The door of the small cell-like room rattled and then swung open, allowing Anthony entry. He stepped inside and smiled at Natasha. She was pacing back and forth, with Lonan, the raven, perched on her shoulder. She turned to face Anthony and stood still.

 "Are you going to let me out of here, Anthony?" she cooed at him, doing her best to sound sweet.

 "Actually, yes." he replied. "We are going to put you in a much nicer room where you'll have a full bathroom and a comfortable bed."

 "What?!"

 "You would... rather stay here? In this one?"

 "No, you idiot!" She spoke through clenched teeth. "I want you to let me go. I want to call Harley."

 "Well... that might prove difficult. Seems he's disappeared."

 She stood there staring at him, her mouth agape. Suddenly she turned and faced the other way, arms crossed. "You're lying. I'll try calling him. He always answers my calls. He'll pick up his phone."

 "I'm afraid that wherever he went, he didn't take his phone. Or let anyone know he was leaving." Anthony took a step toward her. "We have a theory... but it isn't something we can be sure of. It isn't a pleasant theory, either."

 She swung back around to face him. There was worry lining her face. "What is the theory? Do you think something's happened to him? What do you think happened? Tell me!"

He shrugged and held a hand out to her. "Why don't we go take a look at your new room? Sit down there and have some tea. We can talk about it."

 "I don't want TEA! I want to know what happened to Harley!" But as she spoke she walked toward the door, indicating that she would go with him even if it wasn't to her freedom. Anything would be better than where she was. They left the small cell and Anthony led her down the hall to an elevator.

 "I think you'll enjoy your stay with us far more if you are in a more comfortable room." He winked down at her, smiling.

 "I don't know what you people want with me. I already told you. I'm not some superhero." Natasha tossed her head as she spoke.

 "No. No, you aren't. Not now. But you can be. I think you will be. You just need some reprogramming."

 "Oh, I see. You people intend to brainwash me. Is that how you recruit all of your team members?"

 They were entering the elevator. Anthony pressed a button for one of the upper level floors and stepped back. He gave her a sidelong glance before replying.

 "Natasha, you have already been brainwashed, my dear. We intend to undo the damage Harley Chase has inflicted on you. We hope to restore you to your prior mindset."

 "That's ridiculous! You can't just undo everything he's done to me! What do you plan to do? Erase my memory?" She snorted, derisively.

 "Not anything as drastic as all that. Well, hopefully not, anyways." He gazed at her, his face completely serious. "We will. If that is what it takes. That isn't our preference, but if it comes to that, yes. We would erase your memories in order to undo the harm."

 She looked at him and cocked her head. "So, basically you are saying I'm no longer a free woman. I no longer have the right to a choice?"

 "You never did. You were born with a gift. An ability that makes you a very powerful individual. It is your purpose and duty to protect innocent people and to help bring about this new evolution. Bring it into a society that has been purged of evil. We are pioneers. The first of a new stage in human development. We have to bring balance to human nature. Otherwise, it could be chaos."

 "And who made this decision? Who makes these rules and decisions?"

 "We all do. We all work toward the same goal. The same purpose. To make the world a place capable of containing people with our abilities. There are only so many of us now. That will change. The human species is evolving. We need to be sure that evil is eliminated. If we don't, we will destroy our planet and ourselves. There is no other choice.

She nodded and looked thoughtful. The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Anthony led her down several more hallways before stopping in front of another door, which he unlocked with a key. He opened the doors and stood aside for her to enter.

 The room was a nice size with a full sized bed, a wardrobe, and a small table. There was a door leading into a small bathroom containing a shower and tub, a sink, and a toilet. The window, although sealed closed, looked out onto the city. It was a nice view.

 "This building... it used to be a hotel?"

 "Yes. We bought it to serve as a sort of headquarters/ training grounds. There's a very large banquet and ballroom that we have transformed into a place for practice and honing our abilities. You'll be spending some time in there. However due to the nature of your power, more of your training will be taking place out in the enclosed court yard. It's private, yet it provides outdoor training."

