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zephroarTitle: Mission: Rogue Agent
Characters: Lee Clark, Megan Clark, Marc Clark, Tony Clark, Jerry Lewis, original male and female characters
Rating: PG-13
Content: Canon- Typical Violence, mission fic, protective siblings, mental health and poor coping mechanisms, trauma, referenced PTSD, hurt/comfort, angst, drama, spies and espionage, largely canon compliant, slow build (plot)
Summary: A rogue agent causes problems for the Spiez. However, the Clarks find that the stakes are higher than ever when Marc is specifically targeted by a villain that will stop at nothing to get what they want... no matter the cost.
Author's Notes: Timeline- This story is set after the three part episodes featuring Alpha and Omega in the first season (Mission: Jumeaux du chaos) when I feel that Marc is at his most vulnerable in the aftermath of dealing with something so traumatic, but before the events of Mission: Yo-yo ninja star.
Chapter One
The sky was grey and stormy as two young boys threw open the doors of a warehouse and raced outside into the cool autumn air. The smell of damp leaves and earth assaulted their noses as well as something else- something sweet and industrious. One of the boys, wearing a blue spy suit, threw a panicked look over his shoulder as a boom echoed loudly behind him. He felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach when he saw that the monster-like creature they were supposed to track and destroy had followed their scent and was now giving chase.
The creature was, in Marc's opinion, absolutely terrifying, not to mention huge and ferocious. It was the stuff of nightmares or was a living example of a monster from the Ancient Greek mythology books that he was currently obsessing about. In his panic, he had found that his mind had gone blank as he was focused on surviving this mission and getting back to the WOOHP van to call in reinforcements for help. However, once the monster stepped out in the light and he could see the face and the raised tail that ended in a deadly looking stinger, all memory of what he had read about in his books came back to him and he found that he was even more horrified at the knowledge of what this creature was.
What kind of monster creates a robot manticore? Marc thought furiously as the creature lashed out with its large whip like tail. He felt air behind him as the tail slammed into the ground and heard the ground sizzle as though it had been burnt. He threw another look behind him and saw that the pavement where he had been moments earlier had broken open, along with some sort of yellow liquid that was eating its way through the rocks.
He jumped across another newly formed crater and looked ahead of him where he saw Tony disappear behind a large pile of rocks. The manticore's tail crashed into the rocks and got stuck. Marc heard Tony scream and ran as fast as he could towards the rocks, dodging the creature's head and claws before jumping down to see Tony sprawled out on the ground.
"TONY!" Marc yelled the name out in anguish before he dropped to his knees and checked his brother for injuries. From behind him, the manticore was having a difficult time pulling its tail out from a large boulder that it was jammed in- but from the sound it was making, Marc knew that it wasn't going to be long until the monster was free.
"I'm okay, Marc," said Tony, pushing himself up into a sitting position with a slightly dazed look in his eyes. "It didn't hit me, but the rocks that it slammed into did."
"Can you get up? We need to move and quickly. That manticore is not going to be kept busy for long and we need to call in reinforcements. We need to be careful of that stinger. It seems to contain a solution that burns whatever it comes into contact with!"
For a moment, Tony appeared as though he was going to ask him a question but thought better of it when the manticore managed to shift some of the rock it had been stuck in and jumped to his feet. Without even looking at each other, the two of them took off at a run and made it to a wire fence that separated the warehouse property from a small open field that led to a forest. If they made it to the treeline and took a path that took them to a clearing, then they would find the vehicle that they had hidden there and hopefully lose the creature in the safety of the trees.
From somewhere behind them, they heard the wail of the manticore as it finally managed to free itself. Marc and Tony found that they were once again being hunted, and the knowledge of this was not at all comforting. Just as Marc managed to jump the fence, the monster came barrelling towards them with tail raised high and its mouth open in a snarl.
"We're not going to make it there before this thing is on top of us!" said Tony as he glanced behind him to see that the manticore had easily leapt across the fence and was now gaining on them. Its black stinger glinted dangerously in the sun that peeked out between the dark grey clouds. "Please tell me that you have a plan, boy genius! I'd like to live to see my twelfth birthday, you know!"
If Marc wasn't running for his life, he would have managed an eye roll, but found that Tony was right. If they didn't come up with a plan to outsmart this monster, they would end up like Lee and Megan… or worse. He thought quickly. If the manticore was a robot, he might be able to override its system and burn it out. However, to do so would require a code and time that they did not have.
The long whip like tail of the creature lashed out suddenly and slammed into the ground in front of Marc, causing the young spy to be momentarily blinded as debris and steam flew up into the air. He took a chance and leapt over the crater and rolled out of the way as the manticore pounced, landing where he had stood. He evaded yet another attack by the monster, this time its teeth and claws before he was back on his feet running after his brother.
Up ahead, he saw Tony come to a stop and turn around so that he was now facing the manticore which was now directing its full fury on Marc. He saw the glint of a gadget in Tony's outstretched hand and knew what was going to happen before it did. He shouted out a warning that went unheard by his young brother and sprinted towards him with his heart beating loudly in his ears and a feeling of dread clutching tightly in his chest. Whatever his brother had planned was not going to work in their favour and might cause larger problems that would cause them to be hurt or worse. He screamed for Tony to continue running, to get back to the vehicle where they would have at least a surviving chance, and to not use the gadget but it was too late.
He heard the roar of the gadget as it sprung to life before it flew out of his brother's hand and hurtled towards him. Marc threw himself out of the way just in time as the gadget hit the manticore on its snout, causing the beast to give a pained howl that seemed to break the sound barrier before it fell back. From where he lay on the ground, he saw the metal of the beast's face was now significantly damaged, but it wasn't enough to stop it from its rampage. He managed to scramble away from the manticore that had gained back its footing with a shake of its great head and a growl low in its throat.
He knew that it was hopeless now to try to escape with this thing now nearly upon him, but he refused to give up. Struggling to his feet, he sprinted the remaining distance in the field towards the treeline. He saw Tony ahead of him, frozen in fear and a look of terror upon his face as Marc got closer with the manticore hot on his trail.
"Tony! Go! Keep running!" Marc screamed out. His shouts jolted his brother into action, and he watched as Tony bolted on ahead of him. "Don't look back, Tony! Call for Jerry once you reach the safety of the vehicle and only once it's safe to do so. Go now!"
What happened next was so quick that Marc had no time to react. He had just dodged another attack by the whip like tail of the manticore and was in mid jump over a particularly large crater that had just formed when the monster took complete advantage of this and lashed out its tail again before he had managed to hit the ground. The tail slammed into Marc's side with enough force to lift him high into the air and threw him a few feet and into a drainage ditch that went along the treeline.
He hit the ground with a sickening thud and felt his left wrist explode in pain. For a moment, the pain made him forget about everything going on, including the manticore that was now bearing down on him. He had landed heavily on his side and just moments after the reality sunk in that he was still in danger; he felt his side burn in agony. However, Marc found that he could not move. He felt immediately nauseous, and his vision swam when he tried to roll onto his stomach to crawl away.
