Chapter Text
“Adam!” Chase cried, seeing his mountain of a brother first for obvious reasons once they landed in the lobby. He and Bree started forward.
“Wait!” Adam brandished the wrench he’d pulled from the desk to play with while Leo and the adults talked boring science stuff. “How do I know you’re the real ones?”
Silence.
“Are you fucking stupid?” they said in unison.
Silence.
“There they are,” Tasha smiled.
“Without a doubt,” Douglas agreed.
“Oh yeah, that’s them,” Leo confirmed, standing to join the hug they’d been yanked into.
Tasha made her way over with open arms when the three were released, followed by Douglas.
As Adam squeezed the life out of the other two boys, Tasha did her own version, peppering her kids’ faces with kisses, smudging lipstick all over.
The chain continued, Douglas taking her place as she ferociously attacked Kaz and Oliver. Adam and Skylar had a hugging contest for a beat, seeing who could squeeze harder as probably the only people in existence who could handle maximum huggage from the other.
Once Douglas finished ruffling their already mussed hair, a loud gasp occurred.
“Bree!”
Bree squealed excitedly, opening her arms for Taylor to run into. Taylor picked the smaller girl up, spinning her around.
“I’m here too,” Chase snorted.
“Oh, hi!”
“Little late,” he lightly shoved Taylor’s face, causing her to drop Bree to attack him.
Bree was pretty soon tackled and lifted again.
“Hey, it’s my favorite little dumbass!” she smiled, ruffling Logan’s hair. Adam made a heartbroken noise, lasering off the ankle monitors. “Second favorite.”
“Thank god it’s actually you!” Logan was out of breath as he set her down. “I liked the meanness versus being boring.”
“Thanks,” Bree rolled her eyes.
“There it is!”
Taylor stopped aggressively tickling Chase on the ground for him to stand up. And get immediately bowled over.
“Ow,” Chase laughed. “Hey buddy.”
Leo smiled.
Tasha caught it, having unearthed herself from kissing Skylar’s bent-down head.
He shot her a glare. She smirked, putting her hands up.
Logan stood, looking at the other three suspiciously. He walked up to Oliver, sticking his hand out with narrowed eyes.
Oliver blinked in confusion, shaking it.
Logan grinned. “Can I hug you guys? I’m a hugger.”
“Uh-”
“Get in here, big guy,” Kaz confirmed.
Logan did so, lifting both of them.
After which, Leo strolled up, doing their secret handshake with Kaz. “What have you guys been up to?”
“Abject terror. Home invasion. Light murder. Typical Tuesday.”
Kaz and Leo grinned at each other, having an easy connection that others might find strange or unconventional. They clicked too well. In a “might accidentally commit arson” way.
“Where is everyone?” Bree inquired.
“In the dorms,” Leo answered, slinging an arm around Kaz’s shoulders. “Getting rest for now.”
Douglas messed with his mechanical appendages. “We need to talk. Figure out a game plan.”
Chase nodded. He and Douglas started off. Leo began to follow.
“Just Chase,” Douglas reiterated.
Leo frowned, stepping back.
~*~
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“What the fuck is your deal?” Bree sank down next to Kaz, crouching against the wall.
“Huh?”
“You’re acting so weirdly,” Bree continued. “You haven’t bickered with me for like, weeks. And then you got mad at Oliver for your petty bitch reasons like you used to. And now you’re all quiet again.”
Kaz sighed. “...It’s nothing.”
“Jeez, dude, just be a person again. Get mad. Be annoying. Stop worrying about relapsing.”
Kaz said nothing, staring at the training room’s floor.
“Kaz, c’mon,” Bree shoved his shoulder. “I’m brash. I’m loud. And it makes me me. Chase already told you he doesn’t like the meekness. It’s not you. And is way less healthy.”
She received a snort at the fact that Chase told her about their conversation. Keeping those twins from blabbing to each other was a Herculean task.
Kaz chewed his cheek. “...I just… I can’t go back. I was just… angry. All the time. I hurt everyone I love. Physically when it comes to him. And almost physically with you and Oliver. Hell, if Sky wasn’t Calderan, who’s to say I wouldn’t have injured her too?”
Bree softened.
“And on… on the terrace. I almost hurt Oliver again. Stupidly thinking he invited that bastard in with open arms. And getting upset again today, it was scary.”
“You were stressed in those,” Bree put her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s not an excuse,” Kaz clenched his fist. “Yeah, I’m furious with him for locking up. Chase could’ve died. But… I know he’s got a lot of shit internally.”
