“In breaking news, we come to you live from the RAST Shelter, the scene of a gang related attack last night. Eye witnesses said members of the infamous N King gang attempted to set the building on fire in the early hours of the morning. The attempt however was thwarted by the masked individuals that have plagued the city. We have with us the woman who runs the shelter Hanako Carter. Mrs. Carter do you know why the shelter would have been targeted for such an attack?”
“No, I do not. We’re a shelter for the homeless and those who cannot provide for themselves. No one is exempt from our care. This is meant to be a safe haven.”
“You took over the shelter over five years ago and have helped it to flourish into what it is now correct?”
“That’s right. This has become part of my life’s work.”
“It is a pinnacle of our community. However, can you think of a reason as to why the masked vigilantes would have come to the aid of the shelter?”
“I don’t know. I thought they were criminals and dangerous and I worry that they may have some other motives behind this. But if they had not arrived the shelter and many lives would have been lost, including my sons. So if they’re listening, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now I have to see to my people.”
“Yes of course. Thank you for your time Mrs. Carter. And there you have it folks. Have our city’s masked menaces turned over a new leaf? Time will tell. Back to you.”
Phase looked away from the TV and stared at Yumi who looked beyond pleased with herself at the moment. Phase winced as he sat up, his muscles still annoyed with him from the fight with the clones. “So while me and Rogue were getting our asses kicked you guys were making the news.”
“Not saying that I’m not awesome but I’m pretty sure I’m awesome,” she said grinning wide. “No one got hurt. What X-Ray saw happened but not as bad as it could have. And now the N Kings know not to fuck with the shelter.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you saying that is going to be more than just a threat,” he asked and she looked at him but didn’t say anything. “Okay. Let that come to roost when it does.”
“What were you guys doing that got you beat up,” Shade asked.
Phase shook his head, “Picking up some old burner phone for Darren from a Royal office. Got jumped by two of those masked people again. One of them could fly and one of them had a good imitation of what Yumi does.”
“My fire hands?”
“Yeah.”
“So Mei strikes again,” Yumi said fighting the urge to scowl. “What was on that phone that would get them coming after you guys?”
Phase looked down as Roxie padded her way over seeking attention and he rubbed her face smiling. “No idea. Darren’s been working on it since we got it,” he shook his head. “Said it was a favor for someone.”
“This just in, CEO of Harris LLC, Daniel Guy has been found dead in his Chicago Home,” Everyone immediately turned to stare at the TV as the report gave a headshot of G. “The young CEO was found early this morning and rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Early pronouncements are an overdose of the new street drug Neo.”
They looked at each other slowly and Yumi whistled, “He ODed on New Dick Squad RX. Who’s buying that?”
“No one,” Phase said. “At least none of us are.”
“Who do you think is responsible?” Shade asked.
Rogue snorted, “Three guesses and they all rhyme with fierce.”
“Pierce cleaning house then?” Feint suggested and Rogue nodded. “His visit to the Casino that night was probably more than just a coincidence then.”
“Definitely more,” they all turned toward their voice as Darren left their room. Their hair was a mess and glasses hung slightly skewed on their face. Suppressing their yawn they glanced at the assembled. “G dying today just confirms what I thought was happening.”
Yumi sat up clapping her hands, “Just the kid I was hoping to see.”
Darren went to the kitchen first finding the still hot pot of coffee and poured themselves a cup. Rubbing their face quickly they sighed and waved their hands back and forth. “Get everyone out here before I go deep into things.”
“Well Rogue’s up there in his den. Thing,” Yumi said pointing above their heads. In response Rogue raved his hand, a pen between his fingers. “And Echo is.”
“Right here,” she said walking into the living room with Roxie running over to greet her. She had a towel wrapped around her head at the moment but bent down immediately to give her the attention she deserved.
“Awesome let’s get to it,” Darren had perked up considerably with the coffee in hand. Picking out their phone they held a finger down on the home button and pointed it at the TV. They took over the screen and a website appeared. “That’s Open Door Lab. They’re a pharmacy on the front. Drug and medical research. Some mild cancer stuff. Nothing crazy.”
“I’ve heard of them before,” Shade said. “They make some of the drugs that my niece took back when she had the flu. Fixed her up like magic.”
Darren nodded, “That’s up their alley alright. One Door is one of the ones that serves as a cover for the Royals. One of Nigel’s personal science labs.”
Shade rolled his eyes, “Great. Now I gotta warn my sister of them.”
“They do real work over there. But their facility also does some questionable things.”
“Why are we talking about hem?” Phase asked.
