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Time seemed to stand still for the boy as he looked up from where his uncle was holding his cousin. Harris's entire body began to tremble the moment that he saw the Starfleet officer with the handgun pointed in their direction. The man reached up with his right hand and touched something on his neck. His entire body flickered and shifted before a Romulan soldier was standing in front of Harris. The squad of soldiers seemed perplexed by this sudden change in events, but Harris only felt an intense hatred for the alien.
"I'm. . . I'm sorry, Dad," Harris heard Geoff whisper from beside him.
Harris saw red as he felt his hatred overflow, completely blacking out as he took a step forward.
Harris came too with greenish blood on his fists and a dead Romulan soldier at his feet. The boy glanced around in confusion before Charles pulled him back to their shelter. Harris turned in time to have Geoff fly into him, hugging him tightly.
"You were dead, though," Harris whispered in disbelief.
"Jaden made it in time," Geoff admitted as he succumbed to his emotions and began to sob. "Don't ever scare me like that, again!"
"What are you talking about?" Harris asked, genuinely confused. "You were the one who died. . ."
"Stupid fool," Geoff scolded his younger cousin. "I can't believe that you just single-handedly took out a full grown Romulan."
Harris felt himself pale as he turned to see the body lying in the middle of the street. Then, the boy looked at the blood on his hands.
"Did I really do that?" Harris asked, hoping the others were toying with him. The other boys gazed at Harris with awe in their expressions. "I don't remember it."
"Seriously?" Charles asked. "Seeing Geoff take that bullet probably made you black out, Harris." The man shook his head in disbelief. "I hope one of those guys got it on their bodycam. Nobody is going to believe this otherwise."
"I really killed someone?" Harris couldn't get over the fact that he had taken a life and was beginning to tremble.
"Hey, look at me," Geoff demanded as he grabbed Harris's chin. "You did what had to be done, Harris. That Romulan would have shot more of us if it wasn't for you. The soldiers didn't even know how to react! It was you Harris! You just saved everybody here!" Then, Geoff hugged his cousin. "You're a hero, Harris. Nothing else."
"Come on, guys," Joey said, unable to look away from Harris for very long. "Let's put these weapons to some good use. I think it's open season on Romulans!"
Harris watched as each of the boys grabbed a weapon before they went out to help fortify the intersection. Harris jumped when someone put their hand on his shoulder and turned to see his Uncle Charles smiling down at him.
"You're one of the bravest boys that I've ever met," the man said proudly. Charles placed the palm of his hand against Harris's cheek. "I'm proud of you, Harris. What you did. . . That was amazing, buddy! More than amazing!"
"Thanks, Uncle Charles," Harris blushed. "Listen, this is a bad idea, but we need to split up and get to Starfleet. It's not going to be easy, but it's necessary. Plus, we need to find Aunt Melissa and my dad."
"Are you sure, Harris?" Alexander asked nervously.
"I'm positive, Alexander," the Director replied. "There could be more Romulans in disguise at Starfleet and Federation Youth Services, too. Alex, find someplace safe for us to take the injured and survivors. We'll also need our own place until we can find a permanent home. If we're not in contact within three hours, I want you to go back to our facility and rendezvous with the ones that stayed behind. Okay?"
"Yes, sir," Alex replied. "I'll see you when you get back."
Harris made quick work of picking out his squad before
"Come on," Charles encouraged as he grabbed a weapon. "We've got some Romulans to smoke."
Harris nodded and followed his uncle toward downtown. The tiny group checked every vehicle they came across for survivors and marked them with an "X" when they found them clear. They had covered two blocks when they came across a group of Romulans. None of the boys hesitated to fire their weapons and had taken out each of the soldiers within a matter of seconds.
"Good job, guys," Charles told the boys as they regrouped and continued forward. "We're getting closer to Starfleet Headquarters. We'll be able to get more weapons and armor when we get there."
"Get ready to run again, boys!" Harold said nervously. The man peeked around the edge of the building, seeing that there was nobody around, he waved Stefan and Samy to follow behind him. "Now! Let's go!"
Harold grabbed his sons' hands when he saw they were lagging behind. He wouldn't let that happen. The man would make certain that his sons were safe, no matter what it took. They were almost to the Starfleet Headquarters when a loud explosion filled the air. Harold instinctively pulled his sons behind another car before he risked a glance just in time to see a rocket fly at the Romulan spaceship. He barely restrained the cheer of joy as he saw the ship erupt into a massive fireball that spread throughout the entire ship.
"What's happening, daddy?" Stefan asked, fear evident on the boy's smooth face.
"Someone just took out the ship!" Harold told the boys, watching as the debris from the ship fell onto the city below. "That's going to cause a lot of damage."
Stefan and Samy peeked around the side of the car.
"Holy cow!" Stefan smiled as he saw the ship still exploding as it fell to the ground. "At least it wasn't over downtown. It veered more towards the southwest as it crashed."
"Good," Harold agreed. "Now, we still need to watch out for Romulan soldiers. Plus, we need to help anybody that we can as we make our way to Starfleet. Okay?"
