Anomalies: Control
Chapter 16

Frankie was right, and they were back at what Cole had thought would be a disaster site, but looked as normal as the first time he’d seen it. What the hell? He’d been in the rubble, he knew she’d succeeded. “What the…?”

Frankie and the girls ignored him and trotted right into the building and to the receptionist desk. Frankie draped an arm over the counter, grinning at the girl who gave a wary but flattered smile back at him. “Hey sweetheart, want to call James down for us?”

“James…?”

“Lewis.”

“Of course.” She reached for the phone and dialed, shooting looks at Frankie that hinted that she wasn’t sure whether to inch away or closer, and that she was familiar with the split feeling. She murmured into the phone, and clicked it back down. “He says he’s expecting you.” She reached for a sheet of paper and drew a little map. “He’s moved to the east offices while the under floors are under construction.”

Under construction? They were demolished. Or so he thought. He followed the three down a hall and through a few more twisting hallways, until they reached a cluster of bullpens surrounded by a few doors to offices. Frankie went straight for one like he knew where it was already - which was actually pretty likely once Cole thought about it - and waved Cole and the girls in, looking to James Lewis who was already at a desk. “My job’s done, I’ll be home if you need me.”

He added one last bit over his shoulder as he slipped away. “Don’t need me.”

Mr. Lewis looked surprised, but not as surprised as Cole would have expected, and stood to wave Cole and the girls to the chairs in front of his desk. “Ladies. Mr. Callahan, I must say I didn’t expect anyone to be able to replace you, even Mr. Barone. Please, sit.”

The girls didn’t sit, but rather lingered off to the side, Talia leaning against the wall and Amanda right next to her. But Cole sat, watching Mr. Lewis with wary eyes. He wanted to be able to trust that this could work, this ridiculous plan, but he definitely didn’t trust Lewis. “I came to see about negotiating a truce.”

Lewis looked amused. “A truce? What precisely do you think is going on Mr. Callahan? A war? Do you consider your little band of Anomalies some sort of terrorist group?”

Cole felt his confidence falter, but made sure to keep his face emotionless. “No. But I know there are some of us you want, and some of us that have proved to be a danger. I think by working with the ones you want and the dangerous ones, you’ll have less of a headache to deal with.”

He earned a nod, but the amused expression didn’t fade. “I suppose that’s a fair point. And what are you proposing exactly, Mr. Callahan?”

“Let me work with you, instead of against you. You want Anomalies to research what makes us different. You don’t need cells and questionable methods to do that. Talia and Amanda are clearly proof of that.”

“Miss Jamison and Miss Henricks are both loyal and willing employees. The same cannot be said for the majority of Anomalies.”

“Because they know the horror stories. If we can change how they see you, we can change how they react to you. You’d have willing participants for studies, just like medical researchers do with normal people.”

“And you think you can do that?”

He nodded. “I do. I know them, I-”

“Left them.”

“Yes. But I know who they listen to, and I know who I can appeal to the logic of.”

Lewis smirked. “I’m sure. But… it is an interesting proposition,” he allowed, and Cole had to work not to smile. They needed him; they had to. If they didn’t, Lewis would have had him cuffed or thrown out immediately. This was just a game. As long as he played it right, he could do this. He still wasn’t sure exactly what ‘this’ was, but he had what Frankie had told him, and a general idea of his goal to not let innocent people get hurt.

“You would have access to my DNA, to figure out whatever it is you need to figure out about me, and you’d have an in with some of the street Anomalies that will listen to reason, hopefully getting you other volunteers.” Lewis was nodding, but he didn’t look particularly interested yet. “And it probably couldn’t hurt to get some good press with the whole blowing up a building/escaped Anomalies thing at Skye.”

Shit. The amusement was back. He’d slipped up. “Blowing up a building?” Lewis laughed, and Amanda muffled a snicker as well, though Talia tried to silence her with an elbow to her ribs.

“Mr. Callahan, are you under the impression that the taking down of the skyscrapers was some sort of free-for-all? That we ran down the street tossing, what? TNT into old buildings and panicking the masses?” He was barely holding back his laughter; barely towing the line of polite chuckles and mocking laughter. Cole tried to look unsurprised, but he couldn’t help blinking in confusion. That was kind of how he’d thought of it, thought it would have taken a lot of effort to keep the panic under control after the department felled Skye tower.