“Don’t we all?” Bree exhaled, sitting fully.
Silence.
“For the record,” Kaz snorted. “You are brash and loud. But I love that. One of your few redeeming qualities.”
“There he is! The jackass who’s the bane of my existence!”
“At your service,” Kaz mock-bowed.
~*~
“I wish they were copies of anyone else,” Adam sighed to himself.
“What?” Skylar asked. The two were patrolling the roof.
“Nothin’. Okay, somethin’.”
Skylar walked over, tilting her head inquisitively.
“...I did a lot. That I’m not proud of. To Chase. Because the piece of shit who raised us never told me it was wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
Adam sighed again, squeezing his eyes shut. The first time Chase finally admitted that his bruises weren’t from bullies, but Adam, who was meant to be his protector, stayed in his sight no matter how hard he closed them.
“I roughhoused. That’s what I thought it was, at least. I hit him. Threw him into steel walls. All kinds of stuff. He just took it. Only told me in therapy that it was me that left all those purpley splotches on his arms. Because I thought it was fine.”
Skylar frowned. “You didn’t know any better, man.”
“I know,” Adam exhaled. “That’s what Chase told me. The three of us have learned the hard way that a whole lot of things we’ve done or experienced weren’t normal. And it makes sense why Davenport told me to tone down in front of Tasha. Because she would know that it was wrong.”
“Jeez,” Skylar huffed. “Why’d he do that.”
“Probably to keep the dynamic of the team up,” Adam glared into the gray sky. “With Chase and I always competing. Because he’s weaker than me, and I’m dumber than him, so it was probably supposed to keep it that way.”
“Asshole.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying.”
Silence. The creatures on the island were even quiet, like they sensed the foreboding tension the people could.
“How about you?”
“Hm?”
“How about you?” Adam repeated, turning to lean his back on the rail. Skylar raised a brow. “We’re pretty equal in “can accidentally destroy loved ones” territory.”
Skylar chewed her lip. “I did… stupid things when I was young. Hurt people I cared about. And with those damn hallucinations, I thought I hurt my team too. Plus losing focus and leaving my best friend in a nearly collapsed building was just…”
Silence once more.
“Y’know what Bree tells me?”
“What?” Skylar exhaled through her nose.
“It’s not the muscle that makes us strong. It’s the control we have most times to be gentle. That’s true power, or some other mushy gross thing.”
Skylar smiled. She punched his shoulder. “I like you. If we survive this thing, how about some pizza?”
“If you’re paying,” Adam grinned back.
~*~
“Just Chase,” Leo muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Oliver shrugged, helping Leo at the console. They’d just sent Perry, the two dogs, and Naomi back to the mainland before impending doom decided to strike, hiding them at Rose’s home since the mansion was obviously not an option. Douglas had gotten the message to Daniel and his adopted family to seek shelter there as well, just in case. Leo had tried his hardest to send his mother back too. She refused.
“What’s up with you, dude?” Leo asked. “You’re all spacey and quiet.”
He didn’t know Oliver that well, sure. But spending those weeks at the penthouse and sharing his room at the Mission Creek house made Leo pretty positive he was acting weird.
“...Kaz is mad at me.”
“I noticed. Why?”
“Because I… froze up. He and Chase were in danger, but when it came down to it, I did nothing. They had to save me.”
Leo sighed. “Battle jitters. I get it.”
“I used to attack supervillains as a normo with zero experience,” Oliver held his arms. “I’ve become a coward.”
“Don’t say that,” Leo interrupted. “It’s hard. To keep up a standard. Or get credit for trying.”
Just Chase.
“Anyway. Not your fault. You need to build confidence again.”
“Yeah… I guess.”
They continued in easier quiet.
“Leo!” Kaz waved as he and Bree walked up. “...Oliver.”
Oliver looked away.
“Hey,” Leo shared a fist bump.
“Any ETA on nerdville?” Bree asked, hands on her hips.
Leo would like to be a part of nerdville. “No. Still talking. Stop it, Kaz. I can hear you glaring.”
Kaz huffed, crossing his arms.
“When I said be petty, I didn’t mean this petty,” Bree rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, well. I’m not gonna be all gung ho with the guy that could’ve gotten my boyfriend killed.”
“He wasn’t trying to, buddy,” Leo exhaled.
“Yeah. Chill,” Bree seconded.
Kaz muttered some reply, stalking off.
“Leo, c’mere,” Bree gestured.
He followed suspiciously.
“What the fuck is with you?”