 "So... what exactly is this power you seem to be convinced that I possess?"

 "In due time, Natasha." He glanced at the raven still perched on her shoulder. "There are very obvious clues. I’m quite surprised you haven't figured it out. The best way to become acquainted with one's ability is to discover what it is on your own. If I tell you, it won't give you a very strong start."

 Natasha looked around her new quarters. She walked over to gaze out the window. Her shoulders were slumped as though in defeat.

 "This is very nice, Anthony. Thank you." She turned and gave him a genuine smile, which surprised him. He smiled back and nodded at her.

 "There are changes of clothing in the wardrobe and towels and toiletries in the bathroom. Please make use of them and be ready in two hours. Either I, or one of the other team members, will return for you to give you a small tour of the facilities. And Natasha?"

 She turned toward him, arching an eyebrow.

 "Please behave yourself. We don't wish for you to spend these first days of your time with us in handcuffs. You would be locked in a cell right now at a regular jail with minimal facilities and no freedom if we hadn't taken you. Consider yourself fortunate. This..." He indicated the room with a wave of his hand, "is a serious upgrade in comparison to where you were headed."

 She gazed at him for a moment before nodding her head in compliance. "I'll behave. As long as it takes for you to be convinced that I'm not who you think I am. Then I go free, deal?"

 He squinted at her for a second and then grinned. "You are quite the bargaining woman, aren't you?" He nodded and looked down. "Alright." He looked back up into her eyes. "Deal. You behave. We won't treat you like a criminal with the exception of being locked down while in your room. Then if you prove to possess no special abilities whatsoever... you may go free. You have my word. But until then, you be a cooperative young lady."

"I will. You have my word."

 "Good girl. Get cleaned up, Miss Natasha. You have quite a bit of work ahead of you!"

 With that he turned and strode from the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

 Natasha turned to look at the bird on her shoulder. "What do YOU think, Lonan, my pet? Think we should trust these people?"

 The raven let out a loud squawk and fluttered from her shoulder. It flew toward the door then turned and came back to land again, letting out another squawk. She glared at it for a moment. "Oh, what do you know? You're a bird!" She sighed and turned back to gaze out the window again. "I suppose we will see."

 ..........

 Jackson and Macy tapped on Tyrone's office door and waited for him to open it. He was in for a bit of a shock, considering they were no longer in disguise and far from the people he'd thought they were. It was ironic considering his suppressed ability to see into the minds of other people.

 "Once he unlocks that power of his, he won't be so easily fooled, will he?" Macy whispered with a small giggle.

 Just then, the door swung open and Tyrone stood there smiling at them. The smile froze on his face before melting into a look of confusion. He squinted at Macy.

 "You look very, umm... different, lady," he said slowly. "You cut your hair and turned blonde! Hmm.... I like it!"

 Jackson laughed out loud. In his casual, west coast purr he said, "Yeah. She makes a pretty blonde, doesn't she?"

 Tyrone turned to him and looked him up and down before replying, "Yes. She do. Seems da two of you have taken more to da L.A. style, no?"

 "Well, not exactly, sugar." Macy smiled, speaking in her regular, high-pitched voice. "You'd better let us come on in and explain."

 He looked back at her in shock. "What eez dees? You don sound like yourself either, lady! What eez going on? You better speak up, de both of you!"

 He turned to usher them into his office and motioned that they take a seat. He went around to sit in his own chair and folded his hands on the desk in front of him. His eyebrows were raised in question and Jackson and Macy got the feeling they'd better hurry with their explanation before he decided to have them booted from the building.

 "Tyrone," Macy began, leaning forward. "We... well, we aren't who we led you to believe we are. Don't get mad or do anything crazy without letting us explain."

 He narrowed his eyes at her and sat back in his chair. He placed one elbow on the arm rest and fingered a dread lock that had escaped the band that was holding the majority of them back in a ponytail. "You'd best be quick aboot it den."

 Macy looked at Jackson and he nodded for her to go on. She was better at dealing with people when they were starting to get angry or confused. She had a knack for putting them at ease, so long as they remained respectful.

