Here We Go

chapter 8

After talking to Eris I had to stop and breathe. She knew too much about me and her bringing everything up it shook me a little, even though I wouldn't let anyone else know that. I started to walk the empty halls of the meta-transport quietly as I thought about everything and tried to calm down. I wasn't paying attention when I accidentally crashed into none other than James.

"Oh hey sorry I-" I started to say when James glared at me and interrupted. "Did you know what Iron Arm was doing this whole time?" He asked. "What are you talking about?" I asked confused. "I want you to be honest with me Bailey no games did you know what they were using the Messer Cube for?" He said glaring at me. "No I told you I wouldn't put it past Iron Arm to be doing something they shouldn't that doesn't mean I'm apart of it or approve of it so I have no clue what your talking about right now." I said.

James looked at me for a minute and must of decided I was telling the truth. "Iron Arm was using the Messer Cube to make weapons." He said and showed me a very advanced looking gun that was behind his back. My eyes widened and I stared at it before sighing in disappointment. "I wish I could say this is a surprise but I knew they would probably do something like this. I was hoping I was wrong." I said.

"Well I think it's time we tell everyone else what's going on." James said. "Yeah your right." I said and I followed him in the direction of the lab.

Third person POV

"What are you doing, Mr. Bolton?" Director Ames said walking into the lab to see Marcus on one of the computers as Mark watched. "Uh...kind of been wondering the same thing about you." Marcus said. "You're supposed to be finding the cube." Ames said.

"We are. The signature is locked and we're scanning for the levels now. When we get a match, we'll have the location within half a mile" Campbell said. "And you'll get your cube back, no trouble, no problems. What is phase 2?" Marcus asked as he looked back at the computer. Before Ames could say anything a bang sounded and everyone turned to look at James who just laid down the advanced gun on the table with Bailey standing beside him with her arms crossed.

Bailey's POV

"Phase 2 is Iron Arm uses the cube to make weapons. Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow." James said. “We gathered everything related to the cube, even the weapons the enemy used in the 1940’s. This does not mean that we're..." Ames started to say when Marcus’s computer beeped. "I'm sorry, Nick. What were you lying about?" Marcus said moving the screen to show the plans.

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit." James said. That's when Lexi and Enyo walked in the room. "Did you know about this?" Mark asked Alexandra. "You wanna think about walking away from this situation, doctor?" Alexandra asked. "I was in Venice, I was pretty far away from it." Mark said. "Eris is manipulating you." Alexandra said back.

" And what have you been doing?" Mark said. "You didn't come here because I talked you into it." Alexandra said. "Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get nervous. I'd like to know why Iron Arm is using the Messer Cube to build weapons of mass destruction." Mark asked. "Because of them." Ames said pointing at Enyo.

“What, me?" Enyo asked shocked. "Last year earth had invaders from another planet who had a sibling rivalry that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly outmatched." Ames said. "My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Enyo said.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up

with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled." Ames said. "Enyo coming to Earth is just an excuse for Ames. You are on a power grab because like you said you can't control people anymore." I said to Ames.

"Like trying to control the cube?" James said. "You're experiments with the Messer Cube is what brought Eris to it, and her allies. It is the signal to all the galaxies that the earth is ready for a higher form of war." Enyo said.

"A higher form?" James asked. "You forced our options. We had to come up with something." Ames said. "Nuclear power. 'Cause that always makes everything better." Marcus said sarcastically. "Remind me again how you made your fortune, Bolton." Ames said.

"I'm sure if he still made weapons Bolton would be all for-” James started to say. "Wait wait how is this now about me?" Marcus said. "I'm sorry isn't everything?" James said. "I thought humanity was more evolved than this." Enyo said.

"Excuse me did we invade your planet and kill people?" Ames said to her. After that everyone started to argue with each other and I threw in a few comments here and there to Ames.

"You speak of control, yet you bring destruction." Enyo finally said. "It's his usual thing isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're... we're a time-bomb." Campbell said.

"You need to remove yourself from this." Ames said. "Why shouldn't the guy let loose?" Marcus said shrugging his arm around me but I quickly slung it off. "You know damn well why! Back off!" James said pushing him a little. "Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me." Marcus said. "Big man in a suit of armor acts tough. Without that what are you?" James said. "Genius, billionaire, a CEO of a very large company." Marcus said and I scoffed.

"Oh please." I said and Marcus looked at me a little hurt. "I know guys with none of that worth a dozen of you. Yeah, I've seen what you can do. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. Selfish and entitled. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice, to hold things down so everyone else can be safe." James said. "I think I would be smart enough to make it where everyone gets through including myself." Marcus said.

"Always a way out... You know, you may not be the enemy, but you better stop pretending to be a better man than everyone else." James said. "A better man? Like you? You're an experiment, Captain. Everything special about you came out of a lab." Marcus said. And that's what hit me. I got my powers from a lab explosion how dare he say that, I know he was saying it to James but it still was an insult to me too.

"Thanks a lot. You know James is right you’re not better you’re a liar pretending and at least us 'experiments' are a whole lot more than that." I said glaring at Marcus. He held a shocked look like he just realized I was there too.

"Put on the suit, let's see how tough you are." James said threateningly to Marcus. Enyo started to laugh. "You people are so petty...and childish." She said. "Yeah, this is a team." Mark said sarcastically. "Agent Rosair, would you take the doctor back to his-" Ames started to say when Mark interrupted. "Where? The cell is taken." Campbell said.

"The cell was just in case-" Ames started to say. "In case you needed to get rid of me, but you can't! I know! I tried!" Mark said and everyone got silent and turned to look at him shocked.

"I didn’t see a better option. I didn't see the point, so I put a gun in my mouth and woke up 2 days later after the other guy went on a rampage! I moved on. focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back into this circus and put everyone here in danger! You wanna know my secret, Agent Rosair? You wanna know how I stay calm?" Mark asked.

Alexandra and Ames have their hands down to grab their guns and everyone else were frozen in place as Mark picked up Eris’s glowing staff. "Doctor Campbell... put it down now." I said calmly. Mark looked down at the staff like he didn't even realize he had it.

Suddenly one of the computers starts beeping and Mark puts the staff down and goes over to the computer. "Sorry, folks. You don't get to see my little magic trick after all." Mark said. "Located the Messer Cube?" Enyo asked.

" I can get there." Marcus said. "Look, all of us-" James started to say. "The Cube belongs on Olympus, no human should have it." Enyo argued. Marcus turns to leave, but James stops him. "You're not going alone!" He said. "You gonna stop me?" Marcus asked. I rolled my eyes. Now everyone's just acting like children. I can't wait to leave.

"Put on the suit, let's find out." James said. "I'm not afraid to hit you" Marcus said. “Big talk, put on the suit." James said. The computer kept beeping and all of a sudden Mark looked up shocked. "No." He said. I turned to look at him to ask him what happened. That's when an explosion hits and the next thing I know I'm knocked up against a wall and I black out.