"Yes, daddy," both boys replied with a nod.
Harold pulled his sons along with him as he ran further up the street. The sounds of the ship crashing to the earth below echoed across the city, just reminding the man that the threat was now ground-based.
'We might just have a chance against the Romulans if Starfleet would get their heads out of their asses,' he thought grimly. Harold was panting as he and the boys kept to the side of the street, desperately keeping an eye out for any Romulan soldiers. 'I wish Vanek was with us, right now. I'd feel a lot safer.'
Harold checked his phone again, even though he knew the act was fruitless. The device was nothing but a paper weight during the invasion attempt. Nothing about the attack made any sense to the man as he urged his sons out of hiding. Were they only attacking certain Starfleet buildings? Was the Clan the target? How would the Romulans have even known about the Ohio Valley Division of Clan Short?
"None of this makes sense," the man muttered, not realizing his sons could hear him.
"I'm sure someone will figure it out, dad," Samy stated encouragingly. Harold could tell that the attack was taking its toll on his sons, though. He could see the weary despair in their eyes as he continued to pull them through the vast wave of destruction. Harold felt like he had gotten pulled into a war movie, waiting for the director to end the scene at any minute. None of it felt real.
"I hope so, Samy," Harold said in return. The man frowned when he heard air raid sirens kicking on in the distance. "It's a little late for that, gentlemen."
"Just a little," Stefan agreed with a disappointed shake of his head.
"How much further?" Samy asked.
"Just a couple blocks," Harold replied. "I think we're closer to the Clan Headquarters than we are Starfleet, right now."
"Dad, there's someone in that van," Stefan pointed at a silver van that was lying on its side. Harold could see a young woman moving around through the windshield. "We should help her."
"Absolutely," Harold agreed, double checking that the street was clear of soldiers as his sons ran to the woman's aide. Samy and Stefan quickly assessed the scene as they approached, each one taking in any signs of potential danger to themselves or the woman inside.
"All clear!" Samy announced.
Stefan moved to the windshield and tapped on it to get the woman's attention. "Ma'am?" The boy called out. "We're going to get you out of there."
"Okay," Harold heard the woman reply as he moved over to the car with his gun drawn. The man kept an eye on either end of the street as the boys worked diligently to free the woman.
"We can cut her seat belt and help her out through the windshield," Stefan said in observation.
"I'm not familiar with this type of vessel, so I'm more than happy to take your advice on this one, Stefan," Samy responded.
Stefan nodded.
"Just watch out for the broken glass, boys," Harold cautioned without looking towards them. His attention was focused on keeping the boys safe from any more Romulans.
"Cut it right there," he heard Stefan instruct Samy. "Hang in there, ma'am. We've almost got you free."
Harold continued to watch the street until he felt a vibration in his pocket. The man quickly reached into his jeans and pulled out his cell phone to answer it.
"Vanek?" Harold asked, worry filling his voice.
"It is I, T'hy'ala," the Vulcan responded, his own voice remaining calm. "Starfleet has been able to restore communications amongst the population. Transporter capabilities should be online soon, Harold. Are you well?"
"I am well, T'hy'ala," Harold whispered, trying to match Vanek's energy. "Samy and Stefan are with me. They're pulling a woman out of a vehicle right now, but we should be on the move again, soon. How long will it take Starfleet to get transporters operational?"
"Ten minutes, at the most."
"Okay," Harold nodded. "I'll try to get back to the Clan Headquarters building, but I think we're a couple of blocks east of it."
"I will find you, my T'hy'ala," Vanek stated, a protective growl in the back of his throat. "And all of our children. Live long and prosper, Harold."
"I love you, Vanek," Harold replied in turn before the phone went dead.
"We've got her, dad!" Stefan called out.
Harold quickly stuffed the phone in his pocket before he turned back to Stefan and Samy. They had the woman propped up against the van, and both boys were dressing her wounds as Harold watched on. Once they were finished, Harold helped them move the woman to the side of the building. Harold tapped the badge on his chest.
"Commander Harold Conner to Starfleet, come in!"
"Go ahead, Commander," the voice on the other end of the communicator responded. "Starfleet is listening."
"I have one civilian at my location with serious injuries," Harold reported. "It is unadvisable to transport her by regular means due to her injuries. Can you please tag her location, and transport her to a medical facility as soon as the fleet has transporter capabilities, again?"
"Marking the subject's location now, Commander," Starfleet came back. "We will transport her when we have capabilities. Is she the only one requesting transport?"
"At this time, yes," Harold confirmed.
"Starfleet copies, Commander Conner," the voice on the other end of the radio stared. "Starfleet out."
"Make sure she is stable before we leave her, boys," Harold instructed Stefan and Samy. "We don't know exactly how long it's going to be before they get the transporter system running."
"Yes, sir," Stefan replied as he guided Samy through the proper steps to ensure the woman's safety. Once they were certain that the woman was secure, the father and his sons continued their journey into downtown.
"I'm worried, Vanek," the nine-year-old told the Vulcan in a plain tone as they waited for the Engineer to finish setting up the transporter.