“Language.”
“Fuck. Shit. Piss. Bitch.”
“You suck.”
“Language,” Bree gasped, hand to her heart.
Leo rolled his eyes.
“So.”
“Nothing’s happening,” he stuffed his hands in his uniform’s pockets.
She looked him up and down. Damned sister intuition.
“Everyone to the training room for debriefing.”
Saved by the Chase.
He pointed at the intercom, scuttling away from his unconvinced sister.
~*~
Chase and Douglas stood before the gathered students. Leo was further off, bathed in the shadow of the platform.
“Our enemies have successfully replicated the physiology and powers of my team and I,” Chase’s hands were firmly clasped behind his back. “You all remember the earlier incident today. Our penthouse and the home in Mission Creek were attacked too. The only logical step is to prepare for an onslaught here.”
All the targets, corralled in one place.
Leo rubbed his arm, trying to ignore how keyed in everyone was to his brother. He knew Chase was a fantastic leader. Charismatic, calm, smart, whatever. But he kind of thought he could lead his students.
“Tasha, Oliver, Douglas, Kaz,” Chase looked to each of them in turn. “With your human biology, I want you to only fight the fake Kazzes and Olivers. It’s too dangerous for you to go against any others.”
They nodded.
“All of you with more intermediate abilities, you’ll be on the false Chases and Brees. You can go against the others, but not the Skylars.”
More nods.
“Taylor, Logan,” Chase turned to them. They snapped to attention like everyone else had when Chase addressed them. Leo never got that respect when he did a brief. There was always someone giggling or passing notes. No one dared breathe out of place during this. The worst part might’ve been that it wasn’t fear, but pure admiration for Chase. “Gather your strongest students. You guys, along with Sky, Adam, Bree, and I will focus on the Skylars. Be warned, the electrokinesis is extremely damaging to bionics, which is why if you are not assigned this group, avoid them at all costs.”
A wave of uneasiness rolled over the crowd. Skylar ignored all the fearful looks she received.
“These androids have the ability to shift into our clothing, tears and all,” Chase continued, gesturing to his bandaged face. “The way to tell my team from the fakes is the wounds. Now, everyone go to your capsules and recharge. Be ready at any moment. We can do this. We will do this. Dismissed.”
The students filed off.
Chase exhaled, brushing his hair from his face. Leo sighed too, not keen on attacking replicas of his siblings. He stepped off to get his arm capsule.
“Oh, Leo-” Chase startled. “I forgot about you. You’re on the Kazzes and Olivers too.”
Leo blinked. “What?”
“You’re human,” Chase explained, waving him off. “Go recharge your arm.”
Leo scowled.
~*~
“Mom, we have a big old arsenal in the armory,” Chase turned to the adults. “Can you show her, Douglas?”
“Sure,” Douglas ruffled his hair.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“Hello,” Kaz’s arm wound around Chase, hand finding his waist. “Nice speech.”
“Thanks,” Chase pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning into Kaz.
“Not nice headache,” Kaz frowned.
“Electrokinesis,” Chase sighed.
“I’m still kinda twitchy,” Bree and Adam were cuddled up on the small couch.
“Jeez,” Adam said, taking her arm to stop it from punching him in the face. He scowled. “Not a fan of lighting.”
“Me either,” Kaz agreed, rubbing Chase’s back. Skylar raised her brow. “Uh- unless it’s from you and not a murderous copy-”
“Save it.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Skylar snorted, ruffling his hair before sitting on the couch’s arm.
Oliver quietly stayed in the corner.
“What’s next, bro?” Adam addressed Chase.
Chase didn’t answer, glaring at the holographic screen projected behind him. He and Douglas had cobbled the makings of their threats by retrieving samples from the deactivated robots in the hyperloop. It was bad.
“We fight.”
~*~
They struck at dawn.
Kaz gasped awake to an alarm blaring.
He, Oliver, and Skylar shot to their feet, following their instructions. The three filed in with their groups outside the school, squinting into the blinding sunlight for their attackers.
There they were.
Droves of black dots poured into view like a giant storm cloud shooting across the ocean.
Chase stood at the very front of the forces. He took a breath, glancing back at Kaz. Kaz offered a small smile of encouragement. Chase returned it, facing forward. He and a few other students stepped forward.
The army approached closer and closer.
Bree, Taylor, and Logan stretched. Adam and Skylar cracked their knuckles. Next to him, Tasha calmly loaded her twin maximum-force blasters. Douglas altered the scope on his bazooka-looking one. Oliver took a shuddery breath.
