Camden looked towards her in a mix of surprise, fear and irritation. He was sitting on his bed, so Selene went and sat on the other side.
This was one conversation Selene hadn't prepared for. She'd have to wing it.
"I didn't choose to leave Camden. Didn't dad tell you that?"
"He said puck made you join.. But you didn't run away! You never came to see me! And you made mom cry!" he turned away from her in a huff.
It seems like her absence was harder on him than she thought. They were always at each others throats—he'd always been an annoying brat. But during their time apart Selene had realized that she liked being annoyed sometimes.
And it seemed like he missed it too.
"I just ran all the way here, Cam. I'm too tired to fight. Can I just have my little brother back?"
He half turned to look, still angry. But then took a double take when he saw that she was teary eyed. His expression changed in an instant. His lip quivered.
He crawled over the bed and she hugged him. When she pulled away she shook his shoulder a bit and looked him in the eyes.
"Let's make a promise, that even when one of us is being a huge butt—we'll never abandon each other. Okay?"
He put his face into her shirt and she felt a bit of moisture. Gross. She tried to ignore it.
"Okay.." he said mumbled.
"Okay?" she asked again.
"Okayokayokay." he said fast, wiping his face. She chortled as she rustled his hair; "Get a few of your favorite toys and stuff together, we're leaving."
She sat down with her mom and dad next while Camden packed.
"I have huge news. Massive." she started.
They shared a glance, then nodded towards her.
"Like, the biggest news ever. Galactic. This will change everything."
Her dad furled his brow; "Just tell us Sel!"
"Chill! I uh... I guess seeing is believing." she checked behind to make sure Camden wasn't standing there. Then held a hand out.
"I just want to preface this by clarifying that I'm not contagious and I'm in full control of my faculties."
There was the sound of crinkling paper as orange chitin bubbled up from the skin on her hand and began forming overlapped plates of chitin on her fingers.
Her parents both leaned forward in a mix of fear and awe. Her dad slowly moved his hands to the side as if he were about to get up.
"I'm part Zykra. Any questions?"
They both were just silent, just staring at her hands.
She returned her hand to normal.
"I can fully change into a super powered flying badass. It makes my telepath powers stronger too. And also, the negative side effects of telepathy? Gone. I don't even get headaches anymore. But I have a problem... I made a deal to get this. Sort've. I didn't really have a choice."
"Selene... What happened?" her mom asked. "Why are you here? What happened to you?"
Selene swallowed. "I uh... Those things my division hunt? They infected me on the Lamda mission. And I started hearing this voice in my head- their queen. And it offered me a deal. So the head of Zykra research Dr. Bryant and I left the Protectorate. The Zykra want me to take over the system for them. Like... Rule it as my territory for them.."
She said the last bit a tad awkwardly. Realizing how ridiculous it sounded.
"These bug things want you to take over humanity? Why?"
Selene shrugged.
"So that we're not a threat I'm guessing. Or maybe because they want me. Or both... They really like my abilty.. All I know is if I don't they'll do it anyways. I-" she breathed uneasily. The vibes they were giving off were messing with her. Their anxiety and worry for her was intense.
"I need you to come with me. Off world. Somewhere puck can't find you and use you against me. I can't stay hidden forever. Puck will find out what my plans are soon."
Dad put a hand on moms hand consolingly. Then reached across and put a hand on Selene's knee.
"I always knew you were special, I guess the Zykra saw that too... I'm sorry Selene. For everything."
Selene shook her head; "No dad—it's not bad. This could even be a good thing. If I found out how to spread this to you- you would get to live longer, you and mom!"
Dad looked to Mom. She nodded sullenly.
"That's not what I mean. Selene... I was apart of a secret telepath program with puck."
Now it was Selene on the back-peddle.
"What?"
"-I wasn't a natural born telepath. My unit found an artifact on one of our missions—alien. It was buried, a metal prism with all these purple lines running through it. I probably shouldn't of touched it, but I felt compelled to. And when I did it gave me the same ability you have now. After knocking me on my ass."
Selene's brain was working overtime now and she thought she was the one with big news here.
"I thought it was unheard of for kids to inherit the exact same abilities as their parents?"
"—It is. But I guess we're different. I left puck not longer after, the telepath program they had me in—they were doing some pretty fucked up things. I escaped with some others and joined the resistance to change it. Long story short, I met your mother, had you, realized you had the same abilities then fled to the outer rim. To Endelon. Leaving my resistance days behind me."
"Is.. Camden..?"
He nodded. "The same."
Selene flopped back onto the navy blue couch and deflated. If they all had similar abilities than the Zykra would want them just as much. But would that be a bad thing? They could be one big Zykra leading family. Take over the universe together.
She chuckled a bit at the thought.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing. So you're telling me all this happened because you touched something? Does puck still have it?"
"No. It stopped working after that day. Only I was affected."
That's some good news at least. High supply would mean a lower demand for her, and who knew how that'd affect her relationship with the Zykra.
"Speaking of the resistance Selene... I can't go with you yet."
He saw the 'the hell you aren't' look on her face and put his hands up to stop her from interrupting him; "-There's resistance here! And you're not the only one who made a deal. To get you off Alexandria—I agreed to help them get the rebels in that prison out."