"I've learned throughout my interactions with humans over the years, that it is normal for you to be worried in times of conflict, Isaac," the Vulcan informed the boy. "It may be beneficial for you to seek guidance from someone on your ability to read minds. I would suggest Kyle Richardson."
"He taught me a little, Vanek," Isaac explained. "I just don't think he expected me to reach the level I did."
"No, he did not," Vanek confirmed. "I do not believe that anybody expected you to have the power that you do, Isaac. We are going to have to monitor you closely over the next few months to make certain that you do not relapse." Vanek gave Isaac a stern look. "I do not care what time of day it is, or what you may think I am doing, Isaac; you will notify me of any changes to your mental and physical health."
"Yes, sir," Isaac replied nervously under the Vulcan's scrutiny. "It won't happen again, sir. I promise."
"You are very important to my Sa'fu, Isaac," Vanek stated. "I want nothing more than your well-being."
Isaac quickly embraced the Vulcan, smiling when he felt the man pat his back.
"You will be fine, as long as you do what I suggest," Vanek continued when the boy pulled away. "I will be sure to relay the information to your father, as well. He needs to know how delicate the situation is."
"He's going to freak out," the boy nearly whispered, picturing his father's reaction in his head. Seeing Dalton becoming angry made Isaac tremble in fright. It was something he never wanted to witness.
"That seems out of character for Mr. Jennings, Isaac," Vanek commented. "The only thing that would make him lose control of his emotions was if you, or any of your brothers were hurt. Your father is very attached to all of you."
"I didn't think of it like that, sir," Isaac admitted.
"It was only your judgement being clouded by your emotions," Vanek said. "Even young Vulcans have trouble with their emotions before they go through Kolinahr. It is only natural during your adolescence that you have trouble with certain emotions that you don't normally experience."
"I guess," the boy shrugged.
"Besides, Isaac," Vanek continued. "I'm sure that your warning reached the facility in time for everyone to make it to safety."
"What makes you say that?" Isaac asked the man suspiciously. "What have you heard?"
"I was shown the report about a missile being launched at a Romulan ship that was attacking Springfield," Vanek relayed. "It wasn't from a Starfleet unit, Isaac. Plus, another ground unit reported that they found a group of boys near the Starfleet Headquarters. One of the boys murdered a Romulan with his bare hands."
Isaac couldn't help but feel his hopes begin to rise. Did they really make it out on time?
"I can tell that you're still worried, Isaac," the Vulcan acknowledged. "Once the teleporters are repaired we will beam down to the surface and see for ourselves."
Isaac smiled.
"Thanks, Vanek." Isaac hesitated before he hugged Vanek's side. "Would you happen to know where my father is?"
"I believe that he is assisting with the repairs being done to the communication systems," Vanek responded. "He is as desperate as we are to get back to Earth. The Romulans have been causing copious amounts of damage during our absence."
"Sorry," Isaac blushed. "I didn't mean to freak out when I did?"
Vanek looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow.
"You did nothing wrong, Isaac," the man stated as if it was of no concern. "Your mental health is just as important. It is possible that you would have had your medical episode during the attack if we didn't handle it when we did."
"I didn't think of it like that," Isaac admitted. "Thank you for making me feel better, Vanek."
"I only did what was necessary, Isaac," the Vulcan replied. "Any of my brethren would have done the same for a member of the Clan."
"I think we've got the system working, Ambassador Vanek," one of the engineers called out. "We're running a couple more tests to make sure before we begin sending people down to the surface."
The Vulcan only nodded as he and Isaac continued to wait together.
The eleven-year-old boy concentrated on the shield he was generating, expanding it to keep the boys that remained behind from being spotted by any Romulans that may happen by. Alexander had wanted to go with the others, but he knew that keeping the other boys safe was just as important. Conner stuck by Alexander's side like glue, waiting for some type of rescue team to come help them. Only three security personnel stood by with phasers armed and ready to defend those that had no choice but to stay behind. Alexander had already come close to losing one brother today, he wasn't going to let anybody else get close enough to hurt his family, ever again.
Two transporter beams appeared in the center of the street, the unmistakable sound sending chills down Alexander's spine as he watched the two beams of light solidify into the figures of Vanek and Isaac. Alexander immediately dropped his shield, revealing his location to his boyfriend and uncle.
"Isaac! Uncle Vanek!" Xander called out happily, barely containing the tears he felt building up behind his eyes.
Vanek quickly ushered Isaac to the hiding spot and looked at Alexander curiously. "So, it was you that kept Harris hidden from me that day on the street?" The Vulcan asked. "Here I thought I was seeing things. I thought I had been around humans too long, and had even begun considering returning to Vulcan for some private study."
Alexander blushed until Vanek urged him to erect his shield.
"Don't take any chances, Alexander," Vanek instructed. "Keep your subordinates safe for as long as you can. That is your primary objective."
"Yes, sir," Alexander acknowledged. "Oh, sorry about tricking you like that, Vanek. I didn't mean to cause you any harm, sir."