They were a few dozen yards from the shore.
Chase didn’t give the order.
“Now,” Leo muttered to Kaz’s right. “It has to be now.”
The waves rippled from the force of the massive flight.
“Now-!”
“Now!” Chase commanded at the same time.
He and the eight students at his side moved their arms in wide arcs in unison, thrusting them forward. A wall of water slammed into their enemies, taking down the first few lines.
“Charge!” Chase shouted above the racket.
The whole beach exploded into chaos.
~*~
Chase summoned his bo, tossing it like a javelin. It tore through a whole group, slicing the metal in half.
He dodged a fire blast, slicing Bree’s ankles in two before tackling a Skylar.
He saw the real Skylar blast through two more. Adam tore one to bits, blast-waving the next line.
Logan and Taylor were further off, giving orders to their appropriately nervous cadets. Chase was pretty sure they hadn’t faced real combat since their memories were wiped.
A fair distance from the academy. No one dead yet.
Nothing catastrophic. So far, so good.
He kicked off of Skylar’s shoulders, maxing an “x” motion with his arms after rolling to a stop in the midst of a large group. All calved in half, sinking to the sand.
Chase swiped an arm across his brow, going back in.
A giant line formed.
Chase activated his eye. “Connect to Adam and Bree!”
It did so, working like an earpiece communicator when it was really just projected through his chip.
“Maneuver 17!” Chase ordered.
He saw their heat signatures, Bree speeding right to Adam’s location. Chase made it there not long after.
In a practiced formation from their childhood training, both younger siblings grabbed Adam’s arms. He raised them, chucking them to the line. Bree grabbed Chase’s wrist midair, launching him further with her own momentum.
Chase landed behind their enemies, slamming his palms down with his magnetism, locking each and every one of this attack force in place for his older siblings to bash to bits.
Once they were done, Adam discarded his busted glasses with a giant grin.
Chase and Bree snorted. “He’s always wanted to-”
“I always wanted t’ use that form.”
~*~
Kaz wondered if he should be concerned. Not about the giant army, no. but the fact that he watched Tasha blast a fake him to bits, cool as a cucumber. She was a total badass, yeah, but now Kaz’s body hurt- and not from getting punched by himself.
He dodged Oliver’s strike, blasting its face with a wave of flame.
Kaz shoved the real Oliver out of the way, flooding another group and melting them to goo.
He glared at Oliver and his continued non-action. Oliver avoided his eyes.
They ducked as a beam rocketed past them, feeling its heat from where they stood. A dozen mangled copies dropped. Douglas spat out his toothpick, blowing the smoke from his canon.
“Get your asses in gear!” he yelled over the noise.
“There’s no time to stand around!” Tasha fired into three more. “Get in the center and do some damage! We need to keep them from reaching the school!”
Kaz nodded, jumping into the fray. Oliver hesitatingly followed.
Both evaded a Skylar and Bree, following orders and not engaging.
~*~
Bree grunted as she was blasted into the trees.
She staggered back to her feet, glaring at her girlfriend’s replicas as they slowly approached.
Before she moved, lighting struck.
Bree jumped into the splits, narrowly avoiding the blast. She ducked to dodge another, using her speed to evade as even more were flung at her.
Bree nearly tripped on a rock and brained herself- ironic way to literally bite the dust- flapping her arms to propel herself back to a standing position.
Enough was enough.
She spat into the sand, cracking her knuckles.
The familiar twitch of her legs aching to run pulsed.
Bree listened.
She supercharged her speed, charging through each dense metal contraption until none were left. All five or so dropped unceremoniously. Bree exhaled, catching her breath.
She saw another one, just by the back of its head peeking over the dune.
Bree charged into a flying roundhouse kick, superspeed bashing it against the head.
“Ow- Drekk-”
Bree paused.
“Oh my god!” she shrieked, grabbing the real Skylar’s face.
“Yep,” Skylar laughed, rubbing her cheek. “That would be me.”
“Shit, babe, I’m so sorry-” Bree pressed kisses all over her face.
Skylar laughed again, pulling both to their feet. “C’mon. Let’s take these cheap fakes out.”
“To dinner?” Bree stretched as a flood started toward the pair. “Where?”
“McDonald’s.”
“Ooh, fancy.”
They high-fived and charged.
~*~
Adam clenched both of his fists, bashing them down and flattening a Skylar like a soda can.
He used the body as a shield against the next energy beam, chucking it into another line with a few explosions.