“That phone you two grabbed was a favor but it was also an advance on some information. Open Door has recently opened a division that is focused around developing cloning technology to test drugs before jumping to human trials.”
“But in reality, they’ve been doing cloning experiments long before now,” Feint frowned. “How many of the clones are there?”
“There’s the one that attacked Phase in the bank,” Darren opened up an image with just a blank mask and “Phase” in quotes. “Same abilities as Phase.”
“There’s the me,” Yumi said next and this time there was a picture of Mei captured from the fundraiser. She saw that smug smirk and Yumi glared. “She can do my fire hands thing.”
“She has a loose penchant for knives,” Rogue said as he appeared in their living room. “Both of them did.”
“Both?” Shade asked.
“The other girl,” Phase said shaking his head. “The one who could fly. Even though I never saw her face, I’d bet good money she’s your clone Fei.”
“Mine?” she repeated. “Uh. Last time I checked Phase I don’t fly.”
“She also had our power,” he said passing his hand through the couch. “Remember what happened when we tried to phase through each other?”
“Is that what the kids call sex?” Yumi asked looking over at Shade.
Feint ignored her and let her own hand fizzle slightly and nodded, “I do it. It was a migraine harder than I’d felt before.”
“It happened when I ran into the clone of me. And it happened when I ran into her. If she’s not you she’s pretty damn close. And that’s just the three that we’ve met. There could be more just hiding around.”
“Exactly. Getting surprised by those clones twice isn’t something we can afford to happen again. Plus if they’ve managed to do that God knows what else Pierce has come up with. We need to investigate it and them.”
“Where is this place? I’m assuming it’s not in the city,” Shade asked.
“Nope. It’s actually in Indiana,” they replied. “I need to do a deep dive on them before we take any action. But I think a personal visit is in order from a certain group of masked thieves.”
“I’m in,” Yumi said. “When are we going?”
“Not yet. I’m just filling you all in on what’s going on. If I’m lucky I can get the information within a week. And then you can raise some hell. And get me into their systems. Hopefully avoid any clones.”
“Boo!” Yumi folded her arms and pouted hard. “You got me all excited and now you’re telling me I gotta wait.”
Darren rolled their eyes, “Yes Yumi. Because careful planning usually goes into these things. And since it’s not a job I have to inform the team before doing anything crazy.”
“Like running off and breaking into a well guarded facility. I know I know,” she folded her arms tighter not feeling better yet.
“Oh my God she learns. Color me impressed,” they said taking their coffee into the room to get back to working.
“Thanks for the update then,” Rogue said and vanished back to his den.
“I’m going to go finish drying my hair and do more cleaning around here,” Echo said. She pulled the towel off her hair and it was poofing up aggressively.
Shade started to say something then looked at his phone, “Maria? Guess it’s my sister.” He picked up the phone and walked off toward his room already talking.
That left Roxie staring at Phase, Feint, and Yumi. Her tail wagged and head tilted to look at them each individually. But she started looking quickly outside toward the door. She looked back and forth quickly between them.
Yumi raised her eyebrow. “What’s she want?”
“I think I know,” Feint said stepping forward. “Roxie. Roxie. Do you want to go out?”
She barked and started running quickly going toward the door and jumping at it. She turned around and sprinted back to them except now she had her leash in her jaws. Feint laughed taking it from her and slowly set it up working around her legs.
“Where’d she learn that trick?” Phase asked.
“I have no idea but she’s a smart one,” Feint said rubbing her head.
Yumi rubbed her face as well before scratching at her back, “Is that what we’re calling her?”
“Yes you are,” Feint said glancing at her.
“Yeah. I am,” she said and continued giving her scratches. “So I guess we’re going for a walk.”
Phase took her leash and that seemed to send Roxie bolting. She sprinted forward and dragged Phase along. She even decided the stairs was the way to go and he stumbled down them but he made it work. Once they were together at the bottom and on the street he reigned her in.
Feint took over next leading the way. A walk that Roxie seemed to know well. But then again just being outside was making her happy. It was the early parts of the afternoon. Lots of people were out and about doing their own thing. Roxie despite how much she’d grown was not an overly friendly animal.
As they walked a pair of women came past them and Roxie looked at them and immediately backed off to stand beside Phase. She shook slightly and bristled. She looked ready to bark and whimper all at the same time. She slowed her steps and kept with him. They waved at the women who seemed interested in Roxie but Feint was a pro at deflecting them.
In the meantime, Yumi and Phase brushed their fingers through her fur to help calm he down. She turned to look at them and licked Yumi’s hand first and then Phase’s as she relaxed.