"You were protecting your friend, Alexander," Vanek told the boy. "You did nothing wrong. Now, the tables have changed, Alexander. It's time to focus our efforts on the rescue side of things."
"Where do you suggest we start?"
"Why not right here?" Vanek suggested. "You've already got a fairly defensible location here, and the building behind you seems to be mostly intact. It also appears to be a school. You can move people in there until rescue comes for everyone."
"Thank you, Vanek. Your advice is most appreciated," Alexander bowed his head respectfully to the Vulcan before he began calling out orders to everyone that was still with him. In a matter of minutes, the school was cleared of aliens, and the apartment across the street was being evacuated of its occupants by other members of Alexander's team. "Have you heard from Uncle Harold?"
"Yes," Vanek confirmed. "He is on his way here with Samy and Stefan. They have been hindered during their journey by the Romulan foot soldiers."
"As long as they are staying safe," Alexander commented. "Should I send a few guys to them as an escort?"
"That is your call, Alexander, but I would suggest you continue to use your resources for the current tasks at hand," Vanek suggested.
Alexander nodded.
"I will do as you have suggested, Uncle Vanek," Alexander responded. "Your observations are always welcome."
Then Alexander pulled in his power and reformed his shield. It was his responsibility to keep everybody safe until the others returned.
"Dad!" Harris cried out when he saw his father just down the street from him with Samy and Stefan right beside him. Harris could barely control himself as the man and his brothers ran towards their squad. The boy managed to wait until his father was thirty-feet away before he broke formation and ran for the man. He launched himself into the man's arms and held on fiercely as Harold carried him back to the group. "Thank God you're okay!"
Harold held on to his son just as tightly as Harris was holding onto him, never wanting to let him go, but knowing that there was more important events to focus on. As soon as Harold had released Harris from his grasp, Charles moved in and hugged his brother tighter than Harris could.
"Jesus Christ, Harold," Charles exclaimed - trying to speak low enough so only Harold would hear him. "You have no idea what your son has been through. He's a fiercer fighter than Vanek is!"
Harold pulled back and looked at his brother in surprise.
"What are you talking about, Charles?"
"I don't have video yet, but I'm sure that you have clearance to view the body cam footage of the Starfleet officers that were there," Charles explained with a shrug. "Just a suggestion is all, little brother."
Harold couldn't help but laugh at Charles.
"Did you forget that you look decades younger than I do, Charles?" He asked playfully.
Charles frowned and rolled his eyes.
"Not by choice," he whispered. "It was an accident. You're lucky I even look twenty now."
"I know," Harold agreed. "You got lucky that somebody stepped in to save you and Melissa."
The older brother nodded.
"Cursed by the blood of an orphan alien," Charles said with a shake of his head before he chuckled. "At least I'll be around long enough to see my children grow up."
"As long as we can stop this invasion," Harold countered with a nod towards the wreckage of the Romulan vessel. The Starfleet officer glanced over his brother's shoulder to make sure that the boys weren't close enough to hear him. "I still haven't been able to get through to Starfleet Command with my phone. Have you guys heard anything? What about Melissa?"
Charles frowned again as he thought about his wife and glanced towards the rubble of the Federation Youth Services building. Half of it looked like the side of a mountain made out of concrete and steel leading up to the top floor that was open to the world around it. Smoke drifted up from the rubble and Charles felt his stomach turn in disgust at the site.
"Come on," Harold told the younger looking man. "Let's go get Melissa and get back to the others. I'm sure Daryl kept her safe, Charles."
"I hope so," Charles frowned. "She's my everything."
Harris urged his group towards where the building used to stand. Something was telling Charles that he would find his wife, but the young looking man didn't want to get his hopes up.
Rescue efforts were well underway when the small group of ragtag warriors arrived at the site of the Federation Youth Services building. Smoke filled the air, but that didn't deter the boys from joining the search for survivors. Charles went to talk to the rescue workers to see if there was any news about Melissa, while Harold began making his way up the pile toward the top floor. He stepped over broken I-beams and climbed up collapsed floors and ceilings to make it to his target. The smoke was billowing in some places - signaling the necessity to get the survivors out of the wreckage before the fires began to spread throughout the entire pile. Charles was nearly to the top when he spotted Melissa and Daryl slowly making their way down the mountain of debris. Charles nearly cheered with delight as he reached up to help Melissa over a broken steel beam.
"Melissa!" He cried as he pulled the woman into his arms.
"Easy, my love," she cautioned him as she let him support her weight. "I broke my leg."
"We'll get you to safety, my love," Charles promised. "No matter what it takes."
The man scanned the pile for the best way to get down as he supported his wife. With the Romulan ship taken down, the Clan's focus would shift to Search and Rescue operations. He wondered where they were going to house all of the injured with the hospital probably at full capacity, but decided that was a problem for somebody else. His attention was only going to be focused on his wife while she recovered from her injuries.
"I was able to get through to Starfleet, Melissa," Daryl told the couple as he slipped his cell phone back into his pocket. "They just got the transporter system working again, so they're going to transport both of you to a hospital that isn't as busy as the others."
"What about the boys?" Charles asked.
