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"Derek had so much potential, but he’d been trapped in that small town for so long. It was all he had known, and before he had met Rebecca, he thought for sure he would wind up living and dying in his hometown. But once he met his high school sweetheart, everything changed. That girl was probably the only reason he ever dreamed of a better life. Everything he did, he did for her.
I remember when he walked through that door at the recruitment center. We needed some able bodies to help us as we shifted our men overseas. We were making moves in Lebanon at the time and needed some good soldiers to help us continue the fight. That young man walked in, bright-eyed, looking for a way to get himself and his girl set up for a better future. He wasn't much to look at back then, but there was something different about him. Reviewing his background, I knew he had gone through some heavy things, some life experiences that most men would never be able to break themselves out of. Not only was this a way to a better future, but it was a way for him to escape the dangers of his past, the dangers still threatening to drag him back.
While serving in Lebanon, Derek was exemplary. He served well under my command, and I couldn't have asked for a better soldier. He was great with his peers, lending a hand wherever he was needed, and always ready with a smile to lift their spirits. There was an air of confidence about him, like he always knew he would come out victorious, despite all the chaos that was happening around him. His ability to interact with the natives and manage difficult personalities within his regimen caught the attention of many of his superiors. I began to get a lot of questions and inquiries regarding his status.
All the while being deployed, Derek did his best to reach out to Rebecca as often as he could, through phone calls and letters. That girl was his world. I'm pretty sure he fought that much harder to get back to her in one piece, and that determination helped pull us out of plenty of firefights.
Closing in on the end of his tour, I received a personal letter from the government regarding setting up a personal meeting with him. Apparently, there was some new task force that was being organized. While I knew nothing about what they had planned, I did know that this would be a huge step forward for him, a way that he and Rebecca would be placed in a situation where they could prosper as a family.
It wasn't until decades later that I learned of his involvement in the G.E. task force and his work within the Carcerem.
Derek worked beside some of the most powerful villains this world has to offer. I can't even imagine some of the things he had to see and do to keep those freaks in check. But I'll tell you one thing, there wasn't a man more equipped for the job."
-An excerpt taken from the pages of Will of Stone: True American Hero-the General Derek Stone Biography
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GABRIEL STARED AT THE gentle rise and fall of Tristan’s chest, his eyes alternating to the heart rate monitor and studying the sluggish beeps. Tristan had barely stirred since being admitted and with all of the devices attached to him, he looked like a human pincushion. Gabriel had done his best to stay by his side when not in class or sleeping back in the dormitories. He and Dan had tried to rotate shifts to give Belle a break, who was by Tristan's side every spare minute. The poor girl had barely taken a moment off, and she was exhausted from the lack of sleep.
The past few days had been a blur for Gabriel, the boy trying to wrap his mind around all the things that had been explained to them. Following the events, Tristan had been placed in the ICU, where he was currently being monitored for any more unexplainable events. All of his close friends had come by to pay their respects, and it was apparent that no one knew what to expect once Tristan finally opened his eyes.
Gabriel's eyes lingered on the black marks that had yet to fade away from Tristan’s skin. The dark tribal tattoos had engulfed Tristan’s skin initially when they had found his smoking body amongst the rubble. After stabilizing him in the ICU, they had witnessed the marks fade over time. Still, it was unsettling that they continued to linger after several days.
More depressing than this fact was the metallic bracelet that was currently attached to Tristan's neck, the small dot in its center beeping green to show that it was activated. The device was a dampening brace that had been placed upon him by Principal Winter, a tool that the headmaster had created long ago to help him curb his unpredictable powers. While not entirely neutralizing a metamorph’s powers, it did effectively reduce them so that one's power was more manageable.
Jislaaik, Tristan, Gabriel swore. What have you done to yourself?
Thankfully, there had been no casualties amongst the bystanders, although there were some students who had suffered serious injuries. Allen had initially been inconsolable, blaming himself for the incident, until Gabriel had stepped forth to explain to the elder Davids that a similar incident had occurred at the family campgrounds this summer. Alarmed, Principal Winter had taken over from there, applying the dampening brace himself and keeping a close eye on Tristan at all times.
Gabriel held his head and rubbed his burning eyes as he shot a glance at the clock. Midnight was sneaking up, and he needed to get back to the dorms to get some modicum of sleep before classes resumed the next day. Gabriel leaned back against the chair and let out a long sigh. As he did, Gabriel noticed his friend stir for the first time. Briefly, Gabriel thought that this was simply his mind playing tricks on him. The thought dissipated as Tristan's vitals began to pick up, and his eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Thank God," Gabriel whispered under his breath, slumping in his chair.