“It’s been a year and she’s still not a fan of people,” Yumi said.
“No. I think its just going to be the way she is. Which that’s fine,” she looked at him and started panting her tail wagging slowly. “You’re perfect the way you are.”
“Yes she is,” Feint said and started walking again.
They walked together going toward the park. The moment they stepped over and she felt the grass beneath her paws she started running fast and going as far as she could. Everything was a new smell and something fascinating to inspect and maybe get into. Phase laughed chasing after her and keeping on her leash without too much effort.
Yumi and Feint watched them go. Feint giggled while Yumi cheered from the back which just made Roxie bark excitedly. Yumi smiled brightly but that started to fade as she looked down. “Hey Fei. What do you think about the clone thing?”
“What I think?”
“Yeah like. I met Mei. Didn’t really talk to her. But I saw her. She looked like me and the way she looked at me felt like she was trying to figure out the fastest way to take me down. And the clone of Phase gave me the chills.”
“I haven’t been unlucky enough to run into our doppelgangers but I can’t say I’m eager to do so,” she replied. “A version of me out there with a knife fetish and flying sounds insane in the bad way.”
“Maybe that means you can fly.”
She snorted shaking her head, “If I could fly it would have happened with the enhance I took.”
“I mean. I evolved and got my fire hands. Who’s to say you can’t get it too?”
Feint was starting to say something but shook her head. She didn’t have a legitimate argument against that because the territory involving this. Even Darren wasn’t sure last she talked to them.
“Getting to your question they worry me too. I can’t imagine what I’m going to think or feel seeing mine. But we’re going to have to handle them eventually. And I want to be ready for that.”
“Especially with the clone of leader,” Yumi frowned. “I don’t know how I’d fight that one.”
“Because he’d look like Phase.”
“Yeah.”
“I understand that. But we both know how to deal with that if it happens. Just hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Maybe they’ll always where the masks,” Yumi teased and even Feint laughed at that.
“What do you think Faiz? Should we always wear our masks?”
“Wasn’t my plan but why not Mei. Could be fun.”
“They were designed by me so of course.”
“Ghost is getting ahead of herself again,” Faiz said smirking.
They went to a carnival once upon a time when it was passing through. It had been a long time ago, before they’d even met Shade or had a real relationship with Darren. Just the three of them doing what they thought was a normal thing to do with friends.
Staring at the trio was like looking at one of those mirrors. Staring at them, seeing the distorted and warped version of themselves. The same faces yet warped in expressions that were so alien. Hair changed in styles they’d never have chosen. The surrealness of it all was enough to make them dizzy.
The Phase clone, Faiz since his was the only male voice amongst them, stood clearly leading the other two. And his eyes focused on them cleanly, a strange look on his face. As he looked at Yumi and Feint there was a possessiveness to his gaze. Something that expressed just how he felt about the two of them.
Yumi took a step back and moved to make sure that her shoulder was near Feint’s. Both were tensed looking away from the Phase clone and the ones that looked like themselves. Mei looked at them both a little bit disdainful and almost bored. More aloof than Yumi was. But there was something dangerous in how she looked. The kind of look that would stab you in the back.
Meanwhile the clone of Feint was smiling at each of them. There was a hunger to her look. Like she was thinking of how to devour them each one by one and how much she would enjoy every bite. She didn’t shudder but it put all her senses on high alert.
“What are you people doing here?” Feint asked carefully. The last thing they needed was to get into any kind of fighting.
“What? We can’t be going for a walk around the city?” Ghost asked. “You think we just hang around in a lab running test all day. Do you think we’re some kind of lab rats?”
Yumi scowled stepping forward but stopped forcing herself to breathe. “Considering you were grown in a lab I’d assume that should be pretty on brand.”
“For a lesser experiment sure,” Ghost laughed then glared sharply. “I saw the old footage of you 247. To think I came from something like you.” She spat on the ground. “Pathetic.”
“You wanna say that again?” Yumi growled.
“There she goes getting all riled up. Wonder if she’ll throw the first punch,” Mei said shaking her head.
Mei stalked forward slowly and put her hands in her pockets. She leaned forward and stared at them both intently and scowled. But Yumi stepped forward and met her gaze. Yumi scoffed, “I don’t know what Pierce and the rest of the Royals plan to do with clones of us but let me tell you this now. It’s gonna get stopped. By us.”
“Huh I heard you were a bold one but you’re definitely more than that,” Faiz said coming forward. “A real fire cracker.”
“Yeah and if you don’t wanna get burned you’d back off.”