"I wouldn't mind seeing all of my kids," Melissa agreed.
"I'll make sure that they get to you safely," Daryl promised. "Don't move from this location. Starfleet already has a lock on your position."
Then, the security officer began to make his way down the pile of debris - leaving the man and woman alone together.
"How are the boys doing?" Melissa worried.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Charles replied with a light chuckle before they were both surrounded by the light from a transporter beam. A few seconds later, they were standing aboard the U.S.S. Galaxus with medics taking Melissa from the man.
"Are you hurt, sir?" One of the medics asked.
"What?" Charles asked in confusion as he watched Melissa get loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the room. "Oh, no. I'm not hurt." He glanced down at his shirt and was surprised to see it covered in blood. "It's my son's blood. Not mine."
Several emotions seemed to cross the medic's face before she excused herself and prepared for the next group of arrivals from Earth. Charles followed the group of medics that were taking his wife to the Medbay.
Orez Conner stared out through the front windows of the hotel's lobby. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon as smoke from the day's battles continued to drift lazily into the air. He could hear the sirens of emergency vehicles as they darted around the city, trying to stave off the worst of the fires before they spread throughout whole neighborhoods. The casualty count continued to rise as search and rescue teams went through piles of rubble brick by brick trying to find anybody that may have survived. The list of people missing was relatively staying the same as more and more citizens of Earth reported their loved ones being out of contact, and rescue teams were finding more of the missing people. As the night waned on though, hopes of finding people alive in the wreckage were beginning to dwindle. The boys of the Ohio Valley Division had cleared nine city blocks of survivors before Harris called a halt to the operation for the day. The Clan was being given a new directive by Harris. It was time to find homes for all of the displaced kids. Over three hundred children were now orphans, and it was up to Harris to figure out what to do with all of them. Orez did not envy Harris's position as he watched the boy pace a line into the carpet outside of the elevators. Not only did Harris have to find homes for the displaced children, he also had to find a new home for the current members of the Ohio Valley Division of Clan Short. Their home had been destroyed during the initial assault, much like the building that the local chapter of Federation Youth Services had been using. That was a problem for Orez's mother and her boss to solve though.
The boy sighed in exhaustion. It had been a long day for everyone, and Orez couldn't wait for it to finally be over. He turned to watch the boys that were in the hotel lobby, studying the Clan members as they saw to the needs of the orphans that had been staged in the hotel. The others were currently staying in the school across the street until other accommodations could be found. The boy felt a familiar since of deja vu as he watched the familiar scene play out before him. The adults were helping the boys with the orphans, but it was Harris that everyone was taking orders from. It didn't surprise Orez though.
'This is how it was when dad brought the boys back from Exa,' he thought to himself as he remembered how nearly thirty boys had appeared out of thin air in the hospital lobby. 'That seems so long ago after today.'
Orez noticed his brother working at one of the computers behind the reception desk and decided to go bug him.
"What are you doing?" Orez asked Enon as he approached the counter.
"I'm assigning rooms to everyone," the twin replied without looking away from the monitor. "I'm almost done." Enon grinned at his brother and wiggled his eyebrows. "Want a room with a hot tub?"
"You're impossible," Orez giggled. "What does a hut tub do?"
"Oh," Enon said in realization. "That's right, I've been here longer than you. We're definitely getting a hot tub room."
"Okay?" Orez acknowledged, not knowing why his brother was so excited. He decided to change the subject. "Have you heard from mom and dad yet?"
Enon frowned.
"No," he confirmed. "Not yet. I haven't tried calling them though. I'm sure that they're busy up there."
"Probably," Orez agreed.
"Plus, with mom being hurt - I don't think we're going to hear from them tonight."
This time, it was Orez's turn to frown. He felt a little neglected that Melissa and Charles hadn't checked in, but he understood that they were probably dealing with Melissa's injuries at the moment. Deciding that he wasn't going to wait around for them to message him, Orez opened the messaging app on his phone and brought up the chat he had with his mom and dad. His tiny fingers flew over the buttons before he hit the "Send" button on his message - silently willing it to reach his parents quickly.
Me: Are you guys okay?
Orez tucked his phone back into his pocket as he waited for a response, forcing his intrusive thoughts to not make him imagine that the worst had happened. He didn't want to think like that. He couldn't or he would panic. Orez didn't like the feeling of panicking and would usually do whatever he could to avoid it. This time though, the events of the morning were beginning to catch up to him.
The man stared at the video in disbelief. In the blink of an eye, Harris had turned into a blood-thirsty monster that was out for vengeance. Someone capable of taking out full grown Romulan soldier with his bare hands. The soldier hadn't even considered the idea of defending himself until it was too late, and Harris was on him. The force of the initial impact knocked the surprised Romulan from his feet and Harris started punching the struggling soldier. Harris continued punching the Romulan until the man lie still and the boy was covered in blood.
"Holy shit," Harold breathed in surprise. "How is this possible?"