"Shit. Really? Well I'm already here. So what's the problem?"
"It's not that simple. They had to take risks already, spend resources. And besides... I want to help them."
Mom spoke then; "Now that we have Selene honey we could just run like she wants us to, I never wanted you to risk your life for the resistance ever again! You promised me!"
He lowered his head. "I have to. The resistance is dying Jen. They need this. Their top commander is in there. Some of their best guys are in there."
Selene took a deep breath.
"Let me help then."
Her mom stared beams at her. Then stood up and started to berate them; "No! Absolutely not! God! Do I live with a family of violent criminals!?"
She went to a door to the side and opened it, revealing a kitchen. She grabbed a wine bottle out of the fridge and glass.
Her dad looked to her; "...The Zykra, they want you to bring down puck. Just what exactly are you capable of?"
Selene harumphed.
"You have no idea. I could probably bench press a thousand pounds. I grow a tail with a super sharp dagger on the end that cuts through steel. And claws that drip acid. When I'm like that I feel... Unstoppable. Invincible."
Their mom started pouring a glass for herself.
"That's a dangerous feeling kid. Never underestimate puck. But that's good to hear, cause I could use all the help I could get. You proved you had what it takes on Endelon and that was before puck trained you. I'll contact the resistance, have your uncle come back over, and-"
"My uncle?" she asked.
"Yeah. Preston is your uncle. My baby brother. My last contact with the resistance when I left, as soon as I wanted to get you out of puck—he's who I called to get you back."
She was experiencing way too many revelations today.
"Selene? Did you meet your parents? We're on a time schedule here." Dr. Bryant said into her earpiece.
"Yeah... Change of plans. We're doing a prison break. And taking sides with the resistance."
Her dad tilted his head; "Is that the doctor you talked about?"
She nodded at him.
"Selene, it's really not necessary to enlist human help. Your Zykra forces will be more than enough to-"
"But it takes time to make them right? In the mean time we could team up with the resistance, they could do stuff to sabotage puck. Get us information. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"
The other end went silent for a few moments then.
"Very well if you insist. A resistance contact would make it much easier getting off world undetected, and potentially help us in the future in technical ways. We'll have to meet and deliberate a plan. Hold a crucible, in Zykra terms."
Selene looked to her dad; "Could you call Preston back so we could plan this thing?"
Camden came running into the room with a backpack on and a bulbously large plastic longneck dinosaur cradled in his arms; "I'm ready to go!"
Mom and Dad looked at her.
An hour later she answered the door.
And stared down Preston for a moment. The slightly muscular 5"11 or so guy stood across from her. A slight beer gut forming beneath his brown shirt.
He stared back.
"So you're my uncle." she said flatly.
"Guess so."
"Have any hobbies?"
"I gamble sometimes."
"Gambling's not a hobby."
"It is if you're good at it."
"Do you have kids?"
"No."
"Married?"
"No."
Selene gave him a judging look as if to say; 'That checks out.'
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did."
"What's it like working for puck?"
Selene wasn't irritated by the question. It was the way he asked it.
"I don't know... Completing missions—winning. Stuff like that, you probably wouldn't understand."
"Yeah?" Preston said with a hint of irritation.
"Yep..."
"Well I guess I'm glad we have you around—show old guys like me how it's done. You going to let me in?"
Selene pushed the door open and walked into the living room and sat down. She stood her tablet up before video calling Dr. Bryant.
"Welcome back." Dad said.
Preston chortled as he sat in one of the free single seat couches; "That was a fast reunion."
"We don't waste time in this family. Speaking of saving time, we have a lot to tell you."
They spent the following 15 minutes to a half hour updating Preston in on the Zykra situation and getting him to swear to secrecy—even regarding the resistance.
Selene put her hand back down and it transformed back to normal.
Preston wiped his face. Then grabbed the bottle of wine off the table and took a few gulps.
"So... I assume you're not telling me this because I'm apart of the family. You still plan on helping?"
Dad nodded; "Selene agreed. A relationship with the resistance will do this family a lot of good."
Preston clapped his hands a few times and did a fist pumping motion.
"Old Ron is back in the saddle! Hell ya! It only took like 20 years!"
A annoyed voice came from the tablet; "Could we move on to discuss the plan and stop wasting the Queens time?"
"Who the fuck is that?" Preston asked, pointing. The wrinkled black face of Dr. Bryant stared back at him with contempt.
"That's Dr. Bryant. He's my advisor." Selene said.
"If you truly think of me as your advisor Ms. Carrington; then perhaps you could reconsider this? Such poultry forces or resources this 'resistance' represents are hardly worth risking early exposure for."
Preston scoffs. "Guy has a bug up his ass. In more ways than one it seems."
"Everybody relax," Dad said. "we already have a plan. But with Selene and the Zykra—and Dr. Bryants help—we can make it less risky. The plan was to cause a riot. Then for me to use my abilities and my position at the prison to open some doors. Let the resistance members get themselves out from there. Now we just have to figure out a way to make use of Selene's abilities as well."
The room went quiet in contemplation.
Then Selene suddenly had an epiphany.
"Hey! What if I got arrested!?"