He closed his eyes knowing that the final blow was about to come, but a second later he heard somebody jump down into the ditch with him and a metallic click that reverberated loudly in his head. Then strong arms grabbed him around the middle and hauled him to his feet.
"Tony?" Marc mumbled; his eyes still closed as the pain threatened to overwhelm him entirely. "No… Leave me here… get help."
"We will not leave you behind, little bro." Lee's voice sounded strained as he half dragged, half carried a semi conscious Marc up the embankment of the ditch and finally into the safety of the trees. "We've been set up. Big and ugly that was giving chase is rigged to explode. We need to get out and fast. I am surprised that it didn't do anything when it had you pinned down."
"No time. I'm dead weight and you need to move quickly…" said Marc between clenched teeth. He held his side painfully and leaned heavily into Lee's shoulder causing his eldest brother to stagger under the weight. However, Lee refused to let go and held him tightly.
Lee's light blue eyes flashed in anger. "You are not dead weight! You're my brother and I am not leaving you here to fend for yourself. That ice spray that I hit that thing with will hold it long enough until it detonates, and we need to get out before then."
Marc hissed in pain as Lee's hold tightened around him but allowed himself to be carried along the trail to where the WOOHP van stood waiting for them at the bottom of a small hill. From below, he could see that the WOOHP van was running, and that Megan was in the driver's seat waiting for them while Tony was sprinting towards them with a panicked expression on his face.
"It managed to get out of its ice hold, Lee! It has followed you and is nearly upon us."
Lee did not need to look behind him to see that the manticore had breached the treeline. The redhead could hear the creature lumbering behind them, pausing long enough to raise its ugly head and try to see them with its now damaged eyes. The WOOHP van wasn't too far from them, but if the manticore had decided to run after them, they would not make it there on time. However, it seemed that Lee and his gadget had caused significant damage to the monster as it moved slowly and awkwardly over the ground. However, it was still dangerous and as it advanced towards them, the ominous ticking noise that it made grew louder to their ears.
"Get to the van, Tony!" Lee ordered, grabbing Marc more securely around the middle before throwing him over his shoulder. He ignored the muffled and pained protest made by his younger brother and took off after Tony as fast as he could. Tony quickly climbed into the passenger seat beside Megan who was yelling for Lee to hurry up. A moment later, Lee threw Marc unceremoniously into the back seat before clambering in beside him and slamming the van door shut.
"Let's go, Megan!" Tony shouted out as behind them the manticore finally appeared at the top of the hill behind them. "Go! Go! Go!"
Their sister did not need to be told twice, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and the WOOHP van surged forward in a burst of speed that caused Marc to be thrown back into his seat. He gave a short yelp of agony and rubbed at his shoulder, his eyes closed, and teeth clenched tightly as he felt the sharp throbs of pain shoot throughout his body. Megan glanced worriedly in the rear-view mirror, her green eyes betrayed her anguish over hearing Marc's pained moaning, but just as quickly it disappeared and was replaced by a look of fierce determination that Lee and Tony recognised immediately.
"Hold on to something!" yelled Tony in warning to Lee and Marc in the backseat, his face white as Megan punched the turbo speed button near the steering wheel. "We're going too fast, Megan! That guardrail is supposed to protect us from going over that cliff and into the lake… Look out!"
The van hurtled down the remainder of the trail and to the main road at such a speed that they felt like they were flying above the ground. With her face tight in concentration and her teeth clenched, Megan yanked the steering wheel violently to prevent the vehicle from hitting the guardrail that did not seem strong enough to stop them from going over the side of the cliff at their speed. For a terrifying moment, the side of the van hit the guardrail with enough force that it seemed as though they were about to go over, and Lee and Tony could see the blue of the lake and the sharp rocks that jutted out of the water below.
"Megan!" screamed Tony and Lee at the same time, their voices full of terror as their sister righted the vehicle and hit the accelerator again as the turbo function wore off.
"Sorry guys," said Megan shrilly. "But if you didn't notice, we have company!"
"Wha…?" Lee started but trailed off stunned when he noticed that the monster had somehow managed to pick up speed and was now bearing down towards the road. "Whoa, I thought that we had seen the last of that thing. It doesn't give up, now does it?"
"It's a… a robot, Lee. It's incapable of getting tired." Marc's voice sounded weak, even to his own ears, and it was clear to his siblings that he was in excruciating agony. His face paled considerably when he tried to move so that he could be in a comfortable position but found that the pain and his injuries made movement impossible.
"We need to call Jerry," said Lee, his brow knitted in concern as he looked over his younger brother's still figure beside him. "Tell him that Marc is severely injured and get the doctors prepared to receive him. How long do you think it will take us to get there?"
Megan looked doubtfully back at him in the rear-view mirror, but both Lee and Tony could see the worry for her twin etched deep on her face. "I might be able to get us there in an hour at minimum, but there's no promises unless we can use the turbo speed button again."
Silence met her answer. It wasn't what they wanted to hear, but it was the only option they really had. Tony took out his MPCom and called Jerry to give them an update on the mission and to brief him of Marc's condition. Lee met Megan's gaze in the mirror and nodded his head. A moment later, he gently moved Marc so that his younger brother's head was laying in his lap and held onto him protectively. Marc's body tensed as he felt Lee's arms wrap around his injured shoulder, causing pinpricks of pain to shoot down into his arm, but he felt his sense of consciousness leave him and closed his eyes.
Megan hit the turbo speed button once more just as an explosion shook the earth behind them, but before the fireball erupted into the sky over the lake where the monster had fallen into, the Spiez were long gone.
"… He lost consciousness while we were on the road back to WOOHP, Jerry."
Lee's words were the first thing that Marc heard when he drifted back into consciousness. He experienced a strange sensation… a light-headedness that threatened to take him back into unconsciousness, and the returning sensation of his limbs and extremities. The voice of his older brother held concern that Marc could not understand, but it was obviously directed towards him and his current situation. For a moment, the young spy could not remember what caused him to be in this position and had no idea where he was until he started to piece things together.
He was obviously back at WOOHP, and he was laying on either the sofa in Jerry's office or was in a hospital bed in the hospital wing at headquarters. Then just as Marc felt the confusion bubble up to the forefront of his mind, all memory of that day came flooding back to him, and he felt the pain return.
"If Lee hadn't gotten there to save him, Marc would have died," said Megan shakily, her voice slightly muffled as though she was being hugged tightly and had her face hidden in someone's shoulder. "It's scary to think how close we came…"
"But we're all safe now," said Lee gently. "Look, Marc is going to be okay. We got out on time and the doctor says that he's going to make a full recovery."
"But he got hurt just the same!" Megan wailed and she sounded as though she was close to hysterics. "What if we didn't escape the warehouse in time? What if we got there one minute too late? That thing had him pinned down with nowhere to go. The way he went flying after that monster hit him with its tail, I was so scared that it had killed him…"
"But he's not dead. Megan, he is with us and he's okay. We are safe."