"Where—where am I?" Tristan mumbled, stumbling to find the words. His voice sounded harsh as if he were trying to shake off the cobwebs that lay within his windpipes. He struggled to sit up, however, Gabriel rose to his feet to stop him, gently bringing him back down.
"Easy there, brother," Gabriel insisted. "You’re still not out of the woods yet, and you can't afford to push yourself. You’ve been in a week-long coma. Now's not the time to try to move anywhere. You’re in the ICU, and I need to go find a nurse to let them know that you’re finally awake.”
“The ICU?” Tristan croaked. “Why am I here?” Tristan’s eyes tracked down upon his body and nearly jumped up at the sight of the markings all along his arms and upper torso. “What the hell?” he cried out. “What is this? What happened?”
Gabriel took hold of his friend, trying his best to placate him and get him to relax. “Relax, Trist, you’re going to tear out the monitors. I’ll explain all of this to you in a second, but for right now, I’m going to need you to take a breather.”
Tristan looked at Gabriel and took a deep breath, his heart rate beginning to decrease slightly. Gabriel walked over to the chair and sat down to face his friend.
"During the classroom assignment, things got out of hand. Since we weren't in the simulator, I have no idea what it was that you saw, but you lost it. I've never seen that side of you before and honestly, bro, it scared the hell out of me. You were completely oblivious to us, launching blast after blast at your target. Allen was trying to get you to calm down, but you weren’t having any of it.
"Thankfully, a majority of our classmates had already left for lunch, but those of us who were still present started to get freaked out once your blasts began extending beyond the simulator. Most of us managed to get out of harm’s way before that surge of lightning came out from the skies and struck you."
Gabriel lifted his eyes to meet Tristan and tried to hide his shaking hands. "Tristan, when the blast struck you, it was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. Something of that nature, something of that power, should have killed you instantly. Instead, you absorbed it all and channeled it into a massive blast. You completely wiped out the entire landscape: the simulators, the courts, part of the mountain, everything.
"We used our powers to protect ourselves from the blast, though I have to admit, even with full shields up your blast completely eradicated all of my defenses. It was pretty bad, Trist. I won't lie. A few of us only managed to get out of the ICU ourselves a few days ago."
Tears began to fall from his friend’s eyes as Tristan came to grips with what Gabriel was telling him.
"Gabe, please tell me everyone is okay. Please tell me I didn't—"
"Don't worry. No one was killed. As I said, a lot of us were pretty banged up, but we survived. Honestly, we're all more concerned about you."
"Me? Why are you guys worried about me? You guys are the ones that had to suffer,” Tristan remarked.
Gabriel paused before making his next statement. "Listen, Tristan, there's something you should know. The professors don’t think this is just some isolated incident. This has been seen before, and they're worried that it’s not something that's going to get better overnight. This is going to take some time, and as a result, we can't risk putting any more people in danger."
At this point, Tristan did sit up, glaring at his friend. "What are you trying to say right now, Gabe?"
"What I'm saying is, we’re no longer able to participate in the Battledome this year. They're worried that something might happen, and quite frankly, I don't blame them. On top of that, they’re going to be pulling you from Advanced Ability Management. You’re going to be undergoing some specialized training to keep your powers in check. Along with the dampening brace around your neck, this should keep you safe from doing further harm to yourself."
And us, Gabriel thought.
Tristan's face dropped at the news, and Gabriel could tell that his friend was struggling to process the information.
"If I can’t train with you guys, what the hell do they expect for me to do? Who is going to train me if not Allen?"
"I will," a familiar voice said from behind Gabriel as Principal Winter stepped into the room and approached Tristan. "I will be your new professor, Electro."
Tristan looked at the older man, his eyes widening. "You? What makes you able to train me where Allen can't?"
"Well, aside from being a former professor myself," the headmaster said with a hint of indignation in his voice, "my powers will allow me to have better control over your abilities. It will allow me to halt any surges you might have and reduce the chances of you going haywire again."
To demonstrate, Principal Winter extended out his hand above Tristan's engraved chest and closed his eyes to concentrate. Within a matter of seconds, several of the tendrils began to recede under Tristan's skin, the dark lines along his pupils fading away. Tristan looked to be visibly weakened by the technique, however, color returned to his pale cheeks as he stared back at the principal with his bloodshot eyes.