Harold turned to see that Vanek's brow was furrowed as the man seemed to be weighing ideas in his mind. Harold knew enough about his T'hy'la to know that Vanek wouldn't speak his mind until the man was certain of what he wanted to say. It infuriated the human to no end, but his love for his husband outweighed the things that annoyed him about Vanek's character. Harold could live with the fact that Vanek always thought deeply about a subject before giving his opinion. Just like Vanek could live with Harold's many imperfections. It was how the couple made it through the day. It was how they had made it through the past decade together.
"Harris," the man breathed as he reached out with a finger to touch the image of his son. 'What did the monsters of your past do to you, son?'
"It would seem that our son has suffered more than he lets on," Vanek finally stated after several minutes of silent contemplation. "I will ask throughout the Clan to see if there is a psychologist that they recommend for Harris to speak with. It will be the only way to help him get over the pain of his past."
"Theresa's little plan didn't completely work, did it?" Harold asked, remembering how Theresa had helped Harris rebuild the relationship with Harold by separating the images that Harris held of the Monster and his father.
"Not completely," Vanek responded softly. The Vulcan pushed the monitor away from Harold and grabbed the man's chin. "We should have already had Harris in therapy, my love. We were wrong when we assumed that he was strong enough to deal with his past on his own like this, and it's up to us to make it up to our son by getting him the help he needs."
"I agree," Harold confirmed, barely keeping the tears from falling from his eyes. "I'm such a let down."
Vanek froze before he put his hand on Harold's shoulder - making his t'hy'la look him in the eye. "You are far from a let down, Harold. We will deal with Harris's trauma as we should have done, and there will be no more of this self-condemnation. Understood?"
In response, Harold kissed Vanek and blushed. "Thanks, love."
Vanek nodded before he changed the subject.
"I've been working with Starfleet about the Moroi being on Exa," the Vulcan explained. "They're sending an expedition to the planet to see if there is a way to destroy them."
"Destroy them?" Harold asked dumbfounded.
"They're monsters, Harold," Vanek told him blandly. "They deserve to be punished for their crimes against the Federation and those children. One of your own sons was changed by the monsters. Chase deserves justice."
"I agree that justice needs to be served," Harold began, "but wouldn't we be just like them if we just destroyed them? Don't they deserve a trial at the very least?"
Vanek fell silent as he contemplated Harold's words before he finally agreed with his t'hy'la.
"I will speak with Starfleet regarding a trial," Vanek acknowledged. "Do you have anymore requests about the situation?"
Knowing that he was pushing his luck, Harold asked for the one thing that was beginning to bother him.
"I want to know who it was that hurt my son. Can you help me figure it out?"
"You want me to search the multiverse for the other you?"
Harold could only nod mutely.
"I will speak with Levi and see if he can provide some assistance with your request, my love," Vanek agreed reluctantly. "I cannot guarantee that I will have positive results, though."
"I understand, Vanek," Harold said softly. "I just want answers, and I feel like there was some stuff being glossed over when Harris was hit by the car. We were told a story, but the answers weren't completely there."
"You feel like the abuse that Harris suffered through was played off?"
"I do," Harold confirmed. "Does that make me a bad person?
"Not at all, Harold," Vanek told the man across from him. "It makes you a worried father."
Harold sighed and watched the video again.
"What set Harris off in the first place?"
"His cousin was shot in front of him by the Romulan," Vanek informed his husband. "If you go back another few seconds you will see everything from the beginning."
Harold went back to where the boys were running back from the center of the street with the rocket launcher. A man stood up and walked toward where the boys were gathering before he touched something on his collar. The man then seemed to shimmer in the sunlight before he turned into a Romulan soldier and pointed his gun at Geoff. The man fired one shot and Harold watched as the emotional change washed over Harris's features. Harris didn't even hesitate when he launched himself at the Romulan with vengeance written across his face.
"Watch Geoff and Charles," Vanek explained, drawing Harold's attention to the background.
Harold watched as white light flashed momentarily next to Geoff, and a boy wearing shorts and a t-shirt appeared. The boy held his hands out over the limp form of Geoff as another light began to flow from the palms of his hands into the boy below. Harold couldn't stop the gasp from escaping his lips as he saw Geoff jerk awake and start patting the blood covered shirt that he was now wearing. Then, Harris was standing over the dead body of the Romulan soldier - his own hands covered in the blood of the alien menace. Having seen enough, Harold turned off the video.
"Who was it?"
"An angel," Vanek replied.
"A child?"
The Vulcan only nodded.
Harold couldn't help but look around in disbelief before he just closed his eyes and sighed.
"What have we gotten ourselves into, Vanek?"
"Whatever this is, Harold, we will make it through it together," Vanek reassured his husband firmly. "Just like we always have."
"It's fine, Charles!" Melissa pushed the man's hands away from the pillow her leg was resting on. "You really need to go check on the store!"
"I already did," Charles replied, suddenly somber. "It's gone, Melissa. Nothing left of the store but a pile of rubble."
"I'm sorry, baby," the woman said, reaching out for her husband's hand. "I promise that I will do whatever it takes to get your business going again, my love."
The man nodded, barely holding back his tears and making Melissa feel even worse. Charles decided to change the subject instead.
