The helicopter blew up a cloud of dusty snow as it landed on the pad under the direction of the control tower. Blue Ensign's eyes widened as she made a note of the repair work still being done on the roof of the structure. She hadn't been briefed on what caused it, but there couldn't have been more than a few metahumans in the world who could have done it.

As she disembarked, she was greeted by a team of uniformed soldiers who saluted. "Lieutenant Peters, welcome to Purgatory Prime."

Elizabeth returned the salute; she was a military officer, among other things. "It isn't exactly a spring vacation spot, is it?"

"It's actually quite nice right now this time of year," the senior officer replied. "It gets much worse in the winter."

The group went inside and signed into the security station. As she expected, the security procedures were thorough, almost to the point of invasive. Checks were made on her retinal scans, palm and voiceprints and compared with her official file with British Intelligence. So much for the needed vacation after Ireland.

As they finished up, the woman named Blue Ensign went over the circumstances on why she was even here. There had been conflicting reports on what went wrong, but it was a big surprise to everyone when the rogue metahuman named Brainchild awoke from his stasis chamber. It was an even bigger surprise when he didn't immediately attack his captors and escape. The reports were sketchy but according to most, Brainchild apparently had a seizure and tried to kill himself. Although there were a few cynics who felt that it would have been a service to humanity to let him go through with it, cooler heads prevailed. After all, it was illegal to allow a criminal to kill himself. At least without permission from the State.

Blue Ensign was summoned by the US to try and find out what went wrong and what to do about Brainchild. Ostensibly it was because she was the one who had defeated him, a victory Blue Ensign still had her nagging doubts about. Brainchild was too powerful and too experienced to fall as quickly to her power as he did. But try though she might, she couldn't come up with any other explanation.

But the other reason was that the US simply didn't have any high level telepaths in its service. Metahuman telepaths were rare enough; finding those ethical enough to serve society was virtually impossible. Even the Protectorate didn't have a full telepath on its roster, a disturbing weakness that was key to the Royal Elite's recent takeover of Ireland. Some talking head pop psychologists had recently proclaimed that telepathy and its related mental powers were simply too tempting for most people not to turn to crime and although Elizabeth generally dismissed such talk as cynical nonsense, there was more truth to it than she liked to admit.

"Attention all stations," the overhead speaker announced, interrupting Elizabeth's thoughts. "We are at Stage 1 alert...all crews will maintain battle readiness for the duration of the alert."

The warden noted the expression on Blue Ensign's face as the party took the elevator to the sub-level 4 basement. "We're going to be on a high state of alert until he's returned to his stasis cell. You may think that such precautions are a tad melodramatic."

"Not at all. We've had our dealings with the Elite as I'm sure you're aware."

"Good, then you shouldn't have any problems following a few rules," the warden added tersely. "We have the room wired with sensors designed to detect even the slightest telepathic activity. If so much as an erg of energy is detected, the restraints around his head, neck and arms are going to send enough voltage to light up City Hall, and flood the room with anesthetic gas. For that reason, I'm going to have to ask you to restrain any use of your own telepathic powers for the duration of your visit. It's not that we don't trust you. It's just that Brainchild has shown a remarkable adaptability with the use of his powers and quite honestly, we can't be certain of any kind of filtering to distinguish the two of you."

The trip ended at the bottom level at the end of a long hallway. The oldest trick in police work was in play; the one-way glass allowed an entire battery of cameras, tape recorders and other sensor equipment to record everything that was going on inside. What struck Elizabeth the most however was the expression on Brainchild's face. Not the usual cocky confidence or cruel sense of smug superiority. But a deep look of sorrow and grief that she wouldn't have expected to see on anyone other than a man who had lost his entire family.

"Last chance, Lieutenant. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have to," Blue Ensign replied.

"No, you don't. You ain't got nothing to prove," the security officer said. "Just say the word and we'll have him back sleeping in a tube and awaiting trial at the World Court."

Elizabeth didn't reply but paused as she touched the knob to the door. A little late to be having second thoughts, isn't it, she told herself. But she had to know. Steeling herself, she walked inside.

The room was stark and bare, with only a single wooden char and long table in front of her. Behind the table, Brainchild sat with his arms manacled and a helmet on his head. The wires leading to both supported the likelihood that the threat for punitive measures wasn't a bluff.

"Elizabeth...," Brainchild mumbled and looked away.

"As someone who has...engaged in combat against, I'm hearing some unusual rumors about you." Blue Ensign looked at his prison attire and noted that they didn't even give him shoes with laces. Suicide watch, she realized. "Something about trying to kill yourself."

"I know what you're thinking." Brainchild paused, then thought about what he said. "Bad joke, I know. You're thinking this is all some kind of sham; a trick to win sympathy or an insanity plea before the World Court."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Blue Ensign admitted warily.

"I wish it were. It would be so much simpler and easier if it were."

"You must concentrate, my son," Autocrat commanded. "Your power will soon be made to shape the world, but only if you can master it."

Katsuyari Onuki's brow furrowed as sweat beaded off his face. He wasn't even ten years old and already he was able to read and command minds better than his mother. But even that was not enough for the Neo-Roman clad figure that dominated his days and nights.

