she had no clue. There wasn't anything Kyle, Etienne or anybody else could do to make this go away. All she could do was wait, hope that Dr. Ellis would find the trigger.

"I dunno...a hug?" she said a little jokingly, since she had no idea what else to say. She looked at the log. "Probably not the safest thing to do on this thing though."

Etienne said nothing as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a white linen handkerchief. He handed it to Cadence before pulling her into his strong, gentle arms. She curled right into him, clutching tightly to the handkerchief as she started crying again. He was grateful for the alligator skin coat he wore, as it provided insulation from the heat his friend put off. She was scalding hot to the touch, and wisps of smoke still rose off of her. He held her tight and comfortingly, holding her as long as she needed it. Eventually, the heat began to taper off as she cried herself out. She wasn't in a hurry to get out of his arms. She felt steadier in them...and she needed that since her world had pretty much been turned upside down yet again.

She sniffed a little as she looked at the cloth in her hands. "...I soaked your handkerchief..."

He reached into his coat and grabbed a second one. "Good ting I carry more dan one, non?"

She looked at the second one and gave a little laugh. "Guess so," she said. She looked up at Etienne. "Thanks."

He brushed a stray hair away from her face, and the simple gesture warmed her straight to the core. She closed her eyes as he tucked the strands behind her ear. "No worries, 'moiselle. Maybe part of why I got to be up here is to bring de Houghan way to de White Man."

"Maybe..." she said, unable to think of anything else at the moment. In the wake of all the tears, her head was pounding. Her eyes were all red and puffy, which was sure to draw some looks to anybody she passed back at school if they headed back now. She rest her head against Etienne's chest. "We've got some time before curfew. Can we just...wait a bit before we go back to the dorms?"

"When you ready, 'moiselle."

[Cadence Calloway]

Ohana House was alive with activity. The children staying at the boarding house were home from school. Since it was too cold to play outside that afternoon, they were amusing themselves inside the former mansion of the Green family of Founders Falls. Their cheerful voices echoed through its halls, and on any other day would have had Samantha Noelani in a cheerful mood. As of late, those cheerful moods were few and far between. She peered down from the top of the wide staircase that led to the second floor of the west wing, watching as Cadence helped a couple of the children with their school assignments.

The guardianship of Cadence Calloway had been done out of necessity when she had enrolled at Evolution-X. She needed a legal guardian, because in Rhode Island there was no emancipation statute. It had been discussed at one point to see about seeking a court order in Family Court that would essentially declare her capable of emancipated status, legally making her an adult in the eyes of the state. The choice had been left to Cadence, and rather than cause a fuss, she'd agreed that guardianship was simply the easiest course of action. Sam hadn't expected to grow as attached as she had to the girl...then again, she'd never expected to become as attached to the former students at Evolution-X when she'd been asked to take over the school when its founder left. Leaving the school had been one of the most painful moments in her life, ranking up there with her father's death the year before to cancer. She watched, worried now, as she found herself facing the same sort of situation she had with her dad. Cadence was sick...dying...and while she may have looked fine, she was far from it. Sam was so used to helping people on a daily basis as the Samoan Scrapper. And now, she was faced with yet another person close to her that she could do nothing to help.

"You're watching her as if you expect her to keel over right this moment," a sultry voice said from behind.

Sam glanced over her shoulder to see Esther Green, the woman who not only owned the mansion but was helping her to run the house. The story behind their friendship was a complicated and long winded one. Esther was a Peacebringer and talented empath, and outside of Dr. Ellis, she was the only one Sam had confided in regarding Cadence's illness.

"I'm not thinking that."

"I know. You're thinking about your father. I'm an empath, and I know that the wounds from his death still have yet to heal. I can feel your pain, and know that these wounds have been reopened," Esther said, her words gentle and soothing.

"I just don't like feeling helpless. Which is what I feel right now," Sam replied open and honestly. "I know that John is doing his best to find a cure. I just feel like I should be doing something more."

"Such as?"

"That's the thing, Esther. I don't know. I backed out on the undercover operation in Praetoria indefinitely so I could be here. There's just no way I can justify being away from our Earth with this going on. But now that I'm here, I don't know what to do."

They both looked on as the plant girl Flora came racing in to Cadence, a stack of freshly drawn Crayon masterpieces in hand. Nothing was said as the green skinned girl showed her drawings off proudly, and Cadence, to her credit, smiled and enthusiastically seemed to be commenting on each one of them.