Footsteps approached Marc's bedside, stopping just within reach of the bed. A moment later, the mattress sunk down and a soft, cool hand brushed the hair from his face. The fragrance of lavender vanilla drifted over him, identifying the visitor as Megan. Marc could feel his twin's eyes upon him, could feel her worry in the way she tousled his hair and held onto his hand. However, he could also feel another emotion boil just underneath the surface- something that she was trying to hide with little success… anger.
Marc felt his sister turn to face somebody who was behind her. "Something was seriously wrong, Jer. That whole mission felt like a set up. Tony said that the monster took a special interest in Marc. It didn't seem interested in the rest of us, even when Lee and I presented the larger target and it had us captured."
"Marc called it a manticore," murmured Tony distractedly. The youngest Clark had taken vigil in one of the uncomfortable chairs beside Marc's bed and had refused to move, even when Lee and Megan tried to bustle him out when the doctor had entered earlier. "He had no idea that it was a bomb. He was only concerned about me… he even put himself between that thing and me."
Silence followed Tony's statement, but a moment later, Lee came forward and hugged their youngest brother tightly as Megan watched on.
"Don't blame yourself for this, Tony. The two of you were running for your lives. What we know now wouldn't have been known to you and Marc while you were trying to get away."
"And as for Marc keeping between you and this manticore robot," continued Megan, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Lee and I would have done the same thing had we been there. It's what older siblings do for their youngest ones. He was keeping you safe from harm even if he was the one in need of being protected."
Jerry approached and sat heavily in an empty chair, his face grey with exhaustion and hazel eyes dark with worry. Something about their latest mission had felt off to him, something that he had nearly paid for dearly with the lives of his young Spiez team. Yet, the clues were not falling into place, and he felt like until he had more, he had no idea who or what he was dealing with.
"When you told me that you felt like the monster took a special interest in Marc, can you explain why you thought so, Tony?" asked Jerry, his tone serious. "What you observed can help the investigation. If this was a targeted attack against your… against Marc, we need to act quickly. Remember, we haven't caught who was behind that robot yet. If this was targeted, there could be a very high chance of another attack and we will need to take all precautions to ensure that all of you are safe."
Tony considered for a moment before he responded, his voice small and hesitant. "I wasn't so sure at first. It wasn't until Lee went to get Marc that I started having this feeling." He paused and shook his head, looking down at his hands which were clenched tightly in his lap. "There was a moment when Marc and I had separated, and the monster turned to follow him instead of continuing towards me. Even when I was within striking range it didn't seem all that interested in me, it just wanted our brother. However, it did something weird, Jerry…"
"What was that?" Jerry asked when Tony's voice trailed off.
"When it did have me pinned behind some rocks, it got more frantic when Marc got there. Then there was that moment when we were in the open field and it had a direct line of fire because Marc had leapt out of the way, but it slowed and focused all of its energy on him instead of the other threat directly in front of it."
"We noticed something else that was strange," said Megan suddenly. "Our MPComs and Eye-Tech weren't working properly on scene. The computers were down, and Marc couldn't boot them up. Then our gear and some of our gadgets were faulty. Our jet boots weren't functioning properly… that's how Lee and I got caught."
"What does this mean, Jer?" Lee asked, his voice low and terrified. "That somebody is out to get Marc? It seems that this was certainly the case with the sabotage, the monster... robot… manticore thing, and trying to separate us all. What do we do?"
"For right now, you are to do nothing," Jerry said but before he was able to continue, an alarm went off in his pocket and he took out a slim wallet that he opened to reveal a communicator. He frowned down at it for a moment before he got up without a word and left the room.
"Rude much?" Megan asked huffily once Jerry had shut the door with a snap causing Marc to involuntarily lurch as his headache returned. "I mean, hello… we have an unconscious brother and some phantom villain that we need to find who may or may not be specifically targeting him."
"I wonder if Jer leaving has anything to do with this case?" Tony asked suddenly. "Fairly certain there is a way to find out for sure."
Lee sighed heavily before he stood to his feet and brushed a hand through his hair. "If you are suggesting that we spy on our boss, Tone…" began Lee only to fall silent when he noticed that Marc had wakened and was blinking blearily at them from where he lay. "Marc!" he said instead, a grin forming on his face as his younger brother's hazel eyes focused on him.
Before Marc could say anything, he was soon buried by his siblings who had thrown themselves upon him in a bone crushing hug that caused him to grit his teeth as pain shot through his body. However, when Lee, Megan, and Tony pulled away they saw that he was smiling and seemed happy to see them.
"It's good to see you, bro," said Lee seriously, tousling Marc's hair before he stepped back. "You had us worried there for awhile."
"How are you feeling, Marc" asked Megan, her eyes upon her twin brother with such intensity that Marc squirmed uncomfortably and managed to pull his gaze away. "And don't you dare lie to me, either!"
He smiled at this but knew from experience that his sister could easily sniff out a lie, especially when it was a lie that he was trying to say. However, he wasn't as bad of a liar as Lee was, and he voiced this fact in fake indignation which caused Megan and Tony to laugh while Lee playfully punched him in the arm.
"Good to see that your sense of humour is intact," Lee said, amusement evident in his voice. "However, you should answer Megan's question. How are you feeling?"
Marc considered his answer carefully. He knew that he should not lie, especially to his siblings who would know that he was, but there were no words to explain how he was feeling. He allowed Megan and Tony to help him sit up in the bed, but his clenched teeth and narrowed eyes spoke of just how much pain he was in because Lee immediately swooped in and cradled him to his chest.
"Do you really think that the robot was after me specifically?" Marc asked softly. He noticed the warning look that Megan threw towards Lee who had inhaled sharply. Tony remained silent, an unreadable expression on his face, but Marc noticed that he was closely watching his older siblings.
"Why don't we talk more about this later?" said Lee quickly. "Listen, you are injured and should be focused on recovering, not be worried about some faceless villain right now."
Marc nodded and closed his eyes, feeling distinctly overwhelmed by the concern of his siblings and what he had managed to overhear before he had been fully conscious. He felt safe in Lee's arms and was just about to fall asleep when another thought struck him.
"Hey Lee, do you promise to tell me everything you have learned even if I am pulled from the mission?"
After a moment's hesitation, his brother answered. "Of course, little bro. However, if there is somebody who is targeting you, they'd have to go through all of us before they can touch you. That is my promise, Marc."
-O-o-O-
By the time that Jerry returned to the room, Marc seemed to be asleep. Lee held him protectively in his arms, his icy blue eyes watching the older spy's every movement as he quietly shut the door and approached them. The redhead immediately noticed how exhausted their boss was and threw a furtive and worried glance towards Megan who had resumed her seat on the hospital bed close to Marc.