“That was not what happened, Mr. Callahan. The destruction of your tower, along with the others that were taken down were commissioned, city ordained projects. Permits were obtained, construction crews were hired, and the citizens were made aware that the old, dangerously decrepit skyscrapers were being taken down. Every ‘t’ was crossed and every ‘i’ was dotted. That there were fugitive Anomalies in one of the buildings was not a ‘need to know’, so the public was not made aware. That was something we felt would only incite panic.”

“So no one knew?” It had seemed giant, earth shattering, monumental. Something he’d been sure that everyone would know about, something that had to be paid off to be kept out of the papers, but something people whispered about behind their hands.

“Precisely.”

He felt the floor shifting beneath him, his world being tilted on its own little axis, and it only got worse as Lewis continued to talk. He felt Talia take a seat next to him, reaching to lay a hand on his arm, but he couldn’t be bothered to reassure her in return.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Callahan. I’m sure you and your friends had thought you had some sort of ripple effect, that you’d started some revolution with escaping the tower and demolishing the lower levels here, but in all reality your efforts were bothersome yes, but ultimately ineffective.”

“I - I hadn’t wanted to ask about the lower levels,” he admitted, trying to regroup his thoughts, feeling like Lights, like some stupid kid who’d expected this to be the part in the movie where they made this grand demonstration to spark change and awareness only to replace himself and his own experiences insignificant in the world. He was nothing but a small rock thrown into the ocean expecting to start a tsunami.

“They’re under construction. Hannah did quite a number on the levels-”

“Hannah?”

Lewis’ smirk turned mocking. “Hannah Brooks. Your ‘Rune’, as she calls herself.” Cole felt his jaw drop a little. He’d figured more than once that Rune wasn’t her real name, but had managed to half convince himself that it was since it wasn’t a blatant cover like ‘Tracker’ or ‘Tech’. “She never told you, I can assume? Well you’ll replace out all about her eventually. If you accept a position with us, you’ll have access to the records room; hers will be in there.”

The temptation was as hard to resist as the urge to use his own ability. To know all about the mystery that was Rune was tantalizing, and he knew that was why Lewis was dangling the opportunity in front of him. He was already here specifically to try to work with them. He knew Rune hated him for this, he knew she’d hate him even more if he read her file, and most of all he knew Lewis knew all of this. He told himself he wouldn’t look, but he knew he’d crack eventually, so for now he just ignored the offer. “If I accept a position? Meaning there’s a position available to me?”

“I’m sure I could replace a place for you.” Lewis stood, and walked around the desk as Cole and Talia stood as well. “If you’ll come with me? Ladies, you may stay here.”

Amanda looked relieved for a moment, but that relief was short-lived as Talia shook her head. “We’ll come, too,” she said in an assured tone he hadn’t expected of her, especially within the walls of the government building. But if he was honest, she did look more at ease in here, surrounded by what was probably more familiar people than Skye had to offer her. Amanda made a show of rolling her eyes, but moved to mirror Talia’s movement. He was starting to realize that wherever Talia went, Amanda was close to follow, much like Rune had been his own silent, sentry-like shadow. He followed Lewis out of the office and down the hallway, Talia at his side, Amanda half a pace behind Talia, until they reached a small office labeled ‘Human Resources’.

“Wait here.” Lewis disappeared into the room, and Cole shot Talia an unsure look. She smiled reassuringly, and looped her arm with his, talking about nothingness to distract him until Lewis came back out, holding a small ID card that he handed to Cole. He accepted the card and narrowed his eyes when he realized it already had a picture of him, turquoise eyes and all.

Cole Callahan. Public Liaison for the Department of Vario Research.

It had an expiration date and a long ID number as well, and a barcode on the back, but that was less interesting. “You already had my picture?”

“We have a lot on you, Mr. Callahan.”

“That’s not creepy.”

Lewis only smirked again. “If you’ll continue with me, we’ll replace you a temporary office until the lower levels are cleared, replace you housing accommodations, and get you an employment contract with the Department.”

It was like Rune all over again. Someone swooping in with a solution to everything, and he was getting sick of being the one being saved. But at least this time, he’d be able to do something, maybe save other people.