The Changed: Origins

The Good Guys?

    "You have legitimate concerns. But it doesn't change anything. This has always been our plan. Those people need help and I don't think there's anyone else in a position to help them right now."

    "That's nobel but I'm getting real sick of hearing it."

    "Sadly though, it's true. Do you think I want to go? Risk my life or worse, risk being put in a position where I have to take another's life? I'm not doing this because I want to, none of us are. We have to help those people if we can Jemma." He sighed. "I miss being a designer. Less chance of having to murder people."

    "I understand David, I do." I hung my head, "I would help, I want to help. I can't stand the idea of losing any of you. We are hanging on by a thread here. What happens to the rest of us if you all get caught or worse?"

    "You'll carry on here and I imagine plan a rescue." He smiled. "We'll be ok, Jemma. Colin knows what he is doing. I trust him."

    Having made no headway with David and knowing Mel wouldn't care what I had to say, I went in search of the last member of the group, Nate. But I didn't find him in the library or the AV room. The only person I could find was Sean, at the bar. I sat down with him.

    "Seriously Sean, It's not even noon."

    "It's apple juice." I doubted it. "But I thank you for the concern angel. It's touching." He sounded bitter.

    "What's your problem?"

    "The most beautiful girl in the world won't give me the time of day."

    I laughed. "Leave it to you! Impending war, perilous rescue attempt, and negotiations that could change our lives and all you can think about is getting in Anna's pants."

    He got up. I thought I had offended him but he stopped next to me. He was grinning. He leaned over, his lips brushed my cheek as he whispered, "I wasn't talking about her Jemma." He walked away and I just sat there feeling a but shocked. I could still feel his breath, smell the alcohol on it. I knew that wasn't apple juice. I shook myself. He was just trying to get me riled up. That seemed to be something Sean liked to do. I tried to forget about him.

    I wandered around the house for most of the day. I looked longingly at the sunlit grounds but we still couldn't risk going out. I was run out of the kitchen a little after noon by Fletch and had lunch instead with Kennedy and Stephen. It seemed Stephen had been sneaking things out of the kitchen for weeks and they now had a fully stocked pantry.

    I spent some time in the library with Cooper. He laughed at my shock when he told me he was a used car salesman before the change. "But.." I said it disbelief, "You're so intelligent and...and mannered!" He beamed at the praise.

    I stayed out of the AV room. Mel and Ben had taken up residence there and didn't seem interested in company. The only person I wasn't able to find was Nate. I hoped to see him at dinner at least but he was absent when we all sat down at the big table.

    Despite Kennedy's jokes and Sean's drunken banter the mood at dinner was somber. Everyone seemed lost in their own thought. I retired to the library after in the hopes Nate would wander through but all I found was Ben in his corner oddly though without Mel. I had been sitting lost in a book for sometime when he finally spoke up.

    "Why keep using the name?"

    "What?"

    "Jemma? Why keep it up? It's not yours."

    I nervously looked around the room but we had been alone for some time. "Because...because it's me now I guess. I don't feel like anything else fits..." I shrugged irritably. "I'm different why shouldn't my name be?"