Jerry lowered himself into the chair that he had vacated, his eyes distant as though he was still with the people who had called him instead of in the hospital wing with them. Lee knew that whatever news their boss had just received was not good, and he felt his heart clench tightly in his chest as he shifted Marc's weight so that he could get into a more comfortable position.
"Hey Jerry," said Megan nervously, her attention first upon her twin who had moaned in his sleep and then upon the older spy. She wore a worried expression on her face, but Lee was not sure if that concern was for their brother or for their boss who looked so troubled that it seemed as though he had forgotten where he was. "Was that an update on our mission? What did they find?"
Jerry started at Megan's voice, and he blinked over at her in confusion before he snapped out of his reverie. "Oh yes… sorry, Spiez. That was the team I had sent out to the warehouse you were at. Nothing was left. When the agents got there, the building was ablaze and when it was put out, it was clear that somebody had removed everything. Even the computers and other equipment you said were there."
"What? How is that possible?" Tony piped up; his face scrunched up in confusion. "It would take more than a day for that warehouse to be dismantled and emptied."
"Indeed, it is bizarre how quickly they mobilised to ensure that not a trace of them was found," said Jerry thoughtfully, his eyes once again distant. "The only thing that had been left was whatever was left of the robot that gave chase. Our forensics department is out there right now collecting whatever they can to bring to WOOHP. It might take awhile, but we will see if we can find answers."
"That is assuming that there is any evidence to give us a name," said Lee softly. He gazed down at Marc's sleeping form and shook his head sadly. "Is there any way you can find out for sure whether that robot was programmed to target our brother?"
Jerry sighed tiredly and rubbed at his face. "It's too early to really know what kind of robot we are dealing with now. It has to be pieced back together before we can know for certain. However, there are many ways we can trace the parts of a robot to its manufacturer and that could get us a list of names." He stopped speaking, his attention now fully on Marc, a worried frown on his face. "He must have awakened while I was outside of the room. How was he?"
"As well as could be expected," Lee answered quickly. "He didn't say it, but it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. We didn't tell him about the full extent of his injuries, yet."
"I'm not in that much pain," said Marc, his voice slightly muffled as his face was turned into Lee's shirt. He pulled a face as he pushed away from his brother so that he could sit up on his own, but the effort of it all caused him to fall back into Lee. "Well, alright… I'm not in as much pain as I was before."
"We didn't know you were awake," said Lee apologetically. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have spoken up for you."
"You moved and your knee dug into my side," said Marc in response, eyebrows slightly raised. "That's where I got hit by the manticore's tail." At Lee's horrified expression, Marc shook his head and offered him a small smile. "You didn't know. Besides, it's good that I am awake. Now you can tell me about my… about what happened, and we can all come up with a story for mom and dad on why I resemble a mummy with these bandages."
Jerry moved forward in his seat with a sigh, his eyes intent upon his young spy. "You have endured enough for one day. For right now, I made the decision to push your interview with me until much later." At Marc's questioning look, he pressed on. "You will need to file an incident report of course, but you can do that when you are feeling up to it."
"Megan, Tony and I have already given our interviews and did the paperwork," said Lee gently. "But the doctor is worried that to do one so soon with you would cause you to forget something because of the head injury you sustained."
"But I feel fine," Marc said slowly, his eyes going between his siblings and to Jerry who shook his head, a look of pity in his eyes.
"Honestly, that's nearly what every person with a head injury says," he said, raising his hand to stop Marc from interrupting him. "It's best to remain safe. You know as well as anyone else how dangerous these sorts of injuries are. I will not take the risk of causing you any further injury by exerting yourself more than you should."
Marc felt all the remaining colour in his face disappear as the magnitude of Jerry's words hit him. He looked from his siblings to his boss, his mouth opened in shocked dismay. "You mean that in the meantime, I can't go on any missions anymore?"
"Until you are ready to enter the field, you will be on hiatus from spying." Jerry confirmed, his voice serious. "Once you get a clean bill of health, you will rejoin Lee, Megan, and Tony on missions. Until then, you will be focusing on getting better." He stopped speaking for a moment, gazing at Marc the way a father looks at a son before he continued. "There is also the matter of whether your cover was blown, and somebody is targeting you. Until I know more, I do not want you out in the field and putting yourself at further risk of injury or worse…"
"Wait… what?" Marc interrupted. He glanced from each of his three siblings to Jerry, noticing the way that Lee, Megan, and Tony were looking away from him and the stern look that his boss was giving him. "Did you forget about our last mission, Jer? We were in a lot more danger than what is going on here. I'll be fine…"
"Not with your injuries you're not," Megan snarled, her anger taking even Lee by surprise who stared at her in open-mouthed astonishment as she turned to glare at her twin brother. "I will not allow you to downplay what happened today by bringing up our past missions. We came very close to losing you. If Lee had been one second too late… if we hadn't gotten out of that warehouse on time…" She shuddered at the thought and wiped angrily at her eyes. "Look, it was concerning enough when we felt like there wasn't something right about that mission- but it is a different thing altogether when we put the pieces together and realised that it was possibly an attack against you."
"I think that he's had enough, Megan," said Tony quietly, coming to Marc's defence when he noticed that his older brother was starting to shut down and disappear into himself. He turned to Jerry who wore an unreadable expression on his face as he watched the scene before him. "Is it okay for Marc to come home? We can continue this discussion later as more information comes in."
"Ah yes, yes. Of course, he can go home," answered Jerry at once. "He's going to be sore for awhile from where the manticore struck him and how he landed. His head injury is of great concern to me. Doctor Baldwin has confirmed a mild concussion. However, with rest and recuperation, Marc will be okay."
Lee stood to his feet and glanced worriedly at Marc whose eyes were downcast and appeared as though he was biting back tears. He rubbed his brother's back soothingly, but for once did not know what to say that would provide any comfort.
"Come on, Marc, we've got to get you home so you can rest," said Megan gently. "Lee and I will help you stand up. Tony will go on ahead and watch out for mom and dad. I don't think you should be WOOHP-ed back home in your condition." Turning to Jerry, she eyed him critically. "Is there anyway we can get a vehicle to take us home? Something that won't cause any suspicion?"
Jerry smiled at her before he took out his wallet and pressed a button. "There's a taxi currently waiting for you in the parking lot. A WOOHP agent will drive you back to ensure that you three get back safely."
Tony folded his arms, a bemused look on his face. "Uh, Jerry, I think you miscounted. There's four of us…"
"Don't be silly. You're going to meet your older siblings at home." said Jerry who sounded suspiciously happy as he pressed another button, causing the ceiling vent to activate and pull Tony into it with an indignant yelp.
Lee and Megan ducked under Marc's arms and helped him to his feet before they chanced a look at one another. They both thought the same thing. Now that Marc was safe with them and able to go back home, what would they tell their parents without arousing their suspicions and blowing their covers? Most of all, what did they have to do to protect their younger brother from a foe that was both faceless and nameless? One that seemed intent on destroying him, no matter the cost.