"Harris took out a Romulan soldier with his bare hands today," the man stated casually.
"Wait, what?" Melissa asked, clearly not processing what her husband had said the first time.
"You should have been there to see it, though I'm glad you weren't, Melissa," he told his wife - his eyes going distant as he pictured the event in his head. "I'm sort of glad that you weren't though."
"Harris took out a Romulan soldier with his bare hands?" Melissa asked, trying to get some clarification. "How is that possible?"
"An adrenaline rush maybe?" Charles answered with a shrug. "I honestly don't know, Melissa. I was too focused on Geoff dying in my arms."
"EXCUSE ME?!" Melissa demanded with a shriek. Her face went pale as her bottom lip started to quiver. "Geoff died in your arms?"
"He's not dead, love," Charles quickly slid over onto the edge of the cot and pulled his wife into his arms to reassure her. "I promise you that Geoff is very much alive and well! He was saved by an angel."
"What? I don't understand," Melissa managed to vocalize, her lip still trembling as she fought off the emotional breakdown that was hovering on the edge of her senses. "Get me my boys, now!"
Charles took Melissa's phone from the stand next to her bed and glanced at it before he passed it to his wife.
"It would seem that our children are just as worried about you, Melissa," Charles told her. "I'll go speak to the transporter crew about your request."
Melissa watched her husband leave the room before she opened the message from her son.
Orez: Are you guys okay?
The woman stared at the message before she glanced at the time.
'Oh, I've been here for a few hours now,' she thought in surprise. 'They would be worried.'
Instead of messaging the boy back - called Orez so she could hear his voice.
"Hello?" The boy answered in his tenor voice. "Mom?"
"Oh, baby boy," Melissa began apologizing. "I am so sorry that I didn't call you sooner. As soon as I got up here, they pulled me into the Medbay-"
"Mom, it's okay," the boy reassured her with a sigh of relief. "I'm better now that I know you're okay."
"I'm safe, Orez," Melissa said. "I promise that you don't need to worry about me. Your father is talking to the transportation team to get you and your brothers up here to see me."
"We've sort of commandeered a hotel," Orez informed his mother. "You could always come here so we don't leave the Clan shorthanded?"
"That sounds like a great idea, baby!" The woman praised the boy. "Let me call your father back up here so we can talk to the doctor, okay?"
"I'll take deep breaths until you get here, mom."
"Are you okay, Orez?" Melissa asked in concern. "What's wrong?"
"It's just been a long day, mom," he replied softly. "I'll be okay soon."
"Okay, baby boy," Melissa hesitated. "I'll be there as fast as possible."
"I love you, mom."
"I love you, Orez."
Melissa ended the call and set the phone in her lap as a tear fell down her cheek. She could tell that Orez needed her, and lying in the Medbay was making her feel useless as a mother. Melissa grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to Charles for him to come back to the room and to bring the doctor with him. She also added that it wasn't an emergency about her so her husband wouldn't worry.
"What's going on, Melissa?" Charles asked when he returned. "Commander Marshall said that he would be here in a minute."
"I want to go to Earth, Charles," she told him bluntly. "I don't see the point in hogging this needed space when I can be tended to by Doctor Zach back on Earth."
"That's a good point," Commander Marshall said with a grin from the doorway. "Let me just make sure that everything is healing properly, and I'll get you back to your family on Earth."
Melissa couldn't help but smile gratefully at the man's understanding of her situation.
"Thank you, Commander," she acknowledged happily. "I should be with our sons."
Greg walked into the room and ran his scanner over the woman's body - double checking her for anymore injuries before he finally gave her the green light to go home.
"I'll send a nurse to escort you to the transporter room," Greg said. "Just make sure that you stay off the leg for at least two more days while the brace helps you heal. Luckily it was a pretty clean break of the bone, so there shouldn't be any permanent damage."
"Thanks again, Doctor Marshall," Charles thanked the man as he shook the Starfleet officer's hand. "We appreciate this."
"It's been my pleasure, Mr. and Mrs. Conner."
Then, Greg excused himself from the room - off to check on his next patient.
"What were you thinking?" The pale skinned boy demanded the instant that he had Conner in his arms. Harris's thoughts were at the forefront of Chase's mind as he studied Conner for any sign of lasting injury. He focused on the sound of Conner's heartbeat before kissing the boy soundly on his pink lips. "Don't ever do something like that again, Conner! You could have died!"
"He did die, Chase," Harris corrected the Moroi. "Conner is lucky that Jaden was able to save him."
"We all are," Chase added before he kissed Conner again. Then, he glanced back at Harris. "Can you stop thinking about it though, Harris?"
"Sorry," Harris blushed. "I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything. I've witnessed too many people die today, so it's making me a little edgy."
"That's understandable then, Director," the vampire acknowledged. "You should schedule an appointment with Doctor Zach. He has a minor in psychology."
"Really?" Harris asked. "I didn't know that."
Chase smiled and tapped the side of his head.
"I can't turn mine off like Isaac can now."
"I wonder how far it reaches," Harris mused thoughtfully. "Your abilities could come in handy when we locate the next GOH facility."