"Principal Winter, Gabriel said this wasn't the first time that you've seen this. If that's true, was the other..." Tristan struggled to finish the sentence.
Principal Winter nodded. "Yes, Tristan. Your assumptions are correct. The last person to have suffered from these side effects was your grandfather. Following the eclipse, Mr. Peters had warned me of his concerns regarding your status. Along with Magnetron, your grandfather was also adversely affected by the solar storms occurring during their era. It was the first recorded evidence of such incidents, and we were wholly unprepared for its effects. Alongside a radical increase in their abilities, they also had to deal with some of the mood swings that surfaced."
"Mood swings? What do you mean the mood swing?" Gabriel inquired. "Since this happened, Tristan has been fine. He hasn't said anything about having mood swings. Maybe this is something different."
There was a brief moment of silence before several tears fell from Tristan's face, the salty droplets running down his tattooed cheeks.
"That's not entirely true, Gabe."
The two men turned to look at Tristan, who refused to meet their eyes.
"I’ve been having a hard time lately dealing with my depression. My anger. It's like I keep hearing voices inside of my head, voices telling me things that I would usually never think to myself. Mainly, they’re more centered around my guilt for what's been going on lately, but at other times, they want me to feel like I’m untouchable. Like nothing can stop me, that I can do anything that I want, but not in a good way." Tristan looked to Principal Winter, his lip trembling. "I don't know what came over me during class, but it was like a wave that I couldn't stop. What scares me the most...is that I didn't want to."
Tristan now turned to face Gabriel, his eyes wet and shaky. "I'm scared, Gabe. I don't know what’s happening, and I don't want to hurt any of you. This is my problem, and you shouldn't have to suffer because of it."
Gabriel rushed to his side and clasped his friend's hand in his. "We’re in this together,” Gabriel proclaimed adamantly, “through it all. You’re all the family that I have, and there's no way in hell I'm letting you face this alone. Whatever you need, whatever we've got to do, we’re gonna figure this out and get through this."
"Your friend here is right,” Principal Winter acknowledged. “We’re not going to abandon you in your time of need. We were able to make it work between your grandfather and Magnetron, and I do not doubt that we will be able to do the same for you. I will do everything in my power to make sure that we provide you the best care possible. You have my word."
Perhaps it was his imagination, but Gabriel thought he saw something change behind Tristan’s eyes at the principal’s last statement. Turning away, Tristan met Gabriel’s gaze. "Listen, Gabe, I need you to do something for me. You’re not going to like it, but I need to know that the team is going to be in good hands."
"Tristan what are you trying to—"
"I need you to take over the team in my absence. Trust me, there's nobody else who I would rather take charge. I need you to assume the mantle until I recover. Please. I need to know that everything we worked so hard for isn't going to fall apart."
Gabriel's heart plummeted at Tristan's words, realizing their implications. Closing his eyes, Gabriel composed himself before answering. While he had always wanted to return to leadership, this was not the way he had envisioned it happening. But what else could he do? The team needed a leader, and he was in Tristan's debt.
"I won’t let you down, chommie. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that Team Davids stays at the top."
"You mean Team Jackson," Tristan corrected, smiling for the first time.
––––––––
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Tristan was able to meet and catch up with the rest of his friends before classes started. Gabriel gave them some time alone as he began to ponder his new responsibilities. The burden that been placed upon his shoulders was not an easy one, and he knew that his teammates would be bitterly disappointed that Tristan would need to be away from them while training. However, Gabriel was not about to let down his friends. With no Battledome this season to worry about, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. They could now focus on retaining their hierarchy at the top of the class table.
Unfortunately, Tristan would need a few more days in the ICU before being released, and Gabriel attended his classes, doing his best not to dwell upon his friend's current condition. At the end of the day, Gabriel and the team reunited and tried to get Tristan caught up with all he had missed while in his coma. As of now, the only class Tristan would be substituted from was Allen's, therefore, he had plenty of homework and readings to catch up on.
When he wasn't busy completing classwork and visiting Tristan, Gabriel made sure that he arranged time to spend with Belle and Dan. Even though they were not going to be competing in the Battledome this year, Gabriel wanted to make sure that his teammates didn't get rusty when it came to their techniques and power utilization. With the upperclassman training grounds out of commission, they spent their afternoons practicing over at the second-year training grounds on the southeast portion of the island. They ran through multiple scenarios, keeping their tactical skills sharp as well as completing technical skills similar to what Allen had encouraged during class. Despite not being as creative as Tristan when it came to designing their practice routine, Gabriel could tell that Belle and Dan appreciated his efforts. In fact, they were even starting to show positive progress, Gabriel shifting a mound of dirt for the first time. Besides, it helped to keep their minds off their leader.