Characters: Lee Clark, Megan Clark, Marc Clark, Tony Clark, Jerry Lewis, original male and female characters
Rating: PG-13
Content: Canon- Typical Violence, mission fic, protective siblings, mental health and poor coping mechanisms, trauma, referenced PTSD, hurt/comfort, angst, drama, spies and espionage, largely canon compliant, slow build (plot)
Summary: A rogue agent causes problems for the Spiez. However, the Clarks find that the stakes are higher than ever when Marc is specifically targeted by a villain that will stop at nothing to get what they want... no matter the cost.
Author's Notes: Timeline- This story is set after the three part episodes featuring Alpha and Omega in the first season (Mission: Jumeaux du chaos) when I feel that Marc is at his most vulnerable in the aftermath of dealing with something so traumatic, but before the events of Mission: Yo-yo ninja star.
-O-o-O-
Chapter One
The sky was grey and stormy as two young boys threw open the doors of a warehouse and raced outside into the cool autumn air. The smell of damp leaves and earth assaulted their noses as well as something else- something sweet and industrious. One of the boys, wearing a blue spy suit, threw a panicked look over his shoulder as a boom echoed loudly behind him. He felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach when he saw that the monster-like creature they were supposed to track and destroy had followed their scent and was now giving chase.
The creature was, in Marc's opinion, absolutely terrifying, not to mention huge and ferocious. It was the stuff of nightmares or was a living example of a monster from the Ancient Greek mythology books that he was currently obsessing about. In his panic, he had found that his mind had gone blank as he was focused on surviving this mission and getting back to the WOOHP van to call in reinforcements for help. However, once the monster stepped out in the light and he could see the face and the raised tail that ended in a deadly looking stinger, all memory of what he had read about in his books came back to him and he found that he was even more horrified at the knowledge of what this creature was.
What kind of monster creates a robot manticore? Marc thought furiously as the creature lashed out with its large whip like tail. He felt air behind him as the tail slammed into the ground and heard the ground sizzle as though it had been burnt. He threw another look behind him and saw that the pavement where he had been moments earlier had broken open, along with some sort of yellow liquid that was eating its way through the rocks.
He jumped across another newly formed crater and looked ahead of him where he saw Tony disappear behind a large pile of rocks. The manticore's tail crashed into the rocks and got stuck. Marc heard Tony scream and ran as fast as he could towards the rocks, dodging the creature's head and claws before jumping down to see Tony sprawled out on the ground.
"TONY!" Marc yelled the name out in anguish before he dropped to his knees and checked his brother for injuries. From behind him, the manticore was having a difficult time pulling its tail out from a large boulder that it was jammed in- but from the sound it was making, Marc knew that it wasn't going to be long until the monster was free.
"I'm okay, Marc," said Tony, pushing himself up into a sitting position with a slightly dazed look in his eyes. "It didn't hit me, but the rocks that it slammed into did."
"Can you get up? We need to move and quickly. That manticore is not going to be kept busy for long and we need to call in reinforcements. We need to be careful of that stinger. It seems to contain a solution that burns whatever it comes into contact with!"
For a moment, Tony appeared as though he was going to ask him a question but thought better of it when the manticore managed to shift some of the rock it had been stuck in and jumped to his feet. Without even looking at each other, the two of them took off at a run and made it to a wire fence that separated the warehouse property from a small open field that led to a forest. If they made it to the treeline and took a path that took them to a clearing, then they would find the vehicle that they had hidden there and hopefully lose the creature in the safety of the trees.
From somewhere behind them, they heard the wail of the manticore as it finally managed to free itself. Marc and Tony found that they were once again being hunted, and the knowledge of this was not at all comforting. Just as Marc managed to jump the fence, the monster came barrelling towards them with tail raised high and its mouth open in a snarl.
"We're not going to make it there before this thing is on top of us!" said Tony as he glanced behind him to see that the manticore had easily leapt across the fence and was now gaining on them. Its black stinger glinted dangerously in the sun that peeked out between the dark grey clouds. "Please tell me that you have a plan, boy genius! I'd like to live to see my twelfth birthday, you know!"
If Marc wasn't running for his life, he would have managed an eye roll, but found that Tony was right. If they didn't come up with a plan to outsmart this monster, they would end up like Lee and Megan… or worse. He thought quickly. If the manticore was a robot, he might be able to override its system and burn it out. However, to do so would require a code and time that they did not have.
The long whip like tail of the creature lashed out suddenly and slammed into the ground in front of Marc, causing the young spy to be momentarily blinded as debris and steam flew up into the air. He took a chance and leapt over the crater and rolled out of the way as the manticore pounced, landing where he had stood. He evaded yet another attack by the monster, this time its teeth and claws before he was back on his feet running after his brother.
Up ahead, he saw Tony come to a stop and turn around so that he was now facing the manticore which was now directing its full fury on Marc. He saw the glint of a gadget in Tony's outstretched hand and knew what was going to happen before it did. He shouted out a warning that went unheard by his young brother and sprinted towards him with his heart beating loudly in his ears and a feeling of dread clutching tightly in his chest. Whatever his brother had planned was not going to work in their favour and might cause larger problems that would cause them to be hurt or worse. He screamed for Tony to continue running, to get back to the vehicle where they would have at least a surviving chance, and to not use the gadget but it was too late.
He heard the roar of the gadget as it sprung to life before it flew out of his brother's hand and hurtled towards him. Marc threw himself out of the way just in time as the gadget hit the manticore on its snout, causing the beast to give a pained howl that seemed to break the sound barrier before it fell back. From where he lay on the ground, he saw the metal of the beast's face was now significantly damaged, but it wasn't enough to stop it from its rampage. He managed to scramble away from the manticore that had gained back its footing with a shake of its great head and a growl low in its throat.
He knew that it was hopeless now to try to escape with this thing now nearly upon him, but he refused to give up. Struggling to his feet, he sprinted the remaining distance in the field towards the treeline. He saw Tony ahead of him, frozen in fear and a look of terror upon his face as Marc got closer with the manticore hot on his trail.
"Tony! Go! Keep running!" Marc screamed out. His shouts jolted his brother into action, and he watched as Tony bolted on ahead of him. "Don't look back, Tony! Call for Jerry once you reach the safety of the vehicle and only once it's safe to do so. Go now!"
What happened next was so quick that Marc had no time to react. He had just dodged another attack by the whip like tail of the manticore and was in mid jump over a particularly large crater that had just formed when the monster took complete advantage of this and lashed out its tail again before he had managed to hit the ground. The tail slammed into Marc's side with enough force to lift him high into the air and threw him a few feet and into a drainage ditch that went along the treeline.
He hit the ground with a sickening thud and felt his left wrist explode in pain. For a moment, the pain made him forget about everything going on, including the manticore that was now bearing down on him. He had landed heavily on his side and just moments after the reality sunk in that he was still in danger; he felt his side burn in agony. However, Marc found that he could not move. He felt immediately nauseous, and his vision swam when he tried to roll onto his stomach to crawl away.
