After a hundred years

Shawn calmly examined the perimeter. <I'm in position> he thought. He was still trying to get used to having someone else in his head. "Right. He's not far off. But between you and him are like a dozen guards".

Shawn grinned. <Don't storm in>she said.

He frowned. <Why not?>

<We don't want to attract too much attention> she said.

<Huh? I thought the whole purpose of this was to attract attention.>

People snapped their head around to stare at him. He grinned sheepishly realizing he'd spoken out loud. Shawn was in the marketplace waiting for a very important general. The general would bring him closer to finding the  King, who barely moved out of his castle, wherever that was. The general was scheduled to pass through the marketplace in a few minutes.

 

Max peered through his hood. "I still don't see why a hood is necessary", he complained in thought speak.

 "You're right, you can take it off", Sherry said.

 "Really?" he asked.

 "What do you think?" she replied. Max sighed.

 Then he froze. "Sherry. I've found him". Those words were followed with several moments of silence. Sherry knew who he meant by him. In fact, they'd been looking for him for about a hundred years. They'd heard stories in different towns only for them to go there and realize he'd already left. It was almost as if he knew they were coming. But his behavior wasn't that surprising. It wasn't surprising that he was avoiding them. Considering what had caused them to separate in the first place.

"Are you sure?" she finally answered.

"He's right in my line of sight. What I don't understand is why he's just standing there. Doesn't he realize how dangerous that is?" he paused, then asked. "Should I approach him?"

"No", Sherry said. "Maintain a safe distance".

Max nodded slightly.

Shawn was grinning. Then he turned around. And their eyes met. The smiled disappeared from Shawn's face. They stared hard at each other. Max was sure he'd been recognized. Shawn started to move in his direction and then stopped, as if following orders. He turned his head around and started moving towards the left, moving deeper into the crowd and away from Max.

"He's getting away. Should I-"

"-No! Don't! This takes first priority".

"But-"

"-NO', Sherry repeated. Max sighed. He wasn't that bothered about whether or not they confronted Shawn. After all, he knew how important this mission was. But he also knew how important Shawn had been to the team effort. He was their last link to Eva, with her and the founding fathers dead and Jason and Thalia captured, he was their only lifeline. Max wasn't sure whether Sherry really was more concerned about the mission or was just procrastinating. Maybe they were afraid of what had happened to him after so many years without making contact. Fear, she was afraid, Max realized.

There was an uproar as the palanquin, mounted on a car came through the market square. Max immediately spotted the general. But then something even more important caught his eye. Sitting down next to him, was Jason.

"We've got trouble", Max said.

"What?" Sherry asked, her voice a little strained. Max was amazed how effective thought speak was. It was even more effective than speech and it was much more difficult to hide emotion. It was after all, the meeting of minds.

"Jason's here".

"And Shawn's here", Sherry added. "It's a disaster waiting to happen".

"What should I do?" Max asked.

Max could feel her anxiety. She was probably chewing on a pen, a nervous habit she'd picked up over the years.

Max started to move throw the crowd when he stopped. He realized someone else in the crowd. "Looks like the two of us aren't the only ones to crash this party", Max said.

"Who is it now?" Sherry asked.

"Atlas", he said. Then realizing Sherry might confuse the two he quickly added, "Ethan".

"What's he doing here?"

"Probably observe".

This was quickly becoming a very dire situation. Shawn was seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was in Jason's plain view. And Ethan was also present. As if the confrontation of Jason and Shawn was not enough to cause chaos. Who knew what he had planned?

It would be helpful if he had support but by then it would be too late.

He felt a soft pinch on his arm. He turned around. A little girl stood next to him. Brown hair and brown eyes. This time she'd chosen the form of a young teenage girl. "Nascar", Max said.

She grinned. "I thought this would happen, which is why I came along, just in case".

"Well aren't you the strategist", he said. Then he frowned. "Tell me you're not planning on fighting", he said.

"We don't need to. I have a plan".

"Why don't you allow me to take the decisions from time to time?" he asked.

"Because if we did, we'd all end up dead. Not just us but ordinary people like these." She caressed his shoulder. Someone from behind shot her a dirty look. "You don't exactly regard human life. And that makes you good at killing but bad at decision-making".

"Says the mad scientist", he retorted.

She looked at him still smiling, but Max could catch a flash of anger in her eyes. "We're different", she said. "I try to study and improve on life. It involves a few sacrifices, just like evolution did. You, on the other hand, simply take them."

Nascar never talked derogatorily about assassination, ever. She knew what had to be done and she even admired them. But today was different. Had he pissed her off? No, he realized. It's Shawn. She must have seen him and it must have set her off. He was slightly impressed. Shawn could elicit some emotion from even Nascar. Getting an emotion out of her was a feat.