Adam tried to find his family by instinct, using his unrivaled height on the battlefield. He didn’t spot any real siblings.
In that same thought, he lasered a Chase’s skull to creme brulee.
He did see Tasha and Douglas further off, noticing them just in time for his uncle to bash an Oliver upside the head with his bazooka and his mother to duck, causing the two attackers on either side to incinerate. They seemed okay.
He saw the actual Kaz and Oliver right in the center. Most androids around them had more scorch marks than water or ice damage.
Wait. Where the hell was Leo?
~*~
Oliver narrowly dodged a strike, stumbling into Kaz.
Kaz fumbled, cursing under his breath. “Damn it, Oliver! If you can’t fight, get off the field!”
He planted his foot, bracing his hands to part a wave of fire that threatened to bake them.
The flame flooded on either side of them, with Oliver hiding behind Kaz. Oliver gritted his teeth.
He concentrated, clenching his fists, before slamming them down. A giant iceberg formed, crashing through and squashing several dozen adversaries when it landed.
Kaz gaped at him.
Oliver swallowed in his now hydration-less mouth.
“What happened out there today? Kaz or I could've been seriously hurt because of your actions- or lack thereof. Oli, as team leader, I can't accept your behavior. As someone who cares for you, I want to help.”
Oliver had gazed unflinchingly into nothing when Chase pulled him aside.
Chase crossed his arms. “...Kaz said you used to whack supervillains upside the head with bedpans as a regular child. You were fearless in his eyes.”
Oliver didn’t blink, feeling phantom hands close around his throat. Cold. Familiar. The same hands that directed every piece of his life, before letting him go forever.
“What happened to change that?”
If Kaz wanted fearless, Oliver would give him that. Kill himself on the battlefield if it meant his jackass of a best friend would finally respect him again.
Oliver glared right at him, waving his hand to summon water from the grass instead of himself. He froze it into a staff, slamming it down and crushing the next Oliver flat.
Kaz stared.
“If you can’t fight, get off the field,” Oliver told him, rushing back in.
~*~
Chase jumped, grabbing a copy of himself by the jacket collar and flipping it over his shoulder.
He stabbed it with his bo, extending the laser and swinging it in a wide arc to slice through the combination of the team’s fakes.
He wiped his brow again, taking a split-second to glance behind him.
They were nearing the academy.
If these things got in there, they’d have access to every bit of Davenport Industries' information. That would be a problem.
Two Chases surrounded him on either side while he was distracted. He punched his left and kicked at his right in sync, knocking them down.
Chase pushed off a charging Skylar’s back, launching up and landing in a somersault, swiping its legs off with his bo.
Chase looked around once more.
Taylor and Logan were pushing back a wave with the help of a few students. The other students were roughed up, but holding their own against the Chases and Brees. Adam and Skylar were bashing heads, while Bree zipped between the machines to confuse them, causing misfired projectiles to destroy each other. Tasha, Kaz, Oliver, and Douglas continued making their own dent. Leo was a few feet away from Chase, fending off a Skylar.
Wait.
Leo?!
Chase dodged a lighting-fast punch, nailing Bree in the stomach and pushing through to get to his younger idiot of a brother.
~*~
Leo yelped as he was batted back by super strength.
He landed in the sand, head swimming from the blow.
He struggled to the palms of his hands to get up. He had to. This was his thing. He was finally in charge of something, finally got a sliver of respect. And then Chase swooped in to knock him off his pedestal.
He blasted.
And missed.
Skylar continued to stalk toward him.
Leo was shaking from overexertion. He wasn’t a beginner. He wasn’t just going to fight alongside Kaz, Oliver, and his mother- all who had been in combat for only a year, if that.
Maybe he bit off more than he could chew, going right to the top. But Chase wasn’t his leader. Not anymore.
Leo fired again. All this one did was singe its sleeve. He was seeing double, vision blurring.
Blue poked through its stomach. In one swipe, it was sliced in half. By Chase.
“What the hell are you doing?” Chase shouted over the chaos, face red with anger.
Leo blinked, taking a second to process.
Chase kicked another Skylar in the chest, tossing it away with molecular kinesis like it was nothing. That made Leo mad.
He stood, punching one’s face in.
“Get back to where I ordered you!” Chase demanded, using molecular kinesis to cut through more.
“I don’t take your orders anymore!” Leo bit back, kicking through a fake Chase’s abdomen with his bionic leg. That felt nice.
Chase clenched his jaw like he was about to argue, cut off by more swarming. Leo ignored the glare, fighting alongside him.