He closed his eyes knowing that the final blow was about to come, but a second later he heard somebody jump down into the ditch with him and a metallic click that reverberated loudly in his head. Then strong arms grabbed him around the middle and hauled him to his feet.
"Tony?" Marc mumbled; his eyes still closed as the pain threatened to overwhelm him entirely. "No… Leave me here… get help."
"We will not leave you behind, little bro." Lee's voice sounded strained as he half dragged, half carried a semi conscious Marc up the embankment of the ditch and finally into the safety of the trees. "We've been set up. Big and ugly that was giving chase is rigged to explode. We need to get out and fast. I am surprised that it didn't do anything when it had you pinned down."
"No time. I'm dead weight and you need to move quickly…" said Marc between clenched teeth. He held his side painfully and leaned heavily into Lee's shoulder causing his eldest brother to stagger under the weight. However, Lee refused to let go and held him tightly.
Lee's light blue eyes flashed in anger. "You are not dead weight! You're my brother and I am not leaving you here to fend for yourself. That ice spray that I hit that thing with will hold it long enough until it detonates, and we need to get out before then."
Marc hissed in pain as Lee's hold tightened around him but allowed himself to be carried along the trail to where the WOOHP van stood waiting for them at the bottom of a small hill. From below, he could see that the WOOHP van was running, and that Megan was in the driver's seat waiting for them while Tony was sprinting towards them with a panicked expression on his face.
"It managed to get out of its ice hold, Lee! It has followed you and is nearly upon us."
Lee did not need to look behind him to see that the manticore had breached the treeline. The redhead could hear the creature lumbering behind them, pausing long enough to raise its ugly head and try to see them with its now damaged eyes. The WOOHP van wasn't too far from them, but if the manticore had decided to run after them, they would not make it there on time. However, it seemed that Lee and his gadget had caused significant damage to the monster as it moved slowly and awkwardly over the ground. However, it was still dangerous and as it advanced towards them, the ominous ticking noise that it made grew louder to their ears.
"Get to the van, Tony!" Lee ordered, grabbing Marc more securely around the middle before throwing him over his shoulder. He ignored the muffled and pained protest made by his younger brother and took off after Tony as fast as he could. Tony quickly climbed into the passenger seat beside Megan who was yelling for Lee to hurry up. A moment later, Lee threw Marc unceremoniously into the back seat before clambering in beside him and slamming the van door shut.
"Let's go, Megan!" Tony shouted out as behind them the manticore finally appeared at the top of the hill behind them. "Go! Go! Go!"
Their sister did not need to be told twice, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and the WOOHP van surged forward in a burst of speed that caused Marc to be thrown back into his seat. He gave a short yelp of agony and rubbed at his shoulder, his eyes closed, and teeth clenched tightly as he felt the sharp throbs of pain shoot throughout his body. Megan glanced worriedly in the rear-view mirror, her green eyes betrayed her anguish over hearing Marc's pained moaning, but just as quickly it disappeared and was replaced by a look of fierce determination that Lee and Tony recognised immediately.
"Hold on to something!" yelled Tony in warning to Lee and Marc in the backseat, his face white as Megan punched the turbo speed button near the steering wheel. "We're going too fast, Megan! That guardrail is supposed to protect us from going over that cliff and into the lake… Look out!"
The van hurtled down the remainder of the trail and to the main road at such a speed that they felt like they were flying above the ground. With her face tight in concentration and her teeth clenched, Megan yanked the steering wheel violently to prevent the vehicle from hitting the guardrail that did not seem strong enough to stop them from going over the side of the cliff at their speed. For a terrifying moment, the side of the van hit the guardrail with enough force that it seemed as though they were about to go over, and Lee and Tony could see the blue of the lake and the sharp rocks that jutted out of the water below.
"Megan!" screamed Tony and Lee at the same time, their voices full of terror as their sister righted the vehicle and hit the accelerator again as the turbo function wore off.
"Sorry guys," said Megan shrilly. "But if you didn't notice, we have company!"
"Wha…?" Lee started but trailed off stunned when he noticed that the monster had somehow managed to pick up speed and was now bearing down towards the road. "Whoa, I thought that we had seen the last of that thing. It doesn't give up, now does it?"
"It's a… a robot, Lee. It's incapable of getting tired." Marc's voice sounded weak, even to his own ears, and it was clear to his siblings that he was in excruciating agony. His face paled considerably when he tried to move so that he could be in a comfortable position but found that the pain and his injuries made movement impossible.
"We need to call Jerry," said Lee, his brow knitted in concern as he looked over his younger brother's still figure beside him. "Tell him that Marc is severely injured and get the doctors prepared to receive him. How long do you think it will take us to get there?"
Megan looked doubtfully back at him in the rear-view mirror, but both Lee and Tony could see the worry for her twin etched deep on her face. "I might be able to get us there in an hour at minimum, but there's no promises unless we can use the turbo speed button again."
Silence met her answer. It wasn't what they wanted to hear, but it was the only option they really had. Tony took out his MPCom and called Jerry to give them an update on the mission and to brief him of Marc's condition. Lee met Megan's gaze in the mirror and nodded his head. A moment later, he gently moved Marc so that his younger brother's head was laying in his lap and held onto him protectively. Marc's body tensed as he felt Lee's arms wrap around his injured shoulder, causing pinpricks of pain to shoot down into his arm, but he felt his sense of consciousness leave him and closed his eyes.
Megan hit the turbo speed button once more just as an explosion shook the earth behind them, but before the fireball erupted into the sky over the lake where the monster had fallen into, the Spiez were long gone.
-O-o-O-
"… He lost consciousness while we were on the road back to WOOHP, Jerry."
Lee's words were the first thing that Marc heard when he drifted back into consciousness. He experienced a strange sensation… a light-headedness that threatened to take him back into unconsciousness, and the returning sensation of his limbs and extremities. The voice of his older brother held concern that Marc could not understand, but it was obviously directed towards him and his current situation. For a moment, the young spy could not remember what caused him to be in this position and had no idea where he was until he started to piece things together.
He was obviously back at WOOHP, and he was laying on either the sofa in Jerry's office or was in a hospital bed in the hospital wing at headquarters. Then just as Marc felt the confusion bubble up to the forefront of his mind, all memory of that day came flooding back to him, and he felt the pain return.
"If Lee hadn't gotten there to save him, Marc would have died," said Megan shakily, her voice slightly muffled as though she was being hugged tightly and had her face hidden in someone's shoulder. "It's scary to think how close we came…"
"But we're all safe now," said Lee gently. "Look, Marc is going to be okay. We got out on time and the doctor says that he's going to make a full recovery."
"But he got hurt just the same!" Megan wailed and she sounded as though she was close to hysterics. "What if we didn't escape the warehouse in time? What if we got there one minute too late? That thing had him pinned down with nowhere to go. The way he went flying after that monster hit him with its tail, I was so scared that it had killed him…"
"But he's not dead. Megan, he is with us and he's okay. We are safe."