Toward the end of the week, Gabriel found himself taking a stroll along the beach to clear his head. Tristan was a few days away from being released, and Gabriel wanted to make sure that he had everything to help his friend catch up with their schoolwork and training plans. As he walked, he noticed a familiar figure approaching in the distance, and Gabriel's heart fluttered at the sight of Sofi.
"What's up, loser?" Sofi said with a grin. "Why are you walking out here by yourself? Been looking all over for you by the training grounds. Figured you'd be out there training instead of jogging along here doing your Baywatch routine."
"Your lame references are as witty as ever," Gabriel shot back, rolling his eyes. "Why were you out looking for me? Do you need somebody to kick your butt on Overwatch again? Perhaps show you how to win a match in the Battledome?" Gabriel teased, holding up his fingers and wiggling last year's Battledome championship ring.
Sofi’s eyes lit up at the metallic ring on his finger before she shoved his shoulder. "No, doofus. I don't need your help on looking like a clown in the Battledome. That is a niche you've managed to perfect all on your own. I wanted to congratulate you on the leadership promotion!"
Gabriel rubbed his forehead. "Oh, that. Thanks, I guess.”
Sofi was taken aback by the response and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You guess? What do you mean, you guess? I thought this was what you wanted from the beginning. This is your chance to regain your spot as one of the top leaders in the class. I thought you missed running the show."
Gabriel shook his head. "I thought I did, too. Ever since I had the leadership mantle removed from me last year, it was all I could think about. I wanted to get back on a team as their leader so badly. But now that it's here, I'm not so sure anymore. I've grown to love my role within the squad, and even though I would have enjoyed taking over from time to time, it was never supposed to be like this. It should’ve never come at the cost of..." Gabriel turned his head to stare into the ocean, trying to compose himself. Sofi's hand rubbed against his back in a gentle motion.
"I get it, Gabe. After all you guys have been through, he’s like family. It's hard to see him like this for me as well. Tristan's always been a fighter, and it's crazy to see what his powers have done to him. I've never seen anything like it."
Gabriel shrugged. "Principal Winter said that specific genetic line has slowly been dying out, and they haven't had a student like Tristan since the Golden Era. I just wish I could've done more sooner. I wish I could've gotten him help before it got to this point. It feels like I've been messing up a lot lately, always a step behind, and my mistakes are costing people a lot. I know Tristan puts a lot on his shoulders when it comes to the Escabana incident, but I had just as much to do with it as he did. I'm the one that convinced them to keep the Council out of it and bring Juan along. All the craziness that's going down in the world is just as much my fault."
"Don't do that. Don't you start blaming yourself, Gabe," Sofi warned. "You guys had no other choice. If not for you, Dan would be dead right now, along with his family. You guys helped save an entire town. And yes, some lost their lives. But that guilt should be placed on the shoulders of Doomsayer and his goons, not on you."
Sofi took Gabriel's hands into her own and pulled him close. "You’re going to figure this out, Gabe. You're a hell of a leader, and you're an even better person. You're going to get your team through this, and you’ll make sure that Tristan knows you have his back. But before you do all that...you're going to come over to the mess hall with me so that we can share ice cream and watch The Bachelor tonight."
Gabriel burst into laughter and hugged his former teammate, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Thank you for that, bokkie,” Gabriel stated, using the term of endearment. “You always know what to say. That's why you're my rock."
"Always," Sofi replied as they made their way back to campus.
––––––––
ON SATURDAY MORNING, Tristan was finally released from the ICU, and he walked out of the building to the raucous applause of his friends. Belle was the first to greet him, running into his arms and kissing him tenderly as tears ran down her face. The two held one another for a moment before Tristan went around to thank the rest of his friends for all their support. His eyes had returned to normal, and there were no longer dark marks along his skin. He still looked incredibly haggard and kept rubbing at the device chafing across his neck.
"Principal Winter says I need to have this on at all times. It'll help me maintain my control over my powers and hopefully help keep my mind in check," Tristan stated.
"If you need anyone to help you regulate those brain waves, I would be more than happy to help," Juan offered. "Although there may be the occasional side effect of you doing my homework for me and folding my clothes."