~*~
Chase was seething. That put it lightly.
Leave it to a Davenport to endanger a mission for pride.
Chase blocked a lightning blast with his shield, narrowly saving Leo from being fried.
They were mere yards from the academy. Chase tossed his bo like a javelin, shishkebab-ing four enemies.
“Let go of your ego long enough to fight with a team!” Chase yelled, back-to-back with Leo.
“That’s rich, coming from you!” Leo spat, blasting through a Kaz.
“You’re so immature-”
“Oh, I know-” Leo’s eyes were angrier than Chase had ever seen from him. “That’s all I am! Some weak, useless kid who always needs to be protected by his great bionic siblings. I can’t do anything on my own, huh? Not even lead the force I built-”
“Go back to your post!” Chase grabbed his arm after spearing a Bree behind him. “It’s too dangerous!”
“Get off!” Leo shouted, shoving Chase to the sand. Chase coughed, holding his chest.
Leo’s angered breathing devolved into shaky shock at using his strength on Chase with actual malice. The frustrated tears on his face from the confrontation dried on his cheeks.
Chase looked at him in equal surprise. Leo shook more and more.
A Skylar walked up behind him while he was distracted.
Chase didn’t think. His mind was blank. And his feet moved.
~*~
Kaz’s stomach dropped when he heard the scream across the beach.
No.
He couldn’t see him, not through the mob of students and machines, but he knew that was the real one.
“Chase!” Kaz shouted, dashing in its direction.
He was grabbed by Douglas. Oliver water-vortexed their area clear for the next few seconds. Tasha was also pushed back by her brother-in-law.
“No!” Kaz lurched out of Douglas’s grip, only being held by the wrist. He ignored the fact that his unheld arm was probably broken. An Oliver got a pretty clean hit on him. “Chase!”
“Stop it!” Douglas ordered.
Kaz drove his elbow into Douglas’s stomach, making it two steps before he was clocked in the temple by metal.
“I blew off dozens of your heads,” Douglas growled, holding his bazooka. “I suggest you don’t try me.”
Kaz glowered. Oliver grabbed his shoulders to hold him back.
Douglas straightened. “Oliver, you’re going to fly me over there. Tasha, Kaz- hold them off until he’s back.”
Tasha opened her mouth, stepping forward.
“Hey,” Douglas grabbed her much gentler. “He’ll be okay. I’ll take care of it. Promise.”
Tasha shakily nodded.
Douglas held his hand out to Oliver. “Come on, kid-”
He was cut off by a much louder roar and a flash of blue.
“Ooh-kay, so that’ll make getting to him easier,” Douglas noticed.
Kaz heard Adam yell in anger again, mixed in with Bree now.
Douglas turned, met with a wall of androids. He gritted his teeth, hefting his weapon.
“If you sons of bitches don’t get outta my way-”
The nearest Kaz made a pop sound. Then another.
More rang out, from the sea.
Every Kaz and Oliver fake across the beach began popping. Then they twisted jankily, moving like zombies. Some punched each other in the face, some walked into trees, and some faceplanted into the sea.
The four of them stared in surprise.
“Well okay then,” Kaz blinked.
~*~
Leo screamed Chase’s name.
He’d been shoved hard, tumbling in the less-than-soft shore, feeling salty spray in his mouth.
Once the ringing stopped and his vision cleared, Leo’s blood drained to his feet.
Chase was trembling wide-eyed on the sand, jacket burned alongside his shoulder blades.
The Skylar whose energy beam did that slammed its foot onto his lower back. It raised its crackling hand for the kill.
Leo staggered to his feet, slipping as he was all but horizontally rushing toward them, head spinning all the way as the adrenaline made him shake.
He tackled the Skylar aside, bashing its face in.
When more approached, he grabbed Chase, pulling him to his chest where he crouched.
“Go,” Chase croaked. “Run.”
Leo ignored him, brandishing his bionic hand. “You wanna get him? Go through me first!” his vision was rimming red. “Want a piece of this? I’ll kill you all! I’ll kill you!”
Every one of the dozen exploded in the blue of a blast wave.
Adam was huffing in the wake, turning to the two.
Bree ran straight through four more.
Both of them stared at their little brothers.
They glared at the robots with a mighty fury.
“You’re dead,” Bree said.
In a blink, the whole column was demolished.
Leo gawked.
He was scooped up by Bree, seeing Adam gingerly do the same to Chase.
As he was carried through the carnage, he saw Taylor and Logan wrapping up the rest of the fight.