Footsteps approached Marc's bedside, stopping just within reach of the bed. A moment later, the mattress sunk down and a soft, cool hand brushed the hair from his face. The fragrance of lavender vanilla drifted over him, identifying the visitor as Megan. Marc could feel his twin's eyes upon him, could feel her worry in the way she tousled his hair and held onto his hand. However, he could also feel another emotion boil just underneath the surface- something that she was trying to hide with little success… anger.
Marc felt his sister turn to face somebody who was behind her. "Something was seriously wrong, Jer. That whole mission felt like a set up. Tony said that the monster took a special interest in Marc. It didn't seem interested in the rest of us, even when Lee and I presented the larger target and it had us captured."
"Marc called it a manticore," murmured Tony distractedly. The youngest Clark had taken vigil in one of the uncomfortable chairs beside Marc's bed and had refused to move, even when Lee and Megan tried to bustle him out when the doctor had entered earlier. "He had no idea that it was a bomb. He was only concerned about me… he even put himself between that thing and me."
Silence followed Tony's statement, but a moment later, Lee came forward and hugged their youngest brother tightly as Megan watched on.
"Don't blame yourself for this, Tony. The two of you were running for your lives. What we know now wouldn't have been known to you and Marc while you were trying to get away."
"And as for Marc keeping between you and this manticore robot," continued Megan, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Lee and I would have done the same thing had we been there. It's what older siblings do for their youngest ones. He was keeping you safe from harm even if he was the one in need of being protected."
Jerry approached and sat heavily in an empty chair, his face grey with exhaustion and hazel eyes dark with worry. Something about their latest mission had felt off to him, something that he had nearly paid for dearly with the lives of his young Spiez team. Yet, the clues were not falling into place, and he felt like until he had more, he had no idea who or what he was dealing with.
"When you told me that you felt like the monster took a special interest in Marc, can you explain why you thought so, Tony?" asked Jerry, his tone serious. "What you observed can help the investigation. If this was a targeted attack against your… against Marc, we need to act quickly. Remember, we haven't caught who was behind that robot yet. If this was targeted, there could be a very high chance of another attack and we will need to take all precautions to ensure that all of you are safe."
Tony considered for a moment before he responded, his voice small and hesitant. "I wasn't so sure at first. It wasn't until Lee went to get Marc that I started having this feeling." He paused and shook his head, looking down at his hands which were clenched tightly in his lap. "There was a moment when Marc and I had separated, and the monster turned to follow him instead of continuing towards me. Even when I was within striking range it didn't seem all that interested in me, it just wanted our brother. However, it did something weird, Jerry…"
"What was that?" Jerry asked when Tony's voice trailed off.
"When it did have me pinned behind some rocks, it got more frantic when Marc got there. Then there was that moment when we were in the open field and it had a direct line of fire because Marc had leapt out of the way, but it slowed and focused all of its energy on him instead of the other threat directly in front of it."
"We noticed something else that was strange," said Megan suddenly. "Our MPComs and Eye-Tech weren't working properly on scene. The computers were down, and Marc couldn't boot them up. Then our gear and some of our gadgets were faulty. Our jet boots weren't functioning properly… that's how Lee and I got caught."
"What does this mean, Jer?" Lee asked, his voice low and terrified. "That somebody is out to get Marc? It seems that this was certainly the case with the sabotage, the monster... robot… manticore thing, and trying to separate us all. What do we do?"
"For right now, you are to do nothing," Jerry said but before he was able to continue, an alarm went off in his pocket and he took out a slim wallet that he opened to reveal a communicator. He frowned down at it for a moment before he got up without a word and left the room.
"Rude much?" Megan asked huffily once Jerry had shut the door with a snap causing Marc to involuntarily lurch as his headache returned. "I mean, hello… we have an unconscious brother and some phantom villain that we need to find who may or may not be specifically targeting him."
"I wonder if Jer leaving has anything to do with this case?" Tony asked suddenly. "Fairly certain there is a way to find out for sure."
Lee sighed heavily before he stood to his feet and brushed a hand through his hair. "If you are suggesting that we spy on our boss, Tone…" began Lee only to fall silent when he noticed that Marc had wakened and was blinking blearily at them from where he lay. "Marc!" he said instead, a grin forming on his face as his younger brother's hazel eyes focused on him.
Before Marc could say anything, he was soon buried by his siblings who had thrown themselves upon him in a bone crushing hug that caused him to grit his teeth as pain shot through his body. However, when Lee, Megan, and Tony pulled away they saw that he was smiling and seemed happy to see them.
"It's good to see you, bro," said Lee seriously, tousling Marc's hair before he stepped back. "You had us worried there for awhile."
"How are you feeling, Marc" asked Megan, her eyes upon her twin brother with such intensity that Marc squirmed uncomfortably and managed to pull his gaze away. "And don't you dare lie to me, either!"
He smiled at this but knew from experience that his sister could easily sniff out a lie, especially when it was a lie that he was trying to say. However, he wasn't as bad of a liar as Lee was, and he voiced this fact in fake indignation which caused Megan and Tony to laugh while Lee playfully punched him in the arm.
"Good to see that your sense of humour is intact," Lee said, amusement evident in his voice. "However, you should answer Megan's question. How are you feeling?"
Marc considered his answer carefully. He knew that he should not lie, especially to his siblings who would know that he was, but there were no words to explain how he was feeling. He allowed Megan and Tony to help him sit up in the bed, but his clenched teeth and narrowed eyes spoke of just how much pain he was in because Lee immediately swooped in and cradled him to his chest.
"Do you really think that the robot was after me specifically?" Marc asked softly. He noticed the warning look that Megan threw towards Lee who had inhaled sharply. Tony remained silent, an unreadable expression on his face, but Marc noticed that he was closely watching his older siblings.
"Why don't we talk more about this later?" said Lee quickly. "Listen, you are injured and should be focused on recovering, not be worried about some faceless villain right now."
Marc nodded and closed his eyes, feeling distinctly overwhelmed by the concern of his siblings and what he had managed to overhear before he had been fully conscious. He felt safe in Lee's arms and was just about to fall asleep when another thought struck him.
"Hey Lee, do you promise to tell me everything you have learned even if I am pulled from the mission?"
After a moment's hesitation, his brother answered. "Of course, little bro. However, if there is somebody who is targeting you, they'd have to go through all of us before they can touch you. That is my promise, Marc."
-O-o-O-
By the time that Jerry returned to the room, Marc seemed to be asleep. Lee held him protectively in his arms, his icy blue eyes watching the older spy's every movement as he quietly shut the door and approached them. The redhead immediately noticed how exhausted their boss was and threw a furtive and worried glance towards Megan who had resumed her seat on the hospital bed close to Marc.