 "Alright Tyrone," she began. "We are detectives." She watched his eyes narrow even more but went on without pause. "We are cops. But we are in a special division, set up to investigate the vigilante movement. I know that sounds strange, but it is what we do. We weren't here to investigate you, or your operation here. We needed to gather information on the vigilantes and we noticed that they... had taken an interest in your... umm... organization."

 Tyrone leaned forward again and looked her directly in the eye. "You expect me to believe dis... rubbish?"

 "Expect isn't really the word I'd use. See... we are actually under specific orders NOT to investigate the operation you have going. However, in order to further our knowledge of the alleged "super-people" we needed to get close to you guys. We knew that if we approached you as cops we'd get nothing from you, considering... you know... the nature of your business."

 Tyrone shot to his feet. He walked around the desk and leaned over Macy, looking her in the eye. Jackson slid a hand under his jacket and placed it carefully on his gun, eyes hooded, as he watched the exchange.

 "I'd thank you to back up a little, Tyrone." Macy sat up a little straighter and looked directly back into the tall, black man's eyes, fearlessly. "We are doing our best to come clean with you. The least you could do is respect a girl's space, here."

 He stood up straight and took a step back. "I apologize, lady. I only meant to look closely. You know. To see dat you tell me da truth."

 "Oh. And?"

 "You do."

 "Well, good. Then let me finish. Would you, sweetie?"

 He shrugged and went back around the desk to take his seat. Jackson let out a relieved breath and let go of his weapon.

 "Alright. Now, the reason we are no longer keeping up the identities we'd taken on is because of the disappearance of your boss. Because of our dealings with you, we have been placed in charge of that particular investigation, even though, in other circumstances, it wouldn't be under our jurisdiction. It would be up to the missing person's department, or eventually homicide if that were to wind up being the case."

 He nodded for her to continue, once again fidgeting with the stray dread lock.

 "However, because we have already become acquainted with both you and your boss, we will be the detectives in charge of investigating what happened to him. This has nothing to do with what you people do, although I've got to tell you, sweetie... you would be wise to begin looking into another line of work. I have a feeling this whole thing may come down around your pretty little head."

 She stopped and looked at him, eyes wide and clear blue. She liked Tyrone. She didn't want to see him take the brunt of a fall meant for Harley Chase.

 "Go on." He nodded, his face giving no hint as to what he was thinking.

 "Alright, so as investigators into your boss' disappearance and possible harm, or even murder, would you mind answering some very routine questions? We'd appreciate your cooperation and we'd very much like to eliminate you as a suspect, too, darling."

 Tyrone studied her face for a moment before turning to look at Jackson. Suddenly he smiled widely, his teeth a shocking white in contrast to his dark skin. "You had me fooled, bro! You both. You two really make me, you know, tink you come from Texas!" He smiled even wider, his gaze shifting between Jackson and Macy. "What are jor names? Da real ting?"

 Jackson grinned and sat forward to hold out his hand. "Detective Jackson Wolfe. Pleasure to meet you." Tyrone shook his hand, laughing his booming laugh. "And this here..." Jackson gestured toward Macy. "...is my partner, Macy Grey."

 "Well, well. You two are very good. Very good, to fool me, you know!"

 "Yeah. Well, it's part of the job description." Jackson winked at him.

 After a moment Tyrone let the smile slip from his face and became serious again. He leaned forward once more, his hands folded on the desk. "I do not know where de boss go. Not a word to me or anyone else. He just disappear." He gestured with his hands, breaking them apart into the air in front of him. "Poof. No one know what happen."

 "So, he never said anything about any kind of plans to leave. Maybe take a sneak vacation. Does he ever do anything like that?" Jackson asked, his eyes narrowed.

 "Not one word. He make, you know, plans. Appointments. Tings he had going on today. He has missed two very important meetings already. I be doing my best to keep da people quiet. Calm. He never do dis. Miss de meetings. Forget appointments. He don like being late. He don like canceling de plans he make. He is good business mon, you know?"

 "Anyone else we can talk to? Anyone else he may have confided in?"