He laughed leaning his head back. “Yeah I like you. Gonna enjoy it when we really get a chance to dance.”
“Might want to pick some different partners,” Phase said walking behind them and keeping a tight hold on Roxie’s leash. “I hear neither of them are good at following leads.”
Faiz turned to look at him and glanced down at his stomach for a second then looked at his hair, “There you are. How’s the stomach? Heal okay?”
“Yeah. Did a number on me. If I didn’t know better I would have thought you were trying to kill me.”
Faiz snorted, “You’re hard to kill.”
“Can I test that theory?” Mei asked producing a knife very quickly.
They tensed but Faiz shook his head, “No.”
“What? Pierce sent you to spy on us?” Yumi mocked. “Seems lame even for a guy as milk toast as that.”
“We’re not here to spy on you,” Mei said curtly.
“That’s hard to believe,” Feint told her. “After all we saw you with him. Like his new right hand.”
“We do what we have to, to get by,” Mei replied. “I’m sure you know a thing or two about that.”
“That’s what you call attacking us?” Yumi growled. “I call bullshit.”
Faiz smirked, “We did that on Pierce’s orders but can’t say it wasn’t fun.”
Roxie whimpered lightly and Phase glanced down at her, rubbing her head slowly. “Oh look at the cute doggo. Can I pet her?” Ghost asked eyes shining.
Phase cringed internally and looked at Feint seeing her do the same. “What do you want if you’re not here on Pierce’s orders. What do you want?”
“For one, I wanted to meet you face to face. The mask thing is so impersonal,” he shrugged and shook his head. “But also to deliver a message. Pierce is willing to overlook the past year of you and your interferences. You’ve proven that you can be useful. All you have to do is join the Royals.”
The three of them balked at his words. Phase shook his head and merely said, “What?”
“It’s legit,” Ghost said. “All of you would have money, status, the titles. You could do your projects. Help your dumb little shelter and everything. You would just be working for the right side of things. He’s even willing to bring back that one kid. Darren?”
“He wants us to what? You’re fucking shitting me right? Does he think we’re fucking stupid? We’d never go back to that place let alone join up with the Royals.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself Yu,” Phase folded his arms. “Nathan must have really lost his mind if he thought that kind of offer would get us.”
“It was more of a courtesy than anything else,” Ghost told them and her face shifted into a savage grin. “You see if you don’t take the offer you go from being former experiments or a nuisance. You become an enemy. And if you’re an enemy well, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be you guys.”
“Where have I heard this before leader?” Yumi said scoffing. “Tell Pierce he can take his offer and shove it up his ass. We’re not scared of him or any of the Royals. We’re definitely not scared of you three rip offs of the genuine articles.”
“God I was hoping she’d say something dumb like that,” Ghost said rolling her neck and shoulders. “Hand me a knife Mei. I’m ready to do some carving.”
“Oh trust me I’ve got plenty,” she said and both Yumi and Feint tensed ready to fight.
Faiz and Phase said at once, “Stop. This isn’t the time for that.”
They looked at each other stunned and then Faiz cracked a grin pointing at him, “Yeah. I’m gonna enjoy running into you again. We’re not here to fight. Boss would rip us a new one if we caused a scene. Especially in public like this.”
And he had a point. There were six of them a fairly large dog. Not exactly a conspicuous group to come along in the park. Especially if someone looked close enough to realize that there were in fact three pairs of twins amongst them all. Not exactly amongst the norm even for Chicago.
Faiz waved his hand and both Ghost and Mei both scoffed looking away. “Fine you fucking killjoy,” Ghost said looking away.
“Just a little bit Faiz. I’ve been out of my mind dealing with them,” she said and he smiled and looked at Phase.
“You’re going to be on the shit list of the Royals until you die,” Faiz said focusing on Phase.
“Guess we’ll take that threat as it will be,” he said. “We’ve been through worse.”
“Not like us.”
They stood at a standstill for a long moment before the tension resolved itself. Faiz motioned to the two women at his side and they walked away. What little knives Mei had were put away before they were drawn and Ghost blew a kiss toward them and a wave toward Roxie as she slipped off with the other clones.
The trio stood around together in the part trying to catch their breath. Roxie was the immediate source of pets and attention as they tried to get their heartbeats under control. Yumi looked at him and it was the clearest source of uncertainty he’d seen out of her, “Leader. What does that mean? What do we do?”
“It means we’re going to have a lot more trouble in the future,” he sighed and smiled slightly. “It means we keep an eye out. We take care of each other. And we be ready for whatever the hell the Royals have in store.”
The Harlequin Library 