He didn't like how much red was spattered. At least the academy was safe.
That was Leo's last thought for a while.
~*~
Leo gasped awake.
He floundered in the sheets, scrambling as though he was still on the not-so-solid ground.
"Woah there, boss man," a hand found his shoulder, gently pushing him back down.
“...Logan?” Leo squinted.
“Hey,” Logan waved.
“What… happened?”
“Everyone’s okay,” Logan started, knowing that was the most important to Leo. “There are a few gashes. Broken bones. Nothing serious.”
Leo exhaled, laying back down.
“Douglas said you were overexerted from trying to fight those Skylars,” Logan continued, rubbing Leo’s chest. “That’s why you passed out. Took a beating.”
Oh no.
“Chase!” Leo tried to sit again. How did he forget?
“Calm down,” Logan said patiently, continuing to draw shapes. “He’s okay. Resting now.”
“Can- Can I see him?”
“Not yet,” Logan shook his head. “You need to rest. I’m gonna stay here the whole time.”
Leo felt a blush gather on his cheek. “O-Okay.”
~*~
Chase’s eyes slowly opened.
He was in a bed.
Okay.
He lay on something warm. Kaz’s arm.
Chase blinked to clear the fuzz, looking up to meet loving and relieved brown eyes.
“Hi,” he rasped, snuggling into the boy who lay beside him.
“Hey,” Kaz’s voice was thick with fragile respite.
“Hello.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too,” Kaz smoothed his bangs from his face. “You’re beautiful.”
“That’s gay.”
“My bad.”
There was a loud ahem.
Chase looked away from Kaz for the first time.
“Yeah, we’re here too,” Bree snorted.
Chase took notice that she was uninjured. Same with Adam and Skylar who stood behind her. Thank god.
He glanced to Kaz’s side. The man himself had one arm plastered and in a sling. Oliver sat in a chair, left ankle bandaged. Tasha had a stitched-up gash on her cheek. Douglas was using crutches. All the humans had varying bruises and band-aids everywhere too. But they were okay.
Chase exhaled, nosing into Kaz’s neck. His body was pleasantly numb.
“Androids?”
“Gone,” Douglas confirmed.
“Students?”
“Nothing unrepairable.”
“Good,” Chase breathed.
“Ours were weird,” Oliver noted.
“Yeah, they ended up like- having a dance off to shut down,” Kaz added. “Mine totally won.”
“In your dreams-”
“How do you feel?” Bree interrupted, pushing Chase’s hair out of his eyes.
“Fine,” Chase giggled.
“Pfft, he’s still on the loopies,” Douglas snickered, elbowing Oliver. “He’s living his best life right now.”
“Loopies,” Chase echoed with another giggle. “Loopies.”
Chuckles were scattered around the group.
“Is Leo okay?”
“He’s fine,” Tasha stroked his hair. “Logan’s with him.”
“Ooh,” Chase sleepily teased.
Tasha laughed fully, seemingly getting what only Douglas and Chase understood.
“Tay and the others are doing the cleanup,” Adam added, awkwardly patting Chase’s ankle as his chosen contact.
Chase nodded. “Why’s… why’s my back tingly?”
Silence.
“You…” the guilt in Skylar’s voice was prevalent. “My energy beam-”
“You’re burned,” Adam muttered, hand crawling to his own scars. “Again.”
Bree flinched.
Kaz rubbed Chase’s arm sympathetically.
Chase shrugged, feeling static in the area. “S’ what? It adds unique damage patterns to my other ones. Art form.”
There was a pause.
Skylar and Bree smiled fondly at him.
“I think that’s enough patterns for now,” Douglas snorted. “We’ll let you sleep.”
Everyone but Kaz, Adam, and Bree filed out.
Chase sank into the safety and warmth, closing his eyes.
~*~
“I am in so much trouble,” Skylar leaned against the wall.
“Why?” Oliver asked.
“Remember my license? Being suspended? Yeah, me neither.”
“...Oh boy.”
“It was for heroic cause,” Kaz stepped out of the sliding door. “Saving innocents, yada yada, clause twenty-three a. You’re fine. Probably.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“Stretching my legs.”
Silence.
“AKA, Bree dragged me out to take a break because I’ve been there the whole 48 hours.”
“There it is,” Skylar snorted, sinking into a sitting position.
The boys joined her on either side. She wound her arms around them, leaning her head back to doze off.
Kaz was basically forced to look at Oliver, locked in by Calderan strength.
“...Sorry,” Kaz muttered.