"That would be kind of fun," Chase grinned. "We should try out my range one of these nights."
"I'm game," Harris confirmed with his own smile.
"If you'll excuse me, Director Conner," Chase changed the subject as he glanced back to Conner. "I need to educate someone on how much I love them, and how irresponsible their actions were today."
Conner visibly flinched in fear.
'Careful with how you speak around Conner, Chase,' Harris warned. 'He's been through enough. Just remember that he's the one that died today.'
"I know, Harris," Chase nodded. Then, he kissed Conner's cheek. "Come on, love. We have a few things to discuss about our relationship."
"Oh?" Conner asked with a blush. "What types of things?"
"Only good things, Conner," Chase promised. "I would never do anything to hurt you."
"See you later, boys," Harris told the duo as they headed toward the elevators.
The Director turned his attention to the others that had gathered in the hotel lobby. He made a mental note to thank the owner of the hotel for letting them use the spaces, but knew that Starfleet had probably given the man no other option. Still, Harris wanted to make more friends within the local community. It was the only way for the Ohio Valley Division to survive the coming war against the Guardians of Humanity.
The boy glanced around the lobby and couldn't help but smile as he saw the different Clan members helping the newcomers. There were a few with minor injuries, but the majority of the children present were uninjured. He saw Melissa sitting in a cushioned chair near a window, with a circle of boys around her as she read to them. Orez, one of the twins from Sharyn, was perched on her lap, his arms wrapped tightly around his mother's waist as if he was never going to let go of her. While Harris didn't know the full circumstances of the alien's past, he knew enough to hate the bastards that had experimented on his new family members. Harris instinctively located each of his brothers with a quick glance, wanting to make sure that they were still safe. For a moment he panicked until he remembered that Chase had gone upstairs with Conner. It was during this glance around the lobby that Harris saw his father and Vanek entering through the main doors.
Harold was looking around frantically until he locked eyes with Harris and went to his son with a purpose. The man immediately went to his knees and pulled Harris into his arms. He checked the boy over thoroughly for any injuries before squeezing Harris tightly to his chest.
"Careful, dad," the boy winced. "I'm a little banged up, I think."
Harold immediately loosened his grip but refused to let go. The man's eyes were full of bewilderment as he seemed to scan his son's face.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a worried tone.
"I think so," Harris shrugged. "It hurts a little, but it's not that bad. I think Aunt Melissa got it a lot worse than I did."
Harold frowned, making Harris blush.
"Sorry, dad," the boy said meekly.
"None of this is your fault, Harris," the man tried to reassure the boy. "It just surprises me with everything that you've been through, how you've made it this far. You were presumed dead for a decade before you stumbled through a doorway into a completely different universe. You survived years of abuse and maltreatment to come to a world where you had to live on the street for three days - too frightened to ask for help-."
"But still strong enough to push a grown Vulcan out of the way of a speeding car - taking the impact yourself and stopping an interplanetary incident that could have turned into a war between worlds," Vanek interrupted as he stood beside his family. "You were on the brink of death - only to be brought back by the same Guardian Angel that had placed you in the wrong universe to begin with. Then, you somehow formed the Ohio Valley Division of Clan Short of Vulcan while also planning a rescue of children from a heavily guarded facility."
"And today," Harold hesitated as his eyes began to brim with tears. "Today, you managed to take out a Romulan foot soldier with your bare hands just to protect your Clan Brothers." The father fell silent for a moment before he smiled softly. "Is there anything that you can't do, Harris?"
The boy nodded sadly.
"I can't handle watching my family and friends dying, dad," he said honestly. "Conner died in front of me when he ran up the stairwell to find Chase, and then Geoff died when he was shot by that Romulan."
"Wait, what?" Harold frowned. "What happened to Conner and Chase?"
"The aliens were starting their attack and Conner thought that Chase was still upstairs," Harris tried to explain as his green eyes went distant. "I was trying to get Conner to stop when the building collapsed around us." The boy paused. "The stairs just disappeared, dad. I tried to catch him, but I just couldn't. We were talking as we waited for help, but Conner started to lose it. The rubble shifted and we both fell more. It was horrible. . ."
Harold found himself rubbing Harris's back in small circles, urging the boy to continue.
"Then, Jaden came," a small smile formed at the corner of the boy's lips as he remembered the angel that had managed to save Conner. Harris went on to explain how they left the rubble of the Clan Headquarters behind, and went in search of help at Starfleet. He explained how Joey had gotten Starfleet to send a squad to them with a few extra weapons, and how they had used the rocket launcher to bring down the heavily armed vessel. Harris's face turned dark as he recollected the moment Geoff had died in Charles's arms. "The next thing I knew, Uncle Charles was standing in front of me."
Harris let his father hug him.
"I'm sorry that I wasn't there with you, son," Harold told Harris.
"That's not your fault, daddy," Harris whispered. "It's just been a long day."
"I know, Harris," the man acknowledged. "Let the others deal with the new kids, son. It's time for you to rest. Okay?"
"Yes, sir," Harris replied before he fell asleep in his father's arms.