The palanquin was passing and the general was waving. His name was Thora and he was in charge of this district. He reported directly to Jason. Even though the town wasn't really significant in any aspect, he seemed to have an important position in Jason's decision-making. They'd come to observed and find out why.

Ethan was busily moving his fingers.

Suddenly a familiar figure appeared beside him. Shawn. He had noticed him too. He whispered something into Ethan's ear and he shivered. Ethan wasn't shaken easily. Shawn moved away, blending again with the crowd and disappearing.

Max and Nascar exchanged glances.

Ethan lingered for a few seconds and followed in the same direction.

"Nascar", Max said. Nascar shook her head. "I'm going after them", she responded. Max held her arm. "I'm not saying not to fight but, maybe you're too close to this".

"I'm fine", she said firmly.

Max released her and she disappeared. Max turned his gaze back to Jason, who was still sitting nonchalantly in the palanquin. "What did he do to you Jason?" he found himself asking.

 

Nascar followed Shawn into the woods. A few seconds after following Shawn, she knew she'd made a mistake. Max was more suited for shadowing people because of his abilities. No one could sneak up on him either. And he and Shawn might more alike, making it easier for the two to talk.

Ethan turned around to see Shawn. "Shawn"-He didn't finish when Shawn punched him. He stumbled backwards, surprised. "What the-?" He didn't finish before Shawn attacked him again. Ethan's fist transformed into lava and he surrounded himself with it. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Shawn asked.

Nascar, hiding behind the bushes looked on in interest. Who the hell was he? He was your mother's partner! How could he forget that?

"What the-I'm your mother's partner. Ethan."

"Mother? I don't have any family", Shawn said.

Ethan almost didn't know how to respond to that. Then he sighed with a sad smile. "I'm disappointed. You and him are no different". He meant Jason.

"What are you doing here?" Shawn asked.

"That's a need to know", he said. Shawn moved to attack. Then he stopped. He and Ethan both turned looking in Nascar's direction. "Who's there?" they both said at the same time. Nascar didn't move. Shawn took out his sword and Ethan raised his lava fist.

 Nascar came out from the woods hands up. "Okay, okay. You got me", she said. "I wasn't really one for sneaking up on people."

"Who are you?" Shawn asked.

Nascar smiled. "Shawn, you know me. It's Nascar".

Shawn looked relieved. "Oh, it's only you. You scared me for a minute. You know I can't keep up with all your new tricks", he said. Nascar opened her mouth and closed it again, realizing in embarrassment that she was still in the guise of a teenage girl. But what was surprising was how warm Shawn was with her. He wasn't talking to her like someone he knew a hundred years ago but like someone he still knew. Then a terrible thought crossed her mind.

"Shawn, when did we last meet?" she asked.

"A hundred years ago", he said. That part of his memory seemed unimpaired, strangely enough. "How've you been?" she asked. Shawn laughed. "You're acting weird", he said.

"You're the one who's off", Ethan said. Shawn scowled, swinging his sword and bringing it close to Ethan's neck. "Are you serious? My lava would melt your sword", Ethan jeered.

"Why don't you go ahead and let's find out?"

"Hey! Shawn! That's enough! What the hell are you doing here?"

Shawn seemed to pause as if communicating with someone via thought speak. Then he moved to attack Nascar. "You're not Nascar", he said.

"What are you talking about?" Nascar was confused. "I just talked to her right now. So you're going to tell me who you are or I will kill you".

Max darted from the forest and blocked Shawn's sword with his bare hand. "They just keep on coming", Shawn said. "I was wondering when you would show up", he said. Max turned to Ethan, who was just standing by and observing.

"What are you doing?" Max asked.

 Ethan shrugged, "I guess I just have nothing better to do than watch friends fight. Reminds me of old times".

Max turned to Shawn. "So you followed me here after all", Nascar said. Max shook his head. "I followed your scent. I would have stayed to find out more but I had this nagging feeling…turns out it was right".

Shawn swung his sword clockwise and counterclockwise. "You've grown stronger Shawn. Much stronger".

Shawn looked at him with bored eyes. "Am I supposed to know you too?"

Max didn't bother to answer. "Who I am is not important. But who you are is infinitely more so", Max said.

Shawn looked at him. "What the hell are you babbling about?" he asked.

 "How long has it been Shawn? How long has it been since you've had amnesia?" he asked. Shawn seemed startled.

 "How do you know that?" he asked.

"I could tell. Nascar was heading towards that conclusion too, I just got there first. You're not an impersonator, you're Shawn. Don't you wonder? Where those black hole powers came from? "

"And what if he doesn't want to remember?" said a voice. Everyone turned around. Blue eyes and blonde hair, she emerged from the bushes. Still looking as young as she had a hundred years ago. The half-Elkin, half-human. Lisa.