“Sorry,” Oliver countered.
“Shut up,” Skylar ordered.
They all laughed.
~*~
Bree was in Kaz’s previous spot, stroking Chase’s hair from where he was sleeping against her chest. She knew Adam would be there if he could fit.
Adam decided to make himself fit. He motioned for Bree to stand. She did so.
Adam tenderly lifted Chase upside-down to not touch his back, splaying one hand on his chest and the other on the front of his thighs. He carefully, tongue out and all, eased onto the bed, laying Chase on his chest. Whatever Douglas gave him for the pain worked wonders. Normally Chase would wake up from the slightest tap Adam would make inside his capsule.
He opened his other arm for Bree, allowing her to worm into his side.
Adam lightly laughed, remembering the similar way they would sneak into each other’s capsules as kids.
He smiled, pulling both in tighter.
~*~
Tasha peeked in a few minutes later, smiling at the sweet sleeping sight.
~*~
“Eight,” Kaz noted.
“What are you doing?” Chase asked amusedly. The two were sitting in the cafeteria, hands joined over the table. It was a few days later, meaning Chase could walk normally.
“Eight,” Kaz repeated. He’d gotten two from that group that just passed. “So far, that’s how many kids have a crush on you.”
“Nonsense.”
“Sense,” Kaz corrected with a smile. “Can’t blame 'em.”
“I’d never date a student. For obvious reasons-” he squeezed Kaz’s hand. “But…”
Kaz raised an eyebrow.
Chase stared at the table.
“Babe?” Kaz squeezed back.
Chase startled.
“Uh- just… went badly. Do you want a tour?”
“Sure?”
Chase stood, looping his arms through Kaz’s good one.
Kaz examined the rooms he was shown. He’d been there before, but under whacky circumstances. Whacky plus ADHD didn’t help memory.
Eventually, they were interrupted by a gaggle of students rushing over to Chase.
“You were so cool out there!”
“Can you help me with my bionics?”
“You work in Centium City now?”
“We missed you!”
“Have you seen my progress?”
Chase seemed a bit flustered at the sudden attention and onslaught.
Kaz fondly watched as he answered what he could, seeing the equal fondness in Chase’s eyes as he talked to all his old students, kids who idolized him.
When they were done, Chase blinked.
“What?”
“I dunno… I was kind of a joke here at the academy. I had no clue these guys respected me so much.”
“You’re incredible. Anyone would.”
Chase shrugged, continuing the tour.
~*~
“He’s not upset at you,” Tasha reiterated.
Leo sighed.
“Frankly, Leonard Francis Dooley-Davenport, I’m tired of your moping. My boy doesn’t wallow.”
“Have you met me?”
“I pushed you out of me.”
“Ew.”
“You walked into that, just like Chase is about to walk in here.”
“I- wh- mom-!” Tasha ignored him, exiting. She was soon replaced by Chase.
There was an awkward silence.
Chase sighed, walking to the bed. He sat down, creaking it.
“...I asked you there because you’re human,” Chase started.
Leo frowned. “I’m not a child. I want some respect.”
“I know. I was the youngest once,” Chase sighed again.
Silence.
“Buddy, it’s not disrespect I have for you.”
“It sure feels like it.”
“Leo, you’re my baby brother. You- if you were hurt- o-or- worse-”
“I wasn’t,” Leo’s firmness wavered.
“But you could’ve been,” Chase whispered, dragging his palm down his face. “I couldn’t forgive myself if-”
Leo cut him off, wrapping his arms around him while being mindful of the bandaged parts.
“I’m sorry,” Leo murmured. “I’m sorry you got hurt because of me. I’m sorry I scared you. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“...Would it kill you to use your freakin’ shields for once?”
“See the opposite would kill me, using my shields would up survivability by a considerable-”
“Shut up,” Leo groaned.
Chase smirked, returning the hug.
~*~
“Giselle’s tech?”
“Yeah,” Douglas confirmed as he and Chase examined the monitors. “The nanobots, the virus, the camera, the androids. The shifters got their hands on it somehow.”
~*~
“Successful test,” Giselle hummed.
Rodissius banged his fist on the table, shaking it. “How? You left the hospital untouched, didn’t get Davenport’s information, lost an army, and two-fifths of them were defective-”
“Behave,” Mr. Terror said cheerily. “This is imported marble.”
He paled, sitting back
“A successful test,” Giselle repeated. “This Arcturion…” her eyes flashed over to the smiling woman at the head of the table. “…quite fascinating.”