"I don't want to shape the world! I'm just a kid!"

"Alexander the Great began his conquest of the world before he was 18 and he did not have the gifts you have!" Autocrat paused and let the young Japanese child catch his breath. He needed him loyal and faithful to his service, so an occasional carrot needed to be offered. "You must understand that you are one of the true Elite. Born into power and destined to rule over the world of men."

"Where are my mom and dad?"

"They are...unavailable," Autocrat hedged. Unimportant was more what he was thinking, but he didn't want to make things harder than they already were. "They have left your training and indoctrination to me because they know it is best for your future. Now, once again, the drill..."

Onuki nodded and focused his attention on a computerized drone, built to simulate a shielded human mind. His eyes narrowed as energy surged through the drone, recording what would have been a human mind in terminal condition. The implications weren't something Onuki dwelled on at the present time.

"So it was Autocrat's fault?" Blue Ensign asked. "Many people have blamed their circumstances for their behaviors."

"Many blame society or poverty as well," Brainchild added. "We like to believe that everyone is ultimately responsible for their own destiny and perhaps to a certain extent, they are. But the truth is, many sons ultimately do become their fathers."

"Is that what he was? I thought your father was a member of the Japanese Diet?"

"My father..." Brainchild's voice raised momentarily before returning to a subdued tone, "was a weak man. He let it happen to me."

"Well, it's not like Autocrat ever gave anyone who worked under him any choice in such matters."

"Perhaps. But in the end, it doesn't matter. Autocrat was much more my father than my biological father was. He made me into his own image. It's only now that...I've come to realize the price that's been paid for that choice."

"Even if I believe that, what did you want from me?"

Brainchild sighed painfully and looked at Blue Ensign. "I know that, I've caused you a great deal of pain, and for what it's worth, I am sorry for what I've done. I know that nothing I can say is going to change what I've done. I don't want or expect society to forgive the crimes I've committed. I just wanted to say...to at least one person I've hurt...what I really felt about it before that judgement is passed."

Blue Ensign looked at the young Japanese man for almost a minute of silence. The interview hadn't gone as she had expected. She considered herself an experienced judge of people; as a telepath, it was almost expected. And all her instincts were telling her something that she was sure the world wasn't going to accept. "I'll see what I can do Brainchild. No promises."

"One favor if you would? Consider it a final request from a condemned man?"

"If I can."

"My name is Katsuyari Onuki. If I'm going to be sentenced, then at least be honest about it."

"You can't be serious Lieutenant!"

Blue Ensign looked at the Purgatory Prime staff as they looked over her report before it was to be sent back to British Intelligence. Their skepticism was expected; she had plenty of it herself earlier. "I understand what you're saying, but consider their history. The Royal Elite never stooped to subterfuge or trickery. They've always been very clear on their intentions before."

"They've never been jailed before either, Lieutenant," the warden retorted.

"True, and I'm not saying to let him free. But if this sudden change is legitimate, then there could be a priceless opportunity here."

"And if it's not, we're all screwed."

"He's dangerous, true. I wouldn't suggest such an action without precautions. But we can always rescind probation. You can't rescind a death sentence."

The warden scowled as he looked at the report one more time. Service in lieu of jail, his ass! "God help you if you're wrong..."

"I'm going to assume that won't be needed. And speaking of such, I doubt divine intervention is why Brainchild's turning over a new leaf."

"What are you getting at?"

"I can tell you from first-hand experience that his mental defenses are among the best in the world. Assume for the moment that Brainchild's sudden newfound conscience is legitimate. Who has that kind of capability?"

The warden and his senior security officer looked at each other and grimaced. "Jesus, I don't even want to think about it."

"I think we'd better. I'll tell you right now that even if I tried, I couldn't do such a thing. There was someone else in that room that night. Someone manipulated Brainchild's mind after he lost consciousness and almost certainly tampered with my memory as well."

"How do you know that?

"Call it instinct. I've always had my doubts about my 'victory' and meeting Brainchild today cements it. Anyone who could do that to him would almost certainly be able to manipulate my mind as well, and I'm about as comfortable with that prospect as you would be."

The warden nodded and pulled out a file. "It's still a sore subject around here. The number of suspects you describe stop at one." He handed the file over to Blue Ensign. "We're trying to keep her existence quiet to avoid panic, but we have sent a copy over to MI-5 along with the other intelligence services."

Blue Ensign opened the file and scanned the highlights. As she did, something in her mind clicked; there was something vaguely familiar about this Mindshadow. She was sure she had encountered her before, but her mind seemed to fog over at even the mention of it. It took an effort of will not to tremble a little; the prospect that someone had already manipulated her mind like a toy was a scary one.

"I think this is our subject," Blue Ensign nodded. "We've ...met before, I'm certain."

"Well, then you're very lucky. Thirty of my men weren't so lucky a few months ago."

"I'm sorry, Warden. But I can tell you that if we want any chance to bring her down, we're going to need a very powerful telepath, among other allies. I don't know why she did what she did, but she may have just given us the break we need."
 

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