Jerry lowered himself into the chair that he had vacated, his eyes distant as though he was still with the people who had called him instead of in the hospital wing with them. Lee knew that whatever news their boss had just received was not good, and he felt his heart clench tightly in his chest as he shifted Marc's weight so that he could get into a more comfortable position.
"Hey Jerry," said Megan nervously, her attention first upon her twin who had moaned in his sleep and then upon the older spy. She wore a worried expression on her face, but Lee was not sure if that concern was for their brother or for their boss who looked so troubled that it seemed as though he had forgotten where he was. "Was that an update on our mission? What did they find?"
Jerry started at Megan's voice, and he blinked over at her in confusion before he snapped out of his reverie. "Oh yes… sorry, Spiez. That was the team I had sent out to the warehouse you were at. Nothing was left. When the agents got there, the building was ablaze and when it was put out, it was clear that somebody had removed everything. Even the computers and other equipment you said were there."
"What? How is that possible?" Tony piped up; his face scrunched up in confusion. "It would take more than a day for that warehouse to be dismantled and emptied."
"Indeed, it is bizarre how quickly they mobilised to ensure that not a trace of them was found," said Jerry thoughtfully, his eyes once again distant. "The only thing that had been left was whatever was left of the robot that gave chase. Our forensics department is out there right now collecting whatever they can to bring to WOOHP. It might take awhile, but we will see if we can find answers."
"That is assuming that there is any evidence to give us a name," said Lee softly. He gazed down at Marc's sleeping form and shook his head sadly. "Is there any way you can find out for sure whether that robot was programmed to target our brother?"
Jerry sighed tiredly and rubbed at his face. "It's too early to really know what kind of robot we are dealing with now. It has to be pieced back together before we can know for certain. However, there are many ways we can trace the parts of a robot to its manufacturer and that could get us a list of names." He stopped speaking, his attention now fully on Marc, a worried frown on his face. "He must have awakened while I was outside of the room. How was he?"
"As well as could be expected," Lee answered quickly. "He didn't say it, but it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. We didn't tell him about the full extent of his injuries, yet."
"I'm not in that much pain," said Marc, his voice slightly muffled as his face was turned into Lee's shirt. He pulled a face as he pushed away from his brother so that he could sit up on his own, but the effort of it all caused him to fall back into Lee. "Well, alright… I'm not in as much pain as I was before."
"We didn't know you were awake," said Lee apologetically. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have spoken up for you."
"You moved and your knee dug into my side," said Marc in response, eyebrows slightly raised. "That's where I got hit by the manticore's tail." At Lee's horrified expression, Marc shook his head and offered him a small smile. "You didn't know. Besides, it's good that I am awake. Now you can tell me about my… about what happened, and we can all come up with a story for mom and dad on why I resemble a mummy with these bandages."
Jerry moved forward in his seat with a sigh, his eyes intent upon his young spy. "You have endured enough for one day. For right now, I made the decision to push your interview with me until much later." At Marc's questioning look, he pressed on. "You will need to file an incident report of course, but you can do that when you are feeling up to it."
"Megan, Tony and I have already given our interviews and did the paperwork," said Lee gently. "But the doctor is worried that to do one so soon with you would cause you to forget something because of the head injury you sustained."
"But I feel fine," Marc said slowly, his eyes going between his siblings and to Jerry who shook his head, a look of pity in his eyes.
"Honestly, that's nearly what every person with a head injury says," he said, raising his hand to stop Marc from interrupting him. "It's best to remain safe. You know as well as anyone else how dangerous these sorts of injuries are. I will not take the risk of causing you any further injury by exerting yourself more than you should."
Marc felt all the remaining colour in his face disappear as the magnitude of Jerry's words hit him. He looked from his siblings to his boss, his mouth opened in shocked dismay. "You mean that in the meantime, I can't go on any missions anymore?"
"Until you are ready to enter the field, you will be on hiatus from spying." Jerry confirmed, his voice serious. "Once you get a clean bill of health, you will rejoin Lee, Megan, and Tony on missions. Until then, you will be focusing on getting better." He stopped speaking for a moment, gazing at Marc the way a father looks at a son before he continued. "There is also the matter of whether your cover was blown, and somebody is targeting you. Until I know more, I do not want you out in the field and putting yourself at further risk of injury or worse…"
"Wait… what?" Marc interrupted. He glanced from each of his three siblings to Jerry, noticing the way that Lee, Megan, and Tony were looking away from him and the stern look that his boss was giving him. "Did you forget about our last mission, Jer? We were in a lot more danger than what is going on here. I'll be fine…"
"Not with your injuries you're not," Megan snarled, her anger taking even Lee by surprise who stared at her in open-mouthed astonishment as she turned to glare at her twin brother. "I will not allow you to downplay what happened today by bringing up our past missions. We came very close to losing you. If Lee had been one second too late… if we hadn't gotten out of that warehouse on time…" She shuddered at the thought and wiped angrily at her eyes. "Look, it was concerning enough when we felt like there wasn't something right about that mission- but it is a different thing altogether when we put the pieces together and realised that it was possibly an attack against you."
"I think that he's had enough, Megan," said Tony quietly, coming to Marc's defence when he noticed that his older brother was starting to shut down and disappear into himself. He turned to Jerry who wore an unreadable expression on his face as he watched the scene before him. "Is it okay for Marc to come home? We can continue this discussion later as more information comes in."
"Ah yes, yes. Of course, he can go home," answered Jerry at once. "He's going to be sore for awhile from where the manticore struck him and how he landed. His head injury is of great concern to me. Doctor Baldwin has confirmed a mild concussion. However, with rest and recuperation, Marc will be okay."
Lee stood to his feet and glanced worriedly at Marc whose eyes were downcast and appeared as though he was biting back tears. He rubbed his brother's back soothingly, but for once did not know what to say that would provide any comfort.
"Come on, Marc, we've got to get you home so you can rest," said Megan gently. "Lee and I will help you stand up. Tony will go on ahead and watch out for mom and dad. I don't think you should be WOOHP-ed back home in your condition." Turning to Jerry, she eyed him critically. "Is there anyway we can get a vehicle to take us home? Something that won't cause any suspicion?"
Jerry smiled at her before he took out his wallet and pressed a button. "There's a taxi currently waiting for you in the parking lot. A WOOHP agent will drive you back to ensure that you three get back safely."
Tony folded his arms, a bemused look on his face. "Uh, Jerry, I think you miscounted. There's four of us…"
"Don't be silly. You're going to meet your older siblings at home." said Jerry who sounded suspiciously happy as he pressed another button, causing the ceiling vent to activate and pull Tony into it with an indignant yelp.
Lee and Megan ducked under Marc's arms and helped him to his feet before they chanced a look at one another. They both thought the same thing. Now that Marc was safe with them and able to go back home, what would they tell their parents without arousing their suspicions and blowing their covers? Most of all, what did they have to do to protect their younger brother from a foe that was both faceless and nameless? One that seemed intent on destroying him, no matter the cost.