"...have you thought about investigating Crey Industries? Perhaps they have information that could help Dr. Ellis."

"Yes, but the problem is finding just where to look. Without knowing where to start, the Countess will just have her people cover their tracks and then we'll never find the information we're looking for."

"You could ask your mother, Sam. Longbow has the resources."

"No," Sam answered curtly. Her mother was a sore spot, and Esther knew it. But it was a valid suggestion, one that despite her protest she couldn't just brush aside. The former Arachnos widow turned Longbow agent could narrow the search down significantly.

After a bit, she relented with a sigh. "I'll think about it."

"I suggest you do, rather than think Sam. If I could help her, I would do so myself. If there is a chance that Longbow can help your investigation, you should go for it."

[Cadence Calloway]

Cadence had been out of classes for the last couple days, and most of that time had been spent sleeping. Wednesday night she'd dived into ice cold water after Etienne, when the Loa riding him had decided to leave. He'd been standing on the felled tree in Gemini Park - their usual haunt out in Galaxy City - when it happened, and the resulting seizure had sent him into the water. Since then, she'd been exhausted, weary to the bone, and achey. Normally the herbal tea Etienne had given her helped so that she could at least function. She hadn't touched the foul tasting brew since she'd crawled into bed that night, though. Destiny, her new roommate, had been nice enough to get her assignments, and she'd worked on them a little so she wouldn't fall behind...but outside of that, she hadn't been doing much of anything. Honestly, she didn't want to get up period today, but she had an appointment with Dr. Ellis.

Cadence was slumped in a chair beside her guardian, nearly falling asleep as the doctor went over what little findings he'd come across.

"It appears that the rate of reproduction isn't consistent. Some of the higher peaks I've noted are days that Cadence says she was on patrol."

"But some of the lower readings also happened on days she said she patrolled..." Sam said as she leaned forward.

"Right...so maybe it has something to do with what she encountered on those patrols or who she was with at the time." Ellis looked Cadence's way. "Can you remember anything in particular?"

She looked up, then shook her head. "I'm sorry...not really. Most of the patrols lately just all seem the same. I can't really remember anything too unusual going on..."

He frowned a little. "I think from now on, it might be good to keep track of your activities. Ideally, I'd prefer you don't do any patrolling. But I also understand with everything that happens in Paragon City, it's hard to stand back and ignore a crime happening right in front of you...especially if you know you can stop it. I want you to take notes, detailing what you were doing on patrol and who you were with while patrolling. Be sure to list dates and times if you can."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out three pill bottles, along with a set of printouts. "I'm still working on a permanent solution...but for the time being, we're going to focus on managing this illness. Here are a couple protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitor. All are generally used to treat viruses, and the simulations I've run show that they could help slow the progression of Cadence's condition. There are some side effects with these..."

Cadence looked at the plastic bottles and listened as Dr. Ellis lined out the side effects. It was a laundry list too. Malaise, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, insomnia...she lost track of them quickly. She wondered whether any of this was worth it. It sounded like the medicines that were supposed to help her were just going to make her feel worse. There was a laundry list of harmful drug interactions, which led to questions about what sort of medicines she was taking currently...which was none.

As an after thought, she asked, "I've been drinking an herbal tea that's been helping some with the fatigue. Is it okay for me to keep drinking it?"

"It depends on what's in the tea."

"Holly, willow, dogwood and nightshade," she replied after a moment, thankful she remembered what all Etienne had said.

Dr. Ellis scowled. "Holly and nightshade are both very dangerous, deadly if taken in high enough doses. Who gave you this tea?"

"A classmate." She tried to think of the easiest way to explain who the houghan was. "The healer from his village sent it. From what Etienne has said, she knows what she's doing..."

"From now on, I need to know these sorts of things before you take anything. Alternative forms of medicine can hurt just as much as help you. Have you been taking anything else besides the tea?"

Cadence shook her head. "No sir..."

He nodded, then handed her the printout and pill bottles. "I've provided two copies of the information I gave you. One is for you to keep, the other is for Ms. Jenkins at Westbrook. There's documentation for the school as well, so that they know its okay for you to be in possession of this medication. I want you to continue testing your blood daily, as well as keep notes on your patrol activites. I'd also like to start seeing you once a week. In the meantime, why don't you get some rest."

Dr Ellis stood to see the two of them out to the telepad. Cadence looked at the pill bottles again, feeling..skeptical at best. She tried to push the thoughts away, but it was difficult. These weren't going to cure her. In fact, it sounded like they were going to make her feel miserable. Why should she bother even taking them? Her misgivings, combined with the fact she was tired and weary just made her feel more miserable.

Fait be de cornerstone of happiness, 'moiselle. Witout it, you ain't never find it.

Why that snippet of conversation came to mind, she wasn't sure. But Etienne's words helped though. Dr. Ellis was highly intelligent. He wouldn't have given her the prescriptions if he didn't honestly think they would help. And given enough time, he would figure out a cure. She just needed to try and keep her chin up.

[Cadence Calloway]

It had started sometime Sunday night. Cadence had woke up in a cold sweat, shivering, aching and overall just feeling miserable. Even though classes had started back, she had stayed in bed. Her roommate had been nice enough to bring her class assignments to her, but she had yet to touch any of it. She'd suffered through Monday, and then Tuesday rolled around. She wasn't getting any better...and she was feeling worse than ever. So Wednesday morning, Sam had arrived and together they went to the House of Heroes satellite to see Dr. Ellis for more tests.

Cadence laid on the diagnostic bed, almost half asleep as the equipment scanned her body. Her doctor and her guardian were speaking in low tones, and likely thought that she couldn't hear their discussion.

"John, there's got to be something you're missing here."

"I know there is, Sam. I'm doing everything I can, but I think we're going to have to go to Crey for this. And no, I"m not advocating you or anybody in the House of Heroes go in and start raiding Crey's laboratories."

"Then what do you suggest? Waltzing in and just asking them to help with this?"

"No, I'm not that naive. An anonymous tip from within Crey made its way to Ellis Industries. Apparently there are a number of Paragon Protectors suffering from the same illness. One of Crey's own has managed to find a solution. I can't say if this is true, or if its something else. I think it would be wise to look into it..."

[Cadence Calloway]

Cadence had returned to Westbrook sometime Thursday morning, but not so that she could resume classes. She was to stay in the infirmary until her condition improved. Nurse Jenkins had set her up in one of the beds, making her as comfortable as possible. A couple of IV bags were hanging on a rack just behind the bed, one with just fluids and another with a strange amber liquid in it. Someone had thought to bring Cady's textbooks to her, as well as a notebook and pen so she could work on assignments, but by the looks of things she hadn't done much schoolwork. Cady looked terrible. Her skin was pale, almost ashen, and she looked as if she had no energy whatsoever. Despite the fact the room was pretty warm, now and again she shivered.

Etienne wandered the halls restlessly. His confrontation with Kai had been uncharacteristic of him, but with everything that had happened lately, the typical standoffishness of the majority of the students, the harassment at the diner, and then Kai, he lost his temper. So, he let his feet carry him where ever they might, just trying to clear his head.

Whenever he didn't pay attention to where he was going, inevitably, he found himself at Cadence's door. This time, her roommate, before he even asked, told him Cadence was in the infirmary. Etienne was worried that her condition was worsening, so he headed down to see for himself.

Nurse Jenkins was leaving the infirmary as Etienne reached the door. She offered him a kind smile. She knew that he had stayed with Cadence on her previous visits, and just assumed he was here to see her.

"Cadence just woke up. I'm sure she would appreciate a visitor, but try not to let her over do it. I'll be in my office, if she needs anything."

"Yes, Ma'am," Etienne replied, careful not to make eye contact. Something else the people here didn't understand about him.

He saw Cadence, pale and wan, and felt his heart drop to his stomach. He shook his head, deciding to decipher these feelings later, and put on his best smile.

"Taking a few days off, 'moiselle? I should be so lucky."

Cady gave him a weak smile, and tried her best not to sound as tired as she felt. "Figured Spring Break wasn't long enough...so I'll take a few extra days to make up for it..."

Her hands gripped at the blanket as she shivered. "Gonna take forever to get caught up in classes though..."

Etienne nodded. "I'll help you best I can. Figure I owe you dat much."

"Thanks...could use all the help I can get..."

She shivered again as she looked Etienne over. Behind the smile...she could tell something was bothering him. She hadn't seen him very much over Spring Break. Had she missed something?

"...you okay?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "Noting to worry over, 'moiselle. I guess I still a bit rettled from de diner."

"I'm sorry about all that at the diner..." Cady shifted a little so she could sit up a bit more.

Etienne waved to her to relax. "It fine. I used to dat. I guess some folk been nice enough to me up here dat I forget myself. Should have known better dan to go out like dat wit you."

He decided not to bring up the incident with Kai. She had enough to worry about as it was.

She laid back against the pillow. She closed her eyes, as she replied sourly, "Those guys were jerks. We had every right to be there together."

She was content to leave the topic at that. They could go around and around about it, but Etienne would just come back to that same conclusion: that he didn't belong there in the first place. And she was just too tired to argue the point right now. She shivered again as she looked over at Etienne.

"Overheard Sam and Dr. Ellis talking yesterday. He's running short on theories..."

Etienne fought off the frown that wanted to come, and nodded instead. "Ain't time to give in yet, 'moiselle. Dere always time for fait."

Cady gave him a bit of a half hearted smile. "I know...I know."

She went quiet again, trying to sort things out in her head a bit. "I heard them saying something about an anonymous tip from Crey. Apparently those Paragon Protectors of theirs have been sick with the same thing I've got..."

Etienne's smile faded, his eyes hardened. He flicked his glance around the room, quickly cataloguing the nearby Loa. Nothing powerful enough. Nothing that felt right. He stood up from the counter he had been leaning against, and, without saying a word, turned toward the door, his eyes smouldering.

Cady frowned as she saw Etienne's reaction. He looked so...so angry. She'd never seen him like that. She was worried about what would happen if he stormed off like that. He'd promised to help her if things led to investigating Crey...and she didn't want him rushing off angry like that. To be honest, she was scared what would happen if he went off alone, whether his head was clear or not. She was scared that something would happen to him. With a bit of effort, she was sitting up.

"Etienne, wait..."

Etienne stopped on a dime, and turned to face her, his gaze softening as soon as their eyes met.

She held his gaze as she sat there shivering, and the fear was evident. "You can't go rushing off after Crey like that. They've taken so much from me...and I don't want them to take you too."

He stared at her for a long moment, the air heavy with tension. Finally, he relaxed and nodded, though his eyes remained just as intense. "I ain't going wait long. You know anyting dat will make de search faster?"

She relaxed a little...though it was clear she was still plenty worried about the prospect. She lay back once again as she mulled it over in her head. She didn't want to drag anybody else in on this, especially if it turned out that the tip was false. She would go herself...but she wasn't about to kid herself into thinking she would be able to do anything but get in the way. If Etienne went, would the Loa be able to help him find the proof needed to back the tip? She wasn't sure. Even Etienne had said that Loa didn't always offer a straightforward solution. That left one possibility...

"I could ride sidecar. If the Loa can lead us where we need to go, I think I'd be able to help you find the proof Dr. Ellis needs that way."

Etienne gave the idea deliberate thought. Many of the other students thought him stupid because of his accent, and that he often paused before answering a question. But it wasn't a lack of intellect, rather a desire to give a complete, and thought out answer.

Bringing someone sidecar was dangerous, not only to him, but to the person riding with him. The damage and injuries he took, the Loa give up some of its energy to heal Etienne. If the Loa ran low, the energy would be taken from the person riding sidecar with him.

Still, Cadence knew a lot more that for which he would be searching. The Loa, he was certain, would lead him to the right place. However, it still rested on his shoulders to find the specific thing for which he was looking.

"If you sure you up to it, 'moiselle."

Cadence said nothing as she thought it over. It wasn't something to do on a whim. Twice she had ridden sidecar, and both had been done with all seriousness. They weren't going after a Loa this time. They would be dealing with Crey. Even when she'd been with other heroes or other Westbrook students, she'd always hung at the back, able to swallow her own fears enough to keep from freezing in most instances. Twice though...twice before she'd simply froze. If something like that happened while she rode sidecar...

What other choice was there though? This was the easiest way to follow up on the tip. Between the Loa leading them to the right place, and her past experiences with Crey, this seemed to be the surest road to success. She wanted Etienne safe, and the quicker he could get out of whatever place he was led to, the safer he would be...

"I am."

Nurse Jenkins looked through the window of her office to check on Cadence and Etienne. She smiled to herself as she watched them talk, unable to hear them, but seeing how serious they took everything. She worried a bit about Etienne, and the fact that most of the kids found it difficult to accept him. She was happy that Cadence, who needed a friend as well, had found some kind of a kindred spirit, or at least seen the kind soul that Etienne carefully hid behind his fear and differential demeanor.

The smile turned into a full grin as Etienne bent over Cadence, seeming to give her a kiss goodbye. Good for them, she thought, turning back to her paperwork before she saw Etienne's hollow, solid black eyes.