Tristan punched Juan in the shoulder and let out a laugh. It was a welcome sight for Gabriel, who couldn’t have been happier to see his friend in such high spirits.
The group spent the day together, and following dinner, they made their way over to the common room area in the hopes of concluding their celebration with a pool tournament. Upon walking through the doors, they noticed the silence within the room, all of the students currently crowded around the television. Glancing at one another in concern, the friends walked over to get a better look at what was going on. The students were all transfixed at the news report displaying before them.
WNN was announcing some breaking news, the reporters discussing what was about to commence. As the cameras panned over and focused upon an intimidating man in military uniform, the reporters fell into a hushed silence. The man stood on the newsroom platform and cleared his throat before speaking. From what Gabriel could tell, the older man was likely in his 50s, the constant grimace fixated upon his face further emphasizing the jagged scars along his profile. He was well built, and his graying hair did little to hide the fact that this man was in peak condition. Scanning his eyes upon the crowd, the man delivered his message:
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of America. My name is General Derek Stone, and it is my honor to stand before you today to discuss the latest proclamation from our great president. As the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it is my duty to protect the good people of this nation. Over the last few months, we have been undergoing a radical change, unlike anything this world has ever seen. We have discovered that we are not alone, and that we must ready ourselves against the changes that are upon us. We can no longer hide in ignorance and pretend that the world has not become a more dangerous place. These are dangerous times. And dangerous times call for proper measures.
"As we have learned from our chief liaison, Professor Morgan Winter, these genetically enhanced individuals, or metamorphs, as they wish to be referred to, are among us. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, perhaps even our family. While many of them wish to lead lives of peaceful coexistence and anonymity, there is still the minority who wish to use these magnificent abilities for evil. As a nation, we must find a way to live out our days in harmony, however, that is not possible if both sides are not completely honest and open with one another. We wish to understand our newfound cousins, and we desire to find a resolution to our current turmoil. With this in mind, our board of leaders has come up with a compromise.
"The good people of our United States of America will be undergoing a mandatory Metamorph registration act. This act will require all citizens of this nation to publicly register themselves as either human or metamorphs. If you are the latter, your powers will need to be disclosed and placed on public record to assess your threat level. Now, we are well aware of the distress that this may cause to some, however, it is for the greater good of this country that we are all made aware of the potential dangers that lie amongst us. We do not wish for anyone to be alarmed, as this will not result in any form of punishment or discrimination. Instead, this will help us better serve our communities and grant us opportunities to provide assistance and training to deal with those who have potentially dangerous abilities.
“We will be working alongside Professor Morgan Winter in all our dealings, and we will remain forthright in all that we do. This is not some witchhunt to discriminate against those whom we now consider a part of our world family. This is merely a necessary precaution to prevent events like the Escabana Bombings from occurring ever again."
Gabriel thought he was about to throw up, his head becoming lightheaded and his knees growing weaker. Despite the general’s cool demeanor and even tone, Gabriel wasn’t fooled. He understood what this meant. If this was, in fact, a mandatory act, thousands of innocent metamorphs were about to be exposed, and there was the potential of increased violence and riots because of it. There was no feasible way that this would turn out for the benefit of their people. Gabriel didn't care what the general said.
This was a witch hunt.
"Again this will be mandatory across the United States of America, and we urge other world leaders to follow suit for the safety of their citizens," the general announced before turning his focus behind him, several massive shapes coming forth from the shadows. The figures resembled large cyborgs nearly six feet tall. They were painted in all black, the technological suits incredibly sleek, and mimicked the design of shinobi outfit. They had heavy assault weapons strapped on to their waists and back. The entire suit was comprised of advanced technology, and the sleek black lenses that came across their face were tinted so as not to reveal the human inside of them.
"In addition to this new initiative, we have been granted clearance to instate the Special Weapons and Resistance of Metamorphs tactical unit, or the S.W.A.R.M. team. These handpicked soldiers will be our first line of defense against villainous groups such as the Legion. They will not, I repeat, will not be deployed to intimidate our Metamorph civilians. They are only here to protect all of our citizens, Metamorph and human alike.
“If these past few months have taught us anything, it is that we need to be prepared. We need to remain on our guard. We need the tools to face this brighter tomorrow. S.W.A.R.M. is the tool that we need, the heroes that we need, and you will no longer need to live in fear any longer."
The general breathed deeply, a cold smile crossing his face. "You wanted peace. You wanted security. Now you've got it.” His chest expanded proudly, gazing upon the crowd. “The people have spoken. And we're the answer."