 "You can talk to whoever you want. No one going to know anyting. I promise you. I already call everyone trying to track heem down. He don even take hees phone. Dat make me very worried. He never go nowhere without hees phone, you know?" Tyrone shook his head with finality. "No. Someting happen to dat man, I'm afraid. Bad karma, mebbe, you never know. Someting bad happen to heem. Noting to do wit me. No, but I tink... I tink mebbe he get what come to heem because da tings he do."

 Macy sat forward and spoke up. "What exactly do you mean by that, sweetie?"

 "I don know, lady." He looked at her, shaking his head. "I jus... you know. Der's de gut feeling. I tink he get what he deserve by way de angel of death, or someting like dat. You know what I be sayin? You believe een de evil spirit? I do. Dat boy was evil like no one else."

 "You have a feeling? What would give you that kind of feeling?"

He shook his head again. "Someting happen. Few days ago. Someting I cannot explain. I come to my office. Had a strange feeling before I open de door. Den, next ting I know, I be standin inside my office. Don remember opening de door, or stepping inside. Just was der. I was confused. I felt... someting important had happened, you know? Someting I could not... remember. Strange feeling. I felt like mebbe it had someting to do wit de boss. Someting beeg. I still cannot remember what occurred, but... I cannot esplain. Jus have de strong vibe. Deep inside, you know?"

 Macy looked at Jackson and he knew what she was going to say before she said it. For some reason that he couldn't fathom, he wished she wouldn't.

 "Father Time!" she said, her blue eyes wide.

 Jackson winced. Dizziness washed over him and he took deep, slow breaths. There was a struggle inside him that he didn't understand. Some part of him suddenly wanted to shut down the whole investigation. It clashed with the driving determination to catch up with the outlaws who had evaded him for the entire time he had been a part of this team.

 "You think he may be involved here?" Jackson asked, hooding his eyes as he watched her expression.

 "Maybe. He hasn't made very many appearances, but those who know of him... those who've encountered him and remembered it.... There are so many stories surrounding him that are just like Tyrone's. I don't know, sweetie. What do you think?"

 Tyrone was watching them, curiously. He sat forward and cleared his throat, trying to get their attention. They seemed to have completely forgotten he was there.

 "Are you two going to tell me what you are talking about?"

 They looked at him and Macy suddenly leaned toward him, her eyes wide with excitement. "Listen, honey. Can you try and think back to that day. Reach into your mind. Try as hard as you can to remember what happened in your office. You say there's a piece missing. One minute you were about to enter. You had a strange feeling. Then suddenly you were standing inside and can't remember how you got there?"

 "Dat sounds right. Yes, and I feel dat der was... someting important. Someting dat happened during dat moment I can not remember. But I try already, to you know, remember. No use."

 Jackson placed his head in his hands as more dizziness washed over him. Something was going on. His jaw clenched. In his mind, a thick fog hung over something important. It cloaked something he knew he needed to see. For the life of him he could not lift the fog. He could not see through it. He could make out shapes deep in the mist, but they refused to form into solid images.

 "Alright, then," Macy continued. "What did you do after that incident? Did you say anything to Harley, or anyone else about what happened?"

 "No. No, I just forgot about it. I thought, you know, it would come back to me. It never do dat, tho. I only come to tink about it jus now. Because of dees conversation. Now I tink mebbe.... mebbe it was someting important about de boss. Someting dat I should remember. I cannot get my mind to, you know, let me see it."

 "Okay. Alright. Well, listen. You can still use the number we gave you before. If you can remember anything more about what happened, even something small and seemingly insignificant, please give us a call. If you find out anything else that you think might help..."

 Tyrone nodded his head and they stood. "I will call you if anyting comes to mind, no problem."

 They all shook hands and Jackson and Macy left Tyrone's office. 

 They drove away in silence. Both were lost in thought. Both of them suppressing thoughts and feelings they weren't sure they could share with each other. The partners trusted each other with their lives, yet they refused to risk the painful rejection they feared the most from one another, if they opted for complete honesty